April 26, 2010

Vanguard The

Engineering Remembers Professor Dean Harrison

STAFF REPORTER millhaven1982@yahoo.com

Dr. Joseph Olsen, a USA Civil Engineering professor, passed away April 17, 2010. He was a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) graduate, a former department chair at USA and considered a hallmark within his Olsen department.

According to Dr. Kevin White, the current Civil Engineering department chair, Olsen helped the Civil Engineering program “get back on its feet” when he was hired in 1987. Olsen was also “instrumental” in the department’s ABET accreditation process in 1991.

ABET is the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, and has been significant in drawing more students into the department over the years.

“We were accredited through his leadership,” White said. “He had a hand in renewing the accreditation ever since.”

Olsen also had a hand in the growth and maturity of the department, raising the bar not only in the classroom but in the community as well.

“In that point of view,” White said, “he had done a great deal for us. We’re now graduating 20 to 30 engineers a year and growing 225 to 230 undergrads into the program.”

Indeed, the list of Olsen’s contributions to the department seems endless. A specialist in Geotechnical Engineering, Olsen expected a lot from his students, who benefited from his teaching.

“If you look around at almost any engineering firm in Mobile, there are a number of South Alabama Civil Engineering graduates,” White said.

He added that the department received calls from former students wishing to ex-

Star Football Player Arrested

USA Safety Zach Brownell Charged With 22 Counts of Criminal Mischief, Public Intoxication Cameron Adkins

SENIOR REPORTER cja501@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

South Alabama student and football player Zach Brownell was arrested early Thursday morning in the Delta area parking lot after damaging 22 vehicles.

“We are going through the case right now,” Head football Coach Joey Jones said. Brownell has been indefinitely suspended from the football program, according to Jones.

Brownell was charged with 22 counts of criminal mischief in the 3rd degree, one count of disorderly conduct, and one count of public intoxication. He was released Thursday afternoon after posting $17,000 bail.

The court date for the case is scheduled for May 6.

“I don’t think that we ever found any tool he may have used [to damage the vehicles],” University Chief of Police Normand Gamache said.

Most of the vehicles had minor damage like broken side-view mirrors.

Police Blotter p.2

See How The Weather Made Oozeball Extra Oozy See Etc., p. 6

Courtesy of Mobile Jail

Zach Brownell has been charged with damaging 22 cars in the dormitory parking lot, public intoxication, and disorderly conduct.

Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree is the charge for damaging property where the damages are less than $500.

The crime is considered a class B misdemeanor, and it is punishable by up to 6 months in jail and $3,000 in fines, according to the Alabama Criminal Code.

Because Brownell’s alleged actions violate the student Code of Conduct, he will likely be subjected to a hearing with the University Disciplinary Committee (UDC).

The hearing would either be an informal hearing where no witnesses are called or a formal hearing that relies on witness testimony, according to The Lowdown.

The Vanguard featured Brownell in “A Day in the Life” on Nov. 2 of last year.

Brownell, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back, played in all seven of the Jaguar’s inaugural season games.

He had a total of 27 tackles and five interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.

Outgoing SGA Reflects on Year

Brendan Davis

ASSOCIATE EDITOR thater@gmail.com

The Student Government Association (SGA) held its final meeting on April 19, and The Vanguard sat down with the outgoing Executive Council (EC) to review this past year.

One of the proudest moments the EC cited from the past year was one of the first things they did after assuming office. “[USA President Gordon] Moulton told us they were planning on cutting [the Supplemental Instruction program],” SGA President Glenn Gardner said. “We all decided there was something major that needed to be done to help out. I know a lot of my friends use the program, and I’ve used it. Along with tuition increases, it was essential not to cut programs that help with see SGA, page 17

see OLSEN, page 4

Inside

Serving USA Since 1965

April 26, 2010

VOLUME 47, NUMBER 32

Etc. p.6

Arts & Entertainment p.8

A USA Alum Is Training Where Steve Carell Got His Start

See Arts & Entertainment, p. 8

Simon Reinert / Photo Editor

The 2009-10 SGA officers hold their last meeting of the year. The SGA Executive Council reflected on how their somewhat controversial year went. Two of the three EC members are returning.

Sports p.11

Opinion p.14

USA Soccer Preps For 2010 See Sports, p. 11

Distractions p.17

Is Our World Simply An Illusion?

See Opinion, p.15

2

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Vanguard

Vanguard The

University of South Alabama’s Student Voice Mission The Vanguard, the student-run newspaper of the University of South Alabama, serves its readership by reporting the news involving the campus community and surrounding areas. The Vanguard strives to be impartial in its reporting and believes firmly in its First Amendment rights.

Submission and Editorial Policies Send letters and guest columns to: Opinion Editor, USAVanguard.editor@gmail.com or The Vanguard, University of South Alabama, P.O. Drawer U-1057, Mobile, Ala. 36688. Letters and guest columns must be received by 7 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the Monday publication. Submissions should be typed and must include the writer’s name, year, school and telephone number.

All submissions become the property of The Vanguard. Unsigned letters will not be published. The Vanguard reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length and clarity. Letters will be limited to 300 words. Letters and guest columns are the opinion of the writer.

The Staff Editorial represents the consensus opinion of the Editorial Board, which is composed of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Associate Editor, Copy Editor, and Opinion Editor. All members of the Editorial Board have the same weight during weekly Editorial Board meetings.

The Vanguard has a commitment to accuracy and clarity and will print any corrections or clarifications. To report a mistake, call the Editor-in-Chief at 251-460-6442 or e-mail USAVanguard.Editor@ gmail.com.

The Vanguard is a member of Collegiate Presswire and U-Wire, which syndicates to a national audience.

The Vanguard is published Mondays during the academic year, except for exam periods and vacations, and is published twice each summer. The Vanguard is supported in part by an allocation from student activity fees and operates in the Student Media Department of the Division of Student Affairs. Issues are available at most University buildings and select off-campus locations. The first copy is free. Additional copies are $1 each.

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief: Matthew Peterson Managing Editor: Daniela Werner Associate Editor: Brendan Davis Etc. Editor: Greg Gulbranson Arts & Entertainment Editor: Bradley Turner Opinion Editor: Alex Whalen Sports Editor: Matt Weaver Senior Reporter: Laura Beth Calcote Senior Reporter: Cameron Adkins Photo Editor: Simon Reinert Copy Editor: Johnny Davis Webmaster: Rodney Thompson DISTRIBUTION Distribution Manager: Brendan Davis Distribution: Jolyn Picard ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager: Wesley Jackson Advertising Representative: Regi Allen Advertising Representative: Daniel Fordemwalt Graphic Designer: Jennifer Manning Graphic Designer: Brittany Hawkins MANAGEMENT Adviser: Robert Holbert Accounting: Kathy Brannan

Web site: http://www.usavanguard.com Mailing Address The Vanguard University of South Alabama P.O. Drawer U-1057 Mobile, Ala. 36688 Phone Number (251) 460-6442 Article XIV, Section 8 of The Lowdown: The editors of the student publications shall be free from any type of censorship and shall be responsible for the form, content and staff of the publication.

SPLC Statement: The Vanguard recognizes and affirms the editorial independence and press freedom of all student-edited campus media. Student editors have the authority to make all content decisions and consequently bear the responsibility for the decisions that they make.

April 26, 2010

p lice bl tter

4/19 - Unlawful Breaking and Entering a Vehicle A victim reported that on 4/15 between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., an unknown person removed items from the victim’s vehicle through a partially open window. Among the items taken were a purse, credit/debit card, military ID, and a digital camera. The items were valued at $156.

4/19 - Burglary, 3rd Degree A resident reported that someone had stolen 60 10 mg Adderall pills from his room.

The value of the lost items was estimated at $50.

4/22 - Criminal Mischief - Damage to Business Property A suspect was attempting to gain entrance to the second story of the Kappa Alpha fraternity house via the roof when the window

broke, causing lacerations to his wrist. The suspect was attempting to get his friends’ attention, so no arrests were made.

4/22 - Criminal Mischief, 3rd Degree/Public Intoxication/Disorderly Conduct A student was arrested in the Delta parking lot for 22 counts of criminal mischief in the 3rd degree, public intoxication, and disorderly conduct. (see story, front page)

4/22 - Theft of Property, 2nd Degree The victim’s property was stolen from the Intramural Field Pavilion. Among the items taken was a wallet, cash, driver’s license, student ID, insurance cards, and a debit card. The items were valued at $126.

Ask Norm

Q & A with USA Chief of Police Normand Gamache Q: What type of firearms are the USAPD equipped with?

A: Most of the officers carry a .40 cal. glock. It’s a semi-automatic pistol.

Sexual Assault Adjudication at USA Explained Daniela Werner

MANAGING EDITOR danielawerner87@gmail.com

Editor’s Note: This is the first article in a multi-part series investigating USA’s administrative and criminal proceedings for sexual assault on campus and at USA-sanctioned events.

At USA, Student Affairs handles sexual assault cases with a staff of police officers, investigators and a disciplinary committee, but whether student victims benefit from these campus resources is up to the victims themselves.

A recent study by the Center for Public Integrity (CPI) raised the question of whether student victims on U.S. college campuses feel comfortable prosecuting their perpetrators at all.

The CPI’s recent 12-month investigation of U.S. college judiciary processes adjudicating students’ sexual assault allegations exposed system flaws and a “depressing litany of barriers” that keep student sexual assault victims from seeing their perpetrators adequately punished, according to CPI’s website.

The “depressing litany of barriers” students face in the collegiate judiciary processes CPI investigated include little to no punishment for students found guilty, secretive disciplinary committee hearings, and off-record negotiations, according to the site. In some instances, victims were excluded from the proceedings or given gag orders, which are illegal as per the U.S. Department of Education (DOE).

“The Lowdown,” USA’s student handbook, lists the protocol administrators, faculty, and staff are required to follow in the

Simon Reinert / Photo Editor

A recent study by The Center for Public Integrity examined barriers in college judicial systems that settle on-campus sexual assault cases. This article is Part 1 in a series of articles taking a closer look at USA’s disciplinary proceedings. The above graphic shows the two-pronged process that a sexual assault case can go through, depending on the victim’s willingness to report it to administration.

case of a student’s sexual assault, whether on campus or not.

Reporting sexual assault cases is a twopronged process at USA, but both of the reporting and trial processes start with campus police officer reports.

The USA Police Department (USAPD) submits every on-campus sexual assault case to either the Mobile County or Baldwin County District Attorney’s Office, according to USA Chief of Police Normand Gamache.

Whether the sexual assault case goes to trial with the University Disciplinary Committee (UDC) is up to the victim, depending on if they want to prosecute their perpetrator, Gamache said.

Getting student victims to file a report with USAPD after being sexually assaulted is the officers’ biggest problem, Gamache told The Vanguard. The reporting process puts a “tremendous burden on the victim,” he said, and the thought of reliving their assault often motivates victims to forgo reporting it to the authorities.

“Most victims want to get counsel and move on with their lives,” he said.

It takes a “definite technique” to interview a sexual assault victim, he said, and USAPD have been trained to do so with sensitivity to victims’ feelings.

The criminal reporting process can be rough on sexual assault victims, Gamache

see ASSAULT, page 18

A Day in the Life Laura Beth Calcote

SENIOR REPORTER laurabethcalcote@gmail.com

The lobby outside the president’s office at the University of South Alabama was quiet, a set of doors to the left leading to conference rooms, the president’s office to the right and an elevator in between. The doors to the president’s office are made of dark wood, heavy and somewhat intimidating.

Once inside, though, the quiet was gone, and the office was bustling. A committee meeting had just adjourned, the phone was ringing and the office was moving with purpose. President V. Gordon Moulton had made time in his hectic schedule to talk with The Vanguard about the USA employee with the most seniority: himself.

It’s not a position that defines his seniority. It is the simple fact that Moulton, even with more than 5,500 University employees, has been at South the longest: 44 years. But let’s start at the beginning.

Victor Gordon Moulton grew up in southwest Georgia, where he worked alongside his parents, his brother and his sister on the family’s peanut farm.

“No one ever called me [Victor] but my dad,” he said.

In the sixth grade, a little girl named Geri Shelley came into his life, a little girl who would grow up to be his high school sweetheart and, later on, his wife and biggest supporter.

His first paying job was working at a cotton gin in the summer between his junior and senior years of high school.

After graduation, he said, “I left a very small rural community and went up to the big city of Atlanta to do

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF mwp601@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Ron Sparks is after the highest spot in Alabama state politics, and as part of that campaign, the two-time agricultural commissioner traveled to USA April 21 to share his vision with the USA community.

