Georgia State University Preps for Final Exams

As the fall semester at Georgia State University comes to a close, students begin to prepare for final exams. For many students, this includes long hours, late nights, and a lot of caffeine.

Tadzy Hall, a senior Journalism major, said, “Finals are always so stressful, I basically won’t sleep for the next week.”

But students aren’t the only ones who have adjusted their schedules during the last few weeks of classes. The university library has also extended their hours to accommodate hours.

“I’m probably going to be in the library until it closes. Security will have to tell me to leave because I need as much study time as I can get,” Hall added.

The library has extended its hours until 2 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 p.m. on Friday, and 7 p.m. Saturday. They will also open from noon until midnight on Sunday.

Ellesse Castillo, a senior Journalism major, said, “It’s great for students to have a place to go and study for as long as they want to.”

These extended hours are only available for panther cardholders and no guests will be granted access to the library during this time. Students must present their card upon entry or they will be denied at the door. For more information visit library.gsu.edu.

Every year, the flu spreads across college campuses nationwide. College students are often more at risk of contracting the disease due to close living quarters, shared restrooms, and daily interactive activities.

The Center for Disease Control recommends a yearly flu shot vaccine for everyone six months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against the disease.

Amanda Ross, a post-baccalaureate student, said, “There should be awareness and [Georgia State University] should offer the flu shot for free, but not just in the health clinic.”

The vaccine is only one approach to protecting against influenza. The CDC also suggests other habits such as covering your mouth and nose when sick, avoiding close contact to other who are sick, and cleaning your hands.

Sean Walker, a senior accounting major, said, “I make sure to wash my hands at least five times a day, sometimes ten if I’m feeling good! But Georgia State should place hand sanitizers everywhere. They’re only in the restrooms and I think stations should be provided in all classrooms, entrances, and exits.”

Flu season can start as early October and peaks during December, January and February. This lies within the school semester, meaning it is imperative that students remember, if you are sick, stay home from school or work to prevent spreading the disease to others.

GSU Marching Band to Appear in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Georgia State University marching band was informed earlier this year that they have been selected to perform at the 2014 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

This honor marks Georgia State’s second time performing on a national level, the first being at the inauguration of President Barack Obama in January 2013.

Cassie Trout, a senior band member, said, “We are trying to get the word out to upcoming freshmen, to current Georgia State people that want to be a part of the marching band so that we can get the best representation possible at Macy’s when everybody sees us. We’re trying… to get Georgia State hyped about us going there to represent them in Ney York!”

The parade takes place in New York’s Herald Square and has become and annual holiday tradition for millions across the nation.

Wesley Whatley, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade creative director, stated that the Macy’s band selection committee is amazed at the incredible performance quality that the Georgia State University marching band as achieved in only a short few years of existence.

Kyle Allen, a sophomore band member, said, “This is our fourth year in existence. We started when the football team started, and our second year we were actually nominated as the top [fifth] marching band in the nation and last year we were still ranked in the top ten.”

The annual event takes more than a year to prepare for and bands that have been selected to are typically informed about a year and a half in advance.

Georgia State will be one of only ten marching bands to perform out of the 175 applicants. Georgia State students, faculty, family and friends anxiously await the band’s performance, which will take place on Nov. 27, 2014.

GSU Students Debate Future Demolition of Kell Hall

Georgia State University President Mark Becker announced during his annual State of the University address on Oct. 2 that GSU has plans to create a large lawn in the center of campus by tearing down 80-year-old Kell Hall. Much debate has been triggered among students on the heels of this announcement.

Kell Hall, initially known as the Ivy Street Garage, was built in 1925 as Atlanta’s first parking garage. But following World War II, Georgia State saw a sudden increase in enrollment and bought the deck to renovate into a classroom building, while leaving the now iconic concrete ramps in place.

With news of the historic building coming down, some students are opposed to the plans to get rid of such a momentous building that signifies a certain history for the university.

Joel Dougherty, a History major, said, “Kell Hall is a historic building that really makes Georgia State the college that it is. And where else are you going to find a parking deck that has been transformed into a bunch of classrooms? Why would they knock that down?”

One the other hand, many students are excited with the news of a new park-like area that will be part of a green corridor intended to transform the core of the university and create a gathering place for students, faculty, and staff.

