The Appalachian 01.16.14
We,
Appalachian State University’s student news source since 1934
Vol. 88, No. 26
as members of The Appalachian’s editorial board and students of Appalachian State University,
request an open search for the university’s next chancellor.
W
e ask the search committee for the new chancellor to re-
WE HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE
consider the decision for a closed search as the pool of ap-
We don’t ask that the search committee reveal every single candidate
plicants is narrowed. It is this board’s stance that public
for the chancellor position. Instead, we believe that when the commit-
figures as prominent as the head of a state-funded university should not
tee has trimmed the list of candidates to a final three candidates - or
be selected and appointed behind closed doors.
some comparable shortlist - they should let members of the university
The search committee voted Oct. 15 to hold a closed, or “confidential,”
meet them.
search for the next leader, manager and face of Appalachian State Uni-
Searches for faculty and other similar positions on campus are often
versity - a public institution - according to an article from University
open and these candidates are able to meet people they would work
News. The decision comes with the idea that a confidential search will
with in many and varied departments and areas across campus.
draw highly qualified candidates from their current leadership roles.
We cannot see a truly valid reason that the search for an administra-
We believe this decision is the wrong way to go about looking for this
tive position as important as chancellor should be kept quiet from the
university’s next chancellor. The next chancellor should have a chance
campus and community, especially at a public, state-funded institution.
to see this university and meet students, faculty and staff prior to UNC
The discussion panels that have been held for students and faculty
system President Tom Ross’ final decision.
through the search committee allowed one-way communication as a
We do understand, to an extent, why the search is being carried out the way it is. It could cause a problem for word to get out that a candidate from another university is looking to leave his or her current post for Boone. But ultimately, the need for an open search outweighs the possible negative outcomes an open search could bring. WE’RE NOT ALONE Universities, both public and private, across the nation have conducted closed searches for chancellors or presidents, according to an article in the fall 2013 Student Press Law Center Report. Many search committees and hired consultants for searches believe the privacy of a closed search will bring more candidates in confidence that word will not get
way for those groups to voice concerns and opinions in hopes the committee will take them into consideration. Emails were sent
“
We cannot see a truly valid reason that the search for an administrative position as important as chancellor should be kept quiet from the campus and community, especially at a public, statefunded institution.
out to students during winter break that included a link for them to give more feedback for the committee - and feedback was due Jan. 2. But those compromises fall short of the standard of transparency we truly need for a new chancellor at a prominent and influential institution of higher learning. WE CAN SET AN EXAMPLE We realize the committee will more than likely continue on the path they have chosen. As we publicly and openly urge them to keep the final candidates out of the dark with no assurance that they will take this into consideration, we stick by our stance. These closed searches are nothing new, and universities
out that they plan to leave their current job. The Univer-
across the nation will continue to conduct searches in con-
sity of Wyoming, Louisiana State University, Northern
fidential arrangements, both at private and public institu-
Illinois University and others have completed closed searches for their
tions, for reasons they believe are most beneficial to everyone.
next leader that resulted in legal action, media criticism and a premature resignation.
We hope that not only the students, faculty and community affected by university leaders of Appalachian will share our view, but that the
We disagree with this notion of privacy for the possibility of the afore-
same groups at other institutions will do the same. This trend will con-
mentioned cases and for the potential good an open search could have.
tinue as long as search committees and consultants feel assured and
Word getting out would tell the search committee more about the can-
safe that it can.
didate than they expected - for better or worse.
For the sake of the faculty, staff, students, alumni and community,
Out of these candidates we may never see, one of them will take the helm of Appalachian. They will be the voice for the university in Boone,
we ask the search committee to reconsider its lack of transparency and open the search when the final candidates have been selected.
in Chapel Hill and across the state.
With all of that in mind, why should these names be kept from us?
The search that led to Chancellor Kenneth Peacock was open, and it seemed to work well 10 years ago. Why can’t we see that again?
This person will one day be an open and public figure to us all, so why usher them into Appalachian in secrecy?
The Appalachian The Editorial Board
Joshua Farmer
Michael Bragg
Stephanie Sansoucy
Chelsey Fisher
Molly Cogburn
Cory Spiers
Colin Moore
Jackson Helms
Managing Editor
News Editor
Sports Editor
Editor-in-Chief
Chief Copy Editor
A&E Editor
Malik Rahili
Head of Production and Design
Photo Editor
Video Editor
2
NEWS
Thursday, January 16, 2014
The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com
SGA senate format changes take place fall 2014 by Nicole Caporaso News Reporter
D
uring the spring semester, Appalachian State University’s Student Government Association will begin to work on changes to the senate after an amendment to SGA’s constitution. The constitution was amended in spring 2013 and will restructure the senate’s format, however all changes will not be in effect until fall 2014. “ASU students will be able to vote for a variety of senators and also for senators who represent them even more,” said Eric Barnes, SGA vice president of the 2012-13 year. “They’ll be able to vote for anyone in their class, college, and organization they are a part of.” The last change to the structure of the senate took place more than 40 years ago.