Sparks Before his speech, he took time to answer a few questions from The Vanguard.

Sparks is running against Representative Artur Davis in the Democratic primary, which will be held June 1.

For more information on Sparks, see his campaign website at www.sparks2010.com.

Vanguard: What kind of experience do you have that will help you as governor?

Ron Sparks: I’ve been elected two times as the state-wide agriculture commissioner for the state of Alabama. I’ve won 62 counties out of 67 counties. I’m a businessman. I’m a father. I’m a grandfather. I’m a veteran. I have a lot of experience. I understand state government. I understand the problems we have in state government, and I want to lead us through these economical rough times and try to make sure we accom-

Of USA President V. Gordon Moulton

my undergraduate work [in Industrial Management] at Georgia Tech.”

He went on to receive his master of business administration (M.B.A.) from Emory University.

In 1966, Moulton joined the staff of a new university, the University of South Alabama, teaching in the College of Business. Then came the invention of the computer.

“The University had bought a computer and didn’t really know what to do with it. I became director of the computer center. Later on, I was academic dean of Computer Science,” he said.

Moulton served as dean and vice president for Services and Planning until 1998.

1998 was an unusual and eventful year. In April of that year, Moulton was robbed at gunpoint by someone waiting outside his home. In July, he was named president of the University by the Board of Trustees.

In October, he was diagnosed with stage-three colon cancer.

“I made the best of it,” he said, with a wry laugh.

Despite the two startling events of the year, Moulton had a job to do, and he wasn’t going to take on that job with a temporary attitude.

“The previous president stepped down quickly. He resigned, and less than two weeks later, he was out of the job,” he said. “Initially, the University wanted to set an interim, and the Board approached me about that. I said this, and it was not an ego thing, ‘No, I will not be an interim. I will be your president, day by day.

If after two weeks, you say, ‘No, you’re not president anymore, that’s your job, that’s your business. I’ll just be president, I won’t be interim president.’ So they did that.”

Governor Candidate Ron Sparks Shares His Vision Matthew Peterson

3

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April 26, 2010

plish some of the goals we’ve laid out there.

V: How will you save the Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (PACT) program?

S: I personally say with the PACT, that if you bought it you ought to get it. I’m not as concerned about the PACT as I am about the lottery.

I would like to refund the PACT, to be perfectly honest with you. I think it’s time we passed the lottery and gave every child in Alabama hope for a better scholarship in Alabama. And I believe it’s time to do it.

You got to look at the state of Florida.

They give $20 billion to education. The state of Georgia gives 1.2 million scholarships to their children in Georgia. Just not long ago, they came out and said they educated their millionth child in pre-K. In the state of Tennessee, 85,000 children get pre-K. In Alabama, 3,800 do.

I think it’s time we step forward, pass the lottery. Students shouldn’t have to have a large loan the day they graduate from college to try to pay back. It’s our responsibility to try to help those students with scholarships like surrounding states.

And the reason I feel that way is because the people of Alabama are buying lottery tickets helping those children [from other states] go to school. I want to see a lottery passed.

But now, I believe it’s time that we taxed gambling in Alabama. Gambling’s legal in Alabama. We need to tax it, and we use that money toward the special education trust see SPARKS, page 13

Laura Beth Calcote / Senior Reporter

USA President Gordon Moulton points to the location of the new dormitory building to be constructed. USA’s top dog sat down with The Vanguard this week.

The board formed a search committee and did a national search, which was active for about three months before they realized that they had the most qualified and dedicated candidate already on the job.

“I had a long history in the institution and understood a lot of the community, so the board made the decision that I was a more likely candidate to be see MOULTON, page 16

4

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April 26, 2010

Greek House Repairs Costing $300k Survey Shows

Dorm Security Needs Help

Matthew Peterson

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF mwp601@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

The University is spending about $300,000 to renovate the Sigma Chi fraternity house, which had gone into disrepair, not all of which was caused by normal use, Director of Facilities Management Chris Willis said.

“Over the last three or four years, they have fallen pretty badly [behind] on their payments for their mortgage,” Willis said, “and there were also some things in the house that needed repair that they had not been able to afford to repair.”

The renovations began in late February and will continue into the summer. Willis said the plan is to have the fraternity back into the house by the fall semester.

The house was partly owned by Sigma Chi, which was also responsible for reserving funds to complete necessary repairs. After the fraternity fell severely behind on maintenance and mortgage payments to the University, USA negotiated to buy the fraternity’s equity in the house, and complete the necessary repairs and updates.

“Now that it’s a University building, we needed to bring it back up to proper stand, so the renovations, to a large degree, are fixing things that had been allowed to deteriorate over the years,” Willis said.

Bathroom fixtures had deteriorated, the emergency exit stairs had rusted to the point of being unsafe, the air conditioning was in bad shape, and some walls and ceilings also needed repairs, all of which Willis said the University will fix.

“We didn’t see them as high priority items,” Sigma Chi’s current president John Prudhomme said. “We were getting by, but

Cameron Adkins

SENIOR REPORTER cja501@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Courtesy of Facilities Management

The above picture shows the level to which the Sigma Chi house had deteriorated. All of these were taken as part of an inspection by Facilities Management in 2008. Top left: group showers.

Bottom right: emergency stairs. The other pictures show water damage in the ceiling.

they weren’t up to par. They weren’t really that bad.”

The University will also be bringing the building up to code by adding a sprinkler system. The house also had a commercial kitchen, complete with walk-in

refrigerator, which will also be removed in the renovation.

Though some of the renovation was addressing wear and tear, Willis said there was also a lot that may have been more

see SIGMA CHI, page 13

USA Buildings to Get Addresses Christina Skaggs

STAFF REPORTER cms712@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

To accommodate scrambling students and visitors searching for buildings around campus, the University of South Alabama is working toward making campus buildings easier to find.

Campus Postmaster Richard Rose and USA Police Lieutenant Keith West have proposed adding street addresses to the campus buildings.

The numbers will allow each building to receive its own mailing address instead of sharing 307 N. University Boulevard.

Rose said they have also proposed to rename Fraternity Row as Greek Drive

Olsen

from page 1

press their condolences.

“He was compassionate and very supportive,” Sandra Crane, the department administrative assistant said. “He was always there if you needed him.”

She added that Olsen was committed.

Day and night, one could find him in the building.

He was devoted to what he did and his hard work paid off.

The Civil Engineering program had

because there are sororities located in that area as well. The section of Hillsdale Road on campus may also be changed to Brunson Drive to honor longtime USA trustee Jack Brunson, who died in 2006.

The road next to the field house and the new road that will be built behind the new Recreation Center, parallel to Old Shell Road, will both receive names soon. These additions and possible changes will likely take place in August.

If the address proposal passes, at least 80 buildings on campus will be labeled with a building number. Rose said smaller buildings like bus stops and storage units will not receive numbers.

The new building addresses will help

newcomers and emergency personnel find a building through a global positioning system (GPS,) and specific mailing addresses will help the efficiency of the overall mail flow.

The current, single mailing address, one that all campus departments share, has been the source of confusion for both the post office and mailers.

Rose said that mailers often forget to label the department to which their mail is being sent, leaving just the University’s address.

Also, emergency personnel must currently wait for a USA police escort before entering the campus, because the buildings aren’t specifically addressed and they can’t load a location into their GPS without one.

“really grown quite a bit in the past 10 or 15 years” according to White, and Olsen had been a big part in that.

As a member of the Faculty Senate, he also had a significant role in putting into place the current policies that ensure students are progressing through the Civil Engineering program appropriately and are graduating as quality engineers.

According to White, it was not the “quantity” of graduates that was important to Olsen, but the “quality.”

Among his other traits, such as his openness to new ideas and faculty input and his

generous nature, Olsen was an avid Red Sox fan. According to Crane, he would also dress casually to work in order to relate better with his students.

Currently, the Civil Engineering department has assigned additional faculty to cover Olsen’s classes.

“We’re moving forward with what he taught us,” White said. “We have not missed a beat.”

When asked for comment, Dr. Husam Omar, associate professor and longtime friend of Olsen’s, said, “I will miss him ... I will miss him.”

A residence hall safety survey was recently sent out to students to get opinions on how the University Police Department can improve safety in the dorm areas.

Of the students that responded to the survey, slightly more than 66 percent said that they would like a USA police officer to be available in the student residence hall office between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m.

More than 53 percent of students surveyed said that they would prefer the residence hall officers to conduct vehicular patrols. The second highest preferred method of patrolling was on bikes.

The majority of students to respond to the survey voted that additional cameras, additional lighting in the parking lot and additional lighting around the dorms would make the campus safer.

Another of the requests made was for an increased police presence, both on foot and patrolling in vehicles.

“Move around the dorm areas. I see [officers] parked in the big Delta parking lot, but that is so far away from the actual dorms,” one student suggested. “I feel like when I am in the parking lot I am safe, but when I get close to the dorms that safety net no longer exists.”

Among the other requests were better locks, emergency phones, and more cameras around campus.

“Make all outside doors lock,” one student said. “For example in the Beta/Gammas, the very outside door before the room should be locked and you need your key to get in.”

“The fact that there are virtually no cameras is asinine,” another student said. “I cannot believe that the campus is not loaded with cameras yet we have enough money to build worthless sh*t such as bell towers and the like.”

The survey was e-mailed to 1,603 students, and 376 of those students completed it.

Simon Reinert / Photo Editor

Above: A USA police officer watches the dormitory parking lot from his patrol car.

Students were given a survey about how the police could prevent dormitory crime, and USAPD got some interesting opinions.

The

Vanguard

April 26, 2010

News in Brief

Blind Man Who Climbed Everest to Highlight Commencement

Professor Received Fulbright Grant

The 1,276 students graduating this semester will have their commencement address delivered by renowned blind mountain climber Erik Weihenmayer.

Weihenmayer made national headlines in 2001 when he became the first blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world.

According to a USA press release, by 2008, he had completed his quest to climb the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. Fewer than 100 mountaineers have accomplished this feat.

According to the press release, USA will award 860 bachelor’s degrees, 250 master’s degrees, seven educational specialists degrees, 66 doctor of medicine degrees, 41 doctor of physical therapy degrees, 28 doctor of nursing practice degrees, 11 doctor of audiology degrees, and 12 doctors of philosophy degrees.

Commencement will take place Saturday, May 8, at 2 p.m.

There will be a live stream of the commencement available on www. southalabama.edu

Dr. Mir Zohair Husain, associate professor in the department of political science and criminal justice in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of South Alabama, is the recipient of the nationally prestigious Fulbright Scholar grant. He is currently teaching in Cairo University’s Faculty of Economics and Political Science for the 2009-2010 Academic Year.

“We are very delighted and honored that Dr. Husain, a veteran political science faculty member in our department, was granted a Fulbright Fellowship for this academic year,” said Dr. Nader Entessar, chair of the department of political science and criminal Justice at USA. “Dr. Husain’s experience as a Fulbright Scholar will allow him to incorporate his experience in Egypt into an array of courses he teaches in our department.”

As a Fulbright Scholar, Husain knew he wanted to teach at a reputable university in the Arab world. He completed a lengthy application specifying his interest in lecturing in Egypt.

Chi Omega Begins Fundraising for Proposed Amphitheater The Beta Theta Chapter of Chi

Omega here at USA has officially begun a campaign to raise $100,000 to build an amphitheater at the University of South Alabama’s Moulton Tower and Alumni Plaza.

According to a press release, USA Chi Omega House Corp. President Maureen Frost said she, Chi Omega alumnae, and active members, were looking for a way to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2019.

“We wanted to plan ahead,” Frost said in the press release. “We wanted to do something nice for the University, and we thought it would be a wonderful thing for students and alumnae. It will be something usable and recognizable.”

We are pleased that they would direct their service and fund raising toward the amphitheater, which will be a gathering spot for our students and alumni,” Dr. Joseph F. Busta Jr., vice president for development and alumni relations, said. “We look forward to welcoming generations of Chi Omega leaders back to campus for many events and celebrations over the years.”

According to the press release, Shelly Orr Priebe is chair of the campaign, and Michelle Corkern Braswell and Natalie Price serve as co-chairs.

SGA Funds Projects Around Campus with Remaining Budget During their final legislative session,

5 USA’s SGA made a last-minute appropriation for a senate project, and reappropriated funds for one organization who needed it for a different cause than originally applied for.

The Honors Program Organization requested, and was granted, $1,743.96 to go toward the purchase of new computers. A representative of the HPO said the computers they currently have are slow, and a few are unusable.

Some senators questioned the computers proposed as they were very powerful, and suggested the HPO get more computers with the money, rather than top-of-the-line ones.

