In an effort to bring new life to Main Street Montevallo, the University has partnered with Shelby County and the City of Montevallo to acquire and renovate abandoned properties on the city’s Main Street and to connect the cam-pus directly to downtown Montevallo. The partnership known as The Montevallo Development Cooperative District, comprised of the city, the University and the county, was announced on June 13, 2012, according to DeAnna Smith, Montevallo’s Vice President of Business Affairs and Treasurer. Smith said that one of the Cooperative District’s earli-est purchases was the former Alabama Power building on 737 Main Street. The building is in need of major repairs, and after renovations are completed, the three story building will house classroom and office spaces for the Depart-ment of Behavioral and Social Sciences which is currently based in Jeter Hall—a building known to need repairs itself. Classes including history, sociology, political science and social work will be held in the new building. The new building is tentatively scheduled to be complete and open for classes sometime in 2013. Classes will likely begin there in the Fall term of 2013, with a possible soft opening in the Summer term, Smith said. The building will hold about 1,000 students, and with the added space, the University hopes to increase enrollment by at least 500 full-time students. Another part of this downtown revitaliza-tion is the acquisition of the building formerly known as Steve-O’s. Smith noted that the Cooperative District has purchased Steve-O’s, the land immediately behind it and the building in front of it. The front building will likely be demolished to create a “green space,” while the former bar itself may become “another dining option for the community and for students,” the space behind it likely becoming a parking area. The University and the county hope to procure more of the abandoned buildings downtown; while “a lot of projects are underway,” the only

other project in progress is the “Lovelady build-ing,” the duplex next to Banktrust, which will likely be used by the campus bookstore starting in Spring of 2013, Smith said. The revitalization project was originally started in 2009 without the help of UM but was stalled due to lack of funding. With the Univer-sity needing more room for its programs and hoping to grow its student body, it was a natural fit for the University to join the partnership. Along with the addition of new buildings to the campus, plans to connect the campus more directly to downtown are in progress. There is construction being done to build a promenade that will connect the university’s main entrance at Palmer Hall to Orr Park—“a Cooperative District project that has been primarily funded by the city and the county” and spearheaded by Shelby County Manager Alex Dudchock, The renovations will make it safer and easier for students to reach the Main Street sidewalks, Smith said. The new promenade will provide easier access and more of an incentive for stu-

dents to venture off-campus and into the city of Montevallo. Smith also pointed out that the new promenade will help improve the University’s accessibility for students with disabilities. The improvements will be realized by contributions from the University of Montevallo, Shelby County and from the influx of revenue from the one-cent sales tax, which was enacted by the Montevallo City Council earlier this year. While helping the University to expand, this project will also help the economy of the city of Montevallo and Shelby County, with students being enticed to spend more time and money in downtown shops and restaurants. This partnership gives a new definition to what a college town can be, and will show the unlimited potential of small colleges. “We are very fortunate that the city and the county share our vision of a college town,” Smith said. “Lots of big schools are spending all this money to, in effect, build a downtown, and we’ve got it; we just need to use it.”

University expands campus MONTEVALLO on MAIN

MONTEVALLO, ALABAMA MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012 VOL. 87, ISSUE 1

Starting this semester, University of Montevallo students will have a new option when it comes to purchasing their textbooks. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC, will be taking over the man-agement of Montevallo’s official campus bookstore, a service previously run by Follett Corporation. Barnes & Noble Col-lege, which is a subsidiary of the familiar Barnes & Noble Inc., will offer es-sentially the same ser-vices previously available through the campus book-store, including textbook sales and rentals, school supplies and Montevallo-branded materials unavail-able in the typical Barnes & Noble location, accord-ing to Judith Buckingham, a representative for the company. Buckingham fur-ther stated that the book-store will make a point of stocking every textbook requested by a professor and will offer immediate refunds for any incorrect purchase. As for the financial impact on students, Buck-ingham maintained that, while the retail prices of new products are set by the publishers, Barnes & Noble College offers substantially reduced prices on used and digital texts, up to 50 per-cent and 60 percent off the retail price, respectively. Further, she noted that, “a percentage of the revenue from the campus bookstore goes back directly to the University of Montevallo to support such things as student scholarships, special programs and faculty teaching positions,” a benefit that is unavailable through other retailers.

Barnes & Noble College replaces Follett bookstore

Echizen artists exhibit on campus

At the heart of Montevallo’s fascinat-ing sister-city relationship with the town of Echizen, Japan lies a mutual interest in ceramic art. The relationship started in 1995 when esteemed artist and Echizen native Jeroemon Fujita held a workshop for ceramic students at Montevallo. Fujita was so im-pressed with the students he taught that he even invited a couple of them to come study in Echizen, which led to regular cultural exchanges and deepened ties between the two communities. A touring exhibition hosted by the University of Montevallo’s art department gives students and visitors an opportunity to discover the uniqueness of Echizen and explore this relationship firsthand. The exhibition, titled “Heart of Echizen: Wood Fired Works by Contemporary Echizen Masters” features selected works from 20 Echizen artists. Most of the pieces in the exhibit were fired in an anagama kiln, a Japa-nese style kiln that has existed for thousands

of years and is still valued by today’s artists for the natural glaze and wood ash effects it produces. The nature of the work varies among each artist, as ancestral techniques and traditions blend with contemporary aesthetics. “We are eager to have our Echizen friends here in association with the show. All of these influences will have a chance to be creatively explored further by our students as, later this semester, we will fire our own anagama on cam-pus,” UM ceramics professor Scott Meyer said. The presence of Montevallo’s kiln, affec-tionately named “fat bastard” helps UM stand out from many other American universities. The kiln is fired once or twice per year; each effort lasts 100 hours and consumes about 14 cords of wood. Meyer mentioned the benefits of having an artistic connection with Echizen, explaining, “As massive as the physical and creative demands are in building the kiln, maintaining a productive firing schedule is constant. In fact, I am in touch with some of the Echizen artists represented in the show who have the same kind of issues. It is, there-

fore, vital to the friendship and the spirit of exchange that produced the show at UM, that community members and officials from both countries work with such enthusiasm to bring us together.” This touring exhibition is curated by Chris Kelley and Preston Saunders. Kelley, a gradu-ate of UM and current art department chair at Piedmont College in Georgia, maintains profound connections with both Echizen and Montevallo. An artist demonstration featur-ing guest potter Mitsuo Kasatsuji will be held August 30 and 31. The exhibit will run until September 14 and includes a reception held in Bloch Hall at 5:00 p.m. on August 31.Heart of Echizen: Wood Fired Works by Contemporary Echizen Masters featuring work by 20 ceramic artists from Echizen, JapanExhibition: Monday, August 6 – Friday, September 14, M – F, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.Opening reception: Friday, August 31, 5 – 7 p.m. @The Gallery in Bloch Hall

Insidethis week’s issue

Viewpoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Campus News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Lifestyles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Please recycle this issue

IN BRIEF

UM EXPANDS ITS CAMPUS TO MAIN STREET VIA MDCD PARTNERSHIP

BY SAMUEL PHILLIPS

See BOOKSTORE, Page 4

BY KYLE RICHARDSON

A guest potter from Japan will demon-strate techniques in UM workshops Aug. 30 and 31.