The SGA senate is currently divided by on-campus and off-campus representation. The 80 senate seats will now be divided among categories including academic class, academic college and various clubs and organizations that work with SGA. SGA Secretary Dana Clarke said the biggest change would be in how the senate seats will be divided. “By providing diverse senate seats, we expect to have a greater voice from the students of Appalachian, and therefore will be able to write more relevant legislation that will better the future for students,” Clarke said. During the course of the current semester elections for a portion of the restructured seats will be taking place, but those elected will not be sworn in until fall 2014. There will be another election process for the rest of the senators in the fall for seats that are not filled.
“Our school has changed drastically where only 40 percent of students live on campus, no longer making sense that freshman and sophomores who mostly reside in the residence halls, bare the weight of representing the student population,” Barnes said. Barnes said these changes would not affect how SGA spends money or how it is funded and can only hope to increase the senate’s productivity. “I do not believe this change would decrease senate productivity, but only increase it,” he said. “The reason so is that with more representation, you have more voices that weren’t heard before and hopefully more innovative ideas to improve ASU and give what the students want.”
Ashley Spencer | The Appalachian
RESTRUCTURED SGA SENATE SEATS
The format for how the student body is represented in SGA senate will change starting in the fall semester this year. The changes come as the result of a constitutional amendment voted on and approved by the student body last spring. Below is the new format of how senate seats will be allotted.
Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior College of Arts & Sciences Walker College of Business Reich College of Education College of Fine and Applied Arts College of Health Sciences Hayes School of Music University College Greek Life
Multicultural Affairs Sports & Activities Service Initiatives Special Interest Groups Transfer Students Renewable Energy Initiative Women’s Center Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Center Residence Hall Association (RHA) Club Council Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT) Appalachian Popular Programming Society (APPS)
Faculty senate discusses missed class time for student-athletes by Gerrit Van Genderen News Reporter
Student-athletes may be able to miss more class days due to athletic travel after a discussion at Appalachian State University’s Faculty Senate meeting Monday. Member of the Athletics Council Academic Enhancement Committee and Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Neva Specht addressed the senate about the issue of studentathletes missing more class time in the future, due to the university’s shift to the Sun Belt Conference. “Our subcommittee has been tasked this year to look at the changes in terms of travel that eight of our teams are going to be going through as they move from the [Southern Conference] to the Sun Belt,” Specht said.
The eight teams include men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, football, baseball, softball and men’s and women’s basketball. “What we want to do, as a committee, is to make sure as travel increases for these eight teams, that academic integrity is maintained and athletes can continue to be successful,” Specht said. Appalachian’s current policy states student-athletes can miss no more than 10 percent of classes in a semester schedule. “With those eight teams, those numbers may increase, and are likely to increase, especially for basketball, softball and baseball,” Specht said. “The other teams are working very hard to try and minimize any increased travel, but may be affected as well.” Specht asked the senate to help en-
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sure the faculty, the athletic department and the student-athletes work together to make the transition as easy as possible. “This is going to really take all three groups to work together to make sure this does not disrupt what we do as a university,” Specht said. “Obviously missing class is a big deal, but being student-athletes is what they are here to do and we have to find a way to make this work.” The Athletic Council has looked into other Sun Belt Conference universities and how they manage their student-athletes’ missed classroom time, finding that some universities allow up to 17 percent of a semester schedule to be missed. At Appalachian, that would equate to seven or eight Monday/ Wednesday/Friday classes missed and five to six Tuesday/Thursday classes missed.
Advice that Specht offered to the senate included having faculty maintain open communication with their student-athletes as well as the Athletic Department making sure that they are in class while on campus, she said. Vice Chair of the Faculty Senate Paul Gates said this should have been discussed by the senate two years ago when the conference change was contemplated. “Of course, it is done now and we have, somehow, got to make the best of it, but this is doing it the hard way,” Gates said. Appalachian’s athletic programs will join the Sun Belt Conference effective July 1, after being a member of the Southern Conference since 1971. The Sun Belt Conference includes universities located in Louisiana and Texas, as well as future affiliates located in Idaho and New Mexico.
