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(11/21/13 2:00pm)
Controversies may come and go, but it's the most unexpected ones that last.
Three years ago, Kelly Tsaltas' opinion column titled "Come on ladies (and gentlemen), we can do better" divided the student population.Commenting on their fashion choices, the opinion piece prompted some of the most impassioned responses in The Plainsman history.
Tsaltas included her critical opinion of how sorority women and fraternity men dressed on campus.
"I thought that it would be a funny blurb that, maybe, would make people laugh," said Tsaltas, senior in psychology. "I went home and opened up my computer and got on Facebook and had 100 friend requests, 200 messages and 90 notifications and I was like 'Jesus Christ, what have I done.'"
Despite Tsaltas' humor, and the acknowledged freedom writing a column provides, many in the Greek community took to the internet to express their dissatisfaction, resulting in more than 100,000 page views in within 24 hours.
Comments on Tsalta's article were disabled approximately the day after the comments turned to personal threats and personal attacks, some including Tsaltas' home address.
"People didn't understand that it was a column, its just my opinion and columns are places where you can talk about any issue that you please, " Tsaltas said. "Political columnists talk about things that are way more controversial than Nike shorts."
Responses to the column became increasingly negative until The Plainsman staff felt forced to respond, and explained in an editorial that while the freedom of speech is shared by all, the right to attack someone in writing online is not.
"It's one thing to disagree with her personal views on any topic," said Rod Guadjaro, 2010 editor-in-chief of The Plainsman. "But when you disagree with her, and then go beyond to threaten her or her parents' lives over her opinion on something, that's where we drew the line and decided to write something that explained our view on it."
Jake Sciotto, Auburn alumnus, boasted in a letter to the editor that he received a job after responding to Tsaltas' column.
Sciotto said he agrees with Tsaltas' statements, now, and understands her reasoning in the article.
"In retrospect, I think she was definitely ahead of the curve on social commentary," Sciotto said. "Around three years ago was when the big T-shirt and leggings look got really big, and I think today it's more of a joke to everyone rather than something worth having a heated debate on."
Tsaltas left The Plainsman shortly after her column's publication because of personal differences with the staff, and decided to change her major and career path altogether.
These days, Tsaltas said she rarely gets asked if she's the author of "Come on ladies (and gentlemen) we can do better," but still encounters the occasional rumor surrounding the infamous Plainsman article.
"A myth about (the article) is I wrote it because I was a bitter girl who rushed and didn't get a bid," Tsaltas said. "I didn't rush, it wasn't for me, and I'm not bitter about that either."
(11/19/13 4:46am)
Even Jordan-Hare stadium, the geographical and spiritual center of Auburn University, is not immune to hate crimes, discrimination and racial slurs.
A resolution was passed at the Student Government Association senate meeting Monday, Nov. 18, to urge administrators to create a committee dedicated to promoting community, safety and a respectful campus environment inside Jordan-Hare stadium in response to numerous reports of hate speech committed during football games.
"Being a student athlete, we're in our own little bubble," said Alyse Scott, goaltender on the soccer team and sophomore in human development and family studies. "People think we're untouchable, but we're students here and this topic tonight concerns us. I believe that athletes would hate to know that this is happening during athletic events, to know that people are afraid and unwilling to attend because they feel they will be attacked."
The resolution calls for administrators in, but not limited to, athletics, the Department of Public Safety and Security, the Office of Diversity and Multicultural affairs and representatives from the Graduate school.
The resolution does not create a committee, nor does it specify how the committee should fulfill it goals, but rather calls for a committee to seek the best solution to streamlining reporting and responses to incidents at other athletics events.
"The only thing that we're recommending is that a committee exists because we felt that we're not in the business of micromanaging the University, " said Sam Wilcox, Liberal Arts senator. "We chose Jordan Hare because it's symbolic on campus, but that doesn't mean this committee is not going to look at all athletic arenas. The committee will be looking at Auburn's campus as a whole."
Although a formal request will be sent to administrators, there is no timetable yet for when the committee will be created or when action will be taken.
In addition to the creation of the committee, carryover-funding requests were approved for the Welcome Week committee, UPC, student media, graduate school, the Center for Community Service, SGA, the Center for Leadership and Ethics and Intercultural Programs.
An amendment to SGA voting procedure was passed calling for the randomization of ballot positions to promote fairness and eliminate confusion among candidates.
A plaque was approved for the Toomer's Oak recently planted on the AU Greenspace near Keller Hall in the lower quad.
(11/06/13 12:27am)
The biggest obstacles with diversity at Auburn University are not cultural, but economic.
The inability to match scholarships from competing universities, the lack of visibility for minorities in Auburn and other related issues were openly debated between students and administrators during the campus life-centered HeAUrd That! event Tuesday, Nov. 5.
"If you're really looking at the statistics, we are leaning more toward diversifying. Over time, our percentages have increased," said Florence Holland, special assistant to the Office of Multicultural Affairs. "But, between getting the application, getting accepted and showing up, there has been a problem over the last couple of years with our yield. And the number one issue with our yield is financially."
