November 2012

November Event Highl ights

www.benttreenews.org

C L A Y T O N S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y ’ S S T U D E N T N E W S P A P E R

BENT TREEthe NOVEMBER

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Author VisitsCSU

Saturday-10CSTV-LOCH Film Festival

SAC8:00-5:00 PM

Thursday-15English Department

Visiting Writer’s Reading SeriesThe Writer’s Studio

Arts & Science RM G22411:30 AM

Monday-12Remeberance Day National Roll

CallEugene Lawson Amphithater

9:00-5:00 PM

Friday-16Campus Life

Sleep-Out For The HomelessSAC Green

8:00 PM-8:00 AM

Thursday-29Loch-In Institute Reception

SAC Ballroom C6:30-8:30 PM

Thursday-15International Feast

SAC Ballroom6:30-8:30 PM

By Katlheen ComoStaff Writer

Kathleen Ossip was the first poet in our Visiting Writers Reading Series on Thursday, September 27th. The reading was organized by Dr. Brigitte Byrd and Dr. Bar-bara Goodman.

I was in bewildered amazement as I listened to my first reading by an accomplished poet. Her voice was smooth and lyrical. She was very pretty with an air of big city professionalism, yet she was as friendly as the girl next door.

Kathleen Ossip is the author of The Cold War, which was named one of Publishers Weekly’s 100 best books of 2011. This is Kathleen’s current book of po-ems. Other books by Kathleen Ossip are The Search Engine and Cinephrastics. Her poems have appeared in many maga-zines. She teaches at the New School in New York and online for The Poetry School in London. Kathleen Ossip has many accom-plishments and we thank her for taking time out to show us the beauty in her words.

Health Awareness FairTamika Galanis/Staff

Diversity Conference Pg 4

Jennifer May/www.kathleenossip.com

Laker Hall Council Pg 3

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Editors

Editor-in-ChiEf

Tamika Galanis

AssignmEnts Editor

BrEtt hArrison

Photo Editor

ChAmy tEP

ContriButors to this Edition

Kathleen ComoAtira Lee

Brooke SmithKatika Eccleston

Phala HerronDanielle Fetiere

Erin Nagel

fACulty AdvisorDr. Randy Clark

[email protected]

studEnt mEdiA AdvisorJennifer DeMond

[email protected]

BENT TREEthe

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Men’s Soccer submitted by Atira Lee- Nice Persepective!

Submit your photos for consideration to [email protected]

BENT TREEthe

is

RECRUITING-reporters

-graphic designers-photographers

email: [email protected]


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NewsNovember 2012

Laker Hall Council By Katika EcclestonStaff

You may have seen members of the newly established Laker Hall Council all around campus this year. This is the first year for the new freshmen representation and earlier this year there was an election where these representatives were chosen.

The Laker Hall Council consists of President Joel Hankins, Vice President Desiree Barrow, Secretary Khorgian King, Treasurer Aaliyah Adams, and Mr. and Ms. Laker Hall Sadiqua Powers and Brandon Slayman. When asked what the purpose of the Laker Hall Council is, the president, Mr. Hankins, answered “To represent the student resident body at Laker Hall, to ensure that all student’s living experience at Laker Hall is a comfortable, safe and satisfying one.” This answer was straight out of their constitution. His obligations include presiding over the Laker Hall Council board, acting as a spokesperson for RHS (resident housing assistant) with university administrators and or officials; he is also the official spokesperson for the Laker Hall Council. The duties of the Vice President are to perform the actions of the President in his absence. The Vice President also takes over if the President resigns and oversees programing ef-forts. The secretary keeps a permanent record of all council proceedings including meeting minutes, attendance, and re-spondents. The Treasurer is responsible for keeping accurate financial records. Mr. and Ms. Laker Hall create and imple-ment programs to support the male and female population in Laker Hall.

The Laker Hall Council wishes to acknowledge itself as a new organization looking for ways to better represent the students in Laker Hall, while maintaining a great rapport with the administrators, and also making sure that the residents are pleased with their representation. In the meetings the LHC discusses problems, issues concerning residents, programs we have to make living on campus enjoyable, fundraising, and they are currently looking for a way to make homecoming more enjoyable for more students.

Members of the Laker Hall Council at recent meeting.

Senator TalkBy Brett HarrisonStaff

Clayton State senator Matthew Bailey sits down with the Bent Tree to discuss the role of stu-dent government.

