Police reports from Appalachian State University’s campus.

April 8
10:45 p.m. | Arrest
Hoey Residence Hall
Someone was arrested for possession of marijuana.

April 11
3:45 p.m. | Report
Reich College of
Education Building
Someone reported a mulch fire.
4:11 p.m. | Arrest
Belk Library
Parking Deck
Someone was arrested for trespassing.

April 12
12:14 a.m. | Burglary
Mountaineer Residence Hall
Burglary was reported.  Investigation is ongoing.
10:27 p.m. | Larceny
Appalachian Panhellenic Hall
Someone reported larceny from the building.  Investigation is ongoing.
11:32 p.m. | Arrest
Lovill Residence Hall
A resident of Lovill Residence Hall was arrested for underage consumption of alcohol and resisting an officer.

April 13
12:15 a.m. | Larceny
Legends
Someone reported larceny from the building.  Investigation is ongoing.

Source: ASU Police
Compiled by: REBECCA GITLEN, News Reporter

Issues discussed included the 2014 U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon and the DegreeWorks program.

Degree Works

DegreeWorks will go live for students Oct. 1.

The program is an online degree audit course that allows students to see which courses they need to graduate.

The Student Government Association passed a resolution in October 2009 supporting the "acquisition and implementation of a degree audit system at Appalachian."

On Saturday, forty years later, WASU staff and alumni came together to celebrate the station's anniversary.

Events included an on-air interview with station founder Bob Cowen, an ongoing fundraiser, an open house and a gala for staff and alumni.

Brown v. Board was a landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision which declared "separate but equal" laws unconstitutional.

Precious Mudiwa, an assistant professor in the department of leadership and education studies, coordinated the event. Mudiwa said she hopes the talk will help students see how far the country has come in terms of educational equality, and how much room there is for improvement.

The ASU Sustainable Energy Society and the student chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness hosted the free festival, which was held in celebration of Earth Month on Duck Pond Field.

"The whole idea behind EarthTones is that we wanted to throw a music festival for the planet," NAMI President Willard Watson said. "All these good events around earth day are great, but there's no music, so we wanted to incorporate as many local artists as possible at this event. We also wanted to let people know that sustainability is a process - not an end.."

The project has suffered from a number of delays, and its date of completion has been moved multiple times - from 2010, to spring 2012 and finally to spring 2013.

"It's been a big project and an unusual project, but we are getting a really good facility," said Janice Pope, chair of the department of communication.

KELLI STRAKA

The Student Government Association has advocated for the four-day schedule, which would preserve a non-Saturday Reading Day for students.

"From my understanding, I believe that we all want a Reading Day during the week," Residence Hall Association Senator Nathan Bailey told The Appalachian in March. "Having it on a Saturday, as it stands, it's not really pertinent to the study time that's the purpose of Reading Day. Saturday is a weekend anyway, so it's kind of a time to study as is."

The idea that every student wants this isn't quite accurate. I never wanted to shorten the exam week, and I'm more than willing to take a Saturday Reading Day to allow for finals that take place over a longer period of time.

MEGHAN FRICK

When you cast your vote, I hope you'll vote "no." But more than that, I hope you won't vote "yes" because you are a Christian.

Let's ignore the fact that the amendment is poorly written and would have unintended consequences that reached far beyond same-sex marriage. Let's ignore, while we're at it, the Judeo-Christian theological debate over whether homosexuality is a sin. You're welcome to believe what you want on that point - but it shouldn't matter when you're choosing which way to vote.

Let's focus, instead, on who Jesus really was - and what he really asked his followers to do.

The phrase probably comes from the widespread dissatisfaction that results when women in the media and on runways don't reflect realistic body types. Only a handful of people in the world actually look like that, of course. And it makes sense that runway models and faces on magazine covers should represent real, everyday women.

But when we say that "real women have curves," what are we saying about women who are naturally petite or small? What are we saying about women with eating disorders?

Despite beating talented Georgia Southern pitcher Chris Beck on Friday, the Appalachian State Mountaineers dropped a critical series to Georgia Southern 2-1 over the weekend.

Appalachian State opened the series with a dominant Ryan Arrowood performance. The senior went seven innings, allowing one run and striking out seven to push his record to 6-0 on the season.

“We just came out swinging and we put the runs together and I just went in there and threw strikes. It was just a team effort on Friday,” Arrowood said.

On offense, Daniel Kassouf rocked a solo home run to left in the 3rd, giving App a commanding 4-0 lead on the potential first-round draft pick pitcher Chris Beck.

In light of the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Shaima Alawadi, Appalachian State University's Muslim Student Association will sponsor "Hoodies and Hijabs" Wednesday.

The organization is asking students to spend the day wearing a hoodie or a hijab - a head covering worn by Muslim women - to commemorate the lives of Martin and Alawadi.

Clothing has surrounded the discussion of both individuals' deaths. Martin was wearing a black hoodie when he was shot by a neighborhood watch captain. Alawadi was wearing a hijab when she was bludgeoned to death in her San Diego home, alongside a note that read "Go back to your own country you terrorist."

"We wanted to do our part in commemorating their deaths and show people that there is still racism and that people should be aware of it, and it shouldn't be something that's swept under the rug," MSA Secretary Lena Aloumari said.

Nearly 300 photos were snapped Wednesday in Plemmons Student Union, as the Coalition Against Sexual Assault worked to spread its message about silence and sexual consent.

CASA teamed up with the Appalachian State University Women's Center and University Communications to place a photo booth near Cascades Café as part of the organization's ongoing "Silence is Not Consent" campaign.

"The photo booth is an extension of the poster campaign on what consent is and the importance of receiving consent," CASA Assistant Kendal Waite said.

Waite has worked with the Suzette Patterson, assistant director of the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, to increase education about sexual assault on campus.

Georgia-based jam band Perpetual Groove will play the familiar Legends stage Thursday night.

