Before technology made it possible for every handheld electronic device to have a camera, only celebrities had to master the art of secrecy to avoid the public’s eye.

Now, technology has placed “normal” people under the same scrutiny.

Social networking with Web sites like Facebook and MySpace allow almost anyone the ability to post information and pictures about themselves and friends publicly. However, this freedom has repercussions. These repercussions are turning into legal battles.

Recently, the Associated Press reported in Indianapolis, Ind., two sophomore girls sued their school district over being punished because of suggestive pictures they posted onto their MySpace profiles over summer break. The girls were banned from any extracurricular activities at the school.

The American Civil Liberties Union argued the school violated the girls’ free speech rights by punishing them for something that was not school related.

The ACLU continued to say the school “humiliated the girls by requiring them to apologize to an all-male coaches’ board and undergo counseling.”

The results of this lawsuit could set a precedent establishing what is protected information on social networking sites. It is an issue some feel the Supreme Court needs to address. However, a case involving this issue has yet to reach that level.

David Von Palko, attorney and communications professor at APSU said, “The sophomore girls were on a sports team with their school and had to sign an agreement that stated they would not post sexually suggestive pictures on networking sites, so they were aware. That is an important aspect in the situation.”

Von Palko added it was a disruption to the school in which they attended.

The AP reported some legal experts disagree with Von Palko’s interpretation, stating, “Schools must accept that students will engage in some questionable behavior in cyberspace during off hours.”

Other members of the APSU community agree with Von Palko and feel the sophomore girls should expect punishment.

Ericka Conley, a freshman communications major, said, “The school was fair because it makes the school look bad.”

She also said it was such a bad image for the school that they should be expelled immediately instead.

Elsy Moldiz, another freshman communications major, said the punishment should not be that severe.

“They shouldn’t be expelled, but detention is too small,” Moldiz said. The AP reported ACLU Legal Director Ken Falk disagrees.

“We all did things when we were sophomores in high school that can be construed as immature or problematic or whatever, but that is not the issue here,” Falk said. “The issue is what possible impact this could have on the school environment, and the answer is none.”
The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Fort Wayne, Ind., names Churubusco High School, the school’s principal Austin Couch and the district as defendants and seeks unspecified damages. As of press time Monday, Nov. 16, no hearing had been scheduled.

Any nursing student at APSU can describe how the nursing program is both challenging and competitive. They can explain how they must focus on maintaining good grades and passing numerous tests. The last thing on their minds is making history.

But for the first time in history at APSU, all of the nursing students who took the National Council Licensure Examination for the first time this past summer passed.

Marla Anderson, one of the test takers, said, “The test was like none I had previously taken. I was extremely nervous about passing the exam. Once it was over, I was so worried I failed.”

Anderson was one of 35 students who passed the test and then graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.

Chita Farrar, Director of the APSU School of Nursing, said, “This is the only time in the program’s history since the first class was enrolled in 1980 that a 100 percent pass rate has been achieved.”

The national average NCLEX pass rate in the December 2008 annual report was 87.06 percent, and our 100 percent pass rate is a historic event for the B.S.N. program. This is a reflection of faculty and student partnership to promote excellence in the nursing program.”

According to the School of Nursing’s Web site, the program “consistently produces graduates who have high NCLEX-RN pass rates, often well above the state and national mean” and “APSU nursing students enjoy a reputation of excellence through employment with agencies nationwide.”

The APSU Student Nurses Association and the Nu Phi Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society hosted a luncheon to celebrate this great accomplishment with students, faculty and administrators Monday, Oct. 12.

APSU President Timothy Hall and David Denton, Dean of the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences were among those who attended the celebration and congratulated the test takers.

“The nursing faculty, under Dr. Farrar’s leadership, is vigilant in promoting student success, and their efforts have paid off,” Denton said.

In addition to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, the APSU School of Nursing offers a Master of Science in nursing.

For more information about the nursing program, contact Debbie Cochener, nursing adviser and administrative specialist at 221-7708 or cochenerd@apsu.edu or Farrar at 221-6317.

This week you might hear students cheering “Let’s Go Green” instead of “Let’s Go Peay!”

That’s because on Monday, Oct. 12, APSU began its first Sustainability Week with events and bringing in vendors to showcase the many different faces of the green movement.

“The purpose behind Sustainability Week is to promote green living and to bring awareness to the community about the importance of saving our Earth,” said Amy Allen, event coordinator.

The events began with a Sustainability Building Expo from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom.

The expo featured builders, suppliers and architects from around middle Tennessee offering presentations on green building practices and green energy.

“They will be talking about what their company personally has done to help mother earth and what we as individuals can do when improving our homes,” Allen said.

“Going green can actually save people considerable money when it comes to their homes, and these different companies will be explaining why.”

Later, in the afternoon, a bus took expo attendees from the UC to the APSU Environmental Education Center, (EEC), for a tour.

The center recently installed a solar array to power a nearby classroom using grant money provided by the Student Sustainability Fee committee.

For the past year, the EEC has also successfully converted kitchen grease into a biodiesel product to power farm equipment.

On Tuesday, Oct. 13, students and visitors had the opportunity to purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables from a Farmers Market set up in the University Center plaza.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 14, interested APSU community members can see the latest electric, solar-powered and hybrid vehicles during a Transportation Exhibit in the Library Bowl.

At 7 p.m., Jeff Barrie’s documentary film on the sustainability movement, “Kilowatt Ours,” will be shown in UC, room 308.

“Kilowatt Ours” has won multiple awards including the Greenspirit Award at the 2008 GreenDance Film Festival and the Katherine Knight Award at the 2008 Earth Vision Film Festival.

The week’s events will come to a close Thursday, Oct. 15, with the Tennessee Water Education for Teachers workshop. The program will educate the public on how to reduce pollution and improve local water quality.

All events are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Amy Allen with Student Life and Leadership at 931-221-7838 or allena@apsu.edu.

The Women’s Studies Program and Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance are sponsoring a week full of activities centered on informing the APSU community about domestic violence against women in recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The week of events began with the Clothesline Project and Handprint Project on Monday, Oct. 5.

Each shirt is decorated to represent a particular woman’s experience by the survivor herself or someone who cares about the victim.

The original Clothesline Project started in 1990 and quickly spread throughout the world to show awareness.

The Clothesline Project began at APSU in 1997.

Senior foreign language major and vice president of the FMLA, Jessica Axley, said she believes the Clothesline Project is a necessary opportunity for the APSU community to recognize that domestic and sexual violence happens everywhere and take action to eliminate it.

Jennelle Menlay, a senior psychology major, said the Clothesline Project is a good creative way to express the strengths of the women who created the T-shirts.

APSU has over 500 T-shirts made by the campus community.

The Clothesline Project is also displayed in March in conjunction with the production of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues,” and in April in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Jill Eichhorn, associate professor of Women’s Studies, said, “The Clothesline Project builds community and reaches out to survivors and their loved ones. It provides a place where survivors can let go of the shame and isolation of violation. It also bears testimony to the number of people in our community who have survived violation.”

According to the National Victim Center, one out of two women will be in a violent relationship sometime in their life. The Handprint Project invites men to place their handprint on a T-shirt to pledge to end violence against women.

FMLA has about 20 T-shirts with many handprints in support of ending the violence.

The FMLA will be sponsoring Take Back the Night 6 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 8, in the MUC Plaza. The event will consist of a march, candlelight vigil and a speak out to bring awareness of building safety for women at night.

For more information about the Clothesline Project visit the Web site www.clotheslineproject.org or visit the Women Studies page at www.apsu.edu/women_studies.