The SpringHillian by The SpringHillian

SpringHillian the

February 4, 2010

Volume 90, Number 2 Mobile’s 1st Collegiate Newspaper

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Spring Hill Conduct Board launches on campus student Code of Conduct The Board will conis a relatively and issue any resulting sist of four students, one sanctions. Its purpose is to assistant, one fac On Tuesday, Jan. 19, safe campus e-mails were sent out and act as the representative resident ulty member, and one staff DEMARCO WILLS Ads Editor/Staff Reporter

»Spring Hill College crime statistics are KENDRICK DUNKLIN News Editor

Crime statistics have shown that Spring Hill College is a relatively safe campus in comparison to other institutions of higher learning, according to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education’s Web site. The University of South Alabama, which is less than three miles away from Spring Hill, had 44 reported crime incidents in 2008, the latest year that information is available from the U.S. Department of Education. In a Dec. 24 robbery, three men forced their way into a University of South Alabama dormitory, pistol-whipped a student and took a laptop computer, cell phone and wallet, according to the Mobile Press-Register. It was the second dorm invasion robbery at the University of South Alabama since early November. Additionally, a student was robbed in a campus parking lot two days after the first dorm incident. University of South Alabama has since added more security measures on its campus after the latest robbery. Spring Hill College will not increase its public safety officers, according to James Crosby, Director of Public Safety and Security. “Joe Deighton, our Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs, has worked closely with my department in employing officers from the Mobile See PUBLIC page 4

community in its response to violations of the community norms and expectations. Colten Biro, one of the members on the CAB task force states, “The idea is to put the responsibility of student discipline into the hands of the students themselves.”

flyers were posted informing the Spring Hill College community of the new Community Accountability Board. CAB is run by the Vice President for Student Affairs. The Board will make decisions regarding a student’s responsibility for alleged violations of the

member which makes a total of eight people hearing a specific case. There will be additional members, so that members can rotate in and out. “The same member will not serve every week,” Joe Deighton, Dean of Students, states. “We will

See BOARD page 4

Photos by Doug Bruce Spring Hill’s basketball team played the University of Mobile on Jan. 30. See page 14 for results.

Residence Life makes minor adjustments to housing options KENDRICK DUNKLIN News Editor

Spring Hill College’s Residence Life Office plans to implement learning communities for the 2010-2011 school term for the incoming freshman class but on a smaller scale, according to Dean Joe Deighton, Spring Hill’s Vice President for Student Affairs. “Our hope is that our marketing of the learning communities to the first year class will entice 140 members of the class to sign up for this option, this being the number of students we can house in Viragh Hall,” said Deighton. The decision comes after Spring Hill’s administration contemplated assigning all incoming first year students into learning communities. The change would have caused a shift in the arrangements of residence See TOOLEN page 3

The Mobile Experience: The Gulf Coast Exploreum ALICIA BARBOUR Staff Reporter

The Gulf Coast Science Center, also known as the Gulf Coast Exploreum, is a place of many elementary, middle, and even high school field trips for students in the Mobile area. What draws most people to this place? For teachers, it is a great learning facility. For students, it is a blast to play with the hands-on learning equipment found there. Not to mention, the various exhibits that the Exploreum offers tie to the science center’s IMAX movies. Currently found in the Exploreum are the ever present galleries: Minds-

on Hall, Hands-on Hall, the Wharf of Wonder, and My BodyWorks. But these galleries are not the only thing to be found in this large building located in downtown Mobile. Currently, there is also a dinosaur exhibit called “Dinosaurs Downtown.” This exhibit opened on Jan. 16 and will end on April 25. According to the Mobile Exploreum’s Web site, The exhibit features 10 animatronics dinosaurs that “move and roar.” The educational features of this exhibit will teach people “how robots work, how dinosaurs interact and how different species have varied eating and predatory habits. The exhibit also features a fossil dig, where See EXPLOREUM page 2

Photos by Doug Bruce “Dinosaurs Downtown” is an exhibit on display at the Exploreum.

News

Page 2 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

Campus Briefs

Alabama Grant Forms are due in Financial Aid It is time to complete a new Alabama Grant Application for undergraduate students for 2010-11. If you have a campus box, you will find a copy of the application for completion in the mail room. If not, your renewal application was sent to your home address. Please complete, sign, and return it to the Financial Aid Office within the next week. A chance for filmmakers to make films from essays The top 25 essays from Burns Middle School’s seventh and eighth grade writing classes will be entered into a random drawing for participating filmmakers. The drawing will occur at Satori Coffee House on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. Filmmakers will draw two essays and decide from which essay they will create a short, 5-minute film. All projects are due on March 15 at 6 p.m. Golf clubs are missing At approximately 4:10 p.m. on Jan. 27, 2010, a student reported that a set of beginners Founders golf clubs had been removed from the student’s room in the Fairway Apartments. The golf clubs had been stored in a red and gold colored bag beneath the bed in the room. The student last saw the clubs prior to the Christmas 2009 college break. They were noticed missing on Jan. 26, 2010. There was no indication of forced entry into the room.

Kendrick Dunklin News Editor ktdunklin@stumail.shc.edu

Exploreum offers hands-on exhibits and an IMAX experience Continued from page 1

younger children can dig in a sand pit for their very own ‘fossils,’” explains the Exploreum’s Web site. If you happen to be a member of the Gulf Coast Exploreum, tickets for the Dinos Downtown Exhibit are a startlingly low price of $2.50! If you’re not a member, the price for adults is $14 for the exhibit alone and $18 if you want to watch the IMAX dinosaur movie. The IMAX movie, “Dinosaurs Alive,” allows viewers to follow paleontologists as they journey across the world to excavate and find fossils. The fun part comes in when the fossils they find come alive in a magnificent show of computer animation that is so realistic--it is frightening! The featured dinosaurs at the exhibit are as follows: a T-Rex, a Dilophosaurus, a Stegosaurus, a Deinonychus Watcher (indoors), a Brachiosaurus,

a Deinonychus Slasher, a Parasaurolophus and an egg nest, a Sinopterus, a Triceratops baby, an Apatosaurus baby, a TRex baby and a Tupuxuara (indoors). The exhibit gives detailed information about each dinosaur so that children and adults alike can learn about these once majestic creatures. There is even a photo opportunity for those brave souls that will venture near to the TRex for long enough to get a picture with it. Aside from the simple exhibit, the Exploreum also offers birthday parties for those avid Dino-lovers. These parties are affectionately referred to as “Prehistoric Parties” by the Exploreum and are available for the duration of the exhibit, which means that the offer expires on April 25. The cost for one of these parties costs around $300 and all guests of the parties have the option of viewing the Dinosaurs

Photos by Doug Bruce The “Dinosaurs Downtown” exhibit will be on display at the Gulf Coast Exploreum until April 25.

Downtown exhibit for only $2.50 a person. Sophomore Katie Sinkus is thrilled about this exhibit and has been promoting a dinosaur adventure since she discovered the launch-date of “Dinosaurs Downtown.” “I want to visit because I’m childishly in love with dinosaurs, and the ones downtown move. And roar,” says Sinkus when asked why she wanted to visit the exhibit so badly.

ADPRO, a student organization at SHC, also seems to have a love of dinosaurs and their first event will be to visit the Exploreum today, Feb. 4. The carpool will meet at 4 p.m. in the Communication Arts parking lot. For information on how to join the carpool, e-mail Addie Brannin at labrannin@stumail.shc. edu or visit their Facebook group by searching “ADPRO” on Facebook.

