11.04.09

THE BUTLER

COLLEGIAN

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER

4 2009

www.thebutlercollegian.com

Employee drug policy proposed Hayleigh Colombo hcolombo@butler.edu

Ex-student facing felonies Charged with four counts for allegedly submitting fraudulent transcripts to receive more than $15,000 in aid Jennifer Pignolet and Brock Benefiel jpignole@butler.edu; bbenefie@butler.edu

A new substance abuse prevention policy has been presented to Butler University employees, and its implications have caused a stir among some faculty and staff.

The policy, affecting full-time, part-time and temporary employees, advises employees that drug testing and other procedures will be used if abuse is suspected.

A draft of the policy was presented to the Faculty Senate during July and revised in September. The revised draft will be presented to the Board of Trustees in the upcoming months, Jeanne VanTyle, chair of Faculty Senate, said.

“The university has established this policy to ensure that employees do not use alcohol or illegal drugs on university property, while engaged in university-related activities or business, or during work time,” the policy states.

Michael Vance, professor of pharmacology, said he hasn’t seen any reason why the university has decided to enact such a policy.

“To me, it’s basically, fundamentally obnoxious,”

Indianapolis, Indiana

Established 1886

Vol. 124 Issue 10

A former Butler University student is facing four felony charges for allegedly using false transcripts to gain admittance to the school and receive more than $15,000 in university and federal grants and scholarships.

Cori Jackson, who was the center of a controversial investigation regarding a stolen laptop last spring, was charged Oct. 23 with two Class C felony counts of forgery and two Class D felony counts of theft in connection with his admittance to Butler.

Each Class C felony charge carries a maximum sentence of eight years in prison and a $10,000 fine, and each Class D felony charge carries a maximum of three years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Jackson did not respond to multiple phone calls.

Ben Hunter, director of public safety and chief of the Butler University Police Department (BUPD), said the documents Jackson provided in order to transfer from Kent State University last spring contained discrepancies in his grade point average (GPA).

Hunter states in an affidavit submitted to the office of Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi that the transcripts provided to Butler when Jackson applied show a Kent State GPA of 3.55. However,

See POLICY Page 4

Hunter states his actual Kent State records show a GPA of 0.74.

The BUPD chief also claims Jackson allegedly forged the signature of his high school counselor and inflated his high school GPA from 1.525 to 3.846.

Beginning in May, Hunter said Jackson was issued multiple notices by both him and Butler University President Bobby Fong that he is barred from university property.

Jackson was arrested Oct. 10 in the Efroymson Diversity Center at Butler for misdemeanor trespassing.

Tom Weede, vice president of university enrollment, said he became suspicious of Jackson’s transcripts after Fong asked him to review Jackson’s academic record for the university’s appeal process involving the stolen laptop. The university suspended Jackson indefinitely in March for allegedly stealing the laptop of Michael DeMarco, a fourth-year pharmacy student. The Marion County prosecutor’s office is still investigating the missing laptop.

Weede said Fong wanted him to review Jackson’s record for the appeal because Jackson had introduced aspects of his record as part of his defense. Weede said he pulled Jackson’s transcript from the university’s files and immediately recognized the document didn’t “feel right.” He evaluated it more closely and found multiple abnormalities See FELONIES Page 4

Geneva Stunts 2009

BUPD warns of e-mail ‘phishing’ Olivia Ingle oingle@butler.edu Some e-mails sent through Butler’s system seem to be getting a little “phishy.”

“Phishing” e-mails look like e-mails from legitimate companies and usually ask for your personal information.

“They’re very official, and they’re sophisticated enough that they can get through spam filters,” Ben Hunter, director of public safety and Butler University Police Department Chief said. “They’re set up to get your account information.”

Hunter said someone might receive a “phishing” email posing as their credit card company. The e-mail might say the account is being shut down, so the person will reply to the number given in the e-mail.

“Call the number on the back of your credit card, instead,” Hunter said. “Don’t dial the number in the email.”

Students can be vulnerable to these e-mails when signing up for things online.

See ‘PHISHING’ Page 4

Collegian photo by Maria Porter

STUNT DOUBLES: As part of Family Weekend, Butler University students participated in the 2009 Geneva Stunts Saturday night, a campus-wide competition of musical skits put on to support the YMCA. The winners of this year’s stunts were Alpha Chi Omega and Sigma Chi.

Alliance members urge importance of new hate crime legislation Caitlin O’Rourke corourke@butler.edu The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) community and their allies are celebrating all over the country—and on Butler University’s campus—because of the first piece of federal LGBTQ legislation The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed recently by President Barack Obama. Any crimes committed with a bias against the LGBTQ community will now be considered a federal offense.

“It’s not going to change things overnight,” David Murray, associate professor of music and Alliance faculty advisor, said. “But it’s a real measure of security. I feel there is some justice that has been accomplished.”

The bill is named for two men who were both brutally murdered as a result of hate crimes based on their sexuality. Members of their families were present for the signing.

“It gives full humanity to the LGBTQ com-

INSIDE BUPD Beat......4 Campus Pulse.....4 Staff Editorial....5 Columns........5&6 Reviews..............7 Musical Preview...7

‘Mahler’ Events....7 Playlist of the Week..............8 Horoscopes............8 Sports Column...11 Geneva Stunts...12

munity, finally,” junior Austin Blue, president of Alliance, said.

All members of Alliance interviewed said they agree that the bill is long overdue.

“In America, we love tradition,” Blue said. “If it’s new, we don’t know what to do with it.”

“It tends to be a subject that many officials kind of want to stray away from,” sophomore Alex Montgomery, the secretary of Alliance, said. “It’s still kind of touchy.”

Although the bill will certainly have an effect nationwide, the question is whether Butler will feel that effect.

“The view of the LGBTQ community on campus has become a lot more positive over the years,” Murray said. “The turnout we saw at the drag show this year, it was amazing.”

Blue said he’s not sure the bill will truly affect Butler because there is no real harassment on campus currently.

“Basically, it’s just nice to know that it’s there,” Montgomery said.

All three said they are thrilled with the bill

Anniversary of Hope

and look forward to more legislation protecting the LGBTQ community.

“As much as we would like to see huge strides at once, it’s definitely a step-by-step process,” Montgomery said. “I think the next step should definitely be the military. It just really doesn’t make sense to me. If we have troops ready to fight, they should be able to.”

The military exercises a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy under which a soldier identifying him or herself as a member of the LGBTQ community can be removed from his or her position.

Blue said he considers this somewhat of a “first step” and is thankful the government finally acknowledged that the LGBTQ community is as deserving of safety as the “hetero community.”

“It would be nice to get to a place where it’s not a big deal,” Murray said. “We would just like to be treated equally.”

Alliance meets Wednesdays at 9 p.m. in JH236. All are welcome.

BU goes “Into the Woods”

One year ago, Barack Obama won the presidency, but he has broken many promises.

Next week, Butler Lyric Theatre will perform the musical “Into the Woods” at Broad Ripple High School.

page 6

page 7

Collegian photo from MCT

RALLY: Hillary Clinton speaks at a 2003 march advocating for increased hate crime legislation.

Football on Fire Butler’s football team continues its historic run. The team is still undefeated eight games into the season.

page 9

Butler Forecast Today

Tomorrow

51

51

38

32

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Page 2

The Butler Collegian

NEWS

NEWS

Professor campaigns for sixth time Colleges reach out via networking Patricia Alex MCT

Allison Denton adenton@butler.edu Marvin Scott, a Butler University sociology professor, will be running for congress next year, challenging Democratic Rep. André Carson of Indianapolis.

This will be Scott’s sixth run. In his five previous elections, Scott has won three primary races. In 2004, Scott was the Republican candidate against Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh, who won the election with 62 percent of the vote.

Scott said he took interest in running for public office because of his innovativeness and strong will.

“I said ‘If not me, then who?’” Scott said. “I thought in many instances I had ideas and motivation and a will to serve the people that was greater [than the other candidates’].”

Scott’s view on health care and his health care platform are examples of what sets him apart from other candidates.

“I am of the firm belief that every American deserves health care—good health care,” Scott said. “I think where we disagree is how we do it. What we have is a shortage of doctors.”

Scott’s strategy in dealing with a shortage of doctors involves adding a medical school to universities that don’t already have them in five strategic locations across the country—one on each coast, one in the central Midwest, one in the Northeast and one in the Southeast.

“I would then propose that each institution graduate, per year, 200 students,” Scott said. “That means we could graduate an additional 1,000 physicians a year.”

While graduating more students per year is the goal, it is important to note that in Scott’s strategy, the entry requirements to these colleges would remain at the same caliber. However, attendance at these medical institutions would be free.

“It would be a free medical education,” Scott said, “but then [the graduating physicians] would have a 10-year obligation and would be assigned to one of the centers of one of those colleges within their area.”

The platform is meant to increase competition within the medical profession and ease the problem “through a

Collegian photo courtesy of Marvin Scott for U.S. Senate Committee

SIX TIME’S A CHARM: A Butler sociology professor campaigns for congress because of his interest in public office. meritocracy as opposed to benevolent giving,” Scott said.

Scott said that the hardest part about campaigning is raising money.

“I’ve got to raise over a million dollars to be competitive in this race,” Scott said.

The high price makes it very difficult to compete with wealthy politicians who Scott described as “captains of industry.” Going to businesses, homes, making phone calls and sending emails and mailings are a few methods of fundraising.

While money creates a challenge, he said, there are enjoyable parts of campaigning.

“I like meeting people,” Scott said. “When I ran for senate, I went to all 92 counties and met some of the most interesting people. I will never forget them, and I’m sure they’ve not forgotten me.

“There are a lot of people who remember who I am, and that’s something you can’t buy quickly.”

While Scott is busy sharing his ideas with people around Indiana, he also shares his ideas in his own classroom.

“I think it’s very interesting to hear his ideas,” senior Katie Collins, a student of

Scott’s, said. “He has a lot of really good ideas on changing society. He shares these ideas with the class and likes to get our opinions on them too.

He’s very willing to hear other perspectives.”

The class Collins is taking with Scott is called Sociology of Racism.

“He doesn’t scare his students into not being able to oppose him, which is something that’s nice especially because he teaches so many controversial subjects,” Collins said.

In addition to teaching to his own classroom, Scott makes a statement for Butler overall.

“I think it just shows the quality of our teachers,” Collins said. “It shows the staff’s drive to change society and change the community, and it shows their status in the community.”

When asked about the personal statement he hopes to make by running for office six times, Scott alluded to the fact that President Abraham Lincoln ran five times before being elected.

“He didn’t do it the first time,” Scott said. “It’s perseverance. I’m your worst nightmare come true. I will keep driving and trying.

That’s the way I was raised.”

Large one topping pizza $7.99 6311 North Keystone Avenue 251-PAPA (7272)

Social networking tools—such as Facebook, blogging and Twitter—are quickly becoming an integral part of college admissions around the country, as students communicate with schools in a way that has become second nature to them.

More than 60 percent of schools are now using so-called social media to recruit and contact students—a huge jump in just a few years, according to a survey done for the National Association of College Admissions Counseling.

Online groups set up by Drew University and Seton Hall University lets admitted students get to know each other before they ever set foot on campus, and Rutgers University freshmen are blogging for prospective students on school-sponsored sites.

“It’s the new and best thing, and you have to do it unless you want to look antiquated,” Peter Nacy, vice president of undergraduate admissions at Seton Hall, said.

Schools, and different groups and departments within those schools, have set up myriad Facebook groups over the past few years—everything from pages for math majors to alumni.

Now, despite some hesitation, admissions offices are getting into the act.

Within the past couple of months, Montclair State University’s admissions office has launched a Facebook page and opened a Twitter account, Admissions Director Jason Langdon said.

“Students are so used to communicating this way,” he said. “It’s their channel. We want to interact with them.”

Maintaining the networks is labor intensive and often requires additional staff charged with monitoring the sites daily and responding to inquiries and posts. And some admissions staffers have said they feel uncomfortable with the casual nature of conversation the medium engenders.

