Jan 16, 2017

If it matters to you, it matters to us.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA

anguard V THE

MONDAY JAN 16 2017 VOL 59 ISS 17

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The Writing Center Reopens It now has two locations for students to receive writing help. Page 6

The Career Fair Is Coming Up!

Provost Discusses College Funding

Prepare now for the career fair so you can make a good impression and get the job. Page 6

NEWS

Our opinion editor interviews Dr. Johnson to discover how funding is distributed. Page 10

NEWS

USA South Drive Construction Replaces Pipes; Ongoing Project

The USA Police Department is a visible force on campus. Photo by Jake Cannon.

Construction at USA South Drive cause congestion on campus. Photo by Jake Cannon.

USA Police Chief Eager To Meet, Speak With Students at Student Center

By Marissa Mason | Managing Editor

When I interviewed USA Police Chief Zeke Aull, I never expected to fall in love - with his dedication and compassion toward protecting and serving USA students.

He knows it’s important for students to feel comfortable approaching campus police and takes initiative to make them feel that way.

That’s why he plans to eat lunch at the Student Center Chick-fil-A on Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 11 a.m. to 1

p.m. Aull encourages students to stop by during their lunch to ask questions or simply chat with him.

“I want to increase the interaction and communication with our officers, so I encourage our officers to eat at the dining hall as much as possible,” USA Police Chief Zeke Aull said. “It’s all about increased interaction. We want more interaction and visibility in and around the residence hall areas.”

Aside from their normal tasks of deploying units and responding to crises, how else can campus police assist

students? They offer a variety of services students might not know about.

They can jump start a car, unlock car doors if the keys are locked in the car, and engrave belongings.

USAPD offers Check Your Ride, a program held at the end of each semester where students can take their cars to the front of the police station for a check-up.

Officers check the student’s water, anti-freeze, oil, air pressure, tires, brake fluid and transmission fluid.

Continued on page 4

By Alanna Whitaker | Editor-in-Chief

Last week’s campus construction on USA South Drive replaced aging water pipes, according to Randy Moon, associate vice president of Facilities Management.

It’s part of an ongoing project to replace the hot water distribution system along with other types of utility distribution upgrades.

Some of the pipe systems are as old as the university itself, which means many pipes have already exceeded their expected lifespan.

“It’s the work that nobody notices until it makes their car have to detour somewhere,” said Bob Lowery, Continued on page 3

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Vanguard THE

University of South Alabama Alpha Hall South Room 336, Mobile, Ala., 36688 Tel: 460-6898 I Fax: 414-8293 Advertising: (678) 644-7838 thevanguardeditor@gmail.com STAFF Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor Opinion Editor Life Editor Sports Editor Web Editor

Alanna Whitaker Marissa Mason Micaela Walley Joel Goode Richard Narramore Casie Carr Cydnei Nettles

Reporters Krisha Amin Morgan Parton

A member of the The Venardos Circus performed in Cathedral Square at LODA Art Walk on January 13th. The show was a preview of their upcoming full circus show that will be downtown in the coming Mardi Gras Season.

Photo by Jake Cannon.

Advertising

Advertising Manager Spencer Schuneman Advertising Rep. Tim Holloway Graphic Designer Alex Jackson

Upcoming January Events

Management Advising J. Sellers J. Aucoin Accounting Kathy Brannan

Distribution Distribution Cory Judkins Cameron Hall

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

Send letters and guest columns to: thevanguardeditor@gmail.com Letters and guest columns must be received by 7 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the Monday publication.

Submissions should be typed and must include the writer’s name, year, school and telephone number. All submissions become the property of The Vanguard.

The Vanguard reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length and clarity. Letters will be limited to 300 words. Letters and guest columns are the opinion of the writer. The Staff Editorial represents the consensus opinion of the Editorial Board. All members of the Editorial Board have the same weight. The Vanguard has a commitment to accuracy and clarity and will print any corrections or clarifications. To report a mistake, e-mail thevanguardeditor@gmail.com. The Vanguard is published Mondays during the academic year, except for exam periods and vacations, and is published twice each summer. The Vanguard is supported in part by an allocation from student activity fees and operates in the Student Media Department of the Division of Student Affairs. Issues are available at most University buildings and select off-campus locations. The first copy is free.

