The Appalachian
TheAppalachianOnline.com
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Vol. 86 No. 26
Noise ordinance strikes sour note with students by KELLI STRAKA Senior News Reporter
Appalachian State University students stood in solidarity with downtown business owners against updates to the proposed noise ordinance at Tuesday night’s town council meeting. “Music is a primary form of art and students enjoy that, and they see the necessity of a more reasonable noise ordinance,” Boone Saloon owner Skip Sinanian said. Musician and junior sustainable development Alex Golden spoke during the public comment time to share his dissatisfaction with the noise ordinance. “I’m against it for dozens of reasons,” Golden said. “I
feel like it’s a cultural setback and something that will discourage students from coming to ASU. Music is what I do for fun. It’s what I do when I’m not eating, sleeping, or studying.” Among the new provisions is an 85-decibel cap on weekend live music between 10 a.m. and 2 a.m. After that, the cap would drop to 55 decibels, according to the Watauga Democrat. Galileo’s owner Mark Dixon said he purchased a decibel meter and found that normal conversation on Galileo’s patio reached about 65 decibels, cars passing by reached 75 and a breeze could reach 85. “You can’t start a car in the morning because it’s over 55
decibels,” Dixon said. Senior elementary education major Rachel Goodman said the ordinance takes away part of Boone. “The music draws people and students to Boone,” she said. “Music is a huge inspiration and if we can’t listen to local live music, we’re losing something important.” The previous ordinance was difficult for Boone law enforcement to impose, which prompted the initial update for the ordinance, Council Member Lynne Mason said. Updates attempted to make the ambiguous sections of the ordinance more understandable, including what noise was considered a violation and procedures to deal
with violations, Mason said. “What we’re trying to do is maintain a peaceful environment for our residential community while having an active and vibrant downtown,” Mason said. “So it’s a real balancing act right now.” Junior electronic media broadcasting major Lilia Spangler said she understands why people are upset, but when moving to Boone, the noise shouldn’t be a surprise. “Not only will it take away from night life, it will also hurt the musicians,” she said. Boone’s town attorney, Sam Furgiuele, will prepare a draft for the town council to review and hopefully adopt by the end of February, Mason said.
Kelli Straka | The Appalachian
Along with 12 others, Mark Dixon spoke about his discontent with the revisions to the noise ordinance during public comment time Tuesday at Boone's Town Council meeting. Other venue owners, including Char's owner and Boone Saloon's owner, joined Dixon in voicing their opposition.
MLK Challenge sees record number of participants ACT office sponsors 13th annual day of service
Chancellor lowers general fee proposal by HANK SHELL News Editor
by JUSTIN HERBERGER Editor-in-Chief
M
ore than 200 Appalachian State University students spent their last day of winter break serving Boone and the High Country during Monday’s MLK Challenge. This year’s challenge drew a record number of participants. More than 215 total participants worked at 19 locations in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. “Too often college students get wrapped up in their own lives,” said Kirstie Wolf, a junior archaeology major who participated in the challenge for the second time this year. “Helping others is a good way to learn about yourself and, too, how others live.” An aspect of the challenge many students appreciate is the opportunity it provides to meet and work with other students they might not already know. Participants are divided into groups of about 11 volunteers randomly. Wolf said not knowing anyone in her group ended up adding to the experience because of the opportunity to connect with new people. “You’re uncomfortable at first,” she said. “It creates bonds and it’s a really good learning experience.” While the challenge has benefited some High Country agencies for more than a decade, students this year worked with three organizations new to the challenge. Newly involved organizations included F.A.R.M. Café, a healthy community kitchen that serves patrons regardless of their ability to pay, U Space, which offers cognitive and social skills training, often for those with developmental disorders, and Threads of Hope thrift store, which aides survivors of domestic and intimate partner abuse in Ashe County. “It’s really a great experience to be a part of something that’s so meaningful to Appalachian students but also to the entire nation,” said Kate Johnson, assistant director of student programs. “There’s something about Appalachian students. I can’t put my finger on it. These students just truly enjoy giving back.” The student-led committee in charge of planning the event considered moving the challenge to this Saturday, due to the fact that Martin Luther King Jr. Day fell before classes started. They originally anticipated lower participation numbers. “That was the choice we had to make,”
Olivia Wilkes | The Appalachian
Freshman finance and banking major Ashley Murphy converses with residents of Appalachian Brian Estates Monday afternoon during the 13th Annual MLK Challenge Day of Service. Murphy's volunteer group was responsible for planning and hosting a January birthday party at the elderly community to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
said Sam Williams, chair of the event planning committee. “We’ve always done it on MLK Day so we decided to keep with that tradition.” Despite the team’s initial concerns that the event would suffer from its timing, Williams said the regular sign up list was filled completely before students went home for break. The ACT office was even able to fill
the wait list prior to break. “It’s never happened before break,” he said. “Normally we’re always filling spots the week before.” The model for the MLK Challenge currently in use was developed in 2000 at Appalachian by Coordinator for Community Service Jenny Koehn and has been adopted by universities statewide as well as nationally.
Chancellor Kenneth Peacock lowered a proposed General Fees increase for Appalachian State University students last week. The move followed a recommendation from the UNC General Administration that the General Fees increase be lowered to 6.5 percent. Peacock lowered the Athletics fee by $15 and the Health Services fee by $4, according to an email Interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Business Affairs Rick Presnell sent to members of the tuition and fee committees. “I think that asking for a decreased amount for fees is only a step in the right direction,” Student Body President Lauren Estes said. “Students paying for a higher education cannot continue to be jabbed with tuition and fee hikes, especially if the increased cost has little to no impact on the actual education they receive.” Currently, resident undergraduate Appalachian students are facing a 9.3 percent or $506.26 increase in tuition and fees for the 2012-13 year. That includes a 12.3 percent increase in tuition alone, which Student Government Association representatives formally opposed in November, before it was sent to the Board of Trustees. “I’m thankful to see that students’ voices are being heard, but I will be discouraged on behalf of the student body if this is as far as the decrease conversation goes,” Estes said. During tuition and fees negotiations, student representatives did not oppose the proposed fee increase. The UNC Board of Governors, the final body in the tuition and fee setting process, reviewed the current proposal Jan. 12 and will make a final decision at their meeting Feb. 10. Currently, Appalachian’s proposal falls in limbo. UNC President Thomas Ross will make an intensive recommendation to the Board of Governors before its February meeting, which will be specific to each university, UNC Vice President for Communications Joni Worthington said. Ross has already expressed a desire to keep tuition and fee increases below 10 percent, which satisfies Appalachian’s current proposal of 9.3 percent. The Board of Governors, however, has maintained that it will try to adhere to a 6.5 percent cap on tuition and fee increases – far below Appalachian’s proposal. “The president has yet to make his final recommendations to the Board of Governors,” Worthington said. “He indicated he expected those to come within the next couple of weeks.”
Students have big plans for future community art and music center by CATHERINE HAITHCOCK News Reporter
Appalachian State University students, community members and local organizations are coming together to create a local community center, formally known as the Boone Project Incubator and Community Space. “Essentially, the idea is to create an alternative community space in Boone that incorporates music and art, a local radio station and a platform for local issues and local initiatives,” said Devon Tuttle, a junior sustainable development and entrepreneurship double major. “We hope it bolsters the local economy and businesses by providing another space, by incorporating local elements and allowing people to organize in one place.” “The focus is really going to be on specific projects that need a space to incubate and expand themselves,” said Ben Paynter, a junior sustainable development major. Project members said they hope to renovate a vacant house at 122 Moretz St. that would serve as the location for the center. However, the group has not yet obtained permission to use the space from the Town of Boone, which owns the house.
