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(11/17/14 4:37pm)
In a game like the 34-7 blowout loss at Georgia, where the Bulldogs ran for 289 yards on the Tigers, defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson said it is hard to find positives on the defensive side because the glaring mistakes overshadow any good plays made by the defense.
"It's been sort of like trying to run in quicksand," Johnson said. "We've been doing things as hard as we can do them and as well as we can do them. But every game, if there's 75 snaps, there's about 55-60 really good looking snaps, but it's those other 15 that are killing us."
Johnson said the defense played a lot more physical in the Georgia game than against the Aggies, but its mistakes are what really kept them from being able to dig themselves out of the hole.
Those mistakes create explosive plays and make it easier for opposing offenses to put up points on the scoreboard, which Texas A&M and Georgia did not have a problem doing these past two games. According to head coach Gus Malzahn, the difference between those two losses is that the defense responded to second half adjustments in the Texas A&M game but did not against the Bulldogs.
According to Johnson, the mistakes on Auburn's defense include miscommunication, overrunning the football resulting in missed tackles, busted assignments and even the continuing struggle to force pressure on the quarterback.
"It wasn't the physicality of it, or the nature of their performance, it was a lot of little mistakes [that add up]," Johnson said.
When asked if the defensive struggles are more of a coaching or talent issue, Johnson took ownership and said that it starts with coaching.
"We're going to always think it's coaching, because if you don't then you don't have any solutions," Johnson said. "When you have that issue as a coach, you always take that upon yourself. I either have to teach it better, we've got to rep it more frequently, we're doing too much, or somehow he's not understanding it."
Johnson said if it gets to the point where a player simply cannot perform, then he's got to make a change but the first most important thing is to make sure he is coaching and teaching it correctly.
According to Johnson, this week's game against Samford is a game the starters and rotators need to play well in.
"When I'm standing here next Sunday, we better be a better football team than we are today, or we're not going to be ready to play Alabama," Johnson said.
Johnson said he obviously hears criticism from outsiders, but as someone who has been coaching for 40 years, he is used to that and cannot let it affect him.
"I've got an old buddy who said one day that all Southern men think they know how to win a NASCAR race and coach football," Johnson said. "I've been coaching for 40 years, I've coached at a lot of different places and it's just part of the business. If it bothered me, I wouldn't still be coaching for 40 years. I can understand some of it. We're frustrated, players are frustrated and obviously fans are frustrated."
(11/15/14 2:35am)
The Auburn swimming and diving team faced Tennessee and Louisville at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tennessee Friday.
The women's team (6-0-1, 3-0-1 SEC) kept its winning streak alive as they opened the meet with a second-place finish in the 200 medley relay (1:40.35).
The men topped Tennessee 157-143, but fell to Louisville, 171-129, while the women tied Tennessee with 150 apiece and defeated Louisville, 185-114.
The women continued their run as sophomore Ashley Neidigh won the women's 1000 free with a personal-best time of 9:44.82. Freshman Valerie Hull earned a win in the 200 free, touching in at a season-best 1:49.58. Junior Jillian Vitarius posted a time of 54.54 to win the 100 back. Junior Alexandria Merritt finished second in the women's 200 fly (1:59.17), and sophomore Kristen Murslack took third (1:59.84) for the Tigers. Junior Carly Scheper had a strong showing on the 1-meter. She posted a score of 270.00. Senior Shanna Schuelein took third (265.40). Senior Megan Fonteno took second in the 100 fly (54.14) followed by Merritt, who placed third (54.34). Neidigh picked up her second win of the day with a time of 4:28.22 in the 500 free. Junior Annie Lazor finished third in the 200 IM with a time of 2:02.40, her best time of the season in the event. Auburn's women took second in the 200 FR (1:30.86).
For the men's (3-2, 3-0 SEC), they took second in the 200 MR with a 1:28.72. Sophomore Joe Patching won the 200 free with a time of 1:37.16, the 200 IM with a time of 1:46.60 and second in the 200 back (1:44.02). Senior Alex Hancock claimed second in the men's 200 fly (1:48.30), just edging junior Arthur Mendes (1:48.31) who finished third. Sophomore Kyle Darmody took second in the men's 50 free with a time of 20.25.
In diving, McKean placed second in the men's 1-meter competition with a 344.55, while junior Justin Youtsey finished third with a score of 339.55. Women's senior Cinzia Calabretta won the 3-meter springboard vs. Tennessee and Louisville with a score of 296.90. McKean earned the win in the 3-meter competition, taking first with a score of 413.40.
Auburn will compete next at the Georgia Invitational in Athens, Georgia on Dec. 5-7. The Tigers' divers will compete next at the Georgia Tech Diving Invite on Nov. 20-22 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(11/18/14 7:00pm)
After the spook and magic of Halloween has passed, the season dedicated to thankfulness and charity presents itself.
November and December are holidays sacred to the American spirit. Thanksgiving provides a time for everyone to come together and realize how much there is to be thankful for. Christmas fills the streets with joyous carols and special gifts, and knick-knacks are bought to show loved ones how much they mean to them.
But what about those who are not as fortunate?
There are 610,042 people living homeless on a single night in the United States.
In 2009, the percentage of Lee County residents living in poverty was 21.7. In the state it was 17.5 percent.
There are at least four homeless shelters around Lee County that are available as day shelters, emergency homeless shelters and halfway houses. These facilities serve to help those in need. The holiday season brings forth volunteers hoping to aid theses facilities and some churches by providing meals, blankets and even presents to help during the season of giving.