Additional copies are $1 each. Freelance writers will receive payment at the discretion of the section editor and will be notified.

To request additional issues at a stand near you, email: vanguarddistribution@gmail.com

17 Tuesday

19 Thursday

Jasmin Arakawa Piano Recital Laidlaw Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m.

SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Night USA Student Ballroom 7 p.m.-9 p.m.

18 Wednesday

20 Friday

27 Thursday

Studio 63 Spring Concert Reveal Party USA Student Ballroom 7 p.m.- 10 p.m.

Comedy Night Feat. Rob Haze Student Center Terrace 7 p.m.-9 p.m.

22 Sunday

Trivia Night Student Center East Lobby 9 p.m.-11 p.m.

Lunch with Police Chief Zeke Aull Student Center Chick-fil-A 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Get on Board Day Student Center 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Last day for refund on dropped classes

24 Tuesday

60 Seconds or Bust Student Center Ballroom 7 p.m.-9 p.m.

Find out what you missed www.thevanguardusa.com The Vanguard News at South Alabama

@TheVanguardUSA

USATHEVANGUARD

NEWS

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Managing Editor | Marissa Mason smm1421@jagmail.southalabama.edu Monday, Jan. 16, 2017

Continued from page 3

Construction at USA South Drive caused congestion on campus. The new hot water distribution system will be connected to more locations on campus this summer as part of a long-term plan to renovate campus utilities. Photo by Jake Cannon.

USA Crime Report

251-460-6312

director of communications and media relations.

Moon is conscious of the traffic the construction caused, but the facilities team schedules most projects during the summer semester.

However, the project on USA South Drive had to precede other scheduled projects.

“Each summer is a flurry of underground projects,” Moon said.

“There will be another group of projects this summer. There will be five projects of underground hot water.”

This coming summer, the new water pipes installed at USA South Drive will be connected to the Student Center and the Mitchell Center.

Pipes from the central plant to USA South Drive will also be replaced.

The Performing Arts Center will be connected to the hot water system and a boiler from the building removed.

The construction is a small part of a long-term project to identify aging

university infrastructure and repair it.

About four years ago, the university decided it needed a utility master plan. It assessed the current condition of USA’s infrastructure across campus. It outlined both a short- and long-term plan to replace and repair the everything that was deemed a priority.

The utility master plan addresses future renovations for the hot water distribution system, the cooling system, electrical distribution system, sanitary storm drain system, natural gas and domestic water.

Over Christmas break, there was rain water intrusion in a Visual Arts Building computer lab.

Facilities Management installed roof gutters, downspouts and drain piping to detour the rain water away from the building.

Future building projects on also in the works. Ground was broken for a covered practice field.

A new dorm where Delta 2 used to stand is also expected to be complete by fall 2018.

If you SEE something DO something!

1-8-2017 Burglary Third Degree Delta 6 A PlayStation 3 and an iPad Mini were stolen from the victim’s room.

1-11-2017 Theft of Property Fourth Degree 591 Joseph E. Gottfried Dr., 70 dollars were stolen from the victim’s bag when the bag was left unattended.

1-9-2017 Burglary Third Degree 591 Joseph E. Gottfried Dr. An iPhone 6s and case were stolen from the football field house.

1-11-2017 Theft of Property Third Degree Instruction Laboratory Bldg. (ILB) A laptop and several items were stolen from a student’s class room in the ILB.

1-9-2017 Truck Theft Mitchell Cancer Institute A vehicle was reported stolen from the Mitchell Cancer Institute.

1-11-2017 Theft of Property Fourth Degree New Hall Student Residency Victim’s bike was stolen from the bike rack by New Hall.

1-9-2017 Burglary Third Degree The Grove A Playstation 4 and accessories were stolen from the victim’s residence at the Grove.

1-12-2017 Striking an Unoccupied Vehicle University Commons (UCOM) An unknown person struck an unoccupied vehicle parked in the UCOM parking lot.

1-10-2017 Possession of Weapon on University Property Stokes Hall Parking Lot A student was referred to the Student Judicial Affairs for a weapons violation.

1-12-2017 Striking Fixtures on a Highway Outside of Stokes Hall Driver passed out behind the wheel and wrecked into a light pole.