“We’ve already worked on a proposal and we’re planning on presenting it soon,” Paynter said. Although the house needs some aesthetic work, it is structurally sound, Tuttle said. “The idea is to, hopefully, get the appropriate technology department involved to see if students, graduate students or labs could take part in the house and make it more ecofriendly as an educational tool that would allow students to actually exercise what they are learning,” he said. Although the initiative encourages the community of Appalachian State University to get involved, their main focus is on strengthening the cultural, economic and social aspects of the Boone community. “We want to ensure that this center works cooperatively with the school, yet very independent from the school,” Tuttle said. “It is very important to us that this is a community space, not a school space, but we as students can benefit from having this space that could easily be shared with other community members, too. It is the creativity and the interest of students that drives this whole idea, but we want it to be a community thing that will involve people of all ages, true lo-
Catherine Haithcock | The Appalachian
Students and community members hope the house at 122 Moretz St. (pictured) will serve as home to the Boone Project Incubator and Community Space. Supporters must first acquire the house from the Town of Boone, which owns it.
cals and students.” So far, the Boone Bicycle Initiative, High Country Community Radio, the Free School of Boone and Papergirl of Boone are supporting and contributing time and services towards the effort. “Our original idea was to try
and obtain non-profit status, but so far we’re not seeing many benefits to that,” Appalachian alumnus Alex Moody said. “This initiative wouldn’t be impossible without nonprofit status, but it would give us a formal organization for people who might not take us seriously
that otherwise would.” Although another meeting time has not yet been determined, anyone interested in becoming a part of Boone Project Incubator can visit its Facebook page at “Boone Project Incubator and Community Space.”
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• January 19, 2012
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Sigma Nu returns to Appalachian Two Appalachian students start gathering donations for homeless by ANNE BUIE Senior News Reporter
Olivia Wilkes | The Appalachian
Interfraternity Council executive officers Dan Sweet (C) and Nick Moffitt (R) meet a Sigma Nu expansion representative at the club expo Wednesday.
by JOSIE WOOD Intern News Reporter
The Kappa Epsilon chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity, originally established in 1983, will return to Appalachian State University this semester. “We’re really excited that Sigma Nu is coming back after a short hiatus from our campus,” said Kyle Jordan, assistant director for Fraternity and Sorority Life. “Very similar to ATO, Sigma Nu left our campus several years ago and we have been working closely with them and their alumni to get them back on campus.” Sigma Nu expansion and recruitment consultant Adam Bremmeyer will oversee the chapter’s recolonization.
The fraternity was an active member of the Greek community until it was closed in 2009 for financial reasons, Bremmeyer said. It has begun recolonization with strong alumni support, he added. “We want to create an experience that is not currently offered on Appalachian’s campus,” Bremmeyer said. “The fraternity life is growing on this campus and we want to be a part of it by recruiting men that are focused on academics, community service and involvement.” The chapter handed out its first bid on the first day of classes and plans to continue issuing bids until the end of February. For more information, contact Bremmeyer at adam.bremmeyer@sigmanu.org, or visit appstatesigmanu.com.
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Over winter break, freshman social work major Mollie Jones and freshman nutrition major Jennifer McMullen decided to do something a little different. The pair partnered up to collect hats, blankets, gloves and coats for the homeless in Boone. Jones said she was inspired to start the project when she saw a friend giving a homeless man her coat while in Atlanta over the break. “It just showed how the simplest act of kindness can change lives,” Jones said. Jones and McMullen started collecting the items at the beginning of
January, relying on Facebook to spread the word to their friends and family. The girls plan to go downtown and give the items they’ve collected to any homeless people they encounter – but they don’t want to merely hand them out. “We want to talk to the people we give them to and hear their stories about their lives,” McMullen said. “It just helps the community as we come together over a common issue.” Jones agreed. “We want them to know that people care,” she said. Freshman elementary education major Madison McCoy, McMullen’s roommate, decided to donate a few of her own winter items to the project.
“I have a close connection with projects like that,” McCoy said. “I really have a heart and compassion for people that are in need.” Jones and McMullen said they were surprised by the response to their project. “We’ve gotten donations from people we didn’t know, which was a little unexpected,” McMullen said. Jones and McMullen estimate that they’ve collected about 25 coats, 30 scarves and 10 blankets. “Our dorm rooms are exploding with stuff,” Jones said. To make a donation, contact Jones or McMullen at jonesme1@appstate. edu or mcmullenjc@appstate.edu.
Appalachian gaming club hosts tournament to grow membership by ABBI PITTMAN
Intern News Reporter
The Appalachian State University Gaming Club will throw its largest public LAN (Local Area Network) video-gaming event in three years this Saturday. AppalachLAN III’s purpose is to publicize the club as it rebuilds after 80 percent of its members graduated last year. Club president and senior computer science major Taylor Edwards said he has been “building the club back up” by hosting monthly, members-only LAN parties to encourage people to join. A LAN party is a gathering of gamers who come together to play video games against each other. The event’s date was chosen strategically to ensure there was enough student interest and funding to host it. “As membership increased, we knew this would be our semester,” Edwards said. Ben Allred, gaming club secretary/treasure and junior psychology major, said traditional LAN parties began in a time before wireless internet, where gamers would hook their consoles up to a local area network to compete against one another. “You had to physically be there [to play],” Allred said. AppalachLAN III will feature card and board games in addition to popular video games. Participants are urged to bring consoles and games of their own. The club’s publicist, junior psychology and English major Haley Pickrell, has arranged for Hot “Diggity” Dog to provide food for the event. The officers hope AppalachLAN III will spark what Edwards calls the club’s “reboot effort.” Their goal is to build enough membership and interest to rent out the convocation center for a large-scale LAN party.
What:
AppalachLAN III
When:
January 21, 2011
Time:
12 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Where:
Plemmons Student Union
Featuring:
• C o u n t e r - S t r i k e : Source • Team Fortress 2 • Marvel vs Capcom 3 • League of Legends • Smash Bros • Minecraft CTF • Halo: Reach Source: gaming.appstate.edu
Pickrell encourages anyone interested in gaming to attend a LAN party, regardless of how intimidating or competitive they may seem. “There are a lot of competitive people there, but competition builds community,” she said. AppalachLAN III will last from 12 to 10 p.m. on Jan. 21, in Grandfather Mountain Ballroom. Anyone interested in attending AppalachLAN III should sign up online at gaming.appstate.edu.
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January 19, 2012 •
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‘Party in Boone’ video gains 25,000 views
by MEGAN WRAPPE
Lifestyles Reporter
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n a mountain town embedded with the cultural resonance of folk music and country stars like Doc Watson, one junior is trying to add a little hip-hop to the mix. “Asheville and Boone are more known for the hippie lifestyle. Whenever a hip-hop act comes to Asheville, though, it sells out right away and there are so many students in Boone that love hip-hop, which is why I want to bring more of it here,” junior business management major Michael Taylor said. Taylor – who goes by the name MykeyT for his rap career – posted a music video titled “Party in Boone” on YouTube Dec. 15. Since then, the song – a remix of Mac Miller’s “Party on Fifth Ave” – has spread through social networks like Facebook and Twitter. It had gained 25,149 views as of press time. “I have been wanting to do a song about Boone since I got here, but I was waiting for the right beat,” Taylor said. “When ‘Party on Fifth Ave’ came out, App had just been voted the number one party school in North Carolina and then it just clicked: ‘Party in Boone.’”
In the video, Taylor is seen driving down East King Street, walking through the free expression tunnels and standing on a hill overlooking the football stadium. The footage was shot by Taylor’s high school friend and fellow rapper Andrew Anderson, a senior at Blue Ridge Community College. “The video was a spur of the moment thing, but we got the whole image of Boone,” Anderson said. “I’m just a film student chasing a dream, and now the video is the most popular of mine.” Growing up on a farm in Asheville, Taylor always loved hip-hop. He began memorizing lyrics and performing songs until his freshman year of high school, when he started writing his own material. “I always noticed that in English class I could always write faster than the other kids,” Taylor said. “My freshman year of high school, I started writing poetry, which became the lyrics to my songs.” Taylor said he has wanted to be a rapper since high school, but back then, many of his classmates didn’t believe he would make it, but Taylor never stopped working toward his music goal. While succeeding musically, he has also succeeded academically. He is the first
Amy Birner l The Appalachian
Junior business management major Michael D. Taylor, more commonly known as Mykey T., has become a campuswide name over break with his music video, "Party in Boone," which circulated via Facebook over winter break.
person in his family to attend a four-year college. “He made it known that he wanted to be a rapper in high school, but no one really believed that he could do it,” said junior science major Andrew Kryzanek, Taylor’s roommate. “In the past two years, he’s been working on perfecting his sound and
now he is actually doing it.” Though “Party in Boone” has become more popular than Taylor ever expected, he’s not taking a breather any time soon. From his studio in his bedroom closet, Taylor is currently working on his first mix tape. He just released his newest song, a re-
mix of Tyga’s “Rack City,” as a nod to Asheville. Since the video debuted, he has also received requests to collaborate on music from students in the Hayes School of Music. “Rapping is my passion and it is what I’m going to do forever,” Taylor said. “I’m studying the business end of
the music industry now so I can create my own record label, sign myself to it and also give people a chance in the music industry who would be passed over.” MykeyT will perform Saturday at Klondike Café. For more information, see the Facebook event “Klondike-A-Palooza!!”
