Bryan College hopes to offer several exciting new course options to students in the coming semester - including new art classes and the option of taking a winter term. / Triangle photo by Rebekah Weaver

Rebekah Weaver
Triangle Reporter

Every new year brings changes to Bryan College, 2012 being no exception. As students settle in for another semester, the college is preparing to make some changes.

Because Bryan is a liberal arts college, some students are confused why it does not have an art major or minor. In the past, Bryan has not been able to facilitate these changes because of staff shortage or financial difficulties, but recent talk suggest it may not be as impossible as it sounds.

For example, a visual arts minor is already in the works. According to Dr. Bradford Sample, the academic vice president, an art minor will be discussed at the next academic council meeting. Once the proposal receives approval from this group, the faculty and board of trustees must pass it before it is added to the catalog.

If the art minor proposal passes every level, Sample says it should be available for the fall 2012 semester. Elaine Davis will be the main instructor.

The art minor is not the only addition, though. A criminal justice major just received faculty approval and, if passed by the board of trustees, should also be available by fall 2012. Other changes to the academic department include a worship arts major and minor, as well as an accounting major.

Next December, a winter term will be offered as well. While it would require 3-4 weeks of condensed courses during Christmas break, it would also assist those who are working towards an early graduation. Although they will be limited to two courses, Sample says.

“Students need to be prepared for the amount of rigor it’s going to take to get it done,” he says. Most classes will be online, but some courses will include trips to physical locations, including one to Israel this coming December.

Sophomore Kirsten Nelson says the winter term has potential, but she also thinks students may hesitate because of their financial situation or wishes to go home. However, she says the trip is probably more affordable underneath the college program, and it gives students a chance to learn alongside peers and professors in a new place.

Nelson, who has visited Israel in the past, says, “I definitely think that’s an opportunity students shouldn’t pass up.”

Students are also encouraged to take advantage of the summer term. For example, taking a foreign language over the summer can alleviate the amount of hours a student has to take during the school year. This allows the student to take classes during the school year that are more in line with his major.

Bryan hopes to have a full listing of winter term-class options by August. If students have any questions about the winter or summer terms, they can ask the registrar’s office.

Beginning at 9:30 this evening, the Student Government Association will meet as a corporate body to discuss and vote upon a proposal that would dissolve the group for a period of one year. The purpose of the temporary suspension would be to provide a period for students to reevaluate SGA’s purpose, enabling new perspectives and energy to be formed that would allow the group to thrive in the future, according to Vincent Smith, student body president, who is bringing the proposal.  A modified Events Council would still be in place to facilitate banquets and other student activities.  The vote will either end or begin the process of drafting a new SGA Constitution, and a favorable outcome could dramatically modify the upcoming student elections.

Over the course of the last few days, several things have happened in SGA that I think deserve clarification and that we would love your feedback on moving forward. I proposed earlier this week that SGA as an entity be dissolved for the period of one year. Events would still be sponsored and planned under a specific Events Council whose positions are still voted on by the student body at-large and the respective classes. One of the main reasons for the proposed change would be to reevaluate the functions of SGA and how it could best fit with the direction of Bryan College as a whole, to clearly see the essentials that the organization provides. I remain firm in the belief that this proposal would be best for SGA and student leaders on campus, but there are many people whom I respect inside SGA and out of it that disagree with me. I believe in this change, others do not, and disagreement is not a bad thing.

The Corporate Body of SGA will have the final vote on this proposal Tuesday, Feb. 7, at the first Corporate Meeting of the semester. I understand that I have simply given an overview and not many specifics on my line of reasoning, so I encourage anyone with an opinion on this issue to please contact your representative or friends in SGA to ask questions and give thoughts.

Thank you all,

Vincent Smith

Your Student Body President

Freshman point guard Dion Fair had 13 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists in Wednesday night's game / Triangle photo by Jessica Slade

Sebastian Fischer
Sports Editor

Wednesday night was one to remember at Summers Gymnasium. In a highly entertaining, breakneck match, the men’s basketball team (10-13, 5-4 in AAC) lost to conference rival Tennessee Wesleyan College (Athens), 107-104.

With a sure victory in sight for the Lions, the referees counted a Wesleyan three-pointer that was released just after the buzzer sounded to end regulation (Click here to view video or look below). The Bulldogs went on to win the game in overtime.

“It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but you’ve got to swallow it,” said Bryan Head Coach Don Rekoske after the game. “We have to accept it and move on.”