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NEWS

Managing Editor | Marissa Mason smm1421@jagmail.southalabama.edu Monday, Jan. 16, 2017

Continued from pg 1

If any of those are low, they will refill it for free on behalf of O’Reilly’s Auto Parts.

“They donate all the fluids and we donate it right back to the students,” Aull said. “It gives us an opportunity to have more face-time with them. We want them to go home safely and come back safely.”

If car belts are cracked, or if the car is unsafe beyond what the program can fix, they will let the student know that it needs to be repaired.

When a student is uncomfortable walking to a destination such as their car or dorm, they can call the police department and have them park in a specific place so they can monitor the area, allowing the student to walk by safely.

In more extreme cases, a student may even be escorted home by an officer.

“I think the thing that is being used the most is our Live Safe mobile safety app’s Safe Walk program,” Aull said.

Students can use the app to text and invite their friends to watch them virtually walk to their destination.

They can also use the app to contact the police directly, or send them tips or photos of a crime.

“It’s free, and if there’s a problem, they can hit the emergency button and a police officer will come for you,” Aull said. “If you need a police officer, we encourage you to call. We’re coming.

We don’t care what it is; we’re coming.”

The police department also engraves property for free through a program called Operation ID. Students can bring in items or schedule an appointment to have their possessions engraved at their dorm.

The students can then use a website to record their engravings and if their property is ever stolen, the officers can look for that engraving.

USAPD can engrave and register items both large and small, like bikes, TV’s, appliances, etc. If an item is stolen, the serial number and engraving can be filed with the NCIC (National Crime Information Center), making it much easier to find if pawned or even if it’s simply stolen.

The campus police station works just like any other police station across the country. They can dispatch officers, launch investigations, and handle criminal cases, like for stolen property.

They are ready to help students any time students may need them.

“We’re just like any other police

The University of South Alabama Police Department sits off of Stadium Boulevard between the Beta and Gamma communities.

Photo by Jake Cannon.

department,” Aull said. “Our authority is the same both on campus and off campus.” They can arrest people, assist with domestic disputes and maintain public order, and are available 24/7.

Aull wants to reiterate that even with all their efforts, they can’t keep campus safe on their own.

The police department’s motto for students was formerly “See something, say something,” but is being transitioned to “See something, do something.”

This doesn’t mean you have to physically intervene in a crime, but USAPD encourages students to be proactive about reporting crime or suspicious activity.

“I’m not asking you to do any more than you are able to do, and you’re able to pick up the phone and call or take a picture and send it to us, that’s doing something important ,” Aull said.

“This is our community. We want it to be safe, and we can’t do it without you.

That’s what I would want to get out to our student body: See something, say something, do something.”

More information about the University of South Alabama Police Department can be found by calling (251) 460-6312, or emailing police@southalabama.edu, or visit southalabama.edu/departments/police/index.html.

YOUR N O I N I OP ) : S T N COU We know you have opinions.

Share your thoughts with The Vanguard at thevanguardeditor@gmail.com

LIFE

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Life Editor | Richard Narramore ran1422@jagmail.southalabama.edu Monday, Jan. 16, 2017

JagSPOT, The Alternative To Student Loans

By Morgan Parton | Reporter

Before JagSPOT there was never a consolidated process for scholarship applications. Instead the process varied by department and program.

In order to eliminate frustration and confusion, USA launched JagSPOT, a Scholarship Program Opportunity Tracker.

JagSPOT is a scholarship database that lets students search, save, and apply for scholarships through its portal. Students can filter results based on a number of criteria. It allows students to more efficiently access, apply, monitor, review and accept these USA scholarships.

JagSpot offers a number of different scholarship opportunities including departmental scholarships, freshman scholarships, general scholarships for current students, and scholarships for transfer students.

Apart from JagSpot, students are automatically submitted for presidential scholarships when they apply to USA. Presidential scholarships are renewable every year by maintaining a 3.0 cumulative GPA and remaining a full-time student (30 hours per year).

Students can learn more information by visiting the Institutional Scholarship Guidelines on USA’s Office of Scholarships webpage.

“Student support, by way of scholarship, is more important now than ever,” Elizabeth Bordeaux, scholarship coordinator at the Office of Scholarship Services said.

“We hope, through JagSPOT, to reach as many students as we possibly can, and provide access to opportunities they might not have otherwise identified,” she said.

