If it matters to you, it matters to us.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA
Vanguard THE
MONDAY FEB 27 2017 VOL 59 ISS 21
w w w.t he vang uardus a.com
Holi festival returns to campus in March
Study abroad is an option for all students
Trump rescinds some trans rights
Holi is a Hindu tradition that marks the dawning of the spring season.
The office of international education encourages more students to study abroad.
President Trump changes the gender bathroom policy in Title IX.
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USA joins fight for funding By shannon lundgren | reporter
More than 210 South Alabama students, faculty and staff traveled to Montgomery last Thursday to participate in Higher Education Day, according to SGA Attorney General JuWan Robinson. Higher Education Day is rally that advocates on behalf of government funding for four-year public universities that takes place annually in Montgomery. Robinson lead the SGA transportation effort of students to the rally. “This is the largest turn-out we’ve had in years,” Robinson said. “Thank you to the people who came and the faculty and staff who support us.” Robinson said that SGA efforts to convince student organizations to participate in Higher Education Day More than 250 students attended Higher Education Day last Thursday. Photo by Shannon Lundgern
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This week’s SGA update By shannon lundgren | reporter
Two college of allied health senators, Collin Miller (front) and Tyler White (back). Photo by Shannon Lundgren
SGA voted to pass their spring 2017 budget, passed one act, discussed three new bills and approved three new members in their Feb. 20 meeting. The total spring 2017 budget for SGA is $256,800. This money will be used to fund student organizations, upcoming events, senate projects and SGA stipends. The act that passed, A-012, is a part of the college of engineering senate project to install charging stations
in Shelby Hall. One freestanding charging station and four wallmounted charging stations will be purchased and installed. The total cost of A-012 is $3,795. The first bill that was brought up for discussion, R-007, seeks to move the position of First-Year Council Director from the senate committee to the president’s cabinet. This would divide one position into two positions. FYC Director and College of Arts and Sciences Senator Shaun Holloway Continued on page 3
USA pitcher Devin Brown recorded her sixth win for the Jaguars last week. Photo by Jake Cannon
Softball takes the invitational By ryann guy | sports reporter
The USA softball team shut out every team at The South Alabama Invitational this weekend advancing its record to 13-1. USA vs Tennessee Tech (2-0) South Alabama pitcher Devin Brown threw a no-hitter, striking out 15 batters, and giving the Jags the first shutout of the weekend Friday evening. Brown’s record is now 5-1, pitching the only loss of the season for South in Tuscaloosa against The University of Alabama. The Jags first scored in the second inning when Savanna Mayo doubled, giving the chance for Haleigh Lane to Continued on page 7
Managing Editor | Marissa Mason smm1421@jagmail.southalabama.edu Monday, Feb. 27, 2017
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Vanguard THE
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Alanna Whitaker Marissa Mason Micaela Walley Joel Goode Morgan Parton Jake Cannon
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Higher education continued
NEWS
Continued from page 1
in the last two years and widespread faculty support contributed to this year’s success. “I was amazed by how much you can actually achieve when different groups work together and I think yesterday [Higher Education Day] was a prime example of that,” Robinson said. The Higher Education Partnership, the advocacy organization that coordinates Higher Education Day, stated that a decline in state funding increased the tuition burden on students and their families. “Alabama’s tuition and fees equal 18.5 percent of the median household income, whereas the average in the southeast is 12 percent. Without competitive state funding, this trend will discourage enrollment,” according to the Higher Education Partnership. Many lawmakers spoke at Higher Education Day, including Gov. Robert Bentley and Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey. While all of the lawmakers who spoke at Higher Education Day agreed that funding four-year universities is important, none explicitly committed to do so. The only student to speak at the rally was USA’s SGA President Joshua Crownover. Crownover spoke about service projects students can contribute to their communities. “These experiences don’t only benefit these communities, they benefit you.” Crownover said in his speech. “We’re not here to get a job, but here to have a job to give back to the communities and a society that has invested in us so much.” After the rally, USA students had the opportunity to eat lunch in the RSA Tower with lawmakers from the Mobile and Baldwin County areas, where students addressed legislators individually. At the lunch, USA sophomore De’Siona Girder said, “If it wasn’t for higher education, I wouldn’t be standing here with y’all, with an associate’s degree under my belt before the age of 18.” Additionally, four students from USA presented their research to legislators, according to Dr. John “Jack” Shelley-Tremblay, director of the office of undergraduate research. The following students presented
Pawla and South Paw attended Higher Education Day in Montgomery, Alabama. Photo by Shannon Lundgren
research, according to ShelleyTremblay: Elizabeth Bemis, Department of Music; Cameron Graham, Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literature; Omar Mulla, Department of Exercise Science; Ayla Oden, Department of English. The students conducted their research as part of the 2016 Summer
Undergraduate Research Fellowship, according to Shelley-Tremblay. Whether or not this investment in time, effort and money will pay off in dividends for governmental funding for four-year institutions remains to be seen. According to their spring 2017 budget, SGA has allocated $2,600 to participating in Higher Education Day.