Every two weeks, the student-elected senators convene to discuss upcoming events, track progress on previously discussed issues and bring to the floor any newly recognized concerns. True to the democratic process, all decisions are made by a two-

thirds majority vote to ensure representation from a diverse student body. To take on responsibility as a senator at CSU, Bailey cites willingness to make a difference and critical thinking as essential requirements.

“My goal as a senator is to put the control of student organizations, events, and funding back with the students.”

One of the ways Student Government Association (SGA) is becoming more involved with organizations is through the new Laker Grants program. Instead of submitting requests for event funding through the administration, organizations can now sub-mit requests for a Laker Grant directly to SGA and hopefully receive funding within four weeks. This shorter turn-around time for receiving funds means more time for event preparation and less energy spent on financial worries. With less red tape to go through, student leaders are better able to focus on student recruitment for events and member-ship. Inclusiveness is an important factor for building a cam-pus-wide identity, a goal CSU student organizations support. In order to determine which event or organization receives fund-ing, SGA looks for the benefits of the Clayton State community as a whole.

Another issue SGA and organizations across campus seem to be facing is student participation. Bailey responds, “SGA is here to help students; that’s what we do. We encourage student involvement by providing a comment box that is checked on a regular basis. The official SGA office, also lo-cated in the Student Activity Center (SAC) is always occupied by someone willing to listen.”

The student-to-senator relationship is not one-sided, however. If anyone on campus has ideas for improvement, remember that change begins with desire to change. Allow today be the day for desire to become action and consequently, reality.

Matthew Bailey, sophmore senator

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NewsNovember 2012

Campus Life’s Diversity and Multicultural ConferenceBy Phala HerronContributor

The diversity conference was both monumental and life changing in many ways for myself as well as many who were in attendance. Keynote speaker, Judge Glenda A. Hatchett did an excellent job of opening the all-day event with her address to the many students from across the state, and in some cases, the country.

She shared many personal encounters with diversity, detailing how they helped her mature and grow more confident in who she is. Judge Hatchett shared that one such instance was while visiting Tanzania she was asked by an African where she was originally from. She underwent genetic testing and discovered that her ancestors were from Nigeria, and she was then able to fill a void within her-self and begin to accept and embrace others for who they are.

A notable highlight included Judge Hatchett explaining the difference between tolerance and acceptance. This was eye-opening to many of the listeners as she resolved that to tolerate is to “deal with” someone rather than to accept and befriend those who are different from you. She shared a personal account of befriending her rich, white, homosexual college roommate as a lesson of accep-tance vs. tolerance of those from whom we differ. I do agree that there is no justifiable reason for mistreatment of individuals purely on the basis of their sexual orientation.

My overall take-away is that the idea is to celebrate who we are and to help others preserve their own identity rather than forcing them to strip themselves of it for the sake of conformity. Judge Hatchett shared that it is the “richness of our differences,” that we should focus in on, as well as how we should be “reaching for common ground”. Another idea mentioned is that we should never al-low anyone else to tell us who we are or who and what we can be in life.

Judge Hatchett concluded her keynote address stating that, “It is our responsibility to encourage servant leaders.” She went on to ex-plain that in order to be a good leader you must be able to serve all of the people, and be willing to serve the community for what it is, in all of its diversity.

Students involved in Diversity Conference Activities (Top and Bottom)

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NewsNovember 2012

CSU’s Presidential Cabinet Holds Student ForumBy Brooke Lee SmithStaff

On October 5, 2012 the President of Clayton State University (CSU) Dr. Hynes and his cabinet members (Dr. Brian Haynes, Corlis Cummings and Dr. Mark Dadonna) gathered with students to discuss and address concerns that the student body may have in re-gards to anything from safety to transcripts. The Forum lasted about an hour and had a fair turnout of students. Many, if not all, of the Student Government Association (SGA) representatives and executives were present.

One of the biggest concerns was addressed by our public safety director, Chief Hamil. There have been several car thefts recently and as a result Chief Hamil explained that there have been more cameras and phone towers installed in the student parking lots. He also mentioned that the number of officers has been increased and that our alert system is tested periodically in the event that there is something of importance that needs to be indicated to faculty, staff and students. Chief Hamil also encouraged students to use camera phones to document incidences of interest when possible. This could help tremendously with solving crimes and catching culprits. He encourages students to never be afraid to call the campus police if you ever feel threatened on campus because they are here to help us.

Another topic that was addressed was the of transferring credits to and from CSU. If you are a transfer student and you feel as though credits should have transferred and did not, contact your department chairperson. CSU will also be offering credit by exams soon; these are exams will be given for certain subjects allowing you to receive credit without taking the course. This will be very helpful for skills and knowledge that you may have learned on job sites or on a subject that you already have knowledge on.

