Student Media Bylaws passed without promised review
On Friday, September 16, Macon State College’s Student Affairs Committee approved the Student Media Bylaws without the consideration of an unbiased review committee as recommended by Dr. David Bell, president of MSC.
After a year of controversy between the student editorial board and Student Affairs (formerly known as Student Life) administrators, Matrix students stepped down from their leadership positions claiming that the decisions and actions implemented by SA administration violated the student’s First Amendment rights.
When Matrix staff returned in the Fall, they were told that the paper was indefinitely postponed until new bylaws were approved. Since the student media staff was not included in drafting the bylaws and having exhausted all efforts to come to an understanding with Student Affairs administration, they requested a meeting with Dr. Bell.
Mr. John Cole, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, denied the student’s first request for a meeting and advised students to take their concerns to Dean McCraney. However, students persisted in their request and were finally granted a meeting. On Aug. 20, two Matrix staffers represented the entire staff at a meeting between Dr. Bell, Lynn McCraney, Dean of Students, and Mr. John Cole, Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
The Matrix staffers presented their concerns to Dr. Bell who recommended the creation of a committee to hear all sides of the issue and then vote on the bylaws. Dean McCraney informed him that the Student Affairs Committee would be doing just that. However, the Sept. 16 meeting lasted only 15 minutes with no discussion of the controversial bylaws. After a brief introduction of committee members and acknowledgement of the secretary-elect, the Student Media Bylaws were unanimously approved.
Committee member and disgruntled former Matrix staffer Walter Perry stated that the meeting was over so fast that he didn’t have a chance to advise the committee of the media students’ concerns. "I offered to give my assistance an provide solutions, but I was turned down at every opportunity. It does not take a lawyer to identify the trouble spots within the Student Media Bylaws," Perry stated. Subsequently, Perry resigned his position on the committee citing that there was no call for discussion prior to the vote.
Faculty and staff members present at the Student Affairs Committee meeting were Dr. Whitney Elmore, assistant professor of Biology and chair of SA committee, Dr. Julie Lester, assistant professor and secretary-elect for SA committee, Sandra Little-Herring, Francisco Lopez, Lynn McCraney, Dean of Students, and Amanda Neff (for Nancy Stroud). Student committee members are Kristen Thompson, Sondra Wiseniske, Walter Perry, former Matrix webmaster, Summerly Foster, Student Life student worker, J.D. Money, SGA president. Foster and Money are also featured on MSC promotional advertisements.
click here to read the Student Media Bylaws
Editorial
Unethical Actions
By Jenny Murr
"When they took the fourth amendment, I was silent because I don't deal drugs. When they took the sixth amendment, I kept quiet because I know I'm innocent. When they took the second amendment, I said nothing because I don't own a gun. Now they've come for the first amendment, and I can't say anything at all." --Tim Freeman
Last year, when the problems began at the Matrix, I seriously considered resigning. However, a faculty member and friend encouraged me to complete the year. The idea was that by remaining in the position, I would learn valuable communication skills that I could take into the work-world. So I stayed.
I did learn from the harrowing experience, just not what I expected. I learned that people lie, even people in high positions. I learned that just because things are written down, it doesn’t mean that the powers that be won’t change the rules when they no longer suit their purposes. Don’t trust anyone strictly because of her position. Documents disappear and promises will be broken.
The recent approval of Student Media Bylaws was the final clincher for me. I naively trusted that President Bell’s recommendations would actually be implemented. I was shocked to learn that once again the student’s voices were squelched, especially when Dr. Bell assured us that there would be a meeting in which all people involved would be heard.
I should have known that when we were asked not to tape the meeting with Dr. Bell it was to ensure that there would be no record of what was promised. The idea of an unbiased committee comprised of equal parts students, faculty, staff and community members was just a fallacy meant to placate the Matrix staff.
As journalism students, we are taught to adhere to a strict code of ethics. As college students, we take ethics classes and expect to see those ethics displayed in the actions of faculty and administration.
What we have witnessed in the actions of MSC administrators is anything but ethical.
It is going to take more than a few brave students standing up for their rights to bring about a change in the mindset of MSC administrators. They have treated students as insignificant passersby who don’t have rights. It seems that they have forgotten that although students are only here for four short years, they are customers who ultimately provide MSC salaries.
To support the Matrix students and to protect your First Amendment rights, voice your opinion in an email to Dr. Bell at david.bell@maconstate.edu.
Drastic reduction in CollegeTown Universal tickets keep MSC students on campus for entertainment
By Jenny Murr
The number of CollegeTown Universal tickets available to Macon State College students has been reduced from one per student per month to one per student per semester. Michael Stewart, Director of Student Affairs, stated that the reduction is a result of reallocation of student activity fee funds, which were previously included in the CollegeTown budget, to the semi-annual drama productions.