USA’s Department of Scholarships website provides step-by-step instructions to create a profile with JagSPOT. Students are encouraged to enter academic and extracurricular experience in three different general applications.

There is a “Save and Keep Editing” option to allow students to finish applications at their leisure.

After completing the application process, JagSPOT will automatically recommend scholarships that are relevant to you.

The user-friendly program will also show you the deadline for scholarships.

“Some scholarships require additional information: essay questions, student statements, resumes,” Bordeaux said.

“These are either completed within the

Photo courtesy of The University of South Alabama webpage. software itself or uploaded by the student.

The technology allows essays, recommendation letter requests, short answer questions, multi-select lists, YouTube uploads, image uploads, and more,” Bordeaux said.

Deadlines on these scholarships will vary, so students are encouraged to start applying as soon as possible.

Students must complete a general application annually in order to keep receiving recommendations.

“When a student is awarded a scholarship, JagSPOT provides an award letter to the student outlining the terms and conditions of the scholarship,” Bordeaux said.

“It is important for students to read this information because scholarships are renewable for future terms and certain

criteria must be maintained in order to finalize the award or maintain for future years,” she continued.

The Department of Scholarship Services desires that students will utilize the new and inventive tool as a way to successfully graduate with a degree from USA. If are questions regarding JagSPOT, students may contact the Department of Scholarship Services by at scholarships@ southalabama.edu, or by phone at (251) 461-1958.

Students can also webpage at www. southalabama.edu/departments/financial affairs/scholarships/ to learn more information about scholarships and creating an account with JagSpot.

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.

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Life Editor | Richard Narramore ran1422@jagmail.southalabama.edu Monday, Jan. 16, 2017

LIFE

Land A Job At The HireAJag Career Fair

By Morgan Parton | Life Reporter

Bust out your suits and iron your dresses for the HireAJag Career Fair slated for Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mitchell Center Waterman Globe Lobby.

This event is open to all majors, and focuses on internships and professional jobs.

However, before students and graduates apply for jobs or attend career fairs, they should adequately prepare in advance for the competitive and vigorous job market.

At the University of South Alabama, career services offers a variety of programs that all students can use. They provide individual career counseling, major exploration, assistance with graduate school applications, organized job fairs, and much more.

Resumes are the most important document for job hunters. Your resume is a summary of your skills, accomplishments, experience and education.

All of this information must be verifiable to your employers.

“We recommend that students research the company they are applying with and carefully review the job announcement,” Beverly Hendley, associate director of career services at USA said.

“Sometimes students don’t realize that taking the extra steps to tailor a resume for a specific position can greatly increase their odds of getting an interview.”

In addition to resume critiques, career services also has a new website, Vault, that students are encouraged to use.

“Vault contains company research and reviews, as well as an in-depth resume guide,” Hendley said.

“We also have a collection of informative resume videos in our Candid Career video library on Vault that students may find helpful,” she continued Creating a LinkedIn account is also a tool that many employers are examining in their search for employees.

LinkedIn allows you to connect with other professionals in your field and contains a job database that you use to search for employers.

Users can create a profile, or submit a resume in lieu of one. It is essential to make your profile professional and accurate, because many employers will review it.

“LinkedIn can be a valuable tool for students, but it’s important for them to do their research and spend the time needed to create a marketable profile.” Hendley said.

“Students can visit LinkedIn for Higher Education for tutorials on how to use LinkedIn effectively: including instructions for building a student profile and using LinkedIn to search for a job or internship,” she continued.

Researching your employer thoroughly, dressing appropriately, and arriving on time are a few tips on having a successful interview.

Job-seekers should answer questions honestly and strive their best to be polite and confident in their abilities. Asking insightful questions to your employer will show to him or her that you have done your research on the company.

Before going in for an interview, students are strongly recommended to set up a mock interview with the career services office.

“We provide students with a mock interview guide when they schedule their interview to help them prepare and get the most out of their experience,” Hendley said.

“The goal is to simulate a real interview to help students develop their skills and gain confidence,” Hendley added.

If students are unable to attend or schedule an in-person mock interview, career services also offers a virtual mock interview so students still receive feedback.

When searching for a job, it is important to have structure in your search to

The resume is arguably the most important document for job hunters. Students should make sure they have a polished resume. Picture by Jake Cannon

avoid confusion and disorder.

