Inside
White is the new
Black
Opinions, page 12
Vol. # 94, Issue # 20
May 2, 2011
Rally on Take Back the Night works to speak out against violence By MARY FERRILL
Photo by Joe Ruppel
DePaul student Pamela Barrientos energizes the crowd entering St. Nicolas of Tolentine Church for the New Americans Rally to support the Illinois DREAM Act.
Students march to make DREAM a reality By JOE RUPPEL Nearly fifty DePaul students approached St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church Saturday morning in a unison chant: “Education not deportation! Education not deportation!” Ross Richmond, Student Government Association President, and Pamela Barrientos shouted through megaphones, leading the march. St. Nicholas of Tolentine was the site of the New Americans Rally, an assembly for support of the Illinois DREAM Act, which
will be voted on in the Illinois Senate on May 4. The rally was organized by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Fr. Dennis Holtschneider, president of DePaul University said, “This is a critical point and day because this is when you bring elected officials into the room and they see the support for the legislation they’re about to vote on. Today is the final push.” Around a thousand people packed inside
Last Thursday a group of students participated in Take Back the Night to show their support for women who are survivors of abuse, sexual assault, and domestic violence. “Take Back the Night utilizes the symbolism of marching and dancing through the streets in order to reclaim [the streets] from the fear of women, trans people, and other marginalized groups face walking through the streets at night” coordinator Amanda Stefanski said. A DePaul student group called The Feminist Front, which focuses on raising awareness of feminist issues, organized the event. The event has been taking place in various parts of the country since 1975 when citizens of Philadelphia came together in support of a woman named Susan Alexander Speeth who was stabbed and killed when walking home alone one night. Take Back the Night has now become a global phenomenon. People all over the world are
Photo by Mary Ferrill
Students gathered for Take Back the Night on Thursday, April 28 to show support for victims of sexual violence. marching and speaking out against crimes of violence. In addition to showing support for those who have been victims of violence, Take Back the Night is also a safe space for the survivors of violence. The event serves as a way for survivors to heal and share their stories, breaking the silence that typically sur-
Continued on Page 4
rounds sexual violence. After the march, students participated in a “speak out,” in which those who feel comfortable share their experiences with one another around violence. “I told the story of my sexual assault for the first time at Take Back the Night last year and it was absolutely a life changing experience
Continued on Page 7
Control your reality Video games still number one form of escape
By TRICIA CATHCART Video games. Online role-playing. “Dungeons and Dragons.” “World of Warcraft.” Getting mental images of glasses-wielding, freckly-faced teenage boys congregating on your living room couch, obsessed with the fantasy worlds that they’ve created for themselves? Maybe you are a fan of these games yourself; you enjoy taking that much-needed break from your daily stresses to join in on a quick “Call of Duty” match with your virtual buddies. The truth is that these types of fantasy and role-playing games have become more popular than ever with recent technological advances, and not only are they sources of masterful, all-encompassing entertainment, but they also serve as a means of
therapy for coping with life issues ranging from acceptance and identity problems to the loss of a loved one, among many others. Escapism is defined as a mental diversion by means of entertainment or recreation, as an “escape” from the perceived unpleasant or banal aspects of daily life. It can also be used as a term to define the actions people take to help relieve persisting feelings of depression or general sadness. “It’s all about a sense of belonging, and maybe a bit about killing stuff,” said Ethan Gilsdorf, author of “Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms.” During his book reading and Q&A at DePaul’s Loop Campus Barnes and Noble
bookstore in mid-April, Gilsdorf discussed the idea of gaming as a way to escape, his own personal relationship with fantasy gaming and what he discovered about the millions of others who engage in the gam-
Graphic by Sam Schroeder
ing world, all of which he presents in his novel, published by The Lyons Press. “In the past, people had antisocial associations with gaming in their minds, but as we’ve progressed the gamer stereotypes
Continued on Page 14
2 The DePaulia. May 2, 2011
Editor-in-Chief Cheryl Waity
First Look
Upcoming events...
Managing Editor Blair Moran
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Larry Kramer: Consumers in Control 6 p.m. LPC SAC 254
Complex Identities 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Richardson Library The Museum Space
The Ernie Play 7:30 p.m. Free The Greenhouse Theatre 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.
2011 DePaul International Night 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Tickets $10 Cortelyou Commons
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Vincentian Service Day 2011 8 a.m.-6 p.m. St. Vincent dePaul Church
Halfway to Halloween 8 p.m. The Hangge-Uppe 14 W. Elm St.
Identify your Skills and Accomplishments: Career Center Workshop 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. LPC SAC 151
Online Editor Jeremy Mikula News Editor Elizabeth Schuetz Nation & World Editor Rachel Metea Opinions Editor Samantha Dite Focus Editor Darla Weaver Arts & Life Editor Joanie Faletto Sports Editor Shaymus McLaughlin Assistant Sports Editor Meghan Bower Photo Editor Brianna Kelly Graphics Editor Samantha Schroeder Copy Editors Katie Weiss Julian Zeng Tricia Cathcart
Outside
Business Manager Auriel Banister
Tuesday
Wednesday
Advisor Marla Krause
High: 57
High: 61
Contact Information General Telephone (773) 325.7441 News depaulianews@gmail. com Nation & World depaulianation@gmail. com Opinions depauliaopinion@gmail. com Focus depauliafocus@gmail. com Arts & Life depauliamagazine@ gmail.com Sports depauliasports@gmail. com Advertising depauliabusiness@ gmail.com Editor-in-Chief depauliaeic@gmail.com Managing Editor thedepauliame@gmail. com Online depauliaonline@gmail. com Fax (773) 325.7442 Website www.depauliaonline.com
Thursday High: 60
R R R Sunny
Partly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy
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 12a-3 8-10 10-11 11-12 12-12:30 12:30-3 3-5 5-5:30 5:30-7:30 7:30-10 10-12
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
High: 58
High: 60
High: 67
High: 65
Sunny
Mostly Sunny
SS Showers
Cloudy
RR
Chicago’s College Connection
Tuesday Monday After Hours (Mixed) HAL 2010 (Playlist) Your Show Here? (Open) Rock Tarts & Thrash Browns Mondays with Maddie (Sports) Keys to the Highway (Blues) News at Noon (Live) News at Noon (Live) Cup of Joe (Sports/Music) Ezzy Ez (Pop/Rock) Humilidad y Inteligencia The Forum (Sports) News and Sports (Live) News and Sports (Live) The Duo (Hip Hop/Dance) Politics 101 (Political Talk) Life in High Fidelity (Indie/Coll.) Left of the Dial (Indie/Coll.) Days of Wonder (Radio Dramas) Fresh-N-Proper (Hip Hop) Friday 9 -10 HAL 2010 (Playlist) Show Yet To Be Named (Pop/Talk) 10 -12 12 -3 DePaul Authors’ Series 3 -5 Scrawl DePaul / Threshold 5 -7 News at Noon (Live) 7 -9 Campus Connection (Live) 9 -12 Perpetual Jam (Jam Bands) 12-2a News and Sports (Live) Satan Says Dance (Rock/Pop/Dance) 10-12 Feature Friday (Mixed) 12 -3 Stay Free Radio (Mixed) 3-5 5-8 8 -10 10-12
Wednesday Thursday Midnight Blend (R&B) Weird Wednesdays (Music/Talk) Your Show Here? (Open) Your Show Here? (Open) Second City Sports (Sports/Music) Dannibal Lector (Rock/Pop) News at Noon (Live) News at Noon (Live) Indie Invasion (Indie/College) Blue Demon Weekly Haters to the Left (Alt/Punk) Molotov Mohwak Mayhem (Punk) News and Sports (Live) News and Sports (Live) The Snack (‘95-Present Top 40/Talk) 1Heart1Love1Soul (R&B) The Listening (Indie/Hip Hop/Jazz) Subconscious (Hip Hop) Boy Meets Radio (Mixed) Alternative Connection (Alt)
Saturday Yet To Be Named (Sports Talk) Cabochon Jazz Radio (Soul/Intl/Jazz) DePaul Sports Play-By-Play Overcast Hype (Grunge) The Link (Dance) Helen J/Trina P Show (R&B/Hip Hop) Wild Wuns (Hip Hop) The Sirs (Dub Step/Experimental) Sunday Hectic Eclectic (Mixed) Curious Sophisticate (News/Talk) Play It By Year (Rock/Themed) Brutalitopia (Metal) Bad Service (Hip Hop) Midnight Champion (Mixed)
2011 IBS Awards Best Newscast Best Radio Play Best Show Promo Best Community News
News Transfer for a day on the CTA
News. May 2, 2011. The DePaulia 3
By STEPHANE WILLIAMS
Are you tired of the same old DePaul scene? Haven’t put your handy U-Pass to use because of this weather? Well, if you’re in need for a new adventure it may be a 15-minute train ride away. Now that the celebrations of Easter are over and events such as DePaul’s Fest are coming up next month, you may be itching to find even more things to
Northwestern University
Take the Northbound Purple Line train towards Linden, get off at Noyes. What: Dillo Day (A part of Mayfest similar to DePaul’s “Fest”) When: May 28, 2011 Time: TBA Where: 633 Clark St., Evanston on the lakefront Price: Free
Loyola University
Take the Northbound Red Line towards Howard, get off at Granville. What: Senior Art Exhibit When: May 5 Time: All day Where: Fine Arts Annex, 1032 W. Sheridan Rd. Price: Free
Columbia College
Take the Southbound Red Line towards 95th, get off at Harrison. What: John Fischetti Exhibition When: May 3 Time: All day Where: Columbia College Chicago Library, 624 S. Michigan Ave., 1st Floor Price: Free
Robert Morris University
Take the Southbound Red Line towards 95th, get off at Jackson. What: RMU Talent Show When: May 17 Time: 11:30 a.m. Where: 7th Floor Student Center, 401 S. State St. Price: Free
University of Illinois-Chicago
Take the Westbound Blue Line towards Forest Park, get off at UIC Halsted. What: Indoor Soccer When: May 7 Time:TBA Where: MAC Court SRF Student Recreation Facility Price: Free
Chicago State University
Take the Southbound Red Line towards 95th, get off at 95th. What: “The Perfect Mother’s Day” Concert with performances by The Temptations, The O’Jays, and more. When: May 8 Time: 5 p.m. Where: CSU’s Jones Convocation Center, 9501 S. King Drive Price: Free
University of Chicago
Take the Southbound Red Line towards 95th, transfer to Green Line at Roosevelt. Take the Green Line to Cottage Grove. What: Baseball vs. Robert Morris-Springfield When: May 4 Time: 3 p.m. Where: J. Kyle Anderson Field, E. 56th Street, Price: Free
do. Whether you’re a commuter student or living in Lincoln Park’s Sanctuary Hall, you can grab your U-Pass and quickly explore the abundance of events at other universities and colleges in Windy City. Now there’s no excuse for your Twitter to say, “#bored”…so, check out what’s coming up in May.
Running low
4 The DePaulia. May 2, 2011
By ANGELIKI VERROS
Passing gas in class is disturbing but passing on gas is even worse for students commuting to and from DePaul University. The increasing gas prices have made it difficult for students to budget their expenses and stay connected to DePaul. Samantha Grazziano, 19, commutes to DePaul from Edgebrook, which is about 15 minutes from school on a day without any traffic. There are rarely days that go by when she is not stuck in traffic, taking Grazziano 45 minutes to commute to school, four days a week. “The spike in gas prices has severely affected my commute. I am forced to fill up my gas tank nearly twice a week which costs me about $70 for a full tank,” she said. The spike in gas prices has also affected the amount of money she can save in order to be involved in after-school activities. “I am a part of a sorority at DePaul but feel like I barely make the events due to the inability to commute as often as I would like.” Regular gas prices for Illinois, one year ago today, were $3.02 and are expected to reach $5 by Memorial Day and $6 by this summer. The unrest in Middle East and North Africa – Libya in particular - have tremendously affected the gas prices in the United States as opposed to the spike in gas prices due to the demand of oil in India and China in 2008. Students however do not need to know the political details to feel strongly about the rising gas prices. Nancy Shaba, 22,
commutes from the northwest suburb of Niles. Prior to the incredible hike in gas prices, Shaba was commuting almost every day to the Lincoln Park campus but for the past two months, the commute became unaffordable. “I use the El more frequently. Driving to school, paying $65 a week, put a damper on my ability to save,” she said. Dave Adams, 23, is a journalism graduate student who also commutes to school. His quest to find reasonably priced parking lots and a way to commute to school has been a long-time search. The new gas prices have stunted his ability to park effectively because, between paying for parking every day and driving to school from Skokie, Adams was practically forced to reschedule his classes. “ I am only taking one class this quarter but in the past, I would take four to five classes because it was more affordable,” said Adams. Parking on Wabash, between Jackson and Van Buren has been a struggle as well but “that’s the closest garage to the school where I can spend the lowest rate on parking. He pays $20 to park in this particular garage but was at one point paying $100 a week only on parking meters, Adams said. Katherine Tellez, 23, used to commute from Joliet to DePaul two to three times a week and attend on-campus events but the gas prices have cut her ability to be more involved in DePaul activities. “I have stopped participating in some of the clubs I used to be involved in because it was requiring me to drive to the city even more often than I could afford,” said Tellez.
With rising gas prices, commuters are paying big bucks at the pump
“I am thankful that I can schedule my classes only two times a week but regardless I am spending over $50 a week to commute and park,” she said. Oralis Moreno, 19, has found a partial solution for her commute from the northwest suburbs. She attends classes in Lincoln Park, taking her 45 minutes to an hour to get to school and has at least one class in the Loop every day as well. Moreno drives to Lincoln Park, leaves her car at the garage on Clifton, which costs about $380 for a parking pass which lasts the entire school year, and takes the Redline to the Loop campus every day. “I can’t afford these gas prices so I literally only fill my gas tank for my commute to school. For work, I take the bus or rely on carpooling with a friend.” When the commute to the city and the transfer from one train to the next goes as planned, Moreno says it does not give her enough time for anything else besides school and work. Trying to adjust my life around the commute, “I try to use all available resources to avoid paying for gas,” she said. Shenica Collins, 21, decided she was tired of using her car and resorted to taking the train to and from her hometown of Naperville. “Taking advantage of the U-Pass saved me $200 a month that I was spending on my $150 parking pass and $60 a week to fill my car with gas,” said Collins. “I’m starting to think it’s a better idea to just live in the city and stop commuting altogether,” she said.