CollegeTown Universal tickets allow MSC students free admittance to various Middle Georgia venues. From museum exhibits to Broadway shows at the Grand, students expand their educational experience by venturing off-campus. However, only 472 tickets were issued last year. Stewart stated that the CollegeTown budget was trimmed back to fund other programs. Student Affairs hopes to encourage students to "stay and play" on campus, attending free events offered by the Artists and Lecturers series and MSC Company of Players, MSC's drama organization.
Originially directed by Sydney Chalfa, the organization has not been active for over five years. The student dramatic organization was reinstated last year under the direction of Jason Levitt. Any MSC student can participate in the productions. Currently, the group is working on Hush Little Celia, Don’t Say a Word to be presented on campus Nov. 19 – 22. Admission is free and funded with student activity fees.
For information about MSC’s Company of Players, visit the student organization link under the Student Affairs section of the MSC website.
CollegeTown Universal tickets are available to MSC students once per semester at the Office of Student Affairs.
English professors bring writers conference to Macon
By LaShonda Slaughter
On Oct. 4, Macon plays host to the first annual Crossroads Writers’ Conference. Pre-conference events will also be offered on Oct. 2, author Ad Hudler will speak at the Warner Robins campus of Macon State College. As part of Macon’s First Friday festivities on Oct. 3, Carlo Rotella will speak at 12:30 at the Macon campus, and Joshilyn Jackson will speak at 6 p.m. A full day of writing sessions in downtown Macon on Saturday, Oct. 4; the conference offers an abundance of fun and educational activities for budding writers and literary enthusiasts alike.
Sponsored by Macon State College, The 11th Hour, Georgia College and State University and NewTown Macon, the conference features authors Kevin Cantwell, Jessica Walden, Anya Silver, Alice Freeman, Andrew Silver, Diann Blakely, Marty Williams, Rick Hutto, Cindy Hill, Denver Pickard, Jeff Vasseur and Silvia Haynie.
According to the website, the conference is "a meeting place for both beginning and accomplished writers, for writers of all backgrounds and ethnicities, and for writers of all genres." The conference offers a variety of authors from all over the genre board as well as an entire day of scheduled sessions to help authors perfect their craft and learn about the industry from published authors.
For a fee of $35 ($25 for students), participants can choose from a plethora of literary sessions featuring topics ranging from "The Future of Freelance & What Editors Want" to "Finding the Story in History: Using the Past to Create Literary Fiction." The conference’s breakout sessions are presented by notable authors and will provide opportunities for those interested in writing and publishing to learn firsthand information that established authors have gathered throughout their own writing careers. The event ends with a book exhibit, social hour and a roundtable on poetry, the conference wraps up at 6 p.m. with a free to the public Keynote Speech delivered by Stanley Booth at the Hummingbird.
The MSC English department has played a crucial part in organizing the conference. Dr. Heather Braun, Dr. Kelly Whiddon, Dr. Monica Young-Zook and Dr. Kevin Cantwell will be involved moderating sessions during the conference. "The emphasis is on the writer, though," Dr. Heather Braun explained. The professors are working on the sidelines to showcase the amazing talent that they have lined up.
The conference runs from Oct. 2—4 in Macon and Warner Robins. To learn more about the conference and to register, visit
www.crossroadscon.org or contact the School of Humanities of MSC at (478) 471-5792 to speak with Dr. Heather Braun, Dr. Kelly Whiddon or Dr. Monica Young-Zook.
Movie Review – Burn After Reading: sub par
By Becca Edwards
How do the Coen brothers return to the big screen after the success of their 2007 Academy Award winning film No Country for Old Men? They give us Burn After Reading, a dark comedy spoof on spy films that, at times, leaves the audience both laughing and questioning exactly what kind of demented, nightmarish world of bungled espionage and extortion they are watching onscreen. Welcome to the world of the Coen brothers.
The film opens with CIA operative Osbourne "Ozzy" Cox, being relieved of his duties as Balkan desk chief. Cox, played by the always-inventive John Malkovich, decides to quit his job, retire to his home and spend his days drinking and writing his CIA spy memoir. Needless to say, this does not sit well with Ozzy’s wife played by Tilda Swinton. She is secretly plotting to divorce Ozzy in order to be with the married sex addict, Harry, (played by George Clooney) whom she really loves. Confused? Well, hang in there as the zany extortion is about to begin and you will finally get a glimpse at what Harry is building in his basement.
Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt provide the heart and soul of the film as two idiotic, bumbling gym employees who accidentally get hold of a disc containing classified CIA documents. McDormand’s character, Linda Litzke, is so obsessed with getting plastic surgery that finding the disc seems to be the answer to getting her surgery. Brad Pitt’s Chad is the gum smacking, Jamba Juice drinking sidekick who decides to delve into the world of blackmail with Linda.
