SpringHillian the
April 15, 2010
Volume 90, Number 9 Mobile’s 1st Collegiate Newspaper
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
Questions arise from SHC YoMo event draws large crowd Greek fraternity expansion KENDRICK DUNKLIN News Editor
In fall 2009, Spring Hill College’s Greek Life decided to expand the number of fraternities on campus. Sigma Chi, a Greek organization which was suspended from Spring Hill College in 2005, received but rejected the invitation to apply for Spring Hill’s Greek expansion process, according to Jennifer Stallings, Director of Student Leadership & Involvement. “We decided in 2009 that we would pursue Greek expansion. When we met with Sigma Chi, they were told that they would be receiving a letter explaining the Greek expansion process and that they would have to apply,” said Stallings. “They asked us, since they had been here before, if they would get special consideration, and they were told yes. We had room for that in our policy, but they were one of four fraternities that had been here before that wanted to come back. Three of the other fraternities did apply, but Sigma Chi did not apply. Sigma Chi was directly told that they would have to participate in this pro-
cess, and they were given a copy of our expansion process.” The suspension of Sigma Chi The Theta Mu charter of Sigma Chi was revoked in October 2005 by Spring Hill due to an alcohol related incident involving underage drinkers, according to a November 2005 issue of The SpringHillian. The removal came months after Sigma Chi members were involved in a fight at an off-campus location in May 2005, according to the Press-Register. The off-campus fight resulted in the suspension of those members involved in the fight. During that time, there were also reports of hazing made to the national headquarters of Sigma Chi, according to Ken Kvalheim, Grand Praetor of the Sigma Chi Southern Region. He felt that the organization was not given enough time and information to respond to Sigma Chi’s removal. “We were never told the full story behind the incident. We were told that there was an incident of hazing on campus, which cannot be true because we did not have any See SPRING page 2
Photos by Doug Bruce
The Mobile Experience: Bellingrath Gardens Book Nook MEGAN WIGAL-HARRISON Staff Reporter
Bellingrath Gardens and Home is 65 acres of beautiful flowers located along the Fowl River in Theodore, Ala. Stunning blooms are not the only things to be found at Bellingrath Gardens. There are also the Delchamps Gallery of Boehm Porcelain, the chapel, riverboat cruises, a bayou conservation boardwalk and the Bellingrath home. Bellingrath Gardens is a self-guided tour, but there are signs posted along the walkways letting people know that they can dial a number and have a guided tour of the gardens right from their cell phone. There are two walking tours, Photo by Megan Wigal-Harrison so visitors have the option of walkBellingrath offers a variety of walking tours. ing a full tour or a shorter version.
The Southern Belle Cruise is a 45-minute waterfront cruise along the Fowl River. It provides participants an up-close look at some of the scenery and creatures of Mobile Bay. The Exxon Ecological Boardwalk takes walkers into the Dwight Harrigan Bayou Preserve. The Bayou Preserve showcases native plants, such as cypress trees, as well as animals, such as ducks and turtles. Sometimes an alligator or two can be spotted along the Bayou Preserve. Walter and Bessie Bellingrath created Bellingrath Gardens. The Bellingraths bought the land as a fishing camp and originally called it Bellecamp. Bessie Bellingrath brought azaleas to Bellecamp to spruce up the place and decided to decorate the fishing camp with See BELLINGRATH page 2
leaves Toolen DEMARCO WILLS Ads Editor/Staff Reporter
On April 10, the Book Nook reopened in its new location in the basement level of the Burke Memorial Library. The Book Nook is a used bookstore run by Spring Hill College’s Friends of the Library. All proceeds go to the Friends organization that provides funding for initiatives at the Spring Hill College library. Books are sold for as low as 50 cents and as much $10. Liaison to the Book Nook, Richard Weaver, said, “The Book Nook can be described as basically a group of See BOOK page 3
News
Page 2 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Kendrick Dunklin News Editor ktdunklin@stumail.shc.edu
Spring Hill evaluates unrecognized organizations Continued from page 1
pledges at that time,” said Kvalheim. “We were also informed of some instances of misconduct from members of Sigma Chi, but we were never given enough time or information from Spring Hill’s administration or the Theta Mu chapter of Sigma Chi to appeal the decision.” Sigma Chi was then eligible to reapply for a new on-campus charter in 2008, according to The SpringHillian. Spring Hill’s invitation to Greek expansion According to the Sigma Chi Fraternity Standard Operating Procedures Manual, “the Executive Committee must have received express written permission from the host institution, granting permission to reestablish a suspended chapter.” The manual also states that “the chapter must comply in
full with the host institution’s requirements with respect to their return to campus.” Kvalheim confirmed that Sigma Chi received a letter inviting them to return to Spring Hill’s campus, but the organization rejected the invitation because the invitation asked Sigma Chi to apply to recolonize on Spring Hill’s campus. “We received information last summer regarding colonizing a charter on Spring Hill’s campus, but we do not need to colonize a charter when we already have one. We just need to be recognized on campus,” said Kvalheim. Yet, Joseph Deighton, Vice President of Student Affairs, stated that he met with Kvalheim in 2007, and informed him that in order for Sigma Chi to be recognized on campus, the organization must go through the Greek expansion process. “I have explained this process at least twice about whether Sigma Chi could
automatically come back to be recognized and be allowed to function on this campus. I met with Kvalheim to inform him that we had set up a Greek expansion process, and that they would be allowed to participate in that process,” Deighton stated. “I informed Kvalheim that it was not just going to automatically happen, but that we are going to use a committee that looked at anybody who was applying to see if they fit our mission and goals of Greek Life, and then we would make a selection.” The issue of unrecognized organizations Stallings stated that a number of students have come to her with concerns over underground organizations. “A number of students have brought that concern forward and asked us to look at it, and they are looking at the issue themselves,” said Stallings. “There is actually a student group that
is looking at unrecognized student organizations in general, and Sigma Chi is not the only organization they are looking at.” Stallings stated that students are concerned because they feel that these unrecognized organizations are not following the same standards as recognized organizations. “They are living up to a certain standard, and there is another organization that is not being held to the same standard. They have to fight against someone that is not living to those same standards,” stated Stallings. “We operate as a Greek community and all of these groups have a partnership with our college, and that is how we look at it. We have a similar values and similar missions, and that brings something positive to our campus. So, we have existing relationships with those groups that are recognized. As part of those relationships, they meet
certain standards, they follow certain polices, rules and guidelines.” Deighton views underground organizations as more of a safety issue. “There are reasons behind those rules that exist for individuals and for student groups. Those rules protect our students and protect our community, and if people come on to our campus with disregard to those rules and not willing to partake in the process that covers those rules, then there can be danger to individuals,” Deighton said. Yet, Kvalheim maintains that there is not an underground charter of Sigma Chi being operated on Spring Hill’s campus. “We are not an underground chapter, so there is not anyone on campus involved in an underground chapter regarding Sigma Chi. We do have an alumni chapter in Mobile that Spring Hill students are currently involved in,” stated Kvalheim.
Campus Bellingrath offers more than just flowers Briefs Continued from page 1
MSU Executive Board positions available Applications are now available for MSU Executive Board Positions. All SHC students are eligible to apply and previous membership in MSU is not required. Completed applications must be submitted to the Office of Student Activities by Friday, April 16. Styx River Cleanup will be Saturday SHORES will host a spring cleanup on Styx River in Robertsdale, Ala. on Saturday, April 17. Helpers will enjoy a float down the river while cleaning up any trash along the way. Funds are available for admission and gas reimbursement. Please contact SHORES President Rynnie Henderson for more information.
flowers. The Bellingraths allowed people to drive through the fishing camp to see the beautiful flowers. There was such a response from the public that they decided to permanently open it to the public in 1932. Patti Deakle, admissions manager for Bellingrath Gardens and Home, said that there was such a response from the public wanting to see the gardens that it caused a traffic jam. Deakle also said that it’s been told that the Bellingraths got ideas for the garden while touring Europe. After opening the gardens to the public, Bessie Bellingrath decided that she wanted a house on the grounds to showcase her antiques. Three years later, the Bellingrath Home was opened. The Bellingrath home has 15 bedrooms, three dining rooms and is still decorated with the exquisite antiques that the couple bought from an array of places. Today, people can tour the house and see just how the Bellingraths lived. Bellingrath Gardens features a rose garden with over 75 varieties, an
Asian American garden and even a butterfly garden. The type of flowers to be seen differ with the time of year. Right now, the azaleas are in full bloom. “Bellingrath Gardens shows you why Mobile is the city of azaleas, in the springtime, all of the beautiful native flowers are in bloom, and truly a magical time,” said junior Nicole Hartman. Bellingrath Gardens and Home has been featured in an article about chrysanthemums from USA Today’s Sept. 30, 2009 issue. The article said that Bellingrath Gardens showcases four foot long cascades of mums which take “more than nine months of cultivation.” Besides flowers, another beauty of the place is the waterfalls and fountains. Architect George B. Rogers brought in rocks to help create waterworks that made the water drinkable at Bellingrath Gardens. When asked about her favorite place, Deakle said, “I enjoy the rockery and the grotto.” There are various events held year-round at Bellingrath Gardens, such as the Camellia Classic Open Car Show, which was held last Saturday.
The Friday after Thanksgiving, until New Years Eve, Bellingrath Gardens hosts Magic Christmas in Lights. The entire place is covered in festive Christmas lights. Deakle said that there are around 3 million lights on display during the event. “Bellingrath Gardens is one of the shining gems on the Gulf Coast. Its beauty reflects the hospitality that is present throughout the South,” said senior John Holcomb. Bellingrath Gardens is open yearround from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The house is open daily from 9 a.m. until 4p.m. Admission rates range from $11 to tour the gardens to $27 to tour the gardens, home and ride the riverboat cruise. Annual memberships, which include unlimited access to Bellingrath Gardens, start at $50. Bellingrath Gardens and Home is located at 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Road Theodore, Ala. 36582. For more information about Bellingrath Gardens and Home, call them at (800) 247-8420 or (251) 973-2217, visit their Web site at www.bellingrath.org or check out their Facebook page.
News Day & Date Thursday, April 15, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010 Sunday, April 18, 2010 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Page 3 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Coming up this week on campus...
Event
Time
Location
Contact Person
Christus Annual Conference MSU Movie & Discussion Creagan Concert Series
7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Byrne Hall Gautrelet Room Eichold Gallery
Campus Ministry MSU Stephen Campbell, S.J.
Christus Conference Lecture Badgers on the Town: Baybears
10 a.m. 7:05 p.m.
Byrne Hall Hank Aaron Stadium
Campus Ministry Office of Student Activities
Phi Mu Kickballin’ for Kids Student Mass
12 p.m. 9 p.m.
Dorn Field St. Joseph Chapel
Kelsey Berry, kberry@stumail.shc.edu Campus Ministry
Delta Gamma Stomp the Hill
9 p.m.
Byrne Hall
Kaiesha Ford, kdford@stumail.shc.edu
COOL Day Honors Convocation Annual Leadershp & Organization Awards
Special Notices • •
•
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. The Summer Institute of Christian Spirituality announced the 2010 schedule. Dates for the event are Session I: May 30 – June 5 and Session II: June 6-12. For more information, including full course descriptions, faculty biographies, times and costs, please visit our Web site, www.shc.ed/ sics, or contact us by phone at (251) 380-4458 or via e-mail, theology@shc.edu. Undergraduate students should check BadgerWeb to see their date/time for beginning registration for Fall 2010. You do this by going to “Registra-
tion” and changing your option settings to UNDG FA 2010.
