worcester auto show • clarkie of the week • affordability forum • and more
volume xcv, no. 10 • february 5, 2016 | clarkscarlet.com | the.clark.scarlet
Forum on Affordability Addresses Increasing Student Concerns President Angel and Student Council Facilitate Financial Dialogue
photo credit
photo by erin mckeon
By Alexis Stabulas news correspondent
With institutions of higher learning raising costs annually, Clark is feeling the pressure. In response to student dissatisfaction with the
financial situation of the University, particularly hikes in tuition and room and board costs, Clark Undergraduate Student Council (CUSC) and the President’s Office held a Forum on Affordability last week. The forum brought together stu-
dents, administration, faculty, and professors to discuss various opinions surrounding Clark’s finances. The two-hour gathering, held in Tilton Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 27, was continued on page 3
Men’s Basketball Eyeing the Playoffs By Simone McGuinness scarlet staff
The men’s basketball team has had a challenging season so far, but one that also warrants optimism. With a 6-14 overall record and 3-6 conference record, their season is far from over. “[Our record] is not indicative of how well we’ve been playing, especially in conference play this year,” said guard Luke LaLima (‘17). After the unprecedented fan turnout and excitement of Midnight Madness that helped Clark kick off their season with a 83-78 win, the Cougars failed to maintain a winning streak. The following eight games, the Cougars came away with losses. It wasn’t until one of the most entertaining games of the season against Wentworth did Clark pick up a win. The Cougars took Wentworth to double overtime, and resurrected their desperately needed desire to get Clark back in the NEWMAC standings. Clark won three out of the four subsequent games to bring them to a 5-9 overall record. Two of those games were crucial
wins against conference teams Wheaton and Emerson. Since then, the Cougars came away with four losses, all four of which were conference games. However, the Cougars put up admirable fights, “Last week we took WPI to the buzzer and Coast Guard was the first time that we lost by double digits,” said LaLima. The Cougars are optimistic that they will remain in the running to make the playoffs. “We still have the second half of our conference games to go,” said guard John Pisacreta (’18). “We’re hopefully going to make the NEWMAC playoffs. We’re tied for fifth right now and we need to be in the top five to make the playoffs, so we’re on our way to get there for sure.” The team’s top six leading scorers represent members of the team from each grade. Guard Tyler Huffman (‘16) leads the standings with an average of 12.2 points per game. Forward Luca McCormick (‘19) follows Huffman with an average of 11.8 points per game. continued on page 10
2 | news
The Scarlet
The Scarlet
february 5, 2016
UPCOMING EVENTS
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF CLARK UNIVERSITY
CONTACT scarlet@clarku.edu | clarkscarlet.com
EDITORS Editor-in-Chief: Sarah Cramer Executive Editor: Ethan Giles Editor-at-Large: Anna Spack News Editor: Kate Summers Opinions Editor: Alex Grayson Living Arts Editor: Matt Emmer Sports Editor: Scott Levine Creative Director: Rose Gallogly Layout Editor: Christian Rentsman Photo Editor: Erin McKeon Managing Editor: Anashua Madhubanti
COLUMNISTS Molly Powers Ted Randich
CORRESPONDENTS News: Alexis Stabulas Living Arts: Alika Gillard
FACT CHECKER Daniel Juarez
SCARLET STAFF T.J. Anania Molly Caisse Steven Castiglione Kate Conquest Max Elias Pat Fox Daniel Juarez Kayleigh McHugh Simone McGuinness Pooja Patel Lynn Pescaro Maria Rotelli Tyler Terriault Nikolas Wagner
LAYOUT & WEB STAFF Jocelyn Ng Ryan King
PHOTO STAFF Jonathan Edelman Soraya Madlala Uyanga (Melody) Mungunchimeg Erika Schaper Julia Schroeder Bernie Tuson Krithi Vachaspati Emily Valante Illustrations: Santiago Jose Herdozia Ponce
[ Friday, Feb. 5 ] Macbeth in Atwood Hall- 7:30 - 9 p.m. The Blind Side in the Higgins Cafeteria - 9 - 11 p.m.
[ Saturday, Feb. 6 ] Oath of the Gatewatch Draft in Jonas Clark 215 - 2 - 7 p.m. Spring Festival Celebration in Grace, Lurie, Rosenblatt, Abrahms Gallery and Grind - 6 - 10 p.m. Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Clark Invitational Tournament - 1 p.m.
[ Sunday, Feb. 7 ] Miller-Vogel Chess Tournament in Lurie Conference Room - 12 - 5 p.m. V-Week Open Poetry Night in The Grind - 7 - 9 p.m.
[ Monday, Feb. 8 ] Voter Registration Drive in the University Center - 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Pilates in the Bickman Multipurpose room - 12 - 1 p.m.
[ Tuesday, Feb. 9 ] Zumbain the Bickman Multipurpose room - 7 - 8 p.m. Straight Outta Compton in Jefferson 320 - 9 - 11:30 p.m.
[ Wednesday, Feb. 10 ] Pilates in the Bickman Multipurpose room - 3 - 4 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Mount Holyoke - 7 p.m.
[ Thursday, Feb. 11 ] On Campus and in the Streets: Black Lives Matter in Grace Conference Room - 7 - 9 p.m. Preparing for the Rising Tide: The Future of Boston’s Waterfront in Higgins Lounge, Dana Commons - 7 - 8:30 p.m. Bachelorette in the Little Center - 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Sex and Chocolate in the Lurie Conference Room - 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Build-A-Bear in The Grind - 8:30 - 11:30 p.m. Straight Outta Compton in Jefferson 320 - 9 - 11:30 p.m.
For a complete list of events, visit clarku.collegiatelink.net and follow What’s Happening At Clark on Facebook or on Twitter at @clarku_events. Corrections: In the Nov. 20 issue of The Scarlet, the article “Students of Color Speak Out” incorrectly stated Lulu Moyo’s last name as Hawkes. In addition, the article “Black Faculty Lead Public Teach-Out” said that the teach-out took place on Wednesday, Nov. 18; in truth, it took place on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
The Scarlet in no way endorses its advertisers. In addition, The Scarlet maintains the right to decline any advertisements it deems unsuitable.