Auburn scholarships have been tied to the applying students' ACT scores in the past, providing significant financial aid to deserving students, but over time the funds have significantly decreased.
The Plus scholarship awards $2,000 to students who score 30 or higher on their ACT. Holland said the scholarship is given less often to minority students because, on average nationally, those groups do not always test as high.
Schools such as Tuskegee, Alabama State and Alabama A&M are able to provide a full scholarship as well as financial stability to students who score 23 or higher, drawing a larger population of minority students.
Unfortunately, despite the weight of the topics discussed, only a sparse crowd of students attended the event, and came prepared with questions or complaints that had already been addressed in the past.
"A lot of times when it comes to these events, students are either too busy, they don't care or they didn't even hear about it," said Fred Kam, head of the Auburn University Medical Center. "(The students) here are the ones that need to be going out, introducing (themselves) and inviting people to these events."
Another topic discussed was in response to the Oct. 30 AU Extra letter from Jon Waggoner, the interim vice president for student affairs.
Waggoner urged students to remember costumes "are just a cover, and don't necessarily speak to who is inside."
Despite Waggoner's effort to convince students "not to judge a book by its cover," the letter was issued in response to an incident in 2001 involving traditionally white Auburn fraternities dressing up in blackface, Ku Klux Klan regalia and wearing the letters of Omega Psi Phi, a traditionally African American fraternity, then posting the photos online.
The creation of a student Diversity Council was also discussed, with the intent being to serve as a watchdog to the greater campus and community on overlooked, ignored or poorly handled issues sensitive to different groups on campus.
"I don't think making it optional to be sensitive other cultures is acceptable," said Jamecia Crenshaw, senior in public relations and communication. "I think it's very important for the University to foster sensitivity toward cultural differences and actually believe in taking action when they say we believe in diversity and we want to be diverse."
(11/04/13 6:00pm)
Before you eat a couple pounds of turkey at Thanksgiving this year, consider 49 million Americans, who will not have an option to eat Thanksgiving dinner.
One in six Americans lacks access to an adequate amount of food, but students, faculty and staff can help make a difference through the 2013 Beat Bama Food Drive.
"The food drive is a critically important one for us," said Martha Henk, director of the East Alabama Food Bank. "It's not an exaggeration to say this food bank really makes a difference in whether people have meals at Thanksgiving and Christmas."
With a goal of reaching 350,000 pounds by Nov. 25, Auburn students are gathering donations from around the community to surpass the University of Alabama's goal of 275,000 pounds and secure its 12th title since 1994.
The goal is the average amount of food the EAFB delivers each month to families suffering from food insecurity, an increase from 2012's average of 315,000 lbs.
That year, through a combined student and community effort, the food drive was able to collect 276,000 pounds, a record-setting amount that exceeded both Alabama and Auburn's best since the contest began in 1994.
"Last year, a student came up to me on the concourse and she gave me 36 cents," said Mark Price, 2012 president of the Beat Bama Food Drive.
"She put it in my hand and said, 'I'm giving you this, it's not much, but I get food from the food bank,' and that was huge to me," he said.
"As an Auburn local, it's important for me to be a part of a food drive that affected my entire community."
Price said most people don't realize the depth of impact a well-stocked food bank can have on a community, or the people who regularly depend on it.
In 2012, the food bank generated food for more than 116,000 people in east and central Alabama, including neighbors, friends and former classmates.
"You hear the recession is over, but I will say there is part of the population that is really struggling," Henk said. "Basically, about one in five people for our seven-county area are considered food insecure. I've been here since 1995, and I will honestly say I have not seen a need greater at any time than it is right now."
The national food bank Feeding America was forced to significantly scale back its own donations to smaller banks around the country, leaving many communities to generate their own donated resources.
The Food Bank of Alabama continues to supply nearly 400,000 pounds of food every month.
The food bank has roughly 200,000 pounds of food left in reserve for people to last through November and December.
"We're currently sitting at 1,683 pounds, so we have a long way to go," said Leanna Barkley, president of the Beat Bama Food Drive committee. "We make it be about competition and of course we love beating Bama whenever we can, but at the same time, there really aren't any losers in this, only winners, and the real winners are the people fed."
(10/30/13 12:06am)
If you've ever had a car in Auburn, you probably have a few complaints you want heard.
New tiger transit routes, parking garages and game day parking for both students and visiting tailgaters were points of conversation between students and the University transit services department administrators at the fourth "HeAUrd That!" campus discussion Tuesday, Oct. 29.
The influx of visiting game day tailgaters on Auburn's campus dominated the discussion, and while the number of RVs parked outside buildings may have decreased, Gregory Parsons, university architect, said the problem is far from over.
"It's totally out of hand," Parsons said. "The evolution of trying to get those to move out and take the campus back to where it could function as a campus, you had to find some places to move, and unfortunately some of those ended up in probably not the locations that any of us would choose."
Parsons said Auburn Athletics and Gameday Committee is in charge of game day parking, but no one can build something on Auburn's campus without obstructing something else.
