JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITYʼS CAMPUS NEWSPAPER VOLUME 66 • ISSUE 15 • January 27 - February 2, 2010

Students Help in Hope for HaitiPage 4

AccreditationAffectPage 5

Racial vs. RacistPage 7

Marcus Allen Overseas

Page 12

2 THE NAVIGATOR • JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2010 EDITORIAL

THE NAVIGATORJacksonville University’s Campus Newspaper2800 University Blvd. NJacksonville, FL 32211Main office: (904) 256-7526Business office: (904) 256-7524E-mail: navigator@jacksonville.eduFax: (904) 256-7684

EDITORIAL BOARDRENAE INGRAM JR.Co-Editor-in-ChiefPhotography Editor

DAVID BERRYCo-Editor-in-Chief

Sports Editor

JEANS FILSBusiness Manager

RICA CAUGHMANCopy Editor

ED KELLEHERLayout Editor

JARED BROOKSNews Editor

KAMERON JACKSONFeatures Editor

COREY WOOLFORKDistribution Manager

PETE MOBERG, PH. D.Faculty Advisor

STAFFStaff WritersRYAN DIBENEDETTOJENNIFER ESCOBARLARRY MAXWELL

Staff PhotographersDEANNA BLUEKATE DUPRELAUREN TIDWELLCover photograph*

RENAE INGRAM JR.

EDITORIAL POLICYThe views represented in The Navigator’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff, or administration of Jacksonville University. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number, and e-mail address, and should be e-mailed to navigator@jacksonville.edu. Please limit them to 300 words or less. The Navigator reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space, or journalistic ethics.

NAVIGATOR@JACKSONVILLE.EDU

(904) 256-7526

Crime Log1/24/10. 8:24 p.m. Kinne University CenterCriminal Mischief. Unknown person(s) damaged entry door. Pending.

1/23/10. 4:15 a.m. Botts HallDisorderly Conduct. Several students became involved in a shoving match. No injuries were reported. Closed referral.

1/23/10. 4:30 a.m. Village ApartmentFalse Alarm of Fire. Unknown person initiated fire alarm in apartment building. Pending.

1/21/10. 12:58 p.m. Williams HallPossession of Marijuana. Three students were found to be in possession of marijuana. Closed referral.

1/20/10. 11:05 p.m. Oak HallAlcohol Violation. One person, under the age of 21, was found to be in the possession of alcohol. Closed referral.

1/19/10. 12:25 a.m. Oak HallCriminal Mischief. Two exit signs were damaged by unknown person(s). Pending.

1/16/10 Oak HallTheft. A student’s football championship ring was stolen from his room. Pending.

1/19/10. 11:45 p.m. Off CampusRobbery. Two people were robbed on the sidewalk next to University Blvd., next to Boy’s Home. Pending.

Cornered by love: Interracial DatingRICA CAUGHMANCOPY EDITOR

Q: I am in an interracial relationship. I love my boyfriend and we have a great rela-tionship, but his family is not very nice to me. They refer to me as “the white girl” instead of my name. It is extremely hurt-ful and when I complain to my boyfriend, he just tells me that I’m being too sensitive. I’m lost and do not know how to handle this situation.

A: Most people would love to live their lives believing that we live in a society that

no longer tolerates racism. However, those of us who are enlightened understand that racial tensions exist and that racism is still a huge problem within our society.

People, whether consciously or uncon-sciously, tend to judge others according to the color of their skin. It would be nice if people judged solely on our character, but unfortunately that is not the case.

I understand how hurtful it can be when people, especially people who can influence the person you love, refuse to respect you or your relationship. My advice to you is to stand up for yourself.

I know you have told your boyfriend but

his lack of interest in your discomfort could stem from a fear he has of confronting his family. You are the one they are disrespect-ing and it is up to you to let them know that their behavior is unacceptable.

You will have to go about this in a very adult way. Don’t lash out, or become aggressive. Just speak to his family and let them know that their behavior is hurtful. It might help to figure out who the unspoken leader of the family is, then speak directly to that person. The others will likely fol-low their lead.

Most people respond to and have more respect for people who will stand up for

themselves. You cannot go thru life allow-ing people to treat you this way.

If, after you speak with them, the behav-ior continues then I would suggest separat-ing yourself from the situation. You have a relationship with your boyfriend not his family. You do not have to expose yourself to an uncomfortable atmosphere.

Hopefully, with enough time for adjust-ment, his family will come around.

Do not allow the ignorance of others to define the person you become.

Questions/Comments? Email: rshelto2@jacksonville.edu

CORRECTIONLast week, in the Sports section, The Navigator printed an article from a few issues prior. We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion. We highly value the dedication of our readers. The correct coverage of the River City Rumble can be found on our Website: www.thenavigatoratju.yolasite.com. We, the staff, encourage active readership, so please do not hesitate to keep participating in our efforts to make this newspaper a leading publication reflective of the talent and passion here at our university.

THE NAVIGATOR • JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2010 3EDITORIAL

Facebook: For social networking or marketing?JARED BROOKSNEWS EDITOR

Someone please explain why I have over 250 unread messages in my Facebook inbox and over 32 event notifications on my home page. Please tell me why over 248 of those unread messages are concerning parties that I have declined, ignored, and accepted.

And of those 32 event notifications, 31 of them are to upcoming parties and other ran-dom events that I have intentionally ignored but will continue to receive Facebook mes-sages about.

