SOAR Paper Part 2

Page 13SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala NewsEver wonder where your student fees go?

Students at UNA are not only required to pay for classes, books and possibly a dorm room, they are also required to pay several fees covering various activities and ser-vices available on campus. As of May 13, 2011, the total cost of fees

for a student enrolled in 12 hours was more than $500.

For the estimated $500, a student gets a wide variety of ser-vices. Steve Smith, vice president of Business and Financial Affairs and Aleah Clark, bursar, explained what each fee a student pays for actually means. The fees are listed below in order of cost, from most expensive to least expensive.

$12/hour. The athletic fee provides students with free admission to non-championship games, and at each game, the fee provides each student with one free concession item. This fee also provides the prizes, like iPods, iPads and T-shirts, that are given away at many games.

Athletic Fee

Student Health Fee$50/semester. The Student Health Fee provides students with free access

to the Bennett Infi rmary. The infi rmary provides students with access to healthcare, counseling and other services. In addition, the infi rmary pro-vides students with medicine at a low cost. Students who visit the infi rmary do not have to fi le with their insurance.

$12/hour. The technology fee is what keeps online programs, like UNAPortal and ANGEL, up and running. Because of this fee, students can pay bills, register and view grades online. Students have access to several computer labs on campus, and Wi-Fi is provided across the entire campus with this fee. The technology fee was used to pay three to four staff members when proration set in, but it is not used to pay employees under normal circumstances.

Technology Fee

$120/semester. The Student Recreation Center and the parking deck on campus are paid for with this fee. Because both facilities are fairly new, there is still debt on them. This fee repays the debt on the structures. The fee also pays for upkeep of the facilities, employees of the facilities and other operational costs like utility bills.

Student Recreation Fee

$10/hour. The facilities fee helps renew and replace buildings on campus. Because of this fee, the university was able to renovate Keller and Willingham halls last year. This fee allows the university to patch leaky roofs and fi x other problems with buildings. This fee is constant, even if there are not current projects, in order to save money in case proration sets in. If proration does come about, the buildings at this university will not deteriorate because of the facilities fee.

Facilities Fee

$25/semester. The Student Activity Fee provides stu-dents with activities and programs through University Pro-gram Council. UPC gets its budget through this fee. With this fee, UPC has provided concerts, programs, speakers and other activities free of charge to all students. Various organizations can also use money provided by this fee to host events open to all students free of charge.

Student Activity Fee

$22/semester. The transportation fee provides students with vehicle registra-tion, a parking decal and access to the UNA shuttle buses. These buses can take students to various places on campus and throughout the Florence area. The fee puts gas in the buses, and it pays the bus drivers.

Transportation Fee

There are other fees, like the Distance Learning fee and special course fees, that stu-dents only have to pay if they are involved in classes that require these fees. These special fees pay for supplies that are necessary for the class the student is taking.

photo illustration by MorgueFile.com

photo by Phillip Holcombe

photo by Susan King

photo by Ashton Lance

photo by Barry Minor

photo by Malisa McClure

photo by Susan King

Page 14 SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala

Page 15SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala Feature

DormsFor incoming freshman and transfer students, UNA offers residence halls, also known as dorms. UNA has added many new resi-dence halls, as well as updated existing ones. Hawthorne, Covington, and Applebee East and West are the new dorms recently added. They include newer features such as communal clus-ter rooms, but are farther from campus and a bit more expensive. Rice and Rivers offer a more affordable alternative and are located next to Towers Cafeteria. Lagrange Hall is located near the parking deck and is also co-ed. Both Rice and Lagrange have computer labs which include both PCs and Macs. Lafayette Hall is reserved for leadership and honor students. All dorms have 24-hour security, free basic cable, broadband Internet access, and local phone service. Contact Residence Life for more infor-mation.

Apartments If dorm life is not for you, Florence offers many apart-ment options. If you still need to be near campus, the university has on-campus apartments. For off-campus apartment choices, pick up an Apartment Guide that is available in numerous gas stations and stores around Florence, as well as the Shoals Chamber of Commerce (located at 20 Hightower Place). UNA’s housing web-page (www.una.edu/housing) also offers an off-campus apartment search guide. One way to find an apartment is to walk or drive around the campus area looking for apartment complexes that you like, as well as “For Rent” signs. Many of the larger houses that are located around UNA have been converted into apartments also. When thinking about renting an apartment, there are more considerations to keep in mind: length of the lease you are signing, what will the utilities cost and will costs (if any) be included in rent, restrictions on paint-ing and decorating, and the landlord’s pet policy.

Houses Rental houses are located around the Florence area, many of which are within walking distance from UNA. If you have a group of roommates in mind, this is a nice option to consider. The TimesDaily’s classified ads often have rental houses listed, but like apartments, one of the easiest ways to locate one is to drive around town and look for signs. When renting a house, at least one roommate will have to pass a credit check, so find a financially responsible person to be included as one of your possible roomates. As with apartments, check landlord restrictions on decorating and pets. Also check lease lengths and whether your landlord will write separate leases for each roommate or one lease for every-one. Unlike apartments, you and your roomates will be responsible for yard work, so either invest in a lawnmower or find a mowing service.

Brink Apartments Florendale Apartments Hensley Properties Humphries Properties Lions Gate (UNA) Lions Place Time Rhodes Properties University Housing 766-8387 766-1823 764-0731 766-9064 765-4124 335-5541 764-3137 765-4124

I don’t like being by myself. I need my

friends too!

That’s so me

Please, I need my space!

Not really, just the bare minimum

Defi nitely, gas is expensive!

I don’t care.I want to be close to campus!

Oh yeah!

I need a big place to put all of my stuff!

STARTWhere should you live?

Take the quiz!

No way! My pet is coming with me, no

matter what!

Defi nitely, I’m not leaving them

behind!

