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By Emily BrownStaff Writer

As use of social media has increased over the years, the way that people interact with one another has been affected. One of the more recent forms of communication is Snapchat, where one can create snap streaks with friends, meaning that two people have kept daily communication for a number of consecutive days.

This concept of a streak has had an unintended effect on relationships. The snap streak has provided motivation for friends to keep in contact with one another. Seeing a number grow larger day-by-day causes the need and want to see that number continue to grow.

For senior Brooke Austin, keeping up her current 63-day snap streak with her long-distance boyfriend provides a way to see a glimpse of his day even though she isn’t with him.

“We’re both in school so it’s hard to constantly text throughout the day,” Austin said. “But getting a Snapchat from him midday while he’s out at the store or something makes me want to text him and ask questions about his day.”

Snapchat has provided a way to seemingly stay

in touch with friends and family despite not being with them physically. Junior Sarah Robinson, who holds a 125-day long snap streak, uses Snapchat to stay close with her family and boyfriend who are all far from her because it allows her to feel as she is with them.

“I think Snapchat helps relationships, especially with people that I don’t see every day,” Robinson said. “Even though my cousin is in a different country, my dad is in a different state and my boyfriend is in a different city, I still feel close to them because getting those pictures daily makes me feel like I’m with them.

“I think if I didn’t have Snapchat it would have an effect on my relationship with my family… I wouldn’t feel as close to them,” Robinson said.

However, not everyone views Snapchat so positively. While people may see snap streaks as a motivation to keep up relationships, some see it as more of an obligation to maintain that little number.

Junior Sara Brown currently has a 142-day streak, but admits that sometimes she only keeps in touch out of an obligation

SOCIAL, Page 2

By Andrea NelsonStaff Writer

The beginning of a semester brings in a lot of new experiences. New classes, new students, new schedules and even new faculty. With the recent retirement of Fine Arts Associate Dean John Goodall, the College of Fine Arts has embraced a new shift in faculty. Professor Scott Shattuck, previously the director of the School of Theatre, has stepped into Goodall’s place as of the beginning of the fall semester.

Shattuck, a longtime member of the School of Theatre Faculty, served as director for the School of Theatre for nine years before deciding that it was time for a change. Shattuck had also been serving in various positions such as chair in the Chair Forums, and treasurer of the national Association for Theatre in Higher Education. Shattuck has also recently gotten involved with the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

“It just started to feel like I was ready to take on a broader view of things” said Shattuck, in light of how broad his experience with educational theatre had become.

A few months after applying for the position, Shattuck went through the process of interviewing with Dean of Fine Arts Buddy Himes and was subsequently offered the position as associate dean. After an announcement at

the majors/minors meeting for the School of Theatre, Shattuck moved into a new office just down the hall from the one he’d called home for nearly a decade.

With this new position, Shattuck hopes to make a positive impact on the Fine Arts students. Focusing on student success, he’ll be working with the College of Fine Arts faculty and academic advisers to make sure student careers are smooth sailing for those studying the fine arts. He has also been a part of the team that implemented SFA’s new online-advising platform.

With the position of associate dean also comes the title Director of the University Series, which brings professional performances of all sorts to SFA.

“These shows are meant to be shared by the university and Nacogdoches communities, and one of my goals is to attract more students to our outstanding arts events by comminicat-

SHATTUCK, Page 2

By Parastoo NikraveshNews Editor

The Tobacco- and Vape-Free Policy went into effect at SFA on Aug. 22 following the recommendation of the Employee Wellness Advisory Board comprising faculty and students.

SGA and the Faculty Senate created the policy to improve campus health and qualify for additional grant funding. University President Dr. Baker Pattillo delegated the task of outlining the policy to the Employee Wellness Advisory Board, according to Jessica Waguespack, SFA employee wellness coordinator and Employee Wellness Advisory Board member.

“We wanted to protect the health of the students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus,” SGA President Jessica Taylor said. “The [previous] 20-foot rule [you must be at least 20 feet away from a building to use tobacco] was not being followed around dorms, the student center and other areas around campus. The fact is that smoke affects the health of everyone in the vicinity, not just the individual who is smoking. Ultimately, we wanted to make SFA a healthier place.”

The policy states that cigarettes,

cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, vaporizers, vape pens, hookahs, blunts, pipes, snuff and any other tobacco or vape-related products are banned on SFA campus or any property owned by SFA.

Campus reaction is mixed, as some now face the challenge of quitting the products altogether or leaving campus to use tobacco.

“In life, there are always things that you don’t agree with, but I don’t think it’s the responsibility of other people to tell adults how they should be able to live,” SFA student Azune Achmad said. “As a student here for years, people have always been very respectful in regards to smoking. Never have I seen anyone disrespecting another student by smoking too close to them.”

