FALL’S TV EXTRAVAGANZA
Vol. # 95, Issue # 3
September 26, 2011
Arts & Life, Page 18
EDITORIAL
‘There is no justice in this’
Money talks Revenue prompts Big East realignment By JULIAN ZENG Assistant Sports Editor
DePaul senior Frankie Valencia was shot and killed at a Halloween party in 2009. In this photo taken June 20, 2009, Valencia works with children during a service trip in Colombia.
Gang member guilty in Frankie Valencia murder By RACHEL METEA Editor-in-Chief Victor Valencia said he was overwhelmed with tears of happiness, anger and sadness on Friday, Sept. 17 when gang member Narcisco Gatica was found guilty for the murder of his brother, DePaul honors student Francisco “Frankie” Valencia. Gatica, 21, was found guilty of firstdegree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm. When Gatica was convicted, Victor Valencia said he was “genuinely happy.” “It was one of the first times I had
been happy in a long time,” the 19-yearold brother said. “But at the same time, I was overwhelmed by depression and sadness, and even more so by anger,” he said. “Anger because reality sets in. Anger because of the fact that they gave no defense. Anger because it doesn’t make life any better ... and it doesn’t make this any easier.” “In some respects, I was relieved,” he added. I didn’t have this sitting on me anymore. The air felt thinner, it felt lighter. It felt like things weren’t so dark anymore because he was found guilty on all charges.” Frankie Valencia was murdered at a Halloween party in 2009 after gang members were asked to leave
the private party. Gatica, along with self-admitted Maniac Latin Disciple Berly Valladares, 23, left the party and returned with a TEC-9 semiautomatic handgun. According to Chicago police, Valladares gave the gun to Gatica, who then open fired, shooting Frankie Valencia twice in the chest and once in the arm and wounding Daisy Camacho, a good friend of his. Frankie Valencia was pronounced dead later that morning. In a video taped interview with police two days after the murder, Gatica changed his story several times, first denying being at the scene. See VALENCIA, page 7
Recently, the Big East Conference underwent a bit of a shakeup, losing both the University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University to the Atlantic Coast Conference. Two of the stronger athletic programs in the Big East, Pitt and Syracuse will be held to their 27-month contractual exit obligations, according to Big East commissioner John Marinatto. This would mean the departing programs would not be able to leave the conference until June 2014. While collegiate athletic conference realignment is nothing new historically, the circumstances with which these changes are taking place are mainly influenced by money, an issue that was not as prevalent in years past. In a traditional sense, conferences and universities have always prided themselves on strong geographical ties and the intense, age-old rivalries that would form between teams, for example Georgetown vs. Syracuse. More recently, however, tradition has been ditched in favor of pursuing more lucrative television offers and the exposure that comes with those deals. “If you wanted to be a traditionalist, you would say ‘well, shouldn’t colleges go together in conferences that are supposed to be geographically and academically homogenous?’” said DePaul economics professor Anthony Krautmann. “Ten or 20 years ago that was the case, but now considering the amount of money floating around in the pockets of the top 20 football revenue teams, it may not have anything to do with academics.” Krautmann cited gaining exposure for powerhouse Division I football programs as one of the leading causes for schools to jump ship to garner more lucrative offers from major TV networks like ESPN. “The one thing that drives all of these talks is revenue – when you look at See MONEY TALKS , page 26
Student Government Association begins elections By PAIGE WAGENKNECHT News Editor Polls opened Monday, Sept. 26 at midnight for Student Government Association (SGA) elections. Students met their prospective representatives at a meet-and-greet event on Thursday, Sept. 22, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Park Student Center atrium. Votes can be cast online at sga.depaul. edu or at an EOB polling station in the
Lincoln Park Student Center, which will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. All polls will close Sept. 28 at 5 p.m. and election results will be posted on Sept. 29 in the Lincoln Park Student Involvement Office and on SGA’s website. “I think for the new people, SGA is a different type of way to be involved,” SGA President Anthony Alfano said. “While most organizations fall under Student Affairs, SGA is a part of the University’s administration and is one of three governing bodies, including Faculty Council and Staff Council. Everyone is friendly but the main goal is to service and
represent DePaul students.” Candidates are vying for open Senate seats in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, which has two vacancies, the College of Commerce and the College of Communication. They are also campaigning for positions like Senator of First Year Students, Senator of Transfer Students and Senator of Graduate, Law and Adult Students. “This is really going to shake things up, and bring a bigger voice to students,” Alfano said of the prospective group of See ELECTION, page 7
2 The DePaulia. September 26, 2011
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rachel Metea
FIRST LOOK
MANAGING EDITOR Elizabeth Schuetz
Upcoming Events
ONLINE EDITOR Jeremy Mikula NEWS EDITOR Paige Wagenknecht NATION & WORLD EDITOR Michael Corio
TUESDAY
WE
Weekend Edition
Check out the new online weekend edition for food deals, events, playlists, and more.
Center for Intercultural Origins: A Programs Photographic Open House Encounter of Cultures 5 p.m.- 7 p.m. 5 p.m.- 7 p.m. Free Free LP Student Center 105 14 E. Jackson Auditorium
W W W. D E PA U L I A O N L I N E . C O M / W E E K E N D - E D I T I O N
OPINIONS EDITOR Jenn Schanz FOCUS EDITOR Margaret Thompson ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Tricia Cathcart SPORTS EDITOR Cheryl Waity
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
James Blake 9 p.m. $26 Metro 3730 N. Clark St.
SATURDAY
Bicyclist Matt Kelly at Backyard Film & Music DePaul Lincoln Park Festival Campus 2 p.m.- 6 p.m. 3 p.m.- 5 p.m. $15 Free Wicker Park Art Center McGowan-South 108 2215 W. North Ave.
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Julian Zeng
COPY EDITORS Darla Weaver Colleen Connolly Zoe Barker
SUNDAY
MONDAY
Design Harvest 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. Free 1900 W. Grand Ave.
Tibetan Monks of Deprung Gomang Monastery Visit DePaul 10 a.m. Free LP Student Center 105
Weather
PHOTO EDITOR Brianna Kelly GRAPHICS EDITOR Samantha Schroeder
WEDNESDAY
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
High: 64
High: 70
High: 70
High: 71
High: 72
High: 69
Showers
Partly Cloudy
Sunny
Sunny
Sunny
Partly Cloudy
SS
Saturday
Sunday
Monday High: 64
R R R R RR
BUSINESS MANAGER Auriel Banister
Sunny
ADVISOR Marla Krause
Contact GENERAL PHONE (773) 325.7441
FAX
(773) 325.7442
PHOTOGRAPHY
depauliaphotos@gmail.com
GRAPHICS
depauliagraphics@gmail.com
Radio DePaul... 12a-3 8-10 10-12 12-12:30 12:30-3 3-5 5-5:30 5:30-7:30 7:30-10 10-12
WEEKEND EDITION
depauliaweekend@gmail.com
ADVERTISING
depauliabusiness@gmail.com
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
depauliaeic@gmail.com
MANAGING EDITOR thedepauliame@gmail.com
ONLINE
depauliaonline@gmail.com
www.depauliaonline.com
12a-3 8-10 10-11 11-12 12-12:30 12:30-3 3-5 5-5:30 5:30-7:30 10-12
Chicago’s College Connection
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday HAL 2010 (Playlist) HAL 2010 (Playlist) HAL 2010 (Playlist) HAL 2010 (Playlist) Gia D and Cali (Music/Talk) Your Show Here? (Open) Gia D and Cali (Music/Talk) Your Show Here? (Open) Chris & Andrew (Sports Talk/Music) Your Show Here? (Open) Madhouse w/ Madison (Sports) Your Show Here? (Open) News at Noon (Live) News at Noon (Live) News at Noon (Live) News at Noon (Live) Indie Invasion (Indie/College) Hands Up, Smiles, Lighters (Dub) Ezzy Ez (Pop/Rock) Indie Invasion w/ Amy (Indie) Haters to the Left (Alt/Punk) The Chicago Show (Talk/Tunes) Zenaya (Hip Hop, R&B, Dance) Humilidad y Inteligencia News and Sports (Live) News and Sports (Live) News and Sports (Live) News and Sports (Live) Bass Musiq (Dub, Reggae, Elec) Lef of the Dial (Alt, Rock, Ind)The Jet Set w/ Maggie(World /Funk)1Heart1Love1Soul (R&B) Mondays Suck (Rap, Classic) Beyond Genre(Hip Hop/Rock) Grassl’s Got Grooves w/ Dylan (Jam) Subconscious (Hip Hop) New Music w/ Roy (Jam, Elec) Tea Time (Elec/Soul/Garage) Prog Nation w/ Nathan (Prog Rock) Alternative Connection (Alt) Friday HAL 2010 (Playlist) Life @ DePaul (Profiles/News) DePaul Authors’ Series Scrawl DePaul / Threshold News at Noon (Live) Fondue Fridays (Retro) Perpetual Jam (Jam Bands) News and Sports (Live) Features w/ Kacie (Indie Rock) Stay Free Radio (Mixed)
9 -10 10 -12 12 -3 3 -5 5 -7 7 -9 9 -12
Saturday Yet To Be Named (Sports Talk) Your Show Here? (Open) DePaul Demon Broadcasts (Sports) Overcast Hype (Grunge) The Link (Dance) Your Show Here? (Open) Wild Wuns (Hip Hop)
10-12 12 -3 3-5 5-8 8 -10
Sunday Cabochon Jazz Radio (Jazz/World) Curious Sophisticate (News/Talk) Play It By Year (Rock/Themed) Brutalitopia (Metal) A Cup O’ Joe Show (Sports Talk)
Welcome Back!
NEWS
News. September 26, 2011. The DePaulia 3
News Editor Paige Wagenknecht depaulianews@gmail.com
Photo of the Week
"Elections" continued from cover
RACHEL METEA | The DePaulia
Freshmen Angela Pastor (left) and David Gorelik balance on a tight-rope in the Lincoln Park quad on Friday, Sept. 23.
SEPTEMBER 14- 21
CAMPUS CRIME REPORT LOOP CAMPUS
a report with Public Safety after receiving threatening telephone calls from a roommate. Chicago SEPTEMBER 14 Police were advised of the situation • A theft report was filed after a and the offender was arrested. DePaul I.D. was taken from the •A suspicion of marijuana report DePaul Center computer lab. was filed regarding rooms in • A burglary report was filed af- Munroe Hall. No drugs were ter a wallet was taken from an of- found. fice in the Lewis Center building. SEPTEMBER 17
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS SEPTEMBER 15 •A theft report was filed after six
cases of paper went missing from the Theater School mail room.
•A theft report was filed for a
student who had an unattended red leather jacket and iPad taken from the library.
SEPTEMBER 16
•A report was filed after an incident of aggravated batter on a non-DePaul person. Chicago Police and EMS were called to the scene. •A report was filed for a suspicion of marijuana at Corcoran Hall. No drugs were found.
•A liquor law violation was filed on individuals at University Hall. •A criminial trespass warning was Individuals were taken to Illinois given to an individual passing out Masonic Hospital for treatment. fliers by Clifton-Fullerton Hall. •A criminal damage to property SEPTEMBER 18 was filed regarding burn marks •A report was filed after Public found in the elevator of Munroe Safety was called to Centennial Hall. Hall for an intoxicated person. Upon arrival, the person was SEPTEMBER 19 gone. •A theft report was filed after an unattended wallet was taken from •A report was filed on an the I.D. Services office. A report intoxicated student after the was filed with the Chicago Police. individual was observed exiting a cab and stumbling. The student •A damage to property report was taken to Illinois Masonic for was filed on a message board in treatment. Belden-Racine Hall.
•A suspicion of marijuana was reported in Centennial Hall. No drugs were found. •A disturbance report was filed •A theft was reported on a on students throwing items out the missing iPad from SAC. •A student at 1237 Fullerton filed windows at Clifton-Fullerton Hall.
candidates. There are no prospective candidates for the one open Senator seat for the College of CDM and the Theatre School. The other CDM seat was filled during the spring elections, and SGA is currently searching for candidates in the college. If students are interested in the position, SGA will hold an internal election. Alfano said the Theatre School position is hard to fill because of the intense practice and rehearsal schedule. They will also hold an internal election for the spot. The Senator for the College of Health and Sciences, Mustafa Basree, was elected to represent LA&S last spring, but because his major fell under the new college, he was able to fill the seat when LA&S officially split on July 1 of this year. Various open executive leadership positions like Executive Assistant, Public Relations Coordinator and Technology Coordinator will be appointed by Alfano and then must be approved by SGA members. Once elected, new members will help promote this year’s SGA initiatives. SGA will give students a voice on important issues like the cutting of state financial aid programs like Map and Pell grants and the federal Pellet grant. Now that DePaul is at the end of Vision 2012, SGA wants students to be aware of Strategic Plan 2018, in which their elective representatives will be involved. SGA is also advocates sustainability and allocates $250,000 a year for things like water bottle refill stations and solar compact garbage cans.
CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS “Faculty Council sets date for tenure talk” in the Sept. 19 issue, stated the provost, president and deans cannot be present at the meeting. The president, Provost and deans are allowed to attend the meeting, but cannot vote. A motion was brought forth to the council to exclude the president, the provost and deans but it did not pass. “We're Here, We're Queer” in the Sept. 19 issue, stated that Joan Jett was interviewed, but it was Joan Jett Blakk, a prominent figure in the drag community. The quotes are directly from the author of the book, not pulled from the book itself. “Involvement fairs deemed successful” in the Sept. 19 issue, used the wrong web address for the Office of Student Involvement. The correct url is http://studentaffairs. depaul.edu/involvement/index. html. The Loop Involvement Fair was in the concourse level, not the student center. The DePaulia regrets the error.
