September 7, 2015

SEPT. 7, 2015

VOL. 57 #7

16,462

South Alabama reaches new enrollment record

LIFE

Selma to South

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Sports

South bust Bulldogs

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Opinion Tom Brady

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Sept. 7, 2015

Enrollment highest in school history at 16,462

South Alabama reaches multiple historical highs in 2015 enrollment, increses retention fourth year in a row

By ALYSSA NEWTON Editor-In-Chief

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record-breaking number of students enrolled in the university this year, a total of 16,462 the highest in school history.

This raise is a 2.54 increase from last fall’s enrollment of 16,055.

Not only did the University reach a record-breaking enrollment, but also saw increases that reached historical highs in incoming freshman (2,105), graduate students (4,389) and African-American students (3,478).

In June, it was announced by vice-president of academic affairs David Johnson that the University would be raising their enrollment standards by raising the GPA and ACT requirements.

This fall, the grade point average required for acceptance rose from 2.0 to 2.5. In addition to the higher GPA requirements,

the university updated the requirement for incoming students to have a 19 regular ACT and a 17 conditional ACT for the 2015-2016 year.

According to executive director of enrollment services Christopher Lynch, there were worries about the effect the new standards would first have once they were implemented in the fall.

“I was absolutely afraid,” he said. “If we had left it [the standards] alone, I can guarantee you we would have had another one hundred, hundred plus freshmen in this class.”

At the June board meeting the university projected a loss of African-Americans and Pell Grant recipients. At the time, the university enrollment was 20 percent African-American students.

The move seemed to not have the predicted effect as the University’s enrollment reached a historical high, despite the raised requirements.

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very year, the Student Government Association and the police department on campus make a drive around campus at night, to discover the darkest places on the campus and to decide where to implement new lighting for students.

“The lighting tour around campus takes place every semester,” the Student Government Association president Ravi Rajendra said. “This semester’s lighting tour is scheduled for late Fall. The Student Government Association, maintenance, USA PD, and key administration officials participate in the lighting tours.”

In recent years, college campuses nationwide have seen much higher trends in violence and theft. Colleges are trying to combat this through programs, increased awareness, more involved campus police and heavier lighting in problem or hotspot areas.

In the last 4 years, South Alabama has spent over half a million dollars on additional lighting in areas around campus.

“New lighting has been implemented all

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

Alyssa Kaitlyn Newton

Mitchell Kahalley Micaela Walley Alexander Moylan Mary Alice Wilson Natalie Franklin Bria Johnson Tori Brackett Caitlin Smith Briana DiGiorgio

Staff Photographer Emily Rodrick

Distribution

Distribution Bobby Faulk Alan Smith

South Alabama had an increase in incoming freshman from over 140 high schools from around the country. (Emily Rodrick | Staff Photographer) “We’re really cracking down on the the requirements, but it’s a strategic move,” said Lynch. “In doing so it’s going to attract more students to the campus. The higher your standards are, the more it attracts people. Everyone wants to be a part of something better than themselves. It’s going to help out with retention and

our graduation rate.”

Retention has increased by 2 percent from last year and has risen 8 percentage points in four years. The University retained 73 percent of last year’s freshman class.

South Alabama’s graduation rate is still below the national average, but the University has

made strides to provide students with the resources they need to walk across the Mitchell Center stage.

In December of last year, the University implemented first year advising for incoming freshmen and other programs that would be

See Enrollment pg. 4

across campus,” Rajendra said. “There are many areas of improvement including the area around the traffic circle. Additional lighting will be added if there are areas on campus that need more lighting. I’ve been on the lighting tour two years now, and it’s incredible seeing the difference that we have been able to make on campus through the lighting tour.”

Many students can still name a few places that are in much need of lighting.

“The wooded area near the student health center behind the pond is always dark, as is the road between the fraternity houses and the dorms,” sophomore nursing student Marissa Hicks said. “I never had a problem though, because a police officer frequently drove around the campus, even escorting me back to my dorm building at night, so I never felt unsafe on campus.”

Sophomore nursing student Gordon Parker agreed, “The darkest area on campus in my opinion is where the nature trail begins.”

The cell phone application LiveSafe has been heavily promoted by South Alabama

See Safety pg. 4

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South safety: increased lighting, app helps students stay safe

By TORI BRACKETT Staff Reporter

Sept. 7, 2015

University of South Alabama

Student Health Center of South Alabama Where University good health and healing Begins

Student Health Center • Allergy Injections • Gyn Services • Health Education • Immunizations • Laboratory Testing • Allergy Injections • Physical Examinations

• Sexual Assault Services • Specialty Referrals • Sports Medicine • STI Screening and Contraception Counseling • Sexual Assault Services • Travel Medicine

Where good health and healing Begins

• Gyn Services • Health Education • Immunizations • Laboratory Testing • Physical Examinations STUDENT HEALTH CENTER

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web site/web portAL www.southalabama.edu/studenthealth

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.

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251-460-6312

08/28/2015 25.00 9:26 Possession of Alcohol The Grove Apartments Multiple students were referred to the University Disciplinary Committee for an unsanctioned party involving alcohol at the Grove building 10 08/29/2015 7:32 Disorderly Conduct/Disturbing the Peace USA Medical Center A non-University of South Alabama affiliate female was arrested for disorderly conduct.

08/29/2015 12:26 Minor in Possession of Alcohol The Grove Apartments A female student was arrested for Minor in Possession of Alcohol and Attempting to Elude.

08/30/2015 12:21 Possession of Weapon (Knife) New Hall Student was found to be in possession of several weapons.

08/31/2015 12:31 Theft of Property Second Degree (Greater than $500 to $2,500) Mitchell College of Business A student reported to the police that her backpack was stolen from the Mitchell College of Business.

09/01/2015 4:27 Title IX University Commons (Psychology Department) Student entered department to make a complaint about harassment from a classmate

09/02/2015 3:01 Drug Paraphernalia-2nd Offense Beta 4 An individual was arrested for poss. of marijuana and poss. of drug paraphernalia from the Beta housing area.

09/02/2015 12:31 Duty Upon Striking an Unoccupied Vehicle Greek Residence Parking Lot Unidentified subject struck a vehicle in parking lot and failed to leave information.

09/02/2015 1:54 One Injured Greek Row Female fell off of Jagtran while exiting stop on Greek Row.

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Sept. 7, 2015

South Alabama nursing student remembered by vigil Student killed in crash a month after classmate remembered by nursing peers, friends and family

outh Alabama nursing students gathered last Monday to remember the life of their classmate Winard Bautista.