I’m responsible enough to handle

my own bills.

Oh yeah, I’m ready!

Not even close.

I’ve got to have my friends over whenever

I want. It’s college! No rules!

I don’t even have a pet!

I love working in the yard and

around the house. It’s so much fun!

I don’t mind visiting hours

My friends and I stay up all night!

I’ll pass on thatOh yeah, that’s totally for me!

Quiz compiled by Lauren Abroms and Owen Whitehurst


Page 17SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala NewsMeet the SGA executive officersUchenna Akalonu

President of SGA

Hometown:Lagos, Nigeria

SGA Experience:-SGA Vice-President of Senate-SGA Senate Pro-Tempore-SGA Sec. for International Affairs -SGA Senator

Campus Involvement:-Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.-African Student Organization

“Increase SGA awareness, reach out to UNA student body more to solve

the problems they face.”

Emily McCann

Vice President of Senate

Hometown:Muscle Shoals

SGA Experience:-Freshman Forum Member-SGA Secretary

Campus Involvement:-SOAR Counselor-Lagrange Society Member-Vice president College Republicans

“I would like to see every greek organization, college and RSO have a seat in Senate.”

Will Riley

Vice President of SGA for University Program CouncilHometown:Tuscumbia

SGA Experience:-Freshman Forum Member-Live Acts Comittee (UPC)-PR Chair, UPC

Campus Involvement:-SOAR Counselor-Lagrange Society Member-Student Conduct Board Member

“I want to be able to program more sucessful and larger events.”

Rachel Gandy

SGA SecretaryHometown:Tuskegee

SGA Experience:-Freshman Forum Member-Freshman Forum Secretary

Campus Involvement:-Resident Asistant-Member, Ascending Voices-Presidential Mentor’s Academy

“My vision for SGA this year is to make students aware that they are the voice, and their voice matters in all of SGA endeavors.”

John Ledgewood

SGA TreasurerHometown:Florence

SGA Experience:-Past SGA Treasurer-UPC delegate

Campus Involvement:-Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity

“[My goal is] to help fundraise the SGA endowed scholarship.”

SGA, a year in review

photo by Kayla Sloan

SGA hosted its fi rst-ever Fountain 5k this year. The run started and ended at Harrison Plaza’s fountain. The goal of the run was to raise money for SGA’s endowed scholarship.


Higher Ed Day was on SGA’s agenda this past year. SGA sent students to Montgomery to rally for lower tuition rates at the State House.

photo by Ashton LanceSGA was involved in state political races last fall. They invited Governor Robert Bentley and gubernatorial can-didate Ron Sparks to campus to speak to students.

The branches

of SGA:

- Legislative- SGA Senate- UPC- Freshman Forum


Page 19SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala News

To help support new food concepts at UNA, all full-time, non-meal plan students will soon be charged a $75 declining bal-ance on their MANE cards each semester as the university works to bring more res-taurants to campus.

The $75 charge breaks down to students spending $5 per week, or $1 per day, on campus dining over a 15-week semester pe-riod. Alan Kinkead, general manager of So-dexo Dining Services, said the decision to implement the $75 charge was made after

numerous surveys, focus groups and meet-ings were organized or distributed.

“The results showed that UNA was very interested in becoming a bigger, bet-ter school and that people expect a lot and are excited about bringing new brands and foods to campus,” he said. “Everybody de-mands so much more, but we need the sup-port in order to propel the university to a whole new level.”

Kinkead said the $75 charge will apply to full-time students only and will aid the university in its vision to offer more diverse food options in the future. Einstein Bagels will take the place of Jazzman’s Café in the

fall, alongside the addition of Moe’s South-west Grill next spring in the GUC Atrium.

The charge will also go toward support-ing new restaurants in the Academic Center and Student Commons, which is a part of UNA’s new master plan and is expected to begin construction next year. Kinkead said Chick-Fil-A, Starbucks and Frostbite are lined up to come to UNA in late 2012.

Other state universities require non-meal plan students to pay similar charges in order to sustain campus growth, according to David Shields, vice president of student affairs. The University of Alabama and Au-burn University both require off-campus, non-meal plan students to pay a minimum $300 toward dining, while students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham must pay a $225 charge.

“I think it’s a good idea for me because I’m already paying money for food on cam-pus anyway, but I don’t know that it should be so forced,” said UNA sophomore Katie Birth, an off-campus student who spends at least $10-15 per week on campus dining. “If you’re living on campus or are a full-time student, it’s not that big of a deal, but if you’re a non-traditional student, I just don’t think that’s fair.”

Students will be charged $75 each se-mester beginning in the fall, and can use the declining balance card like cash or a debit card at any campus restaurant or vending machine. Funds that are left on a MANE card will automatically roll over to the next semester, offi cials said.

Offi cials have not yet determined whether distance learning students will be required to pay the charge. Shields said the university will work to make more campus dining options available at night for stu-

dents who attend evening classes after the charge is implemented.

“Food service providers come to uni-versities today not inclined to add new things, and need to help retain their invest-ment,” Shields said. “Students expect and deserve new things on campus, but food services expect business. Like anything we do, it’s not free. The benefi ts that are com-ing and the sense of community that will be developed outweigh the negative of paying the 75 bucks.”

Shields and Dr. W. Stephen Smith, vice president of Business and Financial Affairs, hope the new dining additions throughout the next two years will help to ease park-ing issues on campus, as students will be less likely to leave the university for lunch or dinner and lose their parking spot in the process.

“I like the idea that the $75 charge is bringing more restaurants on campus,” said Patrick O’Kelley, a UNA freshman who does not have a meal plan. “If they could fi nd a way to determine who would benefi t the most from it, then they could charge it to them. I don’t normally eat on campus, but if I am going to be charged $75, I would.”