Career Expo will be held on Spring Hill’s campus MEGAN WIGAL-HARRISON Staff Reporter

The spring 2010 Career Expo will be held Feb. 9 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Gautrelet Room. This event, sponsored by Career Services, will help students get an edge in the job field. At the Career Expo, students will have the opportunity to talk to different companies about professional jobs and maybe even internships. This event will be open to all students, not just seniors. According to Elizabeth Dexter-Wilson of Career Services, the attire will be business professional but this “shouldn’t keep students away if they’re between classes.” There will be 14 different companies attending the Career Expo, so it is recommended that students bring resume copies to hand out to the businesses that interest them. In addition to the Career Expo, other events will happen throughout

the week to help students get an idea of what the career field is actually like. There will be a workshop that will give students information about what to expect and how to prepare for the Career Expo. This session will be Thursday, Feb. 4 from 4:15 p.m. until 5:15 p.m. The location is Burke Library room 103. Also on Feb. 9, Career Services will host a Professional Forum from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. in Quinlan Hall. This forum will consist of Spring Hill alumni from local businesses, who will talk about their experiences in their chosen careers and take questions from students. The forum will be split into five sections. Room 129 will host the Business, Accounting, Marketing, and Finance section. The Health Care Sciences section will be held in room 301. The Government, Not for Profit, Social Sciences, and Law section will be in room 229. Education will be in room 225, and the Communication, Art, English, and

Languages section of the forum will be held in room 125. All students are welcome to attend the forum, and it is asked that professional attire be worn. On Wednesday Feb. 10, Career Services will host Job Talk with Jack Schuessler. Job Talk will be held in the Gautrelet Room from 5:30 p.m. until 6:15 p.m. Mr. Schuessler, who is the former CEO of Wendy’s International, and a Spring Hill alumnus, will talk to students about his career path. All students are invited to attend Job Talk. A special reception with Mr. Schuessler will start at 6:30 p.m. the same night, but the only way to attend the reception is to have an invitation. Students have a chance to receive an invitation by attending two of the events - Career Expo, Professional Forum, or Job Talk. For more information, check out the Career Services page on the SHC Web site or e-mail edexterwilson@shc. edu.

News Date

Event

Page 3 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

Coming up this week on campus...

Time

Location

Contact Person

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Cloister Social

9 p.m.

Cloister

CPB

Friday, February 5, 2010

Mardi Gras Ball

8:15 p.m.

Destination Unknown

CPB

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Student Mass

9 p.m.

St. Joseph

Campus Ministry

Monday, February 8, 2010

5-9 p.m.

Mobile Carnival Museum

Student Activities

Badgers on the Town Career Expo

10-2 p.m.

Gautrelet Room

Career Services

“Fiction” exhibition Paintings by Clayton Colvin

6-8 p.m.

Eichold Gallery

Wanda Sullivan

Senate Election Information Meeting

9 p.m.

Cloister

SGA

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Senate Election Information Meeting

8:30 p.m.

Cloister

SGA

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Latin Dance Night

7 p.m.

Byrne Hall

MSU

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Special Notices • Get your 21st annual American Cancer Society Chilli Cook-Off in advance for only $10 ($15 at the gate) from Dr. Sharee Broussard. This event is Feb. 27th in Bienville Square/LoDa • American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life will be Friday April. 16 at the University of South Alabama Jag Gym. For more information on joining a team or helping out, contact Kat Renik at karenik@stumail.shc.edu.

Toolen and Walsh Halls will now be coed residence halls Continued from page 1

halls on Spring Hill’s campus. “Shifting a significant portion of the residents to different buildings and the pricing changes that would cause, both for next year’s class and for returning students, became prohibitive,” said Deighton. “While learning communities have been proven to enhance academic and social engagement of those who participate, the cost, both financially and logistically, would be too much of a burden on our students and on the institution at this time.” Deighton also stated that the decision was a difficult one because he said that it is hard trying to please everyone. “We appreciated and

considered all such input. Obviously, some are now happy that we have reconsidered and scaled back on our initial plans. As we look to the future, hopefully we can engage in more discussion on learning communities and closely monitor those that will occur in Viragh Hall next year,” stated Deighton. For the upcoming school year, the residence halls will remain the same except for major changes in Toolen Hall and Walsh Hall. “They are scheduled to be coed by floor or wing next year, since the restroom arrangements in those buildings are based on the gender of the entire floor (Toolen Hall) or wing (Walsh Hall). Which

floors or wings will be male and which will be female is partially determined by the gender make up of the first year class,” said Deighton. “For those members of the class not going into learning communities in Viragh Hall, we will try to integrate the genders as much as possible between the two remaining buildings, Toolen and Walsh.” The reason behind making the buildings coed is to encourage the development of healthier and more successful residential communities, according to Deighton. Deighton understands that some students were upset about the implemented changes, but he wants to assure that there is not a person on campus who does

not want happy students. “I would also say that living our mission as an institution and trying to achieve the multiple goals that flow from it involves many other factors. While we would obviously love all of our students to be happy with all of our decisions, this is not always possible, but hopefully we can help create a positive learning experience where happiness is certainly one of the end products,” stated Deighton. Deighton appreciates everyone’s patience and their input with the learning community discussion. “There is an active committee with faculty, staff, and student representation that has been and will continue to wrestle with

the implementation of this initiative,” said Deighton. For more information, students should contact Margarita Perez with any further questions or concerns. 1/ 2 wi Off th D th epo is Ad sit

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Page 4 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

Public Safety will not increase its task force Individuals participating in Police Department to work criminal activity, by nature, strategic hours on our cam- are opportunistic. Thus, pus,” said Crosby. “The ad- awareness of one’s surroundings tends to reduce ministration of Spring Hill opportunities for such College constantly monitors the safety needs of our illegal conduct. Anyone campus. Father Salmi, the observing suspicious or criminal behavior is members of his Cabinet encourand the Board of In 2008, there were no inci- aged to Trustees dents of robbery or burglary promptly are com- reported on Spring Hill’s report the mitted to campus. details to -U.S Department of Education providthe Spring ing the Hill Colnecessary lege Department of Public resources for maintaining a Safety and/or the Mobile safe campus environment.” Police Department.” Crosby indicated In 2008, there were that it is not possible that no incidents of robbery Spring Hill could experior burglary reported on ence similar criminal activSpring Hill’s campus, acity as University of South cording to the U.S. DepartAlabama. “There has been ment of Education. Spring no information received Hill’s office of Public Safety from area law enforceand Security has not rement agencies that would ceived any requests from indicate this happening. members of the campus However, even though community to increase the campus of Spring Hill security because of the robCollege is a relatively safe environment, no location is beries at the University of South Alabama, according exempt from the possibilto Crosby. ity of such activity,” stated To review Spring Hill’s Crosby. crime statistics, visit the “I would always U.S. Department of Educaencourage members of our campus community to tion, Office of Postsecondremain vigilant to the posary Education’s Web site at sibility of criminal activity. http://ope.ed.gov/security. Continued from page 1

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News

43rd Annual USS Alabama Crewmate Contest

Applications for the 2010-2011 USS ALABAMA Crewmate Contest may be picked up seven days a week between the hours of 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. from the ticket office of the Battleship park. Entrants for the contest must be young ladies who have reached their 19th birthday by March 25, 2010 and must not have reached their 22nd birthday by the same date. All applicants must reside/live in Mobile or Baldwin County. The Crewmates represent Battleship Memorial Park and the State of Alabama at a variety of public relations activities throughout the state. Selection criteria include poise, appearance, application information, references, and interviews with a selection panel. The new Miss USS ALABAMA will receive a $2,000 scholarship, Miss USS DRUM a $1,500 scholarship, and the other four Crewmates will each receive a $1,000 scholarship. No fees or sponsorships are required to enter the contest. For questions regarding this program, please contact, Karen Conner at 433-2703 or e-mail kconner@ussalabama.com.

Board will recommend sanctions for violations Continued from page 1

have more than we need so we can always have enough people to hear cases.” Minor violations, known as Level I violations, will not be heard by the Board. The board will hear cases pertaining to Level II and III violations. Students will still have the choice to meet with an area coordinator for these violations. However, they will have the choice to send their case before the Board. If the board believes a case is a Level IV or V violation, then the board decides if the person is responsible for the violations, and the case is sent to the Dean of Students. Sanctions will not be explicitly handed down by the board, but they will be able to recommend sanctions to an area coordinator who served as chair for the board. One thing members on the board will be able to do is give their input on sanctions and policies so that they can educate the staff who may reconsider policies and sanctions currently in place. Deighton wants the board to replace the idea of what used to be the traditional student judicial board. “We’re trying to move away from the word judicial. It has the connotation that this is a court of law. It’s meant to be for the community to hold each other accountable.”