The band's popularity has grown since its first Legends showing, but they still enjoy the Boone music scene.

"We like the crowd," keyboarder Matt McDonald said. "They're always very receptive. They also like good music."

McDonald was Perpetual Groove's original keyboardist. He returned to the group early this year, taking the place of John Hruby.

Men’s tennis finished out its regular season with a 5-2 win Friday over the College of Charleston - the Cougars’ first conference loss of the year.

The win came after news that the Mountaineers’ 4-3 defeat of Furman Thursday had been changed to a 3-3 tie. Appalachian did not follow ITA guidelines for ranking players, Southern Conference officials said. Lineup changes made after an injury sustained by singles player Sebastien King were deemed illegal and Matt Saltsgaver’s singles win was declared a no contest.

But there was no controversy on Friday’s senior day - the last home match for seniors Philip Kloc, Alex Markov and Alain Humblet.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better senior day,” Kloc said. “The team stepped up and there was so much energy on the court. There was a good crowd as well, so it felt great to play and win.”

Boone experienced its first ever Tweed Ride from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. Approximately 60 Appalachian State University students and faculty joined together to participate in over four miles of dressed-up, casual riding.

The ride began in Raley Parking Lot and ended at State Farm Fields.

"The tweed part of the ride is referencing nineteenth-century English culture of people who would take their bikes out and ride," appropriate technology graduate student Jamie Trowbridge said. "Gentleman would wear tweed for all of their sporting activities."

The event was sponsored by the Boone Bike Initiative, a group Trowbridge is involved with.

Editor's Note: The following reflects the opinions of the author.

Modern art is polarizing. Most viewers either love it or hate it.

The reaction is usually split between "I don't get it" and "Are you joking? I could do that."

However, after watching "Waste Land," you might be willing to give modern art another shot.

Alain Humblet, Alex Markov and Philip Kloc were recognized with Senior Awards Friday afternoon prior to their match versus College of Charleston. The Appalachian Mountaineers defeated the College of Charleston Cougars 5-2 Friday afternoon at home. This victory has secured the Mountaineers the No. 3 seed in this week's SoCon tournament.

The Austin, Texas duo known as Ghostland Observatory made their first appearance at Legends Thursday night to a nearly sold out crowd. Ghostland Observatory is known for their incorporation of rock and electronic musical elements as well as their light show.

The Coalition Against Sexual Assault teamed with the Appalachian State University Women’s Center and University Communications to place a photo booth near Cascades Café as part of the organization’s ongoing “Silence is Not Consent” campaign. The photo shoot aimed to have students share their voice through pictures during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Comedy improv troupe NouN took the main stage at Legends Wednesday, shaking up the typical music lineup at the college venue. The performance included a wide variety of mid- and short-form skits.

The Office of Multicultural Student Development held its 11th annual Diversity Celebration Tuesday in Plemmons Student Union. The event took place across eight rooms and nearly 50 booths in the student union, and aimed to educate students and the community about different cultures.

The High Country offers more than just action packed winter sports and the annual tradition of watching the turning of the region’s autumn leaves. With warmer weather ahead, the mountains and surrounding areas on and off the Blue Ridge Parkway offer endless opportunities for outdoor recreation - from camping and hiking to jumping off waterfalls. Below, we’ve explored nine locations that offer Appalachian State University students a chance to get out of the dorm or the library to enjoy the great outdoors.

Information compiled by: MICHAEL BRAGG, HAYDEN KEZIAH, MAGGIE BLUNK, MEGAN WRAPPE, WILL GREENE, BLAKE LITAKER, EMMALEE ZUPO and KATARINA GRUSS

A fifth student was charged with the same counts as the other four, but was only found responsible for harassment and attempting to commit and be an accessory to a code violation, Creed said.

That student is still on Appalachian's 2012 football roster but is only allowed to participate in football practices, not games, Creed said.

The other students have been suspended from the university for a total of eight semesters.

When the results for last year's runoff elections were announced, the losing ticket was read first. This year, Elections Board Chair Frank Byrne decided to announce the losing ticket last.

So when Cox - who will serve as SGA president next year - heard his name first, he was convinced he had come up short.

"I didn't even hear the number until [Barnes] turned and hugged me," Cox said.

President-Elect Jake Cox

What is your first priority now that you are elected?

I can't accomplish any of my platform goals without a cabinet on board. I need people who support me, who can chase after my platform goals, so Eric and I are going to first begin by looking for cabinet.

What are you looking for in a cabinet?

We're definitely looking for cabinet members who work together well. People who are driven, motivated and who are good student leaders on this campus.

Gospel bluegrass artist Jim Avett – father of Scott and Seth of the Avett Brothers – will open for Boone folk-pop group the New River Boys Thursday, April 26 at Legends.

"I would hope that people are in the mood to see some music and I'm hoping that we can bring some people that will increase the crowd to hear the New River Boys," Avett said. "I'll ham it up."

Usually, it's the big name artist that pulls from Boone for an opening act when they stop at Legends, but this time it is the other way around. After potential openers fell through due to conflicting schedules, New River Boys mandolin player Aaron Simpson said the band decided to shoot for someone big to open.

"I wrote his manager a letter and said 'people love you up here and we'd love to have you if that fits into your schedule,' and I saw on his website that he didn't have anything planned," Simpson said.

Two Appalachian State University students are in the process of opening Boone's first members-only hookah lounge, Up in Smoke.

Senior marketing major Eric Lippert and senior marketing and business management double major Devin Lattin recently purchased property on Howard Street and plan to open the lounge by this summer.

This is not Lattin's first foray into local busi- ness. He currently owns downtown eatery Hot "Diggity" Dog and was named student entrepreneur of the year by Appalachian's Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship.

Lattin said he saw a demand for a hookah lounge in Boone and decided to capitalize on it. The most recent hookah lounge open in the area, Howard Street's Koncepts Hookah Bar, is no longer in business.

