Thursday, October 8 by The Appalachian

The Appalachian Thursday, October 8, 2015

COSTUMES see PAGE 5

Students create custom street signs by Kelsey Hamm A&E Editor

he Appalachian Popular Programming Society hosted a Makeyour-Own Street Sign event yesterday in the Plemmons Student Union. The event is one of multiple “fun, free” events hosted by APPS every month, Erin Parrish, graduate assistant for the special events council, said. “We do two events per month and they are usually free events for students,” she said. “We just bring in vendors and it’s a first come first serve basis.” Queen City Novelties, a Charlotte based event company, provided equipment

for the signs. Jack Bracey founded the company in 2012. Events are a passion for him, he said. “I used to work for an entertainment company before I started this one,” he said. “I’ve always had a passion for events – I would say I’ve been hosting and volunteering for special events since I was 5 years old.” The amount of originality in signs varies, he said. “The most popular thing for students to get is their names,” he said. “Today I’ve seen a lot of inside jokes that would only make sense to one person – but that’s why people become excited about this, because it’s individual-

SEE SIGNS PAGE 3

Kelsey Hamm

Paige Clayton, Paulo Neto, and Morgan Nystedt all created personalized messages at the MakeYour-Own Street Sign event in the Plemmons Student Union.

Rain, outages in Boone by Sammy Hanf News Reporter

On Sunday, students had their day of rest disturbed by a power outage hitting many big buildings on campus such as East Residence Hall and Sanford. The student union was unaffected by the outage and the library was running on backup generators and still able to check out books, but the student computers were down and running water was lost. The outage happened in the afternoon and lasted around a half hour, according to New River Light and Power. The exact cause of the outage

could not be immediately determined. Scott Eggers of New River Light and Power said it could have been caused by some over-adventurous vermin disturbing the power lines. All the buildings regained power at the same time, except the Belk Library, which was experiencing its own separate problems and stayed down for around an hour. Eggers said a square D breaker in the building was down, part of ongoing electrical problems in the library. What is behind these electrical issues is also unknown.

SGA referendum to improve representation in Greek life

For a full photo essay on the weekend’s weather, flip to page 7 Lindsey Honkomp

Malik Rahili

A new referendum which is up for voting by the Student Government Association aims to improve representation for minorities in the student senate.

by Thomas Culkin News Reporter

Appalachian State University’s student body is currently voting on a recent referendum proposed by the Student Government Association that would improve representation for minorities in the student senate. Currently, Greek life has three seats in the senate. Those seats can be filled by members of any members of Greek life. Unfortunately, the demographics of Appalachian State mean minorities rarely get their voice heard. “Basically, right now, all three seats could be filled by anyone in Greek

life,” said Carson Rich, the SGA president. “Right now, just based on populations, IFC and PHC provide more votes than NPHC can, and it’s not fair and it’s not equal.” To counter this problem, SGA has proposed a referendum that would guarantee the three seats are filled by each of the three main organizations which make up Greek life: the National Panhellenic Council, comprised of the African American fraternities and sororities; the National Panhellenic Conference, comprised of the sororities; and the Interfraternity Council, com-

SEE SGA PAGE 2

REI works toward sustainability

news

Thomas Culkin News Reporter

EI, a student organization at Appalachian State University dedicated to sustainability and energy efficiency, is working on two notable projects to provide Appalachian State with cleaner, more efficient energy. One of REI’s major projects is to install a solar thermal system in Roess Dining Hall. A solar thermal system is a method of heating water in a more efficient way than the traditional methods. With a solar thermal system, water is heated up by a system of pipes, which are in turn heated by solar panels on the roof. The process is known as a heat transfer. Joshua Brooks, a graduate student and member of REI, said the solar thermal system is far more efficient than the more common alternatives because it completely eliminates the need for fossil fuels. Although Roess Dining Hall consumes too much water for it to be heated solely through a solar thermal system, Brooks said that the dining hall could save 10 percent of its water heating energy use over the next seven years. According to Brooks, students should be excited about the initiative because the savings generated by the system could benefit students as well as the environment. “Since the dining hall

Justin Perry

As a part of REI’s sustainability project, the student organization aims to install a solar thermal system in Roess Dining Hall.

functions separately of the university, cuts in expenditures mean their prices could drop as well,” Brooks said. “Even if it’s nothing more than 50 cents less for a cheeseburger, this could impact every student.” Daniel Stevenson, a junior appropriate technology major and the chair of REI, said they only need to finish the last stages of creating the plan, and then they can begin looking for a contractor to do the installation. Once a contractor is chosen to do the work, the installation shouldn’t take more than six weeks to complete. “We’re still working on the design, and excluding minor changes, we’ve pretty much got what we want,” Stevenson said. Once the solar thermal system is installed in Roess Dining Hall, REI hopes to begin integrat-

SGA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 prised of the fraternities. “This would ensure that there’s equal representation, and that there always will be equal representation for each organization,” Jalyn Howard, SGA director of cultural affairs, said. “Just about every year there’s no representation from the NPHC side.” Ty White, a junior political science major who wrote the initial bill, said each group needs to represent itself because of how different they all are from each other. “Just talking to them, you can see how different they are,” White said. “It’s just weird that this is how it works, because someone is almost always unhappy when a decision is made without them, so it’s so much easier just to give them all separate seats.” Howard said the lack of rep-

ing solar thermal systems in other buildings on campus, including Trivette Dining Hall. The other project REI is working on is to build a photovoltaic system at State Farm parking lot that would connect into the city’s power grid. This is the largest project REI has ever undertaken, and Stevenson said he believes it could garner national recognition. The system would consist of canopies of solar panels that stretch over the lot. “The goal of this system is to take a larger chunk out of ASU’s energy consumption than REI’s ever been able to do before,” Brooks said. The photovoltaic system could save close to 360,000 kilowatt hours per year, according to Brooks. However, the initiative