Photos courtesy of University Relations

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CAMPUS MAPSee page 9 color map of campus.

BY PERRIN WINDHAM and SAM PHILLIPS

Four candidates are run-ning in the city of Monte-vallo’s mayoral election to be held on Aug 28.

Dr. Hollie Cost has been a professor at the University for 12 years. She has led more than 20 community projects dur-ing her residency in Mon-tevallo, and she has served as the District 4 represen-tative on the Montevallo City Council for the past two consecutive terms.

Incumbent Mayor Ben McCrory held a senior management position for almost 30 years in the business sector and has served on several boards in Montevallo. He has been prominent in the Montevallo Development Cooperative District.

Dr. David Nichols grew up in Montevallo and attended Montevallo schools, graduating from UM. He assisted in start-ing the first police depart-ment at UM.

Steve Sears was the city’s attorney for 20 years and says that he has been involved in various civic organizations and volunteer positions within the city.

UM student participates in archaeological dig

page 9

Next Issue:

Inside look at

Vallo Opolyon

Sept. 13

Jennifer Corona

PAGE 2 | THE ALABAMIAN MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012

VIEWPOINTS

Interested in writing?photography? graphic design? advertising?

Join a student publication.

Staff positions now open for The Alabamian newspaper,

the Montage yearbookand The Tower arts magazine.

To apply, pick up an application in the University Relations Office

located in Will Lyman House.

On Tuesday, September 18, 2012 there will be a statewide vote on whether or not to pass a consti-tutional amendment that will allow the Alabama legislature to withdraw funds from the State Trust fund and use the money to bolster the declining State General Fund (GF). The GF is comprised of revenue—collected taxes—from over 40 sources, the largest being insurance company premium tax, interest on the Alabama Trust Fund and other state deposits, oil and gas lease and production tax, ciga-rette tax, ad valorem tax and Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board profits. The legislature appropriates (dispenses) monies from the gen-eral fund to over 200 state agencies, and the two most draining are Medicaid and the Dept. of Corrections.

The issue is that if an individual meets a certain criteria then they qualify and the state is obligated to pay for them. The leg-islature has appropriated $600 million in addition to the $5.3 billion ear-marked for Medicaid, and the Dept. of Corrections is getting a total of about $440 million, together making up about half of all GF expenses. For the past three years the mount-ing costs have been offset using federal stimulus money, but soon the stimu-lus will run out. Where will that leave Alabama? Will qualifying individu-als not receive Medicaid? Will prisoners be released? The answer is “no.” The legislature will find other ways to cover the costs. At first Gov. Bentley considered asking leg-islators to un-earmark Education Trust Fund money, which would affect K-12 teachers, public and

private universities and other postsecondary insti-tutions. This plan has been ditched in favor of Senate Bill 147. The main point of the bill calls for a vote to withdraw $437,390,829 from the Alabama State Trust Fund to be dispensed over three years, the same amount that the Educa-tion Trust Fund borrowed in 2009. While the yearly $145,796,943 supports the struggling programs, legislators will be looking for sustainable solutions. Now all of that hinges upon the chance that the vote succeeds. Should this referendum fail, the legis-lature will look for money, and Governor Bentley may again consider asking the legislature to un-earmark Education Trust Fund money. There is no real way to see what the fallout will be if the bill fails. All the more reason for read-ers to get up, go out and vote.

BY KOREY WILSON

GET UP, GO OUT AND VOTE

MCT FORUMBY VICKI ALGER

In late June Congress froze the interest rate on federal-ly subsidized student loans at 3.4 percent for another year. Senate Finance Com-mittee Chairman Max Bau-cus claimed the extension would "make a high-quali-ty education affordable for millions of students across the country."President Obama was more dramatic. "If Congress does not get this done," he warned as Congress con-sidered the rate freeze, "the average student with fed-eral student loans will rack up an additional $1,000 in debt over the coming year ... more than 7 million students will suddenly be hit with the equivalent of a $1,000 tax hike."White House press secre-tary Jay Carney equated the extension with "offer-ing hardworking students a fair shot at an affordable education."In reality, extending the 3.4 percent interest rate for an additional year will save students with federal loans approximately $7 to $10 per month: enough for a couple of burgers with fries. But it will cost taxpayers $6 billion and do virtually nothing to make college more affordable.That's because federal aid has not made college more affordable. There is ample evidence, in fact, that federal "aid" has helped drive up college costs and extending the lower interest rate just kicks the can down the road.The College Cost Reduc-tion and Access Act of 2007 implemented a five-year, incremental reduction in federal student loan rates, with interest rates ranging from 6.8 percent during the 2007-08 academic year to 6.0 percent in 2008-09, 5.6 percent in 2009-10, 4.5 percent in 2010-11, and 3.4 percent in 2011-12.If Congress had failed to freeze the rate at 3.4 percent, none of the exist-ing loans would have been affected. Instead, it would have meant only that future loans _ those taken out after July 1 of this year _ would have closed at 6.8 percent, the rate that existed in 2007.Some 6 million to 7 million out of approximately 19.7 million college students would have been affected.College tuition has been increasing at about twice the general inflation rate for decades. The Ameri-can Institute for Economic Research has calculated the increase from 2000 to 2011 at 112 percent.

Much of the increase in college costs has been due to administrative bloat, overbuilding, the prolifera-tion of special-interest cen-ters on campus, and light faculty teaching loads.One recent analysis by Jay Greene, a professor of education reform at the University of Arkansas, found that the number of college and university ad-ministrators had increased more than twice as much as the number of instructors over a 15-year period. This is significant since dozens of mid-level and senior-level administrative posi-tions command six-figure salaries, compared to the relative handful of faculty positions in that range.Meanwhile, the percent-age of students at public universities receiving their degrees within six years of enrolling as freshmen has remained just below 55 percent for a decade. The percentage graduating in four years has been stuck around 30 percent.Federal subsidies have encouraged this situation. The reason is simple: Col-leges are eligible to receive federal funds regardless of their productivity.College students _ and the taxpayers who often help support them _ deserve real change, not spare change.Rather than tinkering with loan interest rates, policy-makers should focus on key basics.Legislators should demand that taxpayer-subsidized institutions provide accu-rate information, including details about their gradu-ates' success in the job market. We study every-thing else; why not this? Then students could make better-informed decisions about the costs of their degrees and their future job prospects.Policymakers also should require postsecondary institutions to earn their subsidies by implementing "outcomes-based" reforms that provide federal assis-tance based on course and degree completion rates, instead of enrollment.And they should encourage alternatives to the tradition-al four-year college, such as online courses. This would foster meaningful competi-tion for students and intro-duce powerful pressure on existing institutions to be more efficient.Such innovative reforms would do far more than a one-time, one-year interest rate freeze to make _ and keep _ college affordable. ———© 2012 The Independent InstituteDistributed by MCT Information Services

