August 16, 2010

Vanguard The

Serving USA Since 1965

August 16, 2010

VOLUME 48, NUMBER 3

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SC Road Being Redesigned Band Working Out Kinks Cameron Adkins

ASSOCIATE EDITOR cja501@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

The University is working to alleviate traffic problems on USA South Drive and add a few more parking spaces in the Student Center parking lot, according to Chris Willis, Director of Facilities Management.

Plans are to remove the “s”-like turn that connects Campus Drive to the Student Center parking lot and reconnect the two roads with a straight road. “[Straightening out the road] is going to make deliveries a lot easier and should ease congestion along South Drive,” Willis said.

“Those trucks, in the past, trying to come in or get out were eating up a lot of traffic on South Drive.”

Removing the short, multi-turn road in favor of the straight road also made room for the addition of a few precious parking spaces. According to Willis, those spaces

will make up for the ones that were lost in the creation of the memorial park in front of the Student Center.

Construction on the new road and parking lot should be completed by the end of the week depending on the weather, and the bookstore is expected to be completed in about a year, according to Willis.

The east side of the Student Center parking lot will remain closed until the completion of the bookstore, but the west side (closest to the Humanities Building) will be available for use.

It is likely that Alumni Drive will be changed to a one-way street sometime next year in order to make Campus Drive the main entrance to the Student Center while at the same time alleviate the “bottle-neck” traffic situation that frequently occurs at that particular intersection, according to Willis.

“What we’re trying to do is focus the traffic to come down to the four-way stop

see STUDENT CENTER | 5

Colin McGee / Photo Editor

Members of the South Alabama Marching Band practice in formation Friday afternoon in preparation for the first football game on Sept. 4. SEE MORE ON P. 10

Tobacco Use to be Penalized Special Orientation Section Inside Matthew Peterson

MANAGING EDITOR mwp601@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Turn to page 1A, after page 20.

Colin McGee / Photo Editor

Inside

Police Blotter p.2

Be sure to pick up a new copy of The Vanguard every week!

• How to Save Hundreds on Your Books Bill, p. 2A • What Bathrooms to Avoid, p. 5A • Where to Find Good Coffee and Study Areas, p. 7A • Everything You Should Know About Parking, p. 10A • Where You Can Get School Help for Free, p. 18A • Getting Career Advice, p. 18A Day in the Life p.3

Etc. p.8

Don’t Have Cell Phone Etiquette?

See Etc., p. 9

If you’re a USA employee who smokes, then it may be costing you more than just the cigarettes starting next year.

Employees who do not sign a form certifying that they have not used tobacco in any form in the last six months will be subject to a $25 per month increase in their health premiums, according to Wayne Davis, chair of the Fringe Benefits Committee and vice president for Financial Affairs.

This policy will go into effect Jan. 1, 2011.

“It’s on the honor system to a certain extent,” Davis said, “but there will be penalties if you’re not telling the truth [on the form].”

Davis said this increase is a way to keep costs down for the entire system, because national statistics show that health care for smokers tends to cost more than for nonsmokers.

“If we can stop someone from smoking, it saves money for the group,” Davis said.

“Non-smokers end up picking up the tab for smokers’ health care.”

The Fringe Benefits Committee is not Sports p.12

Opinion p.14

Football Preparing for Another Good Season See Sports, p. 12

Colin McGee / Photo Editor

USA employees who are tobacco users are going to be charged an extra $25 a month in their health premiums.

considering raising the premiums for overweight people, those who use alcohol to excess, or any other people that may have increased health costs. see TOBACCO | 11

Distractions p.19

Should Employees be Penalized for Tobacco Use? See Opinion, p.

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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: Daniela Werner Managing Editor: Matthew Peterson Associate Editor: Cameron Adkins Associate Editor: Dean Harrison Copy Editor: Genny Roman Etc. Editor: Laura Beth Calcote Arts & Entertainment Editor: Cal Thomas Opinion Editor: Adam Mayo Sports Editor: Matt Weaver Photo Editor: Colin McGee Webmaster: Rodney Thompson DISTRIBUTION Distribution Manager: Johnny Davis ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager: Wesley Jackson Advertising Representative: Regi Allen Advertising Representative: Daniel Fordemwalt Graphic Designer: Brittany Hawkins MANAGEMENT Adviser: Rob 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.

August 16, 2010

p lice bl tter

7/20- Unlawful Breaking and Entering a Vehicle A Grove resident reported a GPS, Bluetooth device and seat covers stolen from their vehicle.

The items were valued at $330.

8/9- Unlawful Breaking and Entering a Vehicle A Blackberry was stolen from a vehicle in the parking lot of the Electrical Engineering building around 10:30 a.m. The item was valued

at $400.

8/12- Unlawful Breaking and Entering a Vehicle Cash, a debit card and a driver’s license were reported stolen from a vehicle. The items were valued at $41.

8/12- Criminal MischiefDamage to Property A University employee reported their car had been keyed at noon in the Delta 3 parking lot.

Ask Norm

Q & A with USA Chief of Police Normand Gamache Q: Has moving to the new office by the dorms benefited the USAPD as much as you hoped it would?

A: It certainly has. We’re right in the residence halls. Students come in all the time. The goal was to have an increased presence in the residence area, and moving has accomplished that.

August 16, 2010

A Day in the Life Cal Thomas

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR ephemeralhomeostasis@yahoo.com

Melissa Wolff sits beside a young patient, carefully measuring out a clear liquid.

The young boy gnaws his lower lip, eyes huge as he watches the radiologist pour the cup of barium sulfate into a half-cup of grape Kool-Aid. She smiles and puts her hand on his shoulder, voice soothing as she assures him the liquid he is to swallow will not hurt him in the least.

“I’m scared,” he whispers, looking to his parents outside the room’s small window.

“Why?” Melissa asks with a small frown.

“I don’t want them to see my insides.”

Wolff sits quietly in the campus Library study room, the tip of her ponytail almost even with the pile of books she is scanning. The window’s accumulated dust throws a dagger of light into the path of an almost-full notebook.

“If you aren’t dedicated, you will fail,” she sighs, closing the volume in front of her and resigning it to the pile of rejected books.

A student in USA’s pre-med program, Wolff spends several hours after classes every day studying.

“I’m in the medical honor society Alpha Epsilon Delta and also have a lot of extracurricular activities,” she admits. “There’s so much to do – in order to impress the interviewing boards, you have to look good as a whole person and not just an academic student.”

In high school, Wolff jumped at the opportunity to take biology classes – not really planning, she admits, on finding anything of interest in them. In fact, she had planned to major in art. Two relatives employed in the field encouraged her interest in the job of X-ray technician, and she pursued the idea.

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Of Pre-Med Student Melissa Wolff

After two years at Onondaga Community College for math and science, she began attending Niagara County Community College. Wolff got her associate degree in applied science and radiologic technology. Wolff got her license as an X-ray technician and spent the summer after moving to Rochester, N.Y., working at Camp Joy – a church-sponsored summer camp for the adult developmentally disabled. Here she discovered she enjoyed working with the adult disabled and got a job at a group home as she began working at Highland Hospital Outpatient XRay Facility.

“I spent a lot of time with the radiologist,” she said as she paused to sip her coffee. “I liked his job better, so I applied for med school. I hate being an X-ray tech. It’s the same six views over and over and over again.

“Chest. Most popular view in the world. ‘If I have to do another chest X-ray, I’m going to kill somebody.’ Those were my words verbatim to my manager on my last day of work at the outpatient facility – and that day I transferred to Flouroscopy.”

Wolff began working with soft tissue instead of bone, taking live X-rays with barium swallows to study the upper gastrointestinal tract. She recounts the story where the young boy was afraid to swallow the dye that would allow them to “see his insides.”

“Kids have simple logic,” she said. “If it hurts, it’s bad.

Parents can’t be reasoned with.”

Wolff ’s mother, Prudence Wolff, is in fact quite reasonable – she is convinced her daughter will succeed despite the difficulty of the classes she is taking.

“If she is committed, she will succeed,” Prudence Wolff said. “Melissa works hard if she has a goal set by herself.”