UNA and Sodexo will meet at the Board of Trustees meeting in June to discuss the $75 charge further and determine fi nal de-tails about the declining balance. Smith said students will likely have mixed feel-ings about the charge but that UNA will continue to push its food service provider to be more current and modern for students.

“If you look at how UNA was and how it is now, you will see more change on cam-pus in the next fi ve years than you have in the last 20 years,” Smith said.

The GUC is one of the many places Lion Loot is accepted. A new $75 fee will be charged in the fall to students for them to use at on-campus eateries such as the GUC food court, Towers Cafeteria and the Smart Market Convenience Store.

Another fee, more food options in the GUC


Page 20 News SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala

Theater construction set to be complete soon

Construction for a black box theater on the corner of Seminary and Irvine is set to be completed by February of next year. The theater will be home to a variety of produc-tions as students leave Norton Auditorium to enhance their studies.

“I want it to be a safe environment for students to explore their craft,” said theater professor Dr. David Ruebhausen. He said that it’s important for students to feel se-cure during the early phases of their train-ing.

The department has set plans to have student one acts in April to test out the new facility.

The fi rst large production to take place in the black box will be during summer 2012. The production is currently pro-jected to be “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Ruebhausen said that it will be directed by a twice-nominated Tony director and may feature a well-known Hollywood actress. Both names have yet to be released as the department is currently working on the fi -nal details.

Ruebhausen said that in 1996, when he

fi rst started to work at UNA, he had considered moving his department to the Shoals Theater, but the cost of ren-ovation was out of the budget. During the next 10 years, he looked at dozens of locations in the Shoals area. He de-cided that it would be best to add on to Norton Auditorium to avoid dupli-cating necessary equipment that was already available.

UNA President Dr. William Cale is committed to the development of the new theater, said Ruebhausen. He said Cale has an appreciation for the arts and the academics that theater classes offer.

“We are so thankful to him,” said Ruebhausen.

The main classes that will use the black box are acting, directing and movement. With other events taking place in Norton, the scheduled classes are often interrupted. The new theater will allow the students to focus pri-marily on their skills without disrup-tion.

Several other students will be able to put their knowledge into practice such as those in the lighting class. Auditorium Technical Adviser Alice Gross and her student employees are responsible for the lighting and other aspects of stage preparation at Norton. Once the black box is open, Gross will assist in the beginning but the theater stu-dents will later be in control.

The size of Norton Auditorium requires the students to shout their lines and to over-act to allow the full room to understand the play. “Norton isn’t built for our type of per-formance,” said junior theater major For-rest Harlan.

The new theater will have multiple seating arrangements based on the type of play and will reduce the need to overact.

The seating could be set for a thrust stage in which the audience is on stage with

the actors. “This past spring we did three shows

where the audience was on stage with us,” Harlan said. “It was a little nerve-racking at fi rst having people right there, but it was cool.”

Multiple other seating arrangements will be used. Ruebhausen said it will help the students be better prepared in their training for when they graduate.

Norton will still be used for large mu-sical or Shakespearean productions. Rueb-hausen said hopefully the theater depart-ment will expand to crossovers with both the musical and fi lm and digital media pro-

ductions departments.Harlan said he is excited about the new

opportunities that the black box theater will bring to the department.

“I want it to be our home,” Ruebhausen

said. “It’s the piece that has been missing from the department.”

Construction has closed down the westbound lane of Irvine Street behind Norton Audito-rium. The new venue will take up the area behind Norton Auditorium between the audito-rium and Irvine Street.

photo by Phillip Holcombephoto by Phillip Holcombe

UNA’s new theater will house a new performance space with the ability to change the audience and the staging arrangements.

Performance space will provide new seating arrangements, staging, opportunities for students

”Itʼs the piece that has been miss-ing from the department.”

-Dr. David Reubhausen

Have a Twitter account? Follow us on Twitter at @UNAFlorAla for breaking news and updates about UNA! Like us on Facebook for up-

dates about campus events, and what’s going on in the Shoals.

Page 21SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala



Page 24 Feature SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala

Art exhibits

The UNA Department of Art hosts numerous student and faculty art shows throughout the year. Many graduating seniors have their own exhibits displayed each semester.

photo by Shannon Wells

photo by Susan King

Students Luke Johnson and Ben Skipworth work in the recording studio at UNA in fall 2010. The Department of Entertainment Industry provides the studio space to students who have completed the survey of audio recording course.

Rumor has it that a confederate general’s son drowned in Cypress Creek while the army was occupying Wesleyan Hall. Over the years, people have reported seeing wet footprints on the carpet and the elevator running by itself at night.


Ghosts on CampusMany students dread taking classes in Bibb Graves because of the steep climb up three fl ights of stairs.

photo by Ashton Lance

campus tour:UNA’s unique

offerings

Free Flu Shots


The UNA Health and Wellness Center offers free fl u vaccinations to any student who has paid the $50 health fee. In addition to fl u shots, regis-tered nurses also offer vaccines for sexually transmitted diseases.

Bibb Graves HallRecording Studio

Page 25SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala Feature


The culinary arts program, which was formed in 2007, allows students to work in a state-of-the-art kitchen to gain experi-ence while earning a four-year degree.

Culinary Arts

Game Room

The new game room in the Guillot University Center now offers free access to students who present their MANE card. Video games, ping pong and pool tables are available for use.

Student Recreation Center

The SRC at UNA offers a number of fi tness activities for students, including weight lifting, group exercises, outdoor trips, yoga classes and intramural sports.

photo by Barry Minor

Too Much Junk in the Trunk


Students take part in the 2011 Too Much Junk in the Trunk event. The event is a canned food drive where organizations compete to gather the most cans.