3 The DePaulia. September 26, 2011
B
C
D
E
IMPORTANT TEST RECORD
Applying to DePaul will be different for future applicants. The university has announced it will implement a new test-optional application policy starting next year. Test-optional allows students to choose between submitting standardized test scores or answering a series of essay questions, according to DePaul’s admissions website. However, due to specific regulations; athletes, international, and homeschooled students still have to submit test scores to the university. Students are still required to submit test scores post-enrollment for research purposes, but it doesn’t affect their status. The policy will begin for students applying for the Autumn 2012 quarter. According to Jon Boeckenstedt, associate vice president of DePaul’s Enrollment Policy and Planning, the school’s ultimate goal is to let people and students know that their four years in high school mean more than four hours on Saturday morning. He said the policy would give the university a chance to look at characteristics such as personality, character, drive and motivation, which are equal-
succeed in their courses,” he said. However, Colby recognizes that every university is unique. “Some institutions, however, may be better able than others to review student applications and make decisions on student fit and readiness without using standardized test scores,” he noted. DePaul Professor Joyce MillerBean, who teaches first year writing classes such as WRD103 and WRD104, believes test scores are not a fair indicator of a student’s skill level, especially when one considers the large presence of test preparation classes. “Is that really going to give a fair picture of you?” she asked. “No.” Miller-Bean also claimed that this would give capable students with fewer resources a greater chance to succeed in a university setting. Additionally, she noted that the change would affect the dynamic of students in a positive way while still ensuring the success of the university as a whole. “[Some universities] rely more on the personal statement a student writes, and their numbers have not changed at all,” she said. Miller-Bean also refutes the idea that it lessens the students’ and university’s merit. “How can it dumb it down when it doesn’t show how capable a student is?”
A
NAME SUBJECT DATE
By HALEY BEMILLER Contributing Writer
ly important to the admission process. The idea to implement test-optional has been underway for some time. “We’ve been talking about it and doing research on it for at least four, maybe five, years,” Boeckenstedt said. They initially proposed the policy to the Committee of Academic Policies, he said. When the committee voted for it unanimously, they presented it to the faculty council who approved it last February. The policy is currently a “four year pilot project.” DePaul’s Enrollment Management and Marketing will work with the committees during this time to determine the success of the test-optional policy. “We would work with them to do the research after every cycle and every year,” Boeckenstedt said. Ed Colby, a representative from ACT media relations, believes the test does have a positive effect on applications. “ACT scores are a standardized measure of academic readiness that allow students to show colleges how prepared they are to succeed in firstyear courses at that institution,” Colby said. Colby also noted that universities utilize test scores to place first-year students in appropriate classes, which benefits them academically. “Proper course placement helps freshmen students hit the ground running, giving them the best chance to
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44
EXAMPLE [A] [B] [C] [D]
DePaul ditches ACT requirement, adopts new application policy
News. September 26, 2011. The DePaulia 4
Biking and politics class hits the classroom, streets By JOE RUPPEL Contributing Writer After completing a 20 month, 17,500 mile bicycle trek from the Arctic Circle to Argentina, bicyclist Matt Kelly will speak at DePaul on Sept. 30 to discuss his experience. Kelly will be a guest of Professor J. Harry Wray’s Biking and Politics class. Wray, a professor of political science and an avid biker, saw Kelly in an interview with “Chicago Tonight” after Kelly completed his cross-continent trip. “I thought, this is a very engaging guy. He’s young, students would love him and he’s very unpretentious. So I got a hold of him and said, ‘I teach this class,’” Wray said. Wray started the Biking and Politics course about 10 years ago as a Discover Chicago option. The course developed into a political science elective and a junior year experiential learning option. The class examines how biking and politics intersect by connecting themes discussed in lectures to experiences during weekly bike rides, which vary from 20 to 100 miles. The theme examines the relationship between the bike, the rider and the environment. “The bike connects you much more solidly to your environment and we reflect on the consequences of that,” Wray said. “When you bike through an urban area, you experience it
LISA ARMSTRONG | The DePaulia
in a very different way than if you motor through it. The car seals you. It constantly represents the driver as ‘the other’ and simultaneously, the world outside the car is more objectified.” Noah Boggess, a junior public policy major said his favorite experience in the class so far was the 30 mile South Side neighborhoods ride that focused on connecting the class to their environment. “The neighborhood tour was by far the best. We got to ride through vibrant, culturally diverse neighborhoods like Little Village and Pilsen, down to Kenwood and up through the West Loop,” Boggess said. “Biking through the city allows you to experience it in a more intimate fashion than a car or public transportation ever could,” he said. Another intersection of biking and politics the class studies is how the city uses resources to make itself more accommodating
to bicyclists. Wray said improvements in bicycling policy over the last quarter century, including bike lanes, the ability to take bikes on rapid transit and a Chicago bike map that details preferable routes have helped to propel Chicago to one of the top U.S. cities for biking with populations more than 500,000. “I had to learn how to ride in the city, but I also noticed that it wasn’t simply that I was getting better at it, it was that the city was making it easier for me to ride,” he said. “So, that’s when a lightbulb went off and I thought, there is a connection between biking and politics.” Before each quarter the class is offered, Wray interviews students enrolled in Biking and Politics to ensure they can meet the class demands. Wray said he makes sure students understand that the bike rides will be a substantial length and that the student must be capable of
Wray said “I want to make sure they understand two things: [That] the rides are going to be substantial and they have to be able to do that, and that this is a serious course. It’s a course that’s loads of fun. I love it, the students love it, but it’s also serious,” Wray said. “There’s just something peaceful about biking. It’s quiet, it calms your mind and it has become a little escape for me when the city gets too stressful,” Boggess said. Monica Martens, a junior international studies major said the class has increased her appreciation for biking. “Before taking the class I didn’t bike that much, usually just 10 miles on the weekends but, now I love riding. The class has definitely made me love my bike so much more. I even ride to my Loop classes from Lincoln Park.” I like the fact that when I arrive at DePaul, I’m always in a
good mood, I’m never mad about traffic snarls. I also like that I’m leaving a softer carbon footprint and integrating exercise into my everyday experience,” Wray said. Last year, Wray, 71, rode 5,700 miles. The year before, he rode 5,200 miles. He drives a car less than a thousand miles a year. As part of their class curriculum, Wray’s students will attend Kelly’s presentation at DePaul Sept. 30. “I’m curious to see what he took most from the trip and what experiences lingered,” Boggess said. “I’m interested to hear him tell his stories. He’s been through half the world and I’m excited to hear how he experienced biking through all those different countries,” Martens said. Before coming to Chicago, Wray took a 3,500 mile cross country bike trip with a friend. They began in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, crossed the Rocky Mountains, and ended in Los Angeles. Wray keeps pictures of the journey on a tack board in his DePaul office. “That ride had a dramatic impact on me,” Wray said. “That’s why I’m so excited about Matt Kelly coming here.” “When I did my cross country ride, people used to say to me ‘oh wow, you must really have this or that’ and it ticked me off because it was an excuse for them to not be riding,” Wray said. “People are going to see Matt as a normal guy who did this singular journey. I think people will say, ‘I want to do that. I want to have that experience out there on my own, self-sufficient, letting the world reveal itself to me.’”
6 The DePaulia. September 26, 2011
Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new at DePaul Dining Services? Our newest food station focused on fresh, made to order salads with seasonal ingredients Create your own salad with ingredients like: !"#$%%&"'()*"+(*,%"+(*-.%/ !"#01.%2"#),01/ !"32)0)0% !"#%4)0%"5*/6%7"8 Cilantro Lime Dressings !"9,:%;"<%&)"8"<7%4("=1>>)7%,,) !"?? )/2"017%@
DINEONCAMPUS.COM/DePaul
Try the Islander
MIXED GREENS WITH FRESH TOMATOES, MANDARIN ORANGES, EDAMAME, BAMBOO SHOOTS, BABY CARROTS, GARLIC SHRIMP & A SESAME GINGER DRESSING
On the 2nd floor of the Lincoln Park Student Center near the Deli station
News. September 26, 2011. The DePaulia 7
"Valencia" continued from cover
Gatica then confessed to being the gunman, claiming he thought he was shooting at rival gang members. Gatica later plead not guilty. “What really bothers my family and I, is that we had to go through this trial a second time, essentially for no reason,” Victor Valencia said. “There was no defense and we had to relive that night and that day … we were going there for the entire week,” he said. “We saw pictures of the autopsy and watched videos, the security footage ... of my brother getting shot.” “We had to relive that night again and again and again … for no reason,” the 19-year-old brother said. Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Shlifka told the jury in his closing arguments to focus on Gatica’s changing story in the video taped interviews saying it showed the “shifting sands of a guilty mind,” he said. It did not matter whether Gatica was shooting gang members or someone like Frankie, Shlifka said. “When you perform this type of act, you know it is a deadly act to another person,” Shlifka said, “It doesn’t matter who he was shooting at.” “The trial was very difficult to sit through,” Victor Valencia said. “Most of the time, my mother or I—or whoever had to get up and leave the courtroom because it was just so overwhelming to see the pictures and see the video,” he said adding, “All and all, we got through it together, got through it as a family. That is what is really important.” Frankie Valencia, a political science student and RA at Clifton/Fullerton Hall, was an active member in the DePaul community. Frankie Valencia was chosen as a Lincoln Laureate, an annual award given to an outstanding student at each of the state's four-year universities who shows excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities. Assistant public defender Marijane Placek claims the gang made Gatica the “fall guy” because they knew he was trying to leave the gang. “We definitely plan to appeal,” Placek said. “My young man was trying to get out of the gang,” she said. “Now his child will grow up without a father in that exact same neighborhood.” Gatica is the father of a 3-year-old son. “A lot the times, what people don’t realize is when children grow up with a father in prison, the children grow up looking at authority figures as the enemy,” Placek said. “This is a victory for the gangs.” Gatica faces a minimum of 45 years for murdering Frankie Valencia, plus an additional six for shooting Camacho. Last June, Valladares was sentenced to 70 years in prison for aiding in the murder. “People always say justice isn’t served,” Victor Valencia said. “But there really is no justice in this. I don’t get my brother back and his family is loosing him. Where is the justice from this?” Victor Valencia said he wants Gatica to have a strong sentence, “but that comes from an anger I have towards him because of what he did,” he said. “I don’t feel like it is going to make anything better. I don’t feel like a strong sentence is going to make me feel better.”
Photos courtesy of VICTOR VALENCIA Frankie Valencia (left) was shot and killed at a Halloween party in 2009. RIGHT: Frankie Valencia (top-right) poses with his brother Victor Valencia (top-left), mother Joy McCormack (bottomright), and his mom's partner Siu Moy (bottom-left). “I just want him to be able to feel a fraction of what I have felt this past two years for the rest of his life, ” the brother said. “I am carrying this with me for the rest of my life. It isn’t just going to go away one morning and I am going to wake up and everything is going to be better,” he said. “He doesn’t get that and he never will.” “All I can do is hope that at some point, he feels some sort of remorse for this, because as far as I have seen, he has shown no remorse, nothing,” Victor Valencia said. “This is normal for him,” he said. “He doesn’t get it. He doesn’t understand the pain that has caused my family and I.” Placek said, “If the appeal is unsuccessful, then Mr. Gatica won’t see the light
“
I don't feel like a strong sentence is going to make me feel better. I just want him to be able to feel a fraction of what I have felt this past two years for the rest of his life. VICTOR VALENCIA of day until he is 65.” “When this happened we almost expected the world to stop for us,” the 19-year-old brother said, “everyone was going to take a break, and hey, like everyone time out, we need some time to catch up, but it doesn’t. That doesn’t happen. The world keeps turning. People keep living their lives. Everyday for everyone else is normal. It is just us falling behind. We have to work extra hard just to keep up,” he said. “Oftentimes, it feels like the world is against us because a lot of people don’t
understand.” “Before Frankie’s death our family was very family-oriented, but after the murder that all changed,” Victor Valencia said. “We have a broken family now,” Victor Valencia said, “I feel helpless.” “Our family used to be really close, that used to be the most important thing to me and to brother, Frankie and my siblings. We were all about family,” Victor said. “But since this has happened my family is broken up, I don’t see my family very much at all.” To Victor Valencia, Frankie Valencia’s death is now his everyday life, but to his cousins it is not, he says. “It is hard for them to be around me without seeing it and being reminded by it.” Victor Valencia said that while his family is still invited to family parties and social events, “it is not the same atmosphere for us. We don’t feel as comfortable because we feel like there is something missing … and there is,” he said. “I am really good at putting up a front, getting ahead of my emotions and pretending everything is okay. When I am with my family, I shouldn’t feel like I have to do that, and when I do, it just shows it is false.” “I have come to terms of the fact that is what reality is now,” Victor Valencia said. Victor Valencia said in some respects Frankie’s death pulled his immediate family closer together. “Because it is the world against us, we are more united,” he said. “We have more patience for one another, more awareness and more space.” After the trial, Victor Valencia said his family held a special event in honor of Frankie Valencia where they invited family, Shlifka along with two women from his office, and Frankie Valencia’s fraternity at DePaul. “We brought Bears balloons for my brother,” Victor Valencia said, “he was a huge Bears fan, huge,” he said. “You couldn’t pull him away from a Bears game
if the house was on fire.” Frankie Valencia was dressed as a Bears fan for Halloween on the night of his death. Family, friends, and people from DePaul came to the trial, Victor Valencia said, “all people who were inspired by Frankie, all people who were moved by him, people he had touched in the short time he was here.” Frankie Valencia volunteered on the South Side of Chicago for various communities and in Colombia helping abandoned children. After Frankie Valencia was killed, President Obama—whom Frankie tirelessly campaigned for—wrote a letter to Frankie’s family “detailing how he and Frankie were kindred spirits, how they shared similar values and ideas,” Victor Valencia said. “To receive something from President Obama, to know that he knew who Frankie was, “ he said, “that was so amazing. That was powerful for us.” “He always said he was born and raised in Chicago and was going to live and die in Chicago,” Victor Valencia said. “As sad as it is, it is true that that happened” he said, “He felt he could make the most change in Chicago. He felt he could have the biggest impact here.” Frankie Valencia’s lived by his quote: “’We are the future. How will you be remembered?’ and he held true to that,” Victor Valencia said. “The youth of Chicago, the youth of the world. We are the future, we are part of a legacy and we all want to be remembered by something, in some way, by someone,” he said. “Frankie challenged us to do that,” he said. “He challenged us to be remembered and to make change in our own lives that could effect the world.” Victor Valencia said he plans to give his victim impact statement on Oct. 21, when Gatica returns to court for sentencing.