The Scarlet
february 5, 2016
news | 3
The Scarlet/News CUSC in Brief By Nikolas Wagner scarlet staff
After roll was called, Student Council began with public comments. Michael Newmark, the general manager of Dining Services, discussed Clark Dining’s accomplishments last semester, including a source reduction award from the Environmental Protection Agency and a Vegan Rating of “A” from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. This semester, their initiatives include Freight Farm, an on-campus greenhouse developed by a Clark alum, and increased employee engagement in creating new cuisines. Business Manager Paul Wykes discussed the future of the Clark Bookstore. The bookstore’s contract with Barnes & Noble will expire on May 31 and will not be renewed due to increased financial costs to both the University and students, as well as declining sales. On May 1, they will start a new contract with Akademos. Wykes also discussed plans to build a smaller, Clark-owned bookstore and plans to transition all purchases to online. After public comments concluded, the Executive Board moved onto its individual report. President Kevin Kim (‘16) reminded staff members to go to the Board of Trustee meetings. Representative Arslan Tarar (‘18) proposed an ad hoc committee on the Meme of the Week, which was then approved by Kim. Treasurer Rohan Roger (‘18) stated in his report that administrators were “enormously impressed” with Student Council’s handling of the Forum on Affordability and stated that the issue will be further discussed. Communications Committee Chair Sahil Shah (‘16) announced his appointment of Cory Bisbee (‘19) as vice chair of the Communications Committee. Roger then called a closed meeting, at which point the press was asked to leave. Grants: • $256 was allocated to Chelsea Viteri (‘16) for her flight costs to the Midwest Undergraduate Conference in Gender Studies. • $800 was allocated to Diversability to help pay speaker cost for Lida Winfield, a spoken word dancer with dyslexia. • $514 was allocated to Ethan Wainblat (‘16) to pay for his travel and class costs for a CPR instructor certification, which is to be used for a PreHealth Society event this spring. • $3,696 ($528 per person) was allocated to seven students: Arnab Banik (‘19), Margaret Foster (‘18), Crystal Haynes (’17), Muhammad Islam (‘19), Savannah MacLean (‘17), Celia Ringland (‘17), and Rodrigo Saavedra (‘16) for their trip to the Clinton Global Initiative University Conference in San Francisco.
Affordability Forum Continued continued from page 1
split in two halves, with the first hour dedicated to students sharing their concerns and the second to President Angel responding to opinions and questions collected by Student Council. Angel also unveiled potential future plans to lessen students’ financial burden. CUSC Treasurer Rohan Rogers (‘18) met with Angel beginning in the Fall 2015 semester to discuss financial burdens facing Clark. With the help of a committee, they decided that the discussion needed to be opened to the Clark community so that more voices could be heard. Over 250 student testimonials were collected online in preparation for the forum, and Student Council representatives created questions to guide the forum based on student responses. Roughly twenty students spoke during the first hour of the forum. Faculty, staff, and administration predominantly filled Tilton, with students comprising less than half of the audience. The students that chose to speak all shared personal stories or spoke on behalf of others, discussing ways the institution could become more affordable. Changes to operations in the Office of Financial Assistance, transparency of tuition costs, student employment on campus, fixed tuition rates, and cutting of overall costs were topics that students repeatedly brought up. “Allowing students the space to have their voices heard and acknowledged goes a long way towards building trust between the students and the administration, though clearly simply speaking to the issues is not enough,” Xavier Pierre-Jerome (‘15) said to the crowd. “What I really want is a clear and active demonstration from the trustees that they care for the Clark community and its overall success.” Professor Barbara Bigelow, along with various CUSC members, read some of the submitted student testimonials throughout the first half of the forum.
At the conclusion of the student portion, CUSC led a question-and-answer panel with Angel. During the panel, Angel responded to concerns raised by students in the previous hour, as well as to previously-written questions that CUSC had submitted to him beforehand. In response to complaints about rising tuition, Angel explained that tuition and fees pay for 77 percent of the costs of the University, since Clark’s small endowment leaves the majority of costs uncovered. He also noted that two-thirds of the University’s costs go to salaries and fringe benefits for employees. As such, tuition remains an important source of income for the University, which, he said, makes lowering it complicated. He pointed out that raising salaries by even a small percentage would cause drastic increases to tuition. On the topic of fixed costs, Angel said he could not foresee the University adopting such a policy. He cited George Washington University (GW) as an example of a university with fixed tuition rates, which he said does not actually mean that students there pay less. In order to have a fixed tuition rate, GW raises first-year tuition to account for the projected increases over the next four years. While this allows students to see from the beginning of their education how much they must pay for the next four years, they still pay the same amount regardless. Angel also talked about student employment opportunities on campus, possible changes to the mandatory meal plan, and further transparency of the University’s spending. Though all plans are tentative and currently unconfirmed, Angel promised to work further with students on fiscal issues and said he plans to organize two task forces with Student Council. “It was essential that the administration visualize the magnitude and gravity of the issues surrounding increases in the cost of attending Clark and rising financial burden, and just how broad and severe their impact is on undergraduates,” said Rogers. “I think the forum, and the testimonials we gathered that we’re sharing with them, will help really towards accomplishing this. It’s the first step in having change enacted.”
The Scarlet
4 | news
february 5, 2016
CLARKIE of the WEEK
by Kayleigh McHugh
Scarlet: How does it feel to be a second semester senior? Any
the camera person with lighting and sound. Videographing is
words of wisdom for underclassmen?
one person. So when I’m videographing for a project or event I
Carlos: I would say the feeling is bittersweet, because I am
have my own camera, and sound, and lights, and I just kinda go
almost about to leave Clark, but I’m also really excited to jump
and work by myself. At times I might have help from one or two
into the real world and start my career. In general, I always tell
people, but most of the time I’m a one-man crew. I film, I edit
people to try new things and take risks. At the end of the day I
it, and all that other stuff.
feel taking risks is the most efficient way of learning. Like take a random class. Just go for it.