Her younger brother, Evan, on the other hand, claims to have been surprised she was even in the honors society,

Courtesy of Melissa Wolff

Meet Melissa Wolff, USA pre-med student. She’s a licensed Xray technician. Bet you don’t meet a lot of students at USA with that kind of certification, do you?

but “once she decided upon X-ray/radiology as her field, there was a sudden change in her dedication to work ... She became committed to her future and is excelling beyond my expectations of her,” he said.

Melissa sighs yet again, disconnecting the laptop’s power cable from its port and closing the lid.

“Ideally, I’d like to be a doctor in Germany,” she said. see DAY | 16

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SGA Funding Surpasses Last Year Matthew Peterson

MANAGING EDITOR mwp601@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

SGA appropriated $19,527.90 this summer, eclipsing last year’s number by more than $6,000.

SGA Treasurer Michael Baldwin said this increase can be attributed to his Baldwin leadership.

“I think my efforts last year really showed organizations the appropriations process isn’t unassailable,” Baldwin said. “They have nothing to be scared of, so they are asking [for more money].”

He also pointed out that there are “more students representing more causes active at South each year.”

SGA’s funding originates from a share of the student activity and athletic fee.

Each semester, the organization, which is made up of senators and officers elected at the end of each year, allocates this money to different student organizations with projects that qualify for the funding.

The groups funded ranged from Alpha Kappa Alpha, a social fraternity, to the Vietnamese Student Association, from the Southfit Club to the Student Council for Exceptional Children.

SGA’s only co-sponsorship went to the Society for Anime and Gaming Experience, who requested $250 for advertisement cups. Co-sponsorships are projects that don’t fall within the strict guidelines of appropriations.

The Southerner’s request of $1,911.70 for uniforms, which included a suit and polo at the cost of $140 per person, was scrutinized by the SGA for its cost per student.

The organization ended up being approved for $1,083.20.

The Southerners represent students at alumni functions and are chosen by the Alumni Association.

The Independent Music Collective (IMC) was also questioned about its request of $850 for a performance at the Blind Mule.

Some senators objected to the show being held at the downtown bar, but the organization was approved for the full amount.

Beyond appropriations and co-sponsorships, the SGA approved $2,500 for a Rape Aggression Defense System for the police, which includes simulation packets, targets, and shields to train students in defending themselves.

SGA also allocated $4,000 each for its annual retreat and the SGA College Tour, a new program in which 12 senators traveled to three colleges, University of Alabama, Auburn University, and Valdosta State University in Florida to inspect their facilities.

See the full list of appropriations on the online version.

August 16, 2010

Notes from Summer Faculty Senate Meeting As “a little perk for senators who works hard with little accolade,” the annual FS banquet is scheduled for the end of this year, In its July 21 meeting, USA’s Faculty Sen- according to Connors. The banquet will ate (FS) committees discussed changes com- likely happen at an off-campus location like ing to the University that will affect students, the Fairhope Yacht Club.

The technology utilization committee restaff and faculty alike.

The FS functions as a link between admin- ported that the University is revisiting the istrators and the faculty at USA and “serves wireless connection problem in some camas a forum for discussion of vital issues to pus buildings. Currently only 80 percent of the academic mission of the University,” ac- the campus receives the Wi-Fi signal, College of Nursing instructor Diane Keasley cording to its website. reported.

The FS is rewritSenators were asked ing its constitution, to report dead spots so looking at other unithat Computer Services The University is looking at versity constitutions could work on them, upgrading some 37 courses into as a guide for the she said. a hybrid format, which mixes draft.

The University is The major deciclassroom lecture and work with looking at upgrading sion senators face in Web-based assignments. some 37 courses into a approving a new conhybrid format, which stitution is whether mixes classroom lecture it should have more and work with Webconcrete guidelines, based assignments. allowing for little wiggle room, or guidelines Learning management systems, the hubs that are more open-ended and leave room for online coursework, are the subject of for flexibility in rulings.

Current FS Chairman Dr. Jim Connors, scrutiny for the University’s plans of enhancan assistant professor in the Earth Sciences ing USA online courses.

Administrators are also looking at installDepartment, announced he won’t apply for ing a campus-wide computer program that re-election and will only act as chair for the 2010-2011 academic year. Next year, he’ll would allow professors to upload docuhand it off to College of Nursing assistant ments, Microsoft Power Point shows and professor Tom Meyer, elected to be next other teaching tools and access them at any computer hooked up to the network, Keasley year’s chair at the July meeting.

Before Meyer was unanimously voted said.

Academic Computing is also looking at chair-elect, he addressed the senate, describing how he has been a faculty senator for six management systems to replace PAWS, she said. years and “knows the process.”

Daniela Werner

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF danielawerner87@gmail.com

News in Brief

College of Nursing Re-awarded Scholarships

pipeline of diverse nurse faculty.”

USA’s College of Nursing recently received funding to award scholarships from the Robert Wood Johnson foundation (RWJF) and the American Association of Nursing (AACN) through the RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program (NCIN).

According to a USA press release, grants provided through the NCIN will be awarded to those students “traditionally underrepresented” in the field of nursing.

As stated in the release, the program prepares “culturally competent” leaders working their way through the college’s accelerated nursing program.

During the 2010-2011 academic year, 10 scholarships in the amount of $10,000 each will be awarded to 10 students who enter the accelerated nursing program, which requires a bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 GPA. Applicants for the program must also have completed all prerequisite the courses for the nursing curriculum. A reported 397 will be chosen to receive scholarship funding this year.

The purpose of the NCIN program is to “enable schools of nursing to expand student capacity in accelerated and masters programs,” and to build a more “diverse workforce ready to serve the needs of a changing patient population.”

It was put into place around 2008 to address the nursing shortage and to “fuel the

Enrollment Looking Good for This Year Enrollment numbers for fall 2010 are moving in a “positive direction,” according to Dean David Stearns, associate vice president of Enrollment Services.

More than 14,700 students were enrolled in fall 2009, an increase of 478 from Stearns fall 2008.

As previously reported last year by The Vanguard, USA’s enrollment had grown by nearly 30 percent in the last 10 years.

The University also reportedly had a “record number” of students living on campus at 2,700.

The African American student population was at 2,543 that year.

USA President Gordon Moulton called the University’s enrollment numbers in The Vanguard’s Aug. 31, 2009 issue “gradual, reasonable, healthy growth.”

“I personally think it reflects the quality and diversity of our academic programs,” he told The Vanguard.

USA’s enrollment had reportedly grown “eight out of the last 10 years,” with an

average of 446 students per year when the enrollment increased.

Summer 2009 enrollment was down from 2008, however. As previously reported by The Vanguard, about 300 fewer students enrolled for summer classes, which was a near 4 percent decrease.

Summer enrollment is up 4.3 percent this year, though.

College of Medicine Welcomes New Professors The USA College of Medicine (COM) had added four new professors and a Family Medicine Resident Graduate.

Dr. Juan G. Ochoa was appointed an associate professor of Neurology and will be program director for the Neurology residency program director.

Ochoa received his medical degree from Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Columbia and has served for 10 years as the Electroencephalography (EEG) lab director at the Neuroscience Institute.

The COM also hired Dr. Ian Grant Malcolm as associate professor of Radiology. Malcolm earned his medical degree from Otago University Medical School in Dunedin, New Zealand.

Dr. Sidney Ball Brevard was also added as an associate professor of Surgery. Brevard was in the U.S. Air Force for 27 years and was deployed to Afghanistan twice.

Further, Dr. Robert A. Stauffer was

SGA Notebook: July 26 Daniela Werner

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF danielawerner87@gmail.com

USA’s Student Government Association last met July 26, and although it was a somewhat short meeting, the group discussed two topics involving the SGA budget.

Campus Readership Program – Senators unanimously voted to allocate $25,000 for this campus newspaper program, which provides free copies of The Mobile Press-Register, USA Today and The New York Times to students who have their USA student I.D.’s in hand.

Any newspapers students don’t pick up from the racks each day are credited back into the SGA’s fall 2010 budget so money isn’t lost on unread papers, according to President Kimberly Proctor.

Campus Involvement Dinner – SGA voted to foot more than half of the costs of

Student Center from page 1

sign and come in Campus Drive,” Willis said.

For aesthetic reasons, the big electrical switchgear that used to be in front of the Student Center has been removed, the loading dock for the bookstore will be given a cleaner look and the whole bookstore will be given a brick exterior so it matches the look of other buildings on campus, according to Willis.