Two pastors and a 90-year-old man were arrested in Florida on Nov. 5 for feeding the homeless. According to USA Today, one of the many news sources that picked up the story, the men could face up to 60 days in jail and hundreds of dollars in fines.
The arrests stemmed from a recent ban in Ft. Lauderdale dictating "feeding sites cannot be within 500 feet of each other, that only one is allowed in any given city block and that any site would have to be at least 500 feet away from residential properties."
This allows the homeless to be pushed out of the public eye, in an effort to try and conceal the amount of homeless living in the city.
A CBS station, WFOR-TV, based out of Ft. Lauderdale, reported the city had been looking for ways to solve its homeless problem for years and have also been trying to find a way to clean up a park in the city that is usually a haven for homeless men and women.
The station also reported "the city believes the sight of the homeless is affecting tourism, nearby businesses and tarnishing the city image."
In an attempt to try and hide the city's undesirables, the city is destroying what the holiday season encompasses.
While I hope those in Ft. Lauderdale try to challenge the ban, I encourage those living in Auburn to give back during this holiday season. Volunteering at soup kitchens and participating in Christmas charity drives in Auburn can help more people than can be seen.
Hiding the homeless is the problem. Understanding and actually seeing the problem of homelessness during this holiday season, and year round, is a step toward finding a solution.
(11/09/14 1:05am)
After a nail-biting victory over Ole Miss last weekend in Oxford, No. 3 Auburn came into the afternoon as a 23.5 point favorite over an unranked and inconsistent Texas A&M team.
However, Kevin Sumlin and company had other plans.
In a game full of pivotal booth reviews and big plays by both offenses, the Aggies were able to capitalize on Auburn's miscues and outlast the Tigers, winning 41-38.
"Obviously we are disappointed with the way the game finished." Coach Malzahn said, "Our kids fought back. We got in a hole early and they had a lot of momentum."
Auburn's home game winning streak ends at 14, and the Tigers will fall to 7-2 on the season with the health of their star receiver D'haquille Williams in question.
In the second quarter, Williams went down with an apparent knee injury and left the field on crutches assisted by the medical staff. He did not return to the game.
(11/10/14 1:00pm)
Marleigh Jones is a slim girl with red hair as fiery as her passion for music. Jones graduated high school in May 2014 and is following her dream of being a folk musician.
Her first album, "Jubal," was released in April 2014 through Noise Train, a music blog, under her solo project's name Streetparty in Liverpool.
Jones played shows throughout the summer after the release, but is now taking a break to work on her next album.
"I need to get another album out," Jones said. "I was going to tour during the summer, but nothing panned out. So next is the tour after this album is out."
Jones music career began five years ago when she started playing the guitar and performing.
Now Jones plays guitar, ukulele, banjo, bass, sings and writes her own music.
"It's folk music," Jones said. "It's acoustic, banjo-based."
The lyrics on Jones first album are very faith-based, she said, though she's recently written two love songs.
In addition to her solo project, Jones is also in a duo named Sand Moose with Logan Denham. Jones sings and Logan plays guitar.
"It all started in June," Logan said. "My mom was working on Amplify OA Youth, and that's where I met Marleigh. We started goofing off and from there, we found some websites with some stupid names on them, and we decided to start a band named Sand Moose."
Sand Moose is a reference from the television show "Parks and Recreation;" a sand moose is a camel.
"(Logan) sent me a picture of a camel with the caption sand moose and it was really funny at 2 a.m.," Jones said. "So we decided to call our band Sand Moose."
Jones and Logan are writing their first album together, with Jones writing most of the lyrics.
They said they look forward to begin recording in the upcoming week.
"It's interesting, because she has a special voice," Logan said. "The way she pronounces stuff doesn't always sound like what the lyrics actually are, so it's interesting trying to get melodies through to her, but I try. I do the majority of music stuff."
Logan's mother, Nia Denham, owns a music company called Amplify, which is how she got to know Jones and Logan.
"About three years ago, she was looking for gigs, trying to get started," Nia said. "She came to us and she actually did her first gig [with us] at Beef O'Brady's."
Jones said she has progressed in many ways since she started performing, from nervousness to stage presence.
"They were so bad," Jones said. "I remember I was playing a song and I was on a stool, and I was so nervous I slid off the stool and ended standing up. I didn't fall down, I didn't fall off the stool, but I don't know how I got there. I've gotten slightly better at using stools. It took me five years, but now I'm on it."
After establishing her own presence as a musician, Jones said her performances became more organic and more reflective of herself.
"I finally had to stop and say, 'I can do this differently, and not like other people, and I need to stop pretending to be other people,'" Jones said. "After I said that, everything progressively got weirder and more like me and easier. It's a whole lot of awkward and I tell some bad banjo jokes. I'm working on that being-charming-between-songs thing."
Jones said she has decided to not go to college because what she is doing now is what she wants to do.
"I don't want to spend a lot of money for people to tell me what I'm doing," Jones said.
Jones works as a nanny while she gets on her feet as a musician. Having performed at venues in the Auburn-Opelika area; Columbus, Georgia; Atlanta; and Birmingham.
She has her sights set on the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island
"Newport is where Bob Dylan first played his electric set, and other people I really look up to have played there, and even more modern people, because it's been around for 60 years," Jones said. "It looks really fun."