Scarlet: What’s your favorite project? Carlos: One of my favorite projects...I plan to release in two
Scarlet: What’s a risk or random class you’ve taken?
to three weeks, is a short film I made over the summer. I got
Carlos: Right now I’m taking a pirate class and astronomy.
a grant from the screen studies department to make this film
The pirate class is a really cool history class. I’m just generally
over the summer. I was lucky to have earned it. We filmed that
interested in history and I wanted to take it. And when I was a
in New York. We finished filming in the summer, and now we
kid I wanted to be an astronaut. When I came to Clark though I
are just in post production phase. Finalizing the film, adding
found out science really wasn’t my thing, so the astronomy class
music and stuff like that. It was my first real [time] directing
is a great way for revisiting that.
one. This was the most professional kind of project I’ve done. I have a production name, CSDQ245 Productions. But with this
Scarlet: What is screen studies? Why did you choose it?
new film I want to release it under the new name I’m getting,
Carlos: Essentially, it is the study of film and television. It’s
Cinematic Heights Production. It will be up on YouTube. The
mostly theories. And there’s two or three production courses.
film is a short drama, semi-love story.
Just in general, I enjoy telling stories through cinema and
photo by alexander rakovshik
Carlos Deschamps Carlos Deschamps (‘16) is a screen studies major from Manhattan. He is an active videographer and proud Clarkie.
filmmaking. I find myself attached to life stories, and I want
Scarlet: I heard you are choreographing for International Gala
to film more action/ drama. I like things that people can relate
this year. How’s that going?
to. I want to make films that have the key lesson at the end of
Carlos: I choreographed Gala my sophomore year. And I
the film like life has ups and downs but at the end of the day
performed my freshman and sophomore year. It was the first
life gets better, and you just have to keep going on. So far I’ve
time I choreographed a dance. I took a break my junior year.
done lots of videographing; my ultimate goal is to work in the
This year so far the music and the dance are still in the works.
production field and ultimately be a film director and direct
I’m excited to see the result, and I think it will be a good way to
feature length films. Making it to the Oscars would be the
end my career at Clark. Also I’m going to be making a video for
ultimate goal.
Gala.
I’m also the president of the Film Club at Clark. There’s the
Scarlet: Any fun facts or shout outs?
Clark Film Production Society, and then there’s Clark Univer-
Carlos: Fun fact? I love peanut butter. Shout out to everybody
sity Film Society, and I’m president of the one that makes film
who reads this article, and shout out to everybody at Clark,
(Clark Film Production Society). We’re trying to work with
[and] everyone who has added to my whole Clark experience.
marketing and the screen studies department to create this network of media that people can watch. And it can be a way for
Thansk for the interview, Carlos!
Clarkies, prospective students, and alumni to connect. Scarlet: What is videographing? Carlos: Videographing is kinda different than being a film director or a cinematographer. Cinematographer is kind of like
Email scarlet@clarku.edu if you have a suggestion for Clarkie of the Week!
The Scarlet
february 5, 2016
opinions | 5
The Scarlet/Opinions The opinions enumerated in this section represent those of the author and the author alone. They do not reflect the opinions of the editorial board, The Scarlet, or Clark University.
Here’s To You Mr. Clark A Toast to the Loud and the Fragile By T.J Anania scarlet staff
The Mr. Clark competition is no more thanks to the efforts of a few student ‘activists.’ That’s right, the completely voluntary charity event has been canceled because of its perceived exclusiveness. Mind you, the event was to be open to anyone who self-identified as male and not just rigidly based on sex. The cancellation notice authored by Emilee Cocuzzo (‘18) and Anny Ul-Ain (‘18) was posted to Facebook in the “Official Clark University Class of” pages. The post went on to mention that hateful comments had been directed towards members of Student Council. Now, it’s one thing to raise concerns over the exclusiveness of an event based on sex or race or what have you. These kinds of concerns are legitimate and worth discussing. However, you cross a line of expected civility when you name the student organizers of an event oppressive. Let’s save that adjective for those who really deserve it, Student Council may be a lot of things like vain and boring, but they
are nowhere near oppressive. Participation and attendance of this event were going to be completely voluntary. In my opening I used the word “activist” to describe those threatening to protest. This is, admittedly, playing fast and loose with definitions. Real activists should have meaningful goals. The agenda of the Mr. Clark “protestors” is incredibly immature and likened to a “if I don’t enjoy it, no one can” mentality. Think back to that cranky kid in grade school that always ruined everyone’s good time by taking the kickball and running off because they whiffed the kick. This is same situation, except the ball is a charity event and the cranky kid is old enough to vote: Yikes. That being said, the Mr. Clark pageant is a charity event intended to showcase willing Clarkies and send a winner to a larger Mr. Worcester pageant. Now if attending pageants is not your style and you’d rather do something else with your time, you’re free to do that. It’s just a real shame that this year some people have felt offended enough by mindless show that they have threatened to protest the event and in doing so have ruined the fun of everyone else. There are serious issues in
our community and on our campus that need to be addressed and sometimes a protest is the only way to get someone to take notice. The Mr. Clark pageant was not one of these issues. Hell, I’m sure half of the student body was oblivious to its existence until the posting of the cancellation notice. But the blame for this lunacy doesn’t fall squarely on the shoulders of the ‘activists.’ No, certain administrative personnel and Student Council are at fault as well. They let Mr. Clark be hijacked by a vocal minority and that’s just sad. You cannot, and I’m looking at you CUSC, claim to represent the “student voice” and then be bullied into cancelling a harmless event because of some nasty words and threats; that’s approaching Downey brand toilet paper levels of soft. In the future, I would advise Student Council and the administration to grow a spine and if people threaten to protest, by all means let them do it. Students here are savvy enough to make their own decisions about these issues and if this perceived exclusivity of a beauty pageant can be used as a jumping off point for a larger discussion about sexism, well then we’d all be better off.