Creating an Excel spreadsheet, for example, can help organize your search.

Key columns to include are the company name, the date applied, the point of contact with the company, your application summary, and the status of applying for the particular job.

There are apps for the iPhone that can also be beneficial in your job search such as Indeed, Switch, and Good.Co. “You definitely want to start early and develop a strategy,” Hendley said.

“The job market is competitive so it’s important for students to conduct a comprehensive search that includes using social media effectively and tapping into the power of their professional network,”

she continued.

To see a list of attending employers at the career fair on February 9, 2017, students may log into their Jaguar Job Link account.

Students who are looking for a parttime job should plan to attend the Parttime and Summertime Job Fair held on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm in the Student Center ballroom.

For more information about preparing for the job market, students may contact Career Services in Meisler Hall and visit their website at www.southalabama.edu/ departments/career services.

Writing Center Ready For War (With Words)

By Richard Narramore | Life Editor

The Writing Center is an instructional facility where peers help students become better writers.

With its two locations, one at Marx Library 240A and the other in the Academic Support Center, students can receive help with any written assignment. Appointments can be made online but walk-ins are also welcome.

Frank Ard, The Writing Center manager, welcomes all students to come and receive help. Ard warns that as the semes-

ter goes on, walk ins may not be accepted and appointments become booked quickly.

The Writing Center helps approximately 2,500 students in both the spring and fall semester, and about 1,000 students during the summer.

The Writing Center can assist with any writing assignment. They help students with grammar mistakes, brainstorming ideas, understanding the prompt and outlines.

When asked what students struggle with the most, Ard responded by saying organization and logic. He continued on to say that a lot of students have difficulties

making their writing flow or make sense.

Ard added that many students come in thinking the big problem is grammatical issues when it is actually the big picture things such as cohesiveness.

Senior Dru McCleave, mathematics major, has worked at The Writing Center as a consultant since August. McCleave said that he helps students with all types of assignments ranging from public speaking outlines to business project proposals.

When assisting students, McCleave says that he tries to focus on helping students with the writing process the most.

McCleave said his favorite part of

working with students in the one-on-one engagement.

“You get to watch them have that light bulb moment that you just don’t get with a full class,” he said.

The Academic Support Center location is open Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

The Library location is open MondayThursday 12 p.m.-6 p.m.

Students can schedule an appointment by calling (251) 460-6480 or by going online to http://www.southalabama.edu/ departments/academicsuccess/writing/

LIFE

Life Editor | Richard Narramore ran1422@jagmail.southalabama.edu Monday, Jan. 16, 2017

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Textbooks Bundle Debacle: Prices Too High

Image courtesy of SLUGBOOKS.com

By Krisha Amin and Richard Narramore The soaring price of college textbooks is one of the many burdens that go handin-hand with attaining a degree that students have to deal with.

For some USA students, buying textbooks is as simple as walking to the bookstore and handing in a copy of your schedule. The convenience will cost you, though.

The art of getting your textbooks at the cheapest price is hard to master; however, it is one worth pursuing.

In the last 10 years alone, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that the price of college textbooks has risen by 63 percent.

An independent study, Covering the Cost, conducted by the nonprofit Student Public Interest Research Group, found this percentage to be even higher, at 73 percent.

Many students, during their first semester at South, choose to buy books from the USA Bookstore located inside the student center.

They simply hand in their schedule and then are presented with a box that contains every book for all of their classes.

The only thing missing is a bow on top.

It seems like the best option at the time, as most students are still adjusting to their new school, learning how to deal with Financial Aid and Student Accounting, and do not want to bother with searching for the cheapest books.

Sydney Burger, USA freshman exercise science major said, “I didn’t know what I was doing and they said, ‘Here this is easier.’”

Full-time college students pay $1,250 annually for textbooks at public four-year

universities according to College Board’s Average Estimated Undergraduate Budgets for 2016-2017.

The University of South Alabama’s 2016-2017 Common Data set puts the annual cost of textbooks for its students at $1,260, which is slightly higher than the overall average cost the College Board study stated.

Katie Hayes, a freshman nursing major, had a similar experience as Burger during her first semester. She felt stressed about starting school and was unsure of how to shop around.

This semester, however, Hayes decided to look around for a cheaper deal on her books. She was proud of herself for finding a steal on Amazon, getting two books for $73.

