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4A Friday, August 31, 2007 | The Red & Black Juanita Cousins j Editor in Chief - editor(a ratidb.com Matthew Grayson ! Managing Editor me@mndb.com JoAnn Anderson | Opinions Editor opinions@mndb.com Opinion Meter A wrap-up of the week’s ups and downs Two years and a long way to go This week marks the second anniver sary of Hurricane Katrina’s destruc tion across the Southeast. These dam- aged communities still are rebuilding ( o themselves and could use some help. V\ Volunteer your time by checking V out www.usafreedomcorps.gov for volunteer opportunities around the Southeast. Software deals, oh yeah Thanks to a program called eMSD, University students now can pur chase Adobe and Microsoft software J] at huge discounts through Enterprise Information Technology Systems. We (__/ must admit, EITS your name’s a mouthful and we know next to noth ing about you, but we love you. We really do. Give a little bit of your love to Athens Instead of boozing it up downtown, you could find better ways to appreci ate Athens and pump up your resume J) at the same time. Spend your time at a homeless shelter, as a tutor or get (J involved with any campus volunteer organization. What’s your excuse? Get off that futon, put down the Xbox controller and get involved some way, somehow. Former Univ. star shines at US Open Ex-Bulldog John Isner might be new to the professional tennis ranks, but he’s already making splashes fitting of a 6’9” behemoth. After squeak ing into the US Open as a qualifier, J§ Isner won his second round match Wednesday and will face superhuman Swiss Roger Federer next. We believe in you Johnny, even if the rest of the tennis world doesn’t. After all, we did just become the 470th member in a Facebook group called “Federer, you ain’t s@st, John Isner owns you!!” Ouch! The Board of Regents, University and professor Flynn Warren Jr. have a big boo-boo on their hands. The National r~~'3 Association of Boards of Pharmacy (. 3 filed a civil suit accusing Warren of \y collecting and disseminating pharma- ® cy licensure test questions. Best wish es finding a band-aid huge enough to cover our reputation. Log on and blog on We’ve received a hearty response but are still looking for University a students, faculty and staff inter ested in writing niche blogs for www. f t JPjj redandblack.com. Share your stories with us at editor@randb.com, and you could have an audience of 5,000 read ers before you know it. Quote of the week: “(After the tests, we would) e-mail him anything we could remem ber. I wanted to do it because he helped me out so much.” Chandler Greene, an alumnus from Dunwoody, remarks on pharmacy students sending exam questions to Flynn Warren. Our Staff NEWS: 706-433-3002 New* Editor: Alexis Garrobo Associate News Editor: Melissa Weinman Sports Editor: Tyler Estep Variety Editor: Whitney Kessler First i Goal Editor: PhUHp Klsubika Out & About Editor: Alec Wooden Photography Editor: Kelly Wegel Chief Photographer: Josh Weiss Chief Copy Editors: Christina Graft. Shannon Otto Design Editor: Melanie McNeely Online Editor: Paul Ruddle Recruitment Editor: Lauren Leschper Editorial Cartoonist: Bin Richards Editor!*! Assistant: Claire Scully Editorial Adviser: Ed Morales News Staff Writers: Kristen Coulter. Carolyn Crist Brian Hughes, Claire Miller, Daniel O'Connor, Peatman Parker, Samuel Steinberg, Sarah Watkins Sports Staff Writer*: Jason Butt, Lawrence Conneff, Marshall Duncan Variety Staff Writers: Tamara Best, Ann Cantrell. Elizabeth Dillard, Charles Griffin, Jennifer Jackson, Anna Krakovski, Taylor Rhodes, Mandy Rodgers, Clarke Schwabe, Valentina Tapia, Rachel Webster Photographers: Mike Comer, Lindsay Dobras, Lindy Dugger, Sara Guevara, Julia Norman Design Desk: Cady Baker, Colin Dunlop, Lauren Edson, Katie Gasner, Lyndsay Hoban, Christina Lee. Calhryn Mclntosh, Dariine Oyemakinwa, Caroline Ruse, Katherine Stewart Kristen Shaw, Jennifer Taylor, Ashley Twist Stringers: Rusty Bailey, Aaron Barton, Brad Bostwick, Kristen Boyd, Baron Brown, Paid Chetian, Kevin Ctototons expressed in Th* Rad a Black other than unsigned editorials are the opinions ol the writers ol signed columns and not necessarily those of The Red and Bteck Pubfishing Company Inc Al rights reserved. Reprints by permission of the edfens. Editorial board members indude Juanita Cousins, Matt Grayson, Bi Richards, JoAnn Anderson. Reaching Us Phone (706) 433-3002 | Fax (706) 433-3033 opinions@randb.com | www.redandblack.com 540 Baxter St., Athens, Ga„ 30605 Letters should include name, year in school, hometown, phone number, major or job title or other appropriate identification. Leiiers should be no more than 150 words. All letters are subject to editing for length, style and libelous material. Copp, Ryne Dennis, Robbins Exume, Jenna Findlan, Tyler Goforth, Lauren Grundhoefer, Rebecca Hay, Rachelie Hicks, Caroline Kilgore, Sarah King, Rene Lautenschlager, Julie Leung, Tom Marine, Joe Mason, liana McQuinn, Katie McWane, Colter McWhorter. Josh Moynihan, Julia Norman, Nlma Patel, Jennifer Paxton, Denechia Powell, Conor Richardson, Colin Smith, Jessica Smith, David Vaughn, Harrison Wagener, Mariee Waxelbum, Emily Yocco Copy Editors: Tiffany Howard, Meridith Moon, Tiago Moura, Anna Rodriguez, Rebecca Rose. Kelly Shaul ADVERTISING: 706-433-3001 Account Executives : Abby Ammons, Rachel Causey, Irena Chernova, Morgan Copper, Tyler English, Jennifer Mendel, Lindsay Nichols, Amanda Ryan, Valerie Traber, Julie Turner ClasaHM