Book Nook finds new home in Burke Memorial Library Continued from page 1
volunteers. It’s a small used book store that is run entirely by volunteers.” The Book Nook has an extensive collection of popular used books. Weaver said, “Whatever falls out of the sky for us that is what we have. We see children’s books, art books, travel books and virtually anything you might see in a regular book store.” According to Weaver, Fr. Salmi wanted to open up space for the new Wellness center and other counseling services located in Toolen Hall. He basically wanted to combine the counseling and Wellness center and create spaces over in the first floor of Toolen so that students can talk
confidentially with counselors for whatever reason. It would also help to deal with basic health concerns. The former Book Nook location in Toolen Hall allowed for 900 square feet of space, while the new location only offers 680 square feet. Before moving, there was a half-price sale and a purging of the stock diminished the number of books that had to be moved. “Let me tell you, books get heavier and heavier. We actually got rid of 40 cubic yards of books from the old Toolen location. We just tossed them,” Weaver said. Even though the Book Nook has a new location, the function of it will essentially remain the same. According to Weaver, the
smaller space has actually done a lot of good. In the future, they will have to be more selective about the books that they choose to sell due to the smaller space. The Book Nook will continue to accept donations from the book drop at the old Toolen location, but books can also be able to be dropped off at the front circulation desk in the library. Weaver said, “I go through the books and look for things that have academic value that might be useful to our students. I look for, in some cases, new books that are fun as well for our small popular fiction section. I also comb through the donations for trash which are things that have no value to the Book Nook or don’t have any high resale value. People
tend to think that just because a book is old it has some value and sadly that is always not the case.” Book donations are also used in the annual silent auction sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Even though the Book Nook cannot find space for every book donation it receives, the workers pride themselves on never throwing anything away. Almost one year ago, the Book Nook donated over 700 books and related audio materials to the St. Mary’s Home on Moffett Road. Weaver would not describe the Book Nook as a place where students will find as a good resource for research purpose, but it still has much to offer. “I hope with the new location that
more students will finally discover the Book Nook,” Weaver said. The Book Nook is open on Thursdays from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1/ 2 wi Off th D th epo is Ad sit
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News
Page 4 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Obama lifts ban on offshore drilling in U.S. coastal waters President Obama announced, during a news conference at the end of last month, that offshore drilling for oil and natural gas in the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico and northern parts of Alaska will now be permitted. Obama believes that allowing offshore drilling will reduce the nation’s dependency on foreign oil: “For decades we’ve talked about how our dependence on foreign oil threatens our economy — yet our will to act rises and falls with the price of a barrel of oil.” This could potentially win support from those opposed to the Energy and Climate Bill, which endorses more types of renewable energy and is the next big piece of legislation to pass on the president’s agenda. Drilling for oil or gas off the coast of Virginia has been prohibited for over 20 years, but Virginia’s Republican senators and governor are happy about Obama’s decision to not reinstate it. While most regions on the Eastern Seaboard need to be surveyed for potential gas or oil spots, states might be able to receive some of the revenue if the resource is present, according to National Public Radio. Potentially, oil rigs could be placed as KELCEE SMITH Op-ed Editor
Source: CNN Web site
close as 50 miles off the Virginia shoreline, depending on the decisions made by state legislators. The western portion of the Gulf of Mexico, including Alabama, is already open for exploration and development by oil and gas companies. Potential drilling spots in the eastern half of the Gulf won’t even be considered until after 2022, though, because of a protective ban already established. Florida residents and environmentalists, both on the Gulf and Atlantic sides of the state, are concerned about the impact on their
massive tourist economy. “Expanding offshore drilling is the wrong move if the Obama administration is serious about improving energy security, creating jobs and averting climate change,” said Oceana senior campaign director Jacqueline Savitz. Oceana is one of the nation’s largest ocean conservation groups that promote “renewable energy opportunities.” Oceana argues that investing in clean technology will be more beneficial to the country in the long run. Even more pressing on envi-
ronmentalists’ minds is the allowed exploration off the northern Alaskan coast in the Arctic Ocean. “Trial and error is the wrong way to find out whether it’s safe to drill in the Arctic Ocean,” said Michael LeVine, Pacific Senior Counsel for Oceana. “We can do this the right way—science, precaution and community involvement, rather than trial, error and litigation.” President Obama tried to appease worried environmentalists at the end of his speech by mentioning that the EPA and Transportation Department finalized increased fuel efficiency standards on new cars and that more hybrid vehicles were added to the governmental fleet, according to NPR. In 2008, the United States was the number one importer of crude oil, buying over 19.5 billion barrels per day. Since only about 18.5 gallons of gasoline can be made from one barrel of crude oil, this means that the United States alone imported over 378 million gallons of gas per day, and used it, according to the United States Energy Information Administration. Surveys show that Atlantic Ocean could have 37 trillion cubic feet of gas and 4 billion barrels of oil, which only amounts to two percent of the world’s oil and gas supply, according to the CNN Web site.
College students are urged to complete Census form KENDRICK DUNKLIN News Editor
The U.S. Census Bureau is urging college students to complete the census form, according to Eun Kim, a public information officer with the Bureau. “The college demographic is actually one of the hardest to count during the Census period. Students have not dealt with the form before, and they often either do not acknowledge it, or they leave it up to their parents to fill out,” Kim stated. Students who live on campus are considered Group Quarters, and will be counted during Group Quarters Enumeration between April 1 and May 21, 2010.
During this time, Census Bureau employees will deliver individual questionnaires to Group Quarters for students to complete and return. Census takers coordinate with Residence Life and Housing Staff to distribute and collect these questionnaires. Those who live offcampus in apartment complexes or rented homes must fill out a form that accounts for all the residents. International students and noncitizens should also complete their Census forms because they physically reside in the country at the time of questioning. If students are not living with their parents during the school year, then parents should not include the
on their census questionnaire. The Census Bureau conducts counts of people where they live and sleep most of the year. Parents should leave students off of their forms, even if they will return to live at home after they leave college. Otherwise, students may be counted twice. The Census helps ensure that the academic community receives its fair share of political representation and government funding, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Web site. Census data directly affect how billions of dollars per year in federal funding are allocated to local, state and tribal governments. Data about how our communi-
ties are changing are crucial to many planning decisions — in education, transportation, public safety, emergency preparedness and disaster recovery, neighborhood improvements, public health and much more. Census data also inform important research done by college faculty, students, librarians and community leaders. “College student participation is vital to ensure a complete and accurate count for their communities in 2010,” Kim said. “A lot of these people are very young, so the biggest thing is to make people aware of what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. For a college student, it’s hard to see that immediate impact, so we’re trying to explain it
in ways for them to understand.” Kim stated that although the Census Bureau college initiative does not have a set budget of its own, each of the Bureau’s 12 regions received federal funds to incite community members, including students. The money has been used for promotional Census materials like baseball caps, drawstring bags, buttons, print and television advertisements and public events. “What we’re trying to do this time around is make sure that we’ve reached out to some of the universities and colleges at an earlier point in the process,” Kim said. “Earlier outreach efforts hadn’t been done before.”
News
Page 5 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Breaking down the controversial health care reform bill ABBY COWART Co Editor-in-Chief
The health care overhaul bill passed into legislation on March 21, marking the first landmark change President Obama has instilled during his administration. Many features of the legislation have been debated by both Democrats and Republicans, creating the need for a “fix it” bill to address the issues that needed amending. As a result, President Obama combined the provisions made to the health care bill with the changes made to loans for higher education into one piece of legislation. In spite of the efforts of the reconciliation bill, at least 14 states are taking measures to sue the federal government, pleading that the health care legislation violates states’ constitutional rights. Because the bill passed without a single Republican vote, the party has also exhibited its aversion for the legislation, vowing to repeal the new law. Despite the significant amount of debate the
new legislation has sparked, many American citizens admit that they are unsure of the bill’s specific points and what the new legislation means for the future of the health care system. According to the Huffington Post, some of the most important topics provided in the legislation include: the cost, new mandate, insurance reform, Medicaid, taxes, government run-plans, abortion and the alteration of financial loans for higher education. The cost of the new health care system, according to the Congressional Budget Office, will be about $940 billion over 10 years. The new legislation will insure 32 million people who were previously uninsured. When the legislation reaches full expansion in 2014, 95 percent of eligible Americans are expected to have coverage. Today, 83 percent of the population is covered. The new legislation will begin mandating insurance in 2014, requiring almost everyone to be insured or else a fine will be imposed. There is, however, an exemp-
tion clause for low-income citizens. Beginning this year, insurers are prohibited from denying coverage to children because of pre-existing health conditions and from canceling policies because a policyholder gets sick. Also, parents will now be able to keep children on their coverage plan up to age 26. A new high-risk pool will be available to offer coverage to uninsured people with medical problems until 2014. Also beginning in 2014, insurers will be prohibited from denying coverage to people with medical problems or charging them more; insurers also cannot charge women higher rates. Expansion will also make its way to the federalstate Medicaid insurance program. In 2014, childless adults will be covered for the first time. The federal government will pay 100 percent of costs for covering newly eligible individuals through 2016. One of the biggest concerns surrounding the passage of the bill is the controversy regarding the
COOL DAY SCHEDULE Saturday, April 18
1 p.m. Faculty-Staff/Student softball game
Wednesday, April 21
9-4 p.m. Art Exhibit: Eichold, Bedsole and Mini Rotunda Galleries 2:30-3:45 p.m. Honors Convocation: St. Joseph’s Chapel 4-5:15 p.m. Posters: Gautrelet Room 4-5:15 p.m. �������������� Presentations •Panel A Fine Arts 211 •Panel B Quinlan 301 •Panel C Quinlan 129 5:30-6:45 p.m. Student Leadership Awards: Byrne 7-8 p.m. Panel D Quinlan 129
Monday, April 20
4-5:30 p.m. Student/Faculty Trivia Feud: Gautrelet Room
Thursday, April 22
2:30-3:45 p.m. Presentations •Panel E: Quinlan 129 •Panel F: Quinlan 225 •Panel G: Fine Arts 211
issue of taxation. According to CBS News, this legislation reduces a Senate-passed tax on high-cost insurance plans. The tax would be delayed until 2018, and the limits at which it is imposed would be $10,200 for individuals and $27,500 for families. However, to make up for the lost revenue, the bill applies an increased Medicare payroll tax to the wages of individuals making more than $200,000 and married couples above $250,000. The bill does not mandate a government-run insurance plan. People purchasing coverage through the new insurance exchanges would have the option of signing up for national plans overseen by the federal office. In regards to the topic of abortion, the bill is attempting to maintain a strict separation between taxpayer dollars and private premiums that would pay for abortion coverage. No health plan would be required to offer coverage for abortion. In plans that do cover abortion, policyholders would have to pay for it sepa-
rately, and that money would have to be kept in a separate account from taxpayer money. Also, states are allowed to ban abortion coverage in plans offered through the exchange. Exceptions would be made for cases of rape, incest and danger to the life of the mother. On March 30, the president signed the budget reconciliation bill, which combined the health care provisions brought about after the original bill’s passage and changes to the loan program for college students. The bill shifts the responsibility of making low-interest student loans to the government instead of private banks. The new law ends the role of private banks as middlemen, cuts program costs and channels the extra money to the neediest students, ending years of controversy between the government and the private sector. Studies have shown that government-operated programs are more cost efficient, freeing up funds so that the funds for Pell grants can be increased.