SFA has provided free Quit Kits containing educational information and tools to quit using tobacco. These are available at Human Resources in the Austin Building, Campus Recreation in the administration offices, the Health Clinic and counseling services.

“We had some grant money [Peers against Tobacco Grant] that we put forth into purchasing the supplies that went into these Quit Kits,”

Waguespack said. “The Quit Kits are available to students, faculty and staff [part time and full time]. It is completely anonymous to pick them up whenever you want. We asked around to find out what helped prior tobacco users quit, and so we took that into our research into what to put in the kits.”

According to Waguespack, there is no rule that students and faculty must quit, only that they hope this will motivate them to do so while making the campus healthier for everyone.

“I’ve had quite a few tobacco users come up to me and tell me that it was the kick in the butt they needed to quit using,” Waguespack said. “It makes it less convenient than just going right outside the building or residence hall to light up a cigarette or chew tobacco.

“We got a lot of feedback from students with asthma and faculty with asthma. This policy was great for them, too, because some of them had strong symptoms from cigarettes, that even just walking behind someone that was smoking was difficult for them.”

TOBACCO, Page 2

Tobacco- and vape-free policy now in effect on SFA campus

Photo by Jacy Watson/ The Pine Log

Each year, Jack Camp gives new SFA students the chance to meet new friends and learn more about life at SFA. Two three-day sessions were held in August in Trinity, Texas. Students were split into groups, called tribes, and participated in team-building exercises, group discussions and sports. See more photos from Jack Camp on Page 2.

New associate deanof fine arts named

Courtsey Photo

Scott Shattuck, previous director of the SFA School of Theatre, has been appointed associate dean of the College of Fine Arts.

“We wanted to protect the health of the students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus. The 20-foot rule was not being followed around dorms, the student center and other areas around campus. The fact is that smoke affects the health of everyone in the vicinity, not just the individual who is smoking. Ultimately, we wanted to make SFA a healthier place.”

-Jessica Taylor, SGA president

Social media impacts personal relationships

Jack Camp helps welcome new students to SFA family

Photo Illustration by Audra Bridges/ The Pine Log

SFA’s Tobacco- and Vape-Free Policy went into effect Aug. 22. The policy states that cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, vaporizers, vape pens, hookahs, blunts, pipes and any other tabacco-related products are banned on campus.

CMYK

Page 2

News @thepinelog

The Pine Log 2016

By Brielle ThomasContributing Writer

SFA Panhellenic sororities held the Women’s Panhellenic recruitment for Fall 2016 Aug. 27-30.

“Recruitment is a very busy time for sororities,” said Caroline Leslie, president of Alpha Chi Omega. “We usually start preparing a week before move-in day, and we call this Work Week. Every member is required to be at the house at 8 a.m. every day of work week, and we are there for the whole day decorating and preparing for recruitment.”

In order to be eligible to participate in recruitment, students had to be enrolled for a minimum of 12 hours at SFA.

Students with 11 or fewer credit hours had to have a 2.5 or higher school GPA while students with 12 or more college credit hours had to have a 2.5 cumulative GPA.

“Usually when going through recruitment, we like to look for girls who have a good GPA,” Taylor Potter, member of Chi Omega, said. “And we like to look for genuine, kindhearted girls that have a special heart for our philanthropy, Make-A-Wish, and that we feel can help grow our chapter in a positive way.”

Recruitment was a lengthy four-day process that consisted of various activities and different dress codes for each potential new member, or PNM.

“One day is Philanthropy Day, which is

all about Make-A-Wish,” Potter said. “One day is showing the girls coming through all about our sisterhood and the last night is our pref [preference] night, and we really just show why we love Chi Omega so much and what makes us Chi Omega.”

The last day of recruitment is called Bid Day. According to Bailey Crow, member of Alpha Chi Omega, all potential new members get together, sit on their bid cards [informing them of what sorority they’ve been chosen by] and then open them at the same time.

“Everyone just freaks out and screams and hugs people they don’t even know,” Crow said.

According to Crow, these girls became a part of something bigger than themselves, a group that they call their friends or a family away from their family at home.

“When you join a sorority, you gain over 100 sisters,” Potter said. “There is bound to be someone in the sorority that has the same major as you, so you have a study buddy. You gain this sorority for a lifetime. You honestly find your lifelong best friend.”

Orlando said joining a sorority gave her “a sense of community and acceptance,” helped her build relationships with women of all types and allowed her to be who she is. Crow said that joining a sorority always gives her something to get involved in.

“Joining a sorority has made my college experience so much fun,” Potter said. “Plus, I will never run out of t-shirts.”

