Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, February 14, 2013.
Dr. Wendy Faughn has been playing the piano for over 35 years. For the past six years, she has organized the annual Foothills Piano Festival, a series of concerts, presentations, and Master Classes involving the piano.
Originally, events for the festival were held at a variety of locations in the area: the Anniston High School auditorium, the Anniston Museum of Natural History and JSU's Mason Hall.
"It started out as a three-day event, with concerts, master classes, and workshops for youth," says Faughn. "It's turned into more of a series, all held here at JSU; a series of three concerts and master classes throughout the year. I've learned that the community likes to have things spaced out instead of coming out each night for three nights in a row."
Although all of the concerts are focused on the piano, each one has had its own unique flavor. The concert tomorrow night, Feb. 15, will feature two performers playing the same piano.
Past concerts have showcased jazz pianists, classical pianists, and chamber music featuring piano, violin and cello. But there has also been plenty of non-traditional fare.
"There have been works that are very avant-garde and cutting edge, written in the past five years, which involve using different types of electronics," said Faughn. Nintendo's Wii gaming console has even been used in some performances.
One of the pianists performing Friday night is an Associate Dean at Florida State University, one of the biggest and best music schools in the southeast. He will be speaking with Music majors at JSU on Friday about careers in music and how to approve for music graduate schools.
At the end of this month, Jeremy Samolesky will give a recital and teach a master class.
Faughn explains that a master class is like a public music lesson.
"It's where three or four pianists are chosen to play, they get their pieces up to performance level, and then they play them in front of this artist. Then he gives them further input on how they can improve them, teaches them, and has them try these new suggestions in front of the audience."
Faughn and another piano professor at JSU, Dr. Gail Steward, select some of their best students to participate in the master classes.
There have also been times when Faughn has opened the opportunity to members of the Alabama Music Teachers Association, who select some of their students as candidates.
In past years, some 13- and 14-year-olds have participated in the master classes.
Faughn, who is president of the Alabama Music Teacher's Association as well as a professor at JSU, is also an active performer. She just finished a mini tour last week, giving three concerts across the south.
She encourages all students to attend the concerts the Foothills Piano Festival has to offer.
"I think some spectacular concerts have been offered over the years, and that these upcoming concerts are going to be terrific," said Faughn. "I think that our students, even if they have limited experience with attending classical music concerts, will find such an event to be relaxing."
This week's concert featuring Seth Beckman and Gail Steward will be held on Fri., Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m. at the Mason Hall performance center. The concert should last slightly over one hour.
Details on all the Foothills Piano Festival events can be found on the David L. Walters Music Department web page, www.jsu.edu/music.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Music student continues family tradition at JSU
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, February 21, 2013.
Some things just run in the family. Just ask Jessica Lister, a second-generation music student at JSU.
Lister is a Vocal Music Education major, and her father, Roland Lister, was an Instrumental Music Education major when he attended Jacksonville State. According to Jessica Lister, her dad was a big reason she chose to attend JSU.
"He loved it," she said. "He actually went here in the 1960s and he was in the Southerners."
Lister has been involved with different choral groups during her time at JSU. She is a member of the A Cappella Choir, the Chamber Singers, has been in the Calhoun County Civic Chorale and is part of the Jacksonville Opera Theater.
She was in the chorus for JOT's production of Romeo and Juliet last spring, which was sung entirely in French.
"It was hard," said Lister, who didn't speak any French prior to the show. "We have to take diction classes where we learn to pronounce that stuff."
Lister is currently preparing for her first principal role in a JOT production, as Pitti-Sing in The Mikado this summer.
Lister says that she has been singing her entire life, but that she started taking voice lessons when she was a junior in high school. She will present a vocal recital on March 3 at 3 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Anniston.
Lister's father taught music in the Gadsden city school system for several years, and she intends to follow suit.
"I'd really like to teach elementary music," she says. "Or high school or middle school choir. But elementary is where I want to be."
Although she says that she would be open to a teaching job elsewhere, she adds, "I think Gadsden would be pretty cool. I don't know that I would want to move way out. But if I had to, I would."
Lister intends to graduate this December and says that there are many things she has enjoyed about her experience at JSU.
"I love the feeling when you're walking past Mason Hall, and you hear someone playing music on the porch. It just gets you in the mood to learn." She adds, "I even loved taking basic classes and getting to know people outside the Music department."
On her career choice, Lister says, "If you love music, you won't be happy doing anything else. I sincerely considered doing something else, like History or English or even another Education field, but music was where my heart was. But that's what just about anyone will tell you; you just don't feel like you can do anything else."
Lister says that if a JSU student approached her and asked her about becoming a Music major, "I would tell them to just go for it, if their heart is really in it. It is a lot of hard work, but if it's really what you want to do and you're dedicated to it, you'll succeed. The faculty is wonderful and they will help you every step of the way."
Some things just run in the family. Just ask Jessica Lister, a second-generation music student at JSU.
Lister is a Vocal Music Education major, and her father, Roland Lister, was an Instrumental Music Education major when he attended Jacksonville State. According to Jessica Lister, her dad was a big reason she chose to attend JSU.
"He loved it," she said. "He actually went here in the 1960s and he was in the Southerners."
Lister has been involved with different choral groups during her time at JSU. She is a member of the A Cappella Choir, the Chamber Singers, has been in the Calhoun County Civic Chorale and is part of the Jacksonville Opera Theater.
She was in the chorus for JOT's production of Romeo and Juliet last spring, which was sung entirely in French.
"It was hard," said Lister, who didn't speak any French prior to the show. "We have to take diction classes where we learn to pronounce that stuff."
Lister is currently preparing for her first principal role in a JOT production, as Pitti-Sing in The Mikado this summer.
Lister says that she has been singing her entire life, but that she started taking voice lessons when she was a junior in high school. She will present a vocal recital on March 3 at 3 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Anniston.
Lister's father taught music in the Gadsden city school system for several years, and she intends to follow suit.
"I'd really like to teach elementary music," she says. "Or high school or middle school choir. But elementary is where I want to be."
Although she says that she would be open to a teaching job elsewhere, she adds, "I think Gadsden would be pretty cool. I don't know that I would want to move way out. But if I had to, I would."
Lister intends to graduate this December and says that there are many things she has enjoyed about her experience at JSU.
"I love the feeling when you're walking past Mason Hall, and you hear someone playing music on the porch. It just gets you in the mood to learn." She adds, "I even loved taking basic classes and getting to know people outside the Music department."
On her career choice, Lister says, "If you love music, you won't be happy doing anything else. I sincerely considered doing something else, like History or English or even another Education field, but music was where my heart was. But that's what just about anyone will tell you; you just don't feel like you can do anything else."
Lister says that if a JSU student approached her and asked her about becoming a Music major, "I would tell them to just go for it, if their heart is really in it. It is a lot of hard work, but if it's really what you want to do and you're dedicated to it, you'll succeed. The faculty is wonderful and they will help you every step of the way."
Where do I vote? A guide for out-of-town students
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, September 20, 2012.
Many Jacksonville State University students will cast their ballots for the first time in Nov., and it is now easier to register to vote.
A voter registration form for the state of Ala. can be downloaded at www.alabamavotes.org and mailed to the Secretary of State or the county's Board of Registrars. On-campus voter drives by groups such as the SGA and College Democrats have been helping students register over the past few weeks. Organizations such as Rock the Vote offer online voter registration at www.rockthevote.com.
But what qualifications does a person need to become a registered voter? And are students supposed to vote in their hometown or here in Jacksonville?
Someone at least 18 years of age on Election Day and a resident of Alabama may vote in this state. According to state law, a person who attends school in Ala. can establish residency here if he or she intends to make the Alabama school address a primary address for the time being. In other words, students can vote in their college town.
When voters arrive at the polls, they must present valid identification, such as a driver's license, U.S. passport or student ID card. A non-photo ID is also acceptable, as long as it contain's the voter's name and current local address. Examples of a valid non-photo identification are a Social Security card, birth certificate, paycheck or bank statement, or hunting or fishing license.
If students intend to vote in their hometown but will be at JSU on Election Day, they are allowed to vote via absentee ballot. To qualify for this privilege, registered voters must submit an application for an absentee ballot at least five days before Election Day. The absentee ballot must be returned along with a copy of identification that includes the voter's current Ala. address.
Absentee voters must also submit a signed affidavit that's either notarized or signed by two witnesses who are over 18 years old. Absentee ballots that are mailed must be postmarked by the day preceding Election Day, and absentee ballots that are hand-delivered must be received by the county election office before it closes on the day before Election Day.
First-time students face new health screening
Note: This article was first published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, August 30, 2012.
First-time students, whether freshmen, transfers, English Language Institute or graduate students, are now facing new requirements as part of JSU's health and wellness initiative.
Effective this semester, new students must be screened for immunizations and tuberculosis.
"In the past, those were required, but there was no means to track compliance," according to Amanda Bonds with the Student Health Center. "At this point, we are able to track it through the university computer system."
The forms are simple to fill out and are available on JSU's website, but the health center understands new students can be overwhelmed between meeting registration requirements and adjusting to college. Therefore, they allow a grace period to comply.
After students apply to JSU, they receive a letter stating the health center's requirements. From that point, students have until pre-registration begins for their next semester to meet those requirements.
Students may obtain those forms by visiting www.jsu.edu/studenthealth and clicking on the student health forms link.
There is also another change on the Student Health Center's website: a calendar listing all health and wellness-related events on campus, including when Stephenson Hall hosts various exercise classes and when physicians are available to see students.
"We're wanting to pull together things that happen on a weekly basis anyway," says Bonds. "We want it to be more visible and accessible, so that students won't have to click through several different buttons to get to what they're looking for, and also highlighting special events that might occur [such as the health fair in September]."
Currently, the Student Health Center offers free visits with physicians and only requires payment for services rendered, such as flu shots.
If students have any ideas for health and wellness-related events or services that they would like to see on campus, they are encouraged to share their suggestions with Student Health Services.
First-time students, whether freshmen, transfers, English Language Institute or graduate students, are now facing new requirements as part of JSU's health and wellness initiative.
Effective this semester, new students must be screened for immunizations and tuberculosis.
"In the past, those were required, but there was no means to track compliance," according to Amanda Bonds with the Student Health Center. "At this point, we are able to track it through the university computer system."
The forms are simple to fill out and are available on JSU's website, but the health center understands new students can be overwhelmed between meeting registration requirements and adjusting to college. Therefore, they allow a grace period to comply.
After students apply to JSU, they receive a letter stating the health center's requirements. From that point, students have until pre-registration begins for their next semester to meet those requirements.
Students may obtain those forms by visiting www.jsu.edu/studenthealth and clicking on the student health forms link.
There is also another change on the Student Health Center's website: a calendar listing all health and wellness-related events on campus, including when Stephenson Hall hosts various exercise classes and when physicians are available to see students.
"We're wanting to pull together things that happen on a weekly basis anyway," says Bonds. "We want it to be more visible and accessible, so that students won't have to click through several different buttons to get to what they're looking for, and also highlighting special events that might occur [such as the health fair in September]."
Currently, the Student Health Center offers free visits with physicians and only requires payment for services rendered, such as flu shots.
If students have any ideas for health and wellness-related events or services that they would like to see on campus, they are encouraged to share their suggestions with Student Health Services.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Honors in China
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, August 30, 2012.
"The way the Chinese received us is probably the closest thing to Southern hospitality that I'll ever experience."
That is how JSU student Evan Mince describes the time he spent in China as part of the EH 399 course.
In May, Mince and nine other students from JSU's Honors program spent 12 days in China, studying at Taizhou University in Linhai, Zhejiang.
Greg Felch, Lea Isbell, Lauren McClendon, Whitney Gaut, Lance Hicks, Kailea Jones, Josh Wise, Ben Parr and Honors Board President Jenson Harmon were chosen to represent the university.
An application was available to all Honors students, and applicants had to write a 500-word essay on why they believed they should be selected to participate. 10 students were then chosen from the submissions.
The students took classes in cooking, kung fu, music, calligraphy and the Chinese language.
Taizhou is basically Linhai's equivalent of JSU. There is a big focus on liberal arts at Taizhou, but like most universities in China, they specialize in foreign trade and business.
Taizhou and JSU share a special relationship; starting this school year, Taizhou plans to send 10 students to JSU every year.
"The Taizhou students will take their first two years of basics at Taizhou, and then come over here for their last two years," explains Parr. "That's kind of why we went over there, as a diplomatic trip."
Each of the JSU students was paired with a Taizhou student to serve as a translator and guide during the duration of the trip, but they all ended up forming close friendships.
"When we had no more activities for the day, all the American and Chinese students would sit together and talk and play games and just get to know each other," McClendon reflects. "It was amazing to see how alike we all were."
According to Gaut, "By the end of the trip, we had grown so close that leaving was a tear-filled event."
In their classes at Taizhou, the JSU students were able to try their hand at making Chinese dumplings, doing scroll paintings, and even writing some of the Chinese characters.
"Each character has a certain number of strokes which have to be done in a certain order," says Isbell. "The whole process of learning how to write the characters was both fascinating and beautiful."
Wise was impressed by the demonstrations given by the Taizhou students in both the music and kung fu classes.
"It was really awesome to see younger people participating and being amazing at traditional Chinese customs. It seems like the younger generations in America don't embrace tradition the way the Chinese do," he says.
For all 10 JSU students who participated, the trip was one to be remembered forever.
"My favorite part of the experience, though others might enthusiastically suggest the food, was writing daily about the cultural differences that I noticed during our tour," says Hicks, an English major. "I'm very happy to have all those memories thoroughly catalogued in my journal so that I can revisit them and remember the subtle nuances of such a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
"The way the Chinese received us is probably the closest thing to Southern hospitality that I'll ever experience."
That is how JSU student Evan Mince describes the time he spent in China as part of the EH 399 course.
In May, Mince and nine other students from JSU's Honors program spent 12 days in China, studying at Taizhou University in Linhai, Zhejiang.
Greg Felch, Lea Isbell, Lauren McClendon, Whitney Gaut, Lance Hicks, Kailea Jones, Josh Wise, Ben Parr and Honors Board President Jenson Harmon were chosen to represent the university.
An application was available to all Honors students, and applicants had to write a 500-word essay on why they believed they should be selected to participate. 10 students were then chosen from the submissions.
The students took classes in cooking, kung fu, music, calligraphy and the Chinese language.
Taizhou is basically Linhai's equivalent of JSU. There is a big focus on liberal arts at Taizhou, but like most universities in China, they specialize in foreign trade and business.
Taizhou and JSU share a special relationship; starting this school year, Taizhou plans to send 10 students to JSU every year.
"The Taizhou students will take their first two years of basics at Taizhou, and then come over here for their last two years," explains Parr. "That's kind of why we went over there, as a diplomatic trip."
Each of the JSU students was paired with a Taizhou student to serve as a translator and guide during the duration of the trip, but they all ended up forming close friendships.
"When we had no more activities for the day, all the American and Chinese students would sit together and talk and play games and just get to know each other," McClendon reflects. "It was amazing to see how alike we all were."
According to Gaut, "By the end of the trip, we had grown so close that leaving was a tear-filled event."
In their classes at Taizhou, the JSU students were able to try their hand at making Chinese dumplings, doing scroll paintings, and even writing some of the Chinese characters.
"Each character has a certain number of strokes which have to be done in a certain order," says Isbell. "The whole process of learning how to write the characters was both fascinating and beautiful."
Wise was impressed by the demonstrations given by the Taizhou students in both the music and kung fu classes.
"It was really awesome to see younger people participating and being amazing at traditional Chinese customs. It seems like the younger generations in America don't embrace tradition the way the Chinese do," he says.