Bautista, 22, was killed in an accident on Cottage Hill June 30 when his car collided with an SUV. He was the second nursing student to die during the summer, exactly four weeks after Jaimie Witcraft was killed in an accident on I-10.

Bautista was one year away from graduating from the nursing program. He was following in his two older brother’s footsteps that also graduated from the South Alabama program.

His brother, Angelo Bautista, was able to make the vigil. After graduating from the program the attending nursing students were going through, he knew what it takes to get to walk across the stage.

“The nursing program is hard. you spend endless hours studying for exams and preparing for clinicals to ensure you’re at your best to take care of your patients,” he said. “Even with all that, we all still want to pursue nursing. So you work hard and you work really hard … He (Winard) would spend his nights up studying and go to class without any sleep, and that’s

probably why you all saw him sleeping in class.”

Many of the students laughed at the reference, the few classmates who spoke remembered Bautista as a funny, goofy person who would sleep in class but still receive good grades. He was also remembered for his passion for his patients and the way he cared about people from experiences they all shared during clinicas.

Michael Turner, a senior communication major, knew Bautista since high school. Although he is not in the nursing program, Turner stepped in front of a mic for the first time in front of a crowd and shared his memories and stories about his friend.

“He was always smiling … no one held a grudge against him,” Turner said.

Turner then shared a story of a night he and Bautista went downtown. In the late night, a homeless man approached them. Turner said that as he and a few friends shied away from the man, Bautista engaged in conversation with the man.

“I asked him ‘man, what are you doing?”

Tuner said. “He told me “You’ve got to be respectful of all people, no matter what they look like what time of day … Winard truly cared about people” In front of the Moulton tower two pictures stood around the mic, one group photo with

Enrollment

Safety

By ALYSSA NEWTON Editor-In-Chief

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Continued from pg. 2

located in the Academic Services Center.

Students now have access to services such as JagSuccess, a study lounge, the writing center, the math technology lab, student-athlete academic services and the student veterans administration office all within one building.

“That in itself is going to help tremendously” said Lynch.

As for the goal of 20,000 students by the year 2020, South Alabama still has some work to do.

“I think it’s an ambitious goal,” Lynch said. “Especially when you see universities around the country, state that are facing some declines in enrollment … it’s going to be a challenge.”

During the board meeting Lynch said that if the University wanted to grow, they could not stay in state.

“The market is tougher ... for us to grow we have to we can’t stay in-state.

That’s why we’ve increased our national presence and our out-of state precense.

We focus on the cities states that are really booming. We’re seeing dividens for that.”

According to Johnson the University will increase the enrollment standards again next year and that it may “be tough.”

“The good news is these are better students,” Lynch said. Good students attract good students.”

Continued from pg. 2

Student Government Association.

The application allows students to have immediate contact with campus police and can even give authorities or friends the student’s location via GPS to track them as they walk home. LiveSafe also features interactive maps that show hotspots for crime on campus.

The university’s Fairhope branch was ranked as one of the nation’s safest colleges

by BestColleges.com, but the main campus of the university has made many strides for student safety recently, including the implementation of the cell phone application LiveSafe and 24/7 access to campus police officers.

As of August 17, 1,525 students, about 10% of the campus population, at the university had downloaded the application.

In a press-release concerning the safety ratings of the university, university Police Chief Zeke Aull said, “The University currently has over 700 cameras and has spent half a million dollars on improving lighting during the last four years.”

The University of South Alabama has made and is continuing to make significant strides to promote a safe environment for students and staff in Mobile.

Aug. 31, 2015

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Campus construction slated to end in December SGA update Chilled and hot water lines to replace 50-year-old pipes, motion censored crosswalk added for safety

By BRIA JOHNSON Staff Reporter

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Fellow nursing students gather to remember their late classmate.

(Alyssa Newton | Editor-In-Chief) fellow classmates and the other his first and only selfie. Bautista brought his nightingale lamp to light memorial candles. These lamps are given to nursing students at their pinning ceremony, a ceremony his little brother wouldn’t make with his classmates.

“I wish we could have seen him graduate. I wish we could have seen him at his full potential,”

Bautista said to his brother’s classmates. “But at the same time we all know that he showed us while he was living, general care. He took care of us in his own simple ways. When you guys go through nursing, when you guys go through your next job … when you find yourself finding struggle and difficulty, just know that Winard is going to be there for you.”

ampus construction may have put a few students out of their way, but the digging going on around the Delta and Stoke Hall dorms is a project that has been long coming.

South Alabama is replacing 50-year-old pipes in order to install chilled and hot water lines to various locations on the western side of campus. The construction is being completed in four different phases that is expected to be completed in late December..

This project is expected to save $594,477 in energy costs for the University.

“We were hoping to be through with it before the semester, but we had to rebid because we had some issues with the bid and its kinda extended the bid day,” said Randy Moon, assistant vice president of facilities management. “Now the completion time is December 31, but we hope to be through before then.”

The expected completion dates are as follows: Phase 1 is 6/12/15.

Phase 2 is 7/29/15.

Phase 3 is 8/12/15.

Phases 4 & 5 is 12/31/15.

This graphic shows the phases for the piping construction.

(University of South Alabama) These completion dates only include the roads to have dirt and rock overlay compacted for drivers to use.

“We plan to get all roads opened and then choose a convenient weekend with reduced traffic to complete the paving for each area,” said University spokesman Bob Lowry. “The completion dates are for opening the roads to vehicle traffic on compacted rock only. Final paving dates will be confirmed once a good weekend is identified for that

purpose.”

For now, construction project has completely closed Jack Brunson Drive causing students to make a detour from Fraternity Row, through the Delta Commons, and then into the Delta Loop to get to class.

Although the construction is necessary after years of issues with campus water, some students are finding it difficult to navigate to and from class around the construction.

“It takes longer to get to class both walking and riding my bike,”

says Malik McMullin, an RA in Stokes Hall. “Being an RA for Stokes Hall, it affects my residences with certain disabilities the most.”

Other improvements are expected to be made in the near future. These include improvements to storm drains, natural gas, sewer, and roofs, if approved.

One safety improvement implemented this summer has driven a lot of attention and even more from running across the traffic circle.

A new walkway, complete with motion censored flashing lights to warn drivers and some new landscape, has been added thanks to a suggestion by President Tony Waldrop.

The walkway is the first of its kind on campus and is located where the traffic circle and stadium drive meet.

Moon says students walking through the traffic circle was a safety issue and the University is trying to get as many students to use the new walkway as possible.

