092021

THE CHICAGO MAROON — SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

JINNA LEE

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THE CHICAGO MAROON — SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

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Editors’ Note To the Class of 2025: Welcome to the University of Chicago!

By now, you’ve been told many times that you are exceptional. You’re a world-class group who made it through a confounding application process, among the first teenagers to experience the horrors of high school over laptop screens during a pandemic and various other world-historic events.

But we’re here to say it again. We are so proud to welcome you to this strange, thrilling, challenging, school, and excited to see the impact you will have.

The Maroon is UChicago’s independent, student-led newspaper, and we’ve delivered campus news and commentary to the UChicago and South Side communities for nearly 130 years. With this year’s Orientation Issue, we hope to provide some resources for getting settled in Hyde Park and on campus.

Inside, you’ll find a crash course in UChicago’s most contentious debates, a guide to campus art and culture, and advice for making friends and surviving tough courses.

We also wanted to give you some advice

we wish we’d received as incoming firstyears.

First, we know how overwhelming academics can be during that first quarter. But remember: The people you meet here are as important as the classes you’ll take, and after over a year of remote school, everyone is eager to make new connections. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to the person in your HUM section who made a comment that really stayed with you or email a professor you’d love to work for. Most importantly, make sure to take some time away from the Iliad and go to a party or two. Homer can wait—we promise.

Second, take some time to explore the UChicago community. Whether you’re looking to build a professional network, find brotherhood or sisterhood, or just play Smash, UChicago has something for everyone. Though we’re biased, we’d also suggest checking out The Maroon, we’ve got something for everyone: budding reporters, writers looking to get their thoughts published, computer programmers, and business-people-to-be who want experience balancing

an actual budget. There are a million microcosms and subcultures on campus, and it’s okay if you don’t find yours immediately - keep looking, and keep your mind open to activities and groups you might not have been drawn to in high school.

Thirdly, at The Maroon, we believe that holding the University accountable for its decisions is a crucial part of school spirit.

Across campus, student writers, activists, and elected leaders work to make UChicago a better place. All this is to say: If you love every part of UChicago, that’s great. But if there are parts of campus life that frustrate you, know that you are not alone. Don’t let anyone characterize your desire to change something about UChicago as ingratitude or naïveté. There are many ways to make change on campus, whether it’s by writing for a publication like The Maroon, working with advocacy organizations like the Phoenix Survivors Alliance or UChicago United, or representing your peers on Student Government.

Finally, imposter syndrome gets the best of all of us sometimes. You are far from

home and learning alongside peers who may seem intimidatingly impressive. Remember that you belong here. An admissions officer at UChicago stood up in front of their colleagues and successfully presented their case for why you—yes, you—should be a Maroon.

The first year of college can be tumultuous, full of highs and lows, but through it all, keep in mind that you are wanted and welcome here. If nothing else, remember that being able to fool people into thinking you’re more competent than you actually are is itself an important talent!

We’ve already enjoyed seeing many of you weigh in on the topic of the week on UChicago Twitter, contribute to the chaotic world of UChicago Poll Party, and (unfortunately) discover UChicago Secrets. As the quarter gets underway, we can’t wait for you to join our community on campus: to meet you in lecture halls, over coffee at Harper Cafe, and perhaps even at a Maroon hustling session.

See you on the quad, Ruby Rorty, Matthew Lee, and Adyant Kanakamedala

Thomas Brooker Here’s to a great start to your next adventure! We love you and are so proud!

M. D. A. C.

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We’re proud of you

Maggie!

Love, Lee, Mom, Jack & Allie

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Henry~

While we are going to miss seeing your smiling face every day, we’re so proud that you’re starting this new adventure at UChicago. Have a blast and crush it!

Love you~Mom and Dad

NEWS Marooners’ Guide to Hidden Gems On and Around Campus

By NEWS STAFF Welcome to Hyde Park! After a year of remote learning, we miss the campus and the neighborhood as much as anyone. Getting to know a new place (or returning to an old one) might seem overwhelming, so we asked our staff about their favorite places to eat, work, and explore!

Bonjour Cafe Bakery “I love to grab a coffee and pastry from Bonjour Café Bakery and sit on its delightful patio space. Tucked away near the Trader Joe’s on East 55th Street, the bakery has some of the most delightful morning rolls and croissants. All year round, I find it to be the perfect way to decompress on a weekend morning.”

— Alison Gill, Sports Editor

Eto’o Modern Asian Cuisine “In the shadow of Shinju Sushi, Eto’o serves up some sexy food. Did I get yelled at by a random customer for talking too loudly? Yes. Does that event play back in my head every night before I go to bed?

Yes. Yet I still go there at least once a month. It’s that good. Don’t pass it up.”

— Gage Gramlick, Head Viewpoints Editor Foster Hall “I love Foster Hall! It originally was a (really fancy) women’s dormitory and now houses faculty offices. Of the four former women’s dorms on the quad, it’s overall seen the least renovation (Kelly, Beecher, and Green Halls were gutted in the ’60s), and it’s quite lovely inside and out.”

— Gabi Garcia, Head Arts Editor Promontory Point “Promontory Point is, hands down, the best place in Hyde Park. A man-made peninsula that juts into Lake Michigan at the 55th Street parallel, the Point is a great place to go for a swim, traverse our neck of the fantastic, 18-mile-long Lakefront Trail, or just enjoy the fresh air. In my experience, when school or work feel overwhelming, sitting next to one of the largest lakes in the world really helps put matters into perspective. (Especially at sunrise or sunset!)”

— Laura Gersony, News and Grey City Editor 57th Street Books “57th Street Books is one of my favorite places to waste an hour. This cozier, less refined sister store to the Seminary

Co-op sells more literary fiction options, as well as stationery and other knickknacks. I go for its discount shelf, where I’ve gotten hardcovers for $12 and built a bookshelf out of bestsellers from five years ago.”

— Kate Mabus, News Editor Hutchinson Commons a.k.a. “Hutch” “Offering abridged menus from a number of local restaurants, Hutchinson Commons, in the Reynolds Club— the big pointy building across the street from Bartlett Dining Hall—allows students to take a break from UChicago’s dining hall food. Hutch really shines on Wednesdays with its milkshakes. While they aren’t anything special, they’re only a dollar—and they can be paid for with Maroon Dollars.”

— Nikhil Jaiswal, Senior News Reporter

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Who’s Who in Local Politics

By PRANATHI POSA | News Editor Mayor Lori Lightfoot (J.D. ’89) is in her second year of office after being elected in 2019. Lightfoot is the first African-American woman to be elected mayor of Chicago and the city’s first openly lesbian mayor.

Since entering office, Lightfoot has focused on initiatives such as pushing for the $15 minimum wage and coordinating the response to COVID-19. In regard to the latter, Lightfoot coordinated the original five-phase reopening plan for Chicago, and the city is currently in Phase 5, “Protect.” However, Chicago’s mask mandate has been reinstated as of August 20 in the wake of recent spikes in COVID-19 cases among the unvaccinated and breakthrough infections among the vaccinated.

Aldermen Sophia King, Fourth Ward The Fourth Ward spans the area of Hyde Park north of campus. Sophia King was reelected in 2019 after being appointed interim alderman in 2016 and then officially elected in a 2017 special election.

During her time in office, King has advocated for mental health reforms, raising the minimum wage, and police reform. She is a member of City Council’s Progressive Reform Caucus.

Leslie Hairston, Fifth Ward The Fifth Ward covers most of campus and Jackson Park. Leslie Hairston, an alum of the Lab School, has served as alderman of the Fifth Ward since 1999.

Hairston is a member of the Progressive Reform caucus and was at the forefront of introducing a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) alongside alderman Jeanette Taylor. The CBA is meant to protect the communities surrounding the planned Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park from displacement. Recently, Hairston has advocated for a more cautious approach to reopening Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and taken on initiatives such as the 71st Street Streetscape Project.

Jeanette Taylor, 20th Ward The 20th Ward contains parts of campus directly south of the Midway. Taylor

was elected in 2019 and is a member of the Socialist Caucus.

Since her election, Taylor has been a vocal supporter of the CBA. Taylor has also expressed concern regarding the timeline of Chicago Public Schools’ reopening, recently signing a petition that called for changes to the plan, including incorporating more input from CPS teachers.

State Government Curtis J. Tarver II, 25th District State Representative Tarver was elected to office in 2018, succeeding Barbara Flynn Currie, who had the longest tenure of any woman to serve in the Illinois General Assembly.

The 25th District contains most of Hyde Park.

In the last session, Tarver pushed

forward bills that increased transparency for individuals denied a license, certificate, or registration by the state due to a criminal conviction; required schools to provide written notice to an offending student’s parents or guardians in the event of any misconduct; and created a program for the state funding of health-care telementoring entities that help health-care providers improve their services.

Kam Buckner, 26th District State Representative Buckner was elected to office in 2018 to serve the 26th District, which covers some of western Hyde Park.

Buckner has previously advocated for allowing collegiate student-athletes in Illinois to be compensated for any use of their name or likeness. This move was echoed on a national scale in June, when the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the NCAA’s policy against

education-related compensation for student-athletes. More recently, Buckner passed legislation that expands the requirement for a certification of compliance with Illinois’s equal pay laws to any business with more than 99 employees.

Robert Peters, 13th District State Senator Peters was appointed to office in 2019 and won election in 2020. Since taking office, Peters has proposed numerous bills, including an ambitious criminal justice reform package earlier this year that moved Illinois toward ending cash bail.

During the spring session, Peters passed 17 bills, including ones that required 270 minutes of civics instruction for anyone in custody of the Juvenile Justice Department, amended quorum requirements for Chicago Public Schools’ Local School Councils, and guaranteed Illinois students 30 minutes of supervised, unstructured playtime from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot (top left), Rep. Curtis Tarver II (top middle), Ald. Leslie Hairston (top right), Ald. Jeanette Taylor (bottom left), Sen. Robert Peters (bottom middle), Rep. Kambium Buckner (center), Ald. Sophia King (bottom right).

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Summer News Roundup

By ROSHINI BALAN | Senior News Reporter Many students left Hyde Park for the summer—but the news cycle continued on. Here’s a roundup of the major happenings from on and around campus this summer.

Late May: GSU Relaunches Campaign to Withhold Student Services Fee Graduate Student United (GSU) continued its campaign to withhold the student services fee, which costs $1,248 per year for full-time students. This summer, the campaign was bolstered by faculty support in response to an email sent by the Biological Sciences Division in May that threatened to revoke building access for students who continued to withhold payment. GSU organizers described the fee as a tax on their incomes and demanded in an email to Dean of Students Michele Rasmussen that the administration offer fee waivers and break down how it spends the funds raised from the fee.

Late June, Early July: The Tragic Loss of Two Students Over the summer, the campus com-

munity mourned the loss of two students.

Ilan Naibryf, who was a rising fourth-year in the College, was present in the condominium that unexpectedly collapsed in Surfside, Florida. Just one week later, rising third-year Max Lewis was struck by a stray bullet on a Chicago Transit Authority Green Line train and passed away from his injuries in the hospital on July 4.

Both were beloved members of the UChicago Chabad Jewish cultural center.

Mid-July: CPD Gets Civilian Oversight Like many other U.S. cities, Chicago saw many protests following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department in May 2020. This July, the Chicago City Council voted to introduce civilian oversight over the city’s police department and police accountability agencies. The ordinance established the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, a body of appointed and elected members with the power to draft and approve CPD policy and nominate candidates for key positions, including superintendent. This vote

is part of a larger, ongoing effort to address a history of police brutality and torture in Chicago, especially in neighborhoods of color.

July: “Save The Point…Again” In July, local residents announced a revival of the “Save the Point” campaign.

Members of the campaign oppose replacing Promontory Point’s weathered limestone rocks with concrete and steel, which the City aims to do under the Shoreline Protection Project meant to combat erosion along the lakefront. The City has not announced any plans to carry out any replacement, but the group’s members are unnerved by language in a recent request for federal funding that they believe signals the City’s intention to move forward with such a plan. The campaign is led by the Promontory Point Conservancy, a group calling for a third-party review to determine what changes are necessary.

August 13: Monthly COVID-19 Update and Revised Masking Requirements The University’s monthly COVID update for August announced that students must submit proof that they are fully

vaccinated by September 1, 2021, unless they are subject to an exemption policy.

Additionally, in early August, the University revised the masking requirements it set earlier in the summer by requiring individuals to wear masks indoors. The decision was made in accordance with recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Chicago Department of Public Health, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and experts at UChicago Medicine.

August 16: Obama Presidential Center Breaks Ground After years of community turmoil, the Obama Foundation broke ground on the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park. The center had gone through a fouryear review process to begin construction in which park preservationists and a coalition of community organizations raised concerns about the environmental damage the center would cause to its surroundings. Since the center is located in a community predominantly filled with renters, the center’s construction has also generated concerns that rent and housing prices will rise, pushing out residents.

The Biggest Debates, Discussions, and Decisions at UChicago

By NIKHIL JAISWAL | Senior News Reporter Gentrification and UChicago’s Impact on Hyde Park For more than a century, the University of Chicago has heavily influenced the development of the South Side, which has led to a contentious relationship between the school and its neighbors.

When the University was established in Hyde Park in 1892, the South Side was predominantly white, but the South Side’s Black population grew significantly during the Great Migration.

In response, the University of Chicago continually pushed either to restrict or to reverse the growth of Hyde Park’s Black community, from the restrictive covenants of the 1940s to the “Urban Renewal” efforts of the ’50s and ’60s.

This spring, the Maroon Editorial Board published a series that contend-

ed with the University’s past harms and argued for a path forward that includes reparations and greater community input in development and philanthropic decisions. One piece in particular, titled “It’s Time for UChicago To Rethink Its Development Strategy,” sheds light on the damage that the University’s development plans have inflicted on the South Side and how the University can do better going forward—by incorporating community feedback and protecting affordable housing, for example.

Beyond the University, gentrification has become a pertinent issue in Hyde Park, and one of the biggest flashpoints within the community is the Obama Presidential Center (OPC). The OPC’s proponents view it as a potential engine for development, arguing that the center will provide jobs and raise

property values. The opposition is a mix of those who view the OPC as a force of gentrification and those who want to preserve Jackson Park, where the OPC is being built. An article from the Hyde Park Herald, a local paper, titled “In and Around Jackson Park, Opinion on OPC Remains Varied” features a wide range of local views on the issue. Preliminary construction on the OPC began in April 2021.

As an elite, resource-rich institution located in an underserved community, the University of Chicago has the potential to do a lot of good, as do the students who attend it. Another piece from the Maroon Editorial Board series, “To Be a Better Neighbor on the South Side, UChicago Must Begin on Its Own Campus,” discusses ways in which UChicago could leverage its resources to benefit the community.

Student groups have been making an

impact on the South Side without direct help from the University. UChicago for a CBA has been organizing in support of Hyde Park residents who would like a community benefits agreement (CBA) to be put in place for the OPC, protecting residents from the ill effects of possible gentrification. UChicago United, a coalition of organizations primarily focused on organizing for racial justice on campus, has been running a mutual aid program that incorporates direct community feedback to make sure that the aid distributed best serves the community. Local organizations operating independently of the University lead the way when it comes to countering gentrification and creating healthy communities. Check out the youth programming

by My Block, My Hood, My City, queer community building by the Brave Space Alliance, and environmental justice CONTINUED ON PG. 7

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work done by the Southeast Side’s People for Community Recovery.

Defunding the UCPD and Over-Policing Like many other campus police forces, the UCPD has become a flashpoint on campus due to the perception that it lacks accountability and maintains a patrol radius far beyond the edges of campus. While UChicago sits between East 55th Street and East 61st Street, the UCPD’s patrol area extends north to East 37th Street and as far south as East 64th Street, giving it jurisdiction over about six square miles and more than 65,000 Chicago citizens—45,000 more than all UChicago faculty and students combined.

The University’s first security staff were hired at the departmental level in the 1930s, with the first campus-wide force established in 1952. Named the South East Chicago Commission (SECC), the group was heavily involved in the “urban renewal” efforts of the 1950s, hiring off-duty police officers to force out “undesirable” businesses.

For those looking for a better sense of the history of the UCPD, this Grey City article is one resource.

The UCPD does not have a sterling record. According to data obtained by The Chicago Reporter, of the 166 people stopped and questioned by the UCPD in ten months during 2016, 155, or 93 percent, were Black, while the population of the UCPD’s patrol zone was only 59 percent Black. In 2010, a Black student was arrested in the Regenstein Library for refusing to show ID despite multiple witnesses attesting that the officer never asked for ID. In 2018, the shooting of UChicago student Charles Thomas by a UCPD officer prompted calls for the UCPD to be abolished. Thomas was shot during a mental health episode his parents believe was brought on by bipolar disorder. On the night Thomas was shot, officers found him roaming a Hyde Park alley with a tent stake, and body camera footage shows Thomas approaching the officer with the stake before he was shot. In response to Thomas’s shooting, UChicago United founded the CNC

campaign to advocate for defunding the UCPD. CNC has called for 50 percent of the resources dedicated to the UCPD to be shifted to community-focused programs that target the socioeconomic and health factors driving up crime.

In June 2020, the Maroon Editorial Board released a piece titled “The University Must Disband Its Private Police Force.” The piece covers arguments for defunding and abolishing the UCPD in depth. While CNC has many supporters on campus, it also faces resistance, as a Maroon column from last year by Matthew Pinna demonstrates.

UChicago United has gained prominence for organizing multiple protests across campus, including a sit-in at the UCPD’s headquarters last summer.

However, the actions of protestors have also drawn criticism. Accusations of anti-Asian racism and harassment were leveled against protestors who occupied the street in front of University Provost Ka Yee Lee’s house. CNC later released a statement disputing those accusations.