resentation in SGA means a lot of issues important to minority students are overlooked. “SGA is an organization that is made up of the majority, so typically the issues they address are of the majority,” Howard said. “The minority is not sufficiently focused on, or a big issue, because of that. I’m not saying SGA is racist, but it’s about perceptions and experiences. We are a predominantly white university, and SGA is a predominantly white organization. So when it comes to issues being heard, those are the issues that are brought to the forefront, and minority issues just aren’t.” If the referendum passes, Howard said it could lead to more legislation being written. “This is good for representation, but I really hope it paves the way for other things and get the ball rolling,” Howard said. “I hope this makes SGA ask itself, ‘Where else is there

is under a time crunch. Due to the larger scale of the project, REI plans on hiring a private contractor to build the system. That company would agree to own the photovoltaic system for six years, and then donate it back to REI. However, the state of North Carolina is removing a tax credit previously offered to private enterprises who undertake such jobs, and REI is waiting to hear back from the state Board of Governors on whether or not they’ll be able to hire a private enterprise. If they find out they are allowed to proceed before the end of the year, construction could commence. However, if they don’t hear back in time, or are told they can’t hire a private contractor, the project will have to be put on hold for several years, until

unequal representation? Where else are underrepresented students not being looked out for?’” One of the major misconceptions regarding the representation in the senate is that it is fair because of the smaller percentage of students in NPHC, Rich said. “People kept going back to the numbers, saying that you shouldn’t give one group a leg up over the others when, percentage-wise, they don’t make up that much of the population,” Rich said. “But if you look at this school historically, as a predominantly white institution, and at things that have happened over hundreds of years in the course of this nation, then of course you’re going to see that there’s a higher population of privileged white students here at Appalachian State University.” White said she decided to write the bill for the referendum because she saw how

the time when solar technology is cheap enough that REI could install the system itself. “It’s terrible, but this project is being held up down in Raleigh,” Stevenson said. “Students are trying to do innovative work, and trying to push towards a new future for all people, but we need the support of our state lawmakers.” Taylor Siegel, the head of public relations for REI, hopes these projects make students more aware of the work REI does and the importance of sustainability. “Renewable energy is very much a stepping stone for the future, and as a university, it should be a part of our goal to grow towards that future” Siegel said. “Some people don’t know about that, and that’s why I think REI is so important.”

much more inclusive Greek life could be with equal representation. “I felt like Greek life can grow so much, and the place where they are now doesn’t allow for it,” White said. Abby Hamrick, the SGA vice president, urged students to vote and make a difference in university politics. “There is a general apathy among 18-25 year olds when it comes to any kind of a vote, and that’s been shown statistically,” Hamrick said. “So what I want to say to the students of Appalachian is that it’s a privilege to be able to have your voice heard, and to have a say in how you’re governed. So hone in on that privilege, whether you’re affected or not, because there might be a referendum one day that directly affects you, and you’re going to want people to care about it and vote on it.” Voting is open until noon on Friday, Oct. 9.

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app news

4 Submit Announcements App News is a service of the Division of Student Development. Email dycheab@appstate.edu. Submissions should not exceed 100 words and must include the event title, date/time, location and cost, and a contact email, phone and/or URL. Announcements will be edited as needed and will run as space allows. Preference given for events that are free or have a nominal cost. Office of Sustainability Swap The swap/freecycle will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 8, Office of Sustainability, lower level of East Hall. Boyles Distinguished CEO Lecture Series Bonnie Schaefer, co-owner of Westglow Resort & Spa and former CEO of Claire’s Stores, will speak at 10 a.m. Oct. 13, Holmes Convocation Center. To accommodate attendees, event shuttles will run from Peacock Circle/Rivers Street Parking Deck to Holmes Center beginning one hour prior to the lecture. Call 828-2626247. Lecture series The Fall 2015 Lecture/Seminar Series: Philosophy and Religion in the Contemporary World is presented by the Philosophy and Religion Department. All presentations begin at 5:30 p.m. and are held in room 114, Belk Library. • Oct. 13: “The Aesthetics of Exile” with Davis Hankins • Nov. 10: “What the Hell? How to Interpret Biblical Texts on Final Judgment” with Rodney Duke

Turchin Fall Lecture Series All lectures are at 7 p.m. in the Turchin Center Lecture Hall. For information, go to http://tcva.org/exhibitions. • Oct. 14: “The Performance Review: Endia Beal” • Oct. 21: “Back to Boone: The Editorial Cartoons of Andrew David Cox” • Nov. 11: “Beth Hetland” • 2 p.m. Nov. 6: “Cartoon College,” film screening in conjunction with the exhibition At the Junction of Words and Pictures: The Tenth Anniversary of The Center for Cartoon Studies,” followed by a panel discussion with Alec Longstreth and Jen Vaughn. Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series All programs are free and open to the public. • Denise Giardina, author of “Storming Heaven,” will present a craft talk from 9:30-11 a.m. in Table Rock Room in PSU, and will read from her work at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20, Parkway Ballroom, PSU. • Black Mountain College literary historians William C. Rice and Katherine Chaddock will read from their works at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27, Parkway Ballroom, PSU. Faculty/Staff Book Club The fall book club will read and discuss the themes in “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” by Daniel Pink. The book club will meet at 10 a.m. Oct. 20 and Nov. 24 in Belk Library. Book club members will be expected to secure their own copy to read. The book is available in the

library system and for sale online. Email maidenev3@appstate.edu. Boone Creek clean-up Meet at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at AMB, 163 Boone Creek Drive. The ASU Sustainability Council has adopted the section of Boone Creek that flows past Appalachian Mountain Brewery and Boone Mall. ASU faculty, staff and students are invited to participate. Volunteers will receive a 10 percent discount on purchases at Appalachian Mountain Brewery for the rest of the night. The group provides gloves and other supplies. Participants should wear old clothes and sturdy shoes— rubber knee boots are especially helpful. Email englandle@appstate. edu to sign up in advance. Belize Interest Group The Office of International Education and Development (OIED) is organizing a Belize Interest Group meeting at 2 p.m. Nov. 16, in Beacon Heights, PSU. The meeting will be held to meet face-to-face with campus colleagues engaged in and/or with interest in Belize, share with different campus colleagues the nature of work people are doing in Belize; and develop a “united” strategy for Appalachian to engage with Belize. Faculty interested in Belize or doing work in that country are encouraged to attend. For more information, email lutabingwajl@appstate.edu. Tutoring Center open Visit room 208 in D.D. Dougherty and fill out a tutor request form. The tutoring lab is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9

a.m.-5 p.m. Friday. Call 828-262-3060 or email apputs@appstate.edu. Go to lap.appstate.edu/tutoring.