Musical Instruments


The Department of Music has an open room with musical instruments for stu-dents to use in their free time.Campus Police

UNA Police give students two weeks to adjust to parking on campus before issuing tickets. If you are a commuter student, park in the white lines, and if you live on campus, park in the red lines to avoid getting a ticket. Don’t assume that taking your decal off and parking in a visitor’s spot won’t get noticed.


Page 26 Local SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala

The Route of Art Gallery 218 N. Court St.

This upstairs loft looking right over Court Street opened its doors in the fall of 2010 and has since become an artistic hub for the community.

If you are an artist, art collector or a supporter of the arts, the Route of Art is the place to go in Florence.

The gallery collects and sells artwork from the wide diversity of Shoals area artists, as well as works from outside the Southeast. The art offered is diverse itself, ranging from paintings to sculptures to jewelry to combinations of the different media.

Aside from its art wares, the Route of Art also lends itself to special interest groups such as a yoga class and a poetry reading group.

The Route of Art’s hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Pegasus Records 612 E. Tennessee St.

As you enter Downtown Florence from Florence Boulevard, one of the very fi rst buildings to catch the eye is the legendary Pegasus Records.

Music lovers, this is the one-stop shop for music in the area. Whether you have a taste for Waylon Jennings or Pink Floyd, Snoop Dogg or Beethoven, this place has what you’re looking for.

This staple of the Shoals area has been part of Downtown Florence for 30 years now, according to its Facebook page.

Its massive music collection includes new and used CDs and LPs with an impressive selection to satisfy any vinyl enthusiast.

Also, as a supporter of local artists,

Pegasus sells the music of undiscovered talent and occasionally will host in-store performances by local bands.

Pegasus Records is open from Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Rivertown Coffee 117 Seminary St.

There is a jumbled stack of chairs, each one barely balancing on the one below it, in a corner at Rivertown Coffee Co. that truly illustrates the coffee shop’s bohemian atmosphere. It’s hard to tell if

the chairs are art or just a con-venient place to store extra furniture, but it doesn’t matter; it looks cool either way.

River-town is a favorite for UNA students because

it has the quintessential college atmosphere, complete with hipsters, java heads and students.

The shop offers the typical coffee shop spread (coffee, lattes, frappes, mochas, teas and sodas) along with lunch week-days from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The prices are on par with most other coffee shops, but UNA students get 10 percent off all coffee drinks with their Mane cards.

The music changes, but students can typically expect something they’ve never heard—from ambient folk techno to dub-step remixes of ‘80s hits to live, local music. Along with a wide array of music, Rivertown uses the blank space on its heavily decorated walls as an art venue, displaying the work of local artists.

Rivertown is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. Saturday and is closed on Sunday.

Oriental Pearl 111 E. Tennessee St.

Oriental Pearl is possibly the most

unique business in downtown Florence. The Asian grocery and gift store offers a wide selection of Asian products for UNA students and the Shoals community.

For the adventurous UNA student, Ori-ental Pearl offers exotic selections such as Hwang Ryh Shiong, fermented bean curd, Luscious Soy Paste and canned Chrysan-themum tea. All of these products offer tastes the average UNA student has never experienced, and college is all about trying new things, right?

One must-try staple for college stu-dents at Oriental Pearl is Sapporo Ichiban, otherwise known as legit Ramen. These prepackaged Japanese noodles are the real deal—the legendary forefather of Ramen noodles.

UNA students looking for Asian groceries or to try something new can check out Oriental Pearl 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The store is closed Sunday and Wednesday.

The Smokehouse 118 E. Tennessee St.

A typical venture through the doors of the Smokehouse meets UNA students with “The Ace of Spades” blasting over the ra-dio, slicing through the dim haze hovering over neon signs and pool tables.

UNA students of age can enjoy the well-stocked bar, but anyone can appre-ciate the Smokehouse’s low-priced bar food. Behind the bar and seating area is

the game section. The Smokehouse has enough pool tables to keep even the biggest Friday night billiards crowd happy.

Stu-dents can expect a wide display of live music on

weekend nights.

According to J.J. Jennings, the new owner of the Smokehouse, the venue looks for all genres of live music, from rock to reggae to rap.

Jennings encourages UNA students to hang out at the Smokehouse with free pool for students every Sunday and various col-lege nights. Watch out for upcoming Mane card specials, too.

The Smokehouse offers burgers, beer and billiards 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and is closed on Sunday.

photos by Malisa McClure

Luke Phillips and other students attend a local poetry reading at the Route of Art.

Pegasus records offers a huge collec-tion of CDs, DVDS, and vinyl records.

Places to see, places to be in downtown Florence

Ashton Lance at Rivertown

Smokehouse Billiards and Grille on Tennessee Streets

Finding something interesting to do on a Friday night in Florence can be diffi cult for newcomers. This is why going to First Fridays is a unique option for everyone who is new to Florence or UNA.

First Fridays is an event held in Down-town Florence on the fi rst Friday of every month. Local vendors come from all over and line the streets, selling their handmade goods. There are also all kinds of bands playing.

One of these bands—which has played at First Fridays over 10 times—is Planet Ink. According to lead guitarist James Sherrill,

the band describes itself as “heavy funk, or Motorhead meets James Brown” and loves playing at the event.

“This event is a great way to reach a new audience,” said Sherill. “We love going to the festival. We always end up buying all kinds of food and art. I always come out of there with some kind of banana or zucchini bread. It’s such a unique thing; you never know what you’ll fi nd.”

Besides bands and shopping, there are also various performances going on, like hula-hooping and belly dancing. A

belly dancing enthusiast, Linda Folkerts, absolutely loves performing at First Fridays. She dances with the Rainbow Dancers, who have been in Florence for 20 years. Folkerts

remembers the fi rst time she saw a belly dancer at First Fridays.

“I love the diversity and variety of things going on all at once during First Fridays,” said Folkerts. “I come here anytime I want to feel spontaneous and in the moment.”

