Volume 80 No. 20February 16, 2012 www.FlorAla.net Student newspaper of the University of North Alabama

Nicki Scruggs is taking her recent loss in stride. Last week, she performed in Hol-lywood in front of Stephen Tyler, Randy Jackson and J-Lo before being sent home from the fi rst round of “American Idol.”

After an exciting victory in St. Louis, Scruggs—a freshman entertainment busi-ness major—had high-hopes for making the cut and progressing into the next round.

Her arrival back home, however, has left her undaunted.

“I would do it a hundred times again.,” she said. “Well—maybe not a hundred. That would be pathetic.”

Part of her good nature may stem from a conversation she had with the executive producer of “American Idol” after her per-formance.

“He told me, ‘Well, you’re young, so come back next year.’ When he told me

A LOOK INSIDE

Economy Inn on Ten-nessee Street is getting

a facelift and will be converted into student

apartments.

UNA community members discuss the effect sitting in the

front of the classroom can have.

See page 2

See page 5

@UNAFlorAla

@FlorAlaSports

Women’s basketball looks to beat Chris-

tian Brothers Feb. 16.

See page 9

The College of Nurs-ing and Allied Health

opens new nursing simulation lab.

See page 3

Where in the world?Where in the world?

Dr. Bill Strong, chair of the Department of Geography, said students don’t learn enough geography as part of their general education requirement in order to graduate from college.

photos by KAYLA SLOAN I Staff Photographer

Student looks to future music career after ʻAmerican Idolʼ

In an unscientifi c poll con-ducted on the UNA campus, 33 students out of 100 could point out where a specifi c country was located on a world map. Addi-tionally, 67 students could not lo-cate a given country on the map.

The 67 students could not lo-cate Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, the Czech Republic, Brazil and Turkey.

According to many experts in the world of academia, stu-dents are missing one key bit of knowledge—basic understanding of the world and where countries

are located. “We certainly are going

through an awkward period where the quality of life has been so good where people have thought they didn’t have to pay attention to what is going on,” said Dr. Greg Pitts, chair of the Department of Communications.

Many professors believe the education students receive is the reason to blame for lacking glob-al competency in young people.

“The simple answer to it is we don’t teach it,” said Depart-ment of Geography Chair Dr. Bill Strong.

Strong said the only times geography is discussed in depth is in the third and seventh grades.

Often, geography is simply in-fused into the history courses, he said.

“Until education leaders and politicians realize that a knowl-edge of geography is important (the numbers will continue to be bad),” Strong said.

Many believe studying abroad will help global knowledge issues that some Americans have. Uni-versities like UNA have invested in study abroad programs to help their students gain knowledge of the world around them.

“Our parents have not nec-essarily traveled abroad,” Pitts said. “As a global citizen, we, the

photo by DARRICK DAWKINS I Staff PhotographerNicki Scruggs, an entertainment business major, had the opportunity to audition in Hollywood last week to become the next winner of “American Idol.”

Community discusses global competency in young people

More students worldwide and from the U.S. are traveling to other countries to study, according to a report from the Institute of Interna-tional Education.

The report said that U.S. stu-dents attending study abroad pro-grams increased 4 percent from 260,327 to 270,604 in 2009-2010, while foreign students attending school in the United States in-creased 5 percent in 2010-2011, a new record of 723,277 for interna-tional students in U.S. colleges.

UNA has done its part in push-ing study abroad programs by of-fering several trips to students in most major fi elds of study, profes-sors said.

“I think there’s a combination of reasons UNA has done a lot in the last few years in accepting foreign cultures,” said Dr. Lesley Peterson, associate professor of English at UNA, on why UNA has been suc-cessful in supporting study abroad. “UNA as an institution is dedicated to studying abroad. UNA students want what we have to give them in experience and knowledge.”

Peterson, along with Dr. Jeffrey Bibbee, assistant professor of his-tory, is preparing to lead a study abroad trip to London in July for students in English and History in the vein of other study abroad trips they have taken to research Lon-don.

Report: More US students choose to study abroad

”UNA students want what we have to give

them in experience and knowledge.”

-Lesley Peterson

Offi cials explain the student athletic fee and break the numbers down for

students.

See page 8

Page 2 News Thursday, February 16, 2012 • The Flor-Ala

News BriefsThe Flor-Ala staff takes home several awards at SEJC

Four members of The Flor-Ala staff re-ceived awards at the Southeast Journalism Conference in Martin, Tenn. last week.

Executive Editor Lucy Berry was awarded fi rst place in the Best of the South competition in the Special Events Report-er/Editor category.

Other winners included Online Edi-tor Jordan Bradley, who received second place in the media history on-site competi-tion, Chief Photographer Malisa McClure, who took third place in the photography competition and Copy/Opinions Editor Alex Lindley, who was awarded fi rst place in the copy editing competition.

News Briefs are compiled by News Editor Josh Skaggs. Email jskaggs@una.edu to have your event featured in this section.

onlinewww.florala.net

These stories and more online!

Follow us on Twitter

at @UNAFlorAla

and on Facebook

to get breaking news

from The Flor-Ala.

MTV ‘Made’ to host casting call on campus

MTV will be on campus Feb. 22 to host a casting call for its reality show “Made.” The casting call will take place in GUC 204 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Students wishing to audition must sign up for an interview time in the Offi ce of Student Engagement and fi ll out an appli-cant packet, which is available in the same offi ce.

For more information, contact Ryan McRae with MTV at 212-846-2482 or email at ryan.mcrae@mtvmix.com.

Getting a facelift

Former motel undergoes renovations to be converted into apartments for students

photo by DARRICK DAWKINS I Staff Photographer

Economy Inn, located on the corner of Tennessee Street and Walnut Avenue in Florence, undergoes construction. The motel was recently purchased by Tim Rhodes Properties and is being converted into effi ciency apartments marketed for students at UNA.

After years of being a low-budget mo-tel, the Economy Inn on Tennessee Street in downtown Florence has new ownership and is currently undergoing a facelift.

The motel, with a large number of rooms, will be converted to effi ciency apart-ments for UNA students, said Tim Rhodes, new owner and property manager.

“It will be an apartment that is all inclu-sive,” Rhodes said. “Anything in downtown Florence gets a look from UNA students be-cause it’s close to UNA.”

The effi ciency apartments will be all in-clusive with rent, water, cable and Internet, Rhodes said.

