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april 14, 2011
t h e i n de pe n de n t s t u de n t n e w spa pe r of s y r acuse , n e w yor k
INSIDenews
I N S I D e o p ini o n
I N S I D Es p o r t s
INSIDepulp
Cracking down An open forum discussed
Going long Vicki Ho describes the
Spring ahead Syracuse football prepares for its
Setting the stage The backstage staff of
proposed changes to SU’s Academic Integrity Policy. Page 3
switch from short skirts to longer hemlines. Page 5
annual Spring Game on Saturday with heightened expectations after last year’s bowl win.Page 9
First Year Players plays a large part in every aspect of the show. Page 24
Groups sign cyberbullying resolution By Michael Leess Contributing Writer
Responding to the dangers of digital harassment, Student Association President Neal Casey signed a resolution Wednesday morning that urges administrators to revise the Student Code of Conduct. The Students Against Cyberbullying resolution calls for the university to explicitly mention cyberbullying as a type of harassment in the Code of Conduct. The resolution also denotes the need for campus-wide education about the prevalence and negative effects of cyberbullying. During the past two months, SA worked with the Residence Hall Association, Pride Union and the Pan-Hellenic Council to draft the resolution. The presidents of the three collaborating organizations signed the bill. SU administrators are in full support of the resolution, and revisions to the Code of Conduct are already in the works, Casey said. Looking forward, the task of educating and uniting the student population against cyberbullying falls to student leaders, he said. “Members of student organizations are very engaged students, and we have the opportunity to reach them easily,” Casey said. “We need to stand up as a generation and say, ‘No, this will not be tolerated on our
see cyberbullying page 6
Standing together The 2011 Take Back the Night rally culminated Wednesday with a march and rally on the steps of Hendricks Chapel. The event is held each year to end all types of violence in the community.
stacie fanelli | staff photographer Clockwise from top left: Omékongo Dibinga, a Congolese-American activist and rapper, leads the rally Wednesday night outside of Hendricks Chapel to Marshall Street and back to the steps of the chapel during the rally. chris ribbons, a Whitman, Mass., resident, holds a sign in support of the rally; Ribbons said he heard about the event while in Funk ‘n Waffles on Wednesday and decided to participate in the event. Hand-decorated T-shirts created by attendees line the aisle of Hendricks in support of the rally’s cause.
OrangeSeeds’ annual South Side volunteer event to be held Saturday By Breanne Van Nostrand Staff Writer
On Saturday, student volunteers will work within a four-block radius planting flowers and mulching gardens, painting a mural, and assisting the renovation of local businesses and a church near South Salina Street. This weekend’s The Big Event is one of the largest student-run events at Syracuse University and has close
The Big Event
OrangeSeeds is planning a day to help rebuild and restore the downtown Syracuse area. Where: South Salina Street When: Saturday, all day How much: Free To register go to orientation.syr.edu to 200 volunteers already registered, said Jon Gregalis, public relations
adviser for OrangeSeeds and freshman public relations major, in an email. OrangeSeeds, a leadership empowerment program for first-year students, is planning the event and registration is still open. Following the 2008 recession, South Side community leaders had to suspend plans to rebuild and restore the downtown area, Gregalis said. The Big Event is held to continue those plans
through student community service. Although most participants at the event will be SU students, some State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry students affiliated with the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity will also take part, Gregalis said. He said participants from a range of student organizations plan to volunteer Saturday. Students willing to volunteer
can sign up online. Many students expressed interest and were recruited in person at Schine Student Center last week, Gregalis said. The event was promoted through Facebook and Twitter pages, along with two flier campaigns in which The Big Event was abbreviated “B.E.,” Gregalis said. He said although there was fear the logo would not be recogsee big event page 6
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the daily orange
Pakistani journalist to be honored By Alex Ptachick STAFF WRITER
Umar Cheema was stripped naked, blindfolded, handcuffed and beaten after he was abducted on the morning of Sept. 4, 2010. The torturers told Cheema, an
Umar Cheema
The Tully Center for Free Speech will present the Pakistani journalist with the 2011 Tully Free Speech Award. Where: Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium When: Today, 7 p.m. How much: Free investigative journalist for The News, a daily newspaper based out of Karachi, Pakistan, that violence was a consequence of his reporting, and if he continued his work, he would be abducted again, according to information from the Tully Center for Free Speech. On Thursday at 7 p.m., the Tully Center will present Cheema with the Tully Free Speech Award in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Cheema stood out as a clear winner to both students and faculty because of his heart-wrenching and admirable story, said Roy Gutterman, director of the Tully Center and associate professor of communications law and journalism. The center started in 2006. Four awards have been given to journalists who have stood up for free speech since 2008. Previous winners of the Tully Free Speech Award include Aboubakr Jamaï, a Moroccan publisher, and Barry Bearak, a New York Times reporter in South Africa. Liz Woolery, a research assistant for the Tully Center and second-year media studies graduate student, said there were some strong nominees this year, each with a unique and powerful story to tell. But Cheema’s story is an incredibly compelling one, Woolery said, because his abduction was recent. Pakistan is considered one of the deadliest countries for members of the press worldwide, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Woolery said. The job of the Tully Center is to educate and provide resources to encourage a better understanding and appreciation for free speech, Woolery said. “One of the best ways to do that is by bringing in individuals, like Umar Cheema, who have faced significant threats to their own freedom of speech, so that we can collectively come to a
SEE CHEEMA PAGE 8
brandon weight | photo editor GARY PAVELA , director of the Academic Integrity Office, presents survey results on the Academic Integrity Policy at a forum in Maxwell Auditorium Wednesday. The survey showed 38 percent of students think people who are academically dishonest have an unfair advantage.
Faculty discusses Academic Integrity Policy By Debbie Truong STAFF WRITER
Faculty members weighed in at a forum Wednesday on proposed changes to Syracuse University’s Academic Integrity Policy, which could make some penalties more stringent. The forum, which began at 4 p.m. in Maxwell Auditorium, discussed three proposals that would differentiate between academic dishonesty and negligence, place tighter sanctions on dishonesty, and revise academic dishonesty appeal procedures. About 20 people attended the forum. Gary Pavela, director of the Academic Integrity Office, introduced the first proposal, which would look at the intent of a student who uses unoriginal work. Under the proposed
CHANGES IN POLICY
The proposed change would impose a “presumptive sanction” on students with academic integrity violations, meaning it would be recommended that they fail the class for being academically dishonest, but wouldn’t necessarily result in automatic failure.
revision, students unaware of their offense would be charged with “academic negligence,” as opposed to the more implicating “academic dishonesty.” Judy O’Rourke, director of the Office of Undergraduate Studies, said that although there may be confusion among younger students as to what constitutes dishonesty, common sense should dictate that copying and pasting is wrong. “If you plagiarize nine out of 10 pages of a paper and you say you didn’t know it, that’s not a valid excuse,” O’Rourke said. “You still did something wrong, and you should still be sanctioned.” Steven Diaz, an associate professor of mathematics, called into question the borderline between dishonesty and negligence. Diaz acknowledged students may copy and paste direct quotes from outside sources onto a document with their own work. The student may then transfer the copied work into an essay, accidentally believing it to be his or her own, and the mistake would register as plagiarism. But the sloppiness and potential
for error is, in and of itself, “intentional negligence,” he said. A discussion about proposed revisions to academic dishonesty sanctions followed. Of the sanctions imposed on academic integrity violations in the 2009-10 school year, three quarters of offending students still had the opportunity to finish the course with a grade above failing, Pavela said. That is a policy Pavela called “the mildest of any school I’ve encountered.” The proposed change would impose a “presumptive sanction” on students with academic integrity violations, meaning it would be recommended that they fail the class for being academically dishonest. But because presumptive sanctions serve as a guide to suggest a tougher sanction, but not mandate a sanction, an academic integrity offense wouldn’t necessarily result in automatic failure of a course, Pavela said. Under the proposed revision, graduate students who commit acts of academic dishonesty would also face a presumptive penalty of suspension or expulsion from SU. Can Isik, a professor and senior associate dean for academic and
student affairs in the L.C Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science, defended graduate students and said even acts of academic dishonesty by them can be turned into a learning experience. Enforcing an expulsion policy does not make a campus more academically honest, Isik said. Instead, a college’s willingness to hold students accountable for their actions is a better measure of academic integrity. The third proposed change to SU’s Academic Integrity Policy would reconsider academic appeal procedures. Pavela described the campus’ current appellate structure as “overly cumbersome,” due to the potential for repeated appeals. The University Senate’s Committee on Instruction will take both the forum discussion and written recommendations into consideration when deciding whether or not to pass the proposals. Should the proposal pass, appeals that result in penalties less than suspension or expulsion will be final. In the appeals process, panel decisions to suspend or expel a student would serve as a recommendation to the
SEE INTEGRITY PAGE 8
u u
4 april 14, 2011
opinion@ da ilyor a nge.com
SU should punish academic integrity violations more harshly The Academic Integrity Office held an open forum Wednesday to discuss possible changes to the Academic Integrity Policy. The proposed changes included updating the language and steps to make repeat offenders subject to stricter punishment. Syracuse University should hold its students to the highest integrity standards, especially if peer institutions have noticeably stricter policies. SU devalues the work of honest students who consistently submit authentic work if their peers who do not follow the policies get by with little to no punitive action. The university should simultaneously strengthen the punishments against repeat offenders and better inform students about plagiarism and its consequences specific to SU. The Academic Integrity Policy forces firsttime offenders to attend a seminar on plagiarism. Having been through that program, and likely another workshop before that through their school or college, repeat offenders deserve harsher punishment. At an institution teaching people to act and work professionally, students should both adhere to and understand the gravity of faking their work. Of course, as a place of learning, SU cannot
editorial by the daily orange editorial board expect every student to walk into college knowing how to distinguish citation styles, trustworthy websites and proper attribution. The university also should not expect every student reads — but more importantly understands — the Academic Integrity Policy. SU must aggressively enforce mandatory, encompassing and relevant freshman workshops and seminars about plagiarism and authenticity. The current system makes skipping these — for the most part one-time — workshops far too easy. SU has a duty to teach students these skills so they can be academically and professionally competent. And thoroughly teaching students right from wrong will enable the university to crack down with more peace of mind. As SU moves forward with possible changes, it should consult more students on the matter. These students must include more than the typical student leaders to get a more accurate and nuanced perspective.
