October 11, 2012

CofC’s Olympic Duopage 22

Haunted Charlestonpage 10

EDUCATION 101

The 2012 election and higher education

inside the issue

medianewsradiotvsalespr

Staff

Editor-in-ChiefManaging Editors

News EditorFeature EditorSports EditorDesign Editor

Staff Writers

Artist

Contributors

Sarah SheaferColin Johnson (Print)Charles Nguyen (Online)Nicole DeMarcoLaQunya BakerChopper JohnsonGillian Spolarich

Hannah EvansMaddy HartmanSam JordanMallie SalernoChantelle SimmonsAnna SloanLeah Sutherland

Kelley Wills

Gabby AlverazStephanie GreeneLexa KeaneJulia RaceAlyssa Thornton

The Cistern Yard has always been the center of campus. The first time you visited the College, you probably walked through the place on a Charleston 40 tour. You noticed the columns of Randolph Hall and admired the Spanish moss hanging from the trees, but something else stood out: the actual Cistern.

Since then, you’ve considered it to be the center of campus. As your college experience seemed to flash by, you’d always glance upon the Cistern and remember what your tour guide told you on your first day visiting the College.

“This is the Cistern. It’s considered the center of campus and many of you will one day walk across it at your graduation.”

Just as students consider the Cistern to be the center of campus, they consider CisternYard Media to be the center of campus news. Previously known as Cougar Media Network, we’ve recently rebranded and changed the focus of student media.

It’s not just the name that’s changed. It’s our entire mentality. We are here to serve you by providing entertainment and news right online at cisternyard.com. We want you to go to CisternYard Video first when you want to watch the highlights of a basketball game you missed. We want you to tune into CisternYard Radio when you want to hear great music, and we want you to read CisternYard News first when breaking news occurs.

We want you to consider us as your center of news just as you consider the Cistern to be the center of your campus.

Advertising

For advertisement inquires with The Yard, contact James Grab at cisternyardsales@cofc.edu.

Contact Information

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Cisternyard MediaCollege of Charleston72 Calhoun St., 2nd FloorCharleston, S.C. 29401

843-953-8119

cisternyard.com

cisternyardnews@cofc.edu

About

CisternYard News is the College of Charleston’s official student-run online newspaper. The Yard is its quarterly feature magazine.

Letter from the Editor:The Center of Campus,

The Center of News

Sarah SheaferEditor-in-Chief

yard

SPORTS

CONTENTSCONTENTS

News4 Apartment complex to be built by August 20137 Campus Political Discourse

People8 An Elephantine Experience

Local10 Haunted Charleston 12 Student Businesses

Cover16 Presidential Candidates on Higher Education

Sports20 Volleyball’s Rising Star22 The College’s Olympians

Opinion28 Staff Editorial29 Breast Cancer Awareness Month30 Eating Animals31 National Coming Out Day

the yard4

In the fall of 2011, the Office of Residence Life and Housing faced a serious issue. The percentage of freshman applicants who decided to come to the College of Charleston was much greater than the Office of Admission had expected, leaving many students who submitted their deposit after the May 1 deadline in forced triples or in residence halls typically for upperclassmen. Some students even moved off campus. In previous years, these students were assigned housing despite missing the deadline.

As a result of the expanding student population, as well as an internal desire to increase the percentage of students who live on campus (currently 30 percent of undergraduates), other options were considered.

Early in 2012, the College sent out a request for proposals (RFP) in order to build a new dorm on campus. Two proposals were submitted and one moved forward into

discussion. However, the administration decided to put any and all building plans on hold.

John Campbell, the Dean of the Department of Residence Life and Housing said, “We’re always looking at [the issue], but right now we’re not as energetic in trying to build a new dorm.”

As a state institution, if a new dorm were to be constructed, the plans would need to be approved in Columbia. This process typically takes eight to 12 months.

Campbell emphasized the impact this wait time had on the plans. He said, “It wasn’t even money; it had more to do with the time needed for the project and the time needed as a state institution to go forward with the project.”

While the College may not be building a new dorm any time soon, Anthony McAlister, private developer and founder of McAlister Development Company has already

The future of campus living?New complex provides students with more options

by NICOLE DEMARCOgraphics courtesy of McAlister Development Company

5october 11

NEWS

broken ground on a new project. The parking lot to the rear of Kickin’ Chicken and some of its surrounding space, is currently in the process of being converted to private student apartments. Construction started on Aug. 20, 2012.

His company, based in Mt. Pleasant, has led the development for numerous other projects on campus including: Kelly House, McAlister Hall, Liberty Hall and the George Street Apartments.

Although McAlister submitted a proposal to the College to build the new dorm, he decided that he could not wait for approval from the state. If so, he would jeopardize losing the space and face increasing construction costs. McAlister said, “Something like this doesn’t happen overnight…. but it’s something we are passionate about and feel we know a lot about.”

The new building, 190,000 square-feet in size, will house over 400 students in apartment style suites with two, three or four bedrooms. The set-up of the rooms will be similar to that of the George Street Apartments, which McAlister also developed. McAlister said, “Everything we’ve built is apartment style, and this will be bigger than George Street [Apartments] with more amenities.”

The building itself consists of eight floors, and reaches the city’s maximum height allowance for buildings set back from the street. The first floor will house a 14,000-18,000 square foot gym facility as well as a data center with access to both printers and computers, and the upper floors will all serve as residences with a centered courtyard. In comparison, the Fitness Center located in the Stern Student Center is 2,000 square feet.

Large emphasis will also be placed on landscaping and outdoor seating areas. McAlister said, “We wanted to make it as pedestrian friendly as possible, but in an urban environment that’s always difficult.”

In addition to the new construction, McAlister is also developing an adjacent storefront space on King Street, which will soon be home to a large retailer. The total cost for combining the two properties and completing projects is approximately $62 million.

The predicted completion date for the project is Aug. 15, 2013, giving McAlister and his construction crew a little shy of a year’s building time. This time constraint should not be a problem. McAlister said, “Every project we’ve had

we’ve had to fast track and we’ve completed all of them.”Since these apartments are privately owned, they will be

run similarly to any other off campus property. A flat rental fee will be charged in addition to a utilities fee. However, McAlister plans to bundle all of the utilities, including water, sewer, power, Internet and cable together to make things easier on the residents.

McAlister said the cost of living in these apartments will be comparable and most likely less expensive than living on campus in the George Street Apartments, including utilities.

McAlister also emphasized that his primary focus is on the students. As a former student, and a father he wants to focus on keeping students close to campus in a safe environment. “Since the beginning we wanted new, clean

and manageable housing for students,” McAlister said. “I would hope that people who are having to live further away will be able to live here.”

In regard to the construction of these new apartments, Campbell said, “We think there are probably a lot of students who feel it is close enough to campus… and frankly, another draw for it is it’s not college controlled housing.”

While McAlister admits he would consider working with the College in the future, this project is completely privately owned at the moment, similar to when Kelly House first opened as a privately owned student residence in 1995. There is a possibility that the management will be outsourced.

Another issue McAlister hoped this building would address is the conflict between neighborhoods and student renters. He describes

this as a serious community issue, and said, “I couldn’t believe the private sector wasn’t doing anything about this.”

“Neighborhoods by and large don’t like rental properties and especially the college students because they feel it changes the character of the neighborhood,” Campbell said.