Free guided meditation Held noon-12:30 p.m. in Attic Window (room 137C), PSU. Hosted by Wellness and Prevention Services. No meditation experience necessary. Drop-ins welcome. Benefits of meditation can include a decrease in anxiety and stress, an increase in emotional stability and creativity, increased ability to focus and concentrate, lower blood pressure, a decrease in tension related pain, and improved immune system.

Navigating college The group will explore healthy lifestyle choices and the impact of alcohol and other drug use in college. Students are invited to the Wellness and Prevention Services office to join a mindfulness-based group focused on the impact of alcohol and other drug use while in college, incorporating resilience building, high risk substance use prevention and harm reduction strategies by way of stress reduction, healthy decisionmaking and group support to assist in personal growth and success as a college student. The group will meet 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesdays, room 306, Reich College of Education. Email asmabt@appstate.edu or call 828-262-3148.

Free legal advice for students The Student Legal Clinic, in suite 324 in Plemmons Student Union, offers confidential advice, information, and referrals provided by a licensed attorney.

October

sunday

monday 4

tuesday 5

wednesday 6

Tai Chi Midterms (students only), 5 p.m., Turchin Center, “American Werefree wolf in London” screening, 7 p.m., Elevator Pitch Greenbriar, PSU, $1 Workshop by the Association of Stu- Make Your Own dent Entrepreneurs, Street Signs, 11 6 p.m., room 2108, a.m.-3 p.m., SolariPeacock Hall um foyer, PSU, free

friday

thursday Midterms

saturday 9

Hispanic Heritage Festi“Inside Out” screen- val, 6:30-10 p.m., ing, 7 p.m. and 9:30 Parkway Ballroom, p.m., I.G. Greer, $2 admission: $1-$2 Art Bash!, 7-9 p.m., Turchin Center, free

Rebecca Lambert Student Bassoon Recital, 6 p.m., Recital Hall, free

Dr. Indira Nair: Global Learning: Integrative, Interdisciplinary and Intentional, 3 p.m., room 114, Belk Library

Harlan E. Boyles CEO Lecture featuring Bonnie Schaefer, 10 a.m., Holmes Convocation Center, free

Turchin CenFall break ter Lecture Series: Endia Beal, 7 p.m., Turchin Center, free

Wind Down Rodney ReynerWednesdays, 5:30 son Faculty Piano AppSits Meditation The Aesthetics of p.m., Turchin Center, Recital, 8 p.m., Club meeting, 6:30 Exile - Philosophy & free and open to Rosen Concert p.m., Tater Hill, PSU, Religion Fall 2015 App State students Hall, free free Lecture/Seminar, only 5:30 p.m., room 114, Belk Library, free Arson Daily concert, 9:30 p.m., Legends, admission: $4-$6

“Inside Out” screening, 2 p.m.,7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., I.G. Greer, $2

Sarah Krueger “Inside Out” screen- Student Piano ing, 7 p.m. and 9:30 Recital, 4 p.m., p.m., I.G. Greer, $2 Recital Hall, free

SAGA Amateur Drag Show, 7 p.m., Park- “American Werewolf way Ballroom, PSU, in London” screenadmission: $5 ing, 7 p.m., GreenFaculty and Staff briar, PSU, $1 Appreciation Night, 5 p.m., Turchin Sustainable BusiCenter, free ness Research Series Doubleheader, Wind Down noon, room 4018, Wednesdays, Peacock Hall, free, 5:30 p.m., Turchin registration required Center, free and open to App State students only

Fall break

4th Annual UNC Hispanic/Latino Faculty Forum Keynote Address: Ray Suarez, 1:30 p.m., Reich College of Education, free

a&e

5 Junior Savannah Wishart searches for a Halloween Costume at the Technical Theatre Club’s annual sale Kelsey Hamm

Annual Halloween costume sale returns

by Molly Flinchum

Intern A&E Reporter

oday is the last day to buy costumes for the annual Appalachian Technical Theatre Club Halloween costume sale. Handmade costumes are available for purchase at the Valborg Theatre, located between Chapel Wilson and the Turchin Center, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Maddi Pleasant, senior technical theatre major and employee in the costume shop, said each item is donated to the club. Members take old costumes and everyday clothing articles and refurbish them into costumes for the Halloween season.

President of the technical theatre club, David Sabbagh, said the money raised from the costume sale will go to fund the club’s trip to the United State Institute of Theatre Technology in Salt Lake City for their conference in March. “USITT gives design and tech majors the opportunity to attend professional workshops and network with theatre companies and grad schools,” Sabbagh said. “It’s a great learning opportunity and there are employment opportunities there as well. According to Pleasant, the club will offer many different types of costumes, including pirates, fairies, and

renaissance pieces. Costumes will range in price between $1 and $100. “One of the costumes we made is a Tinker Bell one, and we have a very nice Peter Pan costume as well,” Pleasant said. “We have a lot of Disney stuff this year, and I think we are going to pull out a lot of steampunk stuff.” What makes the costume sale unique, she said, is that club members are there to help students put together pieces into the costumes they want. “Although we have some specific costumes, including Disney characters and cosplay costumes, my favorite thing about the sale is

that we’ll help you piece together different items to create a new costume right there at the sale based on what you want,” Sabbagh said. “So even if we don’t have something specifically made for what you want, we can probably still make it happen.” Sophomore theatre major Noel Harrold said the event is one of the most unique on campus. Harrold said apparel designers on campus are not given the high level of recognition they deserve. “Sewing and costume creation is a really hard practice,” she said, “and every student needs to take advantage of this – you will not get this quality elsewhere.”