Mistaken identity, blackmail, murder, CIA cover-ups and confusion ensue.
Over the years the Coen brothers have given moviegoers some memorable onscreen idiots in films like Raising Arizona, O Brother, Where Art Thou? and The Big Lebowski. Burn After Reading is not on par with these movies. But for people who are fans of the Coen brothers, Burn After Reading will be worth watching. Unfortunately though, most mainstream moviegoers will leave the theater feeling much like J.K. Simmons’s character at the end of the film. Simmon’s, as the CIA Director, asks at the end of the film, "What just happened here? What have we learned?"
His answer: "I have no idea."
Fall Season's Hit & Miss
by Jenny Murr and Becca Edwards
Hit
True Blood on HBO
Airs: Sunday nights 9 p.m.
One of the most intriguing series I have discovered during the new fall TV season is HBO’s True Blood. The series, created by producer Alan Ball, is set in the fictitious town of Bon Temps, Louisiana.
The series begins as vampire society is literally rising from the underground of their coffins and joining the ranks of ordinary life. Immediately, battle lines are drawn between government officials, religious leaders and citizens who fear a society where vampires openly live amongst humans. A Japanese company is marketing a new synthetic blood product called "True Blood" that is supposed to alleviate the human’s fears and paranoias about becoming a food source for the vampires.
True Blood centers on Sookie Stackhouse, a human waitress with telepathic talents, who falls for a vampire. What’s a good Louisiana girl to do? The series raises some interesting questions about life, relationships and the way we, as humans, see others…especially those of the blood sucking variety.
For those with HBO, this new series from the creator of Six Feet Under is certainly worth a look.
Hit
Fringe
Mondays 9 p.m.
Fox
Advertisements for the show say "There are things in our world, beyond our ability to explain," and now there are things on my TV screen beyond my ability to explain. Fringe is smartly written, at times comical, quirky new sci-fi program. When I first saw it, I found it to be strangely reminiscent of Alias, Lost and even Star Trek. I’ve found that there’s a reason for it—the same people who brought us those shows are responsible for this winner.
Unexplained events are happening around the world. When international Flight 627 arrives in Boston with no signs of life, FBI agent Olivia Dunham is put on the case. Her partner/lover becomes a victim of "The Pattern," but not before Olivia learns that he was somehow involved in the mysterious tragedies.
The mysteries center on the past experiments of Dr. Bishop, who by the way has been institutionalized for the last 17 years. Before she can question him, Olivia must get permission from Bishop’s estranged son.
Although Dr. Bishop clearly has some mental challenges, he proves to be the only person who can offer answers. Thus, an unusual team is formed and the fun begins.
The show offers conspiracies of multi-million dollar corporation, the government and some weird science. Take it from someone who doesn’t generally like science fiction…it’s a great combination and you should give it a try.
Miss
Worst Week
CBS - Mondays 9:30 p.m.
If you like slapstick comedy, this show is for you. Puke, urine, fire and miscommunication were jammed into 30 minutes.
I guess there is some narrative to the show, but it came off as being secondary to the antics of the main character. Sam is going to his future in-laws house to tell them he has knocked up their daughter. It is clear that the father doesn’t think very highly of the young man. His disdain builds when he opens the door to the Sam clad only in a blue plastic diaper asking for $80 to pay for the cab. "I left my wallet in my other diaper," says Sam.
From there it’s downhill. How this show is going to continue through the entire season is anyone’s guess. It seems that at some point the audience will grow tired of the schtick. If you like mindless slapstick you’d better catch this show soon…it won’t last long.
Miss
90210
CW - Tuesdays 8 p.m.
The CW has offered up yet another crew of adolescents living adult lives. Now, I know that watching television requires a certain amount of suspension of belief but this is getting ridiculous!
How many of you at age 15 flew to dinner in your boyfriend’s private jet? Come on . . . how many more of these horrible shows must we endure? Maybe my bad opinion of this show stems from the fact that I was young when the original 90210 aired (in other words, I'm a little long in the tooth), but seriously, you generation x-ers aren’t wasting your time on this garbage. Are you?
To catch a woman off of the Craigslist personals
Column by Alex Bender
Well aware of what I was doing, I got on Craigslist and began scouring the personal ads for a desperate individual who might enjoy my company. I had this great idea to meet up with the person and tell them all about myself.
The kicker, I figured, would be that I would lie about everything. I would give a fake name if I could get away with it—something clever like "Winston Rovanolt, III."
