SPRINGHILLIANTHE

Septemebr 18, 2014 Volume 99 Issue 1 Ad Majorem Del Gloriam

YUM!

Maggie VACHE, on left, and Meeri KANGAS, on right, enjoy last weekend’s Watermelon Bash

Erin BRENNAN, on left, Maggie DALESSIO, center, and Abby MASSENGALE, on right, competing in the Watermelon Toss

Students showi off their decorating skills at Watermelon Bash

WEEKLY FORECAST

HILLIAN STAFF

HILLIAN CONTACT

Editors:Natalie WelchAlex Sierra

Advisor: Stuart Babington

Photo Editor:Ben Fleming

Lifestyle Editor:

RepotersRyan FlynnJabulani ThompsonShaunicy Muhammad

Sports:Brandon Krus

Advertising/social mediaErinn Vogel

Thursday - 90/73 - Partly Cloudy

Friday - 90/72 - Sunny

Saturday - 88/72 - Partly Cloudy

Sunday - 90/73 - Partly Cloudy

THE SPRINGHILLIAN

THIS WEEK2 September 18, 2014

The Hillian Newswire

@HillianNewswire

Hillian Newswire

Letters to the Editorsnewswire@shc.edu

Read the Hillian Newswire online at newswire.shc.edu

hillian _ newswire

IN THIS ISSUE

Ever heard of the General Studies major? Check out what Dr. Gilmore has to say about this overlooked major.

Check out the Sports section to catch the schedule of upcoming games and see past scores.

Inside NewsPage 4

Inside SportsPage 10

THE SPRINGHILLIAN

NEWS 3September 18, 2014

Mobile, AL --- The start of a new academic year always brings in new changes. This year is no different. The Campus Programming Board, which hosts events and programs on campus for all students, has acquired a new advisor. However, Joy Morris is not new to the campus of Spring Hill College. This year will mark her 10th year with the campus and she says she’s excited about this new ven-ture. Morris says personal involvement with the stu-dents was one of her main motivations for inquiring about this new position.

“My goal was to get out from behind a desk in the Accounting & Finance office and find a place on cam-pus that would allow me to work with the students. Un-til that position came along, any opportunity to help out with a student related activ-ity, I was there,” she stated. During a period of lending a helping hand in campus ac-tivities and programs such as the International Service Immersion Program, hosted by Campus Ministry, Mor-ris says that she realized her passion was to work with the students and to make their experience at Spring Hill College a great one.

“It was during the months of preparation for my first service trip that I realized that the thing I loved most about the campus was our students. The students I traveled with gave me a

new appreciation for the Hill and made me realize that I was a part of some-thing extremely unique and special,” she said. Her hands were clasped as she leaned in over her new desk. It was clear that Morris felt at home.

She continued by say-ing that she has “the best job on campus.” Returning board executives say they are equally as enthusiastic about Morris’ appointment to the position as Morris herself. Asia Hudson, vice chair of the organization and a junior majoring in psychology, believes the Campus Programming Board has a bright, broad-ened future ahead, espe-cially with Morris leading the way.

“She is absolutely fabu-lous. She brings a youthful and invigorating spirit to the board. She is interested in planning more ‘out of the box’ activities and we love that,” she said. Hudson be-lieves that Morris can take the organization in a differ-ent direction this year with fresh, innovative ideas and expanded levels of promo-tion for their events.

“The sunset sail that we had, it was Joy’s idea. She’s just fun to be around and is a ball of energy. She is great in her position because, like me, she is passionate about the students,” she added. About the Campus Pro-gramming Board, Hudson

added that this new addition to their team was of great importance because of the role she believes that the or-ganization plays on campus.

“We are a major orga-nization on campus. We have great board members who have taken a pledge to provide great activities for the students. In a way, each Spring Hill student is a part of the board. We would not be here without their sup-port,” she said.

With a positive outlook and undying motivation, Morris hopes to make her first year as the advisor of CPB a memorable one for herself and for the student body. She hinted at upcom-ing events the board is plan-ning on having this year, saying that students should “keep an eye open for the big fall event taking place on campus in November.” This is undoubtedly good news for students interested in what is going on in their campus community. Stu-dents should look forward to “more music inspired events,” according to Asia Hudson, who also reiterated Morris’ indication of a big, student oriented event com-ing up in the fall. “It’s going to be huge,” she said.

Although she has big shoes to fill, Joy Morris believes that she can take the Campus Programming Board to new, broader heights and she’s meeting that challenge head on.