All in all it was a very informative meeting. If you have any concerns make sure to attend the next Forum or one of our Student Government Association open meetings.

University Health Services: Health Awareness FairBy Tamika GalanisStaff

On October 25, 2012 University Health Services held their health awareness fair. Vendors and students flooded the Main Street of the Baker University Center to participate in an informational and practical exchange of knowledge on health awareness. In attendance were representatives from massage, dental and mental health institutes as well as other professional health organizations. The fair was not confined to the UC as there were a number of locations across campus that were set up for food, music, testing and demonstrations from the Public Safety Department.

One of the major focuses of the event was HIV/AIDS awareness. Free testing was made available to CSU stu-dents by community volunteers who set up three stations for testing in the university clinic, Laker Hall and Clayton Station. The featured speaker, Mr. Reggie Smith, shared a very personal account of his twenty-five year experience of living with HIV and AIDS. Mr. Smith, a former addict, shared his story of survival and encouragement with students while stressing the importance of safe sex and or abstinence as

a means of prevention and the fact that communicating with your partner and testing are paramount. As HIV activists, he and his wife, Dionne Smith, founded the organization RISE4WAR. WAR is an acronym for Wellness, Awareness, and Recovery, which are the organization’s areas of focus in the community as a whole.

I particularly appreciated this area of focus because the rising number of HIV/AIDS cases in our communities should be an area of concern for everyone including students. In their continued efforts to increase awareness, University Health Services offers free HIV testing at no cost once per semester to current students. Testing is available by appointment.For more information on getting involved with RISE4WAR please visit: www.reggiesmith770.com.

Reggie Smith shares his story of survival with students and staff.

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CampusNovember 2012

CSU Library: Ask Bruce the Library GooseDear Bruce,

I am so frustrated! I worked really hard on my last research paper and my professor marked off a whole letter grade because I didn’t use “scholarly” resources. Do you have any idea what she is talking about? Is she crazy? Am I? I got all of my sources either in the library or by starting at the library website. Doesn’t that automatically make them “scholarly”? Should I challenge my grade?

Signed,Madder than a wet hen

Dear Hen,I’m assuming your signature refers to landfowl since I, a waterfowl, routinely find my feathers soaked and rather enjoy it. Either way, you must have been honking mad after putting in so much effort and not receiving the grade you thought you deserved. Luckily, you chose the right goose to help you with your dilemma.

When your professor told you to use scholarly resources, she was referring to articles in a specific type of journal. Scholarly journals are periodicals with information written by experts in a particular field. The articles often report original research or provide in-depth analysis of a subject and are intended for academic or scholarly use. In addition to “scholarly”, these periodicals are often called academic, peer-reviewed, or refereed journals. Articles published in peer-reviewed or refereed journals are subjected to a rigorous process of review by other experts in the field. These experts review the article and determine if it is of sufficient quality and is relevant to scholarship in the field. So, the article is written by an expert and then reviewed by a gaggle of other experts. Because of this, you can rely on these “scholarly” resources to be more accurate than something published in a popular magazine like Wildfowl or a newspaper like The Goose Creek Gazette.

But, just because you needed scholarly sources for this one assignment doesn’t mean that they are the only sources you will ever use as a student here. Because of this, the CSU library provides access to all kinds of periodical resources including popular magazines, newspapers, and trade publications.

It’s not too difficult to tell whether an article is from a scholarly journal; you just have to know where to look. First, consider the length of the article. Scholarly ones are usually longer. Next, look at the authors. If there are 2 or more au-thors, the article might be scholarly. There should also be indicators of who the authors are and whether or not they are experts. Lastly, look at the end of the article to see if there are any references. Scholarly articles usually have a lot of ref-erences at the end. You may also see some charts and graphs, but you won’t see any flashy advertisements. When you’re searching in a library database, look for a checkbox that says scholarly, peer-reviewed, academic, etc. Checking that box will limit your results to only scholarly articles.

So you see, your professor isn’t crazy, at least not for this, and neither are you, at least not for this. A grade challenge would probably be unsuccessful, but you might ask for the opportunity to rewrite your paper using some more scholarly resources. Then, go see a CSU librarian for help finding them.