McAlister believes it is important to keep both the students and Charlestonians happy because both groups have a huge local impact.

“The College and its students have a huge economic impact in this area,” McAlister said, “Retailers are really benefitting from students being here.” The new building will provide a new option for students and they will have the ability to live in close proximity to the campus, without being in a residence hall.

the yard6

7october 11

Campus Political DiscourseAs election 2012 approaches, groups on campus focus on getting students involved. Despite

their efforts, the U.S. Census Bureau reports lowest voter registration in the 18 to 24 age group.story by LEAH SUTHERLAND, graphics by SARAH SHEAFER

Election season is upon us. Hide your horses and your wives, because America is entering debate mode. All CNN, ABC, CBS, MSNBC and HGTV want to do is discuss politics. As political discourse sweeps the nation, things remain relatively quiet on campus.

!That’s not to say no one is doing anything. Groups such as Political Science Club, College Republicans, College Democrats and Political Economy Club have hosted events on campus to get students involved in the election.

Daniel Klaeren, president of the Political Science Club, said he urges students to pay attention to the upcoming opportunities for political involvement on campus. “This election presents us with a choice between two very different visions of the direction our country ought to take,” Klaeren said. “As young people beginning to enter the job market on our own, we could be either the beneficiaries of a thriving country or the debtors of a broken one.”

! On Sept. 27, the Communication Department’s Bully Pulpit Series and SGA hosted Rock the Vote, an event to promote student voter registration and encourage participation in the coming election. “The smallest thing you can do in our country and have a say, is vote,” SGA President Erica Arbetter said. “If you don’t register, you can’t vote. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.”

! The Political Science Club also hosted a debate night featuring two members of the South Carolina Democratic and Republican Parties with a discussion that followed. Cindy Costa, vice-chair to the RNC Rules Committee and SC Republican National committeewoman, represented the Republican Party, and Phil Noble, president of SC New Democrats, spoke on behalf of the Democratic Party.

Despite campus club and organization initiatives, voter

registration and turnout remain relatively low among those aged 18 to 24. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in the 2008 presidential election, only 54.6 percent of people aged 18 to 24 in South Carolina were registered to vote, and only 47.8 percent reported actually voting.

These statistics are contrasted by the average voter registrations at 72.0 percent and voter turnout at 63.4 percent. In general, the older-aged demographic tends to vote more. This can be seen in the 65 to 74 age group whose registration was at 84.4 percent and voter turnout at 76.1 percent in 2008.

For future opportunities to get involved with the 2012 election, there will be a joint mock debate featuring all the political clubs, with teams of students representing both political parties, speaking as presidential candidate Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama. While the exact time of the event is yet to be determined, it is scheduled to take place in the last week of October.

! For those interested in watching live results of the election, CAB is hosting an election viewing party on Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Stern Center Ballroom. In addition to free food, there will be chances for students to win prizes by answering political trivia. Other clubs on campus, such as the Political Science Club, will also be hosting live election result viewing parties.

Klaeren said he encourages students to get involved even if they just watch the live results of the election or only vote. “Because both the presidency and the senate are up for grabs, there is enormous potential for change, whether one believes that to be a good or bad thing,” Klaeren said. “With so much resting on this election it is in each individual’s own interest to let his choice be known through his vote.”

Age group: 18 to 24Voter registration:

54.6 percent

NEWS

Watching an elephant eat is like “seeing

a human eat from an ant’s perspective,” Jordan Mizrachi said, remembering days spent feeding elephants hay and whole papayas, their long mouths and huge teeth “always smiling.”

Not many students can claim prowess on the neck of an elephant, but Mizrachi, a freshman at the College of Charleston, is a certified mahout, someone trained in working with and riding elephants.

Until his twin sister asked if he would join her in a six-week program in Thailand working with elephants, he had never considered the giant mammals. With a sense of adventure, he said yes, and the summer after his sophomore year of high school they set out for Thailand.

After political unrest shut down the Thai airport, Mizrachi and his sister found themselves instead in the neighboring country of Laos, 42 hours and seven airports after leaving their home in Boca Raton, Fla. To reach the structures that sheltered the elephants and

their own hut homes away from home, they crossed a river by boat into an isolated jungle.

Their mentor mahouts greeted them with “sa bai dee,” a phonetic translation of the Lao for “hello.” Mizrachi’s mahout, who guided him throughout the six weeks, was named Danger, a “little guy with rock star hair and pearly white teeth.” Over the weeks, Danger taught Mizrachi the secrets of elephants, and Mizrachi taught Danger the art of thumb wrestling and how to play poker.

Mizrachi and his sister were among about 12 other participants from across the world, learning with the mahouts. Once they slept off their jet lag under hut roofs and mosquito nets, they began to learn the Lao phrases necessary to command their elephants, as each person worked with a

single elephant for the duration of his or her training. Such training is a prevalent skill in Laos, as people continue to utilize elephants in construction and transportation, as well as tourism.

the yard8

An Elephantine Experiencestory by HANNAH EVANS

photos courtesy of JORDAN MIZRACHI

Essential to the nature of a mahout, is courage, Mizrachi said, as elephants have “no training wheels.” The elephants younger than five years old are unpredictable and eager to charge, so a rope around one of their feet restrains them, so that when they grow older, though they are large enough to break the rope, they do not try to resist it.

Soon after learning the commands, Mizrachi climbed to an elephant’s neck for the first time. He had no saddle or harness, as mahouts move freely with the elephants’ bodies. Even after weeks, Mizrachi described the sensation of being atop an elephant is similar to “driving a sports

car at 100 miles an hour.”He recalled the first time that his mahout told him they

were going to bathe the elephants, pondering just how he would go about washing such a colossal beast—whether there was a hose for water. Against expectation, the mahout then led Mizrachi on his elephant straight into the river, shouting a command at Mizrachi’s elephant, which then gathered water in its trunk and threw it backwards, dousing Mizrachi. The elephants could only use their trunks to fling water one way—over their shoulders—or this might have started a water fight.

Though elephants have thick, leathery skin—which, Mizrachi said, is surprisingly rather hairy—they are still prone to mosquito bites. As a result, the mahouts slap the mosquitos on the elephants’ skin to prevent irritation. Two girls training alongside Mizrachi were afraid to slap the mosquitoes in an irrational fear of hurting the elephant. Mizrachi warned the girls of the elephants keen ability to throw things with their trunks, but the girls remained timid about slapping the mosquitos, and were rewarded with trunkfulls of dirt.

After six weeks of dirt, shoveling elephant dung and balancing atop gray necks, Mizrachi was a certified mahout himself. No small feat, though “like a driver’s license,” the certification does not transfer out of Laos.

Despite the physical hardships of working with elephants and monstrous mosquitoes, Mizrachi said the most difficult part of his time in Laos was a diet of rice three times a day. Before returning to the states, he travelled in Cambodia with his sister, where he managed to find some “really good pizza.”

Mizrachi’s sense of travel is not confined to elephants in Laos. He has scuba-dived in Fiji and travelled all over Europe. He’s been to India and gained weight eating in Italy. He hopes to study abroad in Japan. He visits family in Jerusalem, as his father is from Israel. He even flew to Israel by himself as a child.

Mizrachi’s interest in travel intertwines with his passion for community service, which he views as “a duty, not just something to put on a college application.” Before the semester even began at the College of Charleston, he participated in the community service-oriented freshman experience, working on service projects. He is content to be in Charleston, and changes his mind about his future career daily, but, in Laos, he is still a mahout.