SGA Briefs SGA is looking for student input regarding the following concerns: • The current public safety contract (Securitas). Should it be renewed? Do you have any concerns or issues with Securitas? • Meal equivalency: Should Aramark continue the program in Java City? • $20 one-way taxi deal: What are your thoughts on the program? Do you have any recommendations or complaints? • TVs in campus center dining room: Do you think it should have TVs in order to outline SHC news and events?
All comments and concerns can be sent to studentconcerns@shc.edu.
Page 6 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Opinions & Editorials
Kelcee Smith Opinions & Editorials Editor klsmith@stumail.shc.edu
Are humans genetically programmed to cheat? ‘I’m in »Humans might have biology working against them, but rationality needs to be taken into consideration
LINDSEY WORLEY Co Editor-in-Chief
It’s in the news everywhere you look. Tiger Woods, this. Tiger Woods, that. And if he’s playing golf, then the general questions are: Do you root for Tiger? Or do you think his personal life is separate from his public life? I don’t know the answer to these questions because the media can put celebrities on a pedestal—but it can also knock celebs off so hard they won’t ever stand up again. I’m talking about the devastating lifestyle of cheating. Sandra Bullock recently discovered that her husband of a few years cheated on her; and a few other women in the spotlight have also
uncovered the truth. Naturally, the media spotlight has tuned in to all rumors of cheating and therefore, we viewers see it more. But the point is that these celebs have highlighted our own commonplace lives: suddenly we have reason to be suspicious of our significant other…cheaters can come into or from any relationship and ruin trust and even unconditional love. And it’s not just the men who are doing the cheating. In fact, the numbers are roughly the same, with 57 percent of men having cheated physically or emotionally at some point in any relationship, and women having cheated 54 percent at some point in any relationship. According to TruthAboutDeception. com, infidelity is becoming more common among people under 30. And it is estimated that roughly 30 to 60 percent of all married individuals (in the United States) will engage in infidelity at some point during their marriage.
As I was listening to the radio the other day, someone asked the question, “Are men genetically programmed to cheat?” To this I hope everyone shouts a resounding “NO!” But it’s actually a great question. Are humans just animals with no control over our sexuality? If we are to accept that humans are genetically programmed to not be monogamous, then we are to accept that humans are not able to think for themselves. If you believe that humans are not meant to be monogamous, then you believe that humans are not capable of being respectful to one another by choice. Because whether you agree or not, our society accepts monogamy as a dominate force in relationships. People have a desire to find one person to be with their whole life, and cheating is emotionally and mentally damaging. And after these infidelities have occurred, more and more people are now going to Sex Rehab. Again, I have a problem
with this. Just because someone cheats does not mean that they have a mental problem. However, these people are going to rehab to try to take the blame and responsibility off of themselves in order to get away with what they have done. While there truly are some people who have a problem with sex, going to sex rehab because you cheated does not make your responsibility any less. Going also legitimizes, once again, the belief that humans have an uncontrollable need to have sex. If we accept that everyone who cheats has a “problem”, then we simply become mindless animals who can’t control our sexual desires. Is that how we would like to be defined? Let’s take polygamy, for example. It is punishable by law…but why is it only punishable if you marry more than one person? Is breaking the marriage vow to add another marriage vow worse than breaking the marriage vow for one See STRUGGLES page 7
Don’t get burned by tanning beds
ABBY COWART Co Editor-in-Chief
Spring break has commenced, but the majority of students around campus are still working on
The SpringHillian Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
E-mail: hillian@stumail.shc.edu
perfecting their summertime tans. Southern weather doesn’t always cooperate for beach-goers and as a result, many teenagers and young adults resort to tanning beds to fill in where the weather left off. For the past few years, there has been a big debate about whether indoor tanning is safe or not, and recent studies favor the opposition. In a study conducted by the World Heath Organization (WHO), analysts found that the
deadliest form of skin cancer increases 75 percent in people who use tanning beds in their teens and 20s. The ultraviolet exposure found from tanning beds increases significantly the presence of basal and squamous cell cancer carcinomas, which affect more than 1 million Americans a year. They’re usually easily removed, but the American Cancer Society counts 2,000 deaths annually due to skin cancer. This is a scary no-
Spring Hill College 4000 Dauphin Street Mobile, AL 36608-1791
Phone: (251) 380-3850 or 380-3840 Fax: (251) 460-2185
tion for young adults who tend to only see the short term benefits of tanning beds rather than the long term consequences. Many young adults, and even young teenagers, are forking out cash to get a quick tan for special occasions but don’t realize what a harm it is to the body. Tanning has faced opposition in the past, and several new actions are being taken to further See HEAD page 8 800-742-6704 251-380-4000 www.shc.edu
Miami trick!’
»Airport woes on a recent trip to Florida
KELCEE SMITH Op-ed Editor
Hello everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic Spring Break, I know I did. I made a trip to Miami, Fla. where the beaches were pristine, the food was excellent and the sun was shining its brightest. There were two problems I ran into, however, but it didn’t involve the locals. My issue, at least on this particular trip, can be summed up in one word: Airports. I have no fear of flying, I never have. In fact, I love taking off. It feels like a roller coaster and the force that holds you in your seat while you become airborne is exhilarating, but none of this matters if you never get off the ground. Missing a flight is, most of the time, the customer’s fault. I would say that airlines will probably be forgiving if you were caught in a major accident or there was severe weather, See MIAMI page 9 Advisor Stuart Babington sbabington@shc.edu
Opinions & Editorials
Page 7 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Struggles between monogamy and ethics in society Continued from page 6
night stands? No, they are both breaking a marriage vow. So, why are polygamy and infidelity not the same thing? Because one is an unlawful marriage of more than one spouse, and the other is marriage to one but having multiple partners? Okay, so you argue that animals aren’t monogamous and, since we are mammals by scientific definition our bodies are programmed to mate with multiple partners. According to the Web site
WonderQuest, there are a few animals who mate for life: wolves, barn owls, beavers, bald eagles, swans, French angel fish, redtailed hawks, and more. But even then, sometimes the males do not produce some of the offspring. However, animals are trying to pass on their genes and produce as many offspring as possible to carry on their species. If they don’t mate, their species dies!! Humans, though, do NOT need to continue reproducing at enormous rates in order to survive. In fact, there are so
many of us we are crowding the planet. Essentially, humans choose monogamy when they find a good mate to raise children with. Once you have children, the need for sex does not decrease—this part of us cannot be changed because we are still mammals. But, we are not simply animals; we are rational. Our ethics now must take over. I’m not trying to argue here that we should all be faithful to one partner our entire life. While that is my own set of beliefs, I understand that others have a different
point of view and that the world doesn’t work that way. However, I am arguing that if a person is in a committed relationship—they are committed. By staying true to your word, of your either spoken or unspoken monogamous promise, you are being respectful to another person. Clearly humans cheat and are unfaithful because people have lost their courage to be truthful to one another. We would rather carry on in secret than hurt others— only to hurt them more when the truth comes out;
but this somehow seems to be a better option. I think our society is on a rebound. For centuries relationships were so alien to ours today. Women have been so oppressed that once we freed ourselves from it we went over the top. Today, men don’t know how to truly respect women because women aren’t quite sure what respect means. It’s time to settle down, find our real identities and use our rational minds. Rationality is what sets us apart from animals, so it’s about darn time we used it.
Absence does makes the heart grow fonder »Over-the-top public displays of affection could really be signs that a couple is in a bad relationship
JASMINE WILLIAMS Staff Reporter
Do you ever see a couple and wonder if they ever spend a breathing moment away from each other? Couples that trail each other in the cafeteria; finish each others sentences and follow each other to class aimlessly. Some people reading this (in particular couples whom this editorial refers to) may find this a bit offensive. Couples like this may not think that they have a problem; others reading this may think it is out of spite or jealousy. The fact of the matter is that while it is great that you are in love, quite frankly, no one else cares. Printer Signature Offset http://www.signatureoffset.com
My issue, personally, is that I am tired of watching the couples coo at each other, feed each other and make out inappropriately on your way to class. It’s disgusting. Making out and holding hands in classes as early as 8:15 a.m is disturbing. The dressing alike, acting and talking alike are just weird. Don’t take this the wrong way. I am not at all a basher of love and with springtime rolling around, there are sure to be more budding relationships coming into bloom.
While it is natural for some couples, especially new ones, to want to eat, work and play together, sometimes it is too much. There is one serious consequence to being in a relationship where too much time is spent together. That is that the other person becomes your life and priority. Their friends are your friends; their problems become your problems. While it is great to be concerned and loving in regards to your significant other, you also have a life of your own. By spending
every breathing moment with the other, you miss out on the chances to meet new people and grow and learn on your own. Furthermore, when your relationship ends, it will be like the end of the world because who else will you turn to? College years are supposed to be the best years of your life. You don’t want to look back years from now and recall every experience during those four years revolving around a person that you may hate later on in life. And if the relationship
is something you hope to have years from now, giving each other some space may be very beneficial. Every person needs some “me” time. Couples need time to grow, together and apart. Who knows, maybe you will spend some time away from each other and realize you don’t even like each other. Maybe you will spend time away from each other and feel that you can’t live without each other. As they say, absence does make the heart grow fonder or out of sight, out of mind.
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THE SPRINGHILLIAN?
Applications are being accepted for the fall 2010 position of student-editor of the weekly campus newspaper, The SpringHillian. To be considered, interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter (explaining your reason for wanting to be considered) to the Division of Communication Arts. The application deadline is Friday, April 16. It is recommended that the student-editor be enrolled in the class CMM400/401 during the fall 2010 semester. 2610 Lakeview Road Hattiesburg, MS 39401 Phone: (601) 544-4445
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Page 8 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Opinions & Editorials
Student Reaction Head to the beach for safe UVs Continued from page 6
Some consumer advocate groups are calling for the retirement of iconic character Ronald McDonald. Should or shouldn’t Ronald be retired? “Ronald McDonald is a classic icon. He has been the spokesperson for McDonald’s for a very long time and practically invented the happy meal. Getting rid of Ronald would be a tragic marketing mistake.” Burke Defraites -Freshman “To a lot of kids, Ronald McDonald is a symbol of fun and deliciousness. But even more importantly, he is a symbol of hope to the patients at the Ronald McDonald House. I find no benefits in retiring something that gives children who often struggle to find happiness so much joy.” Alina Richardson -Sophomore
“Ronald McDonald is creepy so I don’t care whether he stays or goes.”
Allison Akers -Sophomore
“Studies show that 100% of the morbidly obese students on Spring Hill’s campus have eaten McDonald’s in the past year. Ronald McDonald should retire and work for Spring Hill Public Safety. Who’s going to mess with a clown on a golf cart?” Alex Holder – Senior
the strains placed on it. On March 25, a panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the agency put tighter controls on artificial tanning, ranging from requiring parental consent forms to banning the practice in younger teens under the age of 18. In addition, the health care bill that passed into legislation on March 21 includes a clause that will impose a 10 percent tax on customers who use ultraviolet tanning lamps. According to the CNN Web site, the tanning tax will go into effect July 1 and will apply to electronic products designed for tanning that use one or more ultraviolet lamps with wavelengths between 200 and 400 nanometers. All of this information has persuaded me
to make a change in my own life. I will be the first to admit that I’m just as guilty as the next person. For the past few years, I have paid Club Sun’s $20 monthly fee and put my health at the mercy of the bulbs. However, after reading through the studies that have been done, I can honestly say that I will say “no” to tanning from this day forward. In the grand scheme of things, is the shade of your skin really that important? I know there is something about tan skin that we college students find so attractive, but with all of the risks involved, it’s just not worth it. Plus, with the new tax, is it really worth the money? It seems that the time has come for all of us to learn to be comfortable in our own skin, whatever that shade may be. And if you really want a tan, get it the old
fashioned way. Enjoy the outdoors. Temps are warming, and the beach is only a short drive away. Soaking in the rays outdoors can still be dangerous, but precautions can be taken to reduce the effects of UV rays and make tanning healthy. With a little bit of sunscreen and caution, tanning outdoors is the safer option. Plus, US World and Health Reports show that sun exposure is essential to retaining adequate Vitamin D levels which help protect the body against a number of diseases including osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer. Soaking in the rays also helps protect against depression, insomnia and an overactive immune system. So save your money and your health. Grab some sunscreen, a few friends and head to the beach!