Graphic courtesy of MCT Wire Service
“DREAM Act” continued from cover the church to support the legislature. Chants erupted in every direction even before the scheduled speakers took the stage to the rhythm of hands-clapping and feetpounding. Students waved signs that read “America was discovered by immigrants,” “One Nation One Dream,” and “Somos America.” DePaul students, the largest of any college group attending, stood out in the crowd in royal blue T-shirts with “DePaul University Supports the DREAM Act” written on the back in bold white letters. The rally opened with three prayers, one of which was delivered by Fr. Holtschneider. In the prayer, Holtschneider urged that we try to “see the world through other people’s eyes.” Among the rally’s speakers were Holtschneider, University of Illinois President Mike Hogan, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Michael Madigan, and Illinois Senate President John Cullerton. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, the chief sponsor of the federal DREAM Act, planned to attend, but cancelled due to flooding in southern Illinois. Madigan’s address focused on the promise of the American dream. “If we work together, if we keep our eye on the ball, if we stay focused, then we will fulfill the one nation, one dream platform,” Madigan said to the rousing applause of the impassioned congregation. “If we work together, there will be an Illinois DREAM Act that will be the modern implementation of the promise of America,” Madigan said. Cullerton emphasized the importance of the choice of higher education. “I’m here to share support for what I believe is nothing more than providing the basic choice for a population of young people here in Illinois,” Cullerton said. Cullerton said undocumented children were not given the choice to come to the U.S., but the law still limits their choice and de-
Photo by Joe Ruppel
DePaul students march to St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in Chicago, chanting "Education not deportation!" and "What do we want? DREAM Act! When do we want it? Now!" Leading the march is Ross Richmond, Student Government Association President. nies them basic opportunities. Hogan said the Illinois DREAM Act is more than a small step in the right direction for immigration reform and that no student should be denied financial aid because of outdated laws. The Illinois DREAM Act would create private scholarships and open up other financial opportunities for undocumented students, encourage high school counselors to be trained in educational opportunities for immigrant youth, and enable undocumented students to get driver’s licenses. The ICIRR estimates 65 percent of youths that would benefit from the act come from households that earn below 200 percent of the poverty line. Another speaker detailed the horrors her family is currently enduring as her husband is preparing to be deported. Through a translator, she said, “Enough is enough. Stop separating families.” An undocumented high school senior also spoke. The senior has been accepted to three colleges, but can’t afford tuition, something the Illinois DREAM Act would
like to fix. The senior said the DREAM Act would break down the walls that keep undocumented students from their full potential. Richmond said, “The rally showed how strong our collective voice can be when we come from all different places in Chicago and support the DREAM Act.” Universities from across Chicago were represented at the New Americans Rally, including DePaul, University of Illinois at Chicago, Northwestern, Loyola, Dominican, Roosevelt, and University of Chicago. Richmond said he was most impressed with the representatives’ ability to voice the goals of those in favor of the DREAM Act and make a solid commitment to bring those goals to Springfield for the vote on May 4. Richmond said, “The Illinois DREAM Act is really important because on a state level it says these people are valuable in our society and we need to allow them to get higher education so they can then be able to contribute back to society.” Richmond says the Illinois DREAM Act is im-
portant for DePaul because the university’s mission is to make higher education accessible and affordable to all students. “This is a small piece of Illinois doing its part, but it’s going to have to be followed by the national DREAM Act or people are still going to be deported,” Holtschneider said. The DREAM Act was originally federal legislation, first introduced in 2001 and most recently defeated last December. The federal version would enable undocumented students to earn legal status by earning a two or four year degree from a higher education institution, or by serving in the military for two years. The ICIRR estimates that 95,000 Illinois youth would have benefitted if the DREAM Act had passed in December. Following the rally, the DePaul students quickly turned their attention to the Illinois Senate vote on May 4. A bus will leave from Lincoln Park and take DePaul students and others to Springfield in the morning on May 4 to continue supporting the Illinois DREAM Act. The rally “brought a lot of solidarity to the movement. I think that a lot of people gained energy and are ready to vote and go down to Springfield on Wednesday,” Rachelle Snyder, Kindergarten co-teacher and DePaul alumni said. Sophomore Secondary Education major Nicole Arroyo said, “The energy was really positive, I hope we made an impact and when we go to Springfield on Wednesday that we pass the Illinois DREAM Act.” DePaul’s participation in the New Americans Rally was organized by a coalition of DALE, the DePaul Alliance for Latino Empowerment, and Student Government Association members. The event was advertised on Facebook. The coalition contacted the DePaul administration for support. Fr. Holtschneider, funded the group’s T-shirts. The Office of Mission and Values funded the buses that transported the students from Lincoln Park to the church.
News. May 2, 2011. The DePaulia 5
Cabrini Green: last one standing
By PAIGE WAGENKNECHT
One of the nation’s most notorious public housing developments, Cabrini Green, located on the Near-North side, will soon see the last of its high-rises fall, over a decade after the Chicago Housing Authority announced the redevelopment plans. While the high-rises demolition symbolizes a possible end to the failures of public housing, the building’s exposed apartment units bring back the realities of horrible living conditions and immense crime that once presided in the area. “The site is very eerie,” said junior Alex Neverez. “You can see people’s pictures still hanging on the wall and graffiti everywhere when you go past the last building. I still cannot believe people actually lived in such horrible conditions.” Once synonymous with gang activity, violence and drugs, Cabrini-Green has already started to be replaced with low-rise mixedincome housing, know as the Parkside Apartments, comprised of market-rate condos, affordable housing, and public housing. The last of the high-rises is one of the 53 Chicago public housing high-rises demolished as a part of the city’s plan of transformation, which is the city’s public housing initiative for reducing the number of public housing units and putting in mixed income housing units. All 53 buildings were scheduled for demolition by the end of 2009, but redevelopment has been slow-
er than expected. Political science professor Larry Bennett said the recession in 2008 has a lot to do with why the plans were stalled. “The recession had a big impact. There was a lot of construction going on up until 2008 and then the market collapsed and its really slowed down development particularly in the CHA areas that are away from the Near North side and the Near West side:” The areas surrounding CabriniGreen have experienced positive growth since the city first began to tear down the buildings. Crime rates have significantly dropped and there has been an influx of residential, commercial, and retail developments in the once undesirable neighborhood resting just next to the desirable downtown. “One of the ironies of the way in which public housing has been situated in Chicago was that a lot of the big developments like Cabrini Green and the Robert Taylor homes and Henry Horner homes on the west side, were located initially in what were considered to be undesirable neighborhoods, but they are also neighborhoods close to the downtown.” Bennett said that city government has been particularly supportive of neighborhood redevelopment in areas adjoining downtown because the land has become very attractive for real estate development. Although Cabrini-Green’s row houses still remain, the uprooting the last of 18 high-rises marks the end of the most notorious public housing projects in the country.
Changes expected with new SGA representatives By TIFFANY BONCAN DePaul’s Student Government Association election process is officially underway, and SGA representatives expect an exciting race this year. “I'm anticipating a lot of new blood this year because SGA has done so many great things that many students want to be involved in improving our experience at DePaul,” Honors Student Government-SGA Liaison Mustafa Basree said. There is still time to get involved. There are 25 open positions, ranging from SGA President, to the Senator for Sustainability. Applications are due May 5, and can be found at the SGA Elections 2011 website. “As an SGA representative, I believe that students want their voices to be heard in our meetings,” Basree said. If elected, these new representatives will speak for 25,000 students, voicing concerns, as well as getting new initiatives off the ground. “Voters look for someone who has a plan for implementing the items on their platform,” Senator for the College of Communication Emily Duddleston said. These platforms will be presented at the Candidate Debate/Q&A Session on May 12, from 4-5:30
p.m. in the Student Center’s 2nd floor performance area. At this event, candidates will answer voter questions concerning their platforms, and the new initiatives they hope to accomplish in the coming year. Basree's new initiatives include improving DePaul’s website interface, strengthening communication between researchers and DePaul’s community and introducing new majors and minors to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “I anticipate a large change in who holds what position,” Duddleston said. “It will be interesting to see how people handle more responsibilities.” With great responsibility come great rewards, if you become an SGA representative, according to Basree. “Being on the SGA is very rewarding,” Basree said. “You are a viable part of an on-going process to improve DePaul community and make it better term by term.” Polls open at sga.depaul.edu on Monday, May 16, and will close at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 20. Students can also vote in person at an EOB polling station in the Lincoln Park Student Center or at the Loop Depaul Center, from May 16 until Thursday, May 19.
Photos by Bartosz Brzezinski
Cabrini Green's remaining housing development is one of 53 Chicago Public Housing high-rises to be demolished as a part of the city's transformation.
History of Cabrini Green
- Built in the 1940’s - At it’s peak, home to 15,000 people - Early residents were predominately Italian ancestry, by the 1970’s it was comprised of almost entirely African Americans. - Poverty and organized crime have been largely associated with the area - Was composed of 10 sections, built over a 20year period. - Graffiti covered walls, rats, cockroaches, rotting garbage, boarded-up windows, burned spots and pavement instead of greenery created an overwhelming atmosphere of neglect and decay - 1981: then-Chicago mayor Jane Byrne moved into a fourth floor apartment in Cabrini-Green, stayed only three weeks, even with a personal bodyguard - 1995: demolition of buildings began
6 The DePaulia. May 2, 2011
News. May 2, 2011. The DePaulia 7
“Take Back the Night” continued from cover
Sustainability talks missing student voice By LYNSEY HART
Photo by Mary Ferrill
Students participating in Take Back the Night marched outside of the Lincoln Park Student Center on Thursday, April 28 with signs promoting active consent. and the first step towards my healing,” Stefanski said. The “speak out” portion is a way for victims voices to be heard, and communicates that they are not alone. There is a large amount of support from the students within the DePaul community. Many came to march and participate in the rally, in an effort to aid those who have been victims of violence. Sophomore Jessica feels that it is a way to stop the violence, and show the community how important it is to speak out. “It is ridiculous that anyone should feel unsafe at night. I want to bring an end the violence in our area, and Take Back the Night is a start,” she said. There are many acts of violence in the Chicago area alone, and Take Back the Night gives the community an outlet to come together, and speak out against it. The event took place on the Lincoln Park campus outside the student center, allowing students who may not have heard of Take Back the Night to get involved. Junior Neal Herink saw it as a way become more active in the community, while taking
part in a good cause. “This is a big event, and a good way to get involved in something that serves the greater good of the DePaul community as a whole,” Herink said. Although the event had been highly successful around the world, it has had to overcome various struggles. “ Our biggest obstacle has been our eternal struggle for a permit with the Chicago Police Department. It has been our largest impediment to the event running smoothly in the past,” Stefanski said. There have also been negative reactions for the Chicago police in the past, as they made “comments that were extremely disrespectful and blamed survivors of sexual assault,” said Stefanski. In spite of this, the event thrived this year with no complications from the police or any spectators. Take Back the Night provides the DePaul community with a constructive way to speak out against violence, reminding the survivors that they are not alone, and have a safe place to communicate with others.
Chances are you have heard the word ‘sustainability’ a time or two since being at DePaul. You have probably noticed the water bottle fill stations and have seen the new trashcans outside the sac. But what is sustainability, and what does it mean for DePaul? That is exactly what the Sustainability Initiative Task Force (SITF) is trying to answer with their series of ‘round-table discussions’ with faculty and student-leaders. “It’s not just recycling,” said Dr. Ron Nasher, who is hosting the meetings. While the environment is what comes to most people’s minds when they think of sustainability, it is actually a three-part, interconnected program involving environmental, economic and social sustainability. One of the programs that SITF has helped create is an MBA with a concentration in sustainable management; which has an interconnected curriculum within the school of commerce, LA&S and the school of communication. In the future, they are looking at creating a sustainable community development graduate level program, according to the dean of LA&S, Charles Suchar. “I’m very excited,” Dr. Suchar told the group of about 15 faculty members who had gathered around the table. “ We are transforming and changing parts of the curriculum [around sustainability].” SITF has until October to plan
out their future initiatives before a report is due to Father Holtschneider. But you don’t have to wait that long in order to find out what is going on. While communication was an issue that was brought up in the discussion, Dr. Nasher wants students to know that sustainability at DePaul isn’t new, and there are projects continuously underway. The website, of course, is one of the easiest places to find information (sustainability.depaul.edu) but if you still have questions, concerns or ideas, email Dr. Nasher (rnasher@depaul.edu) or convince members of SGA to attend the meetings. “If it doesn’t impact the students, the very individuals we are here for, it will have very little impact.” That is what Dr. Suchar left the group to think about before leaving the meeting. The faculty in attendance came from every part of the university, including athletics and the firstyear program. The only group missing was the student body. The very people who Dr. Suchar wants to involve were the only people not brainstorming ways of improving DePaul’s sustainability efforts and communication. The good news is that there are two more round-table meetings on May 8th and 13th and the rough draft of SITF’s proposal is not due until August. Meaning there is plenty of time to learn more about the complete sustainability program at DePaul and get involved.
Campus crime report: April 20-26 LOOP CAMPUS April 20 • A theft report was filed by Public Safety at the Barnes and Noble café. Someone called the complainant and told them they could find their bag at that location, but no bag was turned in to the location. April 26 • An unknown subject attempted to steal a laptop from a table at 1 E. Jackson. He dropped the laptop when the owner witnessed the attempt.
April 21 • Public Safety was called to the Student Center in regards to a theft of a wallet and cell phone. The items were taken from the victims purse.
April 23 • Public Safety was called to the study area of Student Center in regards to a theft. A student left their Mac laptop unattended and it was taken from the scene.