Veteran SHC Employee Takes the Reigns of CPBBy Shaunicy Muhammad

Reporter

Closed, inconspicuous, and opaque — three words trending this fall on Spring Hill College’s campus. Resi-dence Life and Public Safety are enforcing a new con-tainer policy to encourage students who are of age to drink outside. And there is a new maximum occupancy rule in the apartments — only ten people can be in an apartment at a time. Resi-dence Life spent the sum-mer exploring new ways for students to enjoy college life.

It’s a new campus rule that containers must be closed, inconspicuous, and opaque for students to drink outside. According to Juli-ann Losey, area coordinator

of the Fairway Apartments, the container must be opaque all the way around—it cannot look like there is beer or a mixed drink in the container.

“We are responding to student requests and cul-ture,” says Losey. “We want to keep our students safe, but also make sure they are happy and can engage in the community.”

Over the summer, Resi-dence Life, Admissions, Human Resources, the Wellness Center, Public Safety, and Student Affairs collaborated to consider all sides and effects of the alcohol policies on campus.

Opaque and InconspicuousBy Erin Vogel

Reporter

This diverse researched approximately 70-80 col-leges with similar qualities and student life to Spring Hill. Student satisfaction, personal safety, academic success, crisis strategies, and lawfulness were all taken into consideration. The staff wanted to find policies that would allow students to have fun, but not create an environment that might facilitate sexual assaults and binge drinking. “Residence Life is focused on serving the students,” says Losey.

Senior Ryan Sanchez gave his opinion on the policy: “I believe that the revised closed container policy is attempting to address legal issues and keep students safe, yet not punish students who are of drinking age. It gives students the freedom to drink alcohol outside without being targeted – however, we have to hope that it won’t drive under-age drinkers to start binge drinking in their dorm rooms before heading out for weekend fun.”

According to Losey there are plans to have RA pro-graming, such as grill outs and late night activities, addressing the container policy. She hopes to work with students and set up late night venders.

Students who have ques-tions or concerns should talk to Public Safety, Sudent Affairs and the Office of Residence Life. “I know cul-ture change can be difficult, but students have a chance to create a great experience and legacy,” says Losey.

THE SPRINGHILLIAN4 September 18, 2014

Dr. Gilmore Gives Students a Fresh Take on the General Studies MajorBy Natalie Welch

The general studies major needs a bit of a re-vamp, according to its program director, Dr. George Gilmore. Specifically, he want a more appealing name, such as “creative combinations” or “creative studies,” because, he says, “People hate the label” of general studies. The name often adds to people’s mis-conceptions about the major, namely, that it is a “bail-out program.” And Dr. Gilmore understands where that at-titude about the major comes from; it has been the case that the general studies major was helpful to students in some desperate situations, such as a senior who fails a course in their major, and thus loses the ability to graduate. “They can still walk,” Dr. Gilmore says, “if they sign up for general studies, put together some courses through the summer,

or if really necessary, in the fall.”

But its reputation as a “bail-out program” is hardly the whole story. Instead, the major offers a chance for students to put together their own “imaginative program” that fits their wants and needs. The student who wishes to apply for a general studies degree simply has to fill out a form, which details the upper-division courses they have already taken, or plan to take; they then have to be accepted by a commit-tee in order to be a part of the program. Dr. Gilmore has had many students within the program take a wide range of classes and achieve great suc-cess, with one student earn-ing a general studies degree by concentrating on com-puter information systems,

graphic design and fine art; another student emphasized chemistry and secondary education, and is now a high school teacher. It is this sort of freedom, in choosing the courses that students find most relevant to their plans, which makes Dr. Gilmore term the major “user-friend-ly,” and which showcases the goal of the general studies program, which, he says, is to “recognize that women and men have some really cre-ative ideas” in terms of craft-ing a major for themselves. “I think there are dimensions to this program that are just wonderful,” he says.

So, which students should be interested in this program? Dr. Gilmore thinks that it is especially helpful for students having problems finding their niche at Spring Hill. “[The

general studies major] seems to afford precisely the kind of imaginative alternative to the student who has a major problem ‘fitting in’ or decid-ing on a major.” And, he adds, “For whom is this a really desirable option? People who change majors junior year.”

Not only that, Dr. Gilmore also believes that the gen-eral studies major could help with retention rates at Spring Hill, since other colleges may offer “greater variety than our traditional defined majors with their often heavy requirements and restrictive opportunities for electives.” Students wishing to major in a very specific program, instead of finding it some-where else, need only choose a variety of electives at Spring Hill that accomplish a similar end. Dr. Gilmore spoke about

the vast possibilities associ-ated with the general studies program, saying, “Could we do something in nutrition, here? If somebody is doing biology, chemistry and nurs-ing, and doing upper-division courses – you bet!”

In the end, maybe a name change will make the general studies major more attractive to students. And, if that is the case, many students might soon be asking themselves the question that is often posed to Dr. Gilmore, “Why didn’t I ever hear about this program?”