fa s h i o n
Modest trends brings back longer hemlines
S
hort hemlines and warm weather usually work hand-in-hand. But as warm weather lures out our barely tan legs, denim cutoffs and floral sundresses, you leave your miniskirts behind in your storage closet of mothballs and North Face puffer jackets. From the runways to street style, designers and consumers are experimenting with fulllength dresses and skirts that hit anywhere between the knee and calf. Maxi-length bottoms that drape to the floor have been around for several seasons already, but recently designers have started to experiment with hemlines that are reminiscent of the ’60s and ’70s. “They’re retro-inspired, but they’re not a literal reworking of any one era,” said Anne Slowey, fashion news director of Elle magazine, on nola.com. “It’s not ultra sexual, and it’s not ultra feminine. It’s a middle ground.” As opposed to the traditional methods of trends trickling down from the catwalk to the consumer, retro-looking skirts are now starting from the consumer and moving upward to the runways. The growing obsession with vintage wear and consignment shops — further fueled by street-style bloggers — inspired the trend of longer hemlines. Our generation has adopted such a medley of vintage inspirations that contemporary style has become a complete melting pot — and high-end designers can’t do anything but stir it. Certainly the skirts from the past can’t necessarily translate completely to the present because body shapes were different, as were designing techniques. To upgrade the look of the full-length skirt, many designers have taken on experimenting with pleats, lace and sheer mesh material, making these designs and fabrics the biggest items to incorporate into your spring wardrobe. Even though most bloggers and designers are pushing for longer lengths and less leg
vicki ho
i’m judging you action, the average consumer — people like you and me — may still need some time to adjust. Models can easily pull off the look, but for the majority of people, longer hemlines are the borderline between chic and frumpy. If the shin-length skirt is “not done right, it can be incredibly dowdy,” Slowey said. “You have to be realistic about your body shape.” The biggest success to this trend is really to give yourself time to experiment and know what looks good on your body and what doesn’t. The decision between a calf-length versus a shin-length skirt can make the difference between looking fashionable or like you’re from a convent. Try out high waist, pleats and different colors. Doing so will help you figure out what kind of long hemline will go best with your body type. Wearing a loose top as opposed to a chunky sweater will set the difference between refined and grungy. Adding a belt to the skirt can cinch your waist and add noticeable difference to the fit of the skirt upon your hips. After seasons of women flaunting their milelong legs and toned behinds, fashion is finally taking a stand saying it’s OK to be modest. With the various ways to style up — or down — long skirts, I don’t see this trend going away anytime soon. There is still so much that can be done. Invest now. Vicki Ho is a senior public relations major. Her column appears every Thursday, and she can be reached at vho@syr.edu.
opinions
thursday
april 14, 2011
page 5
the daily orange
ide as
Scribble
a broa d
Chinese tourism boom provides rural population with new pastime: tourist watching
A
t the foot of the Songshan Mountains in central China, tucked in a river valley, lies the Shaolin Temple. It’s been a center for Buddhist worship since the fifth century, a renowned training center for Chinese martial arts and perhaps the largest cash cow for Henan Province, a relatively poor, inland region of China. What could be more stereotypically Chinese than kung fu, you ask? The answer reveals a lot about the modern commercial revolution in China, and perhaps the influence of Jet Li performing roundhouse kicks in old Hong Kong movies. Tourism is booming in China. In 2010, the country earned the equivalent of $220 billion in tourism revenue. In the first quarter of 2011 alone, China made the equivalent of more than $90 billion, up by 19 percent from the same period last year, according to the China Tourism Academy. The Shaolin Temple is indicative of that trend. Its recent renovation and the establishment of a tourist-friendly park on the former kung fu training
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grounds provide a window into those statistics. By American standards, the temple training is a little off the beaten path. Dengfeng, the nearest city, is a long bus ride away. Wheat farmers traipsing down dusty streets or shopkeepers selling wheat noodles don’t see many foreigners because Dengfeng sits a few hours through wind-whipped mountains from the provincial capital of Zhengzhou, itself an overnight train ride away from Beijing. Naturally, when they do see a group of American students, Dengfeng farmers or shopkeepers like to stare. It’s the kind of stare that expresses curiosity, not contempt — the subtle raise of an eyebrow or a prolonged interested look. Some stare to see every pore, every piece of strange clothing or strange hair or strange eyes. It’s the kind of look that gives you an “I have a feeling we’re not in upstate New York anymore.” As we enter the countryside, it’s as if the circus has come to town. But Dengfeng is one of China’s
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andrew swab
beijing bureau chief hopes in attracting enough tourists to overtake France, Spain and the United States and become the world’s most visited country for tourism. At its current pace, China is poised to surpass all three by 2015, according the United Nations World Tourism Organization. The temple and its surrounding park have been lauded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as some of the historic monuments of Dengfeng, bringing with it not only prestige, but money for preservation and restoration. I imagined seeing real kung fu, white-knuckle acrobatics without any movie editing. I imagined monks in yellow robes learning self-discipline
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and self-defense. I imagined taking a look at a simple but satisfying life, free of materialism or desire. Instead, sneaky schoolgirls would whip out their cellphones for a picture of the foreigners. Excited locals yelled out requests for pictures or brazenly grabbed an arm. At times, I slipped my sunglasses on and put up a Lindsay Lohan-esque hand in front of my face to keep them at bay. Some would sulk a little until we said yes, and then they would invite more of their friends over. These inevitably ended up with more than one impromptu photo shoot. It was surreal, to say the least. The barrage of amateur paparazzi emerged at a forest of small Pagodas where monks sell beads and bracelets. Then we waded past stalls of vendors selling more beads and figurines. Some wily merchants sold noodles for three times the price of those Dengfeng shopkeepers. We pushed through the crowd of photographers, beating a path to postcard shops, gourmet biscuit emporiums, tea stalls, even a strange camel ride that charged people by the minute.
t h e i n de pe n de n t s t u de n t n e w spa pe r of sy r acuse, new york
Katie McInerney Kathleen Ronayne editor in chief
managing editor
If this was Disneyland, then I was in a Goofy suit. The sun beat down a little. The tea and noodles looked good. And after our umpteenth group photo with strangers, we debated charging five yuan per picture to pay for some of the souvenirs or lunch. When we finally bought tickets to see the temple, the two men behind a rough wooden desk sized us up. It was easy to spot the foreigners, I assume. They immediately said the ticket price was three times what we were told. Crowds swarmed the entry gate to take pictures in front of the famous temple. We stalked off to buy some overpriced noodles instead of going inside. Even off the beaten path, under those Songshan Mountains in central China, tucked in a river valley, tourism has certainly reached Dengfeng — but for now, I’m unsure whether it is the foreigners or the locals who are the tourists. Andrew Swab is a junior magazine journalism and international relations major. His column appears occasionally. He can be reached at ajswab@syr.edu.
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6 april 14, 2011
CYBERBULLYING FROM PAGE 1
campus anymore.’” SA assemblymembers unanimously approved the resolution April 4. At the press conference, student leaders praised the bill as evidence of a united campus effort to protect students against cyberbullying. But they expressed concern that the fight may be an uphill battle, noting that more work must be done. The resolution will make SU a safer and more comfortable place to live for all students, said Nate Berger, president of the Residence Hall Association. “For 34 years, we’ve been working to turn halls into homes,” Berger said. “Cyberbullying is hindering our efforts, and it has been spreading into residence halls. This cannot, and will not, continue.” The resolution holds special value for those students who are often targets of bullying, said Danielle Sutton, president of Pride Union, a group that provides support for SU’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer community. “Our members in particular have been targets for not conforming to expected gender roles,” Sutton said. “The resolution will help ensure their safety — we don’t want another Rutgers.” The incident Sutton referred to is the Sept. 22 suicide of 18-year-old Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi. Clementi jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge after his roommate secretly filmed him during a sexual encounter with another man in his dormitory room and posted it live on the Internet. Although SA has resolved to punish perpetrators of cyberbullying, it faces the challenges of anonymous online postings and an evolving
news@ da ilyor a nge.com
“For 34 years, we’ve been working to turn halls into homes. Cyberbullying is hindering our efforts, and it has been spreading into residence halls. This cannot, and will not, continue.”
Nate Berger
PRESIDENT OF THE RESIDENCE HALL ASSOCIATION.
Internet landscape, Sutton said. “The problem is that there is always a new forum for people to post to,” Sutton said. “The best we can do is to work to make what’s already there better.” SA broke new ground in working with three independent student organizations to draft a bill, and the work paid off, said Amy Snider, SA chief of staff. “The collaboration has been phenomenal,” Snider said. “We all came from diverse backgrounds, but with the same goal in mind.” mdleess@syr.edu
WHAT IS CYBERBULLYING?
Cyberbullying is similar to other types of bullying, except it takes place online and through text messages sent to cellphones. Cyberbullies can be classmates, online acquaintances, and even anonymous users, but most often do know their victims. Source: National Crime Prevention Council
BIG EVENT FROM PAGE 1
nizable, it was successful in attracting attention. The response from the event’s Facebook page was better than expected, Gregalis said. Jubilee Westergaard, director of community relations for OrangeSeeds and freshman international relations major, credited the marketing team with the success of the planning for the event. “The marketing team did so well,” Westergaard said. “They put a lot of time into slogans and had so many creative ideas. I don’t think the event would have had so much attention without them.” Volunteers will be shuttled to and from the SU campus by bus on Saturday. After the day ends at about 2 p.m., volunteers will join community residents and leaders for a picnic, Gregalis said. To Gregalis, The Big Event is a chance to take a break from schoolwork and help his neighbors and a community in need. The event is an opportunity to better understand the Syracuse area, Gregalis said. About 20 freshmen were involved with planning the event, contacting the community
WHAT IS ORANGESEEDS?
OrangeSeeds, a leadership empowerment program for first-year students, has been working to plan The Big Event. The program looks to attract active student leaders and was established in 2004. The program aims to enhance integrity, motivation and confidence through mentoring and civic engagement projects, the largest being The Big Event.