“We tried to make it convenient, and we hope it’s one of many more.” It is an improvement to keep students safe from incoming traffic, especially during those busy times in the mornings.”

The Vanguard will keep updated with the construction progress.

Contribution by Alyssa Newton

Five things to know from the Board of Trustees meeting Take-aways from the September BOT meeting, look for more stories to come

By ALYSSA NEWTON Editor-In-Chief 1. “This fall we are full” Dr. Smith said on student housing for the fall. The amount of students living on-campus at all levels have increased.

Nearly 2,400 students live oncampus, not including the Grove.

“Compared to this time last year we saw over 100 upperclass students apply for campus housing,” Dr. Chris Vinet executive director of housing and dining said. “Include that with the new students applications, we’ve seen the constant demand for housing” The board approved an architect to design and build a new residence hall that’ll be around 350 beds.

“It would be something similar

to what we built for our last two projects” Vinet said. “It isn’t definite, it’s exploratory…potentially, if the project moves forward, this housing will be built where Delta 2 was.”

The Board of Trustees will have a design and cost presented to them at the meeting in March to see if the University will move forward with the project.

2. Galopagos Island Research South Alabama will be doing research in the Galapagos Islands that are located at the equator. The islands are famed for their vast number of endemic species and were famously studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle.

The University has partnered with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the research. South will begin sending faculty this fall and biology, marine

sciences students will be able to study abroad at the islands next summer.

3. Distinguished Professor Dr. J. Steven Picou was given a distinguished professor honor last week.

Picou is a professor of sociology and past chair of the department of sociology, anthropology and social work.

Picou has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and research monographs in environmental sociology, disasters, applied sociology, etc.

He pioneered research and original publications on the impact of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound Alaska.

He has received over $9 million in external funding for disaster research.

4. First, let me take a selfie First of all, SGA President took a selfie with the Board of Trustees.

The sophomore president updated the board about accomplishments that the student government has accomplished over the summer. He touched on “Ticket Forgiveness Day” and “Riding with Ravi”

5. So, football stadium?

Board member Jimmy Shumock reported that the University has contracted firms that “work in the stadium business” about size, cost, etc.

The board approved the hiring of a consultant to conduct a feasibility study and to help give the University a better idea of what it will take to build a stadium, if they decide to do so.

Shumock said they will begin the process “very soon” and will report back when they have developments.

Budget, homecoming FYC and more

By ALYSSA NEWTON Editor-In-Chief

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GA approved over $179,000 for the fall 2015 budget.

The biggest chunks of the budget come from appropriations, homecoming, salaries and the safety app LiveSafe.

This year SGA increased the homecoming budget by $5,000 to a total of $25,000. According to the committee chair Skyla Jones this was mostly for the move of the homecoming talent show from the student center ballroom to the Mitchell Center after a large turnout last year.

This year homecoming will be Sept. 7 and is planned to have a bonfire, talent show, Jaguar Production’s fun fest, Junk the Jungle and more for students. The theme has been set as “Building Our Legacy” and the football will play Idaho that Saturday.

Homecoming court application packets for the 2015 Homecoming Court will be available on SouthSync on Sept. 10 and will be due Sept.

28 by 5 p.m. Students running for Homecoming Court must attend the mandatory meeting on Monday, September 28 at 5:30 pm in the Student Center Ballroom.

First Year Council applications closed last Thursday. There were over 130 applicants for the 25 student council, the most in the short group’s history. This group is completely made up of freshmen student who work closely with SGA and complete their own projects, such as the newest FreshMinds program.

The South Alabama, Troy rivalry trophy is in the works.

Athletics mocked up a proof of the trophy and it is still being discussed between the two universities.

Five new associate justices were sworn in last week.

SGA meetings are open to all students. Meetings are every Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom. You can follow our live-tweets by following editor-in-chief Alyssa Newton on Twitter @AlyssaNewtonUSA.

Natalie franklin life Editor nsf1222@jagmail.southalabama.edu

LIFE

Sept. 7, 2015

Selma to South:Civil Rights history comes to USA Events of the Week

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Labor Day Holdiay No Classes

African-American Student Association Student Center Ballroom 5 p.m.

Office of Multicultural Student Affairs Night Student Rec Center 7:30 p.m.

Dozens attended both the Martin display opening as well as Gaillard’s reading. (Lee Hedgepeth| Contributing Writer) By lee hedgepeth Contributing Writer

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labama’s civil rights history has made its way to the USA commu-

nity.

USA’s Common Read/CommonWorld Initiative, which this year features writerin-residence Dr. Frye Gaillard’s newly released Cradle of Freedom: Alabama and the Movement that Changed America, has recently made the University community the center of insightful historical remembrances of the early civil rights era.

One component of this year’s Common Read program is the opening of a temporary exhibit featuring the original photographs of James “Spider” Martin, a former Birmingham News reporter that visually documented the many violent events of the early 1960s.

The exhibit consists of dozens of pictures of monumental events like the Selma to Montgomery March, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, and Bloody Sunday, the national tragedy that led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. All of the photos are captioned by Martin himself.

Spider Martin had been assigned to cover the death of Jimmie Lee Jackson, an unarmed African-American activist who was murdered by Alabama State Trooper James Fowler.

Fowler had been beating Jackson’s

mother and 82-year-old grandfather after a peaceful voting rights protest in Marion, Alabama. When Jackson attempted to intervene, one state trooper threw him against a vending machine, and Fowler shot him twice in the abdomen before continuing to club him.

Martin ended up archiving for the world not only the Jackson story, but its subsequent events, putting the reporter in the midst of the emerging social movement that America would never forget.

“Spider Martin’s photographs made the world see what was happening in Alabama, and that changed everything,” Dr. Gaillard said at the exhibition’s opening, “and that’s something even Dr. King told him.”

The opening of the display, called Selma to Montgomery: Spider Martin’s Historic Photos, marks only the second time this set of photos has been displayed.

“We should feel lucky,” Gaillard said.

Dr. Gaillard also led a reading and discussion of Cradle of Freedom last week in the Student Center Terrace, where he emphasized South Alabama’s part in civil rights history.

“We were the first [predominantly white] public institution in Alabama to desegregate,” he said. “That puts this university’s community in a great position to be a model for progress and change for everyone.”

USA students and community mem-

bers questioned Dr. Gaillard at both the reading and the exhibit premiere.

One student pressed Gaillard on the Black Lives Matter movement: “We are facing some of the same problems today that weren’t solved back then,” he observed, “and I wonder what you think about the Black Lives Matter movement compared to what happened then.”