"One of our biggest issues in student government is to get actual feedback from students," said Rob Garcia, assistant vice president of auxiliary services with the Student Government Association. "Students don't know how to reach out to SGA or the administration, but there's a section on our website under 'HeAUrd That' where they can post comments."
Solutions to problems facing the 5 p.m. on-campus parking policy include building additional parking complexes around Auburn, releasing faculty members from work before 5 p.m. or pushing 5 p.m. classes back to 5:30 p.m. to allow students time to park and walk, Parsons said.
Garcia said the PC parking system created in 2011 already implements aspects of that solution, staggering certain parking passes at different times throughout the day, though the good it does to students was poorly communicated by the SGA and the administration.
"Transit times on Donahue have decreased, we have less complaints from faculty that students are late to class and blame parking and the biggest thing is there have been significantly less parking tickets," Garcia said. "Now our parking system is much clearer, you know where to go and when."
Parsons said new parking decks, with 600-750 parking spots, like the South Quad and South Donahue parking decks, will be erected on the site of the former R. B. Draughon library parking deck, with construction slated for the summer of 2014 and is a top priority.
Despite the construction there's still a lot of issues concerning transit around Auburn, and all who have complaints they'd like heard are advised to email, call or pay a personal visit the University Transit Office, which is open 24/7.
"I think they understand that no one is really comfortable where it is right now," said Dave George, director of Transit Services. "I think they've heard it and understand it."
(10/29/13 4:00am)
A new generation of multi-faceted pharmacists are entering a world filled with disease and insufficient healthcare, secure in the knowledge they learned at one of of the nation's top-ranked schools and ready to make a difference.
That nationally recognized program is Auburn University's own Harrison School of Pharmacy, ranked No. 26 in the nation by the United States News and World Report for cutting-edge programs in the industrial, clinical and educational divisions of pharmaceuticals inside and out of the field.
"The vision really is driven by what the needs are," said D. Lee Evans, dean of the Harrison School of Pharmacy. "Our students go through their four years here focusing really on how to use drugs appropriately and take charge of the whole process in collaboration with other providers."
Though pharmacists have historically been the keepers of medicine and safe distribution, Evans said their contact with patients has been increasingly limited to operating dispensary services.
In a trend that's gained momentum since the mid-20th century, Evans said pharmacists are returning to communities to personally provide immediate care for patients as well as bridge communication gaps between patients and healthcare providers.
"Our mission statement is focused on the primary care aspects of people in a state, such as Alabama, which has a huge portion of its population in rural areas without access to healthcare and where sometimes the only care provider is a pharmacist," Evans said.
Auburn is unique in that its primary pharmacy headquarters, the Walker building, has its own on-campus pharmaceutical clinic to treat University employees and dependents, as well as providing another hands-on experience for students to treat patients in problem-based situations.
Mass media and wireless communication now streamlines the amount of time it takes to update a patients condition, share lab results with doctors and treat individual patients on a day-to-day basis, concepts Evans calls not only practical, but necessary, to improve the outcomes of care.
All students of the Harrison School travel in groups to patients homes or care centers to discuss their medicine, their levels of pain during their treatment and to check up on how their illnesses are progressing.
"Most of my patients are in nursing homes," said Kash Franklin, first-year pharmacy student. "Just to help be there to help them and answer questions, and they really appreciate that."
Improving how medicines are used and the patients adherence to their medication regimen is the central focus of the program, planting students in on the ground floor to start diagnosing illnesses and explaining why its necessary to a patients health in their first year.
Franklin said the Harrison School, which operates out of Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Mobile and Montgomery in addition to its Auburn campus, serves as a model for national and international healthcare provision policies and attracts students and faculty from all over the world.
"I know everyone at Auburn is considered family, but that continues into pharmacy school," said Amanda DiPinho, first-year pharmacy student at the Harrison satellite school in Mobile. "There are people in our classes from LSU, from Alabama and from all the rival schools, but we're all still at the Harrison School of Pharmacy. And we're all still a great family."
Since 1895, Auburn has continued to define and redefine healthcare development and shortening the gap between affordable, accessible medicine and those who need it.
DiPinho said, though the breadth of material can sometimes feel staggering given the short amount of time in which its covered, its application in the real world and patients' reaction to their care reaffirms its students' decision to study at the Harrison School of Pharmacy.
"People don't realize pharmacists are the drug experts when it comes to matters of health, but they're capable of much more," DiPinho said.
(10/24/13 1:50am)
If you had five minutes to pitch the perfect movie to a Hollywood producers amd directors, what would you say?
Cameron Primm, senior in radio, television and film, and Michael Gutierrez, senior in communications, were invited to New Orleans to do just that -- pitch ideas to industry professionals in the New Orleans Film Festival's Pitch Perfect Contest Saturday, Oct. 12.
"I think pitching is hard, because what you're trying to do is in a very brief period of time get a listener-anyone-to want to know what happens next," said Hollie Lavenstein, associate professor of communications and journalism and faculty advisor for the Pitch Perfect contest. "It's hard to reduce it in such a short period of time you have to give them just enough information you pique their curiosity."