The debate over the UCPD’s authority in the South Side and whether it should be defunded or abolished is a heated one across campus. In an op-ed titled “A Peaceful UCPD, If Only,” Benjamin Boyd, a student at the divinity school, details his account of a traffic stop by a UCPD officer that ended in him being tackled and arrested as well as what he believes to be the steps that need to be taken to reform the department. Throughout, the University has continued to maintain that it is open to reforming the department, with the administration organizing town halls and listening sessions on the subject.

The Graduate Student Fight Since 2007, Graduate Students United (GSU) has been fighting for better pay and labor protections for graduate student workers. While GSU was first created in response to what its founders said was a poor funding package, the organization’s fight has evolved into a battle over whether graduate student workers should be classified as employees represented by a recognized union.

UChicago has so far resisted classifying graduate students as employees, maintaining that work done by graduate

students is a part of their graduate education at the University.

In the face of continued opposition from the University, the GSU escalated its actions, staging multi-day walkouts in 2018 and 2019. During the pandemic, a number of graduate students have been refusing to pay the $125 student services fee in an effort to get the University to reduce it and disclose what it funds.

With a return to on-campus life, a more pro-union federal government, and a new University president in Paul Alivisatos—who spent his career at University of California Berkeley, which has a recognized graduate workers union— GSU is hopeful that significant change will occur in the upcoming year.

If you want to learn more about GSU, see “Looking Back and Forward: GSU’s Fight for Graduate Student Rights and Recognition” for more information about the group’s history and goals for the future.

Diversity at UChicago Like at many other primarily white institutions, diversity in all aspects has been a focal point for both the students and the administration of the University of Chicago. Of the students admitted to the University of Chicago’s Class of 2024, 25 percent are Asian, 10 percent Black, and 15 percent Hispanic. Despite the diversity of its student body, minority students at UChicago have often felt marginalized. A column by Rachel Ong titled “No Longer an Afterthought” discusses in greater detail the Asian-American student experience, and an op-ed by the UChicago Black Graduate Coalition titled “How the University of Chicago Misses the Mark with the Black Community” talks about how the University needs to repair its relationship with Black students and Chicago’s Black community.

UChicago’s faculty is significantly less diverse than its student body. According to data reported by the University for 2019, 16 percent of full-time instructional staff were Asian, while Black and Hispanic staff each made up less than 4 percent. Diversity of tenured faculty is even less, with Asian, Black, and Hispanic faculty making up less

than 14, 3, and 4 percent of the University total, respectively. In response to these numbers, a faculty-led effort named #MorethanDiversity has been campaigning for structural changes to the administration in order to promote diversity and equity within the University.

The group has also campaigned with UChicago United’s #EthnicStudiesNow in an effort to establish a fully funded critical race and ethnic studies (CRES) department. While the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture does offer a CRES major, its lack of departmental status means CRES courses are inconsistently offered because faculty who teach them do so on a voluntary basis. Noah Tesfaye’s column “The Critical Need for a Critical Race and Ethnic Studies (CRES) Department” goes deeper into why many faculty and students believe the University needs a CRES department.

In an email sent to the campus community on September 1, newly appointed University President Paul Alivisatos outlined a series of “vectors of culture and engagement” on which he plans to focus during his tenure. In describing one of these vectors, “Sense of Belonging,” Alivisatos asked, “What else can we do to ensure that our community is diverse, that all students, researchers, staff, and faculty feel that they can speak and will be heard, and that our climate is inclusive and creates a sense of belonging?” As we start the new school year, students and faculty invested in diversity at the University will await answers to this question from administrators.

Free Expression on Campus Freedom of speech is contentious at the University of Chicago, which has made freedom of expression a core part of its identity. In 2014, former University president Robert Zimmer appointed the Committee on Freedom of Expression and charged it with drafting a statement “articulating the University’s overarching commitment to free, robust, and uninhibited debate and deliberation among all members of the University’s community.”

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While the committee’s report never actually mentions the phrase “Chicago principles,” the term has been used since then to promote the idea that the University of Chicago believes in no limits on speech or debate. The University’s stance has prompted both criticism and acclaim from students and faculty at UChicago and other institutions which have adopted the “Chicago Principles.”

UChicago’s emphasis on free speech seems unlikely to shift in the new school year despite a change in leadership.

Newly appointed University President Paul Alivisatos said in his September 1 email that freedom of expression will be a core concern of his tenure, asking, “How can the University build on its leadership role as an advocate for and home of free expression?”

The University’s broad stance on free expression has manifested in many politically charged debates about acceptable expression in recent years.

After a professor invited Steve Bannon, a former White House chief strategist well known for xenophobic, homophobic, and Islamophobic stances, to speak at the University, debate ensued over whether the University, to quote those who protested the Bannon invitation, “cares more about ‘freedom of expression’ than the lives and well-being of students, faculty, staff, and Hyde Park residents.” The criticism and harassment of a student who had written “I vote because the coronavirus won’t

destroy America, but socialism will” as part of the Institute of Politics (IOP)’s “Why I Vote” campaign sparked a debate over whether the University’s atmosphere truly permits all types of speech.

Viewpoints has a plethora of columns and essays exploring the free speech debate. “Instructing Insurrections: How UChicago Can Avoid Creating the Next Ted Cruz,” a piece by Kelly Hui, discusses how the Chicago principles can sometimes be used to mask bigotry as academic debate. Another piece, “A Lesson in Free Speech” by Alexa Perlmutter, talks about how free speech allows ideas to surface so that they can be debated and critiqued.

Greek Life Greek life at the University of Chicago, like at many other universities, has been marked by controversies.

Last spring, some UChicago community members blamed fraternities for a spike in coronavirus cases—and subsequent lockdown of campus—that the University initially attributed to fraternities but later linked to “multiple clusters, starting with individuals who were unknowingly infected over break.” And in 2019, UChicago’s chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority was accused of excluding members of color from its recruitment process, which led to calls to disband the sorority and a subsequent mass exodus of its members.

Sexual violence on campus is a major

GO BOOTS. We love you!

Mom, Dad, Lauren & Iris

issue for students in and out of Greek life, but for many, it is inextricably tied to the presence of unrecognized fraternities at UChicago. Recognized student organizations (RSOs) like the Phoenix Survivors Alliance, which provides support to survivors of sexual violence, have been voices in favor of Greek life recognition, especially in the wake of alleged sexual assaults in fraternity houses and by fraternity members.

Many students believe that issues with Greek life at the University of Chicago are inflamed by the University’s refusal to recognize fraternities and sororities. Recognition by the University would give administrators a way to exercise oversight on Greek life organizations. A piece by the Maroon Editorial Board portrays this refusal as an attempt by the University to enable it to solicit donations from alumni who were in Greek life while evading blame when scandals arise.

The range of proposed solutions for the problems associated with Greek life is wide. Some advocate eliminating fraternities and sororities entirely; one former president of the Panhellenic Council argued that “the system would rather stick to its roots than address inequity.” Others are pushing for these institutions to change themselves, as Viewpoints columnist Ketan Sengupta does in his column, “How Greek is Greek Life, Really?”

Mental Health For years, activists have been pushing the University to make changes to both its academic and campus life policies in order to improve student mental health. While administrators responded by making changes to the academic quarter and providing resources for students, a perceived lack of student input in the process has often led to solutions that are widely panned as ineffective or even harmful.

In response to complaints about the toll of the academic year’s pacing, the University decided to lengthen the breaks between terms by shortening each quarter by one week. The move was met with widespread criticism, and many called for greater student input in the decision-making process.

The Maroon Editorial Board released a piece, titled “For Truly Effective Mental Healthcare, Listen to Students,” calling on the administration to incorporate the input of students and coordinate with student-led mental health efforts that had seen success.

The situation for many neurodivergent and disabled students is also precarious. A *Grey City* article published earlier this year reported the difficulties faced by several students with disabilities who sought accommodations from the University. Many students said that successfully getting an accommodation often depended on the goodwill of professors. Others criticized the University’s decision to stop offering parttime status in 2015.

To some, COVID-19 and the measures required to mitigate the worst effects of the pandemic exacerbated student issues. A *Grey City* piece from April details some of the mental health struggles that students faced during last year’s winter quarter. Some students reported feeling isolated and depressed due to a lack of social contact.

UChicago’s “where fun comes to die” culture has also been to blame. Last year, a newsletter from Woodlawn Residential Commons offered a line of finals week advice that summed up UChicago’s stress culture: “Loss of sleep is temporary…GPA is forever.” The backlash from students also encapsulates the mental and physical toll that the academic load and culture of the University can take on students. In her Viewpoints column “The Detriments of the New Dean’s List,” Elizabeth Winkler talks about the effect the University’s academic awards system has on students, while in “The Danger of the Life of the Mind,” Ong discusses how UChicago’s academic culture impacts students.

Despite criticism leveled against the administration, UChicago’s students have been able to find support among their peers. Active Minds, an RSO on campus tied to the national Active Minds nonprofit, seeks to “empower university students to speak openly about mental health in order to educate others and encourage help-seeking behavior.”

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Pre-Professionalism and “Quirkiness” When James Nondorf was appointed the dean of college admissions and financial aid, a University press release touted his “emphasis on matching the right student to the right institution, while building cultural and intellectual diversity.” For the Class of 2013, the last one admitted before Nondorf took over the admissions office, the University’s acceptance rate reached a then–all-time low of 26.8 percent, 13 percentage points lower than the rate from four years before.

Now, years later, members of the community continue to debate the impact Nondorf the former Yale University associate director of admissions, has had on the University’s culture. The University of Chicago’s acceptance rate was 6.2 percent for the Class of 2024, only 1.3 percentage points greater than Harvard University’s.

Regardless of whether admissions policies are to blame, many undergraduates believe that the University’s culture has changed. “A Multistory Failure: How UChicago’s Housing Plan Disappoints” by Luke Contreras laments the new mega-dorms; “Scav Deserves to Be Saved” by Brinda Rao talks about how interest in core Chicago traditions has declined; “Why We’re All Miserable Careerists” by Tesfaye discusses the rise of pre-professionalism among the student body and the University’s role in encouraging it; and “The Problem With Mimicking Harvard” by Ruby Rorty highlights how the administration’s attempts to match the Ivy League “dilutes the wacky, wonderful culture that led us to choose UChicago.”

Those preparing to mourn the loss of our school’s identity can take solace in the arguments put forth by “Weird Social Science”, a piece published by the Maroon Editorial Board in 2010, the beginning of the University’s shift in admissions strategy. “We know, because the admissions statistics bear it out, that College first-years are better and better prepared to study here. What we don’t know—and shouldn’t presume—is that we’ve arrived at the College in the gloaming of some Golden Age of intellectual purity. Like any top school, the U of C has always attracted students with a range of interests and ambitions.”

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Siebel Scholars Class of 2022 The Siebel Scholars program was founded in 2000 to recognize the most talented graduate students in business, computer science, bioengineering, and energy science.

Each year, over 90 outstanding graduate students are selected as Siebel Scholars based on academic excellence and leadership and join an active, lifelong community among an ever-growing group of leaders. We are pleased to recognize this year’s Siebel Scholars.

BIOENGINEERING JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY WHITING SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

Elana Ben-Akiva Ariel Isser Alexandra N. Rindone Julie Shade Alycen Wiacek

Louai Labanieh Sarah Lensch Bauer LeSavage Misha Raffiee Camilo Ruiz

MIT SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Rebecca Black Connor Dobson Emi Lutz Divya Ramamoorthy Sydney Solomon

Kristen L. Cotner K.L. Barry Fung Kazuomori Lewis Alden Moss

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO JACOBS SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING Daril Brown Andrea Castro Pamela Duran Lauren Severance Jiarong Zhou

Soo Hyun Shin

BUSINESS MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

STANFORD UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO BOOTH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Alex Berry Emily Cetlin Vanessa Labrador Qing Qing Miao Lauren Sakerka

Marcia Austin Andrew Hanna Evan Mendez Caroline Sohr Christopher Stromeyer

Brian Carlson Ryan Hoerger Kira Tebbe Hardik Parikh Srividvatha Sridhar

COMPUTER SCIENCE CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE Karan Ahuja Priya Donti Yasmine Kotturi Ryan Shi Kayo Yin HARVARD JOHN A. PAULSON SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & APPLIED SCIENCES Mitali Bafna Yamini Bansal Xueyuan Han Lillian Pentecost Chara Podimata MIT SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING Shyan Akmal Surya Mathialagan Christopher Scarvelis Olivia Seow Shangdi Yu

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE Xiaoqi Chen Huihan Li Nikunj Saunshi Jiaqi Su Kaiyu Yang STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING Ruth-Ann Armstrong Moo Jin Kim Siyun Li Henry Mellsop Vinh Ton TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Chaoyu Guan Jiabin Liu Tianyu Liu Wende Tan Runji Wang

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING Sagnik Bhattacharya Jay Shenoy UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE Natalie Ayers Jonathan Baker Caton Brewster Weijia He Chengcheng Wan UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING Garvita Allabadi Shengyu Feng Revanth Gangi Reddy Eleanor Wedell Yiqing Xie

www.SiebelScholars.com

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From the Barracks to Vue 53: The Unique Perspectives of UChicago’s Veteran Students Four of the University’s Veteran Scholars discussed their nontraditional journeys to the College and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

By MICHAEL MCCLURE | Grey City Contributor Most students don’t apply to college from a classified government computer while deployed in the Philippines. Then again, most students don’t start their college courses merely five weeks after leaving the U.S. Marine Corps.

But that was how Colin Augustson, a second-year, arrived at the University of Chicago. And he’s not alone.

For a handful of students in the College, the journey to UChicago doesn’t follow the standard path of applying to college during senior year, enrolling the next fall, and graduating four years later: They enter after serving in the United States military.

The Veteran Scholars Program, now beginning its third year, has brought a distinct generation of students to the College. When the Class of 2025 arrives on campus this fall, UChicago’s Veteran Scholar cohort will include more than 50 students who have served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

The Advent of the Veteran Scholar Though novel in the context of the College, the Veteran Scholars Program is not the University’s first foray into supporting veterans. In 2011, three years after the U.S. instituted the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (YRRP), the Booth School of Business began offering $10,000 scholarships to qualifying veterans on top of federal support through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The school’s support

has since increased to a maximum of $30,000.

In 2016, Marine Corps veteran Eric Gleacher (M.B.A. ’67) made a $10 million gift to establish the Gleacher Veteran Scholars Fund, which helps veteran students “bridge the gap between the benefits they have earned from the government and the remaining costs associated with receiving their M.B.A. degrees from Booth.” Inspired

by Gleacher’s gift, the Harper Family Foundation made its own $10 million donation to Booth in 2019 to establish another scholarship fund. Veterans make up 7–8 percent of the total student population at Booth.

In the 2015–16 school year, veterans comprised about 6 percent of the U.S. undergraduate population. But further studies revealed that veterans were sorely underrepresented at selective colleges and universities. A 2017 survey by Inside Higher Ed columnist Wick Sloane showed that the 36 most selective colleges in the United States enrolled only 722 of the nearly 900,000 veterans who obtained support from the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 or the YRRP, with Columbia University’s School of General Studies enrolling 422 of them. The University of Chicago did not indicate veteran enrollment at the time.

These low figures inspired the Posse Foundation, a national nonprofit that aims to bring a more diverse student population to higher education insti-

tutions, to start its Posse Veterans Program. The organization then helps partner schools admit a group of veterans—called a “posse”—to their incoming class each year.

Vassar College became the first school to partner with Posse, bringing 11 veterans to its campus in Poughkeepsie, New York, in autumn 2013. Wesleyan University, Dartmouth College, and the University of Virginia joined next, enrolling their inaugural Posse cohorts in 2014, 2016, and 2018, respectively.

In the summer of 2018, the University of Chicago announced its own partnership with Posse. The application process for prospective veteran scholars involved a series of steps intended to winnow the cohort.

“You apply to Posse, you get accepted to Posse, then you have to apply to the school. And then—and this is what tripped a lot of my community college professors out—you actually fly to New York [City] to get interviewed at Posse with no guarantee that you get a slot,” third-year Ricky Holder said. Posse and the University have since dissolved their partnership.

Holder found out he had been accepted to the College in December, the weekend after he finished the interview process. He, along with 13 peers, joined the Class of 2023 as part of the University’s first cohort of Veteran Scholars.

At the University, Holder saw an opportunity to lay the foundation for a career in public policy, a path he chose in part due to his personal background.

Holder grew up in San Bernardino,

California, spending 10 years in the foster care system after his mother went to prison when he was nine years old. His three brothers also found themselves tangled in the juvenile justice system.

At the time Holder graduated high school in 2011, California law stated that children over the age of 18 were ineligible for foster care. Facing homelessness, Holder decided to enlist in the Navy, serving for six years as an information systems technician.

“The one thing the military did was provide me a little bit more time to figure things out,” he said. “Being in the foster care system, I never really considered what happened—like, why did my mother fall into the situation she fell in? Why did my brothers [fall] into the situation they fell in? So the military allowed me to reflect and have some introspection about what I wanted to do.”

Holder had always intended to leave the military to pursue higher education, so after leaving the Navy in November 2017, he enrolled at Foothill College, a community college in Los Altos Hills, California, with the plan to transfer to a four-year institution later on. Outside of class, he leveraged his background in technology by working in the lab at Singularity University, a company offering educational programs and business consulting.

Not long into his first semester at Foothill, where he was studying economics, Holder applied to the Warrior-Scholar Project, a summer program offering one- and two-week CONTINUED ON PG. 11

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“There’s so many people that have died and don’t have this opportunity.”

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academic programs at elite colleges and universities to veterans and military members transitioning to civilian life. He was randomly matched with the University of Chicago and was immediately drawn to its rigor, even though he had not heard of it before.

“If you want to go through a fouryear-long intellectual bootcamp, this is where you want to go,” he said.

The Warrior-Scholar Project has played a role in other veterans’ journeys to the University, too. Matthew Stark, one of Holder’s classmates, attended the Warrior-Scholar Project boot camp at University of Notre Dame in the summer of 2018.