But for the most part, it looks like online social networks are becoming a tool in recruiting and admissions.

Companies have sprung up on the Web that help students create online profiles suitable for admissions and help colleges reach out to students via social networking sites.

“By next year, college admissions officers won’t be able to ignore this anymore,” Kristen Campbell, a director for Kaplan Test Prep, said.

She said there has been a major shift among students as well. In the past, some were upset that admissions officers might see their personal

Social Networking at Butler facebook.com/go.butleradmission twitter.com/gobutler youtube.com/butlerbloggers feedburner.com/butlerbloggers Visit go.butler.edu for more information Facebook pages—often a place for party pictures and off-color banter.

Now, more students are reaching out to schools via Facebook.

“They’ve gone from being leery to thinking about it in a more savvy way,” Campbell said.

“They think ‘Why not use Facebook to help me sell myself?’”

Kaplan found that 71 percent of admissions officers surveyed reported that they had been “friended” by prospective students.

Once someone accepts your friend request, they generally have access to your online profile.

Prudence remains a good rule of thumb, experts say.

“It would be important for students to keep in mind that we do have access to their accounts once they’ve friended us,” Lauren Vento Cifelli, admissions director at Monmouth University, said.

“They should present themselves in a positive way on these pages.”

Some local admissions staffers said they likely wouldn’t look at an applicant’s Facebook page, but the prohibition is by no means universal.

Nationally, about a quarter of admissions officers reported using search engines and social networking sites to check out candidates for scholarships or entry into selective programs, the college counseling group found.

Only about 13 percent of schools have actual policies on the issue, Campbell said.

“A vast majority of schools are still trying to figure it out,” she said. “In many ways, social networking is the frontier.”

Though Facebook has become the predominant social networking site, some admissions offices are holding off for now.

“We haven’t found a huge desire for students to communicate with admissions through Facebook,” Jon Wexler, admissions director at Fairleigh Dickinson University, said. “It’s more that they’re connecting with other students.”

The Butler Collegian

Page 3

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

NEWS

NEWS

Professor celebrates diversity in class Aisha Townsend Contributing Writer Terri Jett, an associate professor and chair of the Political Science Department at Butler University, works to make a difference in how her students perceive African-American culture.

Jett’s class, called Assessing the American Dream Through the Lens of Black Women, addresses a lack of knowledge and stereotypes about African-Americans and their history through politics.

“It is hard teaching to this majority because we have so many students at Butler that haven’t had diverse experiences before they get here,” Jett said. “They’ve had no interaction with people of color and come from very isolated suburban and rural communities.”

Jett was raised in the East Bay area of California, where her experiences of being bused to her elementary school influenced her studies in college.

Jett received a bachelor’s degree in ethnic studies with a specialty in African-American studies from California State University. Her master’s degree is in public administration, which is the study of the implementation of public policies. After receiving her master’s degree, Jett still held interest in the civil rights movement, so she continued to study public policy to earn her Ph.D. at Auburn University.

Jett said she saw herself teaching but not in any particular place.

Yet Jett said she felt Butler was right for her because of the different, positive aspects of liberal arts education. But she didn’t expect it to be so predominantly white, she said.

“It’s lonely and isolating sometimes; this is probably why I seek a lot of things outside of the institution, to be not as lonely,” Jett said.

“But I do have a good group of colleagues here, though they’re white, they’re sensitive to the experiences of people of color, especially women.”

Even though Jett has some open-minded colleagues, she said she has still experienced racism from other faculty members.

“What’s interesting is that it may not be direct, but since I’ve studied the experiences of people of color and also am a woman of color, I recognize it when it happens,” Jett said. “I’ve been challenged in different ways on my teaching, my viewpoints; sometimes I’ve been penalized for simply asking questions, just trying to seek clarification on decisions.

“Sometimes when you’re in a minority position, you’re not supposed to ask questions. It’s assumed you’re supposed to be happy that you’re there.”

Jett also said she is stereotyped by a lot of the faculty who are under the impression that she knows every African-American student on campus.

“I’ve had professors ask me about black students that I don’t know. I’ve never taught them, they’re not in my department, and I’ve never seen them before,” Jett said. “It’s usually regarding a problem; they’re not coming to sing the praises.”

Katy Myers, a freshman exploratory major, said she doesn’t find it ironic that Jett’s AfricanAmerican focus classes are predominantly white. The class imbalance isn’t surprising but instead a good experience, she said.

“It didn’t surprise me because Butler is a majority white school,” Myers said. “I think it’s good because not only are they white, but they are white students that are typically not exposed to black culture.

“It’s a bit different putting myself into some

of the things we’re talking about because I’m white and can’t experience them, but if you try, you can relate yourself to almost anything.”

Keeton Daley, a freshman exploratory business major, said he is interested in her class because of his lack of knowledge about the culture.

“I would think that more [people] would like to be educated on it that aren’t black,” Daley said. “At least that’s my perspective. I’ve also never had a background in learning about the ‘American Dream.’”

Daley said he feels naïve about other cultures because he wasn’t taught about them.

“I wasn’t really educated on other cultures because I went to a private Catholic school,” Daley said. “It was predominantly white, and most of the history wasn’t about other cultures.

“I don’t really remember them being in the books that much, and if they were, it was as a whole. They didn’t break them down into different cultures.”

Jett said this lack of knowledge about other cultures is a result of not growing up in a diverse area.

“We try to change a bit, but we have been drawing students that come from these homogeneous, isolated areas,” Jett said.

David Thomas, a freshman exploratory business major, said he has witnessed stereotypes in Jett’s class and understands their origin.

“Society is where it starts, but it’s probably the person’s environment because of the media,” Thomas said. “The class gives so much background, perspective and history that it should, and I think it would, change stereotypical perspectives.”

Some of Jett’s students get more out of her teachings than learning about inequality.

Josh Whitaker, a sophomore recording indus-

Collegian photo courtesy of Marc Allan

WOMAN WITH A MISSION: Terri Jett promotes diversity in the classroom at Butler. try studies major, described his learning in Jett’s class as an appreciation of knowledge.

“I gained a little appreciation for history, like some women’s rights history and knowledge of African-American female figures, such as Angela Davis,” Whitaker said. “I love Dr. Jett, and I definitely would take her class again.”

This reaction is in line with Jett’s mission for teaching.

“My mission is to teach and learn and also to address issues of inequality and unfairness in and outside of the classroom,” Jett said. “There are some [students] that I don’t feel are open to learning what I teach. It’s when I impact one of those students that I feel rewarded or like I’ve made a difference.”

Butler janitor shares stories of life outside university Caitlin O’Rourke corourke@butler.edu It’s late at night in Fairbanks, and you’re studying with your friends. The rackety noise of wheels on the ground interrupt your session, and you all smile at the smiling maintenance man who steps in to tidy up the area.

Collegian photo by Rachel Senn

LATE NIGHTS : Ibrahima Traore has been a night janitor at Butler for six years and crossed many hurdles to get here.

That man is Ibrahima Traore. He comes from Mali in Western Africa, he studied psychology in school there, and he’s fluent in French.

It’s an impressive background from someone that students always see, but might not stop to consider.

Traore gives an overall impression of ease. A taller, balding man with deep black skin and glasses, he looks younger than his 43 years. He admits that people never assume he’s above 40. His deep voice is still thick with an accent.

Born in Western Africa, he went to school there but only took three years instead of four of Africa’s version of college because he got into some trouble. Instead, he began working in a hotel as custodial staff.

He moved to America in 2001.

“People from outside the United States think it’s like a paradise,” Traore said. “All over the world, it is seen as a country of opportunity, like paradise, like a dream.”

Traore quickly realized the reality, especially when he met his first handicap: learning the language.

“If you don’t know the language, it’s like you are a baby again,” he said. “Some people who find out you can’t speak English, they think you’re stupid.”

Traore showed his determination for success by mastering that hurdle by himself: Instead of taking classes, he went out and bought books to teach himself the language. He said he used to ask questions all the time of how to properly use correct words and phrases.

Moving from New York to Washington to Colorado to Indiana, Traore worked at different locations until his friend, who worked at Hinkle Fieldhouse, brought him to Butler. He has now worked at the school for six years.

“It’s OK, this place,” he said. “You deal with people who know human values here. It’s not common most places, but here, you

get consideration.”

Brandon Russell, a senior journalism major, is one of those people.

“We practically became friends last year,” Russell said. “He’s always super nice. Even if it is after 11 p.m., he still lets me in because he recognizes me as a journalism student.”

Traore has recently been made an assistant supervisor, of which he is extremely proud.

“You think that no one sees you, but the work you are doing is appreciated,” he said.

Robert Ware, his current supervisor, definitely notices the work he’s doing.

“He has taken the job to another level,” he said. “A couple of weeks ago, I had surgery, so he was doing both my job and his own job. He doesn’t take off work, he’s always on time. I couldn’t ask for anyone better.”

But Butler is not the only thing he loves. Traore is also adept at the martial arts and plays a little bit of soccer as well.

“Some people think [martial arts] is violent,” he said. “But what I’ve learned is that people who don’t know how to fight are the ones fighting. When you know how, you wait to fight.”

It’s an unexpected hobby for someone that students are used to seeing cleaning off the white boards or emptying trash. Traore made sure to mention his position and how important it is to maintaining campus.

“It’s almost like a mother or father job,” he said, “to clean up their mess, to make sure everything is sanitized.”

That’s what Traore does, and he takes pride in his job and his background.

So next time you’re trying to finish that project at Fairbanks at 10 p.m, and a maintenance man walks in, smile, say hello and maybe ask him what’s going on. It might be something surprising.

COLLEGIAN APPLICATIONS! If you are interested in writing, editing, designing, photography, web programming, multimedia or anything else journalism-related, fill out an application, which will be available Friday, November 6th, outside of the Collegian office in Fairbanks room 210. Job descriptions will be included with applications.

Now is the prime time to join the staff of the new Collegian and the “Collegian Online.”

Applications are due Friday, November 20th!

If you have any questions, please e-mail collegian@butler.edu or swing by Fairbanks 210!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

10 Tans for $29.95!

(Good for all 3 beds. Package never expires.)

Expires 11-20-09.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Sea Shanties Irish, Scottish, English & American Traditional Music at The Aristocrat Restaurant & Pub 52nd & College Avenue Indianapolis/South Broad Ripple 317-283-7388 Saturdays - 9pm -11pm November, December, January, February $5 cover

14 day All Access Pass for $19.95!

(Good on all 3 bed. Expires 11-20-09) •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

38th & Georgetown In Georgetown Plaza

32 Beds & Booths No Appointment

(317) 293-6324 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Mystic Tan Only $14.95!

(Expires 11-20-09)

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Page 4

The Butler Collegian

NEWS

NEWS FELONIES: Ex-student arrested in Diversity Center after appearing on campus

BUPD Beat Oct. 26 3:30 p.m. – RESCO PARKING LOT An officer took a report of a theft of property from a motor vehicle.

Continued from Page One

in the Kent State transcript including a spelling error.

Weede said he then contacted admissions officials from both Kent State and Southfield High School, the Detroit school Jackson attended, to compare records. Both transcripts were inconsistent with the schools’ records.

Getti ng Admi tted

10:55 a.m. — 44th STREET An officer took a report of a theft of property of a motor vehicle.

Oct. 29 11:23 a.m. – BUPD An officer took a report of lost property.

5:03 p.m. – 44th STREET An officer took a report of damage to private property.

Oct. 30 12:58 p.m. – UNKNOWN LOCATION An officer took a report of a hit and run traffic accident.

2:58 p.m. — 44th STREET An officer took a report of a hit and run traffic accident.

Nov. 1 12:14 a.m. – ROSS HALL An officer took a report of a liquor law violation.

12:49 a.m. – 44th STREET An officer took a report of a liquor law violation.

