VANGUARD THE
INSIDE
SGA hopefuls strive to set themselves apart
► JagLife: Oozeball: a history of fun and charity. See JagLife, page 4
NOAH LOGAN | CONTRIBUTING WRITER
SGA presidential candidates (L to R) Danielle Watson, James Denny and Josef Hobdy respond to questions at the debate March 28. By NOAH LOGAN Contributing Writer
► JagLife: ROTC prepares the elite to serve and protect. See JagLife, page 5
VOL. 54, NO. 11
“If it matters to the USA family, it matters to us.”
MARCH 31, 2014
T
he SGA candidate forum held March 28, attracted more students than past debates. Elections committee chairman Coleman Wolf moderated the debate between attorney general, chief justice, treasurer and presidential candidates. Attorney general candidates went first, but Justine Harris was the only
candidate present. She preached her three years of SGA experience and said that one of her main priorities if elected would be to garner larger support from students for Higher Education Day. Her time was short and sweet as no students offered any questions for Harris to answer. The four candidates for chief justice were next to take the stage. Trenton Kaine O’Neal, Daniel Curry,
Micah Messer and Janelle Johnson all responded similarly to questions from the moderator about parking, a recurring issue for most students at USA. Curry, who has no SGA experience so far, said that all cases of ticket appeals must be heard with “open ears.” Messer, a current SGA senator, addressed the problem by acknowledging the current parking situation is
“trying,” but according to him, “SGA has tried to fix it, and unfortunately the system is here to stay.” O’Neal, a three-year SGA veteran, said that he would do everything in his power to make sure each case is heard on a “case-by-case basis.” Johnson added that the chief justice would have to “take every precaution regarding the appeals” to make sure each case is heard fairly. The two candidates running for treasurer, Emily Jerkins and Zach Charlton, were up next. The first question from Wolf addressed how most students see SGA as a “piggy bank” and asked how SGA could fix that while still funding all its needs. Jerkins was first to respond by saying that students think this way because SGA “neglects to pay attention to other needs of student organizations.” She added that SGA could help “follow through with these organizations and help with marketing and getting people to go to the events.” Charlton responded by suggesting a change to the funding process as it currently is. He suggested that instead See Debate Page 2
Highly competitive scholarship awarded ► Sports: USA softball sweeps Louisiana-Monroe at home. See Sports, page 13
► Opinion: Girl Scouts: innocent cover for a malicious scheme?
RED WINS!
SEE PAGE 11
By STEPHANIE FEATHER Contributing Writer
S
ophomore Catherine Zivanov, a chemistry major, has been named the 2014 Goldwater Scholar by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. Zivanov follows the May 2013 winner, Arslan Arshad, becoming the first back-to-back Goldwater scholarship winners from USA. The prestigious scholarship is awarded to college students who intend to pursue careers in science, mathematics and engineering. A committee of 10 USA faculty members representing departments and colleges of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) areas selected four nominees for the Goldwater Scholarship. From among the candidates recommended by the independent review committees, the Foundation Board of Trustees name up to 300 Barry Goldwater Scholars. The number of scholarships awarded per state depends on the number and qualifications of the nominees from the 53 jurisdictions, according to the Goldwater Scholarship website. The one- and two-year scholarships cover the cost of tuition, fees,
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See Award Page 2
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Red-Blue spring game showcases Jags’ talent ALYSSA NEWTON | SPORTS EDITOR
In this Issue:
JagLife, Page 4 Sports, Page 11 Opinion, Page 14