She praised the USA Bookstore for how helpful and convenient they were but wishes she would have done more research before buying all her books.

The primary cause for the rise in textbook prices is due to the lack of competition among publishers.

About 80 percent of college textbooks are published by five companies, according to Student PIRG. The five biggest publishers in general education are Scholastic, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Cengage Learning, McGraw-Hill Education and Pearson Education.

Damon Kirby, an accounting major, admitted that he bought all his books from the USA Bookstore for his first semester.

This semester he waited to see which text books he really needed.

Kirby began to do this after purchasing books for last semester and finding out his teacher did not use the book.

He also said that he used Chegg when buying his textbooks, a website that rents out digital copies of textbooks.

Online alternatives, such as e-books, seem to have the potential to resolve the issue of overpriced books: no more traditional methods, such as paper printing, easy renewal of newer editions, less time to distribute, and reasonable in price to purchase.

Yet cheaper methods do not necessarily correlate with accessibility and usually come without the convenience of the short walk to the bookstore.

Whatever the case may be, students are learning about their options for buying textbooks.

Whether it is searching for the ISBN number on Amazon, downloading a digital copy to avoid printing costs, or simply going without the book until they can tell if they really need it or not, students are becoming more frugal and savvy, stretching the dollar as far as it will go.

Pictured above is the USA Bookstore located in the Student Center. Picture courtesy of the University of South Alabama.

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Sports Editor | Casie Carr cdc1526@jagmail.southalabama.edu Monday, Jan. 16, 2017

SPORTS

Men’s Basketball Starts With Loss, Ends with W

By Hannah Blackburn | Reporter

The Men’s Basketball team saw defeat in overtime versus Georgia Southern.

The Jags were able to hang on closely with just seconds left in regulation play, thanks in part to a “trey,” or a three-point shot, by senior guard Ken Williams.

Ultimately, the Eagles were able to trim down USA’s lead and came back out on top.

“I was really proud of our effort coming back in the first half,” stated head coach Matthew Graves. “I told them that a year ago, we would have folded up on the road and gotten beat by more than twenty points, but today we were able to hang tough and keep guarding.”

Williams led all scorers with 20 points off the bench, 14 of those failing in the second half, shooting at .500 making 7-of-14 in 30 minutes of play.

Close behind was freshman forward Josh Ajayi with 19 points shooting at .556 percent making 5-of-9 in 35 minutes of play.

“It came down to us needing one more defensive stop, or we needed to step up and hit a few more free throws down the stretch,” Graves said. “That’s frustrating, because you can control the free-throw line a little bit. I know those guys are disappointed about that.”

Though they lost on the road, the Jags then looked to their next matchup against Texas State as they hoped to defend their home turf and bring a win to the jungle.

They won 72-67, which was a nail biter of a finish as the outcome was decided in overtime.

Forward Josh Ajayi sunk the final two free throws of the game.

Though the first half was slow going offensively for USA, having had trouble with transition points, Coach Graves knew that wasn’t going to deter them from coming out and playing aggressive in the final half.

“We burned the stat sheet,”

USA basketball player Don MuepoKelly shoots a free throw against Texas State in the USA Mitchell Center. USA eventually won the game in overtime 72-67. Photo by Briana Cunningham

Graves joked, but went to say that it was defense that helped keep the Bobcats at bay.

“We’re both good defensive teams, we were able to keep No.1 in check when it came to scoring; it was a team defensive effort, and we were able to keep him off the free throw line.”

Offensively, junior guard Shaq Calhoun dominated both in the paint as well as from the perimeter leading all scorers with a career high total of 26 points.

He was 8-of-15 from the field, and mastered outside shooting draining 6-aof-10, and was 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.

Defensively, he helped elevate the Jags’ game by snatching away three steals.

“He was absolutely huge, he was engaged,” commented Graves.

“When he’s in the flow of the offense and has made a few, he gets in attack mode. Look at the three steals he got, it showed he was engaged defensively, and that carried over to his offensive effort.”

Senior Guard Ken Williams’ shooting game made an

appearance as well, coming in right behind Calhoun with 16 points including 4-of-14 from the field, 6-of-8 in free throws, as well as a pair of treys; Williams also led the Jags in boards, having pulled down seven.

