February 8, 2016

FEB. 8, 2016

VOL. 57 #21

HOVERBANNED: Popular battery-operated scooter temporarily banned on South Alabama’s campus page 2

LIFE

SPORTS

Campus Garden

2016 National Signing Day

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11

OPINION Drug addicts need compassion

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Hoverbanned:

FEB. 8, 2016

Popular battery-operated scooter temporarily banned on South Alabama’s campus, housing

By ALYSSA NEWTON Editor-In-Chief

D

ean of Students Michael Mitchell announced via email on Tuesday, Feb. 2 that “due to increasing safety concerns, South Alabama enacted a policy to prohibit the use and possession of hoverboards.”

The popular self-balancing scooter is now banned in all South Alabama housing, including The Grove apartments.

The email said that the charging of hoverboards in all USA facilities will be prohibited until “appropriate safety standards have been adequately developed and implemented.”

On Jan. 20, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission released a statement regarding hoverboards. “[The] CPSC is looking into dozens of fires involving hoverboards, which are also called smart boards or self-balancing boards,” the statement said. “Many of these fires occurred indoors and could have resulted in serious injuries if not for the quick actions of consumers to extinguish the fire. This is a priority investigation and CPSC is devoting the staff time and resources necessary to find the root causes of the fires.”

Hoverboard fires and falls have resulted in bans all over the United States, including online retailer Amazon, who pulled the popular products from its website in December.

Freshman Trace Busby has had his hoverboard for just over four months and is not

very concerned about the safety concerns.

“My hoverboard has never overheated or seemed like it would mess up and catch fire,” Busby said. “I’ve heard stories about hoverboards catching fire. If I didn’t have my bike, I’d be mad because I’d have to walk all the way to class.”

Instead, the Birmingham native thinks that the incidents are caused by those who don’t do their research before they buy.

“I think people buy it online and don’t know what they are buying,” Busby said. “They could buy a defective board and they run the risk of it exploding. I researched the board I have, and it should be one that should not have any problems.”

CPSC chairman Elliot F. Kaye also commented on the investigation on Jan. 20. He said that fires were not the only concern.

“Beyond the fire hazards, based on the increasing number of serious injuries and emergency room visits associated with these products, we are also expanding our investigation of the falls associated with hoverboards,” Kaye said. “At first glance, it is easy to believe the risk of falling off a hoverboard is an obvious one and to dismiss those injuries as user inexperience or error.”

South Alabama joins several other Alabama colleges that have banned the boards, including the University of Alabama, Auburn University, UAB, University of Montevallo and most recently, Troy University.

“Colleges, universities and other institutions and organizations have been active in prohibiting

Hoverboards have become a popular trend, especially for college students.

Due to safety concerns, many colleges are banning the transportation device until improvements are made. (Photo | Wikicommons) the use of hoverboards on campus, and I want to commend the leaders of those institutions for putting safety first while our investigation pushes forward,” Kaye said in the release. “I am aware they are waiting for the results of our investigation before taking further steps. We’re moving as quickly as possible to provide those answers.”

According to Mitchell, that is why the ban is only temporary. He said the University is “erring on the side of caution.”

“We made the ban temporary because we are

open to revisiting this policy once the industry is able to provide evidence that the products are safe,” Mitchell said to The Vanguard. “We have not had any related issues with the boards at this time.”

Busby said he will not let the ban keep him from riding.

“I live off-campus at the Edge, so it didn’t affect me as much since I can have it here,” he said. “I will continue to ride it on campus, I don’t think it will mess up.”

FEB. 8, 2016

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Editorial Editor in Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor Opinion Editor Life Editor Staff Reporters

Alyssa Kaitlyn Newton

Mitchell Kahalley Micaela Walley Caitlin Smith Natalie Franklin Bria Johnson Tori Brackett

Staff Photographer Emily Rodrick

Distribution

Distribution Alan Smith

Advertising

Advertising Cristina Werner Graphic Designer Katelyn Huff

Management Advising J. Sellers J. Aucoin Accounting Kathy Brannan

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Nick Grondin | Staff Meteorologist

USAPD blotter

If you SEE something 251-460-6312 SAY something!

02/02/ 16 22:40 Marijuana possession Delta 5 Parking Lot Arrested for marijuanna, and criminal posession of a forged instrument in the third degree.

01/30/16 17:54 Domestic - Menacing with a gun Domestic violence was reported by the victim.

01/30/16 12:32 Fire The Grove Waste management dumpster caught on fire reason unknown.

1/29/16 16:37 Theft of Property Health Sciences Drivers license, JagID, pistol permit, Social Security card, wallet stolen. Professor reported that their wallet was stolen.

1/29/16 12:26 Strinking an unoccupied vehicle Epsilon 2 Grey accura bumper struck by white car that failed to leave their information

FEB. 8, 2016

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SGA budget miscommunication brings up questions

By ALYSSA NEWTON Editor-In-Chief

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$1,000 budget item for a “Basketball Game” caused confusion for the senate in the last two meetings.

On Jan. 25, after the main SGA meeting and a second open “internal meeting” were held, more details were revealed about the intention of the listed event.

During this meeting it was said that the money would go towards the Troy basketball game on Feb. 16, for a suite for the SGA members. It would be a “reward” for the work on the Troy-South Alabama football rivalry in the fall.

The budget was already presented, but it was up for approval until the Feb. 1 meeting.

Vice president Daniel Currie said that it was not in stone when discussed on Jan. 25.

“It was still up in the air,” Currie said. “It was more we just knew we’d spend that money on that basketball game on something for students.”

Senator D.J. Parton was the lone senator to question the allocation of the money after the meeting, discussing it with the executive council members.

“I think that SGA should not be spending SGA money on recreational purposes such as a basketball suite,” Parten said.

A week later, the budget was again brought up, only this time for approval.

When asked to vote, the senate let out a mumbled chant of “I”s before Parten was the only one to object. Currie called for the vote again since there was obvious confusion and the floor was opened for discussion.

When asked about the allocation of the funds for the basketball game was questioned, the money

would now go towards hot dogs and a “student appreciation night” instead of the originallydiscussed suite.

The floor was then closed and the budget approved.

“The executive council wouldn’t put up anything that wasn’t beneficial to the student body,” Rajendra said. “The budget was changed due to concerns over students funds being used for different purposes. There are always numerous ways to use student funds and we always want to use funds in the best possible manner.”

Parten said he was unaware that the purpose of the funds had changed until the floor was reopened for discussion.

“I was not aware,” he said. “We were voting on a budget given to us last week and no changes were made. We should have been informed of any changes ahead of time.”

That’s not the only problem according to Parten.

“Most people try to avoid controversy so usually it’s a unanimous ‘yes’ when something comes to a vote,” Parten said.

When asked if it was a weakness of the senate, the senator said “definitely.”

“Unless it’s controversial, like concealed carry, it’s always unanimous ‘yes,’” he said. “I don’t think it’s a serious process at all and should be taken more seriously.”

Rajendra said that the miscommunication was a procedural error.

“Sometimes the parliamentary procedure becomes a little complicated,” Rajendra said. ”Basically it should be a non-issue because the student funds will be directly used towards a student appreciation night.

“So, I think it was just a procedural error. The

senators had a copy of the budget last week and there was room for discussion from last week.