Editor's Note: The following reflects the opinions and experiences of the author.

The TOMS One Day Without Shoes challenge gives you more than sore feet and disgusted looks from strangers. It also provides a greater respect for the luxury and protection of shoes that many people around the world do not know.

The One Day Without Shoes event is simple: Don't wear shoes for one day and get people to notice you. People will see that you don't have shoes, ask why, get curious about TOMS, learn about their program, buy a pair of their shoes and in result will give a pair of shoes to a kid in need.

However, I didn't get looks of curiosity, just insanity and disregard.

Mary Margaret Johnson spends plenty of time making jewelry - often, it's worn by people she's never met.

The sophomore social work major crafts jewelry that's sold by the Amani Children's Foundation, an organization that donates the funds to Kenyan orphanages.

Johnson is working to start a chapter of the organization at Appalachian State University.

The foundation was started by two family friends of Johnson's in 2004 and, after working for them last summer, the idea of establishing an Appalachian chapter was born. "I think App is such a great place for this type of charity, because we're an arts-based community and we're politically aware," Johnson said.

Though Bassnectar has been building a huge fan base for themselves since 2001 and has become increasingly popular recently, their latest album is just... okay.

"Vavavoom," Bassnectar's ninth full album, was released Tuesday.

For fans of dubstep and Bassnectar in particular, the album shouldn't necessarily be disappointing. It's not there's anything technically wrong with it. Aside from a few outlying songs, it pretty much sounds like dubstep – nothing new or shocking here.

This weekend marks the 40th anniversary of the Appalachian Young People's Theatre, an outreach program of Appalachian's Department of Theatre and Dance, as well as the opening of the play "BEANS TALK: A Cow, Some Beans, and A Boy Named Jack" in I.G. Greer Friday through Sunday.

"We build the show from scratch and then take it on tour to the elementary schools in the area," cast member and sophomore theatre performance major Savannah Core said.

The play - written by Derek Davidson and directed by Teresa Lee, both theatre and dance professors - defames Jack and tells the real, less glamorized story of "Jack and the Beanstalk."

The story has been exaggerated over time and through media, theatre and dance professor Dawn Shepler-Hamilton said.

At Appalachian, 39.8 percent of the class of 2010 began as freshmen, remained enrolled and graduated within a four-year time span. That came just short of the university's 42 percent goal.

For the same graduating class, ECU's rate was 32.7 percent, UNC-Charlotte's was 26.3 percent and UNC-Greensboro's was 29.4 percent.

Faculty and WASU alumni will join in special events and broadcasts to commemorate the station's establishment in 1972.

"We are all humbled and honored to be able to meet those people who set the groundwork for what we are getting to carry on and expand upon and try to make improvements on every year," Station Manager Lauren Brigman said.

Appalachian's chapter of the American Correctional Association hosted "The Trayvon Martin Case: What's Race Got to Do With It" April 5 in Plemmons Student Union's Whitewater Café. Former Boone Chief of Police Bill Post and Professor of Criminal Justice Matthew Robinson spoke. Approximately 60 people attended the lecture, which touched on race and criminal justice issues surrounding the ongoing investigation surrounding Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old who was shot and killed by in February.

Some have called for the arrest of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch leader who shot Martin. That's not a conclusion that should be reached rapidly, Post said.

The awards ceremony was originally scheduled for Friday in Plemmons Student Union's Table Rock Room.

Each year, the center seeks nominations for the award, which honors four women who go "above and beyond" for others.

"I believe that extraordinary people sometimes get attention but often times don't," said Cathryn MacArthur, a senior political science major. "The Women's Center brings light and encouragement to women who deserve this attention."

Summit Residence Hall's completion date is set for August 1. The rest of the addition, including the annex wing, is set for completion by October 24, Project Manager David Sweet said. The project is now classified at 65 percent complete, Sweet said.

Construction at Plemmons Student Union will add an extra 50,000 square feet to the building, including a new annex wing that will house offices for the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership and Multicultural Student Development.

The organization received the award at the 2012 AITP National Collegiate Conference in San Antonio, Texas Appalachian's AITP chapter outperformed clubs from more than 200 schools in 45 states during the past year, Club President Kristin Houck said.

The chapter also won the Outstanding Chapter of the Year award for the region, according to an Appalachian news release.

The amendment, which goes before North Carolina voters May 8, includes the following clause: "Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State."

The resolution passed 3-1, with all the Republican commissioners in favor. Jim Deal, the lone Democrat present, voted nay. Tim Futrelle, another Democrat, was absent.

Faculty and WASU alumni will join in special events and broadcasts to commemorate the station's establishment in 1972.

"We are all humbled and honored to be able to meet those people who set the groundwork for what we are getting to carry on and expand upon and try to make improvements on every year," Station Manager Lauren Brigman said.

ANNE BUIE

That's why it's unfathomable to me that the Republican Party is showing support for Amendment One. It's the worst of the worst - the government is intervening in family life.

Apparently, I'm one of the few Republicans who feels that way. That was made more clear after the April 3 meeting of the Watauga County commissioners, who voted 3-1 to support the amendment.

In the vote, the three Republican commissioners defeated Jim Deal, the sole Democratic commissioner present. Republicans David Blust, Vince Gable and Nathan Miller all voted to show their support.

I disagree with Blust, Gable and Miller's opinions, but that's okay. Everyone is entitled to their own stance on Amendment One.

However, I'm appalled by the Commissioners' decision to formally support the bill. There was no point to the resolution, because there was no action behind it.

Meghan Frick's article in the latest print edition ("SGA, student body share blame for voter apathy," April 3 issue) did not represent SGA accurately at all. You cannot judge or base the effectiveness of SGA off of who attended a debate or a runoff debate, or who voted in the first election.