Stark, who enlisted in the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment in 2014, initially wanted to attend Arizona State University after completing his service, but while at the program, he was inspired to choose a “reach” school, which in his case was the University of Chicago.

He was also encouraged to apply to college by Connor Bednarzyk, a platoon leader in Stark’s infantry regiment and one of his mentors.

“When I was sitting down and having a conversation with Connor, he told me you can find this passion, this sense of purpose, this almost struggle that we all strive for in the military, you can find that other places [like at school],” Stark said. “That lit the fire under my butt to apply, take that risk, and really better myself.”

In September 2018, Bednarzyk lost his life in a training accident. He was not around to see Stark submit his application, complete the Posse process, or receive his acceptance letter.

Stark, who recently received one of two Five Foundation scholarships in Bednarzyk’s name, spends his extracurricular time mentoring prospective veteran students, hoping to help others just as Bednarzyk helped him. He is an ambassador of the Collegiate Access Program at Army Ranger Lead the Way Fund, where he works to get members of the 75th Ranger Regiment into college, especially into Ivy-plus schools. Stark also keeps in regular contact with the University’s admissions office and with

Associate Director for Veteran Services Beau Butts, periodically recommending them students who he believes would excel at UChicago.

“A lot of our high school transcripts might not reflect that, so getting that one-on-one understanding of how someone’s changed from high school and communicating that to admissions is probably the most vital thing that I do in some of my mentorship and nonprofit volunteering.”

Above his desk, Stark keeps a picture of three people he knew who died while serving. He told me the photos have motivated him during the COVID-19 pandemic and online classes.

“My biggest fear is not applying myself and not achieving everything I can, especially when there’s so many people that have died and don’t have this opportunity to kind of fulfill their ultimate purpose and really give 100 percent,” Stark said. “It’s really just a key motivation to keep pushing, especially with COVID, when purpose seems very low. With online classes, you just get up, stay at your desk, and kind of go throughout your day. It’s not very exciting, it doesn’t seem very purposeful, but keeping in mind the end goal is really important.”

Finding Their Feet in the Classroom For UChicago’s veteran student population, the transition to online classes came with additional complications.

For one, most of them graduated high school in the early 2010s, before digital setups proliferated in the classroom.

Additionally, in the military itself, some enlisted recruits do not have regular access to their mobile phones, so they do not rely on them in civilian life.

“Online classes don’t really give us military people the same feel. The military’s kind of Stone Age, so we’re not very used to being online. I know [in] my unit, I couldn’t even take pictures for most of the time. I wasn’t able to really use my phone like normal people,” Stark said. “When you’re in the military, you get used to just not having your phone. You’re on deployment, you leave your phone somewhere else. You go to the field for two, three, four weeks, and you don’t have it…. The technology

is definitely a lot less integrated into our everyday lives, so I felt making that social connection over Zoom and stuff was very difficult.”

Most of UChicago’s veteran scholars live off campus at Vue 53, an apartment complex on East 53rd Street, in units provided by the University. Though this allows them to interact with one another more easily, it does create distance between them and their classmates living in University residence halls.

“A lot of those friendships that young folks make, they make in the dorms, they make on campus, they make doing all those things,” Holder said. “I love my life, I love being married, I have my dog here, can’t have a dog in the dorm! I love all those components, but it’s definitely something I think about. [Living in a college dormitory] is something I’m never going to have, but it’s something that’s for better or for worse still romanticized in American culture.”

But other veteran scholars contend that they’ve already had that sort of experience—just not on a college campus.

“I did feel like I was missing out on making friends at that critical age, but I kind of had a parallel experience and I didn’t realize it so much at the time.

We lived in the barracks, which are kind of like dorms, with people generally our age,” second-year Ivy Yahner said.

Yahner’s path to UChicago differs from those of many of her peers in the Veteran Scholars Program. After graduating from high school in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 2012, she took a gap year, during which she taught herself sign language and worked her first job at Staples. She also applied to the University of Chicago but did not get in. “[During the gap year, I was] exploring my interests and making sure that whatever path I ended up going down was something I was really committed to,” she said. “I didn’t end up committing to any other college because I wasn’t ready at that time, I don’t think, to take on that much debt for a career I wasn’t sure about yet.”

Yahner knew she wanted to study languages, but she wasn’t sure going to college was the right choice at the time. Instead, she turned to the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language

Center, a specialized branch of the U.S. Army wherein recruits are paid to learn a language for use in military operations. After completing the entrance examinations, she was matched with Mandarin Chinese—one of the most difficult languages offered by the Army.

Yahner also had to pass a physical fitness test, which she found daunting as a self-described bookworm. “I remember doing my first push-up ever and thinking that there was no way I could do it,” she told me during our conversation, cracking a smile.

In February 2015, Yahner travelled to Taiwan, where she continued her studies in an immersive environment with teachers who grew up in China or Taiwan.

“They were able to contribute a point of view that I had never experienced before. Learning about history, even world history, in high school, I don’t feel like [I learned] a lot in depth about Chinese history specifically, and just to get that point of view from people who experienced it and lived it was…shocking, in a way, because we just learn about America and think about America as the center of our universe.”

She returned home in 2019 and proceeded to apply once more to college.

Now armed with a new language and a real-world application for her academic goals, she was admitted to the University, seven years after her first attempt, as part of its Class of 2024.

“My time in the military really challenged what I thought I was capable of.

If you had told me that I could learn Chinese Mandarin to a level of functionality in less than two years, I would have thought that seemed a little bit out of reach, but somehow they have a system in place that helped us learn [it],” Yahner said.

“I took statistics this past year, and that was really hard for me…. I just figured out how to get a system in place that would help me to learn it and just never even [thought], ‘Oh, I can’t do this, this is really hard,’ or, ‘I’m not going to pass.’”

The Veteran Scholars Program offers dedicated programming geared toward acclimating veterans to life at CONTINUED ON PG. 12

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“People are going back to the same socioeconomic positions they came from.”

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the College. These include social offerings like kayaking on the Chicago River and an academic transition program in math and writing.

Augustson, the student who applied from the Philippines while deployed, said that the transition program helped him adjust to the rigor of college-level academic discussion as well as the new norms of the Zoom classroom. Having returned from the Marine Corps on August 23, 2020, Augustson expected to face culture shock ahead of his first day of classes on September 29.

“In transitioning, I was very worried that I was going to bring aspects of that culture that weren’t appropriate or suitable for higher education,” Augustson said. “[It was important] to have those people there to be an intermediary and be a comfortable space for me in transitioning back into civilian life as I’m doing a very rigorous education virtually, which was something I’d never really done.”

Augustson did not apply to UChicago intending to join the Veteran Scholars Program; in fact, at the time he applied, he didn’t know it existed. On his application, he only indicated his military affiliation by checking a box that asked whether he had served and mentioning it briefly in one of his application essays. While his application was being reviewed, he received a phone call from Butts.

“That call, obviously, was amazing because he really told me, ‘There’s a lot more going on for veterans than you’re aware of, and I can work with you on your application.’ I didn’t even know I needed to apply as a transfer student.

I just applied as an [incoming] firstyear,” Augustson said.

Augustson, an anti-tank missileman in the Marine Corps, had long planned to serve in the military after high school. Several of his relatives, including his father, are veterans, and during our conversation, Augustson told me that he and his twin brother chose the military when asked about their dream careers in kindergarten. By sixth grade, they both knew they wanted to be Marines.

But when Augustson, 17 years old

and freshly graduated from high school, went to enlist, recruiters found a perforation in his right tympanic membrane—a hole in his eardrum. He had to wait six months to receive the surgery requested by the military and then almost two further years while his medical waivers were sorted out.

In the meantime, he worked at a landscaping company and at McDonald’s before spending nearly a year as a fulltime emergency medical technician in the Chicago area, staying close to his hometown of Grant Park, Illinois.

Augustson always valued the community present in military spheres, even if he discovered on his first day of boot camp just how different it would be from his small-town upbringing.

“You get off of a bus, and the next thing you know, you’re living with 100 individuals in a huge squad bay. I come from a small town. There’s maybe [1,200] to 1,500 people in my town.

My high school graduating class was 38 people,” he said. “To go out and have that experience and to meet so many people and to be able to trust them day one…definitely just blew my worldview apart.”

Barriers to Higher Education As World War II drew to a close, Congress passed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, better known as the GI Bill. Enacted in part to avoid issues stemming from what many considered inadequate support for soldiers returning from World War I, the GI Bill offered tuition payments to millions of World War II veterans attending high school, college, or vocational school.

The GI Bill had a revolutionary impact on higher education: In 1947, just three years after its passage, veterans comprised 49 percent of all students admitted to U.S. colleges and universities.

By the time the original bill expired in July 1956, 7.8 million veterans, nearly half of the 16 million eligible, were using it to pursue education or training.

There have been similar programs set up since, most notably the Post9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. Commonly known as the Post-9/11 GI Bill or simply as the new GI Bill, it offers free tuition to a four-year

public college for veterans who served on active duty for at least three years since September 11, 2001.

A 2020 study showed that for the 2015–16 school year, 43 percent of veteran undergraduates were using the education benefits provided by the bill. Augustson told me that for some students, the bill itself does not offset other factors that may lead students away from college.

“Sometimes people view the [new] GI Bill as this golden ticket of, ‘You’ve made it now. You’ll have free college, and you can use that,’ but really, you have to think about the fact that people are going back to the same socioeconomic conditions that they came from.

They’re going back to the same friends, the same families, so in a lot of ways, the things that…maybe played into a decision not to pursue higher education originally, those factors are still going to be in place,” he said.

Augustson has several military friends who have taken up contracting work, vocational jobs, or positions at family-owned businesses. He admits that he didn’t expect to pursue higher education so soon; he originally planned to serve in the Marine Corps for 20 years. Being at the University now, he especially values opportunities to hear from and network with veterans who have leveraged their military backgrounds and undergraduate degrees into successful careers, citing veteran-oriented visits from companies like Gartner, AQR Capital Management, and JPMorgan Chase as particularly insightful.

Several of the veteran students with whom I spoke effused about the unique sense of community they felt in the military. But the Veteran Scholars Program has provided them with another community, one that revolves around learning and growth. For Stark, who was initially hesitant to share his veteran status in the classroom, this sense of community within the University inspired him to open up about the unique perspectives he holds as a veteran in classes.

“My first year, every day [that] I would talk, 30 minutes after class I’d be stressing out about what I said. Was

it smart enough? What did other people think of it?” Stark said. “This third year, with everybody being so inclusive at the University and all the students being amazing and open to different opinions, now I actually feel comfortable sharing a little bit more about my veteran status in classes. I feel a lot more comfortable sharing my opinions and actually getting into these conversations and making a contribution versus just getting that credit for participation.”

Their contributions are especially valuable, Stark believes, when they share firsthand experiences gained from the military.

“We have a different lens that we view things through. In international relations classes that I’ve taken, we can give a different real-world perspective on certain conflicts, or we understand certain differences in mission planning,” he said. “In places like the humanities, we have a lot of emotional experience dealing with death, travesty, all these more intense emotional feelings. We can tap into that a lot easier, and we’re a lot more comfortable sharing that with individuals.”

The contributions from each veteran reflect how the military has shaped them. Augustson is quick to remember where he came from, especially when he faces difficulties.

“At times there’s things where I look back [and think], ‘You could be doing this that you had to do, or you could be sleeping in that place you had to sleep,’” Augustson said. “Even if it’s a really long night studying at the library or if I really have to pull an all-nighter or something, it’s bad, but at the end of the day it’s a lot better than some of the experiences I’ve had [in the military].”

“I was coming back into school not that confident…in my ability to remember how to study well and how to do these things. But when I would be studying for an exam or something or putting those extra hours into writing a paper, I think that the confidence came from [knowing that] if I am intentional about this and if I do this as well as I can—even if I blow the test, even if I don’t write a good paper—I can walk away from it knowing that I tried my best.”

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Placing Injustice on a Pedestal Themes of identity, representation, and the city’s history can be found in discourse about local statues.

By SOLANA ADEDOKUN | Grey City Contributor The murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer last summer sparked a nationwide reckoning over the history and legacy of racism in the United States. As Floyd’s murder was litigated, so too was American identity. And in many cases, discussion over historical statues and monuments took center stage.

Hyde Park has not been excluded from this national debate. In February, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration marked 41 statues in the Chicago area under the Chicago Monuments Commission, including ones depicting Christopher Columbus, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington, as being under review due to their likenesses’ controversial pasts. The commission did not explain why each individual statue was flagged, but it offered several key principles that guided the decision. Statues were selected if they glorified colonialism or slavery, depicted an enslaver, or presented inaccurate or problematic depictions of Native Americans, among other related reasons.

Two Hyde Park statues are on this list. The first is the statue of The Republic in Jackson Park, an iconic symbol of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. It depicts a woman crowned with a wreath and holding a bird and a staff. The 1893 World’s Fair was a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in North America—a date that also marked the beginning of four centuries of dispossession and genocide of native peoples across the continent. Glorifying the subjugation of Indigenous peoples was in fact a selling point of the fair. One exhibit on the Midway Plaisance prominently featured exhibits of native people from across the world, labeled as “primitive” and put on display for the amusement of ogling, mostly white fairgoers.

Another statue marked for review near campus is the statue of George

Washington in Washington Park. This statue depicts Washington riding a horse in full military dress while holding a sword toward the sky. The original version of this statue, which was placed in Paris, was commissioned by the Daughters of the American Revolution, an organization that has funded the erection of statues around the world to glorify their ancestors’ legacies and as a reaction to the civil rights movement of the 20th century.

Jack Spicer, the preservation committee chair for the Hyde Park Historical Society and a park historian, explained that Chicago’s parks fall into two main categories: formal, European-type parks with rigid paths, and naturalistic parks that are more “democratic” and allow people to go anywhere to view nature.

Washington Park and Jackson Park, the homes of the statues that were flagged for review, fall into the more formal category. Spicer said that these statues were designed to command authority; often, this was authority that acted to preserve racist and rigid social hierarchies. “[It’s] a particular kind of statue that we see over and over again in parks, and it doesn’t matter who that portrays; it’s the same message.” Spicer explained.

He pointed to the Carl von Linné Monument, a statue on the Midway near Harper Library that depicts Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus, as another example of this pattern. According to Spicer, Linnaeus made a “scientific” pyramid of life that put white European males on the top.

“Almost always when it’s a vertical kind of pure middle notion of authority, somebody is going to end up at the top that doesn’t necessarily belong there and at the expense of ‘the rest of us,’” Spicer said.

Indeed, the debate is not about statues themselves: It’s part of a broader examination of American identity. Many statues glorifying racist elements of

the country’s past did not spring up by accident. Rather, they appeared as part of a concerted effort to craft a narrative about American history. Despite the legal end of slavery in the United States, the families of Confederate soldiers during Reconstruction and beyond wanted to preserve the Confederacy’s legacy by enshrining it through monuments.

This goal was entrenched in the concept of the Lost Cause, a narrative popularized in the 1890s that tried to

The Statue of the Republic in Jackson Park.

COURTESY OF MARLIN KEESER

paint the Confederacy in a different light. Proponents of this idea put forward the notions that the Civil War was not about slavery and that the Ku Klux Klan was trying to revive the heritage of the South. These ideas were the driving force behind organizations like the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) that sought to solidify their version of history through building monuments.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), an organization similar to the

/ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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“It doesn’t matter who [the statue] portrays: it’s the same message.”

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UDC, is still active. It is an all-male organization whose members have one or more ancestors who fought for the Confederacy.

Matthew Evans, a camp commander for his chapter of the SCV, argues that Confederate monuments were put up in the early 1900s and the 1960s not to intimidate Black Americans but instead simply to commemorate anniversaries of the Civil War. Evans framed the issue as a matter of family history.

“When Reconstruction ended and the turn of the century came, you had a lot of old veterans dying, and there weren’t a lot around to tell the stories of war. A lot of the families that lost cousins or relatives wanted to do something to remember their family, and they picked the courthouses,” Evans said.

But many people of color do not share Evans’s nostalgia for the 19th and 20th centuries—a time that, for the country’s Black and Indigenous populations, was

characterized by brutality, indiscriminate violence, and terror.

John Beacham, a Chicago-based activist who organized a protest against the downtown Balbo Monument in 2017, has long urged Chicago residents to protest Confederate monuments. Beacham was responding to a Chicago magazine article that described Chicagoans traveling to Confederate Mound, located in Oak Woods Cemetery, wearing Confederate costumes and waving Confederate flags as part of an annual memorial service for the dead soldiers at the Confederate monument.

Beacham said that he understood the impulse to mourn the loss of human life, even if it was lost for an unjust cause.

Yet he staunchly believes that that the soldiers at Oak Woods were fighting to uphold white supremacy and that the people honoring the monument were attempting “to resurrect their fight,” a struggle that “should be kept in the grave.”

Besides just taking statues down, several monuments in cities around the country have been sent to museums.

This is seen as a middle ground where they can still be viewed by people but not commemorated or celebrated. As of last September, about 35 monuments had been accepted by museums or sent to Confederate cemeteries nationwide.

Christine Mehring, a professor of art history in the College and an adjunct curator at the Smart Museum of Art, believes that it is important for participants in this debate to frame some of their thinking in a sociohistorical perspective.

In an email to The Maroon, Mehring explained that debates over the role of statues and monuments are often about something deeper.

“Confederate monuments, and many other monuments, are frequently discussed solely in terms of their historical subject matter. Often that is appropriate, but there are also examples where

art historical expertise could help us understand a monument’s complexity and nuance as a representation, the way their particular iconographies, formal renderings, material handling, and art historical references contribute to their meaning,” Mehring wrote.

Mehring also shared how art historians have always wrestled with political artworks in society and developed different solutions to these issues. She mentioned how, post–World War II, Germany employed a wide range of solutions for how to address its history. The country ultimately preserved concentration camps, erected Holocaust memorials, and conserved or removed East German monuments after 1989.