Malcolm Sawyer, a senior Managerial Science major, is in favor of clearing out Kell Hall to create space for a greener area. “It sounds like a really good idea. With [Georgia State] being downtown, there’s not a lot of green space, not a lot of grass, and the places where there is a lot of green space, to be politically correct, there’s a lot of impoverished people there. We can’t really enjoy it as much as we could without being solicited or feeling uncomfortable.”

President Becker has not yet announced that date that construction is projected to begin, but it is expected to take around five years to complete the development. In the meantime, students will continue to debate the issue of what is more valuable; creating a greener, more environmentally friendly campus, or preserving the historical significance of an age old building that dates back to the foundation of the university.

Tobacco Ban at Georgia State University Not Yet Successful

Although Georgia State claims to be a tobacco-free campus, the university is far from able to make the assertion of being completely smoke and tobacco free.

On October 18, 2012 the Georgia State University Senate approved a ban on smoking and tobacco use on a majority of the university campus. The ban included areas indoors, outdoors, in parking garages and within 25 feet over most Georgia State building entrances and exits.

George Rainbolt, Chair of Planning and Development at GSU, said, “There are two reasons why you would want to have a tobacco-free campus. The first is the negative effects of second-hand smoke. So, if someone is smoking in a corridor or a hallway, someone else is going to have to breathe that in and there’s documented negative health effects. Secondly, of course, cigarette smoking is a very serious problem for everyone.”

Georgia State University officials began placing signs around campus to remind students that smoking is prohibited, but it is clear that the current ban in place has done little in the way of preventing students from continuing to use tobacco products on campus.

Alex Jackson, a Junior Economics Major, said, “I think that it would probably be better to have designated smoking areas on campus rather than banning it completely so you could at least control it a little bit more since obviously no one is respecting the full ban.”

With the ban’s minimal success after almost a year in effect, it seems as if it will take more than a sign to enforce the policy, which hopes to bring a better, healthier environment for students, faculty, staff and the public.

Security On Campus At Georgia State University

Georgia State University students are all too familiar with the threat of campus robberies, and with the Fall 2013 semester in full swing, students must remain cautious of the dangers that come along with being on a downtown city campus.

Cassidy House, a second year graduate student at GSU, said, “I just like to stay completely aware of my surroundings as much as I can, pay attention to the things around me and don’t do anything stupid.”

But it seems as if every semester students receive the inevitable email with the subject line ‘Campus Alert: Armed Robbery’ notifying them of a reported attack on a student on campus, begging the question, what is the university doing to help protect the student body

Skylar Carrol, a Senior Hospitality Administration Major, said, “I see cops pretty much everywhere. No matter if it’s the middle of the night, you’ll see them on their little moped things and I just think it’s cool because if I ever needed them you wouldn’t have to look far.”

House isn’t as trusting of the protection provided by the GSU police. “I actually carry maze and bring a taser on the days I drive my car,” adding, “I see cops floating around sometimes… but after dark it gets a little sketchier.”

GSU offers some additional services and tips to help inform and protect students while on campus. The campus police provide a safety escort service Monday through Friday from 7 to 11 p.m., as well as hold a theft prevention class. You can also visit safety.gsu.edu to learn safe ways to avoid possible risks.

New iPhone 5S Touch ID Has Many Questioning Security

With Apple’s recent release of the iPhone 5S, many people are questioning if one of the phone’s newest features, the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, is the safest technology for users.

The Touch ID technology was introduced as an alternative to the current passcode feature. It works by allowing the user to simply place their finger on the home button of the smartphone and a sensor quickly reads your fingerprint and unlocks the phone.

“I really like the idea of a fingerprint scanner,” said Lee Yung, a Freshman Biology Major at GSU. “I think it will be more secure than a passcode because it’s your actual fingerprint and harder to steal.”

Others are not as keen on the idea of using their fingerprint as a password.

“I personally don’t want to put my fingerprint on anything because I don’t know where that information is going to,” said Andrew Wynia, a Senior Film Major at GSU.

With the recent trend in password hacking, the threat of having your fingerprint stolen, as opposed to just a simple passcode, is still an issue being questioned. It becomes a matter of personal choice; does the simplicity and ease the technology offers outweigh the possible threat?

“I can see where there’s a side that says it’s better security and I can also see where there’s a side that says, well nothing is secure and having that data that somebody could obtain is not a good idea,” said Dr. Douglas Barthlow, Senior Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies at GSU.

