THE BUTLER
COLLEGIAN
WEDNESDAY MARCH
3 2010
www.thebutlercollegian.com
Indianapolis, Indiana
Established 1886
Vol. 124 Issue 20
Chris Ring voted next SGA president Olivia Ingle oingle@butler.edu Butler University’s student body has elected sophomore Chris Ring as the next Student Government Association (SGA) President. Ring and his opponent, Kiely Keesler, were notified prior to the community announcement in the Butler Connection last Thursday morning. “I was waiting around for the call for a long time and was very nervous about it,” Ring said. “I was very honored and excited to get this distinction.” Sophomore Anna Roueche, chair of the Election Oversight Committee (EOC), said the election ran smoothly. “From what I could tell from documentation from last year’s election, there were fewer complications with the voting ballots, which was nice for us and IR (Information Resources),” she said. “The run-offs were equally successful.” Ring said he is ready for the next couple of months to prepare him for his position, starting with selecting his executive team. There are several positions that he will fill, but two are chosen by assembly. “That’s the biggest thing I have to do right now,” Ring said. “I also have to start meeting with my adviser, Caroline Huck-Watson, on a regular basis.” He said he will go to Watson with a lot of questions, but may also turn to current SGA President Chad Lesczynski for guidance. “He’ll be a good resource for me next year because we’re in the same (fraternity) house, and he’s a pharmacy major, so he’ll be here for two
more years,” Ring said. Once his term of office starts, Ring said he’s going to take everything one step at a time. After he chooses his executive committee, he plans to get started changing the two boards within SGA to which he has proposed changes. “I want to start working with them over the
summer and then once the school year starts, I’ll take on re-energizing assembly,” Ring said. He said he can recognize people in assembly who can speak out and get people going, and they are who he will look to to boost morale. “They are a means of getting people to speak,” Ring said. “I also want to start out each assem-
Collegian photo by Maria Porter
ON DECK: Sophomore Chris Ring said he is excited to choose the members of his board in preparation for assuming the position of Student Government Association president next year.
SLAM-DUNK SEASON
bly with a discussion period.” He said he has taken a realistic view to get the student body involved with SGA. “I’ve heard a motivational speaker say before that there is the top third that is always doing something the bottom third that will never do anything, and then the middle third that will do something if you’re calling on them,” Ring said. “I am going to try to work on that middle third, but I also recognize that you can’t get everyone to be excited about it the way that you’d like to.” Conflict is something that Ring said he is prepared for. “I’m not very confrontational, but I am good at mediating,” he said. “I don’t like seeing people clash at each other, so I am very good at opening up communication. If you create structure, it’s much easier to create a resolution.” Scooter Stein, a sophomore double major in international studies and Spanish and a member of the EOC, said Ring is a great candidate and will be a strong leader for SGA. “Chris knows how to work with people, multitask with high efficiency and he already has experience working with various members of the faculty and staff,” Stein said. “He will improve the level of communication the student body has with the faculty and staff.” Ring said he is excited to see what next year will bring. “I’m just excited about leaving my mark on campus,” he said. “I want to leave a positive mark on Butler and I am just excited about beginning that process and really getting people re-energized about student government.”
Dean candidate addresses controversy Jennifer Pignolet jpignole@butler.edu The fourth and final candidate for the position of dean of the Jordan College of Fine Arts (JCFA) addressed controversies from his past and the needs of JCFA in two open forums this week. Lon Gordon is currently an artist-in-residence at Illinois State University’s (ISU) College of Fine Arts. He served as dean of the college for three years until stepping down in 2007 after an eight-month investigation into his career history. Gordon was accused of plagiarism and embellishing his curriculum vitae (CV) upon applying for the dean position at ISU. “They were very false allegations,” Gordon said in
the forum Monday. “We’re living in a society where anyone can say anything without proof. “I was totally exonerated.” Gordon was asked to revise his CV to clear up any possible misconceptions but no sanctions were imposed. Gordon said he is eager to move on with his career, and is excited for the opportunity to do so at Butler. As part of his research about Butler, Gordon said he spent time on campus walking around, meeting students and attending dance, theater and music performances. “You can sum up so much in two hours in the theater,” Gordon said. “I’m an avid goer and seer.” He described the performances as high-quality and See JCFA Page 4
Faculty continues college debate Hayleigh Colombo hcolombo@butler.edu
Collegian photo courtesy of John Fetcho
LEAGUE PERFECTION: The Butler University men’s basketball team capped a perfect 18-0 record in the Horizon League this season. See story on Page 9.
INSIDE 5
Things
You
Paw Prints..............6
Should Know This
Reviews..............7&8
Week........................3
Playlist
BUPD Beat.............4
week...............8
Campus Pulse........4
Best of Indy..........8
Staff Editorial.........5
On Deck...................9
Columns............5&6
Sports Column.....11
of
the
Taking the Wrong Path
The Butler University Faculty Senate has yet to make a decision on whether to endorse the proposed College of Communication. Tuesday’s meeting was anticipated to hold the final vote as to whether or not the Senate would be endorsing the addition of the new college. The proposal had already been delayed at the Feb. 16 meeting to allow for a faculty-wide forum to take place in order to answer questions. Senate members voiced their concerns toward making a final vote. Jordan College of Fine Arts (JCFA) dance professor Stephan Laurent said, “I feel like a Republican. I feel like this is being rushed upon us.” Laurent took command of the discussion, voicing his concerns that the opposition of endorsing a new college from JCFA and LAS has not been allowed to come forward. He
Oscar, An Actor’s Best Pal
said that though there have been discussions in departments of both colleges, there has never been a vote to determine what the departments want. “Conversing does not mean consent,” Laurent said. A main concern is that the greater faculty voice has not been considered in this process, and they are worried about what it means for their jobs, Laurent said. Associate Professor of English Bill Watts said he agreed the endorsement was not only being rushed, but was also poorly approached. “Convergence is realized on the curriculum,” Watts said. “Why are we starting with an administrative structure, not a curriculum structure?” Journalism Department Chair Nancy Whitmore said prolonging the process of endorsing the new college was not necessary and that those who the change would most affect should have the voice. “What about what the faculty in those programs want rather than what
you don’t want?” Whitmore asked. “All you’re doing is hurting the students.” No final vote on the endorsement of the new College of Communication was taken and the Senate motioned to close discussion. With only 14 members in favor, 10 members in favor of continuing discussion and 2 abstaining from a vote, the motion did not pass. A two-thirds majority was needed to pass the motion. Faculty Senate Chair Jeanne VanTyle said the next step in the process would be to take a universitywide faculty vote on whether to endorse the proposal. To be approved, the endorsement would need 40 percent of the faculty to be in favor. VanTyle said the approval of the faculty is necessary before the endorsement can progress any further, because University President Bobby Fong is very hesitant to bring any proposals to the Board of Trustees without Faculty Senate approval.
United & Undefeated
Growing student emphasis on careerism endangers America’s economic future.
The Collegian staff predicts who they think will take home the top prizes of the night.
Butler men’s basketball did something Friday that no other conference team has done before: go 18-0.
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Butler Forecast Today
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Wednesday, March 3, 2010
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The Butler Collegian
NEWS
NEWS
Students selected as 500 Princesses Hayleigh Colombo hcolombo@butler.edu
Every little girl grows up wishing to be a princess and two Butler University students get their chance as 500 Festival Princesses for the Indianapolis 500 on March 31. Along with 31 other women, junior Rebecca Ozols and sophomore Brittany Dorsett were chosen from more than 240 Indiana college students competing for the opportunity. The 500 Festival Princesses are considered ambassadors for the 500 Festival, meaning they are responsible for planning and participating in outreach programs, volunteering at special events and, of course, being there as a support system at the biggest event of the festival: The 2010 Indianapolis 500 Race. “It’s our job to get the whole community involved and excited,” Dorsett, a marketing major, said. “We just want to boost morale for the 500 Festival and all the events that go on during it.” This is both Ozols’ and Dorsett’s first time participating in the program as princesses, although Dorsett participated in the 500 Festival as a high school cheerleader from Terre Haute, Ind. However, she said she never had the opportunity to just enjoy the festival until last year when her sister, Butler alumna Abigail Dorsett, was chosen as a princess. “I saw how much it changed my sister as a person and all the
opportunities she had through the program,” Dorsett said. “I thought it was the perfect thing for me to do.” In preparation for this year’s race, which takes place May 31, Ozols and Dorsett are choosing outreach programs to participate in. Ozols, a psychology major, said she is excited to visit Riley Children’s Hospital and visit the elementary school she attended in Columbus, Ind. “I gave back a lot at home,” Ozols said. “But it’s a little harder to get involved in Indianapolis so this is a great way to volunteer and wear a crown while I do it. Who doesn’t love that?” Dorsett said she is tentatively planning to team up with the Indiana School for the Blind at one of her sorority’s upcoming events, as well as possibly going to an elementary school to get children and families excited about the 500 Festival. “What [we want] to push is that the entire festival is a month long,” Dorsett said. “People come from all over the nation and make a day out of it.” Although the 33 women aren’t paid to participate in the 500 Festival, Ozols said local sponsors of the event, like G. Thrapp Jewelers, have been generous. “The community’s been really great about giving back,” Ozols said. Ozols and Dorsett didn’t know each other before meeting at the event’s orientation last Saturday, but both said they are excited to
Collegian photos courtesy of 500 Festival
ROYALTY: Brittany Dorsett (left) and Rebecca Ozols (right) are 500 Festival Princesses, or ambassadors for the annual race. share the experience with another Butler student.
Maintenance problems in Ross Hall concern residents Jill McCarter jmccarte@butler.edu
Between the leaking ceilings, mice, clogged sinks and graffiti-ridden walls, Ross Hall is starting to look like Ross Hell for some student residents. “There’s an abundance of creatures living here, because every time I’m alone in my room, all I can hear is the squeaking,” freshman Lauren Batson said. “Our buildings are just falling apart.” Many student residents have voiced their complaints regarding the state of Ross Hall. Don Borden, maintenance system coordinator and liaison between maintenance and residential halls, said that most of the problems have sim-
ple solutions, but getting to the problem requires students to inform them of the troubles as they arise. “We really rely on students to let us know when there are problems,” Borden said. “It’s important that when students see these problems that they tell their resident assistants or the front desk and let them know what they saw.” Some of the problems, like the leaking ceilings and clogged sinks, are things that come and go almost every year. Others, like the mice, are more rare. “It’s definitely been quite a while since there have been mice in the buildings,” Gerald Carlson, director of maintenance, said. Borden went on to say that it’s very unusual
Collegian photo courtesy of Sarah Kelsay
MOUSE TRAP: A resident in Ross Hall took matters in her own hands and set a trap to catch a pesky mouse that had been roaming the corridors of the dormitory.