“Our shared interests…bring historical depth and global perspectives to these issues so pressing in the United States right now,” Mehring told Public Art Dialogue in an interview. “Different cultures can and must learn from one another.”

Omar, we are so proud of you for the so many achievements you had done the past years, stay focused and look forward for a bright future awaiting for you.

We love you and we will miss your high spirit and jokes.

Mum, Dad and Hussein

THE CHICAGO MAROON — SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

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Haley Hammer Enjoy UChicago!!

We love you so much!!

Hugs, Dad, Mom and Cole

THE CHICAGO MAROON — SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

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Ally,

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The Class of 2025

2021-2022

Logan Brae Lewis

we’re so excited for you.

May joy and fulfillment define your next 4 years.

We Love you.

Dear Logan, you are embarking on an amazing journey! So proud of you and your achievements. Continue to be true to yourself and strive for excellence! Close your eyes, open your heart, learn EVERYTHING! Love you unconditionally - Mom

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Z a nd

Z San Clemente won’t be the same without you. We will miss you te ibly but at the same time ho e you ha e an ama in olle e e e ien e. ou oms

Mom, Dad, Emma, Sam, Parker, and I all wish you, Abby, and your classmates the best!

I just hope they take me

for a run once in a while.

Love, Shadow

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VIEWPOINTS

Who Keeps Us Safe?

Incoming students must unlearn the conceptions of safety peddled by the University.

By KELLY HUI It may surprise you to learn that the oft-repeated epithet attributed to our private police force—that it is the second largest in the world—is false.

Whether it’s from a tour guide showing prospective students around, from one doting UChicago mother to another, or from an outraged student during Disorientation, you’ve likely heard at least one iteration of this menacing reassurance.

(Second in size only to the Vat-

ican, some will proclaim!) It may even have influenced your decision to enroll as an incoming first-year: Campus safety is certainly no small factor in college decisions, and the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) promises to protect you and keep you safe.

But Eric Heath, the associate vice president for Safety & Security, took the time to dispel this unfounded “fact” during a University-hosted public safety engagement forum last year.

Heath’s highlighting of this

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misperception inadvertently underscores the insidiousness of the UCPD’s lack of transparency: Because the University refuses to release information concerning its police force’s budget and capacity, it is able to spin whatever narratives it likes for the public. The administration hides behind a simulacrum of safety and regurgitates the statistics it does reveal: the UCPD’s number of employees (95 armed officers with full police powers) and its jurisdiction size (South Cottage Grove Avenue to South Lake Shore Drive and East 37th Street to East 64th Street). The details and extent of our “safety” are inaccessible to us. This reluctance to divulge data only serves to obfuscate the ugly truth: The UCPD does not create safety— rather, it leverages carceral ideas of safety to support itself financially and justify itself ideologically. This conception of safety, which was built on displacing and criminalizing our Black and low-income neighbors, gives the University a mandate to brutalize people of color to further its own interests. That is to say, the UCPD protects profits and property over the lives and livelihoods of students and Hyde Park community members.

It’s impossible to talk about campus safety without talking about campus borders. While the College’s campus is contained within a neat square of city blocks, UCPD patrol zones extend well beyond this scope.

In fact, the UCPD serves the 65,000 residents in that area, most of whom are not affiliat-

JAD DAHSHAN ed with the University and are already policed by the Chicago Police Department. The relationship our school has with these folks in Hyde Park, Kenwood, and Woodlawn is nothing short of fraught. To understand the history of UChicago and the development of its private police force is to understand its history of Black removal in the name of safety and “urban renewal”; it’s a history too dense and devastating to cover in whole here, one better articulated elsewhere by James Bradley and Eddie R. Cole. In

short, as the University aggressively expanded its reach in the South Side and acquired more property in the 1950s and ’60s, it disproportionately displaced Black families and leveraged the specter of Black crime to amass a formidable police force that, in turn, created more harm in the neighboring communities. The UCPD has always been a racist, colonial project of harm created to sell an artifice of safety.

That the UCPD is a terrorizing force upholding white suCONTINUED ON PG. 19

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“For first-years stepping foot on campus for the first time, noting the blue lights and patrol cars around campus, remember to examine what your safety really means.”

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premacy and the interests of the University is not news to many. #CareNotCops is organizing to disband our police department, of which The Maroon Editorial Board wrote in favor last year. What is harder for people to wrap their heads around is the necessary separation between the cops patrolling campus and the University-created conception of safety: the realization that there is safety in a campus without police. The construction of a safety tied to militarization starts before you set foot on campus, when admissions officers and online forums assure you that even though Chicago can be a scary place, the UCPD is here for you! And look at our nifty “blue light” emergency phones—an unidentified 100-plus of which are outfitted with cameras constantly surveilling students and community members, but never mind that!

There are students and Hyde

Park residents who say that the UCPD’s presence makes them feel safe. After the separate shootings that tragically killed Ph.D. student Yiran Fan and Class of 2023 student Max Lewis, this worry is certainly understandable. But we must unlearn this University-peddled narrative that conflates cops with safety. We have to ask ourselves: When have UCPD officers actually saved us from harmful situations? When have UCPD officers helped us heal from harm or prevented it from occurring again?

The truth is that the administration is motivated not by actual student safety but rather by the marketing necessity of safety: the safety of property and other University interests.

We are, of course, a University interest—there can be no UChicago without its students to pay tuition, after all—but we do not experience true safety, not when the University has failed survivors of sexual violence,

shot students facing mental health crises, and denied access to life-saving care by refusing to open an adult trauma center (until a yearslong campaign forced the administration to reverse course). The UCPD has never sincerely striven to protect the most vulnerable and most oppressed students and community members—only to maintain the theater of security and secure its bottom line.

Understanding that the University’s racist conception of safety has historically been grounded in dispossessing Black and low-income communities and understanding how it has failed at actually keeping students safe, the administration must disband the UCPD— which is nothing more than the University’s military arm—and practice alternatives to achieve safety. We can start with expanding transportation services (as a recent email from the provost promises to do, despite being riddled with language

associating safety with surveillance and policing) and increasing accessible care-based resources for mental health and sexual assault—yellow lacrosse balls in mugs from Student Wellness simply don’t cut it. As the University welcomes a new president and begins the search for a new UCPD chief of police, we have to continue to organize and make these demands.

And besides—true safety, the safety that not only keeps our bodies secure from harm but also allows us to grow and learn and feel joy? No one can give that to us. We create it. We create it with our hallmates, our classmates, our communities. I believe in a safety defined not by boundaries or harms I escape, but by people. I feel most safe, wherever I am, when I am surrounded by community.

When I am walking back with a friend from dinner. When I know my roommate will greet me once I get back to my dorm.

Safety without the UCPD is

grounded not in the harm it took to get there or the harm that could come to pass but in the absence of harm entirely.

This is a safety that refuses carceral logic.

For first-years stepping foot on campus for the first time, noting the blue lights and patrol cars around campus, remember to examine what your safety really means. Ask yourself: Is it really safety if it puts somebody else in danger? And work on creating your own safety.

Get involved in RSOs and meet new people. Build community.

Get involved with student organizing. Build a better University. To echo what #CareNotCops organizers have said time and time again, the administration does not keep us safe. We keep us safe.

Kelly Hui is a second-year in the College and an associate Viewpoints editor.

Help Can Only Help As hard as it may seem, especially as we transition from online to in-person, asking for help makes life at UChicago much more manageable.

By JENNIFER RIVERA Now that O-Week is finally around the corner and classes are to be in person, the idea of college life is finally going to start setting in for incoming first-year students. Being in an in-person college classroom setting comes with a vastly different dynamic, of course, and it is one that current college students have either never experienced or not experienced

in a while. For many incoming first-years, however, this year marks a shift from remote high school classes to in-person college classes. For many students, this shift is going to make asking for help all the more necessary and all the more difficult.

During remote learning, it was fairly easy to feel very disconnected from classes and the material being taught. That disconnect made it less intimidating to email a professor and

attend office hours virtually.

The shift to in-person classes shouldn’t change that habit of reaching out and asking for help when needed, but it might make it harder. While I was only on campus for two quarters before classes transitioned to remote instruction, I do remember attending lectures and being too intimidated to ask my professors questions, much less for help. My advice as a third-year student to first-years is very cli-

chéd, but it is advice that needs to be repeated each year: Ask for help when you need it.

Where should I even start?

As a UChicago student, you’re going to have to fulfill the core requirements, which means taking classes that are not required for your major. Oftentimes, your non-major classes are the ones that you will have difficulty in. For me, that class was calculus. During my first year, I would hesitate to ask my

friends or professors for help because I didn’t want anyone to know that I didn’t understand what was being taught in class.

I’d tell myself that I’d figure it out if I looked through my unintelligible notes from the lecture that day. I recall sitting at my desk for hours reading the textbook, going over my notes, and cranking out practice problems—but calculus still wouldn’t click for me. I’d tell myself that CONTINUED ON PG. 20

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“However, being independent is also being aware of your strengths and weaknesses and seeking the help you need.”

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it would be fine and that I didn’t really need to understand it that well. Instead of asking for help ahead of time, it took getting my first midterm back to push me to reach out to my professor. I went to my professor’s office hours for the first time, and it wasn’t nearly as bad as I imagined it would be. My professor was actually eager to help me, as most are. That being said, I will also acknowledge that, at first, I was embarrassed to admit that I didn’t understand the material as well as I thought I did. But,

at the end of the day, there was no harm in acknowledging that I was struggling.

You may find yourself in a similar situation, and it may not even be a core class as it was for me. It may very well be one of your major classes, and that’s perfectly fine. It may even be a bit intimidating to ask for help because of feelings of imposter syndrome, all while being surrounded by plenty of brilliant students and faculty. However, seeking help when you need it does not make you any less intelligent or deserving of being

on campus. You’ll hear this a lot as a college student, but your professors are there to help you succeed. You certainly won’t be the first nor the last person struggling to understand concepts being taught in class. As a first-year on campus, you’re going to have to adapt to college culture, and a crucial component of said culture is being aware of your own needs as a student.

Of course, there’s this notion that you’re supposed to be independent in college. Consequently, you’re going to want to try to

learn on your own and leave it at that. However, being independent is also being aware of your strengths and weaknesses and seeking the help you need.

You also have a responsibility to yourself as a student, and that’s acknowledging when you’re struggling academically. Your professors are there to help and are willing to do so (at least most are), and if they aren’t, there are other ways to seek help on campus, such as going to the core tutors, attending your TA’s office hours, forming study groups with people in

your class, or asking friends for help.

As you’re facing the transition from remote learning to in-person classes, know that you’re never alone in this transition. While it may be quite daunting to admit that you’re not performing as well as you thought you would be, it’s imperative to acknowledge sooner rather than later that you may want help.

Jennifer Rivera is a thirdyear in the College.

For Better Or Worse, You Are UChicago The instinct to distance oneself from the slurry of stereotypes that circulate campus is powerful— however, doing so only makes life harder.

By MANYA BHARADWAJ It’s no surprise that the University of Chicago, with its self-proclaimed motto of being a place “where fun goes to die,” has so many miserable students. One source even shows that we had the eighth most depressed student body in the United States in 2019. Students here love to complain, and while students at other colleges do so as well, there’s something different about the conversations that we have. They’re less tongue-in-cheek and more resigned, frustrated, and bitter.

Many cite academic rigor as the main culprit. This is certainly a tough school (in fact, UChicago was recognized as the fifth-toughest college in the country in 2017). But any student who committed to this place knew what they were getting into. We did it either be-

cause we knew we could handle the toughness or because it was something we wanted from our college experience. Other schools of comparable difficulty on that list such as Princeton or Georgetown don’t have the same reputation for misery that we do, so I don’t think the academic difficulty is responsible for the cynicism that is so predominant on this campus. Rather, I think it’s often because of something a little more overlooked: the lack of togetherness in our student body. From what I’ve observed, the unflattering stereotypes that students have of one another are responsible for a certain sense of divisiveness in the community, fueling disdain for the school rather than pride. It’s a form of deep-rooted pessimism that’s fueling a fundamentally disjointed, unhappy environment.

UChicago students don’t

seem to like one another—or at least the idea of what they represent. This school has so many student stereotypes that are each considered emblematic of

KIRA DAVIS

a core aspect of the University, and these aren’t generally positive, which breeds a distaste for the school itself. One common example: With economics being

our most popular major comes the archetype of the econ/finance bro, and this character tends to be disliked most by stuCONTINUED ON PG. 21

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“This school has so many students that are each considered emblematic of a core aspect of the University, and these aren’t generally positive, which breeds a distaste for the school itself. “ CONTINUED FROM PG. 20

dents who hate UChicago for being what they describe as a cold, cruel, capitalist institution. I’m most definitely guilty of a similar aversion myself, albeit to a much different (and probably the most common) UChicago archetype.

The archetype I’m envisioning is the one who works too hard but doesn’t know how to have fun; someone who is solely academically oriented and far too theoretically focused to be a part of the practical, real

world; someone who is socially awkward and perhaps a little too eccentric for me to have enough in common with. So I try, both consciously and subconsciously, to distance myself from that stereotype by emphasizing myself as someone who is well-rounded, well-adjusted, and sociable. I know with full certainty that there is a plethora of well-rounded, well-adjusted, and sociable people at this school. But I can never fully shake this image out of my head because it’s been frequently

reinforced by my experiences during my two years here.

Take, for example, the advice I got from a networking call I had with a recent UChicago alum in February. “When you get to the interviews, make sure they know that you can have a conversation with them,” he told me. “UChicago kids have a reputation for being weird and awkward, so it won’t be hard to stand out from the rest once you do that.” It’s one of many moments when I’ve found myself disheartened by what the image

of the classic UChicago student seems to be.

I want to emphasize that I don’t hate UChicago; I’m having a wonderful experience and I don’t regret coming here. But I’ve realized that I, just like every other cynical student, have somewhat alienated myself from this university because of its unflattering stereotypes. We have no school spirit. Instead, we each justify ourselves by saying that we’re not quintessential. But in clinging so firmly to our exceptionality, we’re

reinforcing a norm defined by nerdiness, social ineptitude, and factionalism. Perhaps, instead, if we could embrace ourselves as part of UChicago’s culture, not as exceptions to it, we could add a bit of dimension to the perception of our school.

We have to stop telling ourselves that we’re not like other UChicago students—that we’re different.

Manya Bharadwaj is a thirdyear in the College.

Stay True to You Faced with the new pressures and freedoms of college, it is more important than ever to prioritize your own wellbeing.

By MAYA ORDOÑEZ For many of us, coming to college is the first extended period spent away from home, parents, and the familiar. I’ve seen, and experienced firsthand, the many ways people abuse this new personal freedom—from binge drinking to sleepless nights studying. As someone who has been in your shoes, I am here to tell you my story, what I learned, and my advice as you begin your journey into a world of near-complete personal freedom.

I came to UChicago feeling much the same way you probably are now—excited, nervous, and daunted by UChicago’s reputation. Given how successful everyone around me seemed, I felt as though proving myself academically was the only way I could make friends and be one with the UChicago community.

So during autumn quarter of first year, I enrolled in four classes—

Mechanics, General Chemistry, Calculus II, and Readings in World Literature (my humanities Core sequence). I joined a multitude of extracurriculars—I walked onto the cross-country team, applied to be a columnist for The Chicago Maroon, and did orientation for Alpha Phi Omega (the community service fraternity). I also wanted to join a lab. Meanwhile, I tried to attend parties every weekend, make friends in my house, and spend time with the friends I had made during preseason.

What I failed to take into account, though, was how new I was to most of these things. I had never taken chemistry properly, had a dodgy understanding of mechanics, and, in high school, rarely had reading assignments that exceeded 40 pages. I had never written for a newspaper and, given that I come from a town of around 2,400 people, had never been in a school club

with more than 10 members. I also ignored the fact that many of my peers were familiar with what was new to me—in General Chemistry and Mechanics, many had already taken AP Chemistry and the entire AP Physics sequence, respectively; a lot of the cross-country athletes had been recruited; and nearly everyone I met grew up in a city.

By the middle of the quarter, I was burnt out and overwhelmed.

I withdrew from Mechanics. I injured my knee and was unable to run. I stopped attending Alpha Phi Omega meetings and ended up quitting altogether. I never sent an email to the researchers whose work interested me. I also closed myself off socially—I stopped going out as frequently, spent long nights alone in the Reg, and became a house ghost.

What truly helped me was a simple walk around campus with two of my close friends. It was a lovely evening to begin with—

amber sunlight flooded campus, and the air was brisk. We wandered around the upper pews in Rockefeller Chapel as the setting sun illuminated its stained glass windows, we stumbled upon a tango class for the elderly, and we talked—genuinely, openly, and nonjudgmentally—about how we felt. To my surprise, they too were anxious, overwhelmed, and unsure of themselves. Knowing that others felt the same way was reassuring, to say the least.

After that walk, I began trying to focus on what made me happy regardless of how I thought others perceived it. I devoted more time to making new friends, learning how to write columns, and exploring Hyde Park. I said yes to more spontaneous outings—eating dinner downtown, auditioning for the MODA fashion show, and attending a frat formal. As a result, my grades stopped suffering. I noticed myself smiling more often, and I

felt happier overall. I began to recognize the fact that people, at UChicago and beyond, are more willing to accept you if you pursue what you love. And, above all else, I truly internalized a lesson I thought I’d already learned: You must always listen to yourself.

In the end, it is you who makes the decisions, you who paves the way through college—no one else. Now that eight-hour nonstop school days will be replaced by three to five hours of sporadic class time per day and the feeling of your parents breathing down your neck will be replaced by the frigid Chicago winds, it’s important to remember that with complete freedom of choice, you should always choose yourself, your well-being, and your happiness—even if it means adapting some of the things you valued before to suit you better now.

Maya Ordoñez is a third-year in the College.