“People often get sheltered in their everyday lives on campus. I think it’s nice to give at least one day out of the year to help out, even though it’s early on a Saturday morning.” Jubilee Westergaard
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNIT Y RELATIONS FOR ORANGESEEDS
director and business owners to find out what needed to be done in the area, Westergaard said. She said coordinating the event was a good learning experience. Through The Big Event, students will be able to get away from campus and reach out to others, Westergaard said. Even four hours of volunteering will be helpful to the community, she said, and it is worth sacrificing a few hours of sleep. “People often get sheltered in their everyday lives on campus,” Westergaard said. “I think it’s nice to give at least one day out of the year to help out, even though it’s early on a Saturday morning.” Elizabeth Brydges, a freshman English education major, said she will volunteer in a group Saturday with the First Year Players, a student-run musical theater organization. She said the OrangeSeeds’ efforts for the event were impressive. “It’s an early morning, but it’s for a great cause,” Brydges said. “Just a little bit of our time is going to make such a big difference.” brvannos@syr.edu
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GREEK LIFE
april 14, 2011
every other thursday in news
Gut feeling
Fraternity to hold philanthropic event with outdoor competitions involving hulas, jousting By Nick Gallagher Warren
M
STAFF WRITER
ud will fly and sorority girls will joust at Walnut Park on Sunday when the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity holds its fourth annual Guts competition. Guts is a philanthropic event held by Phi Psi challenging the sororities on campus to four different events: an obstacle course, jousting, a hula challenge and the mad mud flag frenzy, said Andrew Frisina, philanthropy chair for Phi Psi and a senior illustration byalejandro de jesus | art director psychology major. The competition kicks off at 11 a.m. with a brunch for all contestants. The events will start at about 1 p.m. and extend until 4 p.m., according to the Guts Facebook page. All proceeds from Guts will go to the Boys and Girls Club Central Village of Syracuse, said Phi Psi President Andrew Stikovac. The Boys
and Girls Club of America is the national charity of the Phi Psi fraternity. The obstacle course at Guts will consist of an egg toss, tire run, bobbing for apples and other relay-style events, Frisina said. The joust will have two contestants from each team on pedestals using inflatable jousting sticks to try to knock each other off. It will be a bracket-style tournament — best two out of three, with a best three out of five final round. The hula challenge replaces the tug-of-war this year. Frisina said there were some problems with the tug-of-war last year, so the hula challenge was agreed upon as a suitable replacement. Finally, the mad mud flag frenzy will pit two teams of three against each other, with the objective of retrieving one of five flags that will be buried in a pool of mud. The girl who does not grab a flag is eliminated. The game keeps going until one team is eliminated. “It’s like musical chairs,” Frisina said. “But with flags and mud instead of music and chairs.” There are 16 teams in this year’s event, each with 10 members paying an individual $15 entry fee. Fifteen of the teams are from different
sororities on campus, and one team is composed of Syracuse University cheerleaders, Frisina said. Frisina said he has been involved with Guts since its inception four years ago, when he was a pledge at Phi Psi. Each year since 2008, Guts has raised more money than in the previous year. Guts raised $1,000 in 2008; $5,000 the next year; and $7,500 last year, Frisina said. “I hope that trend continues this year. Our goal is to raise $10,000,” he said. Even without money from the teams, Phi Psi has already raised $5,000 for this year’s event from sponsors like Jimmy John’s and Pita Pit, as well as private donations, Frisina said. Frisina believes $10,000 is an attainable goal, he said. Frisina said he is very excited for Guts on Sunday, but does not want to lose sight of why Phi Psi is hosting the competition. “Guts is not just for the fraternities and sororities to have fun, it’s meant to bring the community together,” Frisina said. “It’s really a day for the kids.” ndgallag@syr.edu
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news@ da ilyor a nge.com
CHEEMA
INTEGRITY
unified understanding of and appreciation for the universal fight for free speech,” she said. After receiving the award, Cheema will speak about the obstacles he overcame and threats he dealt with during his struggle to cover controversial stories. Cheema has faced significant threats while reporting about issues dealing with national security, corruption, governance, politics and social justice. Even after dealing with a brutal beating and life threats, Cheema still expresses his First Amendment rights, freedom of speech and of the press, by continuing his investigative journalism with The News, said Gutterman, director of the Tully Center. “It takes a lot of bravery, dealing with threats, to produce that kind of journalism,” Gutterman said. “We hold events, like this one, intended to give free speech some light because it is something that we deeply value here at Newhouse.” Joan Tully, a 1969 Newhouse graduate, left a generous donation to the school after she died from a brain tumor in 2005. Tully specified the money be used to dedicate a center in her name that focused on free speech, according to the center’s website. Today, Room 426 of Newhouse III is home to the Tully Center. Jennifer Cheng, a senior newspaper journalism and international relations major and student representative on the advisory board for the Tully Center, said the work the center does inspires her. “I have always paid close attention to the past Tully Award winners,” Cheng said. “And their stories always leave me inspired to stand strong if I ever encounter similar obstacles as a journalist in the future.”
associate provost for academic programs. The associate provost would have license to reduce or increase the severity of the punishment
FROM PAGE 3
FROM PAGE 3
acptachi@syr.edu
after requesting written comments from both the student accused of dishonesty and the accusing faculty member. Discussion about the proposed changes to SU’s Academic Integrity Policy will continue at a Friday luncheon at the Sheraton University Hotel and Conference Center. Student
leaders from Vanderbilt University, Princeton University and the University of Maryland, who manage student integrity issues, will be on-hand to discuss how each respective campus copes with academic integrity violations, Pavela said. dbtruong@syr.edu
Academic dishonesty is widespread at SU. Strongly agree: 3.21%
SURVEY SAYS
The Syracuse University Academic Integrity Office conducted a survey in late November 2010 on student and faculty perceptions about academic dishonesty and the degree to which students see academic dishonesty as self-defeating. The survey was emailed to 6,542 students with 1,290 respondents. Here are some of the student results:
Agree: 11.23%
Disagree: 39.37%
Neither agree/disagree: 33.60%
Strongly disagree: 12.59%
Students who engage in academic dishonesty at SU are likely to get caught. Disagree: 16.39%
Strongly agree: 8.11%
Strongly disagree: 2.49%
Agree: 37.91% Neither agree/disagree: 35.10%
THURSDAY
april 14, 2011
SPRING FOOTBALL 2011
Pursuit of
WA T C H
Play ball The Spring Game is at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Carrier Dome.
happiness
READ
Fresh faces
Thomas emerges from troubled childhood to lead Syracuse secondary
Syracuse’s spring depth chart features only five returning starters on defense. Pages 10-11
X
By Tony Olivero DEVELOPMENT EDITOR
I
t was Valentine’s Day 2011 in Miami’s most hardscrabble of ghettos. The role of usher to a congregation of Liberty City locals was perfect for Phillip Thomas. Absolute, in fact. “He turned out to be a beautiful swan,” Marion Cooper said. Down the aisle from his aunt, the bride Cooper, the 20-year-old Thomas completed the wedding party of Cooper and Moses Logan. Hours before, Thomas departed on a plane from Syracuse, where he is now the leader of the secondary on the Syracuse football team. But this past February, Thomas helped greet every guest at the long-delayed union between Cooper and Logan. For as long as Cooper can remember, she and Logan maintained an on-and-off relationship. They were together through thick and thin. Mostly, it was a thicket of gun shots amid concrete jungles. What else to expect from a lifetime working three jobs as a nurse, all while trying to raise four sons and one adopted nephew in Thomas. But in January, Cooper finally made the decision to marry. Sure, two of her sons had major run-ins with the law. But on the whole, she realized she had done all she could in raising five boys in Liberty City. And with her baby off to college with sights on the National Football League, now was finally her time to shine. She had adopted and reared what once was an angry young man. With Thomas’ transformation from angry young man to stable football star came the completion of Cooper’s life.
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PAGE 9
the daily orange
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SEE THOMAS PAGE 14
jenny jakubowski | staff photographer
Competition at linebacker carries into Spring Game By Mark Cooper ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
INSIDE
LA times A trip to Los Angeles to face USC highlights Syracuse’s 2011 nonconference schedule. Page 15
The linebacker’s meeting room houses eight, and Dyshawn Davis is first to enter. The zealous freshman is new to the linebacker position and to Syracuse, so he’s trying his best to make an impression. Marquis Spruill is usually the third person to enter the room, after Lewellyn Coker. Spruill’s got the most experience on the field, but he’s still young. And he’s switching from outside to middle linebacker this spring. Then there’s Dan Vaughan, the elder statesman. Vaughan said he feels he could
play every position on the defense, if needed, because of his studying of the SU system the last two years. But the junior spent the past two seasons playing mainly on special teams. “I think the biggest thing is they’re going through a learning curve,” SU defensive coordinator Scott Shafer said. “We’ve tried to keep it simple for the most part, and they started getting better. Then we started to add a couple things here and there, and then like you would imagine the progression started to slow down. But I like their attitude, their effort.” This is the makeup of Syracuse’s start-
ing linebacker corps. With the losses of seniors Derrell Smith and Doug Hogue, two potential NFL Draft picks, the Orange’s biggest question mark entering Saturday’s Spring Game — and later on, the 2011 season — will be at one of its strongest positions a year ago. And though Davis, Spruill and Vaughan find themselves on the first string as spring concludes, that doesn’t necessarily mean much toward the future. “Nobody’s earned anything,” SU linebackers coach Dan Conley said. “Marquis started last year, but he can’t assume he’s going to be the starting linebacker this
year. “What we try to do is create competition every day in the room.” Davis is one of two new spring enrollees at SU among the eight linebackers on the Orange’s spring roster, along with Siriki Diabate. But Davis played safety last season for Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y. Now he finds himself in competition for a starting position for Syracuse. He spends the majority of the time with the first-string defense at the WILL (outside) linebacker position, competing with Mario SEE LINEBACKERS PAGE 15
10 a p r i l 1 4 , 2 0 1 1
sports@ da ilyor a nge.com
SPRING FOOTBALL 2011
Taking the field
OFFENSE
Marcus Sales
26 catches, 414 yards, 4 touchdowns
Three of Sales’ touchdowns came in the Pinstripe Bowl, which is where he built up most of the buzz that surrounds him this spring. He will look to give Nassib a true No. 1 target.
SU’s depth chart for the spring season
X WR 5
15
Marcus Sales
Sr.
Alec Lemon
Jr.
LT 67 Justin Pugh 62
Jr.
Andrew Phillips
Jr.
Ryan Nassib
56.4 completion percentage, 19 touchdowns, 8 interceptions
LG
Nassib looks to become Syracuse’s first quarterback to start two consecutive season-openers since Perry Patterson, who was the starter from 2004-06.