Gaillard said he though both the 1960s movement and that of today are both part of what King would consider an effort to “bend the moral arc of the universe toward justice.”

“The Black Lives Matter protests are the successor of the civil rights movement,” Dr. Gaillard told the student.

“It’s just pushing to solve problems that weren’t completely addressed back then.”

Dozens attended both the Martin display opening as well as Gaillard’s reading, and expressed excitement about the often ignored history the Common Read Initiative is bringing to the forefront this year.

The Spider Martin exhibit is still on display in the lobby of USA’s Archaeology Museum, which is free and open to the public.

Tracy Martin, the daughter of the photographer, is expected to visit campus for the display, but a date has not yet been set.

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Girls Night Out Student Center Terrace 5 p.m.

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Sept. 7, 2015

Free drive-in movie benefits local food bank

By CAITLIN sMITH Staff Reporter

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he best way to get anyone’s attention is by starting with the word “free”, and the Mobile Parks Department has done just that. By joining forces with the Bay Area Food Bank and MovieGo, the Parks Dept. is supporting Hunger Action Month by putting on free drive in movies at parks around the city. “We will be doing this every other Friday until Nov. 13 to have enough food for Thanksgiving in the food bank,” event coordinator Brian Jackson said.

Because September is Hunger Action Month, Jackson thought it would be the perfect time to pair up with the Bay Area Food Bank to try and make a difference.

“It is something fun families can do and Thanksgiving is a busy time and they need all the food they can get.” Mobile is home to some excellent parks and these events are a great way to showcase that.

Every other week they play a different family friendly movie on the big screens.

This Friday’s feature file was “Tangled.”

“Rapunzel is my favorite Disney princess, so when I heard they were going to be showing “Tangled,” I had to be there,” moviegoer, Tamera said twirling in her Rapunzel costume. Seeing all the kids enjoy themselves was almost as entertaining

Mobilians gather to enjoy “Tangled” drive -in style presented by the Mobile Parks Department (Facebook) as the movie. Almost.

Public Safety Park in Midtown filled up quickly Friday evening. “I love that this is something I can bring my kids to,” Mobile resident, Judy Smith said at the event.

“We need more family friendly things to do around town.” Having events like this helps make Mobile special. You’re able

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so it can be a surprise. There are still plenty of chances to see a drive in movie at a local park. The next drive in movie will be shown on Oct. 30 in Cottage Hill Park. Admission is free, but bring a few canned goods to support the Bay Area Food Bank, and bring a blanket to sit on and enjoy an evening under the stars.

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SouthFit INSANITY Student Rec Center 6:30 p.m.

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to support an important cause and have an outdoor movie theater experience to bring your friends and family too.

For more information about this fundraiser, check MovieGo’s or the Parks and Recreation Department’s Facebook pages. Usually the movie that will be featured isn’t announced until the day of the event

FREE NIBBLERZ

Career Services Fair Mitchell Center Globe 11 a.m.

Sidewalk Step Show Chi Omega Amphitheater 6 p.m.

Foam-a-palooza Student Center Amphitheater 7 p.m.

Live Trivia Student Cetner Lobby (Java City) 9 p.m.

RECEIVE A

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WITH THE PURCHASE OF A LARGE DRINK Valid at the Airport Boulevard location only Near Providence Hospital

It can be used at anytime but not in conjunction with other offers or coupons.

Valid at the Airport Boulevard location only Near Providence Hospital

Mention THE VANGUARD at check out to receive this deal This offer expires on 10/08/2015

Sept. 7, 2015

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Student, professor win award seven years apart

By MITCHELL KAHALLEY Managing Editor

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aura Crawford walked into Dr. Justin Litaker’s 19th Century philosophy course after learning she won first place in the Alabama Philosophical Society’s undergraduate essay contest, the same contest that Litaker won seven years ago as a student at South Alabama.

Litaker was the first student from the University of South Alabama to win the contest with his essay “Modal Realism and its Discontents” in 2008. Litaker’s paper looked at possibility, necessity and contingency through the work of philosopher David Lewis. The same philosopher Crawford wrote about in her contest winning essay this year.

“That was really interesting to me.” Crawford said “Because I hadn’t read his work and he didn’t know what I was doing in mine at that point.”

Crawford is a senior at South double majoring in philosophy and english. She said that she became interested in philosophy in high school where she was a member of the philosophy club. She started out at South as a secondary education and english major with a minor in music. She decided that her music minor was not for her and changed it to philosophy.

She said that Litaker helped her with her essay when it was in it’s final stages.

“It was in my second year that I decided that a minor wasn’t enough and I really didn’t want to go into secondary education so I changed it to a major as well.” Crawford said.

Crawford said that her passion from philosophy comes from how difficult the material is. She said, “I know it’s a strange thing to say but it’s a challenging field and there so much in it that I feel like is so important just to human experience and to life.”

Litaker first taught Crawford last spring in his 20th century philosophy course.

“She’s always present, she’s always prepared, she’s always got something that’s caught her eye and interest and she wants to talk about it.” Litaker said.

The admiration that Litaker has for Crawford as a student is mutual.

“I love Dr. Litaker he’s great. He’s a great person, he’s a great professor he’s very encouraging and I like that about him a lot.” said Crawford.

For winning the contest, Crawford will receive $100 and will have the opportunity to present her essay at the Alabama Philosophical Society’s fall meeting. Crawford said that while she’s never presented a paper before, she has been to conferences and has an understanding of the process.

Crawford said “What I’m probably gonna end up doing is begging the faculty in the philosophy department to just sit down for a little while and hear me try it and just get their feedback and get their criticism because that is definitely the thing I’m most excited and most nervous about...I think I’m just gonna try and follow what I’ve seen in the past that I’ve liked and do that and hope that I don’t get up there and say anything ridiculous.”

Litaker said that presenting his winning essay was not the first time he had presented the paper, but he said it was a cool experience.

“It was just graduate students and professors and they were listening to my paper and that was neat and I was getting feedback and I actually got a scholarship out of it.” Litaker said.

Crawford said that winning the contest felt gratifying because it made her feel that all her hard work was for something, but it wasn’t the only positive to come out of this essay.

“It helped give me this opportunity when I’m applying to graduate school to say look I’ve actually accomplished something of some means.” said Crawford.

Litaker said that Crawford is one of two students he knows of that plans on going to graduate school

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Sept. 7, 2015

Dr. Justin Litaker and Laura Crawford both won the Alabama Philosophical Society’s undergraduate essay contest (Mitchell Kahalley| Managing Editor) and that it’s cool to still see people doing what he was interested in seven years ago.