(10/27/14 2:00am)
Auburn's women's golf team shot the second-best round in team history Sunday to share the lead with Arkansas in the opening round of the Alamo Invitational.
The team was led by Sophia Schubert's seven-under par 65, as they shot a combined 13-under, the best round by an Auburn team since 2004.
Schubert also leads the individual tournament after the first round, as her seven-under par is the second-best individual round in Auburn history. The only better round by an Auburn golfer was by Diana Ramage in 2004.
Schubert recorded an eagle and five birdies, and she was also bogey-free for the day.
Two other Auburn players shot in the 60's, as Clara Baena shot a four-under par and Kelli Murphy shot a three-under par.
The Tigers will be paired with Arkansas and LSU in the second round Monday and will tee-off at 9:50 a.m.
(10/22/14 3:00pm)
The way Calvin Wagner tells it, cars of the future won't run primarily on gas. They'll mostly be hybrids or entirely electric.
Wagner, senior in electrical engineering, is captain of Auburn's Formula Society of Automotive Engineers Electric Car Team. The Formula SAE Electric Team is a group of 20 students, mostly engineers, who are building Auburn's first student-made electric drag racing car.
The program is one of two in the SEC, according to Peter Jones, Woltosz War Eagle Motor Sports professor.
The club began with preliminary meetings in December 2013. David Sweet, team member and senior in mechanical engineering, said the first official meeting was not until January.
(10/14/14 6:00pm)
What was a hipster move has turned into a mainstream trend. Contrary to popular belief, the hipster style is more than flannel, flower crowns and high-waist shorts.
"I would define a hipster as someone that makes it a personal goal not to be the norm," said Sarah Hagale, senior in graphic design.
She said she believes the stereotypical hipster style includes statement pieces such as thick-rimmed glasses, flannel, skinny jeans and graphic tees.
"I think some people think that it's trying too hard," Hagale said. "I really think it's just people expressing themselves."
Hagale said she would not consider herself a hipster, and that her closet consists of a limited color palette of black, blue, white and grey.
"I appreciate a good hipster," Hagale said, "but I don't think any hipster would call themselves a hipster."
Hagal said she recognizes the hipster trend is one that has recently become popular and goes against what she would define as a hipster. Hagale encourages students to be themselves.
"I would encourage other students to dress the way they feel comfortable," Hagale said. "You shouldn't be so affected by a trend that you think about it more than important things."
Chandler Roberds, senior in human development and family studies, works at Wake Up Coffee Company.
"I see a lot of the weird haircuts and facial hair like rugged and unkempt beards and mustaches," Roberds said.
According to Roberds, a hipster is "an individual that is wanting to be ahead of the mainstream." He describes the hipster style as trendy, independent, cutting edge and going against the grain.
In addition to the haircuts and facial hair, Roberds said he sees a lot of thrift-store bought clothing and skinny jeans, which he believes to be part of the hipster trend.
Although he said he is definitely not a hipster, Roberds said he recognizes it is a current trend.
"Maybe it's because it's new and we tend to gravitate toward new styles and clothes," Roberds said. "And it's cheaper."
Pamela Ulrich, professor in consumer and design sciences, teaches fashion from the 1910s to the present.
"I would think (hipster) is a word that has been used in different ways over time," Ulrich said.
According to Ulrich, in the 1940s, musicians' style was described as being hipster. In the 60s, popular hip-hugging pants defined hipster style. Recently, the hipster style is related to urban lifestyle and associated with young people, according to Ulrich.
"Fashion is a style that is accepted at some point in time by a group of people," Ulrich said.
After researching what the modern hipster style consists of, Ulrich said, the trend looks like hipsters are trying to be anti-fashion.
She said she doesn't see her students dressed in what she believes to be their personal fashion.
As a professor, Ulrich said she does not influence what students wear.
"Nobody in our program encourages people to dress in a certain way," Ulrich said. "Our job is to analyze it."
Whether it fits into a trend or goes against the norm in true hipster fashion, individual style serves as another way for students to express themselves.
(10/21/14 12:00pm)
Nuns are coming to this part of the Bible Belt, and this time, it's not to scold you - it's to make you laugh.
On Oct. 23, the comedic musical "Nunsense" will open at Telfair Peet Theatre at 7:30 p.m.
"Nunsense," directed by professor Dan LaRocque, features a cast of five students who portray the Little Sisters of Hoboken. When 52 nuns in their convent are poisoned with botulism in potato soup prepared by their cook, the sisters need money to cover the burials. To raise the funds, they put on a variety show.
"What ensues is a funny and very entertaining evening of comedy, song, and dance," LaRocque said. "It's made the show a popular hit around the country for the last 30 years."
LaRocque, a big fan of the show, said it's impossible to pick out a scene that's funnier or more entertaining than the rest.
"It's sort of like being asked as a parent who your favorite child is - they're all favorites, but for different reasons," LaRocque said. "There are so many funny scenes and songs in the show, and I know our audiences will agree."
"Nunsense" will be the first production performed in the new black box theater - part of the newly constructed addition to Telfair Peet Theatre.
LaRocque said "Nunsense" is the perfect show to inaugurate the more intimate theatrical experience for the audience.
"The show itself is vastly entertaining," LaRocque said. "But the energy and enthusiasm our students exhibit is what makes this production so much fun to come and see."
Kathleen O'Hara, senior in musical theatre, plays the Reverend Mother.
O'Hara said it's been fun to play a character who's in her 60s and wear a fat suit while doing it.
