VOLUME 26, ISSUE 9 WWW.BROWARD.EDU/OBSERVER FEB.21, 2012 News Sports Features Back page Students talk Baseball team kicks Club Paradise tour Great ideas for politics off season with a comes to South spring break victory Florida PAGE 3 PAGE 7 PAGE 16 PAGE 20 A Broward College Student Publication New website set to launch at end of semester CLAYTON GUTZMORE down on stock photos and add more real school that can give people a real feel of what According to Alexander, the current EDITOR IN CHIEF photography based on the different campuses. the college is like. homepage of Broward.edu has a poll that is Over time the I.T. team gained a variety Before the launch, the website is going frequently switched, that asks questions like “If of photos of buildings, social and physical through a few more stages of testing, but the you were to search our website to get money for Broward College has been open for over activities of students, and other aspects of the I.T. team is going through great lengths to classes where would you go?” and answers like 50 years. Throughout its life span the school Financial Aid, pay tuition and other similar has made plenty of advancements for their choices would come up. These choices are students, to give them the best opportunity to based off of competitive websites in the area, get their education; from expanding the school and the results of the polls would determine by building different campuses in Broward the names of the navigation buttons that we see County, to creating a new email system so on the homepage of the website. The I.T. team communication can be smoother. The next has even reached out to high schools to see step forward BC plans on taking is launching what would appeal to students who are about a website redesign, which will debut at the end to enter college. of the 2012 winter semester.. The redesign offers users more control “The primary reason why we are redesigning of their content on the website. Programs the website is to build it around recruitment and organizations of the school will be able of new students and prospective students of to update their content directly instead of Broward College,” said Todd Alexander, senior having to go through somebody. Students will web designer of Broward College. have easier navigation through their personal The current website was launched in 2009 accounts so they can locate information faster and was created by Alexander and the other and deal with less hassling issues. These and people in the Information and Technologies other features are all solutions to the problems (I.T.) department of Broward College. It is a of the previous websites. “There is always third generation design that has information room for improvement, and the key thing that ported over from previous work the team has we needed to improve on was navigation,” done, but now they are ready to launch the new said Alexander. According to the senior web website that was created from scratch. “Besides designer, two sites ago the college had a website new content, we revamped the navigation and with a drop down navigation that got out of made things more streamlined so students can PHOTO COURTESY OF TODD ALEXANDER hand. People had to sit through a list of drop get to where they need to go on the site with A preview of the new Broward College down menus just to get to certain content. website with its new features, such as the less clicks,” said Alexander. new social network buttons on the upper The I.T. department plans on solving this To gain more appeal from students, right corner. ensure there is little to no faults with the site problem with a smarter menu that will be less Alexander and the I.T. team decided to cut on Day 1 of launch. overbearing to users. Gospel explosion makes its debut on South NATALIE VON CIEMINSKI actually a month to make me realize how my way of showing my appreciation to God,” CONTRIBUTING WRITER much African Americans had an impact on he explained. By singing gospel, the group Gospel Explosion set the house on fire. The our American culture today,” she said. not only praises God but also talks about the room was filled with excitement and curiosity Gospel music is a religious music form that issues, difficulties and problems they want to when the curtain fell, the music turned on and can be traced back to the early 17th century. be heard. the spotlight was thrown on the stage. It was Most of its origin comes from the Christian At Gospel Explosion, the performers time for a spectacular show to begin. conversion of West Africans enslaved in the created a sense of community and camaraderie For the first time at Broward College’s American South. Slaves who would hear among the attendees who seek to spread (BC) South Campus, Gospel Explosion, a their master going to the service, but were the Gospel through music. Undeniably, gospel event with live musical performances, not allowed to take part, created and sang an atmosphere of fun and amusement was was held in honor of Black History Month. their own songs on the plantations instead. created among the audience who rose from Planned and hosted by Emmanual Eyim- From this moment forward, Gospel music their seats, and rhythmically clapped to the Danquah, the audience awaited a night developed. songs and joyfully swung their hips. filled with the unique performances of six Nowadays, Gospel music is composed and “I enjoy all genres of music, but I do love gospel groups of different churches, and a performed in order to express either personal, gospel very much,” said Professor Mary Smith, performance by Eyim-Danquah. spiritual, or communal beliefs regarding Speech teacher at BC, who got carried away Although February is known for love and Christian life. The songs consist of ceremonial by each performance of the night. From her affection, for BC students it also means the lyrics whose purpose it is to praise, worship, point of view, February, the shortest month recognition of African American culture. For and thank God. of the year, is definitely not enough time this occasion, students, family and friends For host Eyim-Danquah, the gospel to extensively appreciate African American came together at BC’s theatre on Feb. 10, to event was very important to raise awareness culture. “Black History Month should be enjoy gospel music. Throughout the night, the of African American culture and to celebrate ongoing. We should celebrate Black History audience had their breath taken away by the God’s love at the same time. “The message throughout the year,” she said. variety of songs and the different genres. is, we are equal despite our skin color. In Eyim-Danquah wants the people to Stephanie Brossard, who planned some the inside, we are pretty much the same,” he be informed about the history of African of the Black History Month events, was underlined. Americans and is confident that events like extremely touched and charmed by the songs J Blue (Jessie Blue), member of N.O.G. this one will definitely be planned for the of the performers. (Nothing on God), one of the groups who future. “Being African American, it gives me performed on the stage, agrees. “Gospel rap is ILLUSTRATION BY CORNELL WHITEHEAD FEB. 21, 2012 CAMPUS NEWS PAGE 3 OLIVIERSouth SOLON tackles tough issues with students STAFF WRITER The issues surrounding politics today usually tends to elude most students, although they may be directly affected by the results. Broward College invited students together to listen, gather information and voice their opinions on political matters at the “America’s Political Divide” seminar on South Campus. “We have an election coming up at the end of the year in November so we want to make sure that students are informed about the issues,” said History Professor David Glauder. The event was held on Feb. 13 at the Performing Cultural Arts Theatre. The seminar was Students had the chance to sign up for voter’s registration. PHOTOS BY GIANNETTE RODRIGUEZ intended to shed some light on a few very important and relevant topics regarding both political in our Democracy.” The ultimate parties. Several social science Professors Robert Gallagher and Michael Hurlburt goal of this type of event is to raise professors discussed the historical, of students are really concerned awareness and motivate the people demographical and ethical aspects our knowledge could either make about having their education who are eligible to vote to go out that separate Democrats from several issues in government that or break the future,” said Lattecia mean something,” said Professor and do so. “Our laws affect us Republicans. The panel included the political parties constantly Kirkland, a sports rehabilitation Gallagher. The real question is will all… and students have a stake in Glauder, Sociology Professor debate on. It did not specify which major taking Professor Hurlburt’s students have job opportunities that and so it’s my hope that they’ll Robert Gallagher and Philosophy party you are likely to side with Philosophy class. after getting a degree in their field participate and let their voice be Professor Michael Hurlburt. nor did it ask for that information The hottest issue amongst of study? heard,” said Professor Hurlburt. Each Professor gave a 10 minute because it wanted students to think the audience seemed to be With the way the economy is in Voter’s registration was available presentation backed by power without bias, solely on the issues at governmental spending; whether this present day it is very hard for a outside for any students interested point slides and after they were hand.