11/8/2007 - Belmont Vision
Transcription
11/8/2007 - Belmont Vision
www.belmontvision.com The student newspaper of Belmont University Vol. 57, No. 6 November 8, 2007 Sex: Students take it seriously By Abby Selden STAFF WRITER An American college student walks into a class of 15 fellow students. Chances are, only four of those students have never had sex. According to national statistics, approximately 70 percent of American college students are sexually active. “I don’t think that Belmont is any different from any college campus anywhere,” said Belmont Counseling Services director Peg Leonard-Martin. “We’re not isolated from these issues.” Many students at Belmont seem to agree – and they agree in a manner that suggests they look at human sexuality with maturity and respect for others’ choices. Sophomore John Roden sees sex as some- thing Belmont “sweeps under the carpet and keeps hidden from everybody.” But that’s not an easy task. “Look at the people who are going here. We are teenagers and adults ranging from 18 to 24,” he said. “To believe that a guy or a girl isn’t going to be engaging in sexual activity in a place where they’re almost completely out of the eyes of their parents and authority figures, that’s just gullibility. I think Belmont should honestly be more open.” According to Belmont Health Services director Katy Wilson, dialogue about sexual issues in a college atmosphere is important. “I think you can teach young people a lot about their bodies without encouraging them to be sexually active,” she said. Junior Alaina Reagan agrees that dialogue is important, but she doesn’t see it happening at Belmont, where she knows many students are already sexually active. “I think more people are having sex than is believed,” she said. “I think people are hiding it because they think they’ll be judged.” Leonard-Martin wants to dispel that myth. “Not one of the therapists here would ever presume to judge a student, no matter what their gender, sexual identity, religious affiliation, or race,” she said. That professional practice is also true of Belmont Health Services, an enormously helpful resource for sexual health problems when students are aware of the services it offers. “We offer a lot of good services,” Wilson said. “We can do STD testing, we offer the Gardisil HPV vaccine, as well as the Hepatitis B vaccine. We’re big on prevention here.” According to a 2005 estimate by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of the 19 million people newly infected with an STD every year, nearly half are 15-24. The health center, which saw 4,800 students last year, is equipped to test for HIV, Hepatitis B, Chlamydia and gonorrhea. A See SEX, page 10 ➲ College Republicans bring ‘Minuteman’ for campus speech By Sara Pecchia STAFF WRITER Adaeze Elechi MANAGING EDITOR “In the absence of government, we are the government,” a founding member of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps told a Belmont audience Monday. With that statement, Chris Simcox demonstrated a basic philosophy of the organization that is selfdescribed as a “National Citizens Neighborhood Watch securing the American border.” Simcox is president of the group, which many of its Chris Simcox opponents call a vigilante organization because it places armed citizen border patrols on the U.S. borders with both Mexico and, to a lesser extent, Canada. He said he and 9,000 Minuteman volunteers had petitioned the government to step up to the challenges of halting illegal immigration and the government had not responded. “Our government has failed us miserably,” he said, the Minuteman Web site behind him showing an outline of the United States covered with stars and stripes. “We as citizens have not only a civic duty but a moral obligation to intervene.” Simcox, who lives in Arizona but travels nationwide for speaking engagements, said there is an orderly system for bringing people to the United States from other countries, “but it needs to be streamlined. Ever since NAFTA, they’ve turned a blind eye. We exported manufacturing, so then we needed cheap labor here.” With that labor, however, came not only people willing to do hard labor, but also people from drug cartels who wanted to make money off “America’s addictions,” Simcox claimed. “Our president, our government, say, ‘It’s a free market,” he added. “[The government] has left us no choice but to go to the borders, set up lawn chairs and use our binoculars.” Simcox offered many numbers to support his claims, including more than 30,000 aliens sighted by the Minuteman volunteers and more than 13,000 apprehended. He said all observations are reported to the U.S. Border Patrol. “We are pro-immigration,” Simcox said, though some audience members pointedly disagreed with him in the question-and-answer session that followed his address. What the group opposes, he said, is illegal immigration, which results in Americans’ “citizenship being diluted.” “While we [Americans] have to take off our shoes at the airport, our government has left the front and back doors wide open,” he said. Even though Simcox met no violent opposition at Belmont University, in October 2006 at Columbia University, two Minutemen speakers were violently interrupted and banned from speaking by protesters. The college, on the other hand, did not officially ban the group from the campus. Simcox said he knew nothing about he himelf or the group See SEX, page 7 ➲ Urban/Pop Showcase PHOTOS BY CHRIS SPEED The first Urban/Pop Showcase, formerly called the Pop/Rock Showcase, was on Oct. 27. It began with a “STOMP” act, seen above, that marched rhythmically to the stage and performed a routine void of any music, but that still had some clapping to the beat. The group also performed between acts using trash cans, buckets and lids as musical instruments. At the end of the show, the group stomped out of the Curb Event Center, leaving many wanting more. ADDITIONAL PHOTOS, page 15. Page 2 The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 New campus chapel might nurture Christian roots By Chansin Bird SENIOR WRITER Belmont is a Christian school, but it has no chapel. Many Christian universities, such as Union University in Jackson, Tenn., and Dallas Baptist University in Texas, have a building that looks much like a church sanctuary and is a dedicated space for worship. At Belmont, the Bell Tower’s bottom floor is used as a prayer chapel, but religion professor Robert Byrd wants something more. “In committees and individually, I have urged all the Belmont University presidents with whom I have served to promote the idea of building a chapel,” Byrd said. The usual response: “There’s no money.” Junior Scott Claybrook, a Christian Leadership major, thinks Belmont’s master plan should include a chapel, but feels building a residence hall, like they’re doing now, is more important. “I don’t think it’s a misplaced priority, but a chapel is something I think would be a tool to a Christian university,” he said. A chapel at Belmont could accommodate religious activities and convocations on campus, Byrd said. It also could become the impetus to develop additional religious activities and conferences on campus. “Our campus ministers, along with some energetic faculty and student helpers, are already doing some wonderful and exciting things, but an appropriate chapel facility could enhance their work,” Byrd said. “For a school that is committed to a Christian identity, it would be a powerful symbol for the campus and the community.” Associate university minister Christy Ridings loves the location of the University Ministries office. Being in the center of campus, students can easily stop by to study on the couches or play pingpong. “I would not necessarily be for a building that looks chapel-ish,” Ridings said. “I would want to make sure it took into account students who would not be attracted to a church-looking building. I’d want all students to feel welcome.” Now that Belmont has split from the Tennessee Baptist Convention, some may believe a chapel would help Belmont stay close to its Christian roots. “I think it is more imperative than ever that Belmont should continue forging its Christian and Baptist identity and, for me, it has nothing to do with our relationship to the TBC,” Byrd said. “To diminish [that identity] will result in the university being something entirely different than it is.” Challenges of autism don’t stop Grandin By Ameshia Cross SENIOR WRITER As one of the most well known livestock management consultants, Temple Grandin has earned a worldwide reputation. But what is the most surprising part of Grandin’s life is that she is autistic. Although the disorder provides its challenges, Grandin does not let it keep her from accomplishing her goals. “My life has been enriched and inspired by her strength and ability to transcend the obstacles in her life,” Dr. Mike Pinter, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said. Grandin spoke at a convocation event Tuesday, Oct. 30, to a crowd of 1,500 students and community members. Grandin describes autism as a lack of long distance cables to brain. She stressed that there are ways of knowing that don’t involve language. Autistic individuals view the world in a different way than the average person, she said. “Animals and people with autism see details,” Grandin said. Research shows that the normal human mind gives up on details and focuses on the abstract. “The normal mind is top-down and the autistic mind is down-up, but the disadvantage of autism is that it is slow,” Grandin said. Grandin used imagery to get her point across. “My mind works like Google for images-pictures narrate the things in my mind,” she said. In order to form concepts from images, the autistic person who is a visual thinker must sort the pictures in the brain and put them in categories. Many autistic people are highly dependent on images. “If I don’t have a picture, I can’t do anything at all,” Grandin said. The subconscious mind that most people think of as transmitting images in their sleep isn’t prevalent in the mind of an autistic. “What most people consider subconscious. I can see, but in normal people, language covers it up,” Grandin said. She put her mind to the test when she asked an audience member to say a word. The word was Nashville and instead of giving information about the place or memories she had here, she started naming objects, buildings and colors that she later linked to thoughts. “My thinking is associative, not linear,” Grandin said. Grandin has been featured on major television programs such as “Today,” “48 Hours” and “20/20.” She has also appeared in the New York Times and Time magazine. Grandin’s book, “Animals in Translation,” was a New York Times Best Seller, as was her most recent book, the “Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships.” The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 Page 3 Socialization on pageant circuit? By Linda Johansson STAFF WRITER By attending multiple child beauty pageants across Tennessee, Dr. Shelby Pannell-Longard examined how and why mothers specifically teach femininity to their daughters. The findings of her research, which was conducted during a three-year period, will be presented at a convocation event Friday, Nov. 16, at 10 a.m. in Beaman Meeting Room A. Pannell-Longard is an assistant professor of sociology who chose to research child beauty pageants because she believed the pageants are open sites where women instruct young girls on how to be women. “I wanted to look at a setting in which gender was treated and performed explicitly,” Pannell-Longard said. “Pageants are a good environment to examine how parents socialize their daughters into very specific and idealized forms of feminism.” In addition, she believes pageants symbolize how today’s society views women. “Even today we judge girls and women by their looks, whether they are on a stage or not,” Pannell-Longard said. “I think pageants are useful to study because they are a representation on what’s going on everyday.” At pageants she had an opportunity to meet families and find out why mothers choose to put their daughters –sometimes younger than the age of 2 – into pageants. “Pageant parents don’t want anything different than other parents,” Pannell-Longard said. “They want their kids to be successful, gaining self-esteem, confidence, stage-presence and interview skills.” She also said most parents expressed that their daughters were the ones who wanted to compete, that some young girls seek out pageantry on their own. In addition, Pannell-Longard found that parents see pageantry as a form of sport for their daughters. “It’s not uncommon they compare it to their son’s baseball,” she said. “It’s telling how we think about gender, that we construct beauty as a sport.” Andi Stepnick, associate professor and chair of sociology, said her colleague’s research shows complex reasons behind why parents want their daughters to participate in pageants. “Those reasons are well intentioned,” Stepnick said. “We don’t want our assumptions to lead us to judge people before we know their