75 Zack Chibane Jr. 77
Lou Alexander
Jr.
jenny jakubowski | staff photographer
FB 49 Adam Harris 34
Tombe Kose
QB
HB Sr.
29 Antwon Bailey
Sr.
Sr.
23 Prince-Tyson Gulley So.
12 Ryan Nassib 17 14
Charley Loeb John Kinder
C Jr.
So. So.
59 Macky MacPherson So. 76
Antwon Bailey
Macky MacPherson
MacPherson is the only new starter on the offensive line, and he steps into its most crucial position. He was the team’s longsnapper last year.
Sr.
RG
114 carries, 554 yards, 2 touchdowns
Bailey will assume the giant task of stepping up from change-of-pace back to No. 1, as he replaces workhorse Delone Carter at the position.
Ian Allport
66 Andrew Tiller 65
Sr.
Jarel Lowery
Sr.
RT 74 60
Nick Provo
33 catches, 365 yards, 1 touchdown
Michael Hay
Sean Hickey
So.
TE
Provo was a valuable weapon at times last season in the passing game. In his second season with Nassib, he could blossom.
80 Nick Provo 86
andrew renneisen | asst. photo editor
Sr.
David Stevens
Sr.
Sr.
Special Teams K
37 Ross Krautman
So.
KR
23 Prince-Tyson Gulley So.
P
41 Shane Raupers
Jr.
PR
30 Steve Rene
So.
37 Ross Krautman
So.
LS
61 Eric Morris
Jr.
KOS
19
19
41
Ryan Lichtenstein
Ryan Lichtenstein
Shane Raupers
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
25
23
59
Jeremiah Kobena
Prince-Tyson Gulley
Macky MacPherson
Fr.
Z WR
So.
So.
82 Van Chew 10
Dorian Graham
Sr.
Sr.
sports@ da ilyor a nge.com
april 14, 2011
SPRING FOOTBALL 2011 DEFENSE Chandler Jones 57 tackles, 4 sacks
Jones led a blitz-heavy Syracuse defense with four sacks last season. In his third year under Scott Shafer, he’ll look to become a premier Big East rusher.
LC 9
shijing wang | staff photographer
Ri’Shard Anderson Jr.
24 Jaston George
Fr.
Ri’Shard Anderson
Anderson missed the entire 2010 season with a shoulder injury, and now he steps into a likely starting role this season. He had two solo tackles in 2009.
RE 99 Chandler Jones Sr. 95
Torrey Ball
Dan Vaughan 5 tackles
SLB
Jr.
33 Dan Vaughan 32
Siriki Diabate
There’s a good chance Vaughan won’t be here come fall, with freshman Cameron Lynch likely to challenge for a starting spot.
Sr.
Jr.
SS
Cory Boatman 2 tackles
DT 56 Cory Boatman 69
Robert Welsh
Boatman is part of a three-man rotation — along with Jay Bromley and Deon Goggins — that will fill the middle of the defensive line with Anthony Perkins and Andrew Lewis both gone.
Sr.
21 2
Shamarko Thomas
Olando Fisher
Sr.
So.*
*Injured for Spring practice
So.
MLB 11
NT
58
96 Jay Bromley 13
Marquis Spruill So.
Lewellyn Coker
1
So.
Deon Goggins
FS
So.
28
Sr.
Phillip Thomas Jr.
Jeremi Wilkes
So.
WLB
DE 54 91
35 Dyshawn Davis Fr. 43
Mario Tull
Mikhail Marinovich Sr. Brandon Sharpe
Marquis Spruill
Jr.
51 tackles, 2 sacks
Spruill is now the linebacking unit’s leader after Doug Hogue and Derrell Smith both departed. Spruill also moves from the outside to take command of the unit in the middle.
H-CB 8
26
Keon Lyn
Kevyn Scott
So.
So.
Sr.
11
14 a p r i l 1 4 , 2 0 1 1
SPORTS@ DA ILYOR A NGE.COM
SPRING FOOTBALL 2011
FIRST YEAR PLAYERS PRESENTS:
\f rst\ \yir\ \plā- rz\ e
e
The 25th Annual
Putnam County
Spelling Bee
THE MUSICAL
25 music & lyrics: WILLIAM FINN
book by: RACHEL SHEINKIN
April 14, 15, 16
8 p.m. Goldstein Auditorium $4 w/ SU ID / $7 General Public Tickets Available @ Schine Box Office http://students.syr.edu/firstyearplayers
THOMAS FROM PAGE 9
“I was the last guy,” Thomas said. “So she always wanted to make sure I had a place to go and things like that. Make sure my life was OK before she could even make it and get married.” ••• Anger is the word that typifies Thomas’ playing style. His crushing hits ooze anger. His constant jawing speaks to it. Some mistake it as immaturity at times. But Thomas is perhaps the most mature player on the SU football team. All spring, Thomas has been supplying big and timely hits in practice. And with SU’s Spring Game on Saturday (1 p.m., Carrier Dome), Thomas is the leader of the Syracuse defense as the only returning starter in the secondary. In one scrimmage, Thomas racked up the licks in the final series. Burly 210-pound SU running back Jerome Smith wasn’t spared. On the last snap, Thomas forced a fumble. “Phillip Thomas,” SU head coach Doug Marrone said afterward, “had some big hits later on.” Thomas plays angry. But now he is not. As a child, he was. Cooper attributes it to misery, misdirection and, mostly, confusion. Thomas was born on Nov. 19, 1990, to Michael Byrd and Sylvia Thomas. Byrd died of AIDS when Phillip was 4, Cooper said. Thomas says he met his father once, when he saw a movie with him and his two sisters. That was it. Thirteen years passed until Phillip’s sister, Denika Byrd, revealed the reason for their father’s death. By then, Phillip said, he figured. Sylvia has been her son’s life forever. He says he now talks to her every day, just like he talks to “Auntie Marion” every day. He loves his mom like his aunt, enough to not prod about what happened that led to her losing him — when Sylvia was jailed when her son was very young. Sylvia was out on the streets of Liberty City during Phillip’s childhood, “getting into trouble,” Cooper said. After she was arrested twice for cocaine possession and trespassing, Sylvia was jailed for two years for attempting to sell four Valium pills to undercover police. As a result, in December 1997, Sylvia legally lost her right to raise him. Phillip was 7, and Cooper remembers him as lost and bitter. “I had a lot of work to do with Phillip,” Cooper said. “He didn’t want to listen. He did a lot of fighting.” But Cooper fought for the fighter. She could sense what was really going on inside the athletic body he was honing on the football field at 50th Street and 12th Avenue. Charles Hadley Park was his only haven. Everywhere else, including school, Thomas ran into trouble. She had to pull her adopted baby from high school for getting into fights. And once, he went
to a juvenile detention center for being in the company of a friend who stole a watch. But Cooper saw the true Thomas. He would become happy. And she would continue to help him there. “He had a lot of anger in him because he didn’t know what was going on in his life,” Cooper said. “He didn’t know. Everything was just turned upside down.” Cooper provided a pillar thanks to a regiment and pure confines at home. When home, he made sure to clean the dishes, vacuum the floor and bleach the bathroom. Thomas still cleans a house the same way, now living with SU wide receiver Alec Lemon. Outside of home and school, Cooper wanted Thomas to go to one place: Hadley Park. There she knew he could channel that anger as a speed demon for the Liberty City Optimus Prime Warriors Pee Wee football team. Six days a week, Thomas pretended to be his half-brother, Clevan. While his mother was still incarcerated, Clevan started in the secondary for a national champion Florida State team in 1999. Clevan provided the proof that Phillip’s pursuit of happiness was possible. “That’s where he gets the football from, from his brother,” Cooper said. “He would always be there for him.” ••• Last Oct. 23 at West Virginia, Thomas proved he could understand football as well as anyone. It came after he proved he understood life as well as anyone. It’s the one thing he will say over and over again. The death of his father, absence of his mother and upbringing by his aunt took him from that anger to understanding. “I understand life. Nothing is promised for everyone,” Thomas said. “When I was young, I didn’t understand. But now I know life.” With SU trailing 14-10 in the first quarter, the Mountaineers stood at the doorstep. As WVU quarterback Geno Smith scanned the end zone for an option, Thomas thought back a week, when he faltered in coverage in the end zone against Pittsburgh. Thomas said he took a picture of the play in his mind as it happened. He intercepted Smith’s pass at the goal line. The Mountaineers wouldn’t score again. It was arguably the Orange’s biggest win in six years. Thomas was the turning point. The turning point in Thomas and Cooper’s lives, though, came on Jan. 21, 2009. Syracuse defensive coordinator Scott Shafer visited Thomas and offered him a scholarship. Twenty minutes after meeting Shafer, Cooper was ready to put Thomas’ life in his hands. She asked only one thing. “If Phillip decides to go with you, how soon can you get him out of here? If you want Phillip, I want you to get him out of here as soon as possible,” Cooper said to Shafer. Shafer said he could get Thomas out in due time. That wasn’t good enough. Cooper wanted him out of Liberty City the next day. That weekend, Thomas visited Syracuse. And on July 5, Cooper finally got her wish. Her baby was gone for good, as Thomas arrived in Syracuse. Shafer picked him up at the airport. His life was anew. A short time after his friend Derrick Gloster was shot at a dice game in Liberty City, Thomas was safe in Syracuse. His aunt couldn’t ask for anything more. He was happy. He has been nothing but happy in the 21 months since. He was his happiest back in Liberty City on Valentine’s Day. A few days ago, back in the home Cooper raised Thomas, Cooper watched the DVD of the wedding. Thomas still hasn’t seen it. When he does, it will usher in visual proof of a happy family that is now absolute. “Most of all, I owe my family because they led me to this way,” Thomas said. “And my aunt. “I love her.” aolivero@syr.edu
SPORTS@ DA ILYOR A NGE.COM
april 14, 2011
SPRING FOOTBALL 2011
2011 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE vs. Wake Forest
Saturday Sept. 3
A season ago, the Demon Deacons tied for the worst conference record (1-7) and worst overall record (3-9) in the Atlantic Coast Conference. They started the season 2-0 with wins over Presbyterian and Duke, but then lost nine straight games before beating Vanderbilt in the season finale.
shijing wang | staff photographer MARQUIS SPRUILL is competing for a starting linebacker position. Spruill started every game in 2010, but moved from outside to middle linebacker this spring.