Students interested in learning more should attend an open forum on the general studies program. It will be held on Sept. 24th, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., in the Gautrelet room.

Editor-in-Chief

In the past Spring Hill has had a problem with robberies on campus. Pub-lic Safety believes these crimes were being commit-ted by off campus criminals who target Spring Hill stu-dents. Todd Warren, head of Public Safety did some research on other colleges and universities and what they were doing to protect their students. “It’s turn-ing into a common trend across the nation, colleges are getting their own police forces,” said Todd.

Spring Hill College student government got the proposal from for-mer Spring Hill College President, Richard Salmi, back in 2012. The Student Government came to the consensus that the sworn officers must be for the students’ protection and to keep peace, they should not be out to get the stu-dents. Current student body president Ricardo Pita says, “So far the police have conducted themselves with professionalism and cour-tesy, however our support is entirely conditional on Public Safety keeping their promises that they made to us.”

The students should be aware the police cannot ignore laws being broken. Although Todd does not foresee it happening much, the police can pull you over in your car, but all viola-tions will be kept in house, and the punishment would be nothing but a small fine.

In regards to alcohol, Todd explains that the of-ficers cannot just overlook blatant violations of the law. If someone is not 21 years of age and is obvious-ly stumbling around, they may get approached. Again if this happens it will also be handled through Spring Hill not the criminal court system, meaning it will just be like a normal write up, no MIP’s or other criminal punishments. Also, if this happens an officer may ask to see your student ID. The Purpose of this is to assure that, in fact, you are a Spring Hill College stu-dent and not someone who just wandered on campus causing trouble.

All Police officers will be wearing video cameras at all times. This keeps every-body honest. The students will think twice about how

they act around an officer and the officer will be held accountable to do their jobs respectfully. Every officer was more than willing to wear the cameras and its actually another up and coming trend amongst all Police forces. If a student wants to look at any of the tapes or feels that they were mistreated they are more than welcome to go into the Public Safety office and look at the tapes. The tapes however will not leave that office and will never be released to the public. In addition the officers will be armed.

The addition of a sworn law enforcement division within Spring Hill Col-lege has many advantages according to the Margarita Perez who is the head of Student Affairs. The offi-cers will have more train-ing and can do more than just regular public safety. “The number one job is to make sure our students are healthy and safe, there is more to protecting students than just Public Safety and Police officers as a commu-nity we must look out for each other,” says Perez. Al-though Spring Hill is a

somewhat gated com-munity, it really is not hard to just walk on to our campus and cause trouble. Perez believes that now that we have sworn officers and real Police cars these un-wanted visitors might think twice about targeting Spring Hill students.

Overall Margarita, Todd and Ricardo do not think that the stu-dent body will react nega-tively towards the newly sworn officers. When asked about issues involv-ing Spring Hill students and the Police Todd said, “Any-thing that can be handled in house, we want to handle it in house.” He believes that Spring Hill students are very well behaved students and don’t need much polic-ing. The main purpose for the officers is to protect students from outside in-truders. The head of public safety stated, “I would have never suggested we get a police force if it was about policing the students, we don’t need it. It is about protecting the students and I would be surprised if

there was a lot of change.” Margarita agrees with Todd that students should not see a significant change Perez says, “We don’t want any harm to us in our commu-nity we want to be able to act fast and offer the best services here. I don’t think the students are going to see anything different besides, a much nicer uniform and an awesome looking badge.”

So don’t be alarmed if you see the black and pur-ple police cars patrolling the area. Know that they are here for the students’ protection only, and will do everything in their power to keep us safe.

There’s a New Sheriff in Town: Spring Hill Adds Police ForceBy Ben Fleming

Reporter

September 18, 2014

By Natalie Welch

Editor-in-Chief

I’m going to give you my bottom line up

front; are you ready? Ok, here it is: I’d rather

spend four years at Spring Hill College doing

something I love, instead of being miserable.

Shocker, I know.

There’s so much pressure on college stu-

dents to choose the “right” major. If your parents

are doctors, maybe you choose pre-med; if you

want to run a company one day, maybe it’s busi-

ness. But, really, what it all boils down to is a

simple fact: We. Want. Jobs. That’s why most of

us are here, right? So that, when we leave, we’ll

have a chance of finding a job, and hopefully

that job is one we like. I mean, I doubt anyone

comes to college, or leaves, with the thought,

“Man, this degree won’t have any impact on

whether I get a job or not.”

The problem, of course, is that most stu-

dents choose a major based solely on how much

they believe it will help them with their future

career. And don’t get me wrong, that’s a good

thing, in many cases; after all, there are some

careers that call for a very specific line of study

– accountants, doctors, engineers – and there

are students who have already decided that is

the career for them. Congratulations to those

students; they are an inspiration to all the other

students majoring in I-Have-No-Clue-What-

I-Want-To-Do-With-My-Life, with a minor in

It-Changes-Day-To-Day.