DePaul sponsors ‘One Book, One Chicago’ contest By ALEC MORAN Contributing Writer
In partnership with the Chicago Public Library, DePaul University’s English Department has organized a flash fiction writing contest in concurrence with this year’s One Book, One Chicago selection, “The Adventures of Augie March” by Chicago born Nobel Laureate Saul Bellow. The contest seeks to promote, among other things, the city of Chicago – and as such, all entries must be set in and inspired
by Chicago; entries also must not exceed 750 words, which might come as a surprise on the heels of the 500-plus page Augie March. David Welch, the English Professor heading the OBOC program and contest, said that they are “looking to have a little fun with contrast. ‘Augie March ’is a big book, and we wondered what writers would present to us when we asked for something quite smaller. As the entries roll in, we’re excited that Chicago authors are having fun with it, too.” In indicating the aim of the contest, Welch said that it is in “promoting great authors. Both
the established – Bello, and the new – the contest winners.” Since only personal friends of the judge are prohibited from entering, the new and great authors that Welch mentioned may very well come from DePaul University, being faculty or students. “I hope both faculty and students will enter, and look forward to reading their submissions,” said Welch. Judging the event is Chicago author Stuart Dybek whose book “The Coast of Chicago” was the One Book, One Chicago selection in 2004. Welch praised him for his keen eye and sharp sensibilities. The One Book, One Chicago
program is holding a public event October 13th for the conclusion of the contest. The three selected finalists will read their submissions at the office of Stop Smiling, a magazine located at 1371 N. Milwaukee Ave. The overall winner of the contest will have his or her work published in a future issue of the revitalized Chicagoan magazine. The One Book, One Chicago program is a city-wide educational program that, with the selection of “Augie March,” enters its tenth year. Residents are encouraged to read the selected book at the same time, fostering community, education and shared experience.
“All One Book, One Chicago books are selected for one reason: to promote great literature. The program strives to gather Chicagoans together in discussion in order to help promote longstanding interests and foster new ones,” Welch said. And in terms of great literature, Welch feels that ”Augie March” fits perfectly with the OBOC selections of years past. “Of course we’re thrilled that, as Mayor Emanuel states in his introductory letter to this season’s program guide, ‘Saul Bellow is a Chicago legend, and in Augie March he created a true son of Chicago,’” Welch said.
8 The DePaulia. September 26, 2011
THE DEPAULIA ONLINE MULTIMEDIA ONLINE EXCLUSIVES BLOGS
NEW BLOGS
College BItes | Out of Bounds | CHICHI | Slick City, World Wild | Exposure Culture Wars | The Cat's Pajamas | RANT | Behind the Headlines
WE
Weekend Edition
Check out the new online weekend edition for food deals, events, playlists, and more.
W W W. D E PA U L I A O N L I N E . C O M / W E E K E N D - E D I T I O N
facebook.com/TheDePaulia
@TheDePaulia
www.depauliaonline.com
News. September 26, 2011. The DePaulia 9
‘Climbing’ the Wit By TORREY SIMS Contributing Writer What advice would you want to hear if you were about to take the plunge? Participants in the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago’s third annual fundraiser, Skyline Plunge, were encouraged to breathe. 130 participants came to The Wit hotel Saturday, Sept. 17 and Sunday, Sept. 18 not for a weekend stay, but to scale down the 27-story building. The crowd was cheering on the brave individuals who could hardly be recognized while atop the large building. The view for the “climbers” was a lot different than those on the ground. “I was scared at first, but as I started going down it was gorgeous. You could see for miles and miles,” said climber David Van de Graaff, 21. Van de Graaff’s father, William Van de Graaff, was a volunteer at the event and a member of the RHAMC board. As a doctor, he has close ties with the non-profit’s mission to help educate, cure and inform people about lung cancer and other lung-related problems. Van de Graaff practices pulmonary and critical care
medicine at the VA hospital in Hines, Ill. He deals with many veterans suffering from lung conditions and has supported the event for the past three years. “It’s great to see people getting involved… being able to watch my son doing something like this is really exciting,” said William Van de Graaff. Fear was definitely a factor for young Van de Graaff, but the rappelling company, Over the Edge, as well as the city of Chicago took extreme safety precautions. There was an ambulance on-site as well as a police car patrolling the area to make sure the audience didn’t get too close to the climbers as they came down. On the rooftop of The Wit, employees from Over the Edge trained the participants with a 20-minute session and proceeded to secure them in harnesses equipped with radios in case contact was needed. “Naturally, I was afraid but they [Over the Edge] made me feel as safe as I could possibly feel up there,” Van de Graaff said. The RHAMC holds other city events, including their biggest fundraising event of over $1 million, Hustle up the Hancock. That event doesn’t involve reppelling down a building, but it does attract
more than 4,000 attendees hiking up the stairs of the John Hancock building. “Skyline Plunge is a great cousin event to Hustle up the Hancock. It gets people moving and for a great cause,” said President and Chief Executive Officer at RHAMC, Joel Africk. The RHAMC is hosting another Skyline Plunge May 6, 2012 at The Wit. They hope to get more participants to take the plunge. The registration started on Sept. 17 and has a $150 registration fee. All participants are required to raise a minimum $1,000 for the charity. “Each person had his or her own reason for reppelling— some did it for the adventure but all too often it was because people wanted to make a difference in the fight against lung cancer, COPD, or childhood asthma,” said Africk. The money raised at the event will be used to fund research projects dealing with lung cancer, asthma and other lung diseases at local hospitals including Northwestern, University of Chicago, and University of Illinois at Chicago. It will also be put into use for education programs for children dealing with asthma, educational conferences and provide information and support for those people trying to quit smoking.
TORREY SIMS | The DePaulia
The Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago hosted their third annual fundraiser, Skyline Plunge, at the Wit hotel on Sept. 17-18. Participants had the opportunity to scale down the 27-story building.
10 The DePaulia. September 26, 2011
NATION & WORLD
Nation & World Editor Michael Corio depaulianation@gmail.com
Palestinians seek U.N. state recognition
TARA TODRAS-WHITEHALL | The Associated Press TARA TODRAS-WHITEHALL | The Associated Press
Palestinians wave flags during a rally in support of the Palestinian bid for statehood recognition in the United Nations, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011. Thousands of flag-waving Palestinians rallied Wednesday in towns across the West Bank to show support for their president's bid to win U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state.
By CALLIE BRETTHAUER
Contributing Writer People from across the world are watching the 66th session of the of the U.N. General Assembly as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has made it clear he will seek recognition of a Palestinian state. Despite the United States’ declaration that it would veto such a request in the Security Council, President Abbas is determined to call a vote on the matter this week. “You can’t be angry at the Palestinians for how they feel,” said Jackie Heidegger, a sophomore psychology major. “They just want to be recognized as a nation.” The specifics of Palestine’s request for statehood reveal part of the conflict: Its leaders demand re-establishment of Palestine’s control over East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel has proceeded to build settlements in the West Bank, which has resulted in violence and terror along the border. “[Palestine’s request] is not unreasonable at all,” said Matthew Abraham, a writing, rhetoric and discourse professor at DePaul. “In fact, it is consistent with the dictates of international law, specifically U.N. 242.” Many Palestinians see the vote as a
way to take action towards statehood, as the U.S. brokered negotiations have not resulted in a viable solution with Israel. “The reason they are asking for recognition is because the peace process with Israel, mediated by the United States, has not yet produced a state,” said Khalil Marrar, a political science professor at DePaul. “Their request for statehood has to do with frustration with the failed rounds of the peace process.” Many people do not realize how the Israel-Palestine conflict is part of the foundation of many problems in the Middle East. “Israel has been used as the proverbial boogeyman of the Middle East by every dictator and terrorist organization,” said Marrar. “If we solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the lynch pin for their existence disappears. Twenty-two Arab states have offered peace to Israel in return for peace with the Palestinians.” A BBC poll even shows that 49 percent of citizens across 19 different countries say their country should support Palestine’s bid while only 21 percent said they should oppose. Nonetheless, the biggest impact has and will continue to come from the United States. “Over the last 44 years, the United States has not acted as a ‘neutral broker’ in the international quest for bringing peace to the Israel-Palestinian conflict,” said Abraham. “The failures of the Oslo agreement in 1994 and the Camp David
talks in 2000, as well as subsequent negotiations with the United States and Israel, have confirmed for Palestinians living under occupation that the peace process has not been about securing the future of the Palestinian people.” According to President Barack Obama’s speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Sept. 21, the main objective is peace for both Israel and Palestine. His stance was that the situation cannot be resolved by votes in the United Nations. The answer must come from continued negotiations between the two countries. “Each side has legitimate aspirations,” said Obama. “And that’s part of what makes peace so hard. And the deadlock will only be broken when each side learns to stand in the other’s shoes, each side can see the world through the other’s eyes. That’s what we should be encouraging. That’s what we should be promoting.” Obama’s speech received mixed reviews. Israeli leaders were glad that the president stood by their side while Palestinian leaders were seen shaking their heads. “I believe the president’s speech was very appropriate regarding the topic,” said Heidegger. “The Israel-Palestine conflict is a sensitive subject for many people, so he did well by emphasizing the importance of peace.” Although Obama’s speech made a push for Palestine to disregard its desire
for the United Nations to vote on its bid for statehood, it is determined to proceed. Once Palestine’s request is brought to the Security Council, the U.S. will veto it. “Even though (the veto) is a fair action at the U.N., I think it’s terrible policy and basically negates our approach to peace and stability in the region as outlined by President Bush’s Road Map for Peace and President Obama’s vision of peace between Israel and its neighbors with a Palestinian state,” said Marrar. After their proposal is vetoed, Palestinians have the option of taking the matter to the U.N. General Assembly, which would require a two-thirds majority vote for Palestine to be recognized as a state. This vote, however, would just grant Palestine observer status because only the Security Council can grant it membership. After the proposal is vetoed, President Abbas has the option of bringing the matter up to the U.N. Even though Obama has stuck by the decision to veto, he has received enormous criticism by Republicans for not standing by Israel strongly enough. In May, President Obama stated that through negotiations Israel should allow Palestine to reacquire its pre-1967 borders. “Obama has been more of a friend of Israel than any president in recent history,” said Marrar. “His friendship is genuine in that friends not only praise friends when they are right, but they also criticize them when they are wrong.”
Take the lead
Nation & World. September 26, 2011. The DePaulia 11
Romney, Perry among top 2012 Republican primary candidates
By MICHAEL COLLINS Contributing Writer The contest for the upcoming 2012 Republican presidential nomination is quickly becoming a two-man race based on recent polling data from USA Today/ Gallup, CBS News/NY Times, Bloomberg and CNN. Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney are distancing themselves from a number of other candidates with some five or six months remaining before the first primaries. Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul are a distant third, depending on which poll you use and whether you include Sarah Palin as a candidate. As of now, Palin’s intentions remain a mystery. Candidates Romney and Perry have sparred over Social Security and job creation in recent debates. While campaigning in Iowa earlier this year, Perry said Social Security “is a Ponzi scheme for these young people. The idea that they’re working and paying into Social Security today, that the current program is going to be there for them, is a lie. It is a monstrous lie on this generation, and we can’t do that to them.” Romney quickly seized on these statements and is framing Social Security as a central issue dividing the two candidates. Both men are staunchly antiabortion and deeply religious. Perry is United Methodist, and Romney is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Perry is an adherent of intelligent design, and Romney
PHELAN M. EBENHACK| The Associated Press
Republican presidential candidates Texas Gov. Rick Perry, left, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, share a laugh during a Fox News/Google debate Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011, in Orlando, Fla. recently backtracked on his endorsement of evolution and man made climate change. Perry is a global warming skeptic and claims it is a “contrived phony mess that is falling apart under its own weight.” With regards to immigration reform, neither candidate states his views on his website. It’s a controversial subject, and they are sure to draw heavy criticism no matter which side they take.
Romney doesn’t support the Dream Act and has taken shots at Gov. Perry, who supported a version of it in 2001. Romney also supports building a fence along the border with Mexico while Perry has stated that it is ineffective and too expensive. Look for this issue to draw a tremendous amount of scrutiny going forward as both candidates seek to curry favor with the Latino community.
Brian Matos of Chicago’s Young Republicans said the next election could boil down to the issue of jobs. Matos said that voters will want an answer to this question: Which candidate has the most logical economic policy that is most likely to create the largest number of jobs for middle income and working class Americans?” Romney and Perry find themselves in the job market
as well, currently seeking the highest office in the land. Six other candidates are also playing catch-up. Time is running out for these people to raise their awareness with the voters and prove themselves as viable candidates. The next few weeks could find them abandoning their aspirations and jockeying for a possible vice presidential slot or some other high-level position.