9october 11

PEOPLE

the yard10

Haunted Charleston

The Old Charleston Jail: 21 Magazine StreetConsidered to be one of the most haunted locations in Charleston, this city landmark was operational from 1802 to 1939 and housed Civil War prisoners and sea pirates. The jail was subject to overcrowding, and sanitary conditions for the inmates were not a priority. One of the most notable former inmates was Lavinia Fisher, the !rst female serial killer. Over the years, several national ghost investigative teams have explored the jail, capturing haunting EVPs or electronic voice phenomena. During a recent investigation conducted by the Ghost Hunters team from the Syfy channel, a female crewmember su"ered unexplainable scratches all over her body.

The Battery Carriage House Inn: 20 South Battery StreetKnown as Charleston’s most haunted inn, the website keeps an active and lengthy log of guests’ haunted experiences. A gentleman ghost who haunts Room 10 is the supposed son of a former owner who unexplainably jumped from the roof to his death. Another ghost in the form of a headless torso dressed in Civil War era clothing has been seen several di"erent times and may be a victim from the Siege of Charleston in 1780. Future patrons looking to experience the spirits for themselves should stay in rooms 3, 8 or 10.

If you’re a fan of things that go bump in the night, or you’re just looking to get in the Halloween spirit, look no further than your own backyard. Steeped in history, Charleston is home to some of America’s best haunts.

compiled by JULIA RACE, photos by STEPHANIE GREENE & GABRIELLE ALVAREZ

11october 11

LOCAL

Joe E. Berry Residence Hall, College of Charleston: Corner of Calhoun and St. Phillip StreetThe little girls of Jenkins Orphanage reportedly haunt this all girls dormitory. The orphanage tragically burnt down in the 1800s and several of the girls did not escape the blaze. Their presence is felt particularly on the fifth and sixth floors. Today, students still report the sounds of marbles rolling across the floor, singing and footsteps.

Southend Brewery: 161 East Bay Street Today’s popular restaurant and brewery is located in the historic Wagener Building: a hot spot of trade and manufacturing in the early 1800s. At the time, a cotton merchant occupied the third floor. Deeply in debt, he spent his last dime on a large shipment of cotton, hoping it would be his salvation. Unfortunately, the ship carrying his cotton caught fire in the harbor, right before his eyes. Feeling there was no other option, he hung himself in his office. Many staff members have reported feeling breezes as well as the feeling of being watched. Bartenders also say beer taps flow without explanation.

the yard12

Student Businessesby MALLIE SALERNO

For some students, starting a business is a daunting task. The time commitment that is needed to make a truly great small business is huge, and the thought of going to class alongside opening and managing a business is overwhelming. Yet three entrepreneurs at the College of Charleston have started their own lucrative small businesses: Taylor Nelson and Jason Barman’s Cougar Moving Company and Emily Floyd’s bakery, Delish!.

The one thing that all these stories have in common

is the influence of college classes on their start-up businesses. Courses in business, historic preservation and entrepreneurship have been influential in all of their lives.

While Nelson, Barman and Floyd are all current students at the College and are still in the early stages of their businesses, Sabatino Covollo provides an example of a successful small business owner. Covollo graduated from the College in 2006 and opened up Sabatino’s Authentic New York City Pizza next to College Lodge.

Sabatino’s Authentic New York City PizzaAfter graduating from the College in 2006, Sabatino Covollo became

a teacher. But after five years of teaching at schools all over Charleston, he saw the opportunity to buy Bella Pizza and make it his own.

After dissolving the original company, Covollo opened his own pizza place, serving authentic New York style pizza. Originally from New York and having worked at a few pizza places there before, Covollo said he knew that he wanted to make the best New York style pizza in Charleston.

After years of working in a school setting, Covollo said he was ready to be his own boss. “When I was a teacher I had like10 bosses. There are so many people telling you what to do, and I didn’t like that. I like being in charge of myself.” Through hard work and dedication to quality, Covollo has made a successful business for himself. He said, “It’s the best environment for me.”

photo by Sarah Sheafer

13october 11

LOCAL

Delish!Emily Floyd of Delish! is a student from Myrtle Beach. When she came to

Charleston, she realized that she missed all of the little cafes and study areas around her hometown. She wanted to bring the idea of having somewhere to hang out to Charleston. After talking to her parents, her family moved to Charleston and quickly helped her open a store on Meeting St.

Floyd designed her own space and menu in order to create something special. Floyd’s pride and joy of the Delish! menu is the create your own cupcake bar. With different flavors of cupcakes made fresh every day with fun toppings, you can’t really go wrong. Fresh sandwiches and salads are also a big part of the menu at Delish!

As a historic preservation major, Floyd said she has been working hard to learn about not only the history of her building but also business practices from around the state. While it’s been a challenge for Floyd to own her own business with so many employees, she said she has had a great time starting it. Floyd has gotten to do some amazing things with her shop, especially with the constraints of operating out of a historic building. One of the best things for her was surprising everyone with her age. She said, “People were really taken back at first about my age. But after meeting me they understand.”

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Cougar MoversCougar Moving Company is a student-run business

founded in 2011 by two friends, Taylor Nelson and Jason Barman. The two said they realized how much of a need there was for a moving company specifically for students. Nelson and Barman had been friends for about four years before they decided to start a company together, and they’ve stuck it out throughout all the stress caused by starting a business.

Nelson is a business major at the College, and he has applied quite a few of the things he has learned in classes to his job. “You experience a lot of business-related things you wouldn’t in a classroom,” Nelson said. “But the best experience you get is hands on.” He cited Tommy Baker’s entrepreneurship class as one of the most helpful classes he has taken.

Cougar Movers is making headway in the community by acquiring more jobs. Nelson and Barman complete about 50 moves a month; they have even started doing moves to other states. Last week, they had a move from Georgia to Charlotte.

Nelson said one of the hardest parts of starting Cougar Moving Company has been taking risks. “Starting your own business is all about the risks,” Nelson said. “You can’t be successful if you don’t put yourself out there.” Nelson and Barman said they have worked hard to create a profitable company and do something important with their time in college. According to Nelson, it’s not just a resume builder; their business has given them real world experience that they wouldn’t have gotten any other way.

photos courtesy of Cougar Moving Company

15october 11

With Nov. 6 creeping steadily closer, the 2012 presidential campaign is ramping up as incumbent President

Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney finalize their efforts to win the American people’s vote. Undecided voters face a myriad of issues on which the candidates seem unable to agree. From national healthcare to foreign policy, the candidates appear split, with each campaign claiming that the other will drastically affect the country’s future. However partisan the situation may be, there seems to be one stance that Obama and Romney share: Education.

Both parties have made it clear that education in America is a top priority. Governor Jeb Bush states in his foreword for the Romney campaign’s education white paper that “There is no more critical issue facing the United States than that of education reform.”

The idea that the American education system is failing seems to go beyond party politics, and Bush’s statement is mirrored in the words of President Obama when he spoke to a joint session of Congress in 2009. While discussing education, the President insisted that “In a global economy, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity; it is a pre-requisite.”

Both parties seem willing to agree that America is in desperate need of education reform, and a number of national and international organizations have released studies which confirm the sad truth: America is no longer the intellectual center of the world.