Notice the direct correlation? Either way it goes, club promoters have transformed Facebook from a social networking site into a Website for free marketing of events.

I completely understand how conve-nient Facebook is for club promoters as it provides them easy access to thousands of individuals who are potential participants in their specific events. However, flooding my inbox with messages and notifications isn’t going to convince me to come out and party. That’s just plain aggravating!

Sending me 13 messages about a party that I’ve already decided I’m not attending is, not only going to make me upset, but it’s going to motivate me to spread the word about how aggravating the promotion for that event is and why everyone shouldn’t go!

Let’s be honest, does it really take all of that to remind me to come out to an

event? If I’ve already made up my mind on an event, flooding my inbox isn’t going to change much.

And what makes the situation even worse is the follow-up messaging. Everyone wants to send you several messages thanking you for coming to their event and remind-ing you to check out their next event and why it’s going to be so much better than the previous event. Why?

I literally have event notifica-tions for events that are happen-ing months from now! So even if I completely ignore the event, I will still receive notifications for the event and its updates. The cre-ator of an event can send mes-sages to those attending, those maybe attending, those not attending, and to everyone they sent the event to initially.

The only way to escape all of this unwanted messaging is to remove the event from your list. However, what about those of us who would like to have access

to the information of the event without receiving all of the unnecessary messages? Unfortunately, that is impossible.

Facebook is meant for social network-ing. In other words, I use Facebook as a tool to investigate the lives of many of my clos-est friends, checking out their pictures gain-ing insight on how they live their lives.

Every now and then I’ll meet some new people and take a look into their lives via Facebook. Despite all of the other aggra-vating aspects of Facebook, such as making your friends drinks and hitting them with pillows, Facebook needs to do some-thing about all of this free market-ing and advertis-ing.

I understand the advertising on Facebook such as, “Click here to win a PS3”, type of advertisements. Facebook has to make their money, which is completely understand-able. However, in order to make everyone’s Facebook experience much better, regulat-ing the amount of marketing by promoters

is necessary. It seems like people literally launch their entire marketing campaign for their promotion on Facebook.

Junior Rochelle Rose feels the Facebook marketing taking place definitely deters her from the social networking site. “Sometimes I go on Facebook and find all the messages in my inbox, leading me to believe someone who I care about is writing me.”

“However, it’s simply people trying to market their respective events. Although this isn’t the primary reason, I don’t use Facebook as faithfully as I used to, the unnecessary messaging definitely contrib-utes to my lost interest in Facebook.”

I’ll be the first to admit that using Facebook to promote an event is a great way to spread the word and doesn’t require much time or money. However, as with any-thing, moderation is key.

Letting people know that you’re having an event, notifying them of any updates, maybe even hitting them up with a message the day of the event, then following up with a message thanking them for coming and that’s enough!

Why that is so hard to understand and actually follow through with is beyond me.

Hopefully, I won’t have to delete every known club promoter from my Facebook page to prevent such messaging from occur-ring.

But from the look of things, this trend is only going to get worse.

“Although this isn’t the pri-

mary reason, I don’t use

Facebook as faithfully as I

used to; the unnecessary

messaging defintely con-

tributes to my lost interest

in Facebook.”

ROCHELLE ROSEJunior JU Student

New MBA by DayGORDON ARBOGASTDCOB

Unemployment in Florida and the U.S. con-tinues to be a tough issue for all college seniors graduating this spring. You may want to consid-er doing a one-year day-time Masters of Business Administration (MBA) at Jacksonville University. This is open for all JU graduates regardless of your undergraduate major.

An MBA is a very prac-tical degree and fits well with every major i.e. busi-ness, liberal arts, fine arts, nursing, engineering, etc. An MBA is a proven asset in securing better employ-ment opportunities.

If you would like to explore this new Daytime Accelerated MBA oppor-tunity, please come and join us in the Davis College Business (DCOB)

for pizza on Wednesday, Feb. 3, between 5 and 6 p.m. in DCOB Room 171.

The new program will begin in May 2010. If you join the inaugural class, you can graduate next spring with your MBA. This will not guarantee a job, but your chances will be greatly enhanced espe-cially with our Professional Developer, who will guide you with internships and tips on job placement.

Additional open hous-es will be conducted: 1. Saturday, Feb. 6, 10 – 12 p.m. in Davis 159; and (2) Saturday, Feb. 13, 10 - 12 p.m. in Davis Room 171. These two sessions will cover all MBA pro-grams included in the new Daytime Accelerated MBA.

For more information, contact: Mecca Monson-Gere at 256-7459 or mmonson@ju.edu

Is JU liberal enough?JARED BROOKSNEWS EDITOR

So, apparently Jacksonville University is a small Liberal Arts University here in Jacksonville, Fla. I’ve been a student here for four years and have yet to really understand what that means!

I understand the liberal arts per-spective of the curriculum, with required courses such as Humanities and Music Appreciation. Although I’m a Marketing major, the core body of knowledge the curriculum is intended to provide during the first two years of student’s college experience has been a very enlightening experience.

However, being from Orlando, Fla. I have exposure to another Liberal Arts institution, Rollins College. I’ll just say the environment is quite different than that of JU.