NEWS
The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com
Thursday, January 16, 2014
3
App State one of ‘The 10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech’ by Michael Bragg Editor-in-Chief
by Chelsey Fisher Chief Copy Editor
Appalachian State University was listed on the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s list of “The 10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2013” for the handling of a professor’s appeal to the university Board of Trustees. Appalachian received international attention after tenured sociology professor Jammie Price was placed on administrative leave March 16, 2012, following complaints from students claiming Price had caused a hostile environment in the classroom. The students said
Price strayed from her syllabus, criticized the university and university administration and showed a documentary about the effects of pornography, “The Price of Pleasure,” without warning, according to a May 3, 2012 article in The Appalachian. Price was eventually reinstated under two years worth of conditions that included professional development with College of Arts and Sciences Dean Neva Specht, random peer reviews and a teaching adviser, according to a May 1, 2012 article in The Appalachian. Price appealed all conditions, with no change from the university. “We put together the list of schools that we
put out this year based on incidents that have taken place on those campuses that have been going on last year, or that have been going on into at least roughly the last year or so,” said Peter Bonilla, director of FIRE’s Individual Rights and Defense Program. Bonilla said the incident at Appalachian made it onto the list of the worst cases for free speech - published Dec. 23, 2013 - because of the “thoroughness and the severity of the threats to academic freedom and free speech” from Appalachian’s administration during the case. “These kinds of threats and restrictions against academic freedom, especially when it comes
Board of Trustees rules to increase student fees for the 2014-15 school year by Laney Ruckstuhl Intern News Reporter
Appalachian State University’s Board of Trustees increased fees for the coming 2014-15 school year at their quarterly meeting Dec. 13, 2013. The Board ruled that student fees will increase $531, or 4.1 percent per semester for in-state, on-campus students, taking effect fall 2014. The increase includes changes in room and board costs, additional AppalCART routes and hours, increases in technology and education, additional seating for students at football games and further athletic team travel, said Dylan Russell, Appalachian’s Student Government Association president and a member of the university’s Board of Trustees. Much of the fee increases are due to inflationary increases and a new stateimposed sales tax, Russell said. “I understand that for some students a $10 increase is just that. However, for others, a $10 increase is a meal or heat,” he said. “I’m very conscious of this. Unfortunately, we live in a day and time where state appropriations continue to shrink.” Since the 2008-09 academic year, Appalachian’s budget has been reduced by more than $34 million, as mandated by the state of North Carolina. Russell said that though he believes
the increases are inevitable, he encourages all students to contact their legislators and become advocates of higher education. Room and board will have a $170 increase due to inflationary increase, and the standard meal plan option will be raised $270 due to state mandated taxes on meal plans. In addition, tuition for out-of-state students will increase by $959, or 6 percent. Frank Daniels is a member of Appalachian State’s Board of Trustees who voted on the fees in December. “It seems to me that there’s a clear desire to try to hold the cost down, but we’re lower than almost any other comparable institution,” Daniels said. “This is a challenge for us, but our goal is to keep tuition as low as practical.” Michael Steinback, another member of the board, said he believes there needs to be a cost and inflation balance to meet needs against desire to remain low cost, but retain high quality. “It’s constitutionally important to keep fees as low as possible,” Steinback said. “Appalachian represents one of the best economic values in the country.” An infographic on the increases is available at theappalachianonline. com.
to the teaching of controversial subject material, are something that we’re seeing happen increasingly often on campuses around the country,” he said, “and professor Price’s case is one of the more troubling examples of it that we have seen in recent years.” Bonilla said one of the most significant aspects of Price’s case to FIRE was how the administration of Appalachian ignored the roles of faculty governments that they have in investigations such as this one. “If the administration is able to ignore its faculty handbook and ignore the fundamental role that Appalachian State faculty have in setting policy at the univer-
sity, the administration is able to sidestep all of that and rewrite the rules on the fly, it has a chance to be a serious threat to academic freedom and has potential to greatly chill expression by the faculty,” he said. The Faculty Due Process Committee and the Faculty Grievance Hearing Committee criticized the administration’s decision to not overturn Price’s punishment, according to the report published by FIRE. The Provost of Academic Affairs Lori Gonzalez released a statement that said the situation with Price is a personnel matter, therefore it cannot be discussed under UNC system regulations.
But, Gonzalez said in an email, the university works to protect academic freedom and free speech on campus. “The university recognizes the importance of free speech, and the policies that protect it, for our faculty, staff, students and the academic enterprise,” she said in an email. Price commented on FIRE’s decision to include Appalachian in the list of colleges for worst free speech based on her case, and said a situation like this should not happen again. “Look at the policies that enabled this situation,” she said in an email. “Blaming an individual for a social problem is not the answer.”
