VANGUARD
THE MAR. 26, 2012
“If it matters to the USA family, it matters to us.”
USA Jags play spring game against heat >>
Party on the deck! see page 11
VOL. 50, NO. 10
Academic calendar merges holidays next year Spring break and Mardi Gras will overlap in 2013 year BY MATT WEAVER Senior Reporter
T
he University of South Alabama Academic Calendar Committee approved changes that would see the Mardi Gras and spring break holidays merged together in 2013. The decision was made without input from student government as not a single representative attended the deciding meeting. SGA President Colin Al-Greene did not approve of the Calendar Committee’s decision and says that his organization will continue to meet with University officials regarding the 2012-2013 academic calendar. “We’ve attended several meetings where the calendar was discussed,” AlGreene said. “But we just missed the one where the decision was made.” When asked if the academic calendar was final, Al-Greene said that he believes
it’s still up for discussion. He plans on meeting with students over the next week and will relay that information over to University officials. “I don’t like this Colin Al-Greene at all – I really need SGA President the two distinct breaks,” Kelly Dixon, a junior Marketing major said. “I think it was irresponsible for the SGA to miss the meeting but it’s one of those things where no one seems to care until after the decision is made.” The Mardi Gras holiday was scheduled for Feb. 21 this spring with spring break running from March 12 to 18. Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday, Feb. 12 next spring. Contact SGA at southalabama.edu/ sga.
USA Match Day opens doors From classrooms to white coats: What the future holds JAYSON CURRY/SPORTS EDITOR
BY AMBER DAY Staff Writer
Quarterback C.J. Bennet throws a pass in front of the USA Marching Band Saturday,
Red versus blue at Ladd Football isn’t only in the fall; Jags warm up in spring BY JAYSON CURRY Sports Editor
O
ne thing stood out after South Alabama football’s spring football game Saturday: the game is more for the fans than anything. Head football coach Joey Jones echoed that thought after the game. “Bottom line: we achieved what we wanted to achieve,” Jones said. “We didn’t have anybody that was hurt
badly, and our evaluations for the first 14 practices was really what it was all about. We are really pleased with their effort.” As Jones said, no player was seriously hurt, but with the unusual heat on Saturday many players needed to cool down on the sideline. USA linebacker Logan Bennett was one player who was obviously affected by the heat after he sat on the sideline with cold towels over his head and neck for much of the game. see SPRING, page 9
find us on Facebook search “The Vanguard USA”
/
O
n March 16, 2012, at the Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel in Mobile, senior medical students at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine found out this year’s Match Day results. The National Residency Matching Program, or Match Day, is the annual event in which future doctors learn where they will be doing their residency training. Senior medical student, Ashleigh Butts-Wilkerson, had her eyes set on the USA College of Medicine family medicine residency program. Butts-Wilkerson is from Frankville, Ala. – a small community in Washington County. She attended USA for
check out our digital edition thevanguardonline.com
see MEDICAL, page 4
/
COURTESY OF COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
Medical students Phillip Bates and Hannah Eason are engaged and both going to the University of Florida.
in this issue (pg 07): Life (pg 12): Opinion (pg 09): Sports