Macon State College’s Award-Winning Student Newspaper

VolumeVolume 43, 43, Issue Issue 1010 March 7,March 7, 2012 2012studentweb.maconstate.edu/maconstatementstudentweb.maconstate.edu/maconstatement

CALENDAROF EVENTSWednesday, Mar. 7, 2012 The School of Business sponsors the Executive Lecture Series Spring 2012. Guest Speaker is GEICO Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Offi cer Michael H. Campbell.

Wednesday, Mar. 7, 2012 GRAD REGISTRATION BEGINS ?Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) Registration begins. There are a limited number of spots available. The fi rst 16 women will receive a spot. Only Macon State students and faculty can sign up. Only females can sign up. Sign up at the MSC Wellness Center Front Desk. If you cannot make it to one of the following dates at 5pm-8pm, you may not register: 4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25. You MUST attend all four sessions.

THURSDAY, March 8 2012MACON STATE’S GOT TALENT ?Math Auditorium, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. ?Join us for a night of live entertainment and fun as we show off and prove that Macon State’s Got Talent!• Spring Break March 12-17!• Macon Campus Library & Warner Robins Campus Library will both hold regular scheduled hours during Spring Break!• The Offi ce of Student Life will open from 8 a.m. -5:30 p.m. throughout the break!

News | Page 2Features | Page 4Opinions | Page 6

Ads | Page 8

Under a cross-enrollment agreement, which became effective Jan. 1, 2012, Macon State students will be able to enroll in military science courses for credit through Mercer University’s ROTC program. Mercer got involved with a partnership with Georgia Military College back in 1990 and now Macon State has joined

this agreement. The ROTC courses are taught on Mercer’s campus. A.J. Cox, a Major in the United States Army National Guard, is also currently the recruiter for Mercer’s ROTC program. Cox came to the Macon C a m p u s We d n e s d a y, Feb. 29 during the noon lunch hour and held an information session about the ROTC collegiate program and what it has to offer

Macon State students. “Right now the classes are at Mercer, so it would require you to get there, but if we had enough students interested there would be classes on the Macon Campus,” said Cox. Macon State students would be able to transfer those Mercer ROTC credits to their Macon State degree programs. “Seventy percent of the offi cers in the United

States Army come from ROTC there are 273 schools that offer ROTC nationwide,” said Cox. Macon State students, who join the military after having been enrolled in ROTC, would be registered into the United States services as Second Lieutenants. Students who accept ROTC scholarships sign a contract and commit

Macon State partners with Mercer University to bring ROTCBy Jessica SpencerEditor in Chief

ROTCcontinued on page 2

Photo by Jessica SpencerA.J. Cox and Bruce Applewhite talk to students about ROTC.

By Amy Lee | News Editor Atlanta is ranked among the top cities in the nation concerning issues with human traffi cking. In a study sponsored by the non-profi t group A Future Not a Past, it was determined that more than 300 underage girls are sexually exploited in Georgia each month. They also found that every year more than 28,000 Georgia men participate in sexual activities with adolescent girls. Macon is no exception. In fact, the city may be contributing

to the startling statistics. Billboards advertising various spas are common on interstates surrounding Macon. Many are unaware that these spas frequently serve as bases for human traffi cking. Andrew Silver, advisor to Mercer University’s Sex Traffi cking Opposition Project has said that “Girls under the age of 18 have been sold for sex by pimps, by family, by boyfriends on the streets, in hotels, on the internet, and in at least one spa in the Middle Georgia area.” Victims of human traffi cking

come in many different forms; some are American runaways or have been abducted, while others

from all over the world are tricked into sexual slavery with the hopes of attaining the American Dream.

Silver and his group are part of “Mg Alert,” which strives for stronger legislation against traffi ckers in Georgia and to better assist victims of human traffi cking. It is important for our community at large to speak out against these violations of human rights, as well. “The traffi ckers and pimps have a strong network. Our network has to be stronger,” Silver stressed. To get involved with STOP or its affi liates, contact Jaclyn Levin at Jaclyn.m.levin@live.mecer.edu or Elizabeth Griem at srelizabeth.dc@gmail.com.

