anguard V If it matters to you, it matters to us.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA
THE
MONDAY JULY 3, 2017 VOL 59 ISS 21
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Sun Belt Media Day
A leader on the field: Travis Swaggerty
How to deal with a psycho roommate
The Sun Belt Media Day is fast approaching.
Check out Travis Swaggerty, whose athletic and leadership skill has garnered much praise. Page 5
Our advice column, Dear Debbie, is here to help you with your roommate problems. Page 7
Page 4
Honors college welcomes Dean Cooke
Dr. Kathy Cooke will serve as the dean of USA’s honors college. Photo courtesy of Bob Lowry By Sara Boone | Life Editor
Dr. Kathy Cooke will serve as dean of USA's newly created honors college. Throughout the past year, USA has worked to create the college to accommodate the growing number of students who have shown interest in the honors program. The honors college will act as an umbrella over the honors program and track honors students. This will allow more students to be involved in previously honorsexclusive opportunities such as courses, national competitions and Continued on page 3
USA unveils master plan
USA released their 2017-2027 master plan, revealing several construction projects for the campus. Photo courtesy of Campus Master Plan 2017-2027 By Krisha Amin| web editor
Are we getting more parking spots? Is another dormitory being constructed? When is the new football stadium going to be ready? If you drive around campus this time of the year, you will probably notice the construction on almost every turn. It is all a part of the University of South Alabama’s 2017-2027 Campus Master Plan, and it’s really not as sinister as the name might insinuate. A master plan is a long-range, detailed plan for the future. The Board of Trustees unveiled its non-binding plan at its June 2
meeting. “This is a guide,” Chairman Mike Windom said during the meeting. “This is not ‘we are going to do everything on this wish list.’” This strategic plan is centered primarily around five major themes and priorities: student success and access, enhancement of research and graduate education, global engagement, excellence in healthcare and universitycommunity engagement. While this 10-year plan covers countless smaller scale objectives, the overarching aim of this odyssey is to develop a long-term plan for the physical infrastructure, safety,
and technology on campus. This is in response to the growth of the university with respect to academics, research, business, and student enrollment in the past seven years. The campus master plan aims to enhance the holistic USA experience for all students, faculty, and staff. Some “wish list” projects that are already underway are the construction of the new residence hall, which is scheduled to be completed in fall 2018, a new parking lot on Aubrey Green Drive, and a controlled crosswalk at the Continued on page 2
NEWS
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Vanguard Master plan continued 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 Life Editor Web Editor Copy Editors
Shannon Lundgren Marissa Mason Sara Boone Krisha Amin Amber-Lynn Boothe Richard Narramore
Humanities parking lot. Plans for the new football stadium on campus are also in progress. “The fact that the university is constantly evolving is quite exciting,” Christian Manganti, a sophomore majoring in biomedical sciences, said. “I love the idea of interplaying the old and the new across campus. Some buildings are aged but classic, but the constant addition of new buildings shows
Reporters Ryann Guy
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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, JagMail 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. 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. Freelance writers and photographers will receive payment upon successful publication.
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that USA always has its eyes on the future.” The previous campus master plan was introduced in 2010. Since then, the major enhancements and changes have included reevaluating JagTran routes and implementing a JagTran tracker app, updating utilities, introducing Shelby Hall to the public, and the grand opening of the new Student Health Center just this past year.
USA Crime Report
The successes of these 2010 projects were only the cornerstone for USA’s future. The 2017-2027 plan is bolder in striving to make differences. “[The master plan] addresses the university’s needs and future in a comprehensive manner,” Windom said. A full copy of the master plan can be accessed through president’s office website.
251-460-6312 6/29/2017 Public Intoxication Medical Sciences Bldg. parking lot Intoxicated couple was found inside a vehicle between College of Medicine and Health Science Bldg. parking lot.
6/22/2017 Theft of Property Fourth Degree The Grove An unknown person stole an Apple watch from a Grove apartment.
6/14/2017 Harassment Research technology Park The crime of Harassment was committed.
6/27/2017 Indecent Exposure Epsilon 1 Residence Hall An unknown white male appeared naked from the waist down at Epsilon 1.