Manager: Erin Beasley Classified Adviser: Amanda Golorth, Danielle Towers Advertising Assistant: Ryan Roddenberry Advertising Director: Rick Chapman Web Developer: Nikita Smeshko Production Staff: Gary Bardizbanian. Natalie Boyd, Juke Leung, Leslie Mintz Production Night Supervisor: Chris Lee Production Manager: Sam Plttard Receptionist: Erin Beasley Assistant Office Manager: Lauren Albert Office Manager: Mary Straub Publisher: Harry Montevideo The Rsd * Blsck is published Monday through Friday fall and spring aemeslars and each Thwaday summer semester, except holidays and exam periods, by The Red a Black PuOSehing Company Inc., a nonprofit campus newspaper noi affiliated with the Unnersity of Georgia. Subeuiplion rate. $195 oar year Opinions Adams finishes great decade Tomorrow marks the 10th anniversary of my arrival as presi dent of the University of Georgia. For a boy who grew up playing base ball and attending public schools in Albany, walk ing through the Arch and onto North Campils as the University’s presi dent was an inspiring and humbling experience. A lot has happened in the decade since. The University of Georgia, thanks to the dedicated work of my pre decessors, and especially Fred Davison and Chuck Knapp, was poised to become one of America’s best public universities. By virtually every quantitative measure, the University is just that today. How did that hap pen? It was through the efforts of many who are reading this paper, includ ing those who have come here to learn, to teach, to research, to perform and to work as part of Georgia’s flagship univer sity. The progress at this institution has been the result of a team effort, and I am grateful to everyone who has played a part in our success. Let’s take a quick look at some numbers from 10 years ago and today: The SAT average was 1182 in 1997; this fall, it is 1242. The GPA of the fresh man class was 3.52; this fall, it is 3.77. In the 1997-98 academic year, 734 students studied abroad; last year, it was 2,052. In 1997, total research expenditures were $225.5 million; for 2006, the latest year we have final num bers, expenditures were $329.9 million. During the 1997-98 fis cal year, the university’s supporters gave $41.5 mil lion to the University; last year, they gave $106.4 mil lion. Facilities for student shave been increased and Mailbox E-mail and letters from our readers R&B lacks responsibility in “Our Take” After reading “Our Take” in Thursday’s paper, I am ashamed of the Red & Black. I under stand the articles on the first page were necessary, and I am fine with inform ing the public. However, your exaggeration of the situation in the Opinions section is outrageous. If you researched (like a journalist is suppose to be), you would notice the Web site you mentioned shows the University’s scores are comparable to other schools. In fact, the scores would not seem strange at all since the University’s GPA and PCAT scores are above other pharmacy schools. You seem to be on a ram page to view our school as a negative place, where students cheat and drink every night. The views you express are the ones the pub lic recalls... remember that when it comes to haunt you. Oh, and do not expect for anyone to come to your defense if anything happens with Grady. ERiN GENTRY Junior, Lake Orion, Mich. Public Relations MkmmlF-Amm, ▲ improved. The Student Learning Center, which opened in 2003, is now the academic heart and soul of campus. East Campus Village is the first new stu dent housing in 30 years. The nearby East Village Commons is a wonder ful dining space for an increasingly vibrant part of our campus. With the expansion of the Tate Center under construc tion, University students will soon enjoy increased programming and activi ties. I believe very deeply that this university has a public service obligation to every person in the state. We do so best when we are driven by quality and committed to excellence, because the people of Georgia and the University deserve no less. The University has organized itself over the past decade to meet the challenges facing Georgia. The creation of four new colleges or schools the School of Public and International Affairs, the College of Public Health, the College of Environment and Design and the nation’s first School of Ecology all build on existing strengths in University faculty. The expertise of the faculty, the research that will be done and, per haps most importantly, the young people who will be trained here, will have a positive impact on Georgia and the nation for Controversy not The R&B’s fault The R&B is not creat ing the controversy nor do they have to “spin” it to make it controversial. The court case itself is the controversy. They are reporting what the civil case is about and in the Our Take making an opinion about it in the Editorial section. The R&B is not attacking the value of education one receives at the Pharmacy School at the University, which almost everyone knows is a top rated school, but is commenting on how this type of accusation in the educational field of pharmacy will make the University look bad and cause other people to second guess the value of a University Pharmacy School degree because of the actions of this profes sor. I am sure he is a great guy with all the many great things he has done, but that does not mean he can’t make any mis takes. If you disagree with the lawsuit, don’t attack The R&B. Attack those Red&Black An independent student newspaper serving U* Vnjvenity of Qeorgia community