reasoning.” The intention Stepnick referred to was parents wanting daughters to gain social skills and social capital needed to move up the ladder. However, she stressed that she finds it interesting that in the face of modern – and kinder alternatives – some people would prefer pageants over other options. “Girls are allowed to play sports now or do a whole host of other things,” Stepnick said. Pannell-Longard’s research also showed that as many pageant parents attributed their daughters’ higher self-esteem to pageantry, the high self-esteem was mostly true for girls who won the pageants. “Girls who lost more than they won had lower levels of self-esteem,” Pannell-Longard said. “Those happen to be the girls who had it harder to fit in the social notions of beauty.” In addition, those were the families who ended up dropping out of pageants and transitioned to other forms of competition, such as sports or music. Stepnick explained the findings further. “What Dr. Pannel-Longard finds is that as long as girls meet the ‘standards’ and win competitions, they feel good about themselves,” she said. “But for each pageant there can only be one winner and many losers – so for most girls, pageant participation will probably hurt over time.” Even though Stepnick said she realizes it is important for young girls to learn how to lose and not be devastated, she explained there are other ways to hone skills, such as confidence, that pageants teach contestants. “There are other ways to learn those things while developing a rich sense of who they are and why they are just as fine as they are,” Stepnick said. If Stepnick had the opportunity to vote for or against child beauty pageants, she would vote against them. She believes it is a tragedy when young women think of themselves as worthless because they are not a size two. “Pageants judge girls and women very narrowly,” Stepnick said. “Those ideas are insidious and they do real damage to real girls and women.” Pannell-Longard shares a similar opinion and said she would not want her children to participate in child beauty pageants. “I would want my daughter to involve herself in sport and other forms of competition,” she said. During her convo, Pannell-Longard will put faces, identities and reality to the social perceptions of what pageantry is. She promises fun quotes and interesting stories, but most importantly, she hopes students will learn from her research and findings. “I hope students will learn that gender really is a performance both on stage and off, and that women still battle against traditional ideas of beauty,” she said. History majors can get jobs – really By David Bergfeld STAFF WRITER Be prepared to plan the rest of you life! Those are words that send a cold shiver down the back of students majoring in degrees that are typically unconventional. Yet, there is hope once again for history majors and those interested in a degree in history, especially here at Belmont. Bob Beatty from the American Association for State and Local History will visit Belmont Nov. 14 as part of a convo by Belmont’s History Society. The event is set up to talk about the graduate programs and options that are available for history majors in their near future. There will also be information available for internship opportunities that reach beyond the history department. “While most history majors feel an impending sense of doom as graduation Getting there Bob Beatty, of the American Association for State and Local History, will speak about careers in history and graduate programs in a convo at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, in Wheeler 313. approaches, they search for opportunities but are often left in the dark with ideas on how to move forward with their specialty,” Tara Hamlin said. Hamlin, a senior history major and current president of Belmont’s History Society, says she feels much pressure as graduation draws nearer. “This convocation will be a chance for the students to find a sense of direction and purpose in their field of study, before it is too late.” The convocation will emphasize the importance of internship opportunities and will give an overview of how to network into the workplace. “It will be a golden opportunity for history majors to hone in on their skills and learn how to portray them to potential employers,” Hamlin said. “We want History Society to be an effective outlet for history majors and those interested in a degree in history,” Tiffany Hill said. “It should be a club that people participate in because it is fun and connects them to the world inside and outside of Belmont.” Hill is the vice president of History Society and helps to plan many of the events. There will be emphasis on not only the American Association for State and Local History internship opportunities, but also on several graduate and educational opportunities available following life at Belmont. Beatty will hopefully clear up most of the fallacies that surround getting a degree in history. As mentioned, the convocation will give majors a look into all aspects of their future and will dismiss the common misconceptions that surround a degree in history. “The convocation will be good for not only history majors, but will also give those who may be undecided in their studies a sense of direction, as well,” Hamlin said. The convocation is open to all of campus and is intended to help those students who simply do not have access or knowledge about jobs and careers that are out there or that may be a little unconventional to their field of study. “This event will remove the stigma surrounding degrees in humanities and especially those stigmas surrounding history,” Hamlin said. If this convocation doesn’t serve its purpose then the old saying is true: History does repeat itself. 1900 Belmont Blvd., Nashville TN, 37212 Phone: (615) 460-6433 E-mail: [email protected] Editor: Managing Editor: Online Editor: co-Online Editor: Photo/Graphics Editor: Advertising: Faculty Adviser: Online/Graphics Adviser: Courtney Drake Adaeze Elechi Joanna Larson Lance Conzett Sarah Mitchell Karen Bennett Linda Quigley Angela Smith Senior Staff: Chansin Bird, Ameshia Cross, Rachel Waller Writers: Liz Hunton, Linda Johansson, Sara Pecchia, Samantha Adams, David Bergfeld, Sharde Burkhed, Joseph Shelby, Hadley Long Page 4 The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 Events address ‘write’ of travel By Liz Hunton STAFF WRITER Students can learn about travel writing and earn up to 16 convocation hours at this year’s Sixth Annual Humanities Symposium. Dr. Maggie Monteverde, associate dean of the School of Humanities, helped begin the symposium in 2002, bringing together the English language and philosophy departments to express the importance of the study of humanities in understanding the world, she said. Monteverde created this year’s theme — Transforming Travel: Rewriting the World as We Know It. “Travel transforms the traveler. The traveler then transforms the experience in writing. The writing then transforms the way we view the world.” The symposium will be Nov. 11-19. It will include several convocation events, a few outside speakers, a writing contest and a writing workshop. All events are on BIC, and convocation credit includes culture and the arts, academic lecture, personal growth, and Christian faith development. “We probably could have done two weeks of programming without any doubt, Monteverde said, “It is the tip of the iceberg, really, what we’re able to present here.” Outside speakers include Molly F. Miller, a geologist speaking on Antarctica; Alexa Smith, a reporter speaking on international conflict; Tony D’Souza, a freelance journalist and author speaking on his travels; and Brice Minnigh, a Belmont alumnus and freelance writer speaking on making a living writing about his passions. The symposium will also offer studentinvolved events including a peripatetic reading on Sunday, Nov. 11, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. where students will walk to different locations to hear readings. Students have to participate for at least an hour to earn convocation credit. The following Wednesday there will be a study abroad art show in the Leu Center for the Visual Arts art gallery. Students can submit artwork including photography, three dimensional art, scrapbook style albums or videos and writings. Submission forms are available in Wheeler Humanities Building Room 200 and the art department office; the deadline is Nov. 9. Students can also write funny travelrelated stories for an essay competition. Winning entries will be featured in a Nov. 11 reading. The stories must be typed, double-spaced and titled. There is an eight-page maximum, and stories can be submitted to Monteverde in Wheeler 207C or online to [email protected]. The symposium also offers a writing workshop on November 16 from 1-4 p.m. Because the groups will be limited to 10 to 12 people per session, participants must preregister online at http://www.belmont.edu/english or by picking up a form through the English department. Danielle Alexander, assistant professor of English, is coordinating the workshop. “The goal basically is to allow students to work with nationally-known editors and travel writers to hone their skills and know what good travel writing is and how to publish it,” she said. Five writers including Tony D’Souza and Brice Minnigh, as well as Belmont faculty members Sandra Hutchins, Thom Storey and Linda Quigley will lead the workshops. “From fiction and travel-related feature writing to freelance journalism to photography and travel journalism, these leaders have a wide range of specialty,” Alexander said. Participants can indicate their preferred leader on the registration form, and requests will try to be granted. The writing workshop is an expansion to the symposium. Previous topics have included the mystery novel, story-telling and fairy tales. Next year’s topic will be food, fiction and film. Study abroad offers global experiences By Cheryl Bak Resources STAFF WRITER Nov. 15 is the last day to submit an application for some study abroad programs. This deadline applies to a summer trip to China and a Maymester trip to Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Germany. By studying abroad, students can earn academic credit, two Culture & Arts convocation credits for each academic credit and knock out a global studies requirement for the Bell Core curriculum. Overall the study abroad programs “are experiencing continued, steady growth,” said Kathy Skinner, Belmont’s director of international education. A trip to Africa last summer had “the highest interest in any study abroad program for a new offering.” Belmont offers many opportunities for students to study in a foreign country. Some opportunity can usually be found to fit any major or minor, said Dr. Maggie Monteverde, Belmont representative for the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad. Students can take advantage of summer and winter programs, as well as those for a semester and entire year. While the numbers for some programs are increasing, not as many students participate as Monteverde hopes. “I would require all students to study abroad,” she said. Despite increasing involvement, there is not enough interest for students to travel to every available country. Trips to several countries are only offered every other year and some get canceled due to lack of student participation. Many who have taken the opportunity to study abroad are enthusiastic about their experience. “It’s one of the best ways to step outside of yourself and see how you really can survive when everything that you know and love has been put at a large distance from you,” said Kayla Lyftogt, a senior international business major who studied in Spain. Another benefit is meeting people from around the world, said senior Samantha Ferguson who studied abroad twice. She now has friends in Yugoslavia, Germany, Italy, Japan and the Cannary Islands. “I have a place to stay when I travel” Ferguson said. Like anywhere else, there can be a few negative experiences. But “even when bad things are happening you’re still laughing,” Ferguson said, who paid to use a hole in the ground as a bathroom in France. Belmont alum Patrick Linton could not pinpoint any bad experiences from his study abroad trips to Beijing or Hong Kong. He remembers climbing mountains, camping on top of the Great Wall of China and an overnight train ride where he stayed awake all night chatting with other passengers. www.belmont.edu/studyabroad www.ccsa.cc www.iiepassport.org www.studyabroad.com www.goabroad.com Belmont International Education Office: 460-5500 or [email protected] Those interested in studying abroad can also visit www.belmont.edu/studyabroad to obtain more information on the many opportunities. Students can also learn more about themselves after being immersed in another culture, said Belmont music business professor Don Cusic. “Once they get into another country they understand the differences,” Cusic said, who teaches a course in London over the summer. Monteverde agrees that the