By Sarah Cramer editor-in-chief
Every time I return to Clark after a long break, I go through a period of feeling slightly off-balance about everything. By now you would think I would be used to this transition and even come to expect it, yet each August and January I am caught by surprise by the strange feeling that something is a little off. While I’m not quite sure how to explain my biannual memory loss, the explanation for this transition seems more obvious: I’m taking classes again, I’m living on my own again, I’m editing newspapers again, and so on. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that my weird transitions might be caused by this whole “getting older” thing you hear grown-ups talking about. Even though I don’t deliberately think about my age that often, it’s hard to ignore that with each transition back to Clark, I get closer to my ultimate transition away. It was definitely easier to settle back into Clark for the spring semester of my freshman year than it has been to acclimate to the spring semester of my senior year. I recognize that I shouldn’t really be complaining, since I’m staying for the fifth-year program, which puts me in a much less stressful position than some of my friends. Nonetheless, I find myself in a constant state of trying to be present and enjoy what I’ve loved about Clark for the past three and a half years, while simultaneously trying to figure out how my new future-oriented self fits into this campus. Right now, it’s three weeks into my last transition as an undergrad. I’m definitely starting to settle into a new rhythm, even though I still haven’t quite figured it out. I’m beginning to accept that maybe I never completely will, but maybe that’s okay.
The Scarlet
6 | opinions
february 5, 2016
Planned Parenthood: The Videos Controversy Ends with Indictments for Video Makers By Max Elias scarlet staff
The once contentious Planned Parenthood videos have come full circle. Different groups of people already had unique ideas of what Planned Parenthood does—some associate the organization with abortion, concluding that it fosters an abortion culture. Others analyze all of Planned Parenthood’s actions, which don’t merely include providing abortions, but include contraceptive awareness, cancer screenings, STD testing, and education about reproductive health. “Produced” has proven to be an appropriate word in describing how the video came to exist because in a shocking twist, it has been identified as outrageously false. Quotes were patched together from out-of-context words and phrases not even said by the same person, if they had any basis in reality at all—the creators of the video, David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt, at no point shrank from fabricating events entirely. The central focus of the video was the alleging that Planned Parenthood was selling fetal tissue to researchers for profit. In keeping with the general trend that seems to be emerging here, it is of course false. The two activists went undercover as employees of a company called BioMax—also fake, shockingly—which ostensibly procures fetal tissue for research purposes. Planned Parenthood’s side of the story is that they were immediately put off by the approach, refusing to have any part of it. Which is frankly pretty obviously the testimony they would give, guilty or not. Enter the government: In Houston, Texas, a grand jury investigated these claims and could find no evidence that they had any veracity to
them. The jury also indicted Daleiden and Merritt, found to have conducted themselves illegally; not only did they slander Planned Parenthood, but they used false driver’s licenses to gain access to Planned Parenthood, which is flagrantly illegal. In the face of this evidence, it seems remiss to still throw support behind the prochoice activists (at least these particular ones). The whole affair raises two immediate questions. One of these is obvious, with an equally clear answer: why fabricate and then publicize this video? The only reason would be incitement of ill-deserved outrage at Planned Parenthood. Among the sector of the population already inclined to mistrust and steer clear of Planned Parenthood, the activists’ scheme worked wonders. Even some with knowledge of the falsehoods present in the video (which is, again, all of it) ally themselves with Daleiden and Merritt. Predictably, these individuals belong to the GOP—more specifically, certain presidential candidates have made vocal declarations on this matter. The question then becomes how supporting the video makers will manifest in results of their political campaigns. One GOP candidate that used this video to justify a stance against Planned Parenthood was Carly Fiorina. She cited an image of a fetus moving after the abortion was performed to reinforce her claim that the government should defund Planned Parenthood. Other Republicans who have made this an issue include Rand Paul and Rick Perry. By and large, the same applies to them as does for Fiorina; although Rand Paul has a higher profile than the other two mentioned. Being so outspoken will most likely restrict the voter base willing to back Cruz—or Paul, Fiorina, etc. Establishing oneself as an opponent of the rights of a given group would
logically render one an unattractive choice to that group. Therefore it seems only logical that a party setting itself up against Planned Parenthood would not have support among women of any demographic, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Some
good evidence to the contrary exists in the fact that Carly Fiorina is running for office while holding these views. Regardless, by and large, Republicans’ images as crusaders against the rights of women will restrict their
appeal when election time approaches. Of course they will always find some amount of support in those demographics. How much depends on their respective skill in passing their objections to the organization off as reasonable and grounded.