The apartments will be targeted toward

UNA students, and Rhodes—as well as his colleagues—looked at making them simi-lar to dorm-style rooms. Operating under

the name Lion’s Den Apartments LLC, the complex will start leasing apartments be-fore the end of the summer.

Rhodes said most of the apartments will be approximately 300 square feet and there will be a few larger apartments that will cost more in rent each month.

“One of the things we are doing to gain space (in the rooms) … is we are using all available space,” Rhodes said.

The apartments will have built in fur-niture, including desks, closets and other amenities, he said. The new effi ciency apartments will be completely renovated with new fl ooring, paint, windows and bathrooms.

Rhodes hopes to have a model unit ready in the early summer.

“We’re shooting fort the fi rst of June,” Rhodes said. “That’s on my wish list. It may be the fi rst of July.”

Downtown Florence Unlimited Presi-dent Van Morgan is excited to see a new owner of the property.

New academic minors provide more opportunities for students

UNA students will have 11 more aca-demic minors across various disciplines to choose from in next fall’s undergraduate catalog. The board of trustees—in an an-nual catalog revision resolution—approved the new minors for the 2012-2013 year this past December.

New minors include space planning and design, broadcast journalism, mass com-munication, public relations, security and emergency management, therapeutic nutri-tion, food management, sales, marketing communications and technology, human resources management and project manage-ment, according to the resolution.

New minors are chosen based on stu-dent interest, said Dr. Vagn Hansen, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

“We don’t determine student interest with formal surveys,” he said. “It’s more informal. We talk with professors, depart-ment chairs and faculty about what students are talking about and what they want.”

Another factor in determining which new minors to propose to the board of trust-

ees is keeping up with changes in the work-forces in different fi elds, Hansen said.

“Criminal justice and related areas—like security and emergency management—have changed signifi cantly in recent years,” he said. “That’s why we added the security and emergency management minor.”

Students can approach choosing a minor in one of two ways, said Dr. Gregory Pitts, chair of the Department of Communica-tions.

“Minors can either directly complement a major or serve as an alternative skill,” he said. “They are a way to put more tools in your tool box.”

Even majors for specifi c skills can be attractive to employers in different fi elds, Pitts said.

“Broadcast journalism is story telling—essentially gathering and conveying infor-mation,” he said. “There’s not an employer anywhere who doesn’t want employees with good written and communication skills.”

Chair of the Department of Human En-vironmental Sciences Department Dr. Jane Wilson said the new minors in her depart-ment—space planning and design, food management and therapeutic nutrition—are

determined by direct student interest.“All of the changes come as a result of

student requests, conversations with profes-sors and surveys,” she said. “We typically ask them for suggestions when they present their senior portfolios because they have al-ready been through the programs and know what we need to look at.”

”Iʼm optimistic that they will turn what has been a liability into

something positive.” -Van Morgan

New MinorsNew MinorsSpace Planning and Design

Broadcast JournalismMass Communication

Public RelationsSecurity and Emergency mgmt.

Therapeutic NutritionFood Management

SalesMarketing Communications

Human Resources ManagementProject Management

source: UNA Board of Trustees resolution Dec. 12, 2011.

Sunday Baseball game coverage by Tommy Bolton

Friday Men’s Basketball coverage by Orrey Bolton

Friday Women’s Basketball cov-erage by Tommy Bolton

Habitat for Humanity offers monthly volunteer opportunities by Andy Thigpen

Page 3Thursday, February 16, 2012 • The Flor-Ala NewsCollege of Nursing opens new lab

UNA recently opened a new medical training simulation lab for the nursing de-partment in Stevens Hall.

A large classroom was remodeled to look exactly like a hospital, including hos-pital beds, equipment and medical supplies. The lab includes four new high-frequency Medical Education and Training Inc. simu-lators. The total cost for the remodel and the new simulators is estimated to be ap-proximately $500,000, said Dr. Marilyn Lee, chair of the Department of Traditional Nursing.

Simulators resemble life-sized car-crash dummies. They are anatomically ac-curate in their weight and height. The four simulators include a unisex adult, an infant, a young child and a birthing mother. What makes these simulators different is their ability to react to what a nurse or doctor performs on them.

“The simulators can breathe, talk and have a pulse,” Lee said. “They can do ev-erything a real person does except use their brain.”

She said students can check their blood pressure, start IVs and give them medica-tion.

Before the simulation starts, students are assigned roles such as primary nurse or recorder, Lee said. There are normally four students to each simulation, but it can can include up to eight. The instructor gives the students a quick briefi ng on what is about to happen.

The instructor then enters the control room in the center of the simulation lab. From the control room, the instructor can see how the students perform. They also take on the voice roles of the patient, the 911 operator or another doctor. UNA’s sim-ulation technician, Eric Homich, then starts

the simulation. Simulations are scenarios the students

encounter and must perform accurately for the simulator to “survive.” Each simulator is pre-programmed with up to 100 simula-tions, such as burn scenarios or asthma at-tacks. If the students do not give the right medications, start IVs at the right time, treat wounds or diagnose properly, the simulator can “die” and the simulation is over. After the simulation, the instructor debriefs the students and gives them valuable informa-tion on what went right or wrong during the simulation, Lee said.

“Students actually transfer what they learn in simulations to actual bedside,” Lee said.

Simulations include prep work to pro-vide the students with the most accurate hospital experience that can be provided.

“I talk with instructors a week before

simulations to fi nd out how the students are grouped,” Homich said.

The simulation is then picked, and Homich sets up the supplies that will be needed. He also primes the simulators with liquids, such as fake urine. He then makes the patient chart, lab results and other pa-perwork. If the simulator needs makeup, such as fake burnt skin called “molage,” he applies it.

The simulations are all pre-pro-grammed, but Homich must be present to enter into the computer what medications the students give the simulator or when IVs are introduced, he said.

“The simulator will react like a real pa-tient,” Homich said.

UNA professors said the new lab will be effective in providing students with ex-perience.

photo by MICHAEL REDDING I Student Photographer

Lynn Underwood, assistant professor of traditional nursing, teaches a Level 1 student in the new nursing simulation lab located in Stevens Hall last week.

State board appoints UNA staff member

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley re-cently appointed UNA Disability Support Specialist Dr. Mary Bowers to the Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology as an academic psychologist.

Bowers, who works in the Department of Disability Support Services, will start her fi ve-year appointment to the board in the coming weeks.

“I’m very honored,” Bowers said. “I think it’s an honor for UNA. It’s something I take very seriously.”