The board is designed to be more of an educational process than a way to punish students. Deighton wants students to learn what’s right and wrong and the rules people have agreed to follow here on campus. It’s about the growth and education of students, not the serious penalties that might be seen in a court of law. Deighton says, “We are going to do everything we can, so it doesn’t operate like a court of law. It’s more of a discussion between the board and the student, who violated a policy, to reach an understanding. It doesn’t mean there will not be sanctions because they can be educational. The board is going to make sure the sanctions aren’t just punitive but also educational.” Many students believe the disciplinary process of Spring Hill is shrouded in secrecy. With the formation of the board, the hope is to make the process transparent. It makes it more educational to have peers investigating and looking into some of the policy violations and explaining to their peers why they are being held accountable. It makes it vital for people of the community to hold others in the community accountable for their actions. The board is expected to start hearing cases by the third or fourth week in February. Students selected to

be on the Board are expected to be fair, unbiased and objective. They should be role models and understand the discipline system. “Board members have to be good listeners and be able to sort out the facts of a case. They need to be able to discuss with other members. They have to be able to reason out what happened and the level of accountability” Deighton said. In past years, Spring Hill has had something similar to CAB. However, the board was dissolved for various reasons. “The reason the first judicial board went away was not because the staff didn’t believe in it. It was a lot of work to run it and enough cases weren’t being sent to the board. It was the students and SGA that showed the concern of not having something like this on campus. Students wanted to get more involved in the process, and we’re happy to let them because we don’t want this to be a secret process.” Deighton said. Biro adds, “I think it will be nice for students to have more responsibility over their discipline because the student perception is that the administration is making all of the decisions. It gives us the opportunity to step up and take care of our community. If the community can govern itself, there’s no need for some policies.”

Kelcee Smith Opinions & Editorials Editor klsmith@stumail.shc.edu

Opinions & Editorials

Page 5 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

It’s free and anyone can join, but should you? Don’t be a negative nancy! »Abby discusses how youth in society have become obsessed with Facebook

ABBY COWART Co Editor-in-Chief alcowart@stumail.shc.edu

I don’t want to know which one of my friends stalks me the most, plants fake crops, or goes to a free food tasting at a fake café.

I don’t want to know what Lady Gaga song fits my personality best or what Friends character I resemble the most. I really don’t want to know what yard signs you stole last weekend or see pictures of what your friends did to you when you passed out on Saturday from partying just a little too hard. Remind me again. Why do I have a Facebook account? I remember vividly what Facebook used to be. Long before the “news feed” came along and I was forced to see what my friends were doing every second of their lives, Facebook did what its

mission statement promoted. It was a social networking Web site that “helps you connect and share with the people in your life.” Profiles were simple, consisting of small photo albums, personal information and those pre-written statuses that included the word “is.” Some people may argue that the original face of Facebook was dull and limiting. And truthfully, I can almost agree with that claim. Most successful Web sites allow users to express themSee FACEBOOK page 6

School’s not out for the summer

»Year-round school is a must if America wants to improve the quality of society

LINDSEY WORLEY Co Editor-in-Chief

Almost everyone has fond memories of summers past. Whether it be spending a week on the beach in Mexico, or just pretending to be in Mexico while lounging in a kiddie pool, just the thought of summer brings warm, relaxing feelings to us all. However, do you remember each and every day of those three long months of summer? Did you really enjoy not being able to go outside because of the unbearable heat? And for the parents, do you think they enjoy having to hire a babysitter for three months? Didn’t think so. Now, stay with me here be-

The SpringHillian Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

E-mail: hillian@stumail.shc.edu

cause I’d like to argue for the termination of a three-monthlong summer vacation. But first: Why do we even have summer break? I’ve always been told that summer break originated from the agrarian times; children had to help their parents work the farms. However, this is not true. Farming times actually occur in the spring and fall, so why would summer be an ideal time for schooling? In fact, according to Historians at Old Sturbridge Village, a living history museum that recreates an 1830s New England farming village, children actually went to school December to March, and then mid-May to August. So, do not believe the lies. And despite the different cultures around the world, Japan is one of the only countries that has a meager one month summer break. These children attend around 240 days of school! It’s no wonder their children there are so smart. However…I am not an advocate of more school. What I am is an

advocate of the “45-15” plan. What this means is there are nine week periods during the normal calendar year. Then, there are 3 week breaks in between those.That is roughly the length of a full winter break here at Spring Hill. I support this plan because school is tiring, and stressful at times (or all the time for some). But with the 45-15 schedule, for nine weeks you attend school and learn the things you need to learn. There is actual time to do the things that a 4 month semester cannot do. Those breaks simply get moved to the three week period. In two nine week terms, you get a semester plus two weeks. Loss of time is eliminated. There are a few arguments against this, however. Number one: Money. The government and those running private schools cannot afford to pay for year-round school. This is the most ridiculous argument I have heard

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»Kelcee recaps Alabama’s green initiative in 2009 as fuel and updating heating and cooling units. I’m a big believer in incentives, so I really like the next energy efficient change that Alabama has proposed. Starting in April 2010, if you buy an appliance with the Energy Star label, you can get a rebate for up to $150. A good deal if you’re looking to buy a microwave for your KELCEE SMITH dorm. Op-ed Editor The next big Much of the time green improvement that when Global Warming Alabama made in 2009 or Climate Change is concerns recycling. Nine mentioned, we hear the counties in the state negative parts. We hear received grants from the about what we aren’t doing, Alabama Department of what we could be doing and Environmental Management how we aren’t doing enough to expand recycling centers. things well enough. While In the city of Attalla, over pressuring businesses and 40,000 tons of tire scrap institutions to be as green and 4 million tires were as they can is a good thing, removed from a large sometimes it is nice to pat dumpsite and 80 percent ourselves on the back. were recycled. In Hoover, To bring a more Ala., the first program in positive outlook to this the nation to recycle scrap subject, I thought that it wood was established. Wood might be nice to hear what left at the curbside for trash we are doing right in order pickup was converted into to combat Climate Change. ethanol and used to power So let’s talk about what the city fleet vehicles. Talk about great state of Alabama has bio fuel. done in 2009 to improve The last recycling energy efficiency, promote endeavor which the state recycling and protect the took on is near and dear to state’s natural resources. my heart because it concerns First, let’s discuss fishes. In northern Alabama, energy efficiency. Something over 100 monofilament you may not have thought disposable bins were set of (I know I didn’t) is the up at major fishing sites. amount of power needed Improper disposal of to run a prison. With the monofilament can be very help of a federal grant, the destructive to marine and Alabama Department of freshwater habitats, often Corrections is upgrading entangling animals causing the state’s prisons, making their death. More bins are to them more eco-friendly. be established statewide in The $20.9 million will go the future. toward installing biomass The state of generators, converting food waste into methane to use See GREEN page 6 800-742-6704 251-380-4000 www.shc.edu

Advisor Stuart Babington sbabington@shc.edu

Page 6 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

Opinions & Editorials

Discover life without Facebook continued from page 5

But with that being said, I think it is really imselves to a certain degree, portant that we use discreand the old Facebook didn’t seem to have much personal- tion in what we promote on ity. But what have we gained our profiles. We should use Facebook for its original purfrom the news feeds, bumpose: to stay connected. It per stickers, pieces of flair, expansive photo albums and should be used as a tool for connection, not as a means downright obnoxious applications that characterize the to stalk everyone we know. Unfortunately, consuming new Facebook? our lives with cyber-stalking The things that can instead of actually having be done on Facebook these face-to-face conversations is days have turned the site not a good idea. into a forum for what is But we should also wrong with today’s society. be concerned with our The site enables anyone and reputations. Your profile, everyone to make a prowhether you think so or file and post albums upon albums of photos, videos and not, follows you around. It tells people who you really other personal information. are, what you like and what With its new applications, you’ve done. Employers look I can know more about a at Facebook profiles before person with just a few clicks they hire employees, and call of the mouse than if I had me crazy, but I don’t think sat down and had an hour long conversation with them. a future boss would want to see pictures of you doing a Isn’t that a little scary? keg stand at a party. I’m not suggest The solution to this ing that we should get rid problem is simple. Be smart. of Facebook completely or We are all students at this even change it dramatically, institution to get a great because the idea behind it education and wouldn’t be is legitimate. Facebook has here if we didn’t care about reconnected people all over our future. Don’t let yourself the globe and served as a be stereotyped or judged by networking tool that has some inappropriate pictures benefited almost everyone you are tagged in. Facebook who uses it.

offers several security options for keeping profiles limited or even private. Combine those features with a little discretion, and the result will be an image of you that you are proud of. But I also encourage you to take a step back. You don’t NEEDto get on Facebook every day. Take the challenge and give up Facebook for one whole day. No status changes, no updating and no stalking. Who knows, maybe you will rediscover what your life was like before the site took it over.