“When we were, and I’m thinking we because me and Anthony Shiver, the guy who won second place, I felt we were the only ones who were doing this as the end game, to go all the way and get a PhD. It’s neat to see that continuing.” Litaker said.

Crawford described the philosophy department as the “hidden gem of South Alabama.”

“There’s so many people who are so interesting

and interested in these very important topics that I think most of the time just sort of get brushed over in the humanities.” Crawford said.

Litaker and the “hidden gem” of the philosophy department will help Crawford prepare for her presentation in October. Like any other student, she’ll continue to go to classes, and Litaker is happy to have her there.

He said “She’s very excited about philosophy.

There’s something interesting for her in everything.”

Xavier Johnson seals the Jags’ win with a 92-yard touchdown, the longest in school history. (Briana DiGiorgio | Sports Reporter)

Jags bust the Bulldogs in season opener 33-23 After delay slows South Alabama down, Johnson wakes up offense

BY ALYSSA NEWTON Editor-in-Chief

A

fter a 46 minute lighting delay, South Alabama went from a fast start to looking slow and sluggish.

Sophomore Xavier Johnson gave the Jags the jolt they needed to take their season opener against the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs 33-23.

The Jaguars came out strong and fast as they put up 13 points on the board with a 49-yard touchdown run by senior Terrance Timmons and a 50-yard touchdown pass from Cody Clements to Gerald Everett who tight roped the sideline for the score.

After lightning delayed play for over half an hour, the Jags came out slow and sluggish.

“Whether we’d have been delayed til 12 o’clock midnight, we’ve got to find a way to go out and have them ready. I don’t think we did,” head coach Joey

Jones said.

The Jags watched as a deep 48-yard pass from Bulldog quarterback Tyrell Maxwell to Mike Estes cut the lead to 13-7.

Heading into the third the Bulldogs struck again when a tipped ball from Clements landed into the hands of Angel Guzman for an easy 21-yard pick-6 giving up the Jags’ lead 16-13 in the Bulldogs’ favor.

“We teach them all the time that the last play’s gone,” Jones said. “We had an unfortunate thing happen to us and what are you going to do? Are you going to pout about it, cry about it? You’ve got to come back and make a play.”

And that’s exactly what Johnson did. Johnson took just 15 seconds after the Bulldog pick6 to take a screen pass 56 yards for a touchdown that completely changed the momentum of the game for Jaguars and put them back on top, “… That was a perfect example of how you need to re-

act,” Jones said.

Johnson sealed the game in the fourth quarter with another explosive play, a 92-yard touchdown run, making his mark for the longest carry in South Alabama’s short program history.

Gardner-Webb would top off the scores with a 5-yard touchdown to bring the score to 3323.

South Alabama’s defense forced three turnovers and limited the Bulldogs to 309 total yards, Blake Dees lead the Jag defense with 13 tackles with two for a loss and two forced fumbles, one that set up a field goal for the Jags. Tre Alford, DeMarioun Harper, Kalen Jackson and Roman Buchanan each had nine stops of their own, Buchanan adding his first interception since his breakout game as a true freshman against Tulane in 2013.

“Our defense played well for the most part, real gritty and got after people. I thought we played South Alabama Jaguar

defense,” Jones said. “Those guys took it over and kept playing that way.”

Sophomore Jeremy Reaves had a breakout night earning a starting position after a season of playing backup. Reaves recorded five stops, a forced fumble and an interception, some

coming in crucial Bulldog third down situations.

“We want to do what we do and play fast and smart so we can make plays,” Reaves said.

“Our defense is always looking to make plays. It doesn’t matter if the offense goes out and See Jaguars pg. 10

Courtesy of USAJaguars

Jeremy Reaves makes his first career interception.

(Alyssa Newton | Editor-In-Chief)

FOLLOW US! Twitter - @USAVGSports ||| Facebook | USAVGSports

Sept. 7, 2015

10

Jaguars

Continued from pg. 9

scores or if they turn the ball over, the model is still the same.”

Clements finished 14-of-25 for 184 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Gerald Everett and DJ Vinson each had four receptions for 75 and 22 yards, respectively. Tyreis Thomas, Timmons and Johnson lead on the ground to rack up 244 yards.

South Alabama visits Nebraska next week in Lincoln. The Cornhuskers took a last-minute upset to the BYU Cougars on a Hail Mary and are bound to be angry after breaking the longest active home game win streak in the NCAA. But, Clements said that the Cornhuskers aren’t the only ones who will go into next week ready to redeem themselves.

“I feel that we’re pretty upset with the way we played, to be honest,” Clements said. “…There were just so many little things that we shouldn’t have done, that went wrong. We’re very eager to improve ourselves and take our game to the next level.”

The Jags face the Cornhuskers Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. The game will be available on the Big Ten Network.

Sept. 7, 2015

Previewing the enemy: Nebraska

#JagTweets

South Alabama walks into a hornets’ nest after a shocking Cornhusker upset

By ALYSSA NEWTON Editor-in-Chief

T

he Nebraska Cornhuskers come out of the Big Ten Conference and are led by new Head Coach Mike Riley, who was the head coach for Oregon State the last eleven years.

Nebraska went 9-4 last year including a loss to USC in the Holiday Bowl. The Cornhuskers had a 6-1 home record last year.

Last year the team averaged 240.2 yards rushing, 212.1 yards passing, and 37.8 points per game. They allowed an average of 177.8 yards rushing, 205.8 yards passing, and 26.4 points per game.

The Cornhuskers have 13 returning starters from last season: Six on offense and seven on defense.

Starting QB Tommy Armstrong Jr. is one of the key returning starters on offense. Armstrong threw for 2,695 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed for 705

with six more scores last year and has been named to the Maxwell and Manning Award Watch lists this year.

The key returning player on defense is Maliek Collins. Collins had 45 tackles and 4.5 sacks last year. He was also named to the Bednarik, Nagurski, and Outland Award Watch Lists and was also named to the Preseason Big Ten All-Conference Team.

The Cornhuskers won’t have their third leading receiver and prolific punt returner from last year. De’Mornay Pierson-El had 321 yards receiving and four touchdowns last year. He also 596 yards on punt returns with 3 touchdowns. He will miss the first two months of the season with a foot injury.

The Cornhuskers offense is strong and will put up point, but their defense is weak, inexperienced and lacking depth. Nebraska lost to BYU in week one with a final score of 33-28 thanks to a last second hail mary. Nebraska re-

T

he South Alabama women’s volleyball team played in a weekend long tournament hosted by Belmont at the Curb Event Center on September 4.