Now I’m not here to compare the two universities and their amenities. However, there are certain expecta-tions I have that come along with the term “Liberal Arts Institution” that I feel are missing from the Jacksonville

University student experience. I have quite a few friends who

attend Rollins and certain activi-ties have become the norm, such as extremely controversial speakers, and classes where sexuality and nudity are discussed heavily. It’s hard to put into words but bottom line is the vibe at Rollins College is drastically differ-ent from that of JU, yet the similarities are astonishing. I believe it has some-thing to do with how liberal JU really wants to be.

As I previously mentioned, the por-tion of the curriculum that focuses on the thinking skills of the Jacksonville University student body isn’t exact-ly what I’m talking about here. It’s more about the social environment that should come along with being a Liberal Arts Institution.

I attended “Colored Windows”, pre-sented by C.W. Dawson, Ph.D. last week and felt he was one of the best speakers I’ve heard at Jacksonville University.

I absolutely loved it! When I think Liberal Arts Institution I think uncon-ventional and discomfort. There’s abso-

lutely nothing wrong with bringing in speakers that challenge the minds of the JU community with topics that might touch the hearts of many of the student body.

I participated in an Open Mic event in Nellie’s last year and was quite aston-ished with the responses I received after my performance.

I read a modified version of a blog I wrote and was criticized by some of the student body for being too vulgar in the piece. Although nudity and pro-fanity, in context and moderation of course, are imprinted in my mind as aspects that come along with the terri-tory of a Liberal Arts Institution on a social level.

In my opinion, many of the students, faculty and staff here at JU are afraid of how far the whole Liberal Arts expe-rience could go in this context.

I would like nothing more than to see JU really focus on this aspect of the student experience. Bring every dimen-sion of the Liberal Arts Institution to the forefront and provide students with a true Liberal Arts experience. It just might redefine Jacksonville University.

4 THE NAVIGATOR • JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2010 NEWS

JENNIFER ESCOBARSTAFF WRITER

The Haitian Relief Conference this past Thursday aimed to bring several organizations together in order to both raise awareness and organize efforts for relief.

The conference opened with Dr. Porter speaking on the three disasters that occurred in Haiti in the past week and a half. The first disaster was the earthquake itself, followed by the aftershock. The remaining two disasters are the after effects.

Dr. Porter, a key speaker in the event, discussed how the initial earthquake devastated 85% of the structures in Haiti. There is “No Parliament, treasury, government, health resourc-es, clean water, education,” or any other major resource avail-able. Along with these structures being lost, 90% of the elect-ed officials and employees in Haiti have not received contact, because there is no way of contacting them. This coincides with the second disaster- the need for aid.

Haiti is in immediate need of shelter, food, clean water, and medical care. There are over 700,000 people injured in need of assistance. On top of 700,000 people that are injured over 1,000,000 people have been displaced and need food, shelter, and water.

What Dr. Porter asked each person in attendance to do at this meeting was to “recognize the responsibility we have to

respond.” Humanitarianism stands as an imperative factor in all of this. As Porter said, “We all are humanitarians, because we are all human.”

Although many of us may only have the ability to contrib-ute small amounts of whatever the resource may be (money, food, clothing, water, etc.), we are all “parts” and when placed in “sum” can make a greater impact. Porter went on to say that “It doesn’t matter how small what you do is, but it matters that you do something.”

The third disaster that we are facing is longevity. What will happen in a month or a year or 5years? These people will still be in need of aid, but will we have moved on to the next thing and forgotten about them. Sustainability is impor-tant because without continual effort to provide help to those in need, they will not be able to heal. The country needs rebuilding and this will not happen overnight. It is the respon-sibility of each of us to make sure we do our part, we continue to do so, and time goes on.

Before this disaster, over 2 million people in Haiti were already in dire need of food. It is estimated that 60% of Haitians live off under $1 per day. The goal now is not only to build back this country, but also to “build back better.”

The more time that passes, the more people are dying due to injury or being trapped under rubble. Just the other day the American Red Cross assembled a 26-hour rescue mission and saved 40 people. The longer we wait to react, the worse con-

ditions will become.A large discussion that has risen is Katrina in New Orleans.

Many are upset that the response to Katrina was not as volumi-nous, or feel it was not. These are all relevant concerns; how-ever, they are counter-productive.

The focus should not be on mistakes made in the past, but on improving the future. According to the United Nations, approximately 75,000 people have died.

Think of that number of people; picture it in your mind. There is a “pool of relief out there and we merely have an eyedropper with which to transfer that relief.” Regardless of how small, we have a means, and as Dr. Porter said, “It is our responsibility to use it.”

Among the organizations present were: The American Red Cross, Fonkoze USA, Habitat for Humanity, Haitian Microfinance Inc., Haiti Outreach Ministry, Lespwa Worldwide, Office of U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, Office of U.S. Congresswoman Corrine Brown, Rotary International, Social Enterprise Fund, St. Boniface Connection, The Community Foundation in Jacksonville, United Way, and World Relief.

JU students have already pulled together to help aid the devastated country. Last Sunday, Jean Fils, Founder of Cool for Haiti and Tiffany Bromfield, President of JU Chapter of Hope for Haiti, hosted a collection drive on campus to raise donations for the relief effort. The event was successful and brought in a large number of food and supplies.

Haiti relief conference held to raise awareness

RENAE INGRAM JR.