From Page 1

As for punishments for breaking the policy, SFA has found in other universities that it would be unnecessary. The campus will currently use other methods to maintain the policy.

“As a university, we have a culture of living by the SFA Way of respect, responsibility, caring, unity and integrity,” Taylor said. “So this initiative was planned to be led by the students, faculty and staff to hold others accountable in non-confrontational ways. If there is a blatant disregard for the policies of the university, there is the possibility of fines and punishments being implemented.”

However, some students find this will not stop their tobacco habits in their personal time.

“I grew up with it,” SFA student Brett Smith said. “My dad dipped, his dad dipped, so it’s kind of around my household. Everyone has their little addictions and things they have to do. Mine makes me focus more. I mean some people take medicine or use energy drinks, but I just use dip.”

Now that SFA is a tobacco-free campus, it will be eligible to receive funds from the

Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, as explained in the policy. Some students feel this is why the policy was established.

“I don’t agree with the new policy,” Achmad said. “I know it was done strictly for funding reasons from the state, not for student health. I think that as an adult, you should be able to have the choice of what to do with your body. I think there should be designated areas for people who would like to smoke between classes.”

In response to that, Taylor explains that students are welcome to speak to SGA about concerns or opinions.

SGA holds meetings Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. in the Commons room of the Baker Pattillo Student Center and are available in their offices throughout the day.

“It was not about potential funding,” Taylor said. “It was about health. We now have a chance to be competitive for grants that can help cancer research, employees are saving money on their insurance because we are smoke-free, and we have a healthier campus. Funding may come and go, but the fact remains that this initiative has made our campus a better place.”

From Page 1

ing more effectively through student organiza-tions and so forth” said Shattuck of his hopes for the series. “I’ll be looking for a wide variety of performances that truly rock in ways that will appeal to audiences of all ages regardless of what they study or do for a living.”

The University Series will offer students the ability to experience different kinds of performances throughout the year, bringing in examples of professional dance, theatre and other art forms that are meant to inspire students and show them ways they can implement what they are studying once they get out into the professional world.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge of working with student leaders to help me schedule University Series acts that will re-ally excite SFA students, and working with student journalists and opinion leaders to let everyone know how much fun they re-ally will have if they join us for the shows” Shattuck said. “After all, Beyoncé and Drake and Chris Evans are performing artists. It’s

not just cellos and ballet and Dame Judi Dench.”

Beyond the University Series, Shattuck has high hopes for increasing student suc-cess and the quality of experience with SFA’s College of Fine Arts, including helping stu-dents take advantage of SFA’s supportive programs such as the AARC, Counseling and Disability Services, and other helpful programs around campus.

“Shattuck was my academic adviser and went above and beyond in that respect to ensure my academic success both in the classroom and in various productions” said theatre student and current vice president of Alpha Psi Omega, Tanner O’Neal, in support of Shattuck’s dedication to student success. “I think Professor Shattuck’s promotion is well-earned, and a new vision for the University Series and expanding leadership will serve both our school and out community well.”

Shattuck added, “If I can play a role in making this a more vibrant campus and help more fine arts majors graduate, those will be great rewards in this job.”

From Page 1

to not lose the streak.“There are a lot of people, I think, who keep up a

snap streak because you don’t want to be the person responsible for breaking the streak, because then you’ll feel bad,” Brown said.

Brown said that while sending pictures is a form of communication, it’s not always a great way to stay in touch.

Often, people send quick pictures of their face or random

objects with no context, and there is no real depth to their communication.

“We just send pictures of our faces to each other and don’t use words, so it’s not really communicating,” Brown said.

Regardless of the reasoning behind a person’s snap streak, the underlying point is that Snapchat, like many other forms of social media, has affected the way people interact with one another.

Snapchat relies primarily on images, as does Instagram. Twitter only allows posts of up to 140 characters, meaning

people may not be capable of fully explaining their thoughts.

Vine only provides six seconds of video footage, and countless other apps provide limited platforms to interact with friends and family.

With the growth of technology, social media is sure to grow as well, meaning that there will soon be a new and different way that people continue relationships with one another.

“It’s definitely interesting to see how our generation interacts over social media,” Austin said.

Shattuck: New dean named

Social: Snapchat takes the distance out of long-distance relationships

Tobacco: New policy makes SFA campus tobacco-free

Panhellenic sororities welcome new members

Photo by Hannah Russell/ The Pine Log

Panhellenic recruitment for Fall 2016 was held Aug. 27-30 and consisted of various activities for members and potential new members. On the last day of recruitment, potential new members gather together, sit on their bid cards and open them at the same time. “Everyone just freaks out and screams and hugs people they don’t even know,” Alpha Chi Omega member Bailey Crow said.