The Estes/Hardin administration worked extremely hard this year and, in my opinion, worked wonders compared to the previous, recent administrations.

Asia Dunlap has your typical hard worker’s story.

The senior from Kernersville has been running track for 10 years, but it wasn’t until her senior year of high school that she saw the fruits of her labor. Dunlap qualified for states in the 400-meter dash and decided to run in college as well.

App State head coach John Weaver took it from there.

“The recruiting process was great and easy,” Dunlap said. “Coach Weaver contacted me asking for me to make a visit to Appalachian. After my visit, I fell in love with the campus and the atmosphere of being at a college that was surrounded by a supporting city.”

Dunlap repeated her high school patterns when she came to college. She had to start at the bottom and make a name for herself again.

Their ticket received 53 percent of the vote. Candidates Evan Freemyer and Bobby Lee received 46 percent.

"It feels so good to know that people cared enough that they were willing to vote again," Cox said. "It wasn't numbers like last year, but numbers are numbers."

"The first thing we did was hug it out," Barnes said.

Cox said he was ready to start working to prepare for next year.

A woman was hit by a vehicle Wednesday around 9:15 p.m. while crossing the intersection of Rivers St. and U.S. Hwy. 321.

Boone Police, Boone Fire Department and Watauga Medical Center medics arrived shortly after the accident, but the woman refused medical treatment, Boone Police Telecommunicator Brenda Brittain said.

Senior management major Luke Burton was nearby at the tAPP Room when the incident occurred. He said he did not witness the incident directly, but saw the woman after she had been hit.

There is no exact known origin of the word slut, but it has been in the English vocabulary since the 1400s. As a term, it debases women based upon their sexuality and their clothing preferences.

There was recently an effort on campus to bring awareness to the issue of our rape-blame culture by organizing a “slut walk," a move that I see as unintelligible.

Meghan Frick and Hannah Pomphrey refer to it as “necessary for awareness," but there is such a thing as bad awareness, especially in a culture already reticent to broach the sensitive issue of rape.

The Office of Multicultural Student Development held its 11th annual Diversity Celebration Tuesday in Plemmons Student Union.

The event took place across eight rooms and nearly 50 booths in the student union, and aimed to educate students and the community about different cultures.

According to Interim Director of Multicultural Student Development Gus Pena, the Diversity Celebration is a lot like a restaurant.

"You go to order a meal, but everything in itself is its own entrée," Pena said. "What you get from Diversity Day is a blend of those items on a menu. You get to experience cultures in different ways, in one place."

Keep reading for a breakdown of the eight different rooms that made up this year's celebration.

Freshman history major Dustin Pettenati is a fourth-degree black belt with 14 years of experience.

Pettenati, who lives in Bowie Residence Hall, shared that expertise with his hallmates at a self-defense class Monday night.

"We decided we definitely wanted to do a self-defense class, especially after all of the cases were coming through ASU Police," Bowie Hall President Ryan Bevell said. "We decided we wanted to help ASU campus to help them defend themselves against hate crimes and physical abuse."

Pettenati enlisted the help of freshman outdoor recreation management major Neal Davis to help him demonstrate different moves to the class. He then allowed the participants to practice on him.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival made its annual stop in Boone Friday and Saturday, with sold-out film screenings, workshops and demonstrations.

The festival originated in 1976 as a one-day showing of climbing films in Banff, Alberta, Canada. It has grown into a nine-day festival in Banff and a resulting year-round international tour.

In Boone, the beginning of the festival is more like the beginning of a rock concert, Director of Outdoor Programs Dave Hutchison said. As soon as the lights dim and the sounds rise, the crowd erupts into cheers.

"The people who tour with the world film festival, they often fight over coming to Boone," Hutchison said. "They always tell us that Boone is the coveted assignment and one reason is because we take really good care of that person, through our generous sponsors. But I think also, it's the Boone crowd - it's the Boone energy. If you've not been to a showing, the energy at the start is just truly incredible."

The Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) hosted its annual Spring Amateur Drag Show in Plemmons Student Union's Blue Ridge Ballroom Sunday.

Donnie DeLovely and Gwendolyn Latrice Fontaine won Mr. and Ms. SAGA, respectively. All participants asked to be identified only by their drag names.

"I was surprised," DeLovely said. "I thought the whole Frank Sinatra, slow song thing wouldn't fly - but it did, I guess."

Fontaine said he thought he deserved the title of Ms. SAGA.

Comedy improv troupe NouN will take the main stage at Legends Wednesday, shaking up the typical music lineup at the college venue.

"NouN is Appalachian's one and best improv troupe," NouN Treasurer Caroline Reed said.

Inspired primarily by techniques used in the improv comedy show "Whose Line is it Anyway," NouN's performances incorporate both short- and mid-form performances.

Short-form is usually associated with games and is very structured, Reed said.

Boone-based metal band Dreaming in Color is trying, for the second time, to play at this summer's Vans Warped Tour through the 2012 Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands competition.

Band members said they weren't entirely prepared last year, but they're much more hopeful this time around.

"We started from day one with the voting," vocalist Ben Dunlop said. "We've gotten a lot better at networking."

For a band to make it to the stage, they have to receive enough online votes. During the voting process, bands are divided geographically by venue. The top 100 bands undergo a review process and four are chosen to perform.

Austin, Texas natives Ghostland Observatory will bring their electronic sound and light show to Legends' main stage Thursday, April 12.

Comprised of guitarist and vocalist Aaron Behrens and drummer, keyboard and synthesizer player Thomas Turner, the duo formed after Behrens saw Turner's newspaper ad seeking bandmates.

"Everybody else fell to the sides, because Thomas and I were the two most driven individuals," Behrens said.

While Turner comes from a strong electronic background, Behrens said he comes from a rock 'n' roll performer background.

Around 100 students flowed in and out of Plemmons Student Union's Summit Trail Solarium Wednesday, as African-American folk musicians filled the air with tunes and tales.