1:11 a.m. — TAU KAPPA EPSILON HOUSE An officer took a report of a liquor law violation.

2:38 a.m. — CLARENDON ROAD An officer took a report of an assault.

12:58 a.m. – BERKLEY ROAD Officers responded to a loud party where there were several liquor law violations.

1:46 a.m. – 44th STREET Officers responded to a loud party where there were several liquor law violations.

3:51 p.m. CLOWES PARKING LOT An officer took a report of a theft of property from a motor vehicle.

Nov. 2 12:40 p.m. – FAIRBANKS CENTER An officer took a report of a sick person.

Weede said when students submit transcripts as part of the application process, the documents are sent from all of their previous schools and analyzed by an admissions officer. In most cases, transcripts are reviewed by multiple people, Weede said, but every transcript is reviewed at least by one person. Last year, Butler received 6,247 applications, which were examined by 10 admissions officers.

“I think that we’re pretty routine,” Weede said. “I don’t think we have a huge staff, and I don’t think we have a small staff. I think we give a closer look at most applications than many places do.”

Still, Weede said admissions officials don’t operate under the assumption that they are receiving illicit material.

“The entire admission process is based on promises that people are submitting things that are true and proper,” he said. “We have a clause on the application that states that. Every once in a while, we find out there is information that is not true. When that happens, we take it very seriously.”

Jackson submitted his application to transfer from Kent State electronically on May 29, 2008. Because he was a transfer student and one of his transcripts was coming from a university, Weede said it was even more unlikely that the documents could be forged.

According to the affidavit, Jackson was enrolled “on or about” June 8.

“This is the first time I can recall it happening in my career, or the past 10 years, where a transfer student submitted falsified documents,” he said.

Weede said Butler’s enrollment department keeps records of all the different institutions from around the world that have had students apply to the university. The school did not have

any reason to believe transcripts coming from Jackson’s high school or Kent State could be fraudulent, he said.

“The machines that produce most transcripts are the things that produce flagrantly false transcripts,” Weede said. “It’s pretty easy to do that nowadays. A lot easier than it used to be.”

Though he said the incident was an unfortunate event for his department, Weede stands by the work of his office.

“I like to think that we have a thoughtful process, and when mistakes happen, we try to take steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.

“A mistake was made, but a mistake was also made with intent to mislead.

Sometimes you trust, and you get burned on that.”

The Inv es ti g ati o n On May 11, Weede contacted Hunter to raise concerns regarding Jackson’s transcripts. After meeting with Weede, Hunter launched a new investigation into the possible forgery and fraud.

Hunter took the case himself, although as police chief he does not ordinarily do so. The investigation into the missing laptop was originally headed by Sgt. Alan Criswell, but he resigned last summer following charges of alleged battery against a former girlfriend.

Hunter said he decided to take the case because of the personnel changes and claims made by Jackson and others that he had been unfairly treated during the laptop investigation by BUPD officers.

With the help of Det. Tony Rivera, who traveled to Detroit to verify concerns with Jackson’s high school records, Hunter followed up on the concerns from Weede that his transcripts had been falsified.

Hunter interviewed Glenn Davis, of the Kent State registrar office, on May 18. Davis verified that the transcript was incorrect. According to the affidavit, Davis pointed out Jackson’s transcript submitted to Butler contained the wrong student ID number.

Hunter states in the affidavit that Davis told him Jackson “did not have permission or authority to make,

Scholarships and Grants Jackson Received Cori Jackson received the following scholarships and grants after allegedly submitting false transcripts when transferring from Kent State University to Butler University.

Butler University Student Aid Grant.....$10,500 Federal Pell Grant.................................$3,181 Federal Smart Grant.............................$2,000 TOTAL: $15,681 reproduce or possess a fraudulent document on their behalf.”

The same day, Hunter also contacted Southfield Public Schools for a copy of the transcript they had on file for Jackson. Hunter said Weede was able to gain a copy. The affidavit states “the original document is significantly different” from the one Butler received.

Both transcripts include a signature from Suzanne Osmer, a former employee of the high school. The transcript on file at Southfield contained a stamped signature from Osmer, while the transcript submitted to Butler contained a handwritten one.

Sgt. Rivera met with Osmer in July.

During the meeting, Osmer signed a statement indicating that the signature on the transcript Butler received was not hers.

Even with her statement, Rivera still submitted the suspected fraudulent transcript to the Indianapolis Marion County Forensic Services Agency, where a lab technician reported Oct. 5 that the signature was probably not from Osmer. Hunter said this was done to ensure the department was thorough in its investigation.

On Oct. 10, Jackson was detained for investigation of criminal trespass.

Hunter states he read Jackson the department’s “advice of rights,” and Jackson signed a document agreeing to answer questions about the transcripts.

Hunter said he showed Jackson the allegedly forged Southfield transcript.

The BUPD chief said Jackson initially told him he had not seen the transcript

before. Hunter said, upon showing Jackson the Kent State transcript Butler had on file, the former student stated, “I have seen them before, but I didn’t submit them personally.”

In the affidavit, Hunter states Jackson told him he knew who had submitted the transcripts but would not reveal who had done so. Jackson was then asked why he did not notify the university that the documents were false, Hunter said. In the affidavit, Hunter states Jackson said, “I knew they were fake, it would get me in trouble.”

After Jackson’s statement, Hunter said Jackson requested an attorney, and the interview was stopped.

Hunter said he encouraged Jackson to turn himself in to BUPD once the charges were filed. He said Jackson has not done so and an active warrant remains out for his arrest.

Hunter stated he also contacted the United States Department of Higher Education’s Office of Inspector General (US DOE OIG) in May and spoke with Federal Agent in Charge Tom Utz about the federal grants Jackson received. Hunter said Utz told him he would review the information regarding the case. The US DOE OIG eventually declined to accept the case as the financial aid amount from Butler exceeded the federal amount.

Another $600 grant from Michigan State was awarded to Jackson as well, Hunter said. The BUPD chief alerted authorities in the state, but he said no plans to pursue charges were underway.

POLICY: Faculty members confused about purpose of substance abuse policy Continued from Page One

Vance said, “because I don’t see any reason to do it, and as far as I can tell, we haven’t been told there’s any reason.”

While Vance said he agrees that the university should take a stand against drug use if it were a problem, he doesn’t believe it is a huge problem on campus.

“If someone has a drug problem, that should be addressed, but subjecting all employees to drug screens, that’s not legitimate as far as I’m concerned, unless they come up with a good justification,” Vance said.

The policy states that its purpose is “a commitment to safeguard the health of its employees, to provide a safe place for its employees to work and to promote a drugfree community.”

However, Jason Goldsmith, assistant professor of English, said the policy would make more sense to him if he saw a real need for it.

“What I don’t really know is what the necessity [is] for these policies at this point,” he said.

Another concern employees had is that the policy might inhibit the university from hiring the most qualified candidates in the future.

“It seems to me that some of the most qualified candidates are the ones to look at such a policy as excessive,” Goldsmith said, “as infringing upon their private lives in ways that are problematic, troubling and really have no bearing on their ability to do their job.”

Goldsmith said that despite what the policy says, he is more concerned with the manner in which it was said.

“It seems like lawyer speak,” Goldsmith said. “The faculty interest is in trying to get the language of the policy to reflect something that we are more comfortable with moving forward.”

The language is disturbing to Goldsmith because he said there was not a lot of faculty input in designing the policy.

“It’s exceedingly broad, and it seems to circumscribe behavior for individuals in many ways that I think are truly disturbing,” Goldsmith said. “[It’s] the way that they define certain terms in the policy, such as university property.”

However, Goldsmith said the administration has been helpful in understanding the concerns of employees.

“Certain individuals had expressed a number of different concerns with some of the policies, and the administration, it seems, is paying attention to those and reworking these policies in light of the objections that people have,” Goldsmith said.

The policy applies to employees whenever they are representing the university, which is something Goldsmith said is con-

fusing.

“Does that mean if I’m wearing a Butler T-shirt at a restaurant in Broad Ripple out to dinner with my family, does that mean that I’m representing the university?”

Goldsmith said. “It’s unclear.”

Vance said the policy is illegitimate because he said it might be out of the university’s bounds.

“If the university’s job was to be piloting airplanes, I think it would be perfectly legitimate to have drug testing,” Vance said, “but there does not seem to be any placing of people at risk.”

Vance said he worries about what policies the university will create next if the Board of Trustees approves the substance abuse policy.

“If the university can do that, the next thing they can do is look at the eating habits of employees,” Vance said, “or with whom they’re sleeping.”

‘PHISHING’: BUPD steps in when e-mails are sent to Butler students from fake companies.

Continued from Page One

“One of the biggest ways that your e-mail gets out there to be a target for ‘phishing’ or spam is by ordering pizza online,” Hunter said.

“All of these pizza companies sell their e-mail lists legitimately to telemarketers. That’s the biggest way that college students are targeted.”

A mass of e-mails is sent out by these fake companies with the hope that a large number will reply.

Butler’s Information Resources has tried to find a spam filter to combat “phishing” e-mails, but they still sneak through because they appear to be legitimate.

- Li nda Werthei mer, NPR seni or nati onal correspondent Eidson- Duckwall Recital Hall 4:30 p.m.

- S peaker: The Responsi bi l i ty for S ecuri ty GH106 4-5:30 p.m.

- Mr. Butl er Pageant Reilly Room 7 p.m.

“The one we picked is unusually good because it doesn’t look for specific words, it looks at the whole message,” Scott Kincaid, Information Resources chief information officer, said. “It does an incredibly good job of trying to decide what is spam.”

Kincaid said if someone is spoofing a bank and does a really good job, it’s going to get through because it seems like a good message to the filter and not like spam.

“When there is a link in the e-mail, you don’t know where it’s going to take you when you click on it,” Kincaid said. “It could say something completely different than the site it will take you to. Never

- Weekend Movi e“Transformers 2” JH141 8 p.m.

- Weekend Movi e“Transformers 2” JH141 8 p.m.

- Bl ack Li ght Bi ngo Dawg Den (Atherton) 10 p.m.- 1 a.m.

- HRC After Hours HRC 10 p.m.- 1 a.m.

click on a link in an e-mail from anybody other than an absolute trusted source.”

The belief is that these “phishing” e-mails are coming from foreign countries, Kincaid said.

Hunter said the e-mails are hard to investigate, but the FBI does have a task force to go after these foreign entities and prosecute them.

BUPD does not file police reports on the “phishing” emails because they cannot track them.

“You can be a victim,” Hunter said, “but only if you reply to the emails.”

- Butl er S ymphony Orchestra- Mahl er S ymphony No. 2 Clowes Memorial Hall 8 p.m.

- Regi onal Hi gh S chool Choral Festi val Clowes Memorial Hall 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

- Facul ty Arti st S eri es: Chamber Musi c Concert Eidson-Duckwall Recital Hall 7:30 p.m.

‘Paw Prints’ What was the most interesting Halloween costume you saw last weekend?

Page 6

OPINION

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Right is Wrong The Republican Party could be repeating the mistakes of its British counterpart.

Page 6

Page 5

THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN

THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN The Butler watchdog and voice for BU students 4600 Sunset Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46208 Office Information: Fairbanks Rm 210 News Line: (317) 940-8813 Advertising Line: (317) 940-9358 collegian@butler.edu

Fall 2009 Editorial Staff Alyson Ahrns Editor in Chief Kelly Patrick Print Managing Editor Allison Brown Online Managing Editor Jennifer Pignolet Co-News Editor Hayleigh Colombo Co-News Editor Olivia Ingle Asst. News Editor Grace Wallace Asst. News Editor Chris Goff Opinion Editor Tom Fryska Asst. Opinion Editor Mary Beth Sekela Asst. Opinion Editor Amy Rensink A&E Editor Drew Schmidtke Asst. A&E Editor Arika Herron Co-Sports Editor Steven Peek Co-Sports Editor Emily Newell Asst. Sports Editor Rachel Senn Photography Editor Maria Porter Asst. Photography Editor Mary Landwer Asst. Photography Editor Stefanie Patterson Multimedia Editor Heather Hanford Graphics Editor Devon Henderson Asst. Graphics/Multimedia Lauren Fisher Advertising Manager Dr. Charles St. Cyr Adviser The Butler Collegian is published weekly on Wednesdays with a controlled circulation of 2,600.

