The All State

» By TIFFANY HALL- thall29@my.apsu.edu

More people are now applying and being accepted at APSU than ever before. In fact, this year’s applications for freshmen admission are up 24 percent from last year. Within the past four years, APSU has hired 60 new faculty members and the student to faculty ratio has dropped below 20 to 1.

“More faculty members means more people. And more people means more choices, and more choices means more programs. It is kind of like a domino effect, but it leads to something great,” said Tristan Denley, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs.

The most important plan to keep the domino effect going is something the university has already stressed: higher graduation rates. Having a higher graduation rate than other universities creates a great reputation for APSU because students have the desire to graduate in a certain time frame.

“Somewhere between freshman year and graduation, life tends to happen and things become more important. But we’re greatly improving our retention rate, which also leads to greater numbers of people applying,” Denley said.

There could be many explanations for the increased growth, but Denley attributes it to three factors.

First, according to Denley, Clarksville is growing rapidly. More companies and businesses are deciding to invest in Clarksville and with them come more families moving to the area.

Denley’s second factor is how the faculty at APSU ensures the graduation process. With more students graduating and higher graduation rates, the more likely students are to talk about the great programs that are offered. The class suggestion tool in OneStop is very popular among students and is also helpful in keeping students on track for graduation.

Denley’s last factor is the university is becoming increasingly attractive to outsiders.

“Stuff is happening here. Exciting things like the Hemlock Semiconductor building and the Starbucks going into the library,” Denley said. “With things like that happening, people are excited to be here.”

New fraternities and sororities are also coming to campus. Recently, Kappa Alpha Order fraternity and Alpha Gamma Delta sorority came to campus. This spring, Phi Gamma Delta fraternity will also join APSU’s Greek community.

With more and more students applying and enrolling, the university is taking measures to accommodate the growing student body. One of the first examples is the newest dorm, Castle Heights. The old dorms, Cross, Killibrew and Rawlings held somewhere around 1,500 beds, and when the new dorms are completed in Fall 2013, there should be around 2,000 beds available to students.

“Castle Heights residence hall, as well as the second phase of student housing now under construction, plays a tremendous role in attracting students. In addition, we reinforce the truth that APSU offers students more opportunities while they are students, so that they will have more opportunities when they graduate,” said Melony Shemberger, assistant director of Communications.

Denley also said a new math and computer science building is in the works.

The building is planned in response to the rapid growth of students majoring in Math and Computer Science. Expanding facilities means creating new space for education.

There are plenty of advantages to hiring new faculty beyond ratios and percentages.

According to Sherryl Byrd, vice president for Student Affairs, some of the full time employees that have been hired include a full-time coordinator for both the Military Student Center and the Hispanic Cultural Center.

Both of these staff members can devote time to helping students and provide programming. TAS

» ASSOCIATED PRESS

Knoxville, Tenn. — Tennessee’s highway deaths in 2011 stayed below 1,000 for just the third time in 48 years, according to preliminary figures.

The state had 947 traffic-related deaths last year, in what may be the safest 12 months on Tennessee roads in nearly a half century, according to the numbers released by the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

Last year’s preliminary figure is six more than the total in 1963, when the state was less populated and fewer cars were on the road, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Law enforcement authorities say tough enforcement of drunken driving and seat belt laws contributed to last year’s historically low number of traffic fatalities. They also point to better training and equipment and changes in societal attitudes about drinking and driving.

“One life lost is one too many, but we are encouraged by last year’s fatality results and will continue to make every effort to ensure the public’s safety on Tennessee roadways,” Tennessee Highway Patrol Col. Tracy Trott said.

THP Sgt. Stacey Heatherly said that when she first became a trooper 14 years ago, there was only basic training given in DUI enforcement, and Breathalyzer machines were not as readily available as many people assumed.

Since then, she said, more and better equipment is more readily available. TAS

» By BRIAN BIGELOW- bbigelow@my.apsu.edu

A new Math and Computer Science building is the latest addition to be announced to the changing face of the APSU campus.

The roughly 20,000 square foot building, to be located on Eighth Street, is projected to open for student occupancy in time for the Spring 2014 semester, said Mitch Robinson, Vice President of Finance and Administration.

The new building will house the Math and Computer Science departments, including classrooms, faculty offices, a computer lab and an IT server room. Though not all Math and Computer Science classes will be relocated, moving the bulk of these departments to the new building will open up room on campus for use by other departments.