Part of Bowers’ duties on the board of e x a m i n -ers will be to approve licenses, re-view items of legisla-tion for the state legisla-ture and be a governing body for all p s y c h o l o -gists in the state.

“There is a lot of trust that has been placed in me,” Bowers said.

B o w -ers said this position is a way to serve the public.

“The main goal (of the board) is to pro-tect the public,” she said. “(The board) is a regulatory body.”

She said this appointment and her job at UNA allow her to give back to people.

“I think we all want to give back,” Bow-ers said. “I think that this is a way to partici-pate in the process.”

Bowers started her career at UNA in 2009 after a long stay as a psychologist at Riverbend in Florence. Bowers currently works with students with disabilities on campus and works to ensure ADA standards are followed at UNA.

”I think itʼs an honor for UNA. Itʼs something I take very seriously.”

-Mary Bowers

Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson wooed and entertained a full crowd at the GUC Per-formance Center last Monday with stories of Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement.

Jackson’s lecture was part of the “Re-fl ections of the Civil Rights Movement” event put on by the Offi ce of Diversity and Institutional Equity (ODIE). She spoke about memories she had of growing up in Selma during the Civil Rights Movement, and how her home became a central hub for leaders during the movement. She chroni-cles her experiences in her new book “The House by the Side of the Road.”

“I never wanted to write a book,” she told the audience. “Not about our friend—not about our brother. I wrote what I expe-rienced. I wrote what I saw, what I heard, what I know and it is the truth.”

Jackson discussed her interactions with many social and political leaders such as Lyndon B. Johnson, James Baldwin, Ralph Bunch, Harry Belafonte, Jesse Jackson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The unspoken theme of the night seemed to be “fearlessness,” and how she wanted to cultivate a home without the presence of fear.

“When you got a mission and you have something to do and you’re young, you just do it,” Jackson said. “And you wait ‘til later

to get scared. Get up and do what you got to do. The good Lord is watchin’ over you.”

While the night was a collection of fond memories about her house in Selma, the majority of the conversation rested on the memory of King, who lived in her home consistently between 1958 and 1968.

“I knew the man—the heart and soul of the man,” Jackson said. “When he was in the house, he was ‘Martin’ to me. He knew who he was, and he made no apologies.”

Students were affected by Jackson’s nostalgic recollection of the past.

“I thought it was special to hear that more personal side of Dr. King,” said SGA President Ralph Akalonu. “Most of what you hear is about his achievements and all that, but it brought a different perspective. I think it defi nitely embodied the celebration of his life.”

Junior merchandising major Brittany Jordan agrees with Akalonu.

“I think it was so inspiring,” she said. “It made me want to make a difference in other people’s lives. It was very education-al, and I just felt compelled to buy the book to fi nd out the truth.”

Jackson left the crowd with a message for the younger generation.

“You are standing on my shoulders. Get ye prepared to hold somebody on yours,” she said, and was responded to with ap-plause. “Know and make up your mind to what your truth is. When you know that, you’ll be ready to hold the next generation on your shoulders.”

University hosts Civil Rights author on campus

photo by MALISA MCCLURE I Chief Photographer

Civil Rights author Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson speaks to audience members in the GUC Feb. 6.

• Office of Diversity and Institutional Equity holds discussion on Civil Rights Movement UNA Police Crime Logs

January 2012

Jan. 10-Burglary $200 Appleby Lots

Jan. 10- Burglary $6,600 Hawthorne

Jan. 11-Theft $165 Rivers

Jan 14.- Harassment Rivers

Jan. 15-Theft $20 Parking Deck

Jan.16-Robbery $60 Hermitage Drive

Jan.18-Theft $90 Flowers Hall

Jan.19-Criminal Mischief

photo by CHRISTINA COVINGTON I Student Photographer

Page 4ViewpointsThursday, February 16, 2012 • The Flor-Ala

It takes a lot of work to have a successful relationship. So many people rush into relation-ships before they take the time to think things through before they become official. This is if you’re dating and especially if you’re engaged and you’re about to say I do.

If the person you’re dating tells you or oth-ers, “We’re only just having fun” or “We’re just “kickin’ it,” my advice to you is end the relationship now. Why? Because it wasn’t

a relationship to begin with. They can’t have their cake and eat it too.

Friend, you need someone who is serious, mature, and truly cares about you and vice versa. This is why I encourage you to make sure you’re ready before you take it to the next step.

It takes two people to make it work, not just

one. What direction is the relationship going? Are you both happy? Do you respect one anoth-er? Do you listen to each other? What is your relationship built on? What’s the foundation and center of it? It can’t just be one thing. If so, what happens if that is removed? Then what is the anchor in your relationship?

These are only a few of the tough questions that all couples need to answer. That’s why communication is so important in relationships. Without it, the relationship will slowly begin to crumble. If the issue isn’t dealt with now, someone will end up getting hurt.

Friend, you have to be careful in this world because there are people who will manipulate, play games and lead others on. It’s better to be up front and honest with each other in the beginning.

If your significant other is dating you, but still texting and hooking up with others behind your back, end the relationship. Know your worth and don’t allow someone to take advan-tage of you.

This applies both ways. If you’re the one they’re texting and secretly meeting with behind closed doors, but they’re dating some-one else in the public eye, end it now. You deserve to be No. 1, not second place.

It’s time to be an adult and open your eyes, and don’t settle for just anyone. You deserve nothing but the best. I hope the relationship advice I’ve shared with you will help you in some way.

If you are experiencing problems in your relationship, it’s time to sit down and talk it out. Find out where the relationship took a detour. Communication and love must be the center of all relationships. Silence will only destroy them.

Tell me I suck, tell me why

Rolling into the rear GUC parking lot last Saturday night in a 12-seater van with The Flor-Ala staff, I’d had about five hours of sleep in the previous two nights. My friends call me an ‘80-year-old man’ for my sleeping habits, so I should’ve been feeling a lot worse than I was.

But I felt energized. We had just returned from the Southeast Journalism Conference in Martin, Tenn. with a ton of ideas (and some awards) for the paper—ideas involving multimedia projects and our online social media presence.

I’m particularly excited about producing some video content and try-ing to get some broadcast journalism and film and digital media production students involved, but I’m also a little nervous.

I’m nervous The Flor-Ala won’t get any response from students on our new ideas and projects, and we won’t have any way to know how we’re doing. I definitely don’t want to approach this with the old “If you build it, they will come” mentality.

What I do want is to be told I suck … when it’s warranted. Likewise, I want to be told I don’t suck.