UNA junior Cody Cabaniss has been go-ing to First Fridays since its earlier days. He thinks that the festival gives students the op-portunity to get to know other students.

“It’s a great way for students to get to know the downtown area,” said Cabaniss. “It gives students something to do in a town that doesn’t offer much for college students. I have so much fun walking around down-town and listening to music. I think that ev-eryone should go at least once.”

First Fridays downtown offers student entertainment

Michael Carter beasting a saxophone.

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Page 27SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala Life

photo by Ashton Lancephoto by Susan King

photo by Susan King


photo by Ashton LanceUPC organizes a music festival each spring. This year’s headliners were Lee Brice (above) and Gloriana.

In the fall, Greek and non-Greek student organizations show off their best dance moves during Step Show.

Like Step Show, Step Sing involves various student organizations who choreograph songs to help benefi t United Way of the Shoals.

UNA mascots Leo and Una gear up for the 2010 Home-coming festivities last October. During Homecoming week, students get to take part in a variety of activities. Student Brandi Lewis (above) takes

the Miss UNA crown in January.

UNA Traditions:What students have to

look forward to allyear long on campus

Spring Concert Step Show

Miss UNA Homecoming Step Sing

Page 28 Life SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala

The dreaded freshman 15 is a nation-wide epidemic among college students. With changes in diet, sleep patterns and daily schedules, it is easy to get off track on healthy eating habits.

“College is a critical time for people to create good or not good eating habits,” said Sherrie Delinsky, a psychologist and eating disorders expert at McLean Hospital.

Towers Cafeteria is an all-you-can-eat dining service that offers fries, pizza and ice cream. However, students can make healthy choices by eating deli sandwichs or salads from the other side of the cafeteria. Also, the Guillot University Center offers Pizza Hut, Rice Box, A&W, the Sand-wich Shop, salads, cereal and yogurt. With all these choices, it is possible to make a healthy decision.

Senior UNA student Jeff Bolger gives freshmen advice on preventing the freshman 15. He suggests working out regularly, refraining from consuming food four hours before sleep and eating 30 min-utes after waking up.

Junior UNA student Betsi Boutwell is a resident assistant on campus and is accustomed to the stressful situations that

college presents. “You have to make wise choices in

Towers and in the GUC,” she said. “Also, getting a trainer from the Student Recre-ation Center is encouraging. They help if you want to lose weight or just maintain where you are. They also encourage you to keep a food journal to track your prog-ress.”

College often presents stressful situ-ations, which can cause students to eat more to calm themselves. Also, many students stay up late studying for tests and eating junk food to stay awake. Caloric intake, along with an unhealthy lack of sleep, causes weight gain. Weight gain can also be blamed on a large amount of

alcohol intake. Having a schedule for each

day helps students to keep rou-tine eating habits. Also, waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends, regulates the body and the mind.

Cramming the night before a test can lead to a lack of sleep,

making students less likely to retain informa-tion.

Sophomore Katie McGill said that stress is a big factor in the fresh-man 15.

“When I get stressed out about a test or about anything in general, I tend to eat more,” she said.

Some tips for beating the freshman 15 are: fi nd something that relieves stress for you, make time to exercise each day, get

at least eight hours of sleep each night, and make healthy deci-sions on a daily basis.

College presents new experi-ences, but gaining weight does not have to be one of them. A student takes the stairs in Bibb Graves Hall.

photo illustration by Kayla Sloan

Fearsome 15 can slow new students down

Ways to Beat the Fifteen• Don’t eat before sleep• Exercise• Get plenty of sleep• Take the stairs• Develop a healthy routine• Stay stress free

Every human being is the author of his own health or disease - Buddha

Preparing for college: essential to health

• Basic first aid kit • Antibacterial wipes• Lysol spray for room• Extra toothbrushes• Tissues• Flip-flops or other “shower shoes”• Digital Thermometer• Over the counter meds such as: Tylenol, ibuprofen, anti-diarrheal, antihistamines, antibiotic ointment/ creams, and hydrocortisone cream.• Immunization records: UNA does

not require immunization records. We do recommend the Meningo

coccal vaccine, Hepatitis B series, and a booster of Tetanus, diph theria, and pertussis if indicated.

• List of any current medications with dosages.

• List of any allergies to medica tions or foods.

• List of any past medical problems/ surgeries/hospitalizations.

• Proof of health insurance, have the insurance card with you. Know

what type of plan it is, what is cov ered, and how to file claims

(List provided by Patty Bergeron, clinical nurse.)

Student Carmen Timmons checks in for care at the Bennett Infi rmary.

College is a special time fi lled with brand new ad-ventures, long nights, cups of coffee, self-identifi cation and diseases. Make sure to be

prepared for college by hav-ing all the right supplies and health records so that you can take care of yourself past the appointment at the Bennett Infi rmary. Be prepared. It’s for your health.


Bennett Infirmary501 Circular Rd.

Hours:Mon-Wed, Fri: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Thurs: 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Healthcare Checklist



A brand new band with some familiar faces, Rosedale was born straight out of Muscle Shoals’ history and sound. What could best be described as psyche-delic rock fi lled with the spirit of the blues, Rosedale’s sound is guaranteed to cause a good time everywhere it goes.

Billy Smart, a Huntsville native and the guitarist and sing-er for Rosedale, cites

Keith Richards and the Allman Brothers as some of his major infl uences. He is also completely in love with the blues and all things southern.“I just love the raw emotion in the blues and how univer-sal it is,” said Smart. “The fact that South-ern America created this phenomenon that is heard all over the world is amazing.”

With the release of their fi rst album

“Woogie Boogie” in June, Rosedale is making its name known. The band is comprised of Billy Smart and Heath Sim-mons on vocals and guitar, Jacob Lovell on bass and vocals and Trent Owen on drums. Be sure to check them out at venues like The Smokehouse, Big Ed’s, La Fonda’s and others in the area.