for mice to be on the third floor. The problem, he said, could lie with the students. “The way a room is kept can contribute to the issue,” Borden said. “If there are a lot of things for them to tear up and eat, they are going to find a way to get in there.” Leaking ceilings have contributed to the complaints from some students, and the problem is something that former Ross Hall staff adviser Katie Corson had to deal with when she was an employee. “The ceilings had to be fixed during a break when things could really be looked at and things could be moved so that it wouldn’t disturb the normal flow of things,” Corson said. While it may be a persistent problem, students like Batson are still frustrated with the issue. “Every time I walk by, there’s a brown liquid just dripping down from the ceiling and I don’t know what it is,” Batson said. “It’s just nasty.” Borden and Carlson said that the weather has contributed to the increase in leaking. “With the freezing and melting weather that we’ve had, it’s hard to get up there and find the root of the problem,” Carlson said. Borden said he agreed with Carlson’s thoughts. “We have to wait for warmer weather so that we can fix anything because right now, because everything is so wet and so cold, there’s just not a very easy way to fix things,” Borden said. Corson said these issues are things that student residents have always dealt with. “It’s always something,” Corson said. “One year, it was exit signs, one year it was graffiti and one year it was food everywhere.” Some of the problems can be traced back to students’ responsibility in taking care of the place in which they live. “Some people will choose to disrespect the places in which they live. It’s a crappy thing to deal with, it’s annoying to live around and I’m sure it’s an even worse thing to clean up,” Corson said. “You just have to understand that it’s something that is going to happen and you have to just find a way to deal with it.” Preventing some of the issues can really just boil down to students maintaining their own
Collegian photo by Jill McCarter
LEAKY CEILING: Pieces of the ceiling in Ross Hall have started to leak, rot and fall. spaces. “Keep your room clean. Don’t keep things on the floor. Just basic things,” Borden said. Both Borden and Carlson emphasized the importance of letting someone know as soon as a problem arises. “Slow sinks are easier to fix than stopped sinks,” Borden said. “And we don’t know to fix it if no one tells us that it’s broken.” He said the ceilings should be fixed during Spring Break, but the graffiti won’t be cleaned up until the end of the year. Corson said that students often get bad views of maintenance and place blame where it is not needed. “I feel like it’s difficult to attribute the blame and to decide who did what. No one knows where the blame should be,” Corson said. “It can become a bad situation when maintenance does a fair share of doing their jobs without throwing a fit and students get jaded views of them.”
The Butler Collegian
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Wednesday, March 3, 2010
NEWS
NEWS
Campus groups collaborate to host Women’s History Month celebrations Tara McElmurry tmcelmur@butler.edu The name might insinuate it’s all about women, but this year Butler University is aiming to get everyone involved in Women’s History Month. “A different approach in planning Women’s History Month this year is that we’re really trying to engage the entire campus,” Sarah Barnes, coordinator of health edu-
Women’s History Month Events: Thursday, March 4 “Climate Change and Indiana’s Future,” 7:30 p.m. Reilly Room Saturday, March 6 Volunteer at Thrifty Threads with Demia, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday, March 17 F-Word Forum, 7:30 p.m. J.H. 304 Tuesday, March 23 Women’s History 101: From Elizabeth Cady Stanton to Lady Gaga, 7 p.m. AU 302 Wednesday, March 24 Madeleine Albright, 7:30 p.m. Clowes Memorial Hall Friday, March 26 Music by American Women Composers Carillon Concert, 4 p.m. Thursday, April 8 “Shadow Feminisms,” 7 p.m. PB 156 Thursday, April 22 “I’d Rather Be a Cyborg Than a Goddess, Assemblage and Affective Politics,” 4:30 p.m. JH 141 For more information, go to www.butler.edu/whm.
cation and outreach programs at Butler, said. Barnes said in the past they have asked people around campus to join a committee to plan for this month. “People are really passionate and are really interested to come out and to devote some time to the planning,” she said. “But this year, I think we’re making an increased effort to get out and talk with groups on campus about Women’s History Month.” This year’s theme is “Women’s History: Looking Back and Moving Forward.” “We’re really interested in talking about some of the big issues that are going to impact women in the future and also to reflect on some of the important things in the past,” Julia Joshel, residence life coordinator, said. “So on campus, it’s more creating events that are focusing on Women’s History Month but also using the other events we have here to highlight that, like different women speakers. “And we encourage student groups to plan programs that are around that theme.” March includes events put on by various organizations including the Panhellenic Council, Jordan Dance Ensemble and the Butler University Police Department. The events include such things as movies about feminism, speakers, sporting events, music, discussions about issues affecting women and other topics surrounding feminism. “This year, I think we’re really trying to utilize things that are already happening on campus, as we’ve discovered that the general sense on campus this year is that there’s too much going on,” Joshel said. “So, we don’t want to create a lot of programs that no one’s going to come to. “We’re trying to reach out to departments to see what they’ve already planned for the month and to different student groups. We’re really trying to involve students this year.” One event highlight includes the F-Word Forum, happening March 17 in Jordan Hall 340. It will be an open discussion with a panel of faculty and students regarding what being a feminist means in today’s society. This event will be hosted by Demia, Butler’s student feminist organization.
THE BUTLER
COLLEGIANs
5
’ this week
things you should know
Didn’t have time to watch or read the news this week? Not to worry—the news editors of The Butler Collegian have compiled a list of the top five things we think readers should know this week. Short, sweet and to the point, whether you’re too busy with your classes to pick up a paper or you’re glued to “Lost,” here are the tidbits we think you need to know to impress your friends and professors this week.
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Don’t l ean over too far i nto the pool : Last Wednesday, a killer whale at Sea World attacked and killed his trainer, Dawn Brancheau. The investigation of the attack is still being conducted, according to The Associated Press. That’ll teach you to listen to your mother the next time she worries about you getting to close to the railings at the zoo. Bari ng i t al l can be l i berati ng: More than 5,000 naked people joined together at the Sydney Opera House to pose in an artistic photo shoot Monday. Spencer Tunick, who specializes in photographing large nude groups, shot the photographs. According to The Associated Press, Art Rush, a 19-year-old student, participated in the photo shoot. “I’ll never get a chance to do this again; it’s not worth being inhibited. It doesn’t feel sexual, it just feels tribal, a gathering of humanity,” he said. On the bri ght si de: After weeks of devastation following the Haiti earthquake, Haitians are making a push to reopen the education sector of the country. However, with 80 percent of the schools being destroyed, this is no easy task. Educators see this as an opportunity to reform the school system in Haiti. Organizations, such as Teach For America, are looking to team up with other agencies to make strides in bettering education for Haitian children while they have a fresh start, according to The Associated Press. Watch where you fl i ck: Republican Sen. Jim Bunning offered the middle finger to ABC reporters when they asked him about his decision to block the extension of unemployment benefits, that expired on Sunday, until the $10.3 billion dollar plan is paid for. According to CBSnews.com, Bunning is not seeking re-election this year. Canada and U. S . fi ght i t out for braggi ng ri ghts: The 2010 Winter Olympic Games came to a close Sunday. The final medal count had Canada winning the most gold medals, with 14. The United States won the most medals overall with 37.
Written and compiled by Hayleigh Colombo
Student to promote local farming with interactive Food Con exhibit Anne Carpenter accarpen@butler.edu Talk about one tasty convention. Butler University Senior Multimedia Design and Spanish major Kristin Hess is creating change and raising awareness for local farmers through food with her Food Con exhibit Friday. Taking place at the Harrison Center, Food Con is an open exhibit addressing food topics such as hunger, homelessness and obesity throughout the state of Indiana. Hess is working to create an interactive exhibit that demonstrates the power of local community farming and gardening in relation to the cyclic process of producing, selling or buying and using. Hess said she would focus on supporting local farmers and growers through farmer’s markets. “I started by going to the Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market and was really drawn to it,” Hess said. “I thought it was a really neat environment, liked the people a lot and just got into going every week.” The process began back in September. After routinely visiting different farmer’s markets, Hess went to her independent study mentor, Gautam Rao, who is also an assistant professor of art, with the idea
to create a project. “I just threw out some ideas and he was like ‘you have to do this’,” Hess said. Rao said he was very excited to hear about Hess’ farmer’s market project. “It was a little random, but I remember one quote very clearly,” Rao said. “She said that it ‘feeds her soul.’ I knew then that it was going to make for a very powerful and meaningful project.” This process has been more than just an art project for Hess. Rather, she said, it has become a project of awareness. Hess said Rao has helped to shape her ideas. “When I told professor Rao about the project, he was instantly passionate about it,” Hess said. “The project has really changed my life in a lot of ways because I have become more aware of the impact of farmer’s markets and how important they are.” Hess said at times she felt overwhelmed because the project’s scope was so big in nature, but that Rao and Assistant Professor of Art Leah Gauthier have acted as mentors throughout the entire process. “The project seemed huge and impossible to manage between budgeting, writing grants, organizing the logistics of the
exhibition and fitting in time for the art,” Hess said. “But both mentors have been outstanding, and there is no way the project would be what it is without their assistance.” The exhibit itself will be both interactive to the audience and appeal to all five senses, Hess said. “On one wall there will be a 700-photo collage of all of the markets I have been to,” Hess said. “They are all different sizes and shapes. “I also have trading cards and pieces of paper for people to write things and add to the collage.” Along with the interactive collage, Hess will have a time-lapse video of a typical day at the Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market, a six feet by six feet sculpture and poster-size seed packets of non-traditional processed foods. “It is supposed to be sarcastic and funny,” Hess said. “Grow your own Twinkies.” In order to show the full circle process of using local foods, Hess and Gauthier will be cooking soup in the middle of the exhibit. “We are performing two relational works together in the space during opening night—‘Potluck’ prior to the opening and ‘Soup’ during,” Gauthier said.
Collegian photo courtesy of Kristin Hess
TASTEFUL IDEA: Hess found inspiration for her project, which promotes local food production, during a visit to the Broad Ripple Farmer’s Market. “It is about bringing people together over food,” Rao said. Rao said he has noticed an evolution of progress in terms of Hess’ artistic career and how much emotional sentiment this project has. “Her development has been utterly enormous,” Rao said. “We didn’t realize how big the project scope was going to be and
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how much of an impact it was going to have.” Hess said this project has opened her eyes to the importance of supporting local markets and people. “I’ve just been amazed at the Indianapolis community,” Hess said. “I have formed so many new relationships and I am so humbled by the response.”
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
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The Butler Collegian
NEWS
BUPD Beat Feb. 18 2:03 p.m. – BUTLER TARKINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD An officer arrested an individual for illegal possession of a firearm. 3:34 p.m. – ATHERTON BIKE RACK An officer took a report of damage to private property. Feb. 19 1:26 a.m. – BUTLER TARKINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD An officer took a report of a liquor law violation. Feb. 20 9:17 a.m. — BUTLERTARKINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD An officer had an illegally parked vehicle towed. 11:05 p.m. — APARTMENT VILLAGE An officer took a report of a violation to university property. Feb. 21 1:23 a.m. – APARTMENT VILLAGE An officer took a report of a fire alarm activation. 2:15 a.m. — BUTLER TARKINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD An officer took a report of an assault. 4:52 p.m. — RESCO An officer conducted a welfare check. Feb. 23 5:51 a.m. — BUTLER TARKINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD An officer arrested an individual for illegal possession of a firearm and domestic assault. 1:01 p.m. – BUTLERTARKINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD An officer arrested an individual for public intoxication. Feb. 24 3:18 p.m. — BUTLERTARKINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD An officer took a report of a traffic accident. Feb. 25 4:07 p.m. — HINKLE PARKING LOT An officer took a report of damage to private property.