For all 10 JSU students who participated, the trip was one to be remembered forever.
"My favorite part of the experience, though others might enthusiastically suggest the food, was writing daily about the cultural differences that I noticed during our tour," says Hicks, an English major. "I'm very happy to have all those memories thoroughly catalogued in my journal so that I can revisit them and remember the subtle nuances of such a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
A partnership with Cintas helps JSU keeps up its green effort
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, November 29, 2012.
How many landfills do you want to creep up over the next 30 or 40 years in the world in which you live? This is a question that Clint Carlson, Vice President for Administrative and Business Affairs, wants students to strongly consider.
Carlson is trying to bring attention to a paper recycling initiative that has been taking place at JSU this semester. In partnership with Cintas, the university is trying to eliminate waste on campus. Square boxes bearing the Cintas label are scattered throughout campus, allowing students and faculty to securely drop off their papers to be recycled.
"It was a way to dispose of sensitive documents as well, things that might have Social Security numbers on them and things of that nature, because the boxes are secured," Carlson said. "They [Cintas] come by weekly, they've got the key to unlock the box, and then they take them out and shred them. [...] By doing this, it provides security of sensitive documents as well as keeps this stuff out of landfills."
Carlson says that while attempts to create a campus-wide recycling program have fallen short in the past, he believes that the current initiative has been fairly successful thus far. He said that past initiatives, especially those headed by the SGA, have not worked in the long run because of the turnover of officers from year to year.
"It's hard to create continuity from one administration to the next," he explained. "One administration might have a priority on recycling, and the next one doesn't."
The short-term goal for the university was to recycle the paper products for around one year before determining the success of the program. According to Carlson, recycling of cardboard and plastic products may be in store for the near future.
"Look around and see what we're generating," he said. "A lot of boxes come to campus. We would like to do something with our cardboard waste, and probably plastic. Most of the vending machines now dispense plastic drink containers versus aluminum cans."
Carlson acknowledged that for any recycling program to be effective, a team effort must be made.
"You can't create a recycling program and expect one group to do it," he said. "It takes effort across the board. And if everybody's not willing to participate, usually it's not going to be successful."
How many landfills do you want to creep up over the next 30 or 40 years in the world in which you live? This is a question that Clint Carlson, Vice President for Administrative and Business Affairs, wants students to strongly consider.
Carlson is trying to bring attention to a paper recycling initiative that has been taking place at JSU this semester. In partnership with Cintas, the university is trying to eliminate waste on campus. Square boxes bearing the Cintas label are scattered throughout campus, allowing students and faculty to securely drop off their papers to be recycled.
"It was a way to dispose of sensitive documents as well, things that might have Social Security numbers on them and things of that nature, because the boxes are secured," Carlson said. "They [Cintas] come by weekly, they've got the key to unlock the box, and then they take them out and shred them. [...] By doing this, it provides security of sensitive documents as well as keeps this stuff out of landfills."
Carlson says that while attempts to create a campus-wide recycling program have fallen short in the past, he believes that the current initiative has been fairly successful thus far. He said that past initiatives, especially those headed by the SGA, have not worked in the long run because of the turnover of officers from year to year.
"It's hard to create continuity from one administration to the next," he explained. "One administration might have a priority on recycling, and the next one doesn't."
The short-term goal for the university was to recycle the paper products for around one year before determining the success of the program. According to Carlson, recycling of cardboard and plastic products may be in store for the near future.
"Look around and see what we're generating," he said. "A lot of boxes come to campus. We would like to do something with our cardboard waste, and probably plastic. Most of the vending machines now dispense plastic drink containers versus aluminum cans."
Carlson acknowledged that for any recycling program to be effective, a team effort must be made.
"You can't create a recycling program and expect one group to do it," he said. "It takes effort across the board. And if everybody's not willing to participate, usually it's not going to be successful."
Board of Trustees approves healthcare resolution
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, January 31, 2013.
On Monday, January 28, the Board of Trustees at Jacksonville State University passed a resolution that will outsource student healthcare to Regional Medical Center beginning in the fall semester of 2013.
Services will include things at JSU's on-campus site, an off-campus office accessible via the Gamecock Express, and at RMC Jacksonville.
Services will also include family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, primary care, urgent care, women's health, men's health, mental health screenings, laboratory testing, radiology services, rehabilitation services, physicals, immunizations, medication management, check-ups and health fairs. There are also opportunities for education in infection control, safe sex practices, and campus safety, as well as nutritional and faith-based counseling, and wellness clubs.
It is not known at this time how the extended health services will affect students' pocketbooks, as the board is not set to decide on that matter until their April meeting. One possibility is that each student will be charged a health fee each semester, and another possibility is an increase in tuition.
While many students seem to agree that the decision is good for students without insurance, they are concerned about how it will affect them.
"Like myself, there are tons of people who have never used the school's healthcare services," says junior Alex Lang. "If anything, they need to find a way so that if you want to use the services, you can pay for it. All students shouldn't be charged."
Junior Curtis Holman says, "I feel that this proposal is going to help the students who don't have any health insurance. But for the ones who do have health insurance, it's not really going to matter. It will just be an extra charge on us."
"I think it's irrelevant for students who are on their parents' insurance," says History major Nicole Easterwood. "I think it's completely moronic to charge everyone the health fee when most won't use it. If JSU would offer affordable health insurance to students who need it, [...] things would be better and students who need to see a doctor can without the fear of incurring even more debt than they already have with student loans."
Students are hoping that extended hours at the center will mean that they will have access to doctors when they need them.
"I unfortunately have no personal insurance, and being a non-traditional student, am too old to be on my parents' insurance," says Art student Jeremy Bagwell. "I wouldn't mind paying a little extra on my tuition for affordable health insurance and be able to see any doctor, any day that I choose. But if I have to start paying to see the on-campus doctor, I better be able to see the doctor any day, any time and not pay the same as I would to see a doctor off-campus."
Another Art major, Ashlee Jones, echoes the sentiment, "Every time I have ever tried to contact the Student Health Center, no one would answer the phone or return my calls, so they felt ineffective and useless. Hopefully this decision will improve the health center for the better."
The on-campus facility will be open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the school year. Summer hours will be 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The off-campus location is at the office of Dr. Wyndol Hamer, which is on Pelham Road across the street from Jacksonville RMC hospital. Care will be available there from 7:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 12-5 p.m. on Sunday.
The emergency room at RMC Jacksonville is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
On Monday, January 28, the Board of Trustees at Jacksonville State University passed a resolution that will outsource student healthcare to Regional Medical Center beginning in the fall semester of 2013.
Services will include things at JSU's on-campus site, an off-campus office accessible via the Gamecock Express, and at RMC Jacksonville.
Services will also include family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, primary care, urgent care, women's health, men's health, mental health screenings, laboratory testing, radiology services, rehabilitation services, physicals, immunizations, medication management, check-ups and health fairs. There are also opportunities for education in infection control, safe sex practices, and campus safety, as well as nutritional and faith-based counseling, and wellness clubs.
It is not known at this time how the extended health services will affect students' pocketbooks, as the board is not set to decide on that matter until their April meeting. One possibility is that each student will be charged a health fee each semester, and another possibility is an increase in tuition.
While many students seem to agree that the decision is good for students without insurance, they are concerned about how it will affect them.
"Like myself, there are tons of people who have never used the school's healthcare services," says junior Alex Lang. "If anything, they need to find a way so that if you want to use the services, you can pay for it. All students shouldn't be charged."
Junior Curtis Holman says, "I feel that this proposal is going to help the students who don't have any health insurance. But for the ones who do have health insurance, it's not really going to matter. It will just be an extra charge on us."
"I think it's irrelevant for students who are on their parents' insurance," says History major Nicole Easterwood. "I think it's completely moronic to charge everyone the health fee when most won't use it. If JSU would offer affordable health insurance to students who need it, [...] things would be better and students who need to see a doctor can without the fear of incurring even more debt than they already have with student loans."
Students are hoping that extended hours at the center will mean that they will have access to doctors when they need them.
"I unfortunately have no personal insurance, and being a non-traditional student, am too old to be on my parents' insurance," says Art student Jeremy Bagwell. "I wouldn't mind paying a little extra on my tuition for affordable health insurance and be able to see any doctor, any day that I choose. But if I have to start paying to see the on-campus doctor, I better be able to see the doctor any day, any time and not pay the same as I would to see a doctor off-campus."
Another Art major, Ashlee Jones, echoes the sentiment, "Every time I have ever tried to contact the Student Health Center, no one would answer the phone or return my calls, so they felt ineffective and useless. Hopefully this decision will improve the health center for the better."
The on-campus facility will be open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the school year. Summer hours will be 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The off-campus location is at the office of Dr. Wyndol Hamer, which is on Pelham Road across the street from Jacksonville RMC hospital. Care will be available there from 7:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 12-5 p.m. on Sunday.
The emergency room at RMC Jacksonville is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Higher Education Day gives students a voice
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, February 21, 2013.
College students who want to make their voices heard in the Alabama legislature will have the opportunity to do so next Thursday, Feb. 28.
Next Thursday is Higher Ed Day, on which college students from around the state are encouraged to travel to Montgomery and petition for lower tuition costs. This week, SGA officers and representatives from Alabama's public universities, including JSU, met with several Senators and Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives Mike Hubbard to discuss the importance of higher education.
"The biggest thing we deal with every year is the state budgets," Hubbard explained. "In Alabama, we have two budgets. We have an education budget, which has most of the growth revenues tied to it, and it's earmarked just for education. Then we have a general fund."
Hubbard added that although "the education budget is in pretty good shape," new payroll taxes that were put into place on the federal level have cost the education trust fund about 60 million dollars.
Sometimes lobbying and petitioning can be frustrating, especially when results are not visible. But Gordon Stone, Director of the Higher Education Partnership, encourages students not to give up.
"The process is not a one-shot deal; never has been, never will be," Stone said. "You can't go to Washington and visit your Congressman and expect that to change the outcome of the vote. You can't come down here for one day and expect that to change the outcome of the vote. But if you don't come down here, you can be guaranteed that you won't have any impact on the outcome."
Higher Ed Day gives college students in Alabama the opportunity to show all 140 members of the state legislature that they care about how money is spent in the field of higher education, and that the decisions made by representatives affect them personally.
"I know it's easy for someone to say, 'Getting up and going down there, standing up, yelling for an hour, getting on the bus and coming back home doesn't make a difference,'" says Stone. "That's like saying that sitting in the stands doesn't impact the football game. It's like saying, 'I don't need to go to the church every Sunday and sit in the pew, because the preacher's not talking to me; I'm already saved.' It's seeing a limited perspective of what goes on. This is one major step in the process."
Hubbard encourages students to contact their legislators individually as well.
"People certainly recognize that you're here," he said of the Higher Education Day rally. "But the most important thing is when you talk one-on-one with your legislator. That's the most powerful lobbying that can be done."
Students who want to participate in Higher Ed Day can contact Jade Wagner, Vice President of Student Senate, at sgavpss@jsu.edu or 256-782-8493.
College students who want to make their voices heard in the Alabama legislature will have the opportunity to do so next Thursday, Feb. 28.
Next Thursday is Higher Ed Day, on which college students from around the state are encouraged to travel to Montgomery and petition for lower tuition costs. This week, SGA officers and representatives from Alabama's public universities, including JSU, met with several Senators and Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives Mike Hubbard to discuss the importance of higher education.
"The biggest thing we deal with every year is the state budgets," Hubbard explained. "In Alabama, we have two budgets. We have an education budget, which has most of the growth revenues tied to it, and it's earmarked just for education. Then we have a general fund."
Hubbard added that although "the education budget is in pretty good shape," new payroll taxes that were put into place on the federal level have cost the education trust fund about 60 million dollars.
Sometimes lobbying and petitioning can be frustrating, especially when results are not visible. But Gordon Stone, Director of the Higher Education Partnership, encourages students not to give up.
"The process is not a one-shot deal; never has been, never will be," Stone said. "You can't go to Washington and visit your Congressman and expect that to change the outcome of the vote. You can't come down here for one day and expect that to change the outcome of the vote. But if you don't come down here, you can be guaranteed that you won't have any impact on the outcome."
Higher Ed Day gives college students in Alabama the opportunity to show all 140 members of the state legislature that they care about how money is spent in the field of higher education, and that the decisions made by representatives affect them personally.
"I know it's easy for someone to say, 'Getting up and going down there, standing up, yelling for an hour, getting on the bus and coming back home doesn't make a difference,'" says Stone. "That's like saying that sitting in the stands doesn't impact the football game. It's like saying, 'I don't need to go to the church every Sunday and sit in the pew, because the preacher's not talking to me; I'm already saved.' It's seeing a limited perspective of what goes on. This is one major step in the process."
Hubbard encourages students to contact their legislators individually as well.
"People certainly recognize that you're here," he said of the Higher Education Day rally. "But the most important thing is when you talk one-on-one with your legislator. That's the most powerful lobbying that can be done."
Students who want to participate in Higher Ed Day can contact Jade Wagner, Vice President of Student Senate, at sgavpss@jsu.edu or 256-782-8493.
Column: Lessons I learned from the kids this summer
Note: This column was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, August 29, 2013.
As any of my friends will testify, I am a little bit of a neat freak, especially when it comes to my car. I feel like I'm always vacuuming and washing to keep it looking clean, and I never, ever, under any circumstances, eat in the car.
But this was the summer of all-Kara's-rules-were-meant-to-be-broken. While cleaning out my car over the past couple of months, I have discovered, hidden under and between the seats, a Kindle Fire, a picture of Justin Bieber, a beef jerky wrapper, a pair of socks, and even a live cat. I learned how to steer with one hand while using the other hand to dig through the console, find a napkin, and hand it to someone in the backseat with a bloody nose or a dripping ice cream cone.
This summer, I was a babysitter. And as strange as it sounds, I feel like spending time with a bunch of kids made me more of an adult in some ways. Those kids taught me some pretty important lessons.
One thing I learned from my kids this summer was not to sweat the small stuff. There were times when I would break up a fight or listen to a dramatic he-said she-said story and stifle a laugh. To children, it's the end of the world if they have to be Player Two instead of Player One on the Wii, or, heaven forbid, if someone touches a book or toy that belongs to someone else. But as adults, we realize how petty these "problems" are. I couldn't help but think God probably thinks the same thing when I freak out over little things that seem big to me at the time: I spilled dye on my favorite shirt or my hot water heater is broken so I have to take cold showers for a day or two until it can be fixed.
These aren't the things that matter. What always matters is that in the end, no matter what conflict, difficulty, or inconvenience these kids handled each day, they always had each other. For every "I hate you," there were two "I love yous." The drama was over, everyone was friends again, and life moved on.
The second lesson the kids taught me was to shoot for the stars. I enjoyed the conversations I had with them about their dreams and plans, and admired the way they think that nothing is impossible. One of the girls is sold on the idea of being an actress and living in Paris. One of the boys is convinced he has a career in major league baseball. Even though very few people can actually make their living doing those things, their enthusiasm reminded me that I should always strive to be at my best.
Perhaps the most important lesson I learned this summer was that sometimes, life gets messy.
I realize that everything in my life isn't going to go exactly the way I plan. At some time or another, someone is going to come along with muddy shoes or a juice box (who invented red Kool-Aid anyway?) and make their mark on my perfect little pre-planned world. But that's okay. Some messes can be quickly attended to and forgotten, while some can leave a permanent stain. But behind each mess is a can't-help-but-love-them child who caused it.
I've met lots of people during my time at JSU, and now as I am on track to graduate in 2014, I am learning to appreciate every one of them.
Not that I'm comparing my friends to stains in the floorboard of my car, but so many of them have made lasting impressions on me.