Soledad O’Brien to speak at MLK commemoration by Natasha Bostok Intern News Reporter
Award-winning journalist, documentarian, news anchor and producer Soledad O’Brien will close out the Diversity Lecture Series on Tuesday. O’Brien will speak at the 30th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration: An Evening with Soledad O’Brien presented by Multicultural Student Development and University Forum Committee. O’Brien is among many distinguished presenters of the Martin Luther King Commemoration - past presenters have been Maya Angelou, C.T. Vivian, Angela Davis and Nikki Giovanni. O’Brien is the creator of Black in America, a multi-series documentary looking at the culture and various problems within the African American community. O’Brien also launched Starfish Media Group, a multiplatform media production and distribution company in June 2013. In 2011, O’Brien won an Emmy for “Crisis in Haiti Report” on Haitian orphanages. In 2012, she also won an Emmy for her coverage of the Presidential Election. In the same year, she won two George Foster Peabody awards for her coverage of
Hurricane Katrina and the BP Gulf coast Oil Spill. O’Brien was chosen based on a survey of those who attended the MLK Commemoration headed by Maya Angelou. The audience was polled, and Soledad O’Brien’s name was mentioned numerous times, said Augusto Pena, director of Multicultural Student Development. “We look for those who have name recognition, ability to advance conversations in the civil rights movements, enrich the academic experience and be an extension of the classroom,” Pena said. Students from several classes will be able to meet for a Q&A with O’Brien, said Lynette Holman, assistant professor in the Department of Communication. Holman said the department is excited to have an opportunity to interact with the renowned journalist. “It’s quite unique that Ms. O’Brien owns the brands ‘Black in America’ and ‘Latino in America’ and will continue to pursue the stories associated with those productions through multiple communication platforms, not just CNN,” she said. O’Brien will speak at the 30th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration in the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts at 7 p.m. The event is free.
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A&E
Thursday, January 16, 2014
The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com
On Stage
Wood Circle House brings hardcore music to Boone by Lovey Cooper Senior A&E Reporter
B
oone-based band Earth Mover made their debut performance as they and four other hardcore, indie and emo bands dragged the 2014 house show season moshing, kicking and screaming into Boone at the Wood Circle House Sunday night. Other North Carolina bands included Gut Feeling, Old Flings and Muscle & Bone. Headlining was South Carolina-based hardcore band Discourse. The group just finished a two-and-ahalf-week tour through the Midwest along with the vocalist’s brother and friend of the band, Appalachian recreational management senior John Ribes. Ribes has been organizing Wood Circle shows since the fall 2012. With the new year, the Wood Circle House, near Big Lots, hopes to attract a fresh and varied audience to these more underground shows. The show Sunday night set the bar high for attendance. “There was a huge number of people who had never been to a show before and it’s cool to see those people have an enjoyable time, meet new people and be exposed to DIY music,” Ribes said. Emily Schultz, a sophomore environmental science
major, is friends with house members and regularly attends shows. Schultz said of the crowd of around 60 was the one of the largest crowds she’s seen at the shows. “It’s really cool to have all this variety, especially in Boone,” she said. Ribes said his goal with all shows like this is to create a scene of individuals who provide performance spaces to bands that might not otherwise come to Boone. While the night’s hardcore theme is generally unusual for small towns, his main focus is on creating a consistent demand for quality music of all genres in the area. “It would be nice to see more hardcore stuff happen around here, but I care more about there being a scene of people who book shows,” Ribes said. To make this happen, he sees an all-ages community as an essential component. “I care more about people being able to get to these shows, all ages, and to be able to create a community with their friends and know that they have a place to be,” Ribes said. The show was the third in the Wood Circle House for Rob Travis of Asheville-based Muscle and Bone, who has been friends with Ribes and the other featured bands for years.
Olivia Wilkes | The Appalachian
Ryan Hoots (left) and Chris French (right) of Muscle & Bone play Sunday evening at the Wood Circle House. The Wood Circle House’s first show of the season showcased five bands, including headliner Discourse.
“It seems like there’s a perception there that there’s no music scene here, but just from what I’ve experienced the few times that we’ve been down the shows are more packed here than they are in Asheville,” Travis said. For him, house shows like this provide the chance for bands and concertgoers to bypass exclusive and age-restrictive club and bar shows and are ultimately more con-
Sunday. “I just have a basement so I did it,” Ribes said of all the Wood Circle projects, “but anyone can do it, and if they can they should.” The next Wood Circle house show takes place Feb. 7, featuring The Hotelier, Ivadell and Oddczar. For directions, more information, videos and updates, visit the Wood Circle House Facebook page.