LINEBACKERS FROM PAGE 9
Tull for the spot. Last season, Spruill went through much of what Davis is going through now, when Spruill came to Syracuse early out of prep school for spring practice. Now Davis is doing the same. Yet with all of the youth in the Orange linebacker corps, Spruill feels like a veteran. Aside from Vaughan, the other seven SU linebackers are freshmen. “When I was a freshman, I was able to do my own thing a little bit,” Spruill said. “But now I have to make more of an effort to be more of a leader.” Conley looks at the youth and sees an advantage in some ways. The youthfulness of his linebacking group as a whole spurs maximum effort on the field. Combined with the fact that each of the eight is fighting for playing time in an open position, practice can get intense. It’s the same thing with the classroom where linebacker meetings are held. Conley said he talks to the players who are consistently the last guys in the room, the last guys in line for linebacking drills. It certainly isn’t a good thing, especially with Davis hustling to be the first player seated for every meeting. “Coach Conley, he’s always so excited, and he makes everything a competition,” Davis said. “Like every single thing. … So I just try to be as competitive as I can, just to keep my spot.”
Vaughan doesn’t have that freshman drive, but he’s also fighting for a first chance to be a starting linebacker. Conley notes Vaughan’s smarts and how knowledgeable the lone veteran is of the playbook and of the intricacies of each position. At practice, Vaughan will tell Davis to stand with him as they go through defensive drills. That way, he can give Davis instruction and share his knowledge. Vaughan said he feels he has an additional role to be a teacher to the young linebackers. Still, he’s also fighting for a spot. And it’s a spot he wasn’t able to win a year ago, when Spruill came in as a true freshman and took it. The linebacker corps kept a production chart this spring, in which players earned points for productive plays — sacks, tackles for loss, forced fumbles, etc. With the Spring Game this weekend, Vaughan is on top. “He’s a hard worker,” Conley said. “And he understands exactly what we’re trying to get from each one of the positions, so that’s why he’s where he’s at right now.” In the Spring Game, the Orange’s two sides will not be split by place on the depth chart, so it’s likely the three first-team linebackers will be separated in some way. That plays into Conley’s statement that they haven’t actually earned anything yet. SU has two more linebackers coming in the fall — Cameron Lynch and Oliver Vigille — who will be in the competition as well. “We started a true freshman at linebacker the past two years, so we’ll be the best three linebackers there,” Conley said. “Best three will play.”
For the first time in what Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone said is about 20 years, the Syracuse Spring Game will be played like a regular game. The Orange will split into two separate squads, which have not yet been announced. Syracuse offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will coach one side, while defensive coordinator Scott Shafer coaches the other. And teams will be a combination of first-stringers and backups. Marrone will merely be an overseer, not coaching either team.
2. The job is all Bailey’s
The loss of Delone Carter is arguably the hardest obstacle for SU to overcome in 2011. For the most part, it hinges on Antwon Bailey’s ability to take his game to the next level. Bailey was effective as a
Saturday Sept. 10
@ Southern California
Saturday Sept. 17
The 2011 season will be year two of USC’s postseason ban. After an 8-5 record last season, the Trojans are poised to surpass that mark this year. Quarterback Matt Barkley will enter his third campaign as the starter after two consecutive 2,700-plus yard seasons. The game — which will be played in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum — will be one of the Orange’s toughest road games in head coach Doug Marrone’s tenure to date.
vs. Toledo
Saturday Sept. 24
vs. Rutgers
Saturday Oct. 1
@ Tulane
Saturday Oct. 8
The Green Wave is another team that struggled in conference play last season. It finished at the bottom of C-USA’s West division, with a 4-8 overall record and only two league wins. Defense was the downfall for Tulane in 2010. Its unit ranked 113th in the country and gave up more than 37 points per game. It yielded more than 50 points twice.
vs. West Virginia
Saturday Oct. 22
After not winning a Big East game at home a season ago, the Orange faces three teams that figure to be atop the league in the Carrier Dome in 2011. The game against the Mountaineers is the first of six straight conference battles and kicks off the second half of SU’s season. Its only home games after that are South Florida and Cincinnati in November. If Syracuse wants to match last year’s win total, it will have to win at home this season.
@ Louisville
Saturday Oct. 29
mcooperj@syr.edu
@ Connecticut
THREE THINGS TO WATCH 1. It’s a real game this year
vs. Rhode Island
change-of-pace back a season ago, but this year it’s his turn. The senior has an offensive line in front of him with four returning starters. So if he has the talent to succeed as a starting running back, he’s got an experienced line to help him to a big year.
3. Smooth Sale-ing?
Buzz is all around wide receiver Marcus Sales after his Pinstripe Bowl performance. In SU’s win, he had fi ve receptions for 172 yards and three touchdowns. He was the high-fl ying No. 1 target Ryan Nassib lacked for much of the year. Talk to his peers and coaches and they’ll say he’s built on that performance during the spring. Though, especially in Sales’ case, even if he does have a good Spring Game (8 catches, 158 yards last year) it doesn’t guarantee anything for the upcoming season. — Compiled by The Daily Orange Sports staff
Saturday Nov. 5
This is a game that provides the Orange with a chance to make two statements. The first would be beating the defending conference champion Huskies. The second would be knocking off former SU head coach Paul Pasqualoni in his first season at UConn. Marrone is 0-2 against the Huskies in his two years at Syracuse.
vs. South Florida
Friday Nov. 11
vs. Cincinnati
Saturday Nov. 26
@ Pittsburgh
Saturday Dec. 3
15
men’s l acrosse
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Friars plan similar stalling tactics in rematch with Syracuse By Chris Iseman Asst. Copy Editor
The last time Syracuse played Providence, the Orange felt more frustration than anything else. Despite winning the game, SU couldn’t hide its feelings about the way the Friars played. “That’s not the way you want to play lacrosse,” SU goaltender John Galloway said last year after that game. “There’s no beating around the Who: Providence bush. That’s not Where: Foxboro, Mass. lacrosse, what we When: Saturday, 4 p.m. played today.” Galloway and Syracuse (9-1, 2-0 Big East) will head to Foxboro, Mass., on Saturday (4 p.m., Time Warner Sports) to play Providence (3-7, 0-2) at Gillette Stadium, finally getting its chance to get rid of any of those lingering feelings of frustration. The frustration was brought on by the Friars’ stalling offensive game plan — and almost complete abandonment of offense — in the first period. And if the Friars have to do it again to slow SU down, they’ll have no problem doing so. Down 3-0 with five minutes left in the first quarter last season, Providence midfielder Jake Nolan stood behind the net with the ball in his stick and never moved. The Friars stopped passing and dodging, choosing instead to drain the clock rather than risk losing possession and digging into a deeper hole. The Orange was in complete command, and
UP NEXT
Slow pitch
Last year’s matchup between Syracuse and Providence spurred some negativity about the Friars’ style of play after the 14-5 SU victory. Providence employed a stalling tactic that drained the clock. Here’s a look at the minuscule shot totals Providence posted for each quarter: Quarter
Providence shots
1st 1 2nd 4 3rd 4 4th 6 Total 15
Providence goals
0 3 2 0 5
Providence head coach Chris Burdick knew he had to slow it down. “I think that’s what you saw last year,” Burdick said in a phone interview Wednesday. “The tempo of the game was starting to get out of control, and we felt that if we could keep a 3-0 score going into the second quarter, we’d have a much better chance to win than if we let them keep rolling on us.” For a brief time, the Friars were successful. They scored three times in the second period, but a series of SU runs in the second half let the Orange pull away for an easy 14-5 win. Burdick said teams familiar with his coaching style would know that when Providence is down, it’ll hold the ball and take back the pace of the game for as long as it can. For Burdick, the game plan worked, as it kept the Orange from having extra posses-
sions. On Saturday, Burdick said that’ll be the key for the Friars again. “They’re extremely dynamic, and they have a lot of weapons and a lot of talent, and they go really deep,” Burdick said of Syracuse. “The first thing that jumps off the page to you is possessions, winning possessions and winning faceoffs.” The theme of controlling possessions will take precedence once again from the start. That’s especially true, considering the Orange is outscoring its opponents 39-20 in the first quarter of its games. And Providence has struggled early all season, being outscored 23-13 in the first period. Burdick called it a “perfect storm.” One team’s dominance is another team’s constant struggle. Although for Syracuse, that’s still not a reason to look at this game as an easy win. After SU fell to Cornell on Tuesday, head coach John Desko emphasized that any opponent can be a threat if his players aren’t focused in practice or going into the game. “We can’t approach our next game like that,” Desko said. “I think one of the things that we’ll get out of this is the guys need to come in really focused for practice. And I think, as coaches, we’ve got them to understand who our next opponent is.” That next opponent is a team ready to take control of the game as soon as it gets the opportunity. Against Cornell, SU came out slowly. It didn’t match the Big Red’s hustle or intensity. Providence is not Cornell, but if SU overlooks
“We felt that if we could keep a 3-0 score going into the second quarter, we’d have a much better chance to win than if we let them keep rolling on us.” Chris Burdick
Providence head coach
it too much, it may find itself in another game of catch-up. Like it did last year, the Friars will look to do what they believe is necessary to have a chance to win. If Saturday goes the way the whole season has gone for Syracuse, Providence will only bring its best. The Friars will do anything they need to do to score, including holding onto the ball to limit SU’s possessions. Syracuse might be the favorite, but it’s still looking to make adjustments the next time it takes the field. Or else that frustration will only continue. “Every team we get, we get their best game,” SU attack JoJo Marasco said. “We’re going to have to come out and play with more excitement and pick up our game a little bit.” cjiseman@ syr.edu
sports@ da ilyor a nge.com
t r ack & F ield
april 14, 2011
17
SU expects more to qualify for Big East as meet approaches By David Wilson Staff Writer
Since his freshman year, Darryl White has been a staple for Syracuse at the Big East Outdoor Championship. But with less than a month left until the Big East championship, White’s name is still absent from the list of qualified athletes. White first qualified for the Big East in the 100 meters his freshman year. And SU assistant coach Dave Hegland doesn’t think this year will be any different. “He’s been coming off some injury,” Hegland said. “He had surgery in August and couldn’t run until January, so he had a really abbreviated indoor season and still qualified for the Big East (Indoor Championship), but he should just be coming around now. “He’s finally had a couple months of fairly consistent training, so he should be ready to go in just a little bit.” As the Big East Outdoor Championship approaches, the list of Syracuse’s competitors in Villanova is starting to take shape. Twentyseven athletes have already qualified for the Big East championship, some more surprising then others, but Hegland doesn’t think the team is done. White still has time to qualify. The Orange has a meet every weekend between now and the Big East championship, which takes place from May 6 to 8. White could qualify for the Big East meet as early as this weekend at the Auburn War Eagle Invite in Auburn, Ala.