experience can broaden a student’s perspective. “It’s a way in which it enables them to have a better understanding, not only of the world around them, but of their relationship to, and place in, that world,” she said. Her trip to England during college was such “a profoundly life-changing experience” that her parents didn’t even recognize her when she returned home. Not only can students become better acquainted with other cultures, but with the ocean as well. Skinner said there is an opportunity to study a semester at sea onboard a “floating university,” which goes ashore to at least 10 nations. The main objection Skinner and Monteverde hear about why students can’t study abroad is financing. But “there are ways Belmont helps to make it more affordable,” Monteverde said. Costs vary greatly, but for many programs, students pay Belmont for one credit of tuition for every three hours of credit — a 66 percent tuition reduction. There are also scholarships that can help bring down the cost. “We’ll get you over there,” Skinner said. Federal financial aid is also often available if academic credit is received. The international education office, on the 2nd floor of the Gabhart Student Center, can also help with choosing a country, travel necessities, credit transfer, insurance issues and more. VISION In London’s Picadilly Circus, locals and tourists line the streets nearly round the clock, moving in and out of theaters, restaurants and bars in this lively district. London is the site of several study abroad options for Belmont students. The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 Page 5 Page 6 The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 ideas News you can use? In a recent online article, Carl Bernstein, one of the reporters that broke stories on the Watergate scandal, blamed current culture for the emphasis it places on entertainment news and the lack of national/world news. At first, I agreed without thought. It’s true most people know more about what’s going on with Britney’s custody and divorce battle than the latest bombing in Iraq. But it really hit home when I looked at the links around the article: “Racial Rants” from Dog the Bounty Hunter, “Publicist: Bass was joking about marriage,” “Britney spends big, court paper reveals” and so on. The sad thing is, I wanted to click on every link to catch up on the latest celebrity gossip. I couldn’t resist one video about Lance Armstrong and an Olsen twin dating, which included a full list of both celebrities’ previous relationships within the past year. Why do I care so much? That’s what I’m still trying to figure out. In my Mass Communication Theory class, we’ve tried to decipher the same thing. Is it COURTNEY DRAKE the media’s fault for emphasizing celebrity gossip or are they just trying to maintain readership by giving people what they want? Why are people drawn to this dramatic news in the first place? It’s like a neverending tug-ofwar game. The public wants to read entertainment news, so the media gives them the stories. But the more people read, the more “news” they want on those infamous people who live their lives in the limelight. So who’s really to blame for this increasing coverage of celebrities over world events? According to Bernstein, “You can’t separate the appetites and demands of the people themselves and what they are given. The blame simply can’t all be put at the feet of those who present news.” I agree with this notion. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the occasional check-up on Britney and her kids. I’m guilty of that as well; but I think as a society we need to start paying attention to the real news, the news that affects us. With the presidential primaries beginning soon, it’s time for us to take advantage of being a democracy and make informed decisions based on education, health care, economics and public safety, not the latest Paris Hilton rumors. That’s not to say media consumers are solely to blame, though. I think the media also have to take responsibility and realize they’re continuing to stoke the fire by publishing celebrity rumors and gossip. There will always be celebrity news out there, but do we really need this much? It’s disturbing that I can find entertainment news everywhere. From the time I sign on to my e-mail account, turn on the TV or even go to the grocery store, the faces of celebrities are staring at me, enticing me to look up the juicy details of their lives. However, when I want to read about world or U.S. news, I have to be the one to search for it. It doesn’t come to me as entertainment news does. From now on, I’m going to do my part by paying attention to world events rather than Lindsey Lohan’s rehab trials and hair color. Will you? Courtney Drake is a junior journalism major. Email: [email protected]. Let us know what you think. Send a signed letter, 400 words maximum, with your local telephone number, to The Editor, Belmont Vision, 1900 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212. E-mail submissions are also accepted; send them to [email protected]. E Current crisis: Who is Belmont? Is it possible for something not quite human to have an identity crisis? This is the question that has plagued my thoughts the past few weeks. I’m more than familiar with the crises people endure in searching for who they really are. I’ve walked with friends through identity crises of all shapes and sizes and fought my way through a few myself. What I’m experiencing for the first time, however, is the identity crisis of a much bigger entity – a university. Our university. It makes sense that institutions like Belmont must undergo significant redefinitions to keep up with an ever-changing world. It took an identity crisis on the part of Ward-Belmont administration and students to set Belmont on course to where she is today. Every decision our administration makes has an impact on Belmont’s identity. I want to draw a distinction here between identity and image, the heart of the crisis. I’ve witnessed in others and sense in myself a growing uneasiness with the university’s emphasis on her image over her identity. Who Belmont is has slowly become which of her graduates are making headlines, how many more students she’ll be able to house in the coming years and just how far she can spread herself across our corner of Nashville. The catch here is that all of these image boosters are positive things for a university. National media coverage of superstar alums, a growing student body of ever more qualified and capable freshmen and expansions of beautiful new buildings only add to the chops of a great school like Belmont. The question is whether the school’s identity, what drew us all here in the first place, is being lost in the shuffle. ABBY HOLLINGSWORTH Ask a senior what Belmont they came to and the answer will be far different from a freshmen response. Is Belmont a Baptist school, an open but Christian environment, or simply an institution with a foundation of faith? Is she a music school with a liberal arts base or has a slew of funding for other programs distracted her from her first love? Would such a distraction be a bad move or a necessary diffusion of all that attention? As other departments sprout wings and fly, are they redefining Belmont’s academic identity or being pushed under the rug even further? Will she be able to remain the small school her students signed up for, or will she just continue building dorms to house more students infinitely? These are the questions at the crux of the crisis. Belmont’s current and future identity depends on the answers. The trick here is that there are no right or wrong answers to these questions. As a university, Belmont could choose any combination of the aforementioned attributes. She could become a faith-based school of 8,000 with a historically great music program but a growing majority of nursing students. She could gain prestige as a school that chooses to cap her population at 5,000 and become more and more selective in the students she admits. The point is not to predict the future of our school; the point is to discuss and decide what will define her in the coming years of imminent changes. Who is Belmont? I can’t say that Belmont even knows. I think the only way for our university to truly get a pulse on who she has become and who she should be in the future is to have an open conversation. Students. Faculty. Administration. Who is Belmont to you? Has she changed her tune since you enrolled? Who do you want her to become? Personally, I think the best Belmont would be one that reflects her students well and challenges them to reflect well on the rest of the world. Please take a minute and let me know what you think. On the other side of any identity crisis is a truer self, and that is what I want for Belmont. Abby Hollingsworth is a junior English writing major. Email: [email protected] Hard choices, no easy options I’m Nigerian (West Africa) and the comment that usually follows my declaration of ADAEZE nationality (aside from “Your English is really good”) is, “Oh my gosh, I’ve always wanted to go to Africa!” When I tell people I’m from Nigeria and they tell me they’ve always wanted to go to Africa, I usually smile and nod. I tell them what they want to hear, “Nigeria is sunny. Nigeria is warm. Yes there are beaches and no the lions don’t prowl the streets. They’re in zoos.” When people say they want to go to Africa (and I always want to remind them that it’s not one large country), they want to go to the Africa Disney has shown them: the one that doesn’t really exist. They want to see Mufasa, Timon and Rafiki romping around. But there are some things they seem to forget: the people, their poverty and their pain. When tourists go to Nigeria they don’t see the lepers that line the streets or the corpses that lie under the bridges for weeks, forgotten. They don’t see the 9-year-old children who have to quit school to sell oranges on the street just so their families will have somewhere to live and something to eat. Unlike people who don’t live there, I see all these things. Most of all, every day (whether I’m at home or not) I struggle with the question, “Live in another country after I graduate or return home?” Being from a Third World country, the relationship I have with Nigeria is a love-hate one. I love it because it is my home and at the same time I despise it because the leaders are corrupt and almost everyone suffers for it. But my country wasn’t always a Third World country. There were great times when the Naira (national currency) was stronger than the U.S. dollar, times when there were jobs available, and times when the universities were top-notch. But after we got our independence from Britain in 1960 and fell into a three-year civil war, things went downhill and they’re only just getting a little better. Because the situation at home is so bad, young people (like me) run overseas to get some kind of a decent education (which is one of the few differences between me and the child selling oranges on the street). As much as I feel that there’s nothing wrong with that, it presents an issue: most people who get out don’t come back. At 11 years old, while I watched CNN’s “Exodus from Africa,” a documentary about the African brain-drain phenomenon, I was so confused by how people would leave their homes to live in countries where they would almost always be second-class citizens or less. And here I am debating staying here and working after I graduate, moving to another country to work or going back home. When I started college I knew the answer: “I’m going home after I graduate and I’m going to help Nigeria get back on its feet.” Now, as I look at how broken and how permanent some of its scars have become, anywhere but home is looking more and more attractive. I’m a journalism major and I believe that making the news media completely independent will cure many of Nigeria’s issues. So you see why I don’t want to leave a country that I care about so much and live in a country that I feel doesn’t really need me. I also know that living in Nigeria for the rest of my life will be the bravest and hardest thing I will ever do. I know that it will be frustrating and impossible to live a life free of bribery and almost every known form of corruption, but that is my home and I feel I need to be there. When I see Belmont students living life everyday, not having to worrying about staying in this country and going through a grueling process of getting a work visa, or going home to a broken country, I think, “How lucky they are.” I have less than two years to make a decision that will be tough to deal with either way. If you are an American citizen, be glad and appreciative that your home is not a place that you have to run away from. Adaeze Elechi is a junior journalism major. Email: [email protected]. ELECHI The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 Page 7 Hispanic student wants more diversity By Linda Johansson STAFF WRITER Isabel Perez, a sophomore at Belmont University, is like any other student attending college. She lives in her