Gutierrez and Primm traveled to New Orleans to pitch their ideas for narrative and documentary films to various producers and directors from around the country in the hopes of winning funding to complete the project.
Primm and Gutierrez were selected by a vote from the Auburn New Media Club and the Auburn Film Society to represent the school.
Both contestants had approximately three weeks to prepare themselves and their ideas.
Both were allotted five minutes to explain their idea for a film in the narrative and documentary categories.
Both narrative and documentary categories had first and second place prizes, a variation of the single winner from last year, though the pool of contestants barely exceeded a handful.
"What I've been helping the students do is identify, within five minutes, a way to talk about their film," Lavenstein said. "To help evoke the kind of feeling or mood of the film and introduce us to the main characters."
Gutierrez called his narrative pitch a "narrative short," saying it was about an emotionally disabled woman who locks herself in her room and listens to her family decide how to get her out.
The working title of Gutierrez's film is "We Just Can't Keep Doing This Anymore."
Primm's documentary project and pitch focused on the relatively recent birth of drag queen culture in Auburn, it's impact on the community and the evolution of drag culture and art.
"What Holly and I have worked on together is figuring out a narrative for this documentary," Primm said. "You should have some idea of what you're trying to convey or what you're trying to collect from reality, because documentaries, after all, are constructed artifice."
Auburn University paid for the students' travel and accommodations.
The New Orleans Film Festival committee supplied Primm and Gutierrez with VIP passes for every film shown and after-party hosted Saturday.
Though neither student placed, both walked away with the insight and constructive criticism they needed to further develop and realize their projects in the future.
Both were also able to get immediate feedback about what they should do differently for the next time they pitch an idea.
"Definitely prepare in advance, and not so much work on the content of the idea as the content of the pitch and the specific effect you want to have on your audience," Primm said.
One of the preliminary requirements for entering the contest was a willingness and determination to produce the film, regardless of the outcome.
Primm and Gutierrez said they both plan to uphold the requirement to produce a film.
"I feel like people who have a passion for movies see movies differently," Gutierrez said. "They don't just see the story, they see what the story is going for, the storytelling aspects of it which can make the biggest difference."
(10/23/13 2:54pm)
People can change their pictures or use someone else's, fake personal history and even create their own unique worlds with individual characters, like a drama played out over social media and mass communication, often without the other ever person realizing it.
(10/22/13 11:24pm)
Some of Auburn's rumors about the future of the Haley center were answered at the third Student Government Association HeAUrd That! event Tuesday, Oct. 22.
In continuing with SGA's push to branch the student and administrative bodies through interactive discussions, students brought tough-to-answer questions to the event to get answers personally from the University administrators who could answer them best.
The future of the Haley Center was a question many in the audience voiced to the speakers, but despite recent planning discussions, they said nothing yet is concrete.
"No decision has been made at this point in time about which direction we should go," said Dan King, associate vice president of facilities. "I'll tell you two years ago that we were leaning very strongly about tearing it down, but the pendulum has swung a little bit and we're considering some reuse options that are not a bad way ahead. Maybe taking out the tower or gutting the building but leaving the courtyard."
King said options to move the pharmacy school off campus, implement an unused corner of the school or building on top of the old Haley Center were all being considered, but no plans have been set in stone yet.
Additionally, students questioned the administrative speakers about the academic requirements for in-state and out-of-state scholarships at Auburn, as well as the amount they would receive, citing the University of Alabama's scholarship fund as larger and easier to apply for.
"Auburn is a state sponsored university, and our appropriation from the state isn't that great, but nevertheless it still is," said Paul Harris, honors college associate director. "I would say students aren't being penalized, it's because you're an in-state resident the tuition is going to be lower. If money wasn't a factor we would be giving more scholarships."
Besides answering questions the administrators used the opportunity to inform the audience about upcoming events and projects.
Strategic initiatives under Emmett Winn, associate provost, to bring advanced wireless technology into the classroom and promote "E-learning" could lead to iPads appearing in select classes across the next few years.
The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Fair, which will occur during research week from April 14-17, will be where students can come meet with the different colleges and units on campus to find out about job opportunities.
(10/20/13 2:24pm)
In times of crisis, it can seem as if no one understands what you're going through.
Breast Cancer Connections, a support group for students, faculty and staff who have battled breast cancer, provides a place for women to share their stories, tips and support to those who need it.
"I'm a two-time breast cancer survivor; I'm also a two-time Auburn graduate," said Karla Simmons, associate professor of consumer affairs. "There is no way I would be as hopeful, and as information-ready, without (Connections) because you cannot do it by yourself. When you talk about how traumatic it was that your hair fell out, unless they've gone through the same thing, they can empathize with you, but they don't really know."
Anyone affected by breast cancer is welcome to join, share their experiences with others, learn about recommended doctors and help one another through the difficult time.
Most, but not all, of the women who attend Connections have breast cancer.
Many come to share their opinions of each other's situations, or simply exchange information.