Review
Review
New ‘Girls’ season promises change, stability
Two years ago, writer, director, producer and actress Lena Dunham introduced us to HBO’s “Girls,” in which four best friends in their 20s, fresh out of college, figure out life and growing up. Main character Hannah, a writer recently forced to get a job, struggled to make rent and define a relationship with the slightly creepy and questionable Adam. Rounding out the ensemble was Marnie, a responsible art gallery assistant; Jessa, a free spirit with a past; and Shoshanna, an innocent NYU student. The characters were all unlikable, selfish and yet somehow relatable. Three seasons later, the growth in characters is both believable and obvious. The first two episodes of season three of “Girls,” which aired Sunday, show viewers the opposite of what they were introduced to in the first two seasons. On the heels of a mental breakdown that transpired at the end of season two, Hannah, played by Dunham, finally has stability in her life in the form of an e-book deal and a live-in boyfriend. The rest are still figuring it out, hopping from rehab, living with parents, and exploring newfound sexuality. Dunham directed both episodes, “Females Only” and “Truth or Dare.” Together, they set a scene and narrative for the rest of the season. “Females Only” is similar to the much loved first season, focusing heavily on ensemble scenes and character development. “Truth or Dare,” on the other hand, is more like a sitcom, putting the characters on a road trip and relying on the shtick and cheap jokes that come with traveling in close quarters. The two episodes both have a confident, self-assured tone, placing trust in the audience that the show has the character changes under control. The episodes no longer feel as if they’re testing the waters. Instead, they expect that the audience will follow along as they break down the supporting characters to build them back up again.
ducive for larger turnouts. “[All-ages venues] are absolutely integral to a functional scene and that’s one of the problems that Asheville has,” Travis said. Also in the new year, Ribes is starting up a project called Wood Circle Sessions, an online video series of acoustic performances by featured musical acts, the second and third of which were recorded immediately before the show
Girls Sundays, 10 p.m., HBO
The thing that keeps me coming back to “Girls” is the growth of the characters in the past three seasons. They’re still as unlikeable as ever, but you can’t help but watch them change. Their flaws are believable and they come across as human. While some of the situations they get into seem unrealistic, there are redeeming traits to remind you why you’re rooting for the characters in the first place. Dunham and the rest of her ensemble took a risk this season. The first episodes showed promise of more character development on the road to stability, something that echoes in our own lives. Two days before season three aired, they announced a renewal of the show for season four, proving that more transformation is to come as the characters move further away from post-graduate status and into the real world. “Girls” airs Sundays at 10 p.m. -Casey Suglia, Intern A&E Reporter
Beyoncé’s visual album makes waves as innovative, feminist, exceptional pop music On Dec. 13, Beyoncé Knowles changed the game. Fourteen new songs and 17 accompanying high-definition, expertly choreographed music videos were unleashed on an unsuspecting audience with no fanfare. Now packaged and sold – almost exclusively digitally, it’s worth noting – as Knowles’ fifth album, the eponymous “BEYONCÉ” is a major event in pop music. Music industry gurus, critics and fans have all praised the album similarly for a variety of reasons. Its sudden release and unconventional distribution commands listeners to consume the album and its visual accompaniment as a cohesive whole, which is rare in an industry increasingly dominated by streaming services, such as Spotify. Furthermore, “BEYONCÉ” pushes Knowles’ envelope from confident female pop star with a few “girl-power” anthems, such as “Run the World (Girls)” and “Single Ladies,” to fullfledged, multifaceted sex-positive feminist. These songs unabashedly examine sex from many angles, exploring its vulnerability and power while constantly asserting Knowles’ control over her own body. Tracks are strung together with samples of feminist speeches. It all comes together very nicely as a coherent statement of humanistic empowerment. These are all interesting aspects of “BEYONCÉ,” and reasons why the project will be dissected for a long time, but the album probably succeeds most because of its brilliant, highly imaginative music. This is a widescreen, cinematic pop album in the vein of Kanye West’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” Frank Ocean’s “Channel Orange” and Kendrick Lamar’s “good kid, M.A.A.D. City.” There is an abundance of powerful, excellent hooks, but more often than not they play second-tier to the album’s lush, smoky production. Beatmakers as distinguished as Pharell Williams and Timbaland, and as unknown as Boots, provide intricate,
Beyonce BEYONCE
minimalist backdrops for Knowles’ exceptional voice. Songs are sometimes split into two parts, as on the creeping “Haunted” and the album’s shining moment “Partition,” which morphs from trunk-rattling rap to a sinuous striptease groove with skill and precision. Stylistically, “BEYONCÉ” absorbs everything from Knowles’ past R&B successes to Drake’s hushed come-ons to R. Kelly’s dramatic slow-jams to the metallic punch of Kanye West’s “Yeezus.” Knowles is able to successfully synthesize all these influences, many of them from established male artists, and come out with some of the freshest, boldest pop music of recent memory. When paired with the album’s intensely sexual, vibrant, surreal music videos, “BEYONCÉ” reveals itself as one of Knowles’ best-ever projects. Aesthetically, everything might come across as too slick and polished, but the songwriting and execution are so strong that it barely matters. At only 32, Knowles has upstaged most other popular artists, female or male, without a trace of pretension or insincerity. “BEYONCÉ” is a zeitgeist-capturing moment on many fronts, and comes highly recommended. -Colin Moore, A&E Editor