Boone’s new Starbucks Blowing Rock’s Winterfest Polar draws attention from ASU Plunge will benefit Wine to Water students, local coffee shops by MICHAEL BRAGG Lifestyles Editor
Jessica Schreck | The Appalachian
Students filed into the new Marriot Courtyard Hotel Tuesday for a cup of Boone’s first Starburks coffee.
by MICHAEL BRAGG Lifestyles Editor
Sophomore business management major Hayden Curlin said he ditched the coffee shop scene when he came to Appalachian State University because the local shops were unfamiliar to him after going to Starbucks in Charlotte. “It was convenient,” he said. “In Charlotte, it’s literally everywhere.” Fortunately for Curlin, the new Marriott Courtyard hotel off Highway 105 has brought Starbucks back to him. “We opened Tuesday, the 10th of January and the basic concept is that it’s a full-service-feeling hotel,” said Ben McKeathon, the hotel’s general manager. “Of course, we have the Starbucks bistro which is open at breakfast and is also open at dinner time.” The bistro is not a full Starbucks, but most of the coffee conglomerate’s specialty drinks and select drips are available for purchase. Curlin said his white chocolate mocha tasted the same as back home. He even got it on the house, since he was the first customer. “I don’t know if you can be treated better than that,” he said. The presence of Starbucks coffee in Boone made waves right away. Shortly after Curlin was treated to the first cup of coffee in Boone, McKeathon said the hotel staff experienced a rush of customers at “three or four in the morning” when the Marriott offered 24-hour access to locals. “It was just overwhelming to our
staff,” he said. “So we’ve made the decision with ownership to keep the Starbucks open from 6:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. just so that when we start receiving a lot of guest reservations we’re not overwhelming our guests with these people coming off the street.” Local roasters said they aren’t worried about the corporate giant’s attendance. Jody Poe, the owner of Conrad’s Coffee Company on Shadowline Drive, said she doesn’t think anything serious will come from the sale of Starbucks coffee. “We’ve been here 11 years and we have watched restaurants and coffee houses come and go,” she said. “So when something new opens up, people flock to it. It’ll wear off.” Espresso News owner and Appalachian alumnus Uijin Park said he isn’t concerned with the new coffee in town. “It’s not really going to affect us at all,” he said. “Our clientele is the type that doesn’t go to Starbucks and if you prefer Starbucks over this place, that’s totally fine.” Park, like other local coffee shop owners, roast their beans inside the store, whereas Starbucks, both at the Marriott and at normal locations, roasts its beans elsewhere. “We’re about tradition, the tradition of coffee and doing it the right way,” he said. “They make decent coffee but they’re not really focusing on traditions, and so I’m totally okay with it and actually see it as a filter for people that like Starbucks. They can totally go there and not come here.”
Most charities host car washes, dinner fundraisers and other sane activities to raise money and awareness for their cause. On the insane side, local nonprofit Wine to Water will receive the benefits from Blowing Rock’s Winterfest Polar Plunge Saturday, Jan. 28 at Chetola Lake. “The proceeds from the registration fees goes back to Wine to Water,” said Teryn Skumpija, ASU Wine to Water president. Wine to Water is a “non-profit aid organization focused on providing clean water to needy people around the world,” according to winetowater.org. This is the first year all of the money from jumper registration money will go to a sole beneficiary, rather than a charity of the jumper’s choice, said Billie Rogers, events director for the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce. “Wine to Water is a great organization… and it is important to the community,” Rogers said. Rogers has been involved with Winterfest since its conception 14 years ago and said that it was started to “give a shot in the arm” to local businesses during the offseason months of retail. “January to March has slow retail,” she said. “It’s out of Christmas season and right before spring and [Winterfest] is a celebration of snow and winter.” Rodgers said the annual event brings between 3,000 and 5,000 people to downtown Blowing Rock each year and lasts from Thursday until Sunday. “Polar Plunge was one of the first events for Winterfest,” she said. “We celebrate winter by breaking the ice at Chetola Lake and invite plungers to jump for $25.” The money raised from the Polar Plunge will be put toward Wine to Water’s mission in Ethiopia. “Basically all the money raised from Polar Plunge this year is going to support our clean water parks in Ethiopia,” Wine to Water Vice President Annie Marion said. Along with Skumpija, Wine to Water founder Doc Hendley and Appalachian alumnus and former ASU Wine to Water president Josh Elliot will take the plunge. “I’m definitely not looking forward to the cold, but I think it’ll be a good time,” Elliott said. To bring jumpers out, the first 50 to register will receive a free sweatshirt with “Freezing for a Reason” written on it – along with the Golden Plunge Award, which goes to the jumper with the best costume. “It goes to the craziest dude out there,” Elliott said. Marion said Wine to Water is hoping Appalachian students will register to jump. “We’d love to have a representation of as many Appalachian students as possible,” she said. “We might have more participation from the young college crowd than the older crowd.” Marion, Skumpija and Elliott said they are also hoping members of the campus chapter will be jumping as well. “We’d really like to get a lot of student support and a lot of crazy folks who want to come out and support Wine to Water,” Elliott said. Wine to Water will also be involved in the Winterfest Wine Tasting Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Green Park Inn.
Winterfest Schedule
Day One: Thursday, Jan. 26 -All Day Shop ‘Til You Drop -Winterfeast 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. -Winter Ales Craft Beer Tastings Day Two: Friday, Jan. 27 -All Day Shop ‘Til You Drop -FREE Hot Chocolate 3 p.m. -Blowing Rock School PTO Spaghetti Dinner and Bingo -Dusk Bonfire -Appalachian Ski Mountain Winterfest Special Event -Winter Blues Concert 7:30 p.m. Day Three: Saturday, Jan. 28 -All Day Shop ‘Til You Drop -Raffle & Silent Auction 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. -Children’s Activities 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. -Polar Plunge for Wine to Water 10 a.m. -Isabella Propellor & the Magic Beanie 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. -Chili Cook-off 11 a.m. - 3.p.m. -Ice Carving Demonstration 12 p.m. -Wine Tasting 2 p.m. -Snowflake Parade 3 p.m. -”Minute to Win It” Game Show 3:30 p.m. -Wine Auction 4 p.m. -Dusk Bonfire -John Cowan Band 7:30 p.m. Day Four: Sunday, Jan. 29 -Pancake Breakfast 8 a.m. -All Day Shop ‘Til You Drop -Ice Carving Demonstrations 1 p.m. -”Winter Paws” Dog Show 1:30 p.m. -Snowman Building Contest Source: blowingrockwinterfest.com/schedule
For information on registering to jump, visit Wine to Water’s Facebook page for a link to the event at facebook.com/winetowater and for any information on Winterfest, visit blowingrockwinterfest.com.
