Volume 42, Issue 1

Volume 42, Issue 1

Macon State College’s Award-Winnning Student Newspaper

August 13, 2010maconstatement.com

By Chateaux-Capri SirmansStaff Writer

Macon State’s College Station comes to lifeOn Saturday, Aug. 14,

Macon State will be moving in the new residents of College Station. Residence Life Coordinator, Keigan Evans, explained that there are many activities to allow students to socialize and network in order to bring moral and academic success to the residents.

Located at the Residence Halls, there will be a cookout and pool party beginning at 5:30 p.m. on This is to bring the students together and help them become better acquainted with their roommates and neighbors.

Several events will take place each month to keep the residents, as well as the entire Macon State community, involved with their peers.

One of the purposes of all the events will be to “broaden educational activities as well as social activities to keep students involved with their community,” said Director of Residential Services, Dr. Chris Summerlin.

Camaraderie will build as students come out to enjoy karaoke, spoken word and bowling. Each month residents can participate in game night, and “First Friday’s” which is a night of friends and a good movie.

These events and more can be found on the Macon State interactive calendar under Residence Life. Also available to

If your desire is to timely attend your classes this first week of Fall Semester, parking might not be the challenge you think it will be. The challenge could be in the form of getting your body and mind back in ‘school mode’.

For the first week of school, Monday, August 16 through Friday, August 20, Macon State will provide overflow parking at the College Station Residence Halls on Ivey Drive. According to a statement by Chief Shawn Douglas of the Macon State College Department of Public Safety, “signs will be posted on Ivey Drive in front of the College Station Residence Halls directing drivers to the appropriate overflow parking section.”

It is important, however, that students obtain NEW 2010-2011 parking permits at the Student Life Center. These permits will be available on August 16-17 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Douglas also reiterated in his statement that “permits are also available at Public Safety inside the Sciences Annex Building

Parking, where there is a will, there is a way By Norma Jean PerkinsEditor-in-Chief

Approximately three hundred, fifty people are expected to attend the Small Business Summit, to be hosted by Sen. Johnny Isakson (R), on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 between 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Since parking always seems to be at a premium, in the student’s eyes as they are rushing to class, Macon State is keenly aware of the concern this conference might create.

Nancy Stroud, Interim Vice President for Fiscal Affairs, said, “three hundred, thirty-two spaces have been added for student parking during this event.” The 3 locations that will handle the student parking are, the opening

By Norma Jean PerkinsEditor-in-Chief

By Summer LeverettManaging Editor

Where do your student fees go?

Students may have noticed some fees that they had to pay in addition to their tuition: student activity fee, institution fee, and a technology fee. What are these fees for and how are they used?

Students who are registered for 4-credit hours or more, with on-campus classes, are charged a $44 student activity fee. Brian Stanley, Controller, in the Business Office, explained that the student activity fee was used, “to promote

student life on campus.” The Office of Student Life utilizes the funds to engage students in on-campus activities, such as the ice cream social held this summer.

Student Life will be hosting a Back to School Cookout Aug. 18 on the Warner Robins Campus and Aug. 19 on the Macon Campus. At the Back to School Cookout students will have the opportunity to make their own flip-flops and take a swim in the pool.

Macon State’s recently established Public Safety Department has brought in some new tactics and methods in which they will use in the future. The department was established in March 2010 after a majority of Macon State students voted to support it.

Chief Shawn Douglas is Macon State’s first Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police. He has had over 20 years of experience in law enforcement. Before coming to Macon State,

he was the Chief of Police at Gordon College. Prior to that, Douglas served as an officer in Statesboro for 7 years, and came from the Alcohol & Tobacco Enforcement in which he served 10 years.

The Public Safety Department will use traditional security service methods and armed law enforcement. Parking enforcement will be carried out by means of a computer program called BOSS.

BOSS software will manage the campus

Macon State increases campus security By Chris GrayStaff Writer

Conference on Tuesday will not disrupt student parking

STATEMENTn acon MThe

Photo by Kimberly WaddletonThe College Station apartment kitchens are located in the center of four rooms.

Photo by Kimberly Waddleton The View of the Professional Sciences Center from College Station is beautiful.