The Scarlet
february 5, 2016
living arts | 7
The Scarlet/Living Arts Wilco Takes the Orpheum An Old Favorite Proves its Relevance
by Tyler Terriault
Spring Semester is in full swing, just like a big, bad home-run hitter
By Matt Emmer living arts editor
Tolstoyan novels’ worth of blog posts have been written in the past decade about how Wilco is a band with nothing left to prove. Indeed, after the inarguable artistic success and public spectacle of 2001’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, singer/songwriter/guitarist Jeff Tweedy and his increasingly stable orchestra of collaborators have already made their contribution to that sublime meta-genre of “good music,” otherwise occupied by the likes of Dylan, Davis, and Wilson. Thus, the last few Wilco records, which have undoubtedly expanded the band’s already laudable legacy of innovative Americana, were met with warm ambivalence by the increasingly jaded mainstream rock community. This summer, the surprise release of Star Wars, the band’s celebratory ninth album, put a welcome end to that critical malaise. This album, performed in full at the beginning of Saturday night’s concert, exudes a sense of youthful buoyancy and experimentation. Yet it is remarkable for its sonic service to Tweedy’s always impeccable songcraft with sprinkles of the noisy exuberance that defines the best of Wilco’s catalogue. In a sense, Wilco has again redefined itself by doing what it does best. Wilco’s performance on Jan. 30 at Boston’s Orpheum Theater began
Listen to ROCU Mondays at 8 p.m. sharp You’ll like what you hear! I sit in the caf and I dream, of just one more big plate of french fries
photo by matt emmer
with a brief opening set from guitar instrumentalist William Tyler, who filled the historic theatre with sonic ghosts through his reverb-laden fingerstyle guitar tunes. Alternating between electric and acoustic instruments, Tyler impressed with his densely looped soundscapes that emanated a tripped-out John Fahey vibe. After a brief break, Wilco’s headlining performance was announced with the noisy, angular overture of Star Wars’ opening track, “Ekg,” being pumped through the PA. The grid-like backdrop illuminated in increasingly chaotic patterns of different colors and shapes, impressionistically setting the stage for the evening. The band took the stage be-
low the growing cacophony of sound and color being woven above them. As the band bravely dove into the soaring chorus of “More,” Star Wars’ first proper song, there was no doubt in the room of the band’s immediate relevance and vitality, nearly 15 years and several band members removed from their initial masterwork. Wilco’s spikier edge was on display in songs like the crunchy “Random Name Generator” and “Pickled Ginger.” Fans of the more emotional material would have favored tender ballads like “Taste the Ceiling” and “Where Do I Begin,” both as masterful as anything Tweedy’s ever written. “Magnetized,” the album’s heartfelt closing song, is perhaps one of the band’s best expressions of its full
There’s a snake in my boot! Oh wait, no, sorry, just a really long thread “Don’t be a drag, just be a queen, don’t be a drag, be a queen.” - Gaga
artistry, combining classic folk-rock songcraft with more progressive textures. The post-Star Wars section of the show opened with the surprise one-two-three punch of “Spiders (Kidsmoke),” “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart,” and “Art of Almost,” three of the best-loved though most challenging pieces of their repertoire. With this song selection, the band sent a clear message that it
meant business, no doubt inspired by its excitement about the wealth of new material. The rest of the show wove together selections from the best-loved corners of Wilco’s vast canon of recorded songs. The attentive audience seemed equally excited for the more recent selections, as they were surecontinued on page 8
8 | living arts
The Scarlet
Worcester Auto Show Car Lovers’ Heaven
photo by lynn pescaro
By Lynn Pescaro scarlet staff
What was a Clarkie with a bus pass doing at the Worcester Auto Show last weekend? Not buying, yet. Just trying on a few fresh-off-the-assembly-line 2016 beauties. The aroma of new cars filled the exhibit hall at the DCU Center in downtown Worcester. The annual three-day event was hosted by local dealers and brought in a large crowd of car-lovers. From Alpha Romeo to Suburban, there was a car for everyone. If you are in the market for a 2016 model, this is a smart way to shop. If you are a college student, it is like touring Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory—everywhere you look, there is something rich and delicious. The show featured new models from Ford, GMC, Cadillac, Mazda, Kia, Hyundai, Buick, Dodge, Audi, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Prius, Scion and good ole’ Chevrolet. No apple pie. I looked. Everyone was encouraged to look under the hood, kick the tires, slip into an infinitely adjustable soft leather seat and grab hold of the heated leather steering wheel. How about a $51,648
Lexus RC 300 Sport two-seater with manual six-speed, or a Kia mini-van Soul that brags 31 mpg? Patrons entered contests to win a new car and everyone could peruse information from the dozens of iPad tablets scattered around the exhibit hall. Siri, polite as always, was available to answer questions. “Siri, what is the price of this eightpassenger Lexus LX570 ultimate soccer parent car?” “The starting price is $98,195.” There were also real, live sales representatives, like Henry from Hyundai’s Boston and New Hampshire dealerships, who showed me the Sonata hybrid, Elantra, Genesis and Veloster, all reasonably priced and well-equipped. “The Millenniums [sic] love how easy it is to interface,” said Henry. “They are fun to drive and still get great gas mileage.” Maybe a millennial could show me how to start these cars without keys. By “interface,” I assume Henry is talking about the overwhelming technology that is now standard in new vehicles. For example, all the Buicks are equipped with “IntelliLink2 with AM/ FM, 7” diagonal high, resolution color touch-screen, CD player, MP3 play-
back, GPS navigation, auxiliary and USB ports, Smartphone voice control activation, Pandora, Stitcher SmartRadio, Sirius, seven speakers, Bluetooth, and OnStar 4G LTE and Built-in WiFi Hotspot. Long gone are the days of plugging your phone into the cigarette lighter. The money cars are as sexy as ever: Mercedes-Benz of Shrewsbury, sporting an old-school mechanical round odometer; Audi S3 Sedan 2.OT Quattro S, from Wagner Motors; BMW, and; Cadillac, from Baker Cadillac, Leominster, which has not shrunk in size, nor has its price, $82,000. Traditional American models include the Silverado 2400 pickup, from Diamond Chevrolet, the Ford Mustang California GT 5.0, from New England Ford Dealers, Dodge “Power Wagon” Hemi (with flaming decals), and the Dodge Challenger with hood scoop and fin. A patron, Justin, and his young son were trying out the Dodge Ram and commented that the “cab was huge.” He explained that, “more families own one car now,” so this feature had a “double use—my landscape business and family.” His son liked the “butt warmer.” Buick brought its entire fleet: Cascada, the new convertible, the Verano, Regal, Lacrosse, and the Enclave. Gallo of Worcester brought the Mazda CX3 with Skyactive technology. A computer controls all four wheels to automatically adjust the vehicle to changing road and weather conditions. (Green Clarkies, block your ears.) The family-friendly, environmentally-unfriendly GMC Yukon XL Denali, whose “uncommon spaciousness” took up the space of three Priuses and gets a mere 16 mpg is big. School bus big. Sales Consultant Stephen Paglieroni, from Diamond Chevrolet in Auburn, confidently justified ownership, “What price can you put on safety?” For starters, $51,051, but the wireless charger is standard. In a sea of white and metallic gray, I was blinded by the shiny metallic blue American classic, the Chevrolet Camaro, hands-down the prettiest car in the hall. Priced around $46,000, I wonder if FAFSA would cover it. It sports a double sunroof and a V-8 that pushes 200 mph in case you are late for class. Now, if it only had a cassette player, I could crank up Free Bird and ride.