NEWS
USA’s weekly SGA update continued
Continued from page 1
said that the reason for this is because the duties of both FYC director and senator are very demanding and the position should be split so that neither role is neglected. According to Holloway, FYC is an active 28-person committee, which the FYC director must attend. Since the FYC director is also a senator, he is required to fulfill the duties of a senator. Senators must complete 20 hours per semester of office hours, which includes serving on an additional committee. Appropriations Chair and College of Computing Senator Ryan Creel agreed that the position of some committee chairs are intensive and that the appropriations committee should also consider becoming a part of the president’s cabinet. The appropriations committee processes requests for funding from student organizations. Removing the appropriations chair position from the senate and placing it in the president’s cabinet would enable them to spend more time on customer service to the many student organizations applying for funding. Creel stated that due to the volume of student requests and the number of applicants who require assistance filling out their applications, the appropriations chair spends a lot of time on this task. SGA Vice President Darshan Patel later commented that R-007 is misclassified as a resolution and will be updated to become an act. The next two acts that were discussed, A-013 and A-014, are part of the college of allied health’s senate projects. A-013 requests funding up to $392 for the Bioethics Club Regional Bowl. The Bioethics Club has fundraised approximately $1,200 for this cause and secured food donations, according to Bioethics Club President and SGA Comptroller Kevin Aria. According to College of Allied Health Collin Miller, if the regional compaction goes well, USA will be in strong running to host the National Bioethics Bowl. That would be a big boon for South and make USA’s Bioethics Club a nationally recognized bioethics team, according to Miller. According to Creel, “The Bioethics
Managing Editor | Marissa Mason smm1421@jagmail.southalabama.edu Monday, Feb. 27, 2017
Club is too new to apply for cosponsorship and since this is a really time sensitive opportunity that could put them in a great position, it was a great idea for them to come forward.” The second bill that was discussed, A-014, seeks to purchase 50 practice Medical College Admission Tests for pre-medical students. The college of allied health senators hope this increase the admission rates of USA students to medical schools. The bill will cost $1,000. According to Elizabeth Hernandez, college of allied health senator and senator pro-tem, the price of these practice tests is so low because premedicine advisor Dr. Cindy Stanfield has agreed to contribute to the purchase of the practice tests with her personal funds. The tests are not reusable, and several methods of test distribution are being discussed. The test are computer-based and students will have immediate feedback on their performance. “This is huge,” College of Medicine Senator William Nicolson said. “It’s not so much learning the information as learning the test and practicing over and over and over again. This will go a long way for a lot of people.” These bills will be discussed again at a future meeting. Additionally, three new SGA members were sworn in. Ashleigh (Kaysie) Moore was sworn in as a new college of engineering senator. Rashonda Riley was sworn in as director of Greek relations and Amaris Samuel was sworn in as assistant director the National Pan-Hellenic Council, which is an organization made up of nine different historically African-American fraternities and sororities. Several announcements were made during the meeting: Treasurer Marcus Williams announced that the first wave of appropriations have been approved and that he has created a video tutorial on how to fill out appropriations requests. President Joshua Crownover announced that the Mega-Musical Chairs event has been rescheduled to the evening of April 7. The sponsors of Mega-Musical Chairs, Alpha Epsilon Delta, are currently investigating the possibility of attempting to set a world record by hosting the largest game of MegaMusical Chairs at night, according to Crownover. They are also considering entering a competition to get NBC’s
Today weather anchor, Al Roker, to participate. AED President Ally Heng was not available for comment at the time of publication. SGA elections will be held the first week of April. Crownover suggested that anyone considering running for office next semester should reach out to the person who is currently in the position they are thinking about running for. Kinsley Knapp announced that the next president’s round table will be held in March. More details will
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be announced at a later date. Any interested students will be welcome to attend. Creel announced that the first 10 appropriations requests and one co-sponsorship request have been approved. He emphasized that only complete applications will be considered. SGA’s next meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom on March 6. The public is welcome to attend.