Poll respondents mostly oppose new health plan The U.S. House of Representatives approved a major overhaul of the nation’s health care system on March 21, and President Obama signed the bill into law just a few days later. SpringHillian readers were asked their opinion of the legislation through a reader poll on the newspaper’s Web site, www.shc.edu/hillian. Though responses were mixed, most respondents (58 percent) indicated that they weren’t happy with new legislation, fearing that it would increase the federal deficit. Forty-two percent of the respondents disagreed, saying that making millions of more Americans eligible for health care was the right thing to do. The SpringHillian has one issue remaining (April 22). The poll question for the final issue of the semester, found at www.shc.edu/hillian, is: On March 31, President Obama opened waters along the Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico to off-shore oil and gas exploration, while prohibiting exploration in the Bristol Bay area of southwest Alaska, according to The New York Times. What is your opinion of the decision? • This is a good compromise. It allows for some exploration, while still protecting some environmentally sensitive areas. • Don’t compromise when it comes to the environment. Increased drilling may prove harmful to the environment, and Americans should simply reduce their use of oil. • Drill with no restrictions. With so many resources, America should not be so dependant on foreign oil.
Opinions & Editorials
Miami airport stinks Continued from page 6
but they don’t really care if you were just sitting at the wrong gate while your flight took off without you. While missing my first flight to Miami was completely my fault (stupid, stupid), I wasn’t very happy about the $50 charge which allowed me to be transferred to another flight. I understand that airlines couldn’t just let everyone get on any flight they wanted just because they were sitting at the wrong gate while the plane was leaving, but really, $50, credit card only? It makes things a bit more stressful than they need to be, especially at the airport. I suppose if I had read the fine print I would have known about the charge, but who reads that anyway? After spending five days in Miami, the ride home was considerably more stressful and again, more unnecessary money was spent. This time, my flight back was with a friend, so there was no way I was going to be caught at the wrong gate this time. Instead, I was told by a stubborn and very rude man that my carry-on was too large and had to be checked, even though on the flight to Miami there was no issue with my bag and it fit comfortably in the overhead bin. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Kelcee, you must have brought back more things from Miami, so your bag was bigger.” But it really wasn’t, I swear. Everything was the same,
even the airline and size of the plane. One checked bag with Delta equals another $25. Finally, after purchasing a nice coffee, my friend and I arrive at our gate. We have plenty of time, but all the seats are taken. We end up on the floor leaning against the wall and our carry-on items. A few minuets later, a man wearing sunglasses (you know how bright it gets in airports) and carrying a camera sits on the ground about 10 feet from us. The camera lens is off, is pointed in our direction and his finger is on the shutter button. Obviously he is snapping pictures of us. We both start to feel uncomfortable, but who do you tell and how do you prove it? What are we supposed to do in this situation? Luckily, our plane boarded a few minutes later and neither of us was close to him on the plane. While my actual trip to Miami was great, the traveling part, which is supposed to be fun, wasn’t. I will take fault for about half of the things that went wrong, but the issue with my bag and the creepy guy snapping pictures were not necessarily preventable. Maybe my main issue is with the Miami airport itself. Rude workers, random creepy guys and the construction don’t add up to a pleasurable traveling experience. So my advice to you is to go to Miami, but maybe you should find a different means of travel to get there. The airport is definitely not worth it.
Page 9 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Superfruits emerge with high fashion »The newly advertised acai berry might not have ultimate weightloss power like consumers think
ASHLEY ROBINSON Co-Editor Emeritus
They’re exotic, full of antioxidants and are labeled “superfruits” by every magazine we are surrounded by near the checkout aisle. But is this new dietary fruit so much better than the rest? As we all know, the latest craze in dieting is something called the acai berry diet. This berry is found on palm trees in Central and South America. Recently, the acai berry has stormed our markets with flashy ads that preach about weight loss and energy. Their ads showcase hot celebs that have used this weight loss product and have been successful. Most of the ads make sure to throw in a disclaimer like, “when used with diet and exercise.” According to Quackwatch Inc, an American nonprofit company that’s mission is to combat fraud health related myths and fads, “Acai berry juice has only middling levels of antioxidants—less than that of Concord grape,
blueberry, and black cherry juices, but more than cranberry, orange and apple juices.” So if this berry can be topped by some of our ordinary fruits, what makes it so super? According to one promotional Web site for the acai berry, the berry not only has antiaging agents, it contains elements that help burn calories faster contributing to higher energy levels and more affective digestion. Claims like these have made this berry a superstar in the dieting world. A great advertisement campaign also gave this fruit its cape. Sales of acai berry products catapulted to $13.5 million last year from $435,000 two years previously, according to natural-food tracker Spins Inc. Other fruits that are now labeled superfruits have also excelled. Acai berry is not the only new exotic superfruit to mix up our taste buds. Fruits like goji, mangosteen and all kinds of new pomegranate drinks are everywhere. Marketers of these fruits make claims that they boost energy, have antioxidants and
help lower cholesterol, but many feel the research is inadequate to claim these facts. Like always, we will have a battle over adequate evidence. According to a health article in the New York Times, Jeffrey Blumberg, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston says, “I hate that term ‘superfruit,’ like your [fruit] is somehow wearing the cape. There’s no evidence that one type of fruit is better for you than any other variety. They’re all good.” A handful of complaints still flood in against these companies for over marketing their product by making false or inadequate claims. These lawsuits usually come from consumer advocacy groups. However it ends, I still believe the “superfruits” are good for you. While I do not believe they can cure the stupidity of some consumers, I do believe that fruits will always be good for you. Don’t buy into products without properly researching them first!
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 10 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Katelyn Ikner Life & Culture Editor krikner@stumail.shc.edu
Life & Culture
Play Review: Seascape LINDSEY WORLEY Co Editor-in-Chief
Seascape, written by Edward Albee, and directed by senior Ryan Nocito, took place March 8-11. Seascape was a play about a married couple, Charlie and Nancy (Andrew Crider and Caitlin King) who were on a beach arguing about their next step in life when suddenly, two lizard-like creatures, Sarah and Leslie (Lauren Klapp and Jared Stoves), come up from the sea and begin to talk. This absolutely hilarious and light-hearted tale was a commentary on relationships, and relating to “the other.” The set was simple, because the main focus was on the characters in the story. The beach was a blue splashed, cream-colored canvas, raised slightly in the background. There was a
chair and picnic blanket and two sticks. One of the most delightful things about the play was the lizard costumes. Klapp and Stoves costumes were beautifully designed by members of Stoves’ family. The costumes were some of the most detailed and intricate seen at Spring Hill: the suits were a shiny green color, with long, full tails and spikes. The best part is that Stoves and Klapp used their costumes as though they were actually the lizards. Both actors were brilliant, and one could imagine them as actually being a lizard by the way they moved and held their bodies. Stoves had funny scenes where he became sensitive about his tails’ length and fullness. And because all four actors captivated the audience, the costumes were not
distracting. Crider and King were entertaining as a retiring couple. King was especially enjoyable to watch, and the audience often broke into laughter at her chipper, though sarcastic, actions and expressions. Crider played the cynical husband well, but sometimes there was a strange lack of emotion. However, he picked up the character’s humorous side with ease and showed with versatility the complex mentality of Charlie. Nocito chose a play that was fantastical and imaginative with its talking lizards and repetitious flyby airplanes—yet relatable because it allowed the audience to see that our culture might seem so strange to another one, yet, we all feel emotions and we all want the same things from life.
Photos by Doug Bruce
Student Spotlight: Senior Allison Symulevich LINDSEY WORLEY Co Editor-in-Chief
One of the first things people learn about Allison Symulevich is that they can’t pronounce her last name. But, in her senior year of college, Symulevich isn’t too worried about how people pronounce it. However, for the record, “My last name is phonetical. It is Symulevich, like Sim-Ū-levich. It
is Lithuanian. My grandfather’s family was Lithuanian. I am one-fourth Lithuanian, onefourth Italian and half Irish. It is very rare that someone gets the pronunciation right on the first try. I actually do not know if that has ever happened.” No matter how you say it, Symulevich has made her name known on campus. This Political Science/Hispanic Studies doublemajor with a minor in Finance still has time to stay involved in a number of campus organizations. You might have seen Symulevich in any number of these places: Tennis, Political Science and International Studies Club, Photo by Doug Bruce Delta Gamma,
SHAPe, the Honors Program, Pi Sigma Alpha (Political Science Honor Society), Phi Sigma Iota (Foreign Language Honor Society) and Order of Omega (Greek Honor Society). On top of all this, she’s a leader in many groups. Symulevich is VP of Programs for Alpha Sigma Nu and president of the Honors Program Student Committee. There are more things on these lists, but you get the idea. So, how does this college student stay on top of her game? Symulevich said one of her quirks is that she loves to make to-do lists. “It’s a great feeling to cross something off the list,” she added. But outside of school, Symulevich has many things she likes to do, just like any other college student. She said she loves watching movies, reading, traveling and cooking. “Well, trying to cook,” she admitted, and added, “I like eating healthy and I like Thai food.” However, she’s allergic to shellfish. One of her
other quirks is that she listens to the same music every time she runs, and it usually consists of U2. Finally, she loves the NY Yankees, animal crackers, “Carvel soft serve ice cream—chocolate, in a waffle cone, with Oreos,” and Spain, “I went there last summer; it was amazing.” Of course, as the last semester of her last year comes to a close, every senior hopes to leave behind a little legacy of their own and Symulevich is no different. She said that “With the help of many people, I was able to start the real world politics lecture this semester (a Political Science and International Studies Club event). Also, I am planning a quiz bowl for COOL Day with the help of the other Alpha Sigma Nu officers and the COOL Day planning committee. I would like to see these continue.” As for her future, Symulevich will be attending University of Florida Levin College of Law in the fall.