Say goodbye to summer memories continued from page 5

in my life. Honestly, what kind of society and culture are we that we care so little for our children? Well, it’s our society. The reality that schools are so under funded is simply atrocious. I will discuss this in my next article, so tune in next week. Number two: Students and teachers would become burnt out and exhausted. However, I would still like to disagree. Four months of nearly uninterrupted break tires me out now. At the beginning of the semester, I have to play catch-up and get my body in a schedule again. Toward the end of the semester it is all I can do to get through. But students and

teachers could become burnt out if there are no changes in the work day. There should be lengthy breaks for lunch and in-between classes to allow for socialization and down-time from learning and teaching. There would have to be many changes and adjusting if the government were to accept my proposition—and the proposition of many. However, I believe it is the best solution for almost everyone. Our society needs pull away from these oldfashioned ideas that have put children in an unmotivated state and our teachers at wit’s-end. If we provide yearround school for children, then America would prosper in its ideas and intelligence.

Spring Hill and Alabama have green success in 2009 continued from page 5

Alabama is also trying to preserve and reconstruct its own natural habitats for the enjoyment of all. In October of last year, the Forever Wild program helped the state government to protect over 61,000 acres of land in northern Alabama for the next 93 years. This ensures that future generations will be able to enjoy the hunting, fishing, hiking and recreational areas of the state. Closer to home, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration along with the Nature Conservancy and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab is putting $2.9 million into building new oyster reefs. The reefs will be about a mile long and located in Mobile Bay and off the coast of Bayou La Batre. Not only will the new reefs provide oysters a home, but they will also provide

many jobs for local fishermen. Most importantly, Alabamians are active participants in protecting the environment. This year, over 4,400 volunteers took part in the Alabama Coastal Cleanup. I am proud to say that Spring Hill was represented in this endeavor by the S.H.O.R.E.S. club and the TKE fraternity. Together, volunteers covered 300 miles of coastline and gathered 93,000 pounds of litter. Thanks guys! So I urge you to continue your green efforts, every little bit counts, but don’t forget to congratulate yourself every now and then. The Green Resource Center produces a “green report” for the state of Alabama every year, which can be found in its entirety online. I can’t wait to see what green actions the state takes on this year.

Student Reaction If you could be housing director for a day, what would you do to improve housing? Printer Signature Offset http://www.signatureoffset.com

George Molaison – Junior “I think the school should spend less time trying to create “learning communities” and figure how to best renovate the interiors of Toolen and Walsh.”

Jose Paris – Sophomore

Ellen Broad – Sophomore

J.R. Valdez – Freshman

“What they could do is also have learning communities in Toolen, considering that they have study rooms and a big common room.”

“Personally, I would keep the housing situation as it is now. Walsh, Toolen, and Viragh are well suited for freshmen.”

“I would make sure that upper classmen received nicer dorms than the freshman because of the national percentage of freshman who transfer to another school.”

2610 Lakeview Road Hattiesburg, MS 39401 Phone: (601) 544-4445

Advertising Manager DeMarco Wills djwills@stumail.shc.edu

Photographer Doug Bruce dmbruce@stumail.shc.edu

OpiniOnS & ediTOrialS

Page 7 The Springhillian February 4, 2010

These times they are a-changin’ Results of Hillian poll »The Gentlemen discuss their last remaining semester at Spring Hill And so it has come to pass, in just over three months commencement will arrive and the senior class, alongside the Gentlemen of The WIXY, will be left wondering, “Where are the snowdens of Yesteryear?” If this literary reference is lost to you, perhaps you should spend a little more time in the library and a little less time at the Fairways at 3 a.m. In short, it means we’re leaving. It is reassuring to think that life outside these hallowed halls of Spring Hill could be filled with the prospects of journeying into the vast unknown of actual life. As for now, we are ready to remove the kid gloves in our last semester and make certain our voice is heard. But what of those we leave behind to defend the integrity of this great campus? We hope the call to action that has permeated many of our previous articles will still resound in the students, and the school can once again return to its prestigious nature. This year has seen its fair share of coming change, and still there is more to come. There is soon to be a student judicial board (officially to be known as the Community Accountability Board) implemented, which will help facilitate communication between administration and the student body, a step forward in progress and responsibility. We have yet to see if this will be simply another pawn of Student Affairs or an actual success. Either way, we do not suspect it to be a small-scale court

system that will be able to set precedents on individual cases. However, we know that the CAB must follow school policy, but it also needs some latitude of movement. An idea such as this should be lauded as at least a small step on the proper path. There is soon to be a return of a Director of Residential Life, or whatever it may be termed. While this is yet another position of authority, it should be noted that students will have a new administrator who would hopefully work in the favor of students and student activity. A new chain of command will be created to offer more alternatives to students. The key to success of the new director will come in the way of student involvement. It must be emphasized that the more students are engaged with selection of this new personality, the odds of the continual mending of student-administration relations is enhanced. So make sure your voice is heard, for future students will also have to accept

this person as part of their campus life. The Gentlemen look forward to meeting the interviewees for this very important new position. These issues are just some of the topics we look forward to covering before graduation. Our readers can expect insightful and brutally honest opinions on subjects ranging from campus life to politics to goings on in the WIXY. Let it also be known that the Gentlemen are hard at work to secure the legacy and tradition of past Spring Hill classes. The Gentlemen of the WIXY Devon Austermann, Tim Corbett, Kyle Jones and Neilson Lea.

concerning housing The SpringHillian newspaper staff has begun engaging Spring Hill College students in a weekly unscientific poll, always found on the newspaper’s Web site, www.shc.edu/ hillian. Last week, we asked students: “Of the possible housing changes being considered by Residence Life, which do you like the most?” Here are the results: ~64 percent of the respondents said on-campus housing arrangements were fine they way they are, and that no change was needed. ~33 percent of the respondents said other options, such as upperclassmen having offcampus options, should be considered. ~3 percent of the respondents liked the proposed plan of

upperclassmen in singles in Toolen, and doubles in Walsh. This week’s poll question, found at www.shc.edu/hillian, is: A Community Accountability Board is being established to hear cases involving non-academic, student discipline issues. Which of the following goals of the board do you believe is most important? ~Giving accused students the opportunity to state a defense and hear from witnesses in front of a board of their peers. ~Giving students an opportunity to experience or assume roles in the judicial process. ~Serving as a way to encourage positive, peaceful on-campus behavior.

Austermann writes letter to the editor I have to respectfully state my disgust at an egregious omission of the movie “The Expendables” from the list of most anticipated films of 2010. I think the cast list alone will entice any blue-blooded American to hit the theatres when it comes out on August 13th. Written, directed, and

starring Sylvester Stallone, co-stars include Jason Statham, Jet Li, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, MMA legend Randy Couture, Bruce Willis, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and more. What’s the plot, you ask? Does it matter? I would

watch that group read out of the phone book for two hours and it would be well worth the admission price. If there was an Oscar for “Best Cast Ever Assembled on God’s Green Earth” this movie would have it in the bag. Devon Austermann ‘10

EDITORIAL POLICY The SpringHillian is published weekly from September to May, except during examination periods and vacations. The views expressed herein do not represent the views of Spring Hill College and are not the views of the faculty, administration, staff or students, but are the views of the individual columnists. SUBMISSIONS The SpringHillian publishes guest submissions at the discretion of the studenteditor and section editors. Submissions should be less than 500 words, and editors reserve the right to edit the submissions for length and content. Original writings should be mailed or delivered to: Student-editor, The SpringHillian, Communication Arts, Spring Hill College, 4000 Dauphin Street, Mobile, AL 36608.