USA Crime Report
251-460-6312 02-16-2017
02-22-2017
Harassment
Illegal Possession Credit/Debit Card, Illegal Possession Stolen Property
Location Undisclosed A victim reported being harassed by a known male subject. 02-18-2017
Harassment
307 N University Blvd A student reported that a Jag Card, letterman-style jacket, and other items were stolen from a vehicle at the listed location. The student reported that the Jag Card was used.
Student Center Two students reported that they were being harassed.
02-23-2017
02-19-2017
SHAC – 1504 Springhill Ave Unknown person entered a vacated clinic space on the fifth floor and inflicted minor damage.
Unoccupied Vehicle Struck New Hall 251 Delta Loop An unknown subject hit two parked vehicles and left the scene, causing approximately $5,000 in damages. 02-21-2017
Concealed Weapon Without Permit, Possession of Marijuana Delta 4, 210 Greek Row Suspect was carrying a black Glock 19 (Gen4) with 18 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Suspect also had plastic baggies containing marijuana and white pills that may have been Xanax. 02-23-2017
Harassment Kappa Delta 310 Greek Row A student reported that she has a complaint of harassment.
Damage to Public Property
02-23-2017
Found Article – Marijuana Recreation Center A plastic baggie containing plastic wrap and paper towel with an undetermined amount of possible marijuana seeds. 02-23-2017
Unoccupied Vehicle Struck University Commons An Unknown person and vehicle struck the unoccupied vehicle and left the scene without providing contact information.
LIFE
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More students should consider study abroad By richard narramore | Reporter
International education is something many students do not consider, according to Holly Hudson, director of international education at USA. Only 1.5 percent of USA’s students participate in study abroad programs. For a comparison, consider University of Alabama--3.5 percent of UA’s students participate in study abroad. Surprisingly, this a good number, according to Hudson. “I feel like it is more important than ever to build relationships across borders, and going and studying abroad is a great way to prepare future generations of students to be leaders,” Hudson said . “Leaders who want to promote peace and understanding.” Hudson said that the Office of International Education (OIE) is hoping to persuade more students to take an interest in study abroad programs. USA sent 50 to 60 students on study abroad and had one facultyled program before Hudson became director of international education.
USA now sends around 250 students on study abroad and has 11-12 faculty led programs. Facultyled programs are study abroad classes curated by a professor here at USA. USA has a $100,000 annual scholarship fund in place for study abroad students. This is renewed every year and allows the OIE to help students at USA who want to participate in study abroad. This money can go towards paying for a flight and other costs of travel. Students can also apply for outside scholarships that help cover study abroad expenditures. This can include scholarships specific towards first-generation students or LGBT students. “I think there is a perception that it is not available to everybody, or that you have to be particularly well of to do it, and so one of our jobs as international educators is to remove those barriers,” Hudson said. All study abroad programs at USA are in-state tuition, even for students who would normally pay out-of-state tuition.
The office of international education is located inside Meisler Hall on USA’s campus. Photo by Jake Cannon
Many students hold the belief they study abroad is for language courses only however, most of the study abroad programs at USA are not language programs. For instance, students can study hospitality in France or life science in Costa Rica. “Everything that you look at and read about in your textbook you get to see in person in the jungle in Costa Rica,” Hudson said. She added that study abroad courses count toward your degree. USA also offers 11 exchange program positions. In an exchange program, a student will enroll at USA and pay tuition here, but will swap places with another student who has enrolled at one of USA’s partner universities. This includes places such as Australia, France, Germany, and a few others. Hudson added that USA was getting ready to send four engineering students to Karlsruhe, Germany for a new program. The OIE also helps students find third-party study abroad programs. “We can’t offer every course in every
country, but there are programs we vet and make sure they have a good reputation,” Hudson said. The OIE offers more than 800 different options for students. Students can take a wide range of course almost anywhere. History in Krakow, Poland or philosophy in Salzburg, Austria are two examples. The OIE holds an orientation to help prepare students for travel. They cover how to stay safe, rules and regulations students must follow, and how to pack efficiently. The OIE still offers orientation for students who use third party providers. Once a student has completed study abroad, they can apply to the OIE’s internship program. Interns work in the office, give classroom speeches regarding study abroad and help with study abroad fairs. “They know how to communicate to their peers and reach out,” said Hudson. Students interested in study abroad are encouraged to stop by OIE, located in Meisler Hall 2300. They take walkins and advise students on finding the best program.