Only time will tell whether this new technology is safe for users or if hackers will be able to access the fingerprint data on the smartphone. In the meantime, students can visit Georgia State’s online student handbook in the cyber communications section to learn about other ways to protect themselves from the dangers of the cyber world.

Feminine Hygiene at GSU Becoming an Increasing Problem

The lack of proper and safe feminine hygiene disposal units on campus at Georgia State University is a growing issue among women, and with tuition costs constantly rising, students are beginning to wonder why these areas are still being ignored.

“I see a disparity between some bathrooms and other bathrooms and I don’t understand why that is,” said Christal Toso, a senior journalism major at GSU.

The current units in place are metal boxes with paper liners that often pose serious risks to users. Diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV can be contracted when exposed to the open, overflowing containers due to the high risk of cross-infection.

“Alternatives to the traditional ‘bag-in-a-box’ units are available,” said Curtis Caldwell, Assistant Director of Service at WellBeing Hygiene. “At WellBeing, we provide new technology in the form of touch-free feminine hygiene bins that decrease the risk of cross-infection and exposure to blood-borne pathogens.”

Touch-free bins, such as those offered by Wellbeing Hygiene, provide a safe and cost-effective solution to the ongoing problem of unsafe conditions in restrooms.

“Most of the bathrooms here are gross,” said Toso. “I think more of our tuition money should be allotted to providing better units.”

The continuing awareness of the dangers surrounding women due to the lack of healthy units on campus is a topic that can no longer be avoided. Improving the current state of these restrooms, in particular the lack of safe feminine hygiene units is a must and should be a top priority for facility managers and students alike.

A New View

Learning to use new and unfamiliar equipment can often pose a challenge; but I’m never one to shy away from a good lesson. Earlier in the week we were assigned our first project, which was to shoot, edit, and share a news story that was relevant to GSU. Coming up with a topic was simple, as was writing a script and setting up interviews; I have been exposed to this is part of the journalistic process many times before. Editing was also not that difficult due to the fact that I have some editing experience through other projects at home and at school. The challenge arose when it came time to actually shoot the story.

Hibaq, my partner, and I were using a video camera that neither of us had used before. The camera was a small, handheld, light piece of equipment, which offered great audio and visual capabilities for its size. We learned a few of the basic “how to’s” in class before setting off to actually shoot our material. It was a relatively painless experience other than the fact that I now had to begin thinking of what was actually being captured through that lens. Up until now, most of the projects I have undertaken focused primarily on written content; this is the first time I have had to create a digital component.

During the shooting process I had to really focus and understand that the digital portion of a story is about “What will the viewer see” as opposed to “What will the viewer read?” This allowed me to pay closer attention to what type of shots we were taking for B-roll which would allow us to capture the viewers attention. It also allowed me to understand how important angles, camera position, camera movement, etc. are to the modern world of digital journalism. Overall, I enjoyed using the camera and I feel as if this new tool allowed me to gain insight into a side of journalism that I had not yet ventured to, but I found myself really appreciating.

Digital Publishing and Production: A Student Perspective

As my first week back at college comes to a close, a variety of thoughts start to flood my mind. I begin to look back on the last five years of my life and reflect on how far I’ve come and I’m overwhelmed with emotion knowing that I’ve finally turned the last page on this chapter of my life. I also feel a strange sense of anxiety, as I know I must now prepare for the ‘real world’ and utilize the tools I’ve gained throughout my college career. But again, I wonder… “What have I learned? Will it actually be useful? What if I don’t know what I need to know?”

These questions have continued to plague my mind, even as I enter my last semester of school. I know I’ve learned an immense amount of information, but what more can I learn that will really increase my knowledge and allow me to delve further into this field. This question is what ultimately led me to enroll in this course, Journalism 3200: Digital Publishing and Production.

I think this course is incredibly important for all Journalism students to take, as it opens the door into the modern world of Journalism. As the Internet becomes more and more prevalent in todays society, a shift in traditional news writing and reporting can be seen. It is imperative that today’s young professionals not only understand these new trends, but also are able to apply these new techniques to their own work. From this course, I hope to take away a true understanding of what ‘digital’ means as applied to Journalism; I hope to gain the tools I need that will allow me to delve into the digital world of media; and I hope to leave with the feeling of accomplishment, knowing that I can now enter the ‘real world’ with no doubts in my mind.