A
January 19, 19, 2012 2012 44 •• January
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An evening with Angela Davis
Appalachian State University’s Office of Multicultural Student Development presents the 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration with “An Evening with Angela Davis” Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, at 6 p.m. in Farthing Auditorium, followed by a book signing and dessert reception. This event is free and open to the public. Davis, renowned political activist and scholar, is the author of eight books. She has lectured throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and South America. In recent years, a persistent theme of Davis’ work has been the range of social problems associated with incarceration and the generalized criminalization of those communities that are most affected by poverty and racial discrimination. Through her activism and her scholarship during the last decades, Davis has been involved in the nation’s quest for social justice. Her work as an educator – both at the university level and in the larger public sphere – emphasizes the importance of building communities of struggle for economic, racial and gender equality. Her appearance is part of the university’s Diversity Lecture Series and is co-sponsored by Appalachian’s Office of Multicultural Student Development, Department of Government and Justice Studies, Women’s Studies Program, Office of Equity Diversity and Compliance, and Arts and Cultural Affairs. For additional information, contact Augusto Peña, interim director of multicultural student development, at 828-2626252 or email penaae@appstate.edu.
SDR helps you with involvement
Each student at Appalachian State University has an official co-curricular transcript. Involvement, leadership positions, on-campus employment, awards, leadership programs etc. can be listed on the transcript. Visit www.sdr.appstate.edu to see what your options are for involvement. Start building your experiences today.
Need help getting involved?
The Center for Student Involvement and Leadership is available for advising appointments. Schedule a time today to talk with a professional in the office to determine your best plan of action. Get out, meet people and make a difference. Call 262-6252, or visit the CSIL website at www.csil.appstate. edu, drop by Room #219 for more information.
Spring Counseling Center groups
Understanding Self and Others Group: Issues commonly addressed vary from depression, anxiety, relationship concerns, self-esteem, issues of family conflict or abuse, etc. Students who want to resolve specific concerns as well as those seeking personal growth are welcome. This can be a good time to get peers’ perspectives on various issues, and to recognize that you are not alone. Four groups are available: Mondays 1:30-3 and 3:30-5; Tuesdays 3-4:30; Wednesday 3-4:30; Thursdays (with dog) 3-4:30; Fridays 10-11:30.
Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Therapy Group: This group will present an opportunity for gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals to explore life challenges. It will provide a safe environment in which to address a variety of issues (e.g., coming out, spirituality, family relationships, depression, selfesteem, abuse, etc.). Goals of the group include: reducing isolation, finding support and making changes. Tuesdays 5-6:30 and Fridays 1-2:30.
Painful Pasts, Promising Futures Group: This group is designed for those who have experienced traumatic events in their lives or who come from backgrounds in which they did not feel safe. Members will learn how their past experiences and their biology are affecting their lives now. More importantly, they will learn what to do about it! Members will learn important insights about their patterns in relationships and skills to better manage their emotions and relationships. Thursdays 3:30-5 and Fridays 3-4:30. (For information contact Amber Lyda: 262-3180 or lydaam@appstate.edu). Transgender Therapy Group: This group is similar to the “Understanding Self and Others” group in that a variety of issues will be explored in a safe and supportive environment. Some of the issues will be unique to gender-variant students. Goals of the group include: reducing isolation, finding support and making changes. Wednesdays 4:30-6. (For information contact Sheri Clark: 262-3180 clarksl@ appstate.edu).
WISE Women, Image, & Self Esteem: This group is designed for any woman interested in changing how she values herself. If you’d like to feel better about yourself and less controlled by appearance, food and what others think, this group may be for you. Thursdays 2-3:30 p.m. (For information contact Denise Lovin: 262-3180 or lovindm@ appstate.edu).
An Introduction to Mindfulness Group: Mindfulness involves stepping out of “auto-pilot” reactions and learning to pay more attention to our present experiences. Activities in this group will help participants cultivate a mindful approach to their lives, which can decrease stress, create emotional balance, and allow a person to take actions more in line with their values. Thursdays 2-3:30 (For information contact Chris Hogan: 262-3180 or hogancj@appstate.edu). To get started with a Counseling Center group, come to the Counseling Center during Walk-In Clinic, call 262-3180 or visit the website for more information at www.counseling. appstate.edu. If you are interested in group but these times do not work for you, please get in touch with Chris Carden at 262-3180 or cardendc@appstate.edu.
Career resources available at ASU
Come explore the resources on campus here to assist you with your career planning and job searching needs. Is choosing a major causing you stress? The Peer Career Center can help! Choosing a major is one of the many decisions you will have to make during your college career. Do not take it lightly. The average person spends 86,000 hours working in his/her lifetime. How many hours are you going to spend choosing your career? We offer assistance in finding a major and career that matches your interests, abilities, values and experiences. Call 262-2029 to schedule an appointment or drop by our office located on the 2nd floor of the Student Union, beside McAllister’s Deli. Visit us at www.peercareer. appstate.edu. The Career Development Center offers many resources to assist you in your job and internship search skills. Career Counselors will help you build a professional resume, cover letter, and help develop your interviewing skills. Students can utilize Career Gear, (careergear.ap-
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Free, confidential legal advice
A licensed attorney is available to answer your questions, provide advice, and make referrals. This service is offered free of charge to any Appalachian State University student. Contact the Student Legal Clinic if you have a traffic ticket, a minor criminal charge, a question about your lease or the conditions in your off-campus apartment -- or any other issue or problem that you need legal help with. The Student Legal Clinis is located in Room 221of the Plemmons Student Union. Call (828) 262-2704 for an appointment. It’s fast and easy! Appointments can usually be scheduled within a few days.
Financial Aid questions?
Parents and students with financial aid questions are encouraged to visit our website at financialaid.appstate.edu and their AppalNet account. The Office of Student Financial Aid is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., except for University observed holidays.
Get ready for 2012 fall housing
Did you know that most students begin considering their options NOW for Fall 2012 housing? In order to get your preferences (location, cost, roommates, amenities, etc.) you should begin now, too. University Housing, the Office of OffCampus Community Relations, and the Student Legal Clinic have partnered to help explain the process and timeline by offering a 60-minute program called “Find Your Match!” to walk students through the process of exploring housing options and securing housing for Fall 2012. The program will include issues related to both on- and off-campus housing, including timelines and procedures for obtaining housing, cost, location, utilities, contracts, roommate choices, etc. To register for “Find Your Match,” go to www.offcampus. appstate.edu. All programs take place in the Watauga River Room in Plemmons Student Union, from Noon to 1 p.m. on the following dates: Jan. 18, 19, 23, 24, Feb. 1 and 3. For more information about on-campus housing, contact University Housing at 828-262-6111 or visit housing.appstate.edu. For more information about off-campus housing resources, contact the Office of Off-Campus Community Relations at 828-262-8284 or visit offcampus.appstate.edu.
This Week in the Arts
Thursday, Jan. 19, 6 p.m., Craft Enrichment: Intermediate Pottery. Participants in this day class will continue to develop throwing and hand building skills, and continue to learn design skills associated with pottery. Weekly slideshows will illustrate design concepts and delve into the mystery of how to develop personal style in handmade pots. Participants will continue to develop glaze applications skills and ideas. There will be weekly demonstrations on intermediate throwing and hand building skills. Basic clay experience is desirable. Everyone will work in cone 6 oxidation, unless they want to explore cone 10 reduction for an additional charge. Class fee includes 25 lbs. of clay, glazes and firing fees. For more information please visit http://craftenrichment.appstate.edu/classes/pottery/pottery-intermediatetechniques-ideas. Thursday, Jan. 19 – Saturday, Jan. 21, 7 and 9:30 p.m.; FILM: 50/50, IG Greer Theater. Inspired by a true story, 50/50 is a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy who learns of his cancer diagnosis, and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.(Rated R). Directed by Jonathan Levine and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick. For more information please visit http://events. appstate.edu/film-50-50. Thursday, Jan. 19 from 7–8 p.m. Lecture Series: Val Lyle and “Sanctuary”. Lecture Hall 1102, Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. Join artist Val Lyle as she discusses her new exhibition Sanctuary. The current exhibition and installation, located in the Mayer Gallery, continues the artist’s exploration about what it means to be a human being in Appalachia. This installation is in its eighth incarnation of the exhibition. For more information please visit http://www. tcva.org/calendar/events/559. Friday, Jan. 20, 2–3:20 p.m. Lecture Screening: John Scarlata. Lecture Hall 1102, Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. The Turchin Center will offer three separate screenings of John Scarlata’s Retrospective Lecture held at the Wellington B. Gray Gallery at East Carolina University on January 15, 2010. The video is 80 minutes in length. This video provides an in depth look at the work and processes of the photographer. For more information please visit http:// www.turchincenter.org/calendar/events/593. Friday, Jan. 20, 9 p.m. Lucky Five, Legends. Tickets $3 in advance for students, $5 at the door and for guests. Prepare for some booty-shaking as Lucky Five returns to the High Country! Bring your dancing shoes and prepare to kick off the semester in style. For more information please visit http://events.appstate.edu/lucky-five. Saturday, Jan. 21, 10:30 a.m. Healing Arts: Yoga in the Mayer Gallery. Admission: $10 per person, Registration begins at 10:15 a.m. Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. Join yoga instructor, Vicki Rodriquez, every Saturday for a 1-hour yoga session in our Mayer Gallery overlooking downtown Boone. All skill levels are welcome and mats can be provided if you don’t own one. For more information please visit http:// www.tcva.org/calendar/events/654.