In every phase throughout our lives, people will come and go. Some will leave lasting impressions: some positive, some negative. But each person who leaves their mark on you while you are here at JSU is helping to shape you into the person you will be after you graduate and make your own mark on the world.
As any of my friends will testify, I am a little bit of a neat freak, especially when it comes to my car. I feel like I'm always vacuuming and washing to keep it looking clean, and I never, ever, under any circumstances, eat in the car.
But this was the summer of all-Kara's-rules-were-meant-to-be-broken. While cleaning out my car over the past couple of months, I have discovered, hidden under and between the seats, a Kindle Fire, a picture of Justin Bieber, a beef jerky wrapper, a pair of socks, and even a live cat. I learned how to steer with one hand while using the other hand to dig through the console, find a napkin, and hand it to someone in the backseat with a bloody nose or a dripping ice cream cone.
This summer, I was a babysitter. And as strange as it sounds, I feel like spending time with a bunch of kids made me more of an adult in some ways. Those kids taught me some pretty important lessons.
One thing I learned from my kids this summer was not to sweat the small stuff. There were times when I would break up a fight or listen to a dramatic he-said she-said story and stifle a laugh. To children, it's the end of the world if they have to be Player Two instead of Player One on the Wii, or, heaven forbid, if someone touches a book or toy that belongs to someone else. But as adults, we realize how petty these "problems" are. I couldn't help but think God probably thinks the same thing when I freak out over little things that seem big to me at the time: I spilled dye on my favorite shirt or my hot water heater is broken so I have to take cold showers for a day or two until it can be fixed.
These aren't the things that matter. What always matters is that in the end, no matter what conflict, difficulty, or inconvenience these kids handled each day, they always had each other. For every "I hate you," there were two "I love yous." The drama was over, everyone was friends again, and life moved on.
The second lesson the kids taught me was to shoot for the stars. I enjoyed the conversations I had with them about their dreams and plans, and admired the way they think that nothing is impossible. One of the girls is sold on the idea of being an actress and living in Paris. One of the boys is convinced he has a career in major league baseball. Even though very few people can actually make their living doing those things, their enthusiasm reminded me that I should always strive to be at my best.
Perhaps the most important lesson I learned this summer was that sometimes, life gets messy.
I realize that everything in my life isn't going to go exactly the way I plan. At some time or another, someone is going to come along with muddy shoes or a juice box (who invented red Kool-Aid anyway?) and make their mark on my perfect little pre-planned world. But that's okay. Some messes can be quickly attended to and forgotten, while some can leave a permanent stain. But behind each mess is a can't-help-but-love-them child who caused it.
I've met lots of people during my time at JSU, and now as I am on track to graduate in 2014, I am learning to appreciate every one of them.
Not that I'm comparing my friends to stains in the floorboard of my car, but so many of them have made lasting impressions on me.
In every phase throughout our lives, people will come and go. Some will leave lasting impressions: some positive, some negative. But each person who leaves their mark on you while you are here at JSU is helping to shape you into the person you will be after you graduate and make your own mark on the world.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Engaging in college life
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, August 23, 2013.
When new students arrive at JSU, they are flooded with opportunities to get involved with campus groups and events in order to enhance their college experience - to engage in what JSU has to offer.
A local college ministry has taken this idea to heart, and students are responding.
Engage JSU is a joint ministry of First Baptist Church of Jacksonville and Eagle Point Church.
"Our mission statement essentially is that we want our students to do exactly what they were told during orientation," says Will McGee, College/Teaching Pastor at First Baptist. "We want them to be involved on campus, in all spheres, whether that be Greek life, whether that be athletics, whether that be dorm life, et cetera. We want them to engage in all those spheres and pockets of campus as believers in Jesus, and be involved for the good of the university, for the good of their peers, for the good of one another; to proclaim the message that we believe is the greatest message on earth."
Although the church has had a college ministry for several years, Engage JSU as it is now began in August of 2011. What started out as a group of 11 students meeting in McGee's home has grown over the past two years to a group of over 70 students who meet in the sanctuary at FBC.
"I came essentially to pastor the college students who were already coming to our church," McGee says. "But what we saw was just the need on campus for more students coming to our events who weren't necessarily part of our church. They would go home on the weekends to their church, or they went to another church in the area, but they liked the community we were forming. That's when we decided, 'This is larger than just this church.'"
During the school year, Engage JSU meets on Monday nights at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church for a worship service that includes music and teaching. Throughout the week, they have small groups that meet to do Bible studies. There are co-ed studies, girls-only studies, and guys-only studies. They also have a Sunday school class that meets at FBC each week before the 11 a.m. service.
"We have, in my opinion, the best worship band in town," McGee says of the Monday night services.
"We play a mix of original songs and familiar songs. Then it's filled with about 20 or 25 minutes of teaching. Then typically, the students will go grab dinner or ice cream when we're done."
Engage JSU also hosts several events throughout the year, such as movie nights, game nights, and cookouts. But the students involved are not only engaging in JSU, but in the community and in the entire world.
"Throughout the months, we do mission trips," McGee explains. "We've done Baltimore, Haiti, East Asia, some students have gone to Thailand."
Students are also involved in Renovation Ministries in Anniston, International Justice Mission, and the WellHouse.
Because JSU is a college ministry of the Southern Baptist Church, the group's values and theology fit with that statement of faith. However, the services and Bible studies are really for all evangelical denominations.
"We have a contingent of Southern Baptist students, born and bred," says McGee. "But we do have a large number of Pentecostal students. We have a number of Reformed Presbyterian students that come and are a part of what we do. And on any given Monday night, we may have up to 10 or 15 countries represented at our Bible study. So that brings a whole sort of diversity, not just in language and ethnicity, but in worship styles and traditions."
For more information or to get involved, visit the group's website, EngageJSU.com, or the Engage JSU Facebook page.
When new students arrive at JSU, they are flooded with opportunities to get involved with campus groups and events in order to enhance their college experience - to engage in what JSU has to offer.
A local college ministry has taken this idea to heart, and students are responding.
Engage JSU is a joint ministry of First Baptist Church of Jacksonville and Eagle Point Church.
"Our mission statement essentially is that we want our students to do exactly what they were told during orientation," says Will McGee, College/Teaching Pastor at First Baptist. "We want them to be involved on campus, in all spheres, whether that be Greek life, whether that be athletics, whether that be dorm life, et cetera. We want them to engage in all those spheres and pockets of campus as believers in Jesus, and be involved for the good of the university, for the good of their peers, for the good of one another; to proclaim the message that we believe is the greatest message on earth."
Although the church has had a college ministry for several years, Engage JSU as it is now began in August of 2011. What started out as a group of 11 students meeting in McGee's home has grown over the past two years to a group of over 70 students who meet in the sanctuary at FBC.
"I came essentially to pastor the college students who were already coming to our church," McGee says. "But what we saw was just the need on campus for more students coming to our events who weren't necessarily part of our church. They would go home on the weekends to their church, or they went to another church in the area, but they liked the community we were forming. That's when we decided, 'This is larger than just this church.'"
During the school year, Engage JSU meets on Monday nights at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church for a worship service that includes music and teaching. Throughout the week, they have small groups that meet to do Bible studies. There are co-ed studies, girls-only studies, and guys-only studies. They also have a Sunday school class that meets at FBC each week before the 11 a.m. service.
"We have, in my opinion, the best worship band in town," McGee says of the Monday night services.
"We play a mix of original songs and familiar songs. Then it's filled with about 20 or 25 minutes of teaching. Then typically, the students will go grab dinner or ice cream when we're done."
Engage JSU also hosts several events throughout the year, such as movie nights, game nights, and cookouts. But the students involved are not only engaging in JSU, but in the community and in the entire world.
"Throughout the months, we do mission trips," McGee explains. "We've done Baltimore, Haiti, East Asia, some students have gone to Thailand."
Students are also involved in Renovation Ministries in Anniston, International Justice Mission, and the WellHouse.
Because JSU is a college ministry of the Southern Baptist Church, the group's values and theology fit with that statement of faith. However, the services and Bible studies are really for all evangelical denominations.
"We have a contingent of Southern Baptist students, born and bred," says McGee. "But we do have a large number of Pentecostal students. We have a number of Reformed Presbyterian students that come and are a part of what we do. And on any given Monday night, we may have up to 10 or 15 countries represented at our Bible study. So that brings a whole sort of diversity, not just in language and ethnicity, but in worship styles and traditions."
For more information or to get involved, visit the group's website, EngageJSU.com, or the Engage JSU Facebook page.
When in Rome, earn college credit
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, August 23, 2013.
This past May, 17 JSU students got to have the educational experience of a lifetime.
The students spent three weeks in Italy, studying Rome in political, cultural and religious history for HY399: History Study Abroad. The 2013 May term class was worth three credit hours.
The trip was open to all JSU students, but only a limited number of spots were available. An interest meeting was held in September, where a raffle was drawn to determine which students could go.
One of those students was Allie Mosley.
"I's highly advise anyone considering an opportunity like this to jump on it," Mosley said. "These have easily been the best three weeks of my life."
During the trip, students were able to visit the Coliseum, the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, the Panthenon, and even the city of Venice.
"Some of the best memories I've made here were just wandering around at night and stumbling upon churches or statues or gardens, or even just meeting all of my classmates here and making a near-nightly ritual of hanging out in the courtyard," Mosley said.
The class featured a blend of guided tours with professors and free time for students to explore on their own.
According to Leinin Schuerr, another student who went on the trip, "Not only was the city amazing, being there with the professors that know so much about the culture was so much more enlightening and made you think about the history in a deeper and more thoughtful way."
Spending three weeks in Italy allowed the students to immerse themselves in the culture of the country.
"It's really different from being back home in a lot of really nice ways. Things are so laid back," said Mosley. "Most of the stores and restaurants here close for a couple of hours in the middle of the day for 'reposo,' a time to eat and take a nap. There's hardly any in and out, and they bring our meals to us by courses. Most of our meals take two or so hours, easily."
Dr. Donald Prudlo, history professor at JSU, says this is the third time the university has offered this class, and that the class has grown increasingly larger each time.
"The first time, we had five (students), the second we had 15, and now we have 17," Prudlo said. "We hope to offer the class every other May term."
Schuerr adds, "If I had the opportunity, I would hop on a plane right now and go back! I would just tell the students that are going in the future to not take it for granted. If you go, it truly is life-changing. Also, don't be hesitant about going; just get ready to have the time of your life!"
This past May, 17 JSU students got to have the educational experience of a lifetime.
The students spent three weeks in Italy, studying Rome in political, cultural and religious history for HY399: History Study Abroad. The 2013 May term class was worth three credit hours.
The trip was open to all JSU students, but only a limited number of spots were available. An interest meeting was held in September, where a raffle was drawn to determine which students could go.
One of those students was Allie Mosley.
"I's highly advise anyone considering an opportunity like this to jump on it," Mosley said. "These have easily been the best three weeks of my life."
During the trip, students were able to visit the Coliseum, the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, the Panthenon, and even the city of Venice.
"Some of the best memories I've made here were just wandering around at night and stumbling upon churches or statues or gardens, or even just meeting all of my classmates here and making a near-nightly ritual of hanging out in the courtyard," Mosley said.
The class featured a blend of guided tours with professors and free time for students to explore on their own.
According to Leinin Schuerr, another student who went on the trip, "Not only was the city amazing, being there with the professors that know so much about the culture was so much more enlightening and made you think about the history in a deeper and more thoughtful way."
Spending three weeks in Italy allowed the students to immerse themselves in the culture of the country.
"It's really different from being back home in a lot of really nice ways. Things are so laid back," said Mosley. "Most of the stores and restaurants here close for a couple of hours in the middle of the day for 'reposo,' a time to eat and take a nap. There's hardly any in and out, and they bring our meals to us by courses. Most of our meals take two or so hours, easily."
Dr. Donald Prudlo, history professor at JSU, says this is the third time the university has offered this class, and that the class has grown increasingly larger each time.
"The first time, we had five (students), the second we had 15, and now we have 17," Prudlo said. "We hope to offer the class every other May term."
Schuerr adds, "If I had the opportunity, I would hop on a plane right now and go back! I would just tell the students that are going in the future to not take it for granted. If you go, it truly is life-changing. Also, don't be hesitant about going; just get ready to have the time of your life!"
Column: The hardest part is getting started
Note: This column was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, September 12, 2013.
“It was a dark and stormy night.”
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.”
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
“Call me Ishmael.”
These are the opening lines of four books that I read when I was growing up, and I actually memorized all four of these beginnings. Not intentionally; they just left such an impact that I have retained them in my memory over the years. (For those of you who want to Google these lines right now to find where they’re from, the books I quoted from were A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, and Moby Dick by Herman Melville.)
These are great beginnings, some of the most famous in literature.
Fast forward to me sitting at my desk in The Chanticleer office, with pages of notes from an interview and me staring at my computer screen. My fingers hover over the keyboard, but the Word document in front of me is blank.
That’s because I’m not very good at writing leads. Once I get started, my words just start flowing out onto the page. But I feel such a pressure to make some profound opening statement with each article, essay or column that I write, it’s crazy.
The hardest part is getting started. Just like an artist learns to ‘conquer the power of the white’ and make the first marks on their canvas, a writer has to learn to just start writing. There will be time to create some catchy opening words during the editing phase of the writing process.
“It was a dark and stormy night.”
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.”
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
“Call me Ishmael.”
These are the opening lines of four books that I read when I was growing up, and I actually memorized all four of these beginnings. Not intentionally; they just left such an impact that I have retained them in my memory over the years. (For those of you who want to Google these lines right now to find where they’re from, the books I quoted from were A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, and Moby Dick by Herman Melville.)
These are great beginnings, some of the most famous in literature.
Fast forward to me sitting at my desk in The Chanticleer office, with pages of notes from an interview and me staring at my computer screen. My fingers hover over the keyboard, but the Word document in front of me is blank.
That’s because I’m not very good at writing leads. Once I get started, my words just start flowing out onto the page. But I feel such a pressure to make some profound opening statement with each article, essay or column that I write, it’s crazy.
The hardest part is getting started. Just like an artist learns to ‘conquer the power of the white’ and make the first marks on their canvas, a writer has to learn to just start writing. There will be time to create some catchy opening words during the editing phase of the writing process.
That’s how everything is at first, I guess; getting started is the hard part. Whether it’s learning a new skill, going into a relationship, starting a new job, or moving to a new city or state, the decision to change from the old, to create something new, is a difficult one.
As time progresses, you learn to adjust to the changes. You form new routines until the new becomes the familiar.
But when it comes to taking that initial leap-writing the beginning of your story-you have second (third, fourth, fifth) thoughts. You’re not sure if you are making the right decision.
I’m just going to be honest. Alabama is my home, but I’ve never really wanted to spend the rest of my life here. I enjoy traveling and exploring new places, and have always thought about how exciting it would be to live somewhere like New York City or Washington D.C.
But the more I think about the unknown, the more I plan for my coming-all-too-soon future, I feel that mix of excitement and anxiety that comes with the start of something new.
The beginning of a story sets the scene for the middle and the ending. That is both the beauty and the problem of it.
I’ll never know how my life will be different if I move away after graduation or stay in Anniston.
All I can do is sit at my computer and write.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Vacant Student Senate seat needs to be filled
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, September 12, 2013.
There's a lot going on in JSU's Student Senate right now.
"The senators do much more than meet for an hour once per week," says Vice President of Student Senate Brett Johnson.
They plan, organize and operate tailgates, Homecoming events and philanthropy projects, meet with university officials and faculty to express student concerns on issues like academic policy and housing policy, and lobby the state Legislature in Montgomery for more funding, among other things.