Page 8 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

Life & Culture

Student Spotlight: LaToya McCoy

Taste of the Hill

»The MSU Taste of the Hill event was a huge success

MEGAN WIGAL-HARRISON Staff Reporter

There is more to LaToya McCoy than what meets the eye. The studio art major and graphic design minor has more on her plate than most seniors. Besides deciding what she wants to do after she graduates, LaToya is dealing with cancer. She was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. With a happy attitude, she stated that it all started around April but got really bad in May. LaToya said that she was hurting badly so she went to a local hospital but the doctor dismissed the pain as a pulled muscle and gave her pain pills, which she took for the last two weeks of school. One week after school was out, LaToya was still in pain so her mother took her to another hospital to see if doctors could find something different.

Katelyn Ikner Life & Culture Editor krikner@stumail.shc.edu

Photo courtesy of Wanda Sullivan

Doctors kept LaToya in the hospital for a week and ran “crazy tests,” but they couldn’t diagnose anything. A colonoscopy was then performed and a mass was discovered, which led to doctors removing part of LaToya’s

colon. LaToya stated that doctors did not tell her right away that she had cancer. “They were hesitant and that’s how I knew.” LaToya was told that she would have to See STUDENT page 11

A new year, a new you for 2010 ASHLEY ROBINSON Editor Emeritus

The New Year usually brings tax season, a new school semester and god forbid those horrid diets that everyone tries to adopt. Fortunately, we’ll usually fade away and forget about those diets. Taxes, on the other hand, we will not forget. This column will also be a new addition to this year and hopefully will come in handy for good advice on health and your daily living. No worries though, I never take myself as serious as taxes. As we all know, it’s Mardi Gras season and that means only one thing: the “BB” season. “BB” is the term I use for beads and booze. Yes, I know, not everyone is into parades and balls, but hey, you are in the town where Mardi Gras originated! So as we tackle our workout plans and limit our carbs, how can we truly take care of our-

selves and still cram in all of those school hours? The trick is to pace yourself and get on a steady schedule. Making a regular schedule for yourself conditions your body to work like a constant, clockwork machine—ending in weight loss and a higher stamina. Activities such as eating, studying and working out should be thought out ahead of time and regulated. Staying on a schedule also helps you actually do it! Although this sounds boring and bland, it works. I went a whole year in high school replacing my morning bagels with cream cheese with Kellogg’s, and I lost five pounds in only two months. For guys, this is not the area to be fretting over I’m sure, but the beer bellies have got to go by spring break, and you know this! We have two more months to tighten, tan and torture See TIPS page 11

Photos by Doug Bruce

Life & Culture Mardi Gras on the Hill »Campus Programming Board hosts Mardi Gras Week at Spring Hill KATELYN IKNER Life & Culture Editor

Laissez les bons temps rouler! It is that anticipated time of year again, Mardi Gras Week. Mardi Gras Week is a week of special activities to get Spring Hill students in the Mardi Gras spirit. Whether someone has been around Mardi Gras their entire life or is new to the Mobile tradition, this Fat Tuesday celebration is a opportunity to enjoy this special time of year full of parades and celebration. The Campus Programming Board sponsors Mardi Gras Week. CPB has put together a full week of activities designed to give students a preview of what the Mardi Gras spirit is really all about. Mardi Gras week began on Monday, Feb. 1, with a special Mardi Gras themed dinner in the cafeteria. According to Vice Chair of Special Events, Lauren McCarthy, the Mardi Gras themed dinner consisted of, “decorations and fun food to get everyone in the Mardi Gras spirit!” Aramark provided the food for this event.

Comedian, Adam Ace, performed a comedy showcase on Tuesday, Feb. 2. This was a free event held at the Arlene Mitchell Theatre. According to Neon Entertainment’s Web site, the agency that represents Ace, he is an award-winning comedian. He was named Comedian of the Year by college campuses and acknowledged by the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities. Wednesday’s event was a Gyrospace activity. This activity took place outside the recreation center. The cost for the event was free. According to GyroSpace.com, gyrospace “is a fantastic ride, like having your own private amusement park.” The Mardi Gras Cloister social will be held on Thursday, Feb. 4. This event will be held in the Cloister from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Cost for this event is free and food is provided by Aramark. On Friday, Feb. 5, CPB will host the event students have been waiting for: the Mardi Gras Ball. The theme for this year’s ball is a “black and white af-

fair.” Sophomore Matthew Jordan is looking forward to the Mardi Gras ball because, “it is so much fun.” The Mardi Gras ball is a destination unknown event and will begin at 8:15 p.m. Tickets for this event are $8 and must be purchased by lunch on Thursday, Feb. 4. Many students anticipate the Mardi Gras ball because of the announcement of the Mardi Gras king and queen. The voting process began when the tickets for the event started selling. Every Spring Hill student got the opportunity to pick up a ballot from the ticket table and vote for four male and four female senior students. This part of the process ended on Jan. 29. Then, the Executive Board for CPB calculated the votes and announced the Mardi Gras court. The males are: Kevin Bradley, Eric Horn, Ryan Nicto and Jeff Jules. And the females are: Anna Pate, Kaiesha Ford, Robynetta Hargrave and Maura O’Callaghan. The Mardi Gras king and queen will be announced at the Mardi Gras ball by the CPB Executive Board.

Page 9 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

Mardi Gras Parade Schedule

Jan 29 6:30 Conde Cavalier Parade Jan 30 6:30 Pharaoh’s Mystic Society Parade 7:00 Conde Explorers Parade Feb 4 6:30 Order of the Polka Dots Parade Feb 5 6:30 Order of the Inca Parade Feb 6 2:00 6:30 7:00 7:30

Mobile Mystics Parade Maids of Myth Order of Butterfly Maidens Parade Krewe of Merry Mates

Feb 7 6:30 Neptune’s Daughter Parade Feb 8 7:00 Order of Venus Feb 9 6:30 Order of LaShe Parade Feb 13 12:00 12:00 5:30 6:00 6:30 6:45

Floral Parade Mystic Revelers Mystics of Pleasure Mystics of Time Coronation of Queen to King Felix III Mystic Order of Shadow Barrons

Feb 14 2:30 5:00 5:30 8:15

Joe Cain Parade Le Krewe de Bienville Parade Les Femmes Cassettes Parade Coronation of King Elexis

Feb 15 3:30 MLK Monday Mystics Parade 6:30 Infant Mystics Parade 7:00 Order of Mystic Magnolias Feb 16 12:00 12:30 1:00 1:30 1:30 2:00 6:30

Photo by Doug Bruce A float makes it way through downtown Mobile for a 2010 Mardi Gras parade.

Krewe of Kroc Knights of Revelry Parade King Felix Parade Comic Cowboys Parade Orange Beach Parade Mobile Area Mobile Gras Association Order of Myths Parade

Page 10 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

Life & Culture

Little known facts of Get to know: Tracey Childs Black History Month »Childs discusses her many occupations in life

JASMINE WILLIAMS Staff Reporter

Source: www.biography.com 1. Black History Month originated in 1926 by Carter Godwin Woodson. The month of February was chosen in honor of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln (who were both born in this month). 2. Lonnie G. Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker water gun, graduated from Williamson High School in Mobile, Ala. 3. Jazz, a genre of African-American music, is a combination of blues, ragtime, and marching bands, originated in Louisiana. The word “jazz” was slang term at one point that referred to a sexual act. “Jas” now refers to the SpringHillian’s best reporter J 4. Wally Amos, “Famous Amos”, creator of Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies (yum!), was once a talent agent at the Williams Morris Agency where he worked with talents like The Supremes, Simon & Garfunkel, and various other child stars. In 1975, “Famous Amos” founded his cookie company with a recipe from his aunt. 5. In 1893, former slave Nancy Green was hired to promote the Aunt Jemima Brand at expositions and fairs. With her friendly personality, great storytelling and worth, she was a popular attraction. Green signed a lifetime contract with the pancake company and her image was used for packaging and billboards. 6. Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) is the first African-American billionaire. 7. Vanessa Williams became the first black woman to be crowned Miss America. This year’s Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron is the 7th AfricanAmerican woman crowned Miss America. 8. Eartha Kitt was the first black woman to play Catwoman, following in her footsteps years later was Halle Berry. 9. Rosa Parks was born today (Feb. 4th) in Tuskegee, Ala. Parks is honored as the “mother” of the civil rights movement. 10. Maya Angelou’s book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” was the first non-fiction book by an African-American woman to make the best-seller list.