The Washington Post reports that SAT results from American high schools in 2012 were the lowest in four decades, with huge disparities in scores between students in families from differing economic backgrounds. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) also released its latest education results in 2010, with the United States ranking 14th in reading, and 25th in math. This puts countries such as the Netherlands, China and even Estonia at a higher level of academic success than America based on international standards.

Even as the country’s economic crisis keeps both federal and state budget-makers on edge, education spending has continued to rapidly increase. The Department of Education’s proposed 2012 budget was more than 68 million dollars, compared to the budget of 37 million in the year 2000. Even with taxpayers spending more money than ever before for public education, only 55 percent of college students in a bachelors degree program graduate within six years.

Despite the federal government spending more on education than ever before, tuition costs continue to rise. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average cost of a four-year degree from an American institution has risen nearly 62 percent in the last 10 years. This steep increase coincides with a national per capita income growth of only 16 percent over the same period of time. As incomes remain unable to keep up with rising costs, record numbers of students are taking out loans for college: 100 billion dollars in 2011, with

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cartoons by Kelley Wills

With Nov. 6 creeping steadily closer, the 2012 presidential campaign is ramping up as incumbent President

Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney finalize their efforts to win the American people’s vote. Undecided voters face a myriad of issues on which the candidates seem unable to agree. From national healthcare to foreign policy, the candidates appear split, with each campaign claiming that the other will drastically affect the country’s future. However partisan the situation may be, there seems to be one stance that Obama and Romney share: Education.

Both parties have made it clear that education in America is a top priority. Governor Jeb Bush states in his foreword for the Romney campaign’s education white paper that “There is no more critical issue facing the United States than that of education reform.”

The idea that the American education system is failing seems to go beyond party politics, and Bush’s statement is mirrored in the words of President Obama when he spoke to a joint session of Congress in 2009. While discussing education, the President insisted that “In a global economy, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity; it is a pre-requisite.”

Both parties seem willing to agree that America is in desperate need of education reform, and a number of national and international organizations have released studies which confirm the sad truth: America is no longer the intellectual center of the world.

The Washington Post reports that SAT results from American high schools in 2012 were the lowest in four decades, with huge disparities in scores between students in families from differing economic backgrounds. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) also released its latest education results in 2010, with the United States ranking 14th in reading, and 25th in math. This puts countries such as the Netherlands, China and even Estonia at a higher level of academic success than America based on international standards.

Even as the country’s economic crisis keeps both federal and state budget-makers on edge, education spending has continued to rapidly increase. The Department of Education’s proposed 2012 budget was more than 68 million dollars, compared to the budget of 37 million in the year 2000. Even with taxpayers spending more money than ever before for public education, only 55 percent of college students in a bachelors degree program graduate within six years.

Despite the federal government spending more on education than ever before, tuition costs continue to rise. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average cost of a four-year degree from an American institution has risen nearly 62 percent in the last 10 years. This steep increase coincides with a national per capita income growth of only 16 percent over the same period of time. As incomes remain unable to keep up with rising costs, record numbers of students are taking out loans for college: 100 billion dollars in 2011, with

!"!#$%&'()*+)$,!(-.$./!(&-(,%0,!/(!1.#2$%&'

3$&/4(54(6&"%'(7&,'8&'

cartoons by Kelley Wills

the yard18

interest rates as high as 6.8 percent. Politics had profound effects on South Caroltion budget in

2011, when newly elected Superintendent of Education Mick Zais, a historically staunch Republican, announced in May that the state would not participate in the next round of Race to the Top.

Zais argued that “More federal money for education will not solve our problems,” and that South Carolina would decline to compete for a federal education grant. While it is impossible to predict where South Carolina would have ranked in the second round, after being a finalist in the first, Zais gave away the state’s chance to receive any grant, with no promise of meaningful reform within the state.

With a failing education system costing more money than ever before, it is reasonable that both Democrats and Republicans can come to a consensus on the idea of reform. However, strong ideological differences between parties have provided two very different solutions for improving student performance while simultaneously making college more affordable. Many sweeping party issues, including government regulation and private industry have crept into each candidate’s education policy, and party lines seem impassable in working toward creating a compelling solution to a national shortcoming.

Obama: “A plan to out-educate the world” In the past four years, Obama has made strides to extend

increased federal aid around the country and to remove the private banking industry from their role in distributing federal grants. Pell grants, the primary government-issued aid for college students in low-income households, increased by 95 percent nationally since Obama took office in 2008.

Nearly 121,000 students in South Carolina were assisted by Pell grants in the past year, alongside many more receiving a substantial college tax credit. As the number of grants has increased, the practice allowing private banks to distribute federal money was disbanded, with student grants being almost completely nationalized.

In an effort to increase student performance throughout the education system, Obama championed a new federal incentive program called “Race to the Top,” which awarded anywhere from $20 to $750 million in federal education funds to states which improved teacher and student performance through creative and productive reform.

Obama’s reelection campaign touts very similar plans for the next four years, with government aid and capped repayment plans being central to his education policy. Obama would cap loan repayment at 10 percent of a student’s income after they graduate from college, ideally putting more spending money in their pocket.

Romney: “A chance for every child”The Romney campaign relies heavily on a platform of

decreased federal regulation in all of its forms. The support of private enterprise is even featured in Romney’s education outline, entitled “A Chance for Every Child.” Romney suggests reinstating private banking to its historical role in the federal financial aid system in order to give students and families options for education financing.

Romney also supports parental choice in the form of school vouchers, which would give families the ability to take their

“Out-educate the world”

Rewarding Responsbility

If reelected, President Barack Obama would reducethe burden of debt on new college

graduates by capping federal loan repayments at ten percent of their initial income.

Federal Investment

Provide tax credits for students headed to college, as well as invest up to four billion

dollars in community colleges.

Bottom Up Reform

Allow states to plan and implementprogressive reforms, and recieve federal

funding for succesful programs.

19october 11

“A chance for every child”

Private Sector Involvment

As President, Governor Mitt Romney would re-instate private bank to their historical position

as lenders, but also as financial educators and promoters of fiscal responsibility.

Reduced Regulation

Simplify the federal aid system andreducing the amount of hurdles for students in search of financial aid.

Affordability

Create systems to educate families on planning and saving for a child’s college

education.

COVERchildren out of public school and subsidize a private education.

President of SC New Democrats Phil Noble said “Republicans had a good idea,” but students should be limited to choice within the public school system. With public education already struggling, Noble said he believes that reducing enrollment would only compound the problem.

The Solution: Increased funding v. improved efficiencyThe College of Charleston has seen a significant

increase in the number of students requesting financial aid, according to Derwin Simpson, student services manager in the financial aid office. Recent statistics show that approximately 68 percent of students apply for or receive aid from the school. Simpson said students are relying more heavily on financial aid, because of the national economy’s poor performance. Another contributing factor is the reduction of funding to public education on both a national and state level.

“There needs to be a recognition on the part of the public and our elected leaders that investment in education is one of our best opportunities to improve our economy, our productivity, our ranking among nations, our tax base, and improve the employability of our citizens,” Simpson said via e-mail. “Reduction in federal and state spending for education will have a serious impact on the budgets of colleges/universities.”

Both presidential candidates, as well as several officials in higher education, think federal funding is key to improving higher education. However, it may not be all about the number of government dollars the schools receive.