“Every year twenty-eight

thousand Georgia men participate in

sexual activities with adolescent

girls.”

Consolidating may take more time than projected By Amy Lee

The SGA is working closely with officials of Macon State and other institutions on various aspects of the impending consolidation. As of now, the group is working to solidify a time frame for the consolidation of Macon State College and Middle Georgia College. Also being formed is a mission statement that hopes to encompass goals important to both institutions.

According to the University System of Georgia’s website, a minor obstacle in the consolidation process seems to be “effectively balancing existing baccalaureate programs” of the two colleges. It will take perseverance on the part of everyone involved to assure that the potential of bachelor programs are maximized on both campuses. It seems as though there are innumerable

questions surrounding the impending consolidation of

Macon State College. SGA President Summer

Leverett says an email was sent out to all students on Feb. 28 that included a link where one can find “answers to many student concerns.” If the answers to your questions cannot be found here, email updates are sent out as any new information becomes available. Further information about the consolidation can be found at maconstate.edu/consolidation/ or usg.edu/consolidation/msc-mgc.

“A minor obstacle in the consolidation

process seems to be effectively

balancing existing

programs.”

Middle Georgia’s problem with sex traffi cking

to four years of active duty service, as well as an additional four years of Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) duty. “I was in JROTC for 3 years during high school; can my time be transferred to the program in the fall so that I may begin contracting in the fall?” asked Jazmine

Gibson who is a freshmen nursing major at Macon State.

Cox said, “Students who do have high school JROTC experience, they

will need a certifi cate from their high school showing their JROTC background so that they can bypass the fi rst two years of ROTC classes in college.” Students in their junior year or senior year of college that would like to take part of the ROTC in the fall have the option to attend a 28 day Leadership Training Course during the

summer so that they may enroll in the fall of 2012. Although freshmen and sophomores attend courses involved with the ROTC, they do not commit in contract form until their junior year. Once students sign the contract, they begin to receive monthly stipends: freshmen receive $350, sophomores receive $400, juniors receive $450

and seniors receive $500. After students commit to the service they are eligible for scholarships in addition to receiving monthly stipends. Contact Bruce Applewhite, who is the director of admissions, or Maj. A.J. Cox, the enrollment offi cer at Mercer, at (478) 301-2872 or cox_aj@mercer.edu for more information.

ROTCContinued from Cover

“Students who do have high school JROTC experience... can bypass the fi rst two years of ROTC classes in college.”

March 7, 2012 News 2

By Erma Halstead | MCOM 3131

A release party will be held in April at Macon State to celebrate the publication of the new issue of The Fall Line Review. “Each year Macon State College has The Fall Line Review’s release party in April,” said Kelly Whiddon, Assistant Professor of English Department of Media, Culture, and the Arts.Content Editor Shanna Dixon stated, “There

will be an on-campus release party and then an off-campus release party.” Dixon went on to say that, “At the release party students will have the opportunity to read excerpts from their accepted submissions before the faculty and staff.” “The fi rst week of April each student will be notifi ed by e-mail that their submission has been accepted for The Fall Line Review,” Dixon said. Students that have their submissions accepted will

receive fi ve complimentary copies of The Fall Line Review to share with friends and family. The Fall Line Review is an art and literary magazine that allows the students of Macon State to display their many talents. The magazine started accepting submissions in September and continued until January. The types of work featured in the publication include poetry, short fi ction, non-fi ction, creative essays, visual artwork, and music.There was a production

meeting held on Jan. 28, so that the faculty advisors, Heather Braun and Kelly Whiddon, Content Editor Shanna Dixon, Layout Editor Liliana Billingsley, and staff members Nathan Kirkpatrick and Danielle Quesenberry could go over potential submissions. The group worked for several hours and came up with a seventy-two page mock-up copy of the magazine. The fi nal selection process for the magazine occurred at this meeting as well. The mock-up copy will now

be used by Billingsley to format and layout the magazine on the computer. The digital version will be sent to a printer and the fi nished product will be available in April. An email will be sent to MSC students as soon as a defi nite date for The Fall Line Review’s release party is determined.