The Collegian office is located in the Fairbanks Building, Room 210.

The Collegian is printed at The Greenfield Reporter in Greenfield, Ind. The Collegian maintains a subscription to MCT Services Campus wire service. The Collegian editorial staff determines the editorial policies; the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of The Collegian, but of the writers clearly labeled.

The Collegian accepts advertising from a variety of campus organizations and local businesses and agencies. All advertising decisions are based on the discretion of the ad manager and editor in chief. For a copy of The Collegian advertising rates, publication schedule and policies, please call (317) 940-9358 or send an e-mail to the advertising staff at advertising@butler.edu. Direct postal inquiries to: The Butler Collegian-Advertising.

For subscriptions to The Collegian, please send a check to the main address above.

Subscriptions are $45 per academic year.

Corrections Policy The Collegian staff makes an effort to be as accurate as possible.

Corrections may be submitted to The Collegian and will be printed at the next publication date.

Letters to the Editor Policy The Collegian accepts letters to the editor no later than noon on the Sunday before publication.

Letters to the editor must be emailed to collegian@butler.edu and verified by a signature. A signed version of the letter may be dropped off at The Collegian office.

The Collegian reserves the right to edit letters for spelling, style, clarity and length. Letters must be kept to a length of 450 words.

Contact The Collegian for questions. Exceptions to these policies may be made at the editorial board’s discretion.

Equality in Hate

OUR POINT THIS WEEK: Expanding

President Barack Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepard Act last week.

Under this act, the original legislation of the 1969 Federal Hate Crimes Law is expanded so that the crimes that are inspired by a victim’s sexual orientation or perceived gender are also covered by the law.

The story behind the act is a sobering one. Matthew Shepard was a student at the University of Wyoming whose future was cut short after two strangers robbed, tortured and murdered him.

The crime was shocking, brutal and wholly unmerited.

And the reason the two individuals committed this heinous offense?

They didn’t like the fact that Shepard was gay.

We at The Butler Collegian believe that, regardless of how one actually feels about hate crime legislation as a whole, one can accept that the expansion of hate crime

Collegian illustration by Heather Hanford

hate crime legislation to include LGBTQ community makes sense.

legislation to include crimes specifically targeting gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and queer people for their sexual and gender identities can hardly be viewed as a bad thing.

Since hate crime legislation already exists, there is no good reason not to expand it so that it covers all groups that are targeted by hate crimes.

Expanding the legislation to cover everyone equally is a justified thing to do.

No one should be targeted for violence because of their race, religion, sexual identity or any other reason.

It is bias-motivated crimes like these—crimes that advocate violence simply because of the way someone is or who they are—which mock our fundamental understanding of what it is to be human. As such, crimes like these must be handled in a manner that best protects their victims and punishes their perpetrators.

Yet, at the same time, we worry about the practical application of the law. Simply because something is law does not mean that it can easily be implemented.

In particular, we worry about how easily law enforcement officials will be able to prove whether or not a particular crime was motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity or whether the motivation came from some peripheral reason.

For this reason, this new legislation may be used in an incorrect manner or could unfairly prosecute individuals by mischaracterizing the motivations behind their crimes.

While the idea of this law is a good one, for all people should be protected against crimes that target them simply because of who they are, the issue is far from black and white.

We hope that this new law is handled with care and works in the manner that it is intended to.

Anniversary of Obama’s election sees promises unmet Chris Goff cgoff@butler.edu Happy birthday, Hope and Change. Exactly one year ago today, Americans voted for you over Despair and Complacency (or something like that).

Yes, friends, it has been that long, that much time since an unknown U.S. senator talked and promised and spoke and fundraised his way into the White House.

Pretty amazing, considering how the 2008 race seemed at times the Campaign Trail to Nowhere (as in, no end). Also fairly remarkable, given the mind-boggling number of initiatives assumed by President Barack Obama’s administration since taking office.

With our heads spinning and ears ringing, the months have flown by. And it’s hard to believe that Obama once had to win the job he now has.

But the calendar doesn’t lie, and that means that at the 365-day mark, Hope and Change deserve a checkup.

Today’s events are more about holding Hope and Change accountable for all their vast and lofty promises—made but not kept. Obama expertly sold himself, in the cloak of Hope and Change, as a non-politician, but when his subsequent actions are viewed in the context of that brilliant sales job, he becomes the ultimate politician.

Let us take five of Obama’s notable broken promises.

Five assurances blown out like candles on a birthday cake.

And grab a napkin because this is messy.

1. “We are going to ban all earmarks. ” Sure. “Time” magazine reported Obama signed nearly 9,000 earmarks into law in a budget passed for the 2009 fiscal year. And that number didn’t even include the stimulus bill, which turned into nothing more than a giant conglomeration of long-postponed earmarks. Unless, that is, you consider the construction of a $3.4 million tunnel for turtles to cross U.S. Highway 27 in Florida absolutely essential.

2. “Transparency and rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency. ” Let’s take transparency first. There was that time Obama refused to release documents that Dick Cheney said contained evidence of critical information gained by the CIA through enhanced interrogations of terrorists. When Obama, tail between his legs, finally released the inspector general’s report four months later, the public found Obama had been somewhere between incorrect and dishonest regarding his assertion that EIT’s made the country “less safe.”

On health care, Obama has insisted time and again he doesn’t want the feds to nationalize the entire industry.

Yet in June 2003, Obama told an AFL-CIO conference, “I happen to be a proponent of a single-payer universal

health plan.”

In March 2007, at an Service Employees International Union (SEIU) forum, Obama expressed his goal of eliminating employer-granted insurance, just not believing he could do it “immediately” as president.

Those were the tenets Obama carried with him into the White House. Why does any of that matter now? Because health care is the president’s signature issue, and a lack of honesty might explain Obama’s inability to articulate a firm policy for the American people to decide upon. Besides, duplicity poses a problem in and of itself when related to a medical industry meant to save and heal human beings.

Health care is not an issue compatible with political doublespeak.

Oh, and then there are the so-called czars: unelected policy-pushers working for the president, at salaries set by the president, accountable only to the president. Obama’s numerous czars have included an avowed communist, a believer in an animal’s right to sue a human being in court and another who thinks kindergartners ought to learn about sexual orientation. Make no mistake; admission isn’t always free to what has been, at times, a political zoo. Any persistent claims of a new transparency in Washington are beyond laughable.

Regarding the rule of law, Obama has stretched dangerously thin the constitutional standing of the executive branch, taking its powers into the realm of private sector compensation—a place once thought completely off-limits.

Regardless of whether a company received TARP money or not, it simply should not be the president’s or anyone else’s business who gets paid what amount of money.

3. “I have done more to take on lobbyists than any other candidate. When I am president, they won’t find a job in my White House. ” Except for William Lynn, Eric Holder, Tom Vilsack, Mark Patterson, Ron Klain, Mona Sutphen, Patrick Gaspard, Cecilia Munoz, Melody Barnes and others.

According to “Politico,” it took Obama all of one week following his inauguration to appoint at least a dozen former lobbyists to top jobs in his administration. There went the air out of that balloon of promise.

4. “What I’ve done throughout this campaign is to propose a net spending cut. ” And all he has done as president is propose more spending! Obama titled his first budget, “A New Era of Responsbility.”

Then, according to CBS News, it took the president all of six months to add $1 trillion to America’s incomprehensibly large national debt. George Bush, in no way a penny pincher, went two and a half years before accumulating $1 trillion in new national debt.

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the

deficit caused by Obama’s budget extrapolated over the next decade should be about $10 trillion.

Not feeling a “net spending cut” yet?

Consider this: If on the day Jesus Christ was born, you spent $1 million a day of every year of every decade of every century, through the Dark Ages, the Renaissance and the Roman Empire, through rain and shine, never resting, you would not reach $1 trillion until the year 3000. Obama spent that amount in roughly 180 days.

Still not sensing the “fiscal responsibility”? Then maybe we ought not to listen when Obama makes one last parsimonious promise: that America can save money on health care by spending more money on health care.

5. Campaign Web site: “Obama will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House Web site for at least five days. ” According to Politifact.com, this was the inaugural broken promise of Obama’s presidency. Obama’s first bill, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, received no online postage and his signature only two days after passage in Congress.

Since January, the five-day pledge has been ignored too many times to count, and key Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have refused to commit to giving the public a chance to review health care legislation crafted in their respective bodies of Congress.

Isn’t this the most offensive of all the broken promises-to tell the people for whom you work that you value their opinion and care about their feedback and then, having secured the power you desire, to completely floor any concern for their active participation in the legislative process?

These were the fervently delivered assurances upon which Hope and Change won their year-old victory. Short of a shift in governance, these promises might also be the storm clouds that limit Hope and Change to little more than a four-year lifespan. As sung by The Who, “We won’t get fooled again.” I hope not.

This Week in Washington Referendum Tuesday: Republican Bob McDonnell was elected the Governor of Virginia, the state in Obama’s backyard. Republican Chris Christie won New Jersey’s gubernatorial race, knocking off the Obama-backed Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine.

Quotable: “It was weeks yesterday, and it’s weeks today.”--Press Secretary Robert Gibbs at yesterday’s briefing said an Afghanistan decision remains far off.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Page 6

The Butler Collegian

OPINION

OPINION

Republican party drifts further to right Marijuana policies see real change Tom Fryska tfryska@butler.edu Is the Republican Party heading in the wrong direction? Just from watching the GOP since the 2008 election, the feeling that’s been rankling about my gut has been that the conservative party is currently turning inward to the base and farther to the right.

Maybe it’s just the progressive within me, but this path seems to be the wrong line for the conservatives to walk.

That’s not to say that there isn’t a civil war of sorts occurring within the GOP. Political strategists, policy makers and cable personalities have all become involved in the dispute of how the party should reform itself so that it can once again win elections.

While some Republicans have been pushing for their party to change its tune on certain social issues (like gay marriage), and other individuals have been championing an expansion of the party’s big tent, the current trends seem indicative of a party that is purging its ranks of the non-ideologically pure and is refashioning itself as a more extreme version of itself that, for the most part, only appeals to its own vocal base.

All this runs contrary to the once lofty goals of the Bush administration for a political realignment that would create a kind of long-term Republican majority that rivaled that which was established in 1896.

Instead, the end of the last Republican administration banished the GOP to wander about the political woods. A rapidly sinking economy, two concurrent wars and a decrease in American prestige worldwide left the country with the growing trepidation that, as the world was changing, President Bush was sending our country on a steady slide backwards.

The end of the Bush administration also left the Republican brand itself in a tarnished state. American voters spurred the brand for its association with the faltering economy. Liberals loathed the administration’s bungling of foreign affairs and the war in Iraq.

True Reaganite conservatives only shook their heads in shame as the “conservative” president expanded, not diminished, the size of the already bloated government.

The current plight of the Republicans draws certain parallels to the story of their right-wing counterparts in the United Kingdom—the Tories.

From 1990 to 1997, the conservative Major government that controlled the House of Commons was beset by relentless scandals, missteps and blundering mistakes. When 1997 rolled around and the left-leaning Labor Party, under the leadership of Tony Blair, swept the elections, the Tories only compounded their mistakes.

Rather than recognizing the fact that the U.K. was changing and the party needed to adapt to changing times, the Tories turned inward and sought to achieve success by leaning farther to the right. This only

worsened their situation.

It took David Cameron, who recognized the value of environmentalism and moved the Tories toward a more accepting stance of gay rights, to create a resurgent conservative party that could challenge Labor.

But this didn’t happen until 2005.