Opinion Thursday, January 16, 2014
The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com
Staff Opinion
Staff Opinion
Report highlights academic freedom issue so long as they don’t discuss controversial subjects in their classrooms,” FIRE’s report states. Unfortunately, there is a great deal of truth to these claims. Administrative handling of the Price case did violate the rights of the professor. This finding was confirmed by the Faculty Grievance Hearing Committee, which found no basis within the Faculty Handbook for placing a professor on paid leave for purposes of an investigation, according to the Oct. 25, 2012 edition of The Appalachian. Price’s right to due process was found to have been violated, and the university was criticized for problems with the investigation, including not obtaining written statements from two students whose complaints lead to the incident. Chancellor Kenneth Peacock ultimately rejected the
Kevin Griffin Opinion Writer
Though it has been a while since the controversy concerning the university’s handling of the case of sociology professor Jammie Price, the incident is still proving to be a mark on the university’s reputation, and rightfully so. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, or FIRE, has included Appalachian State University on its list of “The 10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2013.” FIRE criticized the university for suspending Price for discussing “controversial but relevant subjects” in her class without a proper hearing. “As a result, ASU has sent a clear message to its professors that their jobs are safe only
committee’s findings, according to the Nov. 21, 2012 edition of The Appalachian. What the Price case illustrates is that, on the complaints of students, a faculty member at the university may put themselves in jeopardy by broaching certain topics. This affects the quality of education at the university, because a big part of the process of learning is experiencing ideas that are often offensive and unsettling, but can nevertheless prove to be worthwhile and educational. We need to understand this as adults and as students. I cannot defend Price against some of the claims made about her, but some of them, including critically discussing athletes at the university and showing a documentary on pornography, are entirely defensible and fall well within the purview of sociology. Since the incident, other
professors have spoken of a chilling effect. Several professors altered the way they taught, including being more cautious and indirect out of concerns inspired by the Price case, the Carolina Free Press Reports. The administration has stated it is bound to confidentiality by law and policy from specifically discussing Price as it is a personnel issue while also reiterating support for free speech on campus and alluding to protections designed to guard those rights. However, the Price case shows this not to be the case. The university has earned its way onto FIRE’s list by acting in a way that has hampered academic freedom and, at least to some degree, the way education is provided at the university. Griffin, a sophomore journalism major from Madison, is an opinion writer.
Editorial Cartoon
NC DHHS becoming a house of cards under Wos
Andrew Cox | Editorial Cartoonist
Staff Letter
Thank you for feedback on our website, newspaper This process began by redesigning the print product. After countless sketches we finally settled on the design you currently see on the racks. This design is more professional and modern, the image we would like to portray as we mature as an organization. But after seeing how well change was received, we couldn’t stop there. The first step to change is admitting your shortcomings, and it’s obvious to anyone with a web browser that our website was, to put it politely, terrible. When I took on the task of redesigning our website I had a few goals in mind: improving navigation, increasing visuals and, at all costs, making sure it
Justin Perry Web Manager
If you had been putting out for nearly 100 years, you would be ready for a facelift, too. We realized last semester the overall image of our organization needed a makeover. The Appalachian is an old publication that was in need of a modern restyling. We needed to begin the process of change to rise up to the high standards to which we know our valued readers hold us.
loads. I’m glad to say that I think we’ve accomplished those goals and we are all ecstatic about the positive feedback from you all. The site now features our main stories front and center, photo galleries are slowly being fixed and the design should change based on the size of your screen. It is in no way finished, but I’m excited to see where these changes will take us. Many readers have reported a few issues and we’re trying to fix them as quickly as possible. Please be patient as we make the transition and please let us know any problems you have by contacting us on our Facebook or Twitter pages. We want to make accessing our content the
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best experience possible and all of your feedback is greatly appreciated. As I said, this is only the beginning of the changes that we’ll be making. We recently brought back the social media manager position and hope to engage more with our readers online. I hope that having this dedicated web team will make The Appalachian more engaged with our community and school. I would like to thank you all on behalf of myself, our head of production and design Malik Rahili and The Appalachian for the support and feedback you’ve given as we make transitions to our entire publication.