The remodeling of the bookstore and traffic rerouting are the most recent phase of improvements that have been taking place over the last three or four years, Willis said.

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a leadership lecture and dinner Campus Involvement has planned for Sept. 22.

Campus Involvement oversees all on-campus student groups and Panhellenic chapters at USA. The event would be free to any USA student, but the heads of USA’s student groups would be highly encouraged to attend so they can hear the speaker talk about aspects of group leadership, recruitment, retention, professionalism, accountability and transition.

A representative from Campus Involvement said staff have been talking about making the event mandatory for every student that heads an on-campus student organization. The man slated to speak at the dinner, Jonathan Sprinkle, is a prominent collegiate lecturer who specializes in leadership training.

After a lengthy discussion, the senate finally voted to fund $3,500 of the dinner, which is slated to cost $5,050 total.

Currently there is terracing near Meisler Hall outside of the Student Center parking lot.

A few years ago, instead of terracing there was a tall wall that leaned slightly over into the parking lot (at about a 9 degree angle, according to Willis).

On the opposite side of the Student Center lot there used to be an unsightly island area filled with weeds.

During a previous project, the island was cleared of weeds and other unsightly objects and replaced with a wooden walkway and flowers. That location will be the temporary home for the JagTran stop while the Student Center is under construction, Willis said.

added to the Obstetrics and Gynecology faculty, and Dr. Silvio W. de Melo Jr. was hired as a Gastroenterology associate professor.

Alumni Couple Pledge $25,000 to Shelby Hall for Named Classroom Mike S. Jones and his wife, Kim, will have the first Computer Sciences classroom in Shelby Hall, the new Engineering and Computer Sciences building, named in honor of their $25,000 donation.

Mike Jones graduated with a Computer Sciences degree in 1995, while Kim Jones earned a Business degree from USA in 1996.

“The growth of the University in recent years has been amazing, and the construction of Shelby Hall is more evidence of the commitment this institution has to providing quality educational opportunities to its students,” Mike Jones said in a press release.

Mike Jones is the executive vice president and chief operating office of CPSI, Inc., a Mobile-based company that works with information technology for community health care providers.

“We are proud and honored that SCIS alumni Mike Jones and his wife, Kim, are our first Shelby Hall classroom sponsors,” Dr. Alec Yasinsac, dean of the School of Computer and Information Sciences, said in a press release.

USA Selling Brookley Center

Daniela Werner

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF danielawerner87@gmail.com

USA announced July 23 that it would be closing the Brookley Center and the Gulf Pines Golf Course this December.

USA has subsidized most of the Brookley facilities for public functions, but the campus has been bleeding red for too long, according to Wayne Davis, vice president of financial affairs.

USA has been losing $800,000 to $900,000 a year on the facilities, Davis said Friday.

“We can’t in good conscience go on losing money there and continue to have tuition increases,” Davis said.

The facilities at Brookley Center include Middle Bay Café and lodging services.

The University also had some education programs on the property.

The University held off on selling the property, Davis said, in case Mobile’s Air Force tanker contract came to fruition.

The property could have been sold to the company building the tankers for “a nice chunk of change,” Davis said.

When the contract was delayed, USA jumped at the chance to sell the property and accepted the Foundation’s bid, according to Davis.

The decision comes a little more than a month after the $20 million bid USA Foundation offered to purchase the property. The Foundation was the only bidder for the Brookley Center.

The group decided to make the purchase so that it could directly benefit the University by leasing parts of the property for public use, according to the group’s

Vanguard Archives

Pictured is the Brookley Center conference center, part of the complex USA announced July 23 it’s closing to public use.

managing director Maxey Roberts.

The group, which was founded to benefit the University but operates independently of it, will continue to make payments toward the purchase of Brookley Center.

Although the Foundation’s bid hasn’t been formally accepted on paper, Roberts said she expects the Foundation’s board to approve the purchase agreement when it meets Sept. 9. Then the USA Board of Trustees has to approve it, she said.

“The intent is that the University would see BROOKLEY | 16

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Construction Update Aramark Unveils New Food

Colin McGee / Photo Editor

Ashley Johnston, a senior Interdisciplinary Studies major, tries out the new food at the Market during lunch Wednesday.

Aramark, the company which runs The Market, gave students a free lunch Wednesday to allow students to get a glimpse at the new food options offered.

Colin McGee / Photo Editor

Chelsea Noles, a freshman Pre-Medical student and member of the Volleyball team, takes in her free lunch Wednesday at the Market.

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Laura Beth Calcote Etc. Editor

laurabethcalcote@gmail.com

August 16, 2010

Sick? Hit Up USA Health Center The Balance, Part I:

School and the Kids

Laura Beth Calcote

ETC. EDITOR laurabethcalcote@gmail.com

Mark Twain said, “Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.”

While WebMD can offer some insight to what is going on with your body, if you are not feeling well, the best person to offer advice is a doctor. To succeed in school, you must be healthy, and if you pay mandatory fees for health services, why wouldn’t you take advantage of them?

The $30 fee is already included in your tuition, put in place to assure quality health care for the student body.

The Student Health Center (SHC) on USA’s campus is fully equipped to help students stay on track with their health, as well as care for you if you find yourself getting sick. The SHC is located in Suite 1200 of the Research Park Building III and is staffed with physicians who are ready to combat whatever it is that ails you.

Also on staff are a sports medicine physician, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, and licensed practical nurses. All are available if you are currently enrolled at USA. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are encouraged. The staff urges you to please be on time for any appointment made.

There are two separate waiting rooms, so please let the receptionist know if you are extremely sick and should not be around those who are there for routine examinations.

Services available include general health examinations as well as testing for strep throat, urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases and vaginal infections, mononucleosis, pregnancy, diabetes, heart irregularities and influenza. X-rays are available through referral, and the following vaccinations are offered: hepatitis B, Twinrix (hep A and B), tetanus, influenza, turberculosis skin tests, allergy and measles, mumps and rubella.

Women’s health care is also offered, including routine pelvic exams, pap smears, contraception, treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, as well as pregnancy testing and counseling. Additionally, in the unfortunate event of a sexual assault, the SHC has a trained victim’s advocate on staff, to make sure that the patient is in a safe place, receives proper care and is provided counseling and help.

A very affordable insurance program is available through

Parents Can Earn Degrees and Keep their Sanity, too Haley M. Cook

CONTRIBUTING WRITER hmc702@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

mitchellcommunityhealthpartners.com

If you’re sick, visit USA’s Student Health Center and see one of the doctors on staff. They’re trained in variety of medicinal practices.

USA, and as someone who is currently enrolled in the program, I can honestly say that it’s a very good insurance to have. Prescriptions are cut down to a fraction of the cost, and as part of United Health Care, most doctors accept you as a patient.

I highly recommend this insurance program to anyone who is currently without insurance. The worst thing that could happen is if you were seriously injured or sick and without a way to pay for your care.

During the fall, spring and summer semesters, the SHC hours of operation are 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The SHC is closed on Saturday, Sunday and school holidays.

To make an appointment, call 251-460-7151.

The Wellness Report: College Life and Your Health Ashley Sutter

CONTRIBUTING WRITER ars403@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

We’re all aware of how daunting it can be to stay fit and healthy when our lives are inundated with ramen noodles, pizza and endless nights of writing papers and Facebooking.

I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to be sucked in by the vortex of bad health. You can, in fact, overcome this if you arm yourself with some very simple tools.

First thing to remember: think small. I know it’s hard to believe that the small can of red bull or the smaller cup of coffee could supply our bodies with more energy, but they do.

When your body is flooded with too much caffeine or other stimulants, it freaks out and produces a hormone called cortisol. This chemical combats these excessive amounts of stimulants by slowing our metabolism down and making us sleepy.

In keeping with the small trend, make sure you supply yourself with plenty of small snacks. Clif bars, cups of yogurt, dried fruits, a handful of almonds and bags of carrots are wonderful power foods.

Even if you ate all of the above, your calorie intake would still be low enough to allow a splurge for supper, in which case, you could feel good about your study group meeting at Mellow Mushroom for dinner.

The most important part of your day is water – it is vital in keeping our energy levels up.