Page 11 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Life & Culture
Leadership retreat strives to enhance Greek Life Members and leaders of the Greek community participated in the annual Greek Leadership Retreat this past weekend at Baytreat Camp in Fairhope, Ala. This event, sponsored by Greek Life, was attended by the members of the Panhellenic Association, Interfraternal Council and two representatives from each Greek chapter on campus. The retreat served as a time for Greek members to come together and refine leadership skills within his or her chapter and among the entire Greek community. Those who attended learned how to be proactive in the area
of risk management, specifically how to take responsibility and handle risk management efficiently. Attendees also participated in a quiz that assessed personality traits and learned how the acknowledgement of those traits assists in evaluating how to work together in groups and which personality types work together well. Additionally, the whole group gathered together and wrote down perceptions of each other’s organizations. Then, they broke up in their respective organizations to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the group and set goals to make improvements accordingly. Those who attended also discussed
Campus Events
some of the current issues with Greek Life on campus and got together in groups to discuss and set goals about how to address them. “I thought that the group dynamic was really great. We sought out issues within the Greek community and came up with realistic solutions,” said sophomore Kelly Lucash, vice-president of finance and administration in Panhellenic. “It was also fun because I got to get to know and interact with people that I didn’t know very well,” Lucash added. Upon the conclusion of the weekend’s activities, representatives from the group that attended the retreat are planning to present plans and goals for next semester
to the Student Affairs Leadership Board. According to sophomore Kailey Walker, co-director of scholarship and service for Panhellenic, Greek Life has discussed a variety of goals for the coming year. “We came up with a lot of great goals to make Greek Life better through service on campus and off campus,” said Walker. “We hope to enhance our presence on campus through our involvement and activities. We also really want to get the new additions to Panhellenic and IFC, namely Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Chi, involved in the community.” Overall, those who attended felt that the trip was successful in
uniting the leaders of the community toward one common goal. “I believe that the Greek Leadership Retreat was extremely beneficial for members of the Greek community at SHC. As a Greek community, it gave us an opportunity to shoot around ideas, get to know the ideals and values of other organizations and how we relate and most importantly, it gave Greek men and women a chance to come together on a totally level playing field to discuss strengths and weaknesses of their organizations,” said Lambda Chi Alpha President Justin Phares. “My chapter personally received great feedback which we can take and use to enhance every aspect of our presence on campus.”
»It’s springtime on the Hill, and students are enjoying the beautiful Mobile weather
Photo by Kelcee Smith
ABBY COWART Co Editor-in-Chief
Clockwise from left: The band performs at the annual CajunFest event; Teams line up for TKE’s Golf Tournament; Junior Bobby Voss makes a play during the baseball tournament; Senior Jim Love shows off the crawfish at CajunFest; The grotto shines from the light of surrounding candles. Photos by Doug Bruce
life & CulTure
Page 12 The Springhillian April 15, 2010
Spring Hill admissions counselor McDonald icon to retire? leaves to pursue a new position ALICIA BARBOUR Staff Reporter
JASMINE WILLIAMS Staff Reporter
Marcus Pruitt, Spring Hill College’s assistant director of admissions, served his last day at the college was April 9, 2010. Pruitt began working as an admissions counselor at Spring Hill in 2002, where he primarily focused on recruiting students from the Mobile City Schools and the Midwest and in recent years expanded to the Washington County and Montgomery/Prattville area. As a Spring Hill College alumnus, Pruitt felt he would be perfect for the job. He believes, “There is no better way to recruit than to be able to offer personal experience from when I was a student.” As a student, Pruitt graduated from Leflore High School in 1993, Spring Hill College
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.
in 1998 and the University of South Alabama in 2004, where he received his Masters in Public Administration. As a student at Spring Hill College, Pruitt was a political science major, and Dr. Orange was his advisor. Pruitt recalls, “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do as a student. I just knew that I wanted to work in a public sector or service to others.” Pruitt’s career in admissions began at the University of South Alabama where he worked for about five years. Pruitt felt that “South was good and allowed me to get my feet wet. I learned the ins and outs of admissions and got connections.” But as a Spring Hill alumna, Pruitt jumped at the job offer to return to the Hill. Pruitt will be working at Virginia College in Mobile as the associate director of the
Mobile City, Mississippi and Florida students. A job that offered a bit more advancement and required more experience, a job that Pruitt says Spring Hill prepared him well for. “Spring Hill College prepared me well for a career in expansion, recruitment and college admissions,” said Pruitt. Pruitt says it is “the students I recruited and the ones I got to know, the one-on-one attention we offer to students and of course, the beautiful campus” that he will miss most about the Hill. While Pruitt’s leave is bitter sweet, he feels that he is forever connected to the campus. “I spent four years here in college and eight years as an employee. I take comfort in leaving knowing that I am always connected to Spring Hill not only as an alumna but as an employee and that makes it even more special.”
Consumer activist groups have begun calling for the retirement of Ronald McDonald with claims that he is too influential to young children. According to the Chicago Tribune, one such group claims that the “‘Chief Happiness Officer’ has too much influence on kids.” Corporate Accountability International released a 32-page document with the help of the Value the Meal campaign to show just how Ronald McDonald had been marketed to children across the world during his nearly 50 years with the food chain. Along with this document, a Web site dedicated to the cause has been created. RetireRonald.org is full of fun cartoon characters, including retired cigarette cartoon figures such as Joe Camel, in an attempt to educate children against the dangers of letting this cartoon character influence their eating habits. “Never before had a food corporation so sharply focused its marketing beyond (and around) those with the purse on those with the greatest pull on the purse strings.” The site also blames McDonald’s extreme success on the cartoon figure: “The use of the iconic clown has propelled McDonald’s growth into an international fast food juggernaut.” While the site keeps an overall light tone on the issue, the ending statement in the “Learn” portion of the Web site is anything but light-hearted. “If Ronald continues at the job he’s been doing, the joke will be on the health of future generations.” The Web site offers interactive ways to join the campaign to retire Ronald, such as signing the retirement card (and getting
campaign updates), joining the photo petition with your own picture expressing your agreement with the campaign and making a donation to help fund education on the subject. McDonald’s defense against these claims is that Ronald is a “beloved brand ambassador” for their company, according to Slashfood.com. The company also told Slashfood “He is the heart and soul of Ronald McDonald House Charities, which lends a helping hand to families in their time of need, particularly when families need to be near their critically-ill children in hospitals. In fact, 4 million children are helped every year around the world through the Ronald McDonald House Charities.” There is also a Web site created by McDonald’s called Ronald.com used to encourage children to “Learn, play and create,” according to the home page of the site. While there are plenty of outcries against Ronald McDonald’s place in the business, there has been little feedback from McDonald’s on the issue. According to Frances Moore Lappé with the Huffington Post, one in three children in America are now predicted to have diabetes. Lappé, in her article, calls parents to take a stand against McDonald’s and force the corporate giant to retire Ronald. Some students at Spring Hill College, such as junior Jay Kiger, feel that Ronald does not affect children as much as the advocates against him make it seem. Kiger’s explanation for visiting McDonald’s as a child was for “the chicken and toys.” Ronald McDonald had nothing to do with it. In fact, Kiger says, “I know a lot of people hate clowns.”
Page 13 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Life & Culture LINDSEY WORLEY Co Editor-in-Chief
“During my campus visit in spring 2007, the faculty was friendly, the campus was beautiful and the students seemed to genuinely care about their impact on the world. I love these things about Spring Hill College, and I know I will never find another place like it.” Despite the impact Spring Hill’s community has made on her life, Dr. Heather Salazar will be moving to Springfield, Mass. to teach at Western New England College in the fall of 2010. One of the reasons this ethics professor has decided to leave is because “I teach about living an ethical and fulfilling life for the whole person, and I wasn’t being satisfied as a whole person in Mobile. I didn’t want to be someone whose life revolved completely around work, no matter how much I liked it.” This philosophy has been carried throughout Salazar’s life. Because whether it’s enjoying the
beautiful weather outside, eating vegetarian options at Java City, meditating or teaching an ethics class, Salazar makes sure to find time to enjoy life to the fullest. One way this Phoenix, Ari. native has lived life is through her love of meditation, which she started when she was just nine years old. Even today, Salazar wants to continue affecting students, and she does this by sharing her knowledge of meditation. One can often see Salazar and a group of students and faculty sitting together outside meditating—this was Salazar’s idea, and she has been hosting a meditation group of some sort almost every week since she arrived at Spring Hill. This April, Salazar is hosting a two-week Meditation Intensive. “The Meditation Intensive will help anyone who attends to get a real grounding in the principles, philosophy and practice of meditation. I hope that it will enable attendees to feel more self-assured in meditating on their own,” Salazar said.
Salazar devotes her time to much more than just meditation, however. Fifteen years ago, she began practicing yoga and is most fond of vinyasa yoga, which is a description of the flowing styles of yoga. This avid nature lover also hikes as much as she can when visiting mountainous regions. Salazar said, “Anyone who has ever been a lover of nature and has grown up near the mountains will understand. They are so beautiful and majestic.” Salazar also does more than just teach ethics—she integrates ethics into her daily life and is trying to help others do the same. Currently, she is researching how people should prioritize their competing obligations and how they can live ethically happy and satisfying lives. “Some people think that ethics is most concerned with the big questions that come up every once in awhile in life, but I think the heart of ethics concerns how we should live our lives on a daily basis,” she explained. “What we decide to do when we
Courtesy of SHC Web site
Get to Know: Philosophy professor Dr. Heather Salazar
wake up, how we view the world, the ways we contribute and the ways we treat the people we come into contact with are substantial parts of living an ethical life. I am interested in helping people to see how much of a difference we can make in ourselves, our relationships, and the world through simple acts that add up over time.” She also enjoys doing See PHILOSOPHY page 15
National Day of Silence creates awareness of GLBT DEMARCO WILLS Ads Editor/Staff Reporter
The PRIDE organization invites the Spring Hill College community to participate in the National Day of Silence on Friday, April 16. PRIDE is a gaystraight organization on campus established for the purpose of fostering tolerance and acceptance between gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight students on campus. Dr. Jamie FrancoZamudio, an advisor for PRIDE said, “We are a space where you don’t have to explain who you are or be questioned for what you choose to do.
It’s a place where you can be comfortable with people who also identify with themselves being gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender, or GLBT.” The first “Day of Silence” was organized at the University of Virginia. With over 150 students participating, those involved felt it was a great success. The Day of Silence received extensive local press coverage and a positive response from the UVA community members, motivating some members to take the Day of Silence nationally. The goal of the Day of Silence is to make schools safer for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and
gender identity. People who are oppressed are described as having no voice. This event was started to bring attention to the silence that many people feel when they are being discriminated against by their teachers, peers or anyone else in their community. Zamudio said, “This highlights the fact that people’s voices are not heard and their experiences are not voiced as well. Therefore, we waive our own voice in order to see how those people feel, and show others that there are people that don’t have a voice. At the end of it all, we will have an event where people to get to break the silence.”