The Student National Medical Association was approved for $1,600 in appropriations to travel to Chicago for a conference.

However, a representative asked the SGA to cancel those funds and instead appropriate $1,000 for food so they could hold a banquet honoring graduating seniors.

The SGA voted to suspend the rule forbidding the funding of food and passed the appropriation.

The SGA also voted to fund a $1,000 senate project to build benches in the History Department on the third floor, south side of the Humanities building.

The benches are being built to serve students with disabilities.

Etc.

The

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6

Greg Gulbranson Etc. Editor

huddledmass@gmail.com

April 26, 2010

Fighting: As Southern as Pecan Pie Greg Gulbranson

ETC EDITOR huddledmass@gmail.com

The Vanguard Is Born I told you a few weeks ago about Summeries, the newsletter that the very first University of South Alabama students printed in summer 1964.

In this – most likely the very last installment of “Blast From the Past” authored by me – we’ll see how that trailblazing newsletter morphed into Johnny Davis The Vanguard.

COPY EDITOR In October ’64, a jdavis251@gmail.com couple of months after Summeries came out, the first “official” student newspaper was printed.

This publication wasn’t much different than its predecessor because it was basically just text typed in two columns with absolutely no graphics or pictures.

However, they did make some changes; most notably, they expanded from four to six pages, and they added a humor editor.

The front page had only “University of South Alabama” at the top for a title, but this was addressed in a “letter to the students”: “The staff of this paper takes pleasure in presenting to you the first, though unnamed, edition of what we hope will become an important part of your school. … On the SGA election ballots, there will be a list of suggested names, not used by other schools, for the newspaper.”

So, apparently, the name they agreed upon that was “not used by other schools” was the Confederate because that was the name of the November ’64 edition of USA’s student newspaper.

Looking back from today, we might guess that name was not used by other schools because of its racist overtones, but we have to remember that this was 1964.

Consider that the unnamed edition a month earlier contained an interview with Alabama Gov. George Wallace in which he said, “We’re building schools for Negro and white all over the state, and I think it’s in the best interest of both to have separate schools.”

Needless to say, those times were a lot different than the times we know in 2010.

And I’m sure if someone is lucky enough to read this article another 46 years from now, our time will be just as foreign to them.

The lone issue of the Confederate contained no explanation for its name, but luckily, the name didn’t stick.

In March ’65 they changed the name to the Vanguard. Once again, there was no explanation for the name, but the aesthetics were significantly improved.

The stories were laid out much more like a traditional newspaper, and the layout contained pictures, graphics, quality-looking advertisements, and headlines with varied fonts.

The first Vanguard even contained a poem about a problem today’s students can relate to: “No spot for my car can I beg, steal, or borrow, Save one at the horseshoe much to my sorrow, So officer, pray, No ticket today, My scooter’s arriving tomorrow.”

So if you’re holding out hope that USA is going to solve the parking problem on campus, I wouldn’t feel too optimistic since they haven’t fixed it in the first 46 years of the University’s existence.

You know, why start now?

Last weekend, a tired neighbor of mine came home late from a night of drinking, probably sporting a headache and some sort of nausea. He looked up, saw a bunch of people in the breezeway being loud, and asked them to be quiet. He then walked into his apartment.

Sensing some sort of threat, one of the upstairs people became enraged. “I’m a kill somebody,” he said, removing his shirt in one remarkably smooth and seemingly practiced motion and revealing the somewhat flabby body below. “What he say? What he say?! I don’t play around!”

His friends tackled him to the ground. They begged him to consider the fact that maybe the tired neighbor did not want to fight – not because they truly believed this, but because the guy who took his shirt off always gets into fights over nothing.

The next day, the tired neighbor asked if he had seen me the night before.

“Yeah,” I said. “I saw you ask those rednecks to be quiet. It was really funny. After you left, one of them took his shirt off and swore he was going to fight you.”

“I don’t remember that at all,” said the tired neighbor. “I would have killed that guy. Those guys are on my sh*t list anyway.”

“What?” I started thinking. “You’re just like them?”

“Yeah,” his roommate said, “you could have killed someone last night and not even known.”

They laughed together at how much more badass they are than my other neighbors, then walked inside.

I just don’t understand it.

Why all of this aggression? Why the preference for violence?

The numbers consistently show that “rates of

Answers.com

"You totally ate all my Honey Combs man!" says one Southern gentleman to the other before he puts a cap in him.

violence in the southern United States have historically been, and continue to be, much higher than the rest of the United States (Baron & Straus, 1988; Gastil, 1971; Nisbett, 1993; Nisbett & Cohen, 1996; Nisbett, Polly, & Lang, 1995).”

(I left in all the studies that support the point to make the quote seem stronger.)

Why might this be?

I believe the answer lies with a tradition I initially became acquainted with when I first came to Alabama.

I started to observe many fights that didn’t have to do with lunch or drug money for the first time in my life. A strange concept known as “honor,” seemed to be at the see FIGHTING, page 7

OOZEBALL 2010: Ooze Dat?!

Simon Reinert / Photo Editor

USA's Southerners put on the annual volleyball-in-the-mud tournament known as Oozeball on April 24. The event went off without a hitch for most of the morning, but severe weather caused it to be cut short in the afternoon.

April 26, 2010

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Vanguard

Counseling Services Available At USA

Fighting from page 6

Jeremiah Beaver Clark CONTRIBUTING WRITER jeremiah.c.clark@gmail.com

You know that feeling. Yes, that’s the one.

It’s that sinking feeling that things aren’t going quite right.

Maybe that cool chick in class didn’t want to study biology.

Maybe you’re simply overwhelmed by coursework and the stresses of college life.

It’s OK; we’ve all been there at some point. So let’s not be coy kids, college life can be hard. This is the part of life when that snot-nosed high school kid we used to be is supposed to make the transition to a high-functioning, well-adjusted adult.

That’s a lot of pressure. So how do we deal?

Getting drunk alone might sound glamorous in a country song, but then steel guitars also make men crying seem attractive to women. Crazy, I know.

Partying your figurative ass off, raving, and joining the circus have also been offered as solutions. However, partying and raving never lasts quite long enough for you to forget your problems, and the circus doesn’t really pay that well, and the smell of elephant feces gets old pretty fast.

Fortunately, the loving University we share offers counseling and psychological treatment for those times when everything seems like it’s too much to handle.

Located at room 326, Alpha Hall East, out by the ROTC offices, the USA Counseling Services are available by appointment weekdays until 5 p.m., free of charge. They can be reached by phone at 251-460-7051. They offer a variety of services, from depression to alcohol counseling.

If you’re worried that you might have a drinking problem, or if you’re just not feeling like yourself, then counseling may help.

Counseling is a very personal undertaking that is based on a rapport between you and the counselor. If you decide to get help, it is essential that you understand that if a session does not go well, then you should use the services of another counselor

Flickr.com

This guy has been drinking so much that he requires assistance from his compatriot. Counseling? Probably.

rather than quit outright.

We’re all individuals here, so finding the right individual for you is important. The counseling services employ several counselors and psychiatry residents. Give them a chance and find the right fit.

A problem many people face is denial that they need help, or wondering if counseling is the answer. And you know ... I can’t really answer that for you. We’re separated by the writer-reader relationship here.

It should be noted that it is not everyday that one can obtain counseling for free. Your college years may be your last chance.

My only advice to you is to forget stigmas. Unhappy people are already being judged by their peers in a negative light. Help is available and there is no shame in asking for it, the true shame is not asking and living a half-life, stuck in the middle-ground between potential and lost opportunity.

Tales Of Future Present: Plunger Sucks the Fun Out of Injuries

Gabe Grimes

STAFF WRITER gag701@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

According to an article in MITnews, a $3 device could improve the recovery from open wounds. The inventor is a mechanical engineering student, so there’s a good chance that she can quote Monty Python lines while making you feel mathematically inadequate.

The device uses suction for wound care. Apparently, when applied to a wound, negative pressure (like suction or a vacuum) improves recovery time. It’s still unclear as to why this happens, though. Not only does the suction itself help speed recovery, but the bandages covering the wounds don’t need to be changed as much, which might also aid in recovery.

Up until now, the cheapest negative-pressure unit costs $100 per day just to rent, and the batteries had to be charged every six hours. A device like that could be used in disaster areas that had regular power, but it doesn’t allow for the patient to move around very much, and had to be removed once power ran out. Dr. Robert Sheridan from Massachusetts General Hospital and a class of mechanical engineering students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology decided an improvement was in order. They made a device that used no electrical power and could be left on a bandage for days.

One of the students, Danielle Zurovcik, decided to continue work on the device after the semester ended, and made it the focus of her master’s thesis. She field-tested 50 prototypes of the plastic device in Haiti, just after the earthquakes. Even though long-term study wasn’t possible, Zurovcik said that the team was “able to verify that negativepressure therapy was being applied and the healing process was underway.” She plans on further tests for the new pocket-sized version in Rwanda, where clinics regularly don’t have power at all.

The device is basically a plastic container that collapses, accordion-style, with thin tubes that run to the bandage.

The container is collapsed, the tubes are connected to the

Gizmodo.com

This attractive young lass invented something that will save many, many lives. It also looks like a plunger, which is awesome.

underside of the bandage, and the container is released. As the container tries to expand back to its original shape, it sucks air out of the bandage area, which creates the negative pressure. The bandage obviously needs to be air-tight, since any air leak would make the device useless. Production cost is only $3 per device, and to answer the question on everyone’s mind, yes, it looks like it is very possible to give yourself hickeys with this thing. No more lugging out the Shop Vac to fool your friends into thinking your last date went well! Of course, this suction device, combined with last week’s vagina scent, would be a pervert’s perfect evening.

Honestly, though, this device looks like a cheap plastic doodad that you get with a kid’s meal from a fast-food joint.

Which is a good thing, I guess. McDonald’s burger joints in third-world countries could give these away and not only increase their local popularity, but also qualify as a medical clinic. “The doctor prescribes 50 cc’s of Big Mac, stat!

Would you like fries with that?”

root of these altercations.

At the slightest perceived insult or affront, Southern men believe they must protect their reputation through violence.

“Honor” is a concept that I can only grasp for fleeting moments. It will come to me in the middle of breakfast with striking clarity. In mid-mastication of a Cheerio I will see the light.

My great-grandfather on a horse. My country, tis of thee – Then just as quickly as it comes it is lost again, forever to be obscured by the fact that I think it’s completely ridiculous.

Dr. Joseph A. Vandello, an assistant professor of Psychology at the University of South Florida, writes that the Southern honor tradition probably stems from the region’s frontier-land roots.

“The South,” writes Vandello, “for much longer than the North, remained a frontier region with little adequate law enforcement to effectively redress grievances in a formal manner. This absence of an effective legal system able to handle disputes and enforce laws also contributed to norms where each individual felt the need to stand up for himself and his family, through violence if necessary.”

In addition, the South, unlike the North’s agricultural-based settlers, was settled by herders.

“People from herding-based cultures ... are constantly susceptible to having their livestock (and thus, their primary source of wealth) rustled away.

This vulnerability to theft creates norms for men to have tough exteriors that make it clear they will stand up to the slightest threat, including insults to their character.”

OK, that makes sense. Southern men need to act all tough so people don’t steal their livestock.

Oh wait, that doesn’t make sense, because Southern men don’t usually have livestock anymore. I mean, I’m pretty sure my neighbors don’t have herds of goats in their apartments.

There are also plenty laws and formal ways to address interpersonal conflicts, so what gives?

Despite the change of conditions in the South, the old ideas of honor remain, yet now without any real function except to elevate the levels of violence above those of the rest of the country and to cause an amazing number of skull-and-tiger T-shirt-clad people watching MMA matches at Hooters. Honor no longer holds any positive purpose.

The honor tradition in the South may not mean that every male is overly touchy, self-important, and macho.

The phenomenon by which an entire culture can have a counter-intuitive social norm is called “cultural lag,” and this comes from a discrepancy between what one personally believes and what one perceives others believe.

For instance, a study from 2008 concluded that Southern men say that they respond with violence to certain situations at only a slightly higher rate than Northern men.

However, those same Southern men said that their peers are much more likely to respond with violence than did Northern men.

This means that while Southern and Northern men hold the same personal beliefs, Southern men perceive others to be much more aggressive, thus stirring the pot for much more violent incidents to occur.

The reason the South’s cultural intransigence is because a.) our idea of honor stems from an outmoded cultural model derived mostly from dudes in cowboy hats and b.) we think everyone else is way more aggressive than they actually are.

I understand that there are costs to publicly renouncing aggression in the South – namely, appearing “wimpy” or “faggy.” Thus, even if men do not outwardly enforce aggression norms, they may be afraid to publicly denounce them, and this lack of condemnation of violence may be interpreted by others as approval.