For some athletes, lifting the burden of qualifying allows them to relax and put in better times. White’s current focus is on qualifying for the Big East, but once he does qualify he may find competing during the remainder of the regular season easier. Junior Ieva Staponkute qualified for the Big East championship in the triple jump early in the season and feels it has benefited her performance. “It’s just less pressure,” Staponkute said. “I think there is less pressure in competition, so you can compete well. Personally it’s working for me if I get it out of my way. I’m just relaxed and I can concentrate not on marks, but on getting (personal records). It makes it easier.” One of the biggest surprise qualifications for SU this season is jumper SaDe Lewis. The freshman finished ninth in the 100 meter hurdles at the ASU Sun Angel Classic and qualified with a time of 14.65 seconds. Lewis’ talent is no shocker, but it’s her immediate success that has been a pleasant surprise. She holds her high school record in the 100meter hurdles and the triple jump, and finished third in the Colorado state championship in the hurdles her senior year. What makes the freshman’s success so surprising comes from the fact that she is an architecture major, one of the most demanding and time-consuming majors. “Being really good at time management is important,” Lewis said. “I just have to be really on top of everything and getting things done
ahead of time, but I think it’s good because it helps me balance my time.” Lewis is also benefiting from what she feels is some of the best coaching she’s ever had, as well as a talented group of upperclassman jumpers for her to look up to, as three other jumpers and two hurdlers have qualified for the Big East meet. “Coach Hegland and the best hurdlers on our team are a really good influence for me,” Lewis said. “Coach coaches really good hurdle technique, so it just becomes second nature.” The Big East Outdoor Championship draws much of the focus for now, because it is the first big meet of the postseason and the soonest on the
Quick Hits Last 3
April 1-2 Princeton Sam Howell April 8-9 ASU Sun Angel April 9 Cornell Spring Invite
calendar. But the team isn’t limiting its postseason focus just to the Big East championship. The IC4A/ECAC and NCAA regionals wrap up the May schedule before the NCAA Outdoor Championship in June. While Hegland doesn’t want to look too far ahead, he knows that regionals and the NCAA championship are in sight. “I think we have kids that have chances to win at the Big East, and we certainly expect kids to be in that position, and we expect kids to go to regionals and nationals and do well,” Hegland said. “We’re just excited now for these last couple weeks so we can see all this hard work take shape on the track.” dbwilson@syr.edu
No team score No team score No team score
Next 3
Friday-Saturday Auburn War Eagle Invite All day Saturday Kent Taylor-Joe Hilton Carolina Invitational 10:30 a.m. April 22-23 Princeton Larry Ellis All day
Outlook
Syracuse head coach Chris Fox may be a former Auburn runner and coach, but he will not get the opportunity to return to his alma mater this weekend. Fox will take Syracuse’s distance runners to Chapel Hill, N.C., for the Kent Taylor-Joe Hilton Carolina Invitational. Sprinters and field athletes will head to Auburn, Ala., for the Auburn War Eagle Invite. The following weekend, the Orange returns to Princeton, N.J., for the Princeton Larry Ellis. The trip to Princeton will be the second for SU this April. Syracuse competed in the Princeton Sam Howell on April 1 and 2.
com ics& cross wor d
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bear on campus
apartment 4h
comics strip
by mike burns
| burnscomicstrip.blogspot.com
by tung pham
comics@ da ilyor a nge.com
| tinobliss@gmail.com
by joe medwid and dave rhodenbaugh
| 4hcomic.com
the perry bible fellowship
by nicholas gurewitch
last-ditch effort
| lde-online.com
by john kroes
| pbfcomics.com
another thirsty thursday is upon us! (yes!) have fun and party hard! remember to send your comics to the D.O.! comics@dailyorange.com
pul p @ da ilyor a nge.com
april 14, 2011
In a
splice
a h every thursday in pulp
Dependence on provocative improvisation goes up in smoke due to poor production value
T
By Sam Littman STAFF WRITER
he great art of improvised comedy, considered extinct from cinema for years, is apparently not lost on everyone. In “Your Highness,” an expectedly riotous comedy from “Pineapple Express” director David Gordon Green, much of the superb dialogue was ad-libbed, with the extremely talented riffing off of a mere outline penned by star Danny McBride. A stoner comedy blessed with an absurdly great cast, Academy Award winner Natalie Portman, James Franco and the perpetually underrated Justin Theroux lend their talents to the first Hollywood movie in memory that relies on improvisation. “Your Highness” is often clunky, making it difficult to care about the story, but these shortcomings are forgiven considering the highly original and provocative nature of the production. In television shows defined by improvisation, such as the peerless “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” one could say the actors have it too easy in that Larry David’s enormous personality and familiarity with fellow cast members engenders a feeling that is all too natural. It takes real guts to film a $50 million comedy without a script, and it warrants real praise for pulling it off. The ne’er-do-well son of a medieval king, Thadeous (McBride) whiles the days away smoking pot and messing around with his personal jester, Courtney (Rasmus Hardiker). His brother, Fabious (Franco), is a prototypically dashing, fearless knight who continually enraptures the kingdom with his heroic deeds. Upon completing his most recent quest, he returns with Belladona (Zooey Deschanel), a virgin he has fallen in love with and intends to marry. Before they wed, however, the evil wizard Leezar (Theroux) kidnaps her, forcing the lazy Thadeous to embark on his first quest with his considerably braver brother. Reteaming three years after the release of “Pineap-
ple Express,” McBride and Franco boast outstanding chemistry as mismatched brothers destined for glory. McBride’s now somewhat iconic spewing of narcissistic and crude epithets, made famous by his character Kenny Powers on the HBO series “Eastbound and Down,” are put to great use as he swears at everybody around him, something unexpected for a film set in medieval times. Franco plays second fiddle to McBride, less crude and more restrained, and Portman does an admirable job in one of her freest roles yet, literally saying whatever she wants in every scene. Director David Gordon Green is extremely versatile, hailing from a devout indie background and progressing to make a handful of disturbing dramas and breezy comedies. Like much of his previous work, “Your Highness” is unique and fearless, compensating for a rather uninteresting narrative with a bevy of laughs that somehow never tire. Just like any other Hollywood genre, comedies are becoming less risky and more tame, which makes “Your Highness” all the more refreshing. Even when it stumbles, it is stumbling for a cause. Despite its consistency in churning out laughs, the film is noticeably flawed to the point that, occasionally, it teeters on the brink of unacceptability. Relying solely on the improvised dialogue, the film is incredibly unrefined and the special effects are downright cartoonish. It is just as easy to mock the film as it is to praise it, but to deride it for such reasons would be simply unfair given the expectations it set for itself. For the most part, it delivered. “Your Highness” is indeed as imperfect a comedy as there is, but it’s also extraordinarily special. Leave it to McBride, who wrote the film’s outline with Ben Best and determined much of the action, to break the mold in his biggest film yet. This is a film made up of insatiable actors who are more than willing to put their reputations on the line, improvising their quest. smlittma@syr.edu
ze aceshowbiz.com
“YOUR HIGHNESS”
Director: David Gordon Green Cast: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Jusin Theroux Rating:
3/5 Popcorns
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pul p @ da ilyor a nge.com
PERSPECTIVES
Getting more z’s can help you stay alert, healthy
by andrew renneisen | asst.photo editor
UNUSUAL SPRING BEERS
This week, we’ll look at three random spring beers with added flavors. Adjuncts are ingredients other than malt, yeast, water or hops. They can be vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, spices, fruit or a slew of other ingredients.
What do you think about the MayFest guest passes?
L
Samurai Ale
Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, Colo.) Style: American Blonde Ale ABV: 5.1 percent
It pours a golden color, has some head retention and is unfiltered but not heavy on yeast. It drinks very crisp with medium carbonation and has a light to medium body. It has heavy rice on the nose and slight bitterness on finish, but toasty malt and rice flavor is prevalent. The bottle says the bear goes great with goat cheese, so I tried it with some feta. It paired perfectly because of its salty bite and creamy texture. Try this beer to sample something unusual, but it’s not unapproachable. It is sold at Wegmans in singles or six-packs.
Apricot Wheat
Ithaca Beer Co. (Ithaca, N.Y.) Style: Fruit/Vegetable Wheat Ale ABV: 4.9 percent
ALICIA SMITH
“I don’t feel like Walnut part of MayFest is that popular anyway, I think people will just go to Euclid instead.” Krystina Hess
SOPHOMORE BIOENGINEERING MAJOR
“I think it’s a great idea. I have friends in the area that want to come and the school would make a lot of money ” Lydia Feinberg
do the body right
ast week, 17-year-old Holly Thompson yawned during a politics class with such enormity that upon completion of the exhaustion-filled expression, her jaws were stuck open. Lucky for her, she got to leave class early and was rewarded with three minutes of fame on BBC’s “Bizarre ER.” Unfortunately for Thompson, she had to endure pain and embarrassment. Unfortunately for me, when I should have been studying, I was wasting an additional hour laughing at Thompson’s expense on YouTube. What if she could have kept her exhausted British lips sealed? Scientists have found yawning has several possible causes, including our revolutionary ties to cavemen who bared their teeth to intimidate their peers. As frightening as her canines may have been, intimidation wasn’t the factor causing Thompson to yawn. Perhaps if she had stopped playing with her Kate Middleton Barbie doll a few hours earlier and instead spent those hours sleeping, all of the misfortunes I previously
FRESHMAN MATH MAJOR
Ithaca Beer Co.’s Excelsior! Series is where it shines most, but it has some decent year-round styles. This one is clearly modeled after Magic Hat’s flagship, #9, but it’s not quite as good, unfortunately. It is slightly cheaper, which makes sense because quality suffers from the lack of fully defined flavor. It smells of apricot, sweet malts and wheat. Give it a try if you like Magic Hat #9, but prepare to not be impressed.