According to Cherry Daniel, career educator and College of Charleston Board of Trustees member, the education budget can only be split so many ways, and colleges around the country should focus on efficiency in the classroom as well as in administrative offices, instead of waiting for more federal or state dollars to appear.

Daniel said the board is “very sensitive to the (student loan) debt issue,” and is making strides to reduce costs and raise efficiency. To more fully recognize the issue, the board has implemented a cost-containment study, with an external firm hired to analyze the school’s departments, which Daniel said are “administration top-heavy.”

Even as the college tries to further understand its shortcomings in efficiency, Daniel makes it clear that the board still has the students in mind. In 2012, every public college in South Carolina, except for the College of Charleston, raised its tuition. Daniel said that this decision was made by the board to make clear that “The board will not arbitrarily raise tuition; there has to be a reason.” Daniel does not believe that the tuition cap, which was broken last year, had any sort of contrary effects on students.

Individuals like Daniel believe that America’s education system is flawed in its efficiency, while others believe reduced funding to be the source of the problem. Voters face a decision on whether or not they believe federal funding is the solution or if it is only effective alongside substantial educational reform.

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story by MADDY HARTMANphotos by COLIN JOHNSON

On the first weekend of play for College of Charleston’s volleyball team, No. 4 entered the match against the

N.C. State Wolfpack and put down an impressive eight kills. Who was No. 4, though?

She was not one of the faces fans were familiar with in the front line, but junior Emily Neideffer made an impression immediately, and has been making an impact ever since.

Neideffer came to Charleston two years ago after leading her high school squad to back-to-back 4A state championships in North Carolina, but the move south just felt natural.

“I had never heard of the school until I got here. First visit, I fell in love with (the city) and just kind of couldn’t resist,” Neideffer said.

For the past two seasons Neideffer has served the team in her own way, providing inspiration from the bench and never taking an opportunity to get in the match for granted.

“Everyone has always known me to be that super energetic, intense player,” she said. “I’ve had that role on the bench the last two years and I have it on the court when I get in. That’s how I play and you’re not really going to get

anything different from me. I feel like my positive energy is my way of contributing to our team.”

For head coach Jason Kepner, it is Neideffer’s dedication that makes her an asset to the team. “Emily goes hard and gives you everything she’s got. She won’t ever quit on a play,” Kepner said.

Now that Neideffer has found her way into the starting lineup, things are changing for her, but she never fails to attribute her success, in part, to someone else.

“My work ethic has always been something I really strive for, but I think it helped that we had a couple of positions open up this year. Jason (Kepner) has always used me as his versatile utility player. I can play outside, I can play right side, I can play middle. It’s just kind of funny because I didn’t think I would be playing middle, whatsoever,” she said, laughing as she reflected on the season so far.

“We’ve adjusted things to accent for what I’m better at and altered how we run things. It’s been very helpful to me in (finding) success.”

Neideffer is not quite satisfied with her game as of yet, even though she has tallied 86 kills already this season, the third best on the squad, and has the second-highest hitting

Volleyball’s Rising Star

percentage on the team at .296. She responds immediately and enthusiastically on what she wants to work on.

“Blocking. Blocking. Hitting, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on, but (blocking is) one aspect of my game I really need to step up,” she said. “We work on it in practice a lot and it has improved every weekend for me. I’m figuring new things out each time we’re in practice or on the court.”

“Emily was a middle in high school and club,” Kepner said, explaining his decision to move Neideffer back to the middle. “I knew she had some experience in the position and one of her strengths is turning the ball around both sides of the block. Putting her in the middle with one blocker usually plays to her strengths.”

Always a team player, Neideffer geared a question about her personal aspirations back to a comment on the strength and wellbeing of the squad:

“I just want to keep positively impacting the team and be support if need be, or be whatever the team needs. You know, I don’t want to be in the spotlight. I don’t want that. The last few years it wasn’t my time and whatever I was needed to be, I want to be that.”

Last spring the Cougars took part in the first season of NCAA-sanctioned sand volleyball, and Neideffer was a member of the inaugural squad.

“It was challenging but it was fun. It was very different,” she said. “I was a little skeptical to begin with but the closer and closer it came, it’s a nice break. It’s just a totally different vibe and it’s more laid back.”

Emily may say sand was more laid back, but her workouts must not have been.

“It definitely helped my vertical: I went up like four inches within the season, so that was nice,” she said with a smile.

“With beach you really have to work on seeing the court and being able to read other players and make shots and smart plays. So I think it has helped my mental game a lot,” Emily said about the switch to the outdoor game. But she is still not sold on it entirely.

“I prefer indoor. I like beach but with indoor it’s much easier to get that energy and excitement which I feed off of. In beach you’re just trying to stay alive in the middle of every play.”

Looking forward to the spring sand season, Emily is

eager to see what happens with this season’s larger and more experienced team.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen because we’ve got 14 (players) carrying over so that’s going to be at least four people not playing every weekend. I think it’s going to be more competitive. I don’t know how we’re going to work it; I think that’s something the coaches are still trying to figure out, but it will definitely be more competitive between us.”

Not only has Emily worked her way into the starting lineup, but in Kansas’ Jayhawk Invitational she received her first individual award of her collegiate career, being named to the all-tournament team after tallying a career-high 14 kills. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a great weekend for the Cougars, who went 1-2 against tough national competition in the tournament.

Emily spoke warmly of her achievement, but tinged it with a shadow of regret that her efforts did not lead to more team success.

“It was great; it was a really good feeling. I felt very satisfied with my performance but at the same time not to take away from it, but I wish we could have done better as a team. I wish I could take it away, if it meant us doing better, but it was an honor. It was a pleasant surprise.”

21october 11

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CofC London

While most College of Charleston student-athletes were busy this summer lifting weights, taking classes or

sneaking off to Folly, Juan Maegli and Andrew Lawrence found another way to train for their upcoming senior seasons: facing off against the best in the world at the 2012 London Olympics.

Maegli carried the flag for his native country Guatemala before competing in the single-handed Laser class in sailing, while Lawrence had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play in his own backyard as a point guard on Team Great Britain’s men’s basketball team.

For Maegli, it was a return trip to the Olympics, after being the last sailor to qualify in the Laser for the 2008 Beijing Games, and finished 33rd out of a 43-man field. He was one of the youngest sailors in the field in Beijing at 20 years old. Four years older, and having taken two years off from his college career to train, he rocketed off the line to win the first race of the two-week Olympic regatta.

“It was good. I felt that I was very ready,” Maegli said, recounting the victory. “After the (European Championships, where he finished second), I was ready to have a good event. But there was two weeks to go until the Olympics, and there is a lot of stuff you have to do, like media stuff with the country, and stuff like that. So, I just wanted to get racing. I couldn’t wait to start racing. So the first day, I was ready to get it done, and get a first. I did well in the second race. I had a very good first three races. After that, things went downhill.”

After three rounds of the 10-race regatta, Maegli was in third place against the most competitive Laser fleet in the world. After five races, he was still fifth out of the 49 boats. But, in his words, things went downhill.

“The conditions we had for the last two days … They sail us in different courses, and the last two days we sailed on the outer course, which gets hit more by waves and bigger swells, and more winds,” Maegli explained. “I did take two years off from school to prepare for that, but it just wasn’t enough training yet. There is a lot of training you have to do to get good in those conditions, and I just didn’t have enough time.