"This past summer, I got to play Elle Woods in 'Legally Blonde,' so this character has been a big change from that," O'Hara said. "She's this crazy, funny nun and she's become a big part of me."
O'Hara said the Reverend Mother isn't the type of role she's used to playing.
"It's a whole new experience for me," O'Hara said. "It'll be new for students too, but I think they'll really enjoy it. There's a scene where the Reverend Mother picks up a bottle of 'Rush,' an inhalant, and gets high after a few sniffs. It's hilarious and students will love it."
While it will be the first show in the new theatre, O'Hara and other actors agree "Nunsense" will be memorable for its hilarious element of improvisation.
"It's a very audience-oriented show," O'Hara said. "Many of the lines we say are improvised, and depend on how the audience reacts. You'll never see the same show twice."
Hannah Rae Faulk, junior in musical theatre, plays Sister Hubert, the Reverend Mother's right-hand woman.
"She's this sassy nun who works hard, but never gets recognized for it," Faulk said. "She really enjoys the variety show the sisters put on. Throughout the show, you really see the heart of Hubert."
Faulk said students will enjoy "Nunsense" because it's different from other shows the theatre department has put on before - and not because it's about a group of comedic nuns.
"Here in the Bible Belt, many people grew up religious," Faulk said. "They'll enjoy it purely because it pokes fun at that. They'll laugh along with humor they've grown up with."
The hours of rehearsal have been tiring, but Faulk said strong relationships with the other cast members have made all the difference.
"We're like a family," Faulk said. "We were already friends, but this show has pushed us out of our comfort zones and bonded us in ways I could never have imagined."
O'Hara said the small cast of five women has made it a special experience.
"Since there's only five of us, we're all on the same playing field," O'Hara said. "Everyone has lots of lines and dance numbers, so there's no competition. Even when we're exhausted and strung out, we cut up all the time because we just love each other."
Faulk said whether you're religious or not, the show is relatable for everyone.
"'Nunsense' shows the heart of so many different types of people and each nun can relate to some person in the audience," Faulk said. "Nuns celebrate everyone. They talk about different people's religions and celebrate it with them. It's very celebratory of people having hope in something bigger than themselves."
"Nunsense" will be performed most weeknights at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. until Nov. 2.
Tickets are free to students, and can be reserved through the theater department. Visit http://cla.auburn.edu/theatre/student-tickets/ to reserve a ticket.
(10/01/14 9:45pm)
On Thach Avenue, an old, wooden church is tucked on the top of the hill.
It was built in 1866 by freed slaves and named the Ebeneezer Baptist Church. The building was sold to a group of Unitarians, and is now the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Church.
However, the building is more than a church. A place of worship on Sundays, the other six days of the week it is utilized as a yoga studio, a meeting hall, an art gallery and, for 12 nights of the year, a concert hall.
The Sundilla Concert Series started in 1993, when Auburn resident Katie Smith interviewed singer-songwriter Steve Young. He asked her about a place to play for singer-songwriters in Auburn. While she couldn't tell him any good place at first, she told him to give her a call if he was ever in the area and wanted to play.
He called, and that was the beginning of Sundilla.
Bailey Jones is the producer of Sundilla. He started volunteering in the late 1990s. In 2001, Jones took over booking, and when Smith stepped down, he stepped up. Jones said he doesn't make any money, but he works for the love of music.
The performance space is rustic. The floor is covered in red carpet, a stark contrast to the dark hardwood ceiling.
A quilt hangs behind performers, and art, rotating with the changing galleries, adorns the walls.
"The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is one of the best listening rooms I've ever heard," said Kelly Walker, host of the Sundilla Radio Hour.
The Sundilla Radio Hour is a program broadcasting concerts. It started in March 2013. It plays on three local NPR stations, one station in Ithaca, New York, and online. The four most recent concerts stream on sundillamusic.com. The radio audience is strong, according to Jones.
"After the fourth show, he (Walker) called me and said, 'We just got an email from a guy in California that's been listening,'" Jones said. "He says there's people in the Middle East, in Europe, who are listening at various points in the day."
Jones' theory for the widespread audience is the type of music they host.
"It all goes back to when you turn on the radio," Jones said. "It's not always what people want to listen to. There are stations out there playing this kind of music, but you have to hunt around to find them. When people find them, they listen and they're loyal."
Sundilla's performers are acoustic, but acts have included bluegrass, singer-songwriter, Americana, country and classical.
"There's a limited number of people we can put on the stage," Jones said. "It's an old building. There's a limited number of stuff we can plug into the sockets before fuses start blowing. So you're never going to see an all-electric rock band here. In the early years, there was a chart: Plug this coffee pot into this wall and this one into this wall or all the lights will turn off. They fixed that, but they do have limitations."
Even with the limitations, the popularity is still high, according to Jones, with Auburn being the exception.
"Locally, as far as people coming, it's not as good as I like," Jones said. "I'd like every seat to be filled every show. In 2005, we went to 12-13 concerts a year from 22-25. In 2005 to 2012, our attendance was pretty much averaging 60 for the year. Last year, it dropped to about 50. That's where we are this year."
The listening room can hold 150 people comfortably, and has even held 192.
"I know there are people out there who would like it who won't come for various reasons," Jones said. "One of those is that it's in a church, which freaks them out. It's a church on Sundays, and our concerts are usually on Thursdays or Fridays. If you get over that initial trepidation, which I had for the first one, you quickly realize you're not going to church, you're coming to a concert."