Photo by Jessica SpencerChristy Colvin (left) and Rachel Jackson (right) cooking during the Spring Fling.

Photo by Jessica SpencerStudents moving through the line outside of the Student Life Center during the Spring Fling getting food.

Photo by Jessica SpencerRebecca Ellard (left)and Melissa Gober (right) take their food from the Spring Fling back with them to class.

On the last day of February, Recreation and Wellness partnered together with Student Life to hold Spring Fling at the Macon Campus. During the event, Campus Activities Board Marketing Manager, Jezreel Diaz Ponce, handed out Macon State College stickers for students to place on their cars. “We will be walking around the campus parking lot and if we see these stickers on

students’ cars, students will get tickets to win prizes,” explained Diaz Ponce. The Spring Fling was held at the Macon campus twice so that the evening students got to take part as well. One event was held in the morning at around 10 a.m. and the “Fling” was held again at 5 p.m. Spring Fling included live music for the evening crowd and a disc jockey during the morning event. There was free food, snacks, colorful sunglasses and leis of various colors. DeWann Lindsey of

Student Life passed out hotdogs, buns, chips and cookies while Christy Colvin and Rachel Jackson of the Recreation and Wellness grilled hotdogs and burgers. While the Macon Campus held a “Fling,” the Warner Robins Campus presented a Mardi Gras dance. Campus Activities Board president and Student Life worker, Herman Driskell, said, “The Warner Robins Campus [had] pictures, dancing and a Louisiana-style King Cake.”

By Jessica SpencerEditor in Chief

Fall Line Review to hold release party in April

Spring Fling brings students, faculty and staff together over hotdogs

March 7, 2012 News 3

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By Gibrianna Westberry | Staff Writer

“Got dance? Move it!” is the motto for Macon State’s newly created Dance Club. Dance Club was started during Spring Semester 2012 by nursing major Minwoo Kim and his friends. It was started because Macon State did not have a club dedicated solely to dancing. Students interested in this club generally want to broaden their student life and gain

dance experience. The club teaches students various dances including ballroom, hip-hop, ballet, as well as others based on student interest. Kim is also the president of the club. When asked to describe dance in one word, Kim replied, “Exhilarating.” Emily Dodds, who is also a nursing major, is the vice president of the club. Dodds pointed out that she enjoys the dance material that is

covered at each meeting because there is something new every day they meet. Dance Club meetings alternate between Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m. In March, the club will participate with the Relay for Life. For more information, you can visit the club’s Facebook page, Got Dance Move It, or contact the club advisor, Laura Thomason at laura.thomason@maconstate.edu.

Freshman to showcase his talent in upcoming school competition

Students dedicate time to dance

By Gibrianna Westberry | Staff Writer Introducing Alex Willis, a Contestant in Macon State’s Got Talent. Willis is known for his singing. Alexander “Alex” Willis is an 18-year-old freshman who is majoring in Biomedical Engineering and lives on campus. He started singing in the 6th grade and began gaining

recognition for his singing voice in his freshman year of high school while playing Rock Band. His favorite genres to sing along with are jazz, rock, and light rock. He wishes he could be part of the band Daughtry and perform with David Cook, an artist with a similar voice. He is excited to be part of Macon State’s Got Talent and to have people acknowledge his

singing abilities. To keep away nerves and butterfl ies in his stomach, he tells himself to keep calm and sing before a performance. He would love to be on NBC’s “The Voice” under the infl uence and training of the judge Adam Levine. His favorite quotation is this: “If you can’t feel the cheering

from the people who come out to see you, then you’re in the wrong business.”