• Public Safety filed a damage to property report for the ash tray in front of Belden and Racine Hall.
April 24 • Public Safety filed a damage to property report at the Welcome Center. Graffiti was found on the west wall of the building.
April 22 • An offender was given a criminal trespass to land warning at the Student Center. The subject verbally was abusive to staff at the Student Center.
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
•A Power Outage occurred in parts of the Lincoln Park Campus.
April 20 • A bicycle theft report was filed at Munroe Hall bicycle rack. The bike and lock were both taken off the rack.
• Public Safety was called to the Student Center in regards to a theft of a backpack. A student left her bag and it was taken from the cafeteria area.
• An offender ran out with food from the Student Center Cafeteria without paying.
• Public Safety was called to Corcoran Hall for a suspicion of marijuana. No drugs were found at the scene.
April 25 • Public Safety filed a criminal damage to property report at the Racine side of 2350 Clifton. There was also damage at the fence on the Fullerton side of Sanctuary. •A suspicious person report was filed in regards to a male trying to sell books at the 990 W. Fullerton building. He was gone when Public Safety arrived to the scene. • Public Safety filed a report on a suspicious letter found in the Byrne hall building.
8 The DePaulia. May 2, 2011
Ring out the old, Ring in the new
The NEW DePaulia Online
www.depauliaonline.com
@The_DePaulia
News. May 2, 2011. The DePaulia 9
New safety initiative to track ‘dooring’ accidents By ANGELIKA LABNO The sun’s finally shining and you decide it’s time to free your bike from its winter shelter. As you ride along Fullerton Avenue, the sight of your friends on the sidewalk distracts you momentarily. Within that split second, a teacher sitting in her parked car swings her door open, right in your path. You reach for the brakes but a moment too late, and you smash right into the car’s trap. The dreaded collision is enough to make one reconsider the decision to bike to class, but there’s good news for apprehensive bikers: the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has started tracking "dooring" accidents on Illinois traffic crash forms, as was announced on April 25. The change came about from a collaboration with the Active Transport Alliance (ATA), IDOT and Gov. Pat Quinn. The Chicago Department of Transportation has been tracking “dooring collisions” for some time now, but it held no ground in perpetuating change. This new plan involving IDOT is a greater step towards collision prevention and overall safety, for the data will now be recorded in IDOT’s annual traffic accident summaries. The tracked reports will allow ATA to see possible trends in crashes; for example, areas that need improved roadways or bike paths, and if needed, ATA will be able to push for funding for educational campaigns to educate drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to help prevent collisions. The change is a huge achievement for ATA. After previous unsuccessful attempts of working with IDOT on the issue, Quinn's interest eventually sealed the fateful connection and the wheels began turning. “We're glad the governor saw that this was a challenge and worked with us and IDOT to work towards this change,” said Ethan Spotts, marketing and communications director at ATA. “As more people are riding bicycles and embracing other green modes of transportation, we need to ensure that Illinois collects data that presents a complete picture of what is happening on our roads,” said Quinn. “This new initiative will address a major safety issue for bicyclists and drivers, and will make our roads safer for ev-
Photo by Brianna Kelly
The Illinois Department of Transportation has collaborated with the Active Transport Alliance and Gov. Pat Quinn to begin tracking "dooring accidents." The data collected will allow the ATA to see possible trends in crashes and be used to make necessary improvements to roadways or bike paths. eryone.” What does this mean for DePaul students biking to campus? Because collisions have not been officially tracked before, there are no definite numbers for the Lincoln Park area. Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) drafted a map of a 2009 Bike Counts Project, in which a large circle marks the area around the Lincoln Park campus, illustrating a heavy concentration of bicyclists-anywhere between 645 and 1500 a year. Although there’s not a number available for accidents around DePaul, CDOT keeps on file the total number of “dooring” accidents as reported by police in the city. According to these CDOT reports, 63 crashes were tracked in 2009, jumping to 72 in 2010, 26 of them occurring between August and September. Between March and April of this year, three have been reported
so far. With the new initiative in effect, there will soon be a more accurate perception on crashes to determine bike safety. In regards to Lincoln Park, Fullerton Avenue provides a full bike lane, five to six feet wide, making it as safe as it gets to bike on a busy Chicago street. In the end, it's up to the drivers to take notice of bicyclists and exit their cars with caution. “If we found out that the Lincoln Park neighborhood was a hotbed for crashes, then there would be the opportunity to set up an educational campaign for DePaul students,” said Spotts. Active Transport Alliance is a safety advocacy group, the non-profit voice for biking, walking and traffic in the Chicago region. The organization is responsible for pushing for more bike lanes and trails, producing a regional bike map and constructing safety laws, such as the three-foot
passing law. “If you are out there enjoying your bike, we've probably put some footprint on the safety behind it,” said Spotts. Although the incident of getting “doored” makes for a good scene in a comedy, there's nothing funny about it when you're the victim. “I had a lump the size of a baseball on my leg for three weeks,” said Steve O'Connor, junior, after an unannounced meeting with an open car door. “My front wheel was demolished and I ended up buying a new bike.” To avoid the unfortunate event of getting “doored,” ATA suggests: riding at least three feet away from parked cars; look for brake lights; check for people in cars and wear a helmet, so that if you happen to flip over a door, at least you'll keep your head intact.
10 The DePaulia. May 2, 2011
Nation & World The price tag of an education Student loans surpass credit card debt By SARAH RENS
Photo courtesy of MCT WIRE SERVICES
Sonoma State sophomore Chris Benton, 18, is surrounded by Poker books at his home in Fremont, California, August 14, 2007. Benton is one of a small but growing number of teens who see online poker as more than just a pastime, but as a vocation.
For online poker, is it
game over?
By NIKA BLAKE
The nation’s largest online poker companies were forced to fold on April 15 after the FBI seized the Internet addresses of the sites. Authorities unsealed fraud and money laundering charges against the companies’ chief executives. The poker community nicknamed the shutdown “Black Friday,” as many Americans rely on online poker for their main source of income. An estimated 8 to ten million people live off their online earnings, according to a player’s advocacy group. Many students are among those millions. DePaul student Marty Rose played an average 24 tables simultaneously from 2009 to 2010. With this money, Rose was able to fully support himself, paying for rent, tuition and other expenses. Neel Choksi, 20, has fully supported himself since he was 18 years old with poker money. Choksi, a Lakeview resident, used his earnings to pay for a year of tuition at DePaul. While some argue professional poker is risky behavior, Choksi said, “it’s a great idea.” “Even with all of this,” Choksi said, “I don’t regret it at all.” “Going broke is almost
unheard of if the player has to set up shell companies self-control,” Choksi said. and fraudulently corrupt “Most professionals use payment processors rules where we only play into transferring their games that we have 100 checks, so that the players buy-ins for, which reduces could receive money for the variance.” However, he gambling,” Saberoff said. added, “Of course you get Saberoff said many of his the bad apple who can’t friends make an average help but play out of their $300-$400 per day. Many bankroll.” of his college friends didn’t This is not the first need to take out student time the government tried loans. They relied solely to shut down the online on their online winnings poker empire. for tuition According to costs and other the Federal expenses. D e p o s i t “There are “I panicked for also Insurance players Corporation, the first 24 hours out there that in 2006 may have the Bush of learning online made $50,000 administration poker had been a day, easy,” instituted the Saberoff said. U n l a w f u l shutdown because “Now they I n t e r n e t a large percentage must go find Gambling a job where Enforcement of my network was they may be Act (UIGEA). enough tied up online.” lucky The act to make that in instilled a year.” regulations According -NEEL CHOKSI that created to Los Angeles obstacles Times, The for online Manhattan gambling court has companies to legally officially filed money operate in the United laundering and fraud States. charges against the site 26-year-old poker owners of Full Tilt Poker, enthusiast Jeffrey Saberoff PokerStars, AbsolutePoker, of Cleveland, Ohio, said and Ultimate Bet. he blames the UIGEA for A 24-year–old senior forcing the online poker at DePaul University, companies to use illegal Nick Daglas played only methods for which they are for recreational purposes. now being indicted. However, unlike other “The UIGEA forced the students, Daglas did not online poker companies rely on his winnings.
“Individuals make a living from online poker. Millions of people are now out of a job due to these sites being eliminated,” Daglas said. “I have a number of friends who rely on poker to pay the bills who are moving to other countries where online poker is legal,” said Rose. “Many of them are going to Canada because it's close and English speaking” Saberoff said many of his friends in his online poker community are also considering moving to other countries where online poker is legal. “Most fulltime players are waiting for the dust to settle with the indictments and see what happens, before moving residences,” Saberoff said. Many are hopeful for the shutdown to be overturned, or that regulations for online poker companies will be created, allowing them to legally operate within the U.S. Neel said he believes that within two to three years, regulated poker sites backed by Las Vegas Casinos may arise. “I panicked for the first 24 hours of learning online poker had been shutdown because a large percentage of my network was tied up online,” Choksi said. “American players can’t access our accounts so there isn’t much we can do but wait.”
Student loan debt surpassed credit card debt for the first time last year and as more students pursue college and graduate level degrees this year, is predicted to exceed $1 trillion dollars this year. However, the number of applications to DePaul at the undergraduate level rose 40 percent from 2010, according to DePaul Assistant Vice President for Institutional Research and Market Analytics, Liz Sanders. While applications to DePaul’s undergraduate programs increased substantially, enrollment at DePaul’s College of Law decreased 17 percent from 2010 compared with the national average of an approximate 11 percent drop, said Michael Burns, the Assistant Dean and Director Of Admissions at DePaul’s College of Law. Burns said part of the economic decline is in part responsible for the drop in applications as many prospective students are concerned about increasing their student debt during at a time when positions for lawyers in some markets are on the decline. Yet, even as Law school applications decrease
nation wide, DePaul’s Pre-law advisor, Professor David Barnum said he believes that student interest in law school is as great as ever. Barnum said there has always been a bimodal distribution of salaries for lawyers and that DePaul students remain confident that they will find themselves prospering after law school, making Law school worth the expense. DePaul students seem to be optimistic about other graduate opportunities as well. Freshman Jake Garcia, a sound recording technology major, said expense was certainly a major consideration in his choice to attend DePaul and would continue to be a factor in his graduate plans. However, he said that presently he was “more concerned with where graduate school could get him than with the expense and associated debt.” Timantha Tran, a sophomore and psychology major, also acknowledged the significance of expense in her choice to attend DePaul. However, she said the scholarship given to her by DePaul and the nature of the 5-year undergraduate and graduate program she is enrolled in made the expense worthwhile.
Getting degree still helps The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows higher trends in unemployment for those who did not graduate high school than those with higher education in 2010.
Unemployment rate by education level Men and women age 25 and older
Some college Bachelor’s degree or higher
Less than high school Only high school
20%
March
13.7%
15
9.5%
10
7.4%
5
4.4% J F 2010
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
Source: U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics Graphic: Chicago Tribune
O
N
D
J F 2011
M
© 2011 MCT
The amount owed on student loans increases at a rate of about $2,854 per escond. Student debt is predicted to exceed $1 trillion sometime this year.
Nation & World. May 2, 2011. The DePaulia 11
NEWS BRIEF
4
1
3
2
Jason McCraine sits in what used to be a Title Bucks Thursday, April 28, 2011, after a strong tornado ripped through Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Wednesday. President Barack Obama said he would visit Alabama Friday to view damage and meet with the governor and families devastated by the storms. Obama has already expressed condolences by phone to Gov. Robert Bentley and approved his request for emergency federal assistance.
1
A Yemeni girl holding a balloon sits on the ground next to a member of President Ali Abdullah Saleh guards shortly before the arrival of Saleh to deliver a speech to supporters in Sanaa,Yemen, Friday, April 29, 2011.
2
3
Britain's Prince William, foreground left, and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, foreground right, leave Westminster Abbey following their marriage, London, Friday, April 29, 2011.
4
Kamel Kabtane, the rector of the Grand Mosque of Lyon, poses in the mosque in Lyon, central France, Thursday, April 28, 2011. The French mosque is seeking explanation from U.S. authorities of documents released by WikiLeaks identifying the mosque as a terrorist recruitment hub. Kabtane says he met Thursday with a U.S. diplomatic official to discuss the document.
Photo courtesy of The Associated Press
12 The DePaulia. May 2, 2011
Opinions
U.S. prepares for 2012 presidential campaigning By TRACY MARTIN Junior, Journalism President Barack Obama recently signed his papers to run as the presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket, making him the first candidate of the 2012 campaign. On the other side of the aisle, several Republican politicians have opened up exploratory committees to test the waters of a possible presidential run. Campaigns have begun asking for donation money, and several ads are already being circulated. Time to get this show on the road. For many of us, the 2008 election was the first time we became politically aware. It was one of the defining moments of our generation. Will the 2012 election be as exciting as it was last time? This election will be a referendum on whether or not Obama has been doing a good job as commander-in-chief. After riding a torrent wave of popular support into the oval office, Obama has struggled with implementing his policies as president. After the 2010 midterm elections, which saw Republican politicians win big in the House and in several state governments, Obama might now have to contend with a voter base that may not agree with his
Photo courtesy of Associated Press
President Barack Obama motions for audience members to sit before he speaks at a campaign fundraising event at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, Wednesday, April 27, 2011. politics. This election also brings numerous questions. Will young people who voted in record high numbers in the last election come to the polls? Will election turnout in general be as big as it was last time? The thinning of the herd of Republican presidential candidates will take place in the upcoming months. The four serious frontrunners at the moment are former Massachusetts governor
Mitt Romney, former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, former Senator of Pennsylvania Rick Santorum and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I think it’s safe to predict Mitt Romney as the favorite for the Republican presidential nomination. He’s the one serious candidate of the current crop, and I think his time is due for the candidacy. If the election were to be
held today, Obama would win. In a recent Pew poll, 47 percent of Americans would vote for Obama over a generic Republican. Obama maintains a 58 percent likability rating, and 51 percent approve of the job that he is doing. The economy will be the single defining issue of the campaign. It will be what makes or breaks Obama’s re-election bid. Economic woes torpedoed George Bush Sr.’s re-election in 1992, as well as Jimmy Carter’s re-election
in 1980. Let’s not forget Obama himself was the recipient of public concerns over the economy. After the economy crashed in the late summer of 2008, he rose up in the polls, casting an insurmountable lead over John McCain that he held all the way to the election. Added to economic difficulties, there might also be a problem with Obama’s seemingly lackadaisical efforts to pass his policies. His lack of forcefulness on several issues he campaigned on might leave a lot of liberals at home. He did get rid of DADT, attempted to broker a meaningful relationship with the Arab world and set a timetable for the removal of troops in Iraq, so his track record is still respectable. But it’s far from perfect. The worst thing about these elections, and I’m sure we can all agree on this, is the inane sideshows they degenerate into. The policies (you know, the things that actually matter) take a back seat to whatever dirt each side tries to muck up. The media has become notorious at stretching the most meaningless incidents into large spectacles. As the 2012 election looms, everyone needs to stay informed on what’s happening. Every single election is important in a democracy, because it remains the easiest way the average citizen can show his or her discontent with the way things are running.