There was no discussion brought up to the executive council between now and then.”

The lack of communication between senate and executive board was a common thread.

“This is their third time approving a budget,” Currie said. “They’ve had experience, they had a chance to discuss it. If they had any questions, Marcus [SGA treasurer] was open.”

Marcus Williams, treasurer, said that the budget was straightforward and that the senate was well aware of the items and for what they were designated.

“I explained those new appearances to the Senate as thoroughly as I could,” Williams said.

“There were no questions after I explained the budget during the meeting. The $1,000 item was reopened for discussion for a broader explanation on what the funds were specifically being used for during the date of the basketball game event.”

Though there was confusion, the $1,000 listed under ‘basketball game’ will go towards the appreciation night.

“What’s been passed was appropriate and I’m glad we opened it back up for discussion,” Rajendra said.

The budget remains general in order to leave room for improvement and reallocation of funds, according to Currie.

“We approve our budget semester by semester,” Currie said. “It is easier to make our budget generalized to set aside money.”

Parten said that this is just a reflection of a bigger problem within the University.

“It’s ridiculous we don’t know where our student fees are going,” Parten said. “We don’t know how much of it goes to SGA and how much of it goes to other departments.”

Mobile plane crash leaves two dead

By ALYSSA NEWTON Editor-in-Chief

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eports of a missing plane led to a search in heavy fog late into Tuesday morning.

Mobile Airport Authority Executive Director Roger Wehner confirmed that the crash near the Mobile airport left two men dead.

The crash killed pilot Maj. David R. Mauritson, 67, of Fairhope, and mission scanner 2nd Lt. Phil J. Dryden, 66, of Gulf Shores, Civil Air Patrol Deputy Director of Public Affairs Julie DeBardelaben released Tuesday morning.

Mauritson was a volunteer pilot for Mercy Flight Southeast and was an instructor with over 50 years of flying experience. Dryden joined the CAP in Nov. 2015 and was certified in emergency services and trained as a mission scanner.

The Cessna 182 aircraft was returning from a flight taking an individual to Baton Rouge for medical care.

Air traffic control reported a missing singleengine plane around 7:50 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1.

Emergency personnel including Mobile Fire and Rescue, Mobile Police Department, Mobile County Sheriff ’s office and other agencies responded to

Maj. David R. Mauritson of Fairhope and mission scanner 2nd Lt. Phil J. Dryden of Gulf Shores were killed in a plane crash Feb. 1, 2016. (Facebook) the call.

Due to the poor weather conditions the search for the plane took the crews more than seven hours on the ground, the conditions kept any air support from assisting the search.

“A lot of folks in the mud,” Wehner said.

“We literally created a picket line and walked the woods.”

The plane was found at approximately 1:51 a.m. in a “heavily wooded area” near the airport.

“It was very challenging conditions, not only the weather but also the site,” Wehner said. “... the site is basically a typical South Alabama wet bottom, deep in a swamp.”

The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Aull talks campus, traffic safety

By BRIA JOHNSON Staff Reporter

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t has been four weeks since the beginning of a speed bump-free South Alabama.

USA Police Chief Zeke Aull, University of South Alabama Police Department, said that the removal of the speed bumps was to improve the flow of traffic on campus.

Aull said that the flow of traffic during class changes was very problematic and thinks that the removal of the speed bumps really helps to prevent back ups and promote a smooth traffic flow through campus.

The speed bump removal was apart of discussions along with other improvements like the new Jagtran routes and the new lit crosswalk on stadium drive, administration believed this was a good move in a process to keep a pretty positive image of our school.

Since the speed bumps have been removed, many students are concerned for their safety when walking across streets, especially when it’s dark.

Aull and the police department are strongly encouraging commuting students to use the designated crosswalks.

“I think that’s key. I think students need to use the crosswalks. We want you to use them,” Aull said. “Its for safety, people will recognize them.”

The department has not really seen a speed problem, yet, but believes that in the future it may become a problem for students that never knew of the speed bumps.

“I still see folks slowing down for what they think are speed bumps. They haven’t been gone long enough for people to forget,” Aull said.

Administration is taking steps to make campus crosswalks more noticeable, such as the one on Stadium Boulevard that includes weightsensitive lights, are already in use on campus.

One of the biggest problem areas for traffic is the crosswalk by the archeology museum and Humanities. According to Aull, administration has discussed many ways to help improve flow in that area from lights to a timed crosswalk.

Although the speed bumps have been removed, Aull said that the students at South seem to have an understanding on safely navigating the campus, making enforcing speed a last resort.

“I think our students are really good about it.

I think that they recognize that there are other students trying to get to class, so I get it, we have a great student body. They do a good job on recognizing that and understanding safety,” Aull said.

The speed bumps along Stadium Blvd. won’t be taken up until this summer, but administration has already starting making more safety plans.

Following lighting tours to identify areas with poor lighting, light poles in the medians on Stadium Boulevard have been moved from under trees to have better lighting at night is a start.

Drivers are urged to pay attention to the speed limit while driving through campus no matter the time of day.

FEB. 8, 2016

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Student spotlight: Biology major Austin Ray South Alabama student shares passions through research, volunteering and music

By TORI BRACKETT Staff Reporter

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ustin Ray, a junior biology major, has always been interested in research and the art of discovering something before the rest of the world, but his wide variety of interests does not stop there.

Ray began his college career as as a pre-med biology major, and he has since left that behind.

“I had an epiphany and decided to drop the ‘pre-med’ and keep the biology when I started doing research,” he said.

After a year of research, Ray said he realized that a lot of the people who went through medical school were not completely happy with their decision. He said they did not want to follow the same path.

Ray has found a passion in his biology research. (Photo | Austin Ray) Ray is an undergraduate research student, studying under Ylenia Chiari in the herpetology laboratory.

He began his research with 11 other students, undergraduates and graduates. They studied thermal ecology in turtles—how the turtles moderate temperature and select areas of different temperatures during the day.

Ray has also worked on the study of the chytrid fungal infection in amphibians. He said it

“

...If I get somewhere, it doesn’t matter what I’m doing as long as I’m enjoying it.

-Austin Ray

Austin Ray, a biology major, has worked on the study of chytrid fungal infection in amphibians. (Photo | Austin Ray)

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has become an increasingly devastating issue for species across the world, though locally, it has not been as severe of a problem.

“I really enjoy research, because I like the idea of being the first person to learn something

and discover something, because there is so much out there to find,” Ray said. “With biology, there is an endless list of things you can do.”

A Grand Bay native, Ray went to Alma Bryant High School and was a part of the honors program there. He also took part in the Scholars’ Bowl and Science Bowl teams.

“We were surprised when we made it to the finals, and didn’t realize it until the semi-finals,” Ray said. He then spent spring break of his senior year competing in Washington, D.C. At South, Austin is the secretary for Biology Student Association, which offers students the possibilities of “expanding volunteer opportunities and learning experiences for students.”

This semester, BSA is hosting a volunteer cleanup day with the Chiari-Glaberman lab group, on Feb. 13 at the Municipal Langan Park, open to anyone. Ray said they are also planning a movie night, as well as a trip to a nearby zoo to volunteer and help with cleanup.

Austin is also a member of the Independent Music Collective, an organization on campus

that hosts the book and record sales between the Humanities buildings, and puts on shows at Satori Café.