Student fees continued on page 7

yours?Got

College Station continued on page 6

Campus security continued on page 3

Conference parking continued on page 3

Overflow parking continued on page 3

The Macon Statement maconstatement.com August 13, 20102

Editor-in-Chief: Norma Jean PerkinsManaging Editor: Summer LeverettCopy Editor: Tracey BakerCopy Editor: Marian Brewer

Photo Editor: Kimberly WaddeltonLayout Editor: Dolores M. CouchWebmaster: Harry UnderwoodStaff Writer: Amiya Gaston

Staff Writer: Kelly GeeslinStaff Writer: Chris GrayStaff Writer: Chateaux-Capri Sirmans

e-mail us at [email protected]

staff478-757-3605 Fax 478-757-2626 OFFiCe: SLC-120 www.maconstatement.com

LetterS PoLicy: The editor of the Macon Statement will try to print all letters received. Letters should be, at maximum, 250 to 300 words long. The writer must include: full name, professional title if a Macon State employee or Georgia resident, or year and major if a student. An address and phone number are required with all letters sent, but this personal information will not be published. The

student newspaper reserves the right to edit letters for style, possible libel, or length. The newspaper will not, under any circumstance, withhold names. Please address all correspondence to Letter to the Editor at [email protected]. Where current events are concerned, priority will be given to those letters written by students, faculty, and staff of Macon State College.

DiScLaiMer: The Macon Statement is the registered student newspaper of Macon State College and is published biweekly (Mondays) during fall and spring semesters. Opinions and ideas expressed in The Macon Statement are those of the individual artists, authors, and student editors, and are not those of Macon State College, its Board of Regents, the student body, or the advertisers. The Macon Statement is paid for, in part, through student activity fees.

&editOrialS OpiniOnS

NeW ParKiNG PerMitS reQUireDOut with the old and in with the new.

Our new parking permits have a unique look to them and a new permit MUST be applied to your vehicle to insure no problems occur, such as tickets for parking in the wrong place.

Bring your student I.D. and your license plate number to the following locations:

MACON CAMPUS: Student Life Center kiosk

Monday, August 16 and Tuesday, August 17 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

After August 17, parking permits will be available at the Department of Public Safety located on the first floor of the Sciences Annex from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

WARNER ROBINS CAMPUS: Thomas Hall, Room 105, Tuesday, August 24 from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

After August 24, parking permits will be available in the Administrative Office, located on the first floor of the Academic Service Building, during regular business hours.

In the box or out of the boxBy Norma Jean PerkinsEditor-in-Chief

Good grief! David does what? I was so shocked to discover a hidden side to someone I respected so highly. David was a pillar in the community. He was a Sunday school teacher.

Outwardly, David would be identified as an older man who was very soft-spoken with a warm, friendly smile and appeared to be a kind and meek man.

When I discovered David’s secret desire, I was shocked, to say the least. This man’s wild side came out. David really loves to ride hair-raising roller coasters!

My bad! I had put David in a box. Outwardly he fit into a group of people I had classified as “over the hill”.

How many times have you been guilty of doing the same?

Look at the guy that sits 2 rows behind you and ask yourself if you have ever really looked at him before

or, have you just put him in a box? He never speaks before, during or, after class. To anyone.

How about the woman that you see everyday in the cafeteria, always at a table by herself, or maybe with one or two other classmates? She always looks bored, or is it depressed? She just seems out of place. Have you inadvertently put her in a box?

Would it surprise you to know the reason the guy never speaks is not because he has a penchant for solitude. In actual fact, he is a trained firefighter that jumps into hot spots - a ‘smokejumper’. Originally from Boise, Idaho, he is still constantly on the alert for major forest fires in the western states and knows the need for people with his training.

That young woman has a small child and her husband has been out o work for over 6 months. She is working part time and is a senior

working toward her degree in nursing. Will she be able to hang in there and complete her studies before the money runs out if her husband is still unable to find work?

Our tendency is to put people in a box – we look but we don’t see. We have ‘a life’ and are just SO busy.

Macon State is extremely diverse, both at the Macon campus and the Warner Robins campus. Because of this, each of us as students, have a great opportunity to learn not only in the classroom but also, from our fellow students. I am very appreciative of the many tips and information I have, and continue to receive, from my fellow students. I realize this is a learning facility but the learning should not be confined to the classroom lectures.

Open the box and be open to learn from all those around us. We will each be the beneficiaries of that learning process.

Mr.Fuzz

Elisha Faulks

The Macon Statement maconstatement.com August 13, 2010 3On CampuS

The MyMSC portal is gone! But why and what can replace it?