"There have been several people who have come who have had recurrences, and so they're giving updates about what's going on," said Donna Sollie, assistant provost for Women's Initiatives. "We're sharing information about which doctors are good, or that your insurance will provide access to resources for you (such as) wigs or fittings for bras, sharing support, and then really trying to bring awareness about breast cancer to the local community."
In addition to Breast Cancer Connections, the Women's Resource Center offers support groups for student-mothers and members of the LGBT community.
"We've talked about developing a group where students can come in and talk about what they're going through, provide opportunities for students who have cancer in their families to share those fears and feelings and talk about the challenges and the uncertainties and not knowing what to do," Sollie said.
Breast cancer survivors, those still in treatment and family members affected by breast cancer are all welcome to attend the Breast Cancer Connections meeting, every third Thursday of the month, in the Women's Resource Center.
The next Breast Cancer Connections meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 17.
For more information, Bonnie Wilson can be reached at the Women's Resource Center in Mary Martin Hall at 344-844-4399.
(10/17/13 4:15pm)
You and your estranged Internet partner may not be on speaking terms, but Nev Schulman of MTV's "Catfish" might have some advice for you.
"Catfish" is the MTV reality show where an individual in an Internet relationship requests their significant other be investigated by Schulman and filmmaker Max Joseph to ensure their information is accurate.
The show then forces the two to meet in real life.
The filmmaker and host of the Internet-relationship-exposure show will speak at the Auburn Arena Tuesday, Oct. 22, about his experiences on the show and what it was like to be "catfished" personally.
Since his own experience was brought to life in the documentary, "Catfish," Schulman gives real-life, long-distance couples a chance to begin a life outside the Internet, in person after appearing on the show.
"He'll be discussing social media and how it affects people, how people are 'catfished' and how it affects people," said Ryan Akers, director of the comedians and guest speakers committee for the University Program Council. "Lots of people are taken advantage of by others on social media."
Akers said the show provides a chance for people with lies and constructed personalities to be cleared up after allowing their Internet identity to obscure their real lives and negatively affect their relationships.
"I'm just looking forward to hearing how people actually perform these acts," Akers said. "How people are manipulated through social media, how many people out there do take advantage of others, how common it is, I guess just that sort of thing."
Although some students criticize UPC for their entertainment choices, UPC wants students to understand it remains committed to appealing to their interests and the constraints of the budget.
"UPC makes offers, and the first people we offer don't always accept," Akers said. "So sometimes the people we bring aren't our first choice either, but that's kind of just the situation with everyone."
Schulman will stay for a question and answer session and a meet-and-greet with fans after the event.
Admission is free. The Arena doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show begins at 7 p.m.
(10/16/13 2:40am)
For Regina Wood, guest speaker at the vigil, life was filled with a series of violent and unexplainable acts before she decided to seek help and change her life.
"Nov. 1 five years ago was the day that I actually said goodbye to my yesterday," Wood said. "It was when my boyfriend pinned me down while I was asleep and began to punch me in my face."
The memories of those lost to domestic violence were remembered at the Silent Witness Candlelight Vigil and Roll Call on Cater Lawn Tuesday, Oct. 15, sponsored by the Women's Resource Center in partnership with Alpha Chi Omega, the Domestic Violence Intervention Center and Public Safety and Security.
Wood was one of the guest speakers asked to provide a survivor's story of living with domestic violence all throughout her life before finally gathering the courage to escape.
"It was always the same thing, 'I'm sorry, I'll never do it again,'" Wood said. "Oh my God, I can't even tell you how many times "again" happened."
Students, faculty, volunteers and members of the community were present to remember the victims, listen to the stories of domestic violence survivors and disseminate information about resources for women in need.
Members of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority released balloons with tags bearing the names of recent victims in the Lee County area after their names were called in the memorial service.
"We've been doing this for a number of years to bring awareness to domestic violence and dating violence," said Susan McCallister, associate director of the Department of Public Safety and Security. "We don't have a lot of students with domestic violence issues, but we do have a lot of issues related to unhealthy relationships because college students are just learning how to relate to each other."
McAllister said although relationships might not seem extreme at the time, unhealthy relationships often start with things like extreme jealousy, checking each other's social media and limiting time with friends.
Safe Harbor, center for sexual assault victims and relationship violence, is one of the many options available to students, providing resources, such as medical treatment, counseling and accommodations.
If you or someone you know shows signs of isolation or domestic abuse, be the candle that ignites the others and let them know that there are people out there who can help them live without fear.
(10/15/13 4:10am)
The only new order of business at the SGA Senate Council meeting was the amendment of chapter 305 in the SGA Code of Laws Monday, Oct. 14. However, a new policy concerning Graduate students' membership to the Student Recreation and Wellness center was the main focus.
Graduate students said they were shocked to learn last week that a new policy was passed ordering them to purchase a membership for the recreation and wellness center, sharply contradicting the previous policy.
Approximately 1,800 graduate student research and teaching assistants were asked to begin paying the faculty membership price of $50 per month, per semester, in order to use the new buildings. The total remaining price would be $100.