LIFE
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Holi to return to USA By krisha amin | Reporter
Holi is scheduled to return to the University of South Alabama for its third year on Saturday, March 25. The annual celebration is organized on campus by the Indian Student Association. Known as the festival of colors, Holi is a Hindu tradition that marks the dawning of the spring season and its resplendent colors and vitality. It celebrates the triumph of good over evil, new beginnings, and optimism for the future. While vibrant colors are thrown in reference to a symbolic legend, Holi also personifies the hope and love that accompany the spring season, a time to start anew. “We want people to be open minded, especially in today’s society, and understand that there are differences in culture,” Veena Danthuluri, ISA president, said. “It is hard for many students to blend into society given their diverse backgrounds.” In essence, Holi is an event that centers around the liberal ideology
of acceptance, devoid of defamation with respect to sex, monetary status, gender, age, religion, social circumstance and much more. All of the preconceptions, stereotypes, burdens and negative feelings that seek to define our society are tossed away in the form of colored powder. The ultimate takeaway message for Holi 2017 is, “Let’s connect cultures through colors.” “We want everyone to feel welcome and to understand that culture can be shared with anyone,” Danthuluri said. ISA will perform a special dance or the crowd. The rave-like celebration will be held on Saturday, March 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Student Center Amphitheater. Admission is free and all students are welcome to attend. Non-toxic, skin friendly, and safe colors powders will be used. Food of different cuisines and ice cream will be available to purchase. By the end of the day, everyone will be a canvas of colors.
USA’s Indian Student Association will be hosting Holi Color Festival in March.
Dr. Katie Malozzi recently was appointed as a full-time staff physician for the University of South Alabama Student Health Center. Prior to her appointment to USA, Dr. Malozzi was a family medicine staff physician at Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Biloxi, Miss. Dr. Malozzi previously served as a family medicine staff physician and United States Navy Senior Medical Officer at Naval Health Branch Clinic Gulfport in Gulfport, Miss. She earned her doctor of osteopathic medicine degree at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia and completed a family medicine internship and residency at Naval Hospital Pensacola in Pensacola, Fla., where she served as chief resident. Dr. Malozzi is board-certified in family medicine. To make an appointment, call
(251) 460-7151.
Dr. Katie Malozzi
The USA Student Health Center is located at 5870 Alumni Drive on USA’s main campus. Student Health Services are available during each semester to all students actively enrolled in the University. In addition, the center has sports medicine services available for students and collaborates closely with the athletics department and all university athletes.
LIFE
6 March Events 1 Wednesday Part Time & Summer Career Fair Student Center Upstairs Lobby 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. Student Center Ballroom & Student Center 0254
2 Thursday Managing Your Money After Graduation Seminar MCOB 0264 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
3 Friday Trivia Night Student Center East Lobby 9 p.m. - 10 p.m.
AKA hosts annual “Pink Goes Red” By Morgan parton |Life editor
The music played loudly, the fans cheered, and the competition developed at Alpha Kappa Alpha’s “Pink Goes Red” field day on Feb. 20. The volunteers participated in various games such as Tug-A-War, hoola-hooping, musical chairs, and a water balloon fight. The sorority collected monetary donations to support the American Heart Association. The sorority also collected school supply items that will be donated to the Mobile public school system. Alpha Kappa Alpha is a part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and received their charter for USA’s campus in 1970. Since then, these women have strived to better the local and
global community. Locally, AKA frequently donates school supplies, and all members mentor high school girls once a month. “We stand for the betterment of our community,” said Brynna Hall, a senior in AKA. “We also collect can goods for the homeless and local food banks frequently.” Globally, all the AKA chapters in the country made and donated over 40,000 dresses to clothe women in Africa last year. “We hope to continue to grow this event every year,” Amber Luckey, vice president and head of health promotions in AKA said. “We want our community to be informed about how to prevent heart disease.” Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sets targets they meet every year, a few including: global impact,
6 Monday USA Choir Concert ad Chorale Winter Concert Laidlaw Performing Arts Center 1205
6 Monday USA Dance Marathon Student Center Mall 4 11 a.m. -2 p.m.
7 Tuesday Harlem Globetrotters Game Mitchell Center Area 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.
8 Wednesday AED Blood Drive Student Center Malls 1, 2 & 4 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m.
USA students played games at the “Pink Goes Red” event hosted by AKA. Photo by Jake Cannon
family strengthen, environmental ownership, financial awareness, health promotion, childhood hunger and educational enrichment. Pink Goes Red promotes eating better, exercising, living healthy, and informing participants on how to prevent heart disease. “We want to leave an impact on this campus for the better,” Luckey said. “And not only that, but we want to support other causes as well.” To stay informed about AKA’s other upcoming campus events, students may follow them at UpsilonEpsilon1970 on Instagram and keep up with The Vanguard for upcoming events.