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Take a Step Back to Run the Race Amid the competitive environment of your first year, use your classes as an opportunity to better understand yourself.

By LUKE CONTRERAS If I could say anything to myself at the beginning of my first year, it would be not to trust anyone whose advice begins with, “If I could say anything to myself at the beginning of my first year…” — it’s just too clichéd. That is to say, it won’t benefit anyone who is not the advice-giver themselves. Take heart, however, because my advice is different.

This subtle criticism wrapped in a paradox might seem somewhat conceited, especially for a freshfaced second-year. I do believe there is value in learning from older individuals who have encountered the challenges you may face in the future. However, my cynicism stems from inconsistencies I hear from the advice of adults and older peers. While some implore you to explore as much as possible, others advise that you stick to classes within your major—and the rest urge you to design a course schedule that will lead to the strongest GPA. These well-wishers tell you things that they wish they knew.

Each person’s advice, while helpful, often conflicts with other advice you receive because it is framed in the context of their personal experiences. Your journey through college is uniquely your own, and you must run your own race.

In my first few weeks of college—among the uncertainties of the pandemic, an increased workload, and social life—I became obsessed with trying to discover my true reason for attending UChicago. On top of the stressors and my question of identity, I was met with many different answers to this question from my peers. On a mandatory O-Week Zoom discussion, one student commented that UChicago was his fastest track

DARYA FOOROHAR to becoming rich, while another described her college enrollment as “an opportunity that doesn’t just fall out of the sky.” Any of my in-person classes were filled with students discussing the stock markets, the RSOs they absolutely needed to join to improve their resume, or the daunting experience of being pre-med. Online forums were overrun with questions about

internships, research opportunities, and career advice. I wondered, Where do I fit into all of this?

I questioned not how, but where I belonged in a student body with such a wide variety of ambitions.

Was I the student who wanted a high-paying job or the student excited for the enriching learning environment? Was everyone in more RSOs than me? How did my peers

already get internship offers? My questions focused too heavily on the actions of others.

There is no doubt that you will hear the same buzz across campus as you begin your own college journey. You may admire the passion of some students but lose confidence in your own. You may be intimidated by those who seem to have their careers figured out—intern-

ships secured, classes sorted out, professions already decided—and feel behind. Take a step back. This is the beginning of your college journey, and it’s much too early to determine the trajectory of your entire career.

This piece of advice is not uncommon, but it can do more than just relieve the stress you will feel entering this new environment: It can actively enrich your college experience. Some of the well-wishers I introduced earlier will follow the classic “take a step back” with “Slow down and enjoy your first year!” I disagree. I did not “slow down” during my first year, and I certainly did not always enjoy it. My three quarters bombarded me with P-sets, next-level computer science projects, humanities papers, and mathematical proofs. However, when I stepped back from the work itself, I could understand which aspects of my classes I truly enjoyed.

I learned that, although physics left me frantically scribbling calculations on a notepad before the Friday night deadline, I actually enjoyed solving math problems.

Computer science projects kept me from sleeping and made my bed jealous, but the endless nights I spent designing algorithms and writing code made me appreciate the C programming language’s unique access to computer memory. Though writing about the Aeneid or the Iliad did not excite me as much as it did my classmates, I discovered that I loved argumentative writing (hence why this Maroon article, and my others, exists).

Go at your own pace, whether it means slowing down, speeding up, or somewhere in between. Taking a step back means isolating yourself from the crowd and attempting to truly understand what you, indiCONTINUED ON PG. 23

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vidually, want to accomplish over the next four years. Your first year will be filled with major classes and Core classes that can teach you more about yourself than what’s on the syllabus. These courses (especially the Core ones) are designed to expose you to a wide variety of topics that diversify your education. Give them an opportunity to impact not just your education but you as an individual. Especially pay attention in classes that you might

not find as interesting because those often demonstrate the furthest extent of your interests and abilities.

This is probably when you may be asking yourself, “Wouldn’t you give this advice to your first-year self? Doesn’t that make you a hypocrite?” Perhaps it does. The beauty of this advice is that it can work for anyone. You might not have figured out your major. Maybe you know exactly what you want your college and career path to look like.

Some of you will be more prone to taking risks, and others will be more conservative. Graduate or medical school might be your end goal, or perhaps you just want to begin working immediately after graduation. No matter who you are, you can take your UChicago education to the next level to improve yourself, discover your passions, and find hidden aspects of yourself. Taking my advice could do anything from exposing a few new interests or talents to completely

deciding your major.

Your first year is not a time to compare yourself to your classmates. There will be plenty of times to compare yourself to, compete with, and challenge your peers in the following three years of your UChicago education, when you have a better understanding of yourself. This first year is instead an opportunity to realize what you want out of your education. Which classes, or aspects of those classes, do you find most interesting? How

can you use what you learned to help you through other classes or your life as a whole? Even if you think you know yourself well, as I did at the start of my first year, I guarantee that this year will reveal more than you can imagine. Only by taking a step back will you learn enough about yourself to run this race successfully and make the most of your college experience.

Luke Contreras is a second-year in the College.

What You Need To Know About Contingent Faculty (AKA Your Professors) The Faculty Forward union advocates on behalf of non-tenure faculty, and it needs students’ help creating a better UChicago for workers and students alike.

By FACULTY FORWARD When you decided to come to UChicago (good choice, by the way), the school’s low student-to-faculty ratio and reputation for excellent teaching probably played a part. But when you sign up for your first classes, it might start to seem like all professors are not created equal. What gives? And why are some faculty unionized while others are not?

While academic titles admittedly verge on the arcane and grotesque, many of the differences between your professors start to make sense once you realize that the University doesn’t treat us all as equals. Some of us are asked to do a lot more with a lot less. And since our working conditions are also your learning conditions, we’d like to tell you a bit more about those working conditions and ask for your voice as we fight to improve them—thus improving your learning conditions as well.

Why are some of my professors

called “lecturers” or “instructional professors” or “professors of practice”? Are they real professors?

Yes, we are—we’re just not “on the tenure track.” What’s the difference?

Tenure-track faculty are hired primarily to do research and secondarily to teach. Non–tenure track faculty—also called contingent, instructional, or adjunct faculty—specialize in teaching.

We have the same qualifications as tenure-track faculty (typically a Ph.D.), and many of us continue our research, scholarship, and artistic practices.

Contingent faculty may be part-time or full-time, but all of us work on limited-term contracts ranging from one quarter to five years. Unlike tenured faculty, we must pass frequent performance reviews in order to keep our jobs.

We are also paid less, sometimes much less, than tenure-track faculty.

You will almost certainly take classes taught by contingent fac-

ulty. In fact, contingent faculty teach roughly half of all classes in the College!

What is the Faculty Forward union at UChicago and why was it formed?

Faculty Forward is a labor union of over 300 contingent faculty members on campus formed in 2015 and affiliated with Service Employment International Union Local 73. The purpose of the union is to protect our working conditions so that we can concentrate on being great teachers (not having to teach an excessive number of classes, for example, so that we can devote more time and energy to each student).

We also want to be paid fairly for the work we do. We think that all faculty should have the same benefits for themselves and their families (time off when they have a new baby, for instance), regardless of whether they are tenure-track or not, and that if part-time professors are doing a great job, they should be promoted to full-time.

But the reason we’re here is because the administration doesn’t always agree with these positions.

And when that happens, the union and the administration have to resolve their differences through collective bargaining, which is what we’re engaged in as you’re reading this.

What is the union asking for in the current negotiations?

Here are our three biggest asks—though honestly, we think they’re pretty reasonable. Especially since, even though we teach half the classes in the College, our salaries make up only about 0.3 percent of the University’s $5 billion annual budget!

• Don’t cut our pay, especially during a pandemic! The administration is offering us tiny raises, but they’re below the long-term rate of inflation, meaning they’re as good as pay cuts. We want just a little bit more than inflation, because we think we’re doing a pretty good job, and we’re al-

ways working to become even better.

• Don’t ask us to cut down on the attention we give our students!

We put everything we’ve got into our teaching (and we’re proud of it), but the administration seems to think that there are more than 24 hours in a day and that teaching one more class is no big deal. When we say this would mean giving less personal attention to you, our students, they say, “Too bad.” But we don’t want to make that compromise.

• Equal dignity for professors of social work! Currently, all part-timers in our union are paid the same amount to teach a class, no matter the department—with one exception: the graduate school of social work. Why? We’re not sure, but we do know that social work has historically included disproportionate numbers of women and people of color, and UChicago pays its adjunct CONTINUED ON PG. 24

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“Don’t ask us to cut down on the attention we give our students! We put everything we’ve got into our teaching (and we’re proud of it), but the administration seems to think that there are more than 24 hours in a day and that teaching one more class is no big deal.”

CONTINUED FROM PG. 23

faculty in social work about 25 percent less than literally everyone else. The Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice’s motto is “advancing a more just and humane society.” We say: Be the change, UChicago!

How can I show support for my non–tenure track professors?

If you share our values and appreciate our teaching, we’d be incredibly grateful for your support.

Here are some simple things you can do: • Email President Alivisatos and Provost Lee and remind

them that our working conditions are your learning conditions!

• Share this FAQ far and wide with your friends, family, housemates, and the person sticking a Q-tip up your nose.

• Get involved with organizations that support organized

labor across campus, such as the UC Labor Council.

• Reach out to us at uchi.facultyforward@gmail.com.

If you can do any of this, thanks! If not, we’re still here for you. Here’s to a new academic year—we can’t wait to get back to class.

Faculty Forward is a labor union of more than 300 contingent faculty members on campus formed in 2015 and affiliated with Service Employment International Union Local 73.

Surviving UChicago Sexual assault on campus is rampant, and the future is uncertain—but we, as a community of survivors, will keep fighting.

By PARUL KUMAR Content warning: This article discusses sexual assault.

In the first month of my first year at the University of Chicago, I met my assaulter. But he wasn’t my assaulter then; he was my friend. We had met at the Green Line station off the #55 bus on our way to a party at Northwestern. For the next six months, we would grab lunch, share jokes, and hang out at parties when we saw each other, and he would become one of my closest friends at the University. One night, I met him at a party at his fraternity. He told me to trust him that night, as he would take care of me.

He didn’t. He assaulted me. After, he told me he wanted to since the day we met.

In the months after my sexual assault, I would come to class with red eyes, crying in whatever empty room I could find beforehand because I didn’t want to cry during class. Sometimes, the tears slipped out anyways, smearing the ink on my readings as my teachers would lecture. This would be in the rare instances that I’d even be able to

go to my classes. Often, I’d walk outside my dorm and feel a pit in my stomach grow larger and larger until it swallowed me whole. I would return to my dorm, hiding in the safety of my bedsheets. I stopped eating at the dining halls and going out regularly, and I spent my time alone. I didn’t want anyone to see what he had done to me.

I didn’t want to see him.

Even after almost two years of quarantine, I am still terrified to see him, knowing he will be on campus when we come back. His name will be called during our graduation alongside mine as a fitting end to my time here.

My time at the University has been marked by my experiences with sexual violence. My first interaction with administration was with the Title IX office, having to report a case of sexual harassment as a prospective student. This was only one of the cases of sexual violence I faced within days of my acceptance as a student at the University and the first of several that I would face as a student after enrolling. Many of these occurrences that I faced were shared experiences with fellow survivors I befriended on campus in the

coming years.

During the fall of my second year at the College, my friend and I cofounded a digital art installation called “UChicago Lost, Not Found” in collaboration with the Phoenix Survivors Alliance.

The idea arose from a breakfast conversation in which we talked about the things we had lost in the aftermath of our assaults. We created an Instagram page full of pictures of “lost” items of clothing with captions from survivors of sexual violence at the University who talked about the things they lost. While we created the first few, the rest came from the community of survivors in Hyde Park, many of whom had felt the same things I did and were brave enough to share those feelings.

In the time since, different accounts that intend to share the stories of survivors, such as @uchicagospeaksout, have emerged. After a year of remote interaction and digital communication, online spaces have become critical for survivors to not only seek justice but also find community and support.

Though much has changed between now and 2018, both in-

terpersonally and in the world at large, I am still not fully healed.

There are nights when I wonder if what happened to me was my fault, if I can ever trust a man again, and if I will ever be okay even now. Yet those are overshadowed by the nights I crack open a bottle of wine with my friends, cook a fantastic dinner, or paint something with a new color I’ve never used.

While I met my assaulter during my time at UChicago, I’m thankful to have also met my friends and become a part of an incredible community of survivors— to all of whom I am immensely grateful for supporting me these past three years. I am also grateful for finding a friend in myself and learning to become kinder to myself to help support me through everything I have experienced.

As the 2021–22 school year commences, the horrific reality of the University of Chicago and other campuses across America means that several students will become survivors of sexual assault during their time in college.

I am afraid that there will be more sexual assault cases on our campus and that other students will go through what I and countless

other survivors at UChicago have gone through. I am afraid it might happen to me again.

Still, as hard as things are and have been, life has gotten better.

I communicate with my friends regularly, go to therapy, and show more kindness to myself given everything I have been through.

While I am not fully healed, I am better now than I was in the aftermath of my assault, and I will keep progressing with a strong community of survivors beside me, supporting one another through it all. To survivors at the University of Chicago, you are not alone.

Though I continue to carry fears about the reality of sexual assault as I think about the upcoming year, I am more hopeful about the reality that survivors live with each and every day; we are survivors, and we will continue to survive.

If you need any resources to help navigate your experience with sexual violence, please check out Phoenix Survivors Alliance’s 2020 resource book.

Parul Kumar is the president of Undergraduate Student Government and one of the copresidents of the Phoenix Survivors Alliance.

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For Haircut & Styling, Color, Highlight, Relaxer, Perm, Balayage, Wash & Blow Dry, Wash & Set etc.

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57thstreethairsalon.com 773-288-5757

Jackson Van Vooren

Congratulations Jackson!

We’re so proud of you and know you’ll accomplish great things!

We love you, Mom & Emma

Congratulations

Esther we are so proud of you and look forward to learning what your future holds.

Love Aba, Mom, Sophia and Ari

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Aashna –

Breaking News!

Long-lost heir to the Russian throne, Tsar Nikola Tesla II, not seen since 2014 in Budapest, has just been spotted in Hyde Park, Chicago, USA during UChicago Orientation and responded to the name Thomas Kralik.

He disappeared after entering Hull Gate and has not been seen since. Next sighting is estimated to be in 2025.

Enjoy the Journey!

Love, Mamãe, Dada, & Biel

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Tomas Germanas Class of 2025

Dearest “Sagaroo”:

You are so loved by many... We are all proud of you and excited for this amazing new chapter in your life!

Good luck and don’t forget to take your vitamins!

Congratulations Tomas!

Have an unforgettable experience at UChicago You look great in maroon!

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Class of 2025

Augusta Crow

Good luck AJC! I’ll miss you!

Love, Trixie

George Crow

Good luck GMC! Les Corbeaux love you!

Class of 2025

Congratulations to Camille on beginning your studies at the University of Chicago!

We love you and are here for you, always.

M, B, C, and F

THE CHICAGO MAROON — SEPTEMER 20, 2021

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ARTS The “Write” Way to Get Involved on Campus An insiders guide to UChicago’s diverse array of student publications

By NATALIE MANLEY | Associate Arts Editor In light of the spreading Delta variant of COVID-19, recognized student organizations (RSOs) currently await further notice from the University on the return of physical meetings on-campus.

Student publications at the University of Chicago are about as old as the University itself. What began with the creation of The Chicago Maroon in 1892 (the University was founded in 1890) has since ballooned into a long list of both archived and active publications on subjects ranging from music to politics to humor. Though not all great publications last—some honorable mentions from over the years include Whoopsilon (1921), a Delta Upsilon fraternity newsletter; Wild Onions (1974–75), a poetry magazine; and a collection of essays titled Man-hater (1897)—new publications are established every year and are eager for new writers and members. All history aside, whether you are looking for a creative outlet, an opportunity to write academically, or anything in between, here is a categorized list of the active student publications UChicago has to offer this fall.

Newspaper/Journalism Publications The Chicago Maroon (what you’re reading right now!) is UChicago’s independent student-run newspaper and oldest publication. With articles published online daily and in print every Wednesday, The Maroon is the University’s one-stop shop for on-campus and local South Side news, student op-eds, long-form feature pieces, arts reviews, and sports updates.

Students interested in writing for The Maroon can contribute to any one (or more!) of the newspaper’s five written sections: News, Viewpoints (opinion pieces), Sports, Arts (the best section), and Grey City (its “features” or magazine-like section). Not so keen on writing? The Maroon

also has its own production, business, podcast, copyediting, photo, and video teams.

Additionally, for those interested in journalism and writing, the University Office of Career Advancement offers a special program geared toward helping students polish résumés, connect with employers in the industry, and find out in advance about internship or job opportunities in the field. In the past several years, the UChicago Careers in Journalism and Creative Writing program has hosted conversations with Michael Klingensmith, CEO and board member of the Star Tribune; journalist Sarah Koenig of Serial; author Samuel Freedman; and poet and journalist Ted Genoways.

If interested, you can visit the UChicago Career Advancement website and sign up for the program’s listhost.

Creative Writing Publications Perhaps you’re less interested in breaking news and more interested in breaking boundaries and writing creatively. Fortunately, UChicago has several publications that feature students’ creative essays, stories, poetry, and more. Founded in 2007, Sliced Bread Magazine features “a slice of the stuff of life, the crumbs of our meandering existence”—in other words, visual art, photography, poetry, short fiction, and “all other forms of two-dimensional art.”

Issues are published once per quarter, while individual pieces are released regularly online. Any student at the University of Chicago is welcome to submit work with the option of remaining anonymous.

Alternatively, UChicago’s Euphony Journal is a semiannual student-run literary journal that features the poetry and prose of University students and accomplished writers alike. Formal issues are released in the winter and spring, while online content is published all year

round.