“I’ve improved a lot over the last year. A year ago, I would have struggled to be top-30 in those conditions. Coming into the last day, in my worst conditions, I was still up there, so that was good. But I wasn’t as well-prepared as the other guys for it.”

Even though he did not claim Guatemala’s first Olympic medal, he secured a berth in the final, 10-boat “medal race”

Two current CofC students competed in the London 2012 Olympics in their respective sports of Sailing and Basketball. Both have successful atheletic fathers and also plan to compete in Rio in 2016

by CHOPPER JOHNSON

SPORTS

and finished ninth overall.While Maegli was considered an outside medal favorite

going into the Games, hometown favorite Lawrence – the Cougars point guard from Surrey, about 30 miles away from the Olympic basketball venue – was the youngest player to make a team that was a longshot to make it out of the group stages.

When the groups were announced, Team GB – England, Scotland and Wales competed under the flag of Great Britain in London – managed to avoid the United States, but it still faced a difficult bracket highlighted by European champions Spain, Brazil and Russia.

After a blowout loss to Russia to start the tournament, followed by a down-to-the-wire defeat at the hands of Brazil, Team GB faced a critical game against the best team in Europe: Spain.

“That was a really good game. That was the first game that I really got extended court time, and I produced a decent amount,” Lawrence said. “I was happy with how I played. Like I said, it was heart-breaking coming down the stretch. We made our run to come back in the game, and it was so close. We just couldn’t quite get over that. I feel like if we could have taken the lead, we could have gone on, but we didn’t quite get over that hump. They are world-class guys. It was a great competition.”

Spain, led by NBA brother Pau and Marc Gasol, held off a furious rally but never relinquished the lead, claiming a 79-78 victory to keep Team GB winless in the Olympics.

The team entered its final game of the tournament out of contention for the medal stage, but determined to make history on its home soil. China was the team that ran into Lawrence’s British buzzsaw that day.

“It was a lot of fun. It was our country’s first win in the Olympics. It was a big deal,” Lawrence said. “We made history that day, and it’s pretty cool to be in the record books.

“I think we could have made history a little bit earlier in the competition. We lost by one to Spain, and they got silver, and by four to Brazil. Both of those games, we were right there at the end. That’s basketball for you: Tough games. One possession just kills you down the stretch. And that’s what kind of happened for us. It was a great experience. It was amazing to be part of history.”FATHERS AND SONS

In taking a closer look at the College’s pair of Olympians, it’s easy to see the skill and dedication that earned them spots in London. Maegli has already won the collegiate single-handed championship, and placed fourth at this year’s worlds, while Lawrence was just tapped as a sleeper for next year’s NBA draft by a website focused on scouting mid-major basketball. But if you dig a little deeper, you can start to see a family resemblance in their success.

Both athletes not only come from strong athletic backgrounds, they are performing at a high level at sports

Olympic Duo

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in which their fathers set the bar of success very high.Juan Maegli, father of Juan Ignacio Maegli, was himself

a three-time Olympic sailor for Guatemala, competing in mixed two-person dinghy in Montreal in 1976 and in one-man dinghy in Moscow in 1980 and Los Angeles in 1984.

Renaldo Lawrence never played in the Olympics, but his collegiate basketball career at Appalachain State under head coach Bobby Cremins earned him a draft pick by the then-San Diego Clippers in 1979. He moved from San Diego to Finland and finally to England, where he posted a long and distinguished career before retiring to become an educator.

“I have found that it’s something that helps a lot, definitely, having my dad’s advice,” the younger Maegli said. “He helped me out as I was growing up and getting into sailing, and as I was competing and getting into the international level. That was very helpful.”

For Lawrence, it is a combination of valuing his father’s advice and wanting to surpass his achievements.

“I think it’s a little bit of both. For me, it was fun because I have big shoes to fill and I accept that challenge. I want to be better than he was; I want to get to a higher level than he did. For me, as a competitor, that’s fun,” Lawrence explained. “Also, with that, he’s able to help me with a lot of situations he’s already been through. If I encounter something that’s new to me, he helps me with that. It works for me.”

Lawrence did not immediately follow his father into basketball, however. While Maegli was already becoming a nationally renowned Hobie Cat sailor, Lawrence was training with the soccer academy at Chelsea Football Club. But, when he decided to pick up a basketball, it just felt natural.

“Really, one day I decided to join (a basketball team) just for fun, to get away from football,” Lawrence said. “I had been playing all my life and I just wanted to try something else. After a few practices, I just picked it up

and preferred it, so I started running with it.“I probably wasn’t good enough to make the highest

level (in soccer), for the Premiership; I probably could have made some money lower down. But I started picking up basketball, and like I said, I loved it, and kept running and have been with it ever since.”

Lawrence was named England’s Under-18 basketball player of the year around the same time Maegli was making the switch from Hobie catamarans to the international Laser class.

Many people would consider earning a spot at the Olympics, especially in a boat with which he had just begun training, to be a Herculean effort, but Maegli knew it was just a stepping stone to more success later.

“In China, I had just been sailing the Laser boat for five months, so just to be able to qualify, I didn’t think I was going to make it. I was actually the last boat to qualify,” Maegli said. “I was 19 then, and I just wanted to use the Games as a learning experience and enjoy it. I definitely knew I wanted to go back. It was just a whole different approach this time. I was there to get a good result, so that changes your perspective a lot.”

Even as a longshot, Maegli was in London to take home a medal, which would have made Guatemalan Olympic history.

“One of my goals was to win the first medal (for Guatemala), and I had the opportunity to do it. But I didn’t do it, and somebody medaled a couple of days later, which was great for the country,” Maegli said. “It’s something I’ve known for 15 years. It’s something that has pushed me harder, so it is definitely something that helps.”

For now, the pressure has switched from the international scene to their final collegiate seasons. Maegli opened his final year as a Cougar by winning the SAISA Men’s Singlehanded Championship, which qualifies him for the singlehanded national championships. Not only did he win the competition, held on Charleston Harbor,

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he won all eight races contested among the 11-boat field on the regatta’s opening day.

Lawrence is preparing to lead the College of Charleston into its first men’s basketball game of the season, on Nov. 9 against Towson. He enters the season knowing that he will probably be the team’s lone senior starter, and that his consistency at the point could determine the fate of new head coach Doug Wojick’s first season in charge of the Cougars. Even with that pressure, his coaches have no doubt of his ability to meet the challenge.

“Andrew Lawrence has shown exceptional focus and work ethic in the six months that I have known him,” said Wojick. “He is an accomplished player with great leadership potential. The Olympics were a lifetime experience; They will affect him in a unique, positive way for the rest of his life. For the time being, the entire College of Charleston basketball program will benefit. I fully expect Andrew to have a special senior season as well as a long-term professional career.”

Team GB head coach Chris Finch is equally effusive.“Andrew is a vital part of the program’s future and his

Olympic experience will only serve him well as he prepares for his senior year at CofC and beyond,” Finch said. “I had to keep reminding myself that at every moment Andrew was on the floor in London he was playing basketball at the highest levels he had ever done so, and on the biggest stage. There is no doubt that he has a bright professional and international future if he continues to commit to his game.”

Lawrence knows the expectations he faces this season, and he knows he is not yet at the level he has set for himself. He also knows that he gets a new chance to prove himself starting Nov. 9.

