Volume 20: Issue 10

The Student-Run Newspaper of Nova Southeastern University

www.nsucurrent.com Volume 20, Issue 10October 20, 2009

INSIDE

News of NSU’s new smok-ing restriction policy has swept

News

Current Affairs

Sports

Arts & Entertainment

Page 4

Page 7

Page 11

Page 17

New Commercials Are On the AirTelevision spots aim to show how student feel about campus.

A Milestone for the DisAbilities ExpoCelebrating 30 years.

Two Steady Performances as the Cross Country Season Heats UpRead to find out more.

No Vacation Could Save “Couples Retreat”

SERENA MANNEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

thecampusassmall,whitetentshavepoppeduparounduniversitygrounds.ThetentswereplannedforearlysummerbutwerepushedbacktoOct.

“The ones [tents] that areout there are temporary, but thelocationswillstaythesame.”saidTomVitucci,directorofcampusrecreation.

Opinions

Page 19

Progress is Inevitable, So Let’s Make It Happen

NSU’s Score Sheet: Gallup Survey Starts Oct. 26

SERENA MANNEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SEE TENTS 2

SEE GALLUP 2 SEE UNEMPLOYMENT 2

Courtesy of the Office of Public Affairs

Temporary smoking tents pop up around campus.

ForecastToday

Scattered Showers

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WednesdayPartly

CloudyHi: 82 Lo: 74

SEE FORECAST 2

Working Hard, or Hardly Working: Record High Unemployment Rates Worry Students

All around the country,college classes are in session.Students are struggling withfinals, picking classes for the upcoming winter semester andworryingaboutwhattheywilldooncetheygraduate.Someanxietyis normal, but it is a bit higherthis year, as students realizethat college itself is no longer adirectlinktoalifelongcareerora shield from fluctuations in the jobmarket. The Washington Post re-ports that the employment rateamong 16 to 24 year olds hassteadily declined by nearly 20percent over the past decade toits lowestlevelsinceWorldWarII. It is no wonder that studentsareworried. Bret Stern, senior Englishmajor, explains that “the highunemployment rates are veryworrisomeasasoon-to-be-grad-uate. I’ll be teaching, whichusuallyhasalotofjobopenings,butwiththebadeconomy,olderteachersarestayingintheirjobslonger.” AccordingtotheBureauofLabor Statistics, the number ofworking degree holders fell by282,000 in the last month, withthe total numberof unemployedcollege graduates around 1.4million. Jessica Valdez, a recentcollege graduate, explains that“I was so excited to finally get my bachelors degree incommunications,buttheonlyjobI could find was at Burger King.”

ASHLEY ALLREDCONTRIBUTING WRITER

NSU’s New Smoking Policy Creates a Circus of Interest

In Oct. 2007, PresidentRay Ferraro, Jr., was interestedin finding out how all of NSU’s constituents felt aboutengagement. He desired to find out areas where the universitywas engaging students, faculty,and alumni and areas where theuniversitylackedthis. Gallup,acompanythathasbeen conducting surveys for thegovernment,publicagencies,andothercorporationsoffereda360-degree assessment that wouldencompass the point-of-viewsof NSU employees, alumni,and students. President Ferrarosigned a three-year agreementwith the company in Oct. 2007,making NSU the first educational institutiontocompletethisassess-ment. The first round of the Gallupsurveyswasconductedatthattime. “Bottomline,NSU is seek-ingtobetterunderstanditselfand

survey was conducted, and theresults of both were compared.Areas of improvement wereidentified. The two main areas of concern were communicationandcollaboration. Inresponsetotheseresults,a Communications Task Force

its constituents,” said BarbaraPacker-Muti, Ed.D., executivedirector of quality assessment,institutional and community en-gagement.“Itisstrivingtomakea name for itself outside ofSouthFlorida.” InOct.2008,anotherGallup

Features

Page 10

Courtesy of www.examiner.com

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics the current unemployment rate is 9.8% in the United States and 10.7% in Florida alone.How to Build a

“Perfect” Resume

www.nsucurrent.comOctober 20, 2009

The Current serves Nova Southeastern University from its location in Room 105 of the Athletics and Student Activities (ASA) Building. The Current is NSU’s established vehicle for student reporting, opinion and the arts. All community members are invited to contribute anything they desire to The Current.

Editorials, commentaries and advertisements in this publication reflect the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University or its officials, The Current staff or other advertisers. The Current will not publish unsigned letters except under special circumstances at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief. The Current reserves the right to edit.

Contributing writers must not be directly involved with their coverage. Coverage by contributing writers must be meaningful and of interest to the NSU community. The Current reserves the right to edit, publish or deny submitted works as it sees fit. The Current shall remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility or otherwise create a bias, real or perceived.

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wasestablishedthatconsistedofstudents, alumni, and staff. Thetask force’s aim is to increasecommunication across theuniversityandto identify“silentareas” of communication orwhere it is lacking. In additionto this, recommendations willbe provided on how to improvecommunication and on howto develop events to increasecommunication.Thetaskforce’sprogress will be assessed everysixmonths. The second outcome thatwasimplementedwasconductingtownhallmeetings. “Since May, the presidenthasmetwith54differentgroupstoconducttownhallmeetings,fromthe library staff, to the Office of Information and Technology, to

PublicSafety.”saidPacker-Muti.“Heisengagingindialoguewiththe community and is finding that it is an initiative that isdoingwell.” However, it appears thecommunication initiative stillneedswork. “What survey?” was theresponse when Jose Jaquez,sophomore biology and musicmajor, was asked to commenton the upcoming Gallup survey.In fact, nine out of 10 students(three seniors, four sophomoresandtwojuniors)thatwereaskedon campus did not know whattheGallupsurveywasoriftheywouldparticipateinit. The one that did knowdid comment on the issue. “Ithinkit’sagoodthing,andIwill

participate.” said Kristina James, juniorbusinessmanagementmajor. This year’s survey willcommenceonOct.26andwillbeavailabletotheNSUcommunityfor two weeks. The survey isanonymous and confidential. It takes about five to 10 minutes to complete.Prizeswillbeawardedto participants and include 10mini 10v Netbooks for studentsand 10 mini 10v Netbooks foralumni participants. EmployeeprizesincludeoneHPblackandwhitelaserprinter,oneblackberryunit, one HP digital camera,oneAmericanAirlines domestictravel voucher for two and oneHPWiFiPocketPC. Formoreinformationaboutthe Gallup survey, visit www.nova.edu/believe/index.html.

GALLUP from 1

UNEMPLOYMENT from 1

A recent survey conductedby the National Association ofCollegesandEmployerspredictsthat companies will hire 22percent fewer graduates thantheydidlastyear,andasurgeofqualified candidates has allowed employers to be more stringentwhen filling open positions. Studentsrealizethattheyneedtomakethemselvesmoreappealingthan their competitors in thesetough times and are taking allsortsofprecautionarymeasures. Antonia Klath, sophomore computer information sciencesmajor, says, “I study a lot morenow.Ireallyworrythatevenone

B will damage my chances, soI do everything in my power tomakesureI’malwaysatthetopofmyclass.” She is not the only onetrying to stand out. Stern addsthat “the best precautionarystep forme is tomakemyself acommodity[and]beabletooffersomethingneededandsomethingunique.I’mlookingtolearnsignlanguage,aswellasbrushuponmySpanish.” Whenaskedwhathewoulddo if he was unable to find a position in his desired field, he saidthathewouldstayrighthere.“I’ll stay in school. My financial

Theproposal for these tentswas made to several individualsand committees on campus, in-cluding President Ferraro, theDean’s Committee, and StudentGovernmentAssociation. It wassubmitted by NSU’s WellnessCommittee, which has membersrepresenting departments allovercampus. The initiative was to createahealthierenvironmentoncam-pus and to protect non-smokersfrom inhaling harmful second-hand smoke. Two options wereconsidered: having a totallysmoke-free campus or havingdesignatedzones.Thelatterwasapprovedlastwinter/spring. There are 12 smoking loca-tions on campus in areas thatnon-smokers can avoid. “Thereis not a smoking zone for eachbuilding because that is whatexists now,” said Vitucci. “Wewantedtoprotecttherightsofthe

non-smoker...We did not overlyaccom-modate the smokers, butwedidwanttoacknowledgetheirrighttosmoke.Eachzoneisnottoolongofawalktogetto,andsoon permanent structures willbebuilt.” Vitucciassures that thenewpolicy isnotaimedatpunishingthose who smoke. The newstructures will be covered andmay have benches. “We con-ductedasurvey threeyearsago,and 3,000 people responded.Peopleexpressedtheirfrustrationwith walking through clouds ofsmoketogettoclass.” Enforcement of the policywill not be done formally.“Public Safety will not issuetickets, but a person could facejudicial sanction, for example,if an employee is seen by [his/her]employer,andtheemployerchoosestowrite[him/her]upforit,”saidVitucci.“Wearehoping

TENTS from 1

aiddebttotheU.S.Governmentwillcontinuetorise,andI’llworka part-time job until I do find a job.Nooneshouldgiveupwhattheyreallywant todoandsettlefor what works. Things will getbetter, and those who perseverewill get what they desire,”saidStern. In these tough times, stu-dents are keeping an optimisticattitude and, keeping in mindthat there is no way to knowwhat the future holds, a collegedegree is the first step in the rightdirection.

thattheinitiativewillpoliceitself,throughpeerenforcement.” Julibeth Alvarado, juniormarketingmajor,commented,“Ilikethehealthycampusinitiative,butIthinkit’sstupid.Peoplearestill going to smoke wherevertheywant.” “It’s ridiculous. Why arepeoplewhosmokebeingtreateddifferentlythanothers?”saidScottKamper, third year law student. “Ihavenoproblemwithkeepingitoutofschoolandbuildings,butwhydoIhavetowalk10minutestoacircustent?” Permanent smoking struct-ures are reportedly supposed beconstructed by the end of Oct.,but Vitucci states, “I thinkthese structures will defin-itely be completed by the endof the semester, most likely byDecember,atthelatest.”

www.nsucurrent.com October 20, 2009 3News

The Wait is Over: Shark Shuttles Incorporate GPS Tracking

If you have ever taken aSharkShuttleorhavetriedtobuthave given up due to the longwait,thereisatoolthatmayjustbewhatyouneed.TheFacilitiesDepartmenthasinstalledGPSonthe shuttles, which members oftheNSUcommunitywillbeabletotrackonlinethroughashortcuttoNEXTbusonNSU’smainWebsitestartingNov.1. Thisprojectwasdesignedtomakeshuttlesamorepopularwayof transportationaroundcampusand to improve the frequencywith which shuttles pass cer-tainpoints. “Wereceivedfeedbackfromstudents saying they had towait too long or the buses wereclocked too close together orthat they were walking down tocatchthebusasitwasleaving,”said George Hanbury, Ph.D.,executive vice president andchief operating officer of NSU. “We looked at what softwarewasalreadyinthemarketwherestudents could either call in, orget a text message saying thebus would be there in the nearminute, or they could access itonline to see the location of thebusinrealtime,andhowlongitwouldtake.”