Making college affordable

MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE (MCT)The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune on Thursday, Aug. 9: Like an Olympic gym-nast who attempts the riski-est maneuvers to score maxi-mum points, NASA staged a brilliant engineering feat 154 million miles from Earth early Monday. And the space agency definitely stuck the landing — an elaborate seven-minute sequence that slowed the one-ton space lab Curiosity from 13,000 mph to a soft touchdown on Mars.Most amazing fact: The landing sequence could not be tested from start to finish on this planet because scientists could not simulate all conditions on Mars. So the landing system either had to work the first time, or Curiosity would join the 1999 Mars Polar Lander as an expensive, embarrassing space flop.Crowds in Times Square, some decked out in tinfoil hats and alien-themed T-shirts, cheered the space-craft’s landing. Scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., whooped and hugged. NASA’s website promptly collapsed as space fans tried to get a peek at new Mars photos. And John Holdren, the president’s science adviser, crowed that “if anybody has been harboring doubts about the status of U.S. leadership in space, well, there’s a one-

ton automobile-size piece of American ingenuity, and it’s sitting on the surface of Mars right now.” Point taken, Mr. Holdren. After the mothballing of the uninspiring space shuttle program and the outsourcing of some spacecraft busi-ness to nimbler commercial companies, NASA couldn’t afford a Mars fiasco. The drama of the land-ing, however, now gives way to the tedium of the science. Prepare to wait a couple of weeks while scientists check out Curiosity’s sys-tems. Then more weeks while the rover drives to its target site, Mount Sharp, a taller peak than any in the continental U.S. Scientists think Mount Sharp’s walls were eroded over millions of years by wind or water, and contain the ultimate treasure trove: a record of Mars’ ancient geologic history and evolution.Then ... who knows? Curiosity isn’t the first probe to trundle around on Mars hoping to find proof the Red Planet once was warm and wet enough to sustain life. Its predeces-sors, the rovers Spirit and Opportunity, have sent back evidence strongly suggest-ing that water once flowed and pooled on the planet’s surface. Curiosity, the largest and most advanced machine ever dispatched to another planet, takes the next giant leap: It has lasers that can vaporize rock looking for hints of

past organic life. And it can drill and scoop soil to test for the presence of miner-als and organic chemicals. (And, to dazzle all of us non-scientists, the rover is equipped with cameras to capture sharp, 3-D full-color panoramas and high-def vid-eos of the planet’s surface. Can’t wait to see those!) Water alone isn’t enough to sustain life. Curiosity will now seek to build a picture of “the overall Mars envi-ronment,” NASA program executive David Lavery tells us. “It will not be looking directly for signs of life, but will help us put together the pieces of the puzzle to ask, did Mars ever have an environment that is able to support life as we under-stand it?”That’s a question that intrigues, well, just about everyone. Remember 1996, when NASA scientists stoked a worldwide hullabaloo after they waved photos of a pockmarked, potato-size rock — found on Earth — and declared that they had found circumstantial evidence that life had once existed on Mars? That claim has largely evaporated upon further investigation. Was there — is there — life on Mars? Curiosity, the aptly named probe, should bring us closer to answers.———©2012 Chicago TribuneVisit the Chicago Tribune at www.chicagotribune.com. Distributed by MCT Information Services

Curiosity on Mars: Let the science begin

Entering my sixth year at this fine insti-tution (four of undergrad, one grad) I have come to the realization that while I have seen just about everything there is to see here, there are several questions that I still have about the brick street way of life. That is, there are some things I want answered and things I want to accomplish before I leave; a Montevallo bucket list, if you will.

I’m not saying I’ll be able to answer every question, or accomplish everything I want to, but I figure it would be interesting to present things to you, the reader, as I try to explore all things Montevallo before I’m gone for good.

In the next nine months, I hope to use this space to bring things about this campus, this town and the way of life that defines the Montevallo experience, that might otherwise be overlooked, to light.

I love this campus, this school and these people, and there are some things that need to come to light. I hope to discuss a broad number of topics over the course of this year.

For example, I’d like to answer questions like…well, like these:

1. Why don’t more people read The Alabamian? –I think I may understand this one. I get that newspapers may be old fashioned, and more people tend to want to have their news brought to them digitally, but it bothers me that no one wants to read something written, designed and produced by their peers. You know, kind of like how

people flock to Palmer every February to watch something written, designed and produced by their peers….

2.How on earth does Alfred SEE all those cars illegally parked? –Seriously, Alfred might be the most efficient human being I’ve ever seen. He doesn’t play. If you park in a spot that you aren’t supposed to for more than five seconds, you will have a ticket. There are no if, ands, or butts about it.

3.How have people not learned to NOT park illegally? –Freshman I can excuse, but if this is your third senior year, there’s no reason to park in a spot that you aren’t supposed to. None. Green is if you live in a dor…er, residence hall, and red is if you drive more than five minutes to campus. That simple.

4.Is anyone ready for the new traffic rules? –That’s not rhetorical. I’m confused. I’m scared of sitting for two hours at the new three way stop in front of Napier, waiting on the light that isn’t there to turn green. It could be a while before things catch on.

5.Is anyone else impressed with the improvements on campus? –I, for one, am glad to see things take a step in the modern direction. I may catch flak from the traditionalist students for this, but I could not care less. It’s good to see us go from Alabama’s best kept secret to one of the best up-and-coming colleges in the south. I’m all for keeping traditions, but staying stuck in the past is never a good thing. Don’t believe me? Go compare Napier bathrooms from last year to this year. Eons different and extremely impressive.

-There’s more, but that’s another time and another column. I look forward to our partnership, you and I. Here’s to the start of a great year!

Brick street way of lifeDREW GRANTHUMAlabamian Columnist

Editor-in-Chief Heather BucknerAssistant EditorKyle JonesBusiness Manager Daniel Farris

News Editor Andrew MechumCopy Editor & Columnist Drew Granthum

Photographer Jennifer Corona

Staff writers:Sam PhillipsKorey WilsonKearson RobertsPerrin WindhamSarah Lifer Madison Jones Anleia NanceKathleen Kryger

Contributing writers:Josh Womack Kyle RichardsonMichael Artress

Ad designer:Hannah Stein

Adviser:Tiffany Roskamp-BuntThe Alabamian is published twice monthly. As the campus newspaper of the Univer-sity of Montevallo, this paper dedicates itself to the accurate presentation of the news of the University community, to reporting the news of all seg-ments of that community, stu-dents, faculty, administrators, the board of trustees, alumni, and friends of the University. Further, it serves as a forum of opinion for the exchange of ideas among all its constituent groups. To that end, it operates without undue influence or control by any one of those constituent groups.The opinions expressed on this page are not necessarily those of the university, its officials, its faculty, or the student body.

CONTACT INFORMATION:The AlabamianWill Lyman House Station 6222Montevallo, AL 35115alabamian@montevallo.edu205-665-6222

PAGE 3 | THE ALABAMIAN MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012

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UM art students are al-ready buzzing about Main Street’s newest addition, Falcon Art Supply.

Located next door to The Tavern, the store had its soft opening Saturday during the Montevallo Art-walk from 4 to 8 p.m.

Phil and Suzanne Hurst, who also own Main Street’s Blue Phrog Gallery, de-cided to open the supply store after experiencing firsthand how difficult it is for Montevallo students to find decent art supplies.

“We started talking about it after a lot of stu-dents and artists involved with our gallery would ask about art supplies and

if there was any way they could get them from us.” She continued, “Montevallo has a very strong art department, and there hasn’t ever really been a good place for students to buy their sup-plies locally.”