“Playing against the very best in the world really helps. It gives me a good perspective on where I’m at in

my basketball development and what I need to do to get better,” Lawrence said. “Playing all summer, and playing at that level, and then coming back to Charleston is going to be great for my learning on the court.

“Being kind of new to basketball still – a lot of guys have played since they were 3; I picked it up at 16 – the amount of experience I’ve gained over the last year has been really, really key for me, and I have a feeling I’ll be able to bring it on the court this year and show it.”A DAY OFF? NO THANKS

At the end of the day, after the classes, the drills, the weights, the study halls – the only time and place the pair of Olympians could get together for an interview was late on a Wednesday night at TD Arena, so that Lawrence could go straight into his nightly routine of putting up jump shots in an empty gym – is the time and the effort worth it? Are there days that these two, who have competed against the best in the world, just want to pack it in and be normal college students for a day?

“One of my teammates was saying that the other day. They were saying they might like to be a regular student, but I’m not sure if that suits me,” Lawrence said. “I love basketball. I love playing the sport. I mean, I love all the stuff that goes into it. I might not love the conditioning, but we get after it as a team and it builds a lot of team camaraderie. All of that comes with that price of basketball. I don’t think I could give this up. I really don’t.”

Maegli took over, with an almost-befuddled look on his face: “A couple of times, I’ve been thinking how it would be better to have a little bit more free time, but then I get one day off and I’m like, ‘What do I do?’”

Lawrence chuckled, nodded his head and just said, “Same way. Same way.”

They did get a little bit of relaxing in while they were

at the Olympics, even if only Lawrence was staying in the notorious Olympic Village.

“Juan and I were actually in two different places,” Lawrence explained. “Where were you?”

“In Weymouth, which is down on the coast.”“And we were actually based in the Village,”

Lawrence continued. “It’s a surreal experience. Walking around the Village, and you’re seeing all of these big-time people. Everyone is around each other. Everyone is the best in their sports, the best in the world. It’s just an amazing experience. A really good experience at the same time.”

With London fading into the background, and their senior years upon them, both athletes are already looking toward the future. Full-time training. Professional careers. And, possibly, the Rio Olympics in 2016?

“That’s the goal. That’s the main aim, for us to qualify,” Lawrence said. “We have the European Championships next year, which will be the qualifiers for the World Championships in two years, and after that, we qualify for the Olympics. That’s what Great Britain is going for.”

“Rio has always been my goal,” Maegli said. “When I started in 2008, it was a longshot to be able to get to London in a position where I could medal, or fight for a medal. So Rio was always my long-term goal. The

result I got (this year) shows I’m on the right track. Ultimately, my goal is to win an Olympic gold, and I’ll be fighting in Rio for it.”

Lawrence, who has played before 20,000 screaming fans at Louisville, stared down the Gasol brothers and faced a United States squad that featured LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant, looked at his fellow Cougar, the gold-medal hopeful, and slowly shook his head.

“That’s pretty cool,” Lawrence said. “I’ll be jealous if he gets a gold medal. Being the flag-bearer is pretty cool too.”

The two grinned at each other and shook hands. As Lawrence was setting up the ball-retrieval net under one of the TD Arena baskets, Maegli grabbed a basketball and began hoisting jump shots. A little bit of trash-talking between a pair of Olympic athletes, just jawing like two college kids on an empty court. Because, for a few minutes, that’s what they were.

The last image was of the sailor hitting a 3-pointer over the point guard, and both throwing their arms in the air in celebration.

sailing photos by Emily Bradburybasketball photos by Lynsey Cichonportrait photos by Colin Johnson

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As much as we’d like to think we are, the United States is no longer the leader in education. The Chinese surpass us in science and mathematics, the Germans rely on their efficiency and engineering, and even Canadians are out-ranking us on international reading standards. What do we have left? Inefficient budgeting allocations and a top-heavy administrative bloat.

As Nov. 6 approaches, students are looking at the issues that are most important to them; education is continually at the top of that list. However, most students focus on the wrong aspects of education. Rather than voting for the candidate that promises increased funding for colleges and universities, students should be looking at where the current funds go.

While students continually complain about decreased funding and higher tuition costs, they are unaware that education spending has increased over the years. The Department of Education’s proposed 2012 budget was more than $68 million, compared to the budget of $37 million in 2000. While there is an increase in federal education spending, students still face massive debt and the United States still struggles with its international education rankings. As a result, we need to focus on reform as opposed

to complaining and throwing money at the problem.According to Cherry Daniel, College of Charleston Board

of Trustees member, colleges across the country need to focus on efficiency in their administrative offices, instead of waiting for more money to magically appear. According to the U.S. News and World Report, the College’s endowment in 2011 was $57,281,467. So where is this money going?

Even Daniel said the board realizes its inefficiency and is trying to make strides to reduce costs for students. She said the board implemented a cost-containment study to analyze the school’s departments, which she even admitted were “administration top-heavy.”

If the College is able to restructure their spending after the study is completed, perhaps we’ll see savings occur. In 2008 New York University implemented a task force to re-engineer their administration. After seven months, the school saw a savings of over $20 million. Some of the changes the school made came directly from increasing energy efficiency, reducing “incidental expenses like travel and supplies,” reevaluating vendors to lower university expenses and reorganizing staff without any employees losing their jobs. If New York University can do it, we can too.

Fixing a top-heavy administrationStaff Editorial

cartoon by Kelley Wills

29october 11

Pink is a fabulous color. But sometimes in October, there is no color I would like to see less. While October is filled with the leaves changing color and Halloween festivities, it is also recognized as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Businesses decorate their windows with pink ribbons and pink balloons. Sports teams sport pink jerseys. Grocery store shelves are covered in pink food items available for a limited time only. The color is vibrant and in your face – but what purpose does it really serve?

Most people will argue that they wear pink because they want to support breast cancer awareness. A fine sentiment, but please find me a person who isn’t aware that breast cancer exists in 2012. What good is raising more “awareness” for something that we know already?

Some people will argue that they wear pink to support breast cancer research. But let’s be realistic, that 10 percent of your purchase that goes to a mysterious research fund isn’t doing science any favors. Still more people will argue that they wear pink in support of a lady in their life who has battled breast cancer. Great, but why pink? Does that color have a special significance to that special lady, or are you just wearing it because it is the color forever linked to the disease?

Perhaps you think you have a more noble reason for wearing pink and you don’t deserve my criticism. But have you thought about the origins of pink, the pink ribbon and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month? In 1992, Charlotte Haley was 68 years old and had a daughter, sister and grandmother who all had breast cancer. She began creating a peach ribbon pin, attaching it to postcards and sending it to as many people as she could possibly afford. Her message was this: “The National Cancer Institute annual budget is $1.8 billion, only five percent goes for cancer prevention. Help us wake up our legislators and America by wearing this ribbon.”

Editors at Self magazine and Estée Lauder Cosmetics

heard of her ribbon campaign and asked for permission to adopt it. She denied permission because she disagreed with the corporatization of her message. Estée Lauder and Self contacted lawyers who told them they could use a ribbon as long as they changed the color. After focus groups and other marketing research, they settled on pink. AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures several of the most popular breast cancer medicines owns the patent for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It started as a way for more women to discover their cancer and in turn, buy AstraZeneca’s medicines.