‘It Gets Better ’ campaign loses another teen By KATHERINE HALL Senior Writer In late September 2010, following a string of suicides by young men and women bullied for being gay, an online video project called “It Gets Better” took to the Internet, providing voices of encouragement, love and hope to persecuted gay adolescents everywhere. Among their voices was Jamey Rodemeyer, 14, who posted his own contribution in May. “Just love yourself and you’re set,” he said in his video, “... and I promise you it’ll get better.” But for Jamey, it did not get better. He committed suicide on Sunday, Sept. 18, mere weeks after starting high school, and months after posting his message. In interviews with CNN and NBC, Rodemeyer’s parents asserted that harassment, both at school and online, were contributing factors. “He had the biggest heart,” said his mother, Tracy. “But students would say things like ‘you’re like a girl or whatever’ … Some would even say, ‘what are you, gay?’… he did not like it.” Jamey’s death has reopened the questions man people have been asking in
Jamey Rodemeyer, pictured above in a Facebook photo, was a 14-year-old teen from Buffalo, N.Y. increasing numbers: is it actually getting better? How can this be prevented? Dr. Rodrigo Torres, a coordinator at DePaul’s office of LGBTQA Student Services, feels that schools need to do more to enforce the message that bullying of any variety is unacceptable, and they need to start getting that message across at an earlier age. “It’s important to start educational efforts earlier with children to understand
differences, to work and grow across differences,” Torres said. “What is acceptable gender/sexual behavior … such messages are communicated richly at a very early age, and we must counter them at an early age.” Schools need to treat bullying with zero tolerance and hold staff and faculty accountable for ensuring the policy, said Torres. “If someone knows that adults in charge will not tolerate this type of behavior, they feel safer,” he said. DePaul student Nathaniel Bass, a sophomore, feels that more people need to step up and defend their harassed peers. Kelly Carpenter, a freshman at DePaul, is grateful that she is in a place that is more accepting of the LGBT community, but she is aware that it is not like that everywhere. “It’s so sad that it came to this,” said Carpenter, who was also active in LGBTQ groups in high school. “In high school it’s very cliquey. It’s not cool [to be different] … here, people can be completely different and still get along with each other.” Senior Gabriela Haro agreed that the high school atmosphere made bullying much more apparent to her than what she has seen at DePaul. “Personally, I haven’t seen incidents [of harassment],” said Haro. “In high school, there was an unbelievable amount of pressure “to get along with
everyone…fitting in.” “People should speak up,” said Bass. Bass thinks that society’s perception of the LGBTQ community has improved over the last few years but that this kind of bullying is still around. The fault does not just lie with the tormentors but also those who stand quietly by and let it happen. “Lots of people are afraid to say something even if they do accept it,” said Bass. “They need to speak up when someone is being treated unfairly.” Rodemeyer’s passing serves as a reminder that, as much as we have tried to make it “better”, there are still young men and women suffering at the hands of their peers. However, Dr. Torres cautions that we should also remember the image depicted by the media is not representative of the entire LGBTQ community. “It is too easy to equate being gay with being weak, needy, or suicidal media attention inadvertently enforces that,” Torres said. For those facing discrimination, Torres would “validate their pain, acknowledge the difficulty and work with them to address these challenges.” “Simply telling someone ‘it gets better’… is a helpful but too simplistic response,” said Torres. “Helpful, but not all that we can do.”
12 The DePaulia. September 26, 2011
OPINIONS
Opinions Editor Jenn Schanz depauliaopinions@gmail.com
Good Riddance ACT/SAT By THANO PROKOS Contributing Writer
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Demonstrators gather to protest the scheduled execution of Troy Davis, Friday, Sept. 16, in New York. Davis was put to death on Wednesday, Sept. 21 for the 1989 killing of Officer Mark MacPhail.
Injustice is served By JESSIE MOLLOY Contributing Writer On Sept. 21 the U.S. court system committed a travesty of justice when it allowed the state of Georgia to execute Troy Anthony Davis, a man most likely innocent of the crime of which he was convicted. Davis was convicted of the 1989 murder of Mark MacPhail, a police officer from Savannah, Ga., and was sentenced to death in 1991. Since the time of the conviction Davis has sworn to his innocence and the prosecution’s case has all but crumbled, yet the sentence was never overturned or commuted. There was no DNA evidence in the case to link Davis to the murder, and since the original conviction, seven of the nine eyewitnesses who testified against Davis have recanted at least part of their testimonies and signed affidavits stating that police coerced and pressured them to testify against him. One of the two witnesses who have declined to alter their testimonies is Sylvester “Redd” Coles, who was present at the time of the incident and is the only other likely suspect in the case. Additionally, two of the jurors from the original trial testified for Davis in his final clemency hearing, stating that in light of the new evidence they would not have voted for execution. After 20 years of appeals and numerous scheduled and canceled execution dates, Davis was executed at 11:08 p.m. on Sept. 21, despite Amnesty International’s compilation
of over a million petitioners’ signatures for release and appeals for a commuted sentence. Among the signatures were those of Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former President Jimmy Carter and former head of the FBI William S. Sessions. “This is total injustice for a man who was probably convicted wrongly,” said Emma Cushmanwood, President of DePaul’s Amnesty International chapter. “This just proves how flawed our justice system still is. It’s why I completely disagree with the death penalty. There are just too many complications.” “Complications” may be putting it lightly. While I do not share Cushmanwood’s wholehearted rejection of the death penalty, the idea that anyone could be sentenced to it without airtight proof and DNA evidence is sickening. In the Davis case, the evidence is anything but airtight with only recanted eyewitness testimonies to support the verdict. Even if Davis did commit the crime, he should not have been sentenced to the death penalty without hard evidence. Cushmanwood said that Amnesty International believes that racial prejudice tainted the case. Davis was African-American and the victim, as well as the majority of the jury, was white. “I am not saying that all the jurors convicted him because he was black,” Cushmanwood said. “But our country is still more racist than we like to admit, especially in parts of the South.” Although Davis’ execution was postponed four times before he was actually
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Troy Davis entering Chatham County Superior Court in Savannah, Ga. on Aug. 22, 1991. executed, the Supreme Court justices pondered a last minute plea filed by his attorney. Davis received lethal injection despite the widespread protest of his execution. Whether or not race was a factor in any of the court verdicts, the fact remains that the state of Georgia just executed a man with next to no real proof of his guilt. If these are the low standards that our nation’s legal system is adopting for execution, then we could all be in serious trouble.
Standardized testing remains a staple of the college applicant’s long process of selecting and eventually enrolling in a university or college. DePaul however, has a new admission policy for students enrolling in the fall of 2012. This new policy aims to end a long tradition of what many consider to be an invalid and irrelevant measure of future college success. Future students will have the option to opt out of showing DePaul their ACT or SAT scores, and instead answer more specific essay questions. Jon Boeckenstedt, associate vice president for DePaul’s Enrollment Policy and Planning, stated in February 2011 that this decision aims to allow students to “uncover the characteristics of [their] spirit, heart, mind and soul.” Furthermore, this new standardized test opt-out furthers DePaul’s theme of diversity by opening the doors to students who possess talents that are not necessarily reflected in standardized tests. There is more to the decision than diversity, however. Many academics and teachers question the validity of standardized tests like the ACT and SAT. One statement from the National Bureau of Economic Research said, “By introducing noise that obscures the predictive validity of the ACT exam, the reading and science tests cause students to be inefficiently matched to schools, admitted to schools that may be too demanding—or too easy—for their levels of ability.” DePaul’s new stance on standardized tests sends a powerful message to the future of academia. It says that future schools can become the laboratories of education that they were meant to be. Schools can spend more time educating youth on the subject matter and lead them to a better understanding of knowledge rather than spending so much time on preparing students for a test. The value of education should be found in a students ability to broaden their minds, not cram and memorize testing patterns. This new policy is a step in the right direction because education should be about garnering knowledge, not developing testtaking skills.
Opinions. September 26, 2011. The DePaulia 13
DADT repeal too little, too late By JENN SCHANZ Opinions Editor On June 11, 1963, Americans felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. President Kennedy addressed the nation on TV and radio and announced the forthcoming ban on racial segregation in public schools. Change was on the horizon. Justice was served. The very next day, 37-year-old AfricanAmerican civil rights activist Medgar Evers was shot and killed. On Sept. 20, 2011, the United States government finally chose to acknowledge the bigotry facilitated by the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy responsible for fostering discrimination against LGBTQ military personnel since 1993. Equality was around the corner. Justice was served. One day earlier, 14-year-old gay teen and It Gets Better Project contributor Jamey Rodemeyer was found dead outside his New York home. Rodemeyer was bullied and suffered from homophobic harassment both inperson and online. Although the teen encouraged other LGBTQ youth to find strength and hope by spreading positive messages via YouTube, he himself was experiencing unrelenting torment. Despite the progress made by Dan Savage’s YouTube based LGBTQ youth support initiative—which drew celebrity participants like Neil Patrick Harris, Ellen Degeneres, Kathy Griffin, Perez Hilton and Ciara—Rodemeyer still took his own life. Evers and Rodemeyer are not different. They were both individuals fighting for the inherent dignity that society failed to give them. Daft conservatives who argue against marriage equality and encouraged support for DADT are no different from
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Julian Chang of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, from left, cheers with Senator Mark Leno, retired Navy Commander Zoe Dunning, veteran Keith Kerr and retired U.S. Navy Petty Officer Joseph Rocha at a news conference in San Francisco, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011. the blatant racist who rallied against the desegregation of schools or forced AfricanAmericans to ride in the back of the bus. Equality and justice do not distinguish between eras. They see only what is. Those who actually endure discrimination do not share the same sensationalist response to movements and gestures of equality. They not only took witness to injustice and were undoubtedly branded by it. Sept. 20 was a symbolic day, and it was a step in the right direction. But it was not a momentous celebration or an example of American exceptionalism. Rather, it was
a tragic example of what happens when we wait for justice to fall down on our doorstep instead of chasing it down. DADT should have been repealed years ago. In fact, it should have been rejected the moment it was proposed. So congratulations, you movers and changers and you heterosexual heroes who took pity on the gays. Thank you for your efforts and magnificent demonstration of valor, but let’s not kid ourselves. No one deserves a pat on the back except for the courageous men and women who had the strength and resilience to endure hell in order to serve their country.
Or the individuals who chose to fight in their stead on the Main Street battlefield, which is sometimes just as treacherous. Policy makers should be ashamed. Too many lives were ruined or lost before the change was made. While Washington accepts thanks for making a difference and standing up to injustice, I hope they’re thinking of Jamey Rodemyer, Tyler Clementi, Billy Lucas, Seth Walsh, Asher Brown and Raymond Chase. So today let’s salute all of our fallen soldiers, both military and Main Street. You, and no one else, are the true heroes of this repeal.
Peace talks useless, give statehood a chance By PETER DZIEDZIC Senior Writer
It was a central piece of local gossip during my summer visit to Israel and the West Bank. Statehood was on the horizon. The question of the fate of Palestine and the Palestinian people, long in the spotlight of the international political arena, will take a new direction this week as Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the Palestinian Authority, takes the proposal for Palestinian statehood to the United Nations during the opening of the 66th General Assembly. While this is an issue that incites significant passion in multiple circles, it is also one that must be analyzed critically and in the context of the realities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Going before the United Nations and appealing for statehood has been an option that the Palestinian people (and various Palestinian political and governing bodies) have considered for decades, but a push to bring the question before the General Assembly has been in development for only a few months. It is hard to deny that the push for statehood has arisen out of frustration with trudging and stalled “peace talks”
PETER DZIEDZIC pdzdzc@gmail.com
and the continually failing “peace process.” The United States, a longtime ally of Israel and the rest of the Middle East Quartet—the United Nations, the European Union, and Russia—are managing this so-called “peace process.” Likewise, the Palestinian people have struggled with Israel’s obstinate resistance to halting settlement expansion in the West Bank, the construction of the separation barrier that cuts deep into proposed West Bank territory and the uncertainty of the status of East Jerusalem and its residents, among other realities and violations. The United States, along with several other nations, will not support the bid for Palestinian statehood. In an effort to stall unilateral efforts for recognition, the U.S. has threatened to cut aid to the Palestinian Authority if the bid is put through. Now
becoming increasingly isolated in the international community, the U.S. have said the only solution to the conflict involves direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine. I completely agree with this statement and wish this were the case. But in reality decades of peace talks and bilateral engagements have failed. These talks have only served to normalize the occupation and have allowed Israel to expand its settlements and spread its control further into the West Bank, thus making bilateral negotiations exceedingly difficult. In fact, the latest efforts of bilateral negotiation failed because, among other things, Israel would not desist entirely from settlement expansion until an agreement was reached. Beyond this tension, internal dissonance among Palestinian civil society and leadership also poses a challenge to this initiative. Not all Palestinians support the bid for statehood. Many say that they do not want the Palestinian Authority to represent the collective entity of Palestinians in the global diaspora. Many fear that establishing statehood will deny the Palestinian right of return or claims to a capital in East Jerusalem, as well as an inability to challenge existing West Bank settlements. Hamas, the ruling group in the Gaza strip, has declared that it will
not support the statehood bid, revealing the internal division among the global Palestinian community. In this light, the Palestinian appeal for statehood is more symbolic than substantive, and carries more rhetorical value than international clout. The call for statehood is a call to profoundly re-evaluate how the peace process has been approached and conducted. The plea for statehood is a plea of desperation, for the world has not seriously considered or challenged the injustices of occupation. I cannot predict the fate of the bill, as I no longer have faith in political and international systems, and I do not believe they can address the dire issues of our era. I support the bid for statehood not because I think this will solve the conflict or that it will produce a viable Palestinian state but because it is a challenge to our paradigm and our present approaches to the conflict and structures of thought. Regardless of what happens, the status quo of occupation and the illusions of failed or skewed peace cannot be maintained indefinitely. All other attempts have failed. The bid for statehood will challenge current systems of normalization and occupation, and perhaps a renewed understanding of what exactly “peace” must entail will spring forth from the results of the decision.