We’ve tried to ramp up our online presence this year, and it’s helped us to see a little more student response.

But if you ask me, the response isn’t enough.

The Flor-Ala isn’t just our paper. It’s yours. It’s the paper for the UNA community. We’ve got over 7,000 students at UNA and 968 followers on Twitter and 1,157 fans on Facebook. I am so totally not a math person, but I think that means we’re about 6,000 short on both sites.

That’s not to mention anyone and everyone who has even the faintest connection to UNA.

I understand not everyone has time to write a letter to the editor, but everyone has time to tweet. It’s only 140 characters, after all. So follow @UNAFlorAla and tweet us that we’re twits or rant to us on Facebook, but tell us why. And don’t just say we’re awe-some either—tell us why you think so.

In other words, provide us with real feedback we can use. We’ll listen to you and do the best we can—I prom-ise.

The Flor-Ala staff knows there are some students on campus who have taken issue with the paper this semes-ter. We’d really like to know why so we can fix the problems, but we can’t unless we get feedback on our work and the new ideas we’re going to try in the very near future.

So, take this column as my (@TheFlorAlex) official invitation for you to insult me and my work—as long as you tell me why you feel that way.

To contact Alex, call 256-765-4364 or you can follow him on Twitter at @TheFlorAlex.

Student newspaper of the University of North Alabama

LUCY BERRYEXECUTIVE EDITOR

JOSH SKAGGSNEWS/MANAGING EDITOR

ANDY THIGPENLIFE EDITOR

TOMMY BOLTONSPORTS EDITOR ALEX LINDLEY

COPY/OPINIONS EDITOR JORDAN BRADLEY

ONLINE EDITORDEVIN KENNAMER

AD MANAGERSAVANNAH COMER

GRAPHIC ARTISTJULIANN LOSEY

CIRCULATION MGRMALISA McCLURE

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHERKAYLA SLOANBARRY MINOR

DARRICK DAWKINSSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

REBECCA WALKERADVISER

EDITORIAL BOARD: LUCY BERRY

ALEX LINDLEY

The Flor-Ala welcomes and encourages Letters to the Editor.• The deadline for submitting letters is 10 a.m. Monday, the week of publication.• Letters must not exceed 400 words. • Letters must be accompa-nied by the writer’s name, mailing address, phone number and email.• The Flor-Ala prefers to publish your letters exactly as written, but reserves the right to reject slanderous or libelous material.• The publication of any let-ter is left to the discretion of the Editorial Board.• Priority is given to letters critical of The Flor-Ala, or written in direct response to an editorial, a column, or a news story.• When the editors deem it necessary for ease of understanding or to clarify facts, an Editor’s Note may accompany a letter.• Address correspondence to The Flor-Ala. UNA Box 5300, Florence, AL 35632.Email: florala@una.edu. Letters may also be submit-ted through our website at florala.net.• Phone: 256-765-4364

Letters Policy

Copyright © 2011The Flor-AlaAll rights reserved.First copy free.Additional copies $1 each.

‘We’re just having fun’ does not cut it

Have your own cartoons? Want to be published? Send us your stuff at fl orala@una.edu!

Cartoon of the Week

Congrats to Staff Writer Ann Harkey for being named Writer of the Week for The Flor-Ala. Also, great job to staff photographer Kayla Sloan for having Photo of

the Week in the last edition of The Flor-Ala.

SHOUTOUT!

Relationship Column

PAWS UP, PAWS DOWN

Calling it like we see it at UNA, in the Shoals,

across the state and around the world

The Civil Wars took home two Grammy awards last Sunday. The group won both of its nominations—one in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance and the other in Best Folk Album for their first album, “Barton Hollow.” The duo consists of John Paul White and Joy Williams. White is a resident of Florence and Williams is a resident of Nashville. The duo appeared on “The Tonight Show” Monday with Jay Leno after win-ning their awards last Sunday.

UNA students might have a new way to pass the coming warm days of spring—a 16-court tennis complex in Veteran’s Park. Representatives of the Retirement Systems of Alabama have spoken with local officials on the matter, but nothing has been decided yet. The pro-jected cost for the courts is $10 million. The Public Park Authority would pay part of the cost, and UNA might foot the rest in an effort to gain better tennis facilities for the move to Division I.

Want to be a columnist for The Flor-Ala? Email alindley@una.edu with your ideas and a writing sample to

be considered for publication.

Life Page 5Thursday, February 16, 2012 • The Flor-Ala

Vladimir Lazoroski is a 27-year-old journalist from Skopje, Macedonia study-ing at UNA for one year as part of the Pro-fessional Development Year sponsored by

Voice of America.Lazoroski is a pescetarian and music

lover who has been involved in media for most of his life. He fi rst appeared on televi-sion as a host of a children’s program at the age of nine. He has worked in radio, pub-lic relations, and most recently worked for on.net, the second largest online magazine in Macedonia.

In July of 2011, Vladimir was selected to participate in the Professional Develop-ment Year program. The program is a learn-ing experience intended for early career journalists that gives them an opportunity to study in the United States for one year.

“This has been probably one of the best things that has happened to me,” Lazoroski said.

Vladimir didn’t feel that way from the start, however. He admits to feeling disappointed when he found out he would be coming to Florence. He had hoped to

be sent to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

“Now after six months, I am offi cially in love with Florence,” he said.

Lazoroski is a music lover, and Nov. 20, he travelled to Nashville to visit and pour moonshine on Johnny Cash’s grave as a tribute to the star. He enjoys the Civil Wars and said he was raised on rockabilly music.

“Because I am into music, I fell in love with Nashville,” Lazoroski said.

Dr. Gregory Pitts, chair of the UNA Department of Communications, hoped Lazoroski would appreciate the rich musi-cal heritage of the South.

“We felt like it would be (a good fi t),” Pitts said.

UNA is one of only three universities in the United States currently hosting a

Choosing a desk in class might seem like a simple choice, but, to some, it is a choice that can be vital to professors’ per-ceptions of students. To others, it might have a different effect—or none at all.

Director of Career Planning and De-velopment Melissa Medlin said students’ seat choices illustrate their character.

“Any student who sits in the front shows initiative,” she said.

Medlin said she does not know there is any evidence that shows “front-seaters” do better than other students.

Medlin said letting professors get to know you—your career goals and other as-pirations—gives the professor a better base

to draw from when asked to give his or her impression.

Some students said they haven’t seen many differences based on seat choice.