There was once a time when a person could walk into an establishment, explain that they are looking for work, and the manager would come from behind the counter and put the person to work directly. That time has gone with the increasing use of technology and various

department changes. Macon State College is a primary example of this change. Getting a campus job at Macon State can be a confusing

process for students. “Not everyone chooses to post their jobs with Human Resources,

it’s a service that we offer to everybody, but some departments still do not choose to post there,” said Assistant Human Resources Director Joann Whatley. Communications & Information Technology major Brittney McKinney

said, “I tried to get a job at the library, but they said that they had a waiting list. I wanted to work in the library because you get to study there.” Macon state offers students two types of jobs, but students must complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be qualifi ed for either job type. The college offers work-study opportunities, which students have to be approved for by their fi nancial aid status. Then there are student assistant jobs, which differ

from work-study jobs. They are funded through Macon State’s budget, so even though the student must still have their FAFSA application on fi le, their aid does not determine if they can work or not. The Human Resources department cleans out student-applications, on their site, every six months. Harrison Bodenheimer, a sophomore at Macon State, said, “I do not know where I go to fi nd campus jobs.”

Finding Campus

Jobs

JOBScontinued on page 5

Photo by Gibrianna WestberryAlex Willis thinks of a song.

By Jessica SpencerEditor in Chief

March 7, 2012 FEATURES 5

JOBSContinued from page 4

Photo by Jessica Spencer

Although Barbara Warren recently joined Macon State as its Director of Career Services, the Human Resources department handles work opportunities. This is a new transition. During the 2011-2012 school year Career Services Director, Marcella Diaz, was in charge of student work opportunities. The Career Services department was previously located inside of the Student Life Center, where the Bursar’s Offi ce is now located. Students would come up to the second fl oor, walk into the Career Services department, speak to the receptionist, and apply for jobs using one of the four computers within the suite.

Upon Diaz’s departure from Macon State, a new department had to inherit the task of student hiring. “It was decided that Human Resources would be a good place for it to be because we do the hiring for the campus for faculty and staff. It was logical to go ahead and just have everything centralized,” said Whatley. On the Macon Campus, the Recreation & Wellness Center is one of the departments that do not post their jobs through Human Resources. The Wellness Center offers both work-study jobs and student assistant jobs. Rachel Jackson, the Health and Wellness Coordinator for Macon State, said, “We have

[our] own separate system. We have paper applications that students come to the Wellness Center and they fi ll it out; once they complete the applications and attach their schedule to it, we conduct interviews from the applications we receive.” When asked what type of students she hires for the Wellness Center, Jackson said, “We look for students who like sports and it does not matter which major students are just as long as they are well-rounded. We are looking for students with

the same goals and interests that we as a department try to bring to students.” To check for job openings through Human Resources, Whatley said, “Students should go to the Human Resources page of the school web site, go to prospective employees, look for student openings, and students

Honors students perform with purposeBy Kristin Hanlin | Features Editor Last semester, students in the Macon State Honors Program teamed up to present a concert that raised money to build a playground for Cambodian children. This semester they are putting together another benefi t concert to send further aid to the same group, the Supplemental Teaching Education Program, or STEP for short. This program is not only benefi cial to children living in

Cambodia, but also to the students that attend, present, or help during the concert. As stated by Heather Ness, the student coordinator of the Honors Program, “We have an opportunity to be involved with education happening across the world and an opportunity to show off our talents in the show.” This event allows students to be reminded of their power to infl uence the world outside of their local environment while also having fun in the process.

