Vanguard The
Serving USA Since 1965
August 23, 2010
VOLUME 48, NUMBER 4
Freshmen Hit JagFest
New Dining Hall Delayed Matthew Peterson
MANAGING EDITOR mwp601@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
The new student Dining Hall, which was originally scheduled to be completed in June, is now expected to open in early October. In the meantime, those who live in oncampus housing, who were required to pay for meal plans this semester and will still have to pay for it, will be accommodated in the Student Center Market. ARAMARK, the company that provides food service to USA, has tried its best to make the experience in the Market as similar to the new dining hall as possible, though the equipment in the Market cannot accommodate some of the new things planned for that facility, according to Adam Neville, food service director. Until the new facility opens, the Market will be “all-you-care-to-eat” and will feature new or updated food stations, Neville said. Overflow seating will be offered in the Student Center ballroom and the Terrace. Colin McGee / Photo Editor
Freshmen got a feel for USA campus life this past Saturday with Jagfest, USA’s annual welcoming events for new students. Above, students and family members dine on the President’s Buffet Dinner.
JagTran Routes Redrawn
Daniela Werner
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF danielawerner87@gmail.com
Editor’s note: To see the new JagTran routes map, turn to page 10. JagTran routes have been redrawn for the 2010-2011 academic year. University transportation staff cite student safety and convenience for students as the reasons for why they drew up only three routes for USA’s main campus. Two JagTran routes have been removed from last year’s route map, and transportation staff have reworked the remaining three to encompass the entirety of the main campus. When planning the new routes, transportation staff made student safety the primary objective, according to Transportation Superintendent Charles Montgomery. Second was customer service and accommodating students’ on-
Inside
Police Blotter p. 2
Correction:
Last week’s SGA Notebook article reported that the Student Government Association allocated $3,500 to help pay for the food and guest speaker for Campus Involvement’s upcoming leadership training event for students. The $3,500 is only for the speaker costs, not the food.
campus transportation needs, he said. “One of the contributing factors in changing things was to better serve the dormitories and The Grove and get [those students] to the center of campus,” he said. Because there are only three routes this year – blue, green and red, which all run from 7:10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. – the number of JagTrans driving one particular route on any given day is flexible, according to Montgomery. “We’re trying to grow, give better service and run for more hours,” he said. “These new routes will allow us to adjust positions.” If one route sees less student traffic on a certain day, more JagTrans can be dispatched to help fill other routes experiencing heavier student ridership, he said. “We will closely monitor ridership to
see JAGTRAN | 10
Arts & Entertainment p. 6
Welcome To Mobile’s Indie Movie Theater See Arts & Entertainment., p. 6
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The hours also have been extended to 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. All of these times will be continuous dining. SGA President Kim Proctor said ARAMARK has “gone out of their way” to make the best of the problem, though she concedes that it’s a “horrible situation, and no one is happy about it.” “The food is more high quality,” Proctor said, “and [Neville] is making sure all the negative things are addressed. If you find a problem with the services, please come either to [the SGA] or Dining Services.” Chris Willis, director of Facilities Management, blamed the delay of the new facility on a combination of bad weather and problems with sub-contractors. “No one is more disappointed about [the delay] than I am,” Willis said. “We got some bad luck with the weather and the performance of sub-contractors ... We’re putting all we can into it, though.”
Security Beefed Up in New Rec Center Cameron Adkins
ASSOCIATE EDITOR cja501@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
Theft should be lower at the new Student Recreation Center than the old one because of an increase in security precautions, according to USA Chief of Police Normand Gamache. “I think that security aspect of it is going to be a deterrent of crime, and it’s going to help us with investigations,” Gamache said. One of the biggest elements that has been improved from the old rec center is a larger volume of video surveillance at the new building. “There are, I want to say, 25 cameras total, both covering the perimeter and the interior,” Gamache said. The increase in the number of cameras should make it easier for the USAPD to conduct investigations and possibly apprehend any thieves. “Once I’ve got your picture on the video I can give your picture to the staff and say, ‘If this guy comes in you need to call the police or deny him access,’” Gamache said. Gamache has also suggested the installaSports p. 11
Opinion p. 14
The Vanguard Chats With The Coaches See Sports, p. 11
Colin McGee / Photo Editor
When you hit USA’s new Student Recreation Center to stave off the Freshman 15, the staff will be watching you (with new security cameras).
tion of a screen at the front desk so people can see that they are being watched when they come in. “When you walk in that building, you know people can watch what you’re dosee CAMERAS | 10
Distractions p. 18
Are Dorm Rules Too Harsh? See Opinion, p. 15