Actuating my plan was a bit more difficult. Just finding a personal ad on Craigslist that wasn’t an invitation for spam was even harder. The following conversation ensued after I discovered a personal ad with a screen name and sent out a message (The other individual’s text is in bold):
Hey
*I get no reply and go to dinner. I come back and, as I’m using the bathroom, I get a text on my cell phone.*
Hi
How’s it going?
good—you?
Pretty good. I found your s/n on a craigslist post. Just wanted to say hey
Oh..i didn’t realize my sn was on craigslist
Maybe someone else put it there. Where are you from?
Michigan/west Virginia
Right on. I’m from Pennsylvania but I live in middle Georgia now
I just moved to wv a few weeks ago
How do you like it?
Its good so far. I moved here for a job
What do you do?
I am a sonographer
Cool *not really*
What about you?
I write. Some freelance and a few columns in alternative weekly’s
Ohh…Sounds interesting
It can be
Do you know where on craigslist you found me?
So where’d you move from?
From Michigan
In the personal ads. It was on the Macon, GA, craigslist
I can’t find it
Hold on, I’ll send you the link
Ok
*I wait about ten minutes and finish my business in the bathroom, leave and go over to the computer to look up the link. I send it*
thats interesting...I am not sure why its on there
idk. strange
the only time i have ever been on craigslist was to look for apts, lol
yeah. I’m Alex by the way
hmm...I am Ashley
*I want to say "I am Legend" or "I am hurt badly" but I refrain. The conversation doesn’t need prolonged any more*
well nice to meet you
hope i didn’t weird you out
its nice to meet you too--i am just confused how this got on there
who knows
anyway...: why did you move to ga?
Military…stuck around because of school
where did you go to school?
macon state college
so how old are you?
24, you?
23
you could actually be some creepy old guy for all i know
then again, so could i
hold on...i will add you as a friend on myspace so you can see my profile, lol
i am definately not a creepy old guy
*This turns out to be only partially true. While not a man, she is creepy. I am, however, quite confident that she’s giving her actual picture because nobody would use the one she did if they were lying*
Ok, good
Ok, I added you
Ok, got it
*Now aware that this is not a good looking chick, I’m not going to meet her, and I don’t even care to see her tits, should she offer, I make a swift and precise decision to terminate the discussion, post haste*
Ok. am i a creepy old guy?
um, no.
lol
thats what i said when i saw your page!
well i am gonna get going--i have a headache *The bitch beat me to it! Is she trying to get rid of me? I’m not the ugly one! WTF!!*
ttyl--adios
alright
nice meeting and becoming myspace friends with you
lol--you too...we will talk again
But we won’t. Although I will never forget the first strange and ugly girl I met online, I will try. I’m not certain how the next situation I get myself into will turn out, but I kind of hope that if I ever meet with an online stranger face to face, they turn out to be a creepy old guy. Something about that seems less weird than chatting with strange and lonely women in West Virginia.
Show your tail, Go to jail
by LaShonda Slaughter
During a city council meeting on Aug. 18, the Warner Robins City Council voted 4-2, with one abstention, on an ordinance
deeming it illegal to wear baggy pants within city limits. According to council members, the ordinance was put in place to put a stop to crime and urban unrest before it starts to get out of hand in Warner Robins.
Nicknamed the baggy pants law, the indecent exposure ordinance states that pants must not hang more than three inches below a person’s visible underwear or show bare buttocks. Penalties for violating the ordinance include fines as high as $500 and possible jail time. City Council members believe that the ordinance will lower theft and other illegal activities within the community.
Controversy over the legality and intentions of the ordinance has sparked a great deal of debate throughout Middle Georgia. Opponents of the ordinance claim that the new law stems from ageism and racism and targets young men and African Americans. Other concerned citizens believe that the people who wear their pants below their waist, exposing underwear as well as skin, lack etiquette and are being indecent and sloppy. These citizens think that the local government should take steps to put a stop to the “immoral” and “indecent” behavior perpetrated by those affected by the ordinance.
City Council member John F. Williams penned the ordinance after “people were offended by particularly grown men doing this (wearing the pants sagging) on the main streets of the city, in many instances they had no boxer shorts on at all. The people were highly offended. Williams believes that in many instances the actions are used to show disrespect for law enforcement and authority in general. “We had instances of people that had run afoul of the law, retaliating by drooping their pants when a police officer came by or in sight,” Williams said.
Williams also discussed the negative impact that the fashion trend has on the community, “I don’t think there is a parent that wants their kids to be so disrespectful of their fellow Christians of the community in which they live.”
John Havrilla, Warner Robins City Council member, also voted to pass the ordinance. Havrilla believes that the fashion trend is an indicator of crime within urban areas and thinks that focusing on smaller infractions may lead to an understanding that the city of Warner Robins does not tolerate criminal behavior. Both council members believe that the change in indecent exposure regulations will positively affect the level of crime in Warner Robins. Hawkinsville, and other cities that have similar “baggy pants” regulations, cites less criminal activity since such a ban was created.