Yes,
you can
Agave Wheat
Breckenridge Brewery (Denver/Breckenridge, Colo.) Style: Herbed/Spiced Wheat Ale ABV: 4.2 percent
It pours an orange color and is hard to distinguish individual smells on the nose other than some mild citrus. They use Salmiana Agave nectar, which adds a mild sweet touch compared to the slight bitterness present from hops. It predominantly tastes of wheat and tart citrus. The citrusy yeast blends well with the agave, creating a relatively well-balanced beer. There are better fruit adjunct beers, but it’s light and crisp and could help introduce you to interesting fruit flavors in the future, such as star fruit or dragon fruit.
Summer
takeTclasses at ESF
mentioned could have been avoided. Some may think they can get by on a catnap and a shot of an energy drink, but most are incorrect. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that “short sleepers,” individuals who only need five or six hours of sleep to function, only make up 1 to 3 percent of the population. In reality, the vast majority of adults need at least seven hours of sleep. A lack of sleep can bring down our immune system’s effectiveness and can also lower our ability to rid the body of a cold. A couple of extra hours of studying may seem necessary to avoid getting behind, but that pales in comparison to the effects of sickness and productivity in the classroom caused by lack of sleep. There’s nothing I love more than the soundtrack of sniffling and sneezing during class. As the school year comes to a close and we have more on our plates than we can handle, sleep is usually put on the backburner. As we shift our priorities to amp up the learning, we are ironically doing the opposite. The Harvard Medical School reports that a lack of sleep can hinder the ability to commit new information to memory. Consequently, tiredness can prevent us from adequately preparing for final exams when we’re finally learning the information we never read during the semester. However, preparedness for an exam is irrelevant if students are unsuccessful in the games of human Frogger I witness every day on Comstock Avenue on the way to class. Sleep can help keep us safe by making us aware and clear-headed throughout the day. From the number of people I see dashing across the street in front of cars during heavy traffic, hoping they don’t get hit, I have been led to believe that the admissions staff at Syracuse University only admits sleepless students. The bottom line is this: Television shows are almost always replayed after their 11 p.m. premiere, and contrary to popular belief, Facebook will still be there in the morning. Doing well on exams is important, but so is crossing the street without getting hit by a semi-truck. Avoiding sickness and having proper brain function is essential to reaching graduation. I cannot confirm the number of hours of sleep Thompson got the night before the day of the yawn, but I am going to bet it wasn’t enough. I don’t want to see any SU students with yawn-induced lockjaw making the trek to student health unless I have my camera on hand and their permission to turn them into YouTube stars. Alicia Smith is a graduate student in the magazine, newspaper and online journalism program at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Her column appears every Thursday, and she can be reached at acsmit05@syr.edu.
Write for
— Compiled by Lucas Sacks, staff writer, ldsacks@syr.edu
Check course listings at www.esf.edu/outreach/summer
Pulp email
pulp@dailyorange.com
cl a ssif ieds@ da ilyor a nge.com
Apartments for Rent
cl assifieds Sign a lease by March 25th and get $25 OFF the monthly rent!
HOUSE RENTALS 2,3,4,5 BEDS SONIA 350-4191 CIGANKA6@AOL.COM WWW.UNIVERSITYHILL.COM UNIVERSITY AREA APARTMENTS (315)-479-5005 WWW.UNIVERSITYAREA.COM 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 Bedroom Houses and Apartments Available for 2011-2012 621 Euclid Ave 215 Comstock Ave 917 Ackerman Ave 921 Ackerman Ave 145 Avondale Place
Only 2 Left! Modern & Attractive New Kitchens with Dishwasher Large Bathrooms Carpeting Alarm Systems Off-street Parking Coin-Op Laundry You Cannot Get Any Closer to Campus!! Call Erica or Kristina (315)478-6504 www.oprdevelopers,com
www.myCOACHme.com Social network for athletes, fitness, and active lifestyles. 2,3,4,5 BEDROOMS Info at Universityhill.com WWW.UNIVERSITYHILL.COM 422-0709 Ext.30 713 Clarendon Street 3 bedrooms 1 1/2 baths Living room Dining room Full Kitchen with eating area Unfurnished Off-Street parking Rent $925 plus utilities Available 6/1/11 Contact Mrs. Gregg @ 422-7138
Fully Furnished, Remodeled Kitchens and Baths, Refinished Hardwood Floors and Wall to Wall Carpeting, Safe, Full Time Management, Full Service Maintenanace, Laundry, Parking, Best Value on Campus
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Renting for 2011-2012 Sign a lease before March 25th and get $25 off the rental price when you mention this ad! 3 Bedroom Apartments at 1104 Madison St Available June 1 and August 1 Fully Equipped Kitchen, Dishwashers, Disposals, Microwaves, One with a balcony and vaulted ceilings, One with wood fireplace. Off street parking & On-site laundry. Just a quick walk to Whitman!
3 Bedroom Apartments at 110 Comstock Ave. Available August 1 and August 26 Fully Equipped Kitchens. Wall-to-wall carpeting. Large bedrooms with full size closets. Some have balconies. Off-street parking and On-site laundry. Just a quick walk to Whitman! Call Erica or Kristina (315) 478-6504 www.oprdevelopers.com
Call Erica or Kristina (315)478-6504 www.oprdevelopers.com
PRIVATE FURNISHED STUDIO APTS.
1011 E. Adams St. 509 University Ave. Carpeted, Air-conditioned, Furnished, Secure, Laundry, Parking, Maintenance. Available for 2011-2012. University Area Apts. 1011 E. Adams St. #30 479-5005 www.universityarea.com
ENERGY STAR RENTALS SAVE THE PLANET WWW.UNIVERSITYHILL.COM 422-0709-Ext.32 Studio - 1 - 2 - 3 & 5 Bedrooms Walk to Campus Great Locations Some Include Utilities 24 Hour On Call Maintenance D.N. Drucker Ltd. www.dndruckerltd.com 315 - 445 - 1229 202 Ostrom. 3 bedroom Apt. Large Rooms. Walk to campus. parking, laundry, $400 per, plus utilities, 446-5186
SAVE MONEY ENERGY STAR RENTALS WWW.UNIVERSITYHILL.COM 422-0709 Ext.32 5 bedroom refurblished 968 Ackerman + Lemoyne College house. 469-6665 105 Euclid Terrace, 2 Bedroom Apartment, Available June, Parking, Laundry, Large Rooms, Quiet Street, 446-5186.
1106 Madison Corner of Ostrom. 5 bedroom, walk to campus, parking, large rooms, available June 2011. $400 per bedroom, plus. 446-5186 ELEGANTLY OVERLOOKING PARK: 1108-1205-1207 Madison 1-2-3 bedroom aptslofts-or house; All luxuriously furnished, heated, hot water, off-street parking. NO pets. Some pictures on web site: Fine-Interiors-Syracuse.Net Call (315) 469-0780
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Notices
OPR Developers Renting for 2011-2012 Great 3 Bedrooms! 300 Euclid Ave
april 14, 2011
Sign a lease by March 25th and get $25 OFF the monthly rent! Renting for 2011-2012 2 Bedroom Apartments 1104 Madison St 1111 Madison St 3 Bedroom Apartments 300 Euclid Ave 810 Livingston Ave 110 Comstock Ave 1104 & 1111 Madison St Call Erica or Kristina (315)478-6504 www.oprdevelopers.com 715 Clarendon Street 4 bedrooms 1 Full bath Living room Dining room Large eat-in Kitchen Unfurnished Off-Street Parking Rent $1000 plus utilities Available 6/1/11 Contact Mrs. Gregg @ 422-7138
Only 7 units left! 3 and 4 bedroom apartments available Great Locations/Professional Management See our website for details
campushill.com 315-422-7110
JOIN FREE Live your best life -- ACTIVELY!
YOU GET A SUDOKU AND YOU GET A SUDOKU AND YOU GET A SUDOKU 1 2 6 8 9 3 8 9
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POSTER FROM PAGE 24
er at The Post-Standard and was looking to transition into a different line of work. The kiosks presented a unique opportunity. After suggesting different ways to utilize the kiosk space to the Syracuse Downtown Committee, the committee decided to implement Emmons’ proposal of allowing a class of SU illustration students to create posters inspired or complemented by poems written by those in the Syracuse community. “It’s a win-win for the university and for the city of Syracuse because these students get the experience of a real-life project and having their work shown to the whole city and even possibly purchased,” said professor Roger DeMuth, who has been teaching the illustration students involved with the project for the past 10 years. The Syracuse Poster Project starts its planning phases in early August with an open call to all poets who would like to submit a haiku. Though the poetry aspect of the project is open to anyone, students seldom submit poetry for the contest. Emmons said in most instances, the submitter lives outside of Syracuse but is still an active part of the community. This past year alone, the project received approximately 202 poems from 90 poets. A selection committee consisting of DeMuth, two representatives from the Syracuse Downtown Committee and a member of the Poster Project Board chooses 16 illustrations, meaning several students’ designs are not chosen. “I think it’s a healthy amount of competition that motivates them to work hard on their posters,” DeMuth said. “It’s another aspect that makes it so professional, and I think the students really value and learn from that.”
pul p @ da ilyor a nge.com
Emmons decided to use haikus, a form of poetry he said is effective and succinct. Darby agrees it’s the best way to make poetry public and grab people’s attention. “Walking down the street, you can really absorb some of the syllables because you’re not going to stop and read a sonnet, you’re not going to stop and read 140 syllables,” Darby said. “But if you’re running someplace and a bright picture attracts your attention and you read a quick poem, even by accident, I think that’s a great thing.” Once poems are narrowed down, they are presented to DeMuth’s class, and each student selects one out of three poems that inspires him or her the most and creates an illustration for the poster in any medium of choice, from oils and watercolors to digital production. Sarah Hudkins, a senior illustration major, chose Darby’s poem referencing carp in Onondaga Lake. “I was definitely inspired by my poem because it reminded me of traditional Japanese haikus, but it was very close to Central New York because it’s about Onondaga Lake,” Hudkins said. “I felt like I could create a design that worked well with the words.” Hudkins said this project, though part of a class, has little to do with grades. Much like the connection created between Darby and Hudkins’ work, the Syracuse Poster Project fosters collaboration among individuals within the Syracuse community and brings the community closer together. “Syracuse is a really great city. There’s a lot of history and a lot of cool things going on,” Hudkins said. “I think this is a perfect, great way to get public art into the city and work with other talented artists and also bring the university closer to the city.” dmodiama@syr.edu
Events SATURDAY, APRIL 16 Syracuse Grows Annual Resource Drive Starting at 10 a.m. 100 Bellevue Ave., Syracuse Free
Syracuse Grows will collect donations of new or gently used gardening equipment, supplies and monetary donations. Later, Orange Seeds will volunteer to clean up gardens around the city.