own apartment not far away from campus, she drives her own car and she plans to graduate from college with a degree in music business. However, Perez, seen through the eyes of other minorities in America, is considered “fortunate.” Perez was born in the Honduras and moved to the United States 10 years ago. She and 72 other people classified ethnically as Hispanics represent less than 2 percent of students at Belmont – a number Perez believes is notable on Belmont’s campus. “I basically know all Spanish speaking students at Belmont,” Perez said. “That is kind of sad.” Although she sees more Hispanics on campus than last “A lot of my friends aren’t citizens so they don’t have the papers to even apply to college,” Perez said. “They would have to go back to their original country and apply from there as international students. Anne Edmunds, associate director of office of admissions, is aware of the diversity issue. “It is incumbent upon Belmont and other institutions of higher education to increase college access to students from underrepresented populations,” Edmunds said. She stressed that recruiting more Hispanics would benefit al students. “It is also important for our Caucasian students to be because they are part of a larger underserved community,” Julseth said. “They may not be getting this type of support in other areas.” Julseth works with the Hispanics Achievers Program where he facilitates the logistical arrangements during the monthly meetings that are held on Belmont’s campus. The meetings are for both middle and high school students seeking the right academic tools to be able to attend higher education in the future. “We help them to choose the right classes so they will be prepared and consider going to college,” Julseth said. “More diversity would enhance our learning experience” Isabel Perez Belmont student year, she believes “Belmont is lacking the diversity it should have.” Taking into account the 12 million Hispanics around the country, the number on campus should be larger, Perez said. “More diversity would enhance our learning experience,” Perez said. “It would give us a chance to live and learn in a place that better resembles the so called ‘real world.’” Perez works in the Language Learning Center, also known as the LLC, where she helps students with their Spanish homework. “The LLC is a fun job where I get to share my culture with others while watching Spanish television,” Perez said. “I’m truly getting paid to be myself.” According to a study conducted by Excelencia, a nonprofit organization that helps with Hispanic students’ in PHOTO BY SARAH MITCHELL higher education, only 25 percent of college-aged Hispanics Isabel Perez, a sophomore, is a native of Honduras and is now helping students with language issues. in America were enrolled in college in 2004. Belmont, together with other universities in Tennessee, is trying to change that number, which is low compared to college Julseth also explained that the program helps Hispanics exposed to students from other ethnic backgrounds as a part enrollment of 42 percent of college-aged whites, 32 percent establish goals in life by helping them figure out how to of their educational experience,” she said. of blacks, and 60 percent of Asians. Edmunds referred to Belmont’s mission statement, which realize goals and giving them information and different “The fact that we are the largest minority group in the country is not reflected on campus,” Perez said. “Only a few declares the university is a community that provides “an aca- options about how to succeed in certain professions. Julseth believes arranging these meetings on Belmont’s demically challenging education that empowers men and more Hispanics attend Belmont today compared to some campus will inspire Hispanics to attend college in the future. women of diverse backgrounds” Edmunds said that as years ago.” “They come to Belmont’s campus and they feel at Belmont currently is in an overall enrollment growth phase, Perez is referring to the statistics from the Office of home,” Julseth said. “That may plant a seed with somebody the university is targeting some of its recruiting efforts Institutional Research at Belmont, which shows that only and put college on the radar screen as a possibility.” nine more Hispanics attend Belmont this semester compared toward minority students. Another way in which Belmont is trying to recruit more These efforts, Edmunds said, “include a Minority Student to spring of 2004, even though the entire student population Hispanics is by hosting Fiesta Belmont – a street fair that Panel as a part of Belmont’s Preview Day for prospective is up almost 18 percent. She wishes that the number would includes Latin music, food and dance. high school students and scholarships for students from grow and that more Hispanic speaking students could have David Herrera, the Fiesta event director, came up with diverse backgrounds.” the same opportunity she and her family have gotten. the idea three years ago because he wanted to “encourage The office of admissions is not the only area involved in “I have three sisters and all of them went to college,” recruiting students to Belmont. Faculty, staff and current stu- the Latin community to come to Belmont.” Even though he Perez said. “All of them have master’s [degrees] and one is does not see a great improvement statistically, he said there dents are all involved in the process. getting her doctorate.” is clear visual evidence that the number of Hispanic students David Julseth, a Spanish professor at Belmont, is active Perez explained that some of her Hispanic friends do not is growing. in the local Hispanic community and tries to build bridges attend college because they were never informed of the pro“I’ve noticed that there’s more Hispanics on campus,” cess they would have to go through in order to pursue higher between Belmont and local Hispanics. “I think it’s important to support the Hispanic community Herrera said. “Even in my classes there [are] more.” education. Others face legal issues. MINUTEMAN from page 1 being banned from any campuses in any way. “I’ll continue to talk on campuses around the country,” said Simcox. “Actually, I’m coming back [to Tennessee] in the spring.” After his address at Belmont Monday, Simcox was to go later in the day to Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. At the end of the convo, Simcox felt that he had done what he set out to do. “What [the people] need are facts,” said Simcox. “I came here to provide facts. Many did not hear it, but I hope I made them think.” Rob Martin, president of the Belmont College Republicans, said that by inviting the Minutemen to Belmont he was not intending on stirring up controversy. “We didn’t realize it would be so controversial,” said Martin. “Belmont students are open-minded… [and] we wanted to get some talk going on campus about the issues facing [the 2008] presidential candidates.” Martin, however, did not dismiss the fact that there was tension in the room during the convocation. “Tension is good because it makes people think,” said Martin. Martin also stressed that he, as the president of the Belmont College Republicans and as a person, does “not subscribe to some of [Simcox’s] beliefs.” He would not com- ment on which of the beliefs he disagrees with. Travis Harvey, who welcomed the audience prior to Simcox’s address, said that in addition to the College Republicans, the Leadership Institute also helped bring Simcox to campus. The Leadership Institute, based in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Arlington, Va., states that it’s mission “is to identify, recruit, train, and place conservatives in politics, government, and the media.” Harvey also said he and others associated with the event Monday “are starting a new newspaper for conservative and libertarian voices” and asked the audience to let the administration know that diverse voices are needed. Page 8 The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 A fact of life Sexual health, education critical for today’s college students By Abby Selden STAFF WRITER A student who is concerned about a pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease can get tested at Belmont’s student health center, but students hoping to get condoms, oral contraceptives, or other means of preventing those conditions have to go elsewhere to obtain these services. That policy leaves some students offended, others pleased, and many simply confused. Sophomore Michael Gaier fears the university’s refusal to provide means of preventing pregnancy and STDs may give students a negative impression of its own administration. “I think it should be an option because everyone has a right to choose for themselves,” he said. “Without providing that service, Belmont sort of alienates itself from its own student body.” Dean of Students Andrew Johnston explained that Belmont does not provide contraception at the health center because doing so would contradict the school’s Christian principles. STD and pregnancy testing are provided because they are diagnostic, rather then preventative. And Katy Wilson, director of Belmont Student Health Services, said, “I don’t see the lack of these services as a big deficit,” especially when there are places close by that specialize in them. Her statement is true. Students can buy condoms at the Circle K across the street from the Curb Café, and every pharmacy and convenience store has a variety of overthe-counter contraceptive options. For prescription contraceptives, however, most locations are a bit farther away. The Vanderbilt Women’s Health Clinic and other area clinics and gynecologists’ offices, many just two to three miles from campus, provide appointments for pills, patches and other prescription contraceptives, in addition to condoms and spermicides. Some Belmont students support the school’s stance on contraceptives, considering its sexual conduct policy as a Christian university. “Really it’s the school’s choice,” junior Daniell Leipply said. “Isn’t this a sex-free campus? Plus it’s a school with Christian values. We have plenty of clinics that distribute [contraceptives]. A institution of higher learning shouldn’t have to do that.” Many students, however, are opposed to the lack of birth control options offered by Belmont, citing a university’s obligation to look out for the well-being of its students. “I think it’s unethical,” senior John Boan While Sorenson does not condone sex before marriage, she acknowledges that it happens. “I’m definitely pro-life, and it seems like you would lose more lives by making birth control unavailable,” she said. Junior Carlie Rhoads expressed a different concern. “Since they don’t offer contraceptives it seems like they don’t look kindly upon people who are having sex,” she said. “So I don’t think they’d be willing to help me if I had a problem.” Johnston, however, said services are professional and the providers don’t pass judgment or betray student confidentiality. “Our health services and our counseling services are decidedly separate from our student conduct processes,” he said. Students “can feel comfortable that they can talk about these things.” Some students are offended that Daniell Leipply birth control isn’t provided because of its use in treating ailments unrelated to Belmont junior preventing pregnancy. Wilson confirmed that “a whole host of medical conditions affect the menstrual cycle, many of which are unrelated to being sexually active.” Oral contraceptives, commonly called the huge state school. Indeed, Nearly 40 percent birth control pill or simply “The Pill,” contain of undergraduate women use oral contracephormones often used to regulate the menstrual tives, according to the American College cycle, reduce cramps and heavy, long or irregHealth Association. ular menstrual cycles, and can aid in treating From a Christian perspective, junior Kali polycystic ovary disease, acne, anemia and thySorenson believes birth control should be roid disease. available at Belmont. Sophomore Deonte Warren gained understanding of the other uses of the birth control pill when it was prescribed for a former girlfriend. “My ex had anemia really bad, and it really helped,” he said. “Birth control doesn’t always have to go with having sex.” That’s a legitimate use, but Johnston said the university does “not want to get in the business of policing that.” Johnston also reminded students that the Belmont health center is not intended to be a student’s primary care provider. “We see ourselves as fitting into a larger picture of health care,” he said. “When you look at it from that standAndrew Johnston point we don’t provide every single service for students period.” Dean of students Other students understand why Belmont policies prohibit birth control, but feel Belmont should change its stance on the issue. “I can see why they’re against it,” “I’m on the pill, and I’m a virgin,” she said. said junior Zach Moore. “But at the same time, I still believe they should have it as an “I’ve never had sex. I was prescribed it just option.” because of another