ANNARELY RODRIGUEZNEWS EDITOR

Through the Web site, youmayseewheretheshuttleisandhowfaritwilltaketoreachyourlocation.However,ifyoudonothave access to the internet atthat moment, you may also textthe company your stop numberand it will reply with the timeit will take the shuttle to reachyourlocation. StudentslikeMonicaGibson,freshman of undecided major,who use the shuttles are excitedabout the new service. “I havetakenitonceortwiceanditwasnice. It was air conditioned andtheseatswereverycomfortable,but [the GPS] would make iteasier to take the shuttles,”said Gibson. “It would also behelpful in case someone wantstobenotsmartandstealsabus;thiswaypeopleknowwheretheshuttleis.” You may also save certainstops and the systemwill notify

youeverytimethebusisnearingthat stop. It has been testedseveraltimesbutthedepartmentis still experimenting with theprocess to ensure the servicefunctionsproperly. “There is currently GPS onall the buses and it is record-ing how long they take,” saidHanbury. “The computer willthen estimate how long it willtake to reach certain locationsbasedon these test runs,butweneed hundreds of runs to haveaccuratenumbers.” Quian Chen, first year M.B.A. student,whowaswaitingonthebusstoptoridetheshuttleforthefirst time, also commented on the GPSoption.“Ithink[theGPS]isveryconvenientbutIdonotthinkIwoulduseitthatmuch.IfIhaveacar,Iwouldjustusemycar.Buttheshuttleisverygoodespeciallyforme.”

Veterans Finally Receive Their GI Bill Checks

As of Oct. 2, veterans whoapplied for education benefits and havenotreceivedthemmayapplyonline or at a Veterans Affairsoffice for an emergency payment of their financial aid. Students mayreceiveupto$3,000,buttheamount will be deducted fromfuturepayments. The advance payments willbe issued by the U.S. Treasurywithin three business days afterthe application is completed,unless students personally goto the VA office where they can immediatelyobtainthecheck. “Ourveteranswenttheextramile for their country,” wroteEric K. Shinseki, secretary of


VeteransAffairs,ontheWebsiteVa.gov.“Thisisanextraordinaryaction we’re taking, but it’snecessary because we recognizethe hardships some of ourveteransface.” According to the VA Website, more than 27,500 veteranshavealready takenadvantageofthisopportunity. NSUisundertheregionalVAoffice in Atlanta. If you wish to collect your check from an office, youmustbringaphotoIDandacopyofyourcourseschedule.Tocompletetheformonline,logontowww.advancepay.gibill.va.gov/. For more information re-garding this bill or VeteransAffairslogontowww.va.gov.

Courtesy of wsaq.net and gettyimages.com.png

Photo by A. Rodriguez

www.nsucurrent.comOctober 20, 2009 News4

SERENA MANNEDITOR-IN-CHEIF

On Thurs., Oct. 22, Pres-ident Ray Ferrero, Jr., will beconducting a town hall meetingintheDonTaftUniversityCenterPitat12:15p.m.DeanofStudentAffairs, Brad Williams, Ed.D.,spokeabout theupcomingeventandwhattoexpect.

Serena Mann: “Why has Pres-ident Ferrero decided to con-duct a town hall meeting now?”Dean Williams: “The Gallupsurvey [a survey that has beenconductedeveryOct.since2007]has revealed that to create moreof an engaged university weneedtolookmoreathowwearecommunicatingwithoneanotherand so, to thepresident’s credit,hedecidedtoholdawholeseriesof town hallmeetings all acrossthe university. These meetingshave been held with both em-ployees and students. The pres-ident will even be holding atownhallmeetingonlinefor theStudentEducationalCenters.”

SM: “Does the president plan on making this event a yearly or biannual event?”DW: “I don’t know.That wouldbeagreatquestiontoaskhimonOct.22.”

SM: “How much influence will what the students say have on future university initiatives?”

DW: “That’s a good question. Iwill say that there is a group ofstudent leaders called the PAN-SGA,andtheyarethepresidentsand vice-presidents of all theSGAs [on campus]. That groupmeets monthly and discussesissues that affect all students.TheyalsomeettwiceayearwithPresident Ferrero in a workingdinnerandtheypresenthimwithissues and concerns that affectall students. To the president’scredit,ifyoulookatsomeofthethings that have changed as aresult of thosemeetings such aspayforprintserviceswhichhaveincreasedwithoutanyadditionalcosttostudentsfrom$25to$75,parkinginthelibrarygarageusedto be something students hadto pay for but is now free andlibraryhourshavebeenextendedduringmidterms.Somypointis,those are specific examples of whenstudentssurfacedconcernstothepresidentandthepresidenttookaction.SoIamveryhopefulthat students will be openand comfortable sharing theirthoughtswiththepresident.”

SM: “What type of topics do you expect to discuss?”DW:“Youknowitwillbereallyinterestingtoseewhatthetopicswill be. My hope is that thetopicsareglobaltohelpingNSUbecomebetter. I’mnot sure thatit would be appropriate for astudent to share that they got aparking ticket…I hope students

will approach this town hallby saying, ‘Hey Mr. PresidentFerraro,thisishowwecanmakeNSUgreat.’”

SM: “Is anything off limits?”DW: “I don’t think so. I wouldhope,encourageorthinkstudentswould respond to the presidentwith the respect that I thinkhe deserves. I think, again, thekey point for me is the way thestudentpresidentsapproachtheirmeetings with the president is,‘we want to make NSU better’.Theyneverapproachitlikeit’sagripesession.Somyhopeisthatthe general student populationapproaches it in that way aswell, so it doesn’t become a

First-Ever Student Town Hall Meeting with President Ray Ferrero, Jr.

gripesession,butawaytomakeNSUbetter.”

SM: “Why should students participate?”DW: “Here’s my take on it.Somedayyou’regoingtohaveadegree from NSU and the valueof your degree is enhanced bythevalueofhowgoodwemakethis place and so the more wecan collectively come togethertoliftup,createideas,andsharewithoneanother,thebetterNovawillbeandthemorevalueitwilladdtoourcollectivedegreesandthat’swhypeopleshouldcare.” Dean Williams ended theinterview with a story about anarticle that was published about

UMthatdescribedtheuniversityas ‘Suntan U,’ back in his day.Overtime,heexplainedhowUMmovedawayfromthatreputationthroughthecollectiveeffortsandfeedbackof its students, faculty,administrators, and alumni. “It’sabout what people did all theway along and how they tookownership and the result wasincredible prestige and value,”addedWilliams. “If you look atwhere NSU is, we’re doing theexact same thing. Imean,we’reonlyafewyearsbehind. “Ibetthatbythetimeyou’remy age and you tell people youwent to NSU, people’s responsewillbe‘Wow!’”

“Some day you’re going to have a degree from NSU and the value of your degree is enhanced by

the value of how good we make this place and so the more we can collectively come together to lift up, create ideas, and share with one another,

the better Nova will be and the more value it will add to our collective degrees and that’s why

people should care.”

- Dean Brad Williams

SERENA MANNEDITOR-IN-CHEIF

“So You Think You CanDance,” “Ugly Betty” and“Melrose Place” — What dothese television shows have incommon?TheyallareshowsthatplayNSU’s latest undergraduateandgraduatecommercials. “Initially, the commercialsthat NSU played were to puta face to our campus. Theirpurpose was to show off thebeautiful grounds and let SouthFlorida know that we are here,”saidGabrielaVignolo,directorofmarketingcommunications. The current commercialsare more focused on undergrad-uate enrollment and increasedawareness of NSU’s graduateprograms. They concentrate onstudents and their experiencesatNSU. “We tried to portray whystudentscometoNSU,whetheritis to studyaparticularprogram,playsports,getinvolvedinextra-curricular activities, live oncampus and so on,” addedVignolo.“WewantedtoshowthatNSU offers everything that youexpectfromacollegecampus.”