Campus Screening of “Wretches & Jabberers” 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium in Newhouse 3 Free
“Wretches & Jabberers,” produced by School of Education Dean Douglas Biklen and Academy Award-winning director Gerardine Wurzburg, is a film about two men with autism who embark on a global quest to change attitudes about issues such as disability, intelligence and communication.
SUNDAY, APRIL 17
Hendricks Chapel Choir to perform Durufle’s “Requiem” in Annual Spring Concert 4 p.m.
Hendricks Chapel Free
Syracuse University Hendricks Chapel Choir, along with University organist Kola Owolabi, will perform French composer and organist Maurice Durufle’s “Requiem” for its annual Spring concert. Hendricks Chapel Choir members Sierra Fox and Alex Brozdowski will be soloists.
“How Bruce Lee Changed the World” 7 p.m. 132 Lyman Hall Free
This documentary shows Bruce Lee’s influence in pop culture. When Lee made a presence in the industry, he expanded the portrayal of Asian men in mainstream media.
Charlie Hunter Concert 8 p.m. The Westcott Theater $10 for tickets
Guitarist Charlie Hunter will appear at The Westcott Theater to perform with drummer Terence Higgins from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. — Compiled by Colleen Bidwill, asst. feature editor, cbidwill@syr.edu
pul p @ da ilyor a nge.com
BACKSTAGE FROM PAGE 24
love for theater. So when the end crept close, they took up staff positions to help create that same experience for the incoming freshmen. Split into eight teams, the staff works with the cast, creates the set from scratch and runs the entire show. One by one, the team heads update the rest of the staff on each group’s progress. When it’s his turn, finance director Kevin Hirst bounces in his seat. “We’re well under budget. Which means…” He pauses, flashing a toothy grin. “We’re getting very fierce, full-color programs!” The staff erupts into applause. After the round of updates, Siao claps his hands once. “All right, team meetings!” he says, and the staff breaks off into groups. ••• Five days prior to production, head carpenter Christine Lane, a junior mechanical engineering major, steps inside a vast room in SU’s Physical Plant, where the art team has constructed the set’s individual components since mid-March. After the show was selected last May, the teams started designing and planning in November. Members from other teams stream inside to paint, hold up panels — anything to help prepare to move the set. Lane observes several staff members hunched over a set piece, brushing the large, skeletal wooden frame with brown paint. “This is my FYP family. And its family with a ‘ph,’ so FYPhamily,” she says. “And that’s the really great thing about this organization. We’re a family and we’re always there for each other, no matter what.” Technical art director and senior industrial design major Nick Garritano quickly walks to another room, where painted panels are laid to dry. The entire staff will piece together the set in Goldstein Auditorium, before revealing it to the cast. “It’s that element of surprise and the magic of ‘here it is.’ I’m really excited for that,” he says, watching four staffers roll bright red paint onto the spellers’ bench, where the main leads will be seated for most of the show. “There’s a lot to still do to get to that point,” he says. “But it’s finally in sight.” ••• Staff members sprawled on the floor sing along to “Putnam County” tunes pumping through the speakers as they draw on posters at about 1 p.m. inside Goldstein Auditorium the next day. Onstage, Garritano steps to the edge, cupping his hands over his mouth — “Everybody who’s not doing anything, we need you onstage!” Many sprint onto the stage and surround the doorframe, the set’s centerpiece. Bending down and gripping it from all sides, they hoist it up, carefully, slowly. Garritano murmurs, “Whoa, nice and easy.” They flip it over and set it down, letting out whoops of relief. The carpenters set triangular frames on top that will hold the door upright. Offstage, director Kim Ndombe, also a senior television, radio and film and political science major, glances at them before walking toward the hallway, where stage manager and senior music industry major Teddi Lopez paints the musical’s title onto a banner set to be hung outside, the first thing the cast members will lay their eyes on before entering the venue at 8 p.m. “This is what I love about theater,” Ndombe said. “It’s a collaborative art.” ••• It’s 7:45 p.m., and the staff makes final touches to the set. The centerpiece stands erect onstage, two brown, wooden bleachers flanking each side. The completed spellers’ bench, posi-
april 14, 2011
tioned at an angle, mirrors a table covered with a glossy blue cloth. The staff waits on the balcony to the right, several sitting on the rounded railing while others pull on T-shirts designed for the show. “It’s good to see it done,” one staffer says. “It looks amazing.” Standing nearby, another staffer nods vigorously. “I can’t believe the show opens in three days,” he says. “I feel like they just auditioned yesterday.” Faint shrieks of delight emanate from outside, and all heads turn toward the doors. Siao bursts inside, hooting. Deyo and Ndombe follow suit, and the staff members erupt. Their thunderous roars escalate as the first cast member’s face peeks through the doorway. The cast files down the steps onto the floor, wide eyes fixed on the stage. Clasping one hand over her mouth, a cast member shakes her head in disbelief while
another mouths, “Oh my God.” The staff continues to cheer and the cast turns. Looking up, the actors applaud back. They make their way over to public relations director Maggie Gleason to grab their T-shirts. They walk over to the sound operator. Music director Nina Elias stands nearby, watching them tape the microphone wires to their necks. “They don’t see what we do for a year, and then they realize, ‘Holy crap, all these people did this,’” she said. “Seeing the realization wave over their faces is really cool and so rewarding.” ••• It’s officially tech week, coined “hell week” by FYP staff — two days until showtime. In full costume, the cast prepares for a cue-tocue, a full run-through for the staff to review light cues, sound checks and set changes. Several executive members sit in the neatly lined chairs. Onstage, staffers sweep the floors, and
23
carpenters bolt the doors onto the centerpiece’s opening, making final touches. Lopez, the stage manager, sits at a long, brown table facing the brightly lit stage and adjusts her headset. “OK, guys, we’re going to start, so get in your positions,” she says, her voice echoing through the auditorium. The cast members arrange themselves onstage and stand motionless. The music blasts, and they launch into a number. Staring up at the stage, Deyo stands upright, his arms folded and eyes unblinking. Music director Nina Elias sits near the sound operator, listening intently. The number comes to a close, and the cast flocks to the center and ends in unison, silver confetti flies in the air. “Yes!” Elias says, leaping up and running toward the cast. She flings her arms around Ndombe. She shouts: “That was perfect!” kkim40@syr.edu
FIND SPORTS ON PAGE 9 THURSDAY
a pr il
PAGE 24
14, 2011
the daily orange
the sweet stuff in the middle
Posters to enrich city atmosphere By Danielle Odiamar ASST. FEATURE EDITOR
stephanie lin | design editor (FROM LEFT) RYAN LU, ALEX ROGERS AND GISELLA RODRIGUEZ-LARRAIN , a senior marketing major, junior advertising major, and sophomore biology pre-med major, respectively, watch the cast of First Year Players rehearse this year’s show in Goldstein Auditorium.
Beyond the spotlight
stephanie lin | design editor TEDDI LOPEZ, a senior music industry major, prepares for a cueto-cue, a walkthrough of the show, Tuesday night. FYP will perform “The 25th Annnual Putnam County Spelling Bee” this year.
Passion for theater propels backstage team’s hands-on involvement in First Year Players’ show
E
By Kathleen Kim ASST. FEATURE EDITOR
leven days before the opening night of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee!” the all-student staff of First Year Players trickles into Room 500 of the Hall of Languages for its weekly Sunday meeting. Nick Deyo, a junior television, radio and film major, squeezes into the large circle of chairs to join the 57 other staffers. He scans the room. “OK, everybody,” he says. “Let’s start.” Headed by co-producers Deyo and Kierson Siao and nine executive board members, called team heads, the staff handles the behind-the-scenes action of Syracuse University’s FYP, a studentrun organization that gives first-year, non-drama majors the chance to perform in an annual spring musical. This year’s show premieres
at 8 p.m. Thursday, running until Saturday. “This week is sober week,” Siao says. To make sure this year’s 24-member cast is in the best shape for the show, the staff hosts a game night and other alcohol-free events. “Please don’t come intoxicated,” he says, and the group promptly bursts into laughter. “Do not come drunk to sober events.” Deyo gives the staff a long look. “We’re serious about this. This is our way of showing the cast support,” he says. “Please understand that we are in this together. This is our show.” Deyo and many of the current staffers joined FYP their freshman year because of their passion for stage acting. Devoting countless hours to rehearsals and performing with their peers amplified their
SEE BACKSTAGE PAGE 23
As an undergraduate at Syracuse University, Eric Darby majored in creative writing, specializing in poetry. The 2010 alumnus, who now lives in San Jose, Calif., always liked the idea of projecting art and poetry into the public space. “Any way to really combine art forms and to get poetry out to people instead of having it hidden in a book is great,” he said. Darby heard about the annual Syracuse Poster Project before he graduated. Intrigued, he decided to submit a poem. It wasn’t chosen then, but this year it was selected to be paired with one of 16 current SU illustration majors’ poster designs. The finished products, which will be revealed Thursday, will be placed in poster kiosks throughout the city for the next year. By combining work from SU students with creative poems about the Central New York area, the Syracuse Poster Project, which celebrates its 10th year, has remained dedicated to enlivening and enhancing the atmosphere of the city’s downtown area while creating connections among people living in the community. “I enjoy working on collaborative projects and any bright colors and art improv downtown,” Darby said. “I’m definitely going to try to make it downtown while I’m back and see the poster.” Since the project’s first year, it has evolved into a financially viable business that supports itself through selling the posters. Each poster sold has handwritten information about the artist and poet on the back. “The project brings together the artist, the poet, the people who purchase the posters and every person who sees the posters through the city,” Emmons said. “It really brings people together.” Ten years ago, empty poster kiosks lining the downtown Syracuse sidewalks inspired Jim Emmons, founder of the Syracuse Poster Project, to start this collaborative project. “Working downtown, I saw those poster panels go in, and I had high hopes for them functioning in a graphically interesting way, the way you go to a large city and you see interesting art and advertising on the sidewalks,” said Emmons, who was disappointed to see the bare kiosks. At the time, Emmons was a report-
SEE POSTER PAGE 22