This past semester, a few of the people that have performed at Satori through IMC include Dan Bern, Ryan Culwel and Malcolm Holcombe. The group also promotes and supports shows at other small venues across Mobile.

“I love supporting the local music scene,” he said. “Concerts and collecting music in an age where anybody can download stuff illegally.

“I love to have the vinyl album, with the huge cover and huge disk. It’s just an experience putting the disk on and dropping the needle and hearing the crackle.”

Ray said his album collection has grown to 250 albums and about 300 singles. He said he is also interested in painting and woodwork.

Ray said he has built a piece of furniture to showcase all of his albums, as well as a wooden advertisement for the veterinary office where he works. He said he tries to paint and draw regularly—mostly music-related pieces.

He recently finished a re-interpretation of an album cover, as well as the symbol for the organization “Sea Shepherd.”

Ray said music has always been one of his passions, but he said he intends to continue with his research opportunities. He would much rather be able to design his own projects and go out into the field to “find stuff, if that makes any sense.”

“My current goal is to go to grad school, but I want to focus on research, then post-doc, P.h.D., etc,” Ray said. “I think I’m more flexible with my goals, because if I get somewhere, it doesn’t matter what I’m doing as long as I’m enjoying it. If I get to go out and spend an hour or two catching frogs, and then have to spend a few hours on the computer typing the data, it’s worth it.”

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Courageous Conversation: Black in the media

By NATALIE FRANKLIN Life Edior

B

lack History month kicked off with a powerful discussion on Monday, Feb. 1. The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs along with the National Pan-Hellenic Council presented Courageous Conversation: Black in the Media. The discussion focused on cultural appropriation and how African Americans are viewed in the media.

The discussion was led by a panel of five African Americans, all knowledgeable of modern day media. Dr. Carl Cunningham, Director of Multicultural Affairs, moderated the discussion and christened the event as a “safe environment” to discuss difficult topics.

The panel featured Joy CrawfordWashington, associate director of Marketing and Communication; Marcus Foxx, attorney; Daija Richardson, majoring in Strategic Communication; A.J. Crenshaw and Ashley MC, Co-Founders Project Azalea.

Each panelist offered pertinent advice, critiques and observations of the African American community in the realm of media.

Being that the panelists had experience in various forms of media, the conversation was quite diverse and encompassed many points.

As an attorney, Marcus Foxx was able to give crucial statistics on black men in relation to crime and punishment. Foxx also spoke of the entertainment value of blacks in the media. Often times we hear hip hop or rap

songs, which are predominantly African American music genres, in the background of a commercial, but the face of the product is not always African American.

A.J. Crenshaw also said some powerful words about the value of African Americans in media. “Mainstream media understands the value in us, but we don’t understand our own value,” Crenshaw said.

Daija Richardson was the undergraduate and youngest panelist. She is a sophomore at South Alabama. Richardson was chosen because of her background in communications. Being a Strategic Communications major, she is learning the business of media. “I felt very honored. It was a great experience and also it helped share

my story a lot,” Richardson said.

Richardson spoke about social media and how some African Americans portray themselves on different sites. “I really hope they [the students] took away about what we put on social media and how others view us in the world and how we can be a better example for the upcoming generation,” Richardson said.

Many students responded to questions and even offered up their personal experiences and opinions.

This Courageous Conversation was the first event in a month long campaign. There will be a myriad of events throughout the month in celebration of Black History Month.

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SGA presidents sign open letter to Alabama lawmakers

By ALYSSA NEWTON Editor-In-Chief

U

niversity student government presidents have written an open letter to Alabama’s lawmakers highlighting the importance of higher education in bettering the lives of people in Alabama.

This comes after Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley proposed a mix of budget cuts and a shift of education funds to address a shortfall in the state’s general fund.

The governor wants to shift $181 million in use tax funds from the education budget to the general fund while simultaneously seeking to tap $181 million from an education savings account.

SGA Presidents work together through the University Student Presidents Council, organized under the Alabama Higher Education Partnership.

Last Thursday, some of the SGA presidents held a joint-press conference to announce the contents of the letter which encourages that legislators consider the findings of a recent University of Alabama Education Policy Center study.

“My peers from around the state have come together today to stand in solidarity with one another, because we understand the tremendous impact our public

FEB. 8, 2016

South SGA update

By ALYSSA NEWTON Editor-In-Chief

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Student leaders held a joint-press conference to announce the contents of their ‘open letter’ to the legislators. (Photo | Alabama Higher Education Partnership) universities have on the well being of Alabamians,” said University of Alabama SGA President Elliot Spillers.

Alabama’s public universities have taken a combined funding cut of around 34 percent since 2008,, the second deepest cuts in the nation.

The student body presidents represent over 180,000 students who attend Alabama’s 14 public universities.

According to Heath Barton, who is Troy University’s SGA President, the group is simply asking Alabama’s leaders to consider the important contributions the 14 public universities make to the

state of Alabama during this legislative session.

“The University of South Alabama and its graduates help heal, educate, build, and serve the Gulf Coast region and our entire state,” South Alabama SGA President Ravi Rajendra responded.

“Our economic impact as a University in the region numbers approximately $3 billion.

“With an impact this pronounced, it becomes obvious why institutes of higher education - especially the University of South Alabama - are vital to our state.”

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ast week, Feb. 1, South Alabama’s SGA voted on and approved a somewhat modified budget from the Jan. 25 meeting.

This semester’s SGA budget comes in at $183, 900, with a majority of the cost coming from appropriations, cosponsorships, senate projects and salaries.

The budget was approved by the senate after being opened for discussion. One senator, senator DJ Parten, questioned the basketball game expense to ensure the funds were going towards the students and not used on the senate itself. After further clarification, the budget was approved.

SGA President Ravi Rajendra noted that the meeting marked the first day of Black History Month. The SGA will be meeting with ASA and USA’s NAACP. After talks about how the budget works and where money comes from within the University, some of the executive members will meet with administration to see how University funds work.

Vice President Daniel Currie has been working on further encouraging the ‘No Tobacco’ policy that went into effect Aug. 1, 2015. SGA is working with Mike Haskins in marketing and a graphic will be made and shared sometime in February.

Student Health is also anticipated to help by promoting the resources available to students trying to quit tobacco, smoking.

As of Feb. 1, over 150 people have signed up for Higher Education Day on Feb. 25.

The lighting tour that is conducted every semester to find where extra lighting is needed around campus has been moved to March 3, according to Dean of Students Michael Mitchell. Rain canceled the tour for the second time.

A bill was approved by the senate for a “Before I Graduate” board based off of the popular “Before I Die” board that was in downtown Mobile. Senator Josh Crowner presented the bill.

The board would be in the student center after freshman convocation and available for students to write on freely.

The Concealed Carry Workgroup that was formed last semester is contacting departments and staff about the issue and planning town halls. The group plans to send out a survey in the near future.

The Feb. 8 meeting was canceled due to Mardi Gras holiday on Tuesday.

SGA meets every Monday at 7:15 p.m. in the student center ballroom.

Live updates are available @AlyssaNewtonUSA on Twitter. For more visit www.thevanguardusa.com.

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NATALIE FRANKLIN LIFE EDITOR nsf1222@jagmail.southalabama.edu

LIFE

FEB. 8, 2016

Campus garden prepares to bloom this spring semester Events of the Week

By NATALIE FRANKLIN Life Editor

T

he recent freezing weather has not put a stop to South Alabama’s community

garden.