The heat and humidity in Mobile can cause us to retain water at times. Water retention slows our metabolism down because it keeps our internal temperature low while making

Whether you are attending college full-time with children, part time with children, or working and going to school with children, it is a constant struggle to find the balance that you need in order to make it through each day. I am a young mother of a beautiful, charismatic 4-year-old girl, and I am attending college here at the University of South Alabama full time.

I can assure you that working toward a college diploma when you have children is not an easy thing, but I can also tell you it has been oh-so-rewarding as well. There is nothing better in my mind than having my little girl being so proud of her mommy.

So many challenges come along with being both a student and parent. One of the main problems I have had, especially because I have a younger child, is finding classes that I can actually attend.

Online classes are a plus and can help parents immensely, but some degree programs do not offer many online classes.

With day care being as pricey as it is, I have learned to take evening or weekend classes as often as I can. I try to arrange baby sitters for classes I can’t complete online or at night. So far, it has all worked out.

Another hurdle for parents is finding the time to study. I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times I have studied or read for my classes late into the night.

They say for every hour of class you attend, you should go home and study for two more. I know what you are thinking: impossible!

For me, though, late at night is the best possible time to focus on my work without having to tend to my daughter.

Mobile has some good places to take your children where they can play while you study. Places like Pete’s Party Castle located at 2040 Schillinger Road offers arcades for older children, a large play area for little ones, and free Wi-Fi for you.

Although finding “the balance” is not an easy task, it is possible. If you set your sights on something and really want to achieve it, you do not have to put your family on hold.

In my upcoming columns, I’ll discuss ideas to help you through college with your family on board. It takes someone special to make it all work and with the right mindset, you are already on the road to success.

Afraid to ask the doctor?

Ask Dr. Cannon!

E-mail your health questions and concerns to Dr. Heather Cannon at usavanguard.editor@gmail.com.

Vanguard Archives

Following these simple suggestions for healthy living can help you maintain an illness-free lifestyle that will probably keep you from seeing these guys for a while.

us seem heavier and more lethargic than we should.

My advice is to buy a reusable 20 ounce bottle. If you fill it up and drink it four times a day, you have met your recommended daily amount of water.

The active part of the equation is simple: Walk to your classes.

If you have a break in between classes, go to the intramural fields and walk a lap or two. If you need to fill your Foosackly’s craving, it is not out of the question to walk there from campus. If all you try is one of these suggestions, that is still a great start to a new school year.

Heather Cannon, M.D. is USA’s recently appointed Student Health Center Medical Director.

She received a degree in biology and biochemistry from the University of Mississippi, where she graduated summa cum laude. She earned her medical degree at the university’s College of Medicine, and completed her internship and residency training at USA, where she was named a co-chief resident.

How and When to Use Your Cell Phone Laura Beth Calcote

ETC. EDITOR laurabethcalcote@gmail.com

As someone who is a long-time fan and owner of a Blackberry, I can more than appreciate the use of a cell phone, especially one that offers instant access to all things internet.

In today’s world, it can be dangerous to be without access to help in case of an emergency, and some find it equally perilous to be unable to constantly update their Twitter status with the oh-so-exciting string of happenings that occur in their daily lives.

There is etiquette, however, that must be followed in order to use a cell phone, and if you’re one of those people that doesn’t know the code, this article is for you.

Restaurants/Coffeeshops/Diners: Nothing is more annoying than trying to enjoy your scattered, smothered, and covered hash browns while having to listen to little Miss Socialite gabbing on her cell phone in the booth behind you.

If it’s an emergency, take the call. If it’s not, save the conversation for when you are out of a public dining facility.

No one wants to eat while listening to you talk about how you’ve got to get your “hair did” for “the club” tonight so that “Mr. Right Now” thinks you can “shake what your mama gave you.”

Your grandmother’s on her death bed, and wants to say goodbye? Take the call.

Your house is on fire and your landlord needs permission to go in and save your beloved Fluffy? Take the call.

Otherwise, refrain from annoying other patrons with your meaningless conversation.

Theaters/Theatres: You know that little option on your sound menu that

www.laughingsquid.com

If you can’t follow the cell phone advice in this article, maybe you need to get a portable phone booth to go around your head, too.

says “silent”? This is the right time to select it.

Movies and plays are not cheap, and the others around you who have paid good money to see Matthew McConaughey spout useless dialogue and then remove

see CELL PHONES | 11

Where To Find Cheap Eats Around Campus A USA Student Shares his Take on Getting Grub without Sacrificing Taste or Breaking your Budget Steven L. Millhouse

CONTRIBUTING WRITER sm1003@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Refund checks! We all know that they only come around once a semester, and, most times, the majority of us do not even see one.

Without a constant distribution of cash flow from parents, how are we expected to survive?

For those of us with thin pockets and low bank account numbers, I recommend this pseudo “Poor College Student’s Guide to Dining in the Greater Mobile Area.”

Running low on Dining Dollars, or just plain-old tired of the same meals?

When Top Ramen and Kraft’s Macaroni & Cheese just aren’t cutting it anymore, “The Guide” can be used as a quick reference for affordable and edible dining.

We all know that South Alabama Dining Services is far above par, but campus dining has its limits, particularly with hours of operation.

Might I suggest Tuesday nights with Buffalo Wild Wings at 6341 Airport Boulevard? Great atmosphere, great food, and 50 cent wings on Tuesday nights will have your wallets thanking you.

Freshmen and sophomores quickly learn that the Jag 15 “all-you-care-to-eat” meal plan will definitely put 15 on

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you.

Normally, for the financially-challenged college student, I wouldn’t recommend our next pick, but, for a healthy choice, lunchtime soup and salad at Olive Garden won’t leave your debit cards steaming.

Although Quiznos is a fantastic on-campus dining option – especially considering their free on-campus delivery – no South Alabama student’s menu is complete without the following restaurant options and alternatives: Moe’s Southwest Grill and Foosackly’s Chicken Fingers.

With a hefty pallet of dining choices from the southwest, Moe’s is a must-try when low on cash or just craving a great burrito, quesadilla, or tacos. Moe’s beats Taco Bell any day.

If this were a Top 10 list rather than a helpful guide, then Foosackly’s would definitely be tops on our list.

The menu is simple. The choices are direct.

The food is fabulously filling, and with 4 locations in Mobile, Foosackly’s is never hard to find.

When you’re low on funds and your stomach is growling so loudly that your professor can hardly finish the lecture, remember these early semester helpful hints and dining options.

Nuggets of Wisdom for USA students:

1.Try to arrive early for 2. Get your work done on class. Parking is rough in the time. Professors weren’t morning until around 1 p.m. born yesterday. They know your printer didn’t really explode before class.

3. Save some money for when that tire goes flat or someone decides to pull a hit-and-run on your car when you’re out driving.

Dear Mom, My friend and I have been good friends for about two years. She’s in our circle of close friends. Last year, she started having a relationship with a young man.

Personally, none of us liked him. He seemed really fake, but we never said anything because we thought eventually she would see how immature he really is.

Later on, we find out that he’s sleeping around with other women (surprise, surprise) and making other people think he is single.

To receive This did not bother me because our friend some of Mom’s was doing the same thing. She sleeps wisdom, e-mail around and brings usavanguard. other men home.

I never told her that editor@gmail.com. she has been cheated on because she was It can’t be any doing the exact thing. I did not take worse than the the “relationship” seriously. I figured unsolicited advice it was a friend with your real mother benefits type deal.

Weeks turned into gives. months and before you know it, it is their one year anniversary and things start getting serious.

They even graduated to Facebook official relationship status.

It is the summer time and I have not been able to hang out with her that much, so I have no idea if they’re still cheating on each other or if they matured.

Am I doing the right thing in not telling her she’s being cheated on or am I being a lousy version of a friend?

What should I do?

Sincerely, Last Door To Open

see ADVICE | 11

I Just Lost The Game Will Smith

BALLER gag701@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Haha! Woooo! Here come the M.I.B.’s!

Eat your vegetables and wipe your shoes! Big Willy Style comin’ atcha, South, with the inaugural article for the “I Just Lost The Game” column!

Back in my Bel Air days, Uncle Phil didn’t have the Internet, so I had to spend my time figuring out how to rip off other people’s songs without getting in trouble.

While Carleton was dancing to Wayne Newton, I was figuring out how to turn Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish” into my “Wicky Wicky Wild Wild West” song.

Ka-Ching!