Rosedale churns out southern-psych-rock born straight out of the South.

photo courtesy of Andy Keenum

Rosedale

Florence, despite its roots in blues and soul, has developed a thriving metal scene. One of the sev-eral up-and-coming bands is Ignite the Skies.

Ignite the Skies, now having played just over a year, has a sound that is straight metal and hardcore with a splash of Lamb of God and Slipknot for a deep gory color. The darkness makes it perfect, however,

for their metal cover of Lady Gaga’s “Pa-parazzi.” With the demo for a new album

coming out soon, Ignite the Skies is climbing in local popularity.

Chad Etheridge, guitarist, feels the energy at the shows.

“The best part is watching everyone jump around an get into the music,” said Etheridge. “The energy you get from playing and just

hanging out with the crowd is great.”Ignite the Skies features Chad

Etheridge and Dylan Weber on guitars, Luke Oliver on vocals, Wes Bevis on bass, Alan Hensley on drums and oc-casional screaming vocals by Roxanne Bowles.

Check out Ignite the Skies next fall at venues like The Smokehouse and Seven-Points Sound.

Ignite the Skies

Ignite the Skies delivers a soul-crushing sound with screaming gui-tars and a killer beat.

photo courtesy of Ignite the Skies

To get a taste of some

genuine Southern sound,

there’s no need to go fur-

ther than Doc Dailey and

Magnolia Devil. Dailey

has been born and raised

in the Shoals area, and has

been infl uenced by all the

music he has heard pour in

from across the South. All

those inspirations natural-

ly cause some ambiguity

in their sound.

“We’re not country

enough for country people

and not rock ‘n’ roll

enough for rock people,”

said Dailey. “People like

boxes and we all know

that just doesn’t work out

sometimes.”

If Dailey is concerned

about staying out of a box,

he shouldn’t be. With the

release of the band’s fi rst

album, “Victims, Enemies,

and Old Friends,” in

October, Doc Dailey and

Magnolia Devil have set

a tone for what’s to come

with no restrictions.

Band members

include Doc Dailey, Jon

Berry, Ben Stedman, Kyle

Minckler, Nathan Pitts and

Susan King. Be sure to

catch some shows coming

up this fall.

Doc Dailey and Magnolia Devil are redefi ning the sound of Muscle Shoals.photo courtesy of Doc Dailey

Doc Dailey and Magnolia Devil

In trying to describe

The Bear’s sound, words

like folk, indie and

pop-country-Americana-

bluegrass-but-not-the

Avetts-or-Mumford-and-

Sons tend to dominate

the mind. But on really

listening to The Bear,

and in the confused knot

of genre labels, there’s

no clear-cut way to de-

fi ne it. They are simply

their own.On the band’s fi rst,

self-titled album, the

sound ranges in extremes

with songs that hit like a

cold summer rain to oth-

ers meant to be blasted

with the windows down

and sunglasses on. A

whole range of moods

and musical styles go

into The Bear and defi n-

ing it is hard—even for

the band members.

Amber Murray, lead

singer, guitar and piano

player, said giving it one

name is just too easy.

“We just try to do

what’s best for each

song,” said Murray. “We

don’t try to record an

overall sound; it’d make

it too constricting to

write from one genre.”

The band also in-

cludes Nathan Pitts on

guitar, vocals, banjo and

pedal steel, Ben Tanner

on keyboards, piano and

percussion, Kyle Minck-

ler on drums and percus-

sion, and Ben Stedman

on bass and “extra

special handclaps.”

Be sure to catch a

show in Florence at

Pegasus Records, River-

town Coffee Co. or other

local venues.

The BearThe Bear’s Nathan Pitts and Amber Murray making some music.photo courtesy of Patrick McDonald

Rockin’Out

Muscle Shoals music still alive and kickin’They don’t call it the Singing River for nothin’

By Life Editor Andy Thigpen



2011 is designated as the Year of the Alabama Music. There is no better way for the Shoals community to celebrate the occasion than with the W.C. Handy Music Festival on July 22-31.

The W.C. Handy Music Festival has been held annually since 1982, fi rst pre-

sented by the Music Preservation Society Inc., lasting approxi-mately 10 days dur-ing the last week of July. It is presented and celebrated by three counties in the northern peak of Al-abama.

This will be the 30th annual festival that commemorates William Christopher Handy, the famous Shoals composer and musician who lived from 1873-1958, more com-monly referred to as the “Father of the Blues.” His legacy has become a major landmark and me-morial in North Ala-bama.

“The festival brings musician to the Shoals and draws in a combination of musicians and mu-sic,” said Nancy Gonce, head of the festival offi ces.

Gonce suggested that many of the events of the festival will be as they were in the past, with live bands performing

near restaurants, parks, churches, stores and other locations that will last from morning to night for 10 days.

In the past, there have been a number of headliners known nationally, regionally and locally to the community including Dizzy Gillespie, Ellis Marsalis, Ramsey Lewis, Bobby Blue Bland, Taylor Trio, the Great Guitars and more. At present, Gonce waits for contracts to be received before she is

able to give names of artists and bands that may appear for entertainment in the Shoals.

There will be a wide variety from 300 activities for tourists and locals that involve areas other than music. Some of these in-clude events that have been done similarly in the past such as car shows, art exhibits, theaters and recreational activities as well that include the Century Bike Ride, golf and fi shing tournaments, a fi ve kilometer race known as the Da Doo Run Run, a one mile run and walk and more.

There are other events that may be avail-able at the festival as well that are designed for child entertainment such as the ABC’s of Jazz and the Musical Jazz Spelling Bee.