Do you have SOUL?
Interested in working with Orientation as a Student Orientation Undergraduate Leader? SOUL is a paid leadership position and includes: supervising testing, leading group discussions, guiding tours, performing in a skit, serving as an orientation resident assistant, and assisting an academic advisor with new student academic planning. Are are looking for students with strong leadership potential and a desire to help new students. Learn more about the position and apply online at http://www.orientation.appstate.edu/soul. Applications and references are due Friday, Feb. 3.
Spring Diversity Speakers Series
The Office of Multicultural Student Development has announced the Spring schedule for the 2011-2012 Diversity Speaker Series. We hope that you will take advantage of these unique opportunities to see, hear and learn from some of the leading experts on diversity and social justice. All Diversity Speaker Series events are free and open to
the public. In addition to the university’s 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration with “An Evening with Angela Davis,” set for Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 6 p.m. in Farthing Auditorium, the series includes: Heather’s Mommies Get Married: Homophobia, Censorship and Family Values, Tuesday, Feb 21, Blue Ridge Ballroom, Plemmons Student Union, 7 p.m. Author Lesléa Newman discusses her classic children’s book, Heather Has Two Mommies: why she wrote the book, how difficult it was to get it published, the controversies that arose as it became one of the most controversial books ever published. She then discusses the rights of gay and lesbian families and delves into the history of the LGBT marriage movement. This presentation includes a slide show (with photos from Lesléa’s own wedding!) and video. Leslea Newman wrote Heather Has Two Mommies, the first children’s book to portray lesbian families in a positive way, and has followed up this pioneering work with several more children’s books on lesbian and gay families. Ms. Newman is also the author of many books for adults that deal with lesbian identity, Jewish identity and the intersection and collision between the two. Other topics Ms. Newman explores include AIDS, eating disorders, butch/femme relationships and sexual abuse. She has received many literary awards including Poetry Fellowships from the Massachusetts Artists Fellowship Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Highlights for Children Fiction Writing Award, the James Baldwin Award for Cultural Achievement, and three Pushcart Prize Nominations. Nine of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists. Hands on the Freedom Plow: Personal Accounts by Women in the SNCC, Tuesday, April 24, Blue Ridge Ballroom, Plemmons Student Union, 7 p.m. Much has been written about the courage and tenacity of the male ministers and activists of the Civil Rights movement: Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., Julian Bond, Stokely Carmichael, and others. About the role of women we know less. In Hands on the Freedom Plow, the personal stories of fifty-two women–northern and southern, young and old, urban and rural, black, white, and Latina are shared. Two of the book’s six editors, Faith Holsaert and Marsha Noonan, will present a sweeping personal history of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Since the women spent time in the Deep South, many of the testimonials describe how they risked their lives through beatings and arrests and witnessed unspeakable violence. These intense stories depict women, many very young, dealing with extreme fear and finding the remarkable strength to survive. The women in SNCC acquired new skills, experienced personal growth, sustained one another, and even had fun in the midst of serious struggle. Readers are privy to their analyses of the Movement, its tactics, strategies, and underlying philosophies. The contributors revisit central debates of the struggle including the role of nonviolence and self-defense, the role of white people in a black-led movement, and the role of women within the Movement and the society at large. Each story reveals how the struggle for social change was formed, supported, and maintained by the women who kept their “hands on the freedom plow.” Faith S. Holsaert lives in Durham, North Carolina, is a teacher and fiction writer and has remained active in lesbian and women’s, antiwar, and justice struggles. Martha Prescod Norman Noonan, community organizer, activist, homemaker, and teacher of history including the Civil Rights Movement, lives near Baltimore, Maryland.
Financial Aid Fair set for Feb. 25
The Office of Student Financial Aid has scheduled a Financial Aid Information Day for Wednesday, Feb. 25, in Plemmons Student Union form 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Stop by the contact table to obtain financial aid information for summer school 2012 and the 2012-2013 school year and study abroad. Financial Aid counselors from the Office of Student Financial Aid will be on hand to answer general financial aid questions durthing this time.
Student Leadership Fair set
Get involved this semester at the Student Leadership & Volunteer Fair on Wednesday, Jan. 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Plemmons Student Union, on the first floor. Come check out the possibilities, including: SOUL, SGA, RHA, Leadership Educators, ACT, The Appalachian and much more. Free cookies and hot chocolate will be available.
Help identify mountain sports stars
ASU Outdoor Programs wants your help to identify the High Country’s young mountain sports stars and role models to be recognized through the second annual A4 initiative. As part of their honorary slection, A4 winners will receive recognition on stage at the BANFF Mountain Festivals and a generous selection of prizes from project sponsors. The deadline for nomination is Jan. 31, and the winners will be announced at the BANFF Mountain Film Festival in Boone. To nominate or for more information, go to op.appstate.edu.
Outdoor Programs offers ski shuttle Outdoor Programs at Appalachian State University offers a ski and snowboard shuttle to Beach Mountain. Included in the $20 trip price is lift tickets. Shuttle riders will also get discounts on rental prices if they need equipment. You must register at Outdoor Programs in the Student Recreation Center. The shuttle service will repeat every seven days until Friday, Feb. 24. Dates and times are: Thursday, Jan. 26 and Feb. 2, 9, 16, and 23, from 5 until 11 p.m. For more information contact Keith Crawford at 262-4700 or email crawfordtk1@appstate.edu.
Sustainability film series to begin
The sustainability film series at Appalachian State University enters the third year with films that focus on environmental and economic issues and social justice. A feature-length film will be shown in Greer Auditorium each month during spring semester. All films begin at 7 p.m. and are shown free of charge. A 30-minute panel discussion will follow. Visit www. sustain.appstate.edu/2012filmseries for more information. Sponsors of this year’s series are the Office of Sustainable Development, Appalachian Popular Programming Society (APPS), Belk Library and Information Commons, and Appalachian’s Renewable Energy Initiative and Energy Center. The film series schedule is as follows: Jan. 24, “Addicted to Plastic”; Tuesday, Feb. 21, “Economics of Happiness”; March 20, “The Last Mountain”; April 17, “Wasteland”. The series is hosted by Appalachian’s Office of Sustainability and Department of Geology. For additional information about the film series, contact Brian Zimmer in the Department of Geology at zimmerbw@appstate.edu.