The opinions in this section do not necessarily reflect those of The DePaulia staff.
FOCUS
14 The DePaulia. September 26, 2011.
0 4
0
2
11
2000
3 20
8 0
31
BY MARGARET THOMPSON Paul students call home. “When I came to DePaul, I didn’t think I would ever meet anyone else from Colorado,” said DePaul junior Sean Hoag. “But I met four or five my freshman year, and now when I go home more people seem to know about DePaul.” According to the data, the number of DePaul students from Colorado has quadrupled in the last five years, with similar increases from Washington, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. “It is important when our students travel across the nation looking for jobs,” Rev. Holtschneider said. “The more DePaul is known and respected, the more that helps our students on their job search.” Katie Reid, who recently completed her anthropology degree at DePaul, attends graduate school at The George Washington University in Washington D.C., said that nearly everyone she meets knows about DePaul. “I’m very proud of DePaul now that I’m out in the real world,” she said, “I like telling people where I went for undergrad and having them recognize the name of my alma mater.”
87 0 1 7 62 1 3 9 4 6
11 0 2
00
0
6 0
0
De
5
4
0
1
10
12
1 14
2 1 5 2
66
As DePaul continues to grow in institutional size, more students are coming from out of state than ever before. According to data found in DePaul’s Institutional Research and Market Analytics Fact File, the number of outof-state freshman and transfer undergraduate students have increased 33 percent since 2000. “DePaul is drawing from a broader geographic range than in past years,” said Rev. Holtschneider, university president. “I’m glad for this, because it shows that DePaul is becoming more nationally known.” In 2000, DePaul drew the most out-of-state enrollements from the neighborning states of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, and 16 U.S. states were not represented at all. While the data for 2010 demonstrates that the majority of DePaul students still hail from the Midwest, more students are coming from Western states and the East Coast more than before. As of the 2010-2011 academic year, 66 undergraduates enrolled from California—up from just 28 in 2000—placing it in the top 5 states that De-
34
17
46 2732
1
0
20
40
28
0 0 0 1
1 0
1
5
201
September 26, 2011. The DePaulia 15
Focus Editor Margaret Thompson depauliafocus@gmail.com
ePaul student
DIASPORA O
ut-of-state enrollements were up 33 percent in 2010 from 10 years ago in 2000, indicating that DePaul is becoming a more nationally known university. These maps show the number of freshman and transfer students to enroll at DePaul from each U.S. state in in both years, based upon data obtained from DePaulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Institutional Research and Market Analytics Fact File.
31
2 2 912 8 7 9 10
51
1 6 2 3
1
21
3 2 10
12
101
4
3007
0 12
0 76 2 20 8 6 31 4 4
68
1
3
15 10
0 20 3
22 3
ARTS & LIFE
Arts & Life Editor Tricia Cathcart depauliamagazine@gmail.com
‘Re: Chicago’ kicks off DPAM By NIKA BLAKE Contributing Writer The doors to the DePaul Art Museum, DPAM, have officially opened as of Saturday, Sept. 17. Almost three years in the making, DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus got an upgrade with the new location of the museum. The new DPAM is located at 935 W. Fullerton Ave., right next to the Fullerton El station. It is a three-story, 4,000 sq. ft. brick building. The first floor houses three open rooms, while the second floor is dedicated to one big gallery and a reception room. The reception room will host panel discussions, lectures, workshops and other events. The hallways on both floors showcase some of the permanent pieces that DPAM has. The windows in the gallery are large and allow natural light to illuminate the works and beautiful hardwood floors. Since the museum is located so close to the El, concerns were raised about disturbance from the trains. Louise Lincoln, the director of DPAM, worried about the noise distracting the visitors and the vibrations hurting the artwork. “The architect set the building on big concrete footings to control
vibration, soundproofed the west wall and tripleglazed the window. Those precautions have really diminished the presence of the El,” said Lincoln. The museum is free and welcomes all students and Chicago residents. It is open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturday & Sunday noon to 5 p.m. DPAM operates on donations and loans. Though the museum has permanent pieces, the bigger exhibits are borrowed from other galleries and museums. This allows DPAM to reach a larger selection of art and localize it. Re: Chicago is the premiere exhibit opening the season. It compiles works from 40 different Chicago-based artists, each hand-picked by the members of Chicago’s art community. The museum hopes that the exhibit will validate Chicago as one of the world’s artistic centers when compared to New York, Los Angeles and Paris. “For decades, Chicago was viewed as the “second city” not only in comedy but also in art,” Sarah Baran, junior, art history major and volunteer at the museum, explained. The exhibit strives to prove the artistic talent that can be found in Chicago.
Using works from different eras, styles and mediums, it is all about the artists’ influence on the Chicago culture. Art critics, bloggers and artists filled the museum with intelligentsia wall to wall. People took their time to look at photographs, paintings and especially the large instillations spread throughout the museum. The number of great artists that were showcased at the exhibit pleasantly surprised Caitlin Marino, a journalism major and art enthusiast. “It’s great they have so much history and [so many] artists represented here. It is a melting pot for different decades, styles and the exhibit promotes well-known artists and more local ones,” said Marino. Lincoln wanted the exhibit to be a reflection of everyone in the Chicago art community. “We put the show together by asking a lot of people in the art world to nominate an artist and then getting a work that represents the nominator’s idea,” said Lincoln. With works from Lorado Taft and Juan Angel Chavez, Lincoln hopes that Re: Chicago and DPAM will change the preconceived notion about Chicago’s underdog status in the art world. The exhibit runs until March 4, 2012.
DEPAUL ART MUSEUM | The DePaulia
Works of art featured in the DePaul Art Museum's Re: Chicago exhibit will run until March 4, 2012. The re-vamped museum is located at 935 W. Fullerton, right next to the Fullerton red/brown/purple line stop.
Elegance at the Emmys Surprises, snubs at 63rd award show By ANDREW FLEURY Contributing Writer The cool, crisp air in September usually signals the start of fall and a new school year. But in Hollywood, new faces, couture gowns, elaborate dance numbers and FCC edited speeches means that the Primetime Emmy Awards have once again swept Hollywood. The 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held last Sunday night at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. Small screen favorites such as Jon Hamm, Edie Falco, Steve Carell, Tina Fey, and Jon Cryer were in attendance, along with Hollywood heavyweights Kate Winslet and Gwyneth Paltrow, among others. Everyone’s favorite trashtalking, sweatsuit-wearing gym teacher from “Glee,” Sue
MARK BOSTER| MCT Campus
Melissa McCarthy won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Sylvester, known in the real world as actress Jane Lynch, played host to the evenings festivities. Lynch’s mix of quick one liners and musical inclinations helped make her a
colorful and well-received host for the night, receiving many positive reviews from her peers. As usual, most award shows have clear cut winners, along with a few surprises and
shocking snubs...this year’s Emmy’s did not disappoint. “ M o d e r n Family” dominated the show, winning five categories including Supporting Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series (Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen), Directing, Writing, and the big prize: Outstanding Comedy Series. Surprise winners of the night included first-time Emmy nominee and “Bridesmaids” star Melissa McCarthy. Winning the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy with her show “Mike and Molly,” McCarthy edged out Edie Falco and one of TV’s funniest ladies, Amy Poehler. Snubs on Emmy night weren’t few and far between. In the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category, the forerunner was “The Office” star Steve Carell. Carell had exited the hit show last season and was expected to win, if not for talent, then for pure sentiment. Unfortunately, Emmy voters weren’t moved, and instead, “The Big Bang Theory’s” Jim Parsons, took home his second Emmy for that category. “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm
also garnered a surprise snub. Hamm was seemingly a shoein for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, but lost to “Friday Night Lights” star Kyle Chandler. Perhaps in Chandler’s case, the sentiment that should have been there for Carell was instead directed towards him. Other than the snubs, the surprise wins, the entertaining monologues, and the musical numbers, the most shocking moment came courtesy of Charlie Sheen. Serving as apresenter at the ceremony, Sheen surprised viewers when he addressed his former “Two and a Half Men” colleagues in the audience. Rather than publicly attacking them again, (as he did earlier in the year) Sheen offered humble praise and wished nothing but the best for the show’s future. With the Emmy’s over, the official start of the fall television season has begun, bringing with it the challenge for new batch of fresh faces to potentially dominate our televisions and DVR’s. Congratulations to all of the winners, and to those who were overlooked...there’s always next year.
Arts & Life September 19, 2011 The DePaulia 26
Rest in peace, R.E.M By EDUARDO SAYAGO Staff Writer R.E.M. is no more. On September 21st, they announced online that they have “decided to call it a day as a band.” The band formed in 1980 in Athens, Georgia, a college town seventy miles east of Atlanta. Not only did they become one of the most significant American alternative bands of the past half century, but they were one of the first bands to achieve success thanks to college radio and for the first few years of their career, on an independent record label. In 1988, Warner Brothers Records signed them up, allowing Michael Stipe and co. to sing songs about political and environmental injustice (as well as shiny, happy people) to soldout stadiums and festivals around the globe. When they renewed their contract in 1996, Warner ponied up a record-breaking $80 million. Yes, record companies once had that much money to give to a recording artist or band just for creating music. But R.E.M. was more than a band worth paying a ton of money or selling platinum records and singles. The band, especially Michael Stipe, raised awareness about issues that mattered to them, including the environment, human rights, equal rights for women and voter registration. They were one of a handful of artists (along with Sonic Youth and Violent Femmes) responsible for the advancement of alternative music, a diverse and incredible genre that would later spawn
bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Weezer, Foo Fighters, Muse, Coldplay and Chicago’s own Smashing Pumpkins, Local H, and Wilco. They showed that it was possible to achieve your goals and dreams without selling out or trading your values and artistic vision. While the band is no more, their music and passion for doing good will live on. Here is a list of some of their best songs, along with a few interesting facts. “Radio Free Europe”
From “Document” (1987) Their first big single, this song has strangely become a romantic love song. I mention strangely because this song has the following lyrics: “This one goes to the one I left behind/A simple prop to occupy my time”. “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” From “Document” (1987) Released during the waning days of the Cold War, this track references four men who share
MCT CAMPUS | The DePaulia
From the HibTone single release (1981) and later the album “Murmur” (1983) Their first single, this was released one year after their union, setting the pattern for later indie rock releases by breaking through on college radio in the face of mainstream radio’s general indifference.” “The One I Love”
the initials, L.B. (Music composer Leonard Bernstein, Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, shock comic Lenny Bruce, and rock critic/ writer Lester Bangs) “Losing My Religion” From “Out of Time” (1991) The phrase “losing my religion” is a Southern expression that means to lose one’s temper. This is often considered their
signature song. “Everybody Hurts” From “Automatic for the People” (1992) A British suicide hotline once used the lyrics to this song for an ad campaign. Guitarist Peter Buck mentioned that the song was aimed for teenagers, as a way to address them that while life is often tough and unjust, you can’t give up. And everyone hurts at one time or another.
“Bad Day” From the album “In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 19882003” (2003) This track had been around in another form, as a never-released b-side titled “PSA”, since the mid-1980s. When a single was needed for their “best of” retrospective, the band decided to update the lyrics and shoot a humorous music video spoofing the media.
18 The DePaulia September 26, 2011
Dot-Marie Jones is shown in a scene from the "Never Been Kissed," episode of "Glee."
ADAM ROSE | The Associated Press
FALL TV EXTRAVAGAZA The DePaulia's recap of television's hottest series
By DEBRA LIPSON Weekend Edition Editor
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Motherlovers were treated to two episodes last week. The gang is back together with the same question left unanswered. Who is the mother of Ted Mosby’s children? Fans are teased with answers, though it is clear Ted’s dream woman will not appear this season. Sadly, Ted is not his typical romantic self. He notices his optimism waning and his patience abating in finding the perfect girl. Does she exist? Right now, he has trouble believing love will find him. Instead, the show picks up elsewhere: Punchy’s wedding in Cleveland, where Robin and Barney share a ridiculously
awesome dance sequence. Robin wrestles with her feelings for Barney and comes dangerously close to revealing her heart to him. On the contrary, Barney has his former flame Norah on the brain and enlists Robin’s help to win her back. The adorable Marshall and Lily fail to keep her pregnancy a secret, but the most shocking revelation from the show comes at the end of episode two. A woman from Ted’s past crosses his path, throwing a major curveball to his destiny.
GLEE Senior year at McKinley High means the glee club’s group of misfits must consider future plans once school is over. Only two students have an actual goal in mind: Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel have their hearts set on New York,
specifically at a performing arts school. They receive a rude awakening when they meet enthusiastic drama kids in their field, but Kurt quickly recovers from the setback when Blaine Anderson (Darren Criss) makes a bold move. Mr. Schuester is back at it, harping on sectionals and the year being a new beginning for hard work and perseverance against adversity. Typical Schue. The premiere episode centers on a cheesy analogy to broken down purple painted pianos and the club’s lackluster exterior. As usual, Jane Lynch’s brilliant Sue Sylvester has yet another plan to shoot down Will Schuester. This time, she is somehow running for State Office on the platform to cease federal funding for the arts. Does it make sense? Not entirely. Possibly the most surprising plots center on the absence of irrelevant Sam (Chord Overstreet)
and Quinn Fabray’s turn as a gleek gone rebelliously rogue. All in all, Ryan Murphy’s musical juggernaut improves the show’s focus on character development instead of celebrity cameos. Albeit a bit shaky, fingers crossed the show returns to its season one genius.