problem. said. “I think the university has a responsibility to recognize the truth of the matter.” Boan and others point out that many college students engage in sexual activity, whether they’re on a small Christian campus or at a “We have plenty of clinics that distribute [contraceptives]. A institution of higher learning shouldn’t have to do that.” “We see ourselves as fitting into a larger picture of health care, when you look at it from that standpoint we don’t provide every single service for students period.” The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 Page 9 Christian morals shape sexual conduct policy By Abby Selden STAFF WRITER While the sexual code of conduct is helpful in many ways, Stepnick said, she still doesn’t “think that homosexuality needs to be a separate category from sexual relations outside of marriage, because heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality are covered under sex before marriage.” The Bruin Guide, Belmont’s student handbook, promises to provide “information essential for making your way through the puzzles that college may present.” Premarital sex In some cases, however, the information itself is It’s true that Belmont considers sexual relations puzzling to students. outside of marriage to be misconduct, but some quesAccording to the guide, specific acts of sexual misconduct forbidden at Belmont include “sexual relations tion how “sexual relations” is defined. Sophomore Michael Gaier believes “sexual outside of marriage, homosexual behavior, sexual relations” is “an umbrella harassment, rape (date, term that can be used to acquaintance and stranger describe any sort of interacrape), other non-consensual tion between two people sex offenses and possession that could be considered or distribution of pornostimulating.” graphic materials.” But classmate Terrell Some students expressed Crudup believes in a narconcern over how the list of rower definition. “Sexual violations is phrased, assertrelations,” he said, includes ing that the statement may “penetration, stuff like that. imply that criminal acts It would not include hugsuch as sexual harassment ging, kissing, holding and rape and non-criminal hands.” acts such as homosexual Johnston said the univerrelations and premarital sexsity is committed to the idea ual relations are viewed and that “sexual conduct punished equally. belongs within the bounds Dean of Students of marriage.” Andrew Johnston assured that the list of offenses is Pornography not meant to imply equal While the Bruin Guide severity among any of the doesn’t define “sexual relaviolations. tions,” it does provide a def“The notion that those inition for “obscene materithings are of equal magnials.” Those materials that tude wasn’t in the intent of would subject a student to that statement,” Johnston discipline by the university said. “It’s more or less must, the guide states, “be mentioning things that (1) materials in which might occur and what we Joy Kayser both a reasonable person, applymight view as falling under Belmont sophomore ing contemporary Belmont sexual misconduct.” community standards, when It is perhaps that broad considering the contents as scope that leaves students, a whole, would conclude when considering the rules that they appeal to prurient on sexual conduct, unable to sexual/physical interests or violently subordinating determine campus myth from reality. behavior rather than an intellectual or communicative purpose, and (2) materials that, taken in to regarding Homosexuality their content and their particular usage or application, “In Belmont’s ruling, if they find out that you are a lack any redeeming literary, scientific, political, artistic homosexual, they can exercise the right to expel,” or social value.” sophomore John Roden said. In Gaier’s mind, that definition is still lacking. Not so, according to Dean of Students Andrew “That is such a vague statement,” he said. “There Johnston. “We have no policies about your sexuality, are so many implications literature makes. And social we have a sexual conduct policy. If you asked, ‘If I’m values? Whose values?” gay I’ll be kicked out?’ I would say, ‘This policy Despite some student and faculty objections to relates to your conduct, that’s why it’s a sexual consome of the content in the sexual conduct section of duct policy.’” the Bruin Guide, others agree that the section is approIn other words, a student can be punished for priate considering the heritage of the school founded engaging in heterosexual or homosexual premarital as a Baptist institution in 1951. relations, either on campus or off-campus at universi“As a religious institution I would say those behavty-sponsored events. A student cannot, however, be iors are very much in line with what Scripture teaches punished for homosexual orientation unless it is on the sacredness of sex,” junior Jon Young said. He accompanied by sexual activity in violation of the explained that all Belmont students have the right to guide. choose for themselves what morals to uphold sexually, Andi Stepnick, chair of the sociology department, but “since they chose to come to this institution they argued that some homosexual students still feel out of have to abide by the rules of it.” place at Belmont, and the policy does little to encourSophomore Joy Kayser feels that if students have a age their acceptance. major problem with the Bruin Guide, they should have “When at the informal level it’s true that you can’t reviewed it before attending Belmont in the first place. be kicked out for being gay, my impression is that “People who go to Belmont should have read this some students are gay and do not feel welcome here,” before they came here,” she said. “Whether you agree she said. with it or not, you go to this school, and you sign stuff Stepnick said she has witnessed first-hand the struggle homosexuals can face at a Christian university that says you’ll agree to the Bruin values.” Johnston said that while Belmont is “not a narrowwhere the code of conduct discourages homosexual minded, arbitrary, judgmental place,” the institution behavior. still has a definite commitment to its moral standards, “Gay students have come to my office at least a dozen times in the last six years I’ve been here saying, which the university is “going to live out in every circumstance.” ‘I feel like I’m suffocating here,’” she said. “People who go to Belmont should have read this before they came here. Whether you agree with it or not, you go to this school, and you sign stuff that says you’ll agree to the Bruin values.” Page 10 The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 Sex before marriage: right or wrong? By Abby Selden STAFF WRITER Almost all Americans have sex before marriage, and nearly half of 15- to 19-yearold Americans have had sex at least once. As a largely Christian population facing these facts from numerous national studies, what do Belmont students have to say about sex before marriage? More than you might think. “Arbitrary sex before marriage I don’t too much care for, but if you’re in a monogamous relationship with someone you care about, then it’s all right,” junior Daniell Leipply said. Leipply has been in a serious relationship for one year with a fellow Belmont student. “I used to think the other way, but then I realized it’s a changing world,” he said. “A lot of people today are having sex, and as long as they’re monogamous and not orgyaddicted polygamists, it’s fine.” Is Leipply’s approval of premarital sex in a monogamous relationship an unusual opinion at Belmont, a vocally Christian university? Not at all, even among students who personally plan to save sex for marriage. “It’s fine as long as you feel that sort of connection toward a person,” agreed sophomore John Roden. “All a wedding is is saying that you love somebody in front of a bunch of people and whatever religious deity you believe in. You’ve decided a long time before then that you really love somebody.” According to Belmont’s mission and values statement, “students encounter Christian values relevant to personal growth and spiritual maturity and are expected to commit themselves to high moral standards.” It’s no surprise, then, that many Belmont students say they are choosing to save sex for marriage. “It makes marriage more special if you save sex for it,” sophomore Erin Ayers said. “It just makes the marriage more sacred.” Dr. Todd Lake, vice president for spiritual development, defends the Christian perspective on saving sex for marriage. “When [Christ] condemns sexual sin, he says it’s because you’re looking at someone with the ultimate goal of getting them in bed,” Lake said. “There is a world of difference between being in a dating relationship and making a lifelong commitment to your partner.” Other students fear the emotional issues and potential regret that may result from engaging in premarital sex. “Anything good you might think will come out of it in the short term is going to be complicated by longer term problems,” “That’s a big thing: the whole reconciliation with yourself and with God and rationalizing your decisions. I think that today’s concept of marriage has changed from what God originally intended it to be.” Allora McCullough Belmont freshman freshman Jonathan Cullifer said. “There’s always the emotional issues that go with it.” According to a study featured in “Sexual Regret in College Students,” a 2005 article from Archives of Sexual Behavior, a sociology journal, many college students experience regret following sexual activity, with 38 percent of the sample saying their sexual decisions conflicted with their personal morals and values. The same study showed 54 percent of women and 16 percent of men who had consensual sex said they should have waited longer, whereas only 11 percent of men and 1 percent of women regretted waiting as long as they did. Conversely, some college students who resist an overwhelming urge to have sex within the context of a committed relationship may face equally serious issues of regret from choosing to abstain from sex. Freshman Allora McCullough planned to save sex for marriage, until she became engaged and realized she might regret that decision. She said she’s aware the relationship could end, but she has accepted her decision to engage in a monogamous, sexual relationship. “I always wanted to save myself for marriage,” she said. “It didn’t end up that way [but] he’s the first and last person I’ll ever have that experience with in my life.” Junior Alaina Reagan warned of the problems that might result from refraining from sex until marriage. “If you haven’t had any experience before you get married, and your experience is bad in the beginning, you think it’s going to be a big problem for you,” she said. Despite the argument that saving sex for marriage may cause problems in relationships, couples who abstain until marriage have lower divorce rates. “It just happens not to be the case that it is helpful to have sex prior to marriage in order to establish a solid marriage,” Lake said. “In fact, statistics show absolutely con- and the American College Health Association Web site for more accurate sexual health information. The health center is also able to make referrals for a number of issues, including sexual problems. “We have come to know lots of people in the medical community, so we compiled a list of people to refer to in all specialty areas,” Wilson said. “We will help you get through the red tape and facilitate those appointments the best we can.” Wilson said she also refers students struggling with the emotional aspects of sexuality to counseling services. Leonard-Martin is accustomed to providing advising to any Belmont student confronting sexual issues. “We have a fair amount of students who really struggle with values in sexual experiences,” she said. “They leave home with a certain set of values, come to college, and sometimes it feels like everything’s turned upside down.” Counselors at Belmont are prepared to help students with issues including relationship violence, confusion over sexual identity, facing an STD diagnosis and coping with a first sexual experience. “Individuals who’ve had their first sexual experience and end up with HPV or another STD, they’re devastated, they’re terrified,” Leonard-Martin said. “I really collaborate with the health center on these cases.” Counseling services also regularly help students facing instances of date and acquaintance rape. “We’ll support them through any stage of that,” she said. “We see a fair amount of students who struggle.” Some Belmont students express concern, however, that their sexual issues with Belmont counselors may not remain confidential, especially if they mention a policy on sexual conduct they have violated, such as homosexual behavior or pre-marital sex clusively that people who have sex with their future marriage partner before marriage are more likely to be divorced than those who don’t.” Lake attributes this phenomenon to the idea that couples that have sex before marriage often have a difficult time adjusting to the idea of genuine