White is the new black
LA&S calls for a clean break
By JESSIE MOLLOY Freshman, Journalism
By MARY FERRILL Sophomore, Undecided
New scholarship for white males causes controversy
About a year ago, I remember standing outside my high school guidance counselor’s office reading a list of available scholarships posted to a bulletin board. I was stunned that I was ineligible for at least half of them. I’m sure most people remember the frustration of looking down a list of scholarships, most of which seemed to put scholastic merit second to membership in some minority group. On the list at my high school, I discovered scholarship funds created exclusively for African Americans, Asian Americans, disabled Americans and every other type of American you can imagine— including Americans of every major religious denomination. Additionally, there were three scholarships only applicable to female students of any ethnic or religious background and one open to all male students. Although I was personally disgruntled with the low number of scholarship opportunities I found myself presented with, I was equally perturbed for my male classmates. Coming from a predominantly white Chicago suburb, one thing became painfully apparent in the months leading up to high school graduation: it’s not so easy for a white guy to scrounge up any extra scholarship money. I realize that sounds quite politically incorrect, but it’s true. Every other group in the U.S., including women, is thought to be less advantaged than white men;
therefore, they are offered exclusive scholarship opportunities to help pay for college. Although there is nothing wrong with creating these scholarship opportunities, the system tends to leave out white boys, whose only available scholarship opportunities then consist of considerably higher competition programs open to all students or all males.
“
...Kudos to the FMAE for this unique new scholarship program.
”
That is, until now. This year, a Texas-based group known as The Former Majority Association for Equality, or FMAE, announced the creation of a scholarship program exclusively for white male high school seniors who demonstrate financial need and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Since its announcement, the program has grabbed a considerable amount of media attention, both positive and negative. FMAE President Colby Bohannan said in an interview on CNN that the program has “more than anything else, drawn curiosity.” However, he also said there have been some “accusations of racism” online. I, for one, can’t understand why anyone would take issue with a private organization giving out
college scholarships. The FMAE board (which includes three white women, an African American and a Hispanic) has made a point of emphasizing in their mission statement that they “do not advocate any form of white supremacy,” so what’s the big deal if they want to only give money to white boys? If every other group in the country is allowed to give out scholarships to its students, why shouldn’t white men be allowed? Just because white men have historically held the majority of the country’s power does not mean that every 18-year old white boy can afford college tuition any easier than the African American or Asian American girl down the street. People seem to overlook that fact too often, and the result is a reverse form of discrimination putting individuals from the groups who are perceived to have the most at a disadvantage. So kudos to the FMAE for this unique new scholarship program. I feel it is a great step toward real equality in our nation, and I’m not alone. In the few months that have passed since the scholarship’s founding, the Former Majority Association for Equality has received over $2,500 in donations and is planning on giving five scholarships to graduating high school seniors and undergraduate students for the fall of 2011. While this may be just one more scholarship I wouldn’t be able to apply for, I’m still happy for those who can. I hope the criticism of a few overly politically correct Americans doesn’t deprive other students of this opportunity in the years to come.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences houses 6,000 undergraduate students, which is more than any other college at DePaul; therefore, it makes sense that the college is considering splitting into two schools—a College of Liberal Arts and a College of Science. As of now, the proposal for the College of Science includes eight departments: psychology, nursing, mathematics, biology, chemistry, environmental science, physics and the science education program. Ideally, this split would give students a more personalized education and allow them to connect with faculty and students within their specialty more frequently. Chemistry student Amy Stern believes it will bring more attention to programs that have gone unnoticed in the past. “I think it will attract people to the sciences,” she explained. “DePaul has a really great science program but it goes unrecognized, so making an actual college for the sciences will help people achieve what they want to achieve.” Breaking up the largest college at DePaul will even out the amount of students in each college and put an emphasis on specializing in one area. However, dividing the college will make it harder to change majors, as it will not be as easy to change majors if one is interested in science. Many students enjoy the fact that they can pursue a wide range of interests without having to transfer colleges. “I feel that it is easy change majors within the College of [Liberal] Arts and Sciences if one wants to,” said Taylor Cochran, junior. “That is one advantage of having so many subjects in one college—there are many options to choose from, and there is room to change one’s mind.” DePaul takes pride in providing students with the option to major in their areas of interest. Making a College of Science may prompt students who had not originally developed an interest in the sciences to take a class, and it will give science majors easier access to the faculty and science department as a whole. Even though it may make it harder to change majors than it has been in the past, splitting the College of Arts and Sciences will provide more opportunities for students in the long run.
Opinions
Opinions. May 2, 2011. The DePaulia 13
U-Pass costs more than students bargained for
requirements are right on base
By DANA MORONES Junior, Journalism & Communication Studies It is mandatory to purchase it. If you break it, you pay for it. If you lose it, you pay for it. If it’s stolen, you pay for it. If the machine eats it, you pay for it. If you guessed the topic of discussion is the CTA student U-pass, you guessed correctly. As everyone knows, the U-pass is the unlimited CTA transit card issued to DePaul students at the beginning of each quarter. It is understood that the U-pass is a deal for the student body, but is it really necessary for everyone? This brings up the first dilemma of the mandatory purchase of the U-pass. Yes, it does save you plenty of money if you are a person who travels to and from the Loop daily for classes and work, but for those who are committed to the Lincoln Park campus, where is the advantage? Students are charged the $79.75 whether they will use the pass or not. No questions are asked; you are just told where to go to pick it up. Granted, it does help with city excursions, but an extra $79.75 would be helpful to some students. The U-pass is made of a thin plastic, while the one-a-day transit cards are made of a sturdier thin cardboard material. According to the ID Card Services office in Lincoln Park, the plastic is used so that the student’s picture can be printed on it. With that being said, they also explained many students complain about broken U-passes. The office officials also leaked that the cards issued during spring quarter are less durable than the ones issued during the fall and winter quarters. The reason for this durability change is unknown to the office, but from what they suspect, the CTA knows how long each school quarter is and how long the U-pass will be in use; this determines which stock cards will be issued to students. The ID Card Service office has numerous replacement cards mailed to them quarterly and sees no sign of the CTA changing the U-pass card material. Tight budgets come with being a college student, and if something happens to your little plastic U-pass you will end up losing $50—which could go toward groceries, books or a new pair of jeans. “My U-Pass ripped near the middle near the black stripe,” said second-year graduate student Stephanie Williams. Williams and many other students soon found out the headache and fee they would have to endure with getting a new U-pass. The adventure begins when you pay to travel to the CTA headquarters off the Green Line. From there, you must stand in a long line filled with tiresome paperwork, hand over $50 and then get told you have to wait about a week to get your new U-pass mailed to the Loop or Lincoln Park campus, depending on your major. “Without my U-Pass, I've had to pay the fare of $2.25 per ride,” said Williams. Paying the fare to get around is one of the biggest problems while you’re waiting for your new U-pass to arrive. Jonathan Kadet, sophomore, expressed his great irritation
By COURTNEY POHLMAN Senior, PR & Advertising
Photo by Samantha Dite
after losing his U-pass on a CTA bus and having to wait for his new U-pass in the mail. “I have been waiting a week and have been paying to get around on top of the $50 I already spent to replace the card. I now have to go downtown to the Loop and pick up the U-pass,” said Kadet. Junior Alexandria Dunsun’s story started when a CTA machine ate her U-pass. “The machine tore it and, although I didn’t have to pay for it, I still had to pay to get around for a week before I got the replacement,” said Dunsun. Dunsun got lucky because the CTA took the fault for breaking her U-pass, but she still had to pay to get around while she waited. The stories go on and on and, although they differ in details and prices, they still all cost the students money. This could be avoided if students were given U-passes that could withstand everyday use. When a CTA employee was asked his opinion on the U-passes, he just responded by saying, “As long as the magnetic strip and the little hole at the bottom of the card is not damaged the card will still work, but you run the risk of it getting stuck in the machine…I would keep my pass in my wallet and not in my pocket so that it doesn’t break.” So who is to blame? Is it the careless placement of the U-pass or the material used to make the U-pass? Also, why do students have to pay to get around while they wait for the replacement? We have already paid the original fee and the replacement fee, so why aren’t temporary passes issued for the inconvenience of waiting? The U-pass is a lifeline for many students; they are grateful for it, but maybe students would be even more grateful if they didn’t have to worry about the lifeline being too fragile or too expensive to replace.
FEST: Worth betting on
The DePaulia predicts the 2011 FEST headlining act By CHERYL WAITY & BLAIR MORAN Editor-in-Chief & Managing Editor If we were on a plane to Vegas right now, there would be one bet we’d be willing to drop some serious bucks on, and that would be the headliner of DAB’s FEST this year. Northwestern just released their headline act for Dillo Day, a festival similar to DAB’s FEST. Dillo day is the day after FEST, May 28. Actually, since 2008, Dillo Day and FEST have shared a weekend, and this year B.o.B is headlining Dillo Day. The amount we would place on the following bet is hard to say, but we’re feeling pretty confident that B.o.B will be headlining DAB’s FEST this year, as well as Dillo Day. And this is not a blind leap of faith. In 2007, The Roots headlined Dillo Day, as well as FEST. In 2008, Common headlined Dillo Day, as well as FEST. In 2009, N.E.R.D. headlined Dillo Day, as well as FEST. It’s in 2010 that our evidence gets a little shaky. Nelly headlined Dillo Day while Ludacris headlined FEST. But this doesn’t leave us completely out of the running, because Guster played at both. There was also another incident in
Fitness
DePaulia File Photo
2007 where Lupe Fiasco was scheduled to perform at Dillo Day and also dropped by FEST. So, here we are in 2011. DAB has already confirmed that the headliner for this year’s event was on the original survey. B.o.B. was on the original survey and will just happen to be in Chicago during the weekend of FEST. What would your bet be?
For years there has been a debate on whether or not physical education should be required in schools. Many states feel it is unnecessary to mandate the issue, while in the state of Illinois physical education is required on a daily basis for students in grades K-12. However, when it comes to colleges, physical education is mandated based on school policy—not the state. Take the University of Chicago for an example. Students are required to take three credits of physical education to graduate and also must pass a swimming test. Students have the option of testing out of these courses but only through a physical education test that is administered during orientation. When seeing other university’s requirements, I am grateful DePaul University does not require P.E. classes. The only students required to take the courses fall under three categories: education majors who need a health or P.E. class, physical education majors, and physical education minors. To me, this is the perfect requirement. Don’t get me wrong, I understand why physical education is important, especially living in a city that has a record for being ranked in the top 25 fattest U.S. cities in the Men’s Fitness annual listing. But, this is college—not seventh grade. Students have more important tasks to worry about than being graded on how many pull ups they can do. Think back to the days of required physical education. Sure, it’s a great idea to get kids active and participate in team sports, but as students get older, physical education classes start to lose their luster. If you look around a high school gym class, you’ll find a third of the class highly involved, another third of the class sitting in the corner and the rest of the students pretending to participate in order to make the grade. Does anyone think mandating a college gym class would be any different than the typical high school set up? The answer is no. I agree with the way DePaul University sets up its requirements. If you are basing your career in physical education then the classes should be required. For the rest of us, it should be based on preference. If you really want to take a gym class, by all means do it. But if you’re like me, forgo the gym class and take a course that suits your own standards. As far as physical fitness is concerned, there are other means to achieve it. It’s not like DePaul, or any other university for that matter, isn’t equipped with equipment for this exact purpose. On the Lincoln Park campus, we have the Ray Meyer Fitness Center. The facility is outfitted with over 100 pieces of equipment, a weight room, basketball courts, racquetball courts, a swimming pool and more. The gym also offers free classes that students can take. Why mandate a gym class when students can use this facility as they please? Like I said, P.E. classes are important in the development of children, and I understand the necessity of requiring the courses in grades K-12. But in a college atmosphere where finals, midterms, group projects, jobs and job interviews reign supreme, there is little room to make students take a gym class that may not aid in their educational development. In college, we need to leave the kickball and pacer test behind us and move forward to more important things.
The opinions in this section do not necessarily reflect those of The DePaulia staff.