Finally, Memoryhouse is a student-run literary magazine that features first-person narratives in all forms from University undergraduates, graduates, faculty, and staff. The only requirement for submissions is that they are written in first-person voice and “present a concrete narrative”; all literary genres, as well as art and photography, are welcome. Memoryhouse releases two to three issues per academic year in addition to posting regular content on its website.

Arts Publications If The Maroon Arts section piqued your interest, you might also want to check out UChicago’s more niche art publications.

Interested in fashion? Recognized in 2013 by Teen Vogue as one of the best college fashion magazines in the country, MODA Magazine is a student-run, student-modeled, student-photographed, and student-written publication within the greater RSO MODA, which also boasts an online blog and a student-designed and -modeled fashion show. Since its recent revamp, MODA Magazine has published one 60–70 page issue each quarter featuring articles and images exploring the world of fashion in a socially conscious and deeply personal way.

More into music than fashion?

Launched just this past year, Firebird Magazine is an online publication that features all things music. From interviews to must-listen lists to album reviews, Firebird is for anyone with a fiery passion for music and an eagerness to write (or podcast) about it.

Finally, if you somehow miraculously don’t wear clothes or listen to music (kidding!), you must eat in order to survive; therefore, you might be interested in Bite. Bite is a quarterly print culinary magazine and online blog that features recipes, cooking tips, food photography, local and on-campus restaurant reviews, student spotlights, and more!

Publications Uplifting Marginalized Voices Although UChicago’s student publications are open to all students regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity, certain students’ voices, particularly those in traditionally marginalized groups, have been historically underrepresented. Exploring Race and Blacklight Magazine are two publications that aim to counter this underrepresentation by providing a media platform for the work of UChicago students who have felt their voices have been overlooked by other publications or who wish to explicitly write about race or racial issues.

Exploring Race is an online publication that features personal accounts written by students of color about their experiences as a members of marginalized groups on campus. In doing so, the publication hopes to shed light on these experiences for those who may not be aware of their existence and promote widespread dialogue about them among students of all backgrounds. While Exploring Race focuses more on firsthand stories and factual accounts, Blacklight Magazine, a literary and arts publication associated with the University’s Organization of Black Students (OBS), spotlights the work of underrepresented student writers and artists as well as other minority voices in the broader Chicago area.

Politics and Policy Publications If you are interested in focusing solely on politics or policy, The Gate, The Chicago Journal of Foreign Policy, or the Paul Douglas Institute may be more your style.

Like The Maroon, The Gate is an undergraduate student-run news publication, albeit one that specifically covers politics and policy on a local, national, and international level. In order to encourage individuals from all corners of CONTINUED ON PG. 31

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the political spectrum to broaden their political knowledge and debate their opinions in an informed manner, The Gate publishes nonpartisan news articles as well as student-written opinion pieces.

In addition, The Gate also runs the Cook County Jail Program, which provides the opportunity for local detainees to participate in journalism and creative writing workshops run by UChicago students.

Founded in 2012, The Chicago Journal of Foreign Policy aims to provide a forum for students to explore various perspectives and strategies surrounding U.S.-international affairs by publishing articles that discuss “historical, economic, political, and cultural developments” within foreign nations. The Journal is published in print biannually, but content is uploaded regularly online.

Lastly, though less of a formal publication, the Paul Douglas Institute (PDI) is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit student-run think tank that, in addition to offering research services for outside organizations, publishes student-written policy reports. In order to write for PDI,

you must apply to be a researcher in the spring or fall.

Economics and Finance Publications The Intercollegiate Finance Journal and Promontory Investment Research are for those who find economics and finance to be more up their alley.

Originally launched at Brown University in 2013, The Intercollegiate Finance Journal is now a multi-college publication run by students from Brown University; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Chicago; and the University of Pennsylvania. The publication features “fun” articles meant to educate the undergraduate community in various topics related to economics, business, politics, and finance.

Promontory Investment Research, on the other hand, has a mission “to democratize knowledge about investment research, to promote an intellectual approach for investing, and to equip [its] members with a strong analytical toolkit.” The group publishes equity reports once per quarter.

Other (Uncategorizable) Publications Last, but certainly not least, are some of the most uniquely unique publications UChicago has to offer.

If you’re interested in Kant, Socrates, Plato, or any other famous philosophers, or perhaps you fancy yourself philosophically inclined, check out the University of Chicago Philosophy Review (UCPR), which posts biannual collections of philosophically driven essays from undergraduates around the world.

In addition to student work, UCPR also publishes interviews and lectures that feature famous professors and philosophical thinkers.

Looking for something even more “classic” than the work of ancient philosophers (if that’s even possible)? Look no further than Animus, a new undergraduate journal that publishes what its members consider to be exceptional written work in the field of classics. In addition to academic papers, Animus also regularly shares translations, creative works, and visual art in its journal and on its online blog. The publication hopes to help “create a dialogue between tradi-

tional and reception-based approaches to scholarship on ancient cultures and the Classical world.”

For those with a sense of humor (or who think they have a sense of humor), UChicago’s only “intentional” humor publication, The Shady Dealer, is for you. The Dealer puts out three issues per quarter (nine each year), filled to the brim with satire and social commentary.

Sometimes, The Dealer will also release special projects, perform stunts, and publish online-only content.

Finally, The Triple Helix, UChicago’s sole science-focused publication, showcases student-written articles and research reports on interdisciplinary topics in the natural, physical, and social sciences. The Triple Helix releases its journals, The Science in Society Review and Scientia, in print twice a year and its online journal, The Spectrum, once per quarter.

Interested in one or more of these publications? Be sure to visit their websites or find them on Blueprint to learn more about how you can get involved!

Intermission’s Finally Over: Theater Returns to Campus

By GABI GARCIA | Arts Editor In light of the spreading Delta variant of COVID-19, recognized student organizations (RSOs) currently await further guidance from the University on the return of physical meetings on campus.

Students from different walks of campus life take part in theater productions each year. The largest contingent participates in University Theater (UT), which produces more than 35 shows a year, reaching an annual audience of more than 10,000. With access to the 11-story Logan Center and the knowledge of theater professionals and academics, UT offers its participants an extensive set of resources. UT’s Theater[24]—a festival held the first weekend of each quarter—invites students

to create an entire play from scratch, from playwriting to set design to performance, in just 24 hours. Sign up for its listhost to receive updates.

If you’re looking for a bit more rehearsal time, A Weekend of Workshops, usually held during the fifth week of each quarter, gives directors the chance to explore their craft and put on short pieces. New this year, UT will be hosting readings of student-written work fourth week of fall quarter. Auditions are held the first week of every quarter. New and curious students can sign up for the UT listhost and check the UT Website for specific audition information.

If you prefer to stay out of the spotlight, positions for production, stage and house management, lighting, set

design, costume design, and sound design are always available. Additionally, UT runs design cohorts in conjunction with the Theater and Performance Studies (TAPS) professional staff, theater artists employed at the Logan Center specifically to mentor students. More information on Cohorts is available on the UT website, or you can contact UT Committee, the student committee that runs UT, at ut-committee@uchicago. edu.

Students with Shakespearean inclinations may want to check out The Dean’s Men. As the University’s resident Shakespeare troupe, they stage one of the Bard’s 39 plays every quarter. The Dean’s Men also hold play readings, film screenings, and a quarterly Shakespeare Q&A with assistant professor Timothy Harrison, an expert on Renaissance and

early modern English literature. This fall, they’ll be returning to the stage with a production of Love’s Labour’s Lost. The Dean’s Men hold auditions in conjunction with UT, and you can find out more specific information from their listhost.

Because Hyde Park is the birthplace of improvisational comedy, it’s only fitting that the University boasts not one but two excellent improv groups.

Formed by Second City founder Bernie Sahlins (A.B. ’43) in 1986, you can catch a sneak peek of Off-Off Campus, the oldest student improvisational theater and sketch comedy troupe in the country, at its virtual O-Week show. Its fiveweek revue, which runs each quarter from fourth to eighth week, showcases the troupe’s hilarious skits and improv CONTINUED ON PG. 32

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comedy, and it will be offered during fall quarter. Occam’s Razor, an improv troupe known for its more laid-back style, is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. The group puts on three free shows each quarter in the FXK Theater or at The Revival, located on 55th Street. Previous acts have included on-the-spot PowerPoints, impersonations, and reenactments of scenes based only on visual cues. Auditions for both Off-Off and Occam’s Razor are held early fall quarter.

Seeking a more unconventional creative outlet? Never fear—unconventional is UChicago’s middle name.

Those looking to combine their love for history and theater may be interested in UChicago Commedia, which specializes in the commedia dell’arte theater style of the Italian Renaissance. The Underground Collective is a unique University of Chicago safe-space performance collective composed of student performers who put on quarterly showcases of entirely original work, including poetry, music, dance, and multi-art collaborations. The collective will be hosting auditions early in fall quarter.

Ever dream of running away and joining the circus? Also housed under UT, the student-run Le Vorris & Vox Circus offers all affiliated with the

University the chance to learn a plethora of circus skills, ranging from aerial silks and trapeze to group acrobatics and juggling. The circus offers specific workshops as well as weekly open gyms, and they usually put on a show at the end of each quarter. More details to follow about equipment usage and social distancing.

If you don’t have time to leave Hyde Park but still want to get your fix of professional theater, Court Theatre puts on high-quality shows on South Ellis Avenue next door to Campus North Residential Commons. Once called “the most consistently excellent theater company in America” by The Wall Street Journal, Court will open this season with Shakespeare’s Othello, co-directed

by Artistic Director Charlie Newell and Research Fellow Gabrielle Randle-Bent.

While tickets may appear pricier than other campus productions, students are eligible for discounts, including free rush tickets to certain Wednesday and Thursday night performances.

Fresh thespian blood, experienced or not, is what keeps theater groups alive and improving each year. Whether you love being on the stage or behind it, UChicago has a role for you—check out any of the organizations listed above and start your performance today.

The Old Man and the Old Moon, UT’s last show before the pandemic. BRANDON ZANG

Caffeine Around UChicago: For When Dining Hall Coffee Just Isn’t Enough

By ISABELLA CISNEROS | Arts Editor and NATALIE MANLEY | Associate Arts Editor From the sounds of jazzy Spotify playlists to the grinding of coffee beans to casual debates about the best kind of milk to put in an iced latte, here at UChicago, student-run coffee shops brim with energy.

Perhaps our addiction brewed thanks to the plethora of coffee shops campus has to offer: There are bougie professional seats for the econ bros and casual couches for

napping, and a calm ambience for hardcore homework sessions. Whether you are seeking a dose of caffeine for a midterm paper writing boost, a game of pool with your friends, or a chance to pursue your dream of becoming a barista, here are some student coffee shops and off-campus favorites for you to check out.

Note: Student cafés are currently in talks

with administrators and are waiting to hear back regarding the 2021–22 school year.

Keep an eye on the Student Center page for details. More information will follow closer to the start of autumn quarter.

Ex Libris* is tucked away in the corner of the first floor of the Reg—quite hard to miss for the lover of bustling atmospheres.

While it is the only café not allowed to play music, the lack of tunes doesn’t take away from the lively nature of the shop any hour you step in. People stop by to grab coffee

in between classes, stagger in for a break from homework-cramming sessions in the bookstacks, or drop by to meet with TAs to discuss paper topics. Keep on the lookout for its quarterly Ex After Dark events, in which the baristas invent creative drinks and desserts past midnight!

Harper Café* (Common Knowledge Café) is conveniently located just a few steps away from UChicago’s most Hogwarts-esque study spot, the Arley D. CONTINUED ON PG. 33

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Cathey Learning Center. One of the busiest cafés on campus, students refer to it as a chiller alternative to Ex Libris Café.

Harper’s cozy recliner couches and smaller space make it a perfect place to nap or meet for small group study. For a firsthand experience of a Harper barista, check out third-year Noah Tesfaye’s September 2020 testament to Harper’s welcoming environment in The Maroon. We personally recommend its mochas and muffins.

Cobb Coffee Shop* defines the motto “Anything Goes.” There’s a tinfoil hat hanging from the ceiling. It has a Minecraft server. There’s a retro TV behind the counter. You can also get a free cup of lentil soup if you ask nicely. Located in the basement of Cobb Hall, this café offers packaged food from Hyde Park restaurants as well, and rumor has it that it has the cheapest pizza by the slice on campus. Catch students and professors running in and out between classes or first-years avoiding the space because they’ve been scared off by the eclectic music pounding through the speakers—on full blast. What can we say?

We like the chaotic vibe.

Grounds of Being, the Divinity School coffee shop, is Where God Drinks His Coffee. Put in mere mortal terms, it has the best cup of joe available on campus, and it is surprisingly cheap! Don’t feel out of place among the grad students and notoriously attractive baristas: Many undergrads stop by to enjoy its wide variety of Hyde Park fare. Wait for the Purple Haze latte in the spring: It’s the perfect combination of lavender and espresso for a sunny morning of classes and meetings. For $5 a year, you can also join its exclusive Mug Club. As a member, you receive discounts on every drink you buy, free mug washings, and $1 off any drink or a free cup of coffee every month! But be careful: This basement study spot only accepts cash.

(Details to follow post-pandemic about the Mug Club and traditionally cash-only registers.)

Hallowed Grounds*, located on the second floor of Reynolds Club, boasts one of the artsiest spaces on campus. The baristas curate new and exciting music, and the café offers a range of packed meals from local eateries. The billiards tables make it a student hotspot, and its cozy couches are a good place to catch up with

friends (or make some new ones). If you stay until 11 p.m., you can snag free coffee and baked goods! It also hosts artsy RSO events, including Sliced Bread’s magazine parties.

Other cafés on campus (though not student-run) include Peach’s at University* in the Media, Arts, Data, and Design Center, Pret A Manger* in Reynolds Club, Dollop Coffee at Campus North Residential Commons (temporarily closed according to its website), Café Logan* at the Logan Center, Quantum Café* at the Eckhardt Building, the Law School Café* on East 60th Street, and the two Starbucks* stores at the campus bookstore and Saieh Hall.

While we are all fond of our on-campus cafés, make sure to venture out and check out a few off-campus favorites.

Plein Air teems with a French-inspired ambience, met with equal aesthetic in its drinks and dishes. Nestled between the famous Robie House and the Seminary Co-op Bookstore, Plein Air is the perfect choice for the lover of espressos and brunch. Due to the pandemic and social

distancing policies, it is currently only offering takeout using its online form, DoorDash, and Ritual as well as outdoor dining.

All items on the menu will still be available for purchase. For those 21 and over, make sure to check out Plein Air La Cave, Plein Air’s new wine shop. Bottles are available for purchase on its website, with tastings and by-the-glass offerings on the way.

Build Coffee, situated at the Experimental Station on 6100 South Blackstone Avenue, is a small walk away from Woodlawn Residential Commons, and it strives to be more than just a coffee shop. A hybrid bookshop-café, Build Coffee also acts as a small venue for artists’ gallery shows, game nights, and mini-workshops, and sells used press publications, magazines, comics, and other books on its shelves. Its Build Coffee Meal-Based Residency Program also provides local artists opportunities for gallery shows and residency. As an added bonus, Build is located right by the 61st Street Farmers Market, which is held outdoors on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the summer and fall, and indoors at Experimental Station in the winter and

We recommend Harper Café’s mochas and muffins. ANGELINA TORRE

spring. If you get the chance to wander down one Saturday, we personally recommend Build’s Cardamom Rose Latte and Café de Olla, and the ice cream from Yoberri Gourmet sold at the market.

Also just a few blocks away from Woodlawn Residential Commons, Robust Coffee offers the most delicious smoothies in town, as well as large (and well-priced!) cups of coffee and delicious breakfast and sandwich items. This vintage-themed gem is the perfect place to grab a drink or bite to eat with a friend on the weekend or to sit and study at one of its many tables. And calling all chess-lovers: At Robust, you’re more than likely to stumble upon lively chess games happening in the back room, so be sure to join in and test your skills!

Whether you choose to spend all of your Maroon Dollars on coffee this year (honestly, we wouldn’t blame you) or frequent one of Hyde Park’s delicious off-campus coffee shops, all of the places on this list are certainly worth a try! *Takes Maroon Dollars.

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Arts & Culture Off Campus

By GABI GARCIA and ISABELLA CISNEROS | Arts Editors Music Ask any aficionado, and they’ll tell you that Chicago’s music scene is one of the most vibrant in the nation. From jazz clubs to concert halls to DIY venues, Chicago has something to offer for all music tastes.

Hyde Park was once a crucible of Chicago jazz, drawing greats such as Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk. Charlie Parker played his last Chicago gig here, near where Trader Joe’s is now located.

While many of the legendary hole-inthe-wall jazz clubs of yesteryear are long

that hosts a rich assortment of local and national jazz artists at venues throughout the neighborhood. Plus, the Hyde Park Jazz Society performs year-round on Sundays at Room43, on the border of Bronzeville and Kenwood.

For jazz beyond Hyde Park, check out the Jazz Showcase in South Loop and, if you can, the timeless Prohibition-era Green Mill in Uptown (21+), where you can sit in Al Capone’s old booth. If you’re there on a Tuesday, you’ll also be treated to a live performance from the Fat Babies, one of

If you’re looking for dinner and a show, check out Pilsen’s Thalia Hall, complete with a restaurant, bar, and concert space, or Wicker Park’s Chop Shop. Lincoln Hall (Lincoln Park) and its twin Schubas Tavern (Lakeview) likewise offer drinks and grub to accompany their indie-oriented programming, Dayglow being a recent offering at the latter. If you are more musically adventurous and wanting to check out an eclectic range of underground and up-and-coming acts in an intimate setting, both Bottom Lounge (West Loop) and Sleeping Village (Belmont, 21+) are worth checking out.