To those students, – the ones who don’t

really know what they’ll be doing once school

is over, but think majoring in business is a safe

bet, even though they might really enjoy another,

possibly less practical, major more – I’d like to

say this: The major we choose isn’t going to have

as big an impact on our careers as we think.

There, I said it.

But, the truth is, I’ve seen just how little

importance majors can have. For one, my sister,

Jessica, graduated from SHC in 2008, with a de-

gree in psychology. She was completely prepared

to go to professional school and become a psy-

chologist, until our father suggested she take the

Law School Admission Test, just to keep her op-

tions open; she’s now a practicing lawyer. Kate,

my other sister, has a degree in sport and recre-

ation administration, but works as a paralegal.

So, besides indicating that I come from a

family of legal-centric freaks – which, I promise,

isn’t the case; not the legal-centric part, anyway

– what does all this mean? It means sometimes

things change, sometimes you don’t know what

you want to do, and sometimes you choose a

major just because it’ll look good to a future em-

ployer. Sometimes you’re not in love with your

major, but stick with it for four years because

it’ll be worth it, in the long run; or will it? Your

major doesn’t have to be the final word on your

career. In my opinion, you’re better off picking a

major you love, and dealing with all that serious

stuff later.

5

Major Problems

Comic by Alex SierraAssistant Editor

THE SPRINGHILLIAN

LIFESTYLE September 18, 20146

Nico Olvera sprints to the finish finishing 1st in the SGA 5k in a time of 19:08

Photo by Ben FLEMING

SGA Starts their Run for the Hill 5K benefitting American Cancer Society

Photo by Shaunicy MUHAMMAD SGA President Ricardo PITA and Secretary of the Press Diego JUNCADELLA get water poured on them after the Run of the Hill.

Photo by Ben FLEMING

Participant gets purple paint thrown on her during the SGA 5k

Photo by Shaunicy MUHAMMAD

The brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha enjoy their philanthropy event, Watermelon Bash

Photo by Ben FLEMINGLambda Chi Alpha raised 3,175 pounds of food for the Bay Area Food Bank.

Photo by Ben FLEMING

Jack CULOTTA slides down the waterslide at Watermelon Bash

Photo by Ben FLEMING

Fans tailgate in style for the Spring Hill Rugby game vs Troy University

Photo by Ben FLEMING

Victor VILLARREAL poses at Watermelon Bash

Photo by Ben FLEMING

THE HILL

THE SPRINGHILLIAN

LIFESTYLE8 September 18, 2014

By Shaunicy MuhammadReporter

SHC GreenKeepers Fight to Keep the Campus Green

At the center of Green-Keepers, Spring Hill Col-lege’s environmental club, is Dr. Leslie Bordas, an inspiring chemistry profes-sor with a fiery personality and a passion for protecting the resources of the earth. Equally passionate, howev-er, are the student members who Dr. Bordas says are the fuel to her keeping the orga-nization afloat on campus. This year, she hopes to bring attention to the benefits of being a “greenie,” as she calls the student members of the organization. However, she says that keeping the organization alive is hard work, citing the fact that the numbers of students who participate varies every year and that. She also stated that, in her opinion, funding for the group is low because people have other priorities that they find more important than earth conservation. “I’ve felt like maybe I should give this up, but I can’t. The students deserve it for all of the work they have put into it,” Bordas says. Since its launch in 2009, GreenKeepers mem-bers have been actively at work thinking of innova-tive environmental efforts and “green” initiatives to put into place on campus. Although the organization is relatively new, there’s no doubting the changes they’ve made in their few years of existence. Bordas says, though, that keeping people interested in saving the environment is not an easy job at all. As a matter of fact, Bor-das believes her dedication to being a representative voice for concerns of stu-dents has made some people on campus a little more than annoyed with her. “I’ve made a nuisance of myself with the administration,” she explained. But Bordas

believes that her actions are justified because she cares deeply about the students and their health in particu-lar. “I try to advocate for the student body on envi-ronmental issues. It con-cerns me that some of the students may have health issues because of mold in

the bathrooms or because the air purifiers aren’t working,” she said, recall-ing that the people that she speaks to often groan about her constant reminders to keep up with those efforts. “I think that those kinds of environmental issues may not be at the forefront of what everybody is thinking about,” she explained.However, Dr. Bordas says that their ideas and influ-ence create more change than what many on the campus get to see or know about. “GreenKeepers has a lot of effects on campus, even if nobody knows about us. We’re behind the scenes.” Although she is appreciative of having stu-