More than just owners of a busi-ness in town, the Hursts know how frustrating buy-ing supplies can be because their daughter is cur-rently an art minor at the university.

“A lot of students drive all the way to Birmingham for their supplies. That’s

quite a trek for one tube of paint.”

She said Falcon Art Sup-ply will offer almost any kind of paint commodity, and they hope to serve cus-

tomers ranging anywhere from elementary school to professional status.

Hurst says the next step for Falcon Art Supply is a framing department.

Students coming back from summer break will notice a few changes around the small town of Montevallo, one of which is a new restaurant on High-way 25 that offers what they call “a good, Southern home-cooked meal.”

Opened on June 29, Mama’s Kitchen offers food like fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, fried green tomatoes, and even burgers and chili-cheese fries.

The owner, Mari-lyn Cunningham—or “Mama”—is excited about what she has to offer the stu-dents of Montevallo. Having worked as a manager at Walmart and a member of the Marine Corps, she decided in October of 2001 to pursue her passion of cooking. Later, she started working at Steve-O’s, where she got to know

several college students. “Kids love a good home-

cooked meal, I know what you all usually eat. You need some good food,” said Cunningham, laughing. “And I have something for everyone—vegetarian op-tions and some vegan, too. I buy local and the produce is always fresh.”

In September the restaurant’s hours will be extended; instead of open-ing at 6 a.m. it will be open from 4 a.m. til 10 p.m., closing at midnight on Fri-day and Saturday. They are now accepting debit cards and will soon offer Wi-Fi and feature a dessert bar, but most importantly, she said, they plan to deliver to students on campus.

When asked what her plans for the future are, Cunningham replied, “Sometimes I think I want another restaurant, but no. I like the small Southern charm of Montevallo. This is my home.”

Alabaster’s new Steak ‘n Shake opened Thursday at 10 a.m. in Alabaster, just off South Colonial Drive.

The building process took about ten weeks after they broke ground in mid-June.

Though the franchise has locations in Huntsville, Decatur, Prattville and Mobile, this is the Birming-ham metro’s first. Owner Clarence “Brother” Moss assured customers it would not be the last.

“We plan to open four more after this, from Tuscaloosa to Anniston and Birmingham,” said Moss, who said their next restaurant will open in the Hoover Galleria area.

“On our way to the beach a few years ago, we stopped in Prattville to eat and noticed that people were standing in line an hour and a half to order steak burgers. We thought there might be something to that,” said Moss.

When asked how his restaurant would benefit

the area, Moss replied, “We offer meals for cheaper than most other fast food places in the area, and a lot of part time jobs will be available. We’ve already hired several Monte-vallo students.”

Moss said he hopes his restaurant will be open 24/7 by Christmas.

NEW ART SUPPLY STORE COMING SOON BY HEATHER BUCKNEREditor-in-Chief

NEW RESTAURANT PLANS DELIVERY TO CAMPUSBY HEATHER BUCKNEREditor-in-Chief

STEAK ‘N SHAKE OPENS IN ALABASTERBY HEATHER BUCKNEREditor-in-Chief

drink

RESTAURANT IS FIRST OF MANY TO OPEN IN THE BIRMINGHAM METRO AREA.

Heather Buckner

Jennifer Corona

Jennifer Corona

PAGE 4 | THE ALABAMIAN MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012

ON CAMPUS Student workers, Buck-ingham says, will continue to be employed by the bookstore, as at all Barnes & Noble College locations. The store’s location will remain in Farmer Hall. Buckingham characterized Barnes & Noble College locations as, “destination spots, enhancing student’s’ social and academic lives.” A press release from the University regarding the change further touts increased social relevance for the bookstore through integration of social networking and “author tours, book fairs, readings, in-store giveaways, etc.” Like Buckingham, though, the University emphasizes ease of access for students, noting the new book-store’s compatibility with financial aid, as well as a “seamless textbook rental and purchase process.” Both the University and the Barnes & Noble

College company have emphasized a simple transition for students. Online textbook purchas-ing has already been set up through the University website in preparation for the upcoming semester.For students, the key concern is likely to be the availability of the supplies they need for their classes. Because of this, the litmus test for the new bookstore will be its ability to pro-vide quality service in the opening days and weeks of the semester. To this end, the University has focused on the convenience of the changeover, noting in its press release that, “the Barnes & Noble team has handled countless book-store transitions using pro-cesses and procedures that work effectively in making the change as painless as possible without undue interruptions for students and faculty.”This focus on profes-sionalism and quality will come as a relief to stu-

dents looking for a quick and easy textbook buying experience. In the long run, though, Buckingham emphasizes the Barnes & Noble College company’s commitment to establish-ing a more substantial presence on campus, one that will, “deliver students and faculty an unmatched retail and digital learn-ing experience driven by innovation, deep student and faculty insights and advanced technologies.” However, both the Univer-sity and Barnes & Noble College reassure students that, regardless of positive changes to come, their first priority is making sure that students have ac-cess to what they need.For the first week of classes, Monday–Friday, the store will remain open until 6 p.m. each evening. After that, they will re-sume regular hours, which are Monday–Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Satur-day 8 a.m. to noon.

BOOKSTORE:

Dr. Suzanne Ozment has been named Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Montevallo. She comes to UM from the University of South Caro-lina Aiken where she has served as Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Professor of English for the past 10 years. She began her duties at Montevallo July 1. She holds a Ph.D. in Victorian literature from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a master’s and bach-elor’s degrees in Eng-lish from East Carolina

University. Prior to her service at USC Aiken, Ozment was named Dean of Undergrad-uate Studies at The Citadel in 1997 after serving as a member of the English faculty for 14 years. She began her academic career as an assistant professor of English at Lenoir-Rhyne College in 1977. An advocate for pro-grams focusing on com-munity service as well as academic success for all students and particularly among first-year students, Ozment also has instituted a number of initiatives to improve faculty opportuni-ties and awards. She has been an active member of reaccreditation teams for the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools since 1985. In announcing Oz-ment’s selection, UM president Dr. John W.

Stewart III said, “Dr. Oz-ment’s career accomplish-ments are impressive. She has been heavily involved in the review of general education requirements, the establishment of new degree programs and the implementation of aca-demic quality and support resource programs for students. I eagerly antici-pate the level of leadership that Dr. Ozment will bring to the University.” Ozment replaced Dr. Terry Roberson, previous Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Montevallo. Roberson stepped down from that position in Janu-ary to return to teaching in UM’s College of Educa-tion. Dr. Mary Beth Arm-strong, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, has served as interim VPAA since that time.

Three students have been selected to partici-pate in the 2012 Leading Edge Institute (LEI), a leadership development program designed specifi-cally for Alabama college women. Tavi Juarez of Hel-ena, Madeline Mechum of Hoover and Rachel Swokowski of Enterprise attended the Summer Institute held recently at Judson College in Marion. They were joined by

Jenny Bell, director of student life at UM. Dr. Steven Parker, as-sociate professor of sociol-ogy at Montevallo, served as a faculty member for LEI’s Summer Institute, presenting on gender inequality issues. Dr. Laurel Hitchcock, assistant professor of social work and director of the social work program at UM, has worked with the Montevallo students to provide course credit on women and leadership. At LEI, students from

all over Alabama come together to engage in mentoring relationships and leadership skill build-ing within the context of major issues facing Ala-bama. The program uses a service-learning-based curriculum rooted in the social change model of leadership development. The three-phase program begins with the intensive week-long Sum-mer Institute followed by a fall leadership action proj-ect and ends with Winter Summit and graduation.