Students show Lumberjack Pride at Jack Camp 2016, one of the many student engagement programs offered at SFA. A three-day orientation, Jack Camp lets students learn about life at their new university. New students got the opportunity to participate in different team-building exercises while meeting other classmates at the camp held in Trinity, Texas.

Photos by Jacy Watson/ The Pine Log

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By Michael HerringtonCopy Editor

Those who criticize Amy Schumer’s comedy for focusing too much on her sex-ual escapades, observations, preferences, etc. will be surprised to find that most of her new book, “The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo,” is a sweet family memoir. Sure, there’s still a lot of raunch to go around, but the best passages here deal with her sister, father and mother. Fans of last year’s film “Trainwreck,” starring and written by Schumer, are most likely aware of its semi-autobiographical nature, but many of its scenes may as well have been straight out of her biopic.

The most noteworthy quality of Schumer’s writing is her constant self-reflection. Simply relaying a funny story from her past isn’t enough: nearly every chapter is capped by a paragraph or two explaining how this particular bit of her life shaped her into who she is today. Unfortunately, this settles most the book into a predictable pattern: topic introduc-tion, humorous reminiscence, summary with closing thoughts, repeat. The book resides in a strange middle ground be-tween memoir and essay collection: too

fragmented to be the former, yet a bit too cohesive to be the latter.

Awkward as the construction may be, Schumer excels at giving a well-rounded, complete picture of who she is and how she got there: how volunteering at a spe-cial needs camp as a teenager helped her gain confidence and shed her insecuri-ties, how witnessing her father’s physi-cal deterioration from multiple sclerosis helped her acquire a defense mechanism against pain and sadness (“I look at the saddest things in life and laugh at how awful they are, because they are hilarious and it’s all we can do with moments that are painful,” Schumer writes. “My dad is the same way. He’s always laughed at the things that are too dark for other people to laugh at.”), how frustratingly difficult it can be to recognize when you’re in an abusive relationship, let alone escape (the chapter “The Worst Night of My Life” is legitimately terrifying).

Funny and touching in equal doses, “The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo” does away with the notion that Amy Schumer is simply another sex comic. If you enjoy seeing her on a TV screen or in a theater, you’re sure to like her on the written page.

September

2016

Sept. 9- U.S. Air Force Band of the West: Freedom Brass

Sept. 9- A Reading of A.R. Gurneys “Love Letters”

Sept. 15- Julian Sands: A Celebration of Harold Pinter

Sept. 22- Pi Kappa Lambda Faculty Showcase Sept. 23-24 - Props Sept. 25- Winners Circle 2016 Spotlight on the Arts

Sept. 27- Christina Guenther and Ron Petti, faculty flute and piano recital

Sept. 29- Julee Kim Walker and Alejandro Montiel, guest flute and guitar recital

Sept. 29- Hachidori Duo, faculty string recital

Review: Schumer surprises audience with family-friendly book

By Nadia OulahnaEntertainment Editor

he SFA School of Music will host the U.S. Air Force Band of the West on Friday, Sept. 9, at the Ed and Gwen Cole Concert Hall. he performance by the quintet will start at 6 p.m., and admission is free.

he Band of the West is stationed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

“It is our mission and our goal with this tour to honor our veterans, inspire the young people who are the future of this country, and to connect the American people with representatives of the Excellence in their Air Force,” Operations Representative Amy Cox said.

he Air Force performance is an opportunity to kick of the concerts that are yet to come. here will be a series of upcoming concerts with a broad variety of music, including pop and jazz, performed at high professional levels.

“It’s standard procedure for these military groups to go around and tour, and it’s part of their mission to get military music out to the public,” Dr. Charles Gavin said.

he performers at these concerts are passionate about what they do. his band is solely brass instruments, and the adrenaline rush from performing has been a strong desire they have had their whole lives.

“I have a picture from when I was 2 years old of me holding a conducting baton… I’ve always had a passion for music,” Major David A. Alpar, Commander, USAF Band of the

West, said.” I have degrees in music but was working in banking. Something wasn’t right, though. here was an opening for the Air Force Band, and I took the audition.”

Music students have an opportunity to see what a career in military music can mean to them. he performance will consist of two trumpets, one horn, one trombone and one tuba.

Some people fail to see the impact that military bands have on a local community, Alpar said.

“here is always talk of cutting military bands,” Alpar said. “We provide an element of ‘soft power’ that aids our military commanders and our nation’s diplomats [to] open doors.”