NEW GIRL Fox smartly placed the pilot premiere of "New Girl" after "Glee," giving the show plenty of exposure to primetime audiences. Critics raves aside, "New Girl" is a breath of fresh air. We meet Jess, a cute, dorky twenty-something, en route to surprise her boyfriend with a sexy surprise although she is incapable of any seduction. Unfortunately, she catches her boyfriend cheating. Cue the quarter-life crisis. Jess leaves her model friend and their shared apartment to answer a mysterious
roommate listing. To her surprise, the new living space is inhabited by three guys: Schmidt, Nick and Coach. Schmidt is the pretty boy with an ego larger than his undefined abdomen that he can’t help but show off. Nick is the sensitive type, able to relate to Jess as he is getting over a break-up as well. Coach is the hilarious third musketeer without social ability, but a huge passion for athletics. Some of the best antics come from the male interaction between the three friends, especially when they force each other to pay a dollar in their ‘douchebag jar’ if one says a corny comment. The guys accept Jess’ offer to move in and grow fond of Jess in a little sister sense, being overprotective and training her to get through the break-up. Deschanel shines on network television, turning up the quirky charm and comedic timing of a true talent.
‘Community’ premieres with self-described ‘darker’ series plotlines By KEVIN PACIONE Contributing Writer “Community” starts off NBC’s comedy premiere night with an averagepar opener. The whole episode starts off with Pierce , played by Chevy Chase, wanting to rejoin the group. Everyone was on board with that idea except for Jeff, played by Joel McHale, who just
doesn’t want Pierce back in the group. The whole season premiere revolved around Jeff trying to inch his way back into the group as he was kicked out of his biology class when his phone went off three times during class. His whole group—Annie, played by Alison Brie, Troy, played by Donald Glover, Britta, played by Gillian Jacobs, Abed, played by Danny Pudi, and Shirley, played by Yvette Nicole Brown—is enrolled in the class. But because he was kicked out, he didn’t have a reason to
hang out with them in their study session room since they all use it for studying biology. When Pierce enrolled himself in the biology class, Jeff tried to get back into the group. Jeff found out that Pierce knew the biology teacher from several years ago. Eventually Pierce admitted that he bribed the teacher to enroll him in the class. Aside from Jeff’s biology class dilemma, Abed had his own crisis. His favorite TV show, “Cougar Town,”
wasn’t going to come back until midseason, so he had to find another favorite show. Britta took on the task of helping him to do so. The “Community” season premiere did a mediocre job of keeping the viewers more interested in season three. NBC stated that the season would be darker. So far, the only thing dark about this season is Jeff’s attitude. “Community” can do a lot better.
19 Arts & Life September 26, 2011
‘Parks and Recreation’ The gang returns to Pawnee By EDUARDO SAYAGO Staff Writer The show ended with a cliffhanger last May when Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler,) was offered the opportunity to run for City Council. Her lifelong dream of serving in office had arrived. However, she didn’t anticipate falling for Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott,) and start a secret affair with him. (City Hall forbids office romances, and Ben is her boss.) So instead of being very excited, she is torn between two things she is very passionate about. By being a member of City Council, she can help the people of Pawnee but she cannot make out with her job and cook breakfast for it the next morning. As much as I enjoy Leslie malfunction while trying to lie (“I have to go to the wiz palace… I’m definitely not leaving you here.” And then she makes a break for it,) my favorite plot of the evening was Ron (Nick Offerman) going into hiding from his first ex-wife, Tammy One.
He grabs a survival backpack inside a vent and plans to use the 228 personal days he has acquired over the many years he has been at City Hall. He believed that running away from his problems would be the best solution…until Leslie ditches Ben at a restaurant and spends some time at his cabin (And he’s sporting a rockin’ beard by then.) Ron realizes that no matter how much he tries to stay out of people’s problems, his conscience gets the best of him. He tells Leslie that she should run for office and decides to return to City Hall (without the beard, which is a shame) to confront the she-devil that is Tammy One. Tammy One is portrayed by guest star Patricia Clarkson. She appears for about one minute at the end, which was my favorite minute of the whole episode. Ron Swanson is a man who rarely shows emotion, much less show he’s afraid. Everyone is afraid of Tammy One. There were several plotlines occurring over the course of the episode, a couple of them could have been extended if the show ran for more than 22 minutes.
I wasn’t fond of Ann Perkins’ (Rashida Jones) storyline about having several male employees at City Hall sending her photos of their male anatomy after it was revealed that she off-handedly diagnosed a profile with the mumps. Jones is always a great sport, especially during the previous season when her character was being revamped from the “beautiful and sweet nurse” to someone who has been through a bit of a rough patch and managed to come out of it a bit wiser. She did manage to excel in playing the devil’s advocate and try to persuade Leslie to see if she could pull off running for office and continue seeing Ben. There are a ton of new shows that have already premiered or will be hitting the airwaves soon, but this is one show to check out, if you haven’t already. This week’s episode will have Ron dealing with both of his exes (Tammys One and Two, the latter portrayed by Megan Mullally). Plus, having Rob Lowe say the word “Literally” [pronounced LIT-TER-LEE] is always funny.
New boss for the ‘The Office’
"The Office" cast at the 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.
By KEVIN PACIONE Contributing Writer Many fans believed “The Office” wouldn’t survive without Steve Carell. Luckily, the season premiere has proved them wrong. The premiere episode focused on some of the secondary and newer characters. Pam is pregnant again, and her hormones cause her to cry a lot. Angela is pregnant for the first time. Stanley has a new attitude when answering people’s questions. Robert California is CEO of Sabre. And most important of all, Andy is the new office regional
manager. The strange new fad of planking entered Dunder Mifflin in this episode as well. The employees planked in several places in the office. Per Andy’s request, Dwight takes action and attempts to put an end to planking in the office. The mystery of the episode came from Robert California’s list. There were two columns on the list with each of the employees’ names. It left everyone wondering what it meant, making them more likely to tune in to the next episode. Even without Steve Carell, the season premiere has proven
KIRK MCCOY | MCT Campus
to be a hit. The rest of the cast doesn’t need to rely on Carell to bring humor to the show, as they have brought it themselves. One person in particular, Dwight Schrute, was the highlight of the premiere. His crazy antics still continue to make Dwight a memorable character. Robert California’s oddness, starting with his mysterious list, adds a unique factor to the show and will hopefully continue throughout the season. The season opener strived to keep the viewers interested, and, fortunately, it worked. To the credit of the other great actors, “The Office” is still just as hilarious without Steve Carell.
Arts & Life September 26, 2011 The DePaulia 20
The DePaulia and Maya Rudolph stay ‘Up All Night’ By LOGAN BRIETBART Contributing Writer NBC’s fall primetime lineup features a bevy of familiar faces in new shows. Among them, “Up All Night,” an irreverent comedy featuring Christina Applegate and Will Arnett, as first-time parents dealing with the trials and tribulations of raising a baby. Portraying Applegate’s unstable talk-show host boss is the versatile Maya Rudolph. The DePaulia got a chance to chat with Rudolph and series creator, Emily Spivey about the new show and their own impressions of parenthood. The DePaulia: Can you talk about your character Ava and how she represents people you may have met in the entertainment industry? Maya Rudolph: I’ve never met anyone like Ava. Ava is a Spivey-Rudolph creation, for sure. And I say it that way because Emily and I have been creating characters together for a really long time--for like 15 years. So it’s just very much something that is funny to our tiny universe that we find funny. She’s an amalgam. She’s probably an amalgam of some people we’ve met but also of... our universe of characters. DP: Emily, did you come up with the stories for the series
from your past experiences and/ or stories you’ve heard? Emily Spivey: Yes, the home stuff especially is. At least initially, it was definitely straight out of my baby journal after my son was born and facing having to go back to work at SNL with a newborn, and just the challenges and the funny situations that came from that. DP: And Maya, do the experiences of Christina’s character ring true for you, as a parent? MR: I definitely recognize what Christina and more characters are going through, so much so that it’s kind of embarrassing. Although I will say, as a third time parent... it’s like getting to a higher level of Angry Birds. Like, I’m a little bit of a pro, you know? The stuff that I used to fear and used to worry about is so different, like the first time I brought the baby home from the hospital -- you know, I was in the backseat, putting my finger under her nose, making sure she was breathing and, you know, asking my husband to drive like three miles per hour. DP: Maya, what is it like working with Christina and Will? And Emily, did you have these guys in mind when you were creating the show? MR: I love working with them. They’re seasoned vets. They’re amazing. And I’m actually really in awe of not only what they individually do, but
what they’re doing together on the show. I think they’ve created a great couple that you instantly love and you want to see them continue to be in love, you want to go through their journey with them. They’re both just really funny and have the straightest delivery possible with stuff. I’m just kind of amazed by what both of them are doing on the show. What’s nice about it is that it feels so relatable... They’re so deft about how skilled they are and how funny they make the simple and mundane things in life. And I think it’s just incredible. I just feel lucky because I get to laugh all the time at work. ES: I’ve been so blessed throughout my career to get to work with the best people on earth and write for, literally, the best actors on earth. And so it just continues with it. Like, I can’t believe the cast that I have for this show. It’s amazing. And Maya, you’re the same way. When I watch the dailies and everything I’m just blown away by how good these three actors are and I’m super excited to get to write for them. DP: How about the balancing act in your careers between working on films and doing television, obviously you’ve had success with both. MR: Yes, and I’ve had really different experiences in all of them. I think for me, the most familiar place is SNL and it’s a live variety show. That really
ABACA PRESS |MCT Campus
'Up All Night' star, Maya Rudolph at the 'Bridesmaids' premiere. isn’t comparable to anything else. I’d made films before but I think that having been on the show for so long and having it be such a part of my life, I remember feeling like, ‘wow, this is really slow.’ You know, you’re used to getting that laugh or you’re used to having areas and playing to an audience. And there’s also the exhilaration of performing live, which for me is something that I hope to
always keep in my life. Emily and I both started performing at the Graumann’s Theater in L.A., and it’s something that feels like home for me and I feel like I need a fix every once in a while. It’s sort of like a fun drug. Like, it’s action that should be a legal drug, it’s that fantastic. Check out Maya, Emily and the rest of the talented cast of “Up All Night,” Wednesdays at 7 on NBC.
Common's book tour rolls through Loop campus By SARAH CONNOLLY Contributing Writer On Tuesday at the Barnes and Noble on DePaul’s Loop campus, Chicago native and hiphop star Common, graced the presence of students, admirers and interested bystanders alike. He was there to sign his new memoir, “One Day It’ll All Make Sense.” The memoir is both eloquent and moving. It begins with a foreword written by his mother, Mahalia Ann Hines, in which she praises Common for the man he has become. She recalls the first time she went to one of his shows and remembers wondering how she had been in the dark about his love for hiphop and rapping. In the prologue that follows, Common writes about his family and his early childhood. He introduces the focus of the book, which is to share his life experiences with others in the hopes that his stories will resonate, motivate and give the reader insight on the path he chooses for his life. Each chapter begins with a letter from Common where he addresses his readers, fans, mother, daughter, friends or even himself. He communicates with readers through these letters
and is straightforward and honest about his early childhood struggles and the decisions he made to better his life. He credits his music career and his mother’s love with helping him reach his full potential. A common thread throughout the book is the voice of Common’s mother. Every few paragraphs, in italicized writing, Common’s mother shares her interpretation of the previous story. She provides her own insights on
the past that both harmonize and clash with Common’s viewpoint. It is obvious that Common’s mother has been and will continue to be a major influence in his life. The book signing began at 6 p.m., but the line began to form over three hours prior. The first 50 people in line were able to have their pictures taken with Common and his mother as well as have their books signed. Before the signing began, Common gave a quick thanks
to his fans, family and friends while also expressing his love for his hometown, Chicago. Common also discussed his organization, The Common Ground Foundation. This influential group is devoted to assisting youth in underserved communities through education and leadership opportunities. There are three primary programs: BE Empowered, the Lighthouse Youth Program and the Readers ARE Leaders Program, each of which
Common is equally involved with and passionate about. You do not need to listen to hip-hop music, know who Common is or have been through hard times to enjoy this book. It is inspirational for all who read it, as Common effectively relates his experiences to anyone and everyone. For more information about The Common Ground Foundation visit www. commongroundfoundation.org
Arts & Life September 26, 2011 The DePaulia 21
Arts & Life September 26, 2011 The DePaulia 22
Indie darlings, Grouplove, rock the Subterranean By SHANNON SHREIBAK Contributing Writer As I dash off the Blue Line and turn the corner onto North Ave., an overwhelmingly long line of underground music fans and hipsters, chain-smoking American Spirits and rubbing their vintage leather-clad arms in the Chicago autumn chill greet me. From the size of the crowd alone, one would be led to believe that a notable headliner was appearing at the Subterranean on the night of Friday, Sept. 16. In reality, the band causing the hubbub in Wicker Park could not have been more the contrary. Grouplove, an L.A. based
band with merely one EP and one full-length album, hardly an expansive enough catalogue to fill an hour-long set, didn’t seem fazed by the daunting task of packing the famously intimate Subterranean to the brim. The night began with the Deserters, one of two opening bands. Poised and confident, Deserters’ stage presence completely masked their inexperience playing together as a group. Playing their first formal show, without an LP or EP yet released, the quintet kept the crowd perpetually nodding in approval throughout their half-hour set. As the band encouraged the audience to like their Facebook profile page, whispers of, “Who are they again?” and “What’s the name of that band?” prevailed
over the fuzz of distorted amps and haphazard chatter. The second opening act, Youngman, left the audience with much to be desired. Eyes glazed with boredom... the band lulled the audience into a stupor and left them almost as bored as they themselves seemed. Paling in comparison to the seasoned young talent, Youngman was overshadowed by the innovative sounds of Deserters and Grouplove. In desperate need for a pickme-up following Youngman’s lackluster performance, the crowd erupted with joy as Grouplove sauntered down the spiral case leading to center stage, ready to prove why they’d sold out their first Chicago headlining show. With matching
“GROUPLOVE” tattoos on their right forearms and thrift store ensembles, Grouplove personified the carefree overtones dominating their music. Promptly opening with “Itchin’ On a Photograph,” male vocalist Christian Zucconi took every opportunity to showcase his beautifully raw wail with female vocalist Hannah Hooper harmonizing in her pure soprano. Engaging the crowd immediately, whether with group anecdotes or bassist Sean Gadd’s outlandish dancing, the band radiated delight that the audience couldn’t help but emulate. One of many highlights of the night was the performance of “Tongue-Tied,” the new single off Grouplove’s album, “Never Trust a Happy Song.” A cheerful
ballad begging, “Don’t leave me tongue-tied/ don’t wave me goodbye,” Hannah Cooper couldn’t help but hide her toothy grin as she screamed out to the absolutely thrilled crowd. The fleeting set quickly departing, Grouplove reluctantly left the stage after playing all but one song from their limited catalogue. Just seconds following their departure, the crowd began to chant “One more song,” in chaotic jubilance. Returning for an encore after a nearly nonexistent wait, they finally unleashed their hit single, “Colours”—the perfect close to a set drenched with boundless energy that is surely the beginning of many from a promising new band.