“Over the last five years the Computer Science program has almost doubled in size, with now over 400 majors,” said Tristan Denley, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Likewise, as the university has grown, so too has demand for mathematics classes. For instance, [enrollment in] Pre-Calculus … has increased over 250 percent. Both Mathematics and Computer Science are in the process of creating exciting new degree programs, and the new space will certainly help with those opportunities,” Denley said.

The new building will be located across Eighth Street from the Trahern building, adjacent to the Hemlock Semiconductor building, and will be built upon space currently occupied by the IT Help Desk and the High School Upward Bound buildings and a portion of the Eighth Street parking lot.

However, Robinson said, a net increase in student parking is expected, despite loss of part of the current Eighth Street lot, due to additional parking being constructed on the north side of the new Math and Computer Science building.

“We have just started conceptual design, so it is still under revision,” said Alvin Westerman, director of Facilities Planning and Projects. “We expect the designs to be finalized around the first of summer.”

According to Robinson, bidding for contractors for the project is tentatively scheduled for August 2012, and a groundbreaking would follow some time this fall, but no firm date has been set.

All but $1 million of the building’s projected $6.7 million cost will be paid for with “enrollment growth revenue” that has “accumulated over the past three to four years,” Robinson said.

The remaining $1 million will come from a “computer and IT … renewal and replacement account,” which was set aside for renovation of the IT server room, Robinson said.

“There are no funds from the state or the federal government,” Robinson said. “The state hasn’t funded any capital projects for years and they’re just now considering funding capital projects for higher education. The project that we have on their short list, if there is one, is our renovation and addition to the Trahern building. It would be many, many years into the future if we were to wait for state funding.”

Renovation of the current IT server room, located in the first floor of the Browning building, had been planned prior to the construction of the Math and Computer Science building, but it was determined that it would be more cost effective to include it in the design of the new building, Robinson said.

The IT Help Desk will be split in two. Part will be relocated to the Browning building and part will be moved to a newly renovated building on Polk Street near the Emerald Hills and Two Rivers apartments. The High School Upward Bound program will also be moved to the building on Polk Street. TAS

» By CHRIS COPPEDGE – ccoppedge@my.apsu.edu

APSU’s new Director of Public Safety Terrence Calloway has a mission in mind for the department: excellence.

“I want this police department to function as one department of one accord,” Calloway said. “My goals include boosting morale, increasing training, putting officers in positions where they can excel and rising above mediocrity.”

Calloway is replacing former Director of Public Safety Lantz Biles, who left the position for undisclosed “personal reasons.”

A search committee headed by Vice President of Finance and Administration Mitch Robinson, Vice President of Student Affairs Sherryl Byrd, Wallace Prescott and Kimberly Morrow began searching for a new director of public safety in the fall 2011 semester.

They reviewed the credentials of 36 qualified applicants, conducted phone interviews with the top eight and then narrowed that number down to four on-campus interviews, which were conducted in early December of 2011.

Calloway beat out applicants Jerrold Johnson, David Dray and Jason Morton for the position. Robinson is pleased with the choice.

“Mr. Calloway was the applicant whose experience, education and background best matched the requirements of the position,” Robinson said. “We are very excited to have Mr. Calloway leading our department of public safety [and] Campus Police and welcome him to the finance and administration team.”

Calloway’s primary goal above all else is to increase interaction between officers, the faculty and students.

“It’s very important that the faculty and students get to know and engage with the police department,” said Calloway.

He believes this increased interaction and social contact will help foster a greater relationship between the police and the campus, which in turn will lead to a safer school.

Calloway has worked in law enforcement since 1995, beginning as a patrol officer in Warrensville, Ohio. There, he created community policing programs such as junior police academies and gang prevention studies, and served in the accident investigation unit, the bicycle unit and as a field-training officer.

Calloway next served as an administrative lieutenant at Cuyahoga Community College, in Ohio. There, he was in charge of administration, operations and security survey; he had 73 police officers, including dispatch and student patrol, working under him.

Before coming to APSU, Calloway was the Chief of Police in Woodmere, Ohio for two years, where he oversaw all aspects of the police department.

Calloway believes he managed to get the job because of his diverse background. “I’ve tackled community and college policing. I have a master’s degree in Justice Administration. I’m a graduate of the FBI National Academy, and I’ve attended the FBI-sponsored Great Lakes Leadership Seminar,” Calloway said.

Calloway also has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and is certified as a crime prevention specialist.

He plans to do anything he would ask his officers to do in regards to interacting with the college community and that the department will be collaborating with other law enforcement departments and agencies.