This concert is part of a community relations tour stretching from San Marcos, Texas, to Shreveport, Louisiana, and comes together with the Air Force’s birthday, which is Sept. 18. The Band of the West hopes to connect the American people with representatives of the Excellence in their Air Force as well as people who have a passion for music. The band cherishes the memories, and all the traveling has made for quite a few stories.

“My irst concert with the AF Band has the greatest memory for me,” Alpar said. “I spent the entire concert watching an old man who could barely move. When we got to the Armed Services Medley (Marine Hymn speciically), he stood up at attention and gave the crispest salute I’d ever seen. hat’s when I realized the importance of what we were doing.”

U.S. Air Force Band of the West to perform at Cole Concert Hall

Salutepassion of music

to the

Courtesy Photo

U.S. Air Force Band of the West will perform at 6 p.m. Friday at the Ed and Gwen Cole Concert Hall on campus.

CMYK

Page 5Wednesday, september 7, 2016

Opinions@thepinelog

COLUMN

OPINIONS EDITORANNA CLARKE

SPORTS EDITORDEVIN BROOKS

ADVERTISING MANAGERMORGAN OLIVER

WEBMASTER/SOCIAL MEDIAKATHRYN GARDNER

NEWS EDITOR PARASTOO NIKRAVESH

PHOTO EDITORJACKIE CONDE

ENTERTAINMENT EDITORNADIA OULAHNA

COPY EDITORMICHAEL HERRINGTON

VIDEO EDITORSTEVEN CERKIEWICZ

Fall 2016 Editorial BoardOpinions

Policy

✓ Write a letter to Grinding the Ax. Follow the guidelines on the left. Sign your name, and your letter will likely appear on this very page.

✓ You can also use our website to submit a letter to Grinding the Ax. It’ll save you a trip to the Baker Pattillo Student Center.

✓ Post feedback to our stories online. Hit the “Comments” button at the end of a story and let us have it. We can take it.

We’re lookingfor your

FEEDBACKOpinions expressed in this section of The Pine Log are those of the individual writer or cartoonist and do not necessarily reflect those of the university, its administrative officers or its Board of Regents.

Letters should be typed and should include the student’s hometown, classification, campus identification number and phone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit letters for space, spelling, grammar and potentially libelous material. Letters should not be longer than 300 words. Any letter that does not follow this criteria will not be published.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFJOANNA ARMSTRONG

Coming to a new college can be a scary and awkward process in anyone’s life. You are in an unfamiliar place, away from family and friends. Many upperclassmen have faced and conquered the challenges of finding friends and not failing out of school. But there are still things some students wish they would have known before entering Stephen F. Austin State University.

I recently talked to some students about their experiences in college and how they managed to stay in school despite hardships they faced.

Jessica Ener, an SFA senior, explained she wishes she would have known more about the resources that SFA provides for their students.

“I wish I would have known about the different study resources and work study opportunities that they [SFA] had for their students,” Ener said.

SFA has many tutoring opportunities available for students. The AARC (Academic Assistance and Resource Center) is located on the first floor of the library, where tutors who have exceled in a certain subject are there for walk-ins and scheduled appointments to help students on

homework and assignments. Many classes have SI sessions for specific classes. These sessions are taught by students who received excellent grades in the class and are there to help those who need assistance.

Junior Madisyn Hughes, who transferred to SFA her sophomore year, wished she would have learned more about her major before coming to SFA. She explained the process of changing her major and how it set her back a year.

“It is helpful to know everything about your major, but also look into other majors,” said Hughes.

Some students come to college undecided on their major. It is helpful to get into clubs for a specific major that piques your interest. Don’t be afraid to ask an adviser about a degree plan or talk about what you want to do as a career. The saying “closed mouths don’t get fed” can be applied to this situation. If you don’t ask, it’s possible you could end up with the wrong major.

It can be hard for new students to find friends or a group they feel they could fit into. Some

students, like senior Yasmine Spears, were even advised to only focus on schoolwork their first year.

“People have told me to pretty much stay to myself,” Spears said. “‘Don’t try to get out and meet new people.’”

College would be lonely if every student decided to keep to themselves. It could even cause you to miss a great opportunity to make lifelong friends or even meet your potential future spouse.

“Meeting new people has its benefits,” said Spears. “You never know how someone can benefit you not only in your personal life, but future education. They could [open] a window to a new job or a study partner that helps you succeed in classes.”

There are many opportunities to make friends and get involved on campus. The involvement fair will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday in the BPSC Grand Ballroom. For more information, visit the Involvement Center on the first floor of the BPSC. For more information on SFA’s AARC, visit their website at www.library.sfasu.edu/aarc.

AXE’EMadvice column

Finding opportunities as a freshman at SFA

COLUMN

By DevinHOUGE

“There are many

opportunities to make

friends and get involved on

campus.”