Lions start strong amid great atmosphere

Before tip-off, one could already sense that it was going to be no ordinary game. The stands filled to the last seat, cheerleaders lined up on both ends, Rhea County High School’s pep band amidst the numerous Bryan fans, and supporters of the visiting Bulldogs on the other end—the scene was set for a perfect night of college basketball on the hill.

The Lions, who were coming off five wins in the past six games, started the game roaring, leading by as much as 15 points after seven minutes. The Bulldogs seemed to have no answer to a Bryan offense hitting on all cylinders.

Freshman point guard Dion Fair especially was too skillful and fast for Wesleyan. In the first half, Fair recorded four assists. Even more than the numbers show, his love for playing basketball infected the crowd and left his opponents watching in awe.

“It was an up-tempo game and we controlled the tempo the way we wanted to play,” said junior forward Tim Fortenberry, explaining his team’s energetic start, also praising his team’s running game.

But Tennessee Wesleyan (13-9, 7-2 in AAC) entered the match as the second AAC-seed for a reason. The Bulldogs fought their way back into the game, living off a decent 35.7 three-point percentage in the first half.

Fortenberry said that the Lions played good defense as a team, but that just wasn’t enough. “[Wesleyan] was just hitting every shot,” he said

At the end of the half, however, the lead for Bryan was still comfortable as the teams went into the locker room at 40-33.

In the second period, the Lions continued where they had left off. Tennessee Wesleyan was now pressuring deep in Bryan’s half, but that left room for Bryan’s shooters. Guards senior Lavonte Henderson and junior Rob Riley displayed some great combination play and found themselves with lots of space to drive to the basket. At the end of the game, they would have a combined score of 55, Henderson leading the Lions with 31 and adding 10 rebounds for a double-double.

Career night for Wesleyan’s Shannon Smith

But Tennessee Wesleyan had answers again, especially in the person of freshman Shannon Smith. The guard had a career night, recording 42 points for the game.

“You have to have players make big plays in those kinds of situations,” said Wesleyan head coach Mike Poe, commenting on his player’s performance. “[Smith] certainly had a great game.”

Combined, the Bulldogs hit 69.4% of their shots and 61.5% of their three-point attempts, and the Lions margin, which had grown to as much as 11 points, was melting significantly toward the end of the game.

With less than six minutes to play and the Wesleyan supporters for the first time drowning out the Bryan fans, a layup by junior wing Desmond Crisp meant the first lead of the game for the Bulldogs—75-74.

Buzzer-beater pries victory out of Lions’ hands

Officials ruled that the ball had left Wesleyan senior wing Jesse Booher's hands before the buzzer. This photo suggests otherwise / Photo courtesy of Jon Slater

Again it was Henderson and Riley who brought the Lions back on the winning track. The fans stood to their feet and started celebrating what seemed to be a secure victory as “Philly” Riley drove to the basket with 2:10 to go, got fouled and converted the free throw to make it a three-point play and push the Lions’ lead to five. Little did they know that the climax of the evening was still to come.

Wesleyan came back one more time and, trailing by three points, had possession of the ball with five seconds on the clock. The Bulldogs gave the ball to their shooter, senior wing Jesse Booher, who hit six out of seven three-pointers that night. Booher hit a long three at the buzzer, but the ball had left his hands a blink after the buzzer had gone off. The referees, however, deemed it good and under protest from the fans, the game went into overtime.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Bulldogs take home the win in overtime

In overtime the Bulldogs had the momentum. They answered two points by Riley with a three-pointer by Wesleyan junior point guard E’Jay Ward to take the lead that they would hold to the end. Trailing 107-104, Bryan had one more possession, but couldn’t find its shooters, so Fair ended up taking a shot that bounced off the rim.

“I told the team after the match that there is bad pain and good pain, and we’re experiencing the latter. We played at an exceptionally high level,” said Rekoske. “In 25 years of coaching, this was one of the best games.”

“It was a hard -fought game between two outstanding programs, a great game to be part of,” said Poe.

Rekoske content with team’s development

While the Bulldogs left the field celebrating, a memorable and exciting night of basketball for the Lions and their fans had come to a bitter end. Instead of being tied for second place, the Lions are now fourth in the AAC.

Nevertheless, Rekoske found encouraging words for his team. He said that there’s a dramatic improvement in the way the team plays now compared to the beginning of the season.

“I’m proud of the progress we’ve made,” he said. “We play better on both ends of the court and rebound much better. The margin for this team to be at the top of the league is razor thin. That is painful but encouraging at the same time.”