The Appalachian
Lifestyles
| TheAppalachianOnline.com
January 19, 2012 •
5
Student filmmakers Movie industry suffers, create short film on attendance at new low sustainability issues by WILL GREENE
Intern Lifestyles Reporter
Olivia Wilkes | The Appalachian
Sophomore appropriate technology major Blake Baines discusses his creation of the soundtrack for the student film "Cycles of Matter" Monday afternoon in Alchemy Coffee.
would be an appropriate setting for the film.” While the film has screened at the ith sustainable programs, Aperture Cinema in Winston-Salem, solar panels and wind Baines said the group is still trying to power, Appalachian State get a screening for the film at AppalaUniversity is an advocate of the green chian – they are currently looking for a club to sponsor their film in order to movement. That’s why filmmaker Matthew do so. Senior appropriate technology major Brown, a first-year student at the University of North Carolina’s School of Blake Baines, who composed music for the Arts, composed a four-man crew the film’s soundtrack, said the themes of Appalachian students to produce a in “Cycles” can be widely interpreted. “I think you can film about mantake a lot from it kind’s connection depending on your with nature here at “It takes a short own experiences,” the university. look into a man’s he said. “No matter The film, “Cycles relationships with his what message you of Matter,” lasts take away from it, only nine minutes environment, projecting it’s really aesthetiand is void of any the environmental cally pleasing.” dialogue. It “takes wisdom, worldview For both Baines a short look into a and principles behind and Stevens, priman’s relationship marily responsible with his environtranscendentalism.” for the soundtrack, ment, projecting collaboration with the environmental Matthew Brown the film marked wisdom, worldFilm Maker, “Cycles of Matter” their first exposure view and principles to the filmmaking behind transcenprocess. dentalism,” Brown Baines, who prosaid. “Cycles” tells the story of senior phi- vided the light acoustic guitar for the losophy major Joey McGowan as he soundtrack, said he was interested in drives away from civilization and into working on the film because of the experience. nature. “I knew it would kind of push me Brown said the film’s title relates literally to natural cycles within the en- outside of my comfort zone,” he said. vironment and metaphorically to the “Taking direction from someone else was actually kind of nice. I was excited way those cycles matter in life. Now, Brown and his crew are look- to make a product for someone else.” Stevens said the music helped to aid ing for a screening location on campus the mood of the film. for their film. “[The music] is really simple, but it “He saw while he was up here that there are a lot of people who care about definitely creates a powerful part of the the environment,” said junior market- film,” Stevens said. “It definitely leaves ing major Chris Stevens, the film’s the viewer with an emotional connecsound designer. “I definitely think this tion.” by EMMALEE ZUPO Lifestyles Reporter
W
A trip to the movies has gone from being a carefree and fun night out with family or friends to being a rarely experienced outing and major blow to ones budget. “When I was a kid, my family and I would go to the movies fairly regularly, but they have just gotten too expensive to regularly attend anymore,” Jason Capps, sophomore economics major, said. “I don’t want to spend money taking a chance on a movie that might not be good in the first place.” In 2011, the total box office revenue for wide release movies in the United States was $3.1 billion as opposed to $10.6 billion in 2010, according to boxofficemojo. com. In a recent article written by movie critic Roger Ebert, he offered a theory as to why the movie industry is in decline because of “ the absence of a must-see massmarket movie.” “When moviegoers hear about ‘Avatar’ or ‘The Dark Knight,’ they blast off from home base and land in a theater seat as quickly as they can,” according to rogerebert.suntimes.com. The highest grossing movie of 2011 was “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” with $381.1 million total grossing, however the wizard movie phenomenon made less than 2010’s animated giant “Toy Story 3” with $415 Million made, according to boxofficemojo.com. Sophomore elementary education major Hayley Storm said she’s not interested in attending movie theater for a matinee. “I remember when I was in middle school and most of high school, the movies were the place to be,” Storm said. “It was basically like a routine with my friends. Every weekend we would go catch a movie. But they have become too expensive to regularly attend and I was not really interested in any movies that came out last year.” A ticket to a 3-D movie can average around $11 per person at Regal Cinemas in Boone, which is not something most students, let alone an entire family, plan
Super Cinema at IG Greer:
Jan. 19-21 50/50 Jan. 26-28 Drive Feb. 2-4 Ides of March Feb. 9-11 The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn, Part 1 Feb. 16-18 The Muppets Feb. 23-25 Puss In Boots Mar. 1-3 Hugo *NOTE: No films prior to, and during Spring Break* Mar. 22-24 Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Mar. 29-31 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Apr. 12-14 Young Adult Apr. 20-22 The Adventures of Tintin (Friday – Sunday) Apr. 26-28 Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Cinema Vintage at Greenbriar:
Jan. 18 & 20 Sixteen Candles (1984) Jan. 25 & 27 Breakfast Club (1985) Feb. 1 & 3 Pretty in Pink (1986) Feb. 8 & 10 Footloose (1984) Feb. 15 & 17 Dead Poet’s Society (1989) Feb. 22 & 24 The Goonies (1985) Feb. 29 & 3/2 Pretty in Pink (1990) Mar. 7 & 8 Singin’ in the Rain (Wednesday & Thursday) (1952) Mar. 21 & 23 Grease (1978) Mar. 28 & 30 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) Apr. 4 & 5 West Side Story (1961) (Wednesday & Thursday) Apr. 11 & 13 Roman Holiday (1953) Apr. 18 & 20 Sabrina (1954) Apr. 25 & 27 Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) May 2 & 4 Casablanca (1942)
Source: films.appstate.edu to spend most of their money on nonessentials. Regal Cinema 7, located on New Market Street Centre, declined to comment. APPS Films sponsors Super Cinema, located in the I.G. Greer Building, is open Thursday through Saturday and Cinema Vintage, located in Greenbriar, is open every Wednesday and Friday.
Both are open normally during the school year with exception of university breaks. “50/50,” starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen is playing this weekend at I.G. Greer and “Sixteen Candles” starring Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall will be playing at Cinema Vintage Friday. The ticket fee is $1.
Lucky Five, Young Toon play first spring semester Legends show by CASEY SUGLIA Lifestyles Reporter
Charlotte-based band Lucky Five will return to Legends Friday to play the venue’s first show of the semester. The band last played Legends in September. Overall, the band members – who have played together since 2010 – said their sound is a bit hard to categorize or describe. “Overall, we’re soul rock or groove rock,” guitarist Shago Elizando said “Our music has a strong emphasis on grooves that “Get ready to see induce ‘stank’ a group of guys faces. All the while, we who all take mublend elesic very seriously ments of jazz, funk, R&B, and play with their pop and soul.” whole heart.” W h i l e Marques Nash they combine Vocalist and Keyboardist various tradifor Lucky Five tional musical elements, the band members said modern artists inspire them as well. “I think all of our diverse influences are what make Lucky Five what it is today,” Elizando said. “We all come from different musical backgrounds, but we share a lot of common ground on those backgrounds.” Students who come to a Lucky Five show should “come prepared to dance,” vocalist and keyboardist Marques Nash said. “Get ready to see a group of guys who all take music very seriously and play with their whole heart,” Nash said. Nash added that he is very excited to be back in Boone. “The people are real as hell,” he said. “We are always showered with so much love and we get to drink with some of our
Courtesy Photo
(L to R) Guitarist Shago Elizando vocalist Marques Nash, drummer Jesse Williams and replacement bassist Jeremy Maher play to the audience at Legends last September.
first fans who attend school there now. So Boone, here we come.” APPS Club Shows chairman Spencer Foster said Lucky Five is a “nice alternative to what is typically brought at Legends.” “Since this show is the first show of the semester, it is a great way for new students to see what APPS has to offer and for returning students to get back into another great semester of APPS programs,” Foster said. Opening for Lucky Five is 2011 Appa-
lachian graduate Kerry Lamar, who is now based in Charlotte and goes by the stage name Young Toon. “While most rappers rely on either their flow or their words, Kerry is a master of both,” Lucky Five guitarist Jonny Fung said. “You will not want to miss him. His addition to the bill will definitely give the whole show more of a soul/dancing vibe than a rock vibe.” Lamar, who has been rapping for most of his life but started seriously pursuing
music three years ago, said he is “kind of nervous” to open for the band. “To be honest, they were a small part of the reason that I got serious about music,” he said. “I find it an honor and a pleasure to work with them and I look forward to the show.” Lamar’s new mix tape, “Dark Corner Writings,” will be available in February. Tickets for Friday’s show are available for $3 in advance and $5 at the door. This event is BYOB with proper identification.