Most of the senate's work is done through 10 standing committees, which each senator has to actively serve in two of.
At this past Monday night's senate meeting, a discussion began about possible changes to the parking violation appeals process at JSU.
"But it is going to be an ongoing process, and no legislation is being proposed yet," Johnson says.
The senate wishes to begin work with the University Police Department on recommendations that came from their assessment by the Virginia Community Policing Institute.
"What they have suggested is that the current parking violation appeals system is to outdated, biased, and multi-faceted," Johnson explains.
The proposal is that the appeals process is moved to an online-only format where those who receive parking violations can file an appeal and upload photos or video through a secure link. No names will be used in the submissions, as each case will only be identified by a number.
"The discussion we are going to have through SGA is how to best implement that and how to ensure student representation in the process," Johnson says.
He adds that altering the appeals process could ultimately lead to the removal of the chief justice as an executive position, but still maintain the chief justice and associate justices as checks and balances.
The Student Senate meets every Monday at 6 p.m. in the TMB auditorium. All students are encouraged to attend.
"They (the students) are our ultimate accountability, and their voice matters," Johnson says. "There is a section in each senate meeting for a 'student body report' in which any student can address the senate, ask questions, pose concerns, or provide input on policy. We love it when students take the initiative to do that."
There are 35 spots in the Student Senate, but only 34 of those seats are currently filled. Johnson says he is looking to fill that vacant seat. Students can apply for the position by visiting the Office of Student Life and picking up an application there.
In order to qualify for a senator position, students must have 12 credit hours at JSU and a 2.5 GPA.
There's a lot going on in JSU's Student Senate right now.
"The senators do much more than meet for an hour once per week," says Vice President of Student Senate Brett Johnson.
They plan, organize and operate tailgates, Homecoming events and philanthropy projects, meet with university officials and faculty to express student concerns on issues like academic policy and housing policy, and lobby the state Legislature in Montgomery for more funding, among other things.
Most of the senate's work is done through 10 standing committees, which each senator has to actively serve in two of.
At this past Monday night's senate meeting, a discussion began about possible changes to the parking violation appeals process at JSU.
"But it is going to be an ongoing process, and no legislation is being proposed yet," Johnson says.
The senate wishes to begin work with the University Police Department on recommendations that came from their assessment by the Virginia Community Policing Institute.
"What they have suggested is that the current parking violation appeals system is to outdated, biased, and multi-faceted," Johnson explains.
The proposal is that the appeals process is moved to an online-only format where those who receive parking violations can file an appeal and upload photos or video through a secure link. No names will be used in the submissions, as each case will only be identified by a number.
"The discussion we are going to have through SGA is how to best implement that and how to ensure student representation in the process," Johnson says.
He adds that altering the appeals process could ultimately lead to the removal of the chief justice as an executive position, but still maintain the chief justice and associate justices as checks and balances.
The Student Senate meets every Monday at 6 p.m. in the TMB auditorium. All students are encouraged to attend.
"They (the students) are our ultimate accountability, and their voice matters," Johnson says. "There is a section in each senate meeting for a 'student body report' in which any student can address the senate, ask questions, pose concerns, or provide input on policy. We love it when students take the initiative to do that."
There are 35 spots in the Student Senate, but only 34 of those seats are currently filled. Johnson says he is looking to fill that vacant seat. Students can apply for the position by visiting the Office of Student Life and picking up an application there.
In order to qualify for a senator position, students must have 12 credit hours at JSU and a 2.5 GPA.
Brotherhood and music: The three fraternities of the David L. Walters Department of Music
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, September 19, 2013.
At Jacksonville State University, three fraternities focus on sharing music with the world with individual voices.
Sigma Alpha Iota is a professional international music fraternity for women.
“A lot of people call us a sorority, but we are actually a fraternity,” says SAI president Ellen Abney.
SAI was started by seven women at the University School of Music in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1903, but JSU’s chapter, Theta Beta, was chartered in 1993.
Everything that the fraternity does centers on the support and promotion of music. The Theta Beta chapter collects money for Music in our Schools Month, which is in March. Alumnae Christina Booker started the project two years ago. This past spring, SAI raised over $2,000 to donate to the music program at Pleasant Valley High School.
“You’ll see us carrying jars around campus in the spring, so save up some change for us, because we plan to donate to another music program this year!” Abney says. “Seeing faces when we can offer monetary assistance is an amazing feeling.”
Recently, SAI participated in a fundraiser for a student at White Plains who had earned a spot in a national honor band but didn’t have the money to go and participate.
“After donations from Southerners and the brothers of Phi Mu Alpha, the SAI sisters came together to finish raising money for him to go,” says Abney. “I had the honor and privilege of surprising him with the money at his school. He got choked up and was so excited that he was going to get to take his trip.”
Just like SAI is a fraternity exclusively for women, Phi Mu Alpha is a music fraternity exclusively for men.
“We try to promote the uplifting of mankind through music,” explains Phi Mu Alpha president Zack Davis.
The fraternity’s main philanthropy is the Mills Music Mission, in which the brothers sing for people in hospitals or nursing homes. JSU’s chapter, Epsilon Nu, visits Myrick Manor in Jacksonville at least once each semester. They are planning to sing there on October 6, which is the fraternity’s Founder’s Day.
“We are a social fraternity with professional ideals,” Davis says of Phi Mu Alpha, which is open to any type of musician. “I think that makes us different from most Greek organizations.”
Kappa Kappa Psi is a co-ed fraternity committed to service to JSU’s band program and is open exclusively to members of the school’s instrumental ensembles.
“All brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi have a common love for the band program and are willing to help out by doing anything and everything we can for a professor here in the music department,” explains KKY president Tim Chappell.
Because the musical ensembles themselves are the fraternity’s philanthropy, KKY gives water or goodie bags to the Marching Southerners, purchases music stands for the jazz bands, and
hosts cook-outs for Music Department faculty.
Chappell describes the David L. Walters Department of Music as “a department that has given so much to so many here at JSU.”
He adds, “The best part of being a member of KKY is the fact that I get to help out the band department with my closest friends and brothers while developing responsibility, loyalty, and leadership skills.”
At Jacksonville State University, three fraternities focus on sharing music with the world with individual voices.
Sigma Alpha Iota is a professional international music fraternity for women.
“A lot of people call us a sorority, but we are actually a fraternity,” says SAI president Ellen Abney.
SAI was started by seven women at the University School of Music in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1903, but JSU’s chapter, Theta Beta, was chartered in 1993.
Everything that the fraternity does centers on the support and promotion of music. The Theta Beta chapter collects money for Music in our Schools Month, which is in March. Alumnae Christina Booker started the project two years ago. This past spring, SAI raised over $2,000 to donate to the music program at Pleasant Valley High School.
“You’ll see us carrying jars around campus in the spring, so save up some change for us, because we plan to donate to another music program this year!” Abney says. “Seeing faces when we can offer monetary assistance is an amazing feeling.”
Recently, SAI participated in a fundraiser for a student at White Plains who had earned a spot in a national honor band but didn’t have the money to go and participate.
“After donations from Southerners and the brothers of Phi Mu Alpha, the SAI sisters came together to finish raising money for him to go,” says Abney. “I had the honor and privilege of surprising him with the money at his school. He got choked up and was so excited that he was going to get to take his trip.”
Just like SAI is a fraternity exclusively for women, Phi Mu Alpha is a music fraternity exclusively for men.
“We try to promote the uplifting of mankind through music,” explains Phi Mu Alpha president Zack Davis.
The fraternity’s main philanthropy is the Mills Music Mission, in which the brothers sing for people in hospitals or nursing homes. JSU’s chapter, Epsilon Nu, visits Myrick Manor in Jacksonville at least once each semester. They are planning to sing there on October 6, which is the fraternity’s Founder’s Day.
“We are a social fraternity with professional ideals,” Davis says of Phi Mu Alpha, which is open to any type of musician. “I think that makes us different from most Greek organizations.”
Kappa Kappa Psi is a co-ed fraternity committed to service to JSU’s band program and is open exclusively to members of the school’s instrumental ensembles.
“All brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi have a common love for the band program and are willing to help out by doing anything and everything we can for a professor here in the music department,” explains KKY president Tim Chappell.
Because the musical ensembles themselves are the fraternity’s philanthropy, KKY gives water or goodie bags to the Marching Southerners, purchases music stands for the jazz bands, and
hosts cook-outs for Music Department faculty.
Chappell describes the David L. Walters Department of Music as “a department that has given so much to so many here at JSU.”
He adds, “The best part of being a member of KKY is the fact that I get to help out the band department with my closest friends and brothers while developing responsibility, loyalty, and leadership skills.”
JSU welcomes former members of Congress for Constitution Day
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, September 19, 2013.
Two former Representatives, Sue Kelly (R) of New York and Earl Hutto (D) of Florida, visited JSU this week as part of the Congress to Campus program. They spoke with many classes during their participation in the Constitution Day program on Tuesday, as well as with the student senate and Freshman Forum.
Referring to Dr. Lori Owens of the Political Science and Public Administration Department, Kelly
said, “Lori has set us up with a full schedule, and I love it. We are used to working hard in Congress.”
Kelly served as a member of Congress for 12 years, while Hutto served for 16 years. During that time, they worked tirelessly to represent their constituents.
“I don’t think I ever put in any less than at least an 18 hour day, seven days a week,” Kelly says. “I chaired subcommittees. To do that and hold hearings requires an enormous amount of work, because I didn’t want my staff knowing more about an issue than I did. I didn’t want them drafting my questions.”
She says that she would take stacks of law books home with her at night and would fall asleep on top of them around 3:00 a.m., then have to get up four hours later and make a speech. Regardless, Kelly also says that she loved her time as a representative.
"It's so much fun, because you get a chance to learn," she says. "You learn so much about how people feel about things, and what the government is really doing in their lives, and how things operate in the United States."
Hutto stressed the importance of college students meeting with public officials as often as they get the chance.
"The program that we're here under gives the opportunity to college students to see face-to-face those who serve in Congress and ask questions about what goes on," he says in reference to the Congress to Campus program. "I think I've seen better participation here than in most other colleges where I've been."
Two former Representatives, Sue Kelly (R) of New York and Earl Hutto (D) of Florida, visited JSU this week as part of the Congress to Campus program. They spoke with many classes during their participation in the Constitution Day program on Tuesday, as well as with the student senate and Freshman Forum.
Referring to Dr. Lori Owens of the Political Science and Public Administration Department, Kelly
said, “Lori has set us up with a full schedule, and I love it. We are used to working hard in Congress.”
Kelly served as a member of Congress for 12 years, while Hutto served for 16 years. During that time, they worked tirelessly to represent their constituents.
“I don’t think I ever put in any less than at least an 18 hour day, seven days a week,” Kelly says. “I chaired subcommittees. To do that and hold hearings requires an enormous amount of work, because I didn’t want my staff knowing more about an issue than I did. I didn’t want them drafting my questions.”
She says that she would take stacks of law books home with her at night and would fall asleep on top of them around 3:00 a.m., then have to get up four hours later and make a speech. Regardless, Kelly also says that she loved her time as a representative.
"It's so much fun, because you get a chance to learn," she says. "You learn so much about how people feel about things, and what the government is really doing in their lives, and how things operate in the United States."
Hutto stressed the importance of college students meeting with public officials as often as they get the chance.
"The program that we're here under gives the opportunity to college students to see face-to-face those who serve in Congress and ask questions about what goes on," he says in reference to the Congress to Campus program. "I think I've seen better participation here than in most other colleges where I've been."
Kelly added that she was impressed that the students at JSU had been asking questions of the Representatives that were obviously not just things they could find on Google. She said that it's encouraging the students are thinking for themselves.
Kelly had this advice to give to students who are considering a career in politics or public service: "Get a job. If you graduate from college and then you go into public service, you are doing the people you represent a disservice, because you don't know how the world works. The right thing to do is get a job, go to work, and get some gravitas under your resume. Do some things that count."
The two Representatives shared why they themselves decided to run for office.
Hutto was a journalist working with a television station in Panama City, Florida. The station would send him to Tallahassee during the legislative sessions to interview members of the House and Senate.
"That kind of whetted my appetite for it," Hutto says.
Kelly stated that she decided to run for office because, "I got mad at the Republican party."
She says that when a particular seat came open, she didn't feel like the candidates who were being backed by the Republicans would have been right for the job. But she also didn't feel that the Democratic candidate would be the right representative for the district either.
"I called 12 people, and I begged them to run," Kelly says. "Then I called my husband. Every single one, including my husband, turned me down. So I got mad. My husband said, 'You run. You care about it.' So I ran and I won."
"Did your husband vote for you?" Hutto asked.
Kelly replied, "I hope so."
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Column: Don't just think great ideas, pursue them
Note: This column was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, October 3, 2013.
This column begins where all the best stories begin: in Walmart.
Recently I was strolling down the aisle with a cart full of groceries when I saw a treasure sticking out of the $5 DVD bin: Inception.
I am not a movie person at all (the last movie I watched was Iron Man 3), but when I find a movie that I really like, I want to re-watch it. Inception is one of those movies that fascinates me every time.
One of my favorite quotes from the movie is, "What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient...highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed - fully understood - that sticks, right in there somewhere."
That's such a cool concept to me, because it's so true. I have ideas bouncing around in my head almost constantly. Some of them are fleeting, but others won't leave me alone until I set them to paper.
That's how things happen: someone has an idea, and then they decide to do something about it. Every invention, every work of art, every piece of architecture, even the structure of our government, happened because someone had an idea. But our ideas are absolutely useless unless we make the decision to act on them.
I have a sign hanging on my living room wall that says, "Ideas are funny things. They don't work unless you do." This reminds me each day that I can spend all day thinking about and discussing with my friends, "I wish..."or "We should..." or "It would make so much more sense if...", but the status quo will never change unless I stop talking and start acting.
What ideas are you holding in your head and ignoring? The next great American novel or a Billboard Top 40 hit? Advancements in medicine or technology? Ideas are great, as long as you back them up by your actions.
Another concept that Inception introduces is the idea of the totem, an object that helps the characters in the movie to know if they are in a dream or in reality.
Although the dreams in that case are literal subconscious dreams that people have while sleeping, I think that the idea of a totem could be applicable to dreams like goals that we have. After we form our ideas and decide to run with them, it's important that we stay grounded. Not everything will work out exactly the way we want it to. We don't need to be afraid to shoot for the stars, but we need to have something that helps us stay grounded.
As Arthur explains in the movie, "See, only I know the balance and weight of this particular loaded die. That way, when you look at your totem, you know beyond a doubt that you are not in someone else's dream."
So what are your ideas and dreams? What's your totem that helps you keep a grip on reality? And what are you waiting for? Why not listen to that resilient idea today that's been in your mind for weeks, months, maybe years? Take your ideas and make a difference.
This column begins where all the best stories begin: in Walmart.
Recently I was strolling down the aisle with a cart full of groceries when I saw a treasure sticking out of the $5 DVD bin: Inception.
I am not a movie person at all (the last movie I watched was Iron Man 3), but when I find a movie that I really like, I want to re-watch it. Inception is one of those movies that fascinates me every time.
One of my favorite quotes from the movie is, "What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient...highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed - fully understood - that sticks, right in there somewhere."
That's such a cool concept to me, because it's so true. I have ideas bouncing around in my head almost constantly. Some of them are fleeting, but others won't leave me alone until I set them to paper.
That's how things happen: someone has an idea, and then they decide to do something about it. Every invention, every work of art, every piece of architecture, even the structure of our government, happened because someone had an idea. But our ideas are absolutely useless unless we make the decision to act on them.
