School of Music | Student Recitals | Bailey Performance Center Morgan Concert Hall | 2:00 - 9:00 p.m.
KSU Owls vs Western Carolina Baseball Game | Stillwell Baseball Statium | 5:00 p.m.
Thursday | May 2nd
First Day of Final Exams
Student Government Association | General Meeting | Student Center University Rooms | 3:30-4:45 p.m.
Friday | May 3rd
Student Recital : Zac Evans, Saxophone | Bailey Performance Center Morgan Concert Hall | 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Saturday | May 4th
KSU Community and Alumni Choir Performance | Bailey Performance Center Morgan Concert Hall | 8:00-10:00 p.m.
Don’t miss any OWL Events!Check back each week for a new calendar of KSU’s upcoming events.Don’t see your event? We want to know!Please send event information to newseditor6@ksusentinel.com
Officer Nelson was called for back up on 1270 Shiloh Rd. on the evening of April 10. Upon arrival, Officer Henderson informed his backup that he needed assistance searching a female suspect. The handcuffed woman allegedly told Henderson she had methamphetamine located in her vagina. The officers released one handcuff from the suspect and escorted her to a private area next to a nearby building. According to the report, two plastic bags containing the drugs were partially inside the woman’s genitals. Officer Nelson wrote in her report that she removed the two bags without penetrating the woman. The drugs and the woman were then turned over to Henderson.
STATE TROOPER NEARLY STRUCK BY SPEEDING BMW
Georgia State Patrol Trooper J. Puckett was directing traffic on Big Shanty Road around midnight April 20 and noticed a black BMW driving at an extremely high speed. The vehicle almost hit other cars that were parked in the vicinity. Puckett detained the driver and contacted Officer Altman. Puckett told the officer that he feared the speeding vehicle was going to strike him. Officer Altman arrested the driver for reckless driving and transported him to the Cobb County Adult Detention Center.
SURPRISED STUDENT ARRESTED FOR UNPAID TICKET
A male student entered the lobby of the KSU Police Department on the evening of April 17 to inquire about a bicycle in the KSU bike storage area. Upon performing a background check on the student’s driver’s license, Officer Haynes discovered that the student had an outstanding warrant for his arrest by the Kennesaw Police Department. The student stated that he received a ticket from Kennesaw Police but could not figure out how to pay it online. He also said he was unaware that he could be arrested for not paying a ticket. The student was apprehended and transported to the Kennesaw Police Department.
Kelly Hyder-Stockdale, president of the OWLS American Sign Language Club, is determined to add ASL to the list of foreign language courses offered at KSU.
The ASL pamphlet states that while The University System of Georgia recognizes ASL as a foreign language, KSU “currently does not offer American Sign Language as a foreign language credit.” Hyder-Stockdale, a Psychology major, said that offering ASL as an accredited class will help bridge the communication gap between hearing and non- hearing students.
“The communication gap affects deaf education,” Hyder- Stockdale said.
She said the average deaf high school student will graduate with a third-grade reading level due largely to the fact that “only 38 percent of teachers of deaf students know ASL,” which makes it difficult for students and their teachers to communicate.
Unfamiliarity with ASL leads many of those outside of the deaf community to have misconceptions about the language.
“The biggest misconception is that people think it’s English on the hand,” Hyder-Stockdale said.
She said that in actuality, ASL is closer to the Japanese and Navajo languages than any other language in terms of structure and syntax.
The miscommunication between the deaf and hearing also causes other issues for deaf children. According to Vengeful Stapler, a website that provides information about ASL, “90 percent [of deaf children] are born to hearing parents.”
Hyder-Stockdale said 88 percent of those parents do not know ASL. She also said these statistics may be connected to the fact that “50 percent of deaf girls and 67 percent of deaf boys 12 years old and younger are sexually abused.”
Hyder-Stockdale said this abuse could be prevented if deaf children knew more people who were educated in sign language and that ASL education could begin at universities like KSU.