“How do you know when a guy is interested in you?”

—Anonymous

Answered by Anna Clarke

In today’s age, there are so many different ways to communicate. We’ve got texts, messenger, direct message, phone calls and a bunch of other ways of getting in touch with one another.

Unfortunately, the most commonly used platforms don’t include face-to-face time, and we as millenials have gotten used to that. This makes it difficult to really know how someone is feeling, especially when it comes to romance. That being said, the simple truth is that if someone wants to be in your life, they will be.

I have watched friends spend time on people who give them the bare minimum, but because their phone lit up with a text, and he/she said the right thing, they are stuck thinking that they are wanted, when really they are just convenient.

It is sad, and I myself have fallen for the trap of affirmation, but it all comes down to one thing: How do you see yourself?

A guy who wants to date you—truly get to know who you are—will show up.

He won’t text you. He’ll ask you out for coffee and talk to you in person. A guy who wants just sex or someone to keep him company will treat you as such. But you have to be strong enough to identify which is which and most importantly, how you want to be treated.

All of that starts with you, and how you treat yourself. The grand ole cliché of

“learn to love yourself before another” is true. If you look in the mirror every day and think negatively, your relationships will reflect that. In the words of Stephen Chbosky, author of “The Perks of Being a Wallf lower,” “You accept the love you think you deserve.”

So cha nge your thinking. Lift yourself up and be interested in who you are and learning about all the aspects of yourself, including the bad. You have infinite potential to be great, so remember that, and don’t waste your time on wondering if he’s interested, because what you should really be asking is “am I interested in him?”

“The grand ole cliché of ‘learn to love yourself before another’ is true. If you look in the mir-ror every day

and think nega-tively, your re-lationships will reflect that.”

– Each week, The Pine Log will be featuring an advice column. The staff will be answering questions about anything from relationships to general life issues, and everything in between. To submit your questions, email The Pine Log at sfasupinelog@gmail.com.

College campuses are full of life. Every day on our campus thousands of students gather in class or outside to share their ideas. In short, we come here to grow. Not only will we leave here with degrees that prove our hard work, but also with knowledge of who we are. How do we become the people we want to be? In college this question is challenged through making hundreds of social choices. Do I go to that party? Do I buy that new computer with my refund? Do I ask her out? These decisions seem little at the time, but later on are large influences on who we become. Although it is nice to think that everything will be okay, sometimes the decisions we make turn into horrible experiences in our lives, and sometimes it wasn’t because we chose.

Sexual assault on college campuses happens far more often than we’d like to think. The idea of not talking to strangers is thrown out the window because when it comes to sexual assault, it is usually someone the victim already knows. It can be a best friend, a boyfriend/girlfriend, that “really cute guy” you met at a party or someone you’ve never met before. The

range of these abusers is broad and can include people of any age.

Brock Tuner is perfect example. This young and established swimmer from Stanford sexually assaulted a young woman behind a dumpster after a party. The young woman, who was stripped of her innocence by his selfish act, was left unconscious, and as we have learned, her claims haven’t been taken as seriously as they should have been.

The judge on the case allowed Turner to get off with a grand total of three months in jail, which is nothing compared to the minimum sentence for other rape cases. There were claims that he shouldn’t have to go through the repercussions of jail time for his “20 minutes of action.” Let it be a reminder: he raped someone. Unfortunately, he is not the first or the last to have been let off easy for this kind of case.

What about her?What happens to the mind of a man

or woman who has been hurt in such a way? How can they possibly get back to normal when hands they didn’t want have abused them? Not only is their body physical proof, but their minds

are, too. Those who have been sexually abused are more likely to suffer from PTSD, addiction, depression and a multitude of other mental issues due to that one experience. It changes their entire life for the worst. There is nothing positive that comes out of someone being raped.

This woman, like many others, now has to deal with the aftermath of his “20 minutes.” She will never be the same.

The utter lack of care that seems to be given to these cases is an injustice to the victims of these crimes. Letting people get off easy for these horrific acts proves that depending on who you are, the law may or may not apply to you. This should not be the case.

College campuses are one of the most common places to see sexual assault. Many cases go unreported due to fear and because of this, it isn’t always seen as a big issue to focus on. This should not be the case. Situations such as Brock Turner’s should highlight what change needs to be made and how to give more awareness to incoming freshmen and just students in general on these dangers.