I have a sign hanging on my living room wall that says, "Ideas are funny things. They don't work unless you do." This reminds me each day that I can spend all day thinking about and discussing with my friends, "I wish..."or "We should..." or "It would make so much more sense if...", but the status quo will never change unless I stop talking and start acting.
What ideas are you holding in your head and ignoring? The next great American novel or a Billboard Top 40 hit? Advancements in medicine or technology? Ideas are great, as long as you back them up by your actions.
Another concept that Inception introduces is the idea of the totem, an object that helps the characters in the movie to know if they are in a dream or in reality.
Although the dreams in that case are literal subconscious dreams that people have while sleeping, I think that the idea of a totem could be applicable to dreams like goals that we have. After we form our ideas and decide to run with them, it's important that we stay grounded. Not everything will work out exactly the way we want it to. We don't need to be afraid to shoot for the stars, but we need to have something that helps us stay grounded.
As Arthur explains in the movie, "See, only I know the balance and weight of this particular loaded die. That way, when you look at your totem, you know beyond a doubt that you are not in someone else's dream."
So what are your ideas and dreams? What's your totem that helps you keep a grip on reality? And what are you waiting for? Why not listen to that resilient idea today that's been in your mind for weeks, months, maybe years? Take your ideas and make a difference.
Column: Dinner still the best way to bring a 'family' together
Note: This column was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, October 17, 2013.
On any given day, the extent of the conversations I have with my three roommates is something like, "Oh, you still live here? Cool, me too...Well, I've got to go. See you later!"
Aside from my work at The Chanticleer, I have another part-time job that keeps me in Anniston 25 hours each week, a full load of classes, the BCM Creative Ministries team, and responsibilities with the SGA Student Activities Council. That's not including homework, miscellaneous errands, and spending time with friends. Bottom line, I basically use my apartment as a place to store my belongings, take a shower, and sleep (a little).
Even though I share a roof with three other girls, two of whom are Communication students like me, the four of us lives separate lives. We learn things about one another in little snippets of conversations, and we have never once all sat down and eaten dinner together.
Then last Sunday happened.
There were some things that needed to be discussed: reorganization of a chore system, paying power overages, the amount of people we could have over at night while others in the house are trying to sleep or study, etc. Sunday night seemed to be the best time that we could all get together and talk.
So for the first time in the two months that we had been living together, the four of us sat in the living room at the same time. One of my roommates has two best friends who spend more time at the apartment than I do, so they were part of our conversation as well.
The six of us ended up spending close to two hours just sitting and talking. Everyone expressed their concerns, pet peeves, and suggestions for how to distribute responsibility around the house. We learned a lot about each other in the process, and even shared stories about classes, internships, and which teachers to take (or not to take) for various subjects.
We decided to schedule a "family" dinner too, where we each invite a couple of our closest friends and we all cook a big meal together.
People tend to get stuck in routines, I guess. Even though there's really no such thing as a "routine" day for me, I usually talk to the same people at school or make lunch plans with the same friends. But since last Sunday night, I've decided that I want to be more than an acquaintance to the people that I'm around. I want to be a true friend. I want to be the person that people know will sit and listen to them when they need to share their heart, who will give them a ride to the doctor's office when they're sick or to pick up their car when they get new tires or breaks put on it.
Over the past week, I have had the opportunity to spend time with two individuals and two groups that are not in my usual circle of friends. (This includes being shut in a room with three Student Senators, three Associate Justices, and no cell phones for three hours on Thursday night.)
When you actually take the time to get to know a person, it's cool to see how much you have in common. And sometimes the quiet ones are the funniest ones to have a conversation with!
So my goal from here on out is to smile a little bit more, speak up in class, and be a better listener.
That, and maybe schedule a few more "family" dinners with my roommates.
On any given day, the extent of the conversations I have with my three roommates is something like, "Oh, you still live here? Cool, me too...Well, I've got to go. See you later!"
Aside from my work at The Chanticleer, I have another part-time job that keeps me in Anniston 25 hours each week, a full load of classes, the BCM Creative Ministries team, and responsibilities with the SGA Student Activities Council. That's not including homework, miscellaneous errands, and spending time with friends. Bottom line, I basically use my apartment as a place to store my belongings, take a shower, and sleep (a little).
Even though I share a roof with three other girls, two of whom are Communication students like me, the four of us lives separate lives. We learn things about one another in little snippets of conversations, and we have never once all sat down and eaten dinner together.
Then last Sunday happened.
There were some things that needed to be discussed: reorganization of a chore system, paying power overages, the amount of people we could have over at night while others in the house are trying to sleep or study, etc. Sunday night seemed to be the best time that we could all get together and talk.
So for the first time in the two months that we had been living together, the four of us sat in the living room at the same time. One of my roommates has two best friends who spend more time at the apartment than I do, so they were part of our conversation as well.
The six of us ended up spending close to two hours just sitting and talking. Everyone expressed their concerns, pet peeves, and suggestions for how to distribute responsibility around the house. We learned a lot about each other in the process, and even shared stories about classes, internships, and which teachers to take (or not to take) for various subjects.
We decided to schedule a "family" dinner too, where we each invite a couple of our closest friends and we all cook a big meal together.
People tend to get stuck in routines, I guess. Even though there's really no such thing as a "routine" day for me, I usually talk to the same people at school or make lunch plans with the same friends. But since last Sunday night, I've decided that I want to be more than an acquaintance to the people that I'm around. I want to be a true friend. I want to be the person that people know will sit and listen to them when they need to share their heart, who will give them a ride to the doctor's office when they're sick or to pick up their car when they get new tires or breaks put on it.
Over the past week, I have had the opportunity to spend time with two individuals and two groups that are not in my usual circle of friends. (This includes being shut in a room with three Student Senators, three Associate Justices, and no cell phones for three hours on Thursday night.)
When you actually take the time to get to know a person, it's cool to see how much you have in common. And sometimes the quiet ones are the funniest ones to have a conversation with!
So my goal from here on out is to smile a little bit more, speak up in class, and be a better listener.
That, and maybe schedule a few more "family" dinners with my roommates.
Talks beginning for changes to traffic appeals system
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, October 17, 2013.
Talks have begun between the University Police Department and other entities on campus to try to expand and update JSU's traffic court and appeals process.
Like other departments on campus, UPD has to be re-accredited. This past spring, the Virginia Community Policing Institute (VCPI) held sessions where students and faculty at JSU met to address concerns or problems that they had with the way UPD operates.
The end result was a report of a few hundred suggestions and recommendations for change that would help UPD reach its goals for accreditation.
"One of the points that came through the report was that our traffic court appeals system is outdated," explains Vice President of Student Senate Brett Johnson. "It doesn't really serve the student body as well as it could."
Currently, campus traffic court is held on the first Monday of each month. Students who have tickets and wish to appeal them may present their case before eight associate justices and the chief justice. The court then decides whether the student is guilty or not guilty.
"We have a lot of non-traditional students here," Johnson says. "An example that one of the officers gave was that we have some single parents who live in, let's say, Fort Payne, or a couple of hours away. They take two night classes a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, they drive back and forth, and they have a babysitter during that time. If they get a parking ticket and they want to appeal it, they have to wait til the next month, on the first Monday at 4. Generally, most of them have full-time jobs, or they're watching their children. So it's just really not feasible for them to come."
The solution? VCPI suggested that the university have an online format for appeals. UPD has met with university officials, the Faculty Senate, and the Student Government Association to get everyone's input on the idea.
"The original, up-in-the-air idea was to replace traffic court with an online-only system," Johnson says. "That idea was immediately met with 'we don't want that' from just about everybody."
So this past Friday, SGA met with UPD to discuss alternatives and how to work toward a better solution that would be best for everyone involved.
"What we talked through is adding an online option to our current court," Johnson explains. "This would allow any students who can't make court but want to appeal to go the online route. Then the justices, before the monthly meeting, would review those cases, perhaps through email, and submit their votes accordingly. The goal is basically to serve more students by lessening the inconveniences on those who wish to appeal their traffic violations."
University police Chief Shawn Giddy said that the online system would be anonymous. That way, no bias would be shown in favor of or against students, and the verdict would be based on the appeals themselves.
"Let's say you had three students who got tickets for parking in the wrong zone," he says. "Two were found not guilty and one was, but they all committed the same violation. So the one student would say, 'Why were they not guilty, when they did the exact same thing I did?' That wouldn't happen with online appeals, because it wouldn't matter how well you did or didn't present yourself in front of the court."
One consideration is to have a review board of students who would review all online submissions.
This panel would decide if an appeal online is warranted, or granted worthy of a hearing. If so, then the person who filed the appeal could continue the process online, or could go before the justices and plead their case in person at traffic court.
Under the system currently in place, if a student appeals to the court and is found guilty of a parking violation, they must pay five dollars in addition to the cost of their ticket.
They would face a similar situation if they chose to appeal online; any case that is lost or considered unwarranted would result in an additional five dollar fine for the student who appealed.
Johnson said that he is going to start working on a legislative proposal and then ask if any Senators want to back that.
"Right now, there is no formal proposal," he says. "So it's just something that we're taking slowly. But before anything is official, it will have to have gone through the Student Senate."
As of right now, no definite deadline or time frame has been set for when the legislation would be proposed or become effective, if passed.
Talks have begun between the University Police Department and other entities on campus to try to expand and update JSU's traffic court and appeals process.
Like other departments on campus, UPD has to be re-accredited. This past spring, the Virginia Community Policing Institute (VCPI) held sessions where students and faculty at JSU met to address concerns or problems that they had with the way UPD operates.
The end result was a report of a few hundred suggestions and recommendations for change that would help UPD reach its goals for accreditation.
"One of the points that came through the report was that our traffic court appeals system is outdated," explains Vice President of Student Senate Brett Johnson. "It doesn't really serve the student body as well as it could."
Currently, campus traffic court is held on the first Monday of each month. Students who have tickets and wish to appeal them may present their case before eight associate justices and the chief justice. The court then decides whether the student is guilty or not guilty.
"We have a lot of non-traditional students here," Johnson says. "An example that one of the officers gave was that we have some single parents who live in, let's say, Fort Payne, or a couple of hours away. They take two night classes a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, they drive back and forth, and they have a babysitter during that time. If they get a parking ticket and they want to appeal it, they have to wait til the next month, on the first Monday at 4. Generally, most of them have full-time jobs, or they're watching their children. So it's just really not feasible for them to come."
The solution? VCPI suggested that the university have an online format for appeals. UPD has met with university officials, the Faculty Senate, and the Student Government Association to get everyone's input on the idea.
"The original, up-in-the-air idea was to replace traffic court with an online-only system," Johnson says. "That idea was immediately met with 'we don't want that' from just about everybody."
So this past Friday, SGA met with UPD to discuss alternatives and how to work toward a better solution that would be best for everyone involved.
"What we talked through is adding an online option to our current court," Johnson explains. "This would allow any students who can't make court but want to appeal to go the online route. Then the justices, before the monthly meeting, would review those cases, perhaps through email, and submit their votes accordingly. The goal is basically to serve more students by lessening the inconveniences on those who wish to appeal their traffic violations."
University police Chief Shawn Giddy said that the online system would be anonymous. That way, no bias would be shown in favor of or against students, and the verdict would be based on the appeals themselves.
"Let's say you had three students who got tickets for parking in the wrong zone," he says. "Two were found not guilty and one was, but they all committed the same violation. So the one student would say, 'Why were they not guilty, when they did the exact same thing I did?' That wouldn't happen with online appeals, because it wouldn't matter how well you did or didn't present yourself in front of the court."
One consideration is to have a review board of students who would review all online submissions.
This panel would decide if an appeal online is warranted, or granted worthy of a hearing. If so, then the person who filed the appeal could continue the process online, or could go before the justices and plead their case in person at traffic court.
Under the system currently in place, if a student appeals to the court and is found guilty of a parking violation, they must pay five dollars in addition to the cost of their ticket.
They would face a similar situation if they chose to appeal online; any case that is lost or considered unwarranted would result in an additional five dollar fine for the student who appealed.
Johnson said that he is going to start working on a legislative proposal and then ask if any Senators want to back that.
"Right now, there is no formal proposal," he says. "So it's just something that we're taking slowly. But before anything is official, it will have to have gone through the Student Senate."
As of right now, no definite deadline or time frame has been set for when the legislation would be proposed or become effective, if passed.
Column: We can't stop
Note: This column was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, October 31, 2013.
It's been two months since Miley Cyrus twerked her way out of the realm of forgotten, has-been teen stars and in to everyone's conversations. As was to be expected, for a handful of days that followed the VMAs, people were giving their opinions of the performance. Everything from, "I can't believe she did that!" to "She's just being Miley, okay? Leave her alone!" was on my Facebook news feed and the lips of my friends, peers and coworkers.
Again I say, it's been two months. We were all there. We've seen (and seen and seen and seen) the video and still shots of both Miley's performance and Will Smith's family's reaction. It has had plenty of exposure on television news stations, YouTube, and, as of last week, on the projector in one of my classes. At the Homecoming pep rally, JSU's cheerleader's danced to a mash-up remix of "We Can't Stop" and "Blurred Lines", and Miley Cyrus/Robin Thicke couple's Halloween costumes are selling for nearly 200 dollars on eBay.
Miley hosted Saturday Night Live a few weeks ago, and on the following Monday, my coworkers were talking all about her performance of "We Did Stop," a parody song about the government shutdown.
Why won't this die? Did I miss something? Two months after the fact, why is everyone still talking about Miley Cyrus, whether negative or positive?
Because that's exactly what she wants us to do. She's famous, and famous people want to stay relative for as long as they can. When they're desperate for more hits on Google or YouTube, they'll do something completely insane. Then, when someone else does something even crazier to upstage them, the media and the general public move on to the next on-the-verge-of-needing-rehab pop star. Such is the law of the land in the realm of pop culture.
Remember the 2009 VMAs, when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for Best Female Video ("Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you, and Imma let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!")? Neither did I, until I Googled "VMAs" while I was writing this column, and saw the memes. That triggered my memory. That incident, like every other "shocking" thing that a celebrity does to get more attention, was a flash in the pan. So rather than slam my head on my desk the next time the words "twerk" or "Miley" come up in conversation, I will remind myself that this too shall pass.
Several years ago, Brad Paisley released a song called "Celebrity." The lyrics read, "I'll make the supermarket tabloids; they'll write some awful stuff. But the more they run my name down, the more my price goes up." No kidding! People go from famous to obscure when they are no longer in the spotlight. As long as they are getting attention, there is no such thing as career suicide.
However, I'm almost to the point of being ready for some other pop star to do something crazy and Tweet-worthy just so, excuse the bad pun, we can stop talking about this.
It's been two months since Miley Cyrus twerked her way out of the realm of forgotten, has-been teen stars and in to everyone's conversations. As was to be expected, for a handful of days that followed the VMAs, people were giving their opinions of the performance. Everything from, "I can't believe she did that!" to "She's just being Miley, okay? Leave her alone!" was on my Facebook news feed and the lips of my friends, peers and coworkers.
Again I say, it's been two months. We were all there. We've seen (and seen and seen and seen) the video and still shots of both Miley's performance and Will Smith's family's reaction. It has had plenty of exposure on television news stations, YouTube, and, as of last week, on the projector in one of my classes. At the Homecoming pep rally, JSU's cheerleader's danced to a mash-up remix of "We Can't Stop" and "Blurred Lines", and Miley Cyrus/Robin Thicke couple's Halloween costumes are selling for nearly 200 dollars on eBay.
Miley hosted Saturday Night Live a few weeks ago, and on the following Monday, my coworkers were talking all about her performance of "We Did Stop," a parody song about the government shutdown.
Why won't this die? Did I miss something? Two months after the fact, why is everyone still talking about Miley Cyrus, whether negative or positive?