dents that are interested, no matter how small a group it is, Bordas wants to expand participation by students on campus. She wants to awaken new greenies to the issues of the environ-ment. “Mother earth is in pain. When we’re young, we don’t see the world and

its resources as limited. But the world is running out of resources. Notoriously in the south, we haven’t been as good as the north in re-ally promoting environmen-tal and green issues,” she says. When asked about why she thought participation on campus was low, Bordas laughed at the thought that maybe GreenKeepers have the stigma of being “tree huggers” placed on them. She reiterated that she wanted students to know that being involved with the

club has more benefits than what meets the eye. One of the main objectives that she continues to stress is that GreenKeepers is an organi-zation by the students, for the students. “This is not a place where the only people who are in control are the executive

committee. Everybody in the GreenKeepers has a voice. This notion of allow-ing every student to have

full roles and responsibility is evident in the creation of pioneering events such as Angry Art, a fundraiser started by senior graphic de-sign major, Alex Sierra. “It was a really great idea. We didn’t know what to do with all these expensive looking

bottles. Alex came up with the idea of filling the bottles with paint and charging anyone who was interested to throw them against a wall covered with paper and make art out of it,” she explained. “There’s opportunity here to show your leadership skills and your steward-ship for the environment and get rewarded for that. I think too often, people get too busy to participate but I want students to know it’s a place where you can market your abilities. That’s my idea for this club,” she said. Added with that is the possibility of acquiring graduation honor cords as reward for commitment to the cause and for complet-ing a set number of service hours. She’s hopeful that every year, the number of students graduating with Greenkeepers honor cords around their necks grows. It’s one of the things that she hopes will inspire new involvement from students. Dr. Bordas says that the organization has a duty to themselves and the student body to promote environ-mental consciousness, even if it means raising funds for their endeavors themselves. That fervent drive to keep going evidently will not come to a halt. Reflecting on why she and the Green-Keepers must keep going, Bordas says, “If I don’t show by example, the things that are important to me, then I’m not being a very good teacher.”

“ I want students to know that this is a place where they can become a leader” -Advisor of GreenKeepers Dr. Leslie Bordas

THE SPRINGHILLIAN 9September 18, 2014

‘Madden NFL 15’ Making a Huge Comeback

In the past years, the Madden NFL franchise has had its handful of disappointing edi-tions. However, “Madden NFL 15" reached store shelves on Au-gust 26, relieving football fans and gamers across the country of their disappointment. According to several game reviews, it has turned out to be one of the better years of expan-sion. One of the most common changes every

year is the graphics. As many of you may know, both PlayStation and Xbox have released new gaming platforms that have showed the gaming world there is no limit to technology. The high definition images are breathtaking and the move-ments are even better. The photorealistic actions of the wide receiver beating the cornerback and making a one handed catch makes you want to play the game for hours. “As a gamer and fan of football, I can say the gameplay of Madden NFL 15 is by far the best one,” says senior Mac Kitchin. Another significant change that previous edi-tions lacked was the intel-ligence and gameplay of

the defense. Since Seattle Seahawks cornerback Rich-ard Sherman is decorated on the cover, it was only right for the developers at EA to focus on defense for this year’s version. Instead of thinking that playing defense is a chore, it is now just as fun as playing offense. Out of the two key defensive changes, EA re-fined defense by introduc-ing a new camera angle that faces toward the quarter-back. In addition, if the offense manages to break your de-fensive line, you actually get to control how your tackle attempt comes out. The bor-ing idea of just running at players and making contact is out the window. You can

make a choice of tackling high or low, and even adjust the strength of your hit. It’s uplifting to see the franchise make such big improvements. The en-hancements of both the innovative graphics and importance of defensive play makes this year’s edition one to remember. “For me Madden NFL has been more than just a video game, it has been a way of life,” says junior Nick De Felice. It is clear that by listening to the fans the franchise has made a big step forward and reassures us that EA is still capable of producing a football video game that the gamers will enjoy.

Checking in on Sigma Kappa

With one semester under its belt, Sigma Kappa is making strides to adapt to Greek life on Spring Hill’s campus. So what is new with Spring Hill’s newest sorority? The girls of lavender and maroon recently participated in their first philanthropy event — Watermelon Bash. “It was fun to see everyone come together and it felt good to finally be a part of the Greek community,” says senior and PanHellenic Delegate Jaci Kurbab. Sigma Kappa held an informal recruitment last week and their chapter gained 11 new girls. “It went well,” says Kurcab, “it was really exciting to sit on the other side of the table. It finally feels real — like we are established now.” According to Sigma Kappa President Ashlea Wattenbe, one of the main goals is for the chapter to be more involved on campus. “Last semester we were focused on getting started, but now that we have been on campus for a semester we can more actively participate in campus events,” says Wattenbe Not only will the Sigma Kappas be participating, but they