Above: One common theme of the conference was to get people to realize that the earthquake was not the first crisis to occur in recent years for Haiti; therefore, it is the job of humanitarians to keep responding to the cries of the Haitian people in the upcoming weeks, months, and years from now. It was emphasized that the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts. Pictured above is one of three representatives of the local Haiti Outreach Ministry that encouraged others to stay active in their aid for the country. With one of the tenets of the organization being the pursuit of education, the ministry has built an orphanage and a school to help with the nation’s future.

Right: JU Alum Grant Deacon (pictured), along with Economics professor Elizabeth Porter, organized the call-to-duty-type event that included approximately 15 different organizations. The goal was to educate the community on the best way to help in the rebuliding of 85% of lost infrastructure in Haiti.

THE NAVIGATOR • JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2010 5NEWS

DCOB receives international recognitionJARED BROOKSNEWS EDITOR

The Jacksonville University Davis College of Business has officially been added to the selective list of colleges with accredita-tion from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, more commonly referred to as AACSB.

This achievement plac-es the Davis College of Business among only five percent of other institutions worldwide that have accom-plished this accreditation. In other words: AACSB is a huge accomplishment for DCOB. The accreditation, among other things, signi-fies a rigorous undergradu-ate curriculum and a quali-ty business program.

Dr. Mohamad Sepehri, Professor of Management, played a vital role in attaining the AACSB accreditation and, along with a number of other DCOB faculty, is optimistic about the future of the Davis College of Business due to the AACSB accreditation.

“Such accreditation signals quality and quality always attracts better students. This accreditation is not only ben-eficial to the Davis College of Business but also to the stu-dents. This process was done with their best interest in mind,” said Sepehri.

“AACSB accreditation is a huge deal for a small school such as JU and has opened doors for us on the internation-al scale. We are currently in discussion with at least three international universities about joint partnerships, which is due in part to the AACSB accreditation.”

The accreditation process will inevitably impact the future of the Davis College of Business, specifically in

terms of enrollment. “Historical data provided by the AACSB proves that the accreditation directly correlates with an increase in enrollment.”

“We are expecting more interest in DCOB, especially from international students. The accreditation will also pos-itively impact the MBA program here at JU,” said Sepehri.

With the Davis College of Business changing up their application process and launching a new full-time MBA program, the future of the Davis College of Business is looking bright.

Senior Danielle Gray plans to begin using the AACSB accreditation to her advantage immediately. “I plan to use this AACSB accreditation on my resumes for grad school to further prove that my education and GPA actually mean something. This will mean that I will not only have finished my college years near the top of my class but managed to do so at an exclusive, top-notch program,” said Gray.

“I will also be receiving recom-mendation letters from the professors of the Davis College of Business, which means that I’m being endorsed by some of the most worthy busi-ness professors in the world. I’m sure that will mean a lot.”

Senior Latonya Wimberly also intends for the AACSB accreditation to attest to academic excellence.

“I’ve been told by several professors throughout DCOB that this accredita-tion will place our program in an elite group, creating a more impressive resume,

application, etc. With everyone going back to school earning business degrees, it’s comforting to know the AACSB accreditation will set my accomplishments apart from just any business graduate.”

Other AACSB accredited institutions in the state of Florida include the University of Florida, Florida State University, University of North Florida, University of Miami, Rollins College, and the University of South Florida just to name a few.

The process to become fully accredited takes between three to five years and is requires constant maintenance of accredited institutions. However, Jacksonville University passed with flying colors.

Jacksonville University Davis College of Business is proud to be a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Weather (highs/lows)

Sat (1/30)- 66°/58° Sun (1/31)- 49°/35° Mon (2/1)- 62°/39°

Wed (1/27)- 61°/34° Thurs (1/28)- 66°/37° Fri (1/29)- 71°/44°

Tues (2/2)- 69°/46°

JU/JSO partnershipROCHELLE ROSESTAFF WRITER

Jacksonville University students, staff, and faculty have their first opportunity to have an extended relationship with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO).

ShAdCo is an advisory committee that plans to meet regularly to convene with police officers about the general public’s issues and concerns.

The initial ShAdCo JSO/JU meeting is on Wednesday, Jan. 27, at 4 p.m. in the Davis College of Business, Room 114. Advisory committee applications may be obtained by emailing camus.security@ju.edu.

Examples of issues that may be dis-cussed are drug houses, vehicular traffic, home security, and community education.

Jacksonville’s ShAdCo organization showcases commitment to community input of policy and procedure practices through

the direct exchange of information between officials and laymen.

ShAdCo is organized in a unique man-ner. Police in Jacksonville split the city into six different zones. Each police zone is seg-mented into sectors that are assigned to a particular ShAdCo comprised of command officers and citizens of the area.

Every single ShAdCo has an elected chairperson that manages the meetings for that particular area. The police command-er of a zone meets with a respective subdi-vision once a month.

ShAdCo provides an exemplary oppor-tunity for citizens to act as a voice for the people. There are not many situations in which the public can have a lateral conver-sation with authorities about law enforce-ment.

Active involvement in Jacksonville’s community through direct contact with government officials has the potential to

PHOTO COURTESY OF JU.EDU

MBA open houseUnemployment in Florida and the U.S. contin-

ues to be a tough issue for all college seniors gradu-ating this spring. You may want to consider doing a one-year daytime Masters of Business Administration (MBA) at Jacksonville University. This is open for all JU graduates regardless of your undergraduate major.