6/20/2017 Resisting Arrest; Escape Third USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital A female was arrested for Disorderly Conduct and for Resisting Arrest.
6/12/2017 Disorderly Conduct/Disturbing the Peace USA Medical Center A female subject was arrested for Disorderly Contact and Public Intoxication.
6/27/2017 Theft of Property Fourth Degree Delta 5 A bicycle was stolen from a bike rack at Delta 5. 6/26/2017 Domestic Violence Third Degree University Commons parking lot A female not affiliated with USA was arrested for Domestic Violence. 6/26/2017 Auto Theft Stanky Field parking lot A car was stolen while owner was inside the recreation center. 6/25/2017 Theft-Bicycle Recreation Center A student bicycle stolen from recreation center. 6/24/2017 Theft of Property Fourth Degree The Grove An unknown person stole a wallet, multiple identification cards, keys, and about $60.
6/17/2017 Duty Upon Striking an Unoccupied Vehicle Gamma Parking Lot Unknown person struck victims car and left without providing proper information. 6/15/2017 Theft of Property Third Degree Recreation Center An unknown person stole various items including: an iPhone, gym bag, clothing and car keys.
6/09/2017 Theft of Property Third Degree Shelby Hall An unknown person took a wallet from Shelby Hall 6/09/2017 Theft of Property Third Degree USA Medical Center A blue/green Chevrolet Silverado recovered at USA Medical Center parking lot.
6/15/2017 Theft of Property Third Degree The Grove An unknown person stole a PS4, PS4 controllers, and video games.
6/06/2017 Duty Upon Striking an Unoccupied Vehicle Humanities parking lot south A parked vehicle was struck by an unknown vehicle.
6/14//2017 SHAC Theft of Property First Degree A vehicle was reported stolen from the back parking lot at USA Springhill Campus.
6/05/2017 Resisting Arrest USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital A male was arrested for prior warrants and resisting.
6/14/2017 Strada Center Unlawful Breaking and Entering a vehicle Theft of Property Third Degree A vehicle was unlawfully entered and multiple items were stolen.
6/05/2017 Property Damage USA Medical Center Bullet holes were located in one exterior wall and three interior walls in the Mooer building at USA medical Center.
NEWS
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Dean Cook, continued 0
Dr. Kathy Cooke talks to students in front of the Seaman’s Bethel, the honors building on campus. Photo courtesy southalabama.edu
conferences. The honors college is set to be active this fall. Eighty-five freshmen were accepted. Forty-five are Whiddon Honors Scholars, which were previously honors program members. The rest consist of two Mitchell College of Business Scholars, one Science Scholar and 37 Presidential Scholars. The search for the dean lasted almost an entire school year with five candidates up for consideration. Cooke said she was drawn to USA because of its strongly rooted identity, despite it being such a young university. “There is such a strong honors program already with such a diverse population. It has the room to expand into this honors college,” says Cooke. Cooke was the founding director of the honors program at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut and worked with it for 12 years. From her experience there, she learned that a successful honors college focuses on bringing together the intellectually curious in a special way of sharing the love of knowledge, Cooke said. Doug Marshall, assistant director of the honors program, hopes Cooke will bring new ideas to the table, as well as have respect for what is currently working for the honors program. Cooke said she has a respect for
the foundation that previous honors program director, Michael Doran, laid down, and that she would not have been able to come to USA to make this transition had it not been for all of the work that he put into it. Marshall also hopes that the addition of the honors college will attract more students to USA. “Too often, capable students who do not get into the honors program because of the strict cutoff do not come to South because they can get into an honors college somewhere else,” said Marshall. Students in the honors college will be required to write a thesis like those in the honors program, but they will be able to take honors courses. They will be placed on separate tracks for each of their majors that will require them to take a different set of classes than nonhonors students within their same major. The objective is to help the students attain their goals without having to complete a thesis. Rachel Short, senior speech and hearing sciences major and president of the honors college association, said she believes that Cooke will succeed. “Dr. Cooke’s vision is drawn straight from two focus words: interdisciplinary and curiosity. I believe that if she is putting these two ideas at the forefront of her vision, our honors college can do nothing but grow not only in numbers but also in our sense of community,” said
Short. Cooke said she sees the addition of the college as a slow and thoughtful process, and plans to learn how the current honors program works in
order to add a successful honors college. She will start her position as dean at the beginning of the fall semester.