People can bring food and beverages, including alcohol. Jones joked someone could even bring a full bar, as long as the clinking bottles were quiet when performers took the stage.The only rules for the audience are no smoking and stay off their cell phones while the artists perform.
According to Jones, performers are well-established in their genre. They hail from 41 states and seven foreign countries. Upcoming performers include Moors and McCumber, playing Oct. 2 and Eliza Gilkyson, playing Oct. 9.
"The series has brought so many amazing and talented artists over the years," said Wildman Steve, Sundilla's sound engineer. "It brings culture to our city that no other entity, including the University, has even come close to approaching. If you love music, you will find artists they bring enjoyable."
(09/30/14 1:41am)
The Student Government Associations Sep. 29 meeting had two new orders of business on the night's agenda. The first new order of business was a piece of legislation dealing with the Center of Student Organizations and Welcome Week Organizational Boards guidelines.
The legislation, presented by Katie Nell, Senator at-Large, asked for the approval of the funding for the Organizations' Board, effective for the 2014-2015 year.
Each year, the Center for Student Organizations makes available a limited amount of funds to each Permanent Status student organization to cover some of their operating expenses. Student Organizations may apply for up to $300 a year for their annual operating expenses beginning in August on a first come, first serve basis.
"The $300 is applied for by the organization and the first ones that apply and are fundable programs get it," said Olabode Anise, vice president of SGA. "Then there is the $8,000 that a fundable program can apply for and that has to be approved by the SGA senate."
Organizations must prepare a sample budget for what they would like to receive funding for at the time of the request.
The sample budget will include the amount of money the organization plans to spend on advertising and promotion printing, books and subscriptions, food, or office supplies.
According to the legislation, a fundable program, for the purpose of student activity fee funding, is defined as an educational or service activity held on campus or a service/outreach activity held off-campus.
Fundable programs should: be open to all fee-paying students beyond the membership of the sponsoring student organization(s), provide developmental and educational outcomes for all participants, be broadly marketed, and abide by all guidelines and policies set forth by Auburn University.
Minutes after Nell presented her legislation to the senate, John LeMaster, a senator for the college of engineering, presented an amendment to chapter 808 of the SGA Code of Laws.
The amendment would require the available funds in the Organizations Fund at the beginning of a fiscal year to be no less than $60,000 instead of the current mark of $50,000.
However, the amendment was tabled after Patrick Michael, the senator for the Budget and Finance committee, said the amendment needed to be worked on and that it was not a pressing issue seeing as that money cannot be allocated until the coming Spring.
"I think it may be a little rash to pass this as it stands now," Michael said. " I think that we can make it better for student organizations and according to the code of laws, only a certain percentage of the money can be allocated at this point in the year so we wouldn't put any student organization at a disadvantage right now anyways."
(09/23/14 3:00am)
The SGA Senate is prepared for Homecoming at their meeting on Monday, Sept. 22, 2014.
The SGA Senate received a visit from the Miss Homecoming 2014 top five candidates.
The candidates, Callie Henley, Francie Harris, Daly Foster, Kellie Jones and Alexis Jackson, presented their platforms to the senate and encouraged everyone to vote in the election on Firday, Sept. 26, 2014.
SGA will also be putting on the Homecoming parade on Friday including 11 floats. The parade will begin at 6 p.m. and will begin at the library and end in front of Samford Hall.
Immediately following the parade, SGA will be putting on "Friday Night Lights," a free concert in the Gay Street lot featuring Trotline and the Jon Wilkris Trio.
"We worked really hard trying to revamp Homecoming," said assistant director of homecoming Kaitlin McPheeters. "Homecoming candidates will get to speak as well, right before voting ends."
The senate appointed their Graduate School Council President, Leonard Thomas.
"He's been active in his position since the turnover in May, this is just to follow a code of laws that come with that position," said Senator David Burel
The Senate also appointed their Graduate School Council Vice President, India Napier.
The Senate brought up future orders of business and discussed a possible increase in the Center for Student Organization budget from $50,000 to $60,000 to provide more opportunities to on-campus organizations.
"We have the opportunity to approve the O-Board funding, and nothing has changed since last year, it's just going to be first come first serve for organizations," said Senator Katie Nell.
The senate also approved changes made to the budgets of Center for Leadership and Ethics, Center for Community Service, Student Organizations and Welcome Week, Intercultural Programs, SGA, Student Media and University Program Council.
(02/24/15 7:13pm)
It happens more than you think, and it's not OK.
It is the one in six women who have been victims of rape or attempted rape, according to the Center for Family Justice, or the 60 percent of sexual assaults not reported to the police.
It's how I can look at one of my own college classrooms and know, if those statistics are correct, the other women in that room and myself are four times more likely to be date raped than any other age group in the country.
It's how I can sit around with my female friends and recall countless times where we felt harassed, threatened or afraid, and it's how some of those stories turned into something much worse than being scared.
It's how I can't tell you what I wore on my thirteenth birthday, but I can remember with perfect clarity how the construction workers in my neighborhood would wolf-whistle and cat-call every time I walked the family dog that same year.
A group of young men at North Carolina State University invented a nail polish with the ability to test a drink for date rape drugs with the quick dip of a finger.
I don't intend to belittle their idea, because it's awesome and I wish them nothing but the best, but do we -- not just girls, not just women, but everyone -- deserve a society where date rape drug nail polish needs to exist at all? If I buy this nail polish and it saves me from an assault, what about the girl who decided to spend her money on a meal or school supplies instead?