"Upon further investigation I found out this was a new policy sent down from Student Financial Services to recoup some of the money that is waved in our tuition waiver as a graduate assistant," said David Adams, Graduate School senator and GTA in political science. "We were basically sold on the idea that we could use the facilities for free, and now midway through the semester we are asked to purchase a membership."
In other news, there will be discussions on campus tomorrow concerning American history and on-campus dining.
David McCullough, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, author of "1776" and named "America's most famous historian" will be discussing the importance of history in education and citizenship in a free lecture at the Auburn Arena Tuesday, Oct. 15th at 11 a.m.
On-campus dining is on the menu in the second HeAUrd That! campus discussion event among students and the faculty, staff and administration Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. in Student Center Room 2222.
"Even if you don't necessarily have a question, your conversation, your input is valuable," said Logan Powell, representative for the executive committee for facilities and junior in political science. "You can voice complaints, ask questions and talk with the people in charge about making changes."
The Black Student Union is hosting a night of jazz and poetry featuring performances from Auburn students Thursday, Oct. 17, in the Student Center ballroom.
Under New Orders of Business, the SGA Senate Council addressed the amendment to Chapter 305 of the SGA Code of Laws concerning the Executive Council's voting abilities.
In future elections, the council's vote will be determined by 2/3rds majority of the senators present at the council, instead of the previous four-person voting council.
(10/08/13 3:45am)
The north side of campus will be a little safer thanks to the approval of additional blue safety lights on Oct. 7 at the Student Government Association's Senate Council meeting.
The decision came after a majority response to a campus-wide survey conducted in the spring of 2013 expressing a need to bring in more blue-light emergency response points in the Village and CDV parking lots.
All present at the SGA senate council were in agreement that more safety lights were necessary given the amount of students living in the area.
Heather Henley, Molly Ann Dutton, Cody Nall, Hannah Wilson and Jacie Coressel, the five finalists for the 2013 Miss Homecoming pageant, formally introduced their campaigns to the SGA in preparation for the rest of the week.
Henley's campaign philanthropy focuses on volunteer work with elementary students, stressing the importance of having college-age students to mentor younger children and providing a friendly role model at an impressionable age.
"Be who you are, flaws and all," said Cody Nall, whose campaign is built around building independence and self-respect as well as providing counseling and therapy sessions for students.
Women's aid in emergency situations and preventing crisis situations is the focus of Molly Ann Dutton's campaign philanthropy to benefit the Safe Harbor center, claiming her own family's experience as her inspiration.
"If a woman ever finds her in a situation like that there needs to be a place where their friends can point them to get help," Dutton said.
Jacie Coressel's campaign philanthropy is based around drunk driving awareness and the availability of alternatives to driving home when intoxicated, in memory of a friend and sorority sister lost in a drunk driving accident earlier this year.
Providing soldiers overseas with something a little different than the traditional donation gifts is the campaign philanthropy of Hannah Wilson, who seeks donations from students of foodstuffs, books and other friendly gifts or cards to provide the military.
The vote for the 2013 Miss Homecoming will take place on Friday, Oct. 11 on the SGA website, with the ballot order one through five being Henley, Nall, Dutton, Coressel and Wilson, respectively.
(10/05/13 3:50am)
Dope beats, slam dunks and an effects box that spewed fire dominated the Auburn arena at the star-studded Jungle Jam Friday, October 4th.
Featuring musical performances by rap superstar Ludacris and a comedy intro by Mike Epps, the men's basketball team hosted a pre-season party to show off their skills through dunks, 3-pointers and a team scrimmage.
"Man y'all are looking good up in here tonight!" Epps said to throngs of screaming Auburn students. "This is a special night and we gon do it big up in Auburn."
The 'Round Mound of Rebound' Charles Barkley was on hand to get down, taking the floor multiple times throughout the night to party with the stars and support the team.
"I have been blessed and lucky to go all over the world, ain't no place I'd rather be than Auburn Alabama," Barkley said. "I know most of y'all came here for football, but coach Barbee is gonna turn this program around and lets turn it up tonight!"
Platinum-selling hip hop artist Ludacris was the highlight of the show, sending the 7,309 fans in attendance to their their feet whenever beatminder DJ Infamous initiated the next song.
Rap royalty, especially in the south, Atlanta native 'Luda' pulled out all the stops in the show to flex crowd favorites like "Stand Up," "How Low," "Get Back," and "Money Maker," still in command of a machine-gun like flow.
"Dude, I've been waiting to see Ludacris since I was a kid, and the fact that he came here to do this is like a dream come true," said Jesse Wood, junior in Applied Mathematics. "He's been around since the 90s and he's still one of the best rappers in the game, easily."
Alpha Phi Alpha, Omega Psi Phi and Alpha Kappa Alpha also performed intricate step shows and percussive stomping to get the crowd hyped.
Sophomore Jordon Granger came away with a victory over in the two-round dunk contest after being awarded 89 points by celebrity judges Barkley, Auburn head coach from 1978-89 Sonny Smith, 2010 football star Lee Ziemba, ESPN commentator Clay Mativick and Aubie.