An MBA is a very practical degree and fits well with every major i.e. business, liberal arts, fine arts, nursing, engineering, etc. An MBA is a proven asset in securing better employment opportunities.

If you would like to explore this new Daytime Accelerated MBA opportunity, please come and join us in the Davis College Business (DCOB) for pizza on Wednesday, Feb. 3, between 5 and 6 p.m. in DCOB

Room 171. The new program will begin in May 2010. If you

join the inaugural class, you can graduate next spring with your MBA. This will not guarantee a job, but your chances will be greatly enhanced especially with our Professional Developer, who will guide you with internships and tips on job placement.

Additional open houses will be conducted: 1. Saturday, Feb. 6, 10 – 12 p.m. in Davis 159; and (2) Saturday, Feb. 13, 10 - 12 p.m. in Davis Room 171. These two sessions will cover all MBA programs included in the new Daytime Accelerated MBA.

(Contact: Mecca Monson-Gere at 256-7459 or mmonson@ju.edu).

6 THE NAVIGATOR • JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2010 FEATURES

THE NAVIGATOR • JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2010 7

“Colored windows” sheds light on race

ED KELLEHERLAYOUT EDITOR

Killa Kelleher: Well folks, it’s the return of Killa Kelleher. I took some time away despite the long winter break to thank God for how great my life is and how sorry yours is.

Though New Year resolutions aren’t very timely to talk about, I’m going to anyway. My first New Year’s resolution is to train females on this campus how to act like and party like the ones I found in Vegas. Yes it most certainly is THE sin city, and our JU ladies could learn a lot by closing their mouths and letting their bodies do the talk-ing like the ones I so nicely bumped into.

Speaking of talking bodies, I think I heard Brett Favre’s screaming for mercy after that beat down the Saints put on him. Despite the loss, Favre was later misquot-ed on purpose (by me) saying, “I knew I should have stayed retired and gave to that Hurricane Katrina fund that Drew Brees sponsored.”

In other semi-timely news, last week was the finale of my most hated show in exis-tence, “Jersey Shore.” Because I am from South Jersey, I am horribly offended. It’s not so much the show that offends me since you will find Guidos all over Jersey. The peo-ple that disgust me most are the other South Jersey citizens who watch the show regular-ly and think it’s the greatest show on Earth.

Unfortunately that title has already been given to “Barnum and Bailey’s Circus.” On second thought, a bunch of juiced up, drunken Guido men along with some chubby, fake-tanned, prima Donna women almost qualify as a circus freak show. I know you all think it’s cool to do the “Guido fist pump” at SOHO now, but let me assure you that it’s not.

My second New Year’s resolution is very common, and it is to get into better shape for the summer. Those of you who put on weight over winter break a couple weeks back, I’m not surprised. Those of you who copied my resolution or have your own say-ing, “I will lose 25 pounds by summer,” most likely will not.

If you’re over the age of 20 and have had bad eating habits and exercising habits for the past 20 years, this year is probably not going to be the year to change it. I would recommend just saving up the money and getting tummy tucks, lipo-suction, or just starving yourself like many of our sorority girls each week.

Hey, it works for them and it could work for you too! Just don’t tell them I let you in on their secret. They hate me since I look this good dieting and exercising the RIGHT way.

Anyway, enjoy life you sloppy faced fools and don’t forget to check out Campus Movie Fest this Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

JENNIFER ESCOBARSTAFF WRITER

“There is no such thing as race.” These were the words spoken by the guest for this month’s Humanities Division Speaker Series, Philosopher C.W. Dawson, Ph.D. of Bethune-Cookman University last Thursday evening in the Gooding Auditorium.

Dawson presented the concept of race as something epistemological or constructed rather than something real or existent.

He clarified this as race being simply a social construct created by members of society. This construct only maintains the power that society allows it: for without a society to utilize it, the construct is useless.

One memorable moment was when he asked a student in the front row to hand him a dollar bill. He then applied this con-cept of race as a construct to this dollar bill.

Dawson proceeded to demonstrate how the bill was actually meaningless without the construct attached to it by explaining that if we did not give this bill the power it has, it would serve no purpose. We cre-ate money from paper and without the extra value we place on it, it simply exists as paper.

According to Dawson, “The construct tells me what I am and what to think.”

This, however, does not make it a reality. He continued on to say that we could either live for others or for ourselves. Living in this construct does not consist of necessari-ly living for ourselves, but living for a false representation of what we are believed to be

instead of what we are.He then discussed the concept of being

educated and Black in America. The cited example in this case was a young man pick-ing up the telephone and using proper gram-mar.

Because this young child answered the telephone, “Hello, how are you?”, he was

referred to as “sounding white.”Dawson also delved deeper into this key

concept by discussing Marxist views on class instead of ethnicity. The idea of this approach was that we are not so much sep-arated by race as we are by class. This also, however, exists as yet another construct that society creates.

“If we do not learn how to see through the glass better we will bury one another.”

Attaching meaning to color becomes an issue when we are “immature thinkers,” when in reality, “98% of our genetic make-up is the same.”

If we look at one another as a part and not separated by race, we will cease to be black, white, brown, or any other color, but human instead. This differentiation came to power because it was once “the tool of the oppressor,” and now we choose to use this tool on one another.