SPORTS
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Softball continued Continued from page 1
score from third. Freshman Aly Smith hit a home run in the fourth to score the final run of the game. As a team, South hit the ball 10 times, leaving six on base. Two runs was all the team needed to complete the first win of the doubleheader. USA vs Texas A&M Corpus Christi (7-0) Friday night’s final game started off with the momentum to earn the Jags four runs in the first inning alone. As South Alabama got ahead quickly at the plate, pitcher Destin Vicknair recorded her sixth win of the season in the circle. She threw 78 pitches in six innings against Corpus Christi’s Liz Carter who threw 116 pitches in seven Lane recorded four RBIs from two hits for the Jags. In the first inning, she hit a double to left-center when Mayo singled to run Lane home. Haleigh Lowe, Kristian Foster, and MC Nichols all scored unearned runs. In the bottom of the second, Nichols made it to first on an error. Foster singled, forcing Nichols forward when Carter threw a wild pitch, advancing the girls to third and second. Nichols scored from another wild pitch while Foster advanced to third. Amanda Minihan had a great eye up at the plate, noting wild pitches, she was patient and received a walk. Foster took advantage of Lane coming up to bat and singling to second base, as Foster sprinted into home plate scoring the sixth run of the game. In the sixth inning, Lowe tripled to left field as pinch-runner Dayla Gulledge scored the final run of the night. Vicknair allowed only three hits. USA vs Middle Tennessee (1-0) Saturday morning continued the winning streak against Middle Tennessee 1-0 from an unearned run. In the third inning, Tennessee almost took the lead when Summer Burgess tripled. Brown walked the next batter, but managed to save the inning as she caught Kirstyn Cuccia swinging for the out. Middle Tennessee was close to getting ahead of South Alabama as they had runners in scoring position again in the fourth inning. MT’s
Austyn Whaley ran home on a wild pitch but was ruled out due to an interference with South Alabama catcher Smith. The game remained scoreless until the sixth inning when Nichols hit a single, then later Lowe singled, and because of throwing errors, Nichols scored the only run of the game. In total, South recorded seven hits while Middle Tennessee had five. Both teams had one error. USA vs Stephen F. Austin (3-0) Vicknair pitched her seventh win against Stephen F. Austin to complete the tournament, shutting out the Jags final opponent The third inning the Jags reached home plate twice as Todd and Megan Harris both scored unearned runs. Kaleigh Todd went 2-3 at the plate The bottom of the fifth, Katelyn Gruich found home plate as Todd hit singled to left field, scoring the final time for the weekend. The Softball team is now on an eight-game win streak. The Jaguars intended to play at Florida State last Tuesday, but the game was postponed for weather conditions. There is currently no information of a reschedule date. This week, the University of South Alabama’s softball team plans to face McNeese State at 1 p.m. on Tuesday. The last time the two teams played each other was last weekend at the Mardi Gras Invitational. The Jags slid out of the game with a 1-0 win over the Cowgirls in the eighth inning.
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251-343-6800 s MirabelleMobile.com Floor plans are artist’s rendering. Square feet and configuration may vary between individual apartments. Prices and availability are subject to change without notice. Please contact sales associate for additional details and information.
USA softball player rounds bases as the Lady Jags take on Middle Tennessee. Photo by Jake Cannon
SPORTS
8 Upcoming Games Home
Basketball loses 16-point lead
Baseball vs New Orleans Feb. 28 | 6:30 p.m. M Basketball vs Little Rock Mar. 2 | 7:05 p.m. M Basketball vs Arkansas State Mar. 4 | 3:05 p.m. Track and Field Hosts Jaguar Opener Mar. 3-4 W Tennis vs Louisiana Tech Mar. 3 | 1 p.m. W Tennis vs Southern Miss Mar. 4 | 11 a.m.
Away Baseball vs Cox Diamond Invitational Pensacola Florida vs Southeastern Louisiana University Mar. 3 | 6:00 p.m. vs Troy University Mar. 4 | 3:00 p.m. vs Seton Hall University Mar. 5 | 11:00 a.m. M Basketball vs Texas State San Marcos, Texas Feb. 27 | 7 p.m. M Golf vs Tiger Invitational Opelika, Alabama Mar. 5-7 M Tennis vs HEB Invitational Corpus-Christi, Texas Mar. 3-4 Softball vs McNeese State Lake Charles, Louisiana Feb. 28 | 1 p.m. Softball vs Diamond 9 Classic Orlando, Florida vs James Madison Mar. 3 | 2:30 p.m. vs Boston College Mar. 3 | 4:45 p.m. vs Bryant Mar. 4 | 11.30 a.m. vs Kansas Mar. 4 | 1:45 p.m.