KT Harrell won the 3-point shootout by a wide margin, making 19 of a 21 possible shots in under a minute in the final round.
The Auburn Tigers open the season against Victory University on Oct. 28. The Tigers' home opener is Nov. 8 against Nichols State in the Auburn arena at 7 p.m.
Tickets are still available on their website, www.auburntigers.com/mbasketball.
(10/05/13 5:25pm)
Running and baked products don't usually mix, but they have at Auburn since 1929.
Combing athletic prowess and delicious cake, the Omicron Delta Kappa Cake Race will hold its 85th annual Cake Race Wednesday, Oct. 9.
"Years ago they never allowed anyone to walk through the main entrance," said Mel Rosen, former head track and field coach for 28 years. "We used to have a Georgia Tech parade. Slowly, all those (Homecoming) traditions have been going down the drain, so the Cake Race is maybe the last of the traditions."
The race was created by olympic track coach Wilbur Hutsell as an open tryout to lure athletic freshman to the varsity track team, with cake and a T-shirt as the main prize for the top 25 runners.
During its prime in the pre- and post-war era, the Cake Race drew as many as 800 runners, all of them freshmen, but the turnout has fluctuated throughout the years. Though a track scholarship is not up for grabs in this race, Rosen has spotted a few quality runners at the Cake Race before, including one student who eventually won fourth at a conference meet.
"The pressure of school, having labs on Wednesday -- because its always on Wednesday -- prevented people from running," Rosen said. "So, we decided to allow anyone on campus to run, and so anybody can get involved with it."
Additionally, the top male and female runners at the competition will receive a kiss from Miss Auburn and the SGA President, respectively, at the awards and cake ceremony.
In the past, the cakes were baked by sororities, but for the last few decades many have been made by other competitors, or donated from local businesses.
"We ask for donations from different bakeries and grocery stores," said Kelly Cash, co-director of the Cake Race. "Everything else comes from the ODK fund, but T-shirts will also be sold (at the race) and given to the top 25 finishers."
Among the plethora of Homecoming traditions, the Cake Race is one of the oldest ongoing events, maintained throughout the years by Rosen after Hutsell's retirement. Generations of Auburn athletes, and would-be athletes, have competed for the glory of sport, and cake, for almost a century, with no plans to slow down or change.
"Other than it being something that we've done forever, its really brings people out for homecoming," said Harrison Hall, co-director of the Cake Race. "It's not really the track team looking for talent anymore; its more an opportunity that just kept going."
The race is free to enter. Those interested can visit the ODK website at Auburn.edu/ODK for more information.
(10/01/13 10:18pm)
Segregation is not nearly what it used to be at Auburn University, but its memory and lingering effects still haunt its first generation of integrated students.
Willie B. Wyatt Jr. and Anthony Lee, the first African-American students to graduate from Auburn University, came back to The Plains Tuesday, Oct. 1, for the first time since 1964 to remember what it was like, and remind us of where we still need to go.
"This is the first time that I've been back to Auburn," Wyatt said. "This is the first time being back on campus, and the first time I've ever been contacted by a representative of the University to come back and participate in any function. But I am glad to be here, thankful for the experience and I hope you guys get something out of what happened today."
The early days of integration were hectic, with White Flight, a school fire and other acts of terrorism eventually left only those six African-Americans left at Macon County High School, an experience Lee said was instrumental in bringing him to Auburn.
"I really wanted to be the first black undergraduate from Auburn, the first black student to come to Auburn period, but Harold Franklin beat me here," Lee said. "But I still had to persevere, because I knew it was all white, and I thought we needed more opportunities in higher education than just the predominantly black schools in the area."
Wyatt and Lee were accepted late in the summer to Auburn, but denied housing almost immediately, leading them to rent rooms with local businessman Ralph Foster and his wife Jean.
The Fosters, also African-American, provided the young students home-cooked meals, a safe place to sleep and a sense of community during the school year at a time when there were strict lines dividing whites and non-whites, both on campus and off.
"The roads at that time were dangerous," Wyatt said. "When we went to Notasulga as seniors we had U.S. Marshals protection every day for our bus, mainly because of the threats that were in the community and the Ku Klux Klan being a stronghold. Coming to Auburn 20 miles from Tuskegee every day would have been a real problem for us."
Though a segregated past may still linger in Auburn, and though diversity even at the lecture was still something to note, the occasion marks a new chapter of understanding and peace at the University.
"The community really saved us," Wyatt said. "You can't spend your life only in books."