While Hyder-Stockdale said she is certain that ASL would benefit KSU students, several members of the Foreign Language Department and not convinced.
Thierry Léger, an associate dean and professor of French, consulted with fellow French Professor and chair of the Department of Languages, William Griffin, about the possibility of creating an American Sign Language course.
Both faculty members came to the conclusion that “while ASL is a language, it is very different than the other languages taught in the Department of Foreign Languages [in that] it is not the equivalent of exposing students to a foreign language and culture.”
The professors argue that other foreign language classes teach “language skills and culture,” while teaching ASL would only focus on “learning and producing signs to communicate.”
Some members of the deaf community disagree with this viewpoint. Vengeful Stapler suggests that the deaf community is comprised of its own culture, consisting of its own “set of values, rules and traditions different from typical American values.”
Vengeful Stapler provides examples of deaf literature, history and customs that are foreign to many Americans. Many deaf children, for example, view their family members as not only relatives, but also as teachers and classmates.
Hyder-Stockdale’s statement about ASL being more complicated than just a hand-translation of English contrasts with the professors’ notions that the language is as simple as “learning signs.”
While some may disagree about the need for an ASL course, many in the deaf community remain hopeful.
Jessie Robbins, a Biology major who is also deaf, said she believes that ASL classes would be beneficial.
“If other deaf students were looking at KSU for attendance and they discover that there may be other students on campus taking ASL and learning about the deaf culture, that would be a positive thing and help [with] their decision to make KSU their school,” Robbins said. Hyder-Stockdale said that although she would like to see a sign language class offered as soon as next year, she is still in the process of getting a petition and proposal together before presenting the idea to President Papp.
Hyder-Stockdale said students interested in learning ASL would be able to utilize sign language regardless of which field they’re in.
Half an hour before midnight on April 11, three students complained to KSU Police that a woman was harassing them in the library. The woman, an older, white female, reportedly told the students peculiar things like, “I am going to purge you of your demons.”The students became increasingly uncomfortable when the woman followed them from the library to the parking lot while rambling inaudibly. The suspicious woman is known to visit the library late at night to watch videos. Officers told the complainants to notify the police department if they come into contact with the woman again.
WANTED PERSON FOUND
Around 4 p.m. on April 13, Officer Putnam observed the driver and passenger of a gray Volkswagen to be without fastened seatbelts. The vehicle was stopped and a background check was run on both the driver and passenger. Putnam discovered the female passenger had a warrant out for her arrest in Douglas County for failure to appear in court. The passenger was placed under arrest. The driver was issued a safety belt violation citation and released.
Around midnight on March 28, Officer Culberson and Officer Watson were called to a KSU apartment in reference to an unknown person screaming. When the officers arrived, residents told them that a woman’s scream was heard in the hallway followed by what sounded like someone being slammed against the wall. The officers smelled burning marijuana in the hallway. Residents directed the officers to an apartment occupied by three students and two non-students. When the students’ rooms were searched, officers found a round, silver box containing half a gram of marijuana and numerous bottles of alcohol. The items were found in an 18-year-old female student’s room. She was handcuffed on the scene and arrested for underage possession of alcohol and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. The non-students were issued criminal trespass warnings and escorted off campus.
STOP OR BE STOPPED
Officer Forman stopped a gray 2003 Honda Accord after the vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign on Owl Drive around 2 p.m. April 1. After Forman activated his police lights, the vehicle slowed and parked at the entrance of Lot D. When asked to provide his license and proof of insurance, the driver handed Forman an insurance card and a DUI permit that had expired March 26, 2013. Forman completed a dispatch check and learned that the driver was issued a warning for criminal trespassing two years earlier. The driver was then arrested for disregarding a stop sign and driving on a suspended license. His criminal trespass warning was reissued and the Honda Accord was impounded to Kennesaw Wrecker.
At this week’s SGA meeting, President Daniel Papp paid the council a visit.