Maybe if more people started to speak up against violence in everyday, interpersonal situations, (for instance, do you really have to hit that guy who keeps flirting with your girlfriend? Is that really necessary?) maybe the South wouldn’t be so behind in the area of “not getting in fights over stupid bull**it.”

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Arts & Entertainment April 26, 2010

NOTHING SPECIAL:

The Truth Revealed

Bradley Turner A & E Editor btt601@jaguar1. usouthal.edu

Cast of ‘Twelfth Night’ Strikes the Set

Bradley Turner

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR BradTurner88@gmail.com

Editor’s Note: It’s time for the truth to come out.

Bradley Turner is a fictional character created by myself, Matthew Peterson, editor-in-chief, allaround lady-killer. I originally decided to write this column behind the guise of a pseudonym because I didn’t want to hurt my reputation as a hard-hitting, professional journalist.

I was frightened by the thought of my future employers at the New York Times/the White House/ Heaven coming across this column upon Googling my name and seeing that I once accused “Twilight” of being anything less than a modern masterpiece.

I also didn’t want my name being linked to my good friend, Barack Obama, when everyone figures out that he’s a Commie-Muslim Fascist, just like the Tea Partiers have been screaming.

But, the truth is, I can’t go on like this anymore.

I’m tired of seeing my alter ego get all the credit.

Love letters, flowers, chocolates, money, robots,

Simon Reinert / Photo Editor

Theatre majors of USA gathered together Saturday night to "strike the set," an annual tradition of tearing down the set to clean off the stage for the Department of Dramatic Arts' plays this fall. The set of "Twelfth Night" is shown in the above pictures as this year's tear-down project for the department.

USA Alum Studies Comedy in Chicago Daniela Werner

MANAGING EDITOR danielawerner87@gmail.com

Photography by Maren Kathleen Slay / Photoshop by Simon Reinert

cars … all sent to Bradley. Not Matthew.

And it’s not just the fame and fortune that I want (my journalism career will bring me that). I want everyone to finally admit that I’m a comedic genius. I mean, come on, pretending to have Natalie Portman as a fan girl? Golden!

Lying about having a Twitter-based relationship with Kat Dennings? Brilliant.

Can you believe that? ME of all people, the manliest piece of studliness to cross The Vanguard since Mark Wahlberg served a term as Copy Editor?

And THEN they rant and rave about what a visionary Bradley Turner is.

They claim he is the “second coming of Conan” and say it’s “so moving the way he combines 19th century Dark Romanticism with 18th century Metaphysical comedy, while still maintaining a sense of ultra-hipster Post-Modern Transcendentalism.”

(I would’ve gone with Magical Realism-influenced Post-colonialism, but whatever.)

The only logical explanation is that they’re jealous of my success and power as editor-in-chief !

And the girls! Oh! How they swoon upon the mention of Bradley’s name!

So sometimes I take it upon myself to approach the fangirls and try to talk to them.

I mean, Bradley Turner and I are ultimately the same person, so they should accept my advances, right?

Wrong. Next thing I know, I’m getting called a douchebag in the parking lot of my dorm. see TRUTH, page 9

When sketch comedian and singer/songwriter Maria Wojciechowski graduated from USA, she knew exactly where she was headed: Chicago.

Ukelele in hand, Wojciechowski, better known as Wojo from the sketch comedy duo “Wojo and Ward,” packed up for The Windy City. There, the 23-year-old auditioned for and enrolled in the improv and music improv conservatories at The Second City, the birthplace of “Saturday Night Live” and the same school where Steve Carell, Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert (and several other famous comedians) trained. Her Second City instructors are “not only knowledgeable and accomplished, but they are available and caring,” she said.

Life for Wojo, who said she’s bored when she’s not busy, has been a whirlwind. Aside from her improv and sketch writing classes, Wojo’s been performing at various openmikes and showcases around Chicago, and she writes whenever inspiration hits. Never one to miss a Cubs game if she can help it, she also works two “money” jobs to support herself.

“There’s always something to do or see,” Wojo said about Chicago. “[There’s] so much comedy and music and theatre. The people are so welcoming. I’ve made a lot of great friends up here with similar goals in life.”

Those same friends help Wojo stay on track when it comes to pursuing her comedy career, she said, which began when her boyfriend at the time told her she was funny and should do stand-up comedy.

When that boyfriend broke up with her, she said, she wrote a couple of “revenge jokes” that she never performed but found “incredibly therapeutic.”

“That’s when I knew [comedy] was something I wanted to get into,” Wojo said. “Then I started performing with Joy [Ward], and that’s when I knew it was something I had to pursue.”

Mobile will always hold a special place in Wojo’s heart; she grew up in Daphne but attended high school and col-

Courtesy of Maria Wojciechowski

USA alum Maria Wojciechowski better known as Wojo, has relocated to Chicago to pursue a career in comedy.

lege here. Mobile’s mild warm weather, though, is something she misses in Chicago.

“The weather in Mobile is much nicer,” she said. “Winter was rough at times. I was OK as long as I dressed like a marshmallow, but if I tried to look cute, I was freezing.

Winter up here is definitely a humbling experience.”

“Ukes not nukes” is a phrase Wojo likes to spread around (it adorns her MySpace), and she’s signed up for eight weeks of ukulele lessons at Old Town School of Folk Music, a place she said “offers lessons on the most random instruments.” The five-year, self-taught ukulele enthusiast who can currently play only three chords (listen to her song “My Musical Advice” on her MySpace) said she decided to play when she first watched the film “The Jerk.” “[I] fell in love with the scene between [Steve] Martin and Bernadette Peters where they sing a duet of ‘Tonight You Belong To Me,’” Wojo said. “I bought a ukulele that day and started learning how to play.”

Wojo said she also “dabbles” in 48-bass piano accordion for guilty pleasure.

see WOJO, page 9

Bonnaroo Hosts Teleconference

Greg Gulbranson

ETC EDITOR huddledmass@gmail.com

As we continuously drop minced oaths and get temporary tattoos in delirious anticipation of Bonnaroo, the good folks in charge of the renowned festival hosted a teleconference interview for lowly independent radio and college newspaper journalists like myself.

Answering questions were Scott Shriner of Weezer, Aaron Dessner of The National, and Tim McIlrath of Rise Against.

Shriner, bassist of Weezer, went first.

Weezer hasn’t played many shows lately due to a tour bus accident that left lead singer Rivers Cuomo with broken ribs and other minor injuries, so this Bonnaroo performance will be something of a comeback for them.

Since a lot of stupid questions were asked – ones that elicited almost no response worth printing – and some questions were nearly repeated, here are the parts that I found most interesting.

Q: So since it’s your first Bonnaroo, who are you looking forward to seeing? What are you looking forward to in general for the festival?

Scott Shriner: OK. I was really waiting for this question so I’m glad you asked me. I’ve been super into Jay-Z this last year so I’m really excited about him. And also the Flaming Lips doing “Dark Side of the Moon,” I think is going to be incredible. And Kris Kristofferson is a complete badass. I really hope to meet that guy. And I love the Melvins. So I’m really looking forward to seeing them too.

Q: Somebody should probably ask how is Rivers doing right now?

Shriner: Doing good. I’d say we played a little show a couple months ago and he was at like 75 percent, but by now I’m sure he’s 100 percent again but thanks for asking. I think he’s ready to kick ass.

Q: That had to be scary for you guys, as well.

Shriner: Yes, it was horrifying to wake up, not know where we were going to be and then see the ambulances and his bus in the ditch go to the hospital, hanging out in the emergency room all day. It was a real horror show.

Aaron Dessner was second. He is the main songwriter and guitarist for The National, probably the band in this interview that has the most buzz surrounding their work. Which means that this band is going places. Pay attention.

Q: The Bonnaroo setting will be, you know, the album won’t

be out that long. It will be one of the first sort of major arenas you’ll be playing this album. How do you guys feel about how it’s going to translate in a festival setting?

Aaron Dessner: Well, we actually played Bonnaroo shortly after “Boxer” came out in 2007 and it was one of the early indicators that things were going to go well because I remember the tent was packed and it was one of the first times in the U.S. that we really had like a really warm receptive festival audience.

And it kind of really helped us, I think, because there were so many people who went away from that show excited.

So I feel really good about it. And the atmosphere at Bonnaroo I think will be a warm one for us hopefully. So yes, we’re really excited.

Q: You guys are streaming [“High Violet,” the new album] on the New York Times website. That’s kind of unusual. Can you tell me about that choice to do it with them?

Dessner: I think they – well the New York Times has a big sort of in-depth profile coming out in the New York Times magazine this weekend. And so I think they just felt that it would be great to stream the album. And they’ve never done it before. So I guess that means that they’re trying to do something new. Obviously it was a great opportunity for us. So we’re really excited about it.

Dessner also went on to describe the “good atmosphere” of Bonnaroo, calling it “a great way to meet people.”

Last up was Rise Against lead singer Tim McIlrath.

Q: How do you feel about the kind of music that you guys play – I mean the cool thing about this festival is it’s very eclectic. Do you feel like you have to fit in? Or does it feel good kind of standing out from the crowd?

Tim McIlrath: In my experience it’s always good to stand out from the crowd, especially if people are going to a festival and if you’re seeing the same kind of music all day, it makes your band different. You know even whether it’s good or bad it’s something people are going to check out or remember.

This summer we signed on to do this festival in Prague and it was all metal bands. Every single band was a metal band. And we’re just not a metal band. And so we had second thoughts about showing up. And then we realized let’s be the band that’s playing something different out there. Let’s be that. You know, being the black sheep is kind of the reason why we are the band that we are and the people that we are. So we’re no stranger to it.

Bonnaroo will take place June 10-14 in Manchester, Tenn. For more info, visit bonnaroo.com.

Truth

Wojo

But no more! It’s time for everyone to pay respect to the true mastermind behind Nothing Special!

“But Matthew,” America is crying, outraged, “If you’re Bradley Turner, then who is that handsome slice of man in all of those “Nothing Special” pictures that we’ve seen from week to week? You know, the one who has the smile of a Titan and whose body appears to have been chiseled by the Greek gods.

(We’ve seen your real pictures, Matthew, and well, you know … that definitely isn’t you pictured next to that 1976 Volkswagen Vanagon.)”

Basically, I’m not only a brilliant journalist and comedian, but I’m also a Photoshop wiz. I took the best features of Jake Gyllenhaal, Rob Pattinson (just kidding, he’s creepy), Michael Cera, Johnny Depp, James Marsden, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Gerard Butler, Zac Efron, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Denzel Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Paul Rudd, Ryan Gosling, Danny Glover, James Franco, Orlando Bloom, and Ryan Reynolds, and mixed them all together to create the perfect man.

So, sorry ladies, you can’t have him in real life.

But you can pay to be photoshopped into your very own “Nothing Special Fangirl” calendar which will feature a hot picture of a different gorgeous girl next to America’s sweetheart each month.

If you’re drop-dead gorgeous, you can be a part of this for just seven easy payments of $99.99. For more, visit matthewpetersonforever.com.

ANYWAYS, on to the final “Nothing Special.”

“I don’t really play that in public because I want people to like me,” she said.

Aside from enjoying everything The Windy City has to offer, Wojo’s had some interesting experiences in Chicago, especially when she takes the red line on the train.

Late one night, she was on the train going home after work at a downtown club and found herself in the middle of a “We Will Rock You” sing-a-long.

“Some drunk kid started the stomp-stomp-clap and a homeless man starting singing,” she said. “Everyone joined in and at the end of the song, a Hispanic guy yelled ‘Una mas!’ And the song started again. It was hilarious.”

Wojo pines to reunite with her comedy partner, Ward (or Joy Ward in real life), and said they may be able to fit a Mobile show in this summer. Wojo said she hopes a Vanguard article will sway Ward to do another “Wojo and Ward” show in Chicago and Mobile.

When asked what she’d like to be doing in five years, Wojo said she’d like to be an ensemble member of The Second City Main Stage, and then join “Saturday Night Live” or another TV sketch comedy show. Having her own show after that and acting in films are on her list, too.

“I’d really be happy just as long as I am able to make a living doing what I love to do,” she said. “It’s tough to say where I’ll be, because I’m trying my hand at so many different types of comedy that I don’t know which one will stick. For all I know, stand-up will be that path I end up taking. Right now I’m just doing my best to prepare for that ‘lucky’ break by performing as much as possible and taking classes.”

Wojo offers some advice to amateurs To aspiring comedians and actors, Wojo suggests moving to a city where you can “do what you love for a living and

from page 8

I quit.