“We are going to sign mutual aid agreements with other local police districts up to 25-30 miles away so that we get their assistance if we need it,” Calloway said. “We also want to partner with the FBI and the Clarksville-Montgomery County School District to help educate students about law enforcement.” TAS

» By MORGAN SMITH – msmith156@my.apsu.edu

Organizations in Clarksville such as The Salvation Army and Lighthouse Ministries’ Safe Harbor are spreading hope among the homeless for the holidays.
According to statistics provided by the Old Firehouse Day Shelter, there are 300-500 homeless in Clarksville. There are also an estimated 2,000 vagrants, those who move from place to place with no fixed home.
Safe Harbor’s Program Chaplain, Michael Williams said, “In Clarksville, there’s a lot homelessness going on. We’ve got large numbers of them.
If you just drive down Kraft Street early in the morning, you’ll see them. And it’s men and women. Unfortunately, sometimes you see kids with them too.”
Although the numbers are high, the communities’ shelters are working together to help get people off the streets.
Clarksville Salvation Army’s Cadet in Charge, Sarah Quinn said, “In Clarksville, we have the benefit of having more than one organization actively seeking to meet the needs of the homeless in the community.
The Salvation Army seeks to provide a safe place where people can stay while they get on their feet, and we also seek to provide the necessary resources for people to meet their needs as they seek stable housing and employment.
Many times, this involves partnering with community agencies who specialize in specific areas, so that we do not duplicate services and so that the most needs can be met in the community.
We hope that as we continue to receive support from the community, we can begin extending our services to the homeless over time so as to provide better and more complete services that go further in helping them to move forward.”
Homelessness isn’t the only issue being treated by the shelters in Clarksville. Safe Harbor is a place exclusively for “disenfranchised men”.
According to Williams, the program seeks out men who are not only homeless but fresh out of jail or battling an addiction problem.
Safe Harbor even uses different wording when referring to their services. “We don’t like to say shelter, we like to say recovery because we have guys that come in and are then able to recapture and rebuild their lives.
We also find jobs for them, once we’ve found jobs for them, we’re responsible for taking them into work on time, we get them back from work, send them to work with a lunch. We provide three meals a day.
We encourage them. We’re a faith-based mission. We feel is a man is going to change, we really feel that Jesus is the way to go,” Williams said.
Safe Harbor isn’t in the business of giving handouts. They insist on giving men a “hand-up” and “making them feel like men again,” Williams said.
The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and cheer. Often those who are homeless feel the exact opposite when the holidays roll around.
Williams of Safe Harbor says, “A lot of times, around this time of year, the men start getting kind of melancholy about family and being homeless and whatever their situation may be.”
The programs around Clarksville aim to relieve some of disappointment the homeless feel this time of year. Quinn said, “The Salvation Army is very active during the holiday season.
Many people have already seen our red kettles at local stores and our Angel Trees around town.
Our Red Kettle Campaign is our chief fundraiser for the year, providing the largest portion of our operating budget for the year.
“As such, it plays a vital role in our efforts to help the community. Our Angel Tree program is specifically designed to help provide gifts to children whose families are struggling financially this holiday season,” Quinn said.
Safe Harbor recovery program offers a special holiday feast for the holidays to lift the mens’ spirits. But most of all, this holiday season,
Williams said, “We offer stability, safety, a roof, a clean place to lay down, lights. Prayer is important. We pray everyday. When they come in we like to say, ‘welcome home.’ So there is no homelessness for them during the holidays.”
Both the Salvation Army of Clarksville and Safe Harbor can’t support the homeless of Clarksville alone. Community involvement, donations and support are needed.
Anyone looking to give back to the community this holiday season is encouraged to contact the Safe Harbor offices at 931-503-3000 or the Salvation Army at 931-553-8494 and ask for more information. TAS

Publication veteran Marlon Scott reflects on his years as a renaissance man

“The Austin Peay State University Lady Govs soccer team did not play like they were missing starters or that this was their third game this week.”

This was the first line of the first story I wrote for The All State. It was published in the Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2006 edition of TAS.

I remember my sense of pride and relief when I read it in the paper under my first byline: Marlon Scott, guest writer.

Since then, I have written, edited, designed, photographed or recorded some kind of content in every issue of TAS. I have been working for TAS a long time.

I still get a special feeling of pride and relief when I see my byline on a story. However, unlike that first time, the emotion comes from knowing all the people and all the work it takes to produce the paper.

I have held eight different positions at TAS, ranging from staff writer to editor-in-chief. I’ve worked in two offices, with three different advisers, two different design programs and under four EICs (not including myself).

I’ve also written in every section, special editions and the yearbook.

It has not been easy. I tell people it takes a special kind of insanity to work for a paper on top of attending school.