“I haven’t noticed being treated differ-ently by professors for sitting in the back,” said Jeremy Bates, sophomore psychology major.

Bates said the only negative aspect of sitting in the back is not seeing the board, but it is really not an imperative issue.

Asking questions and making sure he knows the information are ways Bates en-sures not being able to see the board does not get in his way.

“I make sure to make eye contact and show the professors that I’m listening, in-terested and following what they are say-ing,” Bates said. “I think that is the differ-

ence.” Some professors attribute the forma-

tion of professor perceptions of students to other factors.

“Personally, I have found that it is not seating preference that infl uences student-faculty interaction, but whether I have had

the opportunity to previously interact with the student and learn their name,” said Dr. Jerri Bullard, UNA professor of sociology.

Bullard said she feels professors do not view students differently based on seat lo-cation.

“A number of factors can infl uence where a student sits in a classroom, in-cluding availability of seats, having a class right before, parking issues, friendships as well as personal preferences,” Bullard said. “Understanding this, I don’t feel that in-structors view a student differently if they sit in the front of the room versus the back.”

Dr. Ryan Zayac, UNA assistant pro-fessor of psychology, said research-based evidence proves the differences between

Location, location, location...

photo by BARRY MINOR I Staff Photographer

Students learn in Bibb Graves Hall under UNA instructor of English Pam Kingsbury. A student’s position in class may just be a matter of personal preference. While a profes-sor’s perception of the student may be affected by the location of the student, it often has no effect on grades.

photos by MALISA MCCLURE I Chief Photographer

Vladimir Lazoroski is a foreign exchange student from Macedonia. He attends UNA through the Professional Develop-ment Year and has found a love for Florence and the South

Studentsʼ position in classroom may have no effect on grades, faculty says

Student Profile: Vladimir Lazoroski

Lazaroski unrolls a roll of fi lm after devel-oping fi lm for the fi rst time in class Feb. 9.

”I make sure to make eye contact and show the professors that Iʼm listening, interested and following what they are saying. I think that is the difference.”

-Jeremy Bates

Page 6 Thursday, February 16, 2012 • The Flor-AlaImages

Feature Page 7Thursday, February 16, 2011 • The Flor-Ala

the United States, impact the rest of the world and the rest of the world impacts us.”

Pitts and Strong both said in other countries the education on world geography and history is at a much higher caliber than it is in the United States.

“Other people manage to keep track of us, rather than us keep track of them,” Pitts said.

Pitts said the Internet is a good resource for people to learn more about the world around them, but it is also building a wall between countries.

“(The Internet) does give us the ability to learn more about the world … but it is a curse if we don’t take advantage of that,” Pitts said.

Strong said Americans should learn more about other countries in order to be more produc-tive.

“It’s a global community and we are all linked,” Strong said. “We trade and people trade with us; that’s a good thing. Nothing replaces get-ting out there and seeing things.”

Strong said getting out in the world and seeing culture is the best way to learn about other coun-tries.

Many students don’t learn basic geography and world knowledge skills in college because it’s not required, Strong said.

“I can’t show you where anything on the map is at, because we never studied geography at my high school,” said UNA student Maddie Wade.

Students like Amanda Frazier, a nursing stu-dent, blame high school teachers for their lack of knowledge in geography.

“I have problems with maps because my teach-

ers in high school weren’t there to actually teach,” Frazier said. “Most of them were only there to coach sports, so there wasn’t any real teaching or direction in the classroom.”

Often, world geography is forgotten in high school, said UNA junior Allison Stark.

“I can show you where the countries are at, but only because I remember them from my seventh grade geography class,” Stark said. “When I got to high school, American geography and history was emphasized more, and world geography wasn’t really taught.”

Students like music education major Ethan Lolley feel that it is the students’ and citizens’ re-sponsibility to learn about the rest of the world.

“I know where the countries are at because I made my education good,” Lolley said. “You have to go out and earnestly seek further instruction and education. You have to take initiative to make yourself a well-rounded student.”

photos by KAYLA SLOAN I Staff Photographer

Some professors believe U.S. students have weak geography and global skills because related classes are not required.

that, that really meant a lot to me, because he never talks with any of the contestants,” she said.

Scruggs’ time will be spent doing what she’s been do-ing for a long time: writing songs, school and learning new music.

“I want to learn piano,” she said. “That’s my next step. I feel like it could make more of a variety with my songwrit-ing.”

Even before she picked up the guitar when she was 12 years old, Scruggs loved writing songs.

“I have about six notebooks full (of songs),” she said. She estimates her song-count to be more than 200.“I wouldn’t really do my homework (after school),” she

said. “I would come home from school and write songs. And if I was really in the mood, I could write three in one afternoon.”

For Scruggs, the songwriting process fl ows like her voice.

“I just start playing chord progressions, and I’ll just start singing random lines that come out of my head,” she said. “I feel like if (the song) is planned, it’s going to be—I don’t know how to explain it. I just don’t like my songs like that.”

While there are many songs between fi rst and last, her fi rst one and her most recent one are both about boys.

“My very fi rst song I wrote was when I was 11,” Scruggs said. “I think it was about breaking up with a boy.”

She explained her newest song—written last Sunday night—is about a love triangle between the girl, Mr. Right and Mr. Wrong.

The only thing Scruggs said she loves more than writing is performing.

“I love (performing),” she said. “I love playing for peo-ple and making people happy. I was the kid in class who wasn’t afraid to get up in front of class. I’ve always had that confi dence.”

The love of music is something she has carried since childhood.

“I wrote a paper in second grade that said, ‘If I had a million dollars, I would help mom pay bills and build a re-cording studio,’ ” she said. “I’ve always wanted to pursue music.”

A negative nod from J-Lo will not stop her from com-peting in next year’s “American Idol” tryouts, even though she believes the contest’s motives to be misguided.

“It’s really about TV,” Scruggs said. “It’s not really about music. Going through that experience, you learn a lot. I’ll be a lot more comfortable in front of the judges, and I know what they’re looking for.”

photo courtesy of NICKI SCRUGGS

Nicki Scruggs recently performed for the judges of the hit TV show “American Idol.”

“London is our subject,” Peterson said about what students do on the trip. “Even when they are just going around, they’re doing research.

“They are facing challenges—the challenge of a new situation and new problems. For us, it’s not a tour, we live and study in London.”

Peterson also said though students do have classwork during the day, a major draw of this trip and other trips of-fered by UNA is that the study is fl exible for the students in terms of where they can travel and what they can do.