SAGA prepares for drag show by Molly Flinchum Intern A&E Reporter

On Thursday, Oct 8., the Sexuality and Gender Alliance will host the Fall Amateur Drag Show. The show will be Halloween themed and it will feature eight student performers. Connor Johnson, a sophomore advertising major, currently serves as SAGA’s vice president of community and completed the primary planning for the show. He spoke about his excitement for fresh faces and the decidedly popular theme. “Everyone was very excited when we decided on the Halloween theme, and we are hoping that the audience will be too,” Johnson said. “I have seen a few of the acts, as I came to see last semester’s show, and we have a few of the same performers -- but the majority of them are new, which is very exciting! We actually had so many people sign up that we had to set up a relatively long wait list as well.” Johnson was assisted in his planning by several other SAGA executive members, including Cody Holmes, sophomore economics major and vice president of public relations. In this role, Holmes is in charge of

advertising for events hosted by SAGA, an organization he is very passionate about. “SAGA means a lot to me, because I want to do my best to make this club a sanctuary for people of all sexualities and gender identities,” Holmes said. A veteran of the amateur drag stage, Holmes has high hopes for the performers this semester. “I am looking forward to seeing the totally different looks and songs people have,” he said. “Our theme is Halloween, and with that comes a lot of possibilities. I’m expecting a lot of costuming and super cool makeup creations.” Joe Wrenn, junior social work major and past performer, will attend this show as an enthusiastic audience member. He is ready for the chaos and creativity of the performers and spoke about his excitement. “I love how fun the shows are and the audience/performer interactions,” Wrenn said. “I am most looking forward to the theme and seeing how all the performers incorporate it into their performances.” One of the upcoming hosts and past winners, Kate Rawson, plans on embracing the theme, which she believes is perfectly

suited for the show. “I am most looking forward to performing and getting to scare people a little bit,” Rawson said. “For people that have never been to a drag show before, the theme of Halloween is actually perfect. On Halloween, people dress up as someone or something else, and that’s really what drag is all about. This might help first-timers understand the experience and not be as uncomfortable by the concept of drag.” Rawson, a senior psychology major, cares deeply about the potential of these shows and hopes that they make people think. “I got involved with the drag shows because I love to perform in any aspect and I think it’s neat for people to question gender conformity through drag,” she said. “People think of drag as just gay men dressing up like women and lesbian women dressing up like dudes. But it can be so much more than that. We can ignore the gender binary altogether, and I hope to see our drag shows move in that direction.” The show will start at 7 p.m. on Thursday, and seats are expected to fill up quickly. It will take place in the Parkway Ballroom and cost $5 per person.

SIGNS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ized.” Morgan Nystedt’s sign, “Waterbugs Ave.,” is a shoutout about her favorite vine creator, she said. “There is a popular vine creator called Alex James and instead of saying ‘whatever’ he says ‘waterbugs!’” Nystedt said. Paulo Neto created a sign with his name to ward off potentnial rude visitors, he said. Students could also choose smaller text like “ave.” or “blvd.” to accompany the sign’s main lettering. “I had problems with my ex-roommate. He would sleep in my bed, so now I can put this sign up to say, ‘no touching anything here, this is my stuff,’” Neto said. In the past, APPS has hosted events like Build-A-Pet and laser tag. The special events council meets regularly to brainstorm potential ideas. “There’s really an endless amount of possibilities,” Parrish said. “We have a big brainstorming process that we do and all of the students blurt out ideas [and] we do research to find out what vendors can provide. This is a great opportunity for the students to be creative.” Parrish joined the APPS council as a way to fulfill her graduate apprenticeship requirement, she said. Her sign would be related to the satisfaction she’s found here at ASU. “If I did my own sign I’m not sure what I would get -- I’m not that creative,” she said. “The location here is really what drew me to Appalachian. I’m originally from Colorado, so I might get ‘Blue Ridge Parkway’ or something like that.” APPS will hold a variety of free events in October, she said. She recommends students come early for product based events to avoid being turned away. “We have AppalFest coming up this month and we’ll also have a roommate game show for cash prizes,” she said. “A week before finals we also do a relax Yosef, with massage chairs.”

Starman: ‘The Martian’ film review by Katie Murawski Intern A&E Reporter

“The Martian,” starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig and Jeff Daniels opened in 3-D this past Friday, Oct. 2 at Regal Boone Cinema 7. On opening night the film grossed $54.3 million in North America, reaching the $100 million mark worldwide, according to boxofficemojo.com. Based on the novel by Andy Weir, Mark Watney (Damon) plays a NASA botanist stationed at the Acidalia Planitia plain on Mars. Watney and six others, Commander Melissa Lewis (Chastain), Rick Martinez (Michael Peña), Sean Bean (Mitch Henderson), Beth Johanssen (Kate Mara), Chris Beck (Sebastian Stan) and Alex Vogel (Aksel Hennie) are a part of an elite NASA crew called ARES III. After an unforgiving martian storm, Watney is left behind on the Red Planet and is presumed dead for several months by crew members. Watney survives for two years on Mars and faces obstacle after obstacle on the Red Planet. He makes light of these situations by cracking jokes. The film’s dark content is masked by bits of Watney’s quick wit, potty mouth and a strong discontent for disco music. For most of the film, the spectator observes intimately through the lens of a webcam recording Watney’s inner thoughts and health progress while living on a dead planet. Loneliness and solitude are common themes in this film as with most space films, which fuels Hollywood’s love affair with the cosmos. The eagerness of returning Watney back home is apparent in the supporting characters and frames the entire story. This film focuses on the cruciality of community in human beings. Contact and intimacy

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox

“The Martian,” which grossed $54.3 million on opening night, can be seen at Regal Boone Cinema 7 in 3-D and standard.