NEWS JCFA: Final candidate looks to expand international opportunities for students Continued from Page One
“beautifully staged.” “I haven’t seen dancing like that ever,” Gordon said. He also said there are areas of the college that need work. “(JCFA) needs packaging and serious PR,” Gordon said. He also addressed the possibilities of expanding international opportunities for students. With background in dance as well as theater and visual art, Gordon received his Master of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he later served as a professor and fundraiser for the arts college. During his 14 years as a professor at the University of Nevada’s College of Fine Arts, he raised $5 million in one year to overcome a debt to build a new music facility. “I’m very proud of my fundraising record,” Gordon said. “Butler needs better aid for scholarships as well as facilities.” Gordon addressed his experience with arts facilities as they relate to Butler’s current plans to add another concert hall. Vice President of Operations Mike Gardner, who was at the open forum Monday, brought up the issue of whether plans to build the new facility should be delayed until a new dean is in place. Gordon spoke about the issue in terms of wanting to get the project right the first time, no matter what it took. “For a year, I wore a hard hat every day, because
Expanded use of applicant wait lists causes worry Larry Gordon MCT As California’s public universities prepare to break with tradition and make broad use of waiting lists in their admissions decisions this spring, high school counselors and even some university officials worry about the emotional toll on students. For an applicant, getting onto a favorite school’s waiting list offers a glimmer of hope that a spot on campus might eventually open up. But because relatively few students ever make the jump from waiting list to enrollment, some experts say the lists merely increase anxiety and extend an already stressful time for college-bound high school seniors. Concern about the lists has been rippling through high schools since the University of California announced in January that for the first time, it will employ waiting lists extensively this spring for fall freshman applicants. Last week, officials specified that at least six of the UC’s nine undergraduate campuses will use the lists. UCLA and UC-Merced will not and UC-Berkeley has yet to decide. The state’s other public university, the Cal State system, said it too will expand its use of freshman waiting lists this
3:18 p.m. — RESCO An officer took a report of a fire alarm activation. Feb. 27 2:23 a.m. — ROSS HALL An officer took a report of a liquor law violation. 1:02 p.m. — CLOWES HALL An officer took a report of a disturbance.
year to include many of its 23 campuses and will place transfer students on some lists. UC and Cal State admissions officials say that they need the lists as a tool to help them hit enrollment targets at a time when state budget reductions are forcing them to cut the number of new freshmen. As a result, thousands of students and their counselors will soon have to deal with a practice more commonly associated with selective private colleges. Many are not happy. “It is such a tumultuous year for our kids already, with the budget cuts and announcements that UC and Cal State will be accepting fewer students. So to add the waiting lists right now feels so unstable, so unfair to the kids,” said Natalie Hamilton, a counselor at Northwood High School in Irvine, Calif. Hamilton said she worries that students put on UC or Cal State waiting lists will focus on the slim possibility that a higher-choice school will admit them, ignoring a school that already has. “They need to be able to move on and focus on the positive,” she said. Colleges use waiting lists to achieve an admissions sweet spot, filling every open seat without overcrowding their classrooms and dorms. In general, colleges create three applicant groups. Those in the accepted or rejected cate-
gories are notified by early April, or sooner for many public universities. Those in the middle are invited to wait for spaces that might open in May, after accepted students send in deposits. A survey last year by the National Association for College Admission Counseling confirmed that students should not pin too much hope on waiting lists. It found that about a third of all colleges use the lists and that 78 percent of selective colleges—schools that accept fewer than half of applicants— employ them. Of students who decided to stay on such lists, only about 30 percent on average nationally were offered enrollment, the survey showed. At selective schools, that figure was 13 percent. San Diego State University offered waiting list spots to 5,564 freshman applicants last year and 1,368 chose to stay on it. However, not one was offered admission. “We had no room left when all was said and done,” Sandra Cook, the school’s assistant vice president for academic affairs, said. To help implement large enrollment reductions when applications are at record highs, Cal State’s central administration has recommended that all its campuses prepare waiting lists this year, although some, including Cal State Northridge, say they don’t plan to use
them. If more state money becomes available, more students on waiting lists will be offered enrollment, Allison G. Jones, the Cal State system’s assistant vice chancellor for student academic support, said. Susan Wilbur, UC director of undergraduate admissions, estimates that a total of several thousand applicants could be on lists established by at least six UC campuses and that some students might be offered a spot on more than one list by late March. Any admissions offers from the lists will be made by June 1. That may produce stress and “a certain amount of churning.” If, for example, a student who sent an enrollment deposit to one UC campus is accepted from another’s list, Wilbur acknowledged. But Wilbur said the lists will give some students a chance at a favorite campus. “In this way, we are extending this opportunity more broadly, and we think that’s a good thing,” she said. At UC-San Diego, admissions director Mae Brown said it would not be fair to keep waiting lists open into the summer, as some private universities do. “Our intent is to notify them as early as possible in May so they can start summer vacation with a clear sense of where they are going to college,” she said.
Election presents another round of infraction challenges
9:51 p.m. — RESCO An officer took a report of a fire alarm activation. Feb. 26 9:00 a.m. — HRC An officer took a report of damage to university property.
that’s what it took,” he said. “When I realized no faculty had seen the plans for (the new dance, theater and music facility), I took it to the faculty. We got wonderful feedback. It slowed it down a bit, but it turned out to be a lovely facility.” Gordon answered questions about the importance of his connection with students. “Without students, we don’t have jobs,” Gordon said, acknowledging the faculty in the room. “Even if they’re not going to be professional artists, they’re going to be consumers of art for the rest of their lives.” Gordon described his life growing up on a ranch in Texas, and how his parents made an extra effort to expose their children to the arts. “The history of our world is in the art that civilizations have produced,” Gordon said. “It’s important to the liberal arts and general education to take at least three credit hours in the arts and to have arts available to students at all times.” Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Jamie Comstock said she is looking for the person chosen as dean to be “as good as the current deans.” “The next dean for JCFA must recognize and appreciate the existing strengths of the college, but also have a vision that will bring each of our current and newly forming JCFA programs to the next level of excellence,” Comstock said in an e-mail. “I am quite Collegian photo by Rachel Senn confident that we will find our new JCFA dean from GORDON: JCFA dean candidate Lon Gordon among the four who visited campus.” has experience in dance, theater and the visual arts.
Jill McCarter jmccarte@butler.edu For two out of the past three elections for Student Government Association (SGA), campaigning for executive positions has come with a degree of controversy, especially when it comes to infractions The controversy in this year’s election involved an infringement on a candidate’s Facebook page. The policies are outlined in the election guidelines written by the Election Oversight Committee (EOC). The guidelines include rules and regulations concerning Facebook and other online means of communication. According to the guidelines, “candidates are not allowed to post any link to the voting Web site in any electronic medium, including e-mail, online communities and ‘away messages.’” In the case of the problem this year, SGA President Chad Lesczynski said that the violation was difficult to address. “There was a link to the voting site placed on the candidate’s page,” Lesczynski said. “But the trouble was that it was not posted by the candidate or an approved campaign worker.” At the beginning of each election period, the EOC requires each candidate to submit a list of approved candidate workers. According to the election guidelines, “all campaign workers shall be responsible to follow these rules and regulations.”
Since the link was posted by unapproved campaign workers, the administration of the candidate’s Facebook group, the candidate might have faced a serious infraction charge, which might have led to the candidate’s removal from the election. According to the guidelines, there are three levels of violations and the consequences for each range from $10 taken from their budgets to removal from the election. “We had to decide if we were going to charge them with having unregistered campaign workers or do you charge them with sending out links to the voter site,” Lesczynski said. “We ended up deciding to charge them with both because it was kind of like one implied the other.” Working with unauthorized campaign workers results in a major violation, while the posting of the link results in a severe violation. “Candidates with more than two major or minor violations will be disqualified from the election,” the guidelines state. The charges were appealed in the SGA hearing. “Facebook can really help a candidate,” Lesczynski said. “It can give you an idea of who your supporters are and gives you a way to communicate with them. At the same time, though, this problem stemmed from having this page set up.” Online policies are not the only issues addressed by the guidelines. Regulations concerning when, where and how a candidate may campaign are outlined. The EOC has the option to submit amendments to the SGA Assembly. With a two-thirds vote, the amendments would take effect immediately. “The revisions that were made recently concerned the expansion of technology and to clarify some questioned material,” Lesczynski said.
Your first stop for what’s going on at and around Butler
- Enhance Your Memory Workshop Resco Dining Hall 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - “Drugs, Work and Capi tal i sm” Brown Bag Lunch by Kri sti n S wenson Atherton Union 111 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
- Cl i mate Change and Indi ana’s Future Lecture Reilly Room 7:30 p.m.
- FoodCon Harrison Center for the Arts 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
- Honor Band of Ameri ca Performance Clothes Memorial Hall 8 p.m.
No Ev ent s S chedul ed
S pri ng Break
S pri ng Break
Musical Degradation Consumer-pop does nothing but perpetuate vapid consumerism. Page 6
OPINION
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Divided We Fall A College of Communication would sever the liberal arts. Page 6
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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
Spring 2010 Editorial Staff Paige Chapman 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 Caleb Hamman Opinion Editor Tom Fryska Asst. Opinion Editor Mary Beth Sekela Asst. Opinion Editor Caitlin O’Rourke A&E Editor Kellye Donnelly Asst. A&E Editor Josie Villanueva Asst. A&E Editor Steven Peek Co-Sports Editor Emily Newell Co-Sports Editor Sarah Black Asst. Sports Editor Drew Schmidtke Head Copy Editor Rachel Senn Photography Editor Ryan Murach Asst. Photography Editor Maria Porter Asst. Photography Editor Heather Hanford Graphics Editor Amy Rensink Design Editor Lauren Fisher Advertising Manager Steven Peek Circulation 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.
Collegian illustration by Heather Hanford
Utah legislature passes reckless bill OUR POINT THIS WEEK: Utah’s proposed bill, HB12, punishes victims and endangers the rights of pregnant women.