Vignolo also stated thatNSU will have event-drivenspots to promote campus openhouses and other events, aswell as a financial aid spot. The financial aid spot will highlight how affordable and accessibleNSUcanbeandwilldirectpot-ential students to resources thatcanhelp. VignolodescribedtheNSUbrand. “We’re very modern,flexible, and we offer a lot of choices for students. We’re onthe cutting edge of technologyand because we’re still upand coming, we can tailor ourprograms for students andpotentialemployers.” Vignolo commented onrecent ITT Tech televisioncommercialsthatusethecampusasabackdrop.Sheexplainedthatthe NSU campus is sometimesusedasasetforcommercialsforcorporationslikeNikeandPublixbut this is the first time it was usedforanotherschool.“Thatissomething that has just recentlybeenbroughttomyattentionandIamlookingintothat.” Whenasked ifshe thoughtthecommercialstookawayfromthe value of students’ degrees,

Vignolocommented,“I feel likeweareSouthFlorida’sbestkeptsecret. Students enjoy seeingtheirfriendsinthecommercials,andI thinkthecommercialsaddto their degrees. If people hearabout NSU more and more, itmakes NSU more recognizableand adds to the value of their[students’]degrees.” Nicole Perez, senior com-munications and legal studies

major,describedthecommercialsas“veryinnovative,verystudentfriendly,andvisuallyappealing.”A student who preferred toremain anonymous said, “I tendtoturnthemoffwhenIseethembecauseIdon’tknowagraduateschool that has to advertisetheir programs. NSU is betterthanthat.” “They’regood,but they’reon all the time.” said Becky

Cabrera, junior business admin-istrationmajor.“IguessitshowsNSU is a good school becausethey’repersistent.” NSU’s current undergrad-uate commercial, is availableto view online at www.nova.edu/?vidnum=album-129.NSU’sgraduatecommercialisavailabletoviewonlineatwww.nova.edu/?vidnum=album-130.

New Commercials Are on the Air

A scene from the new undergraduate commercial.

Couresty of www.nova.edu

www.nsucurrent.com October 20, 2009 5Current Affairs

Events CalendarOct. 20 - 26

Saturday, Oct. 24

Miss Phi Beta Sigma Pageant6 p.m.-9 p.m.

Students come together and watch and encourage the intelligent and beautiful women as they compete for the title. These women will later go on to compete in state, regional, and national Phi Beta Sigma Pageant representing our chapter as well as their school. For more information, please contact Benne Constant at [email protected].

The Economic Outlook for Southeast Florida8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Florida lead the way into this recession, will it lead us out? Topics include how bad will things get before the recovery starts? When will the upturn start in Southeast Florida? Breakfast and lunch will be served. Free for all NSU students and faculty. For all others the event will cost $25/person.

Tuesday, Oct. 20

Lucky 13: Library Resources: To Google or Not to Google?12 p.m.-12:50 p.m.

Let the librarians show youthe most efficient ways to use Google as a search tool. Seelive demonstrations of real-world research scenarios, andlearn time-saving techniquesfor finding what you need when you need it. For moreinformation,pleasecontactDalisDominguezat(954)[email protected].

Watch the Movie “Twilight” on the Alvin Sherman Library’s Lawn7 p.m.

Watch “Twilight” on a “giant”screen outside the library. Bringyourownblanket.Incaseofrain,the movie will be moved insidethe library. For more inform-ation, please visit http://blogs.library.nova.edu/teenroom/orcall(954)262-5477.

KEREN MOROS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Oct. 13, students gath-eredat theRosenthalCenter for“Relaxation Station,” a bonussession of the Lucky 13 Work-shop series. Amanda Williamsfrom theArt of Living Founda-tion hosted the workshop andledstudentsthroughadiscussionaboutstressandhowpeopledealwithrelievingtheirstress. Shesaidthatalthoughthereare different ways to managestress, there isa“way to relievestress that doesn’t requireanything but yourself.” Hercure is simple: breathing. Sheexplainedthatstressiscausedbythe mind’s wandering from thepasttothefuture,butourbreathis “the string that brings the

[mental]kitebacktothepresentmoment.” Williams taught studentsa breathing technique called“alternatenostrilbreathing.”Sheinstructedstudents toclose theireyes and place the index andmiddle fingers of the right hand ontheirforehead.Usingtheotherfingers to keep one nostril closed, students inhaled and exhaled

deeply through the open nostril,alternatingbetweenthetwoforafewminutes. Williams then talked tostudentsaboutmeditation,whichshe described as “being 100%whereyouareatthattime.”Shecomparedittothefeelingathleteshavewhentheyare“inthezone”and thinking only about onething. She finished the workshop

Take a Breath and Relax

Wednesday, Oct. 21

Guest Lecture by FIU English Professor to Explore “The Importance of Being Ambiguous”5 p.m.-6 p.m.

The Farquhar College of Artsand Sciences and the SouthFloridaIrishStudiesConsortium,Inc.,willpresent aguest lectureby Michael Gillespie, Ph.D.,titled “The ImportanceofBeingAmbiguous.” Gillespie, a pro-fessor of English at FloridaInternational University. Thisevent will take place in theBlack Box Theatre, located inthe Performing and Visual ArtsWingoftheDonTaftUniversityCenter. For more information,please contact Jim Doan, Ph.D.,professor in the Division ofHumanities,at(954)262-8207.

Thursday, Oct. 22

Third Annual Passport to Information Day10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Dive into more than $1,000,000 worth of electronic resources for free at Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Tech-nology’s Third Annual “Passport to Information Day.” There will also be nearly $600 worth of FREE prizes and give-aways. For more information, please visit www.nova.edu/library/passportday or call (954) 262-4542.

Workshop Wednesday: Get Your Feet Wet—Internships12 p.m.-1 p.m.

Thiseventwill takeplacein theOffice of Career Development on the 4th floor of Alvin Sherman Library. For more information,please contact Dafren Cadet [email protected].

Business Career Fair2 p.m.-6 p.m.

Meet and network with local and national employers at the Business Career Fair. Jobs featured at the fair will include Accounting, Finance, Management, Market-ing and much more. This event will take place in the Carl DeSantis Building Atrium. For more information, please contact Fayona Salmon at [email protected].

Juggling School, Work and Life5 p.m.-6 p.m.

This workshop is designed tobring awareness of time man-agement techniques that areessential to success in allaspects of life. The goal is toestablish a relationship betweenthe individual and the timeallocationprocess. Students willbe offered several techniquesand alternatives to learn whatworks best for them.This eventisopen toEveningandOn-LineStudents in the Carl DeSantisBuilding,Room1133.Formoreinformation, please contact Katie Gittlemanat(954)[email protected].

Sea Thursday: DUI Simulator11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Come feel the effects of what drinking and driving really does to a driver in the Don Taft University Center Atrium.

President’s Student Town Hall Meeting12:15 p.m.

Join President Ray Ferrero, Jr., and Student Government Association for the President’s Student Town Hall Meeting with the NSU Community. President Ferrero will be answering ques-tions from students. This event will take place in the Don Taft University Center Pit.

Friday, Oct. 23

“The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People” by Oscar Wilde7:30 p.m.

This event will take place in the Black Box Theatre of Performing and Visual Arts Wing in the Don Taft University Center.

NSU Make a Difference Day9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Teams of students from across campus are gathering for one large day of Community Service. Coordinate your own event to happen on same day, or contact Travis Checketts (954) 262-7297 for other projects. Approved projects will count for Project S.E.R.V.E. hours.

by leading students through ameditationsession,duringwhichshe prompted students to beaware of different things suchas the noise around them, theiremotions and different parts oftheirbodies. Vanissa Benjamin, fresh-man general science major said,“I liked [the relaxation tech-niques]alot.Itwasveryrelaxing

andengaging.”Sheadded,“It’llhelpmefallasleepaloteasier.” Formoreinformationaboutthe Art of Living Foundationand other relaxation courses,visit www.artofliving.org and www.takeabreathmiami.org. For information on theLucky 13 Workshops, [email protected](954)262-8485.

- Vanissa Benjamin

“I liked [the relaxation techniques] a lot. It was very relaxing and engaging. It’ll help me fall asleep a lot easier.”

www.nsucurrent.comOctober 20, 2009 Current Affairs6Nova

SoutheasternUniversity

admits

studentsofany

race,color,sexualorientation,andnationalorethnic

origin.Nova

SoutheasternUniversity

isaccredited

bythe

Comm

issionon

CollegesoftheSouthern

AssociationofColleges

andSchools

(1866Southern

Lane,Decatur,Georgia30033-4097,Telephone

number:404-679-4501)to

award

associate’s,bachelor’s,master’s,educationalspecialist,and

doctoraldegrees.

Help a friend prepare for their future.As an NSU student, faculty, or staff member you already know our campus is a great place to live and learn. So why not educate others, by inviting someone you know to NSU’s Campus Open House. For two days, admissions advisers will be available to answer questions about our 130 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. NSU experts will be holding hourly financial aid information sessions. And guests will be able to tour our spectacular 300-acre main campus, including new residence halls, our state-of-the-art library, and fitness center. Of course, if you’re an undergraduate, NSU’s Campus Open House is a great opportunity to learn about continuing your education through our renowned graduate and professional programs.