Foc
14 The DePaulia. May 2, 2011
e G
k e
k a re
f e th f
. . . t
u o
e r o
y t i l a
continued from the cover have changed,” said Gilsdorf. “We are creating alternate identities for ourselves, putting the best foot forward, so to speak, through outlets like Facebook, Avatar, online gaming, ‘Second World’… We want to be the hero. In these mindsets even the smallest person can change the world.” Gilsdorf said that the rise of the Internet proved to have substantial influence on the rise of this gaming culture, with countless numbers of live action role-playing games (LARPs) available for users. For Gilsdorf, coming of age in a time without Internet, his gaze fell on the realm of “Dungeons and Dragons,” a fantasy role-playing game of the imagination: part acting, part storytelling, part social interaction, part war game and part dice-rolling. When Gilsdorf was 12, his mother had a brain aneurysm, which resulted in serious, permanent complications that significantly altered the way she was able to play the role of “mom” in his reallife. “‘Dungeons and Dragons,’” Gilsdorf said, “was my ticket out. It was a way for me to escape, to not deal with what was happening in my life.” He says that by breaking away from the harsh reality of his life and into the realm of fantasy, he became more of a well-adjusted social being, now having control over things that happened to him in his “world.” He felt empowered. DePaul sophomore Greg Makis is familiar with that feeling. “I know what it’s like to want to get away from reality and immerse yourself in another world,” he said. “Sometimes I get so stressed out with classes and homework, work and my friends, taking a break to play video games is the ultimate solution. I can tune everything out and focus on something that I enjoy doing, and that makes me feel good after playing.” Setting out on his book-writing journey, Gilsdorf aimed to discover the appeal of fantasy, and what that says about our culture. Traveling around the (real) world to massive fantasy conventions and the “Lord of The Rings” filming locations, meeting “Harry Potter” bands, participating in medieval reenactment societies and “World of Warcraft” guilds, he encountered millions of others just like himself. These people found solace in an alternate
reality that they created for themselves, where they could would have been unthinkable otherwise, trapped in the c As depicted in 2008’s motion picture, “Role Models popular way to join in the fantasy realm. Gina Nusko, games is one of her year’s highlights. “I am a part of ‘LA where I’m from,” said Nusko. “I always look forward to time playing out our roles. It’s like a big camping trip, s it is to categorize this type of thing as escapism, but I vie the events helps me clear my mind, it’s relaxing and real Acknowledging the bad reputation that gaming and ro associated with, Gilsdorf pointed out that any normal pe sion.” As with any activity, gaming should be approached is a lot of unnecessary blame on gaming for societal prob when in reality it can be extremely beneficial to its user people in games, we all need to remember that basic hum the screen. Truthfully, oftentimes these role-playing game ity to add to yourself; more courageous, smart, savvy.” The draw to these games is fairly easy to understand: yourself. You can look how you want to look, act how y fered several examples of people using these games as a feeding off of the values-based, level-rising atmosphere
d escape their everyday lives and live out fantasies that cage of “real” life. s,” medieval live action role-playing games are also a a DePaul freshman, said that participating in real life AIRE,’ a live action role-playing group in New Jersey, o getting together with the other members and spending sort of. Everyone has a lot of fun. I could see how easy ew that term in a positive light,” she said. “Going out to lly, really awesome.” ole playing games, both online and real-time, are often erson “would never want to do any one thing to exclud with moderation, as is usually the case. He says there blems, and too often gaming is singled out as a problem, rs. “There are bad people in real life, and there are bad man kindness [when playing games], and not hide behind es mirror real life, with the additions of a firsthand abil-
: in these worlds, you are free to be the best version of you want to act, say what you want to say. Gilsdorf ofway to escape their reality and jump into a new world, e of gaming that can often be more beneficial to their
overall mentality. “One is found in Phyllis,” Gilsdorf said, “an established woman who had no interest in gaming or fantasy play until the day her teenage daughter turned her on to ‘World of Warcraft.’ She was having a hard time with her husband, and WOW served as a way for her to better herself, almost unconsciously. She was excited by this game, she found herself being more aggressive and taking charge in the real world, thereby gaining a better outlook on her own life.” Today, online and live-action role-playing games truly have aspects that can be desirable for a wide array of players. They are not all violent, bloodletting, conquer and destroy types of games—as many oppositional viewpoints would lead you to believe. Gamers can choose to play the role of a warrior, of course, but they can also place themselves among scribes, musicians, crafters, or they can simply converse with other players. By placing themselves into a new context, these gamers are allowing themselves the escape they may or may not have realized they needed and wanted. A handicap woman finding comfort in the online game “Rockstar,” through virtual band-member friends and the help of the enormously liberating lack of face-to-face contact – an outcast teenager forging a group of reallife friends for himself through “Dungeons and Dragons,” escaping the bleak reality of a mother with a brain aneurysm – online gaming and fantasy role-playing as a means of escapism, in a positive sense of the term, has become a new type of therapy for the modern audience. As Gilsdorf said, “Perhaps we yearn for this in media because we are not getting it in real life.” This literal escape from the sometimes overwhelmingly difficult world around them allows gamers to cope with anything that may be troubling them. Just as emphatic baseball players relieve stress by whacking out some hits at the batting cage or avid readers submerse themselves in an engaging novel, video gamers and fantasy role players embrace and thoroughly enjoy their favorite pastime, while simultaneously mending the hardships in their lives.
Background by Darla Weaver Graphics by Samantha Schroeder
cus
May 2, 2011. The DePaulia 15
16 The DePaulia. May 2, 2011
Arts & Life
Sunshine chow time Celebrate spring at these perfect patios By LYNSEY HART
Spring quarter can seem to drag on forever as we watch more and more of our friends start summer vacation. Here’s a secret that may help the coming weeks pass faster: Being stuck in classes does not have to mean being stuck inside. These are just a couple of the great patios around the city where you can go and enjoy summer, for a few hours at least. Citizen Bar: 364 W. Erie If you want a rooftop experience without the price of a Loop bar, Citizen Bar in the Gold Coast is what you’re looking for. According to Citizen Bar, their outdoor area measures in at 5,000 sq. feet, split between two levels with two bars, music (both DJ and live,) and TVs. One of the most convenient parts of the outdoor area at Citizen Bar is that the rooftop patio has an outdoor stairwell, so there is no need to fight the crowd inside when you decide to leave. They also run some decent specials, at least when it comes to the Gold Coast. At Citizen Bar, burger and a beer Mondays mean $4 burgers, (normally $8-9,) and $3 drafts. Or, wipe away your mid-week blues with Wednesday’s $5 Grey Goose cocktails. However, this is another bar where the beer garden is what draws the crowd. So when the bouncer tries to usher you into the not so spectacular inside at 11 p.m. (closing time according to city ordinance) opt to move on to other festivities instead.
Photos by Brianna Kelly
Zed451: 739 Clark St.
Zella: 1983 N. Clybourn Ave.
If you are looking for somewhere to see and be seen or celebrate a special occasion, Zed451 has a breathtakingly gorgeous rooftop patio. Of course, with the upscale atmosphere comes an upscale price. Zed451 doesn’t run weekly specials and cocktails are going to set you back about $11, while most drafts run at $6. To balance out the price of the drinks, the lounge menu offers more reasonable prices than the main restaurant while maintaining a good variety. Options include burgers ($10) calamari fries ($10), spicy chicken samosas ($8) and a variety of sliders ($3-4). Zed451 may not become your typical weekend hangout but if the parents are ever in town and ask you where you want to go, keep it in the front of your mind.
Located walking-distance from campus, Zella is a hidden gem, often ignored by DePaul students. Boasting a huge back patio that is fully enclosed and landscaped with trees and vine-covered walls, Zella is the perfect place to grab dinner and a drink or two after class. Preferably, on Mondays when Zella offers half priced everything, food & drink. What makes it better is that you aren’t going to get skimpy portions. Burgers and sandwiches ($4-5 on Mondays) come with a side of pasta salad, tater tots or fries. Last time I went to Zella on a Monday, I ordered a Malibu club with fries and had enough left over for lunch the next day. Zella’s patio also has its own outdoor bar and offers the full menu. Weather permitting, on Thursdays they barbeque and you can get $2 hot dogs, $4 burgers and $5 chicken sandwiches. Allowing those whose apartments don’t lend themselves to grilling, the option allows you to indulge in this summertime favorite.
Mickey’s: 2450 N. Clark St. Mickey’s isn’t going to be held back from partying by Mother Nature. The large, front patio is covered and heated, making it ready to go no matter what the indecisive Chicago weather says. On Tuesdays, Mickey’s goes Mexicana with $2 tacos, Coronas, Pacificos and Cazadores. While Wednesdays offers $1 domestic drafts, $3 wells and $5 appetizers without the $5 cover of the DePaul favorite, Kelly’s. However, this isn’t the place to spend your entire night. Head to Mickey’s early and watch the game outside before the patio closes (11 p.m. due to city ordinance), this place tends to empty out after people are forced inside. Photo by Brianna Kelly
Continued on page 17
Arts & Life May 2, 2011 The DePaulia 17
"Sunshine chow time" continued from page 16 Rocks, 1301 W. Schubert Ave.
Will’s Northwoods: 3030 N. Racine St.
Once and a while it is nice to escape the typical college bar scene and go for something a little more quiet and upscale. That is exactly when you should walk over to Rocks and sit out on their modestly sized yet beautiful beer garden. A bonus is that because Rocks is located on the corner of Schubert Ave. and Lakewood Ave., there is no need to worry about talking over the sounds of a busy street. Also, while Rocks may not open until 5 p.m. on the weekdays, you can order food until 1 a.m. daily, freeing you from running to the bar after night class in order to get there before the kitchen closes. Once you get there, they have 18 beers on tap, including a Magic Hat lager, Lucifer golden ale (an imported Belgian beer) and Goose Island (both 312 and Sofie.) Of course, you can’t ignore the reason behind the name, Rocks offers over 70 scotches and bourbons complete with the Rocks “famous” single, oversized ice cube. If you’re looking for somewhere to have girl’s night this Thursday, head to Rocks for $5 cocktails, glasses of wine and martinis along with $5 salads (normally $10-11).
When you are in need of a little stay-cation, head to Will’s Northwoods for a northern Wisconsin atmosphere. With that comes a word of caution to Vikings and Bears fans, this is a loud-and-proud Packers bar, so you may want to avoid it on game days. Will’s Northwoods has a large, ivy-covered fence that makes the beer garden feel secluded from decently busy Racine Street. Also weather permitting, they do all the grilling outside, making the aroma match the atmosphere of the large, round, wooden picnic tables. Now, I may be a little biased toward my Wisconsin roots, but when it comes to ordering drinks, look no further than Leinenkugel, especially when all flavors are only $3.75 on Wednesdays. Of course, Will’s Northwoods wouldn’t be able to call itself a Wisconsin bar if it didn’t offer an “all you can eat” Friday night fish fry (only $9.95).
Vines: 3554 N. Clark St. Avid Cubs fans will love the views of Wrigley Field that Vines offers from its ground-level and rooftop patios. Besides the view, having two patios means that Vines has more outdoor space than most other Wrigleyville bars. Even if you happen to get stuck inside on a nice day, don’t worry. The front of Vines actually rolls up, so you’ll still get to feel that rare warm breeze we are all waiting for. The downside to Vines is that their specials are not offered during Cubs home games or other Wrigley field special events. However, with specials running everyday, there is sure to be a time to grab a deal when the Cubs are off or away. This includes the hard-tofind Friday night special: half off large pizzas, $5, 20 oz. drafts, bombs and “you call it” cocktails. Photo by Brianna Kelly
Low concert lacks energy, a discernable pulse By NICO LANG A friend once told me a critic must be honest at all costs. Generally, this means I get hate mail from pretentious indie folk musicians whose albums I’ve reviewed negatively. This almost never means I have the thankless job of trashing the concert of one of my favorite bands–something I never hoped I would have to do. Unfortunately, I today must pop that cherry and discuss with you the sad, soporific bore that was the Low concert at Lincoln Hall on April 21, a snoozefest that should still not stop you from immediately purchasing every album they’ve ever recorded. (For the uninitiated, start with 2001’s “Things We Lost in the Fire,” which bears no relation to that movie where Halle Berry cries a lot.) Dear reader, I am a certifiable Low fanatic. In the hours before the concert began, I told almost everyone I knew about the show, including people who didn’t know who Low was and others I didn’t even know. I have listened to their newest album, “C’Mon” enough times to be able to sing most of the songs from memory, although no one wants to hear that. Admittedly, a friend warned me the concert would be “fairly ‘Low’ energy”–his pun, not mine. I should have gotten the hint when their opening band, the painstakingly hushed local rockers Gaberdine, informed us that this would be the only evening in which they would be known as “the loud band.” And I definitely should have gotten the hint when Low opened with “Try to Sleep,” the lead single from “C’Mon.” As the night went on, that edict of the song’s title would be exactly what I struggled against, and the band I had been dying to
see increasingly resembled the musical entertainment at a mortician’s wedding reception. I am aware that Low is a “slowcore” band so that complaint may seem pointless to those familiar with their craft, but did Alan Sparhawk’s guitar have to be on silent all evening? This served him just fine at the beginning, and I barely noticed during “Try To Sleep” and “Silver Rider.” But as the band sleepwalked through jams like “Sunflower,” I began to get anxious and slightly angry. Sparhawk’s lack of expression also didn’t help matters much: his facial gestures moved gracefully between winsome constipation, emotional dissonance and early onset coma. Although drummer Mimi Parker likewise looked like she was on heavy amounts of morphine, Parker at least wailed on those puppies like Bam Bam on the drumline of a Latino Pride Parade. Although I was happy to see Low live– who could pass up the chance to see their heroes in person?–most of the night didn’t give me anything I couldn’t have gotten at home. Low plays beautiful, quiet music, and they would have still done so on my iPod, where I didn’t have to watch them try to stay awake through their songs. In the sonic stupor of the evening, most of the music bled together for me, and I could barely tell if they were even playing anymore or guess when it was going to wrap up. It was kind of like the end of that third “Lord of the Rings” film, where the action always seems to ready to draw to a close, but then the proceedings go on for another half hour. However, a couple moments stuck out for me, suggesting the transcendent experience that might have been. On “C’Mon,” the
Low performed at Lincoln Hall on April 21. third track, “Especially Me,” plays as the emotional core of the album, a song so pained and beautiful that it could bring Ben Stein to tears. The band seems to understand this and brought every decibel they could; in doing so, they even got Mimi Parker to wake the crap up and sing into her mic – a laudable feat. When Low came back out for the encore–a five-song set I had been dreading–each track played faster, louder and harder than anything before it suggested. As Alan Sparhawk’s guitar picked up enough to thunder through the final chords, I knew that watching them play could have been more than two-plus hours of leg cramps. It could have been like re-discovering a
Photo by Kirstie Shanley
band you adore all over again. According to Lincoln Hall’s website, James Blake, the tUnE-YarDs and Hooray for Earth are coming soon, all acts I love, and I hope to find that magic then, when the blood flow returns to my legs. Another perspective: a friend I ran into after the show–who had seen them bring down the house elsewhere–felt the band was just wrong for the venue. A soft, minimalist band like Low requires a space that can nurture their delicate, melodic needs. As the band in front of us stood stiller than that mutant statue of St. Vincent, he wondered why Low didn’t book with somewhere more intimate, somewhere that allowed all of us to be seated.