february 5, 2016
Wilco Cont. continued from page 7
fire crowd-pleasers like “Box Full of Letters” and “Heavy Metal Drummer.” In an orchestral vision of a band, Wilco functions in devout service to its material, serving the needs of the given song with their wide range of individual influences and musical tendencies. Keyboardist Mikael Jorgenson and drummer Glenn Kotche tend to push the music in a more explosive and experimental direction, while utility multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone and founding bassist John Stirratt maintain a firm grounding in American roots music that sets Wilco apart from its indie royalty contemporaries. Lead guitarist Nels Cline shines as the musical backbone of the group’s current incarnation, despite his apparent onstage modesty. Though initially drafted into the band from the almost-academic world of avant-garde jazz, Cline
seems equally adept playing lap steel guitar and his trusty Fender Jazzmaster guitar in swirling melodic patterns that color even the more chaotic moments with understated elegance amidst unrelenting innovation. After an almost two-hour set highlighting the more assertive electric elements of the band’s catalogue, Wilco returned for an encore as an acoustic ensemble. In a miniature set-up at the lip of the stage, the group played fully unplugged instruments, including Cline on resonator, Sansone on six-string banjo, and Jorgenson on melodica. While strumming and picking his Waterloo acoustic guitar, Tweedy led the musicians and audience through a celebratory half-dozen song singalong, bookended by the anthemic “Misunderstood” and “Shot in the Arm.” The acoustic arrangements of songs like “California Star” invoked the spirit of the band’s posthumous collaborator, Woody Guthrie. Like Guthrie, Wilco has proven itself an eternally relevant and immediately vital entity in the often-ephemeral music world.
photo by lynn pescaro
The Scarlet
february 5, 2016
sports | 9
The Scarlet/Sports SPORTS RECAPS By Scott Levine sports editor
Men’s Basketball
Women’s Basketball
Clark Men’s Basketball won 81-74 in a thrilling overtime game against Coast Guard on Wednesday, Feb. 3.
Clark Women’s Basketball ended last week on a high note with a win over Wellesley on Saturday, Jan. 30, something that boosted their morale a bit after having lost a close game to Wheaton a few days prior.
After guard John Pisacreta (‘18) made a game tying layup with three seconds remaining in regulation, guard Luke LaLima (‘17) made some pivotal defensive stops in overtime. He stole the ball twice, and took one charge. LaLima also made a crucial play on offense during this period to pad the Cougars’ one point lead. When inbounding the ball under his own basket, he threw it off the back of a Coast Guard defender, caught it, attempted a layup, and drew contact. He would go on to make both free throws.
Offensive consistency is something the team has struggled with. This was apparent in the Wheaton game, in which they had a lead in the beginning of the second half, but fell short. “Our biggest issue is that we haven’t been able to put a full game together. We usually have one bad quarter,” said Sami Dokus (‘16). Dokus said that head coach Pat Glispin is usually a defensive minded coach, and there has been greater emphasis on offense this year than in years past.
“It’s not like I go to that as my first option,” said LaLima, “but no one was open, so I just made a basketball play.” LaLima is from Colts Neck, N. J., and grew up idolizing New Jersey Nets point guard Jason Kidd. His play was reminiscent of the move Lil’ Bow Wow executed on Kidd in the iconic basketball movie Like Mike. “As I was going to the line, I heard someone on the other team say, ‘He pulled some Like Mike [expletive],’” said LaLima.
While solid execution on offense helped the Cougars triumph over Wellesley, Dokus said that a major key to winning against Wellesley was having some of the offense “buckling down on defense...we were getting stops, and then executing the fast break properly,” said Dokus.
This win tasted especially sweet after a disappointing 66-60 loss against MIT on Saturday, Jan. 30. Clark was up 29-9 against MIT at one point in the first half. “We came out with very strong defense, which really helps our offense get going, and when we get shots to fall we become a very dangerous team,” cocaptain forward Corey Gomes (‘16) wrote in an email to The Scarlet.
Another factor that helped them win was a breakout week by center Ogechi Ezemma (‘19) who has averaged 14 points and 8.7 rebounds a game in the team’s last three games. This dominance won her Worcester Area College Basketball Association Women’s Rookie of the Week. “I always say [Ezemma] is an inspiration to me, because she really knows how to rebound,” said Dokus. Ezemma put up a double double on Wednesday, Feb. 3 in a close loss to Springfield College.
MIT was slowly able to claw back due in part to a strong performance by their young star Bradley Jomard, who scored 20 of his 27 points in the second half. “When we start missing some shots and start needing a bucket that distracts us from the defensive mindset, it allows teams to battle back. It’s something we’re working on and looking to improve as the season goes on,” wrote Gomes.
The Cougars are currently 2-11 in conference play, and will play their next home game on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. against Mount Holyoke.
The Cougars are currently 3-6 in conference play, but have five games left to make up some ground. They are confident in their ability to do so. “Once we’re able to get everything figured out on our end, I don’t think there’s a team in the NEWMAC that can beat us,” wrote Gomes. They will play their next home game on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. in a rematch against Springfield College.
continued on page 10
The Scarlet
10 | sports
february 5, 2016
Sports Recaps Cont.
SACNAS Student Chapter
continued from page 9
Men’s Swimming & Diving Clark Men’s Swimming & Diving has been improving steadily throughout the season. Improvement has been an overarching theme of the team this year, as they have several inexperienced swimmers; almost half of the team is comprised of first-years. For upperclassman Josh Feinberg (‘16), this year has been very different than past years, as he has been thrust into a leadership position. “Last year I studied abroad in the spring and was just going through the motions with the team,” wrote Feinberg. “This year, with having such an amazing income of first-years, I’ve helped them make their transition into Clark life and especially into the swimmer life that they’ll come to endure for the next three years.” Several first-years have emerged as top swimmers not only on the team, but in the conference. In last weekend’s out of conference meet against Brandeis, Bill Holloman (‘19) won the 100-yard breaststroke with a blistering time of 1:03.14. Two first-years also won in the 200-yard freestyle relay that featured Dylan Schrama (‘19), Lukas Leung (‘16), Julian Ortega (‘19), and Feinberg. The team has not skipped a beat, and it has the same goals as always: “watch each other kick ass, improve our times, grow closer as a team...and survive,” as Feinberg wrote. The Cougars will swim in the Clark Invitational, the team’s last home meet, on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 1 p.m.