CodyJunior

Biology

University CenterFriday, October 23rd, 3 p .m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday, October 24th, 10 a .m. to 4 p.m.R.S.V.P.

www.nova.edu/openhouse (866) 432-2002

CAMPUS OPEN HOUSE

NSU-G-4646 The Current LO2

Psychology

Dentistry

Biomedical Sciences

Optometry

Medicine

Pharmacy

Criminal Justice Arts & Sciences

Education

Computer Sciences

Business

Early Childhood Studies

Oceanography

Law

Family Therapy

Allied Health & Nursing

www.nsucurrent.com October 20, 2009 7Current Affairs

A Milestone for the DisAbilities Expo

The 30th Annual Dis-Abilities Expo took place Oct.17intheAlvinShermanLibraryandDonTaftUniversityCenter.The event encouraged peoplewith disabilities, their familyand friends, and the public tocomeoutandenjoyavarietyofactivities. This year was a milestonefor the DisAbilities Expo,celebrating its 30th anniversaryof supporting those with dis-abilities. Those who attendedhad the chance to attend freeseminarssuchas“TransitionfromSchool to Life” and “Planningfor the Future: Wills, Trusts,Guardianships, and FinancialPlanning.” Inaddition,childrenhadtheopportunity to watch the MiamiHeat Wheels and the OrlandoMagicWheelsplaytwogamesinaroundofbasketballwhichwasfollowed by a game of MiamiHeatWheelsversusNSU’smen’sand women’s basketball teams.Pirates, performances, facepainting, sign language bingo,and arts and crafts with aprofessional art therapist fromthe Able Trust took place aswell. The DisAbilities Expoalso featured an art exhibit bylocal artists with disabilitiesand will continue to be on dis-

playthroughOct.21. Over60exhibitorsprovidedanyoneseekinginformationwithhelp. Those who did visit theexhibitors were eligible to winall sorts of prizes and the grandprizeofthenightwasatwo-night“stay-cation” at the Miami BestWesternOceanFrontResort,witha limo service to and from the

AMANDA CAZACUCURRENT AFFAIRS EDITOR

Photo by A. Cazacu

The beautiful artwork of local artists with disabilities from the Ann Storck Center, Schott Communities,Memorial Regional Hospital/Rebels Drop-In Center, Lighthouse of Broward, UCP, 9 Muses, Florida Special Arts Center, Center for Independent Living in connection with Broward County Schools.

resortandSouthBeachincluded.Overall, the DisAbilities Expowasagreatplacetotakeadvantageof all the resources offered andenjoy the events that took placethroughouttheday. When Kathy Earthman, the DisAbilities Expo chairwomanwas asked what she hopesthe DisAbilities Expo will

Bright and early on Sun.,Oct. 11, students, faculty andcommunitymembersgatheredto-gether to log insomeroadtime.The fourth annual Shark Shuffle 5K Run and Walk attracted a diverse crowd of people. Frombabies in strollers to adults intheir 70’s and every category inbetween. Runners and walkers tookofffromthestartinglineat7:30a.m. Racing through the 3.1miles, the first overall male, 14 year old Kenneth Castro, came inat17minutesand45seconds.Trish Butler was not too farbehind, finishing as the first overallfemalewithatimeof18minutesand28seconds. With a motto of “RaisingDollars for Active Scholars,”the Shark Shuffle offered NSU students who participated achance to enter into a raffle drawing for one of 29 ActiveScholar Grants awarded, eachworth $500. Participants fromthe University School had the

possibility of securing $100scholarships for their studiesas well. The scholarships weresponsored by various divisions,schools, and offices within the university. Faculty and staff memberswere eligible for the drawing towintwoAmericanAirlineticketsto a destination of their choicein the U.S.The volunteers werenot left out. They also qualified for a separate drawing, withprizes,suchas$500scholarships,printers and road ID tags. Ifparticipants did not leave withsomething in their hands, theystill left knowing they hadaccomplished what they cametodo. Camille Wright, secondyear masters student in theCollege of StudentAffairs, saidher motivation for running wasthe $500 grant. With her first race now under her belt, shestated, “I finished. That’s the importantpart.” Another student motivatedto run for scholarship money,freshmanCraigFerguson,endedup winning one of the raffle drawings. As a first-year racer

withnotraining,hesaid,“Icouldhave done better,” but soundedhappywithhisresults. Anna Berion was literallyjumping for joy as the juniorbiology major heard her namecalled during the raffle. When

Shark Shuffle Raises Awareness at NSU

CHELSEA SEIGNIOUSVISUAL DESIGN ASSISTANT/

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Photo by C. Seignious

Participants at the Shark Shuffle gather around to begin the race.

askedhowshefeltaboutherrun,she said, “Awesome! I ran so[well].But,I’mgoingtodobetternext run.” She is training for ahalfmarathoninFortLauderdalein November. The USATF-certified Shark Shuffle works to

promote thehealthandwellnessof the NSU community and issponsored by Blue Cross BlueShieldofFlorida andCollegiateRiskManagement.

accomplish, her response was,“Myhopeisthatindividualswithdisabilities will feel encouragedand empowered by meeting andinteractingwithotherswhohaveencounteredthesamechallengesthey face and have triumphedover them. I also hope thatpeopleinthecommunityatlargewill become more aware of the

challenges some of their friendsand neighbors face on a dailybasis but also realize that withthe right resources and support,thesechallengescanbemetandovercome so that individualswithdisabilitiescanandarefullyfunctioningmembersofsociety.”

www.nsucurrent.comOctober 20, 2009 Features8

After turning in yourresume, you get a call back foryourdreamjob,nowitistimeforthe interview. An interview canbe the most stressful part of theapplicationprocess.Mostpeoplesufferfrompublicspeakingfears,whileothersjusthavenocluewhattodo.Theinterviewisthechancetoreallymakeagreatimpressionand get the employer to make adecision in your favor. Here areseven tips tohelpyoumake themostoutofyourinterview.1. Practice what you are going to say.

Whetheritisinfrontofamirroror

tofamilyandfriends,practicingisthenumberonewaytode-stressa stressful situation. Knowing whatyouplanonsayingisawayto be confident and secure; these qualitiesaresuretoimpress.

2. Be prepared.

Whetheryouare running lateoryou get a flat tire, it seems like something always comes up.Beingpreparedisawaytoavoidthat awkward moment whenyouare inan interviewandyourealizeyouforgotsomething.Donot leave anything until the lastminuteandplanahead;thenyouwill have extra time for those“justincase”moments.

3. Dress for success, not for the movies.

There is a time and place for

everything, and an interviewis not the time for jeans. Makesure you dress professionally.By doing this, you are showingyou care about the job you areapplying for because you careaboutwhatyouwear.4. Be on time; time is money and companies do not like to waste money.

It is better to be early than late,because once your chance isgone,thereisnogettingitback.Plan how long it takes to getthere, and allow yourself extratime.Also,trytomakeit10to15minutes early, in case there arepreliminary forms to fill out or in casesomethingcomesup.

5. Relax and stay calm.

Try breathing exercises if youare nervous. Keeping calm and focusedwillallowyoutoanswerquestions accurately and willmake a great impression. If youcanstaycalmunderthepressureof an interview, employers willknow you can stay calm underpressureatyournewjob.

6. Be knowledgeable about the job you are applying for.

Donotgointotheinterviewnotknowing what you want to do.Research, find out more and learn the requirements of the job, soyouknowwhatyouneedtoworkonbeforehand.

Employers look for applicantswho know what they are doing,sobeingknowledgeablewillgiveyouanadvantage.

7. Follow up.

It will help them to keep youin mind. Companies interviewhundreds of people. Followingup by sending a thank you cardcanmeanthedifferencebetweenbeing remembered and justbeinganotherfaceinthecrowd.It shows that you are polite andvaluetheirtime.

SUE TENPOWCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Interview Etiquette

www.nsucurrent.com October 20, 2009 9Features

Resources for Finding and Getting the JobSERENA MANN

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Today’sdynamicjobmarketis making it difficult for students tosee the lightat theendof thetunnel.Manystudentsaretakingfewer classes and prolongingtheir time inschool toavoid thedaunting task of finding a job. The Current has compiled a listof job searching techniques andresources for students to get theupperhandinthejobmarket.

1. Targeted job searching.Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com are usually targeted towardgeneralapplicantsontheWebforentry-level positions.Applicantsapply in high numbers, andcompetition is fierce. However, manycompaniesonlypostjobsontheir internalWeb sites. Internalcorporate Web sites also postinternships and qualifications that canhelpyoucateryourresumetowhattheyneed.

2. Career Shark.ThisisNSU’sversionofMonster.com,butitisfull of jobs and internshipsthat employers wantNSU students toapply for. You canreceive email alertsabout your specific jobsearchandpostyourresume for employers to

view.Youcanalsogainaccesstoworkshopsandseminarsthatcanhelpyoulandthatjob.

3. Networking. Everyone hasa base for networking. Youcan start with your family andfriends and let them know youare looking for a job. The bestadvice fornetworking is to startearly. You can create businesscards using do-it-yourself paperathome.Remembertofollowupwith people you meet and buildarelationship.Youmaynotneedtheir services immediately, butyoumightinthefuture.

4. Internships. Internships area great way to gain experienceand to find out if the job you are interning for is something thatyouwilllove.AccordingtotheNationalAssociationofCollegesandEmploy-ers (NACE), only19 percent of

graduatingseniors landed a

joblastyear,andoutof that 19 percent, nine

outof10hadinternships.

5. Professional Organizations.Join a professional organizationand volunteer with them togainexperience.Manyprofessionalorganizationsalsopostjoboppor-tunitiesontheirWebsites. Networkingevents are alsoposted and or-ganizedbytheseassociationsandcan help younetworksmarternotharder.

6. Conduct an informational i n t e r v i e w .This is a

great way tofind out who has

your dream joband what steps they

tooktobecomesuccessful.Take this information to find out

what you should be doing andstart doing it. The person youinterview could also become apotentialmentortoyouandmayevenrecommendyoutosomeonein your field for an interview.

7. Talk to your professor. Pro-fessors have a wealth of know-

ledge and can direct you toresources and people who canhelp you such as the CareerDevelopment Office. They can also provide an adequateassessment of what jobs areavailable in the field.

8. Career fairs.Fairsareusuallyfor employers to meet studentsforentry-levelpositions.Networkwithpotentialemployersbecauseeven if you are not going to

graduate, potential opportunitiescouldarise.