No matter what, the paper has to get done. Stories have to be chosen, interviews have to be done, pictures need to be taken, layouts have to be made and mistakes have to be found. Every week I was a cog in a machine that has rolled forward for over 80 years.

Being part of this machine has taught me so much. I didn’t come to school to become a journalist, but working for TAS has made me develop a passion for the field.

I’ve learned how to be a better writer, designer, editor, networker and have learned an infinite number of other skills that I use and improve upon every day.

The best part about working for TAS all this time is the people. They are the reason I have been at TAS so long.

Starting with Mandy Rogers, who hired me, to the Mikes, Young and Kellum, who taught me how awesome sports writing is. I admired and emulated the work ethic and passion for the paper from people like Stephanie Coward and Kasey Henricks.

I thrived and learned because of the support of Tabitha Gilliland and constantly grew in skill and desire along the sides of incredible talents and over-achievers like Patrick Armstrong.

Every semester, members of my TAS family would leave, but I would still be here. Every semester I would welcome new members into the TAS family.

It is great to see people like Jenelle Grewell and Kristin Kittell start off quietly and shyly, but eventually blossom and take over like giant, colorful, talented and smart butterflies.

The unofficial members of TAS, our beautiful and sassy support staff: Rachel, Ashley and Katherine, brightened the office everyday and made the countless hours I spent down there enjoyable.

Honestly, it would take a 10-page special edition to name everyone who has influenced me in some way during my long tenure with TAS.

However, I must admit, I had favorites. The adventures of my A-Team are what I will probably cherish most.

Despite opinions to the contrary, no one had more fun and “completed their missions” better than The A-Team.

The originals: Synthia, Devon, Mateen and Anthony; The Rookies: Dre and Cidnie; Nashville, Knoxville, Memphis, Morehead, Cincinnati, St. Louis and more, I would not have wanted to do it all with anyone else.

TAS would not be possible without the support of the incredible women in Student Affairs including Sherryl Bird and Tammy Bryant. They are part of the long list of people I owe my deepest, heartfelt thanks to.
I have worked at TAS a long time and it changed my life. The good, the bad and the ugly, I would not change a thing.

I have worked hard and look forward to graduation this semester, but I know wherever I am on a Monday in the middle of January next year, I will feel weird not being in the Student Publications office. TAS

Photographer online media senior Mateen Sidiq cherishes time spent learning with Student Publications

One of the best things that could have happened to me was joining Student Publications and becoming part of a team and a family.

When in high school, this was not on my list of adventures, but I wanted to find more things to do on campus. Of course, this is what I found.

I started in the fall of 2006 as an ad representative, moved up to online assistant editor and then online editor Now, I am a senior staff photographer, still dabbling in the online edition and helping out when I can.

The All State has been a second home to me. I have made so many friends and I have met so many people, not just at APSU, but also at other schools while working with Student Publications.

Through this adventure, I have met some amazing people. The first would have to be Mandy Rogers. She was the one that hired me and I appreciate her every day.

From there, it was nothing but an uphill climb of great people, from Lois Jones, Stephanie Coward, Patrick Armstrong, Dave Campbell and Marcel Gray to Shauna Moss and several others.

Also, I valued working with Tabitha Gilliland who gave me advice when I needed it, as well as the new adviser, Jake Lowary, who has given plenty advice on how to better my pictures and the website.

Thank you, Tabitha and Jake, for such a great adventure. You two being part of the paper has been a great asset to TAS. Thank you and I will miss you both.

To Lois Jones, Patrick Armstrong, Stephanie Martin and Shauna Moss, you guys were nothing but wonderful to me from the worst time of my photography to my best photos. I thank every one of you for allowing me to be part of an amazing photo team.

To Synthia Clark, what a great person and dear friend for pushing me to keep on going when there were times where I was worn out. I still kept on going to produce good photos.

To Marlon Scott, Anthony Shingler and Devon Robinson, you are an amazing group of friends and a brotherhood. I got to know you guys when we went on road trips to cover sporting events. I am so glad we had a chance to bond and also produce an amazing sports page every semester I was there. Thanks guys.

Part of my adventure was stepping out of the circle of the student newspaper and helping out other groups such as Student Affairs, Student Life and Leadership, African American Cultural Center, Education Department and also Sports Info.

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to work with you. I have had a blast and will miss all of you. I want to thank you for giving me a chance to work with you.

If anything, I am so glad to have met you guys and I will stay in touch and hopefully come back to do some work for you.

After the experience I have received, I have no regrets from wanting to be a biology teacher to wanting to be a physical education teacher. It has all paid off.

Thank you to the HHP Department for the great professors and staff. If it weren’t for you, I would not be where I am. TAS