ESTABLISHED 18S, INDEPENDENT 1I I decades to come. Along with an array of new biomedical and spe cialized research facili ties, the new academic structure played a large role in our securing the Navy School property for a proposed joint medical initiative with the Medical College of Georgia and our being named a finalist for the National Bio-and Agro-Defense Facility. A public university with such facilities and a great faculty engaged in cutting-edge research is one of the best learning environments in the world. I firmly believe University students benefit directly from these changes and the opportunities that grow from them. I have said to every class since I arrived here, “Take advantage of what this place offers. Explore the options. You will never be in a place with so much to offer again.” The changes about which I have writ ten have made that advice even more important. This is a great institu tion, and I have been hon ored to be a part of it for 10 years. I still want to see some progress on NBAF and the Navy school site, and I believe we have important work to do in the area of diversity and opportunity. So I am excited about the next few years. Somewhere out there, a boy or girl from a small town in South Georgia, or the heart of Atlanta, or maybe even right here in Athens, dreams of sitting in this chair one day. All I can say is doing so will be the greatest honor of his or her life. Thanks to all of you who have worked with us to make the University the great institution it is today. Michael F. Adams is president of the University. bringing forth the lawsuit. They are not comment ing on past or current pharmacy students, with the exception of those who allegedly memo rized questions. The R&B is giving you and other students at the University information about what is happening. Yes, the gag order prevents them from getting to certain angles of the story, but that should not prevent . them from reporting open record court documents of what the lawsuit is about. Their “Our Take” arti cle helps people under stand the implications of this accusation. This is no little accusation. It is a very serious one in the academic community. If any of this turns out to be even partly true it will hurt outside perception of what I am sure is a great program, but that is not the fault of The R&B. I understand many of you are upset, but your anger needs to be redirected elsewhere. CLAY KIMBRO Aium, Liibura Management and Economics Pharmacy students defend Prof. The University’s College of Pharmacy has come under scrutiny resulting from allega tions that one of our professors and some of our alumni were involved in sharing ques tions from past board exams. These allegations have led to many people questioning the valid ity of the education received at, as weU as the general morality of the students and fac ulty *of, the College of Pharmacy. However, many of us in the CoUege of Pharmacy find the way we have been portrayed to be unac ceptable. First of all, it is insulting to poU stu dents as to whether they would trust a pharmacist educated at this university. The College of Pharmacy has long been known as one of the top pharmacy schools in the nation. The average GPA of the entering Pharmacy class here was 3.7 on a 4.0 scale, with an aver age Pharmacy CoUege Admission Test score of 92.5. This means, on average, University CoUege of Pharmacy students scored better than 92.5 percent of aU students who took the PCAT nationaUy. With our high aca demic standards and dedicated faculty, University graduates would be ideal choices when seeking a knowl edgeable, responsible and caring pharmacist. Secondly, the graph misrepresented the dif ferences in NAPLEX performance between the schools. In our cur riculum, misleading scales are often used to misrepresent data in cUnical trials, which can lead to patient harm or even death. These tactics have been employed in the defamation of one of the most respected names in the field of pharmacy. The graph made it appear as though Mercer students had a very low passing rate compared to the University; how ever, the difference was only about 6 percent - stiff above a 90 percent pass rate. Schools that have access to this review course do not score much differently than those that do not take it. A review course is just that —a review of material presented. Perhaps the differences in scores merely reflect a difference in curriculum quality between schools. Having been a part of the University’s CoUege of Pharmacy for more than two years, we feel confident that w r e are indeed enrolled in one of the most prestigious pharmacy schools in the nation. Flynn Warren has dedicated his life to advancing the phar macy profession and has contributed greatly to the prestige of the University. No mat ter the outcome of this trial, we stand behind this great man and thank him for all he has done for us. By collect ing information on the exam’s format and giv ing students direction in their studying, we feel Flynn Warren has done nothing more criminal than KAPLAN does in any of its review courses. From our years spent learning from Flynn, we know his intentions were nothing but altruistic, and we invite you to get to know him before you pass judgment on a hard-working, dedicated professional. Trey Hancock, Vinnie Do, Alex Ward, Rebecca Davis, Marie Dcibbs, Steven Stockdaie, Lauryn McCalley, Lindsay Smith, Chelsea Davis, Lynn Sawyer, Sarah Hao and Jenna Evans are 2009 FhatmD candidates in the College of Pharmacy.