9. Do your home-work. Research your field

and determine whatoccupations are in

demand in yourfield By complet-ing this prelim-inary research,you can bet-ter direct yourcareer.Youcanensureyouhavethe skills thatare in demand

in a competitivemarketplace.

10. Use social net-working sites.Twitter,

Facebook,andLinkedInare just a few of the most

relevant socialnetworkingsitesthat can lead to potential jobopportunities. Follow peoplein your industry and keep up todatewiththeirstatusupdates.Attimes, employers will post thatthey need an experienced Webdesigner,freelancewriterandsoon. Be the first to respond and you might just land a job youreallywant.

www.nsucurrent.comOctober 20, 2009 Features10

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910

7

VOLUNTEER

Volunteeringisagreatwaytobulkupyourresumeaswellasworkinginthecommunity.Not only are you getting work experiencewithoutneedingpriorknowledgebutyouarelearningskillsthatemployerslookfor,suchasmanagementandorganization.

Charitable organizations and governmentrunprogramsarealwayslookingforvolunteerstohelpruncommunitycenteredprogramsandevents. Most of the time, the organizationsprovidefreetrainingandthisissomethingyoucancarrywithyoutotheworkplace.

GET INVOLVED WITH THE UNIVERSITY

Gettinginvolvedwiththeuniversity,whetheritisathletics,clubsandorganizations,oron-campusworkexperience,employers lookforapplicantswhoareinvolved.Doingthisbuildsleadership and communication skills, bothofwhicharehighonthetoptenlistofskillscompanieslookforwhenhiring.

Nova Southeastern offers a wide range ofopportunitiestogetinvolved.FromSororitiesand Fraternities, to working at the recplex,there is always something to do aroundschool.

STUDY ABROAD

Studying abroad allows students the oncein a life time opportunity to gain culturaldiversity.Inthetoptenskillsemployerslookfor, multicultural sensitivity/awareness isnumbereight.Inthemeltingpotwelivein,being knowledgeable about other cultures isbeneficial to any applicant.

Imagine learning French in France amongnativespeakers,orlearningabouttheRomanColiseumwhile takinga tourofRome, Italy.Alongwith otherUniversities,Novaprovidesampleopportunitytodojustthat.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR RESUME

Customizeyourresumeforeachemployer.Change your summary statement to fit each position and company you are applyingfor. Writing one resume and handing it toan employer shows lack of interest andenthusiasm for the job. Taking the time tomake small changes can really make thedifferenceingettingthejobornot.

BE CONCISE, ACCURATE AND COMPLETE

Be concise, accurate and complete, makesure everything on your resume is true andthat you do not turn it in unfinished. Also, try tokeepyourresumetoonepage.Employersdon’twantextraworkinhavingtoreadalongdrawnoutresume.

SELL YOUR SKILLS

Sellyourskillsbecauseit’swhattheywantto know about. Employers don’t care aboutyour personal statistics; they want to knowhow hiring you will benefit their company.

In today’s economy,havingabachelor’sdegreeisnotenoughtogetawellpaying job.An applicant’sresume has to not onlydisplayacademicexcellenceand work experience,but also has to portray awell rounded individual.Buildingtheperfectresumedoes not only encompassthe achievements a personhas accomplished but also

includeshowtheypresentit.Exploringways tospiceupandwritearesumeisoftenthe first step in getting that dreamjob. When turning in aresume toanemployer, it’sas if you are summing upexactly what you want theemployer to know, onto apiece of paper. The key towriting a great resume isto create content that sells.Here are 10 tips to helpalongtheway.

How To Build a

“Perfect” Resume

GET AN INTERNSHIP

Getaninternship,withacompanyororgan-izationthatgivesyouachancetopreviewthejob you want. An internship is one of the first things employers look for on a resume. Itshowsthatyouknowwhatyou’redoing,andthe work experience that you gain, carriesyoufar.

Mostcompaniesofferinternshipstostudentsduringtheirjuniororsenioryearsofcollege.Somearepaying, others offer school credit.Thisisthepointwhereyoucanlearnwhetherthisisthejobyouwantorifyouwanttogointo a different field.

HAVE A STRONG SUMMARY STATEMENT

Haveastrongsummarystatement;itisthefirst and sometimes the only thing an employer looksat to judgea resume.A companycanhavefromafewtothousandsofapplicationsandresumesaweekdependingonthesizeandoutreachofthecompany.Astrongsummarystatement will not only make your resumestickout,butitwillgiveanemployeragoodideaofwhoyouareandareasontocallyoubackforaninterview.

EDIT AND PROOFREAD

Edit and proofread, your resume cannothavetyping,grammatical,orspellingerrors.Evenwith help from the computer’s spellingandgrammarcheck,smallerrorscanslipby,soitisimportanttorereadanddoublecheckyourresume.

PRESENT A NEAT, PROFESSIONAL

DOCUMENT

Present a neat, professional document;the resume is a representation of you, it isthe first impression you get to make on an employer and it’s important that it is agood one. If an employer sees a neat andprofessional document, they foresee a neatandprofessionalperson;andadetailassmallasthatgoesalongway.

SUE TENPOWCONTRIBUTING WRITER

www.nsucurrent.com October 20, 2009 11Sports

The NSU men’s crosscountry team continued itsimpressive start to the 2009season with a fourth place finish at the Walt Disney Classic onOct.10. Senior Matt Meagher ledthe way as he finished in 21st place setting a career best timefor the 8K race. Junior Agustin Reycrossedthelinein25thplacewith freshman Kevin Meagher securing 31st place. SophomoreJonathon Junkins completed thecourse in 41st position with

Junior John Besharat finishing just three places behind himin 44th place. Junior Joe Peñaclaimed72ndplacewithfreshmanMike Greiner finishing in 99th place. Sophomore Chris Jacobscrossed the line in 124th placewith Freshman Ivan AlmanzaclosingouttheSharks’lineupin184thplace. Kennesaw State claimed themen’s team titlewith a totalof 44 points. The Sharks finished 21stwithatotalof145points. Atthesameevent,theNSUwomen’s team secured a com-petitive spot, finishing in 11th placeoutof30teams.

CRAIG HEENIGHANSPORTS EDITOR

Leading the way for thewomen’s team was senior TaraHaddock who claimed 33rdplace individually. Senior Krystal PorterwassecondfortheSharksas she placed 39th overallwith freshman Juliana Tabaresclaiming 42nd place. FreshmanKristina Williams finished in 156thwhileseniorAliceHenleytook 193rd. Rounding out theSharks’ line up was StacyAnnDaley who crossed the line in245thplace. Kennesaw claimed the women’s title.Theyamassed79points, and the Sharks finished in eleventhplacewith399points.

Two Steady Performances as the Cross Country Season Heats Up

The men’s and women’steamslookforwardtoupcomingmeetsastheseasonheatsup.Thenextraceforboththemen’sand

women’s cross country teamswill be at the Sunshine StateConference Championships onOct.24.

Courtesy of Sports Information

Agustin Rey running for the Sharks.

www.nsucurrent.comOctober 20, 2009 Sports12

The women’s soccer teampressed #9 nationally rankedRollinsCollegeallthewayasthetwoteamsbattleditout ina2-2tie on Oct. 13.As a result, theyacquiredanimportantpositionintheracefortheSSCplayoffs. The two teams remainedtied after 110 minutes of playand double overtime. The nightbegan brightly for NSU as theylookedpositiveintheirplayearlyin the match.The deadlock wasbrokenintheninthminutewhena deflected shot found its way to freshman Elise Cabot whovolleyed the ball home, leavingthegoalkeeperhelpless. NSU took the pressure offjust after the score and allowedRollins to pass the ball around.The Sharks were made to payfor theirdropinattentivenessasRollins managed to get aroundthebackofthedefenseandwereawarded a penalty kick after ablatantfoulbytheSharks.Rollinsconverted the penalty kick andthegamewastiedat1-1. It was now Rollins whodropped their intensity andsuccumbed to the Sharks’ pres-sure immediately after thepenaltykick. Just five minutes after losing the lead, the Sharks regained itas they counter attacked withpurpose.Theball fell toAubreyFondy who curled a left footedshot into the goal from outsidethe area. The opening threegoalscamewithinsixminutesofoneanother ina freneticstart tothegame. Thegamecalmeddownasthehalfprogressedandthescore-

line stayed at 2-1 going intohalftime. In the second half, RollinstookthegametotheSharkswithdirectpassingandhighintensity.The Sharks defended resilientlyin the early exchanges as theyweatheredtheRollinsonslaught.However, the resolute Sharks’backline finally crumbled in the 60th minute as a loose ball inthe area was blasted home by aRollinsforward. Rollins continued to pressfortheelusivethirdgoalbuttheNSU backline seemed impene-trable as the game finished 2-2 afterregulation. Clear cut goal scoringopportunities were thin in over-time as Rollins aggressivelyplayed offense but failedtoscore. The Sharks held on for acrucial2-2tieagainstoneofthebestteamsinthenation. NSU progresses to anoverall season record of 6-4-1 and 3-2-1 in conference playas they head to #14 nationallyrankedFloridaTechintheirnextouting.


Women’s Soccer Proves They Can Compete with the Best


Aubrey Fondy netted the second of the Sharks two goals in their tie with Rollins.