will also be hosting events. Their first philanthropic event, a walk to end to end Alzheimer’s, is September 20. The walk is dona-tions only with proceeds going to Alzheimer’s research. Kurcab, who specifically joined Sigma Kappa because of its philanthropic focus to help others, is excited to see the Greek community come together for the Alzheimer’s Walk. According to its national website, “In 2000, the Sigma Kappa Foundation entered into an agreement with the national Alzheimer’s Association whereby the Association selects scien-tific research proposals, ideally submitted by a female researcher working on a campus with an active Sigma Kappa chapter, for sponsorship by the Sigma Kappa Foundation.” From what we can see the Sigma Kappa girls are clearly making their mark in the Greek community and here to stay.

By Jabulani ThompsonReporter

Photo by Ben FLEMING̀

By Erinn VogelReporter

SPORTS10 September 18, 2014

Upcoming Games

The Big Move: Going From the NAIA to NCAA Spring Hill College will be transitioning to the NCAA Division II level of athletics and will be competing in the Southern Intercollegiate Atlantic Conference for the 2014-2015 athletic season. The decision on moving into the NCAA dates back to January of 2012. Jim Hall along with school admin-istrators came into agree-ment and felt the school was ready to begin the process to become a mem-ber of the NCAA. Upon this agreement, the school filed an application to be admitted into the NCAA in January of last year. In order for the NCAA to accept Spring Hill’s bid into Division II, the school had to go through an application process. Athletic director Jim Hall discussed what the process entailed and the detail that came with it. “The application process consisted of completing the application and providing multiple supporting docu-ments demonstrating how athletics was structured within the College and how it operates: operating budgets, scholarship bud-gets, personnel, policies and procedures, etc.” The decision to leave the NAIA for the NCAA was not an easy one. Hall explains why school admin-istrators and the athletic department were ready for this big change. “In the long term, NAIA membership is dwindling in the Southeast and scheduling games was

becoming increasingly dif-ficult. Moving to the NCAA provides SHC with a stable national membership that is growing in our region. It also allows us to schedule games against many of our aspirant institutions who are NCAA members.” Spring Hill College is one of 27 Jesuit institutions that are of NCAA status. So this move allows us to be more in line with the other Jesuit schools around the country. Spring Hill was formerly competing in the NAIA and was a member of the South-ern States Athletic Confer-ence which included schools such as Loyola Uni-versity of New Orleans, University of Mobile, and Faulkner Uni-versity, to name a few. Now the badgers will be play-ing games against teams such as Tuskegee Univer-sity, Stillman College and Morehouse College, among others. The shift to the SIAC and the NCAA has brought tremendous change into how the teams and the athletic department have to prepare for the upcoming athletic year. Head baseball coach Frank Sims, who has been coaching at Spring Hill for 30 years, said that the paperwork process and the rule changes are

much different from the NAIA. “The paperwork for the NCAA is much more detailed and time consum-ing than in previous years in the NAIA. We have to keep track of every practice that takes place and must keep record of who played in all 48 games coming up this season. Also, we have to make sure we adhere to all the new rule changes, otherwise we could face serious violations against our program.” These chang-es are not bringing Sims’

determination down at all. He is excited to get all the paperwork done and get his team on the field in the spring. That is not the only change that the NCAA has brought to Spring Hill. In regards to recruiting, many people, including head vol-leyball coach Peggy Martin, believe that the new NCAA “brand” will attract more student-athletes. Coach Martin has been at Spring Hill since 2009, and is one of the most successful coaches in all levels of col-legiate volleyball. She said, “The move to NCAA is defi-nitely an upgrade and will

attract quality student-ath-letes. Our team right now has really good students on path toward graduation, which is what the NCAA really requires, which is a good thing.” Martin also says she is looking forward to the challenges the new conference will bring. These changes have not just affected the coaches and the athletic front office, has affected the athletes also. For the next two years, Spring Hill will not be al-lowed to compete in any

type of playoff format until the NCAA has fully accepted the school into the Division II class of college athletics. This takes a huge hit on the programs that made it into their respective

conference tournaments last year, and also all of the seniors that were want-ing to make their last year memorable.The Spring Hill volleyball team has made the NAIA national tournament the past three years, and not being able to compete for a fourth consecutive year will be tough. Senior Me-gan Haber, a middle hitter from Lillian, AL, thinks that this is just the stepping stone for Spring Hill vol-leyball. “Overall it’s a good move for SHC. The move will definitely attract more quality student-athletes and will help with recruiting for