The MyMSC Portal was launched in the fall of 2007, but then removed this summer. The portal was owned and managed by Sunguard Luminis. Macon State used the portal as a way to bring student organizations together. Unfortunately, bringing student organizations together failed in terms of organization. Students mainly used the portal to check their email and go to BannerWeb. Alan Stines who is a web developer in the office of Academic Systems said, “Sunguard Luminis is not working. The school invested in Luminis to eliminate multiple passwords regarding email, BannerWeb and Vista, as well as a communication (tool) for student organizations. We are currently working to get Vista with the same password, but we do not need to pay Luminis the cost to manage the passwords. Password management can be done in-house. This is the main reason we are discontinuing our contract with Luminis. In place of Luminis, and in order to drive student organization participation, we have created and launched a calendar on the Macon State homepage.”

The calendar has a link next to the MSC Vista portal. The calendar link is

located under the Search MSC and Quick Jump drop down boxes. The calendar is free to everyone and there is no need for user names or passwords to view the activities. Students can view academic meetings, student activities, library events, Resident Life events, and all the activities at the Wellness Center.

To find specific information inside the calendar, just move the cursor over the activity and it will display all the details. Another resourceful feature of the calendar is the iCalendar. This feature will send reminder notices via e-mail or in the form of a text message to cell phones. To receive a reminder, click on the event and in the top right hand corner click the link that says “remind me.” From there you can choose to be reminded either via e-mail or text message. The calendar also has the ability to share events with others. Again, just click on the event, and then click on the “share” tab to post the event on Facebook, MySpace or any other share network. If the link does not show up, use the search engine located in the box, to find the preferred network.

Stines, who is also a Macon State graduate, commented that when he was a student, he never knew there was a game club or when anything was happening on campus. He hopes that everyone will utilize the many aspects of the calendar, get involved and enjoy.

No More MyMSC PortalBy Tracey BakerCopy Editor

As a promotion to attract students to the new Residence Life Community, free iPads were offered to new students. To qualify the students had to submit the application and deposit, along with the application fee to Residence Life by July 15. Students must be registered full time and

rent a suite at the rate of $2250 per semester. Recipients must also be registered for the fall and spring semester, and have their housing paid for by the move-in date of Aug. 14 ,along with a signed contract.

Dr. Chris Summerlin, director of Residence Life, stated that, “It’s important you know that the iPad incentive program was not funded with institutional dollars,

or with any mandatory student fee funds, such as the Student Technology Fee. Instead, it was funded entirely by the fees paid by resident students. No fees paid by commuter students have been or will be used to fund incentive programs for resident students.”

All students completing the requirements will receive their free Apple iPad on Sept. 15.

Residence Life Students Receive Free iPadBy Tracey BakerCopy Editor

parking system. It will keep the records of drivers and will help in sorting out repeat offenders. Chief Douglas has also confirmed that the Public Safety officers will be booting cars as well.

Also, certain programs will be offered by the Public Safety Department. Crime Prevention, Residence Hold, & Operation Identification have been named as possible upcoming programs. The programs will be new to the school and will be helpful in informing

students about Public Safety, as well as staying safe on campus.

At the moment, Public Safety is not hiring any new officers. However, in the future the opportunity will be open to new officers. Some Bibb County officers do work for Public Safety, but only part

time. No arrests by Public Safety have been made as of yet. There have been arrests on campus prior to the installment of the Public Safety Department, but the majority of those cases have been turned over to the Bibb County Law Enforcement.

of the back gate at College Station apartments (150 spaces); opening some East Parking lot faculty/staff (in front of the Wellness Center – approximately 82 spaces); and if necessary, opening the front gate of College Station Apartments (100 spaces).

Stroud said, “I am asking all staff employees to park in the grass in the Romeiser lot (formerly McDonald’s) on this coming Tuesday. Plant Operations will run multiple shuttles from 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. and again from 4:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m.” Staff can call Public Safety between these peak times for shuttle service.

from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.”

It is important to remember, however, this overflow parking is ONLY for the first week of school. Macon State is growing and Douglas said, “We hope that by offering overflow parking students will have an additional resource during this time of continued growth for Macon State College.”

Macon State will be offering new expanded food services starting August 16, with the beginning of the fall semester, on the Macon campus.

The Cafeteria is located in the Student Life Center and will now offer additional services including; longer hours, a larger variety of food served and various dining specials.