The garden, dubbed the Food Bayou, is located behind the Jag Tran Transportation Center near the Intramural Fields. The garden has been harvesting organic produce since spring 2015.

Saturday morning, Feb. 6, students gathered for the first garden work day of the year. Angela McGaugh, president of the USA Sustainability Council, was spearheading the event. Saturday’s work was all about preparing for the spring garden.

“We’re getting our seedlings ready for the spring. They’re just in my room because they’ll freeze. It froze last night, so they just need to stay inside,” McGaugh explained.

What was left of the winter garden was being harvested. “So right now since it’s the end of our winter garden, we just have some broccoli and some cabbage left, and we also have some herbs like mint, parsley and rosemary that are still growing,” McGaugh said.

For most gardens, a harvest would have already occurred, but with Mobile’s atypical weather, that wasn’t the case.

“We thought we were going to be able to harvest in like early January, which is typical for cabbage and most things, but I guess since it’s been warm we kind of pushed it back.”

The smell of fresh dirt hung in the air, and the vegetables looked healthy. Everything grown in the garden is 100 percent organic.

The vegetables, fruits and herbs are free of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

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Yoga Student Rec Center Studio 2 3:30- 4:20 p.m.

Mardi Gras Day No Class

Several students participated in the campus garden work day on Saturday, Feb. 6. (Natalie Franklin | Life Editor) McGaugh and several other students were out in the early morning working, pulling weeds and laying dirt. For some students, it was their first time working in the garden.

“I actually didn’t know anything about it until I got the email,” Kalyn McMillan,

“

I love working outside... seeing the amazing way that God has made things to grow.

-Taylor Hamlin

”

freshman, said. The work day was mentioned in the daily digest, the University-wide mass email system.

The campus garden grows vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli. (Natalie Franklin | Life Editor)

“I like to volunteer. I like gardening. So, I thought it’d be pretty fun,” McMillan said.

It was also Taylor Hamlin’s, USA student, first time working at the campus garden. “I love working outside…seeing the amazing way that God has made things to grow. It’s just amazing,” Hamlin said.

Students, faculty and community members who work in the garden are always welcomed to take the produce that is harvested.

“The majority of people usually come on their own time, so a lot of people come in between classes,” McGaugh explained.

“I just gave a tour to somebody yesterday who actually lives all the way in Milton. They commute every day, and they have a big break in between classes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Instead of like sitting around, they decided they wanted to come out here.”

The garden is beneficial to people who genuinely like gardening or those who want to test out their green thumb. However, the South Alabama community isn’t the only one benefiting from the garden. Every week, food grown in the garden is donated to Mobile’s Salvation Army.

Along with freshly harvested fruits and vegetables, the Salvation Army also receives food from South through the Food Recovery Network (FRN) Program.

The FRN allows students within USA Sustainability Council to pick up food from various dining areas on campus and deliver it to the Salvation Army.

“Usually we do our food recovery network pickups on Fridays. So we try to harvest later on in the week so if no one wants the food we can just take it that Friday and it’ll still be fresh,” McGaugh said.

The campus garden is continuously growing and harvesting delicious, organic fruits, vegetables and herbs.

If you are interested in working at the garden, contact the USA Sustainability Council at sustainability@southalabama.edu

10

Speed Mixer Student Center Lobby 7-10 p.m.

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Comedian Orlando Baxter Student Center Ballroom 7-9 p.m.

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Jags After Dark: Swing Dance Night Student Center Ballroom 6-9 p.m.

Live Trivie Student Center Lobby 9-11 p.m.

FEB. 8, 2016

8

Student organization spotlight: Collegiate 100

By NATALIE FRANKLIN Life Editor

C

ollegiate 100 is one of the leading African American organizations on South Alabama’s campus.

The organization was chartered at the University of South Alabama in the fall of 2014.

“We are the college auxiliary to 100 Black Men of America. Our parent chapter is 100 Black Men of Mobile,” explained Javon Averett, president of Collegiate 100.

Here in Mobile, 100 Black Men mentors, educates and supports the African American community. Collegiate 100 follows suit here at South.

“It’s a community service and mentoring based organization. The 100 of Mobile mentor us, and we reciprocate it to people that are in the community, whether it’s at high schools, middle schools or elementary schools,” Averett said.

Collegiate 100 spends time with the children at St. Mary’s Home. St. Mary’s Home is a residential program for children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned by their parents.

However, Collegiate 100’s community service is not only limited to St. Mary’s Home.

“We do normal things like the breast cancer walk and the MLK walk. We also go to Dumas

Wesley and do yard work. We sometimes go to elementary schools and read to the children. We try to be a good and positive role model,” Averett said.

That seems to be their main mission Collegiate 100 seeks to positively serve their school and community.

As president, Averett is making strides to improve Collegiate 100’s presence on campus.

“When I became president, I wanted to lay the foundation for Collegiate 100. We’re going into our third membership intake,” Averett explained.

“I wanted to lay a good foundation to build on so that when I leave or as people come behind me, they’ll already have that strong foundation to build upon even more.

On Feb. 10, Collegiate 100 will be inducted 18 new members. “It’s about 50 of us already, and that’s very powerful: to be 50 black, strong men all working towards increasing our collegiate years and afterwards.”

In regards to membership, Collegiate 100 is looking for young men who are determined and dedicated to the betterment of themselves as well as their community.

“We change boys into men, not to sound cliché, but in the sense of just being around other positive males, especially black males,” Averett said.

Collegiate 100 is constantly hosting events whether they are just fun, entertaining events

South faculty lends their voice in honor of Black History Month

By NATALIE FRANKLIN Life Editor

B

lack History Month is a time to celebrate the African American community. To increase awareness of the African American community, the Alabama Humanities Foundation, Alabama Contemporary Art Center and the Mobile Public Library will be sponsoring a public talk.

Frye Gaillard and Dr. Carl Cunningham Jr. will present this talk on Feb. 16. “A Public Talk on the Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama” will be held in Bernheim Hall at the Ben May Main branch of the Mobile Public Library.

The talk is free and open to the public.

Gaillard, writer in residence at the University of South Alabama and author of “Cradle of Freedom: Alabama and the Movement That Changed America,” will discuss his historical research and personal experiences to explore how the works from Alabama Contemporary Art Center’s exhibition help to build understanding of and compassion for the victims of hate crime and institutional racism.

Dr. Cunningham Jr. will also offer his personal experiences as a southern African American man to explain the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama.

For more information, please contact Amanda Solley, Education and Program Manager at Alabama Contemporary Art Center, at 251-208-5658.

THEVANGUARDUSA.COM

The men of Collegiate 100 volunteer at St. Mary’s Home. (Photo | Instagram) like “Battle of the DJs” or events with a more serious purpose like “100 Minutes of Fitness.”

The “100 Minutes to Fitness” event was hosted back in January at the Student Recreation Center.

“Our Health and Wellness chairperson is big on fitness and health. In the black community we definitely need to be conscious of our health because we are more susceptible to heart disease and other things that deteriorate our life span,” Averett said.

Collegiate 100 is currently focused on shaping their new and returning members and serving the community. The organization will open up membership applications again in spring 2017.