Another unique event to take place this year will be a special educational program called “Making Music with Trash” where kids will be exposed to how to make instru-ments out of recyclable objects

The festival has grown increasingly fa-mous over the years through the recogni-tion of different organizations rating tour-ist attractions and awarding festivals and events.

Some of these accolades include rec-ognition in the Top 20 Event in the South-east by Southeast Tourism Society every year since 1986, Top 10 Event in Alabama by the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel, a featured site on the National Geo-graphic, one of the 50 must-see festivals in Alabama this year, and one of the top 100 events in North America by the American Bus Association.

One representative of the American Bus Association noted how the festival is effective in bringing in tourists and the im-portance of visiting attractions in America today.

“The attractiveness of the W.C. Handy Music Festival as a don’t-miss entertain-ment value is only part of why its selection this year is such distinction for the Shoals,” said ABA’s president and CEO Peter J. Pantuso. “The real news here is that the W.C. Handy Music Festival has been rec-ognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when reenergizing domes-tic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy.”

Shoals celebrates 30th annual W.C. Handy Music Festival

Brandon Archer of Johnny Law Justice rocking out at The Tro-jan House during Handy Festival last year.

photo by Luisa Oswalt

The Midnighters get funky on the North Court Street median.photo by Doug Richardson

Famous actors to perform in summer theater program

The UNA Department of Music and Theater is featuring several well-seasoned actors and designers who will be taking part in Arthur Miller’s timeless play “Death of a Salesman” as a part of the summer theater program June 23, 24 and 25 at 7:30 p.m. and June 26 at 2 p.m.

The play promises to be an event that is not to be missed, as the actors are well-established in their fi elds and will be taking on the daunting task of performing Miller’s well-known play.

“We have made a decision and commitment to present a series of productions that come from the canon of American theater,” said Charlton James, assistant theater professor. “People should come out and support this play to show that they care and that they want to have the experience that only theater can give.”

“Death of a Salesman” won the Pulitzer Prize in 1949 and fo-cuses on the demise of lost and confused character Willy Loman.

Loman is a 63-year-old travel-ing salesman who struggles with situations in his life, his failing job and his adult sons’ undeter-mined futures.

As the story progresses, Lo-man’s physical and mental health slowly decline with the weak re-lationships he has with his family.

Myk Watford, a Russell-ville native, will serve as the director of the play.

His roles in movies such as “Spiderman,” “No Coun-try for Old Men,” and “The Hoax,” along with televi-sion shows like “Private Practice,” “Justifi ed” and “The Closer” have solidi-fi ed his acting career.

Playing the deluded Willy Loman is actor Paul Hebron. Hebron has been an actor at the widely known Alabama Shakespeare Fes-tival, Denver Center The-ater Company and Quintes-sence Theater Group.

Connie Cooper, an actress most famous for her roles in “Friday Night Lights,” “Miss Congenial-ity,” and “Field of Dreams,”

will be playing Linda Loman, Willy’s consoling wife. Cooper has also been featured in “Walk-er, Texas Ranger” and “Criminal Minds.”

For additional information, contact the Department of Music and Theater at 256-765-4375.

courtesy of Amazon.com

The cover of Arthur Miller’s 1949 clas-sic “Death of a Salesman.”

2010-2011 UNA Theater

Performance of “Psycho Beach Party” on Nov. 4-6, 11-13, 2010. Chicklet, a 1960s surfer girl, starts running with a crowd of surf bums who feel all the sides of her multiple personalities.

photos by Susan King

UNA students per-form “Doubt” on March 17-19. After a priest is accused of molesting a student, the head nun’s doubt causes divi-sion in the parish.

A performance of “Master Harold and the Boys” on Feb. 24-26. Set in South Africa, it is a powerful look at racial relations during the apartheid period.

Should I go to class?

Yeah I’d go to class. When it comes down to it, I liked going to class more than sitting in my room studying.

What should I do with my free time?

You’ll have plenty of free time freshman year. Don’t do school stuff. You’ll have plenty of time to do school stuff for the next four years. Hang out with friends and have a good time.

How much fun can I have in Florence?

We took to partying when I was a freshman. I stayed gone all the time.

How much sleep do I really need?

I’d probably say a good six hours.

How often should I eat Ramen?

I’ve never eaten Ramen in my entire life.

Some fi nal words of wisdom—

I wish I would’ve known about study abroad. If I could go back and do one thing, I wish I would have studied abroad.Don’t stress over grades. There’s more to life that going to school all the time and stressing about grades.

Page 33SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala Life

Chase MitchellProfessional

Biology major

”If I could go back and do one thing, I wish I would have studied abroad.” -Chase Mitchell

Should I go to class?

Yes. You get your basic GPA by going to basic classes. A lot of people ruin their GPA by not going to their basic classes. It sets up good habits for later.

What should I do with my free time?

Join a school organization. Get a job. Take a nap.

How much fun can I have in Florence?

There are tons of things to do in Florence. You can go camping and kayaking. There’s a lot of free or inexpensive concerts in Florence.

How much sleep do I really need?

Six hours of sleep. When you’re younger, I feel like you can go with less sleep. Plus your classes aren’t too hard so you can sacrifi ce sleep.

How often should I eat Ramen?

Once a day. Just kidding. I don’t really like Ramen that much. I ate a lot of cereal. I ate it at least once a day. Sometimes twice. Or threetimes.

Some fi nal words of wisdom—

Don’t take student loans just because you can. Take advantage of the infi rmary. It’s better to go when you’re not very sick than to go when you’re really sick and can’t get help.Don’t go home every weekend.

”You get your GPA by going to basic classes. A lot of

people ruin their GPA by not going to their

basic classes.” -Ashley Kennedy

Ashley KennedyElementary

Education major

Advice for freshmen from graduating seniors


Singer, songwriter to teach classes

Nashville songwriter, musician and record producer Walt Aldridge, a 1978 UNA alumnus who has written 56 top 40 songs on the Billboard country music charts, recently joined the UNA Depart-ment of Entertainment Industry faculty as a visiting associate professor.