Free throws also helped push the Jags over the top, as the Bobcats put them in the bonus plenty of time left in the final half.

“Coaches like to talk about toughness, and I think we had that today. We started out slow, but towards the end of the game, some big plays were made,” said freshman guard Herb McGee, who had seven points and five rebounds.

“We pride ourselves on defense and we got big stops in the end of the game; you just have to trust the process.

“We came back from two road losses and were able to come back and protect our court.”

With a big win at home, the Jags move to 9-8 on the season record (2-2 Sun Belt Conference), and plans to host the University of Texas-Arlington.

This game will be aired

OPEN 7AM-10PM M-S KITCHEN OPEN 8AM-6PM 5460 OLD SHELL ROAD

251-344-4575

SPORTS

Sports Editor | Casie Carr cdc1526@jagmail.southalabama.edu Monday, Jan. 16, 2017

Women’s Basketball Season Begins On A Tilt

By Casie Carr | Sports Editor

It was a rough first week back for the University of South Alabama women’s basketball team with two losses.

In the Sun Belt Conference, they lost against No. 4 University of Texas-Arlington, and No. 8 Texas State University.

USA faced a 4-0 conference team and fought hard, but tired quickly on Thursday, Jan. 12.

“I thought we got off to a good start in the first quarter,” said head coach Terry Fowler. “ I thought we lost an advantage when Chyna Ellis got into foul trouble and was only able to play for seven minutes in the first half. But overall, their pressure throughout is really what got us.”

UTA had almost double the scoring advantage in field goals, as well as 3-pointers.

While USA had the advantage in free throws, it was not by much. The Jags also gave up more turnovers than the Mavericks.

“They had 33 points off of turnovers; that’s a recipe for a loss,” Fowler said. “We have to do better taking care of the basketball.

“I thought we fought hard in the fourth quarter and showed some signs of getting life to try and come back, but UTA is a really good basketball team.”

USA had the advantage, being No. 7 in the conference facing No.8. But, TSU held the advantage in the series matchups against USA, leading 6-1 on Saturday, Jan. 14.

“This is going to be a game that I think we’re going to look back on at the end of the season and wish we had over again,” Fowler said.

Although USA never gained the lead in the game, they managed to tie it up and trail closely behind for most of the game.

The Lady Jags were even able to make it a one-possession game five different times throughout the match. Every time USA would

USA Women’s Basketball team being their match against Texas State at the USA Mitchell Center. Photo by Edwin Mendoza.

score on the offensive, they were unable to maintain their defense to hold the Bobcats.

“We fought hard and got it to a one-point game, but we expended so much on the comeback that we just lost our energy,” Fowler said.

“We missed some assignments and didn’t make shots that we had available. It was very disappointing to have this happen.”

The Lady Jags may just need to put in harder and longer hours of practice to get to the level they need to be at to go up against these difficult conference opponents.

“We just have to make the decision that we are going to play,” said Fowler. “It’s not about winning and losing, it’s about the everyday work that we do. You have to put in a certain amount of time for that to show up on the court on game day.

“Unfortunately when you get to this point, you have short days of practice and you’re travelling, you just don’t have those opportunities.

WE’RE

HIRING !

The Vanguard is currently seeking a sports reporter.

Applicants should write a brief summary explaining their interest in USA sports.

Apply with resume and sample of writing to thevanguardeditor@gmail.com.

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Opinion Editor | Joel Goode jdg908@jagmail.southalabama.edu Monday, Jan. 16, 2017

OPINION

Dr. David Johnson Determines Funding Distribution

By Joel Good | Opinion Editor

This article is an extension of last week’s previous article titled “As spring blossoms, the arts and sciences wither” in issue 16 that takes a deeper look at the issue of arts and sciences funding at USA. For readers who did not catch last week’s article, I’m investigating the distribution of funds between the colleges at USA. More specifically, I’m concerned that the arts and sciences, which are responsible for most general education requirements, receive less funding than other colleges.

This week, I interviewed Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. David Johnson.

Last week, I reported that the university funding model is set up so that the schools that receive the most new enrollments also receive the most funding.

However, my interview with Johnson revealed that this was too simplistic an explanation.

Johnson explained that the amount of student credit hours being taken within a college is the primary factor when he distributes fund between colleges. Head count, or the amount of student majors in a department within a college, is also considered, but it’s not the primary consideration.