We’re
Hiring! The Vanguard is looking for someone who is passionate about college sports to join our team as a sports reporter. Get paid to attend home games and write about them. 5-15 hours per week with room for advancement.
Apply at thevanguardeditor@gmail.com Include your resume and two writing samples
SPORTS
4 New Orleans to host Sun Belt Media Day
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Some Jaguars are spending their summer break back at home, some are being studious and taking summer classes, and some are traveling,dipping their toes in foreign oceans. But all Jaguars are wondering what the scoop is on this upcoming football season or at least when they can begin tailgating again. Fortunately enough for every Jaguar, the wait is almost over. The Sun Belt Media Day will be held in New Orleans, July 24th, at The Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The event will be broadcast live on ESPN. On Sunday night, before media day, there will be a Sun Belt Fais-Do-Do held at the Oaks Mansion in Mardi Gras World. The Sun Belt Fais-Do-Do is a traditional dinner party that will be held from 6-9 p.m. The event changes from year to year. As for previous Sun Belt Media Days, there were two athletes and one head coach from each of the 12 football playing schools in the conference. The Sun Belt Conference has said that 2016’s season was one of the best yet and confirmed that there will be games broadcast on ESPN seven times, two Wednesday games on ESPN2 and five Thursday night ESPNU games. At the Sun Belt Media Day, there will be a lot of talk from each program of what is going on for their upcoming season. The event will begin on Monday at 7 a.m. where all guests can check in. An hour later, a formal breakfast will be served and the State of the Sun Belt will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. There
will also be a lunch at 11:30 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. The State of the Sun Belt is the part of the press conference where any new information will be announced. This can be anywhere from expansions in the conference, TV contracts, or bowl games. Next, every team will speak on behalf of their program and answer questions about their upcoming season, specific players, new players, injuries, and what they are doing now during their allotted time. This press conference is where the public will hear for the first time about the 2017 season and football fans everywhere can begin counting down the days until kickoff. The following is a schedule of each team and their allotted speaking time. The Sun Belt Media day is intended to inform football fans throughout the Sun Belt conference of what they have been missing during the off season and what is happening for this season. Jaguar fans are still waiting to find out who head coach Joey Jones will decide to bring to New Orleans this year. Last year, he brought senior tight end, Gerald Everett, and senior linebacker, Roman Buchanan. Everett has since been drafted to the Los Angeles Rams. The conference has yet to announce individual radio interview sessions, individual media or print one-onones, and network television interview sessions. For more information about the Sun Belt Media Day, check back with thevanguardusa.com.
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sports talk show host Lance Zierlein said. The 6-foot-3-inch player is described as a “slick athlete with leftover wide receiver traits” by nfl.com. This Jaguar is out of the cage and already on the hunt. We look forward to seeing what Everett has in store for the NFL and wish him the best of luck.