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Repaying state debt shouldn’t cost those struggling Erica Badenchini Opinion Writer
Since July 1, 2013, out-ofwork North Carolinians have been unable to receive federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation after Gov. Pat McCrory signed into law N.C. House Bill 4, which reduced the weekly allowance allotted to those who receive unemployment aid from the state, according to the News and Record. In addition, this law capped the number of weeks the longterm unemployed are able to benefit. Federal law prevents states from receiving national benefits if state benefits are changed. Typically, federal emergency relief continues after a worker’s state benefits have run out, but Republican legislators passed the state reductions in order to quicken the repayment of $2.5 million borrowed from the federal government during the recession in 2008. It is important that the state works to balance the budget and repay the federal government what it owes, but there must be a way to make sure that struggling citizens are able to make ends meet in the meantime. U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan held a press conference with N.C. Sen. Josh Stein and Rep. Rosa Gill on Jan. 6. During the conference, she asked legislators to help her pass her provision to reinstate North Carolina’s eligibility for Emergency Unemployment Compensation, according to insurancenews. net. The state is struggling as a whole, but many citizens are struggling on an individual basis, too. McCrory has not commented on the issue. When he passed the bill changing unemployment benefits in the state, North Carolina was removed from the national Emergency Relief Program. If North Carolina is again included in the federal program, McCrory’s changes will essentially be reversed. While I understand the importance of reducing the state deficit, legislators have to figure out a way to repay the federal government while at the same time assisting out-ofwork North Carolinians in order for the state to thrive. It is possible McCrory is concerned that extended benefits will prevent the unemployed from trying to find jobs. Bill Rowe of the N.C. Justice Center told the News and Record that he doubts the aid will be abused, because the emergency relief money is not enough to get by. There has to some other part of the budget that can be tapped to reduce the deficit. We cannot take from those of us struggling in order to repay our state debt.
Badenchini, a freshman journalism major from Apex, is an opinion writer.
Letters to the Editor The Appalachian welcomes Letters to the Editor. Letters should be 250 words or less and include the author’s name, ASU Box, phone number, classification and campus affiliation, if any. Although we are unable to acknowledge those letters we cannot publish, we appreciate the interest and value the views of those who take the time to send us their comments. Letters should be submitted electronically via our Web site or e-mail. Letters may also be mailed to “Letter to the Editor,” The Appalachian, ASU Box 9025, Boone, N.C. 28608. Letters may also be brought to the newsroom, located on the second floor of Plemmons Student Union.
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Thursday, January 16, 2014
The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com
App State basketball mid-season round-up
Women’s looks to keep momentum by Jess Lyons Sports Reporter
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ith only 13 games left in the season, the Appalachian State women’s basketball team will have to work to improve their current 5-10 season record. The team has shown improvement since the start of their Southern Conference games, and has a conference record of 2-3. The Mountaineers added five freshmen this season and have been working to improve their record since their back-to-back wins against Wofford and Samford earlier this month in the SoCon. “We have so many young kids, and the Wofford game gave us hope, it wasn’t a win where we just won by eight or 10 points, but you beat them by 20, that’s a statement,” head coach Darcie Vincent said. “Then you come out against Samford who is a great perimeter shooting team and they’re always a hard matchup for us, and you basically handle that game.” Since last season, the Mountaineers have lost a number of their top players to graduation and have been working on making up for it with individual skill. Maryah Sydnor, a junior forward, leads the Mountaineers in scoring, averaging 20.2 points per game while hitting 46 percent of her field goals. The next highest scorers are sophomore center KeKe Cooper, averaging 9.9 points per game and junior guard Katie Mallow, averaging 8.3 points per game. Sydnor not only leads the team in scoring, but has also played 518 minutes this season, highest on the team by 144 minutes. Cooper, Mallow, Joi Jones and Amber Doniere join Sydnor in the top five
of play time for the Mountaineers. Sydnor has embraced an increased on-court role as well as a leadership role, and understands the importance of continuing to work as the year progresses, she said. “We still haven’t peaked,” she said. “We are a very young team. It’s just about reps and playing together and we’re growing.” While Sydnor may dominate points and minutes and tie with Cooper for rebounds, with a total of 124, freshman point guard Jones holds the team high for steals with a total of 31 for the season so far. Jones also holds the number one spot for assists with a current total of 34. Vincent said that the Mountaineers have struggled at times as young players like Jones begin to make plays in game situations for the first time. “I think the first half of the season was a learning experience,” freshman guard Bria Huffman said. “Now the puzzle pieces are starting to come together and we’re looking better as a team.” The team has had some growing pains this month, such as a 19 point loss on the road to Furman. Ultimately, though, Vincent feels the team is trending in the right direction near the halfway point, she said. “I think since our Wofford game and even after the Furman experience, we’ve been getting better every day,” Vincent said. “And that’s our ultimate goal right now. We need to just keep growing.” The 2013-14 season is the last season for the Mountaineers in the SoCon before moving to the Sun Belt Conference next season. The Mountaineers will face Elon on the road Friday at 7 p.m. in their next game.