STUDENTS SELECTED TO LEADERSHIP PROGRAMCourtesy of University Relations

Jenny Bell accompanies UM students Madeline Mechum, Rachel Swokowski and Tavi Juarez to a leadership conference held at Judson College.

Photo courtesy of University Relations

After a UM student was assaulted walking back to his dorm last April, the University has taken ad-ditional measures to ensure the safety of the students. University of Montevallo Police Chief, Chadd Adams, says that there will be many new additions to the safety system at the university. One of the new additions to the school’s security is the Virtual Alabama program. This program has the capability to display a three-dimensional image of the buildings around campus. Adams said, “with the implementation of Virtual Alabama on campus, we will be the first University in the United States that has taken a program to such a level.” According to the Virtual Alabama website at rems.ed.gov this program allows

the first responders the ability to assess the situation to the best of their ability. One of the best parts of the program is that it is free to the school. As far as the physical protection on campus, there are ten employed officers, and, at any given time, there are at least two on duty. Po-lice Chief Adams said there are no plans to hire more officers unless the growth of the school calls for it. But, in case of an im-mediate emergency the first thing to do if you are outside is find a blue light. There are six blue lights around cam-pus with three more in the school’s plans. When the red button is pushed on the light a police officer is automati-cally dispatched to the area, on the phone, and the police station can also see the area from a nearby camera. Along with the blue lights

there are 32 other emergency call boxes in dorms or eleva-tors on campus. In addition to the blue light system and new Virtual Alabama program, Adams says there are several simple precautions students can take to stay safe:• Always be aware of your surroundings. Avoid being distracted by looking for car keys or texting.• Walk in well-lit areas and never alone. Students can call for a police escort around campus at any time. Ultimately, Adams as-sures students, the Univer-sity of Montevallo is a very safe campus. The up-to-date crime statistics on the school website are very low, the UM police maintain a healthy relationship with the city police, often working to-gether and with Montevallo being such a small school, anyone is willing to help.

UMPD implements Virtual Alabama programBY SARAH LIFER

PROVOST TAKES POST

Courtesy of University Relations

Editor: Heather Buckner • Alabamian@montevallo.eduAssistant Editor: Kyle Jones • kjones21@forum.montevallo.edu

is now accepting applications and articles.

Jennifer Corona

PAGE 5 | THE ALABAMIAN MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012

SPORTSSEPTEMBER

Sports CalendarSeptember1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 1918 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

August 31Men’s Soccer @ Eckerd 6:00 PMUM Cross Country Early Bird Classic7:00 PM

Women’s Volleyball @ St. Leo1:00 PM

Men’s Soccer at Tampa 10:00 AMWomen’s Soccer at West Ga. 12:00 PM

Women’s Volleyball at West Ga.6:00 PM

Men’s Soccer at West Ala. 7:00 PM

Women’s Soccer vs. Aub.-Montgomery7:00 PM

UM Cross Country at Fleet Feet SportsEarl Jacoby Memorial 9:45 a.m.

Men’s Soccer vs. Ala.-Huntsville7:30 PM

UM Cross Country Falcon Classic8:45 a.m.

BOOKSTORE

• Shop in-store or online at montevallo.bncollege.com• Lowest price guarantee on new and used books from local competitors when you purchase in store. See a bookseller for details.

textbooks, save over 50%

75 College Drive, Montevallo, AL 35115 p: 205-665-6575 /MontevalloBookstore

PAGE 7 | THE ALABAMIAN MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012

GREEK LIFE

If you’ve walked outside your dormitory since you’ve moved in, the notion of going Greek has prob-ably come up. There are three types of people when it comes to this topic, the ones who will always join, the maybe joiners and the no-way-in-hell-guys. I my-self was at one time includ-ed in the latter category. Most of the information we get about college and Greek life comes from the movies, media or that one guy who graduated before you who says his frat is awesome… like you don’t even know…it’s the coolest! With that amount of misinformation and the general puffery and boastfulness that is frater-nity recruitment, I wish there was someone to clear a few things up. That’s why I’m here; these are the five things you need to know before going Greek.

1. This isn’t Division 1. As you will learn, Mon-tevallo has a special way of doing things, and that goes for just about every-thing. The Greek system here is small, there are no wild parties, you can’t get away with anything just because you’re Greek and

just because you align your-self with one organization doesn’t mean you can’t have friends outside it. The plus side to our small system is that it allows you to actu-ally connect with a group of brothers on a much greater level than if you were at a school with a hundred man strong chapter. It also cre-ates a platform to be greatly involved in your commu-nity and on campus because no matter what fraternity you join, someone knows someone somewhere.

2. HazingFor most, this is the

number one concern when it comes to joining a fraternity, this being enforced by the movies and media. Hazing is illegal in the state of Alabama and against the University of Montevallo’s policy. I would be a liar if I told you that fraternities do not haze their new members, and I would once again be lying if I told you that it doesn’t happen here. As recent as the spring 2012 a frater-nity was removed from the University for hazing. For some, the possibility of this is accepted, for others the mere possibility is a com-plete turn off. The question you must ask yourself is, does this group of men I am

interested in joining really have my best interest in mind?

3. Who Are You?It would be too easy to

place stereotypes on each of the fraternities on cam-pus. In reality, the men who make up these fraternities are all very unique. What makes them the same is that they all decided to better themselves and their community by joining fraternal organizations. My best advice is figure out who you are and become a better version of it. Really take the time to find the group that best reflects yourself, ask yourself if these are the type of people you want representing you and if this is a place where you can retain your identity and flourish.

4. Well, what happens after bid day?

If your time as a new member was easy then everyone would do it. If you do not have at least part of your week to devote to your fraternity and its duties and responsibilities then reconsider joining. No one likes a flakey friend, and the same goes for active brothers and new members. Many fraternities require members to keep above a 2.0, though some require

even higher. The aver-age dues per semester are around $400 but could be more depending on whether you live in fraternity hous-ing. Associate membership or pledgeship also requires time for meetings, activi-ties, intramural games and general fellowship and brotherhood. The load may seem daunting but it gets easier from there. The time and experiences that come from it prepare you for the future and create lasting friendships. But remember, you get what you put into it.

5. Really, what else do you have going on?

Joining or even just rush-ing is a great way to get out and meet people. You have no obligation to join just because you went through rush. If you do decide to join, there is no greater way to get involved then through a Greek organization. The Greek men and women on campus are leaders in their departments, other organi-zations and even on the field of their respective sports. These organizations become your family away from home, a support system and a network to a future job or opportunity. But let’s not forget one major perk, almost instant social access to the fairer gender.

Many Greek women live by the mantra, “From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it.” The Greek experience has both universal and individual aspects, and this is part of its charm; this is also the reason why some-times it is difficult to fully explicate the intricacies of Greek life, especially the female Greek experience. All National Panhellenic Conference sororities are built upon a foundation of sisterhood, philanthropy and support for the col-lege years and beyond; a lifetime of sisterhood is a hallmark of being in a sorority.