It’s a good thing that Uncle Phil didn’t have the Internet, because I love it. I used to have a problem though: it took forever to check all them websites I love. I used to toss and turn at night on my waterbed filled with hundred dollar bills, thinking “Why can’t all these great websites just come to ME? Why do I have to go to THEM?” One evening, as DJ Jazzy Jeff was delivering a pizza to my mansion, he overheard me complaining, went to my computer and showed me this great part of Google’s website, called “Reader” (http://www.google.com/reader).

After having security escort Jeff off my property, I discovered that Reader is an aggregator: you give it RSS addresses and it brings you updates from the websites.

No more wasting time going from one website to the next, seeing if there are any new updates. Now the Internet finally comes to me!

All you do is copy a website’s “RSS Feed” link (it’s usually on the homepage somewhere), click on the “Add a subscription”

see GAME | 16

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Marching Band Camp Aug. 13

Colin McGee / Photo Editor

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Advice from page 9

Dear Last Door, Well, the window for talking to your friend about your concern for her wellbeing may have already closed since you don’t hang out with her that much anymore.

Furthermore, you don’t know if she’s still being cheated on, just that she and her current boyfriend had an open sexual relationship when they started dating.

So the reality is, from my perspective, it’s none of your business.

My honest advice is to stay out of it unless you know there’s going to be a train wreck (as in, you know her boyfriend slept with someone with an incurable STD, or you know he’s still seeing others whereas she isn’t).

It’s really not a good friend vs. bad friend situation because you don’t know that there’s anything going on. T here’s too much information missing for you to be the person to initiate a discussion on your friend’s boyfriend’s fidelity.

For example, do you know if they disclosed their sexually open pasts to one another?

Do you know if she’s being faithful or if she still has the occasional grope in the bushes that line the relationship sidewalk?

The only circumstance where it would be appropriate to discuss any of this is if your friend brings it up. And, for that to happen, you need to renew the strength of your bond with your friend.

You obviously care about her, so making the effort to schedule coffee or dinner every so often shouldn’t be too hard, right?

I’m going to suggest you examine your motivation for wanting to talk to your friend about her past with her boyfriend.

Why is it such a big deal now when it wasn’t when you knew they were both rocking other casbahs?

Is it because you thought things would never last, making it a moot point to mention the whole debacle, or is it because you like this girl?

Regardless, I still say that you’re not a bad friend – sticking your nose into things without all of the facts can create more problems than it solves. Trust me.

I was in a situation with a very close friend whose boyfriend was rumored to have done something questionable that could have been taken far out of context.

Rather than running to her and blabbing everything I heard, I factgathered, and we all avoided a really big, unnecessary made-for-reality-TV scene.

A final note: Personally, Vanguard Readers, I would be more concerned about the level of protection Last Door’s friend used when she and Mr. Facebook started dating and if she’s been checked out lately. What do you all think?

Love, Mom P.S. Make sure you eat your carrots.

Cell Phones from page 9

his shirt do not want to be interrupted by your phone singing out “Did I Shave My Legs for This” just because your low-life boyfriend has finally decided to return your call.

No one in the theater cares, and frankly, you shouldn’t either.

Live theater is even worse. After weeks of rehearsal, the actors onstage are doing everything they can to remove the audience from reality and bring them into the world of the play, and nothing screams 2010 like your Droid blasting “If You Liked It, Then You Should Have Put a Ring On It.” If you liked the theater, you should have put your cell phone on silent.

While doing a Broadway show, Kevin Spacey’s performance was interrupted by the loud ringing of a cell phone. He paused, looked right at the man in the audience, and said, “Tell them we’re busy.” Enough said.

On a Date/Hanging with Friends: Would you rather be alone? Because I

Tobacco from page 1

“That’s not on the horizon right now,” Davis said. “But if you would have asked me 20 years ago if we would have done this with tobacco, I would have told you the same thing.”

Dr. Jim Connors, chair of the Faculty Senate and assistant professor of Earth Sciences, said he can see both sides of the issue.

11 can guarantee the person you are ignoring (in favor of checking the status update stream on Facebook) is thinking that they would rather not be with you.

If you are with others, don’t downgrade your time with them by continuously checking your phone. I promise that nothing of epic proportions is going to be unleashed through Twitter while you are having coffee with your mom.

Be respectful. If the Apocalypse comes, it is guaranteed you will be told, and not via Twitter.

Libraries/Doctors Offices/Class: Don’t even think about it.

Cell phones are a part of our everyday lives. If you feel the need to constantly chat, tweet, twit, Google or Facebook, do it with respect for those around you.

There’s a word for people who constantly need validation of their social status through their cell phones, but, because it is unprintable here, I’ll leave it up to your imagination.

Value the world around you as it is happening, and enjoy the company of those you’re with. You can tell the world all about it later on Facebook.

“It’s obviously a good thing when people don’t use tobacco products,” he said. “But I do hate to see any intrusion on personal liberty.”

Connors said he hasn’t heard anything negative from the faculty about the program.

A few have been curious, but most have been supportive of it, he said.

“But I haven’t heard anything from smokers, who probably feel differently,” Connors said.

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Matt Weaver Sports Editor

jmatthewweaver@aol.com

August 16, 2010

Charging the Mound

Greetings from the USA Sports Desk Matt Weaver

SPORTS EDITOR jmatthewweaver@aol.com

To the readers of The Vanguard, welcome back to South Alabama. It’s a pleasure to have you here for the fall semester and the 2010 athletic season. More importantly, welcome to The Vanguard’s toy department where we do things just a little more casual than the rest of the publication.

That’s not to say we don’t take the program seriously or that we’re not going to do our jobs.

We promise to hold USA to your standards as well as the Vanguard’s. However, this is still a sports section, and it’s intended for recreation and entertainment. We want you to have fun with this section and your teams.

A new year brings exciting changes and challenges, not only for the athletic program but for our coverage of them.

Football road games, coaching changes and the ever-evolving Sun Belt landscape headline our early fall beats. The stories are sure to change as early as next week, but our commitment to coverage is as steady as it gets.

Beyond mission statements and commitments lies a desire to listen to you, our readers. Sports’ biggest draw has always been the camaraderie. Sports bars, message boards and usavanguard.com (hint-hint) has always been the hotspot after the games have ended.

Even sports radio has seen a rebirth over the past decade, almost pulling in the popularity of television and print. More than athletes themselves, fans now drive the business.

With fans holding more power in modern sports, this section wants to be your voice.

This is your section more than anyone else’s.

To that end, we’ve opened up both Twitter and Facebook pages to keep each other on the same page all season long. On Twitter, South Alabama sports can be found @ USAVGSPORTS as well as @MattWeaverVG. On Facebook, look for the latest updates on “The Vanguard Sports Section.”

Additionally, we’re looking to have more chances for you, the fans, to have your opinion published. With that in mind, the Vanguard Sports Poll returns for 2010 and will be an extension of social networking. Just read the poll question each week and vote online via Twitter or Facebook. It’s just that easy.

Please feel free to contact any of our section writers. Their address can be found on the byline just below the headline and right above the story. I can be reached at jmatthewweaver@aol.com and would love to read any feedback and opinions, both positive and negative. Just remember that this is your newspaper and it should fill your needs above all else. Be seeing you!

Jags Looking For Repeat Performance Stephen Newhouse SPORTS REPORTER st2_new@msn.com

University of South Alabama football head coach Joey Jones and the Jaguars have entered this season’s fall camp with something new from last year – expectations.

After blazing through the competition in year one, the Jags, who have never trailed in a game, should be tested in year two.

USA will travel for the first time in program history, and the Jags should face stiffer competition as a result.

“We’re excited about playing all fouryear schools,” Jones said. “The kids realize that we’re playing a lot of Division I-AA schools and are excited about the competition, and are looking forward to this year and the challenges that lie ahead.”

“Last year was one of those years where you go out there and try to be the best you can be. We didn’t have any standards – it Colin McGee / Photo Editor was let’s get the best players we can, put them on the field and do the best that we USA football head coach Joey Jones talks to the press on Media Day. could.

“This year, we have standards and we want to raise the bar from where we were. they were as good or better than what we We didn’t want to recruit any players unless already had.”

Increased standards are the driving force

for USA this season, and keeping focus on the goals is a key to a second-consecutive winning season.