commitment. “If you don’t view sex as a total lifelong commitment, once you’re married, it’s kind of hard to flip the switch,” he said. “If you’ve established prior to marriage that sex is not so much tied to commitment as it is tied to passion, what if you start feeling passionate toward someone who isn’t your spouse?” Some Belmont students, however, have achieved what they believe is a personal reconciliation between their sexual activity and their Christian beliefs. McCullough is one of these students. “That’s a big thing: the whole reconciliation with yourself and with God and rationalizing your decisions,” she said. “I think that today’s concept of marriage has changed from what God originally intended it to be.” The only truly consistent opinion among Belmont students, however, is the commitment to remain non-judgmental of other students’ decisions, no matter what their personal beliefs on sex. Sophomore Kyle Paxton is opposed to premarital sex for religious reasons, but refuses to judge others. “I guess I would say, ‘Wait,’ but at the same time I wouldn’t want to judge [those who have sex before marriage] or condemn them,” he said. From a Christian perspective, Lake supports this non-judgmental outlook as one of the most important traits a Christian can possess. “Jesus said ‘Judge not that you not be judged,’” he said. “Not being judgmental is profoundly Christian.” Whether a student is sexually active, staunchly opposed to sex before marriage or somewhere in between, dealing with sexual temptations is an issue students face no matter what their views are. “I think that when you’re away from home you’re away from your comfort zone, and there are a lot of temptations you’re going to face, especially without parents around,” freshman Will Young said. Most Belmont students seem to agree that the best way to avoid unwanted sexual temptation and pressure is to surround themselves with people who will respect their views. “You just have to be able to stand up and say no,” sophomore Mike Gaylord said. “Real friends shouldn’t pressure you to do things like that.” SEX from page 1 blood and lesion test for herpes and a test for syphilis are also available, but Wilson said these tests are rarely done. “We also do pregnancy tests,” Wilson said. “People who are pregnant and don’t mean to be – that’s an emotional issue – need a lot of support.” The health center does not write prescriptions for birth control pills or provide any contraceptives, but Wilson still stresses the importance of sexual education among college students. “I see lots of students who just need a consult visit,” said Wilson, explaining that it is not unusual for students to make appointments to ask about health issues they are confused about. Wilson is designing an updated health center Web site, which will include a page of links to informational articles on every aspect of health. It will also include a section with printable information pamphlets. Wilson suggests WebMD.com, CDC.gov, on campus. “Everything is absolutely confidential,” countered Leonard-Martin. “The only time confidentiality has to be broken is if a student is a danger to themselves and possibly to others.” All students are given a sheet explaining their rights before their first counseling services. Johnston confirmed this confidentiality policy, noting that health services and counseling services are entirely separate from student conduct processes. The first responsibility of Belmont counselors is the well-being of Belmont students. “Whatever they are struggling with, we are going to help them,” Leonard-Martin said. “I cannot imagine abandoning a student dealing with a possibly controversial issue. “Someone’s sexual history or sexual experience is protected right along with any other aspect of a human being’s life.” The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 Page 11 Mark your Calendar… fitness November November November November November November Excercise: triceps dips Triceps dips are great for, you guessed it, triceps. But they also provide some action for the muscles in your abs, back and shoulders. Here’s the way to do it: 1.Sit on the edge of your bed or sturdy chair, arms close to you sides, fingers towards your hips. 2.Slide your bottom just off of edge of the chair, and keeping your elbows pointed straight back, lower your body down until you upper arms are parallel with the floor. 3.Try to keep your body close to the chair, and keep your elbows pointed back. 4.Hold at the bottom for 1-2 seconds then push yourself back up. *You may either have straight legs or bent knees to make it a little easer. First position Second position 7 .................. 9................... 10................. 12................. 13 ................ 14................. Zumba 10 a.m. Turkey Trott Rosters due 2 on 2 Dodge Ball Tournament Turkey Trott Info Meeting Freshman Fitness Convo. Turkey Trott 5K Race Cock-a-noodle casserole Cook 1 ½ cups of egg noodles according to package directions. In a 2-quart casserole dish, combine one can low-fat cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of skim milk, and 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream. Mix well. Stir in noodles, thawed frozen vegetables, and canned chicken. Mix well. Microwave, covered, on high for 10 minutes, or until heated through, stirring once. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Microwave on high for 2 minutes or until cheese has melted. Cross training, tennis good workout choices Trainer Tip By adding weight training to you workout you will continue to burn calories up to three hours after your workout. Keep it simple at first, only lift enough weight to feel resistance, but not pain and only do exercises you are comfortable doing. Start out by doing one exercise for each major muscle group, chest, back, shoulders, arms, abdominals and legs. Do 8-12 repetitions of each exercise. Julie Hullett For students and staff, for teens and those well beyond the teen years, contemporary life is a busy time. Scheduling appointments is critical and for many, that extends to time to do something healthy – whether it’s a walk around the neighborhood or a workout in the gym. Here are two “B Fit•BU” practitioners: Fitness profiles Music can make or break a workout It is no secret that music can make working out more enjoyable. One would be hard pressed to find someone who does not enjoy having a soundtrack to their fitness endeavors. However, not all songs can make the cut. The background noise has to be upbeat and catchy. It must motivate the workout, not slow it down. Here are a few top choice picks. 1. Watch Me Shine- Joanna Pacitti From the eternal classic “Legally Blonde” soundtrack, this tune is played while Elle is preparing to kick some butt. Listening to it, you will feel like you can too. 2. Umbrella- Rihanna Ella. Ella. Just the mere mention of this song will get you moving. And it is completely acceptable if one sings during a workout. Just not too loud. 3. Gone Daddy Gone – Gnarls Barkley This tune has all the makings of an exceptional song. A good beat. Crazy lyrics. The amazing artist who sings it doesn’t hurt either. 4. It’s not right (but it’s okay)- Whitney Houston Another classic song by a classic artist, this song is timeless. The beat alone is enough to make you want to run laps around campus. 5. Fidelity- Regina Spektor Music and non-music majors alike will appreciate the staccato beats of this tune. Her soothing voice will also help you forget about the fact that you are sweating and aching. Kearney Gay Julie Hullett coordinator for graduate admissions, recruitment, promotion, College of Arts and Sciences What is your favorite type of exercise? i.e. Group Fitness Cardio or weight training. Actually I do a lot of cross training: running, weights, kickboxing, yoga and walking. I guess running would be my favorite of these. Have you noticed a difference in yourself? I go to school and work full time and try to maintain a social life. I’d say the exercise makes the difference in my energy level. Working out regularly gives me much needed stamina. With such a busy schedule how do you fit healthy living in? I work out early in the morning so I get it knocked out first thing and then enjoy the effects all day long. Kearney Gay masters of sports administration What is your favorite type of exercise? i.e. Group Fitness Cardio or weight training. My favorite type of exercise is either weight lifting or playing tennis. I played tennis in college and it’s a great cardio work out. I also do some running with my dog. Helps keep her in shape, too. Have you noticed a difference in yourself? I am always in a great mood after I work out; it gets those endorphins flowing. I don’t lift weights for looks; it makes me happy and keeps me healthy. I believe it will keep me healthy as I get older. With such a busy schedule how do you fit healthy living in? It’s all about a routine. I go to work till about 4ish, go home and change and check on my dogs, go to the gym, and then I go straight to class. It gets tough sometimes, but if I don’t work out, my day feels worthless to me. Lazy in a way! On top of that, I try my best to eat healthy. I never eat fast food or anything fried, the only bad thing I let myself eat every now and then is pizza. I love pizza! The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 Page 12 sports Belmont senior basketball player, Justin Hare, was one of 25 players named to the 2007-8 Preseason Mid-Major AllAmerican Team by CollegeInsider.com. Hare is the leading returning scorer with 1,275 career points and earned MVP honors in 2006 and 2007, also leading the Bruins in back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Runners get wins, supports It’s time to tip off! By Shardé Burkhead STAFF WRITER Men’s, women’s basketball to build on stellar season By Rachel Waller SENIOR WRITER It’s the beginning of the end: Justin Hare’s senior year. The two-time Atlantic Sun Most Valuable player will started his final season on Nov. 3. “Justin’s had a great career,” said Coach Rick Byrd, but Hare’s career isn’t over quite yet. He still has this season; one that the Bruins hope will be a historic one. “We have a banner in our locker room that says ‘make history,’” said junior guard Andy Wicke, who is also Hare’s roommate. “No team has ever won the A-Sun tournament three years in row. Our goal is to make history.” The team is well on its way. This past summer, the Bruins completed a four-game European basketball tour. “Athletics can add to the educational experience,” said Byrd. “Some players wouldn’t have been able to go to Europe otherwise. We played games but didn’t practice.” The relaxing atmosphere of a European adventure does not correlate with their regular season travels. “When we are on the road, we are there to play basketball,” said Byrd. Wicke agrees. “On away games we are either at the gym, the hotel, or a restaurant.” The Bruins will have to get used to gyms and hotels as only four of their 14 non-conference games are at home. They are also against strong competitors such as Alabama and Xavier. “We purposely chose harder teams to play. We want to get better,” said Byrd. This desire to improve also reveals any areas where the team or individual players are vulner- able. “We deal with players individually on any problems and … we work on improving.” The players have noticed a difference since they began practicing for this season, a good start for fans rooting for the Bruins. “We’ve been practicing for two weeks and we’ve been improving,” said Hare. How does the senior feel about his final season as Bruin? “I’m looking forward to it,” said Hare. “It hasn’t sunk in… I have mixed feelings about it.” There are no mixed feelings about the goal for this season. Byrd, Wicke and Hare all said they would like to return to the NCAA tournament. Wicke also mentioned he would like to see redemption for last year’s homecoming defeat to Lipscomb. One thing is for certain. Basketball season has begun. Women’s team has big task Not to be outdone by their male counterparts, the members of the women's basketball team would also like a repeat performance in the NCAA tournament. However, the team may not have to purchase quite as many airline tickets. “We’re a little shorthanded,” said coach Tony Cross. As a result, the three incoming freshmen will have to play this season “ready or not.” “We thought we would have five starters but we really only have three,” said Cross. One explanation for this shortage is the injury of sophomore Tereva Moore. 2007-2008 Women’s Basketball Scedule 2007-08 Belmont Women's Basketball Schedule Date 11/1 11/9 11/11 11/15 11/18 11/20 11/23 11/25 11/28 12/1 12/4 12/14 12/18 12/19 1/5 1/7 1/12 1/19 1/21 1/26 1/28 2/2 2/4 2/9 2/11 2/16 2/18 2/23 2/28 3/1 3/5-8 Day Thursday Friday Sunday Thursday Sunday Tuesday Friday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Tuesday Friday Tuesday Wednesday Saturday Monday Saturday Saturday Monday Saturday Monday Saturday Monday Saturday Monday Saturday Monday Saturday Thursday Saturday Wed.