Opinion 6
Letter to the Edit
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• January 19, 2012
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Staff Opinion
Occupy movement is dying out, will remain irrelevant if no organizational changes made
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Meghan Frick I’m not usually the type to harbor strong opinions. I’d rather attempt to see both sides of a story than pick one, and I prefer listening to imposing my own views. In other words, I’m a raging, bleeding-heart liberal. But in one case, I have an ironclad opinion and I’m not afraid to share it: the Occupy movement is dying, and I called it. I’ve said time and time
The Appalachian, a student-run publication at Appalachian State University, strives to provide fair and accurate news for the campus community; to inform, entertain and create a forum for ideas; to provide an outlet for reader's opinions; to be a champion for student, faculty, staff, and community interests; and to remain independent, exercise and insure its First Amendment rights.
again that I agree, in basic summary, with the principals of Occupy Boone and Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Wherever-else. But I’ve also said that the movement’s haphazard organization and total lack of enforceable demands would lead to a less-than-notable fading away over time, rather than any real change. As you read this, the movement is already being memorialized and moved into the annals of history. Occupy Wall Street was just featured in an “oral history” by Vanity Fair, a collection of remembrances of the movement’s time in Zuccotti Park. Occupy Chapel Hill has officially ended its encampment at Peace and
Justice Plaza, according to The Daily Tar Heel. Various other college-town encampments have pulled up roots as well. Occupy Boone is still up and running, but there “hasn’t been as much activity” thanks to concerns like weather and school, according to facebook.com/occupyboone. The organizations still exist, sure, but anyone who says they’re thriving is just avoiding the truth. And after everything, what have they accomplished? Not much, as far as I can see. As subjective as this is, I don’t even think any barriers have been broken down. The haves and the have-nots are still very much at odds.
We live in a culture where “raising awareness” is held up as an end or goal – but awareness alone does precisely nothing. Real change requires more than ideals, more even than action – it requires action that produces results. I don’t claim to know what action might work for the Occupy movement, but I’d start by suggesting they develop some real, concrete, agreed-upon demands that actually have the potential to be met. Until that happens, the movement will remain irrelevant.
Frick, a senior public relations major from Columbia, S.C., is the associate editor for editorial content.
Editorial Cartoon . . . so the attendance policy is there because you’re paying good money for this class and there really isn’t any reason for you to miss class unless you’re really, really ill with malaria or something of that sorts and . . .
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. The Appalachian reserves the right to decline publication of any letter and to edit letters for the purpose of clarity and space. 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.
My last teacher read from the dictionary for an hour . . .
Have something to say?
That must have been painful.
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Aaron Fairbanks | Editorial Cartoonist
Politicians don’t care about students’ views
Letter
Hello fellow Mountaineers,
My name is Lauren Estes and I have the pleasure of serving you as the President of the Student Government Association (SGA) this year. I hope that your winter break was relaxing and that you’re back this January rested and ready for a second semester. It has been a very full year so far, and your Student Government has been hard at work and only gaining momentum heading into the spring. So far this year, SGA has… • Fought for students and helped maintain affordable tuition and fee rates for next year • Worked with library staff to reestablish 24 hours during exams • Ensured a student voice with the potential move to Division-I athletics • Passed a bill granting voting membership to SGA Senate to several university organizations • Helped to establish student employee evaluations • And for your eating pleasure, Omelet Bar now in Central Dining Hall for breakfast Student Government has been putting on events like… • ASU Homecoming Parade • Nomination and election of Homecoming King and Queen • Hunger Banquet • International Coffee Hour • Tunnel of Oppression • Topic-centered luncheons with Chancellor Peacock Coming up this semester: the Environmental Forum, as well as the Earth Day Festival and Diversity Celebration. We look forward to continued conversation about tuition and fee rates for next year and look forward to representing you in those decisions. I welcome your thoughts and your input and would love for you personally to join our voice for the students. Feel free to visit our website at sga.appstate.edu for more information or drop by the SGA office located on the second floor of the student union. Enjoy your second semester, because it’s another great day to be a Mountaineer. Lauren Estes SGA President
Staff Opinion
Anne Buie Politics have become a game of chess. While most citizens of the United States get the privilege of being a pawn in the game, American college students have become spectators. Regardless of their political affiliation, politicians aren’t interested in reaching out to college students. They don’t know how to approach students or how to make promises that interest them. Reaching out to American citizens is seemingly straightforward. Either
politicians promise to create jobs for the jobless, or they vow to protect America’s working class. But that’s where it gets tricky. As college students, we’re a mix between those two extremes. We’re the gray area in the working world, because while being a full-time student is technically a full-time job – it doesn’t exactly pay the bills. Politicians seem to be under the impression that only a select few students vote intelligently, that most vote a certain way because of their parents’ influence or because they flipped a coin. The rest of this demographic just doesn’t vote at all. That voting apathy has caused the student population to be considered a minority. And while politicians go out of their way to reach out to various minorities throughout the campaign process because they fear being accused of discrimination, they
ignore specifically reaching out to us. Why shouldn’t our minority matter? Every politician creates his or her platform on the ideas they’re going to change in America. They list out their plans and programs and all the ways they’re going to make our country better than ever. But if these politicians truly want change, they need to reach out to more college students. The older generation is set in its ways and not crazy about change. College students, on the other hand, constantly embrace ways to improve American life. College students are the future of America. It’s time for politicians to start working alongside them. That’s what will produce real change. Buie, a freshman English and secondary education major from Charlotte, is a senior news reporter.
Staff Opinion
Prophecy or not, spend 2012 like it’s your last year
Casey Suglia Welcome to 2012. It’s the year of the summer Olympics, the election of the 45th president of the United States of America and the end of the world as we know it. The world is due to end Dec. 21, according to a Mayan prophecy. So with roughly 330 days left in our lives, you need to make this the best year you’ve ever had. Since it’s possibly my last year on earth, I want to make every single day matter
– even the lazy ones, or days when it’s impossible to keep going. Everything I do will be for a reason: living my life how it should be lived. Personally, I’m going to limit the negativity surrounding my life. I live each day saying the word “no” too frequently and “yes” not often enough. By removing negativity, I’ll not only keep away the bad but also open myself up to new opportunities and positive thinking. I also plan to have certain things in my life come full circle. I’m going to tie up loose ends with friends and be on good terms with everyone, removing hostility and grudges I’ve ignored all along. Finally, I’m going to live my life without fear. I’ve worried my entire life about anything and everything, but
if nothing’s going to come after Dec. 21, there’s no reason to be afraid. I know when the world has its expiration date. So I’m not going to fear the end of the world as we know it, or fear my fate and what is to come. I’m getting rid of everything in my life that has held me back, acknowledging its presence and pushing forward. I’m not saying you should skip class and party all day because none of this will matter come Dec. 22. I’m also not suggesting that I’ll be giving away my life’s savings or telling everyone my true opinions about them – only to survive into 2013, broke and friendless. However, I can’t say that any of the years I’ve witnessed have been the best years of my life, or have con-
sisted of the best months of my life. So if I’m going to be a witness to my actions and be aware that we might only have a few months left, why shouldn’t I try to have the best year I’ve ever had? With the start of the new year, I’m forgoing creating resolutions. Instead, I’m going to look ahead with a single goal: making this year unforgettable. The world may end up in shambles Dec. 21, or I may live to see 2013 and beyond. Either way, I’ll know that I’ve done everything I could to make it count. Live simply and without fear, but live your life like it matters – like this is the last year on earth.
Suglia, a freshman journalism major from Pinehurst, is a lifestyles reporter.
Sports The Appalachian
Check out coverage of men’s and women’s tennis at
TheAppalachianOnline.com
| TheAppalachianOnline.com
January 19, 2012 •
Mountaineers show progress in loss to UNC-Chapel Hill
Men’s basketball looks to regain consistency in season’s second half by JAKE AMBERG Sports Editor
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Adam Jennings | The Appalachian
Freshman guard Mike Neal attempts a layup over UNC freshman Desmond Hubert during ASU’s 97-82 Dec. 17 loss to the Tar Heels. Neal scored 15 points, all in the second half, in just 18 minutes of play.