He thanked the student government for its contributions to the new football department developments before informing those in attendance that he is working on improving the heavy traffic that accumulates around KSU by having an overpass built that would reach Interstate 75 by the East Parking Deck.
“Two years from now, traffic jams [surrounding KSU] ought to be gone for good,” Papp assured the audience.
Papp then provided updates about when students should expect the construction projects to be completed.
“The Zuckerman Art Museum will be open in October,” Papp said.
As for the new addition to the Bagwell College of Education, which is being built near Kennesaw Hall, Papp said that it will “hopefully be done in Fall 2014.”
Randy Shelton, executive director of Auxiliary Services and Programs, added to Papp’s news of construction projects by revealing plans to upgrade the Student Center.
Shelton, who called the older portion of the Student Center “outdated and insufficient,” said the building’s east, entrance which faces The Green, as well as its west entrance will be remodeled.
He said that an outdoor grill will be constructed in addition to two large multi-purpose rooms and a sushi café where the CyberNest used to be.
With the increase in KSU enrollment, Shelton insisted “we’ve got to have a much larger bookstore.”
Shelton then announced plans to open a bookstore at Town Center Mall.
Shelton said the bookstore would provide general books, KSU apparel, electronics and textbooks. Students will also be able to receive the same assistance that the Card Services department on campus provides.
The bookstore on campus will remain, but it will be mostly geared toward academics.
Shelton added that a one- card system will also take place in the near future.
“Students will only need to use one card for everything,” Shelton said, “which includes (but is not limited to) culinary services, the bookstore, parking, and housing access.”
A member of the student council questioned Shelton about whether funding for these projects would come from an increase in student tuition.
“All of this is coming from the existing fee structure that is in place,” Shelton responded. “This project will take several phases.”
Construction on the entrances, outdoor grill, and interior improvements are expected to begin between May and August of this year. The bookstore, multipurpose rooms and new staircases will be completed by Summer 2014.
Thursday evening, March 21, Officer Cortolano was called to the Burruss Building to meet with two KSU employees who were reporting an alleged theft. The female employee stated that, over the past few months, a few sets of headphones had been stolen from the male employees’ office desk.
One week prior to calling Public Safety, they set up a webcam in the office to catch the headphone thief. The webcam captured the culprit, who appeared to be on the cleaning staff, removing the male employee’s red iLuv headphones from his desk. The headphones were $5 in value. This case is still being investigated.
TRAFFIC VIOLATION REVEALS TROUBLE
Officer Benoit stopped a vehicle on the afternoon of March 16 for making an illegal U-turn on Busbee Pkwy. After the vehicle pulled over, the officer noticed an expired registration sticker on the license plate, dated February 2013. The driver claimed he received an updated sticker but had not yet placed it on his car. Officer Benoit received a background check that revealed the driver had a suspended license and a warrant out of Fayette County for failing to appear in court. The driver was arrested.
VEHICLE VANDALISM AT CENTRAL PARKING DECK
A KSU visitor called Public Safety on the morning of March 21 regarding damage on his vehicle. An officer arrived on the scene, and the victim claimed he left his car in the Central Parking Deck on the morning of March 20 and returned 10 hours later to discover his car’s damage. He showed the officer the scratches on his driver side rear panel, presumably executed with a key. The officer attempted to take pictures, but because of the glare from the sunlight, he and the victim agreed to meet in the evening to try again. The cameras in the Central Parking Deck may be reviewed or evidence.
Lighting Up With No Headlights At about 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, a KSU officer conducted a traffic stop on a black BMW traveling without headlights on Campus Loop. The officer approached the car and immediately smelled marijuana. The driver explained he and his passenger had just come from University Place and were headed to a friend’s house. The driver denied being in possession when asked by the officer. The officer conducted a search of the vehicle and found a silver grinder with a leafy substance inside along with a multicolored glass pipe with a rubber hose attached. The driver admitted he was the owner of the objects and was then arrested for drug possession and for driving without headlights.