18 The DePaulia May 2, 2011
Cowboys on campus
Country music in the city is not that hard to find DePaul’s urban environment influences the school in many ways. There are the obvious influences, like classes in skyscrapers and the CTA being the main form of transportation for students. The atmosphere also shapes the music that many Chicagoans listen to. At DePaul, alternative bands and hip-hop artists are the most popular forms of music, fitting the mold of the urban vibe. So how incongruous is it that country music is making a comeback on campus? Living in a place where skyscrapers replace trees and a traffic jam is a modernized cattle herd, it’s a wonder how anyone can express their love for country music. But listen closely and you’ll find country sneaking its way into the city. Take, for example, the radio station US99.5, known as “America’s Country Station.” The station should be called
Chicago’s country station, as it is the biggest country station in the largest market in the U.S. New York and Los Angeles don’t have the formats for country. The country station is listened to by many Chicagoans ranking it as the sixth most popular radio station for the city according to Arbitron ratings. “When I moved here from Georgia, I didn’t find a lot of country music available,” senior Amanda Havriluk said. “But I saw advertisements for US99.5 and I love it. It’s my favorite station to listen to up here.” What other factors besides country radio stations influence country fans? For most, it’s their hometown location. When talking to country music fans, it’s easy to tell that their suburban upbringing influenced their musical choices. “I’ve been listening to country music since my freshman year of high school,” senior and Hinsdale native Patti Barrett said, “that’s all we listened to in the country.” Evergreen Park native and sophomore Courtney Boulukos agreed saying, “Being from my town, I’ve been listening to country music my whole life.” Today, as the DePaul country fans are slowly making their love for the genre known, it makes one wonder where they are going to get their country music fix. “I love going to Houndstooth for country music,” senior Alexa Toporis said. “They have a country night that is always crowded and there are a lot of country fans.” Toporis was not the only fan of Houndstooth; the bar is a DePaul favorite among many students who visit the location for one of their three “Country Nights.” Located at 3369 North Clark Street, Houndstooth Saloon prides itself on being a country establishment that gives patrons “Southern Hospitality on the Northside.” On Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights
the bar holds their “Country Nights.” Each night is filled with food and drinks specials including their popular six-dollar domestic pitchers. According to Houndstooth employee Jeanna, the bar has had Thursday “Country Nights” for four years and increased the number of nights based on customer demand. “It started off as one night, and was popular and people would want country music other nights of the week. So we added a second, and that was a big hit as well. Which is why we added the third as well,” she said. “Some people started coming for the deals, and after a few weeks knew some songs and started liking country music,” said Jeanna. “Others come because of the country theme and enjoy being around the crowd on those nights as well as the deals.” For country music a bit closer to campus country fans can head over to Joe’s Bar. “Joe’s Bar is a Lincoln Park hot spot for country events. I went there to see Rodney Atkins and I had so much fun,” said Barrett. Joe’s Bar, located at 940 West Weed Street, is known for hosting many famous country acts such as Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, and Sugarland. Joe’s Bar employee and DePaul student, Rob Vizza explained the bar’s significance to the country community. “Joe’s is a very popular country music venue. The CMAs have honored Joe’s as Nightclub of the Year in 2008 and 2010,” he said. According to Vizza, the bar is pretty popular among college students for country concerts and for other specials throughout the week. “DePaul students make up most of the crowd on Thursdays for dollar beers and dollar mixed drinks. They also have a strong presence on Quarter Beer Tuesdays. Aside from that, students will come there to watch games or to see the
Graphics courtesy of MCT Wire Service
By COURTNEY POHLMAN
concerts,” said Vizza. For those who want a full on country experience, many students head north to Country Thunder. Country Thunder is a four-day music festival in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin in late July featuring popular country music acts in a festival like setting. “I’ve been going to Country Thunder for six years now,” senior Kelly Cappelletti said. “It’s a lot of fun! There’s a bunch of country music artists, and you camp out for four days; it’s the best part of summer.” This year Country Thunder has a lineup including Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride and Zac Brown Band. “I can’t wait for this year. A lot of my favorite bands will be there,” Cappelletti said. Whether it’s Country Thunder or country music bars, DePaul country fans are finding ways to enjoy the music they love.
Sink your teeth into “Twilight” director May 3 By EDDIE AVINASHI Catherine Hardwicke, director of such films as “Thirteen” (2003), “Lords of Dogtown” (2005), “Twilight” (2008), and most recently, “Red Riding Hood” (2010), will be visiting DePaul next week. Graduating from the University of Texas architecture program, Hardwicke began working as an architect in the L.A. provinces. Soon, however, she found a deep creative interest in film and enrolled at the UCLA School of Film. For many of her early years, she worked as a production designer on such films as “Thrashin’”(1986) (which would later influence her style with “Lords of Dogtown”), “Three Kings” (1999), and “Vanilla Sky” (2001). She would later foray into film direction with her critically acclaimed debut, “Thirteen” (2003). I recently had the opportunity to interview Hardwicke and looked to question her on the subject of her early years in Hollywood and her styles in film direction. When asked about her experience directing for the first time on the film, “Thirteen,” she responded eloquently, “While working as a production designer, I always sought to learn as much about film as I can. I took local acting classes so I could enhance my relation to the actor on set. I take questions and critique about my work and always look to improve in my craft.” Spoken like a true director, Hardwicke then discussed one of my favorite films of hers of 2005, “Lords of Dogtown.” Personally, the thing I loved most was the actual context of the film, so I asked her how she was able to bring the viewer into the gritty, hardcore world of 1970s Dogtown. “I used to surf the beaches next to Dogtown and actually lived across from where Tony Alva used to
practice,” Hardwicke said. “Along with the privilege of working with Tony directly, I was able to incorporate the visual dynamics from my experiences into the film.” Following that, I talked briefly about “Twilight” and how she established a style that would go on to influence the entire series. “The studio had five scripts for the film and I personally
did not like any of them. We had to start at square one. The book is very internal and I sought to make it more visual,” Hardwicke said. “Let’s get the scenes out of the car and into the forest and landscape. We needed to have the audience feel the passionate love brewing between the story’s protagonists and the fear they would be forced to confront when in danger.” The style she incorporated in “Twilight” seemed to carry over to her next film, “Red Riding Hood,” and although it did little to impress the critics, the film’s visual aesthetic created new boundaries in Hollywood filmmaking. I haven’t seen her latest film yet because Amanda Seyfried makes me somewhat nauseous, but from what I saw in the trailer, the film looks like a grimmer version of the classic Grimm folklore. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my interview with Catherine. She is very soft-spoken, but her experience pours out with every word she speaks. If you’re interested in getting a chance to know more about Catherine Hardwicke, she will be at the DePaul Center Concourse on Tuesday, May 3 from 5p.m. to 6:30p.m. If you’re looking to learn more about the experiences of one of Hollywood’s top female film directors, I invite and encourage you to attend this special event as presented by DePaul Activities Board.
Arts & Life May 2, 2011 The DePaulia 19
Taking time to tell all Fearless approach brings surprising entertainment to Rob Lowe’s memoir
Modesty and hilarity make “Bossypants” memorable By EDUARDO SAYAGO I am not the biggest fan of celebrity memoirs. They are little more than 200-plus pages of ego trips that can be heard for free on a TV interview or online. Luckily, Tina Fey’s “Bossypants” (Amazon, $13.97) is not 100 percent memoir. It’s more a random collection of mostly funny stories that are loosely connected which have happened to occur throughout her life. I read “Bossypants” in one evening. It’s very entertaining, especially when she writes about what makes “30 Rock” tick, from when they received the green light and managed to avoid being cancelled despite having low ratings, to the writers and the talent they are blessed with. Fey credits Alec Baldwin, who co-stars as Jack Donaghy, for the show’s success. She sells herself short. While Baldwin is brilliant as the ultra-right wing corporate suit whose closest relationship is with a comedy writer who once said that the best dessert was a doughnut heated in the microwave, he is only one of the reasons for the success of “30 Rock.” How many people have the guts to constantly make fun of their employers, get paid for it, win a ton of Emmys and praise from fans and critics? Fey gives credit to the writers (she even provides sample jokes they have written) as well as executive producer Lorne Michaels, her one-time boss and mentor from
“Saturday Night Live.” “I think this show was put on earth to teach me patience and compassion,” writes Fey. “30 Rock” is without a doubt the biggest challenge in her life. She mentions breaking down one night in her kitchen, crying and doubting whether she could have a career and a family without any rest and going insane. Another person she writes about with adoring praise is Amy Poehler, who was recently praised humorously by “Parks and Recreations” co-star Aziz Ansari for Time Magazine’s Most Influential People List. When Fey began to prepare for the now-legendary opening skit with both women as Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton, she believed that her Sarah Palin was going to bomb. “I took comfort in knowing that Amy could carry the sketch if I stunk it up.” When Poehler arrived at “SNL” in 2001, two years after Fey began as the head writer, there was a shift in the show. She wasn’t going there to play second-fiddle and supporting roles in sketches. Jimmy Fallon was the star of the show at the time, but Poehler would soon take that spot. “She was there to do what she wanted to do and she did not f-----g care if you like it.” If one sentence can describe the entire tone for a novel, that one is it. “Bossypants” is an entertaining journey into the mind of one of comedy’s top ladies, delivering laughs all the way through.
Photo courtesy of The Associated Press
Rob Lowe's memoir, "Stories I Only Tell My Friends," is available now. By EDUARDO SAYAGO Released two weeks after Tina Fey’s semimemoir, Rob Lowe’s “Stories I Only Tell My Friends” (Amazon, $15.47) is a candid look at a Hollywood player who has had plenty of ups and downs throughout his life. Unlike Fey, Lowe has endured a heap of drama on and off the screen for a majority of his career, which now spans four decades. Lowe had a hot streak in movies in the ‘80s thanks to his “Brat Pack” cred (the “Brat Pack” also included Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore and Molly Ringwald) and impossibly good looks. Lowe, 47, still has the looks. (The book cover demonstrates this.) His screen time has shifted towards television over the past decade, thanks to roles in “The West Wing,” “Brothers and Sisters,” and currently on “Parks and Recreation,” where he has the most outrageous role of his career as the highly cheerful and optimistic city manager Chris Traeger. (If you have never seen this hilarious show, watch it online as soon as you’re done reading this article. Start with Season 3.) I was surprised at how entertaining “Stories” is. I am wary of celebrity memoirs. Most of them are either filled with stories and information that I already know or don’t seem to care about. But Lowe does a fine job with the collection of stories he shares with the reader. At times it seems like he’s writing from the third person. It’s almost as if he’s
watching himself during these stories, like a movie or something out of “A Christmas Carol.” Lowe is not afraid to go in depth about his personal life, from his hard feelings about having his scenes cut from “The Outsiders,” his film debut, and a past sex scandal that nearly ruined him, to his struggles with alcohol (he has been sober for 20 years now) and the struggles on “The West Wing,” which he left in 2003. One chapter describes being in his grandmother’s hospital room. She is resting (and dying) when a starstruck nurse asks a teary-eyed Lowe for his autograph. There is an incident where his mother has a nervous breakdown while his girlfriend at the time, Princess Stephanie of Monaco, is over for a visit. It’s hard to believe that these events happened but they are so surreal that they can’t possibly have been made up. Lowe also seems to have trouble believing these things have happened to him. For a while I knew there was more to Lowe than his looks. He absolutely killed in his last feature film role as a brutally honest jerk writer in the Ricky Gervais satire “The Invention of Lying.” He has allowed himself to be a comedy piñata in “Parks and Recreation,” a show which has taken him out of his comfort zone. While there is a mountain of trashy celeb tell-alls, it’s not often you get a sharp look at the life of a celebrity who is just as surprised at the surrealism of his life as you are.
Photo courtesy of The Associated Press
Tina Fey onstage for "Live Talks Los Angeles presents Tina Fey: A Conversation with Steve Martin."
20 The DePaulia May 2, 2011
A Lull releases alluring “Confetti” The Chicago rockers follow a successful year with their first, full-length album By AUDREE PLANK A lull can usually be identified as a soothing, calming sound, often causing sleep. Most bands would want to place themselves as far from this definition as possible, but one Chicago band of the same name, seems to be making it work for them, encompassing this definition, while redefining it. A Lull has had a good year, recording sessions at the “Horse Shack,” more commonly known as Daytrotter, having toured with indie rock giants, Cold War Kids, and playing multiple shows at SXSW. Perhaps most importantly, the local band has come out with their first, full-length album, “Confetti.” With various EPs, notably “Ice Cream Bones EP,” behind them, a full-length debut has been long overdue. “Confetti” opens up with their powerhouse “Weapons for War,” endlessly remixed in EPs and 7” records before, this final version melds what can only be likened to a mechanical symphony, with primal vocals: seemingly, two conflicting adjectives that A Lull carries out flawlessly as the album
progresses. This structural chaos continues and flourishes in “Mammals,” which creates a lull in the effect of loud instrumentals and hypnotic vocals from the band’s frontman Nigel Evan Dennis. The spicy lyrics almost sneak past with his soft vocals, but seem to mesh with the voluminous instrumentals. Later, “Pregnancy” goes on to a stirring introduction, slowly but steadily building to a haunting track with an intriguing underlying melody, often gives way to sparse interludes evocative of mixed sound effects. However, “Sidemen” goes on to capture the life of this band. The adjective spacey hardly does the song justice; it reaches a fresh level of ethereal transcendence rarely done well enough to work. “Confetti” is fantastic for an otherworldly indie experience; however, if you’re looking to rock out and indulge in the familiar and cozy acoustic strings of folksy indie rock, look elsewhere. Expect to be caught scratching your head with a mix of strange satisfaction and curiosity, challenge your ears to listen to something different, for A Lull just may be the next to dictate the trends of indie rock.