“We’re going to win ball games out here this week,” Jones said. “I told the players today that the teams who fight through nine straight days of practice when the heat index is 108 degrees are the ones who are going to come out on top in the fall.”

One of the Jags’ challenges this fall will be to see how they respond to being away from South Alabama for the first time in program history.

“We had advantages last year,” Jones said. “Like teams driving 13 hours on a bus to play us and familiar surroundings, but we are going to be on the other side of that coin in three games this year. I would guess that 60 to 65 percent of our team are guys who have been here a year or two, and they are going to get on a plane and stay in a hotel, which is going to be different for them.”

USA’s first road test will come in their third game of the season against Edward Waters (Fla.) in Dothan, Ala. The Jags’ next road trip takes them outside of Alabama see REPEAT, page 13

Football Goes Back to Work

South Alabama Begins Fall Practice then Faces Annual Media Day

Matt Weaver

SPORTS EDITOR jmatthewweaver@aol.com

The 2010 South Alabama football season unofficially opened its doors last week, hosting the annual media day festivities and lunch for media and supporters.

Media day was hosted by the athletic department and was joined by second-year players, coaching coordinators, and head coach Joey Jones. According to Jones, the theme of 2010 season is momentum and work ethic.

“We had a good season,” Jones said. “But we can’t get complacent. If anyone think that things are going to be easy this year because we were 7-0 is dead wrong. If you can’t see the difference between this year and last, you have problems.”

Changes coming in 2010 include three road games, opponents from each level of college football, and a larger roster, the latter of which has already created a stronger summer camp with every job seemingly up for grabs.

Regarding early practices in full padding, Jones said, “We’ve been marginal at best. It’s been very hot and it’s still early.”

“Is that OK?” Jones continued. “It is if we come back and work our tails off. I don’t mind bad days because it wakes our players up. I don’t want every practice to go as planned because sometimes you have to face struggles to succeed.”

The Jags have faced hardships. In two weeks of practice, USA has faced 100 degree temperatures in the afternoon and a defense that appears more game ready than the offense.

Colin McGee / Photo Editor

South Alabama assistant football coaches Greg Gregory (L) and Bill Clark (R). Gregory and Clark faced the media in the football field house on Aug. 11.

“I feel like we had a great off-season,” defensive coordinator Bill Clark said. “We’ve come back here faster and stronger and we’re really looking to build on depth now.

Coming in to 2010, the defensive backfield was considered a weakness for South Alabama. All seven games were won up front on both sides, and even Jones admitted a concern coming into the summer.

“I really feel like we’ve developed depth at cornerback,” Clark said. “We really want four guys who can cover for us in the back,

and I really believe that we’re starting to see it. Safety is still a concern for us, but we’re working on it.”

South Alabama’s defense currently stands at 13 in the backfield, including six freshmen.

Clark hopes that several of the youngsters can fill some holes before the Jags return to Ladd-Peebles Stadium in the fall.

“We have a lot of freshmen here that we’re trying to work on getting acclimated to our system,” junior cornerback Jerron see FOOTBALL, page 13

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Sports Briefs Stanky Field Begins Outfield Renovations The replacement of the outfield wall, which has been in place for years, is just one of several improvements being made to Stanky Field this offseason.

Workers began tearing down the wall on Aug. 11, marking the beginning of a process that will vastly improve the look and feel of the stadium. The construction of a new outfield fence is planned prior to fall practice, along with the installation of a warning track and new bullpens, which will now be located in foul territory down the left and right field lines.

At the conclusion of fall practice, the dugouts will be renovated, along with the installation of a decorative windscreen for the outfield fence.

The project is expected to be finished before the start of the 2011 season.

USA Soccer Opens Season With 2-0 Over Jag Alumni The University of South Alabama soccer team defeated the Jaguar alumni, 2-0, Saturday night at “The Cage.”

USA sophomore Natalie Parsons gave the Jags a 1-0 lead when she netted the game’s first goal at the 52:30 mark of the second period.

Krystin Thacker would extend the lead, 2-0, when she scored the game’s final goal in the 59th minute of play.

Melissa Drish and Julie Buechner combined to turn back 13 shots and record a shutout for the Jaguars.

South Alabama opens the 2010 season Friday, Oct. 20, when they take on Jackson State in Jackson, Miss., at 3 p.m.

Pietri Adds Hall to Women’s Basketball Staff University of South Alabama women’s basketball head coach Rick Pietri announced Friday the addition of Jessica Hall as Director of Basketball Operations.

Hall will be responsible for film exchange, team travel, assist in the monitoring academic progress of studentathletes, act as a liaison for community service events and coordinate with the LOG program – a women’s basketball support group The Tallahassee, Fla., native comes to USA after completing her Master’s in Sports Leadership and Coaching at Central Florida and finishing with a 3.75 GPA. Hall was a member of the UCF roster for the past two seasons, but was limited in playing time due to injury.

“I’m very excited about joining the University of South Alabama women’s basketball program,” Hall said. “I look forward to working with a wonderful coaching staff. I have known coach Pietri for several years and I am very thankful for the position.”

-Wire Reports

Gibbon, Defense Shines In First Fall Scrimmage Saturday morning was shaping to be an offensive event until the Jaguar defense turned it around, taking the ball away three times and netting three sacks before the end of the first fall scrimmage of the 2010 season.

Myles Gibbon was 6-of-8 passing including one 70-yard TD to junior receiver Lamontos Gardner. The touchdown was scored on a post pattern by Gardner and began an offensive onslaught that almost dominated the morning’s practice.

“Our defense came out a little flat, but we were able to pick it up as we went along,” Jaguar linebacker Charlie Higgenbotham

said. “We have a lot of new guys who are willing to step up and take someone’s place when we have an injury.

“It really was just a day to evaluate and see where we are, we need to have a good attitude and keep on improving next week.”

The day began with the first and secondteam offense starting on own its one-yard line needing a first down.

After the defense jumped offside, Kendall Houston was able to gain eight yards going to his right to move the chains, while Tyrone Williams managed to stop Ellis Hill for no gain on third-and-one to prevent a second straight first down.

After Gibbon hit Gardner, the Jaguar offense would need seven series before putting points back on the board.

Gibbon finished the day with 119 yards and two touchdowns while C.J. Bennett led all quarterbacks with 162 yards, two touchdowns while completing 6-of-8 passes.

“I think we looked pretty good. We ran a lot of different plays and had a lot of new guys in there,” Gibbon said. “There’s always room for improvement and we’ll have it before the next time out.”

The season begins on Sept. 4 when the Jags face-off against Pikesville (Ky.) at LaddPeebles Stadium.

Repeat

group of freshmen, and we’re really pushing them. We’re excited about it.”

Wide receiver Courtney Smith returns for his senior season and should once again be the feature wideout in USA’s passing game.

“I think that there’s always room to improve,” Smith said. “There are a lot of things that I don’t do well, but I work on it every day and I take the criticism from everyone so that I can improve.”

“Even though I am a senior I still listen to the younger guys because they look up to me.”

The Jags’ defense should hold up in 2010 if everyone plays to their averages.

“I thought last year could not have gone much better as a team,” defensive coordinator Bill Clark said.

“Defensively, we know we have a big challenge when we have back-to-back weeks of games. The positive is that we have a lot of guys who have been through the wars – guys who have played and are veterans for us now.”

Senior Charlie Higgenbotham is the anchor of the defense and hopes to provide several more special memories to his USA career.

“I’ve met friends for life here and guys who I’ve gone through some really tough times with,” Higgenbotham said. “We’ve grown as a team, and that bond we have is something I’ll always remember.”

If the Jags can repeat their performance from last year, it will be one that we can all remember.

from page 12

for the first time to Beaumont, Texas for a matchup with Lamar. USA finishes its road schedule the following week with a crosscountry trip to UC Davis in California.

Offense should be a strength for South Alabama this season with a wealth of experience returning.

“With everybody back and having experience, we expect to be a good football team,” offensive coordinator Greg Gregory said.

“What we’re trying to do is create as much competition at every position as possible.”

“We have a good core group of returning skill players, and we have the entire offensive line back. I think we have an exceptional

The

Vanguard Sports Poll THIS WEEK:

Are You Happy With the Current State of South Alabama Athletics?

The Vanguard Sports Section is proud to announce the return of the Vanguard Sports Poll.