with others is the hope that keeps Watney going, even if it is through text message 50 million miles from home. ‘The Martian” explores the concept of science as a religion. While Watney is stuck on Mars, he finds himself in need of fire to combine with other elements to make water . Watney is seen carving the end of a crucifix and talking to the webcam about the piece of wood and its vitality. In a sense, this film shows the struggle of humanity achieving godliness through science and space exploration. Although Watney grew in infertile lands, he is reminded of his human error and thus keeps on trying and surviving. The soundtrack of this film is especially memorable because of one song

in particular. “Starman” by David Bowie makes its appearance during a montage of Watney building on Mars mirrored with a NASA building on Earth. The song refers to Watney as the “Starman.” The use of this song is enthralling. In a film with less fervor, this would be a quirky, annoying move on the part of the audio directors. However, it is wildly appropriate for the action unfolding on screen and for the film’s dark humor. “The Martian” provided a dark witted sci-fi adventure to the spectator. It seems as though between Interstellar and Saving Private Ryan, filmmakers spend way too much money trying to rescue Matt Damon. The repetition of this role could cause the audience

to view the character as highly predictable if Watney is not unlike most characters that Damon has played. He isn’t a miserable, unsuccessful astronaut stuck living on a deserted planet who assaults and tries to kill another astronaut to stay alive and he isn’t a stubborn soldier remorseful of his past. Watney is a true survivor who makes the decision to carry on against all odds. To David Bowie’s question, can there be “life on Mars?” Watney answers, yes. This film can be seen at Regal Cinema 7 in Boone in 3-D and standard.

“The Martian”

New music festival protects the local farm economy by Kelsey Hamm A&E Editor

Carolina Farm Trust will present the first ever Carolina Jubilee musical festival in VanHoy Farms, North Carolina from Oct. 16-17. The festival will feature headliners like Mipso, Song of the Fall, Tacoma Narrows and Unspoken Tradition as well as local eateries and breweries, including Appalachian Mountain Brewery. The festival is a “funding vehicle” for Carolina Farm Trust, a nonprofit organization founded in 2014 and dedicated to the local Carolina economy. “It’s important for me to get across that farm trust is devoted to Carolina farm land and fostering ecosystems,” founder Zack Wyatt said. “Carolina Farm Trust needs this event to bring the regional economy and ideology back into the forefront, making operated businesses, breweries and wineries a focal point, not a novelty.” Many of the bands will play on Friday night with main shows on Saturday, Cheny Munson, lead singer of Tacoma Narrows, said. He describes the band as a mix of folk, Americana and bluegrass music. “It will be the band’s first time in

North Carolina,” Munson said . “We will play a set after Mipso on Friday night and our main show will be on Saturday.” All of the proceeds will benefit a cause with an endless amount of need, Wyatt said. “I don’t use the word ‘fundraiser’ because with a lot of nonprofits, how much can you actually say will be going to that cause?” Wyatt said. “With most nonprofits there’s typically a promotional company involved that is going to suck up that revenue. That is different for us, as is sustainability -- if the word ‘sustainable’ is in our mission then we need to be sustainable.” The vision for the festival began after Wyatt was laid off from work, he said. For him, the mission is personal. Often, communities talk about the loss of local farmland, but never take action. “I grew up on 288 acres on a very large farming community in Northern Vermont,” he said, “which was wiped out within 10 years after I graduated from high school. How you grow up is your common sense when you go out into the world, and all I knew was farming. After the layoff, I became aware of food issues I hadn’t focused on, and I watched

the Ted Talks about similar subjects. I knew I had to do something. Wyatt said he found bands and caterers, like the Heirloom Restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina by accident and on social media, including Tacoma Narrows. “[Tacoma Narrows] started using Instagram and other sites for music, and we started attracting people around the country and the world who hadn’t heard our music,” Munson said. “It was a really nice way for us to reach people outside of New York. [Wyatt] reached out to us through Instagram and asked if we would want to be part of it. I really liked the cause and his passion this vision is important.” The project has a small amount of funding for the year, a factor Wyatt reports to be beneficial. “What’s been awesome for Carolina Jubilee is twofold,” he said, “because it’s happening without a lot of money. This has allowed me to reach out to those who most deserve to be here form a nonprofit perspective.” Junior biology major Ian Ratcliff will attend the event, and is not concerned about the lack of funding. “I know a few people on campus are excited about it,” he said, “and

I heard that they might not have a ton of money. This, however, is how a lot of music festivals get started. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to be super crowded the day of -- an inexpensive music festival for farmland supporters? People in the area will eat that up. This is local beer, for crying out loud.” The hardest goal, Wyatt said, comes after the success of reconnecting farmers with their land. Creating profitable and sustainable farms lies at the heart of the Carolina Farm Trust. The festival also takes a stand against commercialization. “We live in a jaded world where people are cutting through the lies nonprofits tell,” he said, “and inflated salaries of CEOs, and the organizations where you don’t know where this money goes. The best thing about what we’re doing is there is no amount of money we could make that would not be used for a good purpose immediately the need out there to fulfill this mission is never ending. We can build model for others to make themselves after, here in NC.” Tickets begin at $35 and can be purchased at thecarolinajubilee. org.