Those participating in the celebration choose to forgo speaking for an entire day. People either wear signs or hand out cards to show they are participants of the Day of Silence. At the end of the event, there is a program called Break the Silence held at the end of the day in which everyone who took the vow silence can speak again. During the program, people are allowed to come up and share their experience about not being able to talk for an entire day. Heidi Zavros, a member of PRIDE said, “I want people to have a better understanding of what it’s like to
face discrimination in classrooms and everywhere. It will be a good way for people to realize this is what it feels like to have no one to stand up for them. I just hope it will bring more recognition to PRIDE, so people realize we are here if they need us or want to be a part of the organization. Anyone is welcome to join. They don’t have to be part of the GLBT community.” Zamudio hopes that by bringing the Day of Silence to Spring Hill will change the minds of those who know nothing about the GLBT community. “I hope that by having this happen See SILENCE page 15
Page 14 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Life & Culture
Changes for 2nd annual COOL Day KELCEE SMITH Op-ed Editor
This is a transition year for the annual Celebration of Our Learning, or COOL Day, as organizers and planners try to come up with ways to promote learning while keeping students interested. COOL Day was established in 2004 in order to display outside-of-school research projects by students. At that time, the projects were mostly science and psychology based. In 2006, the event grew to include all disciplines with a variety of presentations. COOL 2.0 is the 2010 version of the college’s annual learning event, which hosts a variety of student projects and a lot of changes. So what’s different about COOL Day this year? The main difference concerning COOL Day this year is that it won’t be one day, but over several days. The majority of the student presentations will take place on two days: Wednesday, April 21 and Thursday, April 22, hence COOL Day 2.0. On Wednesday, classes after 1:45 p.m. will be canceled to allow for the Honor’s Convocation to be held, students to present projects and for the Student Leadership Awards to be given out. The remainder of the COOL Day presentations will be given on Thursday after 2:30 p.m. These changes allow students to go to more presentations and while morning classes can still be held. But, since organizers are looking to make COOL Day a week-long event, activities to celebrate Spring Hill’s learning start long before Wednesday. The head COOL Day organizer, Dr. Landi, and the faculty coordinating committee are looking for
better ways to communicate the importance of the event to students and to get them involved. “The purposes of COOL Day are to showcase student research, scholarship and creative expression; to give student presenters an opportunity to gain confidence in their ability to present and discuss their work; and to give attendees an opportunity to see the kind of work that is being done at Spring Hill College,” said Dr. Landi. A goal of the organizers is to involve the students in the planning of the event. This, they hope, will deter students from attending or presenting at COOL Day because they are obligated. Ultimately, the faculty coordinating committee wants to see students participate because the students are interested in COOL Day. On Saturday, April 17, a faculty versus student softball game will be held at 1 p.m. This is to promote interaction between students and faculty that isn’t necessarily based out of a classroom. Dr. Landi, has also been working with students to come up with more interactive events for COOL Day. One of these includes the Student and Faculty Feud, a faculty and student quiz bowl, which will be held on Monday, April 19 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and is sponsored by Alpha Sigma Nu. Teams can be made of both faculty and students and questions from a variety of categories will be asked. The winning team with receive bragging rights and an award. After the final presentations on Thursday, the third annual Earth Day Celebration will take place in the Rydex Commons starting at 4 p.m. The Student Government Associa-
tion is sponsoring the event and will have plenty of things for students to do to celebrate the earth. Green prizes like Brita filters, eco-friendly water bottles and other items to reduce a person’s carbon footprint will be given away. The SGA will also have a “Give a Shirt, Get a Shirt” project during the event. Students who bring a gently used t-shirt that they no longer want can trade it for an Earth Day Celebration shirt. All the collected shirts will be donated to a local shelter. SGA will also provide a live band and games, while Aramark will provide free food. Other organizations including Green Keepers and Lambda Chi Alpha will also be involved in the event. Junior and event organizer, Staci Sternberger is excited about the event and hopes that more people can get involved. “I think it’s important to promote Earth Day because our generation is willing to help. If people are educated and aware of the easy steps they can take to improve the planet, then they can and will make a difference,” said Sternberger. For more information and to view the list of scheduled presentations at COOL Day, contact Dr. Alex Landi at landi.shc. edu or any of the faculty committee members: Dr. Stuart Babington, Dr. Lesli Bordas, Dr. Brian Holbert, Tom Loehr, Dr. Janden Richards or Wanda Sullivan. For additional information about the Student Faculty Feud, contact Alpha Sigma Nu’s Vice President of Programs, Allison Symulevich. To get involved in the Earth Day Celebration, contact any of the SGA members or Staci Sternberger at smsternberger@stumail.shc.edu.
Employers watch your Facebook MEA THOMAS Contributing Writer
Many students spend hours a day on Facebook, but very few really pay attention to what they are posting. Facebook is a way to share one’s life with those in his or her social network and beyond. Recently, Facebook has been a tool that employers are using to base their hiring decisions on because it is easily accessible and they want to know the real person who will be working for them. A recent survey done by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found out that more than three-quarters of employers had reported that they have “Googled” candidates or reviewed job applicant profiles on social networking sites. Some students do not agree with this habit. Junior Nicole Hartman said, “I do not think that an employer should be looking at my Facebook; it is a social networking site where I can stay in touch with my friends.” However, there are other students that do agree with employers viewing their page. Senior Charlie Weed said, “I do believe companies should look up their employees. It is a good way for employers to get a feel on the personality of the individual.” Since there are no legal grounds forbidding employers from viewing these sites, more and more have begun to check out potential employees. The Internet has such a false sense of security that many people set their profiles to private and only allow a select group of friends to view their information, forgetting that although settings may be private,
they have posted on public domain. Just about everything online can be accessed by some means. Senior David Rathmall said, “Since I have an IT background, I have always been completely aware that anything I place out there for public consumption is just that: public. So I have no pictures of drunken partying or anything indecent. I have always kept things “clean” so to speak.” There are risks involved with posting anything online nowadays, but with close monitoring they can be avoided. Elizabeth Dexter-Wilson, Coordinator for Career Services, encourages students to leave a good “digital footprint” behind. Social networking sites are a personal advertisement and like any advertisement, it needs to be maintained in a way that is going to produce the most good. She says that Facebook is a good start for students to begin creating a professional networking list and this is done by paying attention to the friends list and connecting with ones that could potentially impact future career choices. Facebook provides students with great networking abilities but it can also make them look foolish. People are already aware that drunk or nude pictures are not appropriate for Facebook, but many seem to forget that word post can be indecent also. Junior Caitlin Teahan said, “I have deleted a lot of inappropriate comments left by others. I would advise people to never put anything up there that they do not want the world to See POLISH page 19
Life & Culture Splash to the past: ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ movie review KELCEE SMITH Op-ed Editor
When a man goes through his midlife crisis, he usually buys a fancy sports car, a jet ski or gambles his money away, but not the main characters in the new comedy Hot Tub Time Machine. These guys take a trip, not just a trip to the mountains to escape from their lives, but a trip to the past. These three friends—and a teenage nephew along for the ride—find themselves back in 1986 when their hot tub goes on the fritz. The guys spend the remainder of the movie trying to get back to 2010. But like any time machine plot, getting back to the future without changing the past is a major obstacle. John Cusak plays Adam, the main character and ring-leader of the friends. He plays a slightly
dramatic character with a few one-liners, but keeps the plot moving with his leadership among his friends. Rob Corddry plays Lou, the crazy friend always coming up with “fun” ideas like calling strippers and snorting coke. His character is definitely the one making the jokes and enduring all the entertaining falls and hits. Craig Robinson completes the trio— playing Nick Webber, a large and very likeable man who works at an upscale doggie daycare center prior to the trip. Great writing and excellent camera angles make this movie. You just can’t beat: “Wait, what color is Michael Jackson?” or the slow, dramatic pan into Nick Webber’s face when he utters, “It must be some kind of hot tub time machine.” The plot is original but not predictable and even though Back to the
Future is a classic, Hot Tub Time Machine is significantly funnier. Chevy Chase even makes an appearance, making this movie just a bit classier. The sound track isn’t anything to shake a stick at. With 80’s classics such as “Jessie’s Girl,” “Obsession” and “Push It,” it’s hard not to laugh. Admittedly, this movie doesn’t necessarily appeal to college women at first, but ladies, this one is pretty darn funny. College boys, you may not get as much slap-stick comedy as you want, but wouldn’t you rather see this with your girlfriend than The Last Song? Overall, this movie is awesome. There is just enough humor to keep you laughing and a great plot, cast and music to go with it. So, if you’re in a silly mood and want a good laugh, check out Hot Tub Time Machine. Best part is, you won’t leave with prune-y hands.
Page 15 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Polish your profile Continued from page 14
see, even if they are not yet going into the corporate world.” Many would agree that if it is something that you would not want your mother to see then it probably is not something that others should see either. According to Lindsey Hutchisson, public relations and development director for the Mobile Association of Retarded Citizens, “People treat Facebook like they do a text, without any consideration. This can create a negative reflection of yourself, so you have to be selective in what you post.” Facebook is easily accessible, and it can make it very easy for ones to inadvertently create a negative image. The advice Hutchisson gives is to take a minute and look over the profile. Put one’s self in the employer’s position and consider the overall audience and by doing this, one begins to equalize his or her speech and edit what is being put on the page. Staying away
from controversial topics and fan pages can also help with this. Lastly, Google one’s self to see how accessible the information is and make it as positive as possible. Dexter-Wilson also offered some advice. She said that students should use the skills that Facebook has provided and build a more professional profile. There are sites such as LinkedIn. com that offer students a more polished profile to network with professionals. This adds to one’s previous connection list from Facebook, and it also provides employers with more information to base their hiring decisions on. She also advises students to possibly create a blog about their professional goals and what they have done to achieve some of them. The main thing that Dexter-Wilson wants students to know is that if more profiles than just Facebook can be found by employers, then they will see the student is careeroriented and an asset to their company.
Philosophy professor will pursue Silence for awareness own philosophy for life after SHC Continued from page 13
Continued from page 13
art, and her passion is writing. She has published philosophy papers, but she hopes to publish fiction. “I specialize in fiction for children and adults quilted with philosophy and spirituality.” So while Salazar is leaving Spring Hill to find a place where she can use more of her gifts, she said she will never forget Spring Hill and will miss the friends she made here. “SHC is where I met my best girlfriends that I will never forget. Amy Alfieri is like a sister to me and Colette Windish is a wonderful spiritual companion. Cathy
Swender, Stephanie Girard, and Marcy Trianosky are all friends of mine that I will miss. Mark Starr was my mentor in the philosophy department and to him I am very grateful. The Philosophy and Theology Departments are full of wonderful people whom I enjoy passing and chatting with daily. I want to pay a special homage to Adam Beathard for being a devoted member and meditation leader for the past two and an half years.” Finally, Salazar wishes the best to her students, “[You] have been a constant source of inspiration to me. Thank you so much for everything you bring to class and to my life!”
that people will feel comfortable even if they aren’t initially comfortable with people that are GLBT. It would be nice to see people talking more about this issue. This is one of those things, just like race, we have to establish as a community. I think people are fearful about talking about things like this because they don’t know what is politically correct to say.” PRIDE doesn’t want the National Day of Silence to interfere with classroom discussion.
They recommend that if instructors want students to cooperate that the students should do so. The Day of Silence isn’t meant to disrupt the educational process. It will not be considered breaking their vow in order to answer an in-class question. Participants can still hold their silence in between classes and throughout the course of their day. The Day of Silence will take place on April 16. Further information about the Day of Silence can be found at the official Web site http://www. dayofsilence.org.