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The Vanguard would like to congratulate Gerald Everett for being drafted into the NFL for the Rams. “It’s difficult to find a good comparison for Everett because his size and toughness are similar to Marshall’s coming out, but his playing style resembles Delanie Walker at times,”
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Congratulations to NFL Rams draftee Gerald Everett
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SPORTS
5
Across from USA
Travis Swaggerty bats against Alabama A&M. Photo courtesy of usajaguars.com
Swaggerty shows inspiring summer dedication Ryann guy | sports reporter
Summer baseball is hot, especially in the state of Alabama. Some of South’s baseball players on summer league teams traveled north for the season for a respite from the heat. Soon-to-be junior Travis Swaggerty has been up and down the East Coast, but found a temporary home wearing a different USA jersey. After receiving first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors, Swaggerty went on to continue his love for the game with a summer league in Cape Cod. He was signed to play for them when he began his sophomore year. During the season, Swaggerty was recruited to play for the USA National Baseball Collegiate Team a program that plays against other teams from Cuba and Chinese Taipei. Taking his off season to continue playing speaks for who Swaggerty is as a player. “What motivates me to play every day is the possibility of making it to the top,” said Swaggerty. “Everyone in the workforce that wants a promotion has to work harder and harder every day to get that recognition that they want, so that’s
what I try to do.” He explained there is always room for improvement, proving his limitless dedication to a successful career. Swaggerty is not the type to accept failure and he makes that clear. “I’ve always had the mindset that won’t be denied in accomplishing what I want,” Swaggerty said, talking about making it to the MLB. This season, Swaggerty ranked second in batting average with .356 and an onbase percentage of .484. He is tied for first with 78 hits for the 2017 season with 12 doubles, a triple, and 11 homeruns. Swaggerty managed 60 RBI’s and has a .571 slugging percent, the highest on the team. His work in the box is just as good in the field. He had 152 catches and 145 putouts. His performance proves that this soon-to-be junior is a dangerous player to his competition. Not only do his statistics lead, but he does as well. Swaggerty does not see himself from past seasons as a vocal leader because of his status as an underclassmen. He respects the older teammates and understands his role on the team. Swaggerty’s ways of leading are
through his attitude and actions. “What I try to do is lead by example because I know other guys watch what I do, just like I do to them,” Swaggerty said. “Doing the right thing and creating a standard for our program role as a leader.” However, he believes next season, will be different for him as a junior. “I’ll have to be a little more vocal to lead. We have so many guys who are leaders on our team, especially the guys in my class coming off of two years of playing at a high level,” Swaggerty said. “We will all do our part to create a standard and have the team ready and where it needs to be to make a big push next year,” Swaggerty commented on how different it is to play on both teams. There is, without a doubt, a connection made when playing for a team according to fellow Jaguar, Thomas Huston. They both agree that South Alabama’s baseball team is known to have a strong bond that radiates throughout their program. They believe this relationship they have built is part of what makes them who they are. This
past season, that team was a Sun Belt Conference champion. “When you play with the same guys for two years, you have so much more experience with each other and you are much more comfortable,” Swaggerty continued. “You are more prepared to pick someone up when they need you.” Swaggerty continued about how the guys on his summer league team are all very humbled to be there which creates an easy-going atmosphere where he says is easy to create enough of a bond to play well together. Being that he is a young player, competing at this level shows how talented Swaggerty is and how much potential he has for a future as a professional. South Alabama’s baseball program will benefit from Swaggerty’s diligence and dedication during the summer to his talent. To find out when and where you can attend Swaggerty’s summer league games, check out www.usajaguars.com for their schedule and tickets. For more information about South Alabama baseball or any of our athletes, check back on www.thevanguardusa.com for updates.
OPINION
6
Proverbial College Student: Dear Debbie, What should I do if I have Summer in Mobile
a psycho roommate?
Taking summer courses can prove to be more stressful than the fall. Photo courtesy of All-free-download.com By RICHARD NARRAMORE | copy Editor
It is now July in Mobile. Which means for many college students, we are not only stressed and broke, but now we are stressed, broke and very sweaty. This is my first summer in the overbearing humidity that is Mobile, and I can say that there are few stark differences to my fall and spring experiences. That being said, I now know I have taken for granted the slow pace of fall/spring semester. Instead of going home and leeching all the money and food off my parents before fall came back around, I decided to place shallow roots and take up a job here over the summer. That was wrong. In my initial dreams, this adultembarkment I had wanted to set out on sounded grand. I envisioned more free time, pool parties with friends, less stress and more money in my pocket. It is quite the contrary, however. Like one of those videos where someone is stumbling on a treadmill, I am stumbling through summer. Everything seems geared toward preparation for the upcoming semesters: taking a class to catch back up, filling a prerequisite for another, saving up money for tuition and books, scrambling to get internships under your belt for when you graduate. My summer feels like a squirrel preparing for the long harsh winter that is college. Except that the mass storage of