Whatever the person’s “race”, our priv-ilege and access should not rely off of it. One thing is for sure; we all make our own decisions and have our own desires.

What Dawson wants is “for all of us to become Jazz musicians of the mind.” But in order for us to do that, in the words of a great man, “I think we have to be clear about who we are first.”

RENAE INGRAM JR.

The energetic Dawson kept listeners on the edge of their seats as he spoke to one of the largest crowds the Humanities Division has seen at such an event.

FEATURES

8 THE NAVIGATOR • JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2010 ARTS

LARRY MAXWELL STAFF WRITER

This past weekend I got to see what could be the movie of the year, “The Book of Eli.” I know it’s early in the year to say something like that but The Book of Eli was phenomenal.

The movie is an extreme-ly well made p o s t - a p o c a -lyptic action drama star-ring non-oth-er than Denzel Wa s h i n g t o n . The Book of Eli is easily a crowd pleaser in terms of action and story.

The film is set in an unspe-cific future where the planet has been destroyed by a “blast.” In the film Eli (Denzel Washington) is a self-sufficient loner heading west with a book. The book is not just any book, but a precious commodity, a bible, while all oth-ers have been burned in a previous war.

After Eli’s travels lead him to the power hungry Carnegie (Gary Oldman), he is hunted for the book in which Carnegie was

looking for. Carnegie is after the book in order to use it as a weapon claiming that anyone who listens will believe and follow your every word.

The thought of having the book close to him sent the ruthless leader into desperate frenzy. He sends countless men and even

attempts to use his daughter Solara (Mila Kunis) in an effort to get the book.

Solara ends up joining Eli in his travels using only her persuasion. Eli and Solara manage to escape a dead-ly shootout but lose the book in the process. Without spoiling the movie, Eli makes it to his destination and though he doesn’t

have the book physically he has everything he needs.

In the film you get to see Denzel Washington kick butt protecting his book. The plot of the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat and keeps you questioning just what power the book really has. This movie is visually stimulating and worth watching at least once.

“Book of Eli” thrills

“The Winner”By: DrakeBecause: “Guess it’s not about who you know, it’s just how you balance it.”Sufferer: Jared Brooks

“I Don’t Know”By: Jamie FoxxBecause: “We all have gotten over looked at point in time.”Sufferer: Corey Woolfork

“Smooth Operator”By: SadeBecause: “It’s the first song I heard on Pandora.”Sufferer: David Berry

“2 Milli”By: Soulja BoyBecause: “We all have gotten overlooked at one point in time.”Sufferer: Kameron Jackson

“Don’t Leave Me”By: Blackstreet Because: “It takes me back.”Sufferer: Janesea Inman

“How Can We Make It”By: Amerie ft. FabolousBecause: “So true”Sufferer: Rochelle Rose

“Replay”By: IyazBecause: “My roommate played it this morning.”Sufferer: Lindsay C. Tropnas

“Addams Family Groove”By: MC HammerBecause: “What do I see? A perm wit feet!”Sufferer: Larry Maxwell

“Superwoman”By: Alicia KeysBecause: “I don’t have a choice but to be just that.”Sufferer: Rica Caughman

“The Best”By: Soulja BoyBecause: “All year, 365-February to February”Sufferer: Renae Ingram Jr.

EARWORMS OF THE WEEK

PHOTO COURTESY OF E! ONLINE

Winter Dance Concert: Breaking BoundariesFeb. 4,5,6 7:30 p.m. Swisher TheaterJacksonville University Dance Theater brings you an evening of new dance for a new

generation. Premiering a sought after work by David Parsons, along with original student and faculty works, JU dancers will push the boundaries of contemporary choreography.

Composerfest ConcertFeb. 7 3 p.m. Terry Concert HallThis concert will feature works by Jian-jun He, Thomas Harrison, and Tony Steve, as

well as, other composers on the faculty at JU.

Art and Human EvolutionFeb. 10 7 p.m. Fine Arts HallAssociate Professor of Art History, Cheryl Sowder, will offer a symposium presenta-

tion examining how the instinct for art is as much based in genetic encoding as in culture.

Music of LoveFeb. 11 7:30 p.m. Terry Concert HallFirst Coast Wind Ensemble play music from the heart with a full, vibrant, and unique-

ly American sound.

Crimes of the HeartFeb. 18,19,20 7:30 p.m. P-19 Studio TheaterFeb. 21 2 p.m. P-19 Studio TheaterAt the core of the tragic comedy are the three Magrath sisters, who reunite at Old

Granddaddy’s home in Hazlehurst, Mississippi after one of them shoots her abusive hus-band. Past resentments bubble to the surface as they’re forced to deal with assorted relatives and past relationships while coping with the latest incident that has disrupted their lives.

Fine Arts Events Calendar

I created this piece to show a piece of me. Since I often experiment with different forms of art, I wanted to demonstrate two ways that I love to express myself artistically- painting and playing the piano. I’m also interested in individual growth and motion, so much move-ment is shown in my painting technique here. Though this painting is a very personal work, I hope its audience can find themselves in it as well.

“Diana at the Piano”

KATE DUPRE

THE NAVIGATOR • JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2010 9

10 THE NAVIGATOR • JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2010

DAVID BERRYSPORTS EDITOR

As I looked over the new sched-ule for the upcoming Jacksonville University football season, I was underwhelmed. Maybe it is because I have seen all of the teams men-tioned before in my years here. This is not to say that it is a weak sched-ule.