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April 26, 2010

from page 8

The Sounds of Mobtown, Vol. 1

“The Sounds of Mobtown, Vol. 1” is The Vanguard’s first-ever local band compilation mixtape/playlist.

Download the entire mixtape for FREE at usavanguard.com.

1. “Lift Up” by SubjecTmAtTerS, from the album “Soul or System” 2. “Glean” by El Cantador 3. “The Game” by The Old Guard 4. “Like or As” by Seduction Bomb 5. “Though Weak, We Work a Week for More” by Adam Taylor 6. “A Hazy Waste” by Mandown, from the album “Nice Use of Brown” 7. “Twisted and Clover” by The Sunshine Factory 8. “adigitizedsexbombloveletter” by dirty reuben love.

9. “Eviction Notice (Radio Edit)” by The Port Wine Stain 10. “Chisel Tree” by Josh Bond & the Big Black Smoke, from the album “Eat Sleep Folk & Die” 11. “Bleed This Wound” by The Investments 12. “GO. RUN. LEAVE.” by Gregg Fells 13. “I Undress” by Morris Minor, from the album “Mr. September” 14. “All Aboard (Live)” by Super Nice Bros.

meet other people who also do what you love.

“If Mobile isn’t that place but you are stuck there until you graduate (as I was), take advantage of the resources Mobile has to offer,” she said. “If you want to produce a show, do it. There are plenty of great venues all over Mobile and Baldwin Counties, and residents are eager to attend new and interesting shows.”

A weekly comedy open mike night in Mobile would be a great place for amateur stand-up comedians to practice at, but the event needs to be created first, she said.

“Music open mikes are OK for comedians to crash, but it doesn’t provide the camaraderie and networking necessary for true comedy to grow,” she said.

Wojo also recommended that amateur comedians attend performances by Mobile improv troupes “Improv Comedy Underground” and “You And What Army?” to learn from the members.

If you organize a comedy show, Wojo said, don’t get overenthusiastic with ticket prices. Staying within the $5 to $10 range is ideal.

“It’s a tough economy,” she said. “Don’t milk your fans.”

She and Ward always reminded people that confidence is key when trying to convince audiences that you have something funny to bring to the table.

“If you tell people you are great, they will eventually believe you are great,” Wojo said. “Own the stage and your performance. As artists, we tend to become our own worst enemies. Insecurities and self-doubt are what made us artists to begin with, but don’t let them hold you back.”

Wojo is a networking advocate, so add her on Facebook at facebook.com/riawojo. Check out some of her songs at myspace.com/mariawojo.

She doesn’t have many Web page design skills, she warns, so her MySpace page might look a bit “crappy.”

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April 26, 2010

Sports

Matt Weaver Sports Editor jmatthewweaver@aol.co.uk

The

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April 26, 2010

Notes From the Nosebleed Section

Sun Belt Is a Sinking Ship: Time to Escape Chris Stansbury

SPORTS COLUMNIST cts802@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

The Sun Belt Conference has never been known for its winning tradition.

Since its inception in 1976, only a select group, mostly from women’s basketball, has represented the SBC in a national title game.

Though inter-conference play is highly competitive, conference-departed Louisiana Tech’s women’s basketball was really the SBC’s only standout. LTU is the conference’s only repeat champion in a team sport. And I repeat – they’re gone.

University of South Alabama Athletic Director Dr. Joel Erdmann noted a major reason for the scarcity of championships was conference prestige and tradition.

“Obviously, when it comes to recruiting, a big factor is what conference the athlete will be playing in. It’s a huge advantage to say you play in the SEC or Big East, and that’s something we have to compete with every year.”

He couldn’t have said that better. No top athlete wants to play in front of a half-empty stadium against a team that has zero national clout.

When given the choice, would you rather be part of 95,000 roaring LSU Tiger and Crimson Tide fans or just 12,000 Ragin’ Cajuns meekly cheering on their squad against conferenceleading Troy?

The only thing that coaches of Sun Belt schools have to pitch is a possible future of the program and their possible part in it.

There are several other problems hindering conference growth as well.

Chief among them is the instability of the Sun Belt.

In its short history, the soon-to-be 12-member league has had 27 different affiliated teams and just when one began to stake a claim as Sun Belt ringleader, other leagues swooped in and stole them – the way it happened with UAB and South Florida.

Granted, some Sun Belt schools have decent programs, such as South Alabama baseball, but they lack the ability to be anything greater than competitive.

For example, USA baseball has won 11 Sun Belt Championships. Yet they’ve made it to zero College World Series appearances. Not one. This begs the question: How good can the Sun Belt ever be?

When asked why South Alabama doesn’t experience success outside of the regular season, Erdmann chose words carefully.

“The league is extremely competitive,” Erdmann said. “While many conferences see SINKING, page 12

Football Player’s Misconduct Has Far-Reaching Implications

Athletic Director, Head Coach To Determine Additional Punishment

Matt Weaver

SPORTS EDITOR jmatthewweaver@aol.com

South Alabama football went undefeated in its first season, but it has already started year two with a loss.

This is the case due to defensive back Zachary Brownell, whose alleged drunken, car-smashing rampage through the Deltas early Thursday morning has created several problems to start the upcoming season.

Chief among them is the fact that Brownell, 19, has been indefinitely suspended from the team, pending a criminal investigation.

Athletic Director Dr. Joel Erdmann immediately suspended Brownell but has said further punishment could come pending the results of the investigation. Erdmann will consult with head football coach Joey Jones to decide the punishment.

“We suspended the young man, and it’s unfortunate that this happened,” Erdmann said. “All of our programs are centered around basic principles of sportsmanship and conduct – both behaviorally and academically.”

Vanguard Archives

Suspended South Alabama defensive back Zachary Brownell

Brownell could prove to be a big loss for the Jags if the suspension holds up or if the suspension is turned into dismissal. The de-

fensive back played in all seven games and led South Alabama with five interceptions and placed second in tackles with 27.

Erdmann left open the possibility for Brownell’s redemption.

“College athletics is more than just the competition and standings,” Erdmann said. “It’s a teaching ground, and we like to give our student-athletes every opportunity to learn from their mistakes and grow as both a teammate and as a person.

With that in mind, Erdmann pointed out that every team gives very clear regulations for what behavior is acceptable and what is not at South Alabama, and Brownell failed to meet these standards.

“We allow each program to determine their own regulations,” Erdmann said, “and each falls under a larger University standard.”

The athletic department understands the message that this incident could send – both Brownell’s actions and the University’s response.

“We take this very seriously,” Erdmann said. “We’ll determine the best course of action and make it clear that our program represents much better than this.”

Soccer Preps for 2010, Sweep Preseason Matt Weaver

SPORTS EDITOR jmatthewweaver@aol.com

South Alabama women’s soccer received a head start on its fall season by playing two spring games last week at home in The Cage. The Jags swept the series 2-0, defeating both the University of Mobile and Spring Hill College 2-1 in both contests.

A spring season is an optional end for a team that has been training since January and of the maximum two contests, South Alabama head coach Mike Varga chose two against USA’s closest rivals.

“We felt like having a two-game schedule made the most sense for us, as well as Mobile and Spring Hill,” Coach Varga said. “Each program has a proximity to the other, and it allowed us to finish strong without a lot of travel.”

The Jaguars had only 13 players in camp this spring, of which only 11 were cleared to play by trainer Megan Harper.

This caused South Alabama to play down by as many as two players at a time each game and put extra pressure on goaltender Kaitlyn Thacker.

“Kaitlyn made several nice saves to keep things even,” Varga said. “They got to us on penalty kicks and when they crowded the box, but overall I was very satisfied with our play.”

Leading the offensive charge was junior forward Brandi Smith, who paced the Lady Jags with three goals, and Natalie Parsons with two assists. The Jags hope that Parsons and Smith will become a fixture in 2010 as the tandem has impressed all spring.

Vanguard Archives

Junior defender Landi Wilson strikes the ball during a 2009 season match. The Lady Jags are looking to rebound from a disappointing 3-15-1 season.

Smith has led the Jaguars in scoring in each of the past two seasons, and that trend should continue in 2010.

The Jags are hoping to rebound from an injury-plagued 2009 in which USA finished 3-15-1 overall, and 1-9-1 in-conference.

Injuries could again be a problem for South Alabama in 2010 as midfielder Lauren Marsh went down in the 58th minute of game two. Marsh left with a broken foot and will require surgery.

“We hope to have Lauren back by the fall,” Varga said. “When healthy, Lauren

can play several big roles on this team. It’s an unfortunate accident because this is the same foot that she broke last year that forced her to redshirt.”

Despite the adversity, South Alabama is primed to compete in 2010, and the competition will prove invaluable.

“This is a fun group,” Varga said. “They worked really hard this offseason and did everything that we asked of them. There should be a lot of motivation to come in this fall and compete for spots.

“Next year should be an exciting year for South Alabama soccer.”

12

The

Vanguard USA Tennis Recap

Sports Briefs Women’s Tennis Falls to ULM in SBC Championship The USA women’s tennis team fell to Louisiana-Monroe 4-0 Thursday afternoon in the second round of the Sun Belt Conference Championship Tournament after picking up its second win of the season against Western Kentucky 4-2 that morning.

Monroe’s Monica Winkel and Claire Clark earned the doubles point quickly with an 8-1 victory over Katie Welch and Marie Boura on the No. 1 court.

ULM also earned points at Nos. 5 and 6 by default, giving them the 3-0 lead heading into singles action. Winkel sealed the deal for the Warhawks at the No. 2 flight, downing the Jags’ Boura in straight sets 6-2, 6-0.

Track and Field Competes at Troy Invitational Having to compete under rainy conditions, the USA track team took nine top-three spots Saturday at the Coach O Invitational. The Jags also posted three school records at the Troy meet.

Leading the women and posting the only Jaguar victory of the day, sophomore Tori Lawson won the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:29.90.

Also claiming a school record, sophomore Latifah Johnson grabbed second place in the hammer throw with a personal-best toss of 56.23m/184-5.75.

Joey Torres led the men with a secondplace finish in the hammer throw with a personal-best mark of 58.99m/193-6.25, beating out teammate and fellow sophomore Stephen Nobles.

Baseball Takes Two-of-Three From ASU USA baseball won two-of-three against Sun Belt-contending Arkansas State over the weekend. On Sunday, South Alabama scored two in the bottom of the ninth against the Red Wolves’ bullpen, taking the rubber game of the series, 7-6.

On Saturday, Jag right-hander Garrett Harris struck out a career-high eight batters and held ASU scoreless in five innings to lead USA to a 9-4 victory in game two of Saturday’s doubleheader at Tomlinson Stadium.

Harris (5-3) scattered 12 hits and allowed just two earned runs while setting a career high in strikeouts in 8.1 innings to earn the win. Outfielder Taylor White went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored, and a stolen base to lead the Jags.

Heisler went 3-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base. Catcher Brent Tanner went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and a stolen base, while infielder Brandon Brown went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs. USA dropped game one Saturday afternoon 9-8 in the bottom of the 10th inning on a bases-loaded walk by Murray Watts.

-Wire Reports

Tennis Begins Rebuilding Process, Looks Forward to Next Season

Kaitlyn Thacker

SPORTS REPORTER kdt901@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

South Alabama men’s tennis began the season on NCAA probation and as a result, the 2009-10 season became all about rebuilding the program.

Prior to the start of the season, USA men’s head coach Nick Brochu spoke of doing so with a team atmosphere and a winning mood among the rebuilding program.

The season began on a positive note as the Jags shut down Florida Gulf Coast, 5-0, on Jan. 23.

“We wanted to start the season off strong,” Brochu said. “We wanted to take early leads, and on that day we accomplished that.”

Despite winning that first match, South Alabama lost its second, 5-2, against Florida State and finished the regular season at 8-11.

Not all was bad for the program as South Alabama continued mashing Florida Gulf Coast, taking a 7-0 win March 16 as USA ran its record to 2-0 against its regional foes.

“Those were the kind of games that showed the type of team that we had,” Brochu said.

“In the matches where we fared well, we took early leads and kept it throughout the match.

We never gave them chances to come back.”

After sweeping Florida Gulf Coast, South Alabama lost two straight in contests against Florida Atlantic and Troy.

After the loss against Troy, Brochu said, “Losing 4-3 hurts. This match was pretty much a summary of the entire season. We keep getting close to teams that are ranked, and we can’t close the door. That’s been our

[weakness] all year.”

The Jags fell to Virginia Commonwealth to close the season, but at that point several Jags were slowed by injuries.

“Our guys were just mentally and physically tired after a long season,” Brochu said.