Gosling/Refn pairing proves successful By DALEN TOUZA Contributing Writer A man named Steve stopped me on my way in to see the film “Drive” last Thursday night to giddily tell me that, in his opinion, it was the best movie of the year. I later found this random confession of love to be a very fitting introduction for the film. First and foremost, it must be noted that “Drive” is not an action film. It is a film filled with so much emotion that the only possible release is in what we would qualify as “action”: gripping car chases, unbreakable tension and painful fights. “Drive” is undoubtedly a two-man operation, an endeavor achieved by the clearly progressive relationship that
formed between director Nicolas Winding Refn and star Ryan Gosling on-set. The connection between actor and director is clear as Gosling’s alwaysimpressive acting not only reflects Refn’s intended style but also exposes it in all of its achievement. It achieves quite a bit as a film, taking a classic plot (good guy gets in over his head in a bad situation) and spinning it into a study of an impassioned man backed into a corner with very few ways out. Through Gosling’s quiet portrayal—he has less than 50 lines of dialogue in the film—a character is created that goes far deeper than any one-liner or long-winded monologue ever could. Gosling’s demeanor in the film is easily displayed through his incredible facial expressions, which function at a higher level
than his dialogue. All these feelings are masterfully relayed to the audience by Refn’s undeniable style. He manages to turn Mulligan’s already sweet and tender love-interest character into a near angelic symbol by lighting her with such tactical grace in every shot that it almost seems like she bursts with radiance onscreen. As a matter of fact, every bit of lighting present is an artistic endeavor working to create strong tones in every scene, guiding the film through feeling. Refn acknowledges the similarities between Gosling’s character and those characters made famous by icons such as Steve McQueen and Marlon Brando in his classically influenced story. Yet he also manages to make the film entirely his own by injecting his own personal influences, such
OLLIVIER CALO | MCT Campus
Nicolas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling at the Winners Photocall of the 64th Cannes International Film Festival as an ‘80s pop soundtrack. Through his acknowledgement of these past influences, Refn creates a modern film comparable to those classics from the ‘60s era.
Best film of the year? This statement won’t remain exclusive only to Steve for very long. “Drive” is absolutely a film worth seeing.
23 Arts & Life September 26, 2011
Go your own way Fleetwood Mac alum performs at Vic By SHANNON SHRIEBAK Contributing Writer They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but who says the dog has to learn anything new in the first place? Lindsey Buckingham, guitar legend of the famous ‘70s blues-rock band Fleetwood Mac, obviously has nothing left to learn. Stopping by the Vic Theatre on the first leg of his “Seeds We Sow” solo tour last Sunday, Buckingham left a venue full of loyal followers in awe of both his impeccably preserved talent and his showman prowess. Opening acts are unnecessary when it comes to Buckingham’s caliber of classic rock royalty, and Sunday night was no exception. Patiently nodding along during his roaring three-minute welcome, Buckingham began the show with a song from his just-released album, “Seeds We Sow.” While the song was catchy and rhythmic, the crowd begged for a familiar song to hum along to. After plowing through a series of newly released songs, Buckingham began digging deep into the Fleetwood Mac catalogue. Dusting off a healthy selection of Fleetwood Mac classics, he constantly kept the audience engaged and singing along. Redefining old classics by stripping them down to their most bare form to showcase his guitar expertise, Buckingham gave new meaning to singles including “Never Going Back Again” and “Secondhand News.” A highlight of his acoustic set was a long forgotten lo-fi version of pop
smash “Go Insane,” which was met with overwhelmingly deafening screams from the baby-boomer audience. Buckingham marked the second half of the show with selections from his new album, supported by a four-man backing band. While these songs could never even compare to his older works, the fact that he still harbors such a strong desire to create music is truly awe-inspiring. Aside from entertaining the audience musically, Buckingham offered a wealth of personal anecdotes for nearly every song he performed. The cozy venue and shockingly personal stories made for an indescribably intimate night. A particularly heart wrenching story was told preceding “Big Love.” Buckingham revealed, “I was just a young boy listening to my older brother’s records trying to teach myself guitar… this song is for that young child in all of us” dedicating the song to “that child who lives in every single one of us.” With the audience on the verge of tears, he began the rapid bass line to the aggressive ballad and captivated us all. Spotlight shining, steel strings ringing, just a man and his guitar -- just what a concert should be. Only the finest wines improve with age, and the same is true for rock stars. The ones who possess true talent and dedication are the ones whose work endures the test of time. Buckingham’s talent will endure much longer than fan hoopla or platinum records. Watching him onstage, so content to be playing his guitar; it’s easy to tell that he was destined to be on that stage, expressing all the emotions we were either too afraid or never thought we could reveal.
NICOLAS KHAYAT| MCT Campus
Lindsey Buckingham, a member of the blues-rock group Fleetwood Mac, performed solo at The Vic in Chicago this past week.
Arts & Life September 26, 2011 The DePaulia 24
SPORTS "Men's soccer"
Sports.September 26, 2011. The DePaulia 25
Sports Editor Cheryl Waity Assistant Sports Editor Julian Zeng depauliasports@gmail.com
continued from back page
Golf gets feet wet at Adams Cup By JULIAN ZENG Assistant Sports Editor
Dennis Georges| The DePaulia
Kyle Gufstafson opportunities throughout the first half. Antonio Aguilar had two efforts saved by Seton Hall keeper Mario DeClerico, who made six saves in the half, including a diving save on a long-rang effort from Velasco in the 23rd minute. The Pirates got off to a much slower start, only taking two shots, both of which were saved by Sorby. Sorby returned to the lineup for the first time since the 3-1 victory over Oakland in the season opener at Wish Field. He was solid all game, making six saves total, and was aggressive coming out on set pieces.
"Men's tennis"
continued from back page
which he should be pretty close to that,” said Matt Brothers, the Men’s Tennis coach. “He’s a very tough player, he never misses and he’s added quite a bit of offense to his game since he’s come to DePaul. He is a very smart, confident player.” Chanturia is optimistic about this season. “Back in Oklahoma, during my first semester freshman year and second semester of my sophomore year, I think I had pretty good seasons,” he said. “I think I’m going to do just as well here at DePaul. This year has already started out really, really good. Maybe it’s going to be the best year yet. We’ll see.” Brothers echoes Chanturia’s optimism about the rest of the team as well. “The guys are really setting goals for themselves, and the first big one is winning the Big East,” he said. “If that happens, then winning the NCAA tournament would be next. Those are the two main goals this season, along with academic goals as well. We continue to carry a 3.5 team GPA.” Although the team lost three of its seniors last year, the team has three new freshmen that have great potential t: Aaron Chaffee, Josh Dancu and Adam Reinhart. Dancu even made it into the semifinals at the Purdue Invitational. The whole team is looking to have a very promising season this year. Chanturia said that this season is “different.” "We are far away from where I want us to be," he said. "The schedule ahead of us is hard, but everything is going to be fine and we will continue to shoot out for our goals.”
Sorby’s aggressiveness almost backfired in the 21st minute, however. The sophomore keeper came well off his line to head a ball away, however his clearance wasn’t far enough. The Pirates took possession of the ball, but good recovery defense from the Blue Demons ensured that Victor Mansalvas’ shot was a weak one saved by Sorby. DePaul dominated the game offensively, outshooting Seton Hall 21 to 11, and had several chances to further their lead. The win for the Blue Demons comes off the heels of a 4-2 defeat away at Drake. Blazer made several changes to
the starting XI to open up Big East play, opting to start six freshmen. “We really have 28 capable players,” Blazer said. “It was more of a positive what these guys did. We’ll keep looking for consistency, but also find ways to bring a new look. It’s something we have to with this team being so young.” The win is something a young squad will look to build upon, Gustafson said. “We hope to keep the momentum going,” he said. “I think we’re a team that can go on a streak in the Big East, and this win makes us ready to win games coming up.”
Week in review Women’s soccer
Cross Country
The Blue Demons came away with a valuable point in the Big East standings last Sunday as they tied Louisville at Cardinal Park 1-1. Their celebration was short-lived, however, as they allowed the Cardinals to score just 13 seconds later to even the score at one apiece. “We scored a great goal, but letting Louisville back in the game almost immediately was disappointing,” said DePaul coach Erin Chastain. “However, we fought until the end and are happy we were able to salvage a point out of the weekend.” The Blue Demons also dropped a hard fought match in overtime on Thursday to Big East rival Marquette.
For the second time this season, DePaul senior Matthew Graham garnered Big East Athlete of the Week honors for men’s cross country. Graham earned the award after his first-place finish at last Friday’s National Catholic Championship with a standout time of 24:15. The win was Graham’s second first-place finish in as many races this season. The cross country team’s next scheduled meet is Oct. 1 at the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic hosted by the Louisville Sports Commission.
Women’s basketball DePaul women’s basketball head coach Doug Bruno will assist on the USA Women’s Basketball National Team European Tour, a five-game European exhibition that runs Sept. 27 – Oct. 9. During his stint as assistant coach with the 2009-10 USA National Team, Bruno aided current UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma and the USA to a 16-1 overall record and a pair of gold medals, at the 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational and the 2010 World Championships.
Men’s soccer Sparks flew at Drake’s Cownie Soccer Complex Wednesday night, with a five-goal barrage of scoring in 34 minutes. Unfortunately, the Blue Demons were unable to match Drake’s output, losing 4-2. Freshman forward David Selvaggi scored twice, both in the second half, as DePaul tried to comeback from a two-goal deficit. “It gave us the momentum, and at that point, I really thought we were going to win it 3-2,” said Selvaggi after the match. But Drake responded minutes later, scoring the winner and adding an insurance goal to top it off. “We showed a lot of character in coming back,” said DePaul coach Craig Blazer, “and it’s a step in the right direction.”
The DePaul men’s golf team opened their 2011-12 season in Rhode Island for the Adams Cup of Newport/Cleveland Golf Classic on Sept. 19-20. DePaul finished in 11th place among the 19 teams that competed in the three-round, two-day tournament. DePaul started off strong in the first round of play, tying for third overall after the first 18 holes, then faltered in the second round. After the first two rounds played at the Newport National GC in Middletown, DePaul sat in a tie for 10th place with an overall score of 596 (+20). The second day of the tournament was played at Carnegie Abbey Club in Portsmouth, where the Blue Demons tallied a 293, to give them a total mark of 889 (+29). Russell Budd, a junior, finished in a tie for 23rd overall with a total of 220 (+5). Senior Ben Westley, who posted DePaul’s best round of the first day with a 69, tied for 32nd with a total of 221 (+6). Westley was followed by sophomore Moritz Ackerhans, shooting a 224 (+9); freshman Jan Juelicher, with a score of 225 (+10); and senior Erik Peterson, who shot a 224 (+22). “We had a really solid first round,” said Westley. “I think we were only three shots back after round one, and that was really encouraging knowing we can play with the best teams like Central Florida and Georgia. We were a shot behind one and three shots behind the other, and they’re top-15 teams, so we know we can be there.” Head coach Betty Kaufmann also noted DePaul’s positive output in the first round, but pinpointed the team’s shaky second round as something needing improvement. "In the second round we just faltered,” said Kaufmann. “You don’t like everyone to falter at once except for Ben, Ben kind of held us in there, but Moritz really struggled a little bit in the second round, and we need Moritz.” Kaufmann cited a quick start to the season and hydration as obstacles that impeded Ackerhans’, as well as the team’s, ability to compete at a fuller level over the grueling 11-hour, two-round first day of the tournament. “It was a 36-hole day. [Ackerhans is] a young sophomore, although I think technically he’s still a freshman,” said Kaufmann. “It’s important to just keep him hydrated, and whether he didn’t drink enough or it’s just the little things. I think leading up to it is when the kids come back to campus, we have to do qualifiers; so we did qualifiers for five straight days, and then really a day of practice and then went off to a tournament, so we didn’t get a lot of practice in. So I think it’s a combination of everything.” It is still very early in the season for the golf team, but they know what must be improved on. “There were good things and bad things in this first tournament,” said Westley. “We showed promise, but we also have things to improve on in the future. Things like bringing those high rounds down two or three shots – it’s just little things like mental errors and keeping your focus for the whole round.” Following the Adams Cup of Newport tournament, Westley was awarded the Robert Adams Exemplary Golfer Award. Presented annually, the award is given to the player that best exemplifies Mr. Adams’ commitment to athletics, academics, citizenship and community service.