The reaction of students and citizens to the ordinance is mixed and heated. Jeremy Jennings, a Warner Robins resident, isn’t offended by the sagging pants trend and finds the ordinance problematic. “I think it is a waste of time...they have plenty of more important things to discuss. That is just a waste of tax payer’s money.”
Macon State College student Stephen Wilds disagrees with the idea that a clothing ordinance may affect crime in the Warner Robins area. “Clothes don’t make a criminal. Thinking that way is stereotyping,” Wilds said. “I think that this ordinance affects our freedoms to wear clothing that we like and our freedom of expression. Nothing is uncovered at the most you see is boxers on occasion but you see more at a local bar on the weekend.”
Citizens on both sides of the controversy have spoken out over the past few weeks. From local papers to student blogs at local colleges, voices of support and discontent have debated the issue.
Tremel Coleman, Vice President of MSC’s Black Student Unification believes the ordinance is a form of discrimination, “It is definitely targeting a certain culture. I don’t wear baggy pants, but I think the ordinance is unfair to those who do.”
Respiratory Therapists fight secondhand smoke
by Becca Edwards & Jenny Murr
One of the goals of the Macon State Respiratory Care Club this year is to get designated smoking areas established on campus. During the recent club fair, the Respiratory Club solicited student signatures on a petition requesting that the school remove ashtrays placed by the doors of buildings around campus.
MSCARE Smoking Cessation Committee member Ryan Richter said, “Designated smoking areas would be a great for the campus.” To prove the debilitating effects of secondhand smoke, the group displayed the lungs of a healthy pig and the lungs of a pig subjected to secondhand smoke.
After viewing the display, MSC student Blake Weatherly, a smoker, signed the petition. “It’s a great idea. As long as moving the ashtrays doesn’t turn into an alienation of the smoker community, there is really no problem,” Blake said.
According to Bernadette A. Toomey, American Lung Association President and CEO, nearly 20 percent of today’s college students are regular smokers. “Colleges and universities have a responsibility to provide safe spaces in which their students can learn and live,” said Toomey. “This should include an environment free from secondhand smoke and advertising that encourages young adults to use deadly tobacco products.”
The American Lung Association is campaining for the higher education community to join their Smokefree Air 2010 Challenge, a nationwide movement to eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke in public places and workplaces no later than 2010.
According to lungusa.org, more than 130 colleges and universities across the nation have smokefree policies that ban smoking on the entire campus, including indoor and outdoor areas.
To sign the petition or get more information, email MSCARE chairman at jennifer.graham1@maconstate.edu.
Club fair offers variety of opportunities
by Jenny Murr
Every semester, the office of Student Life hosts a club fair to showcase MSC student organizations.
On Sept. 9, the Warner Robins campus kicked off the club fair. Although all organizations weren’t in attendance, W.R. students were able to learn about political, media, nursing, skin diving and many other clubs.
Students filed through a crowded lobby on the Macon Campus on Sept. 10, taking advantage of the opportunity to sign up for clubs that interested them. Banks, wireless companies and other local businesses also offered students special opportunities.
As a special treat, Student Life offered students personalized street signs.
To get a complete list of organizations, contact Michael Stewart in the Office of Student Life.
New television season offers interesting choices
By Bri Shubert; Staff
The best part about fall is the new television season and here is a list of some of the best new shows to look forward to:
90210: This remake of the 1990’s classic is sure to be a hit. Some of the old members, such as Jennie Garth and Shannon Doherty, are even returning later in the season. But expect the storyline to be what came before—fashionable California kids taking in all of life’s drama.
Bad Mother’s Handbook: Alicia Silverstone (yes, Cher from Clueless) stars in this comedy about a mother raising her teenage daughter. Megan Mullally (Karen from Will and Grace) plays her mother, no doubt to add some outrageousness to the show.
Valentine: This one looks promising for the geeks in all of us. A family- named the Valentines- try to hook single people and make them fall in love. The catch is the Valentines are really Greek gods, so this one is going to be quirky and interesting.
My Own Worst Enemy: Christian Slater is back on the small screen, so many women are going to tune in just to watch him. He plays a man with split personalities: one is just a regular guy with kids, the other is a spy.
The Ex List: A girl with the awesome name of Bella Bloom is told by a fortune teller that she has to get married within a year. She is told that her true love is someone she has already dated, so of course she has to go back through all her ex loves—hence the name of the show. This one is going to be awesome.
BENT Column by Alex Bender
They say that if rugby were easy, it would be called your mom
Macon has a rugby team?
Damn right! The Macon Love Rugby Football Club.