Because that's exactly what she wants us to do. She's famous, and famous people want to stay relative for as long as they can. When they're desperate for more hits on Google or YouTube, they'll do something completely insane. Then, when someone else does something even crazier to upstage them, the media and the general public move on to the next on-the-verge-of-needing-rehab pop star. Such is the law of the land in the realm of pop culture.
Remember the 2009 VMAs, when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for Best Female Video ("Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you, and Imma let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!")? Neither did I, until I Googled "VMAs" while I was writing this column, and saw the memes. That triggered my memory. That incident, like every other "shocking" thing that a celebrity does to get more attention, was a flash in the pan. So rather than slam my head on my desk the next time the words "twerk" or "Miley" come up in conversation, I will remind myself that this too shall pass.
Several years ago, Brad Paisley released a song called "Celebrity." The lyrics read, "I'll make the supermarket tabloids; they'll write some awful stuff. But the more they run my name down, the more my price goes up." No kidding! People go from famous to obscure when they are no longer in the spotlight. As long as they are getting attention, there is no such thing as career suicide.
However, I'm almost to the point of being ready for some other pop star to do something crazy and Tweet-worthy just so, excuse the bad pun, we can stop talking about this.
Column: Black Friday a test of endurance
Note: This column was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, November 14, 2014.
One morning two Novembers ago, I awoke to find myself in someone else's car on the bottom level of a parking deck.
One of my star-shaped earrings was jabbing me in the cheek, and I was buried under a pile of bags from Hollister and Abercrombie.
Although this may sound like a kidnapping, I had actually fallen victim to one of the best and worst of holiday traditions: Black Friday.
Every year, thousands of people camp out in front of shopping malls across the country and spend the wee hours of the morning racking up on Christmas presents at the lowest prices of the season.
My name is Kara Coleman, and I am one of those people.
For the past few years, I have ended my Thanksgiving Day with a power nap around 10 p.m., then set out on a Starbucks-fueled shopping expedition with my aunt and an assortment of girl cousins.
I cross every gift off my Christmas shopping list that day, but that's not really why I go.
I shop on Black Friday because that's the only time I can get a slice of Sbarro's pizza at 4:30 in the morning, even if that means eating it while sitting Indian-style on the food court floor with total strangers because all the tables and chairs are occupied.
I do it because despite the horror stories that we've all heard, the people I encounter on Black Friday are really friendly. You have a lot of time to chat with someone if you're standing behind them in line for an hour.
People will share with me who the recipients of their purchases are, their relationship to them, and an abridged version of their life stories by the time we make it to the cash registers.
And of course, I do it as a test of endurance, to see who the last one to crawl into my aunt's SUV to sleep and become a reluctant casualty of the trip will be.
Once, my cousin fell asleep on a bed in the Belk Home Store while she was waiting for me to buy a Keurig.
I thought she was just lying there and resting her eyes, until I actually had to wake her up so we could leave the store.
My aunt swears that I fell asleep on the couch in the Macy's bathroom last year, but I think I was just closing my eyes for five minutes. Or 25. I don't really know.
Shopping on Black Friday is like seeing your favorite band in concert or going to the midnight premier of the summer's most anticipated movie.
There's excitement in the air, adrenaline and espresso are flowing through the veins of everyone there, and I experience the thrill of finding just the perfect gift for someone.
But perhaps the best part of Black Friday is the feeling that I get crashing into my own bed at 3 or 4 that afternoon, ready for some deep post-shopping rest. That is, if I don't end up snoozing in the passenger seat on the way home.
One morning two Novembers ago, I awoke to find myself in someone else's car on the bottom level of a parking deck.
One of my star-shaped earrings was jabbing me in the cheek, and I was buried under a pile of bags from Hollister and Abercrombie.
Although this may sound like a kidnapping, I had actually fallen victim to one of the best and worst of holiday traditions: Black Friday.
Every year, thousands of people camp out in front of shopping malls across the country and spend the wee hours of the morning racking up on Christmas presents at the lowest prices of the season.
My name is Kara Coleman, and I am one of those people.
For the past few years, I have ended my Thanksgiving Day with a power nap around 10 p.m., then set out on a Starbucks-fueled shopping expedition with my aunt and an assortment of girl cousins.
I cross every gift off my Christmas shopping list that day, but that's not really why I go.
I shop on Black Friday because that's the only time I can get a slice of Sbarro's pizza at 4:30 in the morning, even if that means eating it while sitting Indian-style on the food court floor with total strangers because all the tables and chairs are occupied.
I do it because despite the horror stories that we've all heard, the people I encounter on Black Friday are really friendly. You have a lot of time to chat with someone if you're standing behind them in line for an hour.
People will share with me who the recipients of their purchases are, their relationship to them, and an abridged version of their life stories by the time we make it to the cash registers.
And of course, I do it as a test of endurance, to see who the last one to crawl into my aunt's SUV to sleep and become a reluctant casualty of the trip will be.
Once, my cousin fell asleep on a bed in the Belk Home Store while she was waiting for me to buy a Keurig.
I thought she was just lying there and resting her eyes, until I actually had to wake her up so we could leave the store.
My aunt swears that I fell asleep on the couch in the Macy's bathroom last year, but I think I was just closing my eyes for five minutes. Or 25. I don't really know.
Shopping on Black Friday is like seeing your favorite band in concert or going to the midnight premier of the summer's most anticipated movie.
There's excitement in the air, adrenaline and espresso are flowing through the veins of everyone there, and I experience the thrill of finding just the perfect gift for someone.
But perhaps the best part of Black Friday is the feeling that I get crashing into my own bed at 3 or 4 that afternoon, ready for some deep post-shopping rest. That is, if I don't end up snoozing in the passenger seat on the way home.
Holding on to prejudice, 50 years after the Civil Rights Movement
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, November 21, 2013.
It's been about 50 years since the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, but have racism and hate speech been eradicated? If not, is that an issue that needs to be addressed on campus?
SGA President Jade Wagner thinks racism needs to be discussed among students.
"There's racism all around us in the smallest of ways, and people have just learned to ignore it and look over it," she says.
Wagner, who has a black father and a white mother, recalls one time when she was in fourth grade. A white girl touched her hair and remarked, "Ew, your hair is so greasy! That's such a black girl thing!" So Wagner went home and cried to her parents, who helped her pick a new product to use in her hair.
"I changed my hairstyle because of one girl's comment," she says. "People don't realize what their words do to people, especially children."
Other students say that they have never had any experience in dealing with racism or discrimination.
"Really, I just think some people are overdramatic," says JSU student Patrick Paul. "A lot of people get who get in trouble try to blame other races or say the police are messing with them because they're a different race. But it has nothing to do with race."
SGA Senator Kadeem Hubbard points out that students are able to tell campus leaders if they ever are having a problem with racism or bullying.
"Every Monday at the senate meetings, we have a portion of time set out where if a student has a problem, they can come voice what they have to say," Hubbard says. "And all semester, we have had no one come say anything."
University President Dr. Bill Meehan thinks that a bigger issue underlying racism is prejudice in general.
"It will never be totally eradicated as prejudice because somebody is always going to be prejudiced about something," Meehan says.
He did talk about the changes he saw in his high school after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed, and noted that the country as a whole has come a long way since then in dealing with acceptance of all races.
A popular opinion as to why racism still exists is that it is culturally acceptable.
"I think it has a lot to do with what we see on TV, what we hear in music, what we're exposed to," says Wagner, who cringes every time she hears the "n-word" coming from the lips of an acquaintance or the lyrics of a song. "Just because we're exposed to it doesn't make it okay."
SGA Associate Justice Lauren McClendon agrees that culture and environment play a roll in determining prejudices.
"I think a lot of people just go by what they've known their whole lives," she says. "They've listened to what their mother says and what their grandmother says and what their great-grandmother says, and it's an issue that's going to have to take its time to go away."
She adds, however, that no demographic is taken into consideration by the SGA traffic court in any of the decisions they make.
While there will always be prejudiced people in the world, prejudice and racism can be combated. Meehan says that most prejudices are caused by fear, and that the antidote for fear is education.
"When you sit down with a person from another race, a person from another culture, from diversity that you have not been used to, you realize that they have the same values, that they have the same family and love," he says. "They may have a different faith, but if you can understand their faith, then that is a way to reduce that prejudice."
McClendon agrees that education is the best tool in fighting racism.
"The more education you have, the more open-minded you are," she says. "As long as we continue to push education and open-mindedness, that's what will determine how long this stays an issue."
Wagner spoke last night at an open forum hosted by the African American Association on campus. The forum educated students on racism and diversity.
"I don't think it's fair that racism is still so rampant, and not just white on black racism," she says. "There's a lot of black on white racism, there's a lot of Latino racism, there's a lot of Asian racism."
While Paul acknowledges that he's aware that some people harbor racist feelings, he isn't concerned with racism.
"If they believe that, that's what they believe," he says. "They're not affecting me. I'm graduating December 13th."
It's been about 50 years since the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, but have racism and hate speech been eradicated? If not, is that an issue that needs to be addressed on campus?
SGA President Jade Wagner thinks racism needs to be discussed among students.
"There's racism all around us in the smallest of ways, and people have just learned to ignore it and look over it," she says.
Wagner, who has a black father and a white mother, recalls one time when she was in fourth grade. A white girl touched her hair and remarked, "Ew, your hair is so greasy! That's such a black girl thing!" So Wagner went home and cried to her parents, who helped her pick a new product to use in her hair.
"I changed my hairstyle because of one girl's comment," she says. "People don't realize what their words do to people, especially children."
Other students say that they have never had any experience in dealing with racism or discrimination.
"Really, I just think some people are overdramatic," says JSU student Patrick Paul. "A lot of people get who get in trouble try to blame other races or say the police are messing with them because they're a different race. But it has nothing to do with race."
SGA Senator Kadeem Hubbard points out that students are able to tell campus leaders if they ever are having a problem with racism or bullying.
"Every Monday at the senate meetings, we have a portion of time set out where if a student has a problem, they can come voice what they have to say," Hubbard says. "And all semester, we have had no one come say anything."
University President Dr. Bill Meehan thinks that a bigger issue underlying racism is prejudice in general.
"It will never be totally eradicated as prejudice because somebody is always going to be prejudiced about something," Meehan says.
He did talk about the changes he saw in his high school after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed, and noted that the country as a whole has come a long way since then in dealing with acceptance of all races.
A popular opinion as to why racism still exists is that it is culturally acceptable.
"I think it has a lot to do with what we see on TV, what we hear in music, what we're exposed to," says Wagner, who cringes every time she hears the "n-word" coming from the lips of an acquaintance or the lyrics of a song. "Just because we're exposed to it doesn't make it okay."
SGA Associate Justice Lauren McClendon agrees that culture and environment play a roll in determining prejudices.
"I think a lot of people just go by what they've known their whole lives," she says. "They've listened to what their mother says and what their grandmother says and what their great-grandmother says, and it's an issue that's going to have to take its time to go away."
She adds, however, that no demographic is taken into consideration by the SGA traffic court in any of the decisions they make.
While there will always be prejudiced people in the world, prejudice and racism can be combated. Meehan says that most prejudices are caused by fear, and that the antidote for fear is education.
"When you sit down with a person from another race, a person from another culture, from diversity that you have not been used to, you realize that they have the same values, that they have the same family and love," he says. "They may have a different faith, but if you can understand their faith, then that is a way to reduce that prejudice."
McClendon agrees that education is the best tool in fighting racism.
"The more education you have, the more open-minded you are," she says. "As long as we continue to push education and open-mindedness, that's what will determine how long this stays an issue."
Wagner spoke last night at an open forum hosted by the African American Association on campus. The forum educated students on racism and diversity.
"I don't think it's fair that racism is still so rampant, and not just white on black racism," she says. "There's a lot of black on white racism, there's a lot of Latino racism, there's a lot of Asian racism."
While Paul acknowledges that he's aware that some people harbor racist feelings, he isn't concerned with racism.
"If they believe that, that's what they believe," he says. "They're not affecting me. I'm graduating December 13th."
Column: Giving in to wanderlust
Note: This column originally appeared in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, January 16, 2014.
Last March, I packed a suitcase and hopped in my car with 30 dollars in my wallet, a bag of Cheetos, and one of those enormous 24-ounce cans of Mountain Dew. I started driving toward the state line with no real plan other than visiting my brother at college in Rome, Ga., and crashing on my friend Kali's futon.
As I passed the familiar sign that read, "Welcome, We're Glad Georgia's on Your Mind," the sky was spitting snow flurries. That was definitely going to put a limit on how much time I could spend outside. But I still wanted to go exploring and get out of Jacksonville for a few days.
"So how long will you be here?" my brother's roommate asked me as he and my brother sat in their dorm room and looked at me.
"I don't know," I said. "A couple of days. Or three or four. Just until I decide to go home, I guess."
I had always wanted to say those words. Every once in a while, I like to leave town for the day and just spend it exploring somewhere else.
Sometimes I'll go for a long walk in the woods, then find a good spot to sit and journal. Sometimes I'll spend the day "shopping" in Birmingham, which translates into mostly window shopping. Sometimes I just get in my car, pick a direction, and start driving.
And I always take pictures of things that interest me, whether it's an old building, a sunset or a street sign. A change of scene is refreshing every now and then. But this was the first time I had planned to not really have a plan for for three or four days.
The next morning, I parked my car in downtown Rome and started walking around with my camera. I bought a Coca-Cola frappe from the local non-Starbucks coffee shop, watched a painter at work in her art gallery, took pictures of the skate shop, and spent an hour wandering around a three-story outdoor store. I ended up watching lacrosse practice at my brother's school by the time my friend texted me and wanted to meet up for dinner. That was just day one of my visit.
It's enriching to get out of my daily routine and go places I don't normally go, just to get new ideas and observe the world around me without checking the time because I have to be at work or in class or I have housework waiting on me. I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, but if I had to make one this year, it would be to give in to wanderlust a little more. I'm on track to graduate with honors this year, and of course I'm only going wandering on days when I'm already scheduled to be off work, so I'm not neglecting my responsibilities.
But I won't be using my free time in 2014 sitting on my couch with Netflix and a carton of ice cream. There are a whole lot of roads to be traveled out there.
Last March, I packed a suitcase and hopped in my car with 30 dollars in my wallet, a bag of Cheetos, and one of those enormous 24-ounce cans of Mountain Dew. I started driving toward the state line with no real plan other than visiting my brother at college in Rome, Ga., and crashing on my friend Kali's futon.
As I passed the familiar sign that read, "Welcome, We're Glad Georgia's on Your Mind," the sky was spitting snow flurries. That was definitely going to put a limit on how much time I could spend outside. But I still wanted to go exploring and get out of Jacksonville for a few days.
"So how long will you be here?" my brother's roommate asked me as he and my brother sat in their dorm room and looked at me.
"I don't know," I said. "A couple of days. Or three or four. Just until I decide to go home, I guess."
I had always wanted to say those words. Every once in a while, I like to leave town for the day and just spend it exploring somewhere else.
Sometimes I'll go for a long walk in the woods, then find a good spot to sit and journal. Sometimes I'll spend the day "shopping" in Birmingham, which translates into mostly window shopping. Sometimes I just get in my car, pick a direction, and start driving.
And I always take pictures of things that interest me, whether it's an old building, a sunset or a street sign. A change of scene is refreshing every now and then. But this was the first time I had planned to not really have a plan for for three or four days.
The next morning, I parked my car in downtown Rome and started walking around with my camera. I bought a Coca-Cola frappe from the local non-Starbucks coffee shop, watched a painter at work in her art gallery, took pictures of the skate shop, and spent an hour wandering around a three-story outdoor store. I ended up watching lacrosse practice at my brother's school by the time my friend texted me and wanted to meet up for dinner. That was just day one of my visit.