Exposed Property Is Stolen Officer Putnam arrived at KSU Stadium on the March 17 at 5:22 p.m. and found a black Chevrolet Tahoe with the rear driver’s side window shattered and severe body damage. The male and female victims and one witness were walking on the trail when the incident occurred. The witness saw a tan Chevrolet Astro Van drive near the trail several times and eventually park next to the victims’ car. On the next walk around the trail, the victims and witness noticed the Tahoe’s window shattered and the van gone. Upon searching the vehicle, the male victim discovered his wallet, which contained cash and various credit cards, was missing. The female victim’s black Apple IPAD II was also missing. Officer Putnam was told by another officer that the suspect vehicle has been involved in many auto robberies, though it has not been located.
Friends Don’t Let Friends Do Meth Saturday afternoon, March 2, Officer Fry turned on his emergency lights after seeing a white Dodge Caravan driving with a cracked windshield in front of the KSU Stadium. The driver reportedly gave the officer a cold stare and continued driving down Busbee Pkwy. The suspect vehicle stopped abruptly and almost struck a curb. Upon stopping, the driver and passenger began moving frantically, so Officer Fry called for back-up. The passenger was shaking and spilled their drink twice. The suspects were asked to record their name and date of birth on paper. Officer Putnam arrived and discovered the suspects were both on parole. Putnam then found a large hunting knife near the driver’s left foot. Officer Fry began to search the car and identified a piece of white paper with two crystallized substances and two knotted plastic baggies. Both suspects were placed under arrest and later admitted that the names and birthdays provided were fake. The suspected methamphetamine found at the scene weighed 6.3 grams.
During the SGA meeting of March 14th, President Rosalyn Hedgepeth reminded attendees to stay tuned to new developments of the possibility of KSU creating a new seal. In the student-body meeting before spring break, Plamen Mavrov, a Political Science and International Affairs major, presented SGA with the idea of revising KSU’s seal.
The current seal displays the University name, state, and founding year, along with columns draped in a ribbon that reads “wisdom, justice, moderation” over an arch that reads “constitution.” When Mavrov saw the seal, he said he noticed that unlike other major universities in Georgia, KSU’s seal does not include a motto. Mavrov insisted that modifying the seal to contain a motto will “bolster school spirit, unity, and identity.”
“Taking up this topic on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the institution’s founding,” Mavrov explained, “sends a… symbolic message concerning the mission, philosophy, and increasing sense of unity and identification that has led KSU to its current status in half a century and that will lead it into the next half century of its existence and beyond.”
SGA council members appeared pleased with the idea of changing the University seal, and Mavrov said he is working with both SGA and the KSU Administration to make the new seal a reality, although the Board of Regions holds the final say on whether the plan will be implemented. Mavrov hopes the new seal to debut in Fall 2013, the kick-off of KSU’s 50th year.
President Hedgepeth addressed her concern and opposition of House Bill 512. HB 512, the Safe Carry Protection Act, would allow concealed handguns to be carried on Georgia Public School System campuses. President Hedgepeth, along with many other university presidents from schools such as Albany State University and Georgia Southern University, have written and signed a document asking members of the Georgia State Senate to join them in opposing the bill. In the letter, the presidents collectively concluded that passing the bill will “lead to much greater harm than good.”“I spoke on behalf of the majority of students on campus,” said President Hedgepeth. While she believes most KSU students share her opinion on the allowance of deadly weapons on campus, she also empathizes with pro- gun students. “I understand both sides,” she stated. “I believe in protecting myself, so I understand that [stance].” HB 512 has passed the Georgia House of Representatives and is now being considered by the Senate.