Two weeks ago, the Utah State Legislature passed a bill threatening the welfare of pregnant women. If signed into law the proposed bill, HB12, would criminalize the killing of a “live unborn child” if carried out by means other than legal abortion. Essentially, women whose pregnancies fail would become candidates for prosecution. They would only need to be “intentional, knowing or reckless” to be considered criminal. Considering the ambiguity of these conditions and the frequency of miscarriage, the legislation promises to be a disaster if signed into law. We at The Butler Collegian believe any attempts to institute a policy of such vague criminalization to be profoundly misguided. Utah’s legislation is an assault on the mental and physical wellbeing of pregnant women. If made policy, it would all but guarantee the prosecution of victimized individuals. The incident inspiring the legislation is a telling example. HB12 was introduced last month after a
pregnant woman paid a man $150 to violently beat her in an attempt to cause a miscarriage. This woman’s action deserves to be punished with charges of homicide, according to Utah’s legislature. One would hope a body of elected officials could rise above such a dearth of reason and empathy. While the case inspiring the legislation is certainly tragic, Utah’s attempt to respond is way off the mark. Rather than address the circumstances that drove this woman to finance her own assault, Utah legislators have instead chosen to criminalize the victim. This trend is sure to become a norm if the legislation is made into law. If the termination of a pregnancy needs only to be “reckless” to be criminal, women of all sorts will become candidates for prosecution. For example, should the woman who rides the wrong roller coaster or stays too long in the hot tub be considered guilty of homicide? Moreover, what is the legal status of the
woman who returns home to an abusive spouse? Perhaps her behavior is “reckless.” If so, and if she is beaten into a miscarriage, it would seem she has committed homicide. How can this possibly be the right approach? While the Utah Legislature has correctly perceived an imperative for action, its response has been counterproductive. When a woman’s abortion takes the form of her own assault, it is not time to punish the woman. It is time to give her the help she needs. Utah legislators should direct their efforts toward prevention rather than punishment. Instead of paying lawyers to prosecute victims, they should pay schools to teach sex education and fund hospitals to provide prenatal services. In the meantime, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert should veto this bill. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. The staff’s view: 25 agreed, 0 disagreed, 3 neutral
Students should come to college to think, not build résumés Tom Fryska tfryska@butler.edu The longer I’m at Butler University, the more I realize the irony of college education. Students are often over-burdened with unnecessary extracurricular activities, needlessly juggling several majors and minors and struggling with the demands of a working life. They are less and less concerned with actually learning in their classes and more with simply getting A’s. But this in itself is not the true problem. It’s rather only a symptom of a broader approach that’s being applied to the institution of higher learning. More and more often, students are looking at college as just another hoop to jump through in order to move on to a high-paying career. If they do look to get anything at all out of their educational experience, it’s a narrow set of skills which can be applied to a specific occupation. What’s wrong here is that this careeroptimization focus is coming at the cost of that quintessential American strength which has been the force behind our innovation, our ability to adapt and our nation’s ultimate position in the world: the ability to think. The reasons behind this change are understandable, if slightly misguided. When individuals examine the growing costs of higher education in conjunction
with the tightening of the job market, the What has sustained America in the past natural decision is to adapt a cost-benefit- has not been our ability to create automaanalysis perspective. That perspective, in tons that can do jobs that are at risk of turn, stipulates that the entire reason for being outsourced. Rather, it has been our pursuing a higher education is simply for cultivation of the essentials of the liberal résumé building, networking and the assur- arts: free thought, creativity and the ability ance of a career. to connect the dots across various disciThe institutions for plines and concepts. higher learning respond to This trend is reflected in “It is the foundations this demand in a similar the industries that drive manner. The liberal arts progress in our country. of the liberal arts are paid cursory lip servIt’s the reason why such ice, while the entire esteemed companies like which act as the process of moving Google, Apple and through college becomes Microsoft are all based in primary instigator for the United States. streamlined and career-oriented. Students are In the same vein of processed, like in second- the kind of innovation thought, the future of the ary educational instituAmerican economy does and creativity that tions, to be part of a cog not rest on the creation of in a machine, to use their workers who can function drive economic degrees or their skills to as widgets in a machine. fulfill some specialized Now more than ever growth... ” profession. before, it relies on adaptBut moving the pursuit able intellectuals who are of higher education toward willing to take risks, be a Ford-esque assembly line production bold and become entrepreneurs that chammodel is nothing short of an egregious pion new causes and ideas. mistake. On the global scene, China and It is through the creation of these ideas India can both churn out workers from and the innovation of new technologies, their institutions of higher learning at a (such as the green technologies movement faster pace and lower price than we can. or information technology), that growth in What’s more, those workers can be paid a America can be sustained. fraction of the cost that we pay a similarThis understanding is the key to ly-trained employee in the United States. America’s future. While math, careerism Simply said, in a globalized world, try- and networking all have their place in eduing to compete with China and India in cation, it is the foundations of the liberal those kinds of fields is an absurd arts which act as the primary instigator for proposition. the kind of innovation and creativity that
drive economic growth and create new ideabased industries. And as Thomas Friedman explained in “The World is Flat,” “There is no limit to the number of idea-generated jobs in the world.” To cede the creation of these types of jobs is to cede the very basis of our economy to other nations. Fixing this decline in higher education and returning to the heart of the liberal arts is a task that requires the synthesis of many disparate groups. Universities, students and the federal government are all required to take action to alter the status quo to one more conductive to progress. This means universities and the federal government need to work together on making higher education affordable for students again. Universities need to take a step back and find a proper balance between advocating for professional programs and nurturing the liberal arts. On the other hand, students must also be held accountable. The focus should shift from simply surviving classes toward actively immersing themselves in the material. The piling of superfluous responsibilities should not only give way to the simplicity of doing less, but also getting so much the more out of it. The obdurate focus on only mastering a specific skill set should yield to the realization that having the ability to think in a creative, analytic manner is essential for finding a place in the globalized job market. In the end, college isn’t just about getting a diploma. It’s about learning and thinking. To forget this fundamental truth would be nothing short of tragic.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
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The Butler Collegian
OPINION
OPINION
Faculty Senate makes faulty decision Ryan Waggoner Contributing Writer
Butler University had a legitimate opportunity for the U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice to speak at the 2010 commencement. However, the Faculty Senate decided that he is not qualified for such a task. Butler Senior Class President Lindsay Rump and Vice President Brian Zahn worked with Student Affairs staff, the president’s office and Chief Justice Roberts’ niece, a Butler senior, in drafting a proposal to send to Roberts’ Washington office to request his attendance at commencement. But before sending the request, the class officers had to get approval from Faculty Senate—a group of elected faculty members that decides who is eligible to receive the honorary degree given to all commencement speakers. With the stars aligned as they were and the opportunity of a lifetime on the horizon, the Senate should have swiftly approved Roberts’ candidacy. But the Senate did just the opposite. They decided he was not worthy of an honorary degree. Meeting minutes are hard to find, and the vote was done through a secret ballot. But through conversations with faculty members, I have come to understand that faculty members spoke out against Roberts’ candidacy for several weak reasons. Primarily, some senators had issues with Roberts’ anti-abortion beliefs and conservative values. His views are in contrast with many of the left-leaning faculty members who preach openmindedness and acceptance. But instead of looking past differences, like what these faculty members teach, the group decided to shut down someone who may not have voted for President Obama. Additionally, faculty senators felt that having two conservative commencement speakers back to back (Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels spoke last year) would be unwise and would go against Butler’s commitment to providing its students with exposure to diverse ideas. On the surface, this argument looks valid. Indeed, it is important for the commencement speakers, and all speakers invited to campus, to represent the differing viewpoints and beliefs of the faculty and student body. If this same commitment of having one conservative for every liberal was consistent throughout the honorary degree process, this argument would be solid. However, like with many things on this campus, consistency is
Collegian photo from MCT
SHUNNED JUSTICE: U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts’ values prevented him from being the commencement speaker. nonexistent. A simple look at the 2007 and 2008 commencement speakers proves this argument is shaky. In 2007, the campus welcomed Eugene White, superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS), to speak at graduation. White is an accomplished administrator who has done many things for Butler and the Indianapolis community. While he did not refer to it in his speech, White’s policies as an administrator align with the Democratic Party. Then the very next year, Susan Solomon, a scientist who had worked on climate change issues alongside former Vice President Al Gore, was brought to campus. Solomon is brilliant, successful and an avid Democrat. Yet, having two Democrats speak back to back seemed to be anything but alarming to the Senate. Both speakers were confirmed with ease. This inconsistency is hypocritical and evident of a double standard. But in the case of White and Solomon, the Senate did the right thing.
To not invite Solomon to campus, an incredibly successful and wellknown scientist, because she shared the same political views as the person who spoke before her would be a mistake. Doing the same with Roberts is a mistake as well. I find it ridiculously pompous and closedminded of Senate members to ruin this great opportunity for students because of political ideology. In terms of a commencement speech, Robert’s stance on abortion and same-sex marriage is no more significant than his stance on the bailouts, or even if Peyton Manning is better than Brett Favre at throwing a football. These beliefs would play absolutely no role in his speech. Commencement speeches are, at best, generic. The speaker praises the class for their work during the past years and inspires the graduates to make a difference in the world. It is a fairly rigid formula that leaves very little room for political or social indoctrination. Roberts would not have mentioned his thoughts on Roe v. Wade, as it would have been inappropriate and incredibly awkward. However, Roberts would have been the most high profile commencement speaker in Butler history. His attendance here would have reflected incredibly well on the senior class, the university and the Indianapolis community. But Roberts is indeed not coming. The Senate decided that his Hoosier heritage and Harvard Law Degree were of less importance than his stance on stem cell research. They told him he was not invited. However, the blame does not rest on every member of the Senate. Nor does it rest on Faculty Senate Chair Jeanne Van Tyle. In my four years, Van Tyle has been nothing but an advocate for students. As a former Student Government Association president, I can attest to the fact that a chairperson's job is to facilitate discussion, not to influence the vote. Van Tyle should be praised for her work with the Senate, along with those members of the committee who were reasonable enough to see how important Roberts’ attendance would be. But those members who let their political beliefs blind them into telling them the U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice that he is not good enough to get a degree from Butler should be ashamed and embarrassed for what they destroyed for me and my classmates who have worked incredibly hard to get to graduation.
Meaning eludes emerging pop College would create divisions Robert Warren Contributing Writer
Anne Wilson Contributing Writer
I had a near death experience last week. I was listening to the radio, showering after a run at the HRC, when the DJ confidently told me that what I was about to hear one of the hottest new tracks of the year. The sounds that burst from the speaker for next two minutes and 52 seconds, haunt me unforgivably to this very day. I nearly drowned right there. I regained consciousness to hear that the singer calls herself Ke$ha (dollar sign included), the new hit track sits at the No. 8 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Titled “Blah Blah Blah,” it’s a ravishing work that would make a Planned Parenthood rep cringe with lines like: “Don’t be a little b---- with your chit chat/Just show me where your d---’s at.” The song finds a niche for a new all-time low (right next to the LMFAO song “Shots”). My problem lies not in the pop genre altogether, but in the emerging sub-genre I will call “consumerpop.” Yes, pop music wants you to consume it, it makes no false claims about this. From Justin Timberlake to Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, they all want you to not only buy their music and paraphernalia but also their created image. Each one of these musicians wants to burst forth and make culture as they go. Consider the all-too-discussed fashion sense of Lady Gaga—undoubtedly avant-garde with its interesting use of giant plastic bubbles and cloth that covers too little or too much in many ways. Lady Gaga’s attire is an original and forceful statement, even if we don’t know exactly what it means. Consumer-pop is an altogether different entity. It does not want to create culture; it wants to get rich, drunk and laid from culture consumption. Consumerpop incurs no risk of failure in its creation only because it lacks creative power altogether. The entire Ke$ha album is a tribute to pre-teen wastefulness. She sings about backstabbing gossip and being hit on by creepy, older men. At no point does it challenge the listener. She sings only for blissful intoxication and that complete lack of responsibility every teenager searches for on Spring Break. The surest way to get famous as a consumer-pop performer is akin to how any middle school student would dominate the playground—talk smack, wear
After several meetings on the formation of a College of Communication (COC), I find myself motivated to put my thoughts about this into writing. Let me say that I fully support the argument for convergence of the programs involved. My reservations stem from the argument that this convergence must take the form of a college. This is a very serious decision. The formation of a new college has not happened at Butler University since 1951. Such a decision will have long-term impacts that many have tried to foresee, but no one can truly predict what those effects might be on the university as a whole. At most of the meetings I attended, the main argument was a new college was required to provide the best professional training for the students. If this is to be the primary mission of the new COC, then the liberal arts training of the students will be secondary and delivered primarily by the remaining parts of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS). It has been my experience that you cannot
Collegian photo from MCT
NEW AVANT-GARDE: Defined by artists like Lady Gaga, “consumer-pop” exists to make money. flashy colors and have a rich enough parent to get you out of any trouble. You don’t have to actually represent anything yourself; you just have to mirror pop culture back in caricature form. If you look bright enough, people might think you are. The distinction rests on one key thought, key words from my own mother, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” The great pop artists want to speak and create meaning, they practice intonation and inflection and introduce new symbols into the language of musical meaning. They say things you may not understand, but also can learn to understand. The consumer-pop artists only want to use meaning, digging up old, worn-out themes and strapping aftermarket spinners on them in the hopes you will mistake them for more than what they are. They are altogether too easily understood. Where we used to accuse the candy pop of Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears (pre-head shaving of course) of sexualizing youth in an implicit manner; Ke$ha’s consumer-pop brazenly states, “I wanna be naked and you’re wasted.” What intrigues me is this changing face of musical expression. Teenagers pray to consumer-pop idols and Proactiv ads instead of idolizing songwriting and musicianship—the part of music that actually involved making it, the part of music that was a response and a reaction to society instead of an embellishment of it. This growing trend rejects the sadness, anger or happiness of other genres in favor of intoxication and intentional illusion. I wonder what it says—not about itself but about its own consumers.