It's enriching to get out of my daily routine and go places I don't normally go, just to get new ideas and observe the world around me without checking the time because I have to be at work or in class or I have housework waiting on me. I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, but if I had to make one this year, it would be to give in to wanderlust a little more. I'm on track to graduate with honors this year, and of course I'm only going wandering on days when I'm already scheduled to be off work, so I'm not neglecting my responsibilities.
But I won't be using my free time in 2014 sitting on my couch with Netflix and a carton of ice cream. There are a whole lot of roads to be traveled out there.
Column: Take nothing and no one for granted in 2014
Note: This column originally appeared in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, January 30, 2014.
On New Year's Eve, my friends and I were discussing our plans and expectations for 2014. This is going to be a year when big things happen. It's the year of the end of college and (fingers crossed) the beginning of careers.
If the month of January was any indication, 2014 is going to be a life-changing year for me and for a lot of people in my life.
My grandmother had been battling both Alzheimer's and cancer in 2013. During the second week of classes this semester, I received a phone call from my mother saying that my grandmother likely had less than a week to live. I told my professors and was excused from class the next day so that I could be with my family.
We spent the entire day in the nursing home. Even though hospice said she probably wouldn't make it past noon, she did. Throughout the day, my parents and aunts and uncles and I would sit in silence and hold my grandmother's hand, or even talk to her even though she couldn't talk back to us. As we watched her slip away from us, we shared memories we had of her and knew we would always be able to hold on to those.
At one point in the day, I had stepped out into the hallway of the nursing home when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. It was a text from my friend Jennifer, saying that she and her husband just found out they are expecting a baby girl.
My grandmother's life was ending; a new life was beginning.
As I stumbled numbly into my apartment Friday night, my roommate Carly was ecstatic.
"I got an interview for my first big-girl job!" she screamed at me. "It's a producing job with a TV station in Huntsville!" Carly had graduated in December and spent the following weeks busily applying for jobs.
My grandmother died at 12:20 that Saturday morning.
The next day, Sunday, I attended a bridal shower for one of my best childhood friends, Kali. I sat with my other childhood best friend, Anna, and we reminisced about our goofy teenage selves.
"You know what?" Anna said. "Last summer was the first time the three of us didn't spend a weekend together, or even have a shopping day together."
"I guess we were all too busy this past summer," I replied.
On Monday night, Kali and her family came to my grandmother's funeral, and Carly went to dinner with one of the executive producers at the TV station as part of the interview process.
Carly signed her contract with the station last week. My other roommates and I helped her load all of her belongings from our apartment into her car last Saturday. It was the end of Carly's time with us at JSU and the beginning of her time as a morning show producer, and I couldn't be more proud of her.
This Saturday, my roommate Brittany and I plan to go to Huntsville and look at apartments with Carly. And for the rest of this year, I plan to never take anyone or anything for granted, to never be too busy for the people I care about.
After all, 2014 will be an eventful year.
On New Year's Eve, my friends and I were discussing our plans and expectations for 2014. This is going to be a year when big things happen. It's the year of the end of college and (fingers crossed) the beginning of careers.
If the month of January was any indication, 2014 is going to be a life-changing year for me and for a lot of people in my life.
My grandmother had been battling both Alzheimer's and cancer in 2013. During the second week of classes this semester, I received a phone call from my mother saying that my grandmother likely had less than a week to live. I told my professors and was excused from class the next day so that I could be with my family.
We spent the entire day in the nursing home. Even though hospice said she probably wouldn't make it past noon, she did. Throughout the day, my parents and aunts and uncles and I would sit in silence and hold my grandmother's hand, or even talk to her even though she couldn't talk back to us. As we watched her slip away from us, we shared memories we had of her and knew we would always be able to hold on to those.
At one point in the day, I had stepped out into the hallway of the nursing home when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. It was a text from my friend Jennifer, saying that she and her husband just found out they are expecting a baby girl.
My grandmother's life was ending; a new life was beginning.
As I stumbled numbly into my apartment Friday night, my roommate Carly was ecstatic.
"I got an interview for my first big-girl job!" she screamed at me. "It's a producing job with a TV station in Huntsville!" Carly had graduated in December and spent the following weeks busily applying for jobs.
My grandmother died at 12:20 that Saturday morning.
The next day, Sunday, I attended a bridal shower for one of my best childhood friends, Kali. I sat with my other childhood best friend, Anna, and we reminisced about our goofy teenage selves.
"You know what?" Anna said. "Last summer was the first time the three of us didn't spend a weekend together, or even have a shopping day together."
"I guess we were all too busy this past summer," I replied.
On Monday night, Kali and her family came to my grandmother's funeral, and Carly went to dinner with one of the executive producers at the TV station as part of the interview process.
Carly signed her contract with the station last week. My other roommates and I helped her load all of her belongings from our apartment into her car last Saturday. It was the end of Carly's time with us at JSU and the beginning of her time as a morning show producer, and I couldn't be more proud of her.
This Saturday, my roommate Brittany and I plan to go to Huntsville and look at apartments with Carly. And for the rest of this year, I plan to never take anyone or anything for granted, to never be too busy for the people I care about.
After all, 2014 will be an eventful year.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
JSU student working on set of 'Divergent'
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, January 30, 2014.
Hollywood recently called one JSU student, and he answered.
Zach Annesty, a Drama major with a Technical concentration and Music minor, is currently in Los Angeles, at work on the movie Divergent.
"When I got the email for this job, I sat there on the futon and paused everything I had going at the time: my computer, my TV and my radio, so that I was in absolute silence," Annesty said. "The first thought I had after I sat there for a while was, 'What do I have going on that week?' I instantly started thinking of what I had to do to make this trip possible."
Annesty, 25, went on a film tour study class to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, through JSU last summer. It was there, while he and the other students were helping on the set of a movie, that Annesty made an impression on 1st Assistant Director (A.D.) Artist Robinson. Robinson is also one of many A.D.s at work on Divergent.
On the set of Divergent, Annesty is a Production Assistant (P.A.).
"The P.A.s are basically the management staff for a movie production," Annesty explains. "Sometimes the P.A. group has multiple jobs to do in order to make the set run as smoothly as possible."
Annesty is responsible for the distribution of paperwork such as time cards and time sheets every day and says that he is also in charge of the producer's table.
"This means the first thing I have to do when I come in to work is set up the producer's table in the exact spot they want it, with the exact type of chair to go with it," he says. "If this isn't done right, I have been told that the producers have the right to fire any person they want to just because they aren't happy with the progress of the movie."
Divergent is based on a book of the same name by Veronica Roth. It follows a dystopian society that is divided into five sections, each of which cultivates different values in its residents. When residents are 16 years old, they choose the faction in which they must live for the rest of their lives, even if that means saying goodbye to their family and friends. The story focuses on one girl, Beatrice 'Tris' Prior, who has a secret that may destroy her or could help save the people she loves from an unraveling society.
Annesty admits that even though he is working on the movie, he has never read the Divergent book series.
"I have actually never read any of these books that have been turning into movies," he says. "What I do have is my fiance buy the books and have her tell me about them in detail. I hate to read."
Annesty says that he is a fan of Divergent based on the summaries that he's heard and read.
Annesty plans to complete his degree program and graduate from JSU in 2014. His career goals are to become well-known in the filmmaking industry and doing whatever he can in the craft.
He will fly back to Jacksonville on February 2nd to continue his studies.
Divergent stars Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, Kate Winslet, and Theo James. It opens in theaters and IMAX March 21, 2014.
Hollywood recently called one JSU student, and he answered.
Zach Annesty, a Drama major with a Technical concentration and Music minor, is currently in Los Angeles, at work on the movie Divergent.
"When I got the email for this job, I sat there on the futon and paused everything I had going at the time: my computer, my TV and my radio, so that I was in absolute silence," Annesty said. "The first thought I had after I sat there for a while was, 'What do I have going on that week?' I instantly started thinking of what I had to do to make this trip possible."
Annesty, 25, went on a film tour study class to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, through JSU last summer. It was there, while he and the other students were helping on the set of a movie, that Annesty made an impression on 1st Assistant Director (A.D.) Artist Robinson. Robinson is also one of many A.D.s at work on Divergent.
On the set of Divergent, Annesty is a Production Assistant (P.A.).
"The P.A.s are basically the management staff for a movie production," Annesty explains. "Sometimes the P.A. group has multiple jobs to do in order to make the set run as smoothly as possible."
Annesty is responsible for the distribution of paperwork such as time cards and time sheets every day and says that he is also in charge of the producer's table.
"This means the first thing I have to do when I come in to work is set up the producer's table in the exact spot they want it, with the exact type of chair to go with it," he says. "If this isn't done right, I have been told that the producers have the right to fire any person they want to just because they aren't happy with the progress of the movie."
Divergent is based on a book of the same name by Veronica Roth. It follows a dystopian society that is divided into five sections, each of which cultivates different values in its residents. When residents are 16 years old, they choose the faction in which they must live for the rest of their lives, even if that means saying goodbye to their family and friends. The story focuses on one girl, Beatrice 'Tris' Prior, who has a secret that may destroy her or could help save the people she loves from an unraveling society.
Annesty admits that even though he is working on the movie, he has never read the Divergent book series.
"I have actually never read any of these books that have been turning into movies," he says. "What I do have is my fiance buy the books and have her tell me about them in detail. I hate to read."
Annesty says that he is a fan of Divergent based on the summaries that he's heard and read.
Annesty plans to complete his degree program and graduate from JSU in 2014. His career goals are to become well-known in the filmmaking industry and doing whatever he can in the craft.
He will fly back to Jacksonville on February 2nd to continue his studies.
Divergent stars Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, Kate Winslet, and Theo James. It opens in theaters and IMAX March 21, 2014.
Student Senate votes to continue Homecoming pageant tradition
Note: This article was originally published in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, February 20, 2014.
JSU's Student Senate on Monday night voted not to eliminate the Homecoming pageant from the usual lineup of Homecoming events for the 2014-2015 school year.
Senators Kalyn Cabral and Courtney Curtis had authorized a bill, SB-79, which would amend the way voting is conducted for Homecoming elections as well as eliminating the pageant process.
Cabral says that one reason she wanted to eliminate the pageant was to give more control to the students and not let a panel of judges determine contenders for the crown.
"I didn't like how the judges were participating," she says. "I feel like it's our Homecoming queen, it's our students, so I don't think they should be the ones to eliminate people that could possibly have won or have been good leaders."
Curtis cited the cost of putting on the pageant and lack of student participation as the other factors to be taken into consideration.
Both Curtis and Cabral stated that they believe it's time to start new traditions and end old ones.
"Out with the old, in with the new," Curtis said. "I think it's kind of old-fashioned. Not a lot of universities do a Homecoming pageant."
Debate on SB-79 lasted for about 30 minutes, with senators asking questions to the bill's authors as well as addressing the chamber with their own opinions on the bill.
"Whether we want to admit it or not, Homecoming is a popularity contest," says Senator Tyler Stone. "I don't think that having someone spend four or 500 dollars on an evening gown to get up and prance around on stage for a few minutes is either negatively or positively affect their chances of winning. The people who are known best will be the people who are going to win. The Homecoming pageant is nostalgic, but maybe it's time for something new."
The majority of senators disagreed, however. The bill was overturned 12-20, according to Vice President of the Student Senate Brett Johnson.
In other business, the Senate:
* Voted to appoint Kaleigh Williams as Student Senator for the 2013-2014 term.
* Voted to appoint Mark Hunter as Associate Justice for the 2013-2014 term.
* Was visited by Gordon Stone of the Higher Education Partnership. Stone encouraged students to attend Higher Ed Day at the state capitol in Montgomery on Thursday, February 27. Students who wish to ride the bus to Higher Ed Day may sign up in the Office of Student Life.
JSU's Student Senate on Monday night voted not to eliminate the Homecoming pageant from the usual lineup of Homecoming events for the 2014-2015 school year.
Senators Kalyn Cabral and Courtney Curtis had authorized a bill, SB-79, which would amend the way voting is conducted for Homecoming elections as well as eliminating the pageant process.
Cabral says that one reason she wanted to eliminate the pageant was to give more control to the students and not let a panel of judges determine contenders for the crown.
"I didn't like how the judges were participating," she says. "I feel like it's our Homecoming queen, it's our students, so I don't think they should be the ones to eliminate people that could possibly have won or have been good leaders."
Curtis cited the cost of putting on the pageant and lack of student participation as the other factors to be taken into consideration.
Both Curtis and Cabral stated that they believe it's time to start new traditions and end old ones.
"Out with the old, in with the new," Curtis said. "I think it's kind of old-fashioned. Not a lot of universities do a Homecoming pageant."
Debate on SB-79 lasted for about 30 minutes, with senators asking questions to the bill's authors as well as addressing the chamber with their own opinions on the bill.
"Whether we want to admit it or not, Homecoming is a popularity contest," says Senator Tyler Stone. "I don't think that having someone spend four or 500 dollars on an evening gown to get up and prance around on stage for a few minutes is either negatively or positively affect their chances of winning. The people who are known best will be the people who are going to win. The Homecoming pageant is nostalgic, but maybe it's time for something new."
The majority of senators disagreed, however. The bill was overturned 12-20, according to Vice President of the Student Senate Brett Johnson.
In other business, the Senate:
* Voted to appoint Kaleigh Williams as Student Senator for the 2013-2014 term.
* Voted to appoint Mark Hunter as Associate Justice for the 2013-2014 term.
* Was visited by Gordon Stone of the Higher Education Partnership. Stone encouraged students to attend Higher Ed Day at the state capitol in Montgomery on Thursday, February 27. Students who wish to ride the bus to Higher Ed Day may sign up in the Office of Student Life.
Column: Please don't super-size me
Note: This column originally appeared in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, March 13, 2014.
One night last week, my friend Patrick and I visited a fast food place for dinner. As usual, I ordered a small combo meal and couldn't even finish the whole thing.
"Why is everything so much bigger now than it used to be?" I wondered out loud. "Why is a small drink like, 22 ounces?"
"Because this is America," Patrick said as he grabbed a handful of fries. "Bigger is better. More is better."
I thought about that as I drove home that night. At what point does something become excessive? How much of a good thing is too much?
When I was a freshman at the school I transferred from, my health class watched the 2004 documentary Super Size Me, in which Morgan Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald's for an entire month and answered in the affirmative every time he was asked if he wanted his meal super-sized.
I do usually eat the college student's diet right now, which consists primarily of pizza, Ramen noodles, and anything from Taco Bell. But let's talk about real life for a minute. Fast food exists so that when we as Americans are on the road, we can grab a quick bite to eat in place of the food that we don't have time to cook. It's supposed to hold us over until we can have an actual meal.
But these days, thanks to triple bacon burgers that come with a pound of fries and a gallon of soda, people are building their diets around fast food.
You know this. It's a major factor in the obesity epidemic. It's the reason Michael Bloomberg wanted to set a size limit on soft drinks sold in New York City last year.
Think about it: the size of soft drinks is an issue that government officials have been dealing with as recently as six months ago.
This is what happens when we as individuals lack self-control. Fast food is the obvious example, but really excess is everywhere: we have to drive bigger SUVs, live in bigger houses, have more memory on our phones and tablets so that we can hold more music and more movies and more photos. We are never content. If a bigger product is out there, why not opt for it?
In July of 2012 I flew to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to volunteer at a home for orphans. Each night before we went to bed, the other Americans and I would sit outside on the roof and talk. Immersing ourselves in a third-world country with real problems and real daily struggles helped us all to evaluate our lifestyles.