“We do have opportunities for those who are interested to come and volunteer with us, and we can always be reached via social media.”

To find out more about Collegiate 100, check out their Instagram: collegiate100_usa.

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FEB. 8, 2016

Woo your boo: Valentine’s Day date ideas

By CAITLIN SMITH Staff Reporter

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his week, Cupid is lurking around every corner with his bow drawn ready to strike. Whether you are a supporter of Valentine’s Day or believe it is a fake, Hallmark holiday, you cannot avoid Cupid’s arrow for long.

This year instead of doing all the cheesy, played-out dates, why not surprise your bae with an exciting adventure they will never forget.

Mobile has everything you need for the perfect full day of love. Start the day off at Port City Golf downtown. Mobile themed putt-putt provides plenty of opportunity for playful flirting and even some physical contact if you need help with your swing (winky face emoji).

The next stop should definitely be the Crescent Theater which is conveniently right around the corner from Port

WIKICOMMONS City. If you or your boo has never been to the Crescent, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to check it out.

After a day full of putt-putt and the movies, you will need to eat! Downtown Mobile has recently gotten some incredible new restaurants to try out.

From pizza at Delfina’s or fresh, farm to table food at the Noble South, you have many choices right in walking distance.

End the night with a glass of wine at the Firehouse Wine Bar on St. Joseph Street to really woo your significant other.

For the more serious relationships, a weekend getaway is a great Valentine’s date. Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores has adorable cottages right on Lake Shelby that are ideal for a lowkey weekend.

Not only are they secluded enough to keep the world out,

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but there are also fantastic hiking trails and a golf course. It is just minutes away from the beach which is a very romantic backdrop for a sunset.

Gulf State Park is a great way to disconnect from your busy life and reconnect with your love. With no wi-fi or even a TV you have no choice but to look deeply into each other eyes and fall in love all over again.

Birmingham is a great road trip destination because you have many options on how you want your evening to go depending on what you count as a good time.

There’s the adventure side which includes hiking at Oak Mountain State park, dinner at Saw’s BBQ (best BBQ you’ll ever have) and then a few beers at some of the great local Breweries.

Or you can go traditional and class it up a bit and start out with cocktails at The Collins Bar. This bar is unique because

you can tell your waitress what kind of drinks you like and they will ask you questions like ‘sweet or sour’, ‘fruity or stiff ’ and come back with a marvelous cocktail you’d never think to order.

Dinner options in Birmingham are incredible, you cannot go wrong. Gianmarco’s and Bottega are both elegant and delicious but they can be pricey so plan accordingly.

No matter how you chose to spend your Valentine’s Day, be it climbing mountains or watching the sunset from the Bird Sanctuary at Dauphin Island make sure your honey feels like a star.

Staying in, cuddling up on the couch and watching reruns of Bob’s Burgers is always a great idea, too. Whether it’s a first date or your 10th Valentine’s Day together, make it something you can remember for years to come.

XO,XO

FEB. 8, 2016

10

Flutist tells story of civil rights movement and jazz

By MITCHELL KAHALLEY Managing Editor

J

azz music is one of the few truly American art forms and it is intrinsically linked to American history. Last week, the Common Read/Common World program brought jazz flutist and lecturer Galen Abdur-Razzaq to speak about jazz and the civil rights movement, one of the ways jazz has shaped the American story.

Abdur-Razzaq, who refers to himself by his first name Galen, has been doing a mix of performance and lecture for 30 years. Galen said he’s inspired to do these kind of lectures because he lived it.

“The message hasn’t been fully-told yet and one day we’ll all understand that this is something that should be taken very, very seriously.” Galen said Galen’s lectures are interactive.He asks his audience lots of question and wants them to be involved. In a way, they resemble the music he deeply loves. Loose and free flowing, with one word or phrase leading him off on a tangent, which always leads back to his main point. He said he sees the similarities between jazz and preparing a lecture like this.

“We are all really jazz musicians,” Galen said.

“We improvise all the time. A lot of times we don’t even know what we’re gonna do from day to day, we don’t know what we’re gonna wear, we don’t know how we’re going to handle certain situations when they come up. So, it’s all jazz.

Galen began the night playing a piece on his flute, unaccompanied before speaking about, the effect jazz music, and some other genre’s, had on the civil rights movement. Galen would play various influential artist’s recording then would use their individual contributions to the civil rights movement to springboard into a broader discussion about the movement as a whole.

Well-known artists such as John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and Max Roach were all discussed, but so were some less mainstream artists such as Al Hibbler and Abbey Lincoln, Some non-jazz artist of the era were also spotlighted.

Galen spoke about multiple white artists that contributed to the civil rights movements such as Tony Bennett, Leonard Bernstein and Frank Sinatra. Nicholas Frazier, a recent South Alabama graduate, said that learning about their involvement was his favorite part of the lecture.

“I’ve always enjoyed music, I’ve always enjoyed old music you know, stuff that kind of moves you a little bit.” Frazier said. “So when I heard about civil rights and jazz I just kinda wanted to see what the connection was. It was a good experience for me.”

However, Galen never referred to those performers as white, just as he never referred to other artists as black. He said early in the lecture that he sees a whole spectrum of color, so he used the terms “lighter hue” and “darker hue.”

Galen has been playing the flute for over 50 years and has recorded with the likes of Billy Taylor, Sonny Phillips, Jimmy heath, Clifford

Galen Abudr-Razzaq has been mixing jazz-flute performances with lectures for over 30 years. (Photo | Facebook) Adams, Freda Payne and Sun Ra. His love of the instrument hasn’t diminished.

“It’s just an unbelievable instrument. It takes 15 billion lifetimes in order to get it where you really want it.” Galen said. “Then after that it asks you ‘So you really think you got me huh? So that’s why I love it.”

Throught the lecture, Galen stressed the

importance of the political activism of the musicians of the 1950s and 60s. He believes that the current culture isn’t as politically active as the culture of that time.

Galen said, “It has nothing to do with nothing.

We all have to be more politically astute when it comes to how other people are making decisions for us.”

SPORTS

THE VANGUARD STAFF THEVANGUARDEDITOR@GMAIL.COM

FEB. 8, 2015

National Signing Day a success for South Jaguars notch one of the strongest classes in the Sun Belt Conference

By ALYSSA NEWTON Editor-In-Chief

S

outh Alabama finished National Signing Day strong with one of the best classes in the Sun Belt Conference.

The Jaguar’s 2016 class ranked second in the 247Sports rankings, only falling behind Georgia Southern. Scout.com has the Jags placing fifth behind Georgia Southern, Troy, Arkansas State and Texas State.

“We feel like we have some really great character student-athletes who we are bringing in, and they all fit what we were looking for; we worked very hard to get the type of player we wanted at each position," head coach Joey Jones said.

A large part of South Alabama’s group includes nine players who have already signed and enrolled, eight of those players are junior-college transfers.

Eleven players signed the dotted line on Wednesday, including Jalin Buie and Riley Cole, two talents that earned three stars from Rivals.com, ESPN.com, Scout.com and 247Sports.com.

Buie rushed for 723 yards and nine touchdowns with the undefeated 3A Trinity Christian Academy (Fla). The running back ended his high school career with more than 4,000 all-purpose yards. The once Auburn commit committed to South Alabama after

an official visit in January.