The musicians were participating in the Black Banjo Gathering, which was hosted by the APPS Heritage Council and drew a larger crowd than anticipated.

"There was more of a student turnout than we expected and more students sticking around for the concert," APPS Heritage Chairperson Paula Hunter said.

The gathering included workshops, small sets in the afternoon and a concert in the student union's Blue Ridge Ballroom at 7 p.m.

Students and faculty members have collaborated to revive the Student Art League, a campus organization that died out three years ago.

The idea to revive the organization came from a conversation between sophomore industrial design and studio art double major Brynne Elozory and Associate Professor of Art Scott Ludwig.

"My goal in reviving the club was to provide gallery opportunities and social networking to help artists promote themselves," Elozory said.

Elozory, who is now SAL president, organized the first unofficial meetings, recruited board members to help draft a constitution and got art professors Adam Adcock and Joe Bigley involved as advisors.

The Power of Design lecture and workshops returned to Appalachian State University for the fifth year Tuesday through Friday.

The lecture was held at the Broyhill Events Center Tuesday and in Wey Hall Wednesday and Thursday. It was hosted by the Design Council, a group of professors from programs like graphic and industrial design.

This year's Power of Design program was the first to last more than a day, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Mark Nystrom said.

"The workshop is to develop a solution to a design problem with a presentation at the end," Nystrom said. "They're doing something they typically don't do and work with. Being able to interact and bump into people who you don't work with helps foster creativity."

Editor's Note: The following reflects the opinions of the author.

The Appalachian State University Opera Studio presented a version of "Hansel and Gretel" last Thursday through Sunday in Rosen Concert Hall.

The well-known fairytale tells the story of Hansel (junior vocal performance major Sabbath Hope) and his sister Gretel (sophomore vocal performance major Kate Edah), who get lost in the woods. After wandering for hours, Hansel and Gretel arrive at the candy-covered home of a witch (junior vocal performance major Katie Hensley).

The majority of the story remains the same in the opera, but a few characteristics were tweaked, plotlines were rewritten and new characters were added.

The Sexuality and Gender Alliance hosted its Annual Spring Amateur Drag Show Sunday evening in Blue Ridge Ballroom. SAGA will hold a professional drag show May 7 in Legends.

The university conducted a full-scale emergency exercise Friday afternoon including a fake lab explosion in the Chemistry, Astronomy and Physics Buildling. The exercise involved over 100 participants.

The Appalachian State University Opera Studio presented a version of "Hansel and Gretel" last Thursday through Sunday in Rosen Concert Hall. The performances featured world-class guest conductor, Cornelia Laemmli Orth.

The Appalachian State University Opera Studio presented a version of "Hansel and Gretel" last Thursday through Sunday in Rosen Concert Hall. The performances featured world-class guest conductor, Cornelia Laemmli Orth.

Last Wednesday, LIPS Club lead a march around campus and downtown protesting the oppression and sexual violence against women who express their sexuality.  The event was inspired by an international movement over the past year that has empowered women to stand up for their right to dress how they want without long-standing social implications.

Photos: JESSICA SCHRECK, Photographer

An Appalachian State University student was hit by a car turning left at the U.S. Hwy. 321 intersection while she attempted to cross Rivers Street from Holmes Convocation Center to Durham Park Saturday, said Capt. Todd Corley of the ASU Police Department. Police received the emergency call at 11:31 p.m. Graham Jordan, a junior special education major, was transported to Watauga Medical Center and treated for minor injuries, Corley said. Jordan received a citation for walking in a crosswalk when the crosswalk signal indicated a “Don’t Walk” signal for that direction of pedestrian traffic, Corley said.

Information: REBECCA GITLEN, News Reporter
Photo: PAUL HECKERT, Photographer
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Fewer than 30 people attended the debate and after a brief intermission, only 18 spectators remained.

Most in attendance were senators or individuals otherwise involved with SGA.

The debate was the second for the two remaining tickets, Cox/Barnes and Freemyer/Lee.

The recommendation, if passed, will affect semesters from spring 2013 to fall 2015.

The committee will now submit its recommendation to Provost Executive Vice Chancellor Lori Gonzalez.

The organization, which unites student leaders across the UNC system, planned to discuss its budget and nominate candidates for ASG president and vice-president.

However, attendance did not meet quorum - a fact that was frustrating for some in attendance.

"This was the biggest [meeting], the most pertinent that people needed to make it to, so naturally no one showed up," SGA President Lauren Estes said.

Appalachian Regional Healthcare system pledged nine acres of land toward the building last month.

The land is located at the corner of State Farm Road and Deerfield Road.

Appalachian State University was tasked with securing state funding for the facility's construction by the end of 2014.

The exercise, which began around 12:40 p.m., served to test rescuer response and communication, Seth Norris said.

Norris, who coordinated the exercise, is the director of Appalachian State University's Office of Environmental Health, Safety and Emergency Management.

The Appalachian State University Solar Homestead has been recognized in the April issue of Dwell Magazine, a San Francisco-based culture and design publication.

Assistant Editor Diana Budds penned the article, titled "About Face," which highlights the Solar Homestead's sustainable and aesthetically-pleasing design.

Budds, who visited the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon in October, said she was impressed with the Solar Homestead's integration of green technology and architecture.

Pinterest is a photo-sharing website that functions like a virtual pinboard, allowing users to organize and share photos on themed boards.

Belk Library will use the site to promote and celebrate National Library Week, which takes place from April 8 to April 14.

"I think it's good publicity for the library as well as promoting literacy and things we do that a lot of people may not know," Jennings said.

The Black Banjo Gathering was held Wednesday in the Plemmons Student Union. Performers included Rick Ward, Amythyst Kiah, Sparky and Rhonda Rucker, Carl Johnson and Friends, Alan Jabbour and James Leva, and Jerron Paxton.