That's the one thing that's really stuck with me since then. As much as I love the fast-paced American lifestyle, I can't justify going overboard. Excess leads to waste, and there's no need for that. There are people not just in Honduras but right here in Calhoun County who have trouble putting food on the table each night and can't afford to be wasteful. Be thankful for what you have, and don't ever think that what you have is not enough.
Just something to think about next time you hit the drive thru...
One night last week, my friend Patrick and I visited a fast food place for dinner. As usual, I ordered a small combo meal and couldn't even finish the whole thing.
"Why is everything so much bigger now than it used to be?" I wondered out loud. "Why is a small drink like, 22 ounces?"
"Because this is America," Patrick said as he grabbed a handful of fries. "Bigger is better. More is better."
I thought about that as I drove home that night. At what point does something become excessive? How much of a good thing is too much?
When I was a freshman at the school I transferred from, my health class watched the 2004 documentary Super Size Me, in which Morgan Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald's for an entire month and answered in the affirmative every time he was asked if he wanted his meal super-sized.
I do usually eat the college student's diet right now, which consists primarily of pizza, Ramen noodles, and anything from Taco Bell. But let's talk about real life for a minute. Fast food exists so that when we as Americans are on the road, we can grab a quick bite to eat in place of the food that we don't have time to cook. It's supposed to hold us over until we can have an actual meal.
But these days, thanks to triple bacon burgers that come with a pound of fries and a gallon of soda, people are building their diets around fast food.
You know this. It's a major factor in the obesity epidemic. It's the reason Michael Bloomberg wanted to set a size limit on soft drinks sold in New York City last year.
Think about it: the size of soft drinks is an issue that government officials have been dealing with as recently as six months ago.
This is what happens when we as individuals lack self-control. Fast food is the obvious example, but really excess is everywhere: we have to drive bigger SUVs, live in bigger houses, have more memory on our phones and tablets so that we can hold more music and more movies and more photos. We are never content. If a bigger product is out there, why not opt for it?
In July of 2012 I flew to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to volunteer at a home for orphans. Each night before we went to bed, the other Americans and I would sit outside on the roof and talk. Immersing ourselves in a third-world country with real problems and real daily struggles helped us all to evaluate our lifestyles.
That's the one thing that's really stuck with me since then. As much as I love the fast-paced American lifestyle, I can't justify going overboard. Excess leads to waste, and there's no need for that. There are people not just in Honduras but right here in Calhoun County who have trouble putting food on the table each night and can't afford to be wasteful. Be thankful for what you have, and don't ever think that what you have is not enough.
Just something to think about next time you hit the drive thru...
Column: Crunch time has arrived
Note: This column originally appeared in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, April 10, 2014.
When I was growing up, Halloween was sometimes an all-day affair. More than once, my brothers and I would literally decide hours before festivities or trick-or-treating began what we would wear that night. And more than once, my mother would question why we waited until the last minute as she painted makeup onto our faces or sewed patches onto our jeans. But it was almost an adrenaline rush that came from waking up on October 31 and digging through every theater prop and article of clothing in the house to piece together a costume. We were creative and resourceful, we learned how to make something comprehensive out of the chaos in our closets, and we created lasting memories.
Now that spring break has passed and finals are less than two weeks away, we students are feeling the adrenaline rush that comes with crunch time. Freshmen will be frantically trying to cram for comprehensive exams. Seniors don't remember what comprehensive exams are, because they're too busy applying for jobs and scheduling exit interviews to care about much else. And everyone is spending just a little too much time on Buzzfeed than they need to.
In the midst of this rush - this working on three major projects for school, hunting for an apartment 10 hours away, managing a school newspaper and preparing for graduation - my computer crashed last week. Thus applies Murphy's Law of college: If it can happen to make crunch time more difficult, it will happen to make crunch time more difficult. This is the time of the semester when laptops crash, wifi routers stop working and you inevitably get a stomach virus.
Before I succumbed to the idea that my work was gone forever, I called my IT guy. He calmly assured me that while he can't fix the hard drive, he can extract the data I need from it.
Buying a new laptop is future Kara's problem, but for now, I'm able to pick up where I left off on these school projects and am not having to start from scratch. (Thank goodness!)
So before you have a meltdown while making flashcards, camping in the library, or writing a 12-page research paper the night before it's due only to find that your printer is out of ink, take heart. Remember that it's not the end of the world; it's just intermission. At the end of this stressful road lies a glorious summer. Your reward may be parading across the football field on the night of graduation, or perhaps relaxing by the pool while you work on the tan you lost from sitting in a classroom all year.
In other words, if you are a follower of the traditional college-kid method of procrastination, the last week of class is your Halloween. You wake up one morning and realize that time has snuck up on you and you've got stuff to prepare for.
But it's alright. Just open another pack of Skittles, down another latte, and keep working. You've got this.
Column: Legendary memories
Note: This column originally appeared in The Chanticleer, the student newspaper of Jacksonville State University, on Thursday, April 17, 2014.
A couple of weeks ago, CBS’ comedy How I Met Your Mother aired its series finale after nine seasons. My Facebook news feed was filled with people voicing their opinions on how the show ended. They loved it, they hated it, they were indifferent about it; but regardless of how viewers felt about the finale, the show was over.
I imagine that the show’s writers must have written and rewritten the finale many times until they had a product they were ready for the world to see. After nine years of slap bets, Canadian pop stars, and reoccurring appearances of the cockamouse, they must have felt a lot of pressure to make the final episode one to remember.
On a much smaller scale, I kind of feel the same way. I have written and rewritten this column in my head so many times over the course of the past week that when I sat down at my desk tonight to actually write it, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say.
My roommates and I used to say that life is like a sitcom; each semester is a new season, and each day is a new episode. If that’s the case, then this issue of The Chanticleer is my series finale.
To say that I’ve enjoyed my time at JSU would be a huge understatement. But it’s been the little moments with the friends I’ve made here that made the past three years better than any TV show I’ve ever seen. Whether it was belting “We Are Never Getting Back Together” with my roommates, hitting Brett in the face with a pie at J-Day, making a midnight McDonald’s run or just hanging out with my friends at the radio station, the everyday, seemingly mundane moments have been the greatest for me and will be what I remember when I look back on my college career.
I do want to say a big thank you to all of the faculty and staff in the Communication Department here at JSU. Thank you to all of the teachers who decided to take a chance on me two years ago when I applied for the Editor-in-Chief position even though I wasn’t really qualified. This has been such a cool experience, and I have really learned so much. Thank you to Tammy Mize for jumping through hoops
whenever I’ve asked her to help me with anything involving registration, transcripts, making copies and printing essays, or even reminding me to sign my payroll sheet. Thank you to everyone with maintenance and with TV services who speak to me every morning and always make me laugh. If I named names, I wouldn’t have room for anything else on this page, but you know who you are.
I’ve just signed a lease for an apartment in Arlington, Virginia, and will head there to start the next phase of my life after I graduate in a couple of weeks, spending my summer working in Washington, D.C.
I’m excited to see what the future holds and where I’ll go after that, but I will always cherish the memories that I’ve made here in Jacksonville. And you should, too; while you’re in college, it may seem like you will never get out. But when you fill out that application for your degree and purchase your cap and gown, it starts to feel real. That’s when you should slow down, look around you, and soak it all in. Then you should go out into the world and be the very best you can be at whatever it is you do. Life is always changing, but one thing is certain: even the small, ordinary moments in life can be legen-wait for it-dary.
Legendary.
A couple of weeks ago, CBS’ comedy How I Met Your Mother aired its series finale after nine seasons. My Facebook news feed was filled with people voicing their opinions on how the show ended. They loved it, they hated it, they were indifferent about it; but regardless of how viewers felt about the finale, the show was over.
I imagine that the show’s writers must have written and rewritten the finale many times until they had a product they were ready for the world to see. After nine years of slap bets, Canadian pop stars, and reoccurring appearances of the cockamouse, they must have felt a lot of pressure to make the final episode one to remember.
On a much smaller scale, I kind of feel the same way. I have written and rewritten this column in my head so many times over the course of the past week that when I sat down at my desk tonight to actually write it, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say.
My roommates and I used to say that life is like a sitcom; each semester is a new season, and each day is a new episode. If that’s the case, then this issue of The Chanticleer is my series finale.
To say that I’ve enjoyed my time at JSU would be a huge understatement. But it’s been the little moments with the friends I’ve made here that made the past three years better than any TV show I’ve ever seen. Whether it was belting “We Are Never Getting Back Together” with my roommates, hitting Brett in the face with a pie at J-Day, making a midnight McDonald’s run or just hanging out with my friends at the radio station, the everyday, seemingly mundane moments have been the greatest for me and will be what I remember when I look back on my college career.
I do want to say a big thank you to all of the faculty and staff in the Communication Department here at JSU. Thank you to all of the teachers who decided to take a chance on me two years ago when I applied for the Editor-in-Chief position even though I wasn’t really qualified. This has been such a cool experience, and I have really learned so much. Thank you to Tammy Mize for jumping through hoops
whenever I’ve asked her to help me with anything involving registration, transcripts, making copies and printing essays, or even reminding me to sign my payroll sheet. Thank you to everyone with maintenance and with TV services who speak to me every morning and always make me laugh. If I named names, I wouldn’t have room for anything else on this page, but you know who you are.
I’ve just signed a lease for an apartment in Arlington, Virginia, and will head there to start the next phase of my life after I graduate in a couple of weeks, spending my summer working in Washington, D.C.
I’m excited to see what the future holds and where I’ll go after that, but I will always cherish the memories that I’ve made here in Jacksonville. And you should, too; while you’re in college, it may seem like you will never get out. But when you fill out that application for your degree and purchase your cap and gown, it starts to feel real. That’s when you should slow down, look around you, and soak it all in. Then you should go out into the world and be the very best you can be at whatever it is you do. Life is always changing, but one thing is certain: even the small, ordinary moments in life can be legen-wait for it-dary.
Legendary.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Visitors to area have mixed feelings about social media
Michael Rodham doesn't believe in Facebook.
"It's absolutely an invasion of people's privacy," said Rodham, a tourist from England who visited Alexandria, Va., last month. "I think Facebook causes more problems, more breakups, and more trouble than it's worth."
Like it or not, social media has become and integral part of life in 2014. Everything that anyone does becomes a shared experience with followers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. People who went to high school together in the 1970s and '80s can reunite with old friends, college buddies can keep in touch after graduation; Facebook users are able to connect with one another more than any previous generations. A Washington Post Express article published last week cites a study saying that nearly 21 percent of people who met their spouses online and got married between 2005 and 2012 met through social networking sites. That's about the same amount of people who meet their spouses at school, in person.
But social media isn't all fun and games. People like Rodham, who say that the new media is an invasion of privacy, are constantly being validated as the networks learn more and more about their users.
On May 19, 2014, Facebook launched a new feature, called "Ask," on its site. The Ask button allows Facebook users to ask friends for information that they don't have posted on their profiles, such as relationship status or current city. If someone receives an Ask request, he can either share his information exclusively with the friend who requested it, or post it publicly on his profile.
Visitors to both Alexandria and Washington, D.C. the week after the new feature was launched had mixed opinions about it.
"It seems a bit intrusive," said Cheryl Compton, who brought a group of Texas high school students to the area for a field trip. "I'm a fairly private person. I think I might not [respond to an Ask request]."
Birmingham, Ala., resident David Olivet, who shares a Facebook account with his wife Heather, stumbled across the Ask button the first week that it was available, and he took advantage of it. "We've got a relative that we're going to visit, and I didn't know her email address," Olivet said. "So I clicked on it to request her email, because she didn't have it publicized. And she sent it to me."
Curtis Anderson from Tucson, Ariz., estimates that he checks his Facebook account five times each day. His feelings about the new Ask button are neutral. "I think [people will] either use it or they won't," said Anderson, who was visiting the National Mall with his family. "I think people will get upset about it, but I don't think that will stop [Facebook] from providing a service. If you don't answer, you don't answer." Anderson said he would honor an Ask request if it came from someone he really knew, but he would otherwise ignore it.
In addition to toeing the line with data and information sharing, social media accounts can also lead to physically dangerous situations. The same week that Facebook's new Ask feature unveiling was in the news, a darker story out of North Carolina also emerged.
On May 21, 2014, USA Today reported that a 27-year-old man from Albemarle had been hiding in the closet of 14-year-old girl and engaging in sexual activities with her. The two met online and communicated via social media, and the girl's parents were unaware. After chatting through their social media accounts for about a month, the man, Jarred Ashley Workman, and the teen agreed to meet in the woods near the girl's home in the Love Valley, N.C. area. Workman then snuck into the teen's house without her parents' knowledge and hid in her closet for five days, coming out at night to have sex with the girl. He was discovered when the girl's mother opened the closet door to put some laundry away. Workman is now in jail on a more than $1 million bond.
This raises the question then of how many parents actually monitor their children's social media accounts.
Heather Olivet said that while she and her husband typically don't log in to their kids' social media accounts, they do have access to them. "We have their passwords, but rarely do we go in them," said Olivet, with her family at the National Mall. "But we could."
Anderson said that his teenage son has an Instagram account, but that he doesn't monitor it.
Compton said that all of her children are adults except one, and she does monitor the minor's Facebook account.
Rodham said that the only media he needs is watching television back home in England. "It doesn't bother me," he said. "Too many people spend time on mobiles and iPhones and Facebook. You lose the ability to talk to people, to interact with people. It's a faceless society."
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Panelists address role of NSA, public in cyber security issues
On Thursday morning, June 12, the American Enterprise Institute hosted a conference on cyber security. The general consensus among panelists and speakers, who ranged from Tom Wheeler, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, to Keith Alexander, former director of the National Security Agency, to Maureen Ohlhausen, Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, is that the American public is generally uninformed on security issues and how to best protect themselves.
"No one wants their identity stolen," said panelist Robert Dix, Vice President of Juniper Networks. "We have a responsibility to educate people on how to protect themselves in cyberspace."
Ohlhausen said that the FTC's website offers information on how to keep data secure, but Wheeler said that cyber adversaries do not fit a particular profile, and that technology is constantly changing. This poses a problem for security.
"Our cyber adversaries worldwide are right at our virtual doors," he said. "They are waiting to break in. We live in an age where a few smart 20-year-olds in somebody's garage can render standard technology obsolete. Tackling the challenges of cyber security will require a joint effort."
The panelists were at odds as to whether or not government organizations are working together to try to protect the nation's electronic data. "We don't have an agreement on the handoff between Homeland Security and national security," said Dix. But Christopher Painter, Coordinator for Cyber Issues at the Department of State, said that the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and FBI all work together to respond to threats.
Alexander, who stepped down as director of the NSA in March of this year, opened his remarks with a simple statements that demonstrated just how much data is exchanged electronically. "If Facebook was a country, it would be the third largest country in the world," he said. "And anyone who has access to Google has access to more information than the president of the United States did in the year 1990."
One of the panelists, retired General Michael Hayden, addressed the stories surrounding former NSA employee Edward Snowden. "We don't say 'Snowden' at the NSA," he said. "We use the phrase, 'He Who Must Not Be Named.' He's a traitor to his country who has caused damage to our military readiness." Hayden said that 90 percent of information stolen by Snowden was of a military and tactical nature.
Congressman Mike Rogers (R-MI), Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, addressed the role of the NSA and its coverage by the media.
"Every day there's an article that isn't exactly right about leaks coming from the NSA," he said. "The NSA does not listen to or monitor our domestic networks. That's against the law. There is no domestic surveillance program."
Several of the panelists pointed out that domestic probing is illegal in the United States, but that the security agency can, and does, try to prevent cyber terrorism with foreign connections. "I ran the NSA for six years. We spy too," he said. "We spy to keep you safe."
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