Pink is the color that was developed in a marketing plan by a cosmetic company that has been a known user of carcinogens in cosmetic development. The ribbon symbol is stolen from a mother who wanted to open the eyes of our country to the benefits of cancer prevention, rather than cure cancer. The whole month of October is just a patented marketing plan to get affected women to buy specific medicines.

If you want to help the women who fight breast cancer, then give them emotional comfort that they need during their treatment and make their family meals to alleviate daily stress. If you want to support breast cancer research efforts, find independent grant organizations and donate directly to the people who are researching without the assistance of a corporation and stop buying pink purses that donate little to nothing to the cause. Next time you want to support the wonderful women who fight breast cancer, think before you pink.

OPINION

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Think Before You Pinkby Alyssa Thornton

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My friends and I used to hold a “family steak night,” which involved much preparation, but not once did we give thought to the slabs of meat we actually bought.

While the kitchen was fuming with smoke, we would stand around talking, each friend participating in some way to carefully craft the meal, and once consumed, we sluggishly draped our bodies over furniture and shared facial expressions that screamed “content.”

After practicing yoga for over a year and doing some research on the animal agriculture industry and global climate change, my views dramatically changed and I became a vegetarian.

Johnathan Safran Foer’s outstanding book Eating Animals, exposes the inhumane and unethical treatment of animals in factory farms that are subject to the political influences and the promise of economic prosperity, even if it is at the dispense of other living beings. “The College Reads!” selection for the 2012 to 2013 year, Eating Animals, engages all individuals throughout the community, demanding them to reconsider the ease of eating factory farmed meat and to replace that convenience with a moral obligation to help re-shape the systems that we have unknowingly created. People who find it convenient to buy cheap factory farmed meat have implicitly accepted the practices of inhumane slaughter and violence that far surpasses anything the average person could ever fathom.

The debilitating effects of disregarding how we get our food ripple throughout society, where unethical treatment and violence create steaks, hamburgers, pork chops, chicken and even seafood that we blindly consume. What’s even worse are the genetically altered, and in many ways, artificial organisms we call chicken or turkey that are produced at unnatural rates, and become breeding grounds for new and more powerful diseases.

Foer is correct in suggesting that the health of society has dramatically declined, with super-microbes eating away at people’s bodies, morals and their dollar. You think

the pharmaceutical companies aren’t prospering from our cheap meat and seafood products too?

Foer’s research digs deep to discover the interconnectedness of existing systems and institutions, sharing his findings and experiences in a personal and honest way to his audience. What more needs to be said when we have become aware that society’s consumption of tormented animal flesh passes on to us in the form of pandemic diseases and various types of cancer, that of which is ultimately traced back to factory farms?

While reading about the detailed atrocities and various personal accounts, I was particularly struck by how abstracted we are from both the environment and each other. Thus, it has become very clear to me how violence, sexual exploitation and lack of compassion or consideration for other beings have permeated into our society like a virus. The abuse and over-exploitation of animals in factory farm settings are representative of our lack of interconnectedness as a society, and our failure to acknowledge other living beings and the environment we often take for granted.

Although I had to put the book down quite a few times to fully digest and interpret Foer’s words, his honesty and determination to inform not only himself and his family, but of all the families that comprise America resonated with me, and have dramatically altered my perceptions of how our current systems operate. Even though I find much of the information horrific, and even paralyzing at times, having Foer present the reader with cold hard facts is entirely necessary. Foer recognizes that the information can be overwhelming and he therefore completes the book by empowering his readers with the duty of creating new ways of systematic thinking.

Eating Animals shows inhumane treatmentFormer meat-eater becomes vegetarianby Lexa Keane

31october 11

Oct. 11 is observed as National Coming Out Day by members of the LGBTQQAAIP community all over the world and is designed to celebrate those who publically identify as one of the members of the “alphabet soup.”

For those of you who aren’t familiar with alphabet soup, better known as LGBTQQAAIP, it stands for: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Asexual, Ally, Intersex and Pansexual. I am an active member of the Safe Zone committee at the College of Charleston and because LGBTQQAAIP becomes a mouthful, the campus abbreviates the acronym to LGBT.

On that long list of letters I proudly identify as an ally. That means that I’m dedicated to advocating for equal rights for members of the LGBT community. That means that I advocate for all underrepresented groups in any way that I can.

As an African-American female at a predominately white institution I understand what it’s like to be in the minority and constantly try to have your minority cry heard over the majority roar. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re being judged for a characteristic about yourself that you can’t change, and for that matter, wouldn’t change.

It’s this minor connection that I have to the struggle for equal rights for the LGBT community that has captivated the portion of my brain that says I must take a stand. It’s this connection that makes my stomach turn when I read about hate crimes committed against individuals brave enough to be who they are. It’s this connection that makes my heart skip a beat every time I see a story on CNN about a LGBT youth who committed suicide due to bullying.

This push to legalize gay marriage parallels the struggle to enfranchise African-Americans during reconstruction and during the Civil Rights Movement. This is no different. We are pushing for the enfranchisement of the LGBT community and it’s sad that history has to repeat itself time and time again. William Faulkner said it best: “The past isn’t dead. It’s not even past.”

And while we continue to fight for equal rights, with every bill that passes in favor of gay marriage, we become a step closer to equality; however, it would be naïve of any of us to assume that acceptance comes in a courtroom or on the floor of Congress. It’s much more difficult to change the minds of the average citizen, and nothing but time produces progress.

The road to progress isn’t an express way. It’s not a bypass or highway with smooth pavement and street signs that guide you. It’s not a street or parkway that can be found on a GPS or Google Maps. It’s an old back road, uneven and rocky, without street lights and with frequent stop signs. It’s a hard road to take, and that is why there are days devoted to individuals who have mustered the courage to proudly be who they are. Some of us who aren’t a part of the community don’t have the courage to be ourselves at work or at school, in everyday life, so to be who you are when it’s not “correct,” when it’s not “straight,” when it’s not “popular:” that’s something to be celebrated.

This year as I commemorate National Coming Out Day and respect those who have taken a brave first step, I think about what the phrase “coming out of the closet” means. I think about where that term originated. And I start with the subject of the sentence. The closet. In the English vernacular the closet almost never has a positive connotation. That’s apparently where people keep their skeletons, and as I look in my closet I don’t see any; however, it was recently brought to my attention that I should consider in light of this topic that the closet is a part of your house. It’s the part that you normally don’t show to people. It’s a place where you can keep things safe or hide them.

While I identify as being a part of the alphabet soup, by no means have I had to experience the pain, the sorrow, and the unrest from keeping a part of myself locked in a place that I don’t even value enough to show off to people. I look at my closet once more, and while I still don’t see any of those skeletons, I also don’t see anything attractive enough about this small room without windows that would make me want to be enclosed inside of it.

I don’t have to travel down that road to progress, but I choose to. I choose to hold a guiding light. I choose to be a lifeline. I choose to be a part of a support system, and I choose to rally not only for those who have come out, but also for those who are still storing a part of their existence in the closet. I choose to be an ally.

OPINION

National Coming Out Day:Campus allies celebrate LBGT communityby LaQunya Baker

Cisternfest

October 27 - 2012

byob 21+ limited to one 6-pack of beer or one litre of wine

join us in the cistern yard from 3-7 pm

for the official launch party of

games, prizes, foodand music from:

Hey roccoBrave BabyDonnie Diesand