Photos: COURTNEY ROSKOS, Intern Photographer

Well, not quite. Harry, a senior public relations major, will wear other clothes if she's sleeping or working out. But for the rest of the month, she will wear the same dress - as part of One Dress, One Month, a movement which aims to raise awareness about sex trafficking.

Women involved with the movement will wear one dress for a month, while men will wear the same purple t-shirt throughout April. The goal is simple: to provoke questions.

Experience the adventure of climbing, mountain expeditions, remote cultures and wild places all through Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival.

Graphic: ALLISON HILL, Web Graphic Designer

MEGHAN FRICK

Attendance was low at the general election debate too - if you'd taken away the candidates, the panelists, the SGA members and the representatives from WASU and The Appalachian, the room would've been close to empty.

Voter turnout for the general election was dismal: 1,983 students voted. More than 14,000 were eligible.

That complete lack of engagement with SGA is a problem. This is an organization that controls thousands of dollars in university funds - the organization had a $42,016 budget in 2011-12. SGA also has the power to make recommendations on your behalf, on everything from how late your library is open to how much you pay in tuition and fees.

The responsibility for this apathy lies partly with SGA itself. There is a widespread perception that SGA doesn't accomplish anything of relevance to the student body, that it is an organization that deals in ideas more than action.

After being in the student senate for a while now, there is one clear leader who goes above and beyond in his representation of the student body, and his name is Bobby Lee. Lee has tackled many pieces of legislation - so many, in fact, that I have lost count. While volume of legislation is nice, it is important to mention that the legislation Lee has worked on has made this campus a better place. These pieces of legislation include the Summer Textbook Rental System Act, the Internship Revisions Act and the Academic Integrity Oath Act, among many others.

Lee is currently working on a piece of legislation with me as well. This bill is going to have major effects on the student body, as it will standardize class evaluations and place them online to save paper.

Evan Freemyer is a great leader who has been the epitome of excellence his entire undergraduate career. He has improved this campus by stepping up and defending the student voice through many pieces of legislation he has either written or co-written with other senators.

Having both served on SGA for the past two years, first as senators and now as cabinet members in the current administration, we have seen both positive and negative change to our great institution. With that understanding, we hope to take the student body to the next level to not only enhance their lives currently, but to leave a legacy that will improve the lives of future generations.

Because of our established reputations amongst current student organizations and leaders as well as administrators, we have been provided with the unique opportunity of advancing our platform goals at a much quicker rate than any other ticket, current or previous.

But it isn't just our relationships that will provide us with an insight on how to attack our university's problems. It is also our own diversity that will define our administration.

Both Eric and I have both had successes in our own right with the SGA, which have gone on to advance the student body, but neither one of us has worked with the other exclusively on any particular subject.

I find myself never enjoying the things I have. I never get my full use out of clothes, material goods and food. I only replace them with newer items to repeat this twisted cycle of dissatisfaction and not enjoying the things I already have.

This spring, I have taken on a clearer mindset to "spring clean" my life. I want to focus on necessities instead of wants.

This realization came to me over spring break. As a freshman, my mom doesn't mind buying me things when I come home. It's both a reward for not failing out of school yet and recognition of the fact that I'm so deprived of delicious food from my favorite shops and restaurants at home.

I accept these treats with open arms. I work hard and rarely treat myself to anything with the allowance my parents give me.

But as I was browsing the sale racks at Urban Outfitters on an outing to the mall, I realized I didn't need any more material crap. I would beg my mom to buy me one of the items, but later I'd push it to the back of my closet, finding it unsuitable for the laid-back living in Boone.

And still I'm never satisfied until I have more and more, until I'm wasting money and drifting farther away from the simplicity I crave.

There's white privilege, male privilege, heterosexual privilege, wealth privilege - you name it, there's a privilege for it.

I've heard enough about privilege. I'm sick of it. I can acknowledge that society has given me certain advantages because of my skin color, socioeconomic status and gender.

But some seem to think privileged people are out to oppress every minority. While that's sometimes true, unfortunately, it's not the case for everyone. We all have certain privileges and we all face certain adversities.

These days, you can barely utter two words before someone throws their head up and shouts, "I'm offended. You're disrespectful. That's hurtful."

Frankly, that's absolutely ridiculous.

While I don't disagree with the purpose of the Slut Walk, I strongly disagree with the methods used to get the point across. I heard a Slut Walker recount instances of men honking their horns and mothers shielding their children from this protest. Doesn't seem like the point was effectively conveyed, does it?

Please understand, I 100 percent agree that "rapists are responsible for rape" and no one ever "asks" to be raped. What I'm suggesting is that rape prevention awareness should focus more on bringing back respect for women.

Students cite her caring nature and in-depth understanding of the general education system as reasons why this advisor provides such effective, outstanding guidance.

Over a dozen students have sent heartfelt letters to the Chancellor so far this registration season to report that Betsy Taylor is the greatest godsend since Christ.

Taylor has helped students by providing them with a solid foundation for their careers.

"I would have graduated in the spring, but Dr. Taylor told me I should pick up a recreation management minor while I'm here," senior accounting major Rachel Wilson said. "She really knows what employers want."

LIZZIE MCCREARY

Try taking a three-hour class twice a week. Three hours is a long time to spend in one class, probably doing one assignment. It takes about three hours to drive to Charlotte and back.

Now imagine that this class only counts toward three credit hours. You still have four more classes to fit into your schedule if you're trying to stay on track.

Only half of the required amount of credit hours is on your schedule and you now have little extra time to fit in other classes, assuming the schedule allows you to take them.

You have now run into my dilemma of signing up for classes for next semester, as an art major. I'm required to take so many studio classes, all of which used to be one hour and 50 minutes but have gone up to two hours and 20 minutes.

Studio classes will reach a peak at two hours and 50 minutes next semester. But will it really stop there?