11 RAINY DAYS

From Thursday night, Sept. 24, through Oct. 4, Boone saw rain totals between 15 and 16 inches, according to booneweather.com

Photos by Lindsey Honkomp

opinion

Mass shootings in America: ‘Stuff happens’ Paige Anderholm

Opinion Writer

On Oct. 1, a gunman opened fire on students at a community college in Roseburg, Oregon. With nine people killed and another 20 wounded, the total number of mass shootings this year in America is now at 294. That number sounds like a lot even before you realize that we were only 274 days into the year. A mass shooting is defined as an incident where four or more people are killed or injured by gun-

fire. So now think back on all of the dozens of cases we heard nothing about. Sure, we remember the shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on June 18; nine people were killed during a prayer meeting that day. There was also the Lafayette Theater shooting on July 23; two people were killed and nine others wounded. But did you hear about the shooting in Chicago on Sept. 28? A pregnant mother and a grandmother were killed while her son and two others were wounded. Or what about the 10 wounded in a Georgia bar last week? An article talking about the gun violence in America has to be updated daily for its

statistics to be accurate. As a country, we have not gone for more than eight days without a mass shooting. During a press conference on Friday, President Obama left strong remarks, “Somehow this has become routine. The reporting is routine. My response here at this podium ends up being routine, the conversation in the aftermath of it ... We have become numb to this.” And he is right. As I walked through the student union last Thursday, the headlines caught my eye on a TV tuned to CNN. I paused for some 15 seconds, just enough to the scan the words running on the screen. Incredibly, I wasn’t shocked. At a campaign event on Fri-

day, Jeb Bush offered his view on the shooting. “Look, stuff happens,” he said. “There’s always a crisis, and the impulse is always to do something and it’s not always the right thing to do.” Again I can say, I am not shocked. The political climate in America is currently inexplicably paralyzed on the issue of gun control. If my impulse is to do something about this, how am I in the wrong? It is time that our country stops acting that this amount of violence can be routine. Our policies will change when our attitude changes. What will it be?

Anderholm, a sophomore Geology major from Greensboro, is an opinion writer.

North Carolina needs to address mental health

Mental Health Awareness Week is falling at an unfortunate time this year. Fresh off the nation’s latest mass shooting, we are once again forced in the inane gun control or mental health debate. Bringing up mental illness in the context of these massacres, as many experts have mentioned, is dangerous because this idea gives a false impression of the mentally ill as a group. In fact, the mentally ill are more likely to harm themselves than to be harmed by others, according to mental-

health.gov. That type of association is only one of the main ways that the stigmas around mental illness are perpetuated in ways that make it more difficult for the mentally ill to seek help and for the society to provide. The news over the summer that Governor Pat McCrory would be establishing a mental health and substance abuse task force was welcome news. This task force will be composed of state leaders and medical professionals who will release recommendations in May 2016. While it is good that the issue is getting at least some attention, any praise of McCrory on issues of health must be qualified. After all, this is the man who still refuses to expand Medicaid, despite the fact that the government pays for the majority of the costs.

The refusal to expand Medicaid is causing us to miss out on some important improvements for our mental health system. A December 2014 Roosevelt Institute report found that states that expanded Medicaid had lower rates of uncompensated care and “financial and healthcare relief for vulnerable residents.” “Mental health and substance use issues are among the most important health issues that we face as a state for the next decade,” Health and Human Services Secretary Aldona Wos said at the announcement of the initiative. Actually, that is the case now, as well. Mental Health America’s 2015 report on mental health in the nation, North Carolina came out looking less than stellar in many categories. North Carolina was ranked No. 5 for mental health need and No. 30 for mental health

access. We also ranked No. 5 for most adults with any mental illness and adult dependence on drugs and alcohol. North Carolina was No. 9 for adults with serious thoughts of suicide. So, while mental health may be a challenge going forward, it is clearly something that is affecting us right now. The answer, of course is to devote resources to shoring up mental health services and giving greater access. I hope that the mental health task force will help to improve mental health in North Carolina. But, even if their recommendations are solid, I am skeptical of any meaningful solutions coming out of our current leadership. Griffin, a senior journalism major from Madison, is an opinion writer.

Sexual assault advice sends wrong message Lauren Merill

Opinion Writer

All opinions expressed on this page are that of the writer and not The Appalachian as a whole.

When watching one of my favorite shows, a touchy topic came up. A college student had reported that she was raped while under the influence at a party. When the police would not take action, she tried what she could do to get help. The one thing that stuck with me from this was the advice that the girl was given. Wear a ring on your finger, never go out without one or two guys with you, say you have a boyfriend.

These were all pieces of advice the girl was given so she could possibly avoid getting raped in the future. Not only is the girl living in constant fear that her attackers are still out there and is constantly afraid of getting raped again, but her best bet to avoid future sexual assault is to claim she is another man’s property in order to protect herself. A similar situation is written in a poem called “An Untitled Poem.” This poem is about a girl and her encounters with sexual assault. There are certain segments I want to focus on from the poem. “I was told that harassment couldn’t be as bad as us women make it out to be/ That I should watch what I wear/ That I should be louder/ But not too loud, a lady must be polite/ That

I should always ask for help/ That I should stay in at night, because it isn’t safe/ You can’t get harassed in broad daylight/ That I should always travel with no less than two boys with me/ You need to be protected.” As a female college student, this advice concerns me. In a way, this advice is blaming women for what they have had to endure. They didn’t take the proper precautions or they didn’t wear the right clothes. This advice, to me, makes it sound like it is the woman’s fault. But if it is rape, how could it be the victim’s fault? No one is immune to the possibility of being sexually assaulted. Keeping this in mind, the advice given to the two women is not fair advice for them or for anyone. Being sexually assaulted is never the victim’s fault. What

you were wearing, what you were doing, how many guys or girls you had with you, that should not matter. No one has the right to touch you without your consent no matter what the circumstances are. You shouldn’t have to claim yourself as another person’s property in order to protect yourself either. You are your own person and do not belong to anyone else. The most important advice anyone can be given is to know how to defend themselves. Take a self-defense class to be taught how to take down an attacker, carry pepper spray with you and learn tips and tricks on what you can use to fight back. Merrill, a sophomore journalism major from Chapel Hill, is an opinion writer.