I was in a van with a bunch of drunken strangers heading to the bar when I first heard of rugby. Ok, I had heard of rugby before but that was about it; I couldn’t have told you anything about it, not even the basics. I was pretty sure a ball was involved.
In a typical drunken manner, these weird guys told me I should come out to practice the following week and check it out. They insisted it didn’t matter that I knew nothing about the sport and said it would be easier to learn that way. I enthusiastically agreed, knowing full well that, nine times out of ten, when I get drunk and make plans, they don’t happen (eight out of ten when I’m sober) so I actually surprised myself when I showed up at Central City Park the following Tuesday to check out practice and see what this sport was all about.
I get to the park around practice time and spent forty five minutes walking around looking for something resembling people practicing rugby before I found it. It resembled an awkward game of two hand touch football and I assumed it was what I was looking for. I jumped into the mix and within a few minutes was learning how to play. It had been years since I had played football and the fact that Macon had a team sport that was actually fun and interesting intrigued me. When everyone went out for beer after practice, it sealed the deal. I was hooked.
The first game approached before I knew it. Home games are played on Saturdays at the Jones Co. Sports Complex off Shurling Dr. and I remember being unusually nervous; I was still unsure of all of the rules and of how to play. Nevertheless, as soon as the whistle was blown and the ball was kicked, it was eighty minutes of running, hitting and pure adrenaline (two-forty minute halves). Any nervousness that I was feeling immediately left and I learned more about rugby during the course of the game than I had in the month of practice preceding it. We ended up winning the first game and, as rugby tradition mandates, went straight to the bar.
In the past year that I’ve been playing rugby, the guys I play with have been like a family. There is a bond that develops when you’re playing one of the most intense sports ever. Now, when it’s not rugby season, I find myself getting jumpy and needing something to fill my time, but nothing except rugby is enough.
If you are interested in playing rugby or just practicing and learning, Macon Love encourages you to show up at Central City Park on Tuesdays or Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. for practice. No experience is required and anyone can play.
Fall 2008 Macon Love Rugby Schedule
Sept 27th @ Golden Isles (Brunswick, GA)
Oct 4th @ Savannah
Oct 11th - Home v Golden Isles
Oct 18th - Home v High Country
Oct 25th Open
Nov 1st Open
Nov 8th Open (Battleship Rugby Tournament, Mobile, AL)
Nov 15th @ High Country (Atlanta)
Website- www.MaconRugby.com
Editorial
No winners in Matrix saga
Followers of the Matrix saga know that the struggle between students and administration did not end last year when the editorial board resigned their positions. In July, interested students attended an orientation meeting in which they were encouraged to begin planning for a new semester of publications. However, at the next meeting students were told that the paper would be postponed indefinitely. In response, a new student publication was created: the Student Free Press.
Since that time, the Matrix advisors resigned and two students met with Dr. Bell, Dean McCraney and Mr. John Cole. Some in the MSC community are choosing sides, while others are still asking questions. I hope to clear up some of those questions now.
Why do students dislike Macon State College and seek to tarnish its reputation?
I think I speak for all students involved when I say that we love Macon State College. We respect our faculty and appreciate the diverse array of majors that are offered. None of us has set out to tarnish the MSC reputation. We simply question the motives behind many decisions that have been made by Student Life in the past year.
Why do Matrix students think they don’t have to follow the rules that other student organizations have to follow?
While student media organizations may appear to be like any other student organization, they are not. Student media provides a forum for student expression and is protected by the First Amendment. If Student Life is allowed to make all decisions regarding the publication, they can covertly censor the student voice by withholding funds necessary for growth.
It is illegal for Student Life to decide what is appropriate regarding the content printed in the paper, the distribution of the content, or the daily operation. The funds allocated for student media are part of state funds and not MSC Student Life funds. Therefore, while the Matrix financial records should be subject to review by Student Life, they should not be subject to their approval.
Why wasn’t more done to address this problem before it got to this point?
We took every step that we could to settle the problems that arose last year. We discussed the situation with our advisors. Then we had a meeting with the Publications Coordinator. After that, as editor-in-chief, I went to the Publications Committee that had placed me in the leadership position. Then I went to Dean McCraney. The only option of which I didn’t avail myself was meeting with President Bell. Instead, I resigned my position. When it was clear that the paper was to be the victim of even more attacks this year, we decided to take our concerns to Dr. Bell.
What was the result of your meeting with Dr. Bell?
The meeting with Dr. Bell was a waste of an hour of our time. Although Dr. Bell said he was there to hear our concerns, the students were only able to speak for an interrupted 15 minutes. For forty minutes of the meeting Dr. Bell talked about different philosophies that he believed to be relevant to the plight of the Matrix, but neither student in attendance felt the stories served to solve the problems we had experienced.