LAUREN AURIGEMMA & CRAIG HEENIGHANCHIEF OF VISUAL DESIGN/CONTRIBUTING WRITER &

SPORTS EDITOR

The NSU men’s soccerteamcameoutontopinamust-win encounter with SunshineState Conference rivals Eckerd1-0 after double overtime onOct.10. Following back to backdefeats the Sharks went on theroad knowing a defeat could allbutendtheirhopesofpostseasonplay. With Eckerd currentlyrankedhighertheSharksknewitwouldbeatoughencounter. Both teams cancelled eachother out in the first half as possession and territory wereevenandclear-cutchanceswerefewandfarbetween.TheEckerdTritons out shot the Sharks fourto two in the first half. The best chance of thehalf occurred when junior JuanGonzalez passed the ball tojuniorAly Hassan who shot theball directly at the goalkeeperandmissed. In the second half, theSharks found their rhythmquicklyastheytookthegametotheTritons. Another chance fell tojuniorCraigHeenighanaftertheSharks were awarded a penaltykick with 10 minutes remainingin the match. Heenighan, how-ever, missed the kick and thegamewouldplayouttoascore-less finish. The game went into over-timewhen the scorewasevenlybalancedat0-0after90minutes.

The Sharks dominated inovertime, taking the game toEckerdandendingthedeadlock.AftereffectiveplaysfromjuniorsHassan and Heenighan the ballfound itself at the feet of seniorRomain Ontentiente. Ontenientestruck a shot from the top ofthe box and it slipped throughthe hands and the legs of thegoalkeepertogivetheSharksthevictoryof1-0. The Sharks played againstPalmBeachAtlanticonOct.14attheNSUSoccerComplex.Inthefirst half, it was a slow start for the Sharks’offense,buttheirdefensewasverywellorganizedandkeptthe game alive from midfield. Ontenientehadanopportunitytotake the lead with his first touch of the game rifling a shot to the left corner of the goal, but the

goalkeepersavedtheball,keepingthescore0-0.JuniorHassanalsohadanattempton thegoalwitha few seconds remaining in thehalf,butfellshortwhentheballhit the crossbar above the goal-keeper’shead. The second half proved tobechallengingfor theSharksasonly three shots on goal weremade.Yetinthe64thminute,theSailfish prevailed and scored the winning goal of the night. TheSharkswereonlyabletoattempttwo more shots on the goal fortheremainderofthehalf,yettheycould not overcome the deficit to tiethegame. The Sharks will play theirnexthomematchonOct.21at7p.m.versusUniversityofTampaattheNSUSoccerComplex.

Men’s Soccer Secures Crucial SSC Victory

Coach DePalo looks on as the Sharks win one and lose one this week.


Place an advertisement in The Current.

Internal Administration receives a special discount.

For more information, please contact us at [email protected] or (954) 262-8461.

www.nsucurrent.com October 20, 2009 13Sports


Petrova sets up Cizmarova for one of her kills.

TheNSUwomen’svolley-ball team faced rivals Saint LeoattheSunshineStateConferenceinthreesetsonOct.10. Despite the straight setlosses the Sharks battled vehe-mently as they pushed SaintLeo all the way and could haveclaimed the opening two setshavingsetpointsinboth. TheSharksexplodedoutofthe traps in theopeningminutesandsoongaineda17-10leadoverSaint Leo. After a solid fight-back fromSaintLeotheSharkslookedincompletecontrolas theyheldset point at 24-22. The Sharks,however,lettheleadslipawayasSaintLeostormedbacktoclaimtheopeningset29-27. Seemingly undeterred bythe opening set the Sharks yetagaintookthegametoSaintLeoearly in the second. NSU heldtheleadat19-17butagainSaintLeo would claim some crucialpoints togoup23-20.Thenail-biting encounter was not overyetastheSharksrackedupfourstraightpointstoholdsetpointat24-23.Inasimilarfashiontotheopeningset,however,theSharkscouldnotconverttheirsetpointsasSaintLeoclawedtheirwaytoa26-24secondsetsuccess.

The third set was a littletougher for the Sharks as theyfound it difficult to comeback after the heartbreaking openingtwo sets. Saint Leo cruised to a25-11thirdsetvictoryanda3-0victoryinthematch. SophomoreMollySigerichled the way for the Sharksoffensivelyassheamassedeightkills. Junior Taylor Pohlmanclosely followed with six killswhilst senior Valia Petrova andjunior Lucia Cizmarova bothcontributed with five each. The Sharks got back towinningwaysonOct.13astheyedged a crucial match againstSSCrivalsLynnUniversity.NSUdispatched of Lynn in straightsets3-0. Theencounterwasamust-winmatchfortheSharksinordertogettheirseasonbackontrackand to keep their hopes of postseasonplayalive. The Sharks got off to agreat start as they clinched thefirst set 25-21. Pohlman led the Sharks offensively with five kills en route to the first set success. Cizmarova and freshman CarlyPerschnick each contributedto the Sharks’ cause with fourkills apiece. Petrova amassedimpressive figures of 18 assists, onekill,oneblockandfourdigsintheopeningset.


The second set proved tobe a much tougher challenge astheleadchangedhandsnumeroustimes throughout the openingexchanges. The lead was finally locked at 20-20 as Lynn puttogether three crucial points togoup23-20.Intentonnotlettinganother set slip away, late inproceedings, theSharksstormedback claiming five consecutive points to take the set 25-23.Cizmarova led the way for theSharks in the second set as shecontributed five kills. The final set proved to be a monumentalbattleasNSUwouldultimately let six match pointsslip as Lynn stayed hot on theSharks’tails.AttheseventhtimeofaskingtheSharkswereabletoclose out the set and the matchclaimingthethirdset35-33. CizmarovawastheSharks’offensive leader with 14 killsclosely followed by Pohlmanwhoamassed12,Perschnickcon-tributedwith11killsandSigerichacquired 10. Petrova finished the match with impressive figures of 46 assists, six kills and 12 digswith junior Kathleen Yony gar-nering17digs. The Sharks progress to anoverallseasonrecordof13-8and4-4inSSCplayandwilllooktoimprove on their record whentheytakeontheEckerdTritons.

Women’s Volleyball Faces St. Leo and Lynn University

Small College. Huge Opportunities.

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www.nsucurrent.comOctober 20, 2009 Sports14

www.nsucurrent.com October 20, 2009 15Arts & Entertainment

The first time I heard “Wild World,”mysoulstirred. Idonot remember thedayorthetime,onlythatonceIheardit,IknewIhadfoundsomethingthat I did not even know I waslookingfor.Itfeltlikehome,andit felt like there was someonewho wrote songs in a differenttime,longbeforeIcamearound,but captured the spirit andwonder of youth, something Iwas experiencing first-hand. The best album to ownin order to become acquaintedwith Stevens is “The Very Bestof Cat Stevens.” This albumfeatures a wide-range of songsspanningStevens’careerandallof his albums.With hit after hitand brilliant song after brilliantsong, the album’s effect is amesmerizing journey into theworld of an artist searching forhimselfineverysong. Apart from the amazingacoustic-guitar playing and theemotionally insightful lyrics,the thing that might catch yourattentionaboutStevens’musicisthepassionthatisalmostpalpablein his singing. On “Can’t Keep It In,” Stevens shouts about notbeingabletocontainalltheloveandemotioninsideofhimthathewantstosharewiththeworld. In the deeply sentimental“Father andSon,”Stevens singsofaconversationbetweenafather

and son who do not see eye toeye.Hesingslowandcalmlyasthe father, and in heart-breakingfashion, he sings higher as hetakes the role of the boy sup-plicating with his father tounderstand him. This song, inso many ways, voices the feel-ings and ideas of not a gener-ation, but rather a universalemotion experienced by peopleof all creeds, religions andbackgrounds.

Infact,suchisthecasewithallofStevens’songs.Whetheritwas love or heartbreak or hisideals, Stevens always sharedwhatwasinhisheart,andthisiswhy so many people can relateto his music. In the song “TheWind,” Stevens sings “I haveletmymusictakemewheremyheartwantstogo.” In the late 1970s, after areligious conversion to Islam,Stevens walked away from

Throwback of the Week: Cat Stevens

Courtesy of www. multivu.prnewswire.com

Call him Cat Stevens or call him Yusuf Islam; the song remains the same.

JUAN GALLOARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Oct. 20-Oct. 26, 2009

the stage and devoted his lifeto his faith. He changed hisname to Yusuf Islam and wenton to receive many awardsforhisphilanthropicandhuman-itarianefforts. Aftermanyyearsofsilenceand random appearances hereand there, Stevens returned tomusic.Althoughhe isno longerStevens and always goes byYusufIslam,hehasnowreleased2 albums, “An Other Cup” and

“Roadsinger,” Still, in his glory days,Stevens created unforgettablemusic that has influenced many artists and touched everyonewhomhasheard it.Throughhismusic, Stevens has shown thathe is a truly unique artist whoalways sang what was in hisheart—love.

www.nsucurrent.comOctober 20, 2009 Arts & Entertainment16Girls’ Debut “Album” Does Not Disappoint

STEFANI RUBINOMANAGING/OPINIONS EDITOR

Over the past couple ofyears, the independent musicindustry has been flooded by an onslaughtofnewbandsfromallovertheworld.Themostshock-ing thing is that many of thesebandsmanagedtoproducestun-ningly impressive debut albums.However,Ihaveneverbeenasim-pressed as I was during my first listentotheSanFrancisco-basedband,Girls,andtheirdebut“Album.” Theunusualandunfortunateorigins of this band have onlyadded to the initial shock ofhow wonderful their music is.Christopher Owens, the band’sfrontman,wasraisedbyonlyhismother in the Children of Godcult, now known as the FamilyInternational,and thenranawayasateenager.Asthestorygoes,hewoundupinTexas,wherealocalmillionaire volunteered to takecareofOwens,andshortlyafterOwensmoved toSanFrancisco,where he met Chet “JR” WhiteandformedGirls. Though the band is fairlynew, “Album” has all of thehallmarksIwouldexpectamoreexperiencedbandtohave,suchasan obvious knowledge of musicand how to play it well, while,

at the same time, producingthese rawanduneditedsongsoflove,despair,disparityandhate.Girls’muddledpsychedelictouchmakes it easy to draw com-parisonstoalbumsliketheBeachBoy’s “Pet Sounds,” but eventhough they have the BeachBoy’s luminous yet ominoussound in their music, it is clearthis music is original to themandOwenscomesoutmorelikeabroodingRoyOrbisonwiththeprecariousness of Elvis Costelloinhisvoice. Every song brings a dif-ferent attitude and emotion tothe table, from the sarcastic“requests” on “Lust for Life”and the desperation on “GhostMouth” to appeals for life andlove on “Hellhole Ratrace” and“Lauren Marie.” These tracksalong with the hazy early-punkrock sound of “Morning Light”make up the best tracks onthealbum.

Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

Buzz and Woody are back in 3D.

In1995,“ToyStory”usheredin the full-length computeranimated film revolution. This juggernautofamoviewasgreatnot only for the unique wayit was created, but also for itsstellar cast, its superb story-line, its inspired soundtrack andits memorable characters. “ToyStory” may have been the first, but to this day, it also remainsoneofthebestmoviesthatPixarhasmade. Now, we are given theopportunity to experience thismasterpiecealloveragainin3D.Afterhavingwatched themoviein3D,Icantellyouthatthisisamust-see film. The 3D in this movie is sogood that you get so immersedin it and forget that you’rewatching it with special 3Dglasses. It just feels natural butreallythecharacters,thesettingsand the actions feel closer thaneverbefore.


Viewersget twomovies forthepriceofoneandgettowatcha double-feature because both“Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2”are played back to back. A 10-minute intermission filled with “ToyStory”trivia,factsandlittlehilarious snip-its breaks up thetwo films. The best thing about it isjusttheexperienceoffeelinglikea kid again, as you fall in loveonce more with characters thatdelighted you when you weremuch younger. I found myselfwithapermanentgrinthewholetimeasIreceivedthe“stink-eye”fromafriendnexttomewhowasquite sick of hearing me reciteeveryline,wordforword. Take your children, takeyouryoungersiblingsorrelativesor take your grandparents; takeanyone who has not seen thismovie. You will laugh and youwill be touched as the trulyremarkable story develops andyou fall into your childhood forthreehours.

The Toys are Back in Town

and in 3D

Site of the Week: Animating Life with Animoto.com


“The end of slideshows”comestoyoucourtesyofAnimoto.com. This top-of-the-line Website collects your pictures andvideoclipsandturnsthemintoavideosettoyourfavoritesong. “Animoto Productions is abunch of ‘techies’ and film/TV producers who decided to lockthemselves in a room togetherandnerdout,”readstheir“aboutus”page. You start by setting up afree account with the site. Thenyou have two options: make ashort,30secondvideoorafull-length video. The latter option,however,isnotfree. The videos combine your

photos,clips(fromyourcomputer,camera or phone), and music toproduce an original video everytime. You may upload picturesandvideos fromyourcomputer;retrievepicturesfromanothersitesuchasFacebook,Flickr,Picassa,SmugMug or Photobucket. Ifyouaredoingthefree30secondvideo, only 12 to 15 picturesaresupported,andwith thepaidoptionofafull-lengthvideo,youmayuseanunlimitednumberofpictures. Youmayalsospotlightsomepicturesover theothers,makingthemstandoutinyourvideoforalongertime,andaddtexttoeitherintroduceyourvideoorhighlightasectionofit. The pictures and clips arethen set to a song that you may

choose from their collectionor that you upload from yourcomputer. Then, in about 15minutes, you have an originalcreationonyourhands. It sounds simple, and it is.Yet,theresultsaresoprofessionalandincrediblyneatthatitishardtobelieveittookonly15minutestoproduce.The site has won 10 Internetawards, including Best Site oftheYearbyNBC’sTechnowandwas in PC Magazine’s Top 100UndiscoveredWebsitesof2008. The guys at Animoto alsoprovide their services to busi-nesses,photographersandcauses.There are apps available forthe iPhone, iTouch and Face-book,andyoumay follow themonTwitter.

Courtesy of www.animoto.com

The animoto.com Web site. Get Into SudokuCompletethegridsothateveryrow,columnand3x3box

containseverydigitfromonetonineinclusively.

Created by J. Calle

“Lust for Life” is playfuland cynical, heavy on rhythmguitar with a 1960s “sha-la-la”harmonythathelpskeepthesonggroundedandfun.“GhostMouth”showsOwensasdesperateforthelove and attention of whomeverthe song’s subject is while theacoustic guitar builds to a bigfinish and grief-stricken guitar solo.“LaurenMarie”startsslowwith just some synthesizer andOwens’ menacing voice thatworks up to a second half thatsongs like it could have beenwritten by New Order or GangofFour. Though“HellholeRatrace”is theslowestandmostdepress-ing song on “Album,” it showshowtalentedandknowledgeableOwensandWhiteare.Thedrumsand percussion stay slightlyoff while the guitar strummingsounds like something straightout of the early 1950s. Owens’voiceandlyricsarethestarshereastheyleadthesongtoaheavy,electric guitar-led finish. Despite their differentsubjects, attitudesandemotions,the 12 tracks on “Album” fit together to bring a completelycohesive album that is easy tolisten to and to keep on repeat.The men of Girls definitely know whattheyaredoing.

Christopher Owens and Chet “JR” White form the band, Girls.

Courtesy of www.surfingonsteam.blogspot.com

www.nsucurrent.com October 20, 2009 17Arts& Entertainment

Themovie“CouplesRetreat”is a comedy about marriage,stacked with Hollywood heavyhitters.JonFavreau,MalinAkerman,Jason Bateman, Kristin Bell, Kristin Davis, Faizon Love and Vince Vaughn all share equaltime on screen as the storyfocuses on four couples whodecide to embark on a trip to abeautiful island resort, only tofind out there are many issues in their relationships that theymust deal with. Unfortunately,notevenacastthistalentedcouldsave a movie with such a badplot and so many dull momentsin between the far-too-distantcomedicexchanges. Itisveryclearthatthemulethat is expected to carry thismovie into success is thequick-witted Vaughn, who brings hishilariousanticstothetable.Muchlike “Fred Claus” and “FourChristmases” before it—whicharebothequallyforgettable—thereasonpeoplepaymoney to seethese films is to witness what gut-busting lines the silver-spooned

actorwilldelivernext. By now, it is quite obviousthat this does not work in thisfamily-orientedformat,as farasmaking a good film is concerned. It works when it comes toputtingmoneyinrichHollywoodexecutive’s pockets, as peopleflock to these movies because of Vaughn. The only recentexception to that rule is 2006’s“The Break-Up,” which turnedout to be a fairly decent film. Apparently, Vaughn knowsexactlywhat he is doing, and ismakingaprettypennyaswell,ashe co-wrote this grueling storywithFavreauandDanaFox. Bateman and Bell play amarried couple on the brink ofdivorce, who convince theirunwilling friends to join themforavacationin“Eden,”aresortfor “rebuilding” relationships.Theyalldecidetogoandevery-thing goes haywire, as even theonce-thought-to-be-happy couplesrealize their flaws as well. The retreat becomes torture, as theyrealize it is bringing out theworst in them. Eventually, theyrecognize theyareall trying toohard and must simply learn to

rekindle the flame they once had. Even though the film is a failure, there were a few funnymoments. A scene in which allthecouplesmustdoyogawithaninstructorcladinskimpyclothingdemonstratingcertaintechniquesonboththemenandthewomenwasparticularlyenjoyable.How-ever, there was way too muchdullconversationinbetweenthefunny parts, which made themovie drag. Every obstacle thecharactersfaced,andeveryreso-lution, was predictable. It wasjustnotastrongenoughstoryline,andit’sashamebecausethiscastcouldhavedonesomethingreallyspecialwithbettermaterial. Perhapsitisjustme;maybesomeone who is married canbetter relate to these situationsandappreciatethehumorinitall.I just want to see Vaughn messaroundwith theguysandhitongirls; this is what he is best at.He is what adult male collegestudents want to become, or atleast become friends with. “OldSchool,”“Anchorman,”“Dodge-ball:ATrueUnderdogStory”and“Wedding Crashers,” to name afew, show audiences the Vince

Vaughn that gaveVinceVaughnlegendarystatusinoureyes. I can appreciate an artistnot wanting to be typecast andwanting to explore his craft,but Vaughn is just wateringdown his gift and sticking it ina family movie that reaches a

wider audience. I mean, this actismorewatereddown thana2-for-1margaritaatChili’s.Pleasestopmakingthistrashandgobethe guy who just wants to havea good time and “make somebaddecisions.”

No Vacation Could Save “Couples Retreat”

Courtesy of www.thefilmnest.com

Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman and Vince Vaughn star in “Couples Retreat.”

Are you a communication studies major? Are you considering a career

in journalism? Then come gain some hands-on experience

at The Current!