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CRIME LOG CAMPUS

Oct. 5 12 a.m. | Fraud (Credit card/ATM) Appalachian Panhellenic Hall Under investigation Oct. 5 8:20 a.m. | Larceny Trivette Hall Closed. Leads exhausted Oct. 5 3:44 p.m. | Vandalism Lovill Hall Closed. Leads exhausted

Oct. 5 3:00 p.m. | Larceny of bicycle Belk Library Student referral

Oct. 4 5:44 a.m. | Drug violation Coltrane Hall A student was arrested for consuming a brownie containing marijuana Oct. 3 4:15 p.m. | 24-hour hold Kidd Brewer Stadium Prosecution declined

Oct. 3 5:20 p.m. | Burglary Broyhill Inn Under investigation

Oct. 3 12:38 a.m. | Alcohol Justice Hall A student was arrested for underage consumption of alcohol Oct. 3 5:15 p.m. | Alcohol White Hall A student was arrested for underage consumption of alcohol

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sports

Forward Stephen Chapman attempts a shot against High Point earlier this season. The Mountaineers defeated UNC Asheville 1-0 Tuesday. Photo Courtesy of Dave Mayo | Appalachian State Athletics

Mountaineers prevail over UNC Asheville by Brent Gilmore Intern Sports Reporter

he Mountaineers were able to capture a win over the UNC Asheville Bulldogs in a 1-0 victory Tuesday, snapping the team’s four-game losing streak. “It’s good to get back in the win column,” head coach Matt Nelson said. “On top of that I think this is one of the better games we’ve played in the last five or six games. It’s always good to get home and play in front of our fans at our home field.” The game was high tempo from the start, as the Mountaineers were able to steal a goal in the 15th minute. Fresh-

man defender Jamir James sent in a lob pass connecting with freshman midfielder Daniel Avila. Avila was able to put a head to the ball, playing it across the box to junior forward Stephen Chapman who slammed the ball into the back of the net. The Mountaineers looked for another goal. The Apps sent a barrage of threatening attacks, routinely ending with a desperate clearance from the Bulldogs defense. The Apps landed a total of four shots on goal throughout the game, and came close to scoring in the last few minutes. Freshman midfielder Ian Bennett powered in a header which passed by the Bulldog goalkeeper but was saved at the

goal line from a Bulldog defender. The Black and Gold look to be back in their old form and the team as a whole seems happy with the result. “Taking days off helped us, thinking about what we could do to improve as a team,” James said. “We’re going to stay positive and keep this momentum going.” “The guys responded very well,” Nelson said. “We could have gone down or we could have gone up. The character, strength and morale of our guys and our leaders really showed through tonight. I’m very happy with the result.” The Mountaineers play at home this Saturday against Howard University (010-1). The game is set to kick off at 7 p.m.

Column: Lions loss shows NFL has problems By Jason Huber Sports Reporter

Another controversy has sparked in the NFL after Monday night’s game between the Seattle Seahawks (2-2) and the Detroit Lions (0-4). The incident had an all too familiar feel to the “Fail Mary” incident that took place in 2012 in a game between Seattle and the Green Bay Packers on Monday night. Detroit wide receiver Calvin Johnson caught a pass with 1:51 remaining in the fourth quarter near the end zone and ended up fumbling the ball as Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor punched it out. With the ball loose and trickling towards the back of the end zone, which would’ve led to a touchback, Seattle linebacker K.J. Wright intentionally batted the ball out of bounds. Back judge Greg Wilson declared this was a fumble, which gave Seattle the ball and let them run out the clock to win the game. Wilson did not realize that Wright batting the ball out of bounds was a penalty that should have rewarded the Lions the ball back at the 1-yard line. The missed call basically lost the Lions the game and kept them winless. Dean Blandino, NFL vice president of officiating, told

NFL network immediately following the game that the NFL has a clear rule of illegal batting. “You can’t bat the ball in either direction in the end zone,” Blandino told NFL Network. “K.J. Wright batted the ball. That is a foul for an illegal bat.” This means a penalty should have been called on the play, and Detroit should have had all four downs back at the 1-yard line with a chance to take the lead. This missed call is only the most recent controversy with the NFL and their referees. The “Fail Mary” incident also involved the Seahawks when the referee that night, Lance Easley, made the call that Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate caught the Hail Mary to win the game. Because Seattle and Green Bay both had possession of the ball, the pass should have been ruled incomplete. Tate also should have been called for offensive pass interference that would have still had Green Bay winning the game. Ironically, Tate was on the opposite side of the controversy this time, now a member of the Detroit Lions. K.J. Wright admitted after the game that he was not

aware of the rule. Many other players and coaches said the same. Wright thought it would be safer to knock it out of bounds instead of diving for possession. “I thought I was making a smart play,” Wright told The Seattle Times. With players and referees not realizing certain rules, this is affecting teams wins and losses and has become a problem in the NFL. Lions safety James Ihedigbo, was not happy with the call and felt it wasn’t fair. “A simple, ‘Sorry, we made a mistake,’ doesn’t suffice,” Ihedigbo told MLive Media Group. “The officials have got to be held accountable, just like the players are.” NFL players are held accountable for behavior on and off the field, and even with apologizes, they are still handed down a punishment. Meanwhile, refs seem to be getting away with a lot of misunderstandings and bad calls that shouldn’t be happening. Referees need to have more knowledge to make the right calls. Referee Greg Wilson had a very good view of the play and he may still have missed it, but either way, the play was not re-

viewable. “It’s not reviewable in replay, that is specific in the replay rule,” Blandino said. “You can’t rule on an illegal bat because it is a judgment call.” I am not saying we need a better review system, because refs get to watch every scoring review and other illegal plays, which help make the game better. If the NFL required more reviews, it could just make the game longer and less enjoyable. The NFL has to solve the issue by increasing and ensuring the referee’s knowledge of the game. The controversy will likely be stuck with the Lions and the NFL throughout the season, but Lions head coach Jim Caldwell understands it’s just part of the game. “What can you do? We aren’t going to cry about it,” Caldwell said. “We lost, no matter how, we lost.” Calvin Johnson is taking some blame, as the fumble shouldn’t have even happened. “At the end of the day I have to hang onto the ball,” Johnson said. “Can’t leave it in officials’ hands.” It’s only week four of the NFL season, and the drama has just begun.