Each week, reader votes will be counted and your voices heard. Just log into Twitter and follow @USVGSPORTS and @MattWeaverVG. Within seconds, the most recent poll will arrive on your feed. All that remains is submitting a reply and a brief explanation. The best comment will be published in this space in the following week’s Vanguard.

Answers will also be tallied on Facebook and by email. Just add Vanguard Sports Section to your friends list or reply to the poll via jmatthewweaver@aol.com. Special thanks to each of you who will vote in the coming semester!

-Matt Weaver, Sports Editor

Vote Now!

Football from page 12

make sure that all of our new guys are on the same page with our program and that we can learn each other as teammates.”

The upstarts will join a backfield that contains Mitchell, senior Tim Harvey, and juniors Darron Fisher and Jon Cameron.

The result should be an athletic and experienced backfield when the season begins on Sept. 4.

Quarterback is still the biggest story on the offensive side of the ball as last year’s starter Myles Gibbon is facing stiff competition from Brennan Sim, C.J. Bennett and newcomer Raymond Cotton.

Sim was out with injuries all preseason last year, missing out on starting because of it. Finally healthy, Sim appears poised to take the job back this fall. Could the Jags employ a quarterback rotation if each player performs?

“I’m not comfortable saying now because it’s just so early,” Jones said. “We’re just trying to get our guys reps right now. We have a good problem, and we’re going to figure it out and make a decision in three weeks.”

Three weeks represents Saturday, Sept. 4 and the Jags season opening game against Pikesville (Ky.) at Ladd-Peebles. The gate will open at 10 a.m. with kickoff set for 4 p.m.

“We’re not a Division I football program yet,” Jones said. “We’re getting there, taking great strides, but we’re not at the same level of the teams we’re going to face next year.

But we’re going to be. If we keep preaching Division-I character, that is something we can obtain and we can believe in.”

Opinion

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Adam D. Mayo Opinion Editor vanguardopinion@live.com

August 16, 2010

USA Ignores Our Work Is for You, USA Constitution T O U R

he new school year is upon us, and at The Vanguard we are committed to serving you, the student body, to the best of our

ability.

USA is a growing school, and it’s a rapidly changing one.

Every week brings a new dynamic or challenge to covering USA events and people, whether on the campus or off.

A year ago, we crossed our fingers as we watched USA’s inaugural football team grow into a tight unit that went undefeated in its first year on the field.

Also, like this year, tuition had been hiked that summer to make up for shortages in state appropriations, and students were feeling the crunch of a more expensive tuition bill.

This year, new buildings are shooting up all over campus, and administrators are enhancing curricula so students can learn with Web-based assignments and classroom lectures.

Like the University, The Vanguard has also seen some significant internal changes this year, especially with our operating budget.

As you may notice, our newspaper will be a little smaller than last year, but we are looking at it as an opportunity to further filter the content we publish so that we are only putting forth the best for our readers.

In our news section, we’ll continue to monitor

Tilting at Windmills

By Matthew Peterson

mwp601@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Saturday Exams Unnecessary

If you don’t know already, now you do: We won’t be having any break between classes and exams this fall, and some MondayWednesday-Friday classes will have to take exams on Saturday.

To make such a dramatic and inconvenient change, you’d think the administration has an air-tight reason, especially considering neither faculty nor students were consulted about it beforehand.

But they didn’t have a good reason.

Dr. David Johnson, vice president for Academic Affairs, and his staff insist the new schedule was unavoidable because of two other changes: a twoday fall break being added in early October (4-5) and starting school a week later.

This means essentially adding a week and a half to the end of the fall semester, which makes it a lot tougher for those in Academic Affairs to send out diplomas and certify graduations by the “deadlines” in early January.

Johnson wanted to minimize the difficulty by compressing the end of the schedule through putting an exam on Saturday and giving students no “dead days” to study.

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Here’s to a great year at USA.

This seems reasonable, and I don’t deny that if we start school a week later and add a fall break, there’s no way to work out a schedule without the Saturday exams and no dead days.

But what if we didn’t move the schedule back a week?

In the July 12 SGA meeting, Johnson said if students don’t want to have exams on Saturday, they can just give up their fall break, the two days off in October.

Clearly, though, the week-late start, which is five school days, makes more of an impact on the calendar than fall break, which is two, and the calendar could have accommodated the two-day break without having to resort to Saturday exams and no dead days.

Essentially, the week-late start is to fault for the changes, not fall break.

Johnson made two main arguments for the week-late start: One, it would save about $50,000 per year in utilities, and, two, it would avoid the “oppressive heat of August.”

But neither of these justify the inconvenience inflicted upon students and faculty by having exams on Saturday and having no break time to prepare for exams.

As far as $50,000 in savings, Johnson himself admitted this was not much in the grand scheme of USA’s budget, which runs in the hundreds of millions.

He did equate $50,000 with a faculty member’s pay, though, saying it could save someone’s job.

However, when I asked Johnson about a year ago about switching to a four-day-per-week schedule to save money, he blew it off.

He said the change would be mostly “symbolic” and there wouldn’t be “substantial” savings. see CALENDAR | 18

Adam D. Mayo

The debate regarding our Framers’ intent when composing the 2nd Amendment seems endless.

Our right to “keep and bear arms” has yet to be completely denied but continues to be infringed upon and eroded.

The dilution of the right to carry and possess firearms has been achieved through regulation, permit requirements, and an ever increasing list of areas and venues that firearms are not permitted.

It is the latter of these that is most

concerning.

It is difficult (not impossible) to argue that permitting a handgun is a bad idea.

Once a citizen is properly permitted and meets all other legal requirements to possess a firearm, the locations and venues that do not permit them to be carried should be miniscule to nonexistent.

USA’s campus is one of those areas that does not permit lawful firearms to be carried by lawful citizens exercising that constitutional right. The University’s policy regarding firearms can be found on page 137 of The Lowdown.

The policy is concise and clear: only police officers may carry firearms on campus.

The policy bears negatively upon the students, faculty, and staff of the University in two ways: it strips them of their ability to protect themselves and their property, and it denies them the constitutional right to do the same.

To evaluate the Framers’ intent when they recognized this right formally by including it in our constitution as the second priority on their agenda, one needs to look no further than the idea of individual responsibility in America.

There should be no doubt as to the effectiveness of USAPD Chief Normand Gamache and his officers in providing for our safety on campus, but no matter how good any police force is, it cannot be everywhere at all times.

Being in possession of a firearm allows a citizen to exercise their individual obligation to take responsibility for their own personal security.

The ability to exercise the right to carry a firearm on campus may resonate with those who find themselves on campus after dark.

The University offers many evening classes, some lasting until 10 p.m. While most parking areas are lighted, they are often deserted.

A deserted, dark parking lot combined with the fact that firearms are not permitted on campus places those who are on campus after dark in a vulnerable position to an attack – likely by a perpetrator in possession of a firearm illegally.

In a recent telephone conversation on the subject with Gamache, he expressed his opinion very clearly: He is not in favor of any change to the current policy.

The chief ’s concern is the lack of training and proficiency among many in high-stress situations involving life-or-death and firearms.

He also said that a firearm could be taken from an inexperienced individual and used against them.

His concerns are valid and based on many years of experience as a police officer.

While it is unfortunate that many who carry a gun are inexperienced and immature, the fact remains that they enjoy the same right as any legally qualified individual.

To improve the policy regarding firearms on campus, the University could implement a system similar to that of many states: require registration and permitting.

This would give the University knowledge of who has firearms on campus, and will afford it the ability to

see FIREARMS | 18

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August 16, 2010

POINT COUNTERPOINT The

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Should Employees be Charged Higher Premiums for Tobacco Use? What’s After Tobacco?