Paw Prints
Collegian photo by Rachel Senn
HOUSING A NEW ARRIVAL?: The Fairbanks Center, currently home to both the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Jordan College of Fine Arts, may soon host a new College of Communication.
Given the wide range of opinions about the movie ‘Avatar’, do you think it should win best picture at this year’s Academy Awards?
By Ryan Murach
“Yes. I think it has an 85 percent chance.”
Carrie Patterson junior
“Yes. Based on the picture it was a really good film. All of the underlying messages should not be considered.”
Ben Leslie senior
serve two masters, and professional training will be the focus of the new college regardless of desire to participate in liberal arts-like activities. I believe that members of LAS are most saddened by the sentiments expressed by some of their colleagues supporting the formation of the new college, specifically that they feel that they don’t or can’t belong in LAS. In the liberal arts, we value thinking in all the forms that this takes. Creative expression, scientific exploration and supporting an argument in writing are all part of the critical thinking that are the foundations of the liberal arts, and we feel that there is space for all our colleagues in communications to join us. We find it troubling that faculty members do not share our vision and feel they would be more valued by seceding from our college. In an era of polarization and division found at the national level, as well as in areas of local concern, I would like to see more discussion on what we can do together rather than what sets us apart. The creation of a new administrative unit in the form of a college is perhaps inevitable. I do hope that there is recognition of the commensurate sorrow that this causes.
“Yes. I think it is one of the best films this year!”
Alex FitzGibbon sophomore
“Yes and no. The techniques used were innovative, but there are movies this year with better story lines.” Leah Miller senior
“Is that a question? Yes it should. I saw it with my parents at the midnight show. I own the movie and it is my favorite. It better win.” Jace Tennant freshman
Testament Returns to Roots Chuck Billy, lead singer of Testament, gives a preview of the March 11 Indianapolis concert here. Page 8
A&E
Playlist of the Week Work your woman power as we kick off Women’s History Month. Page 8
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT Wednesday, March 3, 2010
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THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN
And the Academy Award goes to... The Collegian Staff collegian@butler.edu It’s Oscar season again, and The Butler Collegian staff has been playing close attention to the nominated films to see who really deserves the award. Many of us agreed that “Avatar” had gorgeous visuals, but we were divided on whether it actually delivered in the other categories. We all found “Up” to be one of the best animated movies in recent history, but we were hesitant to say it deserved best picture. The votes are in, and here is how The Butler Collegian predicts (or at least hopes) that Sunday night will turn out. BES T PICTURE: “Av atar” “Avatar” left us astounded with its breathtaking visuals. Although many will joke that the movie borrowed its plot from “Pocahontas,” it is hard to deny that the movie is a perfect example of the modern age of cinema. The 3-D experience adds to it, making the audience feel as though they are actually living on an alien planet. The movie is as exciting as the first time we went to a theater. BES T LEADING FEMALE: Gabo urey S i di be, “Preci o us : Bas ed o n the No v el ‘Pus h’ by S apphi re” Sidibe’s performance (especially as a newcomer) was close to perfection. As Precious, she faces situations we
could never imagine, making us believe in her. With big names, such as Mo’Nique and Mariah Carey, surrounding her, it would have been easy to get lost in the crowd. Her quiet portrayal of a broken girl keeps us going until the end, even when the movie almost becomes too much to bear. BES T LEADING MALE: Geo rg e Cl o o ney, “Up i n the Ai r” Despite the role that Clooney plays, we can’t help but liking him. His job as the man who fires people from their jobs seems practically unforgivable (especially in recent times), yet, we just can’t help understanding the real man that lies underneath the surface. As the world gets increasingly less and less personal, he reminds us of the need for human contact in his own twisted way. He’s this year’s version of a good guy. BES T S UPPORTING ACTRES S : Mo ’Ni que, “Preci o us : Bas ed o n the N o v el ‘P us h’ by S apphi re” Mo’Nique’s character in “Precious” as the abusive mother would have been easy to play as cruel, heartless and two-dimensional. It is a tribute to Mo’Nique’s acting that the audience is allowed to see (however briefly) small glimpses of her humanity. Her character is downright unsettling and could not have been easy to portray. Her hard work deserves credit.
Collegian photo from MCT
FLYING HIGH: “Up” is our almost unanimous vote for Best Animated Movie and Best Score, although we think Dug should win his own award.
Collegian photo from MCT
DREAM MAN: The Academy Awards will be held March 7 at 8 p.m. BES T S UPPORTING ACTOR: C hri s to ph Wal tz, “Ing l o uri o us Bas terds ” He plays a bloodthirsty Nazi who derives so much pleasure from attacking Jews that he gained the title “Jew Hunter.” Despite this, he manages to charm the audience with his malice, and we love every second of hating him. He’s unknown stateside, yet he completely steals the movie from Brad Pitt. That’s a task within itself. BES T DIRECTOR: James Camero n, “Av atar” When a director spends years making a single film, it proves his commitment and dedication to producing the best movie possible. Cameron’s vision gave us some of the best imagery ever seen on screen. He even managed to produce genuine performances from actors who did much of their work using motion capture animation. He may not deliver on the dialogue or plot as much, but he has given us a cinematic experience in which we can truly lose ourselves.
BES T ANIMATED MOVIE: “Up” Truly, there is no competition. There is no way this Pixar masterpiece is simply for children. The first four minutes are filmmaking at its best, as we travel through Carl’s entire courtship and marriage to his wife Ellie. Your heart is guaranteed to break at least 100 times. However, as his house takes flight with small Wilderness Explorer Russell aboard, we can’t help but be swept away ourselves as Carl’s childhood dreams come true. Plus, there’s the talking dogs. They obviously beat anything the other movies have to offer. BES T ORIGINAL S ONG: “The Weary Ki nd (Theme fro m C razy Heart), ” “C razy Heart” “The Weary Kind” perfectly captures the deeper pain and meaning in the film “Crazy Heart.” The simplicity of Ryan Bingman’s raspy voice and the guitar melody make for a wonderful combination. The lyrics and the effects are not showy, yet the words of this song are stirring. This is the only song nominated that can truly voice the feelings of a generation in dire need of something better.
BES T ORIGINAL S CORE: “Up” From the first moment we hear composer Michael Giacchino’s music during the four-minute montage of Ellie and Carl’s marriage, we understand what exactly a score can do for a movie. Our hearts break just a little bit more because of the power of Giacchino’s score, but he also makes us that much more excited to fly in the air with Russell and Carl as the music soars just as high as the house. BES T COS TUME DES IGN: “The Young Victoria” A movie is nothing if the little details fail. The Victorian era is proudly represented by the lush, gorgeous costumes adorned by the actors. Victoria’s dresses are lacy and covered in ribbons and flowers, and most likely made every woman in the audience revert back to their younger wishes (even if they won’t admit it) that they were princesses. We may be way off base, but these are the nominations that we think deserve the award the most. Even if they don’t win, the combined hosting abilities of Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are sure to more than make up for it. Be sure to tune in March 7 at 8 p.m. to see how well we predicted.
Collegian photo from MCT
A VISUAL STUNNER: Despite a close race, James Cameron’s alien tale is our prediction for “Best Movie,” with a directorial win for Cameron also.
Harpist’s newly-released album drags with slow, heavy ballads Kellye Donnelly kdonnell@butler.edu Joanna Newsom, a triple-threat of harpist, pianist and singersongwriter, has just released “Have One on Me,” a three-disc album each containing six songs. At parts, especially the third disc, the album highlights Newsom’s recovery from voice nodules that prevented her from speaking, singing or crying for two months in spring 2009 and have forever had an effect on her vocals. The folk singer begins her first disc of the album with “Easy,” a song about “my man/and me” that contains heavy jazz piano stylings similar to Alicia Keys. One might think that this album is going to be an ode to love. In typical Newsom fashion though, she does things big and there is no pattern that can be pinned down. The title track is harp-heavy, featuring classic folk guitar paired with shaky vocals that explore the give and take in a relationship. Eventually, the 11-minute tune becomes exhausted and moves into “’81.” “’81” is a simple tweaking of the Garden of Eden biblical story and uses colloquialisms to its advantage. This makes it
“Have One on Me” CD REVIEW
Joanna Newsom Drag City
Rating: 5 = perfect, 4 = outstanding, 3 = good, 2 = fair, 1 = poor
one of the strongest songs on the album lyrically, as well as one of the most approachable. The light harp and one-two guitar strums don’t come off as intimidating, which is sometimes the case for other songs. “Good Intentions Paving Company” is probably the only song from Newsom that could be released as a single, with its pop-piano beat, consistent melody and casual pop drums. This is not to mention the optimism heard in her voice that is rare in other Newsom songs. Newsom closes the first disc with “Baby Birch,” a nineminute and 30-second song she models after a Johnny Cash ballad. It fails, considering that it is too slow and there is no real beat besides a casual, echoing guitar behind her vocals. That changes around the six-minute mark, by which point she has probably lost most of her listeners anyway. The second disc starts off with “On a Good Day,” which clocks in at 1:49, a stark contrast to the first disc of longer songs. It is a slow-paced song that easily moves into “You and Me, Bess,” a song that is so similar that listeners think that “On a Good Day” is still playing. The second disc is definitely the ballad disc and it includes two of the standout songs on the album, “In California” and “Go Long.” “In California” features a pretty and calm string arrangement, as well as some of the best vocals on the album. It redeems her from some of her lower points earlier in the album. It is this song that warrants Newsom’s frequent comparison to Joni Mitchell. A problem with the Mitchell comparison though, is that Mitchell was able to produce pop songs while Newsom seems strained on songs that even come close to pop territory. The second ballad-heavy disc includes “Jackrabbits,” a track that is straight voice and harp, which makes it strong. It’s what Newsom does best. “Occident,” the ending track on the disc, is a basic piano ballad and isn’t as strong because of the earlier addition. “Soft as Chalk” starts the third disc and tries to create a piano stomp beat, but it runs too slowly and too quietly. Newsom’s vocals sound like she wants to sing loudly but is afraid of waking her parents. The song sets the pace for the entire third disc, which, though not as ballad-heavy as disc two, is still slow enough to make the entire album slow and heavy. “Esme,” another harp and voice ballad, is another highlight. “Autumn” gives the impression early on that strings will
Collegian photo from flickr/Mc-Q
PRETTY BUT UNIMPRESSIVE: Newsom’s songs blend together, which ultimately make for an easily forgettable album. eventually build the song up and give it more power, but when they finally do, it becomes too much, overwhelming the song. The next song, “Ribbon Bows,” does the opposite by starting off too big. The final track of the third disc, “Does Not Suffice,” emphasizes the voice change in Newsom. At times, she gets so nasally and whiny that she sounds like Adam Sandler in his early songs. Though many of the songs on the album are around the sevenminute mark, it is not the length that makes one weary. Instead, it’s the fact that most of the music is so similar and repetitive. With no climax whatsoever, it becomes one long, drab album. It seems that Newsom was trying to be concept-based by introducing three discs. However when most everyone downloads their music, this has no impact. Overall, on “Have One On Me,” she tries to make a large album that intertwines many of her sounds and talents. Yet, somehow she and her ideas get lost, and they instead become flat and comparable.