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oing into an important stretch of Southern Conference games, the Appalachian State men’s basketball team (7-9, 3-3) knows that, above all else, it has to learn how to close out tight games. After dropping a late December game to Miami by 30 points, the Mountaineers have played four straight games decided by six points or less and have gone 2-2 during this stretch. However, as the final 12 conference games of the regular season begin, senior Omar Carter believes the team is ready to make the necessary adjustments in the clutch. “I think we’ve made the adjustments,” Carter said. “Just playing as a team and practice has been a little more competitive, but at the same time we’re sticking together. Just trying to find our niche and find our lineup. Most recently against Davidson, a game where Appalachian held the lead within the final five minutes, the Mountaineers struggled to close and fell by a score of 8379. Though the result was disappointing, the Mountaineers are confident in their clutch lineup. If they can stay out of foul trouble, they can rise in the ranks of the SoCon standings. “Our young guys are growing up and learning how to win,” head coach Jason Capel said. “We’re taking the necessary steps to improve.” Carter agrees, and thinks removing bad fouls from the equation will allow ASU to
put its five best players on the court to finish games. During the last two weeks, the Mountaineers have discovered a breakout player to fit into their rotation, junior forward Nathan Healy. When Isaac Butts missed three conference games due to injury, the high-energy junior averaged 21 minutes and eight points to help fill in for the seven-foot center. Healy’s play, however, goes beyond the stat line. He’s arguably the most visibly energetic player on the team and is called the “unsung hero” by Omar Carter. “Nathan brings the energy and it’s very, very obvious,” Carter said. “I love when he’s out there because when he’s out there and bringing energy, it makes it easier on the whole team. He does the dirty work. He’s our dirty work guy.” Despite the high praise from his teammate, Healy maintains his modesty. “I just try to do whatever I can to help the team win, whatever that calls for,” Healy said. “I definitely think it rubs off on other guys sometimes. I hope it does. I just like to play hard and if I’m not going hard after the game, I regret it until the next game.” Healy’s production will be necessary in the weeks to come, as junior guard Rodney Milum could miss the rest of the season. Milum left the team last week to tend to a family matter. Appalachian could, if things fall in its favor, end the weekend in first place in the SoCon North. The Mountaineers will travel to Wofford (10-8, 3-3) Jan. 19 and return home for Western Carolina (9-10, 3-3) Jan. 21 in the Holmes Convocation center.
Women’s basketball looks to bounce back from first SoCon loss By TYLER WOOD Sports Reporter
The Lady Mountaineers (11-3, 5-1) fell 55-52 to visiting Davidson (11-6, 7-1) for just their second loss in the Holmes Convocation Center in the last 27 games at home. The Appalachian women took a five-point advantage into halftime, but poor shooting in the second half contributed to the Lady Mountaineers first SoCon defeat of the season. “We had the looks at the basket we wanted, but they just didn’t fall,” head coach Darcie Vincent said. “It’s one of those games that we have to learn from and just keep our chin up and move onto the next game.” The Appalachian women were led in scoring by senior guard T.C. Weldon and junior forward Kelsey Sharkey who both had 10 points. Sharkey also grabbed nine rebounds. “We came out really strong and we knew what we needed to do,” Sharkey said. “It was nothing they did to us, we just didn’t make our shots.” Leading scorers on the season Anna and Courtney Freeman were held in check by combining for just 17 points, roughly half of their combined averages per game coming into the Davidson contest. “When our two leading scorers, Anna and Courtney ,are having trouble making shots, other people must step up and help out,” Weldon said. Appalachian shot just 27 percent from the floor, and had trouble containing preseason SoCon player of the year Sophia Aleksandravicius who had a dominant stat line of 17 points, 20 rebounds, and seven blocked shots to lead the Wildcats. “It was one of our worst shooting games since I’ve been here,” Coach Vincent said. “Hopefully that’s as bad we shoot all season.” Looking to start a new winning streak, the App women will travel to play Wofford Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Spartanburg, S.C. “Wofford is a very dangerous team,” Coach Vincent said. “They are the only team in our conference who has
Amy Birner l The Appalachian
Sophomore guard Michelle Taylor powers through a Georgia Southern defender in last Thurday night’s game. The Mountaineers won the game 64-45 making their record 6-1. Junior forward Anna Freeman rises above a Georgia Southern defender in last Thurday night’s game. The Mountaineers won the game 64-45, making their record 6-1.
beat Davidson.” Sharkey explained the team’s mentality heading into their game against the Terriers. “We are definitely ready to get back onto the court,” Sharkey said. “Our last game shows that we can’t take anything for granted.
Amy Birner l The Appalachian
Men, Women’s Track and Field teams dominate in first 2012 meet Appalachian men perform well in first meet, nine place in top five by LEIGH ROBERTS Senior Sports Reporter
After a month off, the Appalachian men’s track and field team combined for nine top-five finishes at the Dick Taylor Invitational in Chapel Hill Jan. 13 and 14. “Everyone gave a really good effort,” head coach John Weaver said. “I could see that everyone was doing well at the end of the race and I could see that they weren’t just dying through the races. That was really encouraging to see those varying degrees of fitness when they came back.” Junior Jared Stalling picked up a first place finish in the weight throw and senior Caleb Poplin finished in fourth. Senior Darius Purcell, the No. 15 high jumper in the nation, finished in first by clearing 7-1 during his jumps. Purcell described his training over break as “rough.” “I did a lot of running, but I wasn’t able to do much jumping,” he said. Freshman Daryl Saunders jumped for a personal best, 6-11, in the high jump and finished in third. Another nationally ranked Mountaineer, No. 36 Dennis Moore, finished in third place in the 200-meter dash, while junior miler Alex Taylor also finished in third place with a time of 4:19.05. Senior Chris Moen picked up a third place finish in the 3000-meter run. ASU debuted freshman Stanley Broaden, who finished fourth in the 60-meter hurdles, and Alex Lomax, who finished fifth in the pole vault with a personal best. “The team performed really well, in my opinion. Especially coming back from a break like that,” Purcell said. The men’s team will return home Jan. 19 in the Appalachian Split Meet at the Holmes Convocation center.
Women dominate field events, finish with 12 in top five by LEIGH ROBERTS Senior Sports Reporter
The women’s track and field team raced out of the gate at the Dick Taylor Invitational in Chapel Hill Jan. 13 and 14. Along with 13 top-five finishers, they had nine top-six finishers in the distance and throwing events alone. “We’re all in pretty good shape,” junior Sarah Williamson said of her team’s top-five finishes. “Hopefully we can stay that way until conference.” Sarah Williamson led the distance team in the 5000-meter run, with a first place finish of 18:07.25. “I’ve never run that quick indoors,” Sarah said. “It was surprising, but I wish I could’ve run faster. But for the first meet, I’d say that’s pretty good.” Juniors Katie Cagle and Jenna Williamson finished in the top five as well, with a second place finish from Cagle and a fifth place from Jenna. “I had Jenna and Katie
to run with,” Sarah said of her clearing 12-1 1/2. Cook cleared training over break. “It was nice 11-1 3/4, finished seventh in the to have Boone by itself to get meet and ninth in all-time ASU some good training in.” history. Junior Amanda Hamilton Sophomore Breanna Alston didn’t skip a beat, with a personal had a successful night with two best and fifth place finish in the top-five finishes, taking second 3000. place in the 200-meter dash and For the throwing events, soph- fourth in the 60-meter dash. omore Ana DeSophomore Leon claimed Shaquiela Robinfirst place in son cleared 5-5 in “It was nice to the weight the high jump, sehave Boone by throw and felcuring fifth place. low sophomore “Everybody is itself to get some going Jocelyn Parnell to have to earned a pergood training in.” improve, with the sonal best and exception of the 7 fourth-place ft. high jump by Sarah Williamson finish. Junior Track & Field athlete Darius and the 12 The Apps ft. vault by Chelcleaned up in sea,” head coach the shot put, John Weaver said. with freshman Jasmine Suydam “Everything else was ok, but we in fourth, DeLeon in fifth, and definitely have to make some imParnell in sixth. provements. We’ll spend January In their second meet for ASU, getting back to the levels that we freshmen Chelsea Farr and Syd- need to be at, and February we’ll ney Cook set themselves apart see the benefits of it.” in the pole vault, putting their This Thursday, the Mounnames down in Appalachian his- taineers will host the Appalatory. Farr finished third and tied chian Split Meet at 3 p.m. in the for third all-time in ASU history, Holmes Center.