USA guard Ken Williams prepares to shoot as Coastal Carolina players defend against him. Photo courtesy of usajaguars.com
jullian jackson | sports reporter
The South Alabama men’s basketball team fell to Coastal Carolina University on Monday night as the chanticleers rallied back from a 16-point deficit to win in overtime 81-77. With the loss, the Jaguars drop to 13-14 on the season and 6-8 in the Sun Belt Conference while the Chanticleers, who have won five of their last seven games, even their season up at 14-14 and 9-6 in conference play. Coastal Carolina, who is now coached by former South Alabama head coach Cliff Ellis, outscored South Alabama 43-29 in the second half even though they only shot 38.1 percent after halftime began. Coastal Carolina won the rebounding battle in the second half 30-15, including 15 offensive boards which led to nine points that would ultimately be the determining factor in South’s loss. The Jaguars used a 19-3 run to take a 39-23 lead with 20 seconds left in the first half, but Coastal Carolina hit a jumper to close out the half. The Chanticleers then used a 10-2
run to start the second period to pull within six. The Jaguars went up by 11 points on three separate occasions, the final time with 9:59 left on the clock after junior Shaq Calhoun hit a threepointer. Coastal Carolina went on another 10-2 run to pull within three points of the Jaguars, then tied the score at 61-61 with 3:35 left. South Alabama scored five points in a row but Coastal Carolina answered with seven unanswered to take their first lead since the first four minutes of the game. However, freshman Trhae Mitchell hit a layup with 6.2 seconds on the clock to send the game into overtime. South Alabama was up by 11 points on three separate occasions. The final time when junior Shaq Calhoun, hit a three-pointer with 9:59 left. The Jaguars used a 19-3 run to take a 39-23 lead with 20 seconds left in the first half, but CCU hit a jumper to close out the half. The Chanticleers used a 10-2 run to start the second period to pull within six. “To start the second half we didn’t rebound the ball,” said head coach Matthew Graves. “I think in the first minute there were three fouls called in the second half. We weren’t moving
our feet and weren’t as active in the second half. That other run they got loose and hit two big 3s. They did a really good job of finding their shooters and spots and were moving without the ball really well.” The Jaguars held the lead after a three-point play from senior Ken Williams, but Georgi Boyanov’s dunk with 2:55 left would be the last field goal of the game for the Jaguars. The Chanticleers closed with an 8-4 run and forced three turnovers the rest of the way. Ken Williams recorded the first double-double of his career with 17 points and a personal-best 10 rebounds but his efforts still could not help the Jaguars hold onto their lead. Georgi Boyanov and Trhae Mitchell each had 13 points apiece. “You have to give them a lot of credit, they kept driving it and forcing us to make plays,” said Graves. “We just didn’t get enough of those 50-50 balls and rebound enough. That was certainly the difference in the game.” Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1872.
SPORTS
9 Golf players in top 20 Courtesy of usajaguars.com
USA catcher Aly Smith hits a fly ball as the USA team looks on. Photo by Jake Cannon
Softball extends their season score to 11-1 By Jullian Jackson | Sports reporter
The South Alabama softball team defeated the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders in a doubleheader on Friday at Jaguar Stadium. The Jaguars shut out the Islanders 7-0 after also shutting out Tennessee Tech 2-0 earlier in the day to extend their record to 11-1 on the season. The Jaguars quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the Islanders in the bottom of the first. Haleigh Lane doubled to left center driving in Haleigh Lowe, Kristian Foster, and MC Nichols. The next batter, Savanna Mayo, extended the lead to 4-0 after she singled to center field driving in Lane. A wild pitch led to the next Jaguar run as Nichols crossed the plate making the score 5-0 as Foster advanced to third. Lane would bat next and single to second base to extend the lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the second. The last run of the game came in the bottom of the sixth when Lowe hit a triple and drove in Dayla Gulledge. Out of South
Alabama’s seven runs, only one was earned. As a team, the Jaguars had 29 at bats and scored 7 runs off 9 hits, 6 of which were RBI’s. Lane had 3 at bats and drove in 4 runs off 3 hits. Lowe had 3 at bats and recorded 1 hit and 1 RBI. “Haleigh Lowe and Haleigh Lane had some extra base hits, so it’s great to see those lefties go the other way, wear that left center field gap out and seeing them run the bases the way they did,” said head coach Becky Clark. The Islanders had 23 at bats but the Jaguars defense proved to be too much as they only allowed 3 hits the entire game. Destin Vicknair improved to 6-0 on the year and allowed just two hits and one walk, while striking out a season-high six. Chandler Sparkman was the pitcher who would end the game in the seventh for the Jaguars only allowing one hit. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1872.