goods is not food. In fact, my fridge remains more empty now than it ever was during the school year. The contents of my fridge include: a gallon of milk with a dubious expiration date, a half loaf of bread with no sandwich meat, and my roommate’s leftover take out food, which remains the biggest temptress of my life. Also, a pro-survival tip: there are less functions with free food during the summer. The Humanities courtyard and the student center were once beacons of hope, offering student baked goods to refuel from class to class. There is no refuel station from work shift to work shift. I never thought I would miss the people who hand out unwanted pamphlets so much. You will also notice the barren campus over the summer, whose finest amenity turns out to be easy parking. It turns out that many students do go home over the summer, leaving the rest of us here to fend for ourselves. If you thought Marx Library during finals week looked desperate, you should see summer college students. There is more crammed into less. For starters, imagine three months of class in only four weeks. For an imagery equivalent, picture placing your foot into a shoe two sizes too small. Yes, the pain and discomfort are also part of this summer experience. Such is the American dream, Your Proverbial College Student
Having a sneaky roommate is not something most people want, but it can be a great learning opportunity. Photo by Shelby Guidry
By RACHEL GOODMAN | Reporter
Well, the good thing is you are not alone. Almost everyone deals with a difficult roommate at some point in their college career. And though it may seem bad; dealing with a bad roommate can be a great opportunity for personal growth. It is how you respond to the difficult people and situations you are faced with that defines you. The most important thing you need to do is decide is if you feel safe. If you live on campus and truly feel that you are in danger from your roommate you should talk to your R.A. about a room change as soon as possible. The housing staff is trained in how to handle these situations and it is their job to make sure that you are provided with a safe and secure living environment. If your roommate concerns are more about clashing personalities as opposed to actual safety concerns, your R.A. can still help you.. Your R.A. can mediate a discussion between you and your roommate. Together you can voice your grievances and decide what needs to change to improve your living situation. If you live off-campus, or you don’t
feel your situation warrants R.A. intervention, you can still improve the situation on your own. Problems should be addressed as they occur, but not necessarily in the heat of the moment. Sometimes, it is better to come back to an issue in a less emotional moment. Being successful roommates is all about communication. You will never find someone who you agree with all the time but if you and your roommate can be open and honest about your concerns, you are much more likely to live together peacefully. If your roommate is leaving dishes out until they grow legs, try and talk to them about it rather than angrily doing them yourself. Your aggravated sigh is not an effective form of communication. If your roommate is doing something that causes you daily distress you need to address it calmly, and directly. Don’t scream or blame them. But don’t back down or be bullied into silence. If you allow someone to step all over you, they will. Before coming to college, many people relied on their parents to clean up after them and it is important that you do not fall into a replacementparent roll. A person who has never washed a dish in their life will not notice anything is different when those dishes left scattered about your dorm “magically” disappear. I know it can be hard to talk to someone calmly when you’re upset with them. You may have to compromise and swallow your pride a bit,but nothing will change if you do not take the steps to make change happen. Part of being an adult is accepting that you will not get along with everyone you meet. A bad roommate may feel like the end of the world, but it is not. If you manage to learn something from the situation, it is something you can carry with you for the rest of your life. If you have any questions for Debbie, email her at deardebbievanguard@gmail.com.
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3 Allows the federal government to collect income tax 5 Provides for the right to trial by jury in certain civil cases, according to common law 6 Asserts the existence of unenumerated rights retained by the people 7 Repeals the Eighteenth Amendment 8 Establishes Prohibition of alcohol 9 Establishes the official voting age to be 18 years old. 10 Establishes the direct election of United States Senators by popular vote 12 A change to a pending motion or bill 13 Right to bare arms 14 Defines citizenship, contains the Privileges or Immunities Clause, the Due Process Clause, the Equal Protection Clause, and deals with post-Civil War issues 17 Limits the powers of the federal government to those delegated to it by the Constitution
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1 Prohibits the denial of suffrage based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude 2 Prohibits the forced quartering of soldiers out of war time 4 Protects the freedom of religion, speech, and the press, as well as the right to assemble and petition the government 7 Prevents laws affecting Congressional salary from taking effect until the beginning of the next session of Congress 11 Establishes women’s suffrage 14 Prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures and sets out requirements for search warrants based on probable cause 15 Prohibits excessive fines and excessive bail, as well as cruel and unusual punishment 16 Revises presidential election procedures
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