With seven games remaining in the regular season, Bryan travels to Montreat (N.C.) College on Tuesday and returns to Summers Gymnasium on Thursday, facing Virginia Intermont College (Bristol, Va.).

Artsist at the "Take Art, Leave Art" event have multiple options as to how to express themselves, from paper collages to painting / Triangle photo by Rebekah Weaver

Rebekah Weaver
Staff Writer

College is generally all about  learning together, but what about creating together? That’s what the “Take Art, Leave Art” event is all about.

When junior Annalise Williams first heard about “Take Art, Leave Art”, she says she “thought it was a great idea.”

“It’s a beautifully inclusive event, and I think people are really going to enjoy it.”

The project allows students to create a piece of art, put it in the display area, and take a piece of someone else’s artwork in exchange.

Sophomore Clari Stewart, the event coordinator, says the idea wasn’t her own.

“Last spring break, I met a friend in Chattanooga for coffee. We were walking past this building with a sign that said, ‘Take Art, Leave Art,’ and I thought, ‘Bryan needs to do this!’”

Over Christmas break, Stewart requested funding from SGA and got the project approved.

Tuesday night, several students were in Mac’s Café checking out the art exchange. While music played in the background, they browsed two tables filled with art supplies. Some students constructed collages from provided magazine scraps, other were busy discussing a famous artist or hanging up finished masterpieces. One student even sat with his laptop open, sketching a drawing he’d found online.  As the artists patiently worked, they complimented each others’ efforts.

While some have expressed disinterest, Stewart encourages students to give it a shot anyways.

“A lot of times, you don’t realize what you’re capable of until you try it.” she said. “Being made in the image of God, we have the capacity to create and I just wanted to be able to give people the opportunity that maybe they had never given themselves.”

According to Stewart, she is still unsure if “Take Art, Leave Art” will be a one-time-only event, as repeating it probably depends on the interest of students and approval from SGA.

“At this point, I don’t know if we’ll do it again,” Stewart said.

However, those who believe like cartoonist Scott Adams that ”creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes and art is knowing which ones to keep” will have the opportunity to do both over the next two weeks here at Bryan. Take Art, Leave Art will run January 23 to February 3 (weekdays only) from 4-8pm in Mac’s Café.

Student Body Vice President Daniel Grayton reviews a list of concerns brought to the forum by a student while other SGA representatives talk to students about their concerns / Triangle photo by Natali Masti

Natali Masti
Triangle Reporter

Tuesday SGA Senate hosted a new type of event to better serve the student body — an open forum.

Freshman representative Kerrie Reinhardt said that, “[the] purpose for this event was to figure out what issues the students care most about.  Once we understand the student’s opinions on these key issues we can figure out the best way to represent these ideas to the administration here at Bryan.”

While SGA usually receives comments from students sporatically throughout the year, this event was designed to provide an opportunity for students to come directly to SGA to give suggestions or complaints, according to Sophomore representative Joseph Murphy.

To the dismay of SGA, only about five to ten people took advantage of the opportunity. Reinhardt, however, was not daunted by the few numbers and maintained an optimistic outlook.

“The student forum turned out very well,” said Reinhardt. “We had several very useful ideas brought [to our attention] that we can start working on immediately. I hope the student body realizes that we listened very carefully to what they had to say, and that we will try our absolute best to fix the problems that were brought up tonight.”

Senior representative, Ryan Anderson, commented about the small number in attendance at the forum saying, “I feel that if we had a better turnout, this could have proved very beneficial, but for the ones who did show up we will address their questions and concerns as best we can.”

Anderson was not the only SGA member with this mindset.

“I was a little disappointed by the number of people who attended,” said Murphy. “However, those who did come brought some fantastic concerns.”

Some concerns voiced at the forum were nothing new like who can use the pianos in Rudd or not being allowed to wear shorts in Mercer, according to Murphy.  However, there were some complaints that hadn’t been brought to SGA before.

“[Some complaints] were completely new to me,” said Murphy. “For instance, more than one person complained about the school building a new townhouse when the already existing dorms need so much work.  It’s suggestions like these that made this event worthwhile.”

Anderson believes that the forum was a good way to connect to the student body and has high hopes for another SGA sponsored forum, encouraging anyone who wants to see change to attend.

“If enough people come for the same cause, there is a better chance that things will get changed.”

Senate also has placed a suggestion box just outside of the Subzone area, which they check regularly to provide all students with a voice.