-Sat. Opponent LINCOLN MEMORIAL (Exhibition) at TAMU- Corpus Christi at Texas-San Antonio MISSISSIPPI STATE BOWLING GREEN at Tennessee Tech 1- vs. Vanderbilt 1- vs. Iowa State/Michigan ALABAMA at Tennessee State MONTEVALLO (DH) at Memphis 2- vs. USF 2- vs. Tulsa * at Campbell * at Gardner-Webb * at Lipscomb * USC UPSTATE (DH) * ETSU * at Mercer * at Kennesaw State * FLORIDA GULF COAST (DH) * at Stetson * NORTH FLORIDA (DH) * JACKSONVILLE * at USC Upstate * at ETSU * LIPSCOMB * CAMPBELL (DH) * GARDNER-WEBB (DH) 3- at A-Sun Tournament Location Time Curb Event Center 7:00 pm Corpus Christi, Texas 5:00 pm San Antonio, Texas 2:00 pm Curb Event Center 7:00 pm Curb Event Center 3:00 pm Cookeville, Tenn. 7:00 pm Nashville, Tenn. 2:00 pm Nashville, Tenn. 12:00/2:00 pm Curb Event Center 7:00 pm Nashville, Tenn. 6:00 pm Curb Event Center 5:00 pm Memphis, Tenn. 7:00 pm Cancun, Mexico 5:30 pm Cancun, Mexico 5:30 pm Buies Creek, N.C. 12:00 pm Boiling Springs, N.C. 7:00 pm Nashville, Tenn. TBA Curb Event Center 5:00 pm Curb Event Center 12:00 pm Macon, Ga. 4:00 pm Kennesaw, Ga. 6:00 pm Curb Event Center 5:00 pm DeLand, Fla. 6:00 pm Curb Event Center 4:15 pm Curb Event Center 7:00 pm Spartanburg, S.C. 12:00 pm Johnson City, Tenn. 6:00 pm Curb Event Center 7:00 pm Curb Event Center 5:00 pm Curb Event Center 7:15 pm Nashville, Tenn. TBA Home games are in CAPS and bold. * Atlantic Sun Conference game. 1- Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Classic (Nashville, Tenn.) 2- Caribbean Classic (Cancun, Mexico) 3- Atlantic Sun Tournament (Nashville, Tenn.) All times are Central. “Tereva is a versatile player. Its more like losing two players,” Cross said. Moore will be sitting out this season due to her torn ACL – the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee that is often a problem for both college and pro players. However, the team has four new players. One new player is transfer student Shardé Burkhead from Alaska – North Pole, Alaska. “We only bring in transfers when there is a gap to fill,” Cross said. “There was a particular need in [a] position.” Another formerly injured player will again be making an appearance on the court. Senior guard Laura Cowley has been given permission by doctors to start playing again. “Laura has worked harder than anyone I’ve ever seen,” said Cross. “She will play this season.” The team also has another thing working to their advantage. They have not lost a home game since November 2005. Cross attributes it to having to good players. “We expect to win,” he said. “We gotta get something done every practice or game and we have.” Cross said that his expectations are created through experience. They have to be healthy because the league will be tougher this season. “Our non-conference games are tougher than our conference games,” said Cross. “But we need the challenges. We have the toughest schedule ahead of us that we’ve had so far. We are going to be learning lessons.” Cross referred to it as a work in progress. The work is just about to begin. “It’s the beginning of the season. Take a deep breath. Here we go.” 2007-2008 Men’s Basketball Scedule 2007-08 Men’s Basketball Schedule Date 11/9 11/10 11/11 11/15 11/17 11/19 11/26 12/1 12/4 12/12 12/17 12/19 12/29 12/30 1/3 1/5 1/12 1/17 1/19 1/24 1/26 1/31 2/2 2/7 2/9 2/14 2/16 2/22 2/28 3/1 3/5 3/6 3/7 3/8 Day Fri Sat Sun Thurs Sat Mon Mon Sat Tues Wed Mon Wed Sat Sun Thurs Sat Sat Thurs Sat Thurs Sat Thurs Sat Thurs Sat Thurs Sat Fri Thurs Sat Wed Thurs Fri Sat Opponent 1-Cincinnati 1-Bowling Green 1-Western Carolina Samford Austin Peay Alabama Middle Tennessee State Xavier Fisk (DH) Middle Tennessee State Tennessee State Austin Peay 2-Wright State 2-Murray State/Chattanooga Gardner-Webb Campbell Lipscomb East Tennessee State USC Upstate (DH) Kennesaw State Mercer Stetson Florida Gulf Coast (DH) Jacksonville North Florida East Tennessee State USC Upstate Lipscomb Campbell (DH) Gardner-Webb (DH) Atlantic Sun Quarterfinals A-Sun Quarterfinals A-Sun Semifinals A-Sun Championship Location Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio Birmingham, Ala. Clarksville, Tenn. Tuscaloosa, Ala. Curb Event Center Cincinnati, Ohio Curb Event Center Murfreesboro, Tenn. Curb Event Center Curb Event Center Chattanooga, Tenn. Chattanooga, Tenn. Boiling Springs, N.C. Buies Creek, N.C. Nashville, Tenn. Curb Event Center Curb Event Center Kennesaw, Ga. Macon, Ga. DeLand, Fla. Curb Event Center Curb Event Center Curb Event Center Johnson City, Tenn. Spartanburg, S.C. Curb Event Center Curb Event Center Curb Event Center Nashville, Tenn. Nashville, Tenn. Nashville, Tenn. Nashville, Tenn. 1-Peggy Cronin Classic (Fifth Third Arena, Cincinnati, Ohio) 2-Dr. Pepper Classic (McKenzie Arena, Chattanooga, Tenn.) Home Games in Bold All Times Central Time 7:00 3:00 4:00 7:00 7:00 6:00 7:00 6:00 7:15 7:00 7:00 7:00 5:00 5:00/7:00 6:00 3:00 TBA 7:00 7:15 6:00 6:30 6:00 7:15 7:00 2:00 6:00 3:00 6:30 7:15 5:00 TBA TBA TBA TBA Being a student athlete at Belmont University always consists of working hard on and off the court or field, but one thing that always gives athletes a burst of energy is their fans. During the men’s and women’s cross country meet on Oct. 27 at the Vaughn's Creek Cross Country Course, Belmont’s school spirit came running as well. Every one of the Belmont Bruins’ sports teams were there cheering and supporting their fellow Bruins, along with many other students, friends, and family. “I am a fan of all Belmont sports, but sometimes I tend to be a fanatic, and I like giving the best support I can,” said Whitney Seal, of the women’s basketball team. Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams dominated, winning the Atlantic Sun Championship and many other awards. Belmont’s men cross country team has now won a record six consecutive A-Sun conference championships and the women have also won their sixth in seven years. Junior Kipkosgei Magut won the men’s individual Runner of the Year award with a time of 25:10 in the 8K run. Magut became the first runner to win consecutive A-Sun championships since former Bruin William Kemey in ‘01-’02. Senior Lauren Weaver won the women’s individual Runner of the Year award by posting an amazing time of 17:51. “Seeing, knowing, and hearing all the support from our fans, was one of the greatest feelings,” Magut said. “Being a student athlete at Belmont is great and the more support we receive, I believe the better we all perform.” The Belmont Bruins’ pride was by far the loudest, the largest, and the most spirited as the fans out-shouted supporters of 11 competing teams. “Being there to support our Bruins is a good thing because I know when I play I love it when our fans are loud it just makes playing our game fun,” said Shane Dansby, of the Belmont men’s basketball team. But it wasn’t just athletes supporting each other. President Bob Fisher’s recent announcement that he would give an annual spirit award brought scores of other supporters out. Some arrived in costumes and all came with colossal spirit, to shout both for the cross country teams and against their rivals for the spirit award. Teams vying for the award included Alpha Tau Omega, Phi Mu, Belmont Softball, Belmont Track and Field, Athletic Department student workers, Phil Delta Theta pledge class, Hail Hall and Belmont baseball. Fisher has chosen the winner, which he’ll announce Nov. 26 at halftime of the Belmont men’s game against MTSU. Page 13 The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 ‘Knocked Up’ loaded with laughs By Brian Clark STAFF WRITER BUY IT? | RENT IT? | LEAVE IT? For the last few years, the amount of good comedies released has been few and far between. That is why we all should thank Judd Apatow for finally giving us consistently Movie: Knocked Up funny, well-written comedies; this is especially true for his newest comedy, “Knocked Up.” Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance Following a string of underrated television Starring: Seth Rogen shows and a comedy hit in “40-Year-Old Katherine Heigl Virgin,” Apatow proves once again why he is Paul Rudd setting a new standard for comedies that few other writers or directors can reach. Leslie Mann “Knocked Up” tells the story of a one-night Director: Judd Apatow stand between stoner-bum Ben Stone (Seth Producers: Clayton Townsend Rogen) and E! anchor Alison Scott (Katherine Released: June 1, 2007 Heigl). After going their separate ways, Alison DVD release: Sept. 25, 2007 reluctantly contacts Ben when she discovers she is pregnant. Ben decides that he wants to be a part of her pregnancy, and from then on ing the audiwe see the highs and lows of their relationship as Ben “tries” to shape up and Alison tries to ence in the end, decide if she really needs, or even wants, Ben in the picture. a tight hour and What makes “Knocked Up” so different from so many other comedies is the authenticity 40 minutes in Apatow’s writing. He rarely uses physical humor, but relies on dialogue and interaction would have between characters as the basis for the humor. It makes the humor more easier to relate to, Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen star in “Knocked Up,” a been perfect. romantic comedy about a one-night stand that leads to much thus more effective. “Knocked Up” succeeds where other movies fail because it takes a real One major more than anticipated. life situation and uses real life humor within it. aspect of the The major component of “Knocked Up” that separates it from other comedies is the way movie that everyone needs to be forewarned about is the content. A majority of the scenes are in which Apatow focuses on giving the audience intelligent humor as well as a well-congenuinely funny, but there is also some heavy sexual dialogue and some sexual situations that structed story. So many movies try to provide humor through outrageous situations. But “Knocked Up” works because it has a very serious storyline through the situation with Alison definitely deserve the R rating. If you can stand some adult content, “Knocked Up” has a little something for everybody that will have you laughing during the movie and smiling at the end. and Ben, and at the same time, scenes between Ben and his friends and Alison and her sister provide some very funny moments. Buy it, Rent it or Leave it: Definitely rent it, but I’d buy it. The one minor downside of “Knocked Up” is that Apatow didn’t want to sacrifice any of his story to save running time, but that didn’t mean the movie needed to be two-plus hours. I Brian Clark is a sophomore English writing major. Email: [email protected]. applaud him for giving us more than 90 minutes of laughs with no plot, but to keep from los- X Country event rocks By Courtney Drake EDITOR Break out the fiddles and acoustic guitars – it’s time for the Country Music Showcase once again. This year, it will be 7-8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17, in the Curb Event Center. Nick Novak, a senior music business major who is also the producer of the showcase, said this year the show will be more visually appealing, incorporating unique lighting and 3-D physical elements. Thirty-five people turned in application packets and CDs of their recorded music. from that number, industry judges chose eight, who then performed in live auditions on Nov. 3. Parker Welling, Eden’s Edge, Courtney Blair and Shea Raye were the four artists chosen to perform. “They have to perform two original songs, but that doesn’t mean they have to write it themselves,” said Novak. Performers in the showcase must also perform one cover song and the lead singer must be a Belmont student, as well as twothirds of the band. The winner of the showcase will perform in the Best of the Best Showcase at the end of the school year and will also have the opportunity to record their music at Belmont’s Ocean Way Studio. This semester is the first in which convocation credit is not offered for the showcase. “Convocation events are supposed to be held in a place where attendance can be monitered,” said Mark Bryant, associate dean of Student Affairs. But [showcases] have gotten so big, it’s hard to keep track.” Consequently, the office of Student Affairs decided to remove convo credit from all the Mike Curb College of Music Business showcases. “I thought it would hurt attendance, but I’ve noticed it hasn’t hurt it at all [in the previous showcases],” said Novak. “I still think they should get [convo credit], but I’ve adjusted, and it’s not as big of a deal as I thought.” Convo credit or not, the showcase will spotlight Belmont’s finest country singers of the year. As Novak said, “You don’t want to miss it.” CLASSIFIED ADS UNDERCOVER SHOPPERS. Earn up to $150 per day. Shoppers needed to judge retail and dining establishments. No experience needed. Call 800-722-4791 MOVIE EXTRAS. New opportunities for upcoming productions. All looks needed. No experience required for casting calls. Call 877-218-6224 DELIVERY/SALES – PART TIME FURNITURE DELIVERY. Artificial Christmas tree sales and stocking. Must have valid driver’s license, flexible hours, competitive wages. Apply in person. Inside-Out Home Furnishing, 149 Wilson