A Columbia student named Emma Sulkowicz has carried a mattress around campus in protest of the school's refusal to expel her rapist. Now a senior, she was assaulted two years ago in her own dorm room by a classmate.
Two other students have come forward to claim the same man raped them, but by some gross judgment, the case has been dismissed. Sulkowicz said she would carry around the mattress until her rapist is no longer at the school.
On Sept. 11, a group of Columbia students, male and female, gathered to help her carry the mattress from place to place.
In the end, Sulkowicz's protest is still just a protest. Her rapist is still at her school, and while I can't speak to how she feels, I can only imagine seeing him expelled won't do much to clear out the memories.
But if we want to see a change in this world, and if you want to see your daughter, or sister or yourself be able to walk around without a rape whistle or scientific nail polish, maybe helping Emma Sulkowicz lighten her load is a good place to start.
(09/13/14 12:00pm)
The Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine's Animal and Health Performance program has been renamed Canine Performance Sciences (CPS).
James Floyd, interim director of the program, said the new name better reflects the program's mission.
"The short version is that it is just doing a better job of describing what we do," Floyd said. "We have really concentrated on mostly detection dogs and performance. They have to be able to perform."
According to the program's website, CPS is a national leader on working animals.
Exercise can have benefits on animals' general health and their physical, physiological and psychological needs.
"The Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine has invested years of research in developing a strong and versatile detection program in the fight against terrorism," said Calvin Johnson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, in a statement to the Universtity. "This new name reflects that work."
Right now, the program has four breeding females and averages 60 puppies a year. Floyd says their goal is for more.
"We are trying to grow the number of puppies from 60 per year to up to 200," Floyd said.
The program's research is funded by various agencies and depends on what kind of grants they receive.
"A lot of it is federal government," Floyd said. "Some of it comes from private donors."
The detection of bombs has been a focus of the program, especially since 9/11.
"A dog's nose is an excellent detection device," Floyd said. "If a dog can smell it, they can be trained to let us know they can smell it."
Terry Fischer, Auburn University's chief canine instructor, spoke about the process of finding and training a dog.
"First, you have to have a good foundation," Fischer said. "The selection process is a major component. You have to have a very focused dog."
Fischer said evaluating the dog is also a major part of knowing whether the dog will be trainable.
"You have to evaluate him on his reward," Fischer said. "What is he going to work for? When you find a dog that is environmentally sound, he can go into any environment and not be bothered whatsoever. He will do anything for that reward."
According to Fischer, imprinting, or programming, the dog comes next.
"Everyone has their own ways of imprinting a dog," Fischer said. "You have to be very concise and clear what you want the dog to learn. Dogs are very clever."
CPS has a reputation for groundbreaking research efforts in detection and understanding animal performance.
The program has a patent-pending technology named VAPOR WAKE(R).
According to its website, VAPOR WAKE(R) is a technology that trains dogs to detect explosives.
VAPOR WAKE(R) is licensed through the Auburn Research Technology Foundation for delivery by AMK9 Academy to expand its employment in defense of the nation and society.
(09/11/14 10:17pm)
The University Board of Trustees approved plans to proceed with the construction of the Mell Classroom Building on Sept 5., according to a press release from the Office of Communications and Marketing.
The decision allows the administration to complete plans for the building, solicit bids and award a contract for the 69,000 square-foot learning facility which will provide specially designed technology-adaptive classrooms, lecture halls, team-learning space and collaborative areas.
"We're very excited about these buildings," said provost Timothy Boosinger. "They are among our top academic priorities for the university."
The site approved for the project places the new building adjacent to the Draughon Library on Mell Street and will connect to RBD as well, offering a view into the library from the Mell facility.
Dan King, vice president of facilities management, slated the Mell project for completion by the 2016 or 2017 academic year, with construction starting as soon as next summer.
The building plan aligns with priorities set in the university's strategic plan for 2013-18, which includes goals of increasing student engagement and success, as well as developing and renovating campus facilities.
The project will provide approximately 40 percent of new classroom space, while the additional 60 percent will be included in the second phase of construction. The next facility to be built is the Roosevelt Classroom Building, which will see the removal of Allison and Parker Halls. The second phase will be conducted in two parts, starting with the construction of the Roosevelt Classroom Building and later the yet to be approved third classroom facility. The Roosevelt building will be similar to Mell and will consist of science and math instructional spaces, as well teaching labs. Both buildings are yet to be designed.
According to associate provost J. Emmett Winn, Allison and Parker halls have no historical significance and are reaching their life expectancies, so it would be more economical to replace them with better buildings instead of a series of renovations.
The building plan aligns with priorities set in the University's strategic plan for 2013-18, which includes goals of increasing student engagement and success, as well as developing and renovating campus facilities and land-use management.
"The three buildings we are looking to construct will transform student engagement and the instructional environment at Auburn," Winn said.
The first priority in the University's strategic plan looks to "enhance students' academic, social, professional, and personal success" over the next five years, which both Boosinger and Winn are confident that the commitment to the construction of these buildings will achieve.
Students are receptive to the project plans, especially construction concerning Allison and Parker halls.
"I think the construction will be good because a lot of campus is dated," said Jill Hester, junior in nursing.
Most student complaints are directed at Parker's classrooms and its heating and air conditioning systems.
"The paint job makes you feel like you're in prison, it's very bland," said Bailey Isbell, junior in animal sciences. "Something else will definitely be better."