The last concert went smashingly and instills great hope for the upcoming one. Lana Harris, a junior psychology major and performer in the last concert, loved her experience: “It was great! I was very proud to be a part of such a talented group of people.” The concert will take place Friday, April 20 at 6 p.m. in the Arts Complex Theater. Tickets are $5 per person at the door and students are encouraged to bring friends and family to

view the concert and support its participants. Though the original deadline for signing up to perform was Feb. 29, Ness said “The date of the concert got pushed back, so I’m more lenient about that. Although we do have a lot of people signed up to perform so if anyone is interested, they should go ahead and sign up while there is still room.” To inquire about performing, contact Heather Ness at heather.ness@ maconstate.edu.

Visiting ‘The Secret World of Arrietty’By Kristin Hanlin | Features Editor

Since its original publication, Mary Norton’s “The Borrowers” has been adapted into a series of novels, two made-for-TV movies, a television series and now two feature films. Though the story is vaguely familiar to people from different countries and aspects of life, it has never been presented in a manner similar to the

most current version—“The Secret World of Arrietty.” “The Secret World of Arrietty” takes the Clocks, a family of Borrowers, far away from their British roots and places them in western Tokyo, Japan. The film revolves around what happens when Shawn, a sickly boy preparing for heart surgery, spots Arrietty, the youngest of the Clocks.

Though the film has been marketed toward children

because of its American distribution company, Disney, it is not only a cartoon for kids. The film tackles heavy subjects like the inherent danger present for the Borrowers who live in fear of being captured by Beings and even death. “The Secret World of Arrietty” may not have the same lasting level of impact as some of Hayao Miyazaki’s other more

poignant films, but it does have an intrinsic charm and the ability to instill wonder in its audience. The film tackles heavy subjects like the inherent danger present for the Borrowers who live in fear of being captured by Beings and even death. “The Secret World of Arrietty” may not have the same lasting level of impact as some of Hayao Miyazaki’s other more poignant films, but it does have an intrinsic charm and the ability to instill wonder in its audience.

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staff478-757-3605 FAX 478-757-2626 OFFICE: SLC-120

studentweb.maconstate.edu/maconstatement

LETTERS POLICY:The editor of the Macon Statement will try to print all letters received. Letters should be, at maximum, 250 to 300 words long. The writer must include: full name, professional title if a Macon State employee or Georgia resident, or year and major if a student. An address and phone number are required with all letters sent, but this personal information will not be published. The student newspaper reserves the right to edit letters for style, possible libel, or length. The newspaper will not, under any circumstance, withhold names. Please address all correspondence to Letter to the Editor at editor@maconstatement.com. Where current events are concerned, priority will be given to those letters written by students, faculty, and staff of Macon State College.

DISCLAIMER:The Macon Statement is the recognized student newspaper of Macon State College and is published biweekly (Wednesdays) during fall and spring semesters. Opinions and ideas expressed in the student newspaper are those of the individual artists, authors, or student editors, and are not those of Macon State College, its Board of Regents, the student body, or the advertisers. The Macon Statement is paid for, in part, through student activity fees. For a review of all Macon Statement policies, see The Macon Statement Handbook at maconstate.e d u / s t u d e n t l i f e /statementmedia.aspx.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:MGC CONSOLIDATION According to the Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, the merger of Macon State College with Middle Georgia College is intended to increase retention, college completion rates, administrative efficiency, and most notably, the availability for higher education opportunities in the central Georgia area. Furthermore, the merger is intended to be a cost-saving measure for the state’s educational budget. With these desired results in mind, the merger seems to be an adequate solution for current budgeting problems as well a move that will be a long-term benefit for the higher education system of Georgia. If careful measures are not taken to preserve the integrity of both institutions problems, which could outweigh the predicted benefits, will result from this merger. Middle Georgia College has a long history as an institution of higher learning having been established in 1884. Successfully maintaining a reputation for competence and efficiency, Middle Georgia College has developed into an integral part of the city of Cochran, Georgia.