The Butler Collegian
Page 8
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
A&E
A&E
P
laylist
The Best of
NDY
of the Week
Work Your Female Power
01.
“32 Flavors” - Ani Difranco
02.
“Not Ready to Make Nice” - The Dixie Chicks
03.
“Limp” - Fiona Apple
04.
“The Book of Right-On” - Joanna Newsom
05.
“Portions for Foxes” - Rilo Kiley
06.
“Cornflake Girl” - Tori Amos
07.
“Heads Will Roll” - The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
08.
“By Your Side” - CocoRosie
09.
“Video” - India.Arie
10.
“Piece of My Heart” - Janis Joplin
11.
“Consequence of Sound” - Regina Spektor
12.
“Just a Girl”- No Doubt
13.
“I Am Me, Once More” - Zee Avi
These local spots in Indy have A&E’s stamp of approval—a new place featured each week!
Red Ey e Café details: 250 S. Meridian St. (317) 972-1500 Open 24 hours Average Meal: $10
Distance from Butler: 15 minutes Specials: $6 pitchers every Friday night Why We Love This Place: We all know that college students get hungry at the oddest times or are starving when taking a break from a late night study session, so the 24-hour timetable is just a perk for this café. Not only does this cafe in the heart of downtown have great breakfast options, but it also has that greasy food that everyone craves when the hunger pangs hit. The reuben sandwich is their most notable item on the menu. However, vegetarians shouldn’t be discouraged — they also offer a veggie burger and Texas toast grilled cheese. Red Eye Café has also been mentioned on “Late Night with David Letterman” as a favorite Indy spot. What isn’t there to love?
Have an idea for our next Playlist of the Week? Send submissions to corourke@butler.edu.
Want us to feature your favorite Indy spot? Send submissions to corourke@butler.edu.
Testament rocks on after 20 years Caitlin O’Rourke corourke@butler.edu
Listening to Chuck Billy’s deep growl on Testament’s music, the expectation is that Billy will be one of the most intimidating people you will ever meet. Thankfully, by talking to Billy over the phone, the complete opposite is true. Billy is not what you imagine a lead singer of a metal band to sound like. He answers questions genuinely and speaks highly of the bands that he will be performing alongside. Testament, an American thrash metal band boasting two Top 40 albums and one Top 50 album, is making their way to Indianapolis for a March 11 show at the Murat Theatre, where they will perform with Megadeth and Exodus. Billy said they’re planning it as a “vintage event,” as Testament will perform their first album “Legacy” in full and Megadeth will perform “Rust in Peace.” “We’ve been touring a lot,” Billy said. “It’s going to be good to come and give them something different.” When asked what he would say to those who wouldn’t consider going to a metal show, Billy admits he’s been to a Madonna concert. “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” he said. “You gotta give it a shot. I wouldn’t necessarily listen to her music, but I saw her in concert and it was awesome.” Testament was formed in the San Francisco area in 1983. The band has since gone through lineup changes and label changes as well as Billy’s cancer diagnosis, of which he is now in remission. “I think it’s definitely the music that kept us together,” Billy said. “We made it all about the music. Once we started our own label and we had our own sound, there was no pressure.”
This has worked out for them, if the charts are any clue. Their current album “The Formation of Damnation,” debuted at No. 59 on the Billboard 200 Chart and won “Best Album” at Metal Hammer’s Golden Gods Awards ceremony. “This is one of the best records we did,” Billy said. “It has a little bit of everything. When I listen to it, I enjoy the vocals, where in the past, the vocals were a little boring. There’s a little bit more going on in this album.” He said because the fans liked their last album so much, the band is ready to step it up again and make the new one just as good. The wait won’t be long for the next album, as they are set to work on it once they stop touring. Billy said they weren’t actually supposed to be touring right now, but they couldn’t pass up the opportunity. “We’ve basically always wanted to tour with them [Exodus and Megadeth], but we never got coordinated,” he said. “What finally sparked us was the fact that we had all seen each other in the past year. “We’re all very familiar with each other, I think the concert is really going to be great.” An extra perk of the concert includes the VIP packages that will be sold. Along with seeing the show, fans will get to meet the band, get autographs and possibly win prizes. Billy said since the VIP package sold well last year, they decided to do it again. As for people who don’t think that metal is for them, Billy invites them to broaden their horizons a little. “People don’t want to experience metal because they think you can’t understand the words,” he said. “It’s much more than that. A lot of metal is melodic if you give it a chance. You just got to give it a shot.”
Collegian photo from flickr/arj03
MELODIC METAL: Testament thrashes with Exodus and Megadeth at the Murat next week. Tickets are on sale now.
Mirren, Plummer light up Tolstoy biopic ‘The Last Station’ Josie Villanueva jvillanu@butler.edu Director Michael Hoffman brings us “The Last Station,” a film highlighting Russian writer Leo Tolstoy’s final months — a time filled with humorously violent bouts of distrust and misguidance among his family and friends. It is widely known that Russian writer Tolstoy gave the world groundbreaking novels like “War and Peace” and “Anna Karenina.” What many may not know is that he also gave the world an entire social movement based on the concepts of freedom, equality and love. Though all elements of Tolstoy’s movement are positive, his last days were full of anything but love and compassion. The audience is taken to Russia in 1910 and views Tolstoy’s dysfunctional home life and the movement’s growth through the eyes of a young and naive Tolstoyan (a follower of Tolstoy’s philosophical and religious views) —Valentin Bulgakov (James McAvoy). Bulgakov is hired by Vladimir Chertkov (Paul Giamatti) to be Tolstoy’s (Christopher Plummer) secretary and is given an insider’s view of the world Tolstoy has created. As directed by Chertkov, Bulgakov must continuously spy and keep record of all the goings on surrounding Tolstoy. Celibate and anxious (evident by his nervous sneezing tick), Bulgakov is eager to work for the great Tolstoy and to take in as much guidance and knowledge as possible from the national star. The film pans to Bulgakov as he travels from Moscow to Yasnaya Polyana, the beautiful
Collegian photo from flickr/yolandajabonillo
BEST ACTRESS NOMINEE: Helen Mirren shines as Leo Tolstoy’s wife and muse. Tolstoy estate. But before meeting his hero, he makes one trip to his new home—a rustic Tolstoyan commune. The commune is agrarian and inhabited by with men and women who wake up at the crack of dawn to do Tai Chi and start on shared chores. The rigidity and structure of the commune are examples of a lifestyle that rejects personal wealth and property and embraces the notion of passive resistance. It is in the Tolstoyan commune where Bulgakov meets Marsha (Kerry Condon), as she gracefully chops wood. Her bold and inquisitive
nature both frightens and excites Bulgakov, as he pursues the life of a true Tolstoyan that rejects the idea of romantic sexual relationships. It is at Tolstoy’s estate where the audience meets the true star of the film, Countess Sofya Andrea (Helen Mirren), Tolstoy’s wife. She is a maddening woman for all of the right reasons. The only way to effectively describe Mirren as Sofya to our generation is to give her complete diva status in this film. She is undoubtedly overthe-top, amusingly disgruntled and woefully lovable. Because of the mounting threats of her last days spent in poverty — without royalties for the Tolstoy family — Sofya makes it her quest to prevent Tolstoy from signing a will that would make his published works public domain. It is her frustration and reluctance toward Chertkov that causes a rift between Tolstoy and Sofya. Though they are great lovers, friends and colleagues in the world of writing, they find each other completely unbearable at times, which is shown through screaming matches, slammed doors and even the crashing of fine china. One consistently fantastic actor is Giamatti. He is thrust into the role of a opportunist leader of the movement. His interactions and suspicious nature would typically make the audience hate his character. However, Giamatti is never one to portray the villain without also being entertainingly devilish and hilariously conniving. Although they fight and fight, “The Last Station” would not be as wonderful if it did not introduce us to the private interactions between Mirren and Plummer. Their chemistry lights up the room, and the passion between the two,
whether good or bad, is full of life and laughter. This film exemplifies all the tumultuous ups and downs of a romantic relationship beautifully, and the audience has the genius of both Mirren and Plummer to thank. Though the film and its plot may be obscure, “The Last Station” is a solid love story and historical account. It is an enjoyable experience that is filled with troubled emotion and great acting. The audience can truly appreciate both budding love between Bulgakov and Marsh and love in its final days between Tolstoy and Sofya. Though there is constant conflict, one concept is true throughout the film, as Plummer beautifully executes the line halfway through: “There is only one truth: love, simple.” Despite the discomfort of Tolstoy’s last days, the audience finds that love prevails, even in the most turbulent relationships.