Do you have a question for Bruce the Library Goose? Let him know at http://clayton.libguides.com/AskBruce

The Student’s New Source for Clayton State University:www.benttreenews.org

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CampusNovember 2012

CSU Library: In The KnowBy Erin NagelCSU Librarian

It’s that time of year again. The temperature is dropping. The leaves are changing color. The days are getting shorter. Your instructors are assigning research papers…

OK, that last part might not be as much fun as the oth-ers, but it doesn’t have to be scary. Last month, I told you about the CSU Library’s online research guides called Lib-Guides (clayton.libguides.com), which contain tips and sug-gestions for getting started on research for a particular major, course, or special topic. This month, I want to intro-duce you to an even more powerful resource: CSU Refer-ence Librarians!

That’s right. Not only do we “shush!” loud talkers and clear out paper jams, we are also here to help you at any stage of the research process. All of the CSU Librarians have graduate degrees in the field of Library Science. Therefore, we are uniquely qualified to help you choose the best types of resources, access those resources, and determine if they are right for you. Just last month, CSU librarians had close to 30 research consultations with students. Some of these consultations were one-on-one meetings where librarian and student worked together to find the best resources for a paper. Others were group brainstorming sessions facilitated by a librarian where students helped each other develop and refine research topics. Often, students will walk in with creative ideas but need help framing and refining their top-ics. They walk out with more focused topics and the search-ing skills needed to find books, articles, and quality online resources.

Sometimes, you don’t need a full consultation but just need some help using a particular resource or getting your hands on a specific item. This is why you will almost always find a librarian waiting for you at the reference desk in the library. Recently, a student came in needing help with his works cited page. Resources on the Internet weren’t specific enough, so he and the librarian worked together using a library-owned style guide. The librarian also showed him how to use GALILEO to find missing information for some incom-plete citations.

Of course, not everyone has the time or ability to make it to the physical library every time s/he has a question. For this we offer reference services online and via phone. If you have a quick question and need an answer right away, you can find us through online chat, over the phone, or even text message. These options are great when you have a question like how to access GALILEO or if the library owns a particular resource. However, we can only answer these questions during regular operating hours. If you have a

more involved question, or if the library is closed, you can send us an email with your question and we’ll answer it when we get back in the office.

So, if you don’t know where to start, or if you get stuck at any point in the process, know that you are not alone. WE are here for YOU and we WANT to help.

For emails and appointments, go to: www.clayton.edu/aska-librarianTo chat with us online: http://www.clayton.edu/library/askali-brarian/zoho Phone (voice): 678-466-4346Text: 678-845-8398Access any of these on your smartphone by scanning the provided QR Code.

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CampusOctober 2012

Power House M.O.D.E.L.S. Fashion Show By Danielle FetiereStaff

The lighting, music choice, timing, and most importantly the designs are just a few outer components that create a successful fashion showcase. While sitting in the audience observing and judging one couldn’t imagine all the hard work th-being done backstage and hours before the show began. Walking around behind the scenes of Clayton State University’s own fashion show, everyone is focused on their role whether it’s a model or make-up artist, no one is just sitting around. Victoria Raby was the brain behind this production; hours before the show hair, makeup, and last minute practicing is occurring. Victoria Raby made sure everything that needs to be done is taken care of.

Not only does the clothing on the model have to grab the attention of the crowd but also hair and makeup. Makeup art-ist Shay explains her main look, a smokey purple eye heavy on the outside. Throughout the showcase there were many different performances to keep the audience entertained. The two hosts Kare Gilbert and Steven “Stevo” Dingle kept the audience involved in the show with their enthusiasm and humor. There were performances by Nova, Cash the Great, Lissen, Young Bow, and many more. The fashion show started with a swimwear line and The Lost Generation, The Golden Age, Dirty Diana, Generation X, and New millennium where names of the clothing lines that were showcased by Power House M.O.D.E.L.S.’ Designer Ashia Spencer. Spencer explained that her main inspiration for her fashion line was tribal, which was very well expressed.

“I was nervous but also excited” said Model Madeline Payne while she talks about her feelings on the show. It was a won-derful turnout for Clayton State University. The students enjoyed it and it was a good way to get our mind off school for a second and have a little fun.

“I enjoyed all the different styles and my favorite part was when the goup Lissen performed. Overall it was a great show in my opinion” said audience member Darnique Coleman,“Everyone’s hard work paid off.”

Models walking the runway being cheered on by spectators.