Sexual assault victims commonly ignored

Photo by Olivia Boan/ The Pine Log

CMYK

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Nation united by states but divided by differences

SportsSFA Athletics | Intramural Sports | Sport Clubs

@TPLSports

Page 6

Photo Courtesy of SFA Atheltics

The Pine Log 2016

SFA ScoreboardMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: Lumberjacks place 2nd in home opener

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: Ladyjacks take 3rd in home opener

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL: SFA wins at Kennesaw State 3-1, 3-3 record

WOMEN’S SOCCER: SFA Ladyjacks win home opener 3-2 vs UTSA

FOOTBALL: SFA dismantled 69-17 in season opener vs. Texas Tech

By Juwan LeeStaff Writer

Colin Kaepernick, former NFL second-round pick out of Nevada, once enjoyed fame because of his dynamic play on the football field. The six-year veteran led the San Francisco 49ers to back-to-back NFC championship appearances in 2013 and 2014. Fans of the team adored him, he amazed analysts, and Kaepernick appeared to be on the horizon of becoming the leader in ushering in a new era of mobile quarterbacks. Fast forward two years and Kaepernick is generating headlines for reasons outside of his play on the field.

In the third preseason game of the 2016 NFL season, Kaepernick made national news by refusing to stand during the National anthem saying, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.”

Former NFL players, analysts and current athletes throughout other sports quickly came out against Kaepernick for taking action the way that he did. But,

by doing so, they are proving him right about everything he says is wrong with this country.

A lot of people are in an uproar with how Kaepernick went about protesting. But that is not the discussion we should be having. The protest was not a new idea for how to show anger toward police brutality and inequality in America, but it was supposed to generate a conversation about how we can uncover solutions to move toward a more equal nation. But no one wants to discuss that.

ESPN analyst Michael Smith said, “If you are more focused on how Kaepernick protested rather than what he was protesting against, than you are one of the problems.”

It is easy for some people to see and discuss the disrespect from Kaepernick toward the American flag, but people feel uncomfortable to converse about the heavy racism that we experience in our country.

When people talk about the Kaepernick situation, the conversation should not begin with one trying to argue for one

side as opposed to the other. We’re getting caught up in who is right rather than what is right. There is not a gray area for right and wrong. You do not have to be for Black Lives Matter and against the police, nor do you have to be for the police and against people of color. I’m not against what Kaepernick is doing, and I also recognize the importance of having police to enforce laws.

Boomer Esiason, former NFL quarterback, went as far as calling Kaepernick a disgrace, saying he has no right to display political views on the football field.

My questions to him would be, with an average of 20 million views per football game, what would be a better platform to protest on? Why not take advantage of the position you’re in?

Esiason went on to say that because Kaepernick plays for and is getting paid by the NFL it is not his right to express political views. He also mentioned that because Kaepernick makes an excess of $10 million a year than it is not possible for him to relate

to things that are going on in urban communities.

How disrespectful is that? That is equivalent to saying they are paying you to keep your mouth shut. He comes off as incredibly insensitive to the problems in the United States, as not once did he speak on the issues people of color continuously face in this country, but instead used his platform and his influence to bash Kaepernick.

If you want to talk about rights, then there is no discussion about Kaepernick’s right to peacefully protest before the start of a NFL game that he is involved in. People want to say he is anti-American and how he is disrespecting American soldiers. Many soldiers came out in support of Kaepernick, saying they serve to protect his freedom to protest.

After the lights, the fans and the million-dollar contracts go away, Kaepernick will still be black. And because of that I admire his courage to stick up for what he believes is right in the face of many who wish he would remain silent.

SPORTS COLUMN

Juwan LeeSTAFF WRITER

“After the lights, the fans and the m i l l i o n - d o l l a r contracts go away, Ka epern ick w ill still be black, and because of that I admire his courage to stick up for what he believes is right in the face of many who wish he would remain silent.”

Texas Tech Red Raiders blast the SFA Lumberjacks 69-17 in their season opener at Jones A&T Stadium

By Devin BrooksSports Editor

The season opener for the SFA Lumberjack football team was similar to its last three—a loss to a Big 12 conference foe. SFA was dismantled 69-17 by the high-powered Texas Tech University Red Raiders Saturday night at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock. In the 90 years that SFA football has been in existence, the team are 0-11 all-time versus Big 12 teams and, including the loss they suffered on Saturday night, their record moves to 0-3 all-time against the Red Raiders.

The Lumberjacks started the game off in a hole that they couldn’t dig themselves out of. The Red Raiders received the ball first, and Heisman-hopeful quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the explosive Red Raider offense wasted no time putting points on the board. After some nifty runs and passes over the middle, Mahomes was able to hook up with receiver Cameron Batson for a 13-yard touchdown. Texas Tech ran a nine-play, 62-yard drive in under two minutes for the first score of the game. After their first drive, Texas Tech went on a scoring rampage, racking up 35 unanswered points between the 12-minute mark of the first quarter and the 12-minute mark of the second quarter. While Texas Tech scored with ease, the SFA offense struggled to get a first down. However, SFA finally got on the board at the nine-minute mark after quarterback

Zack Conque was sacked on third down. Kicker Storm Ruiz entered the game and connected on a 33-yard field goal, the first of his college career. SFA went into halftime trailing 45-3 after Mahomes led the Raiders in two more scoring drives.