And as of 2009, more than 10 years since they last had control over the House of Commons, the Tories still have yet to gain back control of the government.

American conservatives might do well to pick up a hint or two from their counterparts across the pond.

The demographics of America give ill warnings for the GOP. Despite the fact that Hispanics are one of the fastest growing populations in the United States, theirs is a vote which the GOP has been steadily losing. African-Americans, another growing population, vote in overwhelming numbers for Democratic candidates. Homosexuals of all stripes rarely vote for the Republican Party. Atheists and other unbelievers are both shunned and hated by the members of the religious right.

The Republican Party is not the “no”-screaming party of angry white men; however, that doesn’t change the fact that the GOP has not done much to change the growing perception that it is the party of screaming, angry white men. The angry rhetoric from parts of the right—from implying that our president is a Muslim (and offensively suggesting that there is something wrong with being a Muslim), to proclaiming that, despite all evidence to the contrary, our president was born in Kenya, to harkening back to McCarthy-esque fearmongering and calling Obama a communist—does not help matters.

The interesting part of all this is, if the current paths keep moving forward, the Republicans may walk into a trap.

By the nature of the American political system, what comes up must come down. By that, I mean that the Democratic supermajorities in the House and Senate won’t be able to stand the test of the next election cycle. Republicans will almost undoubtedly see gains in 2010.

But, by and large, most of these gains won’t come from a revival of the GOP’s brand; rather, the gains will come as a result of local politics and inevitable dissatisfaction with the Obama administration.

The GOP needs to pay attention to what lessons they draw from both the 2009 special elections and the more widespread 2010 mid-term election.

If they believe that their embrace of a harder right line is responsible for their gains, then they may end up taking a course which parallels the Tories and sends the GOP deeper into the woods while, simultaneously, narrowing its support to smaller and smaller segments of the population.

However, if the Republicans do look across the pond and realize that they need to adapt their party to the changing times and shifting demographics, then their chances for success may just look a little brighter.

Or, at the very least, they won’t have to wander the woods for quite as long.

Mary Beth Sekela msekela@butler.edu

Although many continue to oppose the federal decriminalization of marijuana, it looks as though the U.S. could be headed in that direcFinally, the U.S. govern- tion. This move poses numerous benefits to ment’s costly war on marijua- U.S. citizens as well as to the government na is nearing an end. Marking itself. a drastic change in U.S. drug Currently, marijuana users are flooding our policy, President Barack prison systems and creating an unnecessary Obama released a memoran- drain on government funds, felt by the public dum Sunday, Oct. 18, stating in the form of tax dollars. Decriminalization that his administration will not seek to arrest would relieve the prisons of this burden, allemedical marijuana users or suppliers as long as viating overcrowding and decreasing the they are in compliance with state law. amount of money spent prosecuting and The three-page memo was sent to federal imprisoning users. prosecutors in the 14 states that currently allow Decriminalization of marijuana would also medical marijuana use, as well as to officials at have a positive effect on those who use the the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Agency. All drug. Since marijuana users are currently margovernment representatives have been told that ginalized into the criminal sector of society, arresting and prosecuting those who use or sell they are much more likely to come into contact medical marijuana is a waste of time and man- with harder, more dangerous substances. By power. creating a “white market” for marijuana to In 1996, California voters passed combat the criminal black market, decriminalProposition 215, which allows patients with a ization would allow users to operate in a safe, physician’s recommendation to legally use secure environment. medical cannabis in the state of California, The physical and emotional benefits of marialthough this remains a federal offense. Since juana use are certainly worth considering. The then, 13 other states have decriminalized the drug is an extremely useful antidepressant, fredrug, and still more are considering the possi- quently prescribed to people with anxiety and bility. other mood disorders in states The Bush administration “Although many continue to and countries where medical took a hard-line stance against marijuana is legal. It has also this trend, insisting that it oppose the federal decriminal- been prescribed to patients would continue to enforce fedwith varying degrees of naueral anti-pot laws regardless of ization of marijuana, it looks sea, such as cancer victims state codes. This refusal to recundergoing chemotherapy and ognize public will resulted in a to assist individuals with eatas though the U.S. could be mounting tension between feding disorders. These physical eral and state governments, as and psychological problems headed for decriminalization. ” well as in the unnecessary have been treated with medicaexpenditure of government funds spent prose- tions such as Prozac and Pepcid for year. Why cuting and imprisoning medical marijuana not utilize marijuana for the same purpose and users. save many individuals unnecessary suffering?

Obama’s memorandum, while not officially In addition to these benefits, decriminalizadecriminalizing or condoning the use of mari- tion poses a not-so-small monetary gain for the juana, marks a positive change in the federal U.S. government. If marijuana were to be govgovernment’s approach to drug policy. This ernment-controlled and regulated, the tax revnew open-mindedness will no doubt yield enue would be considerable. Alcohol and cigagreater results than the previous administra- rette taxes already account for a large portion of tion’s authoritarian tactics. government income in many states. As a leadOfficials said the government will still pros- ing cash crop in regions across the country, ecute those who use medical marijuana as a marijuana could provide the same financial supcover for other illegal activity, and the memo port. urges that prosecutors pursue marijuana cases President Obama has not yet given any sign that involve violence, the illegal use of that federal decriminalization of marijuana is in firearms, selling pot to minors, money laun- the future for the U.S. His willingness, howdering or other crimes. Obviously, while prior- ever, to recognize state codes concerning the ities concerning marijuana have been drug shows promise. He is, at least, not blind reassessed, the government is still committed to the benefits decriminalization and cooperato protecting its citizens. tion pose.

Obama’s memo does not rule out the possiHopefully, in the years to come, we will see bility that the federal government could still more of this same tolerance, and perhaps evenprosecute someone whose activities are allowed tually, the numerous benefits of decriminalizaunder state law. tion will become too apparent to ignore.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR A recent issue of The Butler Collegian published an article detailing the implications of tattoos with future employers.

Although this article contained beneficial information and considerations, students getting a tattoo also need to be aware of health risks and do some research on the tattoo parlor before adding anything permanent.

Compared to the number of tattoos, the number of instances of complications is not excessive.

But because tattooing involves breaking the skin, a number of health complications are possible.

First, due to needles coming in contact with blood, there is a risk of passing blood-borne diseases if tools are not cleaned appropriately. These diseases include hepatitis C and B, tetanus, tuberculosis and HIV. Indiana law requires tattoo parlors to use new, sterile equipment cleaned in an autoclave (a heat sterilization device) for each customer. Standard precautions such

as wearing gloves and washing hands and surfaces with antibacterials are also important.

Although required by law, it is important to verify that the selected tattoo parlor abides by these standards.

Second, the Centers for Disease Control has linked skin infections caused

by Staphylococcus aureus, a serious and often antibiotic-resistant bacteria, to tattoo artists not following proper procedures.

These skin infections can lead to painful, disfiguring scars and rashes and cause infections throughout the body.

Another concern is allergic reactions that can occur even several years after getting the tattoo.

A fourth concern is the interference that tattoos can sometimes cause with an MRI. Having a tattoo can cause swelling and burning after the procedure and interfere with the results.

Currently, the Food and Drug

Paw Prints

By Mary Landwer

“I saw a boy dressed up as a rain cloud.”

Hannah Downey sophomore

“Alice in Wonderland.”

Andrew Huck sophomore

Administration (FDA) has not approved any color additives for injection into the skin.

What’s more, many pigments used are not even approved for skin contact.

People should be aware that the FDA traditionally does not exercise its authority and leaves discretion to state and county health departments.

Overall, when deciding whether to get a tattoo, health considerations should be included.

Doing the proper research to ensure both the parlor and artist are licensed and comply with state laws regarding cleaning and sterilization procedures are essential.

Not considering the health risks before receiving a tattoo or not taking proper care of a new tattoo could end up creating a health condition more permanent and serious than the tattoo.

Michelle DeGeeter sixth-year pharmacy student

Collegian cartoon from MCT

What was the most interesting Halloween costume you saw last weekend?

“I saw a fortune teller with a crystal ball.”

Sarah Buedel sophomore

“Two of my friends dressed up as milk and strawberry milk.”

Andrew Smith junior

“I saw a guy dressed up in a sumo wrestler costume.”

Jessie Nelson senior

Artists Gather for Anniversary Springsteen, Wonder and others gather to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Page 8

A&E

Playlist of the Week H1N1 got you down? This week’s medicinal playlist is for all you sick people who need a melodic remedy.

Page 8

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Page 7

THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN

Lyric Theatre preps full-length musical Drew Schmidtke dmschmid@butler.edu The cast of “Into the Woods” is in rehearsal. The group listens to Scott Robinson, their director, with surprising attentiveness considering it’s the Friday of Halloween weekend. The room explodes in excitement when Robinson mentions the acquisition of a neat new prop: A witch’s staff that throws actual fire.

Robinson begins the day with notes from the previous rehearsal’s work, a full run-through of Act I. Butler University senior Kevin Masterson, one of the leads in the play, says these are the first notes the cast has received from Robinson— something they have been highly anticipating.

Robinson balances guidance with artistic creativity. He compliments the witch’s cackle and tells the prince to adjust his gait—make it haughtier.

He tells the group that, overall, he is happy with the pacing of the first act.

There were stops, restarts and retouches, but the timing should work. Act I can be wordy and long, and Robinson doesn’t want the musical to stretch into a four-hour long marathon.

The progress is promising with the musical opening set for Nov. 12. For five shows, Butler Lyric Theatre, alongside Broad Ripple High School, will present its first full musical performance at the high school.

After the notes are delivered, Robinson has the cast run the end of the first act again. They struggle briefly with a rapid-fire scene ending, but it comes together. They run the ending twice before the director is satisfied. He tells the cast more retooling might be needed when they begin practice at the high school.

Collegian photo courtesy of Brent Smith

ONCE UPON A TIME: Butler Lyric Theatre will perform their first full-length musical, “Into the Woods,” next week at Broad Ripple High School. Performing in their auditorium is part of a designated partnership between the two schools.

“Into the Woods” is an interesting story. Originally written by Stephen Sondheim, it interweaves Brothers Grimm fairy tales together before delivering a new ending to the stories.

The first act tells the classic stories, while the second focuses on what happens “happily ever after.” Not everything is happy as the characters deal with the consequences of having their wishes come true.

Ben Wright, a sophomore music and vocal performance major, plays the baker, who longs to start a family with his wife.

“You have to be a smart person to understand the show,” Wright says.

“There is a lot behind the surface.

Going into the woods is like going

into life.”

This idea is reflected through the lyrics of the Act I finale: “You go into the woods where nothing’s clear/Where witches, ghosts and wolves appear/Into the woods and through the fear/You have to take the journey.”

Themes of life experience are fitting as the students from Broad Ripple High School will hopefully benefit from the partnership. Masterson, who plays Jack of “and the Beanstalk” fame, said he doesn’t know what to expect from the students, but he hopes it inspires them to go on and do shows at the same level.

This will also help encourage the students toward the 10 scholarships

Butler has designated specifically for Indianapolis Public School (IPS) students. The partnership isn’t just a ploy to get the IPS students to come to Butler, though. It is equally beneficial for the lyric theatre department.

Rachel Hollingsworth, a sophomore who plays the witch, said the students are a huge asset. They run the technical aspects of the show, but are participating in other areas. They will make up about half the orchestra.

Hollingsworth said the limited staff and budget are some of the biggest limitations in the department. With the aid of the high school students and their venue, the department will be able to graduate from individual scene performances to a full-length musical.

Strokes’ singer completes debut record Ben Niespodziany Contributing Writer

with retro and futuristic arrangements happening throughout, sometimes synchronized. The lyrics, much like the words in the studio albums by The Strokes, are terrific.