Photo courtesy of Mush Records
Cover art for A Lull's first, full-length album, "Confetti."
22 The DePaulia May 2, 2011
LOLLAPALOOZA
Unleash the lineup
The idea of the three-day music festival is daunting. An entire weekend, usually in the extreme heat and sometimes accompanying humidity, turn the event into equal parts chore and privilege. A few weeks ago, it was Coachella, and by all reviews, the event seemed to live up to expectations (those being: heat, craziness, pocketbook-gouging, more ridiculous sets). This week, it’s Lollapalooza... or just the muchanticipated lineup release. From August 5-7, Grant Park will serve host to over 80 artists. The headliners will be: Foo Fighters, My Morning Jacket, Muse, Coldplay, Eminem and Deadmau5. The hodgepodge of artists announced as the headliners are underwhelming. While they currently sit at the top of their respective genres, it does not mean they will be well received. It seems no one, let alone those who frequent Grant Park every August, would enjoy Coldplay. Foo Fighters, however, are widely respected in the music community, as well as by the masses. Eminem is overplayed and overblown. Coachella’s headliners were celebrated by fans, and these acts followed up with unbelievable concerts (except for Kings of Leon, who reportedly sleep-walked through their act). Lollapalooza’s headliners all are very talented performers, and it seems those in charge of booking the acts for the festival took only this into account, and not what the fans wanted specifically in a main act. Once past the main performers, the festival gets awesome. Explosions in the Sky, Smith Westerns, Damian Marley and Nas, Arctic Monkeys, Flogging Molly, Bright Eyes and Best Coast make up for the disappointing headliners. The fun part about any music festival is discovering new acts. This is easy to do if you plan not to plan where you will go. During lulls between sets, attendees should wander to the electronic tent, or just check out bands they haven’t heard of. Some of these relatively unknown bands are quite interesting. For one, Reptar (who describes their music
Photos by Joanie Faletto
By J.V. SIEGEL
Above: A display stands tall at a past Lollapalooza. Left: Balloons are unleashed at a Lolla stage in 2010. Below: Toilet paper is shot out in 2008 for Girl Talk, who is on the bill in 2011. as “euphoria put in a blender on medium with some ice, recorded into a microphone and sampled backwards over a array of unwieldy instruments and electronics”) is an energetic pop-rock band from Athens, Georgia. Their style is reminiscent of no one. What to expect from this set: energy. Also playing at the festival will be an English band that is currently all the rage in the United Kingdom: The Vaccines. They’re The Ramones meets The Clash, and there is a reason the subjects of the crown love them so. Finally there are Black Lips. They are known for their insane performances, which frequently involve the band stripping, playing with animals, driving remote-control cars and lighting things on fire. The band had to flee India for acts performed during one of their concerts there. Lollapalooza is judged by the headliners, but the bands considered the opening acts will in fact make the festival what it is.
Arts & Life May 2, 2011 The DePaulia 23
Comedy director makes no joke with new documentary By LYNSEY HART Tom Shadyac, creator of “Bruce Almighty,” “The Nutty Professor” and “Ace Ventura,” has taken his film career in a very different direction with his new documentary “I Am.” After a near fatal bike accident, Shadyac was led on a journey to find out what is wrong with our world and, more importantly, what we can do to fix it. The documentary presents new scientific evidence that challenges the common idea that we are all separated by six degrees, and insists we are not separated at all. With the help of the late Richard Shadyac, Tom’s father and cofounder of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital; Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the late Howard Zinn and others, Tom explores the science behind human cooperation, compassion and community. “I Am” presents challenging concepts made approachable by Tom’s comedic background. It calls into question some of the ideas we have held as truth for years and will move you long after you leave the theater. Since the release of “I Am” in February, it has been touring theaters around the country and will be in Chicago, at AMC River East 21, as long as tickets are selling. All proceeds from the film go to the “I Am” foundation, which donates to several organizations, including Invisible Children. The DePaulia (DP): How many interview hours did you have to sift through in the editing room? Tom Shadyac (TS): I think we had somewhere around 80 to 100 hours of footage but it wouldn’t be just interviews, which is medium-size for documentary. DP: Who was your favorite person to sit down with? TS: I don’t have a favorite person really, and I am truly not saying this to be politically correct. I was moved by everyone I sat down with. Everybody I sat down with taught me something and
really filled me. How am I going to choose between Desmond Tutu and Coleman Barts and Howard Zinn. DP: How was it to talk to Desmond Tutu? TS: [His eyes were] super light! They are like lasers and kind of look right through you, into your soul. DP: A main part of the movie was that you need to follow your heart or it will destroy you. How would someone who is unhappily in a major because of the potential earnings go about turning thought of following their heart into action? TS: The first thing they should do is have the courage to talk about it. Courage comes from the French word, le Coeur, which means heart. So when you have courage you are having the courage to listen to your own heart and obey what it is telling you. So you don’t sit down [with your parents] in arrogance, you sit down as a student and you say “this is how I feel, I don’t know if I am always going to feel this way but I have to explore it. And I’m going to learn something. I might learn that this change isn’t really something I wanted and it will bring me back” …But your parents are going to say, “but you’re going to starve!” And that’s when you have to have the clarity to say that, I have to trust that this will lead to something, and I would rather be hungry sometimes physically than be hungry in my spirit. I need to fill my spirit. DP: Another idea in the movie was that humans are communal. How do people who are alone escape from that loneliness? TS: I think it is up to you to understand how important it is to your own happiness to have a community around you. And I think if we all look at what is immediately around us there is an available community, just about everyone has a neighbor. Einstein said one of the biggest problems
in our society is that we have embraced individuality to the point where we see the social function as a negative. And the social function is not only a positive, it is essential. The idea that you have to be independent is a false idea. We’re all interdependent. DP: Did you find any of the ideas presented to you by these scientists hard to accept? TS: It was certainly a double take, and what they said made so much sense ‘cause it’s stuff that we kind of know, but now they have some science to back it up. That’s what blew me away.
Past films (like "Ace Ventua" and "The Nutty Professor") contrast DP: Do you think this new discovery Shadyac's latest work, "I Am." about the electrical field we send out and receive from others scientifically explains the power of prayer? TS: I do. I think that we are energy and we omit energy and that energy has an effect. So prayer may very well be a form of focused energy, and that can have an effect.
DP: There are so many things in the world that need attention. How do you choose what to focus on? TS: Do what’s on your heart. But I think something we all have to think about is how we create these situations when we don’t do something to not support it. You don’t have to go out and end the war, but the least we should be doing is not supporting it. DP: How do you stay energized? TS: You have to be around the energy that lifts you up. You can get discouraged, you can be around cynical people and that can suppress you. You can feed yourself that kind of junk food and it will really discourage you. To stay lifted up you have to stay around the ideas that lift you up. The ideas behind what I believe are involved in “I Am” are so powerful that they’ll pull you through, just stay with them, that’s the real food, that’ll give you all the energy you need.
DP: What would be your number one piece of advice for students pursuing filmmaking at DePaul? TS: The most important thing I think an artist can be is a liver of life. To be as widely versed on the human experience, on their own experience, as possible. Go out and live. Because everything that they experience will become their art, so the deeper they become the more fully alive they become the more alive their art will become. Art is a reflection of who they are.
Explosions in the ear By BRIANNA KELLY Photo Editor Instrumental magicians Explosions in the Sky released their seventh studio album, “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care,” to the United States on Tuesday, April 26. It was their first in four years, since 2007’s “All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone.” To celebrate its launch, the post-rock band from Texas held a special event, “Taking Care: 6 Visual Interpretations,” at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on April 23. There were six locations throughout the cemetery that had speakers playing different songs from “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care” and displaying a work of art that was inspired by it.
The unique album artwork, by Esteban Rey, makes the physical album worth purchasing. It comes with a CD sleeve that can be folded into a reversible 3-D house. Explosions in the Sky is a quartet, which is typically comprised of three guitars, one drum kit and the occasional bass. But the new album features horns and piano too. Some of the tracks on the new album also have clapping and chanting, like on the first song, “Last Known Surroundings.” The guitarists use an electric device, an E-Bow, to produce the sound of a bow on strings. “Be Comfortable, Creature” features a really cool section with the battery-operated gizmo. The opening track of “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care” builds momentum to a comprehensively dynamic album that will take the listener on a rhythmic journey. Each song evokes many different emotions, ranging from despair to hope. “Last Known Surroundings” kicks it off with an eerie strumming and screeching and crescendos into a high-energy melody. “Explosions in the Sky” is the perfect band name to describe their music because it is simultaneously tranquil and energizing, like musical fireworks. The melodic chords provide for the perfect background music. The drumming is powerful, and the strumming is hypnotizing. “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care” was certainly worth the long wait.
24 The DePaulia May 2, 2011
Herzog’s “Cave” is crazy enough By CHRIS OSTERNDORF Werner Herzog isn’t your average filmmaker. Not only has he been making bold, brash, and important films for years, such as “Aguirre: The Wrath of God,” “Grizzly Man,” and “Bad Lieutenant: Port of CallNew Orleans,” (and will continue to push boundaries with his next film too, a documentary about death row inmates,) but Werner Herzog also isn’t your average filmmaker because of the beyond crazy life he’s lead. This is a guy who’s had people die during one of his hazardous film shoots, gotten into strangling matches with his actors, rescued Joaquin Phoenix from a car wreck, literally ate his shoe, and gotten shot during an interview: which he finished. Is he the greatest director of all time? No, but to be fair, when was the last time you saw Steven Spielberg chomping down on his New Balance? All this said, it’s hard not to be at least a little disappointed with his new film, “Cave of Forgotten Dreams,” considering that it was he who directed it. In his latest documentary, Herzog explores paintings in the Chauvet caves of Southern France. Said paintings are intricately done, massive in scope, and some are over 30,000 years old. Of course, it being unacceptable to do things the normal way, Herzog filmed the whole movie in 3D, with surprisingly effective results. There is a sense in which this actually works much better than the typical Hollywood, big budget crap that 3D is usually used for. Part of that is
because this was always a project intended to be done in 3D, rather than having the film converted to 3D in post-production. But part of it is also because what Herzog is showing us demands a close look. Seeing these paintings on the screen could never really compare to actually being there, but with the use of 3D, you get a better idea of just how intricate and complex every little detail is. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not calling this movie “Avatar,” but I am saying that although it’s a completely different experience, it’s probably one of the best films to come out in 3D since “Avatar.” So once again, the 3D isn’t really the problem with “Cave of Forgotten Dreams,” in fact, it’s just the opposite. The problem, however, is that beautiful as these cave paintings are, they’re hard to structure a whole movie around. If you’re not a nature documentary fanatic (or a cave painting fanatic, I suppose,) prepare for some yawning midway through. Herzog, one of the few documentarians who goes back and forth between narrative and documentary cinema, has long been fascinated with the natural world, and has explored it in several other of his films, including “Encounters at the End of the World,” and “White Diamond.” However, a film like “Grizzly Man,” is fascinating because in addition to giving a real insight into man’s relationship with nature, there’s an incredible story in it too. Here, Herzog isn’t really interested in story. He gets points though for exploring the relationship between science and art. This is the rare film that seeks to be as
Photo courtesy of The Associated Press
Documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog is shown during the filming of "Cave of Forgotten Dreams." informative as it is beautiful. Geologists, historians, and painters will all probably be able to find something to praise about “Cave of Forgotten Dreams.” It’s also the rare nature documentary that is a true piece of art as well. However, for the average moviegoer, keep in mind that you’re not getting a story. For my part, the epilogue of the film is most interesting, where Herzog’s trademark scary/soothing voice talks about alligators
Meals on wheels Food trucks roll past being just a trend
By SAM GRADY Food trucks have been a culinary movement gaining steam over the past decade. Starting out in New York City and other major metropolitan areas, the wave is now overtaking the Windy City. The food truck revolution has hit a lot of roadblocks getting permission for sale in the city. City ordinances had originally banned the automotive edibles as recently as December because of hygiene concerns. There are stricter regulations on the food preparations and sanitation in the vehicles in Chicago than most other cities, making the food not only delicious but also healthy. The unpredictable Chicago weather has dampened the start of the food truck season, which typically kicks off in late March or early April. Most trucks do not roll out in poor weather, but there are some that do come out rain or shine. The prime position for food trucks is at the Merchandise Mart in the north Loop. The busy location for shoppers, commuters and workers downtown is the prime location for entrepreneurs to find customers. Unfortunately, parking is limited and regulated in time so it is not always easy to find your favorite truck at any particular location. Chicago’s rapidly growing fleet has utilized social networking, specifically Twitter, to alert hungry civilians where they can find their favorite mobile cuisine. By following them on Twitter, you can find out the menu and location of the truck. Later on in the day they will post whether or not they have particular items or are offering end of the day specials so no food goes to waste. Many use Twitter promotions, and if you show them you are following them on Twitter via retweets or a reply (@Reply), they will often give out free items or discounted purchases.