The cafeteria hours have

been extended to 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday thru Thursday and 7:30 a.m.

to 1 p.m. on Fridays. The Starbucks Coffee Shop located in the Professional Science Center (PSC) will also be extending its hours to 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday thru Thursday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays.

The hours for the Starbucks Coffee Shop located in the Library will be extended from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday thru Thursday. There will also be a food delivery service available to students in

Residents’ Life from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday thru Thursday.

The Director of Auxiliary Services, Kevin Reid, said that additional cafeteria workers and other staff have been hired in order to accommodate the additional hours and services.

The cafeteria will now offer a daily lunch special of $4.99 + tax, as well as an all-you-can-eat buffet of $5.99 + tax. The all-you-can-eat buffet will have its own section and will be dine-in-only. The PSC

Starbucks Coffee Shop will also be having Fabulous Fridays specials of $1 for a Starbucks coffee and $1 for a biscuit.

“One dollar coffee only open 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m at the PSC. That’s coffee only, not specialty drinks,” Reid explained. All food specials are open to all students, faculty and staff.

Reid said that food services are experimenting with the different food specials in order to see the response from students and faculty. “We are running lunch specials throughout

the fall, (and) adding Mexican food for more variety,” Reid added.

When asked about the new kinds of food being offered, Reid responded, “We are going to offer more variety of food, especially Mexican food. We have our Grill Works. We have the Chinese Wokery. We are trying to increase our options.”

When asked about what, if any, food services will be

By Kelly GeeslinStaff Writer

Macon State College will offer new expanded food services in fall 2010

Campus security continued from front page

Overflow parking continued from front page

Conference parking continued from front page

Food Services continued on page 7

The Macon Statement maconstatement.com August 13, 20104 Feature

During Fall 2009 and Spring 2010, Dr. David Biek and Dr. Heather Braun, encouraged students to be brave and try something new while getting credit towards their education.

Ultimately, seven brave students from Macon State accepted the challenge and set off on a study experience of a lifetime. Four went to London, one to Nigeria, one to Bonn, and one to New Zealand.

In May, the students met with other Georgia students at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville for a daylong orientation. Most of the professors that were accompanying the students, assigned work to be done prior to take off, to lessen the load while actually at their destination.

On June 17, the four London bound students boarded the plane in search of the unknown.

For Devereaux Lindsey, it was a “chance to see different parts of the world and live in a different culture, it was just a bonus that [she] could get credit while doing it.”

Psychology major, Amber Pike, said, “I knew that going somewhere I had

never been with people I had never met before would teach me a lot about myself and I thought that was important. I knew that I would encounter things that I wouldn’t have come across at home and I wanted those experiences, those life changing experiences.”

Life changing experiences are what the students found.

For five weeks, the students studied and took field trips in and around London.

Traveling around London was easy for most. After the first weekend, students

began to look like life-long residents in their confidence to manage the tube (subway).

Many students found tourist asking them for directions, some were actually able to give them.

The weekends were free of planned activities in order for the students to choose their own destinations.

Paris, Ireland, and Scotland were common weekend trips.

For those that chose not to leave England, there were excursions to Bath, Salisbury/Stonehenge, Oxford, Dover, and many more places of interest.

Travelling the

country was extremely easy to maneuver. The trains were comfortable and fast.

All too soon, finals arrived and the trip came to a close. The last two days were free of planned

activities, students rushed to get all the things they had yet to accomplish done and the celebration parties

Adventures Abound for Macon State Study Abroad Students

By Carrie GinestStaff Writer

London: A Study Abroad Program

Aha m bu (Hello my name is) Mary Ellen Bell and I am a junior attending Macon State College, majoring in Elementary and Special Education. I had the privilege to accompany a group of fantastic students from various colleges and universities in Georgia and attended a study abroad

program in the continent of Africa, the country of Nigeria.

My travel to Nigeria was a combination of mixed emotions. Some of the words that I can use to describe my feelings are humbling, appreciated, exciting, adventurous, historical, curious, and grateful. The people of Nigeria welcomed us into their homes, embraced and

treated us just like family. They called our group members, brothers and sisters.

Travel abroad is an unforgettable experience. An experience I think every students should take advantage.

During our stay in Owerri we visited a Chief and a King. In Igbo Tradition the Chief and the King plays a vital role in their village, community,

state, and country. During our visit, we

witnessed the traditional welcome ceremony of guests, by presenting the kola nut and telling the history of Nigeria. While entertaining our group we would listen, as they would trace their history as far back as 400 years.