The Lady Jaguars started off the tournament against the Belmont and won the game with a 3-1 score. Belmont won the first match with a final score of 23-25, but the Lady Jags quickly recovered, with three straight wins consulting scores of 25-21, 25-16 and 25-15, earning an overall win for the Jags.

“Against Belmont, I would have to say that we played one of our best matches from start to finish.” South Alabama’s head coach, Amy Hendrichovsky explains.

The Jags started off with a loss against Belmont, letting the Bruisers take the lead in the beginning.

Coach Hendrichovsky points out how “even though the first set didn’t go our way, we still played through our system and played to our strengths. We just weren’t as crisp. Going into the second, third and fourth sets, we cleaned some things up and made some adjustments.”

Following the match against Belmont, The Jags take the court once again to face Memphis for their second match of the day.

South Alabama fell three matches

straight against Memphis to result in a 3-0 loss with scores of 20-25, 18-25 and 20-25.

Each set during the match against Memphis, the Lady Jags went through a repetition of starting slow in the beginning and fighting harder at the end.

“I told our team after a match against Memphis that if we had played like we did at the end of all three sets at the beginning of those sets, it could’ve been a different match. We always found ourselves behind early on and had to fight our way back,” Coach Hendrichovsky said. “If we could’ve started each set a little stronger and been more efficient, we could have made that match a little more interesting. I’m proud of the way the team continued to fight in back-toback matches for the second weekend in a row.”

The Jags finish the day with a 3-1 win over Belmont and 3-0 loss against Memphis.

The Lady Jags returned for a new faceoff against UTEP at the Bruiser Showcase on Saturday September 5th. The Lady Jaguars fell short 3-2 with scores of 25-19, 17-25, 26-24, 20-25 and 14-16.

Three Jags, Sarah Richardson, Mechell Daniel and Emma Anderson recorded a double-double. Richardson recorded 11 kills, 10 blocks, and 8 block assists. Daniel finished with 10 kills and 13 digs. An-

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Baseball

Verne and Gary are commentating the PGA Championship to start annoying people just intime for College football to start up...

Emily Messer @emily_messer20

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Just got my hair cut with coach Joey Jones #swag

Devon Earl @_earlTHEpearl

Football

Everything you are going through is preparing you for what you asked for.

Jan-Louw Kotz @janlouwkotze

Track

Jags football today! What does that mean? Toga time!

Zach Blahnik @ZBlahn_44

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Alexander Shunarah seems like the Saul Goodman of Alabama

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I am terrified and intimidated by drawn on eyebrows

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Crazy what ppl will do or say when they know your happy but I’m way up and not coming down for the bs

Meagan Hall @Meags_Hall

20

Track XC

South Alabama takes down the Belmont Bruisers, but falls to Memphis and UTEP in tounament play. (USAJaguars) derson added 40 assists and a career best of 18 digs.

South Alabama recorded 93 digs in the match against UTEP, tied for fifth-most in a match in program history.

South Alabama, currently holding a 2-4 record will return home at The Jag Gym this weekend to host the Jaguar Invitational to play against Houston Baptist at 6:30 P.M.

Jags drop home opener, bounce back

By MITCHELL KAHALLEY Managing Editor

S

corded 126 yards rushing and 319 yards passing and allowed the Cougars 132 yards rushing and 379 yards passing.

Terrrell Newby lead in rushing last week with 43 yards and one touchdown.

Jordan Westerkamp lead the Cornhuskers in receptions with seven catches for 107 yards and one touchdown.

Armstrong went 24-for-41 for 319 yards and three touchdowns. He was also sacked 3 times and intercepted once.

The Cornhusker loss ended Nebraska’s streak of 29 straight home opener wins, which at the time this was the longest active streak in the country.

South Alabama may be walking into a hornet’s’ nest after their last-second loss that was one of many upsets this past weekend. Could they be the second to upset the Cornhuskers this season?

South Alabama will face off against Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.

Volleyball takes one, drops two over weekened

By BRIANA DIGIORGIO Sports Reporter

11

Why do I torture myself and look at the food and drink section on Pintrest when I’m hungry?

Christoph Graf @ChrisGraf_runs Was running late for a meeting across town, hit 9 green lights in a row and made it on time!! #luckyfriday

Alyssa Mayer @Mayor_Mayer_

Soccer

I’ve had a lot of people mispronounce my name, but in 21 years “Alosha“ is a first.

Corliss Waitman @CorrMill

Football

Next game Nebraska, sold out 90000 fans. We ready!

outh Alabama soccer saw a 22 game unbeaten streak come to an end Friday night after losing 2-1 to the South Florida Bulls.

The Jags opened the scoring early with Charde hannah scoring her fourth goal of the season in the ninth minute.

However the Jags couldn’t keep up with the Bulls, who dominated most of the match, outshooting the Jags 27-8 and 10-6 in shots on goal.

Head coach Graham Winkworth said “In the first 20 minutes, the girls did exactly what I asked them to do, South Florida sent both of their fullbacks high and we hit them on the break on a couple of occasions. The gameplan for the first 20 minutes was perfect and it’s a shame we couldn’t sustain it for 90.”

The Bulls equalized in the 57th minute on a Leticia Skeete strike. They were able to pull ahead in the 72nd with a goal from USF’s Ocean Parr.

The most controversial moment of the game came in the the 79th minute when Hannah had a chance to equalize on the break when her and the South Florida defender went tumbling to the ground The referee called the foul on Hannah and showed her her second yellow card of the match, resulting in a red card and a suspension in the next game.

“I think I’ve got a player that’s suspended for the next game after making a fantastic challenge which I’d encourage her to make every game. I’m a little bit disappointed that she’ll sit the next game just like last week, we had a player sitting today for a handball the hit the side of her stomach...I’m sure that those things will even out as the season goes on though.”

South freshman Jemma Purfield, last weeks Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week has a chance to equalize with five minutes left, but her shot was saved by USF keeper Kat Elliott. Elliot finished the night with five saves, while South Alabama keeper Sarah Hay finished the night with eight saves.

South Alabama would bounce back Sunday afternoon with a 2-1 win over Austin Peay.

Due to the red card, Hannah was suspended but freshman Hannah Godfrey, who was sent off last week, returned to the starting lineup.

Courtney Baum started in goal for the Jags.

Ashlynn Jones opened the scoring off a Steffi Hardy assist in the 23rd minute. South dominated the first half 13-2 and 10-0 in shots on goal. Austin Peay’s Lindsey Todd saved nine of USA’s first 10 shots.

The game was much tighter in the second half with Austin Peay outshooting the Jags 5-3.