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CampusOctober 2012

Athlete Spotlight: #22 Nikola GazibaraBy Danielle FetiereStaff

“Teamwork is the ability to work as a group toward a common vision, even if that vision becomes extremely blurry.” The Clayton State University’s Men’s soccer team may sometimes feel as if they are slipping away from victory, however they do not give up, they fight until the end. Constantly talking to each other throughout the games, there is never a dull moment. On October 3, 2012 a home game against Tusculum Clayton State ended in victory. “We had good defense and we stopped their attacks,” said player number 22, Nikola Gazibara from Belgrade Serbia, as he explained their goals for the season. One of the most important factors for the team right now is to get to know each other more since they are a young team. He said, “A team goal for the season would be to win the NCAA championship.”

When asked about the game against Tusculum, Gazibara said “The first half we could have played better, but we didn’t play our best game. The second half got a lot better.” They started off rough as well during the Saturday October 20th game they played against USC Aiken, but came out on top in the last few minutes of the second half with a score of 0-1. “We did well in our defense and mid-field, we didn’t have as much turnovers as we usually do. We also had a lot of movement without the ball,” said defender Gazibara after the game. He was smiling and very energetic while he interacted with family and friends as they crowded him with applause on a well-played game. When asked how he was feeling Gazibara replied, “So great and confident.” which was obvious from the atmosphere. Our Clayton State University Men’s soccer team always puts their all in each and every game. We are expecting an interesting game to end the season with a bang!

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OpinionOctober 2012

Fall FashionBy Brooke LeeStaff

Are your finger nails feeling a little left out? Looking a little, blah? They are in luck, and so are you! There are a few new nail trends that will have your cuticles saying ooh la la, this fall. Metallic or mirrored, patterns and French mani-cures with a twist are what’s in. On the runway golden me-tallic or mirrored nail polish was used by designers such as Alexandre Herchcovitch, funky patterns like swirls and polka dots of all sorts were featured in Harper’s Bazaar, and ev-ery color or fabric was used to bring the usage of the posh French manicure up to date. This look was flashing all over the runways. I love, love, love the French manicure paired with lace. Lace is placed where the white would classically be placed. It’s classic, feminine, and yet a bit edgy. Don’t let your finger nails feel neglected this season. Remember, they are just as important as that new handbag. Show them off!

Music ReviewBy Tamika GalanisStaff

The Hip Hop charts were set ablaze with the October 2012 release of Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore album, good kid, m.A.A.d. city. The album which is in intended to be a “short film” is an autobiographical account of Lamar’s story set in his Compton neighborhood. In an industry flooded with “luxury rap” this is indeed a refreshing departure. Kendrick’s writing and masterful wordplay do indeed take the listener on a journey with him- an experience akin to watching a film.

The track “m.A.A.D city” features MC Eiht (of Compton’s Most Wanted) while “Poetic Justice” incorporates a sample of Janet Jackson’s “Anytime, Anyplace”.

As a whole, I would estimate that this project is the front-runner for a host of music awards in 2012 beating out some very strong, veteran artists competition (but that’s just my humble opinion).

Men’s Fall FashionBy Brett HarrisonStaff

Skinny Jeans:Ditch the baggy, skater-boy look; fitted + sleek is in.Whether super skin-tight or slim-straight is your fit, skinny jeans are a fall essential. A wide array of colors is available for the ever-changing spirit, something to go with every flavor. Balance is key, however to maintain the good kind of head-turns. Bold color on bottom calls for a neutral, less loud upper body. For a safe alternative, try a dark-wash denim with oatmeal-colored sweater.

Spikes/studs:Spikes and studs are edgy, sexy, and rebellious. They can serve as bold men’s accessories, adding confidence and intrigue to a number of looks. A budget-conscious student can customize an existing piece of wardrobe using studsandspikes.com. Look to Christian Louboutin shoes or Burberry gloves for inspiration.

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OpinionOctober 2012

Q: “I am a girl in a relationship with a younger guy. Often, when there is a disagreement between us, we brush it off as petty but his Facebook and Twitter activity suggests it bothers him more than he lets on. While he doesn’t use names, I feel like he’s putting me on blast because everyone knows we’re together. Is this just an age thing or does this deserve a second look?”

A: Dear Girl, from a girl’s point of view I must say that this activity in which he is partaking is very childish. Business that occurs between the two of you should be kept as such, unless you are okay with his behavior. Since you are not then you need to inform him of your disapproval immediately. Do not tolerate the behavior, just calmly bring it up to him and explain why you want this to stop. Put-ting personal business out on social network sites is highly immature and embarrassing. Do look at the fact that he is younger and decide whether age plays into his behav-ior. After you discuss the problem with him wait and see if it reoccurs. If it does and it continues to bother you, you always have the option to leave the relationship.

Sincerely, Kaylin Love.

Email your questions to [email protected].

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November 2012