oscar predictions Who will win, who should win? See page 16
Bust a move The Lab brings break dancing to DePaul, see page 25
DePaulia
The
New provost important to complete Vision 2018 By Grant Myatt Managing Editor
On a sunny day in September 2012, DePaul President Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M. announced the university’s new strategic plan — Vision 2018 — to a crowd of faculty, staff and students in the Quad. Now, at the halfway point of this six-year plan, the situation at DePaul is not entirely sunny. Despite success and a focus on student support initiatives at the university, an inconsistency in the provost office over the past four years and low morale at the university have clouded the view. A new and permanent provost will be a key piece in continuing to propel this vision forward. “The plan is absolutely central to the work of the provost for the next couple of years,” said Jay Braatz, vice president for planning and presidential administration. “We’ve moved the plan forward in great and important ways, but our next provost will need to help focus the university’s energies for many years to realize a number of our ambitious strategic objectives.”
See VISION, page 7
EDITORIAL: The DePaulia endorses provost candidate. See page 12.
Volume #99 | Issue #15 | Feb. 16, 2015 | depauliaonline.com
BRAIN FREEZE As temperatures drop in Chicago, students take the plunge into winter quarter when seasonal affective disorder is at its height
By Megan Deppen News Editor
Beyond the stress of college life, there’s something in the air that makes students feel down, unmotivated and exhausted. Maybe that something is a 30 mph wind chill. Chicago’s temperatures tanked again last week with temperatures hanging in the 20s and dipping into single digits at night. As the city’s fifth largest blizzard disintegrates on street corners, weather forecasters have said that every day this week will be at least ten degrees below historical averages. Fresh out of the sunny rays of Las Vegas, DePaul sophomore Courtney Quam said she had to make quite an
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adjustment to Chicago weather last year, especially during winter quarter. “I had to adjust mentally because there’s constantly sun (in Nevada),” Quam said. “Here it’s just dark and grey.” When she was feeling down, Quam would Skype her therapist from home, and she encouraged her other native Las Vegas friends to use University Counseling Services. “I’d feel tired a lot,” Quam said. “I’d say ‘it’s just the weather.’” Not all students seek out counseling services for the winter blues, but according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), maybe they should. According to the NIMH, millions of Americans suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), or what many refer to as
seasonal depression. “In Florida only about 1 percent of the population is likely to suffer from SAD. But in the northernmost parts of the U.S., about 10 percent of people in Alaska may be affected,” Dr. Matthew Rudorfer of the National Intitute of Health said in a newsletter. Rudorfer said SAD is a form of depression and can leave people feeling hopeless, worthless and irritable. People lose interest in their hobbies and spending time with friends. According to NIMH, symptoms include restless agitation, increased appetite, weight gain and reduced energy and motivation. “Winter quarter is definitely, I would say, the hardest quarter,” sophomore
See SAD, page 6
Ty Corbin’s last stand Former Blue Demon’s final days as head coach By Matthew Paras Sports Editor
Tyrone Corbin sat in an elevated chair in the United Center hallway before Tuesday’s game against the Bulls. The Sacramento Kings coach smiled, thanked the media for coming and then waited for the question he knew was going to be asked. An awkward 15 seconds of silence passed. For the last week, Corbin, an interim coach, has dealt with constant inquires regarding his job status and how he has handled it. Corbin coached his last
two games for the Kings for the foreseeable future as the team headed into the All-Star break after Wednesday’s game against Milwaukee. In his second stint as a head coach, the Kings announced Thursday that former Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl will replace Corbin, with Corbin taking an advisory role in the front office. “I’ve been in this league for so long as a player and a coach, it’s just part of it,” Corbin said. “You have to manage it and focus on the task at hand.” And so Corbin and the Kings went out and suffered a 104-86 loss to the Bulls. The Kings fell to
18-33, but just 7-20 under Corbin. Brought in as a lead assistant in the summer, Corbin was suddenly thrust into a head coaching role after the Kings fired head coach Mike Malone on Dec. 15. At the end of the night, Corbin, who was a former DePaul standout in the 80s, was asked the same question again. This time, the smile was gone and Corbin looked exhausted. “I’ve been through a lot in this league, playing in it for 16 years and coaching in it for 12. It’s been a difficult time,” Corbin said, admitting the process was
See CORBIN, page 27
Rick Bowmer | AP
Sacramento Kings former head coach Tyrone Corbin directs his team in the second quarter during an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz Saturday, Feb. 7 in Salt Lake City.