The first annual Feed the Future Masquerade Ball is less than one month away, taking place on Saturday, April 6th in the University Rooms. Referred on its Facebook page as “a party with a cause,” the ball’s proceeds will be used to benefit “students in need.” Entry is either three dollars or three Ramen or Hormel Complete Meals for KSU members (with an ID card), or five dollars or five Ramen or Hormel Complete Meals for non-KSU members. Tickets can be bought by going to the event’s Facebook or KSU’s homepage.
A book-bag was reported stolen from a student’s car on Friday morning, February 22nd. The student parked his car at the Owl’s Nest on the evening of February 21st, leaving his black and grey book-bag full of valuables inside the vehicle. The student returned later that night to find that his bag was missing. The book-bag contained over $1,000 worth of items, including a black TI 84 calculator, a black Mac Book, and four textbooks valued at $100 each. The student was advised to contact KSU Police if he recovers his items.
COMBAT BETWEEN COUPLE AT HOTEL
At around 9pm on Saturday, February 24th, Officer Watson was called to the Best Western Inn on Busbee Drive regarding a fight. Two of the hotel’s employees said they witnessed a male and female arguing inside the Best Western check-in office. The employees observed the aggravated male push his female counterpart to the ground and climb onto her. When Officer Watson questioned the couple, the male suspect smelled of alcohol and revealed a cut on his lip and finger. He stated that he grew angry after the female suspect, his girlfriend, confessed to cheating on him. He said he then kicked a garbage can, but did not touch his girlfriend. After a video of the incident was viewed, the male was arrested for simple battery, disorderly conduct, and public intoxication.
UNDERAGE CONSUMPTION LEADS TO HOSPITALIZATION
On the night of February 24th, a KSU officer found a 17- year old male student lying in the 4th floor hallway at The University Village. The student smelled heavily of alcohol and could not stand on his own. The officer asked the young student questions such as “where do you live” and “what is your name,” but received nonsensical replies such as “02” and “too much.” The intoxicated student passed out for several minutes, then began to vomit. He later stated that he had too much to drink at a party and decided to drive home. The student was transported to Kennestone Hospital and issued a citation for Underage Possession of Alcohol by Consumption.
Officer Putnam called for backup on the afternoon of Feb. 12 due to a strong odor of marijuana coming from a car pulled over on Big Shanty Rd. near the Lofts. Putnam initially pulled the car over because the front- seat passenger was not seen wearing a seat belt. Both young men were acting nervously and breathing heavily, according to Putnam, raising suspicion that they were in possession of drugs. While waiting for backup, Putnam asked the two young men about the strong odor of marijuana, and the driver reached under the front passenger seat, grabbing some crumbs of marijuana off the floor. When backup arrived, the odor, perceived to be coming from the glove box, lead officers to a clear jar glass of marijuana inside. While the investigation was in progress, dispatch informed Putnam that the driver had a suspended license. Officers arrested the driver for possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license and released the passenger at the scene on foot.
Burning Rubber
An officer noticed a suspicious odor on the fifth level of the Central Parking Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 11:40 a.m. Officer Blalock described the odor as burning brake or power steering fluid. A blue Honda Accord was located with smoking from underneath the hood. Dispatch located and contacted the owner of the car to inform him of the situation. The owner stated that the vehicle had a power steering fluid that was leaking onto the engine, causing the smoke. The officer informed the driver to have the problem fixed, citing that it was a potential fire hazard.
Wanted Person Found
On Sunday, Feb. 17, a blue truck was spotted with a busted taillight and a broken brake light on Busbee Pkwy. near Big Shanty Rd. The driver’s tag also appeared to be expired. When the vehicle stopped for an officer, the driver provided her driver’s license, while her two passengers gave their names and dates of birth. One of the passengers clearly showed signs of nervousness and refused to make eye contact with the officer. The officer checked all three persons in the car through dispatch and learned that the nervous passenger had an outstanding warrant in Cherokee County. After arresting the wanted passenger, the officer issued a citation to the driver for an expired tag and verbally issued a warning for her broken brake light and taillight. The arrested passenger was brought to Cherokee County jail later that day.