Dan Criscione and Alex Del Rio
Sports Editors dscriscione@stumail.shc.edu & aldelrio@stumail.shc.edu
Page 16 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Sports
Mickleson masters Augusta, and Tiger Woods finishes tied for third » Westwood makes hard push but falls short, Couples and Watson stir the pot in an exciting Masters tournament JIM LOVE Contributing Writer The Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. is over for another year. It truly is the most fan friendly sporting event in the world and I am saddened that we have to wait a full year until the 2011 tournament. The Masters continues to be the most fan friendly event to watch on TV, because fans are treated to 56 minutes an hour of live golf action. It seemed like February’s Winter Olympics had about 40 minutes of commercials every hour; the Super Bowl has at least 20 minutes an hour; and your favorite primetime drama has at least 15 minutes of commercials an hour. You might be thinking, what if I don’t like golf? Well this year’s Masters probably played out like your favorite primetime drama, so if you took the time to watch you should have enjoyed it. At a minimum it should have been a great excuse to drink some Natty Ice and eat
Chex Mix on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The Masters is even more thrilling and fan friendly in person. I have only been once --- in 2006 for a Tuesday practice round --- and it still is the absolute best sporting event I have ever seen live. Keep in mind that I saw Randy Johnson’s 300th win last summer, I went to two Alabama games last season, I have seen NCAA March Madness games in New Orleans, and been to at least 15 pro golf tournaments, including a U.S. Open. Nothing will ever top the Masters. The Masters does not gouge you on anything --- even though they could. The practice round tickets, which my Mom won in a lottery, were only $31 a piece. The pimiento cheese sandwiches --- which were to die for --- were only $1.50, and the beer, which came in a souvenir cap, was only $2. The merchandise was reasonably priced and all patrons received a free program open their entrance. The grounds
of Augusta are immaculate, and the tournament is so efficiently run. There are no corporate logos on the scoreboards or anywhere or the grounds for that matter. Simply put the Masters is what is still right about sports --- it’s about the actual sport and not corporate money. Look at how the NCAA has ruined college football with the BCS, and how they are about to ruin March Madness by expanding it to 96 teams. Those decisions are made because they bring in more corporate money, but they also diminish the athletic product we get to see. I hope the Masters never sells out, because it is all about the golf --- and some damn good pimiento cheese sandwiches. This year’s Masters played out like a fairy tale. After Thursday’s first round 50-year-old Fred Couples had a shot lead over five players, including 60-year-old Tom Watson, and Phil Mickelson --- the clear fan favorite. The deplorable and quasi-remorseful
but still mainly insincere Tiger Woods was only two shots behind Couples at -4. Mickelson went into the week as the fan favorite -- especially as his wife and mother recover from breast cancer --but his game had not been on top form. Couples was three for four on the Senior Tour going into the tournament, but no expected him to do well. Watson was a feel good story for day one. Tiger, who came into the Masters off of a 20 and a half week layoff, because of well, you know. If you don’t know --- welcome to planet Earth. He did not look rusty at all on Thursday; in fact he shot his best first round ever in a Masters. Two of England’s finest players assumed the lead going into the weekend after fine performances on Friday. Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter --- both in the top seven in the world --- were tied at -8. Tiger and Mickelson were both at -6. Westwood continued to
NHL Playoff match-ups and predictions
See MASTERS page 18
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» Blackhawks look to rally in the playoffs as they look to defeat Crosby and his Penguins DAN CRISCIONE Co-sports Editor
A long, long time ago, the 2009-2010 National Hockey League season started. Finally, a week after Easter Sunday, the regular season ended and 16 teams still have a chance to win the Stanley Cup. We’ll start with the Eastern Conference—seeing as everyone knows Sydney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin and are most concerned with them. Let’s not forget that the Pittsburgh Penguins have 19 other players on the team besides Crosby. In fact, it would be a fair argument to say that the Penguins best player isn’t Crosby. Evgeni Malkin, the Pens “Number 2 center,” could have the most impact on the team. In the 15 games that Malkin missed this season, Pittsburgh went a lousy 5-9-1—winning
only three of those five in regulation. Even superstar Crosby felt the pain of Malkin’s absence. In games where Malkin rode the pine, Crosby had only three goals and two assists. The key for Pittsburgh to repeat as kings of the NHL will be Malkin, as he has been for the past year. Although I’ve always loved the Ottawa Senators and would do anything to see them win, if I had to put money on the team from the Eastern Conference, as cliché as it sounds, I’d have to put my money on the Washington Capitals. The Capitals had 18 more season points than any other Eastern Conference team, and six more wins than any other Eastern Conference team. The Western Conference isn’t as easy to sift through as the Eastern.
The Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks are usually top picks to do well in the post season, but the St. Louis Blues aren’t in the playoffs for them to take a bite out of this year. However, the No.1 seeded Sharks are taking on the Colorado Avalanche, who I don’t see posing a huge threat to the Sharks. The Canucks are the 3rd seeded team in the West, but could have some problems getting beyond the first round. The Nashville Predators are 24-14-3 at home this season, while the Canucks are the only team in the Western Conference playoffs who have a sub .500 record on the road. The Phoenix Coyotes are paired against the Detroit Red Wings for the opening round. Every year it seems like the Red Wings are going to compete
for the title. Not this year though. The Coyotes were the hottest team in the NHL during the month of March, have had three win streaks this season of five or more games and at one point had a nine game win streak. The Coyotes should be a team to compete in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. The team that I think will come out of the West though is none of the above. The Chicago Blackhawks are in my mind the strongest and most complete team this season and should be able to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals after a hard hitting series with Phoenix in the semis. As for a Stanley Cup winner, I think that the Washington Capitals fall to the Blackhawks in six games, ending Chicago’s 48 year drought of not winning the Stanley Cup.
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Page 17 The Springhillian April 15, 2010
SpOrTS
Badgers’ baseball break records during spring break » Baseball team pick up some big wins during Spring break including a no-hitter, school records and a 29-run game ALEX DEL RIO Co-sports Editor
The Spring Hill College baseball team split a conference doubleheader with William Carey on Friday, March 26, evening at Stan Galle Field. The series against Carey was played as a make-up due to poor weather the first time the two teams met up. The Badgers dropped the first game 6-4. In the first contest, the Badgers fell down 4-0 early when William Carey’s Jason Terrell connected for a Grand Slam in the 1st inning. Trailing 5-1, the Badgers rallied for two runs in the 4th inning after Blake Nelson earned a run off a fielder’s choice and Justin Harrison cranked an RBI single. Dupuy took the complete-game loss and allowed seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Shortstop Ryan Cummings had a productive offensive game against Carey, going 3-for-4 on the day. Bobby Voss and Justin Harrison each hit 2-for-3 for SHC. The second game opened much like the first,
but this time the Badgers scored four runs in the first inning. The first five Badger batters hit got on base with singles, and Andy McCall added the sixth-straight single with a 2-RBI bounder up the middle. When it was all said and done, Spring Hill racked up 20 hits and 14 runs off five different Crusader pitchers. Every Badger except the two catchers recorded a multi-hit game. Brad Holstein went 4-for-6 scoring 3 RBIs in the winning effort. Cummings had three hits and an RBI while Andy McCall ripped three hits for three RBI, including a triple. Pat O’Malley had two hits, including a base-clearing double in the 4th inning bringing in 3 of his teammates. Joe Baumgartner (1-4) was the winner in 5.1 innings of work while Lawrence Trunk got the save in 3.2 innings pitched. Baumgartner allowed just two hits with seven walks and a strikeout. After splitting the double header in the rescheduled games, the Badgers faced Carey in another
double header the very next day. The Spring Hill College baseball team lost both ends of a conference doubleheader to William Carey University on Saturday at Stan Galle Field, dropping the first game 6-4 and falling 10-3 in game two. Carey opened the first game with a 1st inning Grand Slam to left-center by Josh Dannelley. The Badgers regrouped and scored off an RBI single by Bobby Voss in the bottom of the 5th and grabbed two more runs off a sacrifice fly by Andy McCall. Fred Rossi also added an RBI single in the 6th inning to help the Badger cause. Joe Carter (3-2) picked up the loss for SHC going six innings with nine hits, two walks and two strikeouts. In the second game, SHC starter Nick Clapper (1-2) lasted just 1.1 innings as Carey quickly ran out to a 3-0 advantage. Badger reliever Jeff Keenum suffered a rocky start and surrendered another three runs in the 3rd inning before settling down and retiring the Carey batters in order over the next four innings.
Sports Word Jumble
The Spring Hill College baseball team went on to split a closely contested doubleheader at Thomas University on Tuesday afternoon by winning the first game 13-12 before dropping the second game 6-5. In the first game, the Badgers pounded out 15 total hits led by senior right fielder Ryan Hall. Hall went 3-for-4 on the day to gave him the Spring Hill record for career hits, passing Tim Hilpert’s 253 total hits from 1995 to 1998. Hall would end the day with seven hits placing him at 260 career hits for the Badgers with plenty of games left in the season to cushion his record. “It’s a great feeling to hold this record, I’m very fortunate to have played all four years,” said Hall about his record. Bobby Voss hit consecutive 2-run homers in the 1st and 2nd innings for SHC while Blake Nelson and Justin Harrison both enjoyed 3-hit outings. The Badgers rallied for a 5-run 7th inning highlighted by Ryan Cummings’ 2-run triple to stake Spring Hill to a 13-11 lead. The Night Hawks (24-10) scored and
then loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the inning, but a ground-out to Cummings at short ended the threat. Lawrence Trunk (20) was the winner in relief while Josh Essington picked up his second save of the year for SHC. Spring Hill continued to swing their lumber in the second game adding 13 more hits to their totals, however they failed to pick up the crucial hits when needed to as Thomas took the win, 6-5. Hall was 4-for-5 at the plate while Nelson had three hits and Voss delivered two more. Freshman James Maughn (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season despite the Badgers playing errorless ball in both games. The Spring Hill College baseball team’s conference doubleheader at Tougaloo College was cancelled on Saturday due to soggy field conditions and the games will not be rescheduled. In their most recent matchup, the Badgers swept a nonSee HALL on page 19
Don’t forget the lyrics! See if you can fill in the blank to your favorite songs!
1. Another one bites the _ _ _ -Queen 2. Stay just a little bit _ _ _ _ _ _ -Jackson Browne 3. The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ gets a little lower... -War 4. I’m too _ _ _ _ for my shirt -Right Said Fred 5. _ _ _ _ _ _ at the carwash -Rose Royce 6. It’s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ men, HALLELUJAH! -The Weather Girls 7. All around the world statues _ _ _ _ _ _ for me -Sugar Ray When Eiffle-65 was asked about how they felt about being a one-hit wonder,
Source: http://lyricsbadger.co.uk/ Baxter the Badger sings his favorite tunes.
they responded:
_’_ _ _ _ _ !!!
Page 18 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Sports
College basketball wraps up tourneys in dramatic fashion DEVIN GOLDEN Contributing Writer As the NCAA college basketball season ends in dramatic fashion, with a national championship game that was inches away from being one of the greatest stories and moments in sports history, the talk of the town is the possibility of expansion in the Madness of March. The proposal from the NCAA would expand the famous tournament from 65 teams to 96 teams, and as the old saying goes, it seems people in charge are trying to fix something that is not broken. The format for the tournament would include the top 32 teams (top eight seeds in each region) receiving first-round byes, while the other 64 teams would play on the first Thursday and Friday of the tournament, with a chance to play those receiving byes if they happen to win. This would mean the nine seed plays the 24-seed, the 10-seed plays the 23-seed, and so on. There would be no “play-in game”, so the tournament would in fact start earlier and would still end on the
third Monday, just as it did this past year. One of the positives of the change is to shorten travel time and distance for teams. “On a 96team basis -- vs. the current 97 teams that the NCAA conducts through the championship and the NIT, for example -- you have, on a side-by-side basis, a reduction in the travel time,” NCAA Vice President Greg Shaheen said to ESPN.com. Of course, the NIT tournament may be thrown out the window if this expansion passes, or they will get 32 lower ranked teams, making the tournament less prestigious. The arguments against the expansion are the potential for the regular season to have less importance and the tournament as a whole to become watereddown. With 96 teams making the tournament, the final weeks of the regular season would not be as competitive, with resumes not needing to be as strong to make the tournament. Now, instead of discussing whether a Pac-10 team with a 9-7 conference record and an RPI of 52 will gain entrance, we will discuss whether a Big-10
conference team with a 90 RPI rating and a 6-10 conference record will gain entrance, thus making the idea of “making the tournament” much less prestigious. Much like the college football bowl season, it would seem as though every team gets in, and as many have criticized the bowl season for being watered down, so would the NCAA tournament be. Paul Finebaum said in a column for the Press Register, “However, that’s the nature of collegiate sports these days. It doesn’t matter whether you’re deserving or even capable of competing at the highest level. As long as television is willing to cough up the dough, the show must go on.” Fears that the NCAA tournament will have undeserving teams and low levels of competition may come true if the 24-seed out of the Western region loses to an underrated 9-seed (like Northern Iowa) by 55 points on the opening Thursday afternoon. In the end, my argument still stands. Why fix something that is not broken? The NCAA college basketball tournament is arguably the best yearly sporting
event, and it involves more fan participation than any other event, allowing a way for fans to compete and have an attachment beyond which team is their favorite. Adding 32 more teams, having such low competition, and having more games, will not make the tournament any better than it is right now for the fans. Most fans understood that North Carolina and Connecticut did not deserve to make the field, but with an expansion, they will. Most fans realized that Mississippi State and Virginia Tech deserved entrance more so than Florida and Wake Forest, and the easiest way to fix that problem is get a selection committee that knows what they are doing, not expansion to fit every team possible. An expansion will not help, but it does have the chance to hurt. It does have the chance to take some of the magic out of March Madness, and that is only going to affect the fans and the view on college basketball. Of course, this move is not being made for us, but it is being made for the rich and the “expansion” of their wallets, and that pun was definitely intended.