But how can you know which sorority is right for you?

How can you know if Greek life is right for you?

At the University of Montevallo, the best way to get to know people on campus is to go through Formal Recruitment. If you are interested in being involved on campus, hav-

ing good grades, having fun and being philan-thropic, Greek life is for you. There are five (of twenty six) NPC sorori-ties on this campus: Alpha Delta Pi (ADPi), Alpha Gamma Delta (Alpha Gam), Chi Omega (Chi O), Delta Gamma (Dee Gee) and Phi Mu (Phi Mu). By far the best way to join one of these organizations is to sign up for Formal Recruitment, which is a mutual selection process in which you have the opportunity of meeting each sorority at least twice before narrowing your selection down. It sounds intimidating, but there are a few tips that could save you from embarrassment or blunders. Here you can find some of the best advice around.

Keep an open mind. If you do nothing else, do this.

Anxiety and nervous-ness is normal. Relax. Freaking yourself out will do no good.

College is a time where you can be the person that you always wanted to be, right? Wrong. This is the time to be the you that

you’ve always wanted to be. Don’t create a person-ality for yourself that may wither in a few weeks. Be you.

Smile. It’s any woman’s best accessory.

Don’t be afraid to talk, even about yourself. We’re trying to get to know you just as you are trying to get to know us. That having been said, we don’t want to listen to you go on and on about how wonderful you are. Humility, too, can be impressive.

Do not show up look-ing like you just rolled out of bed. No one will take you seriously. Take a shower, brush your hair and apply any make-up that you are comfortable wearing.

Do not talk about your significant other. It’s superfluous. Although that person may have been in-fluential in your life, we’re trying to get to know you,

not them.Do your research.

It’s easy to get confused when all five groups share similar colors and Greek letters. The mascots/sym-bols are the easiest way of differentiating between them.

Alpha Delta Pi – LionsAlpha Gamma Delta –

SquirrelsChi Omega – OwlsDelta Gamma – AnchorsPhi Mu – LadybugsBe prepared to talk

about what you want out of the Greek experience. Be prepared to talk about why you want to be in a soror-ity. Honestly, if you are in it for the wrong reasons, the experience won’t mean as much. I promise.

Enjoy it—life is an adventure, and so is the college experience. Why not have sisters there to enjoy it with you?

THE FRESHMAN’S GUIDE TO FRATSFIRST-HAND ACCOUNT FROM A VETERAN FRATERNITY MEMBERBY KYLE JONESAssistant Editor

DOS AND DON’TS OF SORORITY RECRUITMENTANONYMOUS SENIOR GREEK WOMAN

Last initiates, new founders

On May 3, 2012, Mon-tevallo’s Pi Kappa Alpha chapter, Beta Theta, silenced their charter after 38 years on the campus. The fraternity is made up of seven members that hope in the future they will be able to regain their affilia-tion on campus. However, the previous pledge classes left a large debt, of about $10,000, that has left current members in a difficult place to come back from.After meeting with ten alumni a few months before the chapter officially went silent, the current members had two choices: give up completely or start over from scratch. Two alumni that were present during that meeting were members of the founding Pi Kappa Alpha chapter here at Montevallo, one of which was Jim Meth-vin, who is now president of the University of Montevallo National Alumni Associa-tion. Methvin was not only part of the founding members of Pi Kappa Alpha, but also part of the colony that even-tually became the Interfrater-nity Council (IFC). Another alumni that was present at the meeting is Daniel McBrayer, member of the 2003 pledge class. McBrayer, a 2008 gradu-ate from the University of Montevallo, started on the Alumni Advisory Board in November of 2011. When asked about the current state of Pike, he replied, “These are grim circumstances, but I have

hope for the future. It’s not all these boys fault.” Andrew Fancher, Pi Kappa Alpha President 2010 is proud of the progress his chapter has already made.“Even though we have gone silent as a chapter, the brotherhood is probably stronger than it has been for many years,” said Fancher. “We hope to reestablish our charter quickly.” The Pi Kappa Alphas that are still attending the Uni-versity will continue to work to get their chapter back. They have planned to revert back to the colony status that the fraternity held before it was founded in 1974. The Meisters, as they will now be known, will be able to accept new members and collect dues, but they will not be recognized by the IFC. The colony may or may not have better luck raising money than before. “We have no house and low numbers as it is. Gaining more members and paying off our debt will be difficult,” said Hunter Hanson member of the 2010-2011 pledge class. Despite the circumstances, members maintain that they are ready to do what they can to re-build and revamp the Theta Beta chapter. John Engle, member of the 2011-2012 pledge class, is looking forward to what this means for the Pikes.“We are the last initiates, and we could be the new founders. We can do any-thing we want with this—it’s our chance to start over.”

BY JENNIFER CORONA

SGA and Student Life introduces the AIM Incentives Program AIM stands for Active In Montevallo. This year when you attend designated AIM events, you can get your AIM card punched and earn prizes. AIM cards are available in the Stu-dent Life Office. When you obtain 15 punches on your card, you can trade it in for a prize at the Student Life Office. 1st Card = stainless water bottle2nd Card = Montevallo folding chair with cup holders3rd Card = Sweatshirt blanket

For every card you fill up after your third card, your name will be entered in a drawing for larger prizes. This drawing will be held at the end of the school year.

Check your e-mail each week for a list of that week’s AIM events.

MikeChampion

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Mchampion@homeland-computers.com

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628 Main StreetMontevallo, AL 35115

Phone 205.665.0035Fax 205.665.0034

Delta Chi Nationals dismiss local chapter

In a recent interview with The Alabamian, Justin Sherman, director of fraternity growth and ad-vancement with Delta Chi Fraternity, Inc., commented on the loss of the University of Montevallo’s chapter.

“The chapter was closed in January of this year for not living up to the expectations we have of our fraternity. There are expectations to meet for national headquarters,” he explained, “and the group wasn’t meeting a lot of those expectations. After years of working with the group, our organization decided that it was in our best interest to not have an organization at this moment in Montevallo.”

When asked about the rumors of the chapter clos-ing due to hazing, Sherman answered, “There were some incidents that could be constituted as hazing, and that was part of it—financially, not meeting our standards, all that compiled together led to our decision.”

Sherman looks forward to a better relationship with the university in the future, but said that it will be some time before Delta Chi returns.

“The closure is perma-nent, but we would like to return at some point in the future,” said Sherman. “If we were to return, we would completely start from scratch and recruit completely different men. We would have no affilia-tion with that group at any point in the future.”

Sherman further com-mented on the possibility of the men starting a new organization on campus, “That group has no affilia-tion with Delta Chi. What-ever that group decides to do is not supported by Delta Chi Fraternity.”

“Let students and administration know that particular group has no affiliation with us,” he continued.

“We’ve wiped our hands clean of the group.”

Former Delta Chis were contacted but had no com-ment on the loss of their chapter or the possibility of a new one, however, Brian Hayes, a member of the alumni board and an alum-nus of UM, had this to say: “We are dedicated both to the University of Monteval-lo and the re-establishment of our chapter. We feel a strong bond with both entities and look forward to working with the Univer-sity in the future.”