Cole’s storyline made headlines before signing with South Alabama. The Onenta High senior, who was ranked as high as third-best outside linebacker in the state, decommitted from Alabama three before Signing Day. According to Cole’s decommitment announcement, the SEC school told him they planned to grayshirt the linebacker. “..I believe I can contribute to the goals we have as a team,” Cole tweeted in his announcement. “After much thought and prayer, I feel this is the best place for my future.”

Two Mobile local talents are staying in the Port City, cornerback Bobby Flott from Baker High School and kicker Kari Farni from Murphy High School. Farni is already enrolled at South as a preferred walk-on.

Pleasant Grove’s offensive lineman Sean Brown was another bigger name among the Jags’ group, beating out Arkansas State and Georgia State. Brown earned secondteam all-state honors as a center. But South Alabama envisions the lineman on the defensive side of the ball.

“Honestly, I play better on defense than offense but since I play both ways the whole game most people only see what I do on offense but when I’m defense-only, I believe I can play anywhere in the country,” Brown told Scout.com.

Chris Henderson, three star defensive end who decommitted from Indiana, and Jay Woods a Rivals.com three-star cornerback will join the South Alabama defense.

"We felt like we needed some help on defense, the numbers over there were lower so we had more scholarships to give out, and when you have a need at certain positions you want to fill that with an experienced player,” Jones said. “Plus we were finding

some really good football players who can come here and help us win. These guys are going to be able to fill some roles for us; we are looking forward to having them here as Jaguars."

South Alabama finished the 2015 season 5-7, 3-5 in the Sun Belt. The Jaguars face the SEC’s Mississippi State and LSU and nonconference opponents San Diego State and NC State.

Cornerback Bobby Flott from Baker and kicker Kari Farni from Murphy at the Mobile County Signing Day Recognition, (Alyssa Newton | Editor-In-Chief)

12

FEB. 8, 2016

Track and field host South Alabama 2016 signing class Jaguar Invitional

By MITCHELL KAHALLEY Managing Editor

T

he University of South Alabama saw both school pole vault records fall this weekend in Birmingham when the men’s and women’s indoor track and field team as they competed in the Jaguar Invitational in Birmingham.

Sophomore Jordan Fritz recorded a 4.00m height in the women’s competition, breaking Erin Kinnear’s record of 3.87m set in 2007.

Fritz now holds the number one and number three spot on the list after posting a mark of 3.80m last year. Her mark is also the best in the Sun Belt to date.

Freshman Sean Collins posted a mark of 5.42m, which ranks in the top 10 in the nation.

He beat his own record of 5.35m set in 2015.

Kaitlyn Beans finished first in the women’s triple jump and posted a season-best mark of 12.80m.

Raffael Scott claimed a win in the men’s 60-meter dash after posting a time of 6.71 seconds. Christoph Graf posted a time of 1:54:24 seconds finishing first 800-meter dash.

The Jaguar women’s team took home the team title after posting 67 points, finishing 11 points ahead of Georgia State and 12 points ahead of Alabama State. Southeastern

Louisiana took the men’s title with USA finishing fifth after scoring 37 and a half points.

"It was a real good day today, we had two school records and numerous personal records," said Jaguar head coach Paul Brueske to USAJaguars. "Overall, I thought we got better today as a team."

A pair of Jaguars came in second and third in the women’s mile run. Laura Labuschaigne finished with a time of 4:53:52, improving her career best time by four seconds. Joanna McCoy finished .4 seconds behind in third place and moving into the top 5 on the school’s all-time list.

Ivy Chastain finished second in the women’s 5,000 meters after crossing the line with a time of 18:06:32. Nicole Durham finished in fifth place in the same event after posting a time of 18:19:71.

Taylor Dames came just one meter shy of matching her career best in the high jump with a mark of 1.69m . Megan James, Kayla Carlile and Caitlyn Dressler each posted a mark of 3.50m to come in fifth, sixth and seventh places in the pole vault. Kriszti Sazbo posted a season best jump of 5.48m in the long jump, while Ariel Johnson come in fourth in the triple jump after a mark of 11.79m The Jaguars will be in action in Birmingham next Friday in the Samford Invitational.

Sigler to join football staff

By MITCHELL KAHALLEY Managing Editor

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obile native Kelvin Sigler is set to join the South Alabama football coaching staff as a cornerbacks coach according to Sports Illustrated and AL.com.

Singer attended Shaw High School and played football at the University of Alabama from 1995-1998. He has been the cornerback coach at Northern Illinois for the past three seasons where the

Huskies went 31-8 and made three straight bowl appearances during his tenure.

SIgler is replacing linebacker coach Tracy Buckhannon. The Jaguars new defensive coordinator Kane Wommack has been a secondaries coach for most of his career so time will tell how responsibilities will be split among the coaching staff.

Sigler spent nine years coaching high school football from 2002-11. He spent four of those years at Blount High School where the Leopards went 27-18 and made the playoffs every year during his stint as head coach.

Riley Cole, LB, 6-3, 220, Oneonta, Oneonta, Ala.: Rated a three-star prospect by all four major recruiting services. Was committed to Alabama, had offers from Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest

Jalin Buie, RB, 5-7, 165, Trinity Christian Academy, Jacksonville, Fla.: Rated a 3-star prospect.. Rushed for a total of 3,359 yards in high school career, leading team to three straight 3A championships.

Bobby Flott, CB, 6-1, 160, Baker, Mobile, Ala.: Rated a two-star prospect

by Rivals.com. Offers from Minnesota, Memphis and Southern Mississippi.

Zac Crosby, TE, 6-3, 195, Jacksonville, Fla., The Bolles School: Rated a two-star prospect by Rivals. com, Scout.com and 247 Sports. Caught 30 passes for 750 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior.

Nick Fields, DT, 6-1, 265, Dothan, Dothan, Ala.: Rated a two-star prospect

by Rivals.com and 247 Sports. Offers from Colorado State and Nevada.

Konnor Houston, OLB, 6-4, 225, Army Prep, Buford, Ga.: Signed in December and enrolled in January..

Totaled seven sacks and 171 tackles in career.

Jay Woods, CB, Pinson Valley, Pinson, Ala. Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals. com, 247 Sports and Scout.com. Totaled 15 interceptions and 110 tackles in his career. Offers from Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, Memphis, Southern Miss and Arkansas State.

Neiko Robinson, CB, 6-0, 175, Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, Century, Fla.: Totaled 44 tackles and six pass breakups as a junior. Originally signed with Penn State out of high school before enrolling in junior college. Rated a three-star prospect out of high school by 247 Sports

Diantae Thomas, DB, 5-10, 215, Butler County Community College Dothan, Ala.: Signed in December and enrolled in January.

Chris Henderson, DE, 6-4, 220, Lovejoy, Hampton, Ga.: Rated a threestar prospect by Scout.com and ESPN. com, and a two-star prospect by Rivals. com. Originally committed to Indiana.

Zach Befort, DT, 6-2, 260, Butler County (Kan.) CC, Wichita, Kan.: Totaled 50 tackles and 8 tackles for loss in 2015.. Signed in December and enrolled in January.

Jared Stewart, CB, 5-10, 165, Fultondale, Birmingham, Ala.: Signed in December and enrolled in January.

Rated a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247 Sports.