Pike, Brentwood. The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 Page 14 : When Ken Spring walks into his sociology class, most think he’s another student, not the professor. Complete with nose ring and tattoos, Spring is not your typical college professor. He has a master’s from the University of Toledo and obtained his doctorate from Vanderbilt. Currently researching popular culture and the music scene, he has been interviewed for documentaries dealing with culture which have aired on Bravo!, Current TV and PBS. He is an assistant professor of sociology at Belmont. Spring classified the music he would need on a deserted island into five genres that “instill certain feelings in me,” choosing one band/artist to represent each. However, he left out of the mix a few of his favorite or “comfort” bands, including the Pixies, Nirvana and the White Stripes. Also taking into account the setting, here are the five albums that would represent his life on a deserted island. In a crisis, Spring abandons Nirvana for Flogging Molly, Johnny Cash Hip-Hop Moment of Truth, Gang Starr, 1998 “I’ve listened to Hip-hop since 1982. Gang Starr isn’t really ‘old school’ but certainly not ‘new school’ either. They pay homage to hip-hop’s past, but are more complex musically and lyrically than the early artists. Gang Starr’s lyrics are intelligent and this selection has enough variety throughout the whole album that I wouldn’t get bored. Also, Guru’s voice is soothing.” Punk Drunken Lullabies, Flogging Molly, 2002 “Punk has an equal place in my heart. I used to listen to punk before BMX races when I was 8. It would get me in the right mental place to really step up and get things accomplished. I debated long and hard as to whom I would choose and while I recognize the Clash, MC5, the Misfits and Social Distortion have all played a bigger part in my past, the context of location played a role in this decision. I consider Flogging Molly more on the spectrum of ‘soft punk’, or punk for old people. It still offers a bit of the attitude, but rage won’t do much for me when I’m alone on an island.” Country/Rock At San Quentin. Johnny Cash, 1969 “I would prefer the box set ‘Love, God, Murder.’ Ten years ago this would have never made my list, now I can’t imagine him not being on the list. This punted Bob Dylan and the Beatles, as there is more grit, as well as struggle, with a dash of hope. There is nothing like a little growl to get the day started.” Singer/Songwriter/Easy Listening Concert in the Park, Paul Simon, 1991 “Each place that I have moved and faced that initial isolation I have found a bit of solace in this album. It allows me to think and reflect without getting too deep into my head. I remember getting in trouble in church when I was 3 or 4 because I wanted to sing like everyone else. The problem was that they were singing hymns and I was singing Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.” I mean, ‘Get on the Bus, Gus.’” Gospel Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama, 2000s “A little gospel goes a long way when you are spending the rest of your days on a deserted island. Nobody brings more sunshine to the soul then this pairing.” – Courtney Drake 4V]PUN(OLHK ^P[OH 4(** Are you interested in the accounting profession but don’t have an undergraduate business or accounting degree? Belmont University’s Summer Accounting Institute will prepare you to start the 12-month Master of Accounting program at The Massey Graduate School of Business, accredited in accounting by AACSB International. The next course begins summer 2008. 615-460-6480 www.belmont.edu/business/graduatebusiness Bill Baker, Jr., MACC 2004 Deloitte & Touche, LLP Audit in Charge www.belmontvision.com ‘Two Rooms’ PHOTO BY JOSEPH SHELBY In this scene from Lee Blessing’s “Two Rooms,” characters enact a hostage drama written in 1988 but still timely. Here, pushy reporter Walker Harris (Benjamin Reed), left, makes demands of State Department liaison Ellen Van Oss (Brittany McManus), while Lainie (Liz Young), the grieving wife of a professor who is being held hostage in Beiruit, kneels in the spare room where she spends her days, trying to imagine what her husband is going through at the hands of his captors. The production of the Belmont Theatre Company opens Thursday, Nov. 8, in the Troutt Black Box Theater. Performances are scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8-10 and Nov. 14-16, and at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 11, 17 and 18. Admission is free for Belmont students. The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 Page 15 PHOTOS BY CHRIS SPEED The four acts that made it to this year’s Urban/Pop Showcase were Alvin Love, bottom left; Brett McLaughlin, left; and, not shown, Steve Moakler and Stephen Fryrear. The showcase encompassed a diverse range of talent, from Love’s song comparing the taste of strawberries to love and Fryrear’s rendition of Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around” to Moakler’s acoustic sound and McLaughlin’s rock vibe. And, of course, a showcase with Alvin Love wouldn’t be the same without some of his signature dance moves, which he offered with a group of backup dancers during his last song. Each act performed three songs before giving up the stage to the “STOMP” group, top, that performed at the beginning and end of the showcase, as well as between each act. Love was the winner of this year’s Urban/Pop Showcase and will return to the showcase spotlight when the 2007-08 series ends with the Best of the Best Showcase April 5. Page 16 The Belmont Vision, November 8, 2007 a&e Billboard’s Pop 100 Airplay 1. Apologize, Timbaland Feat. OneRepublic 2. Stronger, Kanye West 3. The Way I Are, Timbaland Feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.E. 4. Who Knew, Pink 5. Bubbly, Colbie Caillat Mute Math: Catch ‘em live By Lance Conzett ONLINE EDITOR Mute Math is one of those bands that I just have never paid much attention to. I listened to their album a couple of times when it came out earlier this year but quickly tossed it aside for bigger and better things. It’s not that I thought that their self-titled debut was bad, but I didn’t hear anything special or different that I hadn’t heard in Minus the Bear records or any of the other electronic/rock fusion groups that have sprouted up lately. With this in mind, you can understand how surprised I was when Mute Math put on one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. I had a basic understanding of the band’s wilder moments— when they played “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “Break the Same” went from an average rock song with a keytar in it to utter chaos. Singer Paul Meany did handstands on his piano while the others members abandoned their instruments to thrash several bass drums littered around the stage. That half of the performance alone sold me on the Mute Math live show. The band played City Hall to a sold-out crowd Oct. 28. The club was fuller than I had ever seen it, although not everyone was there strictly for Mute Math. Littered throughout the crowd were diehard Eisley fans. In fact, many people I talked to in line and inside were there just to see the opening act and were hoping that Mute Math would be just as good. Eisley is like the Partridge Family, if the Partridge Family was inspired by OK Computer and named themselves after a wretched hive of scum and villainy. However, the Radiohead influence wasn’t recognizable in their music at all. They played decent pop/rock that you would expect from a band who frequently tours with inoffensive pop/rock bands like New Found Glory and Taking Back Sunday. The first half of their set proved to be visibly problematic, plagued with problems afflicting the lead guitarist. Over the course of the set, however, the band warmed up enough to put on a good show. It wasn’t particularly spectacular, although their louder songs were much better than the twangier tunes that they trotted out in the beginning and end of their set. The Eisley fans were pleased and those who never heard of them at least went home without anything bad to say about the band, which doesn’t sound posPaul Meany “surfing” on his piano itive, but it beats people going home and trashing them on the Internet. Over time, Eisley may grow into a band that has a better grip on their sound, but as of now they’re just alright. Eisley’s stage show may have been sparse and nothing to speak of, but Mute Math takes stage presence to entirely new levels. The exact same thing happened in most of Mute Math’s PHOTOS BY LANCE CONZETT Mute Math’s Paul Meany takes time out from vocals to do a handstand on his piano at the band’s sold-out show Oct. 28 at City Hall. songs that happened on “Conan.” The songs were decent, but the energy behind those songs elevates them into an entirely different game. It wasn’t uncommon for Meany to suddenly leap onto his piano and ride it like a surfboard, which was already impressive without the knowledge that he was suffering from laryngitis all evening. Now that’s devotion. Going to a Mute Math show is something of an experience. Aside from Meany’s antics, the band excels at building a song to a climax and smashing it into pieces in a chaotic mess of percussion and synth effects. They’re the only band I’ve ever seen that needed to take an encore break because the stage was in such disarray that it would have taken a while to reset anything anyway. The percussion section is the strongest part of the band, particularly drummer Darren King, who is one of the best rock drummers playing today. There’s a reason why he’s at the front of the stage instead of banished to the back like most drummers. Meany may be the front man, but King steals the show every time. Especially when he rode a bass drum supported by the audience, although it wasn’t quite as impressive as when Eugene Hutz from Gogol Bordello pulled the same stunt at Bonnaroo. Mute Math is one of the rare bands where their live show is infinitely better than their recorded album because the record can’t relate the energy of the band. Aside from the multimedia experience consisting of bizarre video clips of old movies and collapsing bridges being broadcast on massive screens behind the band, the actual performance of the band is so hypnotic that even people who aren’t interested in their albums will be impressed. Feist at the Ryman ‘I swear the rest of the album is as good as the iPod song’ By Lance Conzett ONLINE EDITOR There’s something to be said about having your song featured on one of the omnipresent iPod commercials. Apple has a knack for finding the most infectious songs being ignored by the general public and turning them into money in the bank. Before “1234” by Feist was tossed into the national spotlight by Apple on recent iPod Nano commercials, she was only doing moderately well in the United States. The single was sitting at a comfortable 2,000 downloads per week and the album, “The Reminder,” had reached No. 36 on the Billboard 200 chart, a personal best for the Canadian singer. But, after the commercial hit the airwaves, all of those numbers skyrocketed. Weekly downloads of “1234” tripled and the record has since jumped to No. 16 on the Billboard charts. She appeared on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” accompanied by an indie all-star choir featuring members Getting there Feist performs at the Ryman Auditorium, her first appearance at the venue since she opened for Bright Eyes in 2005 on Nov. 21. Tickets: $25-$32 for main floor seats and $25 through Ticketmaster or the Ryman boxoffice. Jason Collett, a fellow member of Broken Social Scene, opens. of bands like Broken Social Scene and Mates of State, and “Saturday Night Live” as a direct result of the ad’s success. The recent success is well deserved, because “The Reminder” is easily one of the best records released in 2007. “The Reminder” is a lush dream of an album. Although much of the subject matter – love, loss and the emotions associated with both – has been well explored over the years by countless other singers, the way Feist performs the songs makes them feel fresh and new. Songs like “The Water” and “Intuition” let Feist’s sultry, echoing voice lead you through a fog of cleverly arranged jazzy melodies laden with piano and brass instruments, not to mention the occasional well-placed hand claps. One of album’s the strongest points is the arrangement and how the use of odder instruments doesn’t feel forced. Flourishes of glockenspiel and banjo act as nothing more than subtle touches, instead of taking over to say “look how delightfully strange we are!” No matter what, the songs always place Feist’s voice at the focal point. She no doubt faces comparisons to similar indie darlings like Regina Spektor and Chan Marshall from Cat Power, but her voice is distinct enough that I don’t feel like I’m listening to a retread of all of those other singers. Even when performing a cover song, as she often does, Feist offers something new, as subtle as that enhancement may be, and that’s why she’ll head to greater and greater popularity.