One thing I definitely cannot knock is the sexy of JU’s big name opponent. Appalachian State is back on the schedule and will once again be the game that Head Coach Kerwin Bell needs to win to truly validate the season.

A Pioneer Football League championship would be nice, yes, but he has not beaten a major FCS team going into his fourth year at the helm.

There are pros and cons in play-ing this game. A disadvantage fac-ing the Dolphins is the fact that App State is playing the SEC power Florida Gators the week before. In 2008, the Mountaineers faced LSU the week before JU made their trip up to Boone, N.C.

The trip resulted in a 56-7 loss for the green and gold but seemed to kick their confidence to a level that propelled them to the PFL title. It could work against JU because if Florida blows App State out, they will be looking to take their frustra-

tion out on the next opponent.Quite simply put, this is the

make or break season for Bell and his football team. A mediocre sea-son, and by mediocre I mean any-thing equal or less than last season, invalidates the success of 2008.

It sounds harsh, but really think about it. That would show that there has been no progress. That “big money” game is vital to the per-ception of the whole 2010 season. There will always be that “what if” if they do not win that game, it is that simple.

I think you will get an automat-ic gauge of where the team is when they open the season on the road against Old Dominion. Last season, the Dolphins coughed up a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost 28-27.

They will show me something if they keep these leads against teams who gave them tough games last season and will only get better for the upcoming season. The biggest thing JU will have in their favor is what should be the best offense in the history of the program. The talent is there for a top 25-caliber offense so I wouldn’t be able to tol-erate many excuses for anything resembling subpar.

The home schedule is more than favorable for the Dolphins in 2010, with conference stalwart San Diego making the cross-country trip. The

other home games include Webber International (the home-opener), Drake, Marist, and Campbell.

The in-conference road games for JU could provide some peaks and valleys. Davidson is always a tough game for the Dolphins, and it took a defensive stand in the fourth quarter to hold them off last season. Valparaiso is a team that JU should truthfully beat and Drake is a team that will also be tough for JU.

Butler won the PFL last year, but their only loss of the season was to yours truly, in a dominating effort by the Dolphins.

Each and every one of the teams that will be coming to Duval County is on the rise. I do not think that JU has much room for error on this schedule. Teams that were door-mats in the PFL previously, such as Butler, are stepping up to the plate.

There is far too much time until the season starts for me to give any formal predictions, and even so, you saw how my preseason picks went for JU last season. This has been a wildly inconsistent team even in their best times, add to that a sched-ule which will be less than friendly and it will make for an exciting sea-son coming up.

The line between greatness and mediocrity for coach Bell and the Dolphins is as short as the hyphen between win-loss statistics in the standings.

Dolphin football to face interesting 2010 schedule

NOW DELIVERING ON CAMPUS!Breakfast & Lunch

Monday-Friday8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

DinnerFriday & Saturday

9 p.m. - 2 a.m.

DB’s Column:New track arrivingDAVID BERRYSPORTS EDITOR

I have to commend the Jacksonville University ath-letic department as well as a donor who is already close to the school. The track and field team will finally have a track that mirrors their efforts as a team when they get back in the fall.

Thanks to a hefty six-fig-ure donation from Ron Autrey, CEO of Miller Electric as well as a member of the JU Board of Trustees, the track will be totally re-done in time for the start of fall practice in 2010.

I’ve written about this sub-ject before because I felt that this is something that should have been done a long time ago. I understand that money is a major issue, but when you are dealing with what has eas-ily been the best team on cam-pus, someone needs to step up.

And someone named Autrey surely did.

The new track will receive a new surface, curbing, drain-ing, and upgraded jumps and throws areas. Believe it or not, this will give Ron Grigg, head coach of the track and field team, an advantage that is almost unfair.

I consider him one of the best recruiters in the region for women’s track and field. Honestly, it’s not a stretch to consider him one of the best recruiters in the country. It’s also not a stretch to say that he runs the Atlantic Sun Conference. He’s going for the conference trifecta this year: cross country, indoor and out-door track and field. As far as I’m concerned if he does that we should just rename the conference after him.

The re-done track will attract even better recruits to JU, and that could turn the Dolphins from perennial con-ference rulers to regional and national contenders. Last sea-son Grigg sent five athletes to regionals and four to the national championships dur-ing the outdoor season.

All I’m saying is that if he is having that kind of success with these facilities, can you imagine the success he will enjoy with the upgrades the team will finally receive?

This is one of the best things to happen to the JU athletic facilities since I have been a student here. What’s next?

Well, what about those lights…?

SPORTS

THE NAVIGATOR • JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2010 11

Lady Dolphins fall short to SpartansALEX LINGSTAFF WRITER

The JU women’s basketball team encoun-tered a tough opponent Saturday, falling to conference foe USC Upstate 79-72, at Swisher Gymnasium.

The highest-scoring game in their last seven was not enough for the JU women’s basketball team as they fell to conference opponent USC-Upstate 79-72 on Saturday afternoon in Swisher Gynasium.

Down 25-20 late in the first half, the Dolphins finally hit their stride going on a 15-3 run to help close out the half and go into the locker room up 35-32 thanks to con-secutive break away steals that led to lay-ups by senior Crystal Grable.