It was like listening to my senile grandpa telling stories about nothing. He finally gave one more example that hit home with a resounding thud…I knew that there would never be a resolution that benefited both sides. Dr. Bell told us that when he applied for his job as president of MSC, he was given a list of rules and obligations that he would have to meet. If he didn’t like them, he could choose not to take the position. INTERPRETATION: If students don’t like the rules and regulations that Student Life was creating, they didn’t need to work for the Matrix.
Well Dr. Bell, Dean McCraney, and Mr. Cole…we are crying “uncle”; we are throwing in the towel. And there is no “winner” here. MSC administration has lost the respect of many students and faculty, MSC students no longer have strong students advocating for them and battling to protect their right to free speech, and the former editorial board has learned that MSC is nothing more than another political machine.
Rather than wasting another year trying to protect student rights, we have chosen to invest our time in something more fruitful: a truly FREE student press.
Jenny Murr
Former Editor-in-Chief, Matrix
MSC student dies after game of football
By Alex Bender, Staff
Domonique Cornelius Edwards, 19, was found dead in his apartment on Friday afternoon. Edwards, of Snellville, Ga., was a sophomore Engineering student at Macon State College.
Reports indicate that Edwards suffered a fall during a game of football on the afternoon of Wed., Aug. 27. Edwards’ family became concerned when they were unable to contact him during the following days and friends of Edwards ultimately gained access to his room on Friday afternoon and found him unresponsive.
According to Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones, an autopsy, performed on Saturday, indicated Edwards died as a result of a ruptured kidney. Ruptured Kidneys are most commonly the result of automobile accidents and it is likely that Edwards was not aware of the severity of his injury as it is most commonly diagnosed in the hospital.
According to the Merck Manual, “Symptoms of a blunt kidney injury may include pain in the upper abdomen or flank (the area between the ribs and hip), bruising of the flank, blood in the urine, or pain resulting from fractures of the lower ribs. With severe kidney injuries, low blood pressure (shock) and anemia may occur if the person loses a significant amount of blood.”
Friends and family remember Edwards as a bright young man with warming sense of humor. The “comments” section of Edwards’ MySpace page was filled with memories and thoughts of those affected by his death.
Lynn McCraney, Dean of Students at MSC, extended regard over the untimely death of Edwards. “Domonique was an excellent student who will be greatly missed by everyone who knew and respected him. We send our most sincere sympathy to his family”, said McCraney. McCraney also wished to remind students that “services of the Counseling Center and the Health Clinic are available to assist them as they work through the tremendous loss of this fine young man.” Funeral services are to be held at Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Snellville on Friday, Sept. 5, at 11 a.m., with burial at the Eternal Hill Memory Gardens.
Faculty advisers resign from Matrix
By Jenny Murr, Staff
After serving only one year of service, Dr. Sheree Keith, Assistant Professor of Speech, and Dr. Laura Thomason, Assistant Professor of English, resigned their positions as faculty advisers to the Matrix on Aug. 20. Their resignations come after a year of flux regarding the daily operation of the student newspaper and the authority of faculty advisers that led to the mass exodus of the Matrix editorial board last year.
According to the Recognized Student Organization handbook, advisers are to be a “compass and not a rudder” to student organizations. While the faculty advisers adhered to this mandate, the Matrix editorial board claimed that the newly hired Student Media Coordinator (previously listed as Publication Coordinator), Ray Lightner, along with Dean of Students Lynn McCraney, were implementing changes which usurped the duties of both the faculty advisers and the Matrix editorial board.
After the retirement of Dr. Larry Fennelly, tenured faculty adviser to the Matrix and former Professor of English and Mass Communications and Chair, Division of Learning Support, Student Life made changes that the editorial board and the Student Press Law Center claimed were surreptitious efforts to censor the paper. Lightner hindered the Matrix’s distribution when he denied expenditures that were previously approved by the faculty advisers. When the editorial board questioned Lightner’s ability to deny the faculty adviser’s decision, Lightner said that he had veto power over all decisions made by the faculty advisers.
Several attempts were made by the students to have autonomy restored to the Matrix. Meetings with the Publications Committee and Dean McCraney last year proved to be fruitless. When the paper was suspended indefinitely, students from the publication created an independent student paper. Students who previously did not want to work on the student paper, governed by Student Life, have joined the new publication.
Lightner is now listed as the sole adviser to the Matrix according to the Macon State College website. When questioned about the adviser’s resignation, Lightner said, “They didn’t resign; they weren’t renewed.” Lightner said that he would be the only adviser to the student publication.
I wish I knew. . .
Staffers offer advice to new students
LaShonda Slaughter, Staff
. . . that there is a wonderful health clinic on campus that is paid for by Student Activity Fees.
