Signal & Urbanite

Baseball team wins first CAA championship

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Following a competitive regular season, the Georgia State baseball team earned it's first-ever CAA Championship this year, which paved the way for the team's first trip to the NCAA Regionals in school history.

The Panthers swept through the CAA Championship in four games this year, tying a Georgia State record for consecutive wins (eight wins).

Georgia State football to officially join CAA in 2012

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Beginning in 2012, when the Georgia State Panthers begin their first year of football conference play, the team will officially be a member of CAA Football.

The announcement was made Thursday afternoon, June 11, at a press conference on campus, where CAA Commissioner Tom Yeager extended the invitation to Georgia State President Mark Becker, Athletics Director Cheryl Levick, and head coach Bill Curry.

Registration at Georgia State up 25% in 2009

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Public colleges in Georgia's university system have seen a record number of freshmen applicants for the 2009-2010 school year. Georgia State has the highest increase in the state this year, with the number of applications jumping up an extremely impressive 25%.

Non-violent crime rate high in Downtown area

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Downtown Atlanta has the city's highest rate of non-violent crimes for the second year running.

According to statistics available through the Uniform Crime Report on the Atlanta Police Department's website, Zone 5 accounts for 22% of the total crimes against property in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

President says Georgia State will deal with cuts in stride

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Georgia State President Mark Becker made the university's first "State of the University" address last Thursday in the Student Center. During his speech to about 900 faculty, staff and students, he went over the past 14 years of Georgia State's history, comparing where the university was when it was recognized as a research institution in 1995 to where it is today.

Plus/Minus system heated topic among professors

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The plus/minus grading system has been a heated topic for the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, professors, and students since its implementation in early 2000. The BOR decided to implement the plus/minus grading scale at the request of Georgia State University and the University of Georgia, according to Georgia State provost Ron Henry.

SGA elects new '09-'10 President

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Former Senator Greg Abt is Georgia State's new Student Government Association President for the 2009-2010 school year. The Junior and history major was elected over current SGA President Evan Eskridge by just under 200 votes.

The announcement was made on April 2 in Library Plaza, where college senators as well as the rest of the executive board were named.

Georgia State opening new student housing in August 2009

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Georgia State University is pleased to announce that they are expecting to expand their housing facilities and open a new, state of the art dormitory in the fall of this year. The dormitory will only house freshman students interested in being a part of the Freshman Experience Residence Life program.

Growing Internet communities bring campuses together, go beyond socializing

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

New applications on Facebook, as well as websites like FavorBoard and Pick-A-Prof, are bringing students together for more than socializing.

While for years Georgia State students have been online with uLearn and GoSOLAR to look-up course information, as well as class schedules and documents, new online communities are starting to bring even more of the campus to the computer.

Coach Curry inducted into Krystal Hall of Fame

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Most people are probably familiar with Krystal, the American fast food restaurant chain that is famous for its small, square hamburgers, breakfast items like the eggs and sausage combo, and products like pancakes and grits. Well, Bill Curry, head football coach at Georgia State, was recently chosen as one of the fifteen inductees for the Krystal Lovers Hall of Fame.

Mimeault named to Atlanta regional team

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

After leading the Georgia State baseball team to its first-ever NCAA Regional, senior catcher Marc Mimeault was named to the NCAA Atlanta Regional All-Tournament Team Monday night after his performance in the tournament over the weekend.

New Athletics Director named

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

University President Mark Becker announced Cheryl Levick as Georgia State's new athletics director just before the beginning of spring break. The former University of Maryland chief of staff/executive senior athletic director replaced current interim AD and head football coach Bill Curry on March 30.

Letter from the Editor

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

As the title of this piece states, welcome to Georgia State.

For our regular readers wondering why I'm starting this particular piece with this particular introduction, I'll explain - this issue of the Signal is our first-ever summer issue, specifically designed for our incoming student population via Incept: New Student Orientation.

Twilight sucks the intelligence out of college students

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

What was the last book you read? I just finished re-reading Truman Capote's Breakfast At Tiffany's for the third time, but I think I'm in the minority. Usually, when I ask my peers this question, they either answer "Twilight" or "I don't read books." It's cool - I read Twilight too.

Young Jetsons in the making

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

When I was 17, about 11 years ago, I had a summer fling with a blond, blue eyed Turkish boy of the same age while vacationing in Ankara with my mother. It lasted for three weeks, and when I returned home to Virginia Beach, Virginia, the whole thing was distant, dreamy, and done.

Rise in homeless students becoming a national concern

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

By MATT HERNDON

Staff Writer

A January 2008 study revealed that there are nearly 800,000 homeless Americans, according to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. Of those 800,000 homeless people, roughly 40 percent or 300,000 consisted of families with minor children.

Is America finally moving away from its homophobia?

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

A funny thing has happened over the past few months - America seems to magically have become much more tolerant, if not outright accepting, of homosexuality.

From the most visible parts of pop culture to the halls of government throughout our nation, the visibility and acceptance of gays and lesbians is at an all-time high.

Twitter: the newest social networking craze

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

By CAROLINE COX

Perspectives Editor

Let me begin by saying two things. One: I am sick of people talking about Twitter. Two: I may be addicted to Twitter.

Twitter is the semi-new hyper-social networking site that been getting almost too much buzz lately.

Star Trek

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Not even ten years ago, to all but the most fervent of Star Trek enthusiasts, the Star Trek universe appeared to be dead. With disappointing box office results for the tenth Star Trek film, Nemesis, and low ratings for the fifth Star Trek series, Enterprise, there was no reason to expect something happening in the near future to breathe new life into the once-powerful series.

American Idol produces "shock" win amid season of change

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

After a record-setting 100 million votes, Kris Allen snagged the title of the current American Idol, beating presumed frontrunner Adam Lambert and a slew of other presumed frontrunners in the process.

Allen's win caps a season full of surprises - some pleasant, others decidedly not - for the highest-rated show in America.

Comparing the Final Four

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

The biggest show in America is winding down to its' final competitors. We take a look at the Final Four of American Idol's eighth season - Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, and Allison Iraheta.

ADAM LAMBERT

Pros
He has the buzz - plain and simple. He's been the focus of most of the media attention this season for a variety of reasons.

How will America's new Idol and runner-up do post-Idol?

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Kris Allen and Adam Lambert join a select group of individuals after this season of American Idol. The question now is: How will they do in the future? We take a look at previous contestants to gauge a prediction.

Rags and Chit Chat: Purchased Identities

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Coco Chanel said it best, "life is what you're given; style is what you do with it". These days however, it appears that the masses are not only being given life but their sense of style as well. Brand lust is alive and well across the fashion industry from ghetto chic to haute couture.

Facebook-Worthy Summer Photo Ops

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Students everywhere are rushing to speed up finals, tackle last minute papers and finish those novels that were suppose to be read three weeks ago. All this in the hopes of having what many will label in their face photo albums Summer 2009, Summer 2K9, My Summer was more AWESOME than your summer or any other Facebook worthy label to describe the array of activities students are bound to get involved in during this well deserved three month hiatus.

Film Review: Food, Inc.

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Likened to films such as Fast Food Nation or Supersize Me, Food, Inc., is director Robert Kenner's attempt to inform consumers of the severe hazards involved in the production of some of our most commonly consumed products like corn and chicken, revealing a world of chemically induced growth, animal cruelty and the contamination of the food we consume resulting in some 73,000 illnesses a year.