With the Spartans up 57-50 in the second half, sophomores Jessica George and Ashanti Williams scored on back-to-back trips to narrow the deficit for the Dolphins. Then, with six minutes left in the game, junior Taneskei Richardson evened the score on a lay-up. The game would be tied two more times before the Spartans put the game away for good.

The Spartans were lead by Chelsea McMillan, who was just dominant in the paint, finishing with 24 points and a game high 12 rebounds.

“Her size makes her very hard to defend,” said Dolphin head coach, Jill Dunn. “She’s a very good player. She’s all-conference and she averages a double-double. She’s just a great player.”

Grable had the tough task of defending McMillan and did everything she could.

McMillan was just too much down low.“She got a lot of steals off her and made

a lot things happen with her athleticism,” said Coach Dunn. “She was big for us tonight, just not big enough.”

McMillan wasn’t the only Spartan to hit the 20-point plateau, as Tee’Ara Copney recorded 23 points off the bench after going 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.

The Dolphins had five players end the game in double figures, led by Grable, who recorded a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds). Richardson had a big game down low as well, finishing with 13 points and eight rebounds.

“She had a very solid game for the whole game,” said Coach Dunn. “She has improved in each game and is really turning into a leader for us.”

When the Spartans weren’t going down low to McMillan, they were on fire from long-range, shooting 71.4% (5-7). The Spartans also outrebounded the Dolphins 39-33.

Despite the loss and the poor three-point shooting, the Dolphins had a pretty solid game all-around. But there is always room for improvement.

“We got to defend better and rebound better, those are two things that really hurt us tonight,” said Coach Dunn. “We gave up way too many points in the second half and too many second opportunities.”

The Lady Dolphins look to rebound and now start a tough conference road trip, which begins Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. against rival UNF. They then travel to Spartanburg, S.C. for a rematch against USC Upstate.

RENAE INGRAM JR.

Senior point guard Ben Smith drives down the lane and goes up for the shot attempt in JU’s 65-52 win over USC-Upstate. The Dolphins have won eight consecutive games and will take on rival UNF on Friday night.

Men upstage Upstate

SPORTS

12 THE NAVIGATOR • JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2010 SPORTS

Former JU basketball star takes game overseasDAVID BERRYSPORTS EDITOR

As he sits in his three-bedroom apartment looking at the nonstop snow that continues to fall on the wealthiest part of Graz, Austria, Marcus Allen is thankful for his shot at the pros.

The for-mer Jacksonville University basketball star is the first player since Jesse Kimbrough in 2007 to be signed to a professional basket-ball contract. He was signed by UBSC Graz in the A Bundesliga 17 games into the sea-son, the highest level of professional basket-ball in the country.

“Even when I thought I should have gotten picked up ear-lier in the summer, I never stopped work-ing hard.” Allen said when asked about get-ting an opportunity to play overseas.

Allen fielded offers from teams in Finland, Denmark, and Switzerland. Choosing to go to Austria did not seem to be a tough choice for Allen.

“Better situation, it was better for me to come here and play because it is a great league to start out your pro career,” Allen said. “This league is well respected around Europe.”

The Fort Lauderdale, Florida native carries a stellar college resume’ across the pond. Allen is currently first all-time in JU history in games played (117), seventh in

rebounds (808), and 14th in scoring (1,312 points). He was named to the Atlantic Sun Conference all-freshman team.

He is taking a solid post-game over to a country in which he does not speak the language. The transition has had its highs and lows in the time he has been there.

“It has been a major culture shock,” Allen commented. “It has snowed everyday that I’ve been here. There are things here that you just can’t do or get in Florida, like make snowmen and go to castles.”

The language barrier is another hard obstacle to overcome, especially considering he has not been in the country very long.

“Wow, it’s been difficult,” he said when asked about the language adjustment. “Every time I go to eat I have to find some-

one in the place that speaks English or call my teammates over and ask them.”

He says that the people have been very nice and welcoming however, and that can be important when you are almost alone in a country. He needs the essentials to sur-vive over there, such as a plug for his Xbox

and a working laptop. The only thing he can relate to with most of his team-mates is the basketball.

Dubbed the Savior by his team-mates, Allen is getting into a very tough situ-ation with UBSC Graz. The team is still win-less after 19 games. It is tough but he does have experience in major turnarounds. He was apart of the biggest turnaround of the 2006-07 in NCAA basketball (1-26 to 15-14).

On the court, life has definitely been

different for Allen. The life of an NCAA stu-dent-athlete seems absolutely fabulous com-pared to the grueling schedule of a European professional basketball player.

“We have two-a-days here and they have been pretty tough,” Allen admitted. “I was on two planes for a total of 15 hours and

then had to practice that same night. When you come here expect to work hard because nothing is easy on or off the court.”

The referees also are very different than what he was used to in the United States. Allen says that they “call the game differ-ent from college. Fouls are weaker, and they call travelling a lot, which I hate.”

He says that he is averaging around 30 minutes so far, not bad considering he just got there. He has a lot of work to do but says Austria is just the first step to a hopefully suc-cessful pro career.

“My dream had to start somewhere

and it’s here in Graz, Austria,” he said. “But I do also have dreams to bigger and better things.”

Allen does have plan on playing in Australia or the Philippines after the Austrian season is done in April.

Wherever he ends up, he has already proved that his hard work and determination landed him an opportunity.

Where will he go from there?

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARCUS ALLEN