Afterwards we would feast on a meal prepared for us; it was traditional Nigeria food and drinks.

The National War Museum was a collection of the warfare and conflicts throughout Nigerian history. The collection started with images of tribal wars and the arrival of the Europeans, and up to the civil war that damages their country.

All and all the experience has made me appreciate cultural heritage, because there is nothing like knowing your history.

By Mary Ellen BellEducation major

Nigeria: A Study Abroad Program

(These are stories of experience of four Macon State students that participated in the Summer Study Abroad this past summer. Carrie Ginest, a staff writer at The Macon Statement, wrote about her London studies; Mary Bell, a Junior, wrote about Nigeria and her studies there; Kristen Kohlhepp, biology major, gave her insights to Bonn, Germany; and, Rebecca Holcomb, Junior, biology major tells of her New Zealand experiences.)

Photo by Carrie Ginest Christ Church, Oxford originally founded by Cardinal Wolsey as Cardinal’s College in 1524.

Photo by Carrie Ginest Dining Hall in Christ Church, Oxford/ Used for the dining hall in the Harry Potter Series.

Photo by Carrie Ginest London Study Abroad students at the center of the maze @ Hampton Court Palace.

The Macon Statement maconstatement.com August 13, 2010 5Featurebegan.

On July 23, students boarded planes to return to Atlanta and the lives they had put on hold for their adventure.

Looking back at the memories that were made, the one that tops the list are the friendships that were made. “The people that you live with become like a sort of family,” said Lindsey.

Things that were gained from the trip: a new self insight.

“The inner sense that I can do anything I set my mind to. It took a

lot of me to be able to go on this trip and I learned that I am much more brave and much more capable than I had previously thought,” said Pike.

“Now that I have ‘traveled the world’, I feel I can do anything, independently, it’s almost like studying abroad gave me a new confidence in myself,” said Lindsey.

What could be a better recommendation to others than seeing those that have already participated are already signing up to go again?

Lindsey said, “I plan on going my senior year, maybe to Ireland.”

However, that is not the only recommendation of the program that can be found. “I recommend this program to anyone who will listen! I can’t wait for a new person to ask me about my trip because I’m always ready to talk,” said Lindsey.

Pike said, “It’s one of those experiences that you never want to end. You can’t help but learn a thousand things you would want to know.”

Twelve hours on a plane has gone by, and a man leans over and says to me “there it is, land of the long white cloud, New Zealand.”

I look out the window and see a mass of clouds in the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. I was embarking on a three and a half week study abroad there.

While studying ecology, I toured the country, gaining hands-on experience with the local wildlife and plants. In addition, I met amazing people and was immersed in their wonderful culture.

New Zealand is unique in that it was the last land mass to be settled by humans, around 800 years ago by the indigenous people, the Maori, and about 200 years ago for the English.

Also, New Zealand has no native mammals other than two species of bats. The main animals to inhabit this land are birds,

with the kiwi bird being the most notable and the nickname for any New Zealander.

This study abroad experience was not only a great educational opportunity, but also changed my outlook on being an American. I learned to appreciate the structure of our government and that our country was the first to create national parks, causing many countries to follow suit.

I also learned that the American way is not the only way. I came to realize how wasteful the American lifestyle has become. Do we really need to use so many plastic bags? Do you really need to drive a vehicle that only gets 15 miles to the gallon? Couldn’t you just use reusable bags and drive a more fuel-efficient car? Becoming less wasteful is as easy as that.

In conclusion, this trip not only gave me an opportunity to have a hands on educational experience, but to see a different culture and learn what it means to be an American.

New Zealand: A Study Abroad ProgramBy Rebecca HolcombBiology major

Bonn, Germany was the study abroad choice for biology major, Kristen Kohlhepp. “I picked Germany in particular because I am German, its central to everything in Europe, and everyone always says how amazing it is there, plus I have

a couple friends

who live there,” said Kohlhepp.The decision to participate in

the study abroad program wasn’t a difficult choice either. Kohlhepp said, “I have always wanted to go to Europe, so why not do it and earn school credit? I hoped just to travel Europe and learn other cultures, maybe learn a little German”

Kohlhepp used the five-week program as a chance to explore more than just Bonn. “We went to Paris, Amsterdam, Belgium, Switzerland, and all-over Germany. Hang-gliding and white water rafting in Switzerland was by far my favorite,” said Kohlhepp.