UNA is offering several different study trips this year, including trips to London, Honduras, Africa, and Costa Rica and a multi-department trip to Tianjin, China, focus-ing on geography, business and communication.

“The knowledge they gain is the greatest thing,” said Dr. Michael Pretes, UNA associate professor of geogra-phy and one of the professors leading the trip to Tianjin. “Experiencing large city life is important since Florence is such a small city. Many students have never been to a city of 14 million people.”

Exploring the city is a major part of the China trip,

Pretes said, because students see how large the city is, ex-perience Chinese problems like pollution and meet several Chinese students.

“The classroom was just a small part of the experi-ence,” Pretes said. “We spent a lot of time at excursions to businesses, to high schools, to temples and shopping districts. It helped students appreciate certain aspects of our own culture that we take for granted.”

Students aren’t the only benefi ciaries from study abroad programs, Pretes said.

“Having a population that is more educated about Chi-na could make (Florence) more attractive to companies,” Pretes said. “Even American companies that want to do business with China could be attracted to the area.”

Zeb Wallace and Chris Ivie, who are graduate and un-dergraduate students who attended the China study abroad last year, encourage students to try a program in another country, even with the negative parts of studying abroad.

“If it wasn’t for the price, I’d say it should be made mandatory,” Ivie said. “The everyday reality is so differ-ent. It’s one thing reading; it’s another thing experiencing

it.”Both Wallace and Ivie said the parts they remember

most from the trip were traveling around Chinese cities and visiting important landmarks, like the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors and Olympic Park.

The study abroad programs are not fl awless, though. Price—along with other issues like homesickness—pre-vent many students from being able to participate in the programs.

“It’s expensive,” Peterson said. “There’s also a person-al sacrifi ce involved. I didn’t see my husband for a month. You’re sacrifi cing both fi nancially and personally, and you have to count the cost.”

Peterson also said many students could be afraid of traveling to other countries, but the strength of programs like the one at UNA is that professors can get involved much more personally.

“We’re all just a big bunch of nerds,” Peterson said. “They get a lot of individual attention as scholars. It’s a supported independence kind of thing.”

The Lady Lions will host a revenge match against the buc-caneers of Christian Brothers University of Memphis Thurs-day, Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. in Flowers Hall.

UNA fell at CBU Jan. 19 with 51-42, shooting 20.3 per-cent from the fl oor on the night and only connecting 14 shots. Head coach Terry Fowler said the scoring issues have been a problem for a while, but the team still just needs to play its game Thursday.

“We have had trouble scor-ing since December, so we won’t put any more emphasis against Christian Brothers than normal,” Fowler said. “We are getting the shots we want; we just have to make them.”

CBU is 0-11 on the road, 2-9 in the GSC and the last win it

found was against UNA nearly a month ago. The matchup in the post is similar, but the rebound-ing edge and second chance opportunities will be two of the game-changing differences. UNA out-rebounded the Bucs 46-40, but the CBU found two more second chance points than the Lions.

“Christian Brothers has size like us and match up with us well,” Fowler said. “We will try to get their post out on the pe-rimeter involved in our ball screening action and attack the basket with our guards.”

Senior guard Jasmine Horne led the Lions in scoring against CBU with 13 points in Canale Arena and also pulled down four rebounds for the night.

“Thursday, we just have to play well,” Fowler said. “We need to be focused and play hard, play smart, play together and stay together.”

UNA women will tip off Thursday at 6 p.m., playing CBU in the last home game of the reg-ular season.

The UNA men’s basketball team will face No. 10 Christian Brothers this Thursday and try to avenge an early-season loss.

UNA (14-9,6-5) is coming off a long road trip where they split with a win last Saturday to end a losing streak at Valdo-sta State 70-58. With the loss to West Florida last Thursday, the Lions are in the middle of a mess with just three games to go and two road games where the Lions haven’t been as strong with a 4-5 record on the road in the GSC.

“It’s a little bit of a jumble, but that’s going to be the case when you have a bunch of good teams,” said UNA coach Bobby Champagne. “Christian Brothers is a big game with it being our last home game, senior night, and we will be facing our sixth rank team on the year.”

During the fi rst matchup, the Lions could never fi nd a rhythm

offensively on the road against the Christian Brothers. The Li-ons shot a season-low 29 percent from the fi eld and 1-9 from be-yond the arc.

Christian Brothers forward Zack Warner created a lot of problems not only for UNA but the rest of the conference, with 27 points and 12 rebounds against the Lions. Stopping him is one of the goals for the Lions Thursday.

“I don’t know if anybody has an answer for Warner,” Cham-pagne said. “Warner and Scott Dennis are two of the better players in the league, so they are diffi cult to guard and are smart players.”

The duo of Beaumont Bea-sley and Theron Jenkins for the Lions will also be a key part in the game. During the last meet-ing, the Buccaneers held the two for 20 points total.

The one key that has changed from the fi rst meeting is that the Lions offense has come out of the slump of the fi rst couple

of games of the GSC to prime po-sition and fourth in the GSC in scor-ing offense (74 ppg).

“In the fi rst game, we struggled as a team and had poor shot selec-tion,” Cham-pagne said. “We didn’t play the way we have been playing throughout the season in

that game. “We had a poor shooting per-

centage, but a lot of that was by the Christian Brothers’ defense. Any time I want to put myself asleep and have nightmares, I throw in a fi lm of the Christian Brothers.”

UNA is set to tip off at 8 p.m. in Flowers Hall for the last home game of the season with three games left on the schedule, and

two of the three are against the top two in the conference, with the other being UA-Huntsville.

“We’ve got fi ve good seniors, and their senior leadership has been good over the past couple of years,” Champagne said. “There is always a little emo-tion involved because it is the last time these guys will play at home, and it signals the near end of their college careers.”

Page 8 Thursday, February 16, 2012 • The Flor-AlaSportsPlayer of the Player of the

WeekWeek

Theron JenkinsTheron Jenkins

Hometown: Flowood, Miss.Hometown: Flowood, Miss.Major: RecreationMajor: RecreationPosition: ForwardPosition: ForwardStats: Jenkins averaged 25.5 ppg. Stats: Jenkins averaged 25.5 ppg. and also averaged 11.5 rebs. a and also averaged 11.5 rebs. a game in last week’s play.game in last week’s play.

Week At A Week At A GlanceGlance

Men’s BasketballMen’s BasketballWhen: Thursday, 8 p.m.

Saturday. 6 p.m.