Sports. September 26, 2011. The DePaulia 27
"Big East"
continued from back page
in conference realignment—media coverage. “We look forward to the added enthusiasm and vigorous competition our new members will bring to our men’s and women’s sports and to the expanded reach into even more of the nation’s top media markets our conference will achieve under our new structure.” When the ACC took Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College it was also in a move of expansion from nine to 12. Much like the current situation of Pittsburgh and Syracuse which will be the move from 12 to 14, with some experts predicting that the ACC is looking to make the leap to 16. In a May 2003 statement, the ACC’s Clemson University President James F. Barker, chair of the Council of Presidents said, "Over the past 18 months, our Conference has been involved in an intense and thorough strategic planning evaluation on the long-term direction of the ACC," said Barker. "The priorities of this evaluation have been academic compatibility, commitment to student-athlete welfare, long-term financial stability and national athletic excellence. Today, our member instituBrianna Kelly |The DePaulia tions reached agreement to begin formal discussions with Cleveland Melvin in the 2011 game against Pittsburgh, a Boston College, the University of matchup that will continue until 2014 when Pittsburgh will join Miami and Syracuse University the ACC. to join the Atlantic Coast Conference. These three institutions represent and share the values move, the men’s basketball pro- cessful at this level." for which the ACC has long been gram, and only revenue sport, Currently there is only speculahave had a 22-82 conference re- tion as to who will fill the Pittsknown." And by the summer of 2003 the cord in the six seasons as well as burgh and Syracuse voids. Before it was even announced that ACC had offered official mem- having had three head coaches. In 2009 Ponsetto told the Chicago they would be leaving, Texas bership to Boston College, the Tribune "The Big East wanted us Christian University was set to University of Miami and Virginia because of our pedigree and our start their 2012 schedule as a Big Tech—noticeably not Syracuse, history, and it's not ancient hisEast competitor. While Comdespite the formal talks, which tory -we were in the tournament missioner Marinatto has made stayed in the Big East for the in 2004 and we made a good NIT statements saying many schools time. run in 2007. These things tend have showed interest in the spots DePaul has in the past been critito run in cycles, and we are in a only one school has applied for a cized for its decision to join the down period right now. But we membership—East Carolina out Big East. In the years since the have the resources ... to be suc- of Conference USA.
More than fantasy Fantasy football leagues give fans a stake By CALVIN HAHN Contributing Writer “Are you kidding me, Jamaal Charles?” wrote my league mate Matt on our fantasy league homepage. “You did jack squat for me in week one, and now you decide to tear your ACL and miss the whole season!?” Hundreds of thousands of fantasy football owners feel the same pain Matt is going through. Jamaal Charles was a top five pick in all formats of fantasy football. For anyone who has played fantasy football, replacing a topnotch running back is almost impossible. Either it’s time to swing a trade or get really lucky finding a sleeper on the waiver wire. With many people wagering on their leagues, it hurts that much more losing your first pick. Injuries are rampant in a sport like football, so winning a fantasy league takes both skill in drafting and blind luck. Quarterback Peyton Manning’s average draft position was 50, according to BleacherReport. com, which meant that he went in the fourth or fifth rounds of drafts. The Indianapolis Colts declined to tell the masses that he would be out for almost the entire season after most players had already drafted in their leagues. Everyone that picked him in the draft wasted a decent pick and immediately threw him into the free agent pool. “More than 19 million people play fantasy sports in U.S. and Canada, according to numbers released in August by the Fantasy Sports Trade
Association,” wrote David Sweet, a contributor to NBC sports online. “Football comprises the majority, around 14 million.” Matthew Berry, ESPN’s guru of fantasy football and selfproclaimed “Talented Mr. Roto” is the go-to guy for fantasy knowledge.You know fantasy football is popular when ESPN hires a guy full-time to talk about fake players on fake teams with fake owners. “I watch Berry on TV, the Internet and listen to his weekly podcast,” said Dave Webber, a DePaul student and fantasy owner. “He just knows everything there is to know about fantasy football, or he makes it seem like he does. He’s very convincing.” Fantasy football has almost become reality for owners. They converse with their friends, family and co-workers, speaking as if they actually own these players. The highs and lows of being a general manager/owner are thrilling, even if it is just … fantasy. But don’t assume fantasy football is all fun and games. “It’s actually a lot of work playing in a serious league,” said Peter Kim, a DePaul student. “I did countless hours of research before my draft and heading into Week 3 of the season. Sometimes I just stare at my computer hours on end contemplating trades and free agent pickups.” Watching games on Sundays and Monday nights are more interesting. Not only can you root for your hometown Bears in Chicago every weekend, but you now have a stake in watching other games because of the players on your team.
"Money talks" continued from front page the size of athletic budgets and the size of university budgets, it’s not surprising that there’s an infatuation with chasing after what might be a better and more lucrative revenue. “The obvious thing here is money talks; it is clearly dominating the configuration of negotiations,” said Krautmann. “The powerhouse teams have the ability to exercise their market positions, and it makes things more difficult for the weaker teams.” In May, the Pac-12 Conference agreed to a media rights deal with ESPN and Fox, worth over $2.7 billion over 12 years. With schools continually looking for stability in uncertain conference conditions, wellestablished TV deals like these present attractive opportunities for conference members to hop on a bandwagon and stay there. The ACC surely viewed the Pac-12 deal as an invaluable opportunity to sway their own blockbuster TV deal in the future, something that should be more readily available to them considering their expansion and inclusion of renowned programs in Syracuse and Pittsburgh. Losing two of its more noticeable basketball programs, the Big East is placed at a great disadvantage. The conference is the only college league that places a greater emphasis on basketball than on football,
with football being the far more popular sport of the two in the eyes of American sports fans. The Big East and Big 12 have been in talks about a possible merger, which would bring in a number of strong football programs to the Big East, indicating a possible change to the landscape of these prominent conferences. Texas Christian University’s admission to the Big East next year begs the question of whether the Big East will lean towards favoring football schools instead of basketball. “At this point, it is uncertain whether basketball concerns or football concerns are going to drive the ultimate configuration of these conferences,” said Krautmann. “Basically football revenues are driving the desire to leave a conference and going to another conference.” Football is a far more reliable cash cow in college sports than basketball – there is simply no denying this fact. The Big 12, as a football-heavy conference, adds a fair amount of solidity for the Big East to fall back on in these uncertain times. “For football, every game for the big teams is sacred. Each game is very scarce and very valuable, and that’s why you get those billion dollar contracts,” continued Krautmann.
Though early, a number of rumblings have also indicated an uphill climb for Big East basketball in the coming years. The University of Connecticut, winner of last year’s men’s basketball NCAA Championship, has been rumored on a number of occasions to be considering a move to the ACC, along with Pitt and Syracuse. UConn’s possible move would leave a gaping hole in the Big East’s basketball offering and, as a founding member of the conference, their program would be difficult to replace with another school as geographically and competitively cohesive. Another troubling rumor concerning the ACC’s hunt for greater power in college basketball is their attempt at running the Big East out of what it considers its home turf, Madison Square Garden. Madison Square Garden has been the site of every Big East basketball tournament since 1983, yet ACC commissioner John Swofford has made it clear in a number of interviews that the self-proclaimed “World’s Most Famous Arena” would be an ideal venue for the ACC Tournament. If there is a changing of hands with the arena, it won’t happen for another few years, as the Big East has a contract with the Garden through 2016. Still, these are applicable concerns for the Big East mov-
ing forward, especially for teams like UConn who are already considering removing themselves in pursuit of greener pastures. Basketball and football, two of the biggest sports in college athletics, have monopoly over conference realignment decisions. However, non-revenue earning sports are somewhat ignored in negotiations, yet are impacted by the results. Since the most recent conference realignments have been primarily about money and less about reforming tradition and geographic links, teams who don’t bring in money but travel just as much as teams that do are left to fend for themselves. Less attention is given to these teams, both in the budget and certainly in national exposure, yet does not make them any less important. And overall, despite these involving talks among conferences about realignment, there is still a ways to go before any serious ramifications are discovered. “Who knows where we’re going to be in two months. Once one team starts to leave, it’s as if the glue of the conference starts to come unraveled,” said Krautmann. “As soon as this goes into effect, everybody’s trying to figure out if there’s a better place for them to be.”
SPORTS
Sports. September 26, 2011. The DePaulia 28
Sports Editor Cheryl Waity Assistant Sports Editor Julian Zeng depauliasports@gmail.com
Men's soccer gets conference win over Pirates By JEREMY MIKULA Online Editor
Lisa Armstrong |The DePaulia
History repeating—almost By CHERYL WAITY AND JULIAN ZENG This week the Big East lost two schools and is in a position to react to a move made by the Atlantic Coast Conference—again. College basketball fans have seen this before about eight years ago. A move very similar opened the Big East door for DePaul. On Sunday, Sept. 18, Syracuse and Pittsburgh announced they would be leaving the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). "The ACC is a strong, united conference that is only going to get better with the addition of the University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University," Duke University President Richard Broadhead, chair of the ACC Council of Presidents, said in a statement. This won’t be a swift move for anyone. According to the Big East,
Syracuse and Pittsburgh will have to stay 27 months and pay an exit fee. "I continue to believe the Big East Conference is well positioned for the future and that the events of the past 24 hours will unify our membership," Big East Commissioner John Marinatto said in a statement. Flash back to and 2003, the ACC raided the Big East for schools, taking Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College. The Big East in turn formally admitted five new members that began competition in the 2005-06 school year—Cincinnati, Louisville, Marquette, University of Southern Florida and DePaul. Two of the five, Marquette and DePaul, did not have football programs. While the DePaul Athletic Department has declined comment on the current conference realignment, the situation that led to their own conference change has yielded statements that tried to explain the benefit of their move to
the Big East as well as what could attract others to the Big East. “I have great respect for the leadership and the universities in Conference USA. We have made many good friends there, and we wish the conference well as it pursues its own destiny,” Rev. John P. Minogue, C.M., then-president of DePaul said in a statement. Athletic director Jean Lenti-Ponsetto said in her 2003 statement, “This invitation to the Big East allows us to renew rivalries with some old friends and positions DePaul to compete against institutions who share similar philosophies both academically and athletically.” At the same time that the Big East replaced the schools that left, it also decided to expand from 14 schools to 16. In a statement by then-Commissioner Michael Tranghese preceding the addition of these teams and the expansion of the conference, he alluded to the general trend that is currently visible
See BIG EAST page 27
The DePaul men’s soccer team opened Big East play with a 2-1 win over the visiting Seton Hall Pirates Saturday at Wish Field. First half goals from freshmen Kyle Gustafson and David Selvaggi were enough for the Blue Demons to pick up three points and move tied for first in the Red Division. “We encouraged the guys to show a tremendous amount of determination,” head coach Craig Blazer said. “We bent, but we didn’t break, and I applaud the guys. It’s a good way to start the Big East campaign.” DePaul (2-5-1, 1-0-0) got the scoring off in the 24th minute on a corner taken by Mauricio Velasco. Defender Gustafson met Velasco’s corner on the far post and headed down into the back of the net. The goal was Gustafson’s first career collegiate goal. “It felt good to get the first one out of the way,” Gustafson said of his goal. “It was a good ball from Mauricio and luckily it went over the keeper. I was happy to head it down.” Just 11 minutes later, a Blue Demons counter attack saw Anthony Hunter posses the ball along the touchline, cutting inside and passing into the area. Hunter’s pass was met by Selvaggi, who faked a shot, cut inside, took a touch and fired into the far post from 8 yards out. Selvaggi’s goal in the 35th minute was the freshman’s fourth of the season. “It was just good teamwork,” Salvaggi said. “Everyone’s working together and we’re finding the back of the net.” Seton Hall (3-3-2, 0-1-0), coming off a scoreless draw with No. 1 Maryland, got one back in the 72nd minute. George Velasquez met a cross from Damien Bziukiewicz and redirected the ball into the near post, just tucking it behind keeper Eric Sorby for his first goal of the season. The Blue Demons created numerous good
See MEN'S SOCCER, page 25
Men's tennis starts off season strong By KIERSTEN SINKO Contributing Writer After senior George Chanturia won his match against Purdue’s Krisztian Krocsko at the Purdue Fall International Main Draw on Sunday, Sept. 18, he was informed that he would be playing against a fellow teammate, Filip Dzanko, in the finalist game. After a total of five matches that day, Chanturia claimed championship honors with a 6-2, 6-4 win. “It’s my fourth year and I’ve never had to play in tournaments with my teammate, and in the final, so it was really weird,” said Chanturia. “I was nervous
in the beginning. I had an awkward feeling that I really couldn’t describe, but I think I managed it well. I jumped at it in an aggressive way and I think everything went okay.” Although it was a little awkward to playing against a teammate, Chunturia was still excited about the game. “I thought it was a big deal for our school because both of the finalists were from DePaul, and we even had four guys out of 32 that made it to the draw,” he said. “I thought it was huge for DePaul.” Chanturia has been playing tennis for 16 years, and yet he never played for a high school league. Back in his hometown
Courtesy of the DePaul Athletic Department
Senior George Chanturia took first at the Purdue Fall International Main Draw. in Georgia, most of his tennis practice was an individual effort. He played for two years at the
University of Oklahoma and then transferred to DePaul for his last two years.
“I think George has set some good goals for himself, and he’s on his way to achieving them as
See MEN'S TENNIS, page 25
www.depauliaonline.com | twitter.com/depauliasports