Would she do it again? “In a heartbeat,” said Kohlhepp. “Germany is by far the best as far as location.”

“It is an amazing experience; you meet amazing people, and make tons of new friends. I have already gone up to Athens to visit about six of the people I went on the trip with. It was just an amazing time. I did not have one bad time while overseas.”

Bonn, Germany: A Study Abroad ProgramBy Kristen KohlheppBiology major

Photo by Carrie Ginest One of the many gardens found around Hampton Court Palace

Photo by Carrie Ginest Dover Castle, described as the ‘“Key to England” due to its defensive significance throughout history .

Photo by Carrie Ginest Devereaux Lindsey, Brittany Spornhauer, Carrie Ginest, Amber Pike with fellow London Study abroad students in Edinburgh .

The Macon Statement maconstatement.com August 13, 20106 On CampuS

Macon State Chief of Police Shawn Douglas has announced the addition of three officers to the college’s new Public Safety Department.

Jody Hicks, originally of Thomaston, is a 23-year law enforcement veteran who most recently worked with the Upson County Sheriff’s Office. He also worked with the public safety department at Gordon College. Hicks holds an associate’s degree in criminal justice and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of West Georgia, and a master of public administration from Georgia College & State University.

Stephen Hutto, originally of Macon, has 23 years of police and arson investigation experience.

Most recently a homicide detective with the Macon Police Department, Hutto has more than 2,000 law enforcement and fire service training hours. He spent seven years as an arson investigator with the Macon-Bibb Fire Department.

Ashley Schaffer, originally of Barnesville, is a recent graduate of the Georgia Police Academy in Forsyth. She holds an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Gordon College and an associate’s degree in forensic science from Griffin Technical College.

Douglas said the officers will begin patrolling campus in the department’s two new police cars the week of August 9. Also, the college’s Public Safety Department will continue to use security guards and part-time sheriff’s deputies.

The Student Government Association (SGA) is accepting student applications for senate positions from Monday, Aug. 16 thru Friday, Aug. 27. Applications can be accessed online through the SGA website, and should be filled out and turned in to Michael Stewart, Assistant Dean of Students and SGA advisor. The election for senators will begin at 8 a.m. on Sept.13 and will end at noon on Sept. 17. Applicants must currently be enrolled for

at least 6 credit hours, plan to be enrolled for the term of service (fall and spring semesters), have at least a minimum GPA of 2.5, be in good standing with Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, must have completed all Learning Support requirements, must have participated as a member of the SGA for at least one semester, and must agree to follow all campaigning rules. SGA advisor, Michael Stewart said that students campaigning for senate positions are expected to follow the posting and publicity policy in the SGA handbook. When asked about

the application process, SGA president, Greg Padgett shared that there are several positions that students can apply for saying, “There are five positions they can be a senator for: Senator for School of Arts and Sciences, Senator for the School of Business, Senator for the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Senator for the School of Information Technology, and then an at large position.” Stewart explained, “There is the possibility of 30 senators representing each of the schools, departments, and at large positions, so there are

plenty of opportunities for students to participate.” Padgett explained that SGA senators do many different things, from coordinating the budget of COA funds for a Recognized Student Organization (RSOs) to communicating problems and concerns students have to the administration. “Senators are in charge of getting information from the school they represent and relaying it to administration in the event there is a problem,” Padgett said, “basically working with different departments to get different ideas to better service students.” Both Stewart and

Padgett emphasized that any student can get involved in the SGA. “SGA is not only for senators. Everybody can be part of SGA. They can be a member. They don’t have to be an office-holder,” Padgett said. Padgett added, “One thing I would like to do is to get a representative from each of the clubs and organizations to attend the meetings so that if something is going on, they can know about it before hand.” Stewart commented that SGA meetings are opportunities for students to voice any concerns they may have.

Student Government Association accepting applications for Senate Positions By Kelly Geeslin Staff Writer

Macon State Adds Three Officers to Public Safety DepartmentStaff Reports

residents will be the Academic Resource Center (ARC), which provides tutors, information about financial aid and scholarships. Some of the tutors available will be faculty, who will also hold dinners to speak with the residents in regards to enjoying a successful college experience and achieving career goals thereafter.

According to the Residence Life page on the Macon State

website, meal plans are not currently available. Each apartment has a full kitchen, but residents may purchase meals through ARAMARK, in the cafeteria, Monday-Friday. The Residence Life page and interactive calendar are filled with pertinent information to keep all students and residents informed and involved.