“We’ll regroup, and we’ll be ready for next season.”

The women’s squad struggled to a 2-13 season but made several gains as the season wore on.

The girls picked up a 4-3 win early against New Orleans, but lost nine in a row before triumphing over No. 13 Western Kentucky on April 22 in the first round of the Sun Belt Championship.

Later that afternoon, the Jags lost 4-0 to Louisiana-Monroe, ending their unlikely championship run.

“We put forth a good effort in the tournament, but we laid an egg in the afternoon game,” USA women’s head coach Jaco Keyser said. “This is the end of a long and disappointing season. Regardless of circumstances, it was a low point for our tennis program.

We’ll use this as motivation and make sure a debacle like this never repeats itself.”

Though the team’s record was less than stellar, Keyser does have high hopes for the future.

“The results didn’t show it, but we developed nicely. We knew it was going to be a big adjustment and everyone played two spots higher than what they were used to, but if you look at individual improvement, it was there, and we’ll be better for it next year.”

The

Vanguard Sports Poll LAST WEEK:

Would You Be Interested In Paying For A Football Travel Package?

Absolutely! I would hope to be one of the first. I think that it's very important for the future of South Alabama football that we have our fans cheering the Jags on no matter where they play. It's important for our team to see that and it's important for our opponents, the Sun Belt and the country to see how much we love South Alabama.

-Kenneth Mohren, USA Alumni

Vote Now! www.thunderjags.com

April 26, 2010

Things I Think I Know

Thursday Night NASCAR

Of all the things I think I know, I absolutely know one of them.

Much in the same vein of Monday Night Football, NASCAR needs a semiannual event that stands out above the rest.

My solution is a prime-time weekday NASCAR extravaganza.

NASCAR is as big of a TV event as it comes, second only to the NFL in the all-important Nielsen ratings.

The sport’s problem is two-fold: First, races are just too darn long, clocking in at just over three hours per telecast. And second, each race outside of restrictor plate racing just feels repetitive.

Once upon a time, the July Daytona race was run on July 4 no matter which day it fell on. For a sport that banks so much on its history, the guys in Concord appeared to have missed one.

July 4 falls on a Friday in 2010, a day short from the event’s usual Saturday slot. Why not test the waters on a Friday night and see if the concept is a welcome one. I’m betting that it is.

The Gatorade Duels at Daytona are traditionally held on the Thursday afternoon just before the Daytona 500.

Outside of the elderly and lawyers, who’s watching this race? Good job on the product marketing, Mr. France.

Rather than keeping the status quo, move the race to Thursday evening around 6 o’clock eastern time.

The later green flag time gives the sanctioning body a much better chance at catching eyeballs than the current noon starting time.

With a prime time start, everyone gets a chance to see the race. Isn’t that what NASCAR and SPEED Network want anyway?

The concept is one that the NFL clearly gets with Monday Night Football. “Is it Monday Yet” is one of sports’ most recognizable slogans.

The notion is also something we feel each and every Monday morning when we start the work week.

Regardless of fandom, nearly everyone watches Monday Night Football.

It’s a slice of Americana.

Capitalize on it.

Take a struggling NASCAR market like Sonoma or Martinsville and dress it up as NASCAR’s must-see weekday event.

Shorten the race up from 400 to 300 miles and from three hours to two and voila – NASCAR has their very own unique and marquee weekday event.

Obviously there are several factors that are getting ignored. Everything from rainouts, out-of-state travel, and television contracts are variables against the plan.

All of those are easily negated if everyone considers the possible net gain.

With middling ratings and a lethargic fan base, now is the moment to strike.

Do something different NASCAR and with it, something special.

Thursday Night NASCAR has one hell of ring to it, does it not?

-Matt Weaver, Spots Editor

The

Vanguard

April 26, 2010

Sigma Chi

Sparks

than that.

“It was pretty bad, I thought,” Willis said. “All of it was normal wear and tear, but a lot of it might not have happened had it been your own house … but I’ve been in worse fraternity houses.”

Ceilings had holes poked in them, doors were broken, and the house had other problems beyond normal use, Willis said.

One contractor was overheard in the Purchasing Department saying the house looked like a scene from the movie “Animal House.”

“Any house would have that, especially with 25 guys living there,” Prudhomme said. “Stuff does happen.”

fund. And we need to use that money toward Medicaid. I’m willing to tax gambling at the minimum 25 percent and move on.

V: What do you think is the best longterm solution to education budget problems?

S: I’m the only guy that has a plan right now. There’s not one candidate who’s laid a plan on the table that would generate one dime. The first thing I think we ought to do is charge out-of-state companies that are doing business in Alabama yet filing taxes in

from page 4

from page 3

13 other states – we need to close that loophole.

But there’s millions of dollars being laid on the table by not taxing gambling in Alabama. If you want to expand gambling, let’s expand it, but vote it in or vote it out.

Four million visits from Alabama to Mississippi [casinos] last year. We’re packing buses everyday carrying them to Mississippi.

I don’t know about everyone else in Alabama, but I’m tired of that.

We have gambling. I just came by a 10-story casino on the way down here. I just think it’s time we tax it and use that money toward education and Medicaid, and I have a plan to do that.

The Vanguard Will Resume Publication in June

Opinion

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14

Alex Whalen Opinion Editor alexwhalen@gmail.com

April 26, 2010

O U R

V I E W

Now Is the Time for JagTV

D

o you want to know what was happening around USA three months ago? Just tune in to JagTV, your local campuswide television station.

Over the last year JagTV has become a disappointment. Not only is it lacking in timeliness, but almost all of its non-news programming resorts to the same mediocre “ask students” format. What’s worse is that most weeks it simply loops the same shows over a few hours.

Last Sunday, April 18, we left JagTV on in our office during most of the day. There were literally only two shows: a news program from the beginning of March, and some show about the paranormal investigation of Chi (which prominently featured an issue of The Vanguard being set on fire; thanks guys.)

I’m assuming the news broadcasts are edited live as part of the learning experience. But it is hard to get an audience to watch when the show is filled with awkward pauses, confused looks, and fluctuating audio levels.

We have seen JagTV replay a five-yearold public service announcement featuring George Bush and Bill Clinton for their 2004 tsunami relief effort in India. Really. That isn’t a joke.

This week, the loop is about one hour,

New Plans For NASA

On April 15, President Barack Obama officially introduced a new paradigm to the approach of space exploration. In doing so he officially shut down the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Constellation program, and is pushing NASA to prepare for human exploration of space beyond the moon.

Constellation was the program Tory intended develop the new launchAlbertson and-carrytosystems that would replace the now-aging shuttle fleet.

It would also be the foundation upon which deeper space exploration would be built. Obama’s primary contention with Constellation has been that it was behind schedule, over budget, and has too small a scope.

There is heated debate concerning the impact of this shift. Although jobs and finances play a part in that debate, the core issue seems to concern the perception we have of space exploration and our role in the world.

By eliminating this NASA project, the U.S. would find itself placing trust in outside sources: primarily Russia and the commercial sector.

Russia is being contracted to carry our astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) once the shuttle fleet is retired at the end of 2010, until a commercial launch system is developed with the capacity to transport humans to the ISS and beyond.

There are supporters of commercial contracting

completely made up of various “Question of the Week” segments and one “Movies on Jag” about “Shutter Island,” which is neither in theaters nor available on DVD until June 8. So why would anyone care?

It’s not that we feel the students involved in JagTV haven’t been doing a good job.

As a student-run media outlet ourselves, we understand the difficulty in producing content.

And we understand that JagTV has far more technical obstacles, and people involved at every level, than we do.

But we also feel that with new leadership next year, they have a real opportunity to improve and expand their programming.

JagTV is in a unique position to really engage the students at USA. Students are far more prone to watch television than read a printed newspaper. But they don’t want to watch hourlong loops of question-and-answer sessions interspersed with movie trailers.

We’re all students here, and working at JagTV is an incredible learning experience for broadcast majors.

Certainly the objective for those students involved should be as much about informing, entertaining, and communicating with their fellow students as it is about building a portfolio for their resumes.

who argue for the potential cost benefits of a private commercial launch system. Currently, the cost of sending an astronaut to space is approximately $300 million per person, while the projected cost from the company SpaceX is $20 million.

The risk factors, and they seem to be a significant ones, are trusting Russia with our access to space and whether commercial industry can provide what is needed by NASA. The specifications that NASA needs for its component systems are immense. For Alliant Techsystems to make solid fuel rocket booster for the current shuttles, they must comply with 32,000 specs. With a fixed price contract (which is what the government is going for) these projects may become financially unfeasible.

What we have before us is a storming of the old guard with Cold War-era mindsets. We must stay ahead of our competition and enemies to ensure dominance.

The world has changed, and the U.S. must respond accordingly. And Obama is doing that by helping us develop a “space exploration 2.0” of sorts.

Another sign of this shift can be seen in the recent launching of the X-37B unmanned experimental spacecraft by the United States Air Force.

The responsibility of defense and presence of the U.S. is being taken over by the capable hands of this military branch. The upshot is relieving NASA of the need to think defensively and allowing them to think exclusively of exploration.

Instead of remaining insular and risking a sense of scientific and ideological inbreeding, NASA is being forced to delegate and collaborate. In the end, this new plan may very well enable NASA to do a much better job.

Corn: A Growing Problem

If you live in America and eat food that comes from the grocery store, chances are you’ve consumed the everpresent ingredient that is listed on the packaging of seemingly every product in the store: high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

HFCS is used often in place of sugar.

It not only sweetens food; it also gives pleasing brown crusts to baked products, helps products congeal nicely, and Laci supposedly even helps preserve some Gagliano foods.

Its omnipresence in food is, however, slightly unsettling, and raises questions about how it truly affects consumers. Many are left wondering if HFCS is really as harmless as it seems.

Sure enough, little by little, researchers are concluding that HFCS is helping to degrade our health. Furthermore, the corn industry is showing itself to be an inefficient, unsustainable, and ultimately wasteful entity.

Since the 1980s, food manufacturers have been replacing sugars with corn sweeteners. Corn is a subsidized crop, meaning the government aids producers and distributors financially to keep costs down, allowing more of the crop to be grown and sold off.

This leads to overproduction and the subsequent necessity for the surplus of corn to be put to use, which explains why corn products, mainly in the form of HFCS, can be found in so many things we consume, from sliced bread to tomato soup to NyQuil. Most soda and snack producers in the U.S. have completely made the switch from sugar to corn syrup.

According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report, added sweeteners, like HFCS, now account for onequarter of the average person’s daily calorie intake. The USDA report also shows our intake of corn syrup has risen an astounding 10,673 percent since 1970.

With HFCS being found in a dominant portion of supermarket goods, even those foods falsely advertised as healthy foods, it comes as no surprise that there is a direct link between obesity, diabetes and the rise of corn sweeteners.

Studies have also shown that HFCS is metabolized differently than other forms of sugar, and has been linked to health conditions like insulin resistance, increased risk of heart disease, and several metabolic disorders.

Additionally, cattle are frequently fed corn instead of a more natural diet of grass, causing the beef to have a higher saturated fat content.

Propaganda from the corn industry fervently denies notions that HFCS has any ill effects, insisting it’s no worse than sugar. You may have seen commercials that claim corn syrup is fine, in moderation.

If HFCS was consumed in the context portrayed in the commercials, as a mere occasional indulgence rather than a prevalent mediator among other ingredients in foods, perhaps health problems stemming from it would indeed be a lesser issue.

As it currently stands, however, corn has taken over as a filler food, as though our food supply is a dumping ground for excess crops.

There is also the issue of how the massive, widespread farming of a single crop affects the environment and the economy.

Corn hybrids require more nitrogen fertilizer than any other crop. They also demand more pesticides than any other.

As a result, fertilizer runoff from corn crops has already begun showing its damage, where runoff from regions of high corn production near the Mississippi River enters the Gulf of Mexico, and this has already created a 12,000-square-mile dead zone.

The economic implications can also backfire. When one specific crop is encouraged to be grown in mass numbers, the concept of variety suffers, and the prices of other vegetables that people should be including in their diets go up.

Essentially, corn simply takes over the spectrum and removes emphasis on vegetable diversity within a diet.

Companies like ConAgra that have a stronghold on the entire industry would like to have us think that HFCS is a miracle ingredient, and that it’s positive to put HFCS in virtually anything they can get their hands on, citing that it

see CORN, page 19

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The

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April 26, 2010

POINT COUNTERPOINT How Much Do We Really Know?

Editor’s Introduction: Is our experience just an illusion? Are we all just part of some dream, or plugged into a simulation like in “The Matrix”? These are all skeptical questions that ask what we can really “know” about the world around us, and they threaten to undermine our everyday knowledge. The argument goes like

What If ...