Keller Farni, K, 6-1, 215, Murphy, Mobile, Ala.: Recruited as a preferred walk-on and enrolled in January.

D’Tavieus Taylor, OT, 6-4, 280, Hinds (Miss.) CC, Pearl, Miss.: Offers from Houston, Louisiana-Lafayette and North Texas.

Jahmmir Taylor, WR, 5-11, 170, Hinds (Miss.) CC, Fairburn, Ga.: Originally committed to Memphis, offers from Marshall and Middle Tennessee.

Taji Stewart, LB, 6-3, 205, Walton, Marietta, Ga.: Rated a two-star prospect

by Rivals.com and 247 Sports. Totaled 46 tackles and 3.5 tackles for a loss as a senior. Offers from Troy, Middle Tennessee and East Carolina

Mobile native Kelvin Sigler to join South staff. (Photo | todaysu.com)

Darrell Songy, OLB, 6-1, 220, Garden City Community College, New Orleans, La.: Signed in December and enrolled in January. Totaled 68 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss in 2015. Signed with Oregon State out of high school

Sean Brown, DL, 6-2, 320, Pleasant Grove, Pleasant Grove, Ala.: Rated a 3-star prospect, had offers from Arkansas State, Georgia State Georgia Southern, Troy and Southern Miss.

Romello Riley, DE, 6-3, 245, Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, Ocean Springs, Miss.: Signed in December and enrolled in January Andrew Reinkemeyer, TE, 6-4, 265, Butler County (Kan.) CC, Stillwell, Kan.: Signed in December and enrolled in January. Missed all but one game in 2015 due to injury.

Clay Burt, OG, 6-4, 310, Northeastern Oklahoma Junior College, Bixby, Okla. Signed in December and enrolled in January.

FEB. 8, 2016

13

Men’s hoops, lose in OT, hammered by Little Rock After a tight OT loss to Arkansas State, USA suffers blow out by league topping Trojans

By MITCHELL KAHALLEY Managing Editor

T

he South Alabama Jaguars men’s basketball team couldn’t hold on against Arkansas State last Thursday, losing 79-73 in overtime. Two days later, the Jags were trounced by the number one team in the Sun Belt Conference, Little Rock, 74-43.

The Jaguars were unable to find the basket in the final 4:18 seconds of the game before being outshot 10-4 in overtime. It was a tightly contested game down the stretch, the biggest lead by either team in the last 16:34 of regulation was six points.

The Jaguars trailed 35-26 at the end of the first half but were able to go on a 14-3 run early in the second half to take the lead “I thought we showed really great resolve and grit,” USA head coach Matthew Graves said to USAJaguars. “We played extremely hard and were flying around. We did a good job on the glass getting 20 offensive rebounds. Georgi (Boyanov) and Nik (Marijan) had 13 offensive rebounds; they kept getting it in there and tried to finish.

Shaq Calhoun gave the Jags a 69-64 lead with 4:18 left to play. USA would go on to miss their last seven shots. Anthony Livingston cut the Jaguar lead to three with 3:25 to play. Devin Carter hit his fifth three-pointer of the night to tie the game up at 69-69. Ken WIlliams had a chance to win the game for the Jags, but his three-pointer was off the

Sophmore guard Shaq Calhoun had three steals, one shy of a career high, in USA’s 74-43 loss to Little Rock. (Alyssa Newton | Editor In Chief) mark.

Boyanov scored two baskets in overtime, but his tip-in at 3:13 left in overtime would be the Jaguars last bucket of the night. The Jaguars were outshot 10-4 in overtime, bringing the final score to 79-73. Boyanov finished with his seventh double-double of the year, leading the team in scoring with 20 points and a career-best 14 rebounds.

“I thought Georgi was very active and flying around the ball, looking for opportunities,” Graves said to USAJaguars. “To add the six steals, he was very active with his

length and was able to get some loose balls for us. I thought Georgi played a very wellrounded overall game.”

Ken Williams scored 19 points with five three-pointers and five assists. Nick Stover also added 15 points and six rebounds.

The Jaguars are 2-1 in overtime games this year. They would travel to Little Rock on Saturday to take on the top ranked team in the Sun Belt Conference, the 21-2 Little Rock Trojans.

The night would not bode well for the Jaguars with team finishing with new season

lows in points with 43 and field goal percentage with .294.

Little Rock jumped out to a 19-4 lead after hitting their first 14 shots from the field with the Little Rock defense stifling the Jaguars, holding them fo 1-of-9 from the field and forcing three turnovers.

“There’s no question they showed tonight why they are leading the Sun Belt Conference and have one of the best records in the country,” Graves said to USAJaguars.

“At the defensive end they’re extremely well-coached as they play very physical and they get their hands on a lot of loose balls.

There’s a reason their record is what it is.

USA cut the lead to seven late in the first half, but a 16-2 run gave ASU A 42-21 lead at halftime.

“They got off to a 19-4 start and the rest of the half, we basically played them even,” Graves said. “You go into the locker room down 12 when it could’ve been a lot worse and we had a little bit of momentum. In the second half, they started off and came out guns blazing, and we just didn’t have the legs to respond.”

The Jaguars scored the first eight points of the second half, the first five coming from senior Ken WIlliams to bring the Trojans’ lead to 13, but ASU would go on a 14-2 run to but the game away, winning 74-43.

USA moves to 9-14 on the season with a record of 4-8 in the Sun Belt Conference.

They will open a three-game homestand this Thursday night against Georgia State

Women’s basketball drop two on Arkansas road trip

By MITCHELL KAHALLEY Managing Editor

T

he South Alabama women’s basketball team lost two games in Arkansas this weekend in drastically different fashions. On Thursday, the Jaguars fell just short of beating the team on top the Sun Belt Conference, Arkansas State, 58-51. They looked to bounce back on Saturday against Little Rock, but ultimately fell short 74-43.

Marquita Daniels and Taylor Jenkins each registered their first career double-doubles, but it wasn’t enough to take down Arkansas State. The Red Wolves snapped Jaguars three-game win streak and extended their home win streak to 21 games. Daniels finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds while also notching two steals and two assists. Jenkins recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds, going 3-of-5 from the floor and 4-of-6 from the charity stripe.

Two-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Aundrea Gamble led all scores with 20 points for the Red Wolves. She scored 16 of her 20 in the second half. She also grabbed six of ASU’s 12 steals.

“That’s why she’s the reigning two-time player of the year in our league,” South Alabama head coach Terry Fowler said to USAJaguars. “She just comes in and makes two or three unbelievable plays to give them a cushion again. That’s what a player like her is supposed to do and hopefully our young players learning and developing to be our future and the things that Gamble does.”

The Jaguars jumped out to an early 10-6 lead in the first three minutes of the game with Daniels hitting six of the Jaguars first 10 points. The Red Wolves hit back with a 10-0 run, bringing the score 16-10. ASU shot 9-of-19 in the first quarter, 5-of-6 from three-point range.

Both teams struggled offensively in the second half with the Red Wolves shooting 3-of-19 while the Jaguars were 3-of-13 in the second quarter, bringing the score to 31-24 at the half.

The Jaguars trailed by five, 41-36 with less than two minutes to play in the third quarter, but ASU would hit six straight shots from the free throw line to give the Red Wolves a 47-36 lead at the end of the third.