The Masters fulfills the media hype in Tiger Woods’ return Continued from page 16
charge ahead during Saturday’s third round, and he appeared to be running away with the tournament before Phil Mickelson put on a most impressive show. With a stretch of eagle-eagle-birdie on 13 through 15, Mickelson went from out of serious contention to the lead. The roars hallowed through the grounds of Augusta National and Phil was to be a factor the rest of the way. He ended the day one shot behind Westwood at -11. Woods and KJ Choi were tied for third at -8 and Fred Couples was in fifth at -7. The stage for Sunday was set with so many compelling story lines.
Would Westwood coast to victory and complete England’s return to dominance as world golf power? Could Mickelson put his emotions aside and overtake Westwood to win his third green jacket? Would Choi get South Korea its second straight major title? Would the hero to some and the villain to many, Tiger Woods, stage an epic comeback while battling so many personal demons to prove that he never missed a beat during his hiatus? Or would the 50-year-old Fred Couples win one for the old guys? For a while on Sunday it looked like Couples was going to win. He was striking the ball well on the front nine and despite bad putting he shot a 33
on the front nine. His putting caught up to him on the back nine and he finished sixth. KJ Choi looked spotless on the front nine; he opened the round with eight one-putts in a row. Then he bogeyed 13 and 14 and faded to a tie for fourth. Woods backed out early with three bogies in his first five holes, before ending the front nine with a hole out eagle on seven and birdies on eight and nine to get back in it. Woods, however, ran out of momentum and finished tied for fourth with Choi. But it was Mickelson, who, despite some erratic drives, was playing the steadiest golf. He went into the back nine one ahead of Westwood, who had a costly three
putt on nine, and made miraculous pars on 10 and 11 from the trees. The Phil birdied 12 and made the shot of the tournament on 13 --- a six iron from 205 yards out, between two trees, over a creek, and to within four feet of the hole. He two putted from there and added another two-putt birdie on 15 to take a three shot lead over Westwood and Anthony Kim, who was -5 on holes 13 through 16 to make a late charge. With poise, Mickelson made a tough par putt on 17 to take a two shot lead to the last, and then he capped the tournament with a great birdie on 18 to finish at -16, three shots ahead of Westwood and four ahead of Kim. His
four round score of 272 is tied for the fourth best alltime in the Masters. This was a feel good story. Mickelson won his third Masters and had a warm embrace with his lovely wife Amy, who continues to undergo treatment for breast cancer, and his three children as he walked off the 18th green. He was certainly a lot easier to root for than Tiger Woods, who will never gain back what little respect I had for him before we found out he was an adulterer and a liar. Maybe nice guys do win every once in a while. That being said, I will be shocked if Tiger Woods does not win the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in June.
Page 19 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Sports
Women’s tennis falls in latest matches, stay in NAIA Top-25 » Tovar named athlete of the week, Fritscher sisters keep rolling ALEX DEL RIO Co Sports Editor
Spring Hill College junior Alex Tovar of Miami, Fla., was named the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) Women’s Tennis Player of the Week for her performance on the courts during the week of March 8-14, 2010. Tovar went undefeated during those dates going 5-0 with wins at No. 2 doubles (8-1) and No. 5 singles (6-1, 6-0) versus William Carey, No. 1 doubles (8-3) against LeTourneau University and No. 1 doubles (8-6) and No. 3 singles (6-0, 6-2) versus Belhaven University. Last Saturday, Tovar and her teammates defeated conference rivals Loyola University by a 7-2
score. The Lady Badgers (8-3, 6-2 GCAC) led 2-1 after doubles play where they won 8-2 on both the No. 2 and No. 3 courts. Spring Hill then went 5-6 on the singles courts, falling only at the No.1 court. Winning matches for the Badgers against Loyola were Alex Tovar (6-2, 6-0), Lynne Fritscher (6-2, 6-1), Shelby Fritscher (6-0, 60), Caroline Hitt (2-6, 6-4, 6-0), Allison Symulevich (6-0, 6-1), Tara Montegut-Tovar (8-2), and HittSymulevich (8-2). After receiving top-25 votes in the GCAC, the No. 21 ranked Spring Hill College women’s tennis team lost to conference foe and 19th ranked Xavier University (La.) by a 5-4 score in a rain-shortened match. Xavier (11-7, 10-1 GCAC)
led 2-1 after doubles play with the day’s crucial outcome being decided in a close 9-7 outcome on Court No. 2. The No. 2 doubles result would loom even larger when the singles matches were retired due to rain with SHC winning on courts 3, 5 & 6 while XU took courts 1, 2 & 4 resulting in the 5-4 win for the home-standing. Tough times continued as the 23rd ranked Spring Hill College women’s tennis team was upset at the University of Mobile by a score of 5-4. SHC trailed 2-1 after the doubles matches with the only win coming on the No. 2 court. The two teams split the singles matches 3-3 as the Rams were able to hold on for the 5-4 win. In singles, the Rams
Softball splits doubleheader against Belhaven DAN CRISCIONE Co-sports Editor The Belhaven University Blazers came down to what they thought would be an easy two game sweep of the Badgers. Not only were the Blazers in for a surprise when they only scored one run on the afternoon, but the Badgers took out some of 7th ranked Belhaven’s fire with a 1-0 victory. The first game of the afternoon was a classic pitchers’ duel which had to go into extra innings to declare a winner. In the top of the 8th inning, Belhaven’s Christina Jaques drove home what proved to be the game winning run. In the bottom half of the inning, Spring Hill loaded the bases but couldn’t produce any runs, costing them a tough 1-0 loss. The Badgers bounced right back in the second game of the doubleheader though. Sam Brooks connected for a double in the third inning, which started the rally. Monica Zeringue loaded the bases after being hit-by-pitch with one out. Catcher Brooke Turlich drove in Brooks to give Spring Hill the 1-0 lead, which is all Brooks needed. The Badger victory marks as Belhaven’s second conference loss this season. Brooks pitched all 15 innings for the Badgers on the day, allowing zero earned runs, seven hits, two
walks and struck out two. Next for Spring Hill is another doubleheader at Division 3 opponent Birmingham Southern (21-7). Spring Hill is 2-0 against BSC this season. Next home game for Spring Hill is a doubleheader starting at noon against the University of Mobile. The doubleheader also marks as Senior Day for the Badgers in which Brittany Abate and Lindsey Taylor will be honored for their hard work and dedication over the years to the Softball program and to the school.
Photo by Kelcee Smith
took Courts Nos. 1, 2 and 3 while the Badgers took Nos. 4, 5 and 6. Winning matches for the Badgers were Lynne Fritscher (6-0, 6-0), Allison Symulevich (6-3, 6-3), Caroline Hitt (6-1, 6-2), and Shelby Fritscher-L. Fritscher (8-0). On Tuesday afternoon the Spring Hill College women’s tennis team received 70 votes in the NAIA’s third rating of the 2010 season moving to the No. 25 spot on the list. The Badgers (8-5) have now appeared in the past three NAIA ratings of the 2010 season. The NAIA poll is voted on by a panel of head coaches representing each of the NAIA conferences. The next poll will be released on April 20.
Hall snags another record Continued from page 17
conference doubleheader at Selma University on Tuesday afternoon by the scores of 93 and 29-17, giving the Badgers a 4-game season series sweep of the Bulldogs. In the first game, six Badgers hitters had multiplehit afternoons as Ryan Hall, Bobby Voss, Brad Holstein, Ryan Cummings, Andy McCall and Justin Harrison each recorded two hits. Voss, Holstein and McCall each added homeruns to the Badger cause. SHC starter Mike Scanio moved to 4-0 on the season and allowed all three Bulldog runs off six hits. In the second leg, Cummings broke two school records with six hits and eight RBIs in a 6-for-6 performance that also included two homers - one of which was a Grand Slam. The Badgers totaled 29 hits with seven homeruns as a team. Hall tallied four hits with four RBIs and scored four times. Voss ripped out three hits including the Badgers’ record 20th team triple of the year. Blake Nelson knocked two homers in the second game while Kendell
Carvin added three hits. McCall and Harrison each had two hits with a home-dinger. William Tillman (10) picked up his first win of the season in one of the wildest contests in SHC history. The Badgers finished off their concluded their “Spring Break” with an overall record of (23-16, 12-11 GCAC).The Badgers will host 15th-ranked Belhaven University (27-10, 17-5 GCAC) in a 3-game conference series beginning with a single game Friday at 6 p.m. and finishing with a Saturday doubleheader at 1 p.m. on historic Stan Galle Field. Prior to the break, SHC’s James Maughn was named the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) Pitcher of the Week for his performance during last Tuesday’s 10-0 no-hitter of Concordia CollegeSelma. Maughn, a freshman right-hander from Atlanta, Ga., was only a 1st-inning error away from a perfect game over the Hornets. He allowed no walks and struck out one batter for the no-hit win. This week marks the third time a Badger pitcher has won the GCAC Pitcher of the Week Award for 2010.
Page 20 The SpringHillian April 15, 2010
Sports
Ersy Pacheco Softball
Ryan Hall Baseball
UPCOMING GAMES WT
DATE Apr 15
OPPONENT William Carey
SITE Away (4:00)
MT
Apr 15
William Carey
Away (4:00)
BB
Apr 16
University of Mobile
SHC (2:00)
BB BB WT
Apr 17 Apr 17 Apr 17
University of Mobile University of Mobile Loyola-New Orleans
SHC (1:00) SHC Game 2 SHC (2:00)
SB
Apr 18
University of Mobile
SHC (12:00)
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
RECENT RESULTS TEAM BB
DATE Apr 9
OPPONENT Belhaven
RESULT L 6-2
WT MT WT
Apr 9 Apr 9 Apr 10
Belhaven Belhaven Tougaloo
W 8-1 L 7-2 W 9-0
MT SB
Apr 10 Apr 12
Tougaloo Belhaven
W 9-0 1-0
Softball and Basball photos by Kelcee Smith
Golf and volleyball photos by Doug Bruce