BY HEATHER BUCKNEREditor-in-Chief

PAGE 8 | THE ALABAMIAN MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012

LIFESTYLES

GIANTS AND TOYS DISPLAY TALENT

Having arrived early to see Giants and Toys play in Birmingham, I had the opportunity to witness the effect that five energetic, down-to-earth guys from Montevallo could have on the sports bar aura of the lower area of Zydeco. The room went from an Olym-pics viewing party with about eight people sitting at the bar, to a room filled with people of all ages tap-ping, clapping and singing along. The presence that Giants and Toys brought to the room not only attracted people all the way from Montevallo to the Down-town Birmingham area, but also brought out some un-familiar faces which could not help smiling as the guys made their way through the two hour set. Watching the men of Giants and Toys display their talents is such a joy, because it is so clear that they are in their element on stage. Lead singer and songwriter Mike Messina shows his robust enthusiasm for performance through his facial expressions, which vary from nirvana to laughter, and puts his un-conventional though pleas-ant vocal talents to work. Chris Estes demonstrates great consistency and skill as Giants and Toys’ percussionist; he deftly drives each song forward, bringing multiple genres

and outside influences into one power-packed band. The only thing that screams “rock star” louder than Jack Kish’s red sports coat, bow tie and matching red Converse sneakers are his animated and uninhibited dance moves; Jack profi-ciently covers the guitar, keys, backup vocals and even accordion for Giants and Toys. James Vance, too, brings a celebrity-like aban-don once he hits the stage; his contributions as bassist and guitarist are impressive, but his inclusion of brass instruments bring a truly unique texture to the group. Bringing some sweet tam-bourine-to-hip action, John Nicholson also contributes to the impulsive feel of Giants and Toys with his dynamic work as guitarist, back up vocalist and keyboardist. Together, the five guys make up an exuberant and one-of-a-kind musical experience, with a little something for everyone. The excitement of watching such a cohe-sive group of men work together so unexpectedly well is difficult to capture in writing. There is a hint of abandon in that the men are relaxed and consistently appearing to have a great time, but the level of talent and precision is present so that their live music is very approachable for people with differing music tastes. Most every song is dance-able, upbeat and catchy.

“The Clap” allows for audience involvement, even if the audience has never seen the band play before. During the song “Eileen,” many audience members of the audience began lean-ing from side to side as Mike crooned the chorus. Each song brings a new feeling into the room and a new sound to the stage. The choreography while Mike, John, James and Jack are switching instruments keeps the audience guessing as to what random instru-ment will be brought on stage next. They changed instruments between nearly every song; this aspect serves to showcase the var-ied talents of these young University of Montevallo students and alumni. With so much talent on one stage, most of the audience could not contain their fandom. Giants and Toys, who have been creating music since 2008, are becoming more and more frequently asked to play in Birming-ham bars such as Zydeco and Speakeasy. On Sep-tember 28, Giants and Toys will play at Zydeco again, where they will be opening for The Whigs. The men are also awaiting the release of their new EP The Strand, but all of the songs can currently be streamed on the band’s website, www.giantsandtoys.com. Giants and Toys are also playing live on Southbound Internet Radio September 9.

BY MADISON JONES

For moviegoers, this summer has been rather uneventful. With, of course, the triad of superhero blockbuster films hitting the screens early, the summer has been up for the grabs for a fresh, imaginative film to take everyone by surprise, especially in the comedy genre. The movie industry was so kind to as grace us with cinematic disasters “The Dictator” and “That’s My Boy.” And “Ted” unfortunately was unimpressive. Where is the film that will fly under the radar and charm audiences with its comedic genius, much like “The Hangover” a few summers ago? By the trailers alone, I expected “The Campaign” to be that dark horse this summer. I was wrong.

When longtime unop-posed congressmen Cam Brady (Will Ferrell), makes a huge political blunder, two local business tycoons (Dan Akroyd and John Lithgow) take the opportu-nity to gain control of his North Carolina district by funding their own candidate to rival Cam. Their man is Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), the local Tourism Center director. Marty seems to be the most unlikely of candidates, but with a ruthless campaign manager, powerful family connections and a series of satirical political stunts, Marty and Cam eventually become neck in neck as election day closes in.

For me, the incentive to go see this movie was the hope that Zach Galifianakis and Will Ferrell would be battling their wits out in a nonstop laugh-out-loud-fest. Casting two of the biggest names in comedy could have been the smartest thing director Jay Roach did. Galifianakis and Fer-rell were cast perfectly into their normal character types. Marty Huggins is a socially awkward, bum-bling man-child, while Cam Brady is an idiotic, short-tempered, raunchy politician; roles I have seen Galifianakis and Ferrell play numerous times before. Galifianakis was very fun-ny playing his famous alter ego “Seth Galifianakis” through Marty Huggins’ character. His flamboyant, southern accent absolutely had me laughing hysteri-cally, which was, unfortu-nately, the only time I ever did. Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow’s performances as the Motch brothers fell flat. Their one-liners did not live up to their standard of comedy that they became famous for. Also, Jason Sudeikis confused me as a Keifer Sutherland look-a-like but provided a much-needed foil for Ferrell.

The plot was so very bland and cliché that I half-mindedly paid attention to it while waiting for the funny parts to be delivered. When those funny moments were delivered (and they weren’t very often) the plot became too serious too fast, espe-

cially in the final act. The comedy was lacking as the story tried to wrap up loose ends, which is something I have come to loathe of Hol-lywood movies. However, I did appreciate how relevant the movie was, being that this year is election year, as everyone should know. The movie was an interesting political satire but it was too raunchy for my tastes. Mo-ments of revenge between Cam and Marty are almost too distasteful and Ferrell’s character has the mouth of a sailor. The funniest moment in the entire film was the dinner scene where Marty asks his family to make confessions about the most sinful things they have done. But most of this scene is given away in the trailers that were released months before. In fact, the best

moments of this film are shown in the trailers, which doesn’t leave much surprise and expectation for viewers.

Overall, The Cam-paign was disappointing. Although the cast was the best fit for this movie, it wasn’t enough to carry the plot or even provide enough laughs for my money. The raunchiness of the film was too much for even my tastes, and I’m pretty toler-ant of distasteful films. If you’re expecting another “Hangover” you’ll be disap-pointed. For comedies this summer, “The Campaign” does not get my vote.

OVERALL: 5.7 (based on scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest)

VERDICT: Dollar theatre

The Campaign lacks laughsMOVIE REVIEW

BY MICHAEL ARTRESS

We’re your one-stop shop pharmacy.

3990 Hwy. 25Montevallo, AL 35115

205.665.1261

to UM students with this couponnot valid on prescriptions and sale items

20% off

photo developing, snack & candyhealth & beauty aids

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MUSIC REVIEW

There is a restaurant that lies on the edge of Main Street Montevallo. Placed in front of the train tracks that run through the outskirts of town is a cultural staple of the dining scene, located in a small strip inhabited by Dominoes and an empty Cash Barn is the infamous China Garden. Out of season and outlandish decorations of Christmas lights and dinosaur motifs plaster the wall. A young Asian boy, who I have affectionately dubbed Pit Boss, mans the cash register, his mother directs you to your table, this is not up for discussion.