The two remaining tickets in the Student Government Association presidential and vice-presidential election debated before an audience that was significantly smaller than usual Thursday, at the runoff debate in Plemmons Student Union's Price Lake Room.

Cox/Barnes and Freemyer/Lee answered, in broad terms, audience and panelist questions on campus safety, legislative experience, student fees and sustainability.

Fewer than 30 people attended the debate. After a brief intermission, only 18 spectators remained. Most were senators or individuals otherwise involved with SGA.

Obviously, as a human being, one cannot legitimately say they enjoy enjoy Justin Bieber's music. The above statements hailing him as a mastermind are nothing more than sarcasm. However, with a nearly widespread reputation as a terrible artist, Bieber still maintains an incredibly large and loyal fan base.

When the worldwide trending section on Twitter kept filling up with the "#7daysuntilboyfriend" hashtag - with the numbers descending one number each day - I was curious why this was such a popular trend. As it turns out, Justin Bieber had a new single, "Boyfriend," set to release.

As a recording artist, Justin Bieber has released two full-length albums, an EP and several remix albums, all of which have received gold-record status or higher.

The song in review, "Boyfriend," was released Monday. While preparing to listen to the song, the listener must leave all predetermined assumptions alone. Bieber's 2011's triple platinum single, "Baby," featuring rapper Ludacris, is one of the most viewed video on YouTube. But here, the listener must forget everything they knew about Bieber and listen with unprejudiced ears. That's the only way to approach this single.

SGA presidential and vice presidential candidates Jake Cox and Eric Barnes, Steven Hatley and Chelsey Hanna, and Evan Freemyer and Robert Lee were inside the CSIL office awaiting the election results after a month of campaigning.

Steven Hatley emerged from the office first. "Dead last," he said. Hatley-Hanna recieved 291 votes, or 14 percent of the turnout.

More than 50 people showed up for the debate, including students, parents and Senator Dan Soucek.

"I was really happy to see all these people show up, regardless of their political affiliation," College Democrats President Lia Poteet said. "I like to see people getting involved and wanting to learn more. Tonight was an opportunity for people to hear both sides. I hope it motivated them to learn more and maybe even get involved."

Exams would be on a four-day exam schedule. They would be shortened to a two-hour period and would stretch from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

"The main purpose of this exam schedule is to get a reading day," Residence Hall Association Senator Nathan Bailey said. "From my understanding, I believe that we all want a reading day during the week. Having it on Saturday as it stands, it's not really pertinent to the study time that's the purpose of reading day. Saturday is a weekend anyway so it's kind of a time to study as is."

The senate passed the bill with a majority vote.

The Athletics Feasibility Committee recommended "that the Mountaineer football program move to the Football Bowl Subdivision when the University Board of Trustees identifies the appropriate opportunity," according to the committee's final report.

O'Quinn, who teaches in the department of English, will receive a bronze medallion to commemorate the award as well as $7,500.

"It is humbling on both a personal and professional level to be recognized in this manner," O'Quinn said. "To actually have students and peers take the time to say 'hey, what you do really matters' is both personally gratifying and professionally fulfilling. I am honored to receive an award that so many deserve and never have the opportunity to get."

Bao-Tran Nguyen, John Schwabe and Siobhan Donnelly presented their theses and will graduate and pass on their part of the research this May.

"We're going to have students working on this for years," Schwabe said. "It's great to be a part of research with this magnitude and breadth, especially as an undergraduate."

Voices of Inspiration hosted the first Appalachian State University performance of "NC Amendment One: The Musical!" Tuesday in the Reich College of Education's main lobby.

"A musical is a great way to convey information like this," said freshman theatre arts major Luke White, who acted in the musical. "It's short, entertaining and just as much fun for the audience as it is for the performers. I just think they were really receptive to the energy that we had and I feel like a lot of people in the audience were probably already in our favor and we're just really happy to see that we were doing something like this."

The musical was created in response to Amendment One, which, if passed, would "ban same-gender marriage, prohibit civil unions and strip domestic partner benefits," according to equalitync.org. The legislation is up for a yes or no vote May 8.

Campus Coordinator for Protect NC Families Jocelyn Hunt, who helped put the cast of students together at Appalachian, said the musical was created by Rachel Kaplan, a UNC-Chapel Hill sophomore. A video of the musical is available on YouTube.

After placing eighth in a national competition, members of Appalachian State University a capella group Enharmonix believe they were disqualified unfairly.

For the past week, Appalachian State University a cappella group Enharmonix competed in the TopBlip competition Grammer Madness, based on the songs of "Keep Your Head Up" singer Andy Grammer.

After making it to the quarter finals of the competition, the group was notified Sunday that they had been beaten by the Washington University Mosaic Whispers. On Tuesday afternoon, however, one of the siblings of an Enharmonix member re-added the fan votes and found that they had more votes.

"One of our group member's sisters' added up the votes and compared," Enharmonix Co-President Freddy Perkins said. "Turns out we actually won the fan vote portion, so we should have moved on. She emailed TopBlip about it and they told her how the adding worked. Even after that, we still had more votes."

Editor's Note: The following reflects the opinions of the author.

Snarky Puppy's music is a little hard to classify. It's supposedly "jazz," but that hardly encompasses the diversity of their sound.

While listening to an album, the themes of jazz, rock, funk and world music are identifiable. This seems to be the general theme with Snarky Puppy and it should certainly be considered a contribution to their rising popularity.

In fact, the group's latest album, "Ground Up" – titled after the new Philadelphia-based label it was signed with – sold out the same day as its official release. Currently, the only immediate option for obtaining the album is through iTunes.

HANNAH POMPHREY	MEGHAN FRICK

"Slut" is nothing more than a social construct, and a meaningless one at that. No one should be defined, and no one deserves to be vilified, on the basis of their sexual activity. Or the clothes they choose to wear. Or the places where they spend time, or the people they spend time with.