DEMARCO WILLS Ads Editor/Staff Reporter

When you have so many occupations, it is hard to keep an explanation of your job description short. However, Tracey Childs manages to do it in just one sentence. “I’m about helping people reach their full potential and graduate in four years.” Childs is originally from Montgomery, Ala. “I did live in Pompano Beach, Fla. for a year when I was a little baby. I don’t remember, but I was told I lived there,” she laughs. Childs graduated from Auburn University receiving her bachelor’s degree in English and her master’s in Secondary Education with a concentration in English. “I thought I wanted to be a high school teacher. I changed my mind after graduating with my master’s.” At Spring Hill, Childs serves as chair for the Center of Academic Excellence, teaches some of the first year classes for the English department and helps students as an Academic Advisor. How-

SUDOKU

ever, all of this falls under the umbrella of one job title. “My title is Academic Student Advocate. I was hired to help students who are first in their family to attend college. I find the resources that they need and help them graduate from Spring Hill College in four years.” Childs’ passion for helping people can be seen in everything she does. Just this past semester, the CAE was introduced to the Spring Hill community. This

Answer to last week’s puzzle:

center was established to help students who needed help in subjects primarily pertaining to math and writing for majors across the curriculum. Childs is proud to say that the center did very well. “The CAE did so well we increased our hours for this year. Last semester, the center had 365 total visits, 257 of them were for math, 107 of them were for writing and one for tutoring outside of those two fields.” When asked about the future plans for See ACADEMIC page 12

Photo courtesy of SHC Web site

»Jasmine compiled her top ten Black History Month facts

life & CulTure

Page 11 The Springhillian February 4, 2010

Alpha Kappa Alpha Student fights cancer with art Sorority Inc. Princess Project a success Continued from page 8

»AKA succeeds in its first prom dress drive rority Inc. was the sorority with the most donations was named the “Queen of the Princess Spring Hill Project”. College’s Alpha Kappa “Service is our Alpha Sorority Inc. Pi main goal as members Rho Chapter collected of Alpha Kappa Alpha 43 semi-formal/formal Sorority Inc.,” states dresses for its Princess Project prom dress drive. member Jade Cunning During the month ham. “It is because of the contributions of the of January, the sorority ladies of the Spring Hill collected dresses for underprivileged girls in the College community that Mobile area. The dresses the Princess Project was such a large success.” will be distributed to Students also girls at Wilmer Hall, St. thought the prom dress Mary’s Home and the drive was an innovative Girl Scouts of America idea. “It’s an easy way to Outreach Program. The ultimate goal clean out your closet and give back all at the same of the project is to protime,” said junior Britvide nice semi-formal/ tani Lewis while donatformal dresses and the “full” prom experience to ing dresses. “I need to stop young girls who may not holding on to these have it otherwise. Members of AKA dresses in hopes that I Pi Rho Chapter collected may get into them again anyway,” Lewis giggled. dresses outside of the The Princess Projcafeteria on Jan. 21st and 28th, and the entire ect is the chapter’s first prom dress drive. The Spring Hill community project was a great sucsupported this event cess because of the supwith students, faculty, port of the SHC commustaff and alumni donatnity. The Pi Rho chapter ing their gently loved wishes to continue the gowns. drive in the future, as Donors’ names well as, devoting itself to went into a drawing for the sorority’s legacy of a small raffle prize and service to all mankind. Delta Sigma Theta SoJASMINE WILLIAMS Staff Reporter

undergo 12 rounds of chemotherapy. She said that she knew it was serious because most cancer patients undergo only six rounds of chemo. When LaToya was told what stage of cancer she was in, she stated that she thought “Stage three? I’m like 22 years old!” But cancer has not kept LaToya down. LaToya, who has a bubbly personality, decided that she would not let cancer take over her life. She was determined that she was going to stay in college if it was possible. She finished the first se-

mester of her senior year while also getting chemo treatments. Sometimes after treatments, LaToya would say “I don’t want to be bothered, don’t want to be touched.” But she also said that she would not have made it without a lot of helpful friends and her roommate. “It’s important to have a support group.” LaToya does not let the cancer overcome her. She is focused on finishing her senior year and preparing for her Senior Show on April 10. She was excited to inform that she was already getting commissions for her work.

She hopes to freelance in graphic design and is saving up so that she can have her own home studio. “I’ve had a hard moment, but I’m blessed to be here.” The Student Art League is hosting a fundraising campaign called Help Frame LaToya. They hope to raise funds to pay for LaToya’s reception and framing for her senior show. A couple of fundraisers that they intend to do include an art sale and dorm storming. Anyone that is interested in contributing can contact Wanda Sullivan at wsullivan@shc.edu.

Tips for keeping in shape for the new year Continued from page 8

ourselves. Lay off the booze for awhile. You have no idea how many calories and carbs are in those things. One beer (Budweiser) has approximately 143 calories per 12 ounces. A six-pack would contain 858 calories. So, if the average 21-year-old is normally suppose to consume around 2,300 to 2,700 calories a day and

SUDOKU Fill in the grid so that every row, column, and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9. Answers for the puzzle will be in next week’s paper.

you have sucked down a six-pack that night and consumed all of your daily calories from prior meals, you are just packing on fat. Keep in mind that the more active you are, the more calories you will need throughout the day. For those of us who do not exercise at all, that may mean your body needs fewer calories. This

means any extra would be detrimental to your weight. What is a calorie you may be wondering? A calorie is a unit or energy. We need calories to produce energy in our bodies. Last tip, don’t stress, it definitely makes you eat more or less. Either one of these is terrible for your body. Find a balance and stick to it.

Page 12 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

Life & Culture

Trimpin: the sound of intervention »MAC press release introduces music documentary Sunday, Feb. 21 -2 p.m. -Bernheim Hall - Free The 2009-2010 Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers continues with Trimpin: The Sound of Invention, Peter Esmonde’s documentary exploring the world of an extraordinary artist. The program begins at 2 p.m. in Bernheim Hall (Ben May Main Library, 701 Government Street). The documentary is preceded by the animated short Up-Set by Isadore Bethel and followed by a questionand-answer session with Esmonde and an informal reception. Admission is free. About the film: This documentary explores the outrageous work and agile mind of a wildly creative artist/ inventor/ composer/ engineer. Recipient of a MacArthur Genius Award and many other acco-

lades, Trimpin (who uses only his last name) combines music-making machines and kinetic sculpture with homegrown computer technology. Working six days a week, 12 hours per day, he has no use for galleries and agents, and has neither web site nor cell phone; in fact, Trimpin agreed to be the subject of this feature only reluctantly. Filmmaker Peter Esmonde set out to document the processes of a highly creative person working in many fields, with a motley assortment of media and collaborators, across a variety of situations. His film deliberately highlights Trimpin’s moments of discovery, relentless problem-solving, and eccentric decisionmaking. What results is an amusing, kinetic exploration of a creative genius in perpetual motion.

Academic student advocate strives for student excellence Continued from page 10

the center, Childs comments that they will start advertising for new tutors soon. Once the new cafeteria is finished, the CAE will keep its space in the library. However, it is planning to do some satellite tutoring when the new student center is finished. “We don’t know how many nights a week we will offer it though,” she adds. There will also be individual and group tutoring sessions held there as well. It may sound like she has too much to do, but she’s the kind of person who can always make time for the things she loves. At a young age, Childs was a big sports fan. “It all started with my dad. He used to be a basketball coach.” Although she enjoys a good basketball game every now and then, she considers herself a huge fan of college football. “I didn’t get crazy about college football until I went to Auburn.”

