By the Spectator Staff At VSU athletics plays a major role in campus life. From game days to championships, student athletes represent our university. But beyond the field, their experiences show opportunities for growth in how support systems are structured.  One area that continues to evolve across colleges, across the US are Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). While NIL has created new opportunities nationwide, student-athletes at VSU often navigate this space largely ...

Hey Blazers, With the immense amount of heat, fire and smoke safety issues going around, this is your reminder to stay safe as we finish out the school year. -Stay inside as much as possible -Avoid cooking outside or using flames in open air spaces -Dress cooler to avoid the risk of a heatstroke -Keep an eye on weather/ news ...

By: Rut Labrada, staff writer   On April 10 and 11, the City of Valdosta hosted its 4th annual Bluesberry Festival to celebrate Georgia’s agricultural industry, local vendors, and of course, the blues music scene of the deep South. When I first heard about the festival, I was confused as to why it was blueberry themed, but a quick Google ...

By Winter Dube Campus Life Editor VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University’s music, theatre and dance programs will come together Saturday for the annual “Dancing With the Stars of Valdosta,” a scholarship fundraising event supporting student artists. The event will take place April 18 at the Rainwater Conference Center, beginning at 6 p.m. “Dancing With the Stars of Valdosta” is a ...

By Adam Peachey, Staff Writer If a person’s screentime is four hours a day, that winds up being equivalent to eleven years of their life on the phone, assuming they live for 80 years. While the importance of phones in our modern society definitely isn’t to be written off, it gets to a point where one must question the status ...

For several years now, finances in colleges have gotten higher, causing many potential students to simply just forget about going to college due to financial struggles.   This makes people assume the idea that college is an amazing place to live, and to find what you’re truly passionate about doing with your life apparently only works if you have deep pockets.  Starting next year, VSU will start to make restrictions that will reduce the amount that some students will get. This ...

We all know that maintenance is important for keeping the campus nice, right?   No one wants to drive on old broken roads; no one wants to trudge down nasty sidewalks, and certainly no one wants to see dead plants and animals all over the place.   But what happens when the maintenance that’s supposed to be beneficial to students puts a wrench in their plans?  Recently there has been ...

On Sept. 29, VSU sent a message to all currently enrolled students about attendance and participation that stated “[f]aculty have reported concerns over regular student attendance in the classroom and/or online participation in your coursework.   “Whether online or face-to-face, a student who misses or does not participate in more than 20% of the scheduled course or course activities could be ...

Be sure to find The Spectator on various social media sites. We’ll make sure to keep you up to date on local events, interesting sights on campus, the latest in sports, police reports, our takes on the newest albums and more. Below is a list of addresses to our social media pages. Follow us on: Instagram @vsu_spectator X @vsuspectator TikTok ...

With the demolition of Langdale Hall, our campus finally closed the chapter on an aging dormitory that had long been unsafe and uninhabitable.   For many students, the teardown sparked excitement about the possibilities for something new, useful, and community-driven to take its place. Unfortunately, the administration’s current plan to turn the lot into a simple green space falls short of ...

This editorial reflects the general opinion of The Spectator staff. In a recent Faculty Senate meeting, President Richard Carvajal revealed that VSU, along with several other universities in Georgia, will be making a big push to bring students back into the classroom and severely cut the number of on-line classes in the near future.   The university will be creating numerous ...