“For example, an engineering student actually takes classes in engineering mostly in their junior and Senior years,” Johnson said. “In their first two years, they’re mostly taking courses in arts and sciences, such as in mathematics.”

As the head count in engineering has gone up, the student credit hours in mathematics has gone up. Not only does engineering need faculty, particularly when students reach their junior and senior years, but mathematics needs faculty even sooner. “ Johnson operates at the college level, which means he determines how funding is distributed between colleges such as the college of medicine, the college of engineering, and the college of arts and sciences.

Within the colleges, the dean looks at where enrollment is growing.

The primary criteria for funding is

USA Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. David Johnson decides how funds are distributed on the college level.

Photo courtesy of USA Marketing and Communications.

credit hour growth. The dean makes the case for a specific program, and then he and the provost attempt to add faculty to keep up with student credit hour production.

Johnson explained that from 2012-2016, overall enrollment in the arts and sciences went up 6,000 credit hours, approximately a 7 percent increase.

The number of faculty in arts and sciences went up from 234 to 257, which is a 10 percent increase, although this information doesn’t any possible distribution inequalities within a college.

“I look at those credit hour numbers and when they’re coming up, I am sympathetic to requests from the dean for new faculty positions,”said Johnson.

During the 2012-2016, engineering grew from 5,500 credit hours to 8,500 credit hours, an increase of more than 50 percent.

The administration was able to add 22 percent more faculty (8 more professors) during that period.

The biggest issue facing the arts and sciences is that several departments do not feel as if funding is being distributed proportionate to the credit hour production.

For example, the departments reported on last week include foreign languages and life sciences, which lack classrooms and labs.

However, the administration said it has begun to address these issues. The chemistry department, for example, similarly suffered from a severe lack of lab space, and their concerns were adequately addressed with the construction of new labs in the old engineering laboratory.

Johnson acknowledges there are space issues on campus.

A survey was recently completed by faculty, students, staff, and administrators as part of the master plan for facilities.

The master plan, which will be completed by the end of the semester, will determine allocation once resources become available.

The committee for the plan is co-chaired by Johnson and Scott Weldon, vice president of finance and administration.

Surveys and focus groups are administered through Angela Coleman’s office of institutional effectiveness.

The humanities building is a prominent priority, according to Johnson, as well as the life sciences and instructional laboratory building.

The committee is also conducting a classroom utilization study.

There are also departmental needs for new faculty. Some administrators believe an adjunct or part-time professor cannot provide the quality

of education a tenured faculty member can.

However, Johnson reserved a certain appreciation for part-time faculty.

“I do not want to diminish the work of part-time faculty,” said Johnson, citing Dick Rogers in Chemistry as someone who has worked in industry for decades and has pursued a part time career at USA to commendation.

“Many schools would like to have something like Shelby Hall, and would also like to have a few more full time faculty. We’re going to try to do our best,” said Johnson. “We’re at the same faculty-student ratio overall that we were at our peak before the recession.”

“Our percentage of instruction delivered by part-time faculty is no higher now than it was before the recession, when 80 percent of instruction is delivered by fulltime faculty,” he continued. “If you compare us with other state institutions, that’s not a bad number.

It’s a good number.”

The administration appears to be working to meet the complex needs of USA’s many colleges and the departments within them.

Do USA’s students and faculty agree? Email thevanguardeditor.com to share your opinion.

DISTRACTIONS

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Strange Laws of Alabama It is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while operating a vehicle.

Dominoes may not be played on Sunday.

Bear wrestling matches are prohibited.

It is illegal to impersonate a person of the clergy.

It is illegal to maim oneself to escape duty.

In Mobile, no person within the city may possess confetti or ‘Spray String’.

In Mobile, it is illegal to howl at ladies within the city limits.

Bathing in city fountains is prohibited in Mobile.

You may not have an ice cream cone in your back pocket at any time.

In Auburn, no person may spit on the floor of a church.

It is illegal to spit orange peels on the sidewalk in Mobile.

If one wants to read palms in the Mobile, they must pay $10 for a permit.

Mobile banned bicycles from the interstate highways.

No one may use a ‘funk ball’ within the city limits.

Incestuous marriages are legal.

Want to know more crazy laws? Go to dumblaws.com

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