The Strokes seem to have the right idea. Ever since their flawIn the opener, “Out of the Blue,” Casablancas wails, “Yes, I less debut, “Is This It,” in 2001, the band has been unable to do know I’m going to hell in a purple basket, at least I’ll be in anothany wrong. All three of their studio albums have received poser world while you’re pissing on my casket.” His itive reviews and outstanding record sales. Although their opposing personality really shines on this album, last album was released in 2006, all members of the band allowing his fans to understand his tough persona have been keeping busy. mixed in with his sensitive side Guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. has released two over a background of rolling exceptional solo albums, bassist Nikolai Fraiture drums, righteous synthesizers, released his outstanding debut album this year under jazzy keyboards, emotional guitars and the name Nickel Eye and drummer Fabrizio Moretti thumping bass lines. formed a Brazilian side project, Little Joy, releas“Ludlow St.,” which begins the second ing one of 2008’s best albums. half of the album, sounds like Casablancas stepped into a Daft Punk time warp. It’s a But what about the lead singer— contrast to the previous song, “4 Chords of the front man—Julian Casablancas? the Apocalypse,” which is my personal What has he been up to? While he favorite song, and sounds like it might be had guest appearances on albums by at home on the soundtrack to “American the likes of The Lonely Island and Danger Mouse, little is known about Collegian photo from Flickr/thomashawk Graffiti.”

Yet, it all seems to flow so well. As the what the principal songwriter of The SINGLE STROKE: Julian Casablancas, lead digital hums dissipate on “Ludlow St.,” a Strokes was recording. Luckily, he singer of The Strokes, released his solo debut album. rolling, almost country-style guitar finally released his solo album, enters, and Casablancas admits, “Everything seems to go wrong “Phrazes for the Young,” yesterday. And yes, it lives up to the when I stop drinking.”

Moments earlier, he was singing, hype.

“Anything to watch while we are waiting for this apocalypse?”

Featuring only eight songs and clocking in at a little more than over ice cream parlor, doo-wop blues.

40 minutes, “Phrazes for the Young” (which might have the “11th Dimension,” the album’s dance-club-worthy single, sweetest album cover of the year) is hard-hitting electronic rock might be this year’s “Blind” by Hercules and Love Affair.

“America, nothing is ever just how you plan/I looked up to you but you thought I would look the other way/And you hear what you want to hear/And they take what they want to take,” he CD REVIEW screams over the synth-pop greatness. The breakdown is out of this world.

It’s through solo albums and creative masterpieces like “Phrazes of the Young” that the listener is really able to access the artist’s head, discover the music that they want to play, the words they Julian Casablancas want to announce and how they work on their own.

Surprisingly enough, this album seems to have the same style Cult Records (RCA) of rhythm, the same appreciation for certain genres of music and the same ability to blend eclectic styles, just like the rest of the solo albums, side projects and studio work The Strokes have successfully released. The outcome of “Phrazes” is one amazing, coherent album that shines throughout. This album never grows Rating: dull and always stays unpredictable. Now all we can do is pray for 5 = perfect, 4 = outstanding, 3 = good, 2 = fair, 1 = poor The Strokes to enter the studio again, to release output No. 4, which will be a success if it even comes close to the quality of “Phrazes for the Young.”

“Phrazes for the Young”

The only other limitation Hollingsworth mentioned was direction, but that isn’t a problem this time around. Robinson is regarded as an absolute expert by the cast. Wright said Robinson has played the baker before but could probably play every character because he knows it so well.

Masterson said the director’s musical knowledge doesn’t stop there, either.

“I asked him for a list of some good musicals. He sent back an e-mail with like 25 musicals, then offered me some CDs,” Masterson said with a laugh.

The rehearsal of Act II goes well, and Robinson seems mostly satisfied at the end of the day. There were missed cues and flubbed lines, but those will be ironed out. The cast, as a choir, sounds fantastic. Robinson does push them harder on a particularly poignant line, “Wishes come true, not free.”

“You have to make that ‘free’ grow,” Robinson says. “Make me cry on my favorite quote.”

“Into The Woods” Butler Lyric Theatre Broad Ripple High School Nov. 12-15 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 14-15 2 p.m. $15 general admission $10 faculty/staff $5 students

Butler University presents

THE MAHLER PROJECT November Events

Film: “Metropolis” Directed by: Fritz Lang Thursday Nov. 5, 7 p.m.

The Toby Theater at the Indianapolis Museum of Art $9 public, $5 IMA members, Free for Butler students

Butler Choirs and Symphony Orchestra “Mahler Symphony No. 2 (Resurrection)” Sunday Nov. 8, 3 p.m.

Clowes Memorial Hall, Free 2 p.m. pre-concert panel discussion to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall

Lecture: Claudia Grossmann “German Immigrants and their Contributions to Cultural Life in Indianapolis” Thursday Nov. 19, 7 p.m.

Athenaeum, Damenverein Room, Free 401 East Michigan St.

The Butler Collegian

Page 8

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

A&E

A&E

P

HOROSCOPES

laylist

of the Week

01.

SCORPIO

Saturn’s presence will stimulate your interest in genetic experimentation. Beware that combining your DNA with that of your beloved scorpion will lead to uncontrollable bloodthirst in addition to super strength, super venom and love of sand.

“Down with the Sickness”

“Doctor’s Orders” - Aretha Franklin

02.

“Doctor Robert” - The Beatles

03.

“Sneakin’ Out of the Hospital” - Beastie Boys

04.

“Dr. Feelgood” - Mötley Crüe

05.

“Hospital Beds” - Cold War Kids

06.

“Take Me Down to the Infirmary” - Cracker

07.

“The Nurse” - The White Stripes

08.

“Dust Pneumonia Blues” - Woody Guthrie

09.

“Bones” - Radiohead

10.

“Bad Case of Loving You” - Robert Palmer

11.

“Somebody Get Me a Doctor” - Van Halen

12.

“Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out” - The Replacements

13.

“Down with the Sickness” - Disturbed

OCT. 23 NOV. 21

SAGITTARIUS

NOV. 22 DEC. 20

Venus is lurking behind Mars. Venus is a hottie, and Mars is one of those burly war types, so try to get him out of the way. Maybe tell him that there are some cool weapons over in the northeast quadrant or create a huge gravitational field.

CAPRICORN

DEC. 21 JAN. 19

There is tons of good stuff going on in space.

Expect great windfalls in terms of finance, romance and your sailboat business.

AQUARIUS

JAN. 20 FEB. 18

I’d tell you what’s going to happen this week but knowing about it isn’t going to turn roadkill into prime rib. So it might as well be a surprise!

PISCES FEB. 19 MARCH 20

Polar ice caps are melting, leading to an expanding marine habitat. Make sure to only print on one side and burn some styrofoam to increase your mind power.

ARIES MARCH 21 APRIL 19

This week, you’re likely to have a long and potentially fruitful talk with a love interest. Prepare a list of subjects you can bring up which will win you love. Do not include your mother, gas or preoccupation with serial killers.

Have an idea for our next Playlist of the Week?

Send submissions to arensink@butler.edu.

Coen brothers fall flat Amy Rensink arensink@butler.edu The Coen brothers teamed up again for the hotly anticipated film “A Serious Man.” Academy Award-winning brothers Joel and Ethan Coen created a clever, original film that unfortunately falls short of their previous hits like “Burn After Reading” and “Fargo.”

“A Serious Man” opens with a confusing scene from a much earlier time in Eastern Europe. A husband comes home to tell his wife of the help he received from a man who his wife claims is dead.

She scolds him of the bad luck that a spirit, called a “dybbuk,” can bring. The scene ends with the so-called “dybbuk” arriving at the door, at which point the wife stabs him. It remains unclear if he is dead or alive, and the point of the scene seems lost—other than to introduce the audience to a Jewish belief.

The opening credits then roll to the same eerie music that accompanied the

first scene, and the audience is introduced to the 1967 Minnesota Gopnik family. The father, Larry, (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a physics professor at a university. His family includes wife Judith (Sari Lennick), daughter Sarah (Jessica McManus) and son Danny (Aaron Wolff).

Wolff really steals the spotlight as the deviant Jewish school boy who listens to Jefferson Airplane in the middle of class and smokes pot in the school bathroom. His friends’ banter on the school bus is always funny, but the real highlight takes place at Danny’s bar mitzvah where he is so stoned he can hardly follow through with the ceremony. In the end, he pulls it together and makes his parents proud.

However, the real meat of the plot is Judith’s announcement to Larry that she wants a divorce as a result of her recent closeness to family friend Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed). Larry also finds out that he is being considered for tenure at

work, but the committee has been receiving defamatory letters about him.

He also discovers his brother Arthur (Richard Kind), who had been sleeping on his couch, is being chased down by the police for gambling. Larry, shocked and confused, seeks the counsel of three rabbis for help to cope with the changes in his life.

All of his encounters with the rabbis are very entertaining. They are a series of strange men who offer obscure advice with stories that most often have no point. However, these moments of silent and awkward hilarity are few and far between.

The ending is by far the most interesting part of the film. The audience finds out who sent the letters regarding Larry’s tenure and the committee’s decision. Larry and Judith seem to be on better terms as a result of Sy leaving the picture (through a very unfortunate accident) and seeing their son complete his bar mitzvah. The very last scene is Larry receiving some suggestive information from a doctor and Danny staring at an oncoming tornado as he and his school mates try to reach shelter.

For an ending like this to work, the audience, at least, needs a few optional endings to assume. In this case, I had no idea what to think. Sure, the film touches upon themes of faith and morality, but the lessons are hard to spot with many questions remaining after the ending credits start to roll.

The Coens wrote a story that is undoubtedly creative, and the characters aren’t too predictable, but the film failed to entertain me. A Coen brothers film is expected to be interesting and entertaining, but this film doesn’t accomplish that. Perhaps it’s the type of story that is better fit for a novel rather than the big screen. Either way, I believe die-hard Coen brothers fans will appreciate the film, but it’s not a crowd-pleaser.

“A Serious Man” MOVIE REVIEW

Relativity Media Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen Starring: Richard Kind, Sari Wagner Lennick, Fred Melamed, Michael Stuhlbarg, Aaron Wolff Rated R Rating: 5 = perfect, 4 = outstanding, 3 = good, Collegian photo from MCT

SERIOUS MISSTEP: Michael Stuhlbarg plays Larry Gopnik in “A Serious Man,” the typically terrific Coen brothers’ less-than-spectacular new film.

2 = fair, 1 = poor

by Kelsey Truman Staff Astrologist TAURUS APRIL 20 MAY 20 Do you have persistent feelings of regret about someone who got away? This week, the stars are in favor of you reconnecting with someone from the past. Don’t sweat it, though, because they have gained weight also.

GEMINI MAY 21 JUNE 20

You will meet an important business contact this week, so be careful not to dress sloppy. This means absolutely no clothing featuring Tweety Bird, Taz or Tinkerbell, and try to avoid jean shorts.

CANCER JUNE 21 JULY 22

For some reason, school and business contacts are on edge with you this week. Pad all of your phone calls and e-mails with compliments and act like anyone is doing you a favor just by acknowledging you. Use lines like, “Is this a good time to...,” “I could really use your help with” and “Your hair is so pretty.”

LEO JULY 23 AUG. 22

Lions are prone to injury or accidents this week.

Ouch! Wear a helmet at all times and have an adult supervise you when you use the stove. Oh, and don’t put metal in the microwave! Easy mistake.

VIRGO

AUG. 23 SEPT. 22

LIBRA

SEPT. 23 OCT. 22

Friends will try to make helpful suggestions to you this week regarding your worst personality traits.

They are only trying to help. And you do need to stop eating all those burritos.

Expect to be asked for lots of favors this week. To be ready, think about what you want others to do for you in exchange. “Yes, I will pick up your drycleaning, but you have to promise to stop playing so much Farmville because it’s seriously clogging up my Facebook news feed.”