That's what we believe - and that's why we're incredibly proud of the men and women who organized and participated in Appalachian State University's first Slut Walk Wednesday.

The Slut Walk movement has spread across the country in recent months. It represents an idea that has been frustratingly slow to catch on in the United States: that rape victims are not responsible for rape. It doesn't matter what clothes they're wearing, how intoxicated they are, or how they've behaved. Rapists are responsible for rape.

Wednesday marked the opening night of the Appalachian Spring Dance Ensemble, which featured two faculty pieces and five student numbers and showcased the collaboration of 110 dancers and seven choreographers.

For the various students participating in the showcase, each piece had a different - and often personal - meaning.

Senior business marketing and dance studies major Jordan Melton choreographed her piece, titled "Romans 12:2" to reflect "getting sidetracked, then coming back to what's best for you," she said.

"Romans 12:2" is Melton's first time choreographing her own number, though she has been dancing since the age of four.

Appalachian State University's annual Art Expo opened Tuesday at the Catherine J. Smith Gallery in Farthing Auditorium.

Art students, faculty members and jurors chose 50 works to be featured in the expo from approximately 600 entries, said juror Ken Lambla, who is the dean of arts and architecture at UNC Charlotte. Artwork of all mediums are on display, including paintings, sculptures and comic strips.

The works were divided into nine categories: social and political concerns, narrative, formal matters, process and materials, written word, natural world, functionality, on/of/in the body and time.

"The categories were different this year," said senior graphic design major Caitlin McCormick who designed a cover of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird for the narrative category. "I had trouble looking at my artwork and seeing how it fits into the categories."

Editor's Note: The following reflects the opinions of the author.

The Queen of Pop, The Material Girl, Madge - whatever you want to call her, Madonna is back. She dropped her latest album, "MDNA," on Monday.

Madonna has come a long way since her earlier days - and most of our parents' days - of iconic pop songs, including "Like a Virgin" and "Like a Prayer." She's now transitioning quickly into dance-electronic tracks like "I'm a Sinner" and "I F--ked Up".

Sounds like something went wrong since the 80s. And since this is her twelfth studio album, it makes sense that Madonna's sound has changed a little, but it should hardly be thrown so far off the tracks as it is in "MDNA."

For today's college student, times are tough and travel opportunities may be hard to come by.

But Chelsea Stone won't let that stop her from taking a summer trip to the United Kingdom with Outdoor Programs. The junior middle grades education major was short on cash, so she set up an old-fashioned lemonade stand on King Street.

"Boone is such a happy place filled with friendly people that are willing to help a girl like me out," said Stone, who set up her first stand Monday near The Bead Box. "I thought that the idea related to the spirit of the town."

Stone's best friend, sophomore English secondary education major Blakelee Boring, spent some time at the stand on Monday and recalled its beginnings.

I read The Appalachian on Tuesday and I had a very different opinion about which ticket should represent the student body this upcoming year.

I feel that this year is a very special year because of the quality of the candidates. I respect all my opponents because they are all great men.

However, I feel my ticket offers something much different. My entire staff is made up of passionate student leaders that want something better for this university.

My running mate, Chelsey Hanna, is not a product of the Student Government Association. She was inspired to run for Student Body Vice-President because she wanted to use her skills that she developed by being the President of Net Impact to make the Student Government Association more sustainable.

Even though I have been in the student senate for a while now, that is not the focal point that the students like about my commitment.

Yes, we do have some very ambitious goals which we would like to see accomplished. However, I believe as a leader and as a community it is important to have ambitious goals.

Bobby and I will only be here for one more year and the youngest students on campus will generally be here for only three to four more years. However, Appalachian will remain long after we have all left.

A few years ago, I'm sure many believed SGA creating a free public transportation system that serves the university and the entire town of Boone was unfeasible. Today, almost all of us use the AppalCart on a daily basis.

Certainly we have far reaching platform goals, some which may be years before implemented and some which may never be, but it is important to begin the conversation on these ideas now because if we do not then they cannot ever be accomplished.

However, the question was submitted by a Republican, "How is it constitutional to force citizens to buy health insurance?" The Dems at Appalachian (and across the country) failed to give the response they ought to be shouting from every street corner in America: "Don't ask me! It was your idea!"

The individual mandate which requires citizens to "take personal responsibility" by purchasing health insurance is not and never has been a liberal concept.

Activities included the naming of Appalachian State University's Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award, a "Pitch Your Idea in 90 Seconds Contest" for student entrepreneurs and a presentation from Andrew Loos, co-founder of Attack! Marketing.

Senior Devin Lattin was named Student Entrepreneur of the Year and won $2,500. Lattin, an honors marketing and business management major, is Student Coordinator for Appalachian Food Services and owner of the King Street eatery Hot 'Diggity' Dog.

Criminal justice major Evan Kent started "Bring Back the Buzz," an effort that complements the larger "We Beelieve...Charlotte take back your Hornets!" campaign, around a year ago.

The original Charlotte Hornets were named in an homage to Charlotte, which was called "a veritable nest of hornets" during the Revolutionary War. The Charlotte Bobcats are actually an expansion team brought in to replace the Hornets, who relocated to New Orleans.

SlutWalks emerged last year as a response to a comment made by a Canadian police officer who suggested that "women should avoid dressing like sluts" to prevent rape.

"This pretty much addresses that what our society is teaching people is don't get raped as opposed to don't rape," said Angel Perez, freshman philosophy major and member of LIPS. "It is making the victims appear the ones at fault rather than the people who are committing rape."

On Monday, various student organizations united to march across campus in recognition of Black History Month. The walk was in memoriam to victims of crime such as Trayvon Martin, who was gunned down while unarmed last month.  The march began at Sanford Mall, went around Old Belk and concluded with a presentation at I.G. Greer.