Where: 1. Home

2. Away2. Away

Who: Christian Bro.

Delta State

Women’s BasketballWomen’s BasketballWhen: Thursday, 6 p.m.

Saturday, 4 p.m.

Where: 1.Home

2.Away 2.Away

Who: Christian Bro.

Delta StateDelta State

SaturdSaturd

WhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeereeeWhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Who: ChrWho: Chr

WhWWWWW en: ThursdWhen: Thursd

SaturSatur

WherWher

WWWhWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW o: ChrWWWWWWWWWWWWWhWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW o: Chr

DD

BaseballBaseballWhen: Saturday, 1 p.m. (DH)When: Saturday, 1 p.m. (DH)

Sunday, 1 p.m.Sunday, 1 p.m.

Who: Missouri WesternWhWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW o: Missouri WeWhWWWWWWWWWWWWWW o: Missouri We

Basketball team prepares for senior night

Senior guard Beaumont Beasley attempts to make a con-tested layup during the Lions game against West Alabama Feb. 4.

photo by CARRIE COOK I Student Photographer

Womenʼs basketball looks to get back on track

photo by TOMMY BOLTON I Sports Editor

Senior guard Dana Jackson plays tight defense during the game against West Georgia Feb. 2.

Quick FactsQuick FactsRecord:Record: 14-9, (6-5) GSC Standings:GSC Standings: T-3rd.Team Leaders:Team Leaders: Theron Jenkins - 16.7 ppg. 9 rpg.Beaumont Beasley -16.3 ppg. 4.7 rbg.Last Meeting:Last Meeting: CBU 79-51

In fall of 2011, UNA added an athletic fee of $2 per credit hour to full-time stu-dents’ tuition. Prior to this year, the fee was $12 per academic year.

The main item the athletic fee pays for is the student benefi ts package, said Mark Linder, UNA athletic director. Some things the package includes are in-game promo-

tions, giveaways and free concession items for students.

“It was instituted initially in order to make sure that we had the resources avail-able to create an atmosphere around our games, therefore trying to draw students to these events,” Linder said.

The proposed athletic fee budget is made up of $65,900 split up into the fol-lowing categories.

$42,000 is reserved for supplies, gift cards and promotional items; $1,100 for

maintenance of the CBORD swipe-card machines; $2,000 for the most valuable fan award; $17,000 for contracted servic-es, such as bands; $500 for student tickets at away games; $500 for printing costs; $1,300 for free concessions; and $1,500 for travel and transportation.

“I think every sport has seen an increase in student involvement, which is really neat because it means a lot to our student athletes when they’re out there playing and they see the student body,” Linder said.

Parker Hendricks, a senior physical education sports management major at UNA, currently works for the athletic depart-ment. He is in charge of spending the athletic fee money on UNA student incentives.

“What I spend can only go to students,” he said.

Hendricks is in charge of ordering T-shirts and promotional items, and he has been planning student athletic events throughout the year. This year dur-ing fall break, he helped organize an international weekend for international students who were unable to go home for the break.

“I think the fee is a great thing,” he said. “It allows us to do a lot of things that a lot of Divi-sion II schools can’t do.”

Some students dis-

agree with Hendricks. “I didn’t choose UNA for their athletics

program, so I don’t feel that it is fair,” said Jenni Powell, a UNA junior entertainment industry major. “I realize it isn’t a large sum of money, but it’s more that I have to pay it.”

Powell said she is not interested in sports and would rather her $2 per credit hour go toward the arts on campus. How-ever, she appreciates knowing the fee goes back to the students.

Students like Hendricks think the fee is a reasonable one.

“I know a lot of people were against it at fi rst, but if you look at it, it’s the low-est fee that we pay as students,” Hendricks said.

Check out next week’s paper for an overall athletic budget story.

The athletic facilities at UNA are the ven-ues where students, faculty and citizens of Florence can come together and watch sport-ing events. These facilities are also often the fi rst thing that student athletes are introduced to when being recruited to choose UNA. With UNA offi cials continuing the push for Division I, offi cials may have to examine the current athletic facilities.

Braly Stadium, home of UNA’s football team, holds approximately 14,000 and hosts the Division II National Championship each year. OVC member Austin Peay University plays its home football games in a 10,000-seat stadium. Jacksonville State University boasts a 24,000 seat capacity at its home stadium for football. The University of Tennessee-Martin plays its home games in a stadium that con-sists of 7,500 seats.

The basketball and volleyball programs at UNA call Flowers Hall home. The 4,000-seat capacity is considerably less than the 9,000 seats at Austin Peay’s indoor sports arena, but relatively close to the 5,500 seats found at Jacksonville State’s coliseum.

After renovations were completed in 2008, the hitting facility, named after UNA alum and Major League Baseball star Josh Willingham, the locker rooms, the fi eld light-ing and full tarp have ensured that UNA’s baseball team will be playing at a top-quality ball park for years to come.

Athletic Director Mark Linder said the fa-cilities at UNA are right in line with those in the OVC.

“Some of our athletic facilities are very good; some are under capacity, but we take

good care of what we have,” he said. “Cur-rently, we don’t have any needs necessarily, but we always have wants.”

With the addition of women’s indoor and outdoor track teams, UNA will be us-ing a facility in Birmingham. Linder said the 750,000 square feet Crossplex facility is perfect for UNA right now.

“There are no plans right now for build-ing a track facility at UNA,” Linder said.

Linder also said there are no current plans for expansion or refurbishing of cur-rent athletic facilities at UNA.

“This week we will be sitting down and talking to all of the coaches about their dream facilities and possible expansion projects,” he said. “Expanding seating ca-pacity at Flowers Hall is also something we are looking to do in the future.”

Linder said offi cials would also be look-ing at improving the locker rooms and study hall areas for student athletes. Currently, student athletes use a room in the library as a study hall area.

“Each coach may have a different opin-ion on how their respective fi eld or court helps in recruiting, but I think if we can get a student athlete to visit our campus, we have a great campus,” he said.

Sports Page 9Thursday, February 16, 2012 • The Flor-Ala

UNA facilities compared to other universities

Students divided on athletic fee budget”It was instituted initially in order to make sure that we had the resources

available to create an atmosphere around

our games, therefore trying to draw students

to these events.”