Rock and Roll Hall celebrates with stars Glenn Gamboa MCT

Collegian photo from MCT

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: Bruce Springsteen is among those helping the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame celebrate its 25th year.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the genre’s biggest stars—Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, Stevie Wonder, Simon and Garfunkel and special guests including James Taylor and Sting—set out to trace music history Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

Jerry Lee Lewis opened the evening with “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” fittingly looking like the elder statesman he has become. After all, the genre he helped pioneer is not only old enough to merit a museum, but the actual Hall of Fame began celebrating its 25th anniversary with the star-studded concert Thursday night. (The second part, featuring U2, Aretha Franklin and Metallica, gathered Friday night at The Garden.)

“I’m a fan of everybody up here, and I’m slapping my head at some of the pairings,” Tom Hanks, whose company is co-producing a four-hour version of the show for broadcast on HBO in November, said. He wasn’t alone. The night was filled with once-in-a-lifetime, head-slapping moments.

Wonder got choked up in the middle of his tribute to Michael Jackson, fighting back tears as he sang “The Way You Make Me Feel” with John Legend, before pulling it together and finishing the song. Crosby, Stills and Nash were joined by Taylor to do “Love the One You’re With” in four-part harmony, as part of a celebration of the California folk movement of the ’60s. Paul Simon recreated “Late in the Evening” to include doo-wop backing vocals and a jazz break, before reuniting with Art Garfunkel to power through a lovely version of “The Sound of Silence,” representing both doo-wop and folk.

Both anniversary concerts are fundraisers for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, which handles both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland and the Rock Hall Annex in SoHo. The events turned The Garden into rockstar central with even A-listers becoming star struck.

“I’m sharing a bathroom with Darlene Love,” Bonnie Raitt said backstage. “It doesn’t get better than that.”

SPORTS

First Look Men’s basketball gives fans a first glance in an exhibition game against DePauw. The Bulldogs topped the Tigers 77-45.

Page 10

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Going Postal One columnist thinks college football should ditch the BCS system and move to play-offs in the postseason.

Page 11

Page 9

THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN

Football 8-0, continues streak Paige Flynn psflynn@butler.edu Dust off your bell-bottom jeans and Bee Gees albums; it’s flashback time for Butler University football. For the first time since 1961, the Bulldogs remain undefeated with eight wins. The men moved into a perfect 5-0 league record Saturday when they pulled out a win

against fellow Pioneer League opponent Davidson (N.C.), 147.

“It’s a great feeling,” sophomore starting quarterback Andrew Huck said of the team’s record. “We’re really learning to win down the stretch, and that’s what the team really needs.”

In a game that got off to a quick start, junior running back Scott Gray gave the Bulldogs

Collegian photo by Maria Porter

HOT DAWGS: Sophomore quarterback Andrew Huck rushed the ball for 81 yards in Butler’s eight straight win.

some momentum with a 48-yard rush. A holding penalty eventually cost the team possession, but the defense managed to hold Davidson at the Bulldog 40-yard line. An 80-yard drive resulted in a Butler touchdown, courtesy of an eight-yard rush by redshirt sophomore Ryan Hitchcock.

The Bulldogs held Davidson, giving the home team a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

“I have to give all the credit to the offensive line,” Hitchcock said. “They’re the ones who stop the [defenders] and allow those big rushes to happen.”

The second quarter at the Butler Bowl saw a lot of back and forth play. Hitchcock, who played in seven games as a freshman last season before being benched with an injury, had five carries and one reception for 41 yards.

Huck had three completions for 22 yards, while Gray and redshirt wide receiver Dan Bohrer also added to the mix.

The quarter ended with the Bulldogs still in the lead, 7-0.

Only 38 seconds into the third quarter, Davidson tied things up with a nine-yard rush from Kenny Mantuo. Although Butler owned possession of the ball for 9:55, compared to Davidson’s 5:55, neither team scored during

Ashley Breitenbach abreiten@butler.edu

Collegian photo by Maria Porter

CAN’T TOUCH THIS: Freshman Jordan Ridley carries the ball in Saturday’s win against Pioneer League foe Davidson. the remainder of the quarter.

Entering the fourth still tied at 7, Davidson tried to make a move with a 67-yard drive in the first seven minutes but was held at the Butler 32. Huck stepped it up, working the 98-yard drive for 37 yards passing and 28 yards rushing. From the one yard line, the quarterback leapt into the end zone to push Butler ahead 14-7 with 4:09 left in the fourth.

“It was a long drive,” Huck said, “but we made some really key third down [conversions].

Capping it off was very, very rewarding.”

The Bulldogs stopped Davidson’s last two possessions,

earning their eighth win of the season and fifth in the Pioneer Football League.

The team will now hit the road, battling Dayton, Ohio, Saturday for the rights to first place at 1 p.m.

“Yeah, we’re ready,” Hitchcock said. “Coach and the players have been watching a lot of film and have a pretty good game plan set up.

We’re going to do what we can to stay undefeated; hopefully it works out.”

The Bulldogs then face Jacksonville Nov. 14 before heading back to the Bowl for their last home stint against Drake Nov. 21.

Volleyball sweeps weekend; stays perfect at home Matt Lawder mlawder@butler.edu With enough kills to fill a horror movie, the women’s volleyball team (19-11; 8-4 Horizon League) rolled through the Halloween weekend, hacking down the Indiana State Sycamores 3-0 in Terre Haute and battling past the Valparaiso Crusaders 3-1 (17-7; 9-3 HL) in front of a nearly-record crowd of 649 in Hinkle Fieldhouse.

In a non-conference match-up with Indiana State Wednesday, Butler focused just as they would for a normal conference game and meticulously picked apart the Sycamores through straight sets.

“Indiana State did a good job of challenging us. I don’t think it was an easy match, but I think our aggressive serving was too much for them,” head coach Sharon Clark said.

In the first game, the Bulldogs traded points with the Sycamores until going on a seven-point run, with junior Kelsey Labrum serving, to go up 14-11. The Bulldogs held on to the lead and finished off the first set 25-22.

Butler rolled though the second game hitting .342 as a team and had only two errors while dropping 15 kills on the Sycamores’ court. The Bulldogs wrapped up the set when freshman Gina Vera set up junior Jessie Wolfe for a game-winning kill, ending the set at 25-21.

Up 2-0, the Bulldogs fell behind in the third set. The Sycamores had several attempts at set point, but the Bulldogs went on a six-point run behind the serving of senior Porshia Allen to finish off the set 26-24, ending the match 3-0.

“When [Allen] served out the set to get the win, it was the highlight of the match. We were determined to win that third set and head home early,” Labrum said. “We controlled the tempo. Even when we were down late, we never lost our composure.”

The Bulldogs headed back home for their next matchup against Valparaiso Friday. The Crusaders entered the game in second place in the Horizon League, two games ahead

Women’s XC reigns supreme

of the Bulldogs who sat one spot behind them in third.

With a tough opponent heading to town, the Bulldogs put out some extra advertisements for the match hoping to set a new volleyball attendance record. While the crowd of 649 fell just 14 people short of the record (set in 2003 against Big Ten opponent Purdue), the fans did their job, helping to cheer the Bulldogs to a victory.

“There’s a comfort level when we play in Hinkle,” Clark said. “The team gets in a good flow with the crowd and can feed off of them.”

Labrum echoed Clark’s sentiment about the Bulldogs home field advantage. They are 7-0 in Hinkle this season.

“We play in Hinkle everyday. This is our stomping ground,” Labrum said.

Butler got ahead early, starting the match with a 10-4 run. The Bulldogs’ attack forced the Crusaders to play defensively. Butler had 19 kills and hit .432 as the Bulldogs won the first set 25-23.

In the second set, which had five lead changes and 10 ties, the Bulldogs battled back and forth with Valparaiso until finally losing the set 27-25. The set was one of only three sets that Butler dropped at home this season.

The Bulldogs got back on track late in the third set after senior Stephanie Steele came off the bench to spark Butler’s offense. Steele closed out the set with two kills, giving Butler a 25-22 victory.

Up two sets to one, Wolfe gave the Bulldogs the lead with a service ace to start the set. Butler never gave up their lead, wining the set 25-17, which gave them a 3-1 victory in the match.

The match was truly a team effort with three players, Labrum, Allen and Wolfe, in double digits for kills.

Labrum led all competitors with her .833 hitting percentage on 10 kills.

Another big contributor was Vera, who finished the match with 47 assists and, according to Clark, has been one of the team’s underappreciated standouts.

The two wins keep the Bulldogs’ third-place spot in the Horizon League standing and only two games behind of

first place Cleveland State, who will face some tough opponents on the road during the final stretch of the season. With only four games left in the season, the Bulldogs hope to solidify their spot as a top team heading into the Horizon League tournament.

“I’m really confident,” Labrum said. “Our games against UIC and Loyola could be clinch wins for any of the teams. It’ll be really interesting in these next two weeks.”

“It’s anybody’s conference to win, and I think we’re in a good position,” Clark said.

The team has its final two home games of the regular season this weekend against UIC Friday and Loyola Saturday at Hinkle.

Collegian photo by Rachel Senn

DOUBLE TEAM: Freshman Gina Vera and junior Jalesa Lee block against Valparaiso Friday.

Butler women’s cross country reclaimed the Horizon League title Saturday at Kensington Metropark in Milford, Mich.

The Bulldogs separated themselves from the competition by 40 points and won the conference tournament for the seventh time in eight years.

Five of Butler’s seven runners finished in the top 10.

Freshman Lauren McKillop finished first overall with a time of 18:48.30, and not one second later, freshman Katie Clark finished second with a time of 18:49.00.

“My mentality was to just stay relaxed and run with Katie Clark the whole way, just make a big enough gap to push the pace and to stay clear from non-Butler runners,” McKillop said.

“When I’m running anything longer than 1500m, it’s just about keeping your stride in rhythm,” Clark said. “‘Rhythm, rhythm, rhythm.’

That’s what I say in my head a lot of the time.”

Freshman Shelbi Burnett (18:58.50) followed closely behind in third, and senior Sara Bird (19:12.30) finished in sixth place.

Junior Rosie Edward (19:20.40), freshman Kirsty Legg (19:50.10) and freshman Karleen Ritchie (19:53.50) completed Butler’s run to capture the title.

“I feel really proud to be part of our team,” Clark said.

McKillop shared the sentiment.

“It’s a great feeling, and we have so many great female runners to train with,” McKillop said. “It’s nice to see our hard work finally paying off.”

“The fact that they are young makes your expectations different,” head coach Matt Roe said. “There is no substitute for experience, so it was really nice to see us prevail.”

McKillop was named conference Newcomer of the Year, and Roe was named conference Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year.

The Bulldogs will run in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional meet in Bloomington, Ind. in two weeks and in the NCAA Championship meet in Terre Haute, Ind. one week later.

“Ten girls finished in the top 22,” Roe said. “We are only going to get better.”

Need more Bulldog sports?

Get your fix throughout the week by following The Butler Collegian online! thebutlercollegian.com WEDNESDAY

SATURDAY

Men’s Soccer at UIC 8 p.m.

Football at Dayton 1 p.m.

FRIDAY Women’s Volleyball vs. Loyola 7 p.m.

Men’s Basketball vs. Taylor (Ind.) Exhibition 2 p.m.

Men’s Soccer vs. Wright State 3 p.m.

MONDAY Women’s Swimming vs. UW-Milwaukee, North Dakota and UIC Chicago, Ill. 3 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball vs. UIC 7 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. DePauw Exhibition 7 p.m.

Freshman Kyle Johannsen made a splash the at women’s swim team quad meet Sunday in Fishers, Ind. The freshman free swimmer made fourth on Butler’s all-time Top Ten list in the 1650 yard freestyle event.

Continue the women’s swimming article at thebutlercollegian.com

Get scores, highlights and more sports updates throughout the week on the sports team’s twitter!

twitter.com/ BUSportsWriters

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Page 10

The Butler Collegian

SPORTS

SPORTS

Basketball wins big exhibition Steven Peek speek@butler.edu

Collegian photo by Rachel Senn

DRIVER’S SEAT: Sophomore Shelvin Mack drives the lane against visiting DePauw.