Also, keep your eyes peeled for any

You can sit in Al Capone’s old booth in the Green Mill. COURTESY OF BRIAN NGUYEN/CHICAGO TRIBUNE gone, Hyde Park keeps their spirit alive with its own thriving music scene. East 53rd Street boasts plenty of local venues: Record store by day and music venue by night, Hyde Park Records (1377 East 53rd Street) offers a sample of Chicago’s rich musical history; The Silver Room (1506 East 53rd Street) combines community-driven music and art events with a locavore commercial space; and restaurant-venue The Promontory (5311 South Lake Park Avenue; 21+) has one of the most well-curated and popping concert series around. On September 25 and 26, get off the O-Week grid by checking out the annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival, a world-class free two-day festival

Chicago’s best jazz bands, as well as dancing by local swing dancers. For those with a taste for the cutting edge, you can catch some of the city’s best new music at West Lakeview’s Constellation, a laid-back venue specializing in the avant-garde.

There is no shortage of chances to watch some of your favorite bands perform live in Chicago, a hotspot for most nationwide tours. Swing by the United Center for larger stadium acts like Harry Styles and Billie Eilish, the Riviera Theatre for indie darlings like Hippo Campus and dodie, and Vic Theatre for an assortment of diverse acts ranging from Yungblud to Ingrid Michaelson to Saint Motel.

UChicago Arts Pass perks and student ticket prices for concerts—especially at expensive venues. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra has one of the best student-ticket programs in the country, offering $15 tickets for a respectable number of subscription concerts. Lyric Opera of Chicago is similarly affordable.

Dance At the northern edge of Millennium Park, behind the Frank Gehry–designed mane that frames the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the Harris Theater for Music and Dance is an avant-garde music and dance venue with programming not to be missed. It offers $10

student tickets for select performances through the Arts Pass. The Harris Theater is home to Hubbard Street Dance, a contemporary dance troupe whose performances need to be seen live to be believed. And of course, Chicago’s dance scene wouldn’t be complete without Joffrey Ballet, one of the country’s most renowned ballet companies. Catch them at the Lyric Opera House.

Film The many AMC Theatres you’ll find downtown might make for a fun cinematic excursion, but Harper Theater, located at East 53rd Street and South Harper Avenue, is the closest off-campus option for your movie- and popcorn-consumption needs.

Students can check out new releases on one of five screens in a historic early 20th-century building.

If you’re looking for a more extensive movie outing, Navy Pier boasts an impressive IMAX theater. In Lincoln Park, Facets Cinémathèque screens obscure indie films, and the historic Music Box Theatre is always an experience. If you just can’t get enough alternative film, Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema in Lakeview screens studio-backed indie films and hosts midnight screenings of lesser-known films.

Chicago is also a hotbed for eclectic film festivals. The Chicago International Film Festival, North America’s longest-running international competitive film festival, offers an amazing film selection with a variety of themes. This year, catch one, or 10, of their screenings between October 13 and 24.

Other festivals worth checking out include the Chicago South Asian Film Festival, the Chicago Latino Film Festival, and the Chicago Underground Film Festival at the Logan Theatre in Logan Square.

Theater Some of the best professional theater in the country is in Chicago. The Goodman Theatre is the city’s oldest active nonprofit theater organization, and Steppenwolf Theatre counts among its ensemble illustrious stars such as Gary Sinise, Jeff Perry, Laurie Metcalf, and John Malkovich. The Goodman was one of the first theaters to return to in-person performances this summer, while Steppenwolf will return to the stage in mid-November. And if The Dean’s Men haven’t quite quenched your CONTINUED ON PG. 35

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thirst for Shakespeare, check out Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier. “Chicago Shakes” doesn’t just perform Shakespeare—it also hosts world premiere performances (and it was the original U.S. home of Six!). Check out the musical version of The Notebook there this March and April.

Not to be missed are Chicago’s excellent smaller companies. Check out the Lookingglass Theatre, based in Chicago’s historic Water Tower Water Works; Silk Road Rising, Chicago’s premiere Asian, Middle Eastern, and Muslim performing arts company, in the Loop; the experimental Neo-Futurists in Andersonville; Black Ensemble Theater, the only theater in the U.S. whose mission is to eradicate racism, in Uptown; and First Floor Theater in Wicker Park, which was founded by UChicago alumni in 2012.

Prefer to see something you can belt along to? CIBC Theatre, the James M. Nederlander Theatre, and the Cadillac Palace Theatre are consistent hosts of fresh-off-Broadway touring musicals. In the spring, even the stately Civic Opera House trades in Rossini for Rodgers and Hammerstein when the Lyric Opera of Chicago caps off each year’s season with a musical.

Live comedy reigns supreme in Chicago. The Second City is the most laureled comedy troupe in Chicago and possibly the country, producing more Saturday Night Live stars than you can count. If you’re looking for something closer to home, The Revival on East 55th Street brings improv comedy back to its birthplace in Hyde Park.

(We don’t mean that figuratively: The Compass Players, considered the first improv troupe, performed at the back of a bar on the same street corner back in 1955.) Both offer improv classes and programs for those looking to cut their comedic teeth in a supportive environment.

Art Museums Guarded by two bronze lions at its South Michigan Avenue entrance, the Art Institute of Chicago is a world-famous art museum renowned for both its gorgeous Beaux-Arts interior and carefully curated collections. Its impressionist wing is al-

ways breathtaking, but don’t overlook its lesser-known works, including Japanese screens, African wood carvings, and the intricate miniature rooms. Required visiting is the Modern Wing, a 2009 renovation dedicated to the works of 20th- and 21st-century artists. Admission is free with UCID. Located about a mile and a half north of the Art Institute is the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago, which offers several floors of postwar art. Here can be found artwork that pushes the bounds of the conventional. The MCA Stage program brings to the city cutting-edge performance art that blurs the lines between traditional disciplines. Admission is free with UCID. Located in Pilsen, Chicago’s own Mexican-American heritage neighborhood and one of the city’s cultural hubs, the National Museum of Mexican Art boasts a colorful collection of art that doubles as an educational resource for Mexican history and culture. The permanent collection is organized chronologically, from pre-Columbian times to Chicano resistance art. Admission is free.

Doors fly open along the blocks in the Chicago Arts District (Pilsen) from 6–10 p.m. on the second Friday of each month, ushering in a night of gallery-hopping and an eyeful of diverse contemporary art. The Fine Arts Building (South Loop) also opens artist studios to the public from 5–9 p.m. in the evening on those dates.

Hosted by the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Open House Chicago provides incredible access to more than 350 Chicago architectural gems on October 16 and 17. Highlights include Prairie-style private homes and Fourth Presbyterian Church, where Julia Roberts tried to thwart My Best Friend’s Wedding—a wedding to a fictional UChicago third-year, no less! Admission is free.

Want to see great art but don’t have it in you for a trip uptown? Closer to home is the Arts Block, the brainchild of the University’s Arts + Public Life Initiative, which encourages students and faculty to engage with their community and experience art off campus. This block includes the Hyde

The cast of Six performs at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. COURTESY LIZ LAUREN PHOTO

Park Arts Incubator (301 East Garfield Boulevard), a community space for exhibitions, performances, lectures, and artist residencies, and the recently-opened Green Line Arts Center (317 East Garfield). Just take the #55 bus west towards the Garfield Green Line station. Another nearby arts hub is the Stony Island Arts Bank, a cozy gallery space, community center, and library. It was once a decaying bank building (hence the name) before UChicago professor and artist Theaster Gates Jr. purchased it—with just one dollar—and turned it into the flourishing arts center it is now.

Just a five-minute walk from Regenstein Library at the intersection of East 57th Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue, the DuSable Museum of African American History is committed to the conservation of African-American history, culture, and art. The museum boasts several permanent and temporary exhibitions. Walk over before the cold hits to view its newest temporary exhibit, Kara Walker: Presenting Negro CONTINUED ON PG. 36

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Scenes Drawn Upon My Passage Through the South and Reconfigured for the Benefit of Enlightened Audiences Wherever Such May Be Found, By Myself, Missus K.E.B. Walker, Colored. Admission is free for students.

North of campus, the Hyde Park Art Center (5020 South Cornell Avenue, along the East Route of the UGo NightRide Shuttle) also promotes local artists and offers both classes and workshops, allowing student members free access to the ceramics facilities.

Literature Though 57th Street Books, Powell’s Books Chicago, and the Seminary Co-op are all within walking distance from campus, it is worth venturing to other neighborhoods to explore the myriad bookstores and comic shops Chicago has to offer. South Side gems include the old-school Alternate Reality comics and Underground Bookstore, which specializes in Black literature.

If you’re heading further north, visit the home of Ernest Hemingway in Oak Park and stop by the Book Table, which has discounts and plenty of staff-recommended reads to keep you busy. For the more eclectic, Quimby’s (Wicker Park) offers obscure

titles and an extensive collection of ’zines.

Horror and sci-fi lovers should check out Bucket o’ Blood (Avondale) for a great selection of books, movies, and music.

For those obsessed with the smell of books and old libraries, immerse yourself in Wicker Park’s eclectic atmosphere and step into Myopic Books, an award-winning used bookstore. On an uneventful Monday, you can always stay awhile and watch its Live-Music Mondays, an experimental series that runs through the evenings. Just a few feet away is Volumes Bookcafe, a quirky hybrid of a coffee shop and an independent bookstore. Sip on their exquisite matcha latte while exploring contemporary fiction, bibliographies, and many other selections.

Many bookstores hold readings and open mics, but the Poetry Foundation brings in the most distinguished writers.

Known for Poetry, one of the most famous poetry magazines in print, the Poetry Foundation is among the world’s largest literary organizations. Its glass building downtown houses a vast collection of poetry and regularly holds free events such as the Open Door reading series, quarterly launch parties, and workshops. The Poetry Foundation regularly collaborates with

UChicago by working with poets on campus and partnering with the Smart Museum for special exhibitions. Pre-pandemic, Young Chicago Authors hosted WordPlay every Tuesday, the open mic at which artists like Chance the Rapper, Noname, and Saba have performed. Beyond that, it holds workshops and puts on the annual Louder Than a Bomb, a festival that draws over 1,000 high school and college poets to compete in individual and team performances.

For Chicago-based publications, check out Newcity, which is known for publishing cartoonist Chris Ware before his rise to fame. A newspaper-turned-magazine, Newcity follows Chicago artists, writers, film, and music venues. Its annual “Best of Chicago” edition chronicles everything from Best New Graphic Novel by a Chicago Artist to Best Subversive Ice Cream Parlor.

The Chicago Reader, the alternative weekly that also details Chicago pop culture, is most known for its longform journalism.

If you are interested in literary journalism, check out articles like Ben Joravsky’s “A Simple Game” that earned Reader awards and anthology spots.

A magazine with a strong connection to UChicago is The Point, a triannual literary magazine founded by UChicago alum-

ni that publishes essays on politics, literary criticism, and culture. Each issue features a section called “Symposium” that is devoted to questions exploring the purpose of oft-challenged traditions, disciplines, or institutions pertinent to today’s society.

Also popular among UChicago students is the South Side Weekly, a longform news magazine dedicated to “supporting cultural and civic engagement on the South Side.”

Published every Wednesday, the Weekly covers local happenings usually untouched by mainstream media and publishes more extensive narratives and essays. Students with specialized interests can contribute to one of the magazine’s diverse sections, which include politics, education, food, lit, art, and music. Besides hard journalism, it provides plenty of creative outlets for contributors to publish poetry, fiction, original artwork, and more.

From all of us here at Arts—welcome to Chicago! We hope these are good jumping-off points for your adventures, and don’t forget to tell us about the gems you find!

From the Smart Museum to The Ren, Art is Everywhere at UChicago

By ANGÉLIQUE ALEXOS | Deputy Arts Editor Due to the spread of the new Delta variant, many museums and exhibits are currently operating at limited visitor capacity and on a reservation-only basis. Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) are still waiting for information on the structure of and possibility for in-person meetings.

Pablo Picasso is attributed as saying, “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” So on days when you’re feeling a little “dusty,” why not heed these words and go see some art! Fortunately, there’s no need to travel to the Art Institute of Chicago. UChicago offers a wide variety of places for you to explore and create art right on campus.

Interested in looking at art by Picasso himself? Let’s start at the north end of campus. Nestled nearby the Court Theatre and the Department of Art History is the David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art, the main art museum on campus. The Smart holds a variety of works from different time periods and artistic movements, including everything from Japanese prints that date back to the 17th and 18th centuries to modern and contemporary pieces

by Edgar Degas and Andy Warhol from the 20th century. The Smart Museum is also currently featuring an exhibit called Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change, and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40, which considers the idea of “the com-

mons,” or shared resources. Through the lens of this overarching concept, the art in this exhibit explores “issues of the natural and built environments,” which have been highlighted by the pandemic. The exhibit will be on display until December 19, and reservations can be made on the museum’s website. Another exhibit, opening September 23, is titled Smart to the Core: Medium / Image. This exhibit will explore how various forms of media affect our representation and understanding of the world. In addition, the Smart Museum offers the Art to Live With program, which allows students to borrow original works from the museum’s collection to display in their dorm rooms. This event will commence with some preliminary activities starting Thursday, September 30, and will last until

Sunday, October 3, when students will be able to select a work during the Art Match session. Doors open at 8 a.m., so be sure to set your alarms (or even sleep over the night before) if you want to be the proud temporary owner of a Picasso or a Matisse.

If works such as these are too recent for you, you might be interested in pieces that are a bit older…about 4,000 years old. Such pieces can be found at the Oriental Institute (OI), which sits at the end of the main quad by South University Avenue. From clay tablets inscribed with cuneiform to a human-headed winged bull (lamassu), the museum holds artifacts from places such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Syria. Until December 31, the OI also has a special exhibit called Antoin Sevruguin: Past and CONTINUED ON PG. 37

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Present on the renowned Armenian-Iranian photographer Antoin Sevruguin, whose photographs show Iran’s shift to the modern age in the late nineteenth century.

Reservations to visit this exhibit and the museum can be made on the OI website.

The main quad is also the place to find hidden gems like the Renaissance Society—or “The Ren,” as it is more commonly known—which is located on the fourth floor of Cobb Hall. Founded in 1915 by a group of UChicago faculty, The Ren showcases experimental works that engage with new, innovative ideas and thoughts in the worlds of art and culture. The Ren not only has art exhibits but also hosts artist talks, lectures, screenings, and concerts, among other events. An exhibit that opened September 10 (open until November 7) called Smashing Into My Heart looks at the many facets of the concept of friendship, including its relation to art. Visits to the exhibit must be reserved in advance on The Ren’s website.

A short walk from the main quad at South Woodlawn Avenue and East 58th Street, and you’ll find yourself at the Booth School of Business. Surprised?

Booth actually has a large collection of modern art pieces, including works by German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans

and Swiss artist Olivier Mosset. On your way to Booth, take a look (or a tour, if you wish) at the adjacent building, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Frederick C. Robie House, the architectural style of which—known as Prairie style—was inspired by the American Midwest.

Farther down Woodlawn, you’ll also find the Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society, which also holds exhibitions in its gallery. The current exhibit is titled Carmenza Banguera: The Visible, the Laughable, and the Invisible. This threepart multimedia exhibit, created from the multicultural perspective of Afro-Colombian artist Carmenza Banguera, works in conversation with the Neubauer Collegium’s research project, “The Contours of Black Citizenship in a Global Context,” to illustrate and critique such concepts as belonging and the “gendered and racialized notion of bodily resistance.” This exhibit will be on display until October 1. The Neubauer Collegium Gallery, which has a limited capacity, is currently open to the public by appointment only. Appointments can be made on Tock.

In the mood to create some art? A hop, skip, and a jump across the Midway and a wander down East 60th Street, and you’ll be at the Logan Center for the Arts.

Located on 60th Street and South Drexel

Avenue, this may be the place where you’re taking your Art Core class, but it’s also a great place to create some art of your own.

The Logan Center has many great places to work and create art, including practice rooms, the DelGiorno Terrace, and the Central Courtyard. Café Logan is also a great spot to study and relax. Of course, the Logan Center is also home to art of its own, including a wide variety of student pieces.

From installations to concerts, it’s one of the best places to be when it comes to viewing new, exciting art. Current exhibits include Wall of Blues: Photos by Paul Natkin (September 16–December 10) and Carrie Mae Weems: A Land of Broken Dreams (July 17–December 12). The Weems exhibit is part of the Toward Common Cause exhibit at the Smart Museum, and tickets can be reserved online.

If you’re up for a bit farther of a walk, the Arts Incubator at East Garfield Boulevard and South Prairie Avenue is a great space to find not only exhibitions but talks, artist residencies, and community-based activities as well. It is also the center of the Art + Public Life (APL) initiative, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. APL works to strengthen ties between the University and South Side communities through the arts, artistic programs, and arts education, among

other goals.

If all this talk of art has you wondering how you can further participate, why not join one of the many art RSOs or publications on campus! From drawing to writing, there’s a plethora of student groups that will allow you to pursue any and every artistic interest or passion, no matter your skill level.

In addition to student groups, there are also many art-related activities and events that occur year-round on campus. One exciting student-run, collaborative event is the Festival of the Arts (FOTA), which is a campus-wide tradition celebrating art and artists in all forms. This weeklong event includes all types of artistic expression from live performances to interactive activities like workshops and open mic nights. While the dates for this year have yet to be determined, those interested in participating and being part of the FOTA board or the FOTA Fellowship program can check the FOTA website or Facebook page for updates.

When the stress of day-to-day to-dos have you in a rut, take a walk around campus and engross yourself in some art.

Whatever era or style you’re interested in, the many exhibits, museums, and yearround student activities are sure to wash away any accumulated dust.

Dance RSOs to Get Your Footwork En Pointe From K-Pop to Hip-Hop and competitive to casual, there’s a dance group for everyone at UChicago.

By ARTS STAFF In light of the spreading Delta variant of COVID-19, recognized student organizations (RSOs) currently await further notice from the University on the return of physical meetings on campus.