Though details of these projects are still in their development stages, the University plans to continue the renovation of labs to effectively make use of existing facilities as they begin work on the long-term construction plan.
(09/08/14 2:55pm)
According to defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, the Auburn defense played well for the most part in their 59-13 victory over San Jose State.
But after reviewing the film, Johnson saw "a dozen plays or so" that he was particularly disappointed with.
"We could have played a lot cleaner," Johnson said. "I was disappointed with some of the plays we left on tape. I think we played 77 snaps, 60 of them as good as you want to see. But there are still those dozen plays or so every game that we do something that we really worked on, kids are keyed in on it, and we seem to make a mistake."
Those mistakes kept drives alive and allowed San Jose State to put points on the board. On the Spartans' 75-yard touchdown pass, Johnson said the problem was communication.
"They had the miscommunication on the touchdown," he said. "It was between one of the safeties and the corners. It wasn't the safety's fault, but I think there was a check going on that may have confused the other one."
Johnson said it is the "trashy plays" that are holding the Auburn defense back.
"There are some things that can be fixed," Johnson said. "It's not getting beat, it's not things from a fundamental standpoint. I think we're playing really well but it's just one or two guys that make a mistake here or there that are costing us some trashy plays we ought to clean up."
Johnson was quick to point out though that San Jose State did a good job in their execution.
"They are a good football team," Johnson said. "I think, obviously, talent-wise we had better players. But you have to give them credit. They can execute. They know who they are, the precision of their routes and some of the things. They made some great catches. We could have played better, but I thought we improved in some areas."
Even with the mistakes, Johnson thought the defense played well overall.
"You've got four punts, three takeaways, should have been four takeaways," he said. "I think they had half of their series they had no first downs or one."
The "should have been" takeaway Johnson mentioned occurred on San Jose State's first offensive play, when the Tigers caused and recovered a fumble in Spartan territory.
But, a facemask penalty negated the turnover, something Johnson disagreed with.
"The facemask was not a penalty," Johnson said. "There was no facemask on that play. What can you do? That was first-and-10 for Auburn at the 22-yard line, and instead it was first-and-10 for them at the 37."
Moving forward, Johnson says he will focus on getting his players to limit the mistakes that result in big plays for the offense.
"At the end of the day you go back and look at those plays and say 'When are these going to get cleaned up?" Johnson said. "That's the thing we're going to really put emphasis on."
(09/02/14 1:30pm)
Construction on Frederick Road between Sam's Club and Tiger Town has been going on since February 2013 and is expected to be completed by early 2015.
"I would say if we are completely done by Christmas, everybody will be pleased," said Opelika City engineer Scott Parker. "That's our goal. That's not the real date."
After completion, Frederick Road will be five lanes across: two each way and a center turn lane.
There will also be a bike lane and a sidewalk built near the Shops at Midtown.
Money for the project comes from the City of Opelika and the Alabama Department of Transportation.
The City is contracting Robinson Paving Company out of Columbus, Georgia.
Originally, the estimated completion date was October 2014.
Weather and underground utilities are the two main reasons for delayed construction, according to Parker.
Casey Waid, who opened and has owned Play It Again Sports since December 2011, said the construction hurt business the most last October, when the road was cut down to one lane.
"At this time in 2013 to the end of September, I was up 35 percent over 2012," Waid said. "So I went from being up 35 percent on average to being down 25 percent in October. It was a 60 point swing in the negative direction."
The construction and use of only one lane lowered the amount of walk-in traffic to the area, according to Waid.
During that time, traveling the length of Frederick Road could take up to 45 minutes, and Waid would see posts on Facebook to avoid the road.
"It seems like, for the most part, a good number of people still avoid it and are going to avoid it until the construction is done," Waid said.
When Kandy Russell opened Smallcakes: A Cupcakery in the Shops at Midtown in September 2013, she was thinking of the long term.
"I feel like four lanes with a turn lane in the middle will be worth it," Russell said.
With walking traffic down during construction, Waid has resorted to guerilla marketing tactics.
A few months before construction began, Waid started Auburn Opelika Specials.
The site's Facebook and Twitter accounts advertise specials in the area to help local businesses.
"Every business here has been affected," Waid said. "They all experienced a big drop off in business when the road started, and I think there is some sense of unity in there."
Once construction is complete, both Russell and Waid see Frederick Road becoming a gateway between the two cities, much like Opelika Road.
Until then, Russell informs people that the construction is not as bad as before.
"It's not something you should go 'I am not going that way,' or 'it's not worth it,'" Russell said. "It's not that bad. It looks worse than it is with all those orange barrels sitting everywhere."
(09/01/14 1:30pm)
The Auburn University King Sejong Institute is offering an eight-week, not-for-credit Korean language courses.
Each course costs $99. Students can choose between beginner and intermediate levels.
The courses will begin Oct. 13, the original starting date of the second semester. The first semester was cancelled because of low enrollment.
Eunhyun Park is the instructor for the classes. Park came from Keimyung University in Daegu, Korea, to teach Korean. Park is the first instructor from Keimyung University to come to the U.S.
"I really love to teach Korean language and Korean culture to many people," Park said. "I really, really like this job and that's why I hope many, many people are interested in learning Korean."
The beginner courses will focus on the Korean alphabet, numbers, grammar and short phrases, such as greetings.
Park said the intermediate course will be more like a supplemental beginner class.