Butler men’s basketball head coach Brad Stevens has a problem every coach in the nation wishes they could have: He has too many talented people fighting for one of five spots on the court.

Stevens got the opportunity to experiment with possible lineups Sunday night, when Butler hosted DePauw, a local Division III squad, in an exhibition match. Butler’s efforts were successful, resulting in a 77-45 final score.

Stevens gauged where his players were in the team’s first game by putting different combinations of height, speed and skill on the court at a time.

Nine team members played at least 15 minutes, and of those nine, freshman Andrew Smith played the most. There have been rumors of Smith’s physical play floating around Indianapolis, and that physicality was seen just prior to the first half’s six-minute mark, when the freshman received the ball on the

block, spun and powered up for the first two points of his college career.

Smith’s time was especially efficient while playing alongside returning Horizon League Player of the Year Matt Howard. The 6-foot-8-inch junior did not play a large chunk of time, but he did start both halves and clogged the lane with Smith for any driving Tigers. “[Smith] takes up a lot of space, and he did a good job,” Stevens said. “He’s going to learn so much every week in college basketball.”

Smith’s 21 minutes produced 10 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

Returning Horizon League Newcomer of the Year Gordon Hayward played 20 minutes and accumulated 11 points, four assists and four blocks.

“Gordon’s skill level at 6 feet 9 inches gives us a lot of options,” Stevens said.

Hayward and sophomore Shelvin Mack worked well together on the court, continuing their success from the U20 U.S.A. Olympic team that won the gold medal in New Zealand last summer. Mack led

the Bulldogs in scoring with 13 points.

Sophomore guard Ronald Nored stood out among the other Butler players in his 17 minutes of play.

Nored, no longer sidelined by a stress fracture, tallied six points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals.

As a team, the Bulldogs played impressive defense uniformly throughout the game. In the first 20 minutes of play, the Tigers were held to four field goals, and the first did not go through the hoop until 8:49 remained in the half.

“Butler is so much longer than they were a couple years ago,” DePauw head coach Bill Fenlon said.

“They made the court so much smaller for us.”

The Bulldogs’ defense was not as impressive in the second half, yielding 33 points as opposed to the 12 allowed in the first half. Nonetheless, DePauw was held to shooting 27.5 percent from the field and was out-rebounded 43-29.

The Butler men’s basketball team takes the court for their final exhibition game Saturday when they host Taylor (Ind.) University at 2 p.m.

Men’s soccer suffers first conference loss Men run to victory Matt Lawder mlawder@butler.edu

After tallying their home record to 6-0 with a recent win over the Detroit Titans last Tuesday, the men’s soccer team traveled to the shores of Lake Erie to battle Cleveland State.

Although the Bulldogs outplayed the Vikings statistically, Butler lost the game 1-0.

The Bulldogs entered the match undefeated in the Horizon League with a 4-0-1 record and were ranked 13th in the nation. The team was excited about their ranking.

“It feels great, especially to get national recognition for our effort,” freshman Tyler Pollock said.

But records, rankings and statistics could not get the Bulldogs the victory, even though they were in control for a majority of the match.

Butler outshot the Vikings 5-2 in the first half and kept pressure on the Cleveland State defense with three first-half corners. The Bulldogs even forced the Vikings

into a yellow card in the 40th yellow cards in the final 13 minminute. The corner kicks and the utes of the game, but they could card were not enough, though, as not score the equalizer and lost Viking goalkeeper Brad Stuver their first Horizon League match made four saves in the first half. of the season.

The Bulldogs continued to “I thought we were fantastic,” apply pressure at the start of the head coach Kelly Findley said. second half with “We had eight “We were working shots from corners, and Pollock, freshman they had none.

Julian Cardona and hard, but they got the Every set piece senior Kyle was good.

VondenBenken in Statistically we goal.” the half’s first 10 do m i n a t e d - Tyler Pollock minutes. them, but they Freshman, Men’s Soccer Still, the got the goal. It Vikings managed to keep the ball was incredibly disappointing.” out of the net.

The Bulldogs outshot the Late in the second half, with the Vikings 14-8 and controlled the game still scoreless, the Vikings pace of play throughout the scored in the 82nd minute to take match. Nonetheless, Butler strugthe lead 1-0, bringing out the gled to score for only the second Bulldogs’ frustration. time all season.

“We were working hard, but Even with the loss, the they got the goal,” Pollock said, Bulldogs still control their who came off the bench and had Horizon League destiny. If they one shot in the loss. “It was win the last two games of the regunlucky. We kind of kicked it into ular season, the Bulldogs will be overdrive after that, but we could- in first place for the conference n’t score.” tournament.

The Bulldogs accumulated three Findley plans on keeping the

team focused on that goal by reiterating the team’s philosophy for the season.

“At this time of year, we just want to keep up the habits that we’ve already established, which are a blue-collar mentality, great ball speed and playing the full 90 minutes,” Findley said.

While the loss might drop the Bulldogs slightly in the Rating Percentage Index (RPI) rankings, their tough early season schedule and strong play against top-tier teams have cemented them as one of the nation’s premier teams.

After barely missing last season’s NCAA tournament, the team hopes they will have a chance to compete for the national title.

“I’m excited about being ranked 13th in the RPI, but I think this team has gotten what we’ve deserved,” Findley said. “Everyone has worked hard.”

The Bulldogs will travel to Chicago tonight to challenge the UIC Flames. They will finish the regular season Saturday afternoon in the Butler Bowl against Wright State.

Ashley Breitenbach abreiten@butler.edu

At the Horizon League Championships in Milford, Mich., the men’s cross country team brought home the title convincingly. They swept the top six spots, leading the Bulldogs to a 12th straight league title. It was also the third consecutive finish with a perfect score.

“It’s always a great feeling to have so many athletes of your team taking the top spots, as these guys are the people you train with day in, day out,” senior Tom Boardman said. “And of course [they] are good friends, so it’s always nice to see the hard work you put in yourself, as well as your teammates, pay off.”

Senior Andy Baker finished first overall with a time of 25:15.60.

Following Baker was runner-up Boardman with a time of 25:39.80. A tenth of a second later, junior Justin Roeder crossed the line followed by his brother, junior Madison Roeder (25:40.30). Senior Rob Mullett

finished fifth with a time of 25:40.60, and senior Kris Gauson finished just behind his teammate.

Butler’s team time was 2:07:56, which was five minutes faster than second place finisher Loyola.

Butler’s top six runners earned First-Team All-Horizon League recognitions this year. Junior Matt Lawder, the 12th-place finisher, and senior Joe MacDonald were named Second-Team All-League.

“We are excited,” Roe said.

“Every year we seek to win the Horizon League. It gave us good momentum for the rest of the season.”

In two weeks, the Bulldogs will participate in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional meet in Bloomington, Ind. One week later, they will run at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. “We use conference as preparation for regional meet,” Roe said.

“So we want to work together as a team, get the team title and emulate the race that we would run at the regional meet.“

The Butler Collegian

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Page 11

SPORTS

SPORTS

Who is No. 1? BCS needs playoff system Emily Newell enewell@butler.edu

Every year, talk remains the same. As college football season progresses, what will happen with the BCS rankings? Who will be No. 1? Who will get the chance to play for the national title? Madness is sure to ensue.

Even President Barack Obama said he feels that Division 1A college football should throw out the BCS ranking system and replace it with a playoff system.

Some people might not understand what the big issue is with the BCS system. Some people hate the BCS ranking system with an undying passion.

Some don’t care because it unintentionally favors their team or conference.

By the end of the season, someone will probably be angry, someone will probably be happy and someone will probably wonder why they aren’t number one.

The BCS, for those who don’t know, is a system that calculates a team’s ranking in the college football polls by averaging their rankings in the Harris Interactive Poll, the USA Today coaches’ poll and four computer rankings.

So why so many problems? Because the BCS ranking system ranks teams by putting their numbers through an algebraic equation cluttered with more addition, division and variables than I care to deal with.

But numbers don’t lie, right? Wrong. The BCS, in recent years, has snubbed undefeated teams and given two loss teams a chance at the national title.

Take the 2008 national championship, for example. With one week remaining in the regular season, Missouri and West Virginia looked to be on their way to New Orleans to face one another in the Sugar Bowl for the rights to the national title.

But what happened? The last week of the season came, and Missouri dropped the Big 12 Championship game to Oklahoma while the college football world watched in awe as Pittsburgh stunned West Virginia with a victory on the road.

The BCS was turned upside down and college

football fanatics collectively lost their minds as, all of a sudden, the No. 7-ranked Buckeyes, who were 11-1 at that point, jumped to No. 1 without playing a game.

No team finished that season undefeated, and the National Champion LSU Tigers had two losses that year.

My question is, using the 2007 season as an example, how does a computer determine what oneor two-loss team is better than the rest?

But in the 2007 season, at least, everyone knew at the end of the season that LSU was No. 1.

What about the year before, in 2006, when Florida, Ohio State, LSU and USC all finished above Boise State with one loss, while the Broncos finished their season undefeated after a stunning and impressive win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl?

The Broncos ended the season at No. 5.

Why wasn’t Boise State a national champion that year? Why did Florida, not Boise State, get the chance to play the undefeated Buckeyes for the title, therefore putting the two unbeaten teams against each other? Because people are involved. Because the polls, which are a factor in the BCS ranking system, are based on someone’s opinion.

It wouldn’t be hard to fix the system. Why doesn’t anyone ever argue who the Super Bowl Champion is? Because they have to fight their way to the top. The Super Bowl Champion team might end the regular season with three losses, but by proving their strength in the postseason, they work their way to the top, and nobody questions it.

Having a playoff system in college football could help settle a lot of disputes. As the system stands, one loss means a lot to a team. Two losses can almost guarantee a team no chance of playing for the national title.

But what happens when those losses are close?

What happens when those games should have been won? This season, Notre Dame has lost twice, both times by a slight margin, in games they could have easily won. One of those games was against the highly-ranked Trojans of USC. Do those losses mean Notre Dame shouldn’t be able to prove they are a worthy team?

BYU got their second loss this week, this time to the undefeated Horned Frogs of TCU. Earlier in the season, BYU was handed their first loss by Florida State. But their second loss came against a great team, and BYU fell from the rankings. Shouldn’t they be able to prove they are still a good team?

A playoff system would allow teams to win their conference, even with a loss or two. What if a team goes undefeated in a conference of unranked teams, while another team has two losses because their conference is filled with Top 25 teams? Is that undefeated team really better? Give both teams the chance to prove their strength with a playoff system.

This season, the top of the BCS looks different than before. All of the undefeated teams stand above all the rest at the top of the rankings. But there are seven undefeated teams; they all won’t finish that way, but several might.

With the way the schedules work, it’s possible for six of those seven teams to finish their seasons undefeated, as Alabama and Florida would eventually have to meet in the SEC Championship game,

handing one of the two teams a loss. If this season ends with six undefeated teams, how do you tell four of them they had a great season, but they just weren’t national championship worthy?

It just isn’t fair. Sorry, Cincinnati, you didn’t make the cut. Sorry, Iowa, the USA Today poll just doesn’t like you enough, even though the computers did. TCU, none of the polls favored you. You’re out.

This week, Iowa’s computer ranking was higher than those of Texas and Alabama, but their poll points were lower, so they came in fourth. It’s a jumbled mess, and it needs to stop.

If this season ends with more than one undefeated team, even after all the bowl games, there is sure to be more controversy and less resolution.

With the way this season is going, I can’t think of any better time to start really pressing for a playoff system. It really is the only fair way. Why? Because the team that gets there never loses on the way. Then there really will be an undefeated team— at least in the postseason.

Collegian photo from MCT

BCS MESS: The TCU Horned Frogs, who remain undefeated after a victory over BYU, might miss the BCS national championship game even if they finish the season undefeated.

Page 12

BUTLER COLLEGIAN

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The Butler Collegian

BUTLER COLLEGIAN

Collegian photos by Maria Porter Collegian illustration by Rachel Senn