Interested in Science? Interested in STEM? Interested in diversity issues in STEM? Then you will be interested in the founding of the Clark University SACNAS Student Chapter
Information Meeting
Women’s Swimming & Diving Clark Women’s Swimming & Diving saw their work pay off this season in a big way against Brandeis last Saturday, Jan. 30. They won the meet 147-144 thanks to a first place finish in the last event, the 200-yard breaststroke relay by Charlotte Gray (‘18), Amelia Muratori (‘19), Melissa Orzechowski (‘17), and Kelsey Clary (‘16). They finished with a time of 1:44.65, roughly one second faster than the leading Brandeis team. “When it comes down to the end of the meet like that, everybody gets very excited,” wrote Niki Lew (‘17). Though Lew was not in the pool for the final event, her third place finish in the 200-yard individual medley helped keep the meet close. While wins are nice, Lew wrote that the team is much more focused on dayto-day improvements than the win/loss column. “We may not win every meet, but in swimming a loss doesn’t mean a bad day. For us as individuals, we look at our times and push to do things we have never done before, as Coach would say, and at that point the score doesn’t affect us,” she wrote. Lew wrote that she is particularly pleased with the team’s latest progression, even as soreness and fatigue begin to set in midway through the season. “As far as improvements go, the end of the season is the hardest from a mental standpoint as our bodies are broken down from the training trip and that can often show through negativity resulting in slower times which is hard to deal with.” She added that morale has played a large role in constructing the fortitude of the team. “I think this year everybody has been much more positive than in the past and it is really showing in the pool as people are continuing to drop time as we get close to NEWMACs,” she wrote. Clark Women’s Swimming & Diving will race in the Clark Invitational in the Kneller on Saturday, Feb. 6. at 1 p.m. It will be their last meet before the NEWMAC Championships.
All photos and statistics courtesy of clarkathletics.com
6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10 Ground Floor Atrium, Lasry Center for Bioscience Food and refreshments will be available For more information: rdrewell@clarku.edu
Eyeing Playoffs Cont. continued from page 1
This year the team has had the luxury of having impactful players from every grade. “This year’s different because we have a good mixture of guys,” said Huffman. “We have seniors that contribute, all the way down to freshmen and the dynamic has been
really good.” Although the first-years such as McCormick have played an important role for the team as their newest members, the cohesion of the returning players has also played a big role in the Cougar’s success. “We have more experience under our belt, playing with each other…Playing more with the same group of guys we get a better understanding of where everyone likes to be on the court—their strengths, and I think that lets us to be more competitive,” said LaLima. The Cougars will continue to treat each coming game with the same intensi-
ty and hunger to win as the next. “We still approach each game with the same focus and attention that I’ve been accustomed to in the past two years,” said LaLima. Their last five games will pose a challenge, as the Cougars must convert this focus into wins. The team is confident they can pull out the outcomes necessary to prolong their season, “There’s enough time to turn around the season and make a playoff run,” said LaLima. They will take on five conference opponents starting Saturday, Feb. 6: Emerson, Wheaton, Babson, Springfield, and WPI.
The Scarlet
february 5, 2016
sports | 11
COUGAR of the WEEK Scarlet: How has the season been for you? Brackett: This season has been amazing in so many ways. I have been swimming faster than I ever have in season, and the team has a bond this year that was missing the past couple seasons. That bond has pushed us all to work a lot harder in the pool.
photo by jenny rubin
Amanda Brackett women’s swimming & Diving Amanda Brackett’s (‘15) final season with the Women’s Swimming & Diving team is almost over. She has posted personal records this year alone in the 500 meter event. Brackett started as a lifeguard, then became team manager, and finally became a swimmer. She sat down with The Scarlet to talk about her last season, the Puerto Rico trip, and her grueling schedule.
Scarlet: I know that the swim team recently had a training trip in Puerto Rico. Can you give some insight into what the training trip was like? How hard was it? What were some of the obstacles you had to face? Brackett: The training trip is my favorite time of the year. Everybody always makes fun of the number of times I say, “I love Puerto Rico!” or “I’m just so happy right now!” while we are there, but it really is unlike anything you will ever do, because it is simultaneously the most fun and most painful experience. You are exhausted, and your whole body hurts, but you are in Puerto Rico, so you just have to smile! Suffering through the early mornings, long practices, and complete exhaustion really brings the team together, and it is an amazing thing to experience. Coach tells us every year the whole point is “to completely break your body down,” and he always achieves that goal [laughs]. This year, we swam over 62,000 meters which is about 42 miles over the nine days we were in Puerto Rico, plus even more training at Clark over break. Probably the biggest obstacle for me was trying to stay in the moment and not be sad about it being my last trip. Scarlet: I know this year there are a lot of first-years on the team. What is that like since there are not as many sophomores and juniors? Brackett: Being a small team this year caused the seniors and the first-years to bond much more than they typically do, which has been awesome. Scarlet: As a fifth-year, do you find it hard to identify with the Clark community and the team? Brackett: I didn’t find it hard to identify with the team this year, but outside swimming I don’t have much of a connection to the Clark community anymore. Scarlet: Head Coach Paul E. Phillips has been part of the Swimming & Diving Program at Clark for close to two decades. As someone who has been with him for five years, is there any insight you can provide into his training and philosophy? Brackett: Oh man, that’s a hard question [laughs]. In terms of training he does everything for a reason, and that reason is usually a pretty good one so just trust him. He also really emphasizes the relationships we create on the team and the bond that is created between teammates. We consider the team our family, and we treat each other like family and that whole philosophy comes from Coach. He really instills in the team a sense of community, belonging, and responsibility to one another that I’ve never experienced on any other team, and it is what has made swimming the most significant part of my college experience.