Aldridge, who studied commercial music at UNA, has worked in the mu-sic industry for more than 33 years as a songwriter, producer, recording engineer, music publisher and recording studio owner. Country music artist Brad Crisler and Civil Wars member John Paul White are two of his songwriter signings.

He worked for 17 years as a staff engineer with Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, as well as 15 years in Nashville. With more than 200 records under his belt, he has collaborated with artists Martina McBride, Trace Adkins, Jo Dee Messina, George Straight, Lonestar, Billy Ray Cyrus, Marie Osmond, Darryl Wor-ley, Alabama, Lou Reed, Mac McAnally and more.

“He has a record of success in doing a lot of different things,” said Dr. Bob Garfrerick, chair of the Department of Entertainment Industry. “He has practical experience that he can bring to the class-room. He operates at such a high level. You don’t get many opportunities like this for students to work with a faculty member who is a practitioner while in the university setting.”

Aldridge assisted in the recording and remixing of the “Brotherhood Outdoors” television series and the 2011 “Footloose”

remake. He has written hit songs for Con-way Twitty, Travis Tritt, Reba McEntire and Tim McGraw.

Garfrerick said Aldridge has received more than 20 gold and platinum RIAA certifi cations in recognition of outstand-ing sales, been awarded seven no. 1 CMA certifi cates and taken more than 30 perfor-mance awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

His song “No Getting Over Me” was ASCAP’s most performed country song, while “Holding Her and Loving You” received a Song of the Year award from the Nashville Songwriters Association International. He is also the recipient of a bronze star on the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

Aldridge, who is the pro-mentor for two chapters of NSAI, conducts a dozen songwriting workshops each year in the United States and Canada. He has also performed in more than 1,000 shows throughout his career.

”You donʼt get many opportunities like this for students to work with a

faculty member who is a practitioner while in the

university setting.” -Dr. Bob

Garfrerick

Overlooking Rice Hall dormitory and Towers Cafeteria, spring time on the UNA campus offers an array of colorful fl owers and vegetation.

photo by Zach Wiginton

Page 35SOAR Edition, 2011 • The Flor-Ala Local

After attending class or studying, many UNA students like to go to one of the area’s many parks to relax and enjoy time with friends. The Shoals area has some beauti-ful scenery not far from UNA’s campus.

Wildwood Park is very close to UNA’s campus and is more nature-oriented for those looking to get away. It offers plenty of places to go on a nature hike, mountain biking, fi shing in Cypress Creek and pic-nics.

This park is nestled into the woods and a little more off the beaten path than oth-ers, and further into the woods from the highway.

It’s also a great location for canoeing and kayaking and provides a concrete ac-cess ramp for people choosing to do so.

“Wildwood is my favorite park because it’s a great place to fi nd peace and quiet, enjoy the beautiful nature scenery and to hike” said UNA sophomore Grace Oaks.

Deibert Park is a little more urban than

Wildwood since it is located at the inter-section of Cox Creek Parkway and Darby Drive near the heart of Florence.

Along with the Children’s Museum of the Shoals, the park has a playground, picnic area, plenty of parking, ponds and walking trails.

“I love Deibert because of the walking track and all the grassy places where you can hang with friends, study or have a pic-nic,” said UNA junior Jordan Jones.

Deibert has a 2.85 mile concrete walk-ing track which winds through open areas and woods in the park. The trail splinters off in different areas, allowing guests to use it for either short or long walks.

Veteran’s Memorial Park is located on Veteran’s Drive close to the Marriott ho-tel. Resting on the riverbank, Veterans is a prime, out of the way place for people to come to for relaxation.

Veterans is expansive and features sev-eral baseball fi elds, a soccer fi eld and a nice disc golf course to enjoy.

There are also several open-air build-ings and plenty of tables to host any type of occasion. With mostly wooded scenery,

Veteran’s is a great place to escape the summer heat and chill out in the shade.

Spring Park is just over the O’Neal Bridge in Tuscumbia and, like the parks in

Florence, has plenty to offer. The park is designed for events and

celebrations and has several areas set up for anything from family cookouts to wed-ding receptions.

The pond in the center of the park gets plenty of attention since many ducks de-cide to call it home, and people are free to feed them bread or just watch the wildlife.

During warmer weather, nighttime guests will get to see a water and light

show at the pond honoring Princes Im-Mi-Ah-Key, the wife of the Chickasaw Indian Chief the city was named after. For Car-leigh Brown, UNA freshman, it’s a great place to get away from campus for a while and chill.

McFarland Park is one of the larger parks in the area and is located on the Tennessee River underneath the O’Neal Bridge. It offers several playgrounds, walking trails, campsites, boat marina, fl oating restaurant and much more.

During the summer, it is the site for Florence’s largest July 4 celebration, along with fi shing tournaments, festivals and even the Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride.

It is a great spot for anglers, boaters, campers, joggers, bikers, nature enthusi-asts, bird watchers and even UNA students.

It’s a favorite of Andrew Harper’s, a UNA sophomore, since the park often hosts blues performers during the city’s Handy Fest weeklong celebration every summer.

Veteran’s Park has an extensive disc golf course and is perfect for some rest and relaxation.

Finding rest, relaxation is never too far away

photos by Kayla Sloan

MacFarland Park is a popular place for boating, camping and special events dur-ing the summer.

Wildwood park lies off the beaten path and is a great place for a picnic or some canoeing.

Diebert Park is located right off of Cox Creek Parkway and features over two miles of walkways.

”I love Deibert because of the walking track and all the grassy places where you can hang with friends, study or have a picnic.”

-Jordan Jones

Escape stresses of college life by visiting local parks


Documents

SOAR Paper Part 2