The University of South Alabama men’s golf team had four individuals place in the top 20 of the final individual standings following the final round of the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate Tuesday, leading the Jaguars to their best finish of the 2016-17 season. Brooks Rabren led the quartet with his highest career finish, tying for third among the 75 competitors in the field with a career-low 3-underpar 213 total after shooting a 73 over the last 18 holes. Sylas Elliott and Jason Mendel carded a 73 and 74, respectively, to tie for 11th place one stroke behind Rabren — the best three-round scores for both in their USA careers — while Drew Cooke had a 74 on the last day of play in tying for 19th place one shot in back of the duo. Peter Staalbo recorded a 77 in the final round and a two-day 222 total as well for the Jags, who placed second among the 15 teams in the competition with a 5-under-par 859 three-round total. Louisville won the event with a score of 856 after posting a 289 over the final 18 holes, one shy of equaling the low round of the day, with Chattanooga and Mississippi State tying for third three shots behind South and fellow Sun Belt Conference member Georgia State rounding out the top five with an 864 group score. It was USA’s third straight top-five result as a team, and its highest finish in six events this year. “I think it was a great opportunity for our guys,” said Jaguar head coach Alex Hamilton. “We came out, competed and had an opportunity to win a golf tournament, which is never an easy thing to do. We did struggle with it a little bit coming down the stretch when we didn’t play our best golf, but overall I was very proud of the way we fought and the way we competed this week.” Nine of the Jags’ 12 birdies in the final round came on the front nine of the par-72, 7,212-yard Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course. Elliott, Mendel and Staalbo had fours on both the fourth and sixth holes, with Rabren adding one as well on No. 4 as four of South’s five individuals birdied the first par five on the course playing at 540 yards. Mendel added a three on the opening hole, a 422-yard par four — all three of his birdies in the final round came on the front side of the
venue — and Rabren carded a three on No. 3, playing at 385 yards, as well. After making the turn, Rabren and Elliott posted threes on Nos. 10 and 12, respectively, with Cooke recording the team’s final birdie on the 559-yard 13th hole. Elliott paced the squad with 10 birdies over 54 holes to rank among the top 15 in the field in the category, with Mendel and Rabren also birdying nine holes each. Rabren (-2), Cooke (-1), Elliott and Mendel all played the course’s par-four holes at or better than even par, and Mendel was among the tournament leaders with a 3-under-par total on par fives as well. “We made a lot of birdies this week,” Hamilton observed. “I haven’t had a chance to look at the numbers, but we had several opportunities to run away from this field and that’s because of the amount of firepower this team has.” In the USA Individual Tournament — which included a field of 37 at the par-71, 7,158-yard Magnolia Grove Falls Golf Course — the Jaguars’ Rasmus Karlsson finished in a tie for third place with a 4-over-par 217 total following a 75 in the final round of the event. Stephen Wall posted a 227 54hole score after shooting a 78 on the last day to tie for 16th while Yannick Schütz was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard on Monday. Karlsson’s final round included three birdies, with two of those coming on the ninth and 10th holes as he made the turn. The freshman later added a two at the 169-yard 14th. Wall had his only birdie of the day at No. 12, a par four playing at 423 yards. Brooks Thomas of Chattanooga and Mississippi State’s Taylor Bibbs shared medalist honors with three-round scores of 216. USA will return to action on Sunday, March 5, with the first of three rounds at the Tiger Invitational hosted by Auburn. “I think you can look at how we finished in the field, beating some quality teams and competing against another that was in the top 15 at the national championship last year,” Hamilton said. “Louisville is a great club, I knew they weren’t going to give it to us, but we stood there and fought with them toe-to-toe. Unfortunately it didn’t go our way this time, but we’re looking forward to the challenges that the Auburn tournament will present and hopefully we can win one there.”