Jennifer Mason, director of international initiatives, said if interest is high, advanced classes will be added. Mason said the increased Korean population in the Auburn area was a strong reason for offering the classes.
"Within about an hour's drive of Auburn, we have more than 60 Korean companies operating here," Mason said. "That's made a huge difference in the community landscape of the region. Being able to understand each other, not just in terms of language, but in culture and those kinds of things, we thought was important."
The course was first offered last fall. Students included people working at Korean companies, community members interested in Korean and University students.
"We've had Auburn students who are interested in taking the for-credit courses, and this is an easy introduction that's not going to affect your GPA, in case it's a little more difficult than you were expecting," Mason said.
Lourdes Betanzos, undergraduate advisor for global cultures, said offering Korean classes was a logical choice.
"I think, especially with our University being between two very large Korean manufacturing companies, it's kind of an obvious thing, and a logical choice to make for our students," Betanzos said. "I think as long as we can continue to collaborate with the Korea center here on campus we should be able to continue offering classes."
Park also teaches for-credit Korean courses through the University. Last year, the department of foreign languages received approval from the University Curriculum Committee for the elementary Korean sequence.
This semester, enrollment in the elementary class reached capacity.
"Sometimes I think we're at a disadvantage because, here in the South, the Korean community is still somewhat new," Mason said. "When we think about language, we think a lot about Spanish, about Latin American culture because that has been part of our community for a long time. When someone's thinking 'I want to learn a new language. What do I go with?' Spanish is the first thing that pops into your head. It's the most reasonable answer. Korean is becoming more and more important in our region and beyond to the U.S. with the relationships there."
For more information, visit the Korea Center's website or email Eunhyun Park at ezp0008@auburn.edu.
(08/26/14 11:20pm)
After Auburn University experiences success in athletics, application rates tend to increase. Given the successful season experienced by Auburn's football team this past year, along with the hiring of new coaches in the athletic department, Auburn was bound to attract more aspiring students for fall 2014.
According to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment, the total number of students enrolled at Auburn this year has decreased from 24,864 to 24,469.
However, the number of enrolled freshmen has increased.
Although these freshmen make up a larger percentage of the undergraduate population, they maintain a similar presence on campus.
According to Bethany Gunn, student employee in the Burton Hall Housing Office, 70 percent of students living on campus are freshmen.
The influx of first-year students has pushed more freshmen off campus than ever before. There is a larger percentage of freshmen living off campus this year because Auburn does not have enough on-campus housing.
Gunn said the increase wasn't too much of a dilemma in the Housing office.
"We always have a waiting list and it was bigger this year," Gunn said. "It wasn't a huge problem. We were able to get most people moved on campus, but some just opted to live off campus, more than usual."
Some freshmen living off campus for their first year may find it harder to meet new people, a reason often given for living in the dorms.
However, participation in campus activities, such as Greek Life, has grown. Recruitment this year for the 17 on-campus sororities increased.
While a typical pledge class has approximately 60 girls, the average size of a pledge class this year was approximately 70.
Each girl going through recruitment is assigned to a small group led by a current sorority member known as a Pi Chi.
Lauren Jones, Pi Chi, said she had seen a lot more freshman girls rushing.
"There were around 200 more girls who went through Recruitment compared to last year, making the Pi Chi groups a little larger than usual," Jones said. "The pledge classes are also bigger than they normally are just because more people decided to go to Auburn this year."
Although more girls went through, the percentage of girls who were placed in a sorority remained the same.
(03/23/16 4:07pm)
Google made headlines when they unveiled fiber optic Internet service for cities, such as Kansas City, Missouri and Austin, Texas. Chattanooga, Tennessee styled itself the "Gig City" after building its own fiber optic network. But in Alabama, Opelika has quietly built its own high-tech fiber optic network.
In 2008, the city-owned Opelika Power Services (OPS), then called Opelika Light and Power, began looking to upgrade its power lines to the new smart grid technology. Meanwhile, Opelika's Mayor Gary Fuller was trying to get Internet providers to invest in more broadband in the city.
It soon became clear the new technology for the power company could provide the type of high-speed internet residents wanted, according to June Owens, manager of marketing and communications at OPS.
"When the utility company already owns the poles, it cuts a lot of cost for doing something like this," Owens said. "It just made sense."
Today, residents of Opelika can decide if they want Internet, television and phone service from the traditional cable company, the traditional phone company or from the power company - a third option many cities in the country don't have.
Opelika used Chattanooga as a model to build their network. However, unlike Chattanooga, which offers 1 gigabit per second internet service for $70 a month, OPS offers 1 gigabit per second for $500 per month.
"At some point in time, we hope we'll be able to do like Chattanooga did and offer it to everyone for 70 bucks a month when we get enough customers," Owens said.
However, fiber does offer a benefit that cable companies don't match currently: the ability to have symmetrical upload and download speeds. OPS's 60 megabits per second package is priced to be competitive with the other internet service providers in Opelika, according to Owens.
"Being a city-owned business they (the customers) are owners of this thing," said David Horton, director of OPS. "Response from the community has been great."
OPS was created when Opelika bought a private power company that powered the city's street lights in 1911.
Field service manager Terry Coxwell said the change from being an electric utility company to a more competitive television and Internet provider has been a good move for OPS.
"Citizens didn't really have a choice with what power they have, but now with the data services they have an option," Coxwell said. "Being part of the community we can provide services at a fair market price and excel in customer service."