(09/26/13 4:15am)
There's already a cornucopia of on-campus food options for starving students, but a trend that keeps on rolling, food trucks have continued to appear around campus. Perhaps to fill a niche market, or to offer yet another alternative to eating around the University, the food trucks are here to stay, and students are thankful to have an option different from the norm. "It doesn't taste like campus food, that's the thing," said Shuji Miller, junior in pre-mathematics education. Grilled Cheezy A gourmet spin on an American tradition, the signature grilled cheese sandwiches offered here include ingredients such as buffalo chicken, caramelized onions, pineapple and six full-flavored types of cheese. Grilled Cheezy delivers exactly what students want at some of the most affordable prices on campus. Smooth N Groove A hip-hop inspired all-natural smoothie truck that strives to make you feel good through fresh fruit smoothies and an upbeat atmosphere. "You might have failed a test, but when you walk by the Smoothie truck you gonna feel a little better," said Smooth N Groove founder and manager Keon Davis. General Lee Offering hot and fresh Asian cuisine to students around campus like Korean, Thai and Hibachi courses with chicken, pork and veggies. Side orders of pot-stickers and egg rolls are also available, all for less than $8. Overall Pops A new venture from the Opelika-based gourmet coffee bar and Southern eatery, the Overall Company's popsicle cart next to the Student Center bus stop gives students the opportunity to cool down with all-natural popsicle flavors such as chocolate caramel and peach & creme, all made from locally sourced dairy farms. Plans are being made to open an Overall Company food truck of their own at some point later in the fall. "Were going to offer coffee and pops, and make espresso drinks and possibly some food," said co-founder Laura Pritchard. The trucks rotate locations weekly, keeping the variety going and offering new options to people on campus. Trucks are chosen to come on campus because of their ability to provide options in areas of food the school cannot.
(09/26/13 4:02am)
They may be teaching throughout the year, but the professors of Auburn University's School of Communication and Journalism is still getting published.
The Communication Institute for Online Scholarship ranked the faculty of the University in the top 15 schools in the country for their amount of published research in the fields of communication and journalism in a recent survey of their online database of journalism and communication magazines ComAbstracts.
"One of the important things to keep in mind about this is what this says about the strength of the program overall," said Debra Worthington, associate professor of communication and journalism. "That means we're doing some good research and getting it published, otherwise we wouldn't be in this position or wouldn't be recognized the way that we are."
The results of the survey, published in the CIOS' fall 2013 newsletter, measured the total contribution of faculty members working in Ph.D. or M.A.-granting departments of communication and journalism.
Schools were ranked based on the amount of work published by faculty while employed at their university and found in the ComAbstracts database, regardless of when the author was employed or when the article was published.
To date, the ComAbstracts database contains approximately 74,000 articles culled from 140 journals dating back to 1915, assigning each identifiable co-author full credit for the article.
According to CIOS' newsletter, Auburn, along with George Washington University, American University and the University of Cincinnati, generated a record of accomplishment that places them not only above the mean of Ph.D.-granting programs but within range of the field's top 25 Ph.D. granting programs.
"It's great news because as a student you want to be proud of the department or the school that you're in," said Justin McLennan, senior in journalism. "You choose a school because you hope you're getting a quality education, and to hear that helps reinforce the decision you made and lets you know you made a good choice."
Despite the level of accomplishment present already, some insist the survey's decision to exclude works outside of scholarly magazine articles, such as books and films, detracts from an even greater recognition of contribution.
"I would say that it's nice but it's a little limited," said George Plasketes, professor of communication and journalism. "If you added books to that then we'd look even better."
However, the results are reported, the contributions of the School of Communication and Journalism toward the expansion of the public's knowledge cannot be understated.
"You don't just publish a whole bunch of stuff in a couple of years and get recognized like this," Worthington said. "You have to do it long term, and there's been a commitment to research here at our program and a commitment to getting that research published."
(09/24/13 3:19am)
The Senate meeting of the Student Government Association on Monday, Sept. 23 was brief, but made important decisions for the future of SGA and organizations around campus.
The most important decision of the night came after an arduous discussion of whether to strike Section 300.2 from the SGA Code of Laws, eliminating the Freshman Senate Council from the greater body of SGA.
The motion to eliminate the Freshman Senate council from the SGA body failed by a vote of 22 to 10 after a strong show of support both by former Freshman senate representatives and those who joined as upperclassmen.
"I think that everyone understands that this program needs to stay for obvious reasons, you need people to bridge that gap between freshmen and sophomores," said College of Business Senator Peyton Bristow. "You don't want them to dive in head first when you don't have a lot of experience in that. I guess what Im trying to say is that we can't just create one year where we don't have these people," Bristow said.
In the past the lack of open seats in the SGA senate has occasionly deterred or prevented underclassmen senator candidates from progressing through the ranks into the primary SGA council, prompting many to speculate that there is a lack of commitment from the freshman senators.
For now, the Freshman Senate Council will remain, though all were in agreement that there is a clear and definite need both to continue the council as well as reform it to better function in the SGA body.
Organizations that hold reserved sections in the block seating area came under fire for leaving home football games early while students unable to find seats were relegated to walkways, leaving their reserved seats unused but inaccessible to most football fans.
Options like integrating the block seating area or eliminating the option to reserve block seating altogether were voiced, but a decision has yet to be reached.
The other notable development from the meeting was the motion to restructure funding applications for on-campus organizations, a decision whose repercussions will not be fully appreciated until further in the semester.