-Mark LinderAthletic Fee Budget

Supplies

Contracted Services

Travel

Awards

Beverage

Maintenance

Event Fees

Print

$42,000$42,000$17,000$17,000$2,000$2,000$1,500$1,500$1,300$1,300$1,100$1,100$500$500$500$500

Page 10Thursday, February 16, 2012 • The Flor-Ala News

The new human environmental scienc-es minors will go well in conjunction with many different majors, Wilson said.

“The food management minor would go fabulously with any major that might put the student working in an institution with some sort of cafeteria,” she said. “Having more skills makes you more marketable.”

Students can examine the specifi c re-quirements and coursework for the new aca-demic minors in the 2012-2013 undergradu-ate catalog, which was recently released on campus.

“It’s a grand experience for students,” said Dr. Birdie Bailey, dean of the College of Nursing. “It provides as close to a real opportunity to participate in scenarios that they wouldn’t have experienced before.”

Bailey said the nursing students take the simulations seriously. She said some students can even take the simulations too seriously and need to be calmed down.

“It is one of the most accepted teaching methodologies in the United States,” she said. “It can be compared with astronauts

using space simulations.” UNA nursing students said they be-

come immersed in the simulations.“It’s easy to view these simulators as

oversized mannequins or dolls,” said Han-nah Gillman, a nursing student at UNA. “However, when one starts to go into car-diac arrest or experiences a postpartum hemorrhage, our training kicks in and these simulators become as real as you or I.”

Lee and Bailey hope the new lab will encourage students to apply for the new accelerated bachelor of science program. This program allows students with a pre-vious bachelor’s degree in any fi eld to ac-quire their BSN in 15 months.

“That particular property has been kind of an eyesore and a source of some unsavory activity,” Morgan said. “I am optimistic that they will turn what has been a liability into something positive.”

The old hotel and the property it sits on is appraised at $584,500, and was pur-chased by Tim Rhodes Properties

For more information on the apart-ments, contact Tim Rhodes Properties at 256-764-3137.

Students debate whether to work on, off campus

College students are faced with numer-ous challenges over the course of their time in school. There are tests, lab reports, homework and papers. On top of juggling course loads, students also have to pay bills, eat and occasionally have a social life.

Working a part-time job is a necessity for some students, and working on campus or off campus is a decision they are likely to face.

Working off campus at a local business can provide an opportunity to meet new people outside of classes and college orga-nizations. For Caitlin Goode, a nursing ma-jor at UNA, this is one of the perks of her job as a waitress at Legend’s Steakhouse.

“I like the people I work with, and it has been a chance for me to meet people out-

side of school,” Goode said. “They work with my school schedule, so I have a good balance.”

Students said jobs off campus are easier to fi nd even if you have to schedule classes around that job.

Hannah Weatherford, a marketing major at UNA, had to venture off campus to fi nd work at On The Rocks bar and restaurant.

“I couldn’t fi nd a job on campus,” she said. “I wish I didn’t have to work because I feel like I’d do better in school.”

Weatherford said she used to want a job on campus because it seemed like it would be more convenient.

“I like working here and meeting people outside of school,” she said.

Brandon Conley, an English major, is an earth science lab assistant. He fi nds it con-venient to work on campus.

“My professor hired me for this job,” he said. “I like being able to come to my

classes and go to work all in the same gen-eral area.”

Conley said he’s happy with his job choice.

“I defi nitely wouldn’t choose to work off campus over my on-campus job,” he said. “They are fl exible with my class schedule, and I enjoy the experience I am getting.”

Kelcey Thrasher works in the library on campus. She works 12-15 hours a week and also enjoys the convenience of being able to work on campus.

“I only get a 30-minute break, so be-ing able to go from class to the GUC to get something to eat before I come to work is nice,” Thrasher said.

Thrasher said she likes that she can study during the slower times at work as well.

“Working at the library doesn’t really interfere with school,” she said.

photo by BARRY MINOR I Staff Photographer

UNA student and Gap employee Jeremy Jackson works to clean up the Regency Square Mall store.

Want a job with The Flor-Ala?

Apply by tomorrow!

Send your cover letter and resume to

Rebecca Walker at rlwalker1@una.edu.

Life Page 11Thursday, February 16, 2012 • The Flor-Ala

Check out what’s coming up this weekend in the Shoals.

Friday, Feb. 10th

Saturday, Feb. 11th

Gabe Allen & Friends On the Rocks 9:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 9th

RPI (Ryan Patrick Imming) On the Rocks 9:30 p.m.

Hope Stamps Swampers Bar & Grille 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Five O’Clock Charlie On the Rocks 9:30 p.m.

Workin’ for the Weekend

Rusty Moody Swampers Bar & Grille 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Flannel DP’s 9 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.

Barry Billings Swampers Bar & Grille 8 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Angel Hacker & James LeBlanc Swampers Bar & Grille 9 p.m. - midnight

Welcome Back Jam with Brian Whitten JD’s 9 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Professional Development Year student, Pitts said.

Lazoroski has made a close-knit group of friends since arriving in Flor-ence. Over Christmas break, he travelled to Huntsville with friends Danny Cooper and Aaron Keen. Though the Profession-al Development Year students usually spend the holidays with Pitts’ family, he is happy to see Lazoroski has made good friends.

“I appreciate knowing that our folks in the community were happy to get to know him,” Pitts said.

As for Lazoroski, he said he has thoroughly enjoyed being in the South and getting to know what “Southern hos-pitality” is all about.

“I don’t know how to get the South out of me,” said Lazoroski. “I already know that I will be back here.”

‘front-seaters’ and ‘back-seaters.’ “The majority of research shows

that students that sit in the front of the classroom generally perform better than those students who sit toward the back,” he said. “The literature suggests that stu-dents who sit toward the front of class-rooms typically attend and participate in class more frequently, and earn higher grades than students that sit in the back of the classroom.”

Psychological research on the sub-ject has been conducted for over 60

years, according to Zayac. The differ-ence between individual professors may affect their perceptions of students’ class position, though.

“I’ve had students in my courses par-ticipate and earn high grades who have sat in the back,” Zayac said. “And I’ve had students who have sat in the front and never contributed to the class discus-sion—so, I wouldn’t say that I have any specifi c perceptions about students based on where they sit.”

For more UNA Life coverage:For more UNA Life coverage:

John Blumer Swampers Bar & Grille 9 p.m. - midnight

Page 12 February 16, 2012 • The Flor-Ala

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START CHALLENGING YOURSELF.

START RAISING THE BAR.

START MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

START EARNING RESPECT.

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START PUSHING YOURSELF.

START BUILDING CONFIDENCE.

START DEVELOPING SKILLS.

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