The Health Clinic, which is located near the MSC Wellness Center, offers many services from physicals to treating minor illnesses. I had the opportunity during spring semester. The nurse was thorough, friendly and correctly diagnosed my problem along with providing some health advice and a prescription of medication.
From STD screening to fl u shots and minor health care, the MSC Health Clinic is an asset of which all students should take advantage.
The clinic is open Monday through Friday and has flexible hours that will fit around any student’s schedule.
For information on the Health Clinic, visit http://www.maconstate.edu/wellness/healthclinic/
JEFraley, Staff
- The importance of going to class every day.
- You don’t have to go to class every day.
- It’s easy to get distracted.
- College is more about making connections than making grades.
- Cheap beer has its price.
Jamie Bowen, Staff
. . . that Learning Support classes did not count towards your GPA.
I did not learn about it until half way through my first semester. Not to say I did not enjoy the classes, or need them, I just was left with this shock that all the good grades I had been making really did not even matter in the grand scheme of things.
It was as if I were in ghost classes. I did very much appreciate everything I learned (and reviewed) during that semester but if I had known before starting them that they did not contribute to my GPA I would not have fooled myself into believing that I earned a 4.0 GPA, and would have been better prepared for the disappointment it caused.
Walter Perry, Staff
. . . that the best support and assistance available to students comes from professors and other students. In my experience, when I have tried to get help from MSC I was asked to show my Student ID and fill out paperwork.
As a result, I felt like nobody cared. After many attempts and appointments later, I never received the help I needed.
I appreciate the help of professors and students. I hope that I can help to other students during their time of need, because helping others is an act that benefits the giver and receiver.
Extracurricular activities offered in Jones Building
By Jamie Bowen
As fall classes begin, the Jones Building is buzzing with activity. While many students are familiar with the classes offered in the building, they may not know about the extracurricular opportunities offered by affiliated student organizations. Faculty advisors explained that quite a few events have been planned to keep students’ interest this semester.
Dr. David Davis, Department of Natural Sciences and Engineering Interim Chair, offered information about the Natural Science Network. NSN is planning a camping trip to Helen, Ga., Sept. 19. They are also planning to host a corn maze on Halloween day. In addition, the club will sponsor a blood drive on Oct. 1.
Dr. Barry Monk, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science Chair, said that while Math students are currently meeting regularly with NSN, they are attempting to start a Math club of their own. He also stated that they are discussing holding an Open House for Math and Science majors, which he believes might become a school-wide Open House.
Dr. Donna Balding, assistant professor of biology, said that there would be an Arts and
Crafts Festival on Nov. 22. On Dec. 4, the Natural Science Network will host a party in the Jones Building to mark the end of the semester.
For information or to join these clubs, stop by the NSN table at the club fairs on the Warner Robins campus on Sept. 9 or on the Macon Campus on Sept. 10.
I am a Maconite
By Alex Bender
What the hell are boiled peanuts? I had never eaten a real BBQ sandwich and the idea of a pink hot dog was quite repugnant. It was 2003 and I was new to Macon. Not just new to Macon, but new to the south, new to this south.
I came from Pennsylvania. Really, it’s only ever been the fact that I’m from north of the Mason-Dixon Line that’s mattered. I was born and raised a Yankee.
We never drank sweet tea. Pizza and hoagie joints substitute the proliferation of BBQ and soul food restaurants you see down here and the popularity of camo amongst the residents is the probably biggest, if not the only, commonality we share.
To others, I must have sounded like a character out of a Mafia movie. “You ain’t from round here, are ya” I would hear, but more often I would just get a stern glare and a “Where you from?” when someone overheard me talking.
It still happens from time to time, but I suppose that elements of the south have gradually been incorporated into my language, and even into my demeanor, enough so that I at least appear to be someone who isn’t entirely out of his element.
There has always been a feeling of security that came along with having another place to call home. I never did mind being the out of town guy. In a way, that’s been my identity. I’ve recently started to let go of the idea of having something to fall back on, something to help me resist acclimating to this new environment. “Nope, I’m not from around here, just passing through, I’m from up North”.
I didn’t want to be from this town and, hell, there’s always something more interesting about someone who’s not a local, anyhow. But somehow, Macon has become home. Georgia has become home. The South has become my home.
It took me longer than many to grasp this concept and, I admit, I still struggle with it. I’m not a NASCAR fan and I don’t follow “The Dogs.” But recently, for the first time, when asked where I’m from I answered “Macon” and I realized that the quirks and oddities that everyone is familiar with, the unusual characteristics that make this city and Middle Georgia what it is, have become the very things that I find myself missing when I’m not here.
I think it is a very unfortunate situation currently happening at Macon State College.