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OPINION
Support needed for higher education in Alabama Submission: Faculty Senate
On Feb. 23, hundreds of students, faculty, and staff from all over Alabama visited our state capital in support of Higher Education Day. As professors at the University of South Alabama, we were among them. In the company of over 200 University of South Alabama students, staff, faculty, and administrators, we made the 6-hour round trip drive between Mobile and Montgomery to ask the legislature to remember the University of South Alabama kindly as it apportions the budget. Dedicated state support has made our public universities in Alabama among the finest in the country. In this difficult budgetary climate, the universities need more support than ever; and public faith in Alabama’s universities is well placed. Any investment put into higher education comes back to the community many times over. This is a truism our predecessors have recognized for 150 years. The United States of America and the State of Alabama have been investing in public institutions of higher learning
since the 1860s, when the each state received 30,000 acres either to build or to improve colleges through a federal Land Grant bill. Our leaders believed education was the key to individual and community advancement, and that all people, and not just the ultra-rich, should have the opportunity to attain quality higher education. State subsidies make it possible for public colleges and universities to offer education at affordable rates. Their foresight helped make America a great producer of the arts and a world leader in industry and scientific innovation. Statistics repeatedly show that states with well-educated citizenry have higher incomes per capita, and that college graduates live longer on average and tend to be healthier. This is not to say that everyone needs a college degree to achieve success. History is full of selfmade people who innovate their way to the top, while many skilled tradesmen make more than college graduates. And America would not be where it is today without the dedicated labor ethic of miners, factory workers, farmers, and
the like. But even people who do not need college degrees for their own careers benefit from those who have them: for example, the doctors, the teachers, the social workers, and elder care-givers, who ease us through various transitions of life. As important, our predecessors believed in education for responsible citizenship. This is an old idea. The ancient Greeks who invented democracy perceived education as a necessary condition of human existence. Human survival depends upon transmission of knowledge from one generation to the next; without it, humanity would still be in the wilderness, struggling with the basic elements of life. Socrates, for one, maintained education was the key to a harmonious society, for all material advances and happy circumstances in the world would be useless if we did not understand how to use our achievements for the benefit of others. The more complex a society, the more that society must rely upon formal education for managing resources and maximizing achievements. Through
institutions of higher learning, people train for their vocations. They also share common civic values and transmit the national ideal. Our forefathers believed that states should invest in their own citizens, the future leaders of our community. Since it was founded in 1963, the University of South Alabama has played an integral role in providing our region with dedicated care professionals. It trains the leaders of our state and local communities. Students from all backgrounds find opportunity to give back to community by enriching their environment. Our predecessors made our dreams possible by giving our generation opportunity. On the occasion of Higher Education Day, let’s do the same for the next generation by encouraging our state representatives to redouble their support for all of Alabama’s public colleges and universities. Sam Fisher, Faculty Senate President Several faculty members at the University of South Alabama assisted in the writing of this piece.
How will South respond to new Title IX change? By joel goode | opinion editor
With the effects of Trump’s counter-ruling on the rights on transgender people to use the bathroom they prefer still on the horizon, USA should take a stand and enforce the values it adhered to when it complied with Obama’s directive. Last August, students and faculty at the University of South Alabama received an email from Title IX coordinator Krista Harrell stating USA would be incompliance with the Title IX guidance. This came as part of a ruling by the Obama administration to ensure transgender people would
be able to use bathrooms they felt secure in. Last Wednesday, President Trump ended the original Title IX guidance allowing transgenders to use the bathroom they felt most comfortable in. The Obama mandate tackled a holdover of anti-civil rights logic stating that bathroom access should be based on the sex of the individuals using the facilities. To clarify, sex is determined by the genitals a person is born with. Gender, on the other hand, is aligned to the actual psychological identity of a person. Many major psychiatric institutions, such as the World Health Organization, still consider
transgender identity to be a disorder. This is because of the ability transgender people have to access care such as counseling, hormone replacement therapy, and surgeries, all of which are harder to gain under our current healthcare model when patients are not categorized as having a disorder. What makes the argument of anti-transgender rights advocates irrational is the tacit assumption that people who psychologically identify as female should be relegated to male bathrooms, and vice versa. “Men allowed in Women’s Bathrooms” headlines emerged
from anti-civil rights media in reaction to the Obama administration’s directive. Transphobic rhetoric appeals to fears of sexual violence. According to data gathered by organizations like the FBI, the Human Rights Campaign, and the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, transgender people are more likely to be victims of sexual violence, not perpetrators. Many states and schools openly rebelled against the Obama administration’s directive. USA should adhere to the values of human rights that underlie the previous administration’s virtuous yet belated policy decision.
DISTRACTIONS
mardi gras facts • Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday” in French. • Countries around the world celebrate Mardi Gras as the last day of Carnival season, which starts on Jan. 6. • The official colors of Mardi Gras are purple, gold, and green. • Purple signifies justice, gold means power, and green stands for faith. • Mardi Gras was first celebrated in Mobile, Alabama. • It was originally illegal to ride a float without a mask. • The original purpose of the mask was to get rid of social constraints for the day, allowing people to mingle with whomever they chose. • More than 500,000 king cakes are sold each year in New Orleans between January 6 and Fat Tuesday.
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