“I don’t think we played to our potential today.” Winkworth said, “The girls worked hard and they showed a lot of character at times of the game and to make it one one we could’ve gone on and lost the game. So we

Jags ended their 22-game unbeaten streak with a loss against South Florida, bounce back for first home win over Austin Peay. (Mitchell Kahalley | Managing Editor) showed the right character and made a lot of adjustments and scored a nice goal to win the game but I think our program is better than what we showed today.”

The Lady Govs took the lead early in the second half after Austin Peay’s Gina Fabbro sent a lofting cross into the box that flew over Baum’s head into the net.

In the 82nd minute Chelsea Followwell volleyed an Alyssa Mayer cross to win the match 2-1.

Winkworth said “We had just put Alyssa

on and told her to get forward she managed to get to the end line, which is one of the things we talked about in the pregame, put in a lovely cross and Chelsea got on the back post.”

The Jags are currently 5-1 on the season with zero draws. They’re back in action next Friday on the road against Southeastern Louisiana and the following Sunday against Auburn, South will return home on Sept. 17 for a showdown with the Marquette Golden Eagles.

ALEXANDER MOYLAN opinion Editor alm1323@jagmail.southalabama.edu

Opinion

sept. 7, 2015

Judge vacates Tom Brady’s four game suspension Balls or no balls, Judge’s decision sheds light on hypocrisy within NFL’s leadership

By ALEXANDER MOYLAN Opinion Editor

A

ll is right again in the NFL, well rather in New England after last Thursday’s court ruling.

Judge Richard Berman sided with the NFL Players Association in their appeal of a four game suspension levied against Tom Brady, this past season’s Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this NFL mess, Brady was allegedly involved in what has since become known as “Deflategate” following the AFC Championship game on January 18.

After the New England Patriots crushed the Indianapolis Colts 45-7, details emerged regarding the alleged presence of underinflated footballs during the first half of the game. Following nearly a four month investigation, ultimately culminating in the Wells Report, a 243 page document that focused on Brady’s possible involvement in tampering with footballs from the AFC Championship game, Brady received a four game suspension for the start of the 2015 season.

I’ll be honest. I don’t care about the tampering at all. I’m not supposed to. The NFL Players Association chose to appeal the NFL’s suspension on Brady’s behalf because this suspension is emblematic of the NFL’s, more specifically Commissioner Goodell’s, inability to manage arguably the largest professional sports entity in North America.

What many don’t understand is that members of the NFL, such as players, coaches and owners, are part of an organization with its own rules and regulations. This does not mean that members of the NFL are above the law that you and I abide by per se, rather they are subject to punishments from the league office that may or may not act in accordance with outside courts.

Sept. 7, 2015

Roger Goodell has the power to lay down punishments regardless of outside court proceedings. Essentially he maintains what has been deemed “absolute power”. Yet when the choice assign punishment is in his hands, he fails miserably. Every time.

For example, in May, 2014 Greg Hardy assaulted his then-girlfriend Nicole Holder following a night out on the town. Once they returned to Hardy’s apartment, the NFL player supposedly proceeded to throw the woman around his apartment, beat her, strangle her and even toss her onto a bed of loaded guns, all according to Holder’s testimony in court.

“He looked me in my eyes and he told me he was going to kill me,” said Holder later during her testimony. Hardy attempted to refute the woman’s story by saying she attacked him with a high heel and was likely high on cocaine.

A judge then convicted Hardy of assault.

This would have been the perfect point in time for Commissioner Goodell to step in and suspend Hardy indefinitely. There’s no reason for a man convicted of assault to earn paychecks playing a sport. Indefinite suspension isn’t a lifetime ban after all.

As expected, Hardy later moved to appeal the decision. Meanwhile, he stilled played in Week 1 of the 2014 NFL season. After the game Hardy was finally removed from the team’s active roster for the remainder of the season; however, Hardy was still allowed to collect checks on his $13.1 million contract.

Eventually Hardy’s charges were dismissed after Ms. Holder failed to appear in court in February, 2015. Hardy was then officially reinstated as a player in the NFL. One month later Hardy becomes a free agent and subsequently signs a one year deal worth over $11 million with the Dallas Cowboys.

Then, two months after his charges were dismissed, Hardy is suspended for the first ten games of the 2015 NFL season.

Again, in May Hardy exercises his right to

Brady holds what may be a properly inflated ball. (The Baltimore Sun) appeal the decision in court. The suspension was later trimmed from ten games to four this past July!

Dismissed charges or not, I believe Hardy deserved that suspension. When young boys and girls look up to these NFL players on a weekly basis, it’s Goodell’s responsibility to uphold the NFL brand.

However, what I can’t believe is how horribly Goodell handled the case. Not to mention, Hardy’s diminished suspension is the exact same term as the one handed to Brady for allegedly taking part in Deflategate!

On the outside looking in, it appears that the NFL is a league where you can allegedly throw people around your apartment, still play a game the following season and earn your previously agreed upon $13 million-plus salary. Over the course of the following fourteen months you may or may not receive some form of punishment, and then have that punishment reduced.

As fans we’re left to question how an unfair competitive advantage and domestic assault are compared to the leaders within the

NFL. Regardless of what Tom Brady did, or didn’t do, his four game suspension for the beginning of the 2015 season was unjust.

His appeal put the NFL on notice and shed light on the hypocrisy of their decision-making and leadership.

Whereas each player involved in domestic assault cases of any kind should have been indefinitely suspended immediately following conviction without pay, if not banned for the severity of their actions, they were instead shielded by the NFL. Rightfully so, Brady is set to appear in the Patriots’ season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brady’s appeal wasn’t about his alleged actions, it was about the mishandled punishment levied against him. That was it.

Of course, the NFL can appeal the judge’s decision to absolve Brady of punishment but such an appeal may further prove how inept Commissioner Goodell and the NFL really are in managing their personnel and putting a game on our television screens throughout the week, played by respectable individuals.

JagPulse: What safety improvements would you like to see on campus within the next year?

Hillary Herrington Better lighting in north

parking. I’ve been parking there since I’ve been at South and the parking lot at night is too dark and creepy. There are lights close to the buildings and sidewalks but they need to add more in the actual lots.

Bambi Harding Jones The speed bumps need to be marked with a color that color blind people can see.

Right now they blend into the road color for the color blind person.

Elizabeth Day More parking near the dorms. On

many occasions this semester I’ve had to walk from the sorority/fraternity parking lots to Delta 6. This is extremely unsafe when I get off late and have to walk that far alone and in the dark. We need more parking or to have priority parking near each dorm for people who actually live there, such as numbered parking spots.