“The Last Station” MOVIE REVIEW Sony Pictures Classic Directed by: Michael Hoffman Starring: Kerry Condon, Paul Giamatti, Helen Mirren, James McAvoy, Christopher Plummer Rated: R Rating: 5 = perfect, 4 = outstanding, 3 = good, 2 = fair, 1 = poor
Panther Hunting Women’s basketball dominated Milwaukee 59-41 Thursday. Page 10
SPORTS
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Skaters Gone Wild Olympian Evgeni Plushenko demonstrated poor sportsmanship after the men’s singles competition. Page 11
Page 9
THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN
Men’s 18-0 record makes Horizon history Mike Ellis mellis@butler.edu
No. 11 Butler capped off its first undefeated conference season, despite the stomach pains of junior Matt Howard and the absence of sophomore Gordon Hayward due to back spasms. The undefeated Horizon League season was finalized with a 74-69 victory at Valparaiso Friday night. This accomplishment marks the Horizon League’s first undefeated season since 1995-96—when Green Bay went 16-0 in league play—as well as the first 18-0 season in conference history. Sophomore Ronald Nored said he believes Butler’s unblemished record is quite an accomplishment. “Obviously it’s a goal to never lose a game whether conference or not but going 18-0 was never really our focus,” Nored said. “I think we just improved every single day, and when you do that, it can take you a long way.” Senior Willie Veasley continued his exceptional play, achieving a season-high 20 points on 4-of-6 shooting behind the arc.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in the offseason working on my shot and building the confidence to take that shot,” Veasley said. “And during the season, the coaching staff has worked countless hours with me.” Howard had 17 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore Shelvin Mack added 16 points. Led by junior Cory Johnson’s 28 points and 10 rebounds, the Crusaders (15-16, 10-8 HL) kept the game close from start to finish. The Bulldogs (26-4, 18-0 HL) did not capture their first lead until seconds before halftime. “[Valparaiso] is a good offensive team—the best in the league statistically,” Butler head coach Brad Stevens said. “I thought we did a pretty good job on them, but there are areas where we can improve.” Butler seized a 40-33 lead within the second half’s first four minutes, but Valparaiso responded and took a 49-46 lead with 10:39 remaining. However, the Bulldogs proved their superiority by going on a 193 run to take a 65-52 lead with five minutes remaining. Veasley led the surge with a trio three-pointers. Butler then withstood a furious
Crusader charge to hold on for a five-point victory. Although the Crusaders fought fervently on the interior, threepoint shooting ultimately proved to be the difference. Butler shot 9of-19 from behind the arc, while Valparaiso shot just 4-of-25. Despite poor outside shooting, Valpo was able to stay in the game due to points in the paint and second-chance opportunities. “We really have to get people off of the glass,” Nored said. “The further down the road you go, the more things like keeping people from getting offensive rebounds comes into play. “Those are tough plays that win games in March.” As for Hayward’s back spasms, Stevens said his playing status is “day-to-day.” The Bulldogs finished the regular season on an 18-game winning streak that catapulted them up the national polls. The winning streak is currently the longest in the nation. Although the team began with a shaky 8-4 start, the experience of playing elite teams, such as No. 9
Ohio State and No. 13 Georgetown, has paid dividends during Horizon League play and could continue to reap benefits down the road during the NCAA Tournament. However, Stevens said his team is now simply looking ahead to next week’s Horizon League Tournament. “The semifinal game is next [on the schedule],” he said. “That’s where our focus will be.” Last year, the Bulldogs won the regular season title but were denied the postseason tournament title by Cleveland State. The Horizon League Tournament began Tuesday night, with CSU, UDM, Green Bay and Milwaukee moving on to Friday’s quarterfinals at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler will host the winner of the CSU-Milwaukee game in the second semifinal, which will be broadcast live on ESPNU Saturday at 8 p.m. The championship game will be played Tuesday and will be televised live on ESPN at 9 p.m. A tournament victory would clinch an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Collegian photo courtesy of John Fetcho
SENIORITY: Senior Willie Veasley led Butler with 20 points at Valpo Friday and helped clinch an 18-0 conference record.
Women’s tennis grounds Flyers, 7-0 Baseball starts well, declines in SC Steven Peek speek@butler.edu
Jenkins continued her success by defeating Flyers’ No. 4 player Sarah Van Wallegham, 6-2, 6-2. Bobrowski and freshman Brittany Farmer lost the The Butler women’s tennis team emerged from No. 2 doubles match by a single serving break, but Dayton, Ohio, unscathed Friday following their junior Natali Jaimes and sophomore Cam Thompson defeat of the Dayton Flyers, 7-0. combined forces to win the third doubles match and Only junior Gabriella Bobrowski went beyond clinch the overall doubles point. straight sets to finalize her match win, which was Jaimes and Thompson each transferred momentum against Dayton’s No. 1 singles player Julie Kirkland. from their doubles match to their respective singles “Gabby had a tough match at No. 1,” Butler head matches. Jaimes won the No. 2 singles match 6-4, 6coach Jason Suscha said. “That was an even match, 4. Thompson won her first set 6-4, before blanking but she played a nice tiebreaker and came to the net her opponent in the second set. well to win.” “We are learning to understand how to use our Senior Molly Casperson won her singles match strengths to our advantages during the match,” against No. 3 opponent Laina Grote—6-2, 6-2—by Casperson said. taking advantage of her offensive opportunities. “No matter where we play and who may be on Casperson also grabbed an edge in the match by court, everyone is out to play for the team,” controlling both ends of the serve. Casperson said. “This was a huge “I was consistently hitting deep “No matter where we contribution to winning all seven returns,” she said. “I got a lot of good points in our victory.” looks at second serves. That helped play and who may be Suscha said that the team measme to start the point off from an ures itself by how it feels on the on court, everyone is court, not the scoreboard. offensive standpoint.” Casperson teamed up with senior “We judge [ourselves] by how Becky Jenkins to win the No. 1 douclose to our potential we’re playing out to play for the bles match, 8-4. at any given moment,” he said. “Our doubles match was very dif“We’re moving forward; we’re not team.” ferent from all other doubles matches moving backward.” - Molly Casperson we’ve played this year,” Casperson The Bulldogs have one week to Senior, Women’s Tennis prepare for their trip to Hammond, said. “Dayton played a very different style, playing two back, using the lob La., where they will face the Lions often and being able to get to a lot of balls.” of Southeastern Louisiana March 11. The Butler duo was able to overcome this style “I think we are all looking forward to Spring Break with focus, consistency and a healthy reliance on and the opportunity to play some tennis outdoors in Jenkins’ serve. Louisiana,” Casperson said. “[Jenkins] has very strong first serves that give us Suscha said the outdoor matches will result in a free points or allow us to finish points quickly,” slower and different style of play than the matches Casperson said. against Dayton. Suscha said that Dayton’s fast courts suited “You can’t just bounce serves in,” he said. “For us Jenkins’ style. outdoors, the idea is to not beat yourself. “The faster the courts, the more important the serve “Consistency is what we’re going to work on the becomes,” Suscha said. “[Jenkins] serves big, and the most because they’ve got a lot of international playball gets to the target quickly.” ers with a lot of talent.”
Megan Moles mmoles@butler.edu The Butler baseball team started their 2010 season with a fourgame road trip, winning their first game and dropping the next three at the Wofford College Tournament in Spartanburg, S.C. The Bulldogs (1-3) began the season with a 9-3 win Friday against the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Junior Jared Wagoner pitched for the Bulldogs and threw seven shut out innings. Wagoner allowed only three hits and one walk in his first start. He struck out four batters and never allowed multiple base runners. He was relieved by seniors Tyler Szymczak, who pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and Jamie Feldheiser, who pitched the ninth. The Bulldogs held the Highlanders scoreless until the ninth inning, after Butler had already scored nine runs. Butler got on the board in the fifth inning when they scored three. Junior Michael Letzter scored the first run and added another in the sixth, increasing the lead to 5-0. Butler would score their four remaining runs in the bottom of the eighth. Junior Luke Duncan led the offense in the first game by scoring two runs on 3-for-5 hitting. Duncan also stole two bases. Junior Corey Moylan batted in two runs, while freshman Andrew Eckhardt and junior Grant
Fillipitch had two hits each. The Bulldogs’ next challenge was a doubleheader against host Wofford Saturday. They dropped both games. In the first of two games, Butler trailed in the bottom of the fourth, 3-1, when Wofford scored four runs, thanks in large part to Mac Doyle’s two-run homer. Letzter hit Butler’s first solo home run of the season in the top of the seventh to bring the score to where it would stand, 7-2. Juniors Jack Krause and Kyle Waggoner led the Butler offense in the first game. Krause batted in three runs, and Waggoner went 3for-7 at the plate and scored a run. In the second game against the Terriers, the Bulldogs jumped out to a three-run lead in the first inning by capitalizing on Wofford’s errors. Juniors Duncan, Corey Moylan and Kevin Crane each scored a run to get things started. Wofford immediately equaled the Butler total in the bottom of the first. The game would tie again at 5-5 through three innings. During the next three innings, Wofford added eight more runs. Butler would score only one more before falling 14-9. Steve Farley, head coach for Butler baseball, said the team had a difficult challenge playing in a warmer climate. “It was hard coming out of the snow that we’ve been playing on,” Farley said. “It’s challenging
for us, but I thought the team definitely played hard.” The Bulldogs finished their run in the tournament with a loss to USC-Upstate, 10-0. Duncan led the team with two hits to bring his four-game average to .500. Sophomore Ryan Salvino started on the mound for the Bulldogs and gave up only one run in four innings. Senior Jamie Feldheiser relieved him and had one scoreless inning. “The guys were nervous going in,” Farley said. “We have a young team with a lot of freshmen, and this was their first game. There’s a lot we need to improve on, but we just need to play more games and get comfortable. “Once the weather gets warmer, we will have practices outside and that’ll help a lot.” Wagoner was named to the alltournament team as a pitcher. “As one of our team co-captains, Jared is a pitcher who leads by example, and he is one of the best athletes on our team,” Farley said. “In our season opener, he attacked opposing hitters with a good fastball, and he had good command of his breaking ball. “He threw a very high percentage of strikes, which is critical to a pitcher’s success.” The Bulldogs’ home opener is March 3, when they host Indiana Tech before starting a seven-game trip to Florida during Spring Break.
Need more Bulldog sports? Get your fix throughout the week by following The Butler Collegian online! thebutlercollegian.com Men’s BB
Women’s Tennis
Men’s Golf
Baseball
- Sat. vs. CSU or UWM 8 p.m.
- March 11 at Southeastern Louisiana Hammond, La. 10 a.m.
- Mon. and Tues. at North/South Collegiate All Day
Women’s BB
Men’s Tennis
Women’s Golf
- Thurs. at UIC 8 p.m. - Sat. at Loyola 3 p.m. - Mon. vs. TBA
- Sat. at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 10 a.m. - March 10 at Nicholls State Thibodaux, La. TBA
- Mon. and Tues. at North/South Collegiate All Day - March 12-14 at St. John’s Spring Fling Orlando, Fla.
- Wed. vs. Indiana Tech 3 p.m. - Sat. at W. Michigan Kalamazoo, Mich. 5 p.m. - Sun. at Lehigh Bethlehem, Penn. 5 p.m. - Mon. at Bowling Green 10 a.m.
- Tues. at C. Michigan Mount Pleasant, Mich. 10 a.m. - Tues. at Fairfield Fairfield, Conn. 1:30 p.m. - March 11 at Sacred Heart Fairfield, Conn. 3 p.m. - March 12 at Akron 6 p.m.
Visit the Horizon League online for conference news. horizonleague.org/ horizonleaguenetwork.tv/
2010 MEDAL COUNT (Final Totals) USA: 37 (9G, 15S, 13B) GER: 30 (10G, 13S, 7B) CAN: 26 (14G, 7S, 5B)
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Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Page 10
The Butler Collegian
SPORTS
SPORTS
Women’s BB splits games at Hinkle Megan Moles mmoles@butler.edu The Butler women’s basketball team split their two home games last weekend, defeating Milwaukee but falling to Green Bay, the current Horizon League leader. Butler (19-8, 12-4 HL) was led by senior Melanie Thornton in Thursday’s win against Milwaukee (10-17, 5-11 HL). Thornton had 18 points, 10 rebounds and four steals in the 59-41 win. Thornton scored 12 points and went 8-of-14 from the floor in the first half. She also added two blocks and four steals, which sparked her team’s offense. “I was really trying to concentrate on defense,” Thornton said. “Once you do that, offense tends to come more easily. Our defense was definitely the difference.” Butler started slowly before building to a 32-15 halftime lead. Junior Alyssa Pittman aided Thornton in the late first-half surge with 16 points on two three-pointers. The Bulldogs continued their push and went up 45-23 in the second half after a layup by Thornton. The lead reached 29 points with 7:36 remaining, and Butler emptied its bench with five minutes left in the game. Junior Brittany Bowen was the third highest Butler scorer with nine points. Junior Terra Burns also added seven points and six assists. Butler’s defense held Milwaukee to 29.8 percent shooting, although Panther Sami Tucker did score 20 points. This was Butler head coach Beth Couture’s 124th win in eight years, which ties the school record for wins in the women’s basket-
ball program. “It’s special,” Couture said. “I love being at Butler and it’s a tribute to all the great teams I’ve coached over the last eight years. “But we’re looking ahead to try and earn more wins in the future.” Butler went into Saturday’s game tied for first place with opponent Green Bay. The game was Senior Day, and three seniors were recognized prior to their final regular season home court appearance. Thornton was joined by fellow seniors Susan Lester and Amie Kabara. Green Bay (24-3, 13-3) held off the Bulldogs 61-54. Thornton recorded her 10th double-double of the season, with 14 points and 11 rebounds. She also added four blocks and four steals. Bowen contributed 10 points and five rebounds to the Bulldogs’ effort, but that was not enough to defeat Green Bay. Junior Kayla Tetschlag had a game-high 20 points and 15 rebounds, and her teammate, sophomore Julie Wojta, added 17 points. Butler was down 57-53 in the final minute when Burns made a free throw, which cut the lead to three with 53 seconds remaining. A defensive stop on the other end gave sophomore Devin Brierly an opportunity for a three-pointer, but she missed with 16 seconds on the clock. Green Bay made four free throws to clinch their win. Butler led throughout much of the first half before Green Bay went on a seven-point run to tie the game to 31 at halftime. Neither team could build a lead of more than seven. The game saw six ties and 13 lead changes. “I thought the effort and intensity was there,” Couture said. “But the end of the game came down to making plays. Green Bay made plays.” The Bulldogs’ last two regular season games are at UIC Thursday at 8 p.m. and at Loyola 3 p.m. Sunday.