“My favorite activities depend on the seasons,” she says. “In the fall, I love watching college football, chilling with my family and enjoying some food. Summer, I like to go out of town. I like to visit different places. You know. Eat some food you usually wouldn’t get around here. Eating is probably number one on my list of things to do at any point, weekend or not. It’s like really up there.” Childs is very big on family. “Wherever my family is, that’s where I like to be especially with my little nuclear family.” Her daughter, Katelyn, is her pride and joy. She’s even made a considerable impact on what she watches on television. She just loves to dance. Back in high school, Childs choreographed some of the dances for her cheerleading squad. Even though she likes to think she can dance, she knows the truth. “I used to think I was a good dancer. I’m

really not that great of a dancer. I kind of just stick to my two step.” Childs hasn’t always worked for Spring Hill College. “I left and came back. I call this my second tour of duty,” she laughs. What she likes most about Spring Hill are the people. “I’ve worked in three different settings: a large university, a community college, and Spring Hill College. I just really like the oneon-one contact you get to have with the students and the staff here. You get to work with so many people and have fun doing it. It’s not like a big drag coming to work. I’m genuinely excited to come here.” Despite all she has accomplished, there are still many things Childs wants to do. Some of them are within her reach while others may take a little longer. “I think it would be really cool if I could be a contestant on Dancing with the Stars, but I guess I need to become famous first.”

Coming up this week in Mobile... Date

Event

Time

Location

Thursday, Feb. 4

Mobile Miniature Club Exhibition

7:45 a.m.-11 p.m.

University of South Alabama

Friday, Feb. 5

The Rocky Horror Picture Show Smiley, A Knife (concert)

6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m 8 p.m.

Crescent Theater Alabama Music Box

Family Friendly Mardi Gras Celebration

9:30 a.m.-Noon

Mobile Museum of Art

Mobile Chocolate Festival

10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Mobile Greater Gulf State Fairgrounds

U.S. (80s rock cover band)

11 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 6

Soul Kitchen

Dan Criscione and Alex Del Rio

Sports Editors dscriscione@stumail.shc.edu & aldelrio@stumail.shc.edu

Page 13 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

Sports

The Saints go marching in Miami »The New Orlean Saints will face off against the Indianapolis Colts, hoping to bring back their first Super Bowl win in franchise history The New Orleans Saints finally made it to the Super Bowl after 43 years of history that were dominated by misery. The team did not even make the playoffs in their first 20 years as a franchise and did not win a playoff game until 2000. The Saints began this season with an easy 45-27 win over the hopeless Detroit Lions and they never looked back. Week after week the Saints kept notching big wins on the heels of their explosive offense and a dynamic defense that forced a lot of turnovers. By mid-December the Saints were 13-0 and the hype on the Gulf Coast was unrivaled. But the season ended with three disappointing losses and many local fans were left doubting their team when they played the Arizona Cardinals two and a half weeks ago. The Saints erased any doubt by winning 45-14 to set up an epic clash with Brett Favre and the JIM LOVE Contributing Writer

Minnesota Vikings. The game was one of the best in playoff history --- the Music City Miracle, the Comeback and Super Bowl XLII --- were the only better ones in my eyes. Brett Favre threw an untimely interception late in regulation and the Saints

continues to build in our region and will only escalate in the next three days leading to the Super Bowl. Many Gulf Coast residents watch the Super Bowl every year --- this is football country after all --- but the game will take on special meaning this year.

Source: New Orleans Saints Web site

won in overtime 31-28. A 15-3 season has earned the Saints a spot in their first Super Bowl. The excitement

My roommate of four years has gone back to Pascagoula every year for a Super Bowl party, but he says this year’s party is

the one his uncle has wanted to throw for decades. The Saints being in the Super Bowl has rejuvenated New Orleans and has given America a new team to root for. According to an espn.com poll as of Monday, 57 percent of people will be rooting for the Saints on Sunday. That includes 96 percent of Louisianans, 74 percent of Mississippians and 58 percent of Alabamians. Even my home state, Maryland, is pulling for the Saints with a 62 to 38 margin --- bear in mind that everyone in Baltimore hates the Colts because they bailed on the city in the middle of the night. The Saints are now America’s team and I too will be rooting for them with most of the campus on Sunday night. The million dollar question, however, is will we be rooting for a winner on Sunday? I made a prediction in a midNovember article that the Saints would win the Super Bowl and I am See SAINTS page 16

Baseball season kicks off Spring Hill welcomes new soccer coach with win against LSU-S DAN CRISCIONE Co-Sports Editor

DAN CRISCIONE Co-Sports Editor

The baseball team started its season with a 2-1 series win over the No. 18 Pilots of LSUShreveport. Spring Hill took the first game of the double-header on Saturday. The Badgers found themselves down 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th until senior Ryan Hall stepped up to the plate. With two on and one out, Hall shot the ball down the right field line driving in two runs for the Badgers and giving him

a triple. Pilot right fielder Chase Wentz tried signaling the ball was out of play in order to negate the Badger runs, but the umpire crew ruled the ball in play, and the Badgers received an opening day win. Jeff Keenum (1-0) was credited with the win in relief of starter David Dupuy. The Pilots came back with a vengeance in the second game of the afternoon with a 7-1 victory. Josh Essington (0-1) took the loss in 4.2 See BADGERS page 15

The Athletic Department has named Tim Brooks as the new men’s head soccer coach. Brooks hails from the University of Great Falls in Montana where he started up the men’s soccer program in 2007. Brooks is leaving UGF with an impressive overall record of 24-16-1. Brooks led the UGF Argonauts to be finalists in the 2009 NAIA Unaffiliated/ Independent Conference Tournament with an 115 record. The Argonauts posted an 8-8-1 record n 2008. Before UGF, Brooks

worked as the Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach/ Goalkeeper’s coach (which Cory Bronenkamp is thrilled about) at the University of the Cumberlands. The Cumberlands were ranked as high as No. 20 while Brooks was there (20042007). Brooks has groomed 21 All-Conference players, nine Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes, four NAIA All-Americans and two of his players are now playing professional soccer. Brooks’ playing career is as impressive as his coaching. His freshmen year was spent at Oral Roberts University and was selected to the Mid-Continent

Conference 2nd team AllConference. He also won the MCC Championship in 1999. At Cumberland College, he was a 2nd team All-American and 1st team All-Conference. Was chosen as team MVP and his senior year he played football as a kicker and punter. Before college, Brooks played for the Under-17 U.S. National Team in which he was a CONCACAF(Confederation of North Central American and Caribbean Association Football) u-17 World Cup Qualifier. Coach Brooks will bring with him his wife Misty, and his two children, Faith and Isaac.

Page 14 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

Sports Men’s basketball struggles away from home ALEX DEL RIO Co-Sports Editor

The Spring Hill Badgers basketball team dropped to 10-8 after a frustrating loss at the University of Mobile last Saturday night. The Pharr Gymnasium held a sold out crowd Saturday night when the Mobile Rams hosted their cross-town rival Spring Hill College. The Badgers started digging a hole from the opening tip-off, allowing Mobile to open up the game with a 7-0 run. The Badgers finally got on the board 2:38 into the game. The Rams responded with another run and ended the half with a 25-point lead. The Badgers fought hard to outscore the Rams in the second half 37-29, but never got closer than 13 points of the lead. “The second half

we picked up our intensity and things started looking better but we dug ourselves in too deep of a hole in the first half,” said Sly Twiggs about the Badgers’ second half effort. Nick Brown led the Badgers in scoring with 12 points adding 5 rebounds. Marcus Coleman and Antonio Burch each added 11 points. One reason the Badgers fell to the Rams last Saturday was poor shooting. The Badgers shot 34% from the field and 26% from long range. Coleman, normally a leading scorer for the Badgers had difficulty finding his range shooting 20% from the 3-point line. Another factor leading to the demise of the Badgers was poor free-throw shooting. The Badgers shot an atrocious 45% from the free-throw line. To put it in perspective, Shaquille O’Neal

is averaging 52% from behind the charity stripe this season. The Badgers wrapped up a rough 3game road trip with the loss to Mobile Saturday night. The Badgers also lost the other 2 games of the road trip to opponents Loyola-New Orleans and Belhaven University. The Badgers will try to put the road trip behind them with a home stand against Xavier-New Orleans. The Badgers are now 4-5 in conference play and look to improve their record with a win over the Gold Rush. “We need to do a better job finding a rhythm early on and hitting our shots. If we can get things going early on we can win a bunch of games we have coming up,” said Brown about the importance of ending the current losing streak.