File Photo | The Appalachian
Men’s aims to improve
File Photo | The Appalachian
by Nick Joyner Senior Sports Reporter
With a little more than half of the regular season in the books, the Appalachian State men’s basketball team has not performed as well as many had hoped. With four of the five players that led last year’s team in minutes returning, many believed the stars were aligned for App State to contend for a Southern Conference championship. Instead, the Mountaineers have been unable to come away with victories, sporting a 4-12 (0-3 SoCon) record. Although a conference title is still attainable, it will take some major improvements during the second half of the season to right the ship. “We’ve been in a little slump lately so hopefully we can get ourselves going,” junior forward Jay Canty said. “We’ve been doing a better job of sharing the ball and actually we’ve been doing a lot better job on our halfcourt defense. Through 16 games this season, the Mountaineers have just four wins - all of which were at the Holmes Convocation Center. Led by fourth-year head coach Jason Capel, the squad has struggled against Division I opponents as they have yet to register a victory against another D1 team. The Mountaineers have also struggled away from home, as they seek their first road victory. Canty, who was academically ineligible for the first nine games, has returned and adds an extra scoring option for the Mountaineers. “Most importantly [Canty] brings a mindset, he brings some toughness and he’s a guy that can do different things on the court with his versatility,” Capel said. “You’re talking about a guy who can do a little bit of everything.” As a redshirt sophomore last season, Canty finished second on the
team and 10th in the SoCon in scoring, averaging 14.3 points per game. If App State can repeat last year’s success down the stretch, the season could be turned around. In conference play for the 2012-13 regular season, Capel’s team dropped just two home games and finished 10-8 before dropping a three-point loss to Davidson in the conference tournament. In SoCon play this season, App has been defeated in all three of their games. In each contest, however, the Mountaineers played half of the game well enough to win. In the conference opener at Elon, App State outscored the Phoenix 46-40 in the second half after being crushed 35-20 in the first period. In the following game against UNC Greensboro, Appalachian took the lead heading into the intermission, before faltering late in the game and losing its conference home opener. In their previous game against Davidson, App trailed by just one point entering halftime, before losing 78-66 and falling to 0-3 in conference play. “We’re able to hold the lead now as you can see when we played Davidson in the first half,” junior guard Tab Hamilton said. “We’ve picked up a lot on defense, our intensity has changed.” Capel will look to lead his team to a strong finish for the second year in a row, and will have to take it one step at a time. “We’re just staying the course,” Capel said. “Each season is a process and you can’t skip steps, right now we’re just working on getting better every day and preparing for our next game.” App State plays host to Chattanooga on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Georgia Southern on Saturday at 2 p.m. as they look to pick up crucial conference wins down the home stretch of the season.
Washington accepts invitation to NFLPA Collegiate Bowl by Cory Spiers Sports Editor
Former App State wide receiver Tony Washington will play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in Carson, Calif., on Saturday. The bowl, which was founded in 2012, gives prospective NFL players a chance to showcase their talents in front of professional scouts and fans. Last year, nearly 100 scouts, including representatives from every NFL team, watched the game and conducted post-game interviews with players. The 2013 bowl was ESPN’s highest-rated collegiate program on game day. Washington will play for the American team which will be coached by former Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green. Last season as a senior, Washington appeared in all 12 games for the Mountaineers while catching 64 passes for 939 yards - good for first in the SoCon. Washington ranks eighth in App State history in career receptions with 139 and ninth in receiving yards with 1,837.
He is also App State’s all-time leader in kickoff return yardage with 1,289 and average yards per return with 23.4. Washington will be the second Mountaineer to appear in an allstar game this post-season after Jamal Londry-Jackson suited up for the FCS Senior Scout Bowl in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in December. Other than Washington and Londry-Jackson, eight former App State players have appeared in postseason all-star games in the past four years, including Daniel Kilgore and Travaris Cadet, who both were on NFL playoff rosters this season with the San Francisco 49ers and the New Orleans Saints, respectively. In last year’s Collegiate Bowl, former App State defensive back Demetrius McCray played for the national team, recording an interception, a forced fumble, a pass break-up and five solo tackles as his team won 34-0. McCray was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round in the 2013 NFL draft. The Collegiate Bowl will kickoff at 6 p.m. Saturday and will be televised live on ESPN2.
File Photo | The Appalachian
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IN PHOTOS: WOOD CIRCLE HOUSE SHOW
Thursday, January 16, 2014
WOOD CIRCLE HOUSE SHOW
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The Wood Circle House held its first show of the season Sunday evening, attracting more than 60 people to the venue. The lineup included headliner Discourse from Columbia, S.C., and North Carolina bands Old Flings, Gut Feeling, Muscle & Bone and Earth Mover. The turnout for this show is one of the highest the Wood Circle House has experienced. Photos by Olivia Wilkes, Senior Photographer
(Left) Matt Evans of Old Flings, a band from Asheville, sings ‘90s rock during the Wood Circle House show. (Above) Rob Travis, a member of Muscle & Bones, from Asheville, plays at the Wood Circle House Sunday evening.
(Above) A crowd gathers in the basement of the Wood Circle House for live music at their first event of the season, which headlined Discourse, a band from Columbia, S.C. (Right) Matt Evans of Old Flings performs to one of the largest crowds ever at the Wood Circle House.
Travis Hollifield plays drums for Old Flings, one of the bands featured at the Wood Circle House’s first event of the new year.
The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com
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