To begin, I would like to say but will it indeed stop with smokers? that I do not smoke nor chew I believe this policy creates a sliptobacco. I’ve done both before pery slope. Even though it has been and found them disgusting. said that these penalties will not be How anyone takes pleasure in expanded to such problems as obesity, filling their lungs with cigarette Wayne Davis, chair of the fringe smoke or indulging in the art benefits committee, made the assertion of “dipping,” I’ll never know. that he would’ve said the same thing But, I fully support their about smoking twenty-years ago. right to do so. Currently in So what’s to stop the University the United States of America, from penalizing faculty and staff Dean basking in the “high” of tomembers who overeat or get smashed bacco is not against the law: if Harrison on a regular it feels good, go for it. We have basis in the a constitutional right to put whatever we privacy of their please in our bodies. So who am I to stop own home? Both anyone? activities are a With that being said, I take issue with costly risk to their the policy going into effect Jan. 1, 2011 health. that will raise health insurance premiums How is it fair for all faculty and staff members who use for skinny people tobacco for recreational purposes. These or non-drinkers to hard workers should not be penalized just pay for those who because they partake in an activity they engage in such find pleasurable, and happens to be legal. vices? The answer: It has been reported that premiums will It isn’t. go up $25 per month for those who don’t This impending sign a form stating that they have not used policy starts a bad tobacco products within six months. And precedent. If the although it’s all on an honor system, there University feels will be penalties if someone is found to it has a right to penalize employees just have lied on the form. because they use tobacco, then it stands to Seriously? I don’t like to throw around reason that somewhere down the road they the word “fascism,” but this policy reeks will seek to penalize other costly vices. of it.

Again, I’m not condoning self-destrucThe rationale behind this decision is that tive behavior such as using tobacco. I’m tobacco users create more health care costs simply saying it isn’t right for the University than non-smokers, that it isn’t fair to nonto step in and regulate the personal behavsmokers who often have to share the extra ior of its employees. costs with the tobacco users who create the additional costs. True, maybe it isn’t fair,

Non-users Shouldn’t Foot User Hospital Bills On Jan. 1, 2011, South health complications, they should Alabama’s new smoking cessation have no problem paying the extra policy goes into effect. The policy $25 per month. will raise health premiums $25 The situation is similar to per month for any employees that paying for car insurance. People are regular tobacco users. below the age of 25 generally have A policy of that nature has a higher premium than those over been needed for some time now.

25.

Health care costs can be reduced Having experience behind the drastically simply by not using wheel has made you less likely to tobacco, and policies like the cause a traffic accident, so you are Cameron rewarded with a lower bill. newly introduced one at South could Much the same, non-smokers Adkins be good show that they are responsible in motivation for their health by not smoking, so they should current tobacco be rewarded with a lower bill. users to quit.

Aside from removing some of the In Alabama, financial burden from the back of the non22.1 percent of smokers, the policy is also good incentive adults (783,000 for current smokers to quit. The new people) are premium will equate to spending an extra smokers, and $300 per year simply for being a smoker. smoking-related There are plenty of other things that diseases result money could be used for than extra in $96 billion insurance due to subjecting yourself to in health care bodily harm. costs each year, Even more money would be saved than according to the the $300 premium if a smoker under the new premium were to quit. Not buying www..healthhype.com Centers for Disease Control and that pack of cigarettes for a price of Prevention. around $6 every day would save over There is no reason for non-smokers $2,000 every year (and you could take that to be forced to help foot a bill of that nice vacation you’ve been dreaming of for magnitude when the problem was selfyears). inflicted. Smokers knowingly put their If you don’t feel that smokers should health at risk every time they light up, and suffer for their lack of judgment, just keep every pack of cigarettes has the surgeon an eye on that health insurance bill. general’s warning on it to remind the user.

When it continues to rise and your Since smokers are aware that they are health situation hasn’t changed, remember putting themselves in a position for serious where your hard-earned money is going:

Student View

Should USA Students be Allowed to Legally Carry Firearms on Campus?

No, that’s dangerous.

No, school campuses are supposed to be safe zones.

Weirdos could just begin shooting Candace Thompson Business Freshman

Christian Smith Public Administration Graduate Student

Jasmine Brown Nursing Junior

It’s a toss-up. It could be good or bad: Someone could take out a bad guy, or someone could go crazy.

No, I don’t know anyone here.

Bsmah Alabduljabbar Business Freshman

No, because we’d have a crusader around here.

Jacob Gilbert Biology Junior

No, people might be educated, but that doesn’t mean they make educated decisions.

Sarah Avery Occupational Therapy Senior

16 Day

from page 3

“I want to visit my birthplace and see my extended family. But I couldn’t use my German minor with a doctor’s job unless I deferred for a year between getting my bachelor’s.”

She frowns and rises to zip her backpack.

“But I guess for now I’m just going to keep tutoring orphans.”

Melissa grits her teeth and swallows the bitter grape Kool-Aid with a forced smile.

“See? I’m OK.” Hesitantly, the child drinks the small amount of liquid in the cup clenched in his white-knuckled hand. His eyes suspiciously the still-standing radiologist and waits for a moment before deciding he will not, in fact, die. Carefully he swings his legs onto the table and allows the X-ray to begin as Melissa exhales for the hundredth time. One down, 16 to go.

Brookley from page 5

have a five-year period of use,” she said, adding that it would be USA’s decision to do what it wills with the property for that time.

The sale is closing some freestanding houses on the property that has been rented to the public, as well as 75 duplexes holding 150 apartments.

USA is working with Mobile Housing Board to find places to live for the renters, who are being required to move out by Nov. 30, Davis said. USA has been renting out housing at Brookley Center since 1950, according to him.

The University is going to continue renting some office space to commercial tenants, which will bring in revenues of about $400,000 a year, according to Davis.

The

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Game

from page 9

button in Reader, paste the RSS Feed link and let the Internet do all the work. It even works on the Wii Internet channel, so I can take a break from kicking butt at Excitebike to check my websites; then BAM – it’s back to going off fly jumps and getting them honeys.

While I’m on the subject of Google, another part of their website is “Books” (http://www.google.com/books).

If there’s one thing I hate about going to the library, it’s having to deal with the public. Guys want to be all “Yo Dawg, what up!” and the ladies just be THROWIN’ they panties at me.

Google Books help me out here by bringing the library to me. Don’t get me wrong, Books could be a lot better: a large portion of the content in Books is “limited preview”, meaning you can’t just read the whole thing right there. But Books do let me catch up on magazine issues, like Jet, Ebony and my favorite, Pratiyogita Darpan.

My absolute favorite website at the moment is Akinator, the web genius. Akinator (http://us.akinator.com) is a 20-questions game where you think of someone (real or not, living or dead) and the Akinator guesses. Correctly. Every damn time. Go ahead, try to fool the Akinator. I’ll wait. ...Who’d you try to fool the Akinator with? Murtaugh? The Loch Ness Monster?

Ronald McDonald? Me? Mr T? Gulliver?

Hulk Hogan?

It didn’t work, did it? The Akinator didn’t even need all 20 questions, did it?

Well, that’s all the space I have for this article. Until next time, this is the Fresh Prince saying, “Keep It Real.”

August 16, 2010

August 16, 2010

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Calendar

Firearms

That move would save about $100,000, according to conservative calculations

by Chris Willis, director of Facilities Management. In other words, it would result in twice the money saved as moving the schedule back a week will, and the administration dismissed it out of hand.

A four-day schedule, too, would actually be more convenient -- students, faculty, and staff would have to drive to school one fewer day.

So if $100,000 in savings isn’t even enough to consider changing to a fourday schedule, which actually has benefits, then why would half that much be a defensible reason to make a change that will actually hurt students and faculty?

Of course, starting a week later also avoids the “oppressive heat” of August.

Johnson makes it sound like we are switching a week of hot August for a week of cool December, but, to accommodate winter break, spring semester has also been moved back a week, which means we change a week of cool January for a week of hot May. While we may get a cooler week in fall, we get a hotter week in spring. It honestly doesn’t make much difference -- last year, the week of Aug. 16 (the week we’re avoiding) had an average temperature of 88 degrees, while the week of May 6 (the week we’re adding) had an average temperature of 84 degrees.

Essentially, the reasons for the weeklate start cannot justify the inconvenience inflicted by the change -- the savings are minimal, and the difference in weather is negligible.

conduct criminal background checks on individuals who wish to carry on campus.

Further, the University could use the process to generate additional revenue by requiring a fee to get the permit.

The additional funds could be put toward hiring more police officers, implementing more crime prevention programs, or a university sanctioned firearms proficiency and familiarization class.

Whatever the future may hold for the university’s firearms policy, it should include a process that safely and efficiently permits any lawful citizen to exercise their divine right to “keep and bear arms”.

from page 14

from page 14

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August 16, 2010

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August 16, 2010

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