Photo by Doug Bruce Antonio Burch looks to find the open man against the University of Mobile.

AFC stands out against the NFC in 2010 Pro Bowl ALEX DEL RIO Co-Sports Editor

Light rains showered the fans for most of the game, but that didn’t stop the Pro Bowl teams from putting on a show. The scoreboard was lit up by both teams as the AFC beat the NFC in the 2010 Pro Bowl in Miami, Fla. by a score of 41-34. Houston’s Matt Schaub threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns as he took MVP honors in the game. Both of Schaub’s touchdowns came in the first quarter after Schaub connected with Andre Johnson and Brandon Marshall. Aaron Rodgers for the NFC did not have a bad game either, earning 197 yards, completing 15 of his 19 passes with two touchdowns. Tony Romo also

added 154 yards for the NFC’s offense, but it was not enough to overcome the AFC. Eagles wide-receiver DeSean Jackson had a standout game for the NFC making 6 catches for 101 yards, adding two touchdowns on the night. Jackson was also selected for kick and punt returner. For the AFC, San Diego’s Vincent Jackson caught 7 passes for 122 yards, one of them for a touchdown. Chad Ochocinco caught 4 balls but was unable to reel one in for a touchdown. Ochocinco who has been fined several times in his career for excessive celebrations, received special exemption from commissioner Roger Goodell that gave Ochocinco the pass to celebrate however he wanted to if he scored a touchdown in the Pro Bowl.

Both sides controlled their offenses nicely, marching their players with little to no defensive resistance. Long passes were common plays and hard pushes substituted big hits as both sides looked to enjoy their time trash talking their fellow NFL elites. This game was considered a bit controversial because this was the first Pro Bowl to be played before the championship game as well as the first Pro-Bowl not played in Hawaii. The one-year experiment was made to prevent future conflicts that may have arisen if the game was played Feb. 13 or 14. Already scheduled athletic events for Feb. 13 and 14th include the NBA All-Star Game, the Winter Olympics and the Daytona 500. As a result of its early

scheduling, members of the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts could not participate. The Saints and the Colts accounted for 14 players on the Pro-Bowl roster including quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. Though Manning and Brees could not participate, they were on the sidelines supporting their teams and answering questions about the Super Bowl. From a business standpoint, the experimental move to Miami proved to be a good one as the Sun Life Stadium hosted 70,697 fans in the largest attendance since 1959. Sun Life Stadium is the site of the Super Bowl XLIV and the NFL wanted to raise awareness and excitement for the Super Bowl by scheduling the Pro Bowl beforehand.

Page 15 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

Sports

Baseball Badgers prove success in route of Pilots DEVIN GOLDEN Contributing Writer

Dear Spring Hill College students and fans, Guess what? The baseball team just beat LSU-Shreveport in two of three games in the opening weekend series. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. LSU-Shreveport was ranked 18th heading into the series. LSU-Shreveport was also one of the best teams in the GCAC last season. Do we call this an upset? Is this a shocker? I don’t know the answer to those questions. But I will say this: The Spring Hill College baseball team is REALLY good. No, they’re not just “kind of” good. They’re not good in comparison to years past when they have struggled, albeit stayed competitive and played hard. They’re not just “a little” better than last season’s 27-28 record. This team is REALLY good. You don’t just beat a team like LSU-Shreveport in two out of

three games and not be a really good team. But, when you think about it, if you followed this team for the past couple of years, it makes a little bit of sense. Junior First baseman Brad Holstein has been the power hitter of this lineup for the past two seasons, and is only improving with every game, and becoming one of the best power hitters in the conference. The outfield, highlighted by Andy McCall, Justin Harrison, and Ryan Hall, may be the best outfield in the conference. Head Coach Frank Sims said on the SHC athletics podcast that sophomore shortstop Ryan Cummings may be drafted and play professionally if he continues to improve and fulfill his potential. Starting pitcher Nick Clapper, when healthy, is one of the most dominant pitchers in the conference. Pat O’Malley offers great defense and hitting at second base. All of those guys have been playing significantly for the past year or two. And to top it all off, pitchers Joe Carter and David Dupuy

pitched great this weekend against the usually powerful hitting of LSU-Shreveport, and catcher Fred Rossi had a great weekend hitting at the back end of the batting order. If the unknown players step up like they did this weekend to complement the guys we already know about, this team will be a force to be reckoned with. When you sit back and look at all of the experience and talent on this team, you realize that they have the pieces of the puzzle in place to make a run this season. You realize that maybe something special could be in the works this spring at Stan Galle Field. Unfortunately for the team, basketball somewhat overshadows all other sports on campus. It’s not the basketball team’s fault, considering the recent success they have had, including their conference tournament run last season all the way to the championship game in Shreveport. This is not a bad thing necessarily. Basketball is played at a faster pace than any other sport and involves the most scoring and

action for the average student. It is also played indoors and the games are shorter. College students generally have a smaller attention span. Games are also played at night, when most students are free. However, the baseball field and the baseball program at Spring Hill College have a very rich history. And when the team is as good as they look to be this season, it deserves some recognition. They have always been competitive. They have always played hard. But the way they played this weekend, it seems like we could be in for a treat this spring. So, I encourage students, alumni, and fans to go out and support the baseball team this weekend against Tougaloo, because they are really good. And maybe, just maybe, they can win the whole thing. Also, if you want to hear more about SHC athletics from me, visit http://shcbadgers. podbean.com or become a fan of the “Spring Hill College athletics podcast” on Facebook and listen to each weekly show there.

Badgers defeat LSU-S

Sports Word Jumble Use the clues to fill in the correct answer. The circled letters will be used to answer the question.

1. Male player of the week: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2. Hit the game-winner against LSU-S in Game 1:  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3. Men’s Baseball Coach : _ _ _ _ _  _ _ _ 4. NFL Pro-Bowl MVP: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5. Female Player of the Week: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _ _ 6. Men’s Basketball Coach: _ _ _ _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 7. City hosting the Super Bowl: _  _ _ _ 8. Next school baseball team hosts: _ _  _ _ _ _ _

Continued from page 13

innings of work allowing four earned runs on eight Plot hits. On Sunday, the Badgers took down the Pilots 9-4. Hall again put the Badgers on top with a single to left field, scoring one for Spring Hill. Junior Kendall Carvin, appearing in his first

Question: What kind of time are the Saints and Colts going to have in Miami?

_ _____ ___

game for the Badgers, then scored on a wild pitch by LSUS pitcher Jared Mata. The Pilots threatened in the 5th with three

runs. But the Badgers countered quickly with a run of their own in the bottom of the 5th inning. Spring Hill added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, sealing the game and series. Joe Carter (1-0) notches the win with 4.2 innings with two strikeouts, six walks and four earned runs. Stephen Herrington picked up his first career save with 4.1 innings, allowing zero runs on three strikeouts and one walk. In his first game in a Badger uniform, Carvin went 3-4 with two runs scored and two RBI’s. Of Spring Hill’s 13 hits, Carvin, Ryan Cummings and Ryan Hall accounted for eight, and 6 Runs Batted In.

Page 16 The SpringHillian February 4, 2010

Sports

Athletes

Lady Badgers lose tough conference game on the road »The women’s basketball team is looking for a win after a loss against rival UM

Owen McNally

Kristin Rogers

Men’s Basketball

Women’s Basketball

UPCOMING GAMES WB

DATE Feb. 4

OPPONENT Xavier-New Orleans

SITE SHC (5:30)

MB BB BB

Feb.4 Feb. 5 Feb 6.

Xavier-New Orleans Tougaloo Tougaloo

SHC (7:30) SHC (4:00) SHC (1:00)

Feb. 6

Tougaloo

SHC (4:00)

WB-Women’s Basketball MB-Men’s Basketball BB-Baseball SB-Softball

KEY

WT-Women’s Tennis RGB-Rugby WG-Women’s Golf MG-Men’s Golf