Right now, you believe that you idea that you’re in a Matrix-type have a newspaper in your hands, scenario or dreaming. reading the point-counterpoint in How would you rule out these The Vanguard. alternatives? The same way you If you know anything, you know did in the Taurus case: by looking this, right? It’s not something you at distinguishing features of one heard from that friend you can’t versus the other. trust or saw on TV – you’re seeing You have to be able to point it with your own eyes, feeling it to a distinguishing feature in our with your own hands. experience that shows you’re not But what if it’s not really there? in the Matrix, like you could point What if there’s not a real paper in to the hood emblem of the car to Matthew front of you and you’re only havrule out that it’s a Sable instead of Peterson ing a vivid, albeit boring, dream a Taurus. that you’re reading the newspaper?

What could you point to in this Or what if, much worse, your brain is case? How would reading The Vanguard in plugged into some kind of reality simulator, the Matrix be different from in real life? like in “The Matrix” movies?

You wouldn’t have anything to point to, In both of these cases, you wouldn’t reand that’s the point. In “The Matrix,” the ally be reading the paper but only thinking simulation is almost perfect, to such a point you were, a clear problem for your supthat the people inside it don’t know they posed knowledge, because to have knowlare. edge about something, you must rule out All of our experience would be exactly the things incompatible with that knowlthe same. You would see the same thing, edge. feel the same thing, smell the same thing, To illustrate this, imagine I told you I just taste the same thing, hear the same thing. bought a Ford Taurus. But you, being the Basically, then, you wouldn’t be able to astute automobile observer that you are, ask rule out an alternative. If you can’t rule out me: How do you know it’s not a Mercury an alternative, then you can’t know whether Sable? you’re really reading the newspaper right If I’m not sure that it’s not a Sable, how now. can I know it’s a Taurus? The short answer: So you can’t know if you’re really, truly I can’t. reading this article now.

I have to know the distinguishing features Yeah, it kind of stinks, but there doesn’t of a Sable versus a Taurus, like, say, the em- seem to be any way around it. blem on the grill and other minor aspects.

No matter how you cut it, there’s simply If I don’t know those, then I can’t rule out no way you can distinguish between a the possibility that it’s a Sable, meaning I Matrix-type scenario and real life – they can’t know it’s a Taurus. are, at least in the experience of someone In the same way, to really know that going through them, exactly the same. you’re reading the newspaper right now, And if you can’t distinguish between you have to rule out the alternatives them, you can’t say one is true and not the incompatible with that knowledge, like the other.

Clearing the Air

By Alex Whalen

A New Identity

What is it that defines a university as, say, an Engineering school or a Liberal Arts school?

Trivially, it is the programs the university offers. Realistically, it is the students that attend and graduate from that university.

After all, a school could have a phenomenal Electrical Engineering program, but without the students, it isn’t much of a program at all.

The University of South Alabama is in the process of changing its identity, which seems to entail a different student dynamic than it currently has. With its average student age of 25.5, its commuter campus, and limited graduate programs, it’s fair to say that USA is a non-traditional university.

But it looks like the administration is trying to change this image. With the addition of a new dining hall, student recreation center, and a football team, campus involvement has become a top priority.

Non-traditional students, however, don’t typically have a high level of on-campus activities. And keep in mind how USA plans on paying for the new dining hall: with mandatory meal plans that students who live on campus must buy.

These are not the actions of a university that wishes to remain a non-traditional, commuter-kind-of school. Just look at the new master plan, with spaces for additional on-campus housing and a parking garage, to see what I mean.

this: If I know that I have hands, then I know that I’m not just plugged into the Matrix and am being deceived into thinking I have hands. I don’t know I’m not in the Matrix, so I don’t know that I have hands. While the issue is extremely complex, Matthew and I will try to make it approachable, and hopefully fun.

Setting The Bar Too High

Skepticism about the world car is in the East lot. Now imagine around us really only exists in a that you’re standing at your car philosophical vacuum. If you were when along comes a skeptic who to step out in the street and see again asks you if you know where a bus bearing down on you, you your car is. wouldn’t wonder if the bus or you “Sure,” you say, “it’s right here actually existed. You’d get out of in front of me!” And it’s here the the way. skeptic will ask if you know that The problem is that our behaving you’re not just hooked up to the as we do – avoiding buses, eating Matrix (or something like that). If hot dogs, playing volleyball – is we are hooked up to the Matrix, Alex completely consistent with the idea the skeptic will argue that this will that this is all an illusion, that we’re make your belief that your car is in Whalen hooked up to the Matrix. We simfront of you false; you and your car ply don’t know if we’re being masaren’t really here. sively deceived, and it’s this open possibility This possibility of being massively dethat motivates skepticism. ceived could threaten to undermine everyAn analogy here will help explain how not thing we think we know about the world knowing something can interfere with actuaround us. Fortunately, it just doesn’t. ally knowing something else, and also where In the first case, where I ask if your car has the skeptic goes wrong. been stolen, that is something we can come Let’s say you drive to class and actually to know. You can go outside and, if your car find a parking space in the East lot. (I know, is still there, know it hasn’t been stolen. that’s highly unlikely, but play along with But if we are being deceived, that isn’t me.) While sitting in class, I ask you if you something we could ever come to know. know where your car is. Most people here There are no tests, no proofs, to determine say they do – that their car is parked in the whether or not we’re in the Matrix.

East lot with all the other cars.

Herein lies the difference between what is But do you know your car hasn’t been a relevant alternative and what the skeptic is stolen in the past five minutes? Most people suggesting – you cannot possibly know the here say they don’t and then admit they truth of what the skeptic is saying, so this is don’t know for certain where their car is, but not a relevant alternative. they’re pretty darn sure it’s in the East lot.

There can be a lot of relevant alternaIn this scenario, something you don’t tives to your knowing a simple proposition know (that your car hasn’t been stolen) is like your car being in the East lot. But why interfering with something you thought should an alternative that we can never you knew (that your car is in the East lot). know threaten to undermine not only your Philosophers call this a relevant alternative; knowledge of your car’s whereabouts, but if your car has been stolen, that’s relevant everything you know about the world around enough to make your belief that your car is you? in the East lot a false belief.

Whatever knowledge is, the skeptic here At this point, you could go outside, find has just set the bar too high. He is asking us your car and then you would know that your see BAR, page 17

This move is completely understandable, but my worry is that by creating this new identity, USA risks losing what makes this a great place to learn. I also worry that Mobile simply isn’t set up to facilitate this new kind of school.

USA has some amazing professors, at least in the Philosophy and History departments, where I frequent. But I’ve had plenty of really fun classes in other departments as well.

If USA wants to make the move to a more traditional school, then a necessary step should be the formation of more graduate programs. But in order to have a graduate program, professors have to conduct far more research to keep a graduate program going (and to be able to have a graduate program in the first place).

What this means is that professors will have less time for students, less time to prepare for class, and so the learning experience that makes this institution so great could be sacrificed in the process. In fact, some professors prefer teaching at an

undergraduate university like USA for this very reason.

I certainly am not trying to denounce the graduate programs that already exist.

We have top-notch medical and nursing programs, and the current graduate level programs seem pretty solid.

But if USA hopes to compete with the likes of traditional universities, we’re going to need more graduate and doctoral programs – especially within the College of Arts and Sciences. If this trend continues, then learning at the undergraduate level may very well suffer.

The administration in all this planning must also keep in mind that Mobile doesn’t have the traffic flow, public transportation, or overall general structure to support a large non-traditional school – especially one with a football team.

I’m certainly not against the football team; I absolutely love going to the games, and I will cheer on the Jags for the rest of my life. But trying to fit a stadium on-

see IDENTITY, page 18

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Moulton from page 3

able to deal with those issues and stabilize the institution, perhaps better than someone coming in from the outside,” he said. “They abandoned the search and made me president.”

Moulton knew exactly what he was getting into. The University needed work, and the job needed to begin immediately.

“Universities are not your father’s university,” he said, “particularly urban universities, because they have such a strong component of their mission today relating to engaging in the overall economy of their community, state and country.”

Private donors, alumni, and the community contribute to allow for the university’s growth. Moulton recounted a memorable story of a successful donation.

“You get great surprises. One of our previous trustees, Mayer Mitchell, was a great friend of mine and also really helped us to get started in raising money.

We were trying to raise money for the Mitchell Cancer Institute, and he said ‘I have a friend who heads up a small private foundation on the west coast. Why don’t we call him up and see if he’ll give us some money.’

“And I asked him, ‘Well, how much should we ask for?’ And he said, ‘Let’s ask him for a million dollars.’ So we did.

I got him on the phone, and we talked a little bit, and then I made the big ask, and he said, ‘Well, I won’t give you a million dollars for your cancer institute. But I will give you 2 million.” Moulton added, with a smile, “Those don’t happen very often.”

As massive as the task is, advocating for the University and gathering resources is only part of the job.

“Some days I’m here at 6:30 or 7:00 p.m., depending on what my schedule is going to be,” Moulton said. “Some days I leave at five, other days I don’t leave until 10 or 11. They’re long days, and lots of them, because the University doesn’t stop Friday at five. It goes on seven days a week. There are events or commitments related to people in the community that support the community that happen over the weekend. This job is pretty much on call seven days a week, 365 days a year.”

But it’s all worth it.

“The best part is being able to see two things happen: students realize their potential, graduate, get jobs and become significant contributors to society,” he said. “The other is to see faculty find an environment where they can be productive other than just teaching, beyond the classroom.”

But he recognized that he’s only half of his successes.

Sinking from page 11

have one or two teams that dominate, our conference has great parity. This makes it extremely difficult for any one team to shine and take over.”

That still fails to explain the Sun Belt’s lack of success in the postseason or in national championships. A move out of the Sun Belt would be the first step in fixing USA’s post-season woes.

Just playing in a higher-end conference is a major recruiting tool. Star recruits want to play on the biggest stage and the Sun Belt just doesn’t provide it.

While we can’t predict exactly what would happen to South Alabama if they

April 26, 2010 “My wife does equally as much as I do for the University,” he said. “The president represents the university, and so many people in the community will judge what the university is by what the president and his wife do. There’s a great deal of pressure there.”

Any free time is spent together, whether playing golf, taking their two Schnauzers (Rufus and Percy) for a long walk, or watching the sunset from their spot on the pier.

Moulton enjoys seafood, and said, with a laugh, “unfortunately, I like good desserts, too.”

He and Geri are avid symphony-goers and enjoy art, especially glass sculpture, as shown by the collection of art in his office.

Their love of art inspired their creation of the Children’s Sculpture Park, where each one of the 54 pieces in the park was donated by someone who believed in their cause.

Most people don’t know it, but at the end of Moulton’s day, when he leaves his office, he takes a drive around the campus and really looks at the University.

“I don’t ever do it that I don’t see something that I haven’t seen before. A university is a living organism, it’s evolving all the time. It has hundreds of thousands of parts,” he said. “It’s made up of people and buildings, and how well we interact with our physical surroundings is a big factor in how successful an institution can really become. If we are not proud of our campus and who we are, we can’t expect that anyone in the community can be.”

To Moulton, being proud of his campus means knowing that everyone on campus is equally important.

“Everyone needs to get down to earth occasionally. The first year I was president, my wife had the idea of helping the new freshmen move in. We called a few people, fraternities, The Southerners, and we had maybe 20 or 25 people over there to help the new students move in.

“It was a great experience, because we were able to look the parents in the eye and talk to them. We had this family who came up, and I helped them get their stuff out of the car. This was August, and we got up to the third floor, all hot and sweaty, and they were thanking me for helping them.

“The mother said, ‘By the way, who are you?’ And I said, ‘I’m the president.’

And she said, ‘Of what?’” Moulton laughed and said, “It kind of puts it all in perspective.”

When asked what advice he would offer the readers of this article, Moulton said, “Leave the place better than you found it.”

And, since 1966, that’s exactly what he’s done.

abandoned the Sun Belt, we can look at the teams which have and the many success stories that have come with it.

Nevertheless, Erdmann is quite content with the Sun Belt, fully believing the Jags can be the catalyst of bringing the Sun Belt to the mainstream.

With rumors of the Big 10 expanding, which would cause a domino effect down the conference ladder, the time is soon coming when South Alabama will have to choose its new allegiance. It’s time to stay in the Sun Belt and try to fix it or get out while the getting is good. The choice is yours, Erdmann. And by choice I mean, whatever you do, get us off this sinking ship before it goes completely under.