The Jaguars cut the lead to four early in the fourth quarter. Junior guard Colby Davis scored seven straight points for the Jaguars, cutting the Red Wolves lead to 49-45 with 6:44 left to play.

The Jags had chances to cut the lead to two on two straight possessions, but turned the ball over on both possessions. Gambe hit six straight points to extend the ASU lead to 10. The Jaguars were able to cut the lead to 55-51 with 1:32 left to play. The Jaguars wouldn’t score for the remainder of the game while the Red Wolves would hit three of their last four from the free throw line to seal a 58-51 win for ASU. “We just told the players in the locker room that we couldn’t be more proud of the fight that they showed tonight,” Fowler said to USAJaguars. “We are continuing to grow as a team. In the past, I think

Sophmore guard Marquita Daniels recorded her first career double-double in the Jaguars’ 58-51 loss to Arkansas State. (Photo | USAJaguars) our team could have fallen apart, but we fought and kept going.”

The Jaguars were back in action on Saturday afternoon as they took on the Little Rock Trojans.

Little Rock’s 28 point lead at halftime proved to be too much for the Jaguars to overcome, falling 74-43.

The Trojans shot 58.3 percent in the first 10 minutes of the game and forced seven Jaguar turnovers, resulting in 11 points for the Trojans. The Jaguars would try to make a comeback with Erin Autio and Davis combining for an 8-0 run in the third quarter to cut the deficit to cut the lead to 21, but the Trojans would go on a 9-2 run in the final two

minutes of the quarter to extend their lead to 62-33.

The Jaguars would trail by as much as 37 in the fourth quarter, losing 74-43.

“We talked with our team in the locker room after the game about trying to make each other better this week in practice so that on game day there aren’t any surprises for us,” Fowler said to USAJaguars.

“They’ve always answered our challenges to them, so I expect them to do that again in this week’s practices.”

The Jaguars move to 9-12 with a record of 5-7 in Sun Belt play. They open up a three-game homestand with a game against Georgia State on Thursday night.

CAITLIN SMITH OPINION EDITOR lcs1222@jagmail.southalabama.edu

OPINION

FEB. 8, 2016

Drug addicts need our compassion, not hate ‘Stop looking down your noses, reach out your hands’

By AUTUMN TERRY Contributing Writer

T

here are five letters that when strung together wreak havoc on society, relationships, our bodies and everything else: DRUGS. Drugs have become the ‘norm’ in our communities and even our college campuses. They become an obsession, a fixation and an unshakeable, dangerous addiction. It is in the dark and clouded time that haze of drugs needs to be dealt with.

It is a time to find the help that is needed to release the unrelenting grip that drugs hold over our society. It only takes one hit to be pulled under.

From that moment on every hit is a goal.

Higher. Higher. HIGHER. Nothing satiates the burning desire to forget and to lose yourself.

According to Helpguide.org, a mental

health hotline and help guide, explains that using recreational drugs causes a surge in levels of dopamine in your brain, which trigger feelings of pleasure.

Your brain remembers these feelings and wants them repeated. This sensation becomes the only antidote to a broken heart, a bad day, or just a long, uneventful Monday.

It is a dangerous game many choose to play. But it becomes even more dangerous when it gets ignored, or even worse accepted.

An addiction to drugs becomes a mental and physical disease of cravings and want. Mental capacities and capabilities are distorted and warped. Behaviors, personalities and responses become muddled and completely altered.

At the age of only 18 my brother became entangled in the world of drugs, alcohol and lies.

I watched as an addiction ripped this man apart from the inside out.

Over the years, I can say drugs have impacted and altered my life just as much as my brother, the one who actually chose to do them.

Drugs are a funny and cruel thing.

They take trust and completely shatter it.

They bend relationships to the point of no return. They can take any family and rip them straight from their well-built henges.

These people who have chosen to become part of the dark and dirty world of drugs need help.

Many of us choose to sit back idly and silently judge or ignore. They broke the law, therefore they deserve the time that comes with the crime. We judge before we consider compassion.

I spent a year of my life traveling to see my brother in a drug treatment program. I will admit, it was hard being surrounded by what most of us label as criminals.

During my experience, I saw the faces

of men and women that just wanted help.

My experience opened my eyes to a life that I could have very well chosen.

No one wants to become, what I once heard someone call my brother, “a drug addicted thug” but it is life and it happens.

We live in a world where drugs cannot be ignored, but yet we ignore them.

Every day we walk by someone struggling with addiction. We look them as filthy, jail-deserving, low life scoundrels.

But should we?

Everyone makes mistakes, some just happen to be a little more serious than others.

The wrong crowd and a little weed can lead to severe consequences. It is time to put aside the haughty attitudes and act.

Stop looking down our noses and start reaching out our hands.

Drugs are a serious problem. It is time we stand up and find the solution to help those who have fallen victim.

Today’s generation should go back to ‘old school’ dating Bae vs. Sweetheart, returing to a ‘simpler time’ in the dating world

By EMMA ROYAL Contributing Writer

Y

oung adults in today’s hookup culture seem to be having more trouble with dating and relationships than ever before. Our “romantic” culture is centered around phrases such as ‘netflix and chill’, ‘side chicks’ and ‘friends with benefits.’

We have apps like tinder which promote finding a “date” based on a split second look at someone’s appearance.

In the end, does anything more than a hookup result? It is rare now for a guy to ask a girl out on a proper date or vise versa.

Instead, we ask to simply “hang out” and are left to wonder if he or she is romantically interested at all, or if they want to be just friends.

The majority of young adults today yearn for a simpler time, when we could be straightforward with our prospective dates. We laugh about the dating rules of the past but maybe there are a few old ways that wouldn’t hurt us to return to.

Girls were asked out to dinner or to the movies on a Friday night and there was no

room for doubt about whether or not it was a date.

It also didn’t necessarily mean that you were instantly in a relationship.

If you check that feed of the popular anonymous app Yik Yak on any weekend night, you will find a multitude of people complaining about having nothing to do or being lonely and dateless.

Would it be different if it were not uncommon for a guy and a girl to make plans to go to dinner, bowling or a movie on a Friday or Saturday simply to have a fun date night and enjoy each other’s company?

If a connection is made, great!

A second date can be planned and a relationship discussed. If not at you least you had a fun night out and maybe even made a friend.

I recently watched a video entitled, ‘Grandmas Explain Millennial terms” in which several grandmas were told to guess the meanings of modern slang.

The term ‘bae’ came up and while they guessed the meaning fairly quickly, they also commented on how they didn’t like it.

One woman remarked, “So bae is a dar-

(Photo | hercampus.com) ling sweetheart. Sweetheart sounds better doesn’t it?”

While the video was amusing, especially hearing grandmas say ‘on fleek’, the ladies raise a good point.

Maybe we should stop trying so hard to keep up with new dating trends that more often than not leave us feeling lonelier than we felt before.

Perhaps we should try to return to a

simpler time when we treated the opposite sex with respect and honesty.

We can to be brave enough to talk to a new person or ask someone out while being upfront about our intentions.

Young people who are the future of America have the power to make improvements that we think need to be made. Our culture is what we make it and it is never too late to change.

CAITLIN SMITH OPINION EDITOR lcs1222@jagmail.southalabama.edu

DISTRACTIONS

FEB. 8, 2016

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