SFA would score its first touchdown of the year late in the third quarter when Conque hooked up with reliable receiver Justice Liggins for a 9-yard touchdown. SFA scired one more time in the second half.

Head coach Clint Conque wasn’t happy with his team’s performance, but he was optimistic that the team can turn things around quickly.

“I was disappointed that we didn’t play up to our full potential that I know that we are capable of playing,” said Conque. “We did some good things, but Texas Tech didn’t let us get our run game going which can open up our passing game.

“We will have to work hard this week and hopefully we can bounce back next week,” Conque said.

Zack Conque struggled for the majority of the game against a rough Red Raider defense. He threw for 246 yards on 28/49 passing and had one touchdown and two interceptions, while Mahomes shredded the Lumberjack defense for a record 483 yards and four touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. Liggins was the lone bright spot for the Jacks’ receiving core. He caught 10 passes for 80 yards and hauled in one touchdown.

Courtesy of SFA Athletics

Starting quarterback Zach Conque directs traffic at the line of scrimmage before he gets the ball from his center. Conque and the rest of the SFA offense struggled mightily moving the ball down the field against Texas Tech. Conque was sacked numerous times and was forced into many tough situations throughout the game. Meanwhile, the Texas Tech offense coasted through the reeling SFA defense.

By Zack CarrStaff Writer

As the sun beat down on the brown pitch the SFA Ladyjacks call home, an atmosphere of anticipation permeated the crowd as the soccer team played its first home game of the season against the University of Texas at San Antonio. The heavily favored SFA Ladyjacks defeated the UTSA Lady Roadrunners 3-2 to secure their first home victory of the young 2016 season.

SFA headed into the new season with high hopes and expectations, having won the Southland Conference the previous five seasons, and were certainly pre-match favorites, despite losing two of their first three games of their 2016 account away to Oregon State and Oregon respectively (with a 0-0 tie at Rice last month).

The Ladyjacks could not have gotten off to a better start, taking advantage of UTSA’s traditionally slow start, with midfielder senior Hailey Hunt finishing off a well-built move with a cool finish past the Roadrunner’s keeper.

The majority of the first half saw an even level of possession and territory as the 22 players tussled fiercely through the East Texas heat. Yet the home side gained momentum toward the end of the first half, and sophomore substitution Crystal Calvit fired home a bullet from 35 yards, much to head Coach Wally Crittenden’s delight.

The beginning of the second half was a carbon copy of 45 minutes earlier. Striker Madison Hall made a superb angling run behind the UTSA defense, allowing a terrific loop pass from inside her own half to drop over her shoulder, and it left her one-on-one with the opposition’s goalkeeper. Afterward she guided the ball down to her feet and proceeded to execute one

of the most exquisite pieces of skill with the cheekiest of chips over the helpless UTSA’s Michelle Cole who could only watch, stranded, as the ball f lew over her head into the net.

The rest of the second half was dominated by the Lady Roadrunners, and by the 65th minute UTSA had scored two goals. Although the Roadrunners had multiple chances to score more, the Ladyjacks were stubborn in defense and held onto their 3-2 lead, despite a nervy finish. Captain Brooke Dunnigan talked of her team’s “never say die” attitude during the post-game presser.

“I was confident in us, but it was a little nerve wracking being one goal [up] away from time,” Dunnigan said.

Goalkeeper Lille Elhert was taken off with a hand injury nine minutes from time but is expected to be available for SFA’s next match at Texas State on Friday.

Home is where the heart is SFA Ladyjacks eek out a 3-2 victory in front of rowdy home crowd at the SFA Soccer Fields

Photo by Hannah Russell/ The Pine Log

Senior Ladyjack Amanda Doyle battles with a UTSA defender during Sunday evening’s match-up at the SFA Soccer Fields. SFA won the match 3-2.

Student organizations can sign up for the 4th Quarter Hustle and collect recycling during the 4th Quarter of SFA home football games. The organization that recycles the most weight in plastic by the end of the football season will win $400.

To sign up, email bell-candace@aramark.com the following information:

· Student Organization Name· Student Organization’s Contact

person’s name, phone number and email

· Number of volunteers for the game· Number of games your organization

would like to recycle during. Please provide dates of games chosen.

Sign up for 4th Quarter Hustle

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