Vanguard Staff Staff USAVanguard.Editor@gmail.com

Distractions

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Sudoku

Crossword

Crosswords by Myles Mellor

Courtesy of KrazyDad.com

Bar

SGA

to do the impossible, and asking us to do so on his terms.

But what reasons do we have to even engage the skeptic in his game? Why would we think that being in the Matrix is just as relevant as your car being stolen?

There are reasons to think that it’s possible your car might’ve been stolen. Cars get stolen all the time. But never in the history of humanity has someone suddenly realized that we don’t really exist in the same way that people have realized their car has been stolen.

Sure, we want our beliefs to be true; we don’t want to make mistakes in our knowledge claims. But to hold our beliefs up to an impossible standard is irresponsible, and is something we neither can nor should accept.

Truth and knowledge, whatever they are, must relate to our world – the world of experience and of rational thought, the world of possibility.

academic success.”

The SGA made a one-time payment of $25,000 to save the SI program this year, a program which helps students master historically difficult subjects with peerassisted sessions outside regular class time.

Gardner and Vice President Kim Proctor both recognized how Treasurer Michael Baldwin streamlined the appropriations process.

Proctor also mentioned SGA’s work through the Safety and Improvements Committee to plan an open forum on safety to get students’ concerns worked out.

Proctor said the forum hosted many members of the administration and roughly 60 students. A week later Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. John Smith rode around campus with Proctor and others to inspect places that required more lighting.

“That’s why the lights were installed at Humanities,” Proctor said. “We did find a couple of spots in Delta that needed lights.

And lighting was added, a lot of trees were cut back and trimmed because they were preventing the light.”

Proctor said they also suggested more police presence in the dorms. She said she wasn’t sure whether that was a direct influence on moving the police station into

from page 15

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from page 1

Across 1. Occurred 4. Acropolis figure 10. Cancels 14. Cast 15. Longs for 16. Barbershop call 17. Mine find 18. Cautionary item 19. Passionate about 20. Redo happily?

23. Pinnacle opposite 24. With a steady hand 25. Moose or mice, e.g.

28. Unconscious 30. Broadcasted 31. Hindu garment 32. “Not to mention ...”

36. Improve a server?

39. Pendulum paths 40. Alternative to acrylics 41. Chip away at 42. Additions 43. Talking points?

44. Rounded style of writing

48. Fall mo.

49. Disloyal coverup?

55. Arduous journey 56. Soft palate tissues 57. Dissenting vote 58. Latin 101 verb 59. “What fools these mortals be” writer 60. ___ cry 61. Abbr. after many a general’s name 62. Desk item 63. “Cut Piece” artist Down 1. Pronoun in a Hemingway title 2. Halo, e.g.

3. Hunt for 4. Award 5. Go places 6. Any port in a storm 7. By any chance 8. “Cool!”

9. Weakness 10. Cartoon art 11. Arc lamp gas

the Beta-Gamma Commons.

The EC also cited the transition of Homecoming to the football season this year, a feat they credit to Homecoming Committee Chair Senator Paige Perry.

Perry was the only senator to receive a nomination for senator of the fall semester.

“Paige and her committee spent hours upon hours this summer in meetings,” Proctor said. “The involvement I saw with Homecoming was so needed, because a lot of organizations that don’t normally participate came out and they were there.”

The EC said that one of the things they wish they could have done more about is the parking on campus.

Gardner said he doesn’t think the University administration’s idea of a parking garage near the circle is a suitable spot.

“I think there’s a lot of reform that needs to be made for parking,” Proctor agreed.

“It’s just a hard thing to really reach an agreement on,” Gardner said, “where the parking’s going to be, and what will be sufficient.”

“We’re spoiled, we really are,” Proctor said. “If you look at other universities in the state, and even out of state. Vanderbilt doesn’t even let their freshmen bring cars to school.”

One of the big issues overshadowing the SGA last year was the impeachment of

12. Glorify 13. Expressionless 21. Exit 22. Actress Plumb 25. Medic or normal?

26. Pinocchio, at times 27. ___ acid 28. Highlanders, e.g.

29. Eyes, poetically 31. Level 32. Religious nectar 33. Golden Triangle country 34. Fries, maybe 35. Horace volume 37. City on the River Garonne 38. Turn up again 42. Amniotic ___ 43. Scratch up 44. Absolute 45. Care for 46. Colgate rival 47. Signed 48. Undersides 50. Maintain 51. Charlie, for one 52. Data 53. Indian bread 54. Apprentice

Gardner.

“I think it had a lot to do with me not being informative enough with what I was doing, or what meetings I was going to,” Gardner said. “And it just went into a kind of perception issue of me not doing my job.”

Gardner said he felt like the conflict arose from communication problems during the fall semester.

“But working through that, we’ve accomplished a lot,” he said. “I have no hard feelings for any of the senators that were involved in the process.

“My only desire is that they would have just come and talk to me personally.

Maybe I had the perception of not being an open-door kind-of guy, you know, open minded … I feel like if maybe a senator had come and talk to me directly I could have resolved what their concerns were a little bit better,” he said.

But Gardner doesn’t think the impeachment will have a lasting effect on the legacy of this year’s SGA. “As far as a reflection on the whole year, I think we’re probably all really proud of this year’s SGA. “I look at the quality of members, the time they all put into it, the length and depth of discussion … I’m proud of the SGA as a whole, despite all the stuff that went on with that.”

The Vanguard Will Resume Publication in June, Weather Permitting

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Caption Contest Results The funniest captions submitted for last issue’s pictures, decided by the Editorial Staff.

“Yes! This makeup did take hours!”

- Jennifer Langhorn

Identity from page 15

campus with adequate parking and access would be a logistical nightmare.

Just think about the traffic on University Boulevard and Old Shell Road after classes let out. As USA increases its student enrollment, traffic problems will

increase exponentially.

It’s going to take some real cunning to overcome the difficulties that lay ahead. At some point, there’s going to have to be a complete overhaul of how students arrive at campus and get to class. The current JagTran system and parking situation simply won’t cut it.

Assault from page 2

said. As a father and one who knows the process, he “would have to think seriously about putting my daughter through that kind of trauma,” he said.

If a USA student is the suspect in a sexual assault case, USAPD immediately notify Dean of Students Michael Mitchell. If a non-student is the suspected perpetrator, Gamache sends the case to Mobile’s criminal justice system.

USAPD possess the same authority as state police, Gamache said, and they may apprehend a sexual assault suspect at any time.

Mitchell said if the victim chooses to submit their case to Student Affairs, the suspect is notified of the charge brought against them. The suspect is then required to attend official and pre-hearing meetings, conducted

by Mitchell, where the student can claim responsibility for the charge.

After that, the student can choose whether they want to be tried by the UDC or privately corrected by a conduct administrator.

This correction option is implemented for every Code of Conduct violation, Mitchell said.

In a UDC hearing, appointed University faculty, staff, and students listen to the victim and the perpetrator’s personal accounts

I do believe the administration and facilities officials here are up to the task, and can make this school into whatever they want. But there’s absolutely nothing wrong with USA staying a non-traditional university with great professors that can give its students a truly enriching learning experience and prepare them for the future.

April 26, 2010

of the case, which remain entirely confidential to ensure student privacy, Mitchell said.

In his two years as USA’s dean of students, Mitchell hasn’t seen one sexual assault case reported to Student Affairs, he said.

Sanctions for students found in violation of the student Code of Conduct are listed on the USAPD’s website and include but aren’t limited to written reprimand, conduct probation, room transfer, removal from University housing, restitution for damages, fines, restrictions, suspension, expulsion, and community services.

The hearing officer and the UDC decide sanctions for students found guilty, while Mitchell determines other sanctions, according to the site.

Suspensions can range anywhere from a semester to two years, depending on the case, and expulsions are “few and far between,” according to Mitchell.

“Our [judicial] system is more educational in nature,” Mitchell said. “It’s less punitive like criminal systems.”

The UDC’s goal is that perpetrators accept responsibility for their actions, make amends, and come back to the University community “showing they’ve learned something,” Mitchell said.

This series will continue in the next edition of The Vanguard.

The Vanguard Will Resume in June

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Out With the Old, In With the New In the Last Paper of the Year, the Old Editor Says Goodbye, and the New Editor Looks Forward

For 32 weeks of the past year, including more than 12 hours on Sundays, this office has been my home.

After this issue, the last one of the year, I don’t know what I will do with my Sundays until The Vanguard starts coming out Matthew again in the summer.

Either way, it’s been Peterson quite the experience this year as editor.

I’ve had to make some tough decisions due to budget problems that I honestly wish I never had to. Being forced to cut pay, eliminate positions, and shave off pages from the newspaper, none of these were particularly fun.

And all of them ended up hurting the quality of the paper, which results in a worse product for the students at this growing campus. I can only hope that it won’t be so bad for Daniela, next year’s editor.

Despite the struggles, though, I’ve had a great number of people behind me who made this paper what it is today. I seem to get a lot of the pats on the back for the good in this paper, but it’s really these people who should take the credit:

Thank You

Daniela: You’ve stood beside me the whole way, whether it was helping me tell someone we had to let them go or helping me with those last-minute edits. You’ve been a large part of the success this paper has enjoyed, and I can’t wait to see what you do with The Vanguard next year.

Johnny: Thank you for being honest.

You always told me exactly what you thought of everything in the paper, and, even though we clashed at times, these opinions were critical to The Vanguard’s growth. Thank you, too, for dealing with us kids for those long hours on Sunday.

Brendan: Thank you for taking those assignments without grumbling, even though they were clearly not what you wanted to do. And thanks for your jokes and for being good-tempered even when it wasn’t easy.

Simon: Thank you for always putting color pictures in CMYK and for the hard work you put into every issue. The pictures always looked great, and you’re the one to thank.

Alex: Thanks for sticking through it the whole year. Your work, both in news and opinion, has been one of the highlights of this paper.

Brad: Thank you for your sense of humor and dealing with lame people like me.

Rob: Thank you for always returning

my phone calls and being there to answer my questions. Most of all, thanks for standing up for us.

Mrs. Kathy: You’re really behind a lot that goes into this paper, even though your name hardly appears in print.

Thank you for making The Vanguard go.

Wesley: Thank you for always being approachable and being willing to solve all of the bumps we encountered along the way.

Rodney: Thank you for putting your creativity into the website and being flexible.

Cameron: Thanks for always dealing with those tough stories.

Laura Beth: Thank you for spending countless days in other people’s lives.

Matt: Thanks for coming across the pond to help out with our sports section.

Christina: Thanks for dedicating yourself to your stories. Your work always paid off.

Chief Gamache: Thank you for letting us know what’s going on.

Keith Ayers: Thank you for always being honest.

I wish I could thank everyone who helped me, but I’m running up on deadline here. If we want to get this paper printed at all, Signature Offset needs this soon.

Thank you, everyone!

Looking Forward to It!

With another busy year of reporting gone by, The Vanguard staff is taking a break to knock out our final exams and relax a bit before we come back strong in the summer to provide the USA community some more of that good ol’ news.

Daniela I can’t speak for Werner all of The Vanguard staff, but I can speak for myself when I say that reporting and editing for The Vanguard this year has been another incredible learning experience that I have to thank you, the readers, for. Without people to pick up the paper and actually read it, there’s no point in us editors slaving away up here until 11:30 on Sunday nights.

As The Vanguard’s editor-in-chief for 2010-2011, I want to take the paper’s reporting content to a new level. Our community deserves another year of solid USA news coverage like the one current editor-in-chief Matthew Peterson gave it, and I plan on making that happen next year.

Be on the look-out this summer for a more improved Vanguard website with newer features that will enhance the quality of news content we bring you.

Also, don’t ever hesitate to send us an e-mail with feedback, whether it be of a positive or negative nature.

To the students, faculty and staff of USA who have served as sources of information for The Vanguard: Thank you for all of your help. I look forward to another year of stalking you for interviews.

To USA’s students: Good luck with finals.

To the current Vanguard staff: Thanks for making work enjoyable! I hope you will continue write for the paper next year. Matthew, thanks for your leadership and willingness to teach us, even when it was at an ungodly hour of the night.

To USA’s spring 2010 graduating class: Congratulations, and I wish you all the best in your endeavors.

See you this summer, USA.

Corn

from page 14

greatly enhances our food experience.

The truth of the matter is, corn syrup is an overbearing commodity, not a necessity, and its consumption should be drastically reduced for our health and for social wellbeing.

Be aware of what ingredients are listed in your food products. Whenever possible, opt for foods containing no corn syrup of any kind. Beware fast foods, because they frequently contain high amounts of HFCS. Becoming more conscientious of the foods you eat will pay off drastically, not just in years to come but also in the immediate future. And a great start is in removing corn syrup from your diet.

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