Gibbs’ preparation leads to interceptions by Colin Tate Sports Reporter

After the first four games of the season, sophomore cornerback Latrell Gibbs has picked off four passes, one in each contest. Because of his fast start, Gibbs is tied for second in the country in interceptions. Gibbs played in all 12 games for the Mountaineers last season, starting the final nine. He caught two interceptions last year, good for third on the team. This year Gibbs has taken his game to a new level. Senior defensive back Doug Middleton said that he attributes the success to Gibbs’ improved preparation. “He’s been able to improve mentally,” Middleton said. “He was a freshman last year, so he was just kind of easing into it. Now he’s taking more of a leadership role.” After snagging interceptions against Howard, Clemson and Old Dominion, Gibbs’ most impactful one came this past week against Wyoming. “I just saw the quarterback bring up his shoulder, and he threw the ball,” Gibbs said. “I was already taking my read-steps, and by then I didn’t care what the receiver was doing. I just saw the ball thrown, jumped the ball and saw nothing but green grass.” Gibbs took the ball 91 yards to the end zone, giving the Mountaineers a 14-0 lead on their way to a victory.

apps.appstate.edu hsa.appstate.edu

Gibbs does more for the team than just catch interceptions. He has also tallied 15 total tackles so far this year. “He’s not afraid to stick his nose in,” head coach Scott Satterfield said. “He’ll come tackle you. He’s not the biggest guy in the world but plays extremely hard.” Gibbs knows he’s a little undersized. That’s why he looks up to NFL players like Brent Grimes and Tyrann Mathieu. “They’re so small and aggressive,” Gibbs said. “Both like 5 feet 9 inches or 5 feet 10 inches. Small guys like me, so they give me hope.” The coaches have found that Gibbs’ height is a source of his competitiveness. “I try to put a lot on him because he can learn a lot,” cornerback coach Bryan Brown said. “He’s a guy that wants to compete and prove he belongs just because of his size.” Throughout his time at Appalachian State, Gibbs has established a reputation as a risk taker. “He takes the right chances,” Middleton said. “It backfires sometimes, but it’s a give and take.” During some games the risks backfire more than others. Against Clemson, Gibbs was burned badly for a touchdown. However, the coaches still want Gibbs and the other defensive backs to play aggressive. “If you’re at corner and you’re a little bit scared, they’re just gonna dink and dunk you all day long,” Brown

Photo Courtesy of Allison Lamb

Linebacker Eric Boggs (left) and cornerback Latrell Gibbs (right) celebrate after a successful play during the season opener against Howard. Gibbs is tied for second in the nation in interceptions.

said. “You have to be able to take some chances.” It is Gibbs’ preparation and studies that have allowed him to get four interceptions and become a reliable player at the cornerback position. “If you’re smart enough to recog-

nize what a receiver is doing and what an offense is trying to do, you’re able to calculate a risk,” Satterfield said. “When you do that, more times than not, you’re gonna make a big play. He’s a smart enough football player to know when to take a chance.”

Punishing the Panthers by Chris Warner Sports Editor

GAME D Y Game 5 | Saturday, October 10th | 3:30 p.m. | Georgia Dome | ESPN3

[3-1, 0-0 Sun Belt]

[

RED ZONE EFFICIENCY

MAKE-OR-BREAK STAT

PASS YARDS ALLOWED PER GAME VS. PASS YARDS PER GAME

169.0 - 345.8

[ TURN OVER DIFFERENTIAL

-3

PLAYER TO WATCH

[

79% [

77%

[1-3, 1-0 Sun Belt]

4 INTs in 4 GAME TIED FOR #2 IN THE NATION

[

POINTS PER GAME

34.8

28.8

Sack-Attack: Neutralizing the passing game is best accomplished by rushing the passer, something App State has prided themselves on in 2015. Defensive end Ronald Blair and the gang have accumulated 10 sacks on the season and will have an excellent opportunity to pad that total on Saturday, as the Panthers have allowed 11 sacks on the year already against opponents such as UNC Charlotte, New Mexico State, Oregon, and Liberty, none of which pride themselves on their defense. Arbuckle has dropped back an average of almost 38 times per game, which means Blair, linebacker Devan Stringer, and company will have plenty of opportunities to introduce themselves.

[

Georgia State [

App State

[

#5 CB LATRELL

GIBBS Photo by Keith Klein

GAME NOTES

[

Last season, the Mountaineers defeated the Panthers 44-0 in Boone

App State vs. Georiga State Northwestern (#13) vs. Michigan (#18) California #23 vs. Utah #5 Oklahoma St. (#21) vs. W. Virginia Texas St. vs. UL Lafayette

[

PIG SKIN PICK’EM

Chris Warner

Malik Rahili

Sheri N. Everts

Carson Rich

Robin Palmer

Kendrick Fruits

President

Producer

Sports Dir.

SGA

App TV (14-6)

WASU (14-6)

Sports Editor

Editor-in-Chief

Chancellor

The Appalachian

App State

(16-4)

(13-7)

(14-6)

Unarming Arbuckle: Georgia State’s offense is predicated on its ability to air out the ball. Quarterback Nick Arbuckle has averaged 345.8 yards per game through the air, while the team’s leading rusher, Kyler Neal, has only totaled 171 rush yards on the season. Receivers Penny Hart and Robert Davis both have more than 20 receptions on the year. And while standout cornerback Latrell Gibbs will be charged with locking down Hart, the Mountaineers must get better production out of cornerback Mondo Williams, likely covering Davis, to be successful. The team will need to rely on their trio of safeties A.J. Howard, Doug Middleton, and Alex Gray to aid Williams and shut down the rest of the Panthers’ passing game.

Stick with what works: Offensively the Mountaineers should continue to run the rock. The offensive line has consistently imposed their will in the trenches, helping the team average over 280 rush yards per game. Last season, the Mountaineers ran up and down the field on the Panthers, totaling 469 yards and six touchdowns. Running back Marcus Cox rushed for 250 yards and three touchdowns, gashing the Panthers for almost nine yards per carry, while running back Ricky Fergerson followed suit with 123 yards and a touchdown. Georgia State’s run defense was as porous then as they are now, allowing over 200 yards per game in 2015. If App State wins this game, it’ll be a result of their success on the ground.