The college has provided education and employment to several generations of families in the greater Cochran area as well as the state of Georgia for more than

125 years. Moreover, Cochran has provided and maintained a beautiful campus for Middle Georgia College as well as several exceptional members of the community who have devoted their careers to serving the college. To radically alter the campus, cut jobs, or compromise the city of Cochran or the surrounding areas would be an injustice which would reflect poorly on those responsible for this merger. Both Middle Georgia College and Macon State College have outstanding attributes. Should those in charge of the merger

recognize and preserve these attributes, the merger will result in a unified institution which provides accessible, affordable, and excellent educational opportunities for Central Georgia.

Sonja Teresa RiversSenior

Editor in Chief: Jessica SpencerManaging Editor: Stephanie Miller

Copy Editor: Ivory McCrayWriters: Brea Rockwell,

Gibrianna Westberry, Kaleb Clark,Allison Boutwell

News Editor: Amy Lee

Features Editor: Kristin HanlinSports Editor: Cortney Brown

Opinions Editor: Katharine HallLayout Editor: Lily Billingsley

Assistant Layout Editor: Noelle SampleAd Manager: Robert FisherCartoonist: Patrick Lippert

“To radically alter the campus,

cut jobs, or compromise the city of

Cochran or the surrounding

areas would be an injustice.”

March 7, 2012 OPINIONS 7

By Katharine Hall | Opinions Editor

A common question asked when given directions is: “What’s the easiest way to get there?” Well when traveling from east to west in the state of Georgia, there is not an easy answer to this

question. Driving from Augusta to Columbus is an ordeal in itself. One must strategically plan which back roads to take, by careful navigation, in order to avoid closed roads and even deer. There are plans to build a new interstate. The name of ths new freeway is the ‘Fall Line Freeway.’

It will run from Columbus to Augusta, while passing through Macon and Milledgeville. This will ultimately make Georgia travels signifi cantly easier. Although the purposed interstate would promote more travel, the Fall Line Freeway would cut into the land of the Ocmulgee Indian Mounds. Most recent settlements have stipulated that an alternate option for the freeway would

be for the interstate to run south of Macon, thus eliminating cause for concern. Political Science professor, James Decker, expressed his concerns for the building of the Fall Line Freeway. He agrees that it would indeed create a faster and safer way to travel in Georgia, but Decker said, “It would not be worth cutting into sacred, historic regions of land.”

Building a freeway

By Katharine Hall | Opinions Editor

How often do you vote? Are you registered to vote? Do you think that your vote doesn’t count? According to nonprofitvote.org, only 62 percent of registered voters participated in the 2008 Presidential Elections—and this was a record. Unfortunately the most common attitude of voters is apathy. Individuals are either not registered to vote, or believe that their vote does

not matter. I’m writing to challenge these attitudes; to tell you that you’re wrong; and ultimately to help you understand the immense privilege it is to be able to vote. I believe that apathy comes from a lack of interest in politics and perhaps citizens don’t realize that bills on the national, state, and local levels directly affect them. It is so easy to become involved and I am going to tell you how. First, read about political issues — it can be as easy as skimming over

The Macon Telegraph or picking up a copy of The Wall Street Journal. Second—and this is probably the most important—register to vote! Any of the Political Science professors here at MSC can help assist you with this process. Dr. Julie Lester is the coordinator of The American Democracy Project and is also a great Political Science professor. She can guide you in the process of registering to vote. Lastly,contactyour representatives. They work for us and gladly welcome

questions and/or concerns. Three local resources are: (1) Dr. Julie Lester, Political Science Professor at Macon State College, email julie.lester@maconstate.edu; (2) Allen Peake, Georgia State Representative, at 103 Colony Court Macon, GA 31210, phone number 478-474-5633 send messages to allenpeake@aol.com; (3) and Austin Scott, at U.S. House Representative 230 Margie Drive Suite 500, Warner Robins, GA 31088, contact Scott at 478-971-1778, and email him at scottforga.com.

Voting is important: Use your local resources

Got opinions? Share them by commenting here: studentweb.maconstate.edu/maconstatement.

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