If you would like to write for The Current, please contact us at

[email protected] to set up an appointment.


www.nsucurrent.comOctober 20, 2009

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Arts & Entertainment18


WhenU2goesontour,theydo not just cram into a minivanwith their instruments and theiramps and go to local bars andplay for whoever is willing tolisten. This is the biggest bandintheworld.U2,ontour,meansfilled to the nose bleed section stadiums and arenas. It meansa massive production with amonstroussoundsystemandthelatest in tech-gear. Oh, it alsomeans a 500,000 pixel videoscreenandagiantspaceshipthatspans the length of half a foot-ball field. OnFriday,Oct.9,U2madeits only stop in Fla., in TampaBay. The “Spaceship,” as U2callsit,isalsoreferredtoas“TheClaw.” It is a massive structurewithfourlegsandagiantneedleat the top, which stretches it toa whopping height of 165 feet.It is the first thing you see when youwalkintothevenue,anditisdefinitely double-take inducing. At first, “The Claw,” this surrealcreature, isnothingmorethantheelephantintheroom.Itisthere,youcannotavoidit,butit isasleep.Evenastheopeningband, Muse, took the stage androcked the house, the beast laythere sleeping.The only sign of

life it showed was the immense360-degree screen that hungfrom its underbelly flashing shots of Muse band members playingthroughtheirset. Eventually, David Bowie’s“Major Tom” blares over thespeakers, and as the countdownbegins, this spaceship is readyto blast off. One single figure is seen walking towards the stage.It isU2drummerLarryMullen.He sits behind his drum set andbegins to bang out the openingbeatto“Breathe.”Nomorethana minute later, he is joined bybassist Adam Clayton and leadguitaristTheEdge,whobegintoplaytheirriffs.Shortlyafterthat,the unmistakable figure of front-manBonotakesthestage. Now, and throughout theshow, “The Claw” awakens andtakesonalifeofitsown.Equippedwith hundreds of speakers andlights and accompanied by mil-lionsofdollarsworthofcameraequipment, “The Claw” is aremarkable spectacle that waswitnessed by a record 72,000peopleinattendanceatRaymondJamesStadium. Yet, not even an OptimusPrime doppelganger could stealthespotlightawayfromthefourIrishmen taking the stage onthat night. The Edge slays thecrowd into submission with his

dominionoverhisguitar.Claytonand Mullen are not as flashy but they are as cool as ice when itcomestobringingbalancetotheband and playing their roles toperfection. Then there is Bono,the man who spends his freetime hanging with presidentsand prime ministers and fighting for causes like education andmedicinal supplies for thirdworldcountries. Bono controls the crowd.He lifts his hands and everyonefollows. He leads the masseswhereverhewantstotakethem.Herunsaroundthestage,jumpsupanddownandnevermissesabeatwhenitcomestohittingtherightnotesoneverysong. Thebandplayedagreatmixofnewenergeticsongscombinedwith timeless classics that theyhave been singing for years.Crowd favorites like “Wherethe Streets Have No Name,”“Beautiful Day” and “With orWithout You” were receivedwarmly as the band was givenassistance in the backgroundvocals department by 72,000screamingfans. Still, being the agents ofsocialawarenessandchangethatthey are, U2 stepped out of thespotlightseveraltimesinordertoshedlightonbiggerissuesinourworld. During “Sunday Bloody

Sunday,”themegascreenplayedimagesoftheIranianproteststhattookplaceearlierthisyear.Theyalso dedicated the song “WalkOn” to Burmese leader AungSan Suu Kyi, who is currently imprisoned. An especially interestingmoment in the show was a livebroadcast from outer space inwhichCirqueDuSoleilcreativegenius Guy Laliberté, who iscurrentlya“spacetourist”aboardthe International Space Station,spoke about his experience andhis cause to provide water to

areasinneed. The most lasting imageof the show for me was whenseveral high-powered beams oflight shot out from “The Claw”into the sky above. It really feltlike the band was signaling therest of the world—and evenbeyond—drawing attention tothis place and this time to havethe universe focus on what washappening here: a moment ofunityandpeace,peoplegatheredto listen to a band who was notonlysharingtheirmusicbuttheirmessageofloveandhope.

U2 Makes Fans Feel Like The Center of the Universe

Courtesy of www.salu2podcast.wordpress.com

“The Claw” delivers U2 to their awaiting audience.

www.nsucurrent.com October 20, 2009

Editor’s NoteSERENA MANN

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Progress is Inevitable, So Let’s Make It Happen

STEFANI RUBINOMANAGING/OPINIONS EDITOR

Last week marked the11th anniversary of the deathof Matthew Shepard, the youngman killed in 1998 in Laramie,Wyoming by two other menbecause of his sexuality. As Ireadreportsofeventsbeingheldin his honor, watched videos ofhis mother’s appearance pro-moting her new memoir aboutthe tragedy and saw footage ofthesomewhatunrelatedNationalEquality March on Washington,D.C.,onethingcametomind:Asfarasprejudicegoes,havewe,asanation,comethatfar? I remember in2008,whenObamawaselected,reportersandanchors hailing his election astheendofracismandtheendofprejudiceintheU.S.,allbecauseObama is biracial. However,it is easy to see that this is notthecase. Prejudice and racism arealive in the U.S. and nobodyseems to be calling attention toit.Though the death of Sheparddid inspire the creation of the“Matthew Shepard and James

Byrd, Jr.HateCrimePreventionAct,” the bill took nearly eightyears to pass in both the Houseand the Senate. This begs thequestion:Whywouldsomethingasimportantasthistakesolongtopass? According to the F.B.I., in2007,therewereover9,000“biasmotivated” crimes committed inthe U.S., over 5,000 of whichare considered “crimes againstpersons”andover3,000ofwhichare considered “crimes againstproperty.” Sure, these statisticsare not as high as gun-relatedcrimesoranything like that,butyoualsohavetorealizethattheseareonlytheFederalstatisticsonthesecrimesandthatmany“biasmotivated”crimesgounreportedoruninvestigated. With that in mind, thequestion I originally proposedbecomes more obvious thanever: How far have we reallycome? Yes, most of the peoplein this country live together fine andhavenointolerance towardspeopledifferentthantheyare,but,itisthesmaller,intolerantgroupthat seems to have a chokeholdon this nation’s progress. We

cannotgetanywherebecausethisminorityofpeoplewillnotallowus toget anywhere, andnobodywants to educate them on whytheirintoleranceisdetrimentaltoeveryoneinthisnation. It is impossible to makethingsbetter,tomakepeoplefeelsaferwithbeingwhotheyreallyare,iftherearepeoplealloverthiscountry making threats, callingthem “worthless” or saying thatthey are “abominations in theeyes of ‘god’.”This just pushesnon-whites, non-heterosexualsandpeoplewithdisabilitiesawayfrom living their lives as anyother person would, which inturn, makes peoples’ intolerancetowardthemgrow. This nation or this uni-versity, at least, needs to begina dialogue on what we cando to make everyone in thiscountry more tolerant, moreunderstanding and more opentowardsdifferenttypesofpeople.Wecannotsitbackaspeoplearehurtbecauseofadifferencethat,in the long run, does not matteratall.Weareallhumanbeings;itisabout timewestarted treatingeachotherthatway.

How effective do you think the new smoking zones are?

On the SceneANNARELY RODRIGUEZ

NEWS EDITOR

“I have not seen one person use them. We have to walk away from[smokers],especiallyoutsideofParker.”Sarah Dutes, freshman general science major

“Ihaven’tanideaaboutthesmokingzones.Idon’tthinkpeopleactuallyusethem,notyetanyways.”David Vega, freshman music major

“Noteffectiveatall.Itwasawastebecausepeopledon’tsmokeunderthetentsandtheytookawaythethingstoputcigarettebuttsaroundcampus,sonowthereisgoingtobemorelittering.”Jason Dixon, junior biology major

“Idon’treallycare;Ithinkitpromotessmoking.[Smokers]willprobablyuse them when it rains or something, but I don’t care; I am totallyagainstsmoking.”Ryan Dvorak, freshman sports management major

“What do you think?”This is something that is rarelyposedtostudentsinanacademicinstitution. However, NSU istakingseveralstepstoaskstudentsthis exact question. On Oct. 22,President Ray Ferrero, Jr. willbe hosting a town hall meetingfrom12:15p.m. to1:30p.m. intheDonTaftUniversityCentertoreceivestudentfeedback.PriortothistownhallmeetingonOct.20,avideoteleconferencewillbesetupwith theStudentEducationalCentersfrom12:00p.m.to1:00p.m. to gain student insight onhowtomakeNSUbetter. However, NSU’s studentpopulationconsistsofmorethan27,000 students and one hourmaynotbeenoughtimetohaveeveryone’s voice heard. If thepresidentissincereabouthearingstudent concerns, there shouldbe other ways to bring matterstohisattention.Perhapsholdingmoretownhallmeetings,havinganopendoorpolicy,ormeetingwithstudentscasuallyoncampusare options he can explore inthefuture. Nonetheless,astudenttownhall meeting is a great start toopening up the dialogue abouthow students feel NSU can

improveacrossthecampus. But will you take ad-vantage of this opportunity andparticipate? As students, we often find the time to complain about ourinstitution because we feel wecannot do anything about it:“Whyisn’t theremorerecyclingon campus (if any)?,” “Why isthere no parking?” or “Why arethere too many shuttles when Idon’t need one and none whenIdo?” This is our opportunity tovoice our concerns to the pres-ident. Speak up and tell thepresidentwhatyouthink.NSUislistening. If you have an opinion orwant to make your voice heard,[email protected].

19Opinions

TheCurrent,

I was so surprised to opentherecentissueofTheCurrenttosee that someone actually heardof MIKA. Inthespringof2008IwenttoLondon,whileIwasthereIsawa music program on televisionaboutthisuniquemusicianbythename of MIKA. I was amazed by theexcitingmusic that Iwashearing.ThenextdayIwenttoalocalrecordstoreandboughtLifeinCartoonMotion.Idon’tthinkadayhasgone since then that Ihavenotlistenedtothatalbum.Iwashooked.

The release of his secondalbum could not come soonenough. Now that it is here Iwould love to see more stationswithin the US play his work.I have to listen to internet radiofrom London to hear any ofhismusic. I am glad that you likedthealbumandthatsomeoneelseknows of MIKA. I could only hopethathisUStourisexpandedtoincludeaFloridadate.

Sincerely,

Kevin Keegan

Letter to the Editor

Documents

Volume 20: Issue 10