Christine Paschal The little blue safety light boxes that other campuses have

Alabama, I want a divorce

By LEE HEDGEPETH Contributing Writer

A

labama, we need to talk. Our relationship has broken down, and it’s beyond

repair.

It’s time we get a divorce.

We’re in a moral, legislative and fiscal disaster.

The Yellowhammer State’s First Lady, Dianne Bentley, has filed for divorce from the sitting governor after half a century of marriage, citing “conflicts of personality,” and saying “all possibilities of reconciliation are futile.”

And I’m with her. I want out.

We have real problems that need real solutions, and Alabama, you lack leadership.

You’re an abusive, careless spouse, and we all know it.

In 2010, Republicans took over the Alabama Legislature in an electoral landslide that its primary organizer, then State Republican Chairman Mike Hubbard, called “Storming the State House.”

Hubbard was elected Speaker of the Alabama House for his role in that election, and he still holds that position, which many consider the most powerful in the state’s politics.

But now, Speaker Hubbard and his colleagues are the vanguards of another effort: storming the courthouse.

I only wish I was joking.

The Speaker is currently under indictment on 23 felony public corruption charges for multiple ethics charges, including funneling state money into his private businesses.

Many of the charges against him were filed under the very ethics law he championed.

Not long after his arrest (and immediate release on bond), he was reelected by an overwhelming margin.

Really, Alabama?

Hubbard is still awaiting trial, and is now arguing that the ethics law he voted for – and is charged under – is unconstitutional.

Representative Greg Wren, R-Montgomery, was forced to resign his seat after he pled guilty to using his office for public gain, earning a lighter sentence in exchange for testimony that Speaker Hubbard told him to do so.

GOP State Senator Tom Whatley, who had already been exposed for his Adult FriendFinder account and explicit emails he sent from his government account, was arrested for domestic violence after an Auburn police officer witnessed him throw his fiancée on the ground.

Chairman of the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee Republican Cam Ward was arrested for drunk driving, and the Department of Public Safety is fighting to have his license suspended.

And that’s just the state legislature.

75-year-old Talladega Mayor Larry Barton lost his reelection after his recent scandal. Barton had been physically beaten by the 71 year old husband of a woman the mayor had been sleeping with, apparently over an alleged sex tape.

The mayor of Hartselle is leaving office after his name was revealed to be on the hacked Ashley Madison client list.

Ashley Madison also became a problem for former Congressman Artur Davis, who lost a bid for Mayor of Montgomery after his name was on the list.

13

Frustrated Alabamian’s make their voices heard through memes.(Forward Alabama) Davis denied he had used the site, but an IP address for the account was matched to the location of a hotel he was confirmed to have stayed in on the campaign trail.

Here in Mobile County, Bayou La Batre Mayor Brent Dungan was arrested after he grabbed a member of the city council at a meeting, bruising her arm.

Thankfully he has since resigned, and Annette Johnson – his victim – is now mayor.

So yes, Alabama, we have to separate, because I can’t take it anymore.

You have no moral leadership.

Alabama is always worst in everything.

Whether it’s our child mortality rates, our effective democracy ranking or our levels of education spending, Alabama is always the bottom of the barrel.

We can’t even “Thank God for Mississippi” anymore.

Alabama, I’m sick and tired, and I’m not gonna take it anymore.

I’ve complained and complained, but you haven’t changed.

I’m calling Dianne Bentley, and getting her lawyer’s number.

I want a divorce.

That’s final.

Gender neutral label “Mx.” adopted by dictionary Some question whether the addition will help or hurt the transgender community

By OLIVER KARCHER Contributing Writer

R

ecently, the prefix Mx. (pronounced meks) was added to Oxford English Dictionary.

For the LGBTQ+ community (specifically the genderqueer subgroup of the community) this was a moment that would go down in history. It meant that the genderqueer subgroup of the community wouldn’t have to be objectified by the generic gender binary defining prefixes that we all have come to know. (Ms, Mrs, and Mr).

The official definition reads, “a title used before a person’s surname or full name by those who wish to avoid specifying their gender or by those who prefer not to identify themselves as male or female.”

This term has placed a new weight

upon my shoulders. I feel as if I’m obligated to respect this new term and to be happy for the genderqueer subcommunity since I am a member of it too.

However, I can’t help but feel a little invalidated by the fact that there are so many different genders now. I mean, everybody has a right to feel comfortable in their own skin but when the general public sees the fact that there are so many different genders they tend to not take the average trans person seriously. That being said, I still have a base level of respect for genderqueer people.

My main concern with this new term being adopted into the general community of the people is that the average cisgender person will begin to scoff at the LGBT community and we won’t be taken seriously.

When I applied at South and was filling out the general forms for move in and enrollment, I was forced to use the

Ms. prefix because my mother looked at all of the forms that I was signing and made me use the female prefix otherwise I wouldn’t be allowed to go to college, or for that matter strike out on my own as an individual.

From a genderqueer standpoint, it is understandable that a person might want to use the Mx prefix just to keep everything in the public sector (the grounds of employment specifically) gender neutral so that prejudice is physically impossible to occur so I see where they are coming from.

However, the fact that it is an awkward new term that is seemingly difficult to pronounce and also because it is new, it will take a while for the general public to adjust to the new term.

Also, one thing that a lot of people have begun to notice on social media forums such as tumblr, reddit, urbandictionary and a few other self made blogs is

that there has been a sudden trend in the whole gender psyche and phenomena of the human gender.

Forums have even developed a term for the whole trend on gender, molding together the two words trend and transgender to make “transtrender.” So the people who adopt the prefix “Mx.” into their daily vernacular and decide to go by the term, might be deemed a “transtrender.” In my humble opinion, I just feel like it makes for a harder time for the cis community (non LGBT ally) to accept the ever changing LGBT community. It’s like we’re practically creating our own battles at this point.

In general, it seems like the cis community is trying to accept the ever-changing stance on marriage equality so why are we making it more difficult and adding more years of tribulation and metaphorical “miles” to our journey by adding a new term. It just seems like a bad idea.

Distractions

9/6/2015

Staff thevanguardeditor@gmail.com

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1. ___________ Cornhuskers 2. ___________ Panthers 3. ___________ Bobcats 4. ___________ Mountaineers 5. ___________ Bulldogs 6. ___________ Aztecs 7. ___________ Vandals 8. ___________ Wolfpack 9. ___________ Eagles 10. __________ Rajun Cajuns 11. __________ Trojans 12. __________ Red Wolves

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