The Residence Life program wants students to fully enjoy the maximum experience of being a resident at College Station.

College Station continued from front page

Photo by Kimberly WaddletonMacon State’s College Station is convienently located on Ivey Drive .

Photo courtesy of News BureauSecurity officers Ashley Schaffer, Jody Hicks, Stephen Hutto, and Chief of Police, Shawn Douglas comprise Macon State College’s Public Safety Department.

Photo by Kimberly WaddletonEach Bedroom includes a spacious closet and personal bathroom.

The Macon Statement maconstatement.com August 13, 2010 7COmmunity

This year Macon State is holding a back to school drive for students. The back to school drive was organized by the National Society of Leadership and Success, which is a student organization at Macon State. Summer Leverett is the Community Service Chair for the society and explained the purpose of the back to school drive in a Question &Answer session.

When asked what the Back 2 School Drive was Leverett answered, “The Back 2 School Drive is an initiative to collect school supplies for school children. The drive will benefit local children in need.”

Q: Are there certain types of material needed?

A: “All types of school supplies are needed whether they are book bags, paper, pencils, notebooks, glue, crayons, scissors, rulers, or flash drives.”

Q: How can a person give a donation?

A: “Everyone can help by making a donation, no matter how small or large, at either one of the donation locations. All donations collected on the Macon Campus will be distributed to Bibb County children by the Bibb County Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS). All donations collected on the Warner Robins Campus will be distributed to Houston County children by the Houston County DFCS.”

Q: When does the drive end?

A: “The Back 2 School Drive will end August 31 at which time the two county DFCS will pick up the donations.”

Q: What are the drop-off places for the drive?

A: “There are two locations with drop boxes where people can donate to the drive. There is a drop box located on the Macon Campus in the lobby of the Student Life Center. The second drop box is located on the Warner Robins Campus in

the main office of the Academic Services Building.”

Q: If a person wants to know more information, who can they contact? A: For information about the Back 2 School Drive the contact person is Summer Leverett, who can be reached through e-mail at [email protected]. “We can all make a difference in our community and we can start one child at a time.”

Q: What if someone is late giving to the drive; should they go to the school with the school supplies?

A: “If someone would like to donate after this date they should take the donations to the DFCS office, which will gladly accept and distribute them. If there is a particular school that this person has in mind they should be able to take donations to them as well.”

Helping will be beneficial to the children served by DFCS. Remember to donate by August 31st.

NSLS organizes Back 2 School Drive By Amiya GastonStaff Writer

The Women’s Studies Association (WSA) of Macon State is preparing for a new year, new events and new outreach projects. The student organization is also looking to gain some new membership after the graduation of several members, and with the upcoming graduation of several more key members.

As a new semester begins, the WSA is preparing to have its first officers’ meeting. The WSA advisors are Monica Young-Zook, Ph.D., and Heather Braun, Ph.D., and the president is William Edwards.

The officers’ meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m. The officers will then plan out regular meeting times, special events and volunteer projects for the

semester. Though the upcoming

WSA events have not been established for the semester yet, Monica Young-Zook speculated that the club will continue to do many of the yearly mission projects that they previously participated in. Young-Zook commented that the club has made “extraordinary contributions in the past few years.”

Some of the events and outreach projects that the WSA have participated in include: the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure, the panel on motherhood, the stress management workshops and panels, the financial aid workshops, donation drives to Crisis Line and Safe House and Rescue Mission, the cell phone donation drive for Crisis Line and Safe House, the March of

Dimes March for Babies, the food donation drive for baby food, the Casa Tree Toy Donations Drive, assisting with Sex Trafficking Opposition Project, Take Back the Night and the Memory Walk for Alzheimers.

The WSA also recently wrote and established its official mission statement as a Recognized Student Organization of Macon State. The Women’s Studies Association established its purpose and official mission statement to be as follows: “The Women’s Studies Association is deeply committed to the improvement of women’s lives and promotion of equality through education and action. The Association is dedicated to education about issues that affect women and their families, communities,

social structures, rights, roles, and challenges. We are interested in the exploration of women’s lives, worlds, works, and words. The organization encourages action when it presents itself as aligned with those studies. The Women’s Studies Association is inclusive, rather than exclusive, and accepts members of all genders, political affiliations, ideologies, beliefs and religious views.”