From the longboard dancer zooming across the Quad to inter-house dance-karaoke competitions, the world of dance inspires fancy footwork within any UChicago student. This fall, we

welcome our dance groups back onto campus after a year spent choreographing, filming, and busting a move or two online. With a myriad of dance RSOs to choose from, from tap to hip-hop, contemporary to K-pop, the chances to uninstall Zoom once and for all (fingers crossed) and stretch your legs out are infinite. While we realize this list is not exhaustive, we hope that it encourages you to take a step ball change outside

your comfort zone!

The first of our features is NeXus Dance Collective, the newest dance RSO to step into our UChicago spotlight.

Founded in 2019, NeXus is UChicago’s premiere K-pop dance organization, reimagining K-pop dance covers from the likes of Red Velvet, Loona, and BTS. Recently, NeXus received the Outstanding New RSO Award for its low-pressure, welcoming environment and won Crowd Favorite at the annual “Where Fun Comes to Dance” (WFCTD) showcase

in 2021. Check out the group’s signature killer camerawork and choreography on its YouTube channel.

Boasting the largest number of dancers, Rhythmic Bodies in Motion (RBIM) embraces the widest range of dance styles in one group, borrowing elements of K-pop, Bollywood, tap, and even musical theater numbers. Auditions start typically in the middle of fall quarter for the annual spring performance at Mandel Hall. RBIM dancers CONTINUED ON PG. 38

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welcome performers of all levels to share their riveting, relentless enthusiasm with their equally excited audiences.

Fusing jazz, contemporary, and hiphop, UChicago Maya choreographs mesmerizing performances that perfectly blend minimalist appearance with extravagant motion. Maya choreographers constantly challenge the limitations of expression (e.g., “Can you dance without having your feet ever leave the ground?”), and their creativity shines all year round, from the Moda fashion show to free open workshops in the spring. Sign up for the winter show’s auditions in the fall, with separate tryouts for later performances.

For storytellers old and new, the pantomimes of the University Ballet (UBallet) are an obvious spectacle worth watching and performing with.

Traditionally hosting workshops in the basement of Ida Noyes Hall, UBallet offers free classes every week for the curious at heart, the longtime masters, and everyone in between. Here, fulfill your dreams of completing the perfect pirouette, or learn the graceful arabesque while donning a chiffon tutu. The company typically performs two full-length ballets each academic year at Mandel Hall, and previous shows include The Nutcracker and La Fille mal gardée.

We have a football team? UC Cheer, UChicago’s oldest cheerleading team, roots for our student-athletes all year round, attending football games in the fall quarter and basketball games in the winter. No matter your skill level, bring your school pride to our athletic events— and learn how to successfully tumble on the side.

At the heart of the UChicago hiphop scene, Excolatur Dance Crew (EX Crew) delivers exhilarating urban choreography, hosting dance workshops weekly with professional urban dancers at Bartlett Dining Hall. The group competes at events such as World of Dance Chicago, but for the more lowkey novice, feel free to try out one of its free classes.

Groove Theory, whose hip-hop arsenal includes breaking, locking, and waacking, is a competitive yet no-cut group that can typically be found hosting beginner workshops at Bartlett or showcasing its annual Revival show. Auditions are held in early fall and winter.

UC Dancers, the oldest dancing RSO at UChicago, specializes in lyrical and contemporary dance and welcomes students from all majors and backgrounds.

The group hosts company showcases and no-cut showcases annually, so why not sign up for an audition in October or February?

Bhangra, Raas, and Apsara pro-

vide energetic spaces for the South Asian arts. Donning colorful traditional clothing, Bhangra dancers politicize their choreography—a declaration of solidarity among communities of color—which shines at events such as the annual South Asian Students Association (SASA) shows. Bhangra found national fame at the Punjabi Mela competition in Richmond, Virginia, placing first in 2016. Raas impresses with a tremendous quantity of leaps, jumps, and delicate footwork necessary for the folk dance, but perhaps the dancers’ brilliance is made most obvious through their handiwork of the spinning of the daandiya, or decorated wooden sticks.

Both the Bhangra and Raas teams are competitive, having graced the stage with their presences at competitions such as Nachte Raho, Nasha, and Naach Nation. Apsara performs classical Indian dances, including Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi, and retells ancient mythology with traditional choreography fusions. The group is inclusive of total novices, and past performances include the winter show Layatharangam.

More romantic souls should consider RSOs such as the Chicago Swing Dance Society (CSDS), Tap That!, and UChicago Ballroom & Latin Dance Association (BLDA). Offering classes ranging from Beginner Charleston to Blues

Dancing, CSDS holds free lessons at Ida Noyes Hall. As the longest-running nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of swing, CSDS hosts a weekly Java Jive for anyone interested—for the daring who wish to learn the spinneroo, consider giving the Jive a whirl on Saturday— featuring DJed open dancing. Tap That! brings the nostalgic era of the 1930s and ’40s to campus, teaching members of all levels the precision of the step-heel heelstep or the single buffalo. As a bonus, each new member receives a pair of tap shoes, so you can start tappin’ away even in your own dorm room! BLDA captures the amorous feel both competitively and casually, with no prior experience necessary to join. The group offers nineteen different styles of dance, including salsa, bachata, and samba, and its dancers showcase their talents in more than ten competitions per year in the Midwest!

Every spring, several of these dance troupes compete in WFCTD, hosted by the UChicago Dance Council, the overseer of all dance RSOs on campus. Hype your friends up, vote for your favorites, and, naturally, use your newfound inspiration to join these communities in the upcoming seasons.

—Alexia Bacigalupi and May Huang, updated by Alina Kim

UChicago on the Big (and Small) Screen: Films and TV Shows Set On Campus

By VERONICA CHANG | Arts Editor Chicago—the Windy City—is a fine place for arts, music, and entertainment.

Many movies and TV shows have been filmed here, from Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins and The Dark Knight to the canceled Supernatural spin-off Supernatural: Bloodlines (which sadly does not star UChicago alum and Supernatural actor Misha Collins, A.B. ’97). But what of the University of Chicago itself?

Let’s look at some of the best on-screen depictions of our illustrious campus: 1. When Harry Met Sally While the 1989 rom-com remains a cute and quoteworthy classic, its opening scene on the quad of our very own campus is iconic for all the wrong reasons. First, Sally (Meg Ryan) pulls up in a car from a magical invisible entrance in

front of Harper Memorial Library to pick up Harry (Billy Crystal) because Harry was incapable of walking to the road.

Sally and Harry then proceed to drive south toward downtown Chicago even though UChicago is south of downtown and driving to New York from UChicago does not take you through downtown Chicago.

I give When Harry Met Sally a 3/10 because screenwriter Nora Ephron understands that her characters want to

leave UChicago behind as fast as they possibly can, but her writing lacks geographical accuracy.

(For academic reasons, that was a joke.)

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ring Harrison Ford (which is available to borrow at both Regenstein Library and the D’Angelo Law Library). Those five minutes did not feature the UChicago campus, although the 1993 film presumably does.

I give The Fugitive a 4/10 because, according to Wikipedia, that’s how many remakes and spin-offs of the original 1963 TV series there are.

3. Divergent It’s comforting to know that even in the post-apocalyptic world of Divergent, Regenstein and Mansueto Libraries have survived as, essentially, nerd headquarters. It’s hilarious to realize that Veronica Roth, the author of Divergent and a Northwestern alum, must now acknowledge that UChicago is the superior Chicago-area university. Sorry, Ms. Roth. We don’t make the rules; your filmmakers did.

I give Divergent a 5/10 because that’s how I’d rate studying at Mansueto— beautiful in theory, why-isn’t-UChica-

go-Secure-working in practice.

4. Sense8 I was too lazy to watch two seasons of a TV show for one article, but I did watch this one YouTube video (since claimed by copyright) that shows Nomi (Jamie Clayton) and Amanita (Freema Agyeman) on the quad. The two also apparently attend a lecture at the Oriental Institute, which is unfortunately not a thing that happens in real life. You can, however, study there—which I’d recommend trying at least once during your time here.

I give Sense8 a 9/10 because the one clip I watched encourages students to bother their professors with questions.

5. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off A veritable tour of Chicago’s greatest hits and a feel-good, coming-of-age comedy, John Hughes’s 1986 film is a love letter to youth and to the Windy City, featuring landmarks such as the Art Institute, Sears Tower, and Wrigley Field, and not featuring UChicago.

I give Ferris Bueller’s Day Off a 10/10

Mansueto Library, AKA Erudite HQ in Divergent. COURTESY OF ARCHDAILY

because John Hughes correctly realized that when kids have days off, they do not go to the University of Chicago. And because it’s a really good movie.

6. Proof The title Proof reminds me too much of Honors Calculus for me to watch the full movie (adapted from a 2001 play), but the shots of campus that were in the trailer were lush, rich, and gorgeous— which is about how UChicago looks for the first three weeks of fall quarter and last five weeks of spring quarter. Someday, someone will make a Victorian-era gothic-style horror movie filmed on the quad during winter quarter, and filmmakers everywhere will realize UChicago’s true cinematic potential.

I give Proof an 8/10 because the filmmakers caught onto costars Jake Gyllenhaal and Gwyneth Paltrow’s compatibility even before Paltrow sold candles that smelled like her vagina and Gyllenhaal revealed he doesn’t regularly shower.

Bonus points because said filmmakers included UChicago alum David Au-

burn (A.B. ’91), who was the playwright for the original Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play as well as the scriptwriter for the 2005 film adaptation. Bonus points rescinded because Auburn claims UChicago equipped him with “intellectual swagger.”

7. Legally Blonde Legally Blonde was famously filmed at Harvard University. Less famously, it was going to be filmed at UChicago before the administration was asked and they said no.

I give Legally Blonde a 2/10 because it’s an unfortunate reminder of why we can’t have nice things.

8. The Hunt While I was unable to find an online copy, this 2002 documentary on Scav, UChicago’s bacchanalian, discourse-generating, world record–holding, wildly disruptive, four-day-long scavenger hunt, can be borrowed from Regenstein or bought on VHS for $12.95.

I give The Hunt an 11/10 because Scav.

The Quad, where When Harry Met Sally all began. COURTESY OF ARCHITECTURE AT UCHICAGO

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SPORTS Torain Takes Over Athletic Department

By FINN HARTNETT | Sports Contributor September 1 marked the beginning of a new era for the University of Chicago Athletics and Recreation Department as Angie Torain assumed the role of director of the department. She takes over the role from Interim Athletics and Recreation Director Rosalie Resch and seeks to build on the impressive accomplishments of Erin McDermott, who left Hyde Park for the same position at Harvard University. Torain will begin her time at UChicago just as many sports resume competition after a year away due to interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

CHICAGO MAROON: What is your history in athletics departments?

Angie Torain: This is my fourth athletics department. I’ve worked at two DI athletics departments, an athletics department that was DII but transitioning to DI, and now UChicago, which is a DIII athletics department.

CM: What was it like working at the University of Notre Dame (UND)? What were your duties there?

AT: I enjoyed working at UND. It was very similar to UChicago in terms of high academics and a competitive athletics program. However, the athletics program there is a little bigger in terms of the number of staff and student athletes. While at UND, I oversaw compliance, legal, risk management, and

diversity and inclusion. I was also the sport administrator for women’s lacrosse.

CM: What have you been up to in your first few months of the job? What are your duties? Your long-term plans?

AT: The first few months we’ve been focused on getting Ratner back open as well as determining COVID-19 safety protocols for the start of the fall season and year, as well as meeting with coaches, staff, and members of [the] University. I oversee the athletics and recreational programs. My long-term plans are to continue to build the brand of UChicago athletics by ensuring that our student athletes have a good experience while here and compete at a high level.

Also, to ensure that we are engaged with campus and the surrounding community. To evolve from the recreational side as well.

CM: What do you appreciate about the Athletics Department here at UChicago?

AT: I appreciate the coaches and staff.

They are selfless with their time and desire to help the program be the best that it can be. I’m really looking forward to getting to know the student-athletes and watching them compete.

CM: Where are you from? Are you enjoying living in Chicago?

AT: I’ve lived here before. I used to work in Elmhurst, Illinois.

Angie Torain was appointed athletic director in May. COURTESY OF ATHLETIC DEPT.

The Return of Fall Sports

By ALI SHEEHY and ALISON GILL | Sports Editors Two years. Unbelievably, it has almost been that long since the UChicago fall sports teams were able to compete.

When spring sports sadly had their seasons cut short last year in March 2020, many were optimistic that concerns surrounding the spread of COVID-19 would eventually improve

to a level in which it would be safe not only for students to return fully to campus, but for those athletes on the volleyball, football, soccer, and cross country teams to have a normal season as well.

Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Instead, fall athletes soon joined their spring counterparts in the pain and

frustration at having their opportunity to participate in games and meets taken away from them.

However, fall sports were at least allowed to practice during what would have been their season, albeit with many guidelines and precautions including (but not limited to) weekly COVID-19 testing and masking requirements.

Even though only being able to practice is not quite the same as the excite-

ment of competing to the cheers from fans, players and coaches were just grateful for the opportunity to all be together, playing the sport they love. And everyone made sure to make the most of those opportunities whether through organizing intrasquad scrimmages or celebrating their seniors who were unable to compete in a normal setting one last time. Even though they had to sacriCONTINUED ON PG. 41

THE CHICAGO MAROON — SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

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“Finally, after nearly 730 days, [fall sports student-athletes] are back...

With challenges, however, come excitement and determination” CONTINUED FROM PG. 40

fice so much and take even greater care when it came to avoiding infection, they persevered and kept pushing through the tough practices all while staying positive and supporting each other.

But finally, after nearly 730 days, they’re back. And I dare say that the resiliency that these athletes showed throughout the pandemic will continue and translate into their respective seasons.

Yet with the return of fall sports, new challenges will most definitely present themselves, experience being the main one. More specifically, third and fourth years are the only ones with any sort of experience playing in a college setting and the heightened level of competition that comes with doing so. As a result, coaches have to come up with a plan to integrate young players as soon as possible and prepare them for what they will see throughout the year.

With challenges, however, comes excitement and determination. “I’m excited to get back to competing one last time with this great group of women, both new and returning,” said fourthyear volleyball team member Temilade Adekoya. “We’ve been through a lot of changes in the last two years due to

covid and graduating seniors, and even our coach, but as preseason progresses I can tell that those changes haven’t deterred us from our goals.”

The volleyball team, ranked No. 9 for Division 3 in the AVCA Preseason poll, looks to carry on with their historic success from 2019 starting Wednesday, September 1st at Wisconsin Whitewater, only to return for the Gargoyle Classic, being held at Ratner Athletics Center, on the third and fourth of September.

Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams make their 2021 debut on that first Wednesday of September as well.

The men, ranked No. 19, kick off their season at home vs. Kalamazoo with the hopes of returning to the late rounds of the NCAA Tournament as they did in 2018 and 2019.

The women’s team, ranked No. 15, travels to Augustana, wanting to start strong and begin their season with a win. According to fourth-year forward Adriana Shutler, “We have been eager for this season for two years now and are more motivated than ever to make this the most memorable and successful season yet.” She went on to add that the team will be embracing an “attitude of

Through three matches, Ellie Alden has recorded 28 kills. COURTESY OF ATHLETIC DEPT. gratitude” or rather “finding a reason to appreciate both the big and small things alike every day in order to find joy in the present because we don’t know what the future will hold for us.”

Also of note, the men’s and women’s cross country teams look to hit the ground running, both literally and figuratively, at the St. Francis Invitational in Channahon, IL on Friday, the third of September. Both teams are ranked within the top 15 in the country at the

start of the season.

Finally, the first week of competition is capped off by the football team taking on Washington University-St. Louis on Saturday, September 4th at home on Stagg Field.

By late September, the teams will be deep in the throes of their season, preparing for conference foes. It may feel like a return to normalcy, but the gratitude of just the opportunity to compete will be heightened for all involved.

Upcoming Games SPORT

OPPONENT

DATE

LOCATION

Football Cross Country Men’s Soccer Men’s Soccer Men’s Soccer Men’s Soccer Women’s Soccer Women’s Soccer Women’s Soccer Women’s Soccer Volleyball Volleyball Volleyball Volleyball

Knox College Multiple Wheaton John Carroll Calvin Emory Hope Knox IL Wesleyan Emory Millikin WI-Stevens Point WI-Oshkosh Case Western

Sat. Oct 2 Sat. Oct 2 Wed. Sept 22 Sat. Sept 25 Wed. Sept 29 Sat. Oct 2 Tues. Sept 21 Sat. Sept 25 Sun. Sept 26 Sat. Oct 2 Fri. Sept 24 Fri. Sept 24 Sat. Sept 25 Sun. Oct 3

Home Away Away Home Away Away Away Away Home Away Away Away Away Away

Nicholas D’Ambrose runs for a 58-yard TD against WashU. COURTESY OF ATHLETICS DEPT.

THE CHICAGO MAROON — SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

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We are so proud of you, Zach... keep soaring! Enjoy and cherish this new chapter!

Have an extraordinary year!

YOU GOT THIS!

Love, Your Family

Ricardo Kiyoshi Alzati Amano We are so proud of you Ricky!

Best of luck on your new journey at UChicago!

Dad, Mom and Kaito リッキー シカゴ大学入学おめでとう！ 夢に向かって充実した日々を 送って下さいね。 パパ、 ママ、開翔

Muchas felicidades Ricky, súper orgullosos de ti y celebraremos contigo tus futuros logros!

Papá, Mamá y Kaito

THE CHICAGO MAROON — SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

43

Congratulations Kaylee!

The next 4 years are going to be a sensational adventure. Stay strong.

We love you!

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THE CHICAGO MAROON — SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

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Kristin, We are so proud of you. Good luck at UChicago. We hope you are happy and have a great time. We will miss you.

Love, Mom, Dad, Evan

Congratulations, Skylar!

We are so proud of you. Enjoy your adventure at UChicago.

All our love, Mom, Jim and Cameron