by Steven Castiglione
Scarlet: Coach Phillips is also known for his strict discipline on academics. In past years, the swimming and diving teams have posted some of the highest GPAs in the nation among swimmers and divers. How does that make you feel? Brackett: Coach has always been great with academics, and recognizes that we can’t be athletes if we aren’t students first. Strong academics has always just been part of the culture on the team. We go to the library together, help each other with our work, and always push each other to do the best we can in whatever we are doing. Also, a significant portion of our team is majoring in science or math, so we are taking the hardest classes and still putting up some of the best team GPAs at Clark, in the conference, and in the nation, which is awesome and I’m really proud to be a part of it. Scarlet: I know swimming and diving are two different sports, but they operate as one. Do you find it difficult for the two teams to coexist together? Brackett: I don’t think it’s difficult for them to coexist, but sometimes it can be difficult to get the two groups to be cohesive. We don’t practice together so we also miss out on a lot of the bonding. The team really bonds when we suffer together in practice and unfortunately we don’t get to experience that with the divers. The only time we get to see the divers do their thing is at meets, which is really impressive, but we miss the hardest part of diving when we only see them compete. While learning new dives, they smack, a lot sometimes, but they just get right back up and do it again. It takes mental toughness, and we miss all those painful steps to getting to the beautiful dives we see at meets. Scarlet: Is there anyone on the team who you feel has shown a lot of progress this year? Brackett: Literally everyone [laughs]. We have done a lot more specialty training in the pool this year and it really shows. People have been swimming super fast and it’s awesome. The divers have also been killing it this year. Tyler Terriault (‘16), switched from swimming to diving this year, and watching his diving progress has been super cool. Scarlet: NEWMACs are right around the corner. Since it is your last Championship, is there anything you are looking forward to? Brackett: I’m really looking forward to having Championships at MIT again because we only swim there at Championships, and it makes it more special than just swimming at WPI where we swim at least three times a year. I am also looking forward to watching everybody swim. Everybody has worked so hard this year, and people have been putting up season best times within the past couple weeks, so it should be a great weekend. I’m not looking forward to it being over, though. I’m not ready to be done. The Clark Invitational will take place on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. in the Kneller Athletic Center. Thanks for the interview, Amanda!
The Scarlet
12 | extras
Police Logs Compiled by Maria Rotelli
Friday, Jan. 1 2:34 – Assisting Worcester Police with a disorderly party on Main Street. Saturday, Jan. 2 2:39 – Party at the Carriage House reports that they were bitten by a female party who then took off. Sunday, Jan. 3 0:43 – Assisting Worcester Police with clearing a large party. 23:07 – Female removed from the front of a building on Main Street. Monday, Jan. 4 6:23 - Units out with a party sleeping on a bench inside the building. 17:15 – Caller requests that a group be removed for the evening in the library. Friday, Jan. 8 1:49 – Units assisting MA State Police on call. Tuesday, Jan. 12 22:08 – Units assisting Worcester Police with traffic at an accident scene on Main and Maywood Street. Saturday, Jan. 16 3:06 – Units assisting Worcester Police on a call. Sunday, Jan. 17 3:21 – Units assisting Worcester Police with a report of a fight. Monday, Jan. 18 7:23 – Caller reports two windows shot out on the new building at the construction site. 8:20 – Report of a car alarm sounding for a long period of time.
Tuesday, Jan. 19 7:18 – Caller reports copper pipe stolen from the construction site at the construction site. Wednesday, Jan. 20 2:36 – Assisting Worcester Police on a call. 14:30 – Caller reports a suspicious male begging students for cigarettes outside the University Center. Thursday, Jan. 21 12:00 – Student reports that her debit card was stolen at a bus stop. 16:20 – Clark bookstore employee calling to report a possible theft, theft not confirmed. Friday, Jan. 22 2:44 – Units assisting Worcester Police with a report of possible shots fired on May Street. 3:34 – Units out with the male party from a previous call. 12:46 – Party requesting to speak with an officer regarding circumstances. Saturday, Jan. 23 0:38 – Complaint of loud noise from the hallway in Blackstone Hall. 17:30 – Caller reports an argument between roommates on Beaver Street. Units responding. 22:52 – Caller reports possible domestic in the roadway on Florence Street. Monday, Jan. 25 15:32 – Physical Plant calling to report a male slumped over on his steering wheel on Florence Street. Tuesday, Jan. 26 10:02 – Caller reports the possible larceny of artwork from the Traina Center. 16:14 – Caller reports a group of students
february 5, 2016
What happens in The Scarlet office stays in The Scarlet office... sort of
“I don’t know why we don’t snap more.” -Giles “We should either go full pimp or nothing.” -Giles “He’s like a malicious genie.” -Jeremy “Here’s how much I like Neil. I don’t know anyone else named Neil, and I still call him Handsome Neil.” -Jeremy “Daddy needs a blurb.” -Scott “What happened to that dude who likes doing coug?” -Sarah “If you guys have any really offensive quotes you don’t want attributed to you but you want in the 4 a.m., you can attribute them to me.” -Chris “When I’m confused I don’t make puns” -Giles
throwing pool balls at the mirror in the Grind. Wednesday, Jan. 27 6:04 – Parties removed from the Goddard Library. Friday, Jan. 29 11:04 – Party in the lobby to report an incident involving an intoxicated person at Red Square. 20:53 – Caller reports a male on a bicycle who is trying car door handles. Sunday, Jan. 31 1:47 – Caller reports someone on the roof of the Kneller. 20:59 – Units assisting Worcester Police with a vehicle alarm. This month 11 burglar alarms went off along with 8 fire alarms. There were also 28 calls to police escort, 12 calls to EMS, 4 well-being checks, 4 vehicle accidents, and 22 lock outs.