The menu is filled with food typical of any Chi-nese or Taiwanese restaurant, but what you come for is convenience, the convenience of piling as much food as you can onto your plate from the buffet. The buffet is filled with classic oriental cuisine, a tray of fried rice, Mongolian beef, spicy chicken, General Tso’s, and red meat on a stick, when questioned as to what this mystery meat was, a prompt and stern reply of “chicken!” was received. The stomach and willpower can only manage about two and a half plates, what I’m assuming is the fault of MSG. Though, like I said before, China Garden is not about quality, its about quantity and convenience. For someone on a college budget and someone who en-gages in late night college social activities this is a cash saver and Sunday morning savior, just make sure you ar-rive after the church crowd to avoid condemning looks.

Prices for the buffet range from $6.25 for lunch and $7.50 for dinner. China Garden is located at 108 Selma Rd. and is open Tuesday through Sunday 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.

The Alabamian gives this Chinese buffet two out of five feathers.

China GardenLow on quality, high on quantity and convenience

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Photo courtesy of Alicia Russell

Jennifer Corona

MCT

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UM Police

3-D Building 12Anagama Kiln 51Anna Irvin Dining Hall 18Bearden House 62Bibb Graves Hall 5Bloch Hall 1Brooke Hall 28Calkins Hall 2Calkins House 43Carmichael Library 3Central Utilities Plant 34Child Study Center 11

Comer Hall 4Davis Hall 29Farmer Hall 17Flowerhill 39Global and Community Outreach Building 81Hanson Hall 19Harman Hall 6Hill House 7Jeter Hall 8John W. Stewart Student Retreat Center 50King House 35Lund Hall 27

Main Hall 23Mass Communication Building 98Robert M. McChesneyStudent Activity Center 61Meroney House 105Morgan Hall 30Myrick Hall 10Napier Hall 21New Residence Hall 101Palmer Hall 13Peck Hall 56Peterson Hall 26Peterson House 41Physical Plant 57

Puryear House 70Ramsay Hall 24Reynolds Hall 15Saylor House 68Scene Shop 33Sharpe House 110Sims House 42The Tower 46Traffic Education Center 32Tutwiler Hall 20Van Tuyll House 65Wallace Speech & Hearing Center 31Will Lyman House 36Wills Hall 16

Campus Building Bldg. #

PAGE 9 | THE ALABAMIAN MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2012

FEATURESDigging in Greece

Two weeks in Greece provides ample time to visit the cradle of western civilization. The Parthenon in Athens, the Oracle at Delphi, and the stadium at Olympia are among the most iconic sites in the world, and when in conjunction with current attractions of beaches and cuisine, Greece provides an enjoyable tourist experi-ence. However, my first trip

to Greece was filled with manual labor and daily exhaus-tion. Like tourism, archaeological digs provide an oppor-tunity for interna-tional participation in Greek culture. I participated in a dig hosted by Dr. Dora Katsonopoulou, di-rector of the Helike Society. Helike is the ancient capital of the Achaian country,

previously thought to be submerged. Over twenty years of Dr. Katsonopou-lou’s excavations preceded this year’s volunteering opportunity, and I was joined by volunteers from the US, Ireland, Great Brit-ain, Spain, Australia, and Hungary. We all partici-pated in the first two weeks of the 2012 dig season, and our work consisted of

cleaning dig sites of the annual silt and vegetation which accumulates between each digging period. The main site contains a large Hellenistic dye-works building in which textiles were produced, dyed, and sold. During our time there, Dr. Katsonopoulou opened another trench in a separate location where we located a three-thousand-year-old Mycenaean wall. My summer trip was not what I expected my first trip to Greece to be. The days were blazing hot, the work was physically demanding, and our village in Nikolaiika was not at all a typical tourist destina-tion. Without a doubt, our volunteers were the only foreigners. Along with my immersion in Greek culture, I met wonderful people from all over the world, and I learned as much about the culture of

Spain and Ireland as I did about Greece. Despite the financial and physical de-mands of volunteering for an excavation dig, my ex-perience was wholesome; I helped myself to relaxation

on the Corinthian Gulf while sacrificing two weeks to contribute to the field of history. I experienced a foreign country without paying a tour guide. And most importantly, the cour-

age to circumvent a typical journey to Greece enabled me to develop international friendships and self-real-izations which will last a lifetime.

JOSH WOMACK DESCRIBES ARCHAEOLOGICAL ADVENTURE

Last Sunday night, August 19, UM students, alum, faculty and staff had a party to raise money for a good cause. That night nearly $400 was raised for local artist, Andy Cum-mings.

Cummings is a carpen-ter known around Mon-tevallo for his sculptures outside Eclipse and El Agave. Cummings says he has always done carpen-try work, building with salvaged trees and using what would normally be disposed of to make some-thing new.

It all started, he recount-ed, with an encounter he had with an elderly woman back in 2004, when he’d been volunteering with the Red Cross after Ivan.

“We’d been clearing roads and trying to make the area accessible. One day we were working we met a woman whose tree had fallen in the storm. She was just really upset. Then she told us she had planted that tree when her daughter was born, and it had grown as her daughter had. She was just heart-broken. Her daughter was dying of cancer.”

That’s when Cummings decided to salvage what was left of her tree the only way he knew how.

“I had never tried it, but I’d seen it done before. I couldn’t stand to see her lose something that was so important to her.”

That night Cummings went back to the tree and, with some flashlights and a chainsaw, he carved her an angel.

Cummings recalled, “She was so happy to have something she could keep. I thought she was never going to stop crying.”

Carving is something he has loved doing ever since that day, which is why those who know him were so upset when his chainsaws were stolen around the first of August.

“What he does is important to the city of Montevallo,” said Court-ney Bennett, an English and sociology double major who graduated from the university in Decem-ber. Which is why she and longtime friend Aaron Traywick knew they had to do something to help.

“I called it the Chain-saw Benefit Bash,” contin-ued Bennett. “We just had a party, invited our friends and asked that each person

donate $5 to $10 for the cause. We ended up raising almost $400 in one night.”

According to Bennett, about 40 people showed up to their creative fundraiser, including students, alumni, faculty and staff and many others who had volun-teered with Cummings.

“This story is really about how Montevallo is, how we’ve all come together,” said Cummings. “This town has a way of taking care of its own.”

“But,” Cummings con-tinued, “there are a lot of special people in this town. I’m not alone.”

Soon after his equip-ment was stolen, Cheryl and Michael Patton, the owners of Eclipse, called Cummings over to their house for a favor.

“I walked in and she told me to turn around

and look on the couch, and there was a chainsaw sitting there,” said Cum-mings. “I thought I was going to cry.”

“You give to the com-munity not expecting anything in return and when something like this happens, it lets you know that people appreciate what you do.”

Now that Cummings has his chainsaws back, his next big project will be for Children’s Harbor, a non-profit that serves children with long-term serious ill-nesses and their families.

Cummings is looking forward to continuing to serve the community with his unique talents. As he put it, “The saws will go on to do more good stuff.”

UM COMMUNITY RAISES FUNDS FOR LOCAL ARTISTBY HEATHER BUCKNEREditor-in-Chief

Heather Buckner

Photo courtesy of Josh Womack

Photo courtesy of Josh Womack

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