the future.” Sami Maurer, a libero from Cor Jesu Acad-emy in St. Louis, MO, says, “It is unfortunate that we cannot make the playoffs but we are willing to work and go out there and have fun in our last year on the team.” Senior Jack Howard, a starting pitcher from Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in Alpharetta, GA, was looking forward to try and make a push for the conference tournament in his last year of eligibility. “Not making the playoffs this year will be difficult to deal with, but it is a sacrifice we are willing to make for the future of the program.” Fellow senior pitcher Keller Douglas from St. Paul’s High School in Covington, LA, agrees that not making the playoffs will hurt but understands the move that has been made. “Our school is trying to expand. In order to do that our athletics program must make a move as well and this move is putting us in the right direction.” Both are excited to get out on the field and see what the con-ference and new schedule has to offer.Overall, everyone is looking forward to what the NCAA and the SIAC will bring to Spring Hill. Having a new schedule with a whole new set of teams, the 2014-2015 season of badger athletics appears to be an exciting one.

By Brandon Krus Reporter

A picture of the new floor in the Arthur R. Outlaw Rec CenterPhoto by BenFLEMING

8/20 Men’s Soccer vs. University of Mobile @ 4pm

8/18-8/20 Volleyball @ SIAC Division Corssover

8/20 Women’s Soccer @ University of West Florida @ 5pm

Recent Results8/9 Volleyball @ Loyola New Orleans - W(3-0)8/12 Volleyball vs. LeMoyne Owen College - W(3-0)8/12 Volleyball at Kentucky State University - W(3-1)8/12 Women’s Soccer vs. Beelahven - W(4-0)8/12 Men’s Soccer vs. Southern Wesleyan - L(0-1)8/12 Volleyball vs. Lane College - W(3-0)8/13 Men’s Rugby vs. Troy - W(24-15)8/13 Men’s Soccer vs. University of North Georgia - W(1-0)For more on SHC athletics:

Be sure to follow your team by visiting www.shcbadgers.com

THE SPRINGHILLIAN 11September 18, 2014

Professional Athletes Setting A Bad Example

Athletics To Add Sand Volleyball

Within the last few weeks, the NFL has wit-nessed some of the worst incidents in sports. A video was released of Baltimore Ravens running back, Ray Rice, brutally hitting his now wife, Janay Palmer. Shortly after, Minnesota Vi-kings running back, Adrian Peterson, was indicted for child abuse. Along with that, multiple players have been suspended for violat-ing the NFL’s substance abuse policy, such as Den-ver Bronco’s wide receiver, Wes Welker. The incidents involv-ing Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson were disturbing and ultimately jaw drop-ping to fans everywhere. How could two respected members of the NFL com-mit such violent crimes? The two athletes ultimately embarrassed not only them-selves and their teams, but the NFL as a whole. Last February, Rice was arrested for an assault charge in Atlantic City. Shortly after, a video was released where Rice is seen dragging his then fiancée out of an elevator. The NFL, at first, gave Rice a two game suspension. But that all changed on September 8th when another video was

released of Rice brutally hit-ting his wife. Rice has since been cut from the Ravens and suspended infinitely from the NFL. On September 12th, Adrian Peterson was indicted by Montgomery County, Texas, on the charge of child abuse. Peterson was accused of hitting his four year old son with a switch as a form of discipline. The report stated that Peterson took his son to the back yard and began hitting him for disciplinary purposes. Peterson turned himself in the following morning and was later released on bond. Peterson is still currently on the Vikings. With all these major incidents going on, in not only the NFL, but in profes-sional sports as a whole, can professional athletes still be looked upon as role models for kids? Throughout history we have seen some of the sporting world’s greatest athletes fall because of their antics off the field. Remember when every-one thought Tiger Woods was a clean, stand-up, fam-ily man but he turned out to be a sex addict? Remember when everyone looked up to Lance Armstrong after he won several Tour De France

tournaments but it turned out he was taking perfor-mance enhancing drugs? Fans everywhere remem-ber. Even the legends of their sports are setting bad examples for kids. Michael Jordan, arguably the great-est player in NBA history, had a terrible gambling problem. According to Business Insider, Jor-dan was once spotted out gambling the night before a game. On November 19th , 2004 Indiana Pacer’s guard, Ron Artest, crawled through the stands of The Palace of Auburn Hills and attacked a fan while a bench clearing brawl was taking place on the court. The Palace was in chaos for minutes as author-ities attempted to calm the situation down. Steroids have also been an ongoing problem in Ma-jor League Baseball. Mark Mcguire, Alex Rodriguez, and Miguel Tejada all were all-star caliber players and all took steroids during their careers in the MLB. On December 13th, 2007, The Mitchell Report was re-leased. The Mitchell Report was a 21 month long inves-tigation done by Senator George Mitchell that investi-