The WSA hopes to attract many new members this semester to participate and to potentially fill the shoes of graduating officers.

When asked about the purpose of the group, Young-Zook noted that more than half of the student body are women, “so there is an appropriate place at this institution

for the investigation of women’s places, their work, and their contributions to society.”

Young-Zook discussed the importance of the WSA saying, “The WSA has always been a dynamic and active force for bettering the lives of women on campus and in the general community. We are proud of what we’ve accomplished in the past couple of years and are looking forward to new membership and new projects this academic year.” Anyone interested in being a part of the WSA or with any questions about the group should contact Monica Young-Zook at [email protected].

[Kelly Geeslin is a member and S.T.O.P. liaison officer in the WSA.]

Women’s Studies Association looks forward to new year By Kelly Geeslin Staff Writer

offered in Residences’ Life, Reid explained that vending machines are being installed in addition to the kitchens. “Actually, the vending machines are on the property itself. Students have built-in kitchens over there. Each residence has its own kitchen,” Reid said.

The Food Service Director, Rick Woolfolk, added that the students in Residents’ Life will now have the food delivery services 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday thru

Thursday. Reid also talked about

possible future meal plans that could be put on student IDs saying, “There is a plan in the near future, possibly in the spring or fall, for a Declining Meal Balance Plan that can be placed on student IDs.”

Reid also discussed plans for more healthful food options even in the vending machines. “We want to target in some health food as well as the coke machines with some healthy options,” Reid said. Reid said that the meal plans and the healthy vending machine options are still a work in progress.

Another charge is the institution fee, which for Macon State is set at $100 and includes the $15 public safety fee. This fee was set by the Board of Regents for the entire University System of Georgia as a way to avoid a permanent increase in tuition. Stanley clarified that “it’s just a temporary fee that serves to keep the colleges across the state in a better position” in light of recent economic troubles. The logic behind the temporary fee was to charge students a set rate, at the fraction of tuition, which

could be rescinded at a later date. “When we get back to better times economic wises then there will not have been a huge increase in tuition,” Stanley said.

Students may have also noticed a Technology fee of $50 applied to their account each semester. This fee helps pay for the use of paper, and the student’s ability to print a certain amount for free in the Library. Stanley said the fee is also, “for the general student technology infrastructure on-campus.”

Student fees may seem like a bit much to some, but it is used for the educational purposes of students.

Food Services continued from page 3

Student fees continued from front page

The Macon Statement maconstatement.com August 13, 20108 miSCellany

Real Drama Theatre, led by director and playwright Tim Lee, is a new theatre that opened in the Macon Mall this summer. The theatre opened with a distinguished play entitled “A Window in My Mind,” which ran from July 16-18. The play followed the life of an aspiring writer who lived amongst the upper class of New Amsterdam in the 1920s. The theatre went

on to perform an equally astute play entitled “The Heart of Montenegro,” which ran from Aug. 6-8: “It’s about a group of thieves trying to steal a diamond. The era is still around the 20s or 30s,” Lee said. On Sept. 24, the theatre’s next play, “The Red Spider” will début and run through Sept. 26: Lee said, “‘The Red Spider’ is probably going to be the best of all because it is about the trade of selling your soul to the devil and

greed.”The Winsphere Jones

2010 Celebration of Dreams is a series of plays, which honors the poets on whose poems Lee writes his plays. The Shakespearean reference is evident in the intimately sophisticated language: “What I am trying to do is to get people to get back to words, to specifically romantic language, to talk to one another. I feel that words are important, and speaking to each other with

respect is something we have lost,” Lee said. The group also does a meet-and-greet after each of the plays, at which time there is an open invitation for the audience to socialize, meet the cast and discuss the play. Lee emphasized the importance of the audience being able to meet everyone involved with the play and discuss what they have seen. “This theatre is for everybody. We want everybody to enjoy theatre again. We

want to do plays that are fresh, new, original or not widely produced,” Lee said. The theatre has auditions every two months for its plays, which anyone can try out for. “Anyone can be involved as long as they are willing to get away from the norm,” Lee said. Tickets for plays are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

By: Kelly GeeslinStaff Writer

Be sure to visit Real Drama Theatre now open at the Macon Mall

Scenes from the play “A Window in My Mind”Photos by Kelly Geeslin

Drunk and anguished over lost love. The upper class of 1920’s

New Amsterdam.

Maid consoles the intellectual.

Unrequited love and insanity. Lovers quarrel.