Collegian photo by Rachel Senn
DRIVE: Junior Terra Burns accumulated 13 points and nine assists against Green Bay and Milwaukee this past weekend.
Ladies place 7th at championship Tennis beats Toledo, falls to WMU Sarah Black sablack1@butler.edu
The Butler women’s swimming team beat Valparaiso for the first time in seven years, claiming 7th place in the Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championships last week, Feb. 24-27. The Bulldogs beat Valparaiso overall, and the final 400-yard free relay was instrumental in deciding the final places. Freshman Nikki Weston had a season-best time of 54.40 and led her team, also composed of sophomore Megan Wesler and seniors Stephanie Moles and Momo Wilson, to victory. Wesler said finally beating Valpo felt good for the team. “They’re our closest comparable competition,” she said. “It was really gratifying.” Wesler said achieving some personal best times at the conference was a challenge. “I am swimming some events in college that I never swam in high school,” she said. “I trained for different things.” Wesler finished with a time of 1:08.26 in the 100-yard breaststroke Friday. This marked the fifth best time in Butler swimming history. “I was satisfied with my own performances, especially at the end of the meet,” Wesler said. “I noticed my times dropping.” Moles said she felt differently about the performance but remained content with the outcome. “I did okay,” she said. “It wasn’t my best conference, but I had season-best times. I think I came up a little short personally, but I can’t complain about my performance. A bunch of us got season
bests.” Thursday was also a big day for individual Bulldogs. There were two lifetime bests and six season-best times. Sophomore Allie Qualls had her own lifetime best (2:33.55), while Wilson, Weston and freshman Lisa Geise completed season-best times in the 200 IM. Freshman Jessica Onstwedder had a lifetime best of 28.16 in the 50-yard freestyle. In the 500-yard freestyle, Moles, freshman Kyle Johannsen and junior Maria Keyler also had season-best efforts Thursday. Wilson and freshman Alyson Fosnot both had season-best times Saturday in the 200-yard breaststroke. Wilson finished at 2:37.15, and Fosnot clocked in at 2:47.51. Weston said she was very excited with the overall outcome. “I’m really proud of myself and proud of my team,” she said. “All the hard work the team put in this season really paid off.” This meet was Moles’ last before graduating in May. “I am very emotional,” she said. “It’s been a huge part of my life for 12 years.” Weston, who has three more years at Butler, said she will participate on a summer club swim team. Then, she said the Butler women’s team will start training a few days a week following Spring Break. In the fall, they will begin rigorous training for their 2010-11 season. “The pressure’s off now,” Weston said. “But I’m excited for next year.”
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Mike Ellis mellis@butler.edu
Sophomore Zach Ervin had a perfect afternoon, as Butler defeated Toledo 4-3 at the UT Varsity Tennis Courts Saturday. Ervin defeated the Rockets’ Gursher Harika, 6-1, 6-4, in the No. 6 singles match. Ervin teamed with junior Chris Herron for an 8-5 victory at No. 3 doubles. Ervin said he had a solid game plan for singles but battled to close the match in two sets. “I was up 6-1, 5-1, and [Harika] reeled off three straight games,” Ervin said. “He started playing better, so I was relieved to serve the match out at 5-4.” Ervin credited Herron for much of their doubles success. “If Chris has his big serve and return working well, we’re usually in pretty good shape,” Ervin said. Juniors Brandon Bayliss and Lenz Theodor also had good afternoons in singles. Bayliss beat Toledo’s Leo Sarria 6-3, 6-3, at No. 4 singles, while Theodor defeated Bryant Dudzik 6-1, 6-2, in the No. 5 singles match.
Senior Ben Raynauld and junior Bryce Warren outlasted the Rocket duo of Aleksandar Elezovic and Nutthavit Likitkumchorn in No. 1 doubles, 9-7. This secured the doubles point, which ultimately was the difference in the team match. Raynauld confirmed that the doubles point was essential. “[The doubles] point was really crucial because we knew that the top three in their lineup was really good, but their bottom three was kind of weak,” he said. The Bulldogs had a more difficult time against Western Michigan Sunday afternoon. They fell 7-0 at the West Hills Athletic Club in Kalamazoo, Mich. Raynauld and Warren continued strong play in No. 1 doubles, beating WMU’s Michael Calderon and Zeyad Montasser, 8-6. “Overall, I think that our doubles play has been key so far this season,” Raynauld said. “We have been making the right decisions and improving daily on that aspect of the game.” That was the only Bulldog victory of the day. Theodor and sophomore Stephen McLoughlin lost 8-4 at No. 2 doubles, while
Herron and Ervin fell in a tiebreaker at the No. 3 spot, 9-8 (7-5). After winning the doubles point, the Broncos continued their dominant play in singles and dropped one set in six matches. Raynauld captured the Bulldogs’ lone set at No. 2 singles and came close to posting a lone point. After dropping the first set 6-2 to Calderone, the Butler senior bounced back to take the second set in a tiebreaker, 9-7. Calderone responded by taking the 10-point tiebreaker, 10-8, for both the match and team point. Warren had a set point at No. 3 singles but was unable to convert on it. He subsequently fell, 7-5, 62, to Pablo Olivarez. With the loss, the Bulldogs fell to 1-1 on the weekend and 3-6 overall, while Western Michigan improved to 9-4. “WMU has been a mid-major powerhouse in the Midwest for a while now and they showed why on Sunday,” Raynauld said. Butler will travel to East Lansing, Mich., to face Michigan State Saturday. During Spring Break, the men’s tennis team will also compete at Nicholls State in Thibodaux, La., March 10.
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Whatever happened to ‘I did my best’? “If it was a jumping competition, there would be no music or anything,” he said. “They would give you 10 seconds to do your best jump and that would be it.” Plushenko’s actions are just one of the many examples of poor sportsmanship in modern athletics. In today’s world of sports, the new mentality is if you’re not first, you’re last. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find top-level athletes who handle defeat with composure and grace. Most recently, in a Feb. 27 game versus then-No. 12 New Mexico, Brigham Young basketball player Jonathan Tavernari began yelling at officials and opposing players as he was upset with a no-call during the waning minutes of play. A few minutes later, he shared a few choice words with part of the New Mexico coaching staff. After referees let Tavernari finish the game, the conflict ended with an altercation between Tavernari and New Mexico head coach Steve Alford during the postgame handshake. Though Tavernari later apologized to Alford and his team, his actions demonstrate the lack of maturity. Another example of poor sportsmanship came from the women’s 2009 U.S. Open. No. 1 seed Serena Williams was called for a foot fault and then proceeded to scream profanities at and threaten the life of the line judge who made the call. In a post-match interview, Williams refused to admit to any wrongdoing. When asked about the incident, Williams replied with a shaky response: “I don’t remember anymore to be honest. I was in the moment.” But there is still some hope for good sportsmanship in athletics. In the 2008 U.S. Open, golfer Rocco Mediate handled defeat by world’s best Tiger Woods after an exhausting 91-hole tournament with poise. After missing his final putt, Mediate said, “I just yanked it a touch. But I can’t really complain. I did the best I could.” Unlike Plushenko, Tavernari and Williams, Mediate seemed happy with a second-place performance. “I got a chance to beat the best player in the world,” he said. “I came up just a touch short. [But] I almost got it done.”
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What happens when a top-level professional athlete doesn’t get his/her way? What happens when that athlete trains to the best of his/her ability and falls short of the top spot? When the unexpected happens, will he/she act graciously or react immaturely? In the case of Evgeni Plushenko, the latter is true. Plushenko, a male figure skater from the Russian Federation, won the silver medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games and a gold medal at the 2006 Torino Olympics. Plushenko was favored to win gold in Vancouver this year, but he was shocked when his scores placed him 1.31 points behind American Evan Lysacek, the 2009 World Figure Skating Champion, in the Feb. 18 men’s singles competition. Lysacek unexpectedly skated away with gold, while Plushenko ended his run at the Vancouver Games with another silver—the second of his career. Let the immature reaction begin. After the competition was finished, Plushenko, who was apparently unable to accept that he had come in second place, jumped onto the medal stand’s gold position. “I stepped on the gold medal position because I forgot that I came in second,” Plushenko said. “To be fair, I felt that I had stepped onto my position. It wasn’t planned, of course, it was just that in my brain, I’d actually won.” In a post-competition interview, Plushenko attacked the scoring system. He said quadruple and triple jumps were being rated at the same level and that the sport of figure skating, unlike others, was not moving forward but backward. He continued by saying U.S. figure skater Lysacek won the medal by performing a less technically complicated routine. Plushenko then proceeded to award himself the fictional “platinum medal,” which he created
on his personal Web site, www.evgeni-plushenko.com. While Plushenko may have had more difficult elements in his routine, and though he deserved the gold medal in the eyes of some, that is no excuse to react in such a way and make a personal attack on an opponent. But, even Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin sided with Plushenko. “Plushenko performed the most accomplished program on the Vancouver ice,” Putin said. He told Plushenko that in his eyes, the silver was worth gold. Vitaly Mutko, minister of sport, tourism and youth politics for the Russian Federation, has a different view on the issue. “Judging is an eternal problem,” he said. “But, the system of judging is the way it is, and one has to fit into it instead of criticizing it.” While Plushenko has become a model of poor sportsmanship, Lysacek responded to the issue graciously. “I guess I was a little disappointed that someone that was my role model would take a hit at me in one of the most special moments of my life,” Lysacek said. “But it’s tough to lose. It’s not easy. Especially when you think no matter what you’re going to win, it’s a tough pill to swallow.” Lysacek said, in his opinion, the score is a reflection of the performance as a whole and not just one single element among hundreds.
Collegian photo from MCT
GOT GOLD?:Medal winners in the men’s singles competition include (from left) Evgeni Plushenko, Evan Lysacek and Daisuke Takahashi.
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Emily Newell and Steven Peek enewell@butler.edu; speek@butler.edu
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BUTLER COLLEGIAN
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The Butler Collegian
BUTLER COLLEGIAN