gated the use of steroids and other performance enhanc-ing drugs in the MLB. The report accused 89 players of taking performance en-hancing drugs. How can you expect a young kid aspire to be a professional athlete when athletes in every league are taking steroids, commit-ting violent acts, receiving DUI’s, and are acting foolish and unprofessional. Some professional athletes are setting the example that it’s acceptable to disregard authority and play by your own rules. This image and example is unacceptable. However, there are some professional athletes young kids can still look to as role models. Kyle Long, offen-sive lineman for the Chicago Bears, received a tweet from a father whose son was being bullied in school. Long quickly responded and went and hung out with the bullied kid for a day. Drew Brees established a charity called The Brees Dream Foundation. Ac-cording to The Brees Dream website, the foundation has raised millions for multiple projects and organizations such as The American Cancer Society, “Peek-a-Boo Camera Project,” and GW

Carver Field of Dreams. In 2006 New York Knicks star, Carmelo Anthony, donated $1.5 million dollars to reopen a youth develop-ment center in Baltimore, which he makes trips to every summer. Then, during Hurricane Sandy, Anthony gave gifts to affected fami-lies of the hurricane. Kids can still find positive role models in professional sports. There are numer-ous athletes that have set up charity organizations and are going out into their local communities and try-ing to find a way to help. Along with athletes making a difference, professional leagues are helping out too. The NFL has set up a program called NFL Play 60 which is a program en-couraging kids to get up and get active for sixty minutes a day. There will always be negative role models in sports. It is up to the athletes who can make a positive influence to reach the youth of America and give them a role model to look up to. Leagues need to toughen up fines and suspension for players who act out off the field, in an effort to help clean up the image of pro-fessional sports.

The Spring Hill Athletic Department will be wel-coming sand volleyball for female athletes in the spring of 2015. Sand volleyball will be a NCAA sport and will be coached by indoor vol-leyball coach Peggy Martin. The athletic department decided to add sand volley-ball to give females more competitive athletic oppor-tunities as a part of their plan to gain entry into the NCAA Division II. This will now give Spring Hill nine women’s varsity sports. Sand volleyball, an Olympic sport, is played on a sand court with two teams consisting of two players. Sand volleyball has similar

rules to indoor volleyball but has a few differences. In sand volleyball play-ers must hit the ball with a closed fist and a player can-not set the ball on the first contact after a serve. “The team will play most-ly in tournaments along the Gulf Coast,” said Ath-letic Director Jim Hall. He further explained, “There is not a conference that we could join at this point. Sand is still an emerging sport for women in the NCAA at this time. We will primarily be competing against larger Division I schools at the tournaments.” The addition of sand vol-leyball looked very appeal-

ing to freshman A’ndria Dytrych. Dytrych, a Chicago resident, will be a part of the inaugural team. “I used to play sand volleyball in my spare time with my friends and we joined a few tourneys for fun,” said Dy-trych. She has high expecta-tions for her first season of competitive sand volleyball. She said, “My expectations for sand volleyball are very high. I hope this year is suc-cessful and leads to more fulfilling years.” Sophomore Clarke Jamison, current manager for the women’s volleyball team, plans to play sand volleyball in the spring. Jamison, who was all-

conference for volley-ball three years in a row dur-ing high school, said, “I think indoor vol-leyball is a lot easier but I enjoy outdoor because it gives you a lot more free-dom.” Morgan Murphy is cur-rently a varsity volleyball player who plans on com-peting in the spring. She too will have to make a major transition from indoor to outdoor volleyball. She said, “It’s going to be a big transi-tion because it’s the same

sport yet dif-ferent

games. You go from playing with five other girls to just one. There are going to be new rules and tricks that we are going to learn from sand that we can hopefully bring back to indoor and vise versa.” Spring Hill is very excited what the new team has in store and cannot wait to watch the team soar to new heights in their inaugural season.

By Ryan FlynnReporter

By Ryan FlynnReporter

Photo by BenFLEMING

HILL YEA! September 18, 201412

ON the SPOTIf you had to choose one celebrity to be exiled, who would it be?

AEDAN Stranahan BRENNAN Gutierrez KATIE Escousse ALEJANDRO Portela

“Justin Bieber, for his reckless behavior and sub-par music.”

“Justin Bieber, because he’s a self-entitled dingle berry.”

“Taylor Swift, because she is corny and a terrible dancer.”

“Nicki Minaj, because her voice is annoying and she is a disgrace to rap.”

Brandon KRUS Ryan FLYNN

Jaboo THOMPSON Erinn VOGELShaunicy MUHAMMAD

Alex SIERRANatalie WELCH

Ben FLEMING

MEET THE STAFF