On my trip to test the waters on this new Chicago dining experience, I was weary to see what I would find. The first stop I went to was Gaztro-Wagon, a unique elegant sandwich truck that uses fresh seasonal ingredients. They call their signature sandwiches Naan-Wiches, their mission being to provide Naan-Wiches to different neighborhoods every day. The menu had an array of classics like tomato and mushroom soup, or an exclusive coffee roasted venison sandwich wrap with hazelnuts. I played it safe and ordered The Guido- a familiar Italian sausage wrap, with pepperoni, motadella, provolone, olives and peppers. For a seemingly affordable $9 it was an excellent lunch. The menu included sweets like oatmeal peanut butter and jelly cookies, as well as chocolate chip and almond crème pies. “We take a lot of pride in being the top food truck in the city. We love to provide fresh fast food that cannot be found anywhere else,” said head chef Matt Maroni. Chef Maroni informed of another top food truck in the city. “I do not like to give business to competition, but if you like sandwiches, try MeatyBalls,” said Maroni. Meatyballs Mobile did not disappoint. I found Meatyballs in the rain outside Union Station, with a long line of soaking hungry patrons. I ordered a Buff Balls torpedo sandwich. With buffalo chicken meatballs, celery, hot sauce and blue cheese, the Buff Balls was beyond my imagination. The flavor of the chicken and signature sauce was to die for. Honorable mentions for popular Lincoln Park food trucks for DePaul students are taco truck Tauquero Fusion and Wagyu Wagon, which offers an Asian stir-fry menu. Though controversial in the political realm, these businesses are thriving and provide an adequate and affordable lunch alternative.
affected by a power plant near the caves. It’s hard to figure out what exactly it has to do with the rest of the movie, but it’s when Herzog indulges himself in weird little explorations like this that “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” gets really interesting. It may not be the all out crazyfest we’ve come to hope for from him, but such strange moments help this well-done, albeit fairly dry film, in being that much more interesting.
Sports A rhythmic workout: By CELESTE PIRAINO If you’re looking for a way to shed those winter pounds and have fun while doing it, look no further. Zumba is finally here at DePaul’s Ray Meyer Fitness Center. And the best part is, it’s free for students. The best kind of exercise is the kind you look forward to. Not something you wake up in the morning and dread doing. A workout that makes you feel good about yourself. And that’s exactly what Zumba does, which is probably a reason why both girls and guys line up outside the doors of the Ray Meyer’s dance studio to get inside. Julia Gigler is a new member of the Zumba team at DePaul. Although she just started teaching classes at the Ray, she has been a Zumba instructor for four years. She views it as a way of just letting go. “You don’t feel like you’re working out,” she said. “It’s like you’re spending an hour having a dance party with your girlfriends.” Zumba was created purely by accident. Alberto “Beto” Perez, who fashioned the Zumba experience, interpreted it as a happy accident. Perez was teaching an aerobics class in his native town of Colombia on the day he got his big break in the ‘90s . As he set up for his class, he realized he forgot his traditional workout music. He decided to improvise and throw in his own CDs that he had in his backpack. What came out of the speakers?
Sports. May 2, 2011. The DePaulia 25
Zumba at the Ray offers students a dance-based group fitness class
The Salsa and Merengue music that is the workout’s signature sound. Unexpectedly, Perez had formed a new type of aerobics that lets students move to the rhythm of the music. That day a revolution started, and Zumba was created. Perez brought Zumba to Miami, Fla. in 2001. The dance-infused aerobics class has become one the most popular forms of fitness today.
“
You don't feel like you're working out. It’s like you’re spending an hour having a dance party with your girlfriends. -Julia Gigler
”
It’s always been said that music moves you. Well, in Zumba’s case, it really does. Gigler enjoys playing sexier music to make people want to sway their hips and move to the beat of the music. She teaches her students to sway to the rhythm of Salsa, Merengue or Reggaeton. “Zumba is easy,” Gigler said. “You don’t have to have knowledge on dance, and there isn’t a right or wrong way of doing so. As long as you’re having fun, that’s all that matters.” Ally Holt, a junior at DePaul, had never done Zumba before
IMEOUT with
Tyler Hendry
Photo courtesy of MCT Wire Services
Instructor Shawn Schmitt, 44, of Allentown, Pa. teaches Zumba, a Latin-American inspired workout. The name Zumba comes from the Colombian slang for "fast." it came to the Ray and now she goes every Tuesday. “I love Zumba because it’s so much fun,” she said. “And apparently you can burn up to 800 calories, so that definitely replaces my Tuesday workout routines.” For newcomers, it’s important to note that Zumba is like follow the leader. Instead of instructing a class through a microphone like most, the instructor cues you by using his or her hands, facial expressions and dance moves. It may all sound a little nerveracking but it gets easier. After a few classes you’ll learn to memorize the songs as well as the dance
Q: How did you get started playing baseball? A: I got started really when I was four years old. My dad was the big influential factor there. He kind of just pushed me to play. He played as a kid, so it was a big thing in the family, really, just kind of passed down through generations. Q: What would you say is your strength on the field? A: Probably my fielding. I’m a pretty good fielder for the team right now. Or at least that’s the way I feel but I’m trying to improve on my hitting right now. Q: What’s your most memorable baseball moment? A: Well one day, it was my birthday, I was 18, I was playing shortstop. I did pretty good in the field. We played three games that day and I did something that’s called a cycle, which means I got a homerun, I got a single, a double and a triple, all that on the same day. So that was a pretty cool day for me.
Photo courtesy of DePaul Club Baseball
Tyler Hendry, sophomore, plays shortstop for DePaul Club Baseball (2-1), after playing all four years at Crystal Lake South High School. The finance major is the team’s ambassador on their executive board. He is currently batting .400 in his first two games, with an OBP and SLG of .400. Hendry has four errors and a fielding percentage of .556.
Q: Has anything unusual or weird happened to you on the field? A: I think the craziest thing I’ve ever seen was both teams clearing the bench and just getting into a brawl. That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. [But I’ve never seen anything like Randy Johnson style where he throws the baseball and a bird just comes flying back].But I’ve seen a couple fights on the field which is pretty crazy ‘cause it’s baseball.
moves. And before you know it, you’ll be a Zumba pro. After an hour of dancing, expect to walk out of the studio sweaty, but energized. You may wonder why you aren’t feeling as sore as you thought you would, but once morning hits, every inch of your body will definitely be feeling it. Lesia Charysh, a senior at DePaul, said, “I love how Zumba is a fun dancing experience that burns calories without feeling like you are working out.” She went on to say that she prefers this type of workout rather than the traditional methods of lifting weights or running.
Q: Do you have any pregame rituals? A: Not really. Most people are really superstitious about that stuff. I kind of take it from a different perspective. Whatever happens happens. But I try to not to get too many things in my head. In the pregame, before I start, I always make sure I get a lot of running in, get my blood pumping. That seems to always, I guess that’s the one superstitious thing about me…I’ll run poles which means I go from the outfield pole, I run from the left field I guess you call it the outfield pole and then I run all the way down to the right foul pole and then come back. Q: Will you continue to be involved in baseball after graduation? A: I mean I’m really probably just going to focus on my grades and everything, getting into the finance industry. But I definitely, if an opportunity comes, then yeah, I’ll definitely take advantage of it. I don’t know if it ever will, but, you know, club baseball, I do hear people getting scouts coming out every once and a while so who knows how big DePaul baseball is gonna get...Who knows, the sky’s the limit. Q: Why did you choose DePaul? A: I chose it because I thought I could get some experience in the finance field here, being a finance major here. I just feel like a lot of companies think that, a degree from DePaul in finance, you can go a long way. I heard a lot of good things about it.
The Ray Meyer Fitness Center offers Zumba classes every Sunday and Tuesday at 7 p.m. and every Wednesday at 6 p.m. “Zumba is the new fad at DePaul,” said Conor McElroy, an employee at the Ray. “It’s important to come 20 minutes early just to get a good spot in the studio.” So instead of going out to the clubs every weekend, grab your girlfriends—and guys don’t be afraid to grab your friends—and head to the Ray, not for a workout but for Zumba. And as the Zumba slogan goes, “Ditch the workout, join the party.”
Q: Cubs or Sox? A: Cubs, definitely Cubs. Q: What’s your favorite professional sport? A: Favorite professional sport actually is wrestling. Oh professional sport, my bad, golf probably...There is no professional wrestling so I don’t really have one [athlete], but college wrestling’s a big thing. I’m always watching that. Iowa State has always been my favorite. Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? A: Bahamas. Q: Where’s the coolest place you’ve ever visited? A: The Bahamas. Q: So you’d go back there? A: Yeah, that place is awesome. Q: What hobbies do you have outside of baseball? A: Golf and poker, probably. Q: What’s your favorite TV show? A: Probably “The Ultimate Fighter.” Q: What’s your favorite movie? A: “Shawshank Redemption,” definitely. Q: What's your favorite place to eat around here? A: Chipotle.
Compiled by MEGHAN BOWER
26 The DePaulia. May 2, 2011
“Track buddies” continued from back cover “It was a complete shock to me too,” said Fraser, senior. “It’s kind of like both of our goals, like mid-50s range, you know, that’s where we want to end up and it’s awesome that she was able to do it so early in the season and continue to have success after that.” The roughly year-old inner-squad competition started after Fraser recovered from a torn ACL her sophomore year, during which she only participated in one meet, while Kovacs was still a freshman. “[Fraser has] won more,” said Kovacs, junior. “Last year we started to have a rivalry, but she won more and this year I think it’s tied.” Though the two will likely keep up the back and forth of record-breaking throws, Assistant Coach Brandon Murer, who works with the throwers, said that the two continue to have the common goal of throwing not just for themselves, but for the team as a whole. Murer also emphasized that the competition between the two throwers is not exactly what people think. “It’s not a rivalry kind of competiveness,” said Murer. “I think people try to make it like that. They’re not going to make it like that. Its definitely, one doesn’t want to lose to the other. And vice versa. I mean it’s out in the open. It’s easy to say. “At the end of the day, whoever tops the other one they’re gonna get congratulations and sympathy either way because they know the next meet it could be the other way around.” Both Fraser and Kovacs echoed Murer’s point, adding that their friendly attitudes at competitions generally take cues from how
they practice. “We like to compete how we practice and at practice we’re always laughing and having a good time so it helps transition over to competitions,” said Kovacs, adding, “I mean we’re competitive people, but we compete better when we’re having fun so we like to keep the mood light and joke around.” According to Fraser, “We’ve never been the ones to go our separate ways when we’re competing. We’re always together, giving each other advice.” And it’s not just during practice and at meets that the two are close. “I feel like it actually helps us a lot just because were comfortable with each other,” Fraser said. “We’re not just track friends. We’re really good friends outside of our throwing, which helps. We can give each other advice and we don’t take it personally. We think, ‘You know what you’re doing, so I trust what you’re saying.’ And it’s not like taken as an offense.” But all of the fun and games doesn’t mean there is no pressure to compete and still come out on top, so just how do they maintain focus? “To be honest my brain shuts off,” Fraser said. “If I were to think too much then I’d try too hard and in javelin you can’t. If you try to throw it far, it’s not going to go far. So you have to relax and let it go.” According to Murer, overcoming mental challenges is something the two have worked on developing. “That’s why, it’s something I try to instill in them is to have fun,” Murer said. “If you have fun and you get along with each other,
Photo by Dennis Georges
Alanna Kovacs looks on after a shot put throw at the DePaul DI Invite. I mean when you’re in a tight situation or a competitive situation with other people you can rely on each other to kind of relax each other. When you’re relaxed you throw better, you perform better. It’s when you tense up and you get too intense that you start breaking apart.” Helping each other calm down in competition isn’t the only benefit of having two of the best women’s javelin throwers in the country on one squad. “There’s a natural ebb and flow in the season and it’s something they face every year and all athletes in track do because you’re
going to have high points, you’re going to have low points,” Murer said. “Missy, this might be considered a low point. For Alanna, it’s kind of a high to medium point. “But what they can do is they can rely on each other to kind of bring each other to the middle. And that’s what we always talked about is having that middle performance. What are you gonna do all the time? And so that’s one of the really great advantages to having a teammate is that if you’re up and they’re down you come to the middle and you’re good with that because it’s the common goal.”
“Verdun” continued from back cover “She doesn’t have the greatest stuff but she makes things happen when she has to,” Lenti said. “You know as they say about great players, they’re not great all the time, but they’re great when they have to be.” She’s certainly been pretty good this whole season. Through April 29, Verdun has the second-most wins in the Big East with nine, and is 10th in ERA at 2.31. She is holding batters to a .237 average this season. Count Verdun among those surprised at how much she has pitched—a team-high 145.1 innings. “Pitching time, I was not expecting to pitch as much as I am,” Verdun said. “Injuries and just happenstance has brought me to pitching as many games as I have. I’m not complaining, I’ll play wherever they need me to play to win, but I didn’t expect to pitch this much, especially my freshman year.” Lenti was prepared for it, however. He said he expected Verdun to be a big pitcher for the team right away. “We knew what she had done when she was younger, we had watched her play for a couple years,” Lenti said. “So this is pretty much what we thought she was capable of, and more.” Verdun can tell her attitude changes when she gets on the mound. She described herself as “very bubbly” and “goofy” off the field, but once her cleat enters the circle, she puts on her game face. “When game time comes, I’m pretty intense,” she said. “That’s the way I’ve always been, intensity and going after it. That’s the type of person I am.” Before the game, however, while some players may zone out and listen to their iPod, Verdun still likes to talk. “I’m pretty much still talkative because of my nervous energy,” she said. “But I think that it’s good to be always a
“Rugby suspended” continued from back cover After their second infraction, the team was placed on suspension, which included not being allowed to travel or play for two weeks. But while still on suspension, the team enrolled in a tournament at Southern Illinois University under a fake college team name: The Central Iowa Community College Tritons, a non-existent school. According to McCarthy, they had initially enrolled in the tournament as DePaul University, but swapped out DePaul for the fake team, to avoid being found out. The rugby club is currently suspended for the remainder of
Photo by Dana Lenckus
Verdun has become the team’s go-to starting pitcher. little nervous, because you can never be too sure of yourself when you’re going out there. But you do need, especially as a pitcher, a sense that you’re sure of yourself.” Dean is the only upperclassman on the pitching staff. She is 6-4 with a 1.92 ERA in 16 appearances this season. Her advice for the blossoming freshman? Don’t lose what you already have. “She came in as a bulldog. She just owns the mound when she’s on there,” Dean said. “So the best advice we can give her as seniors is just to keep that presence on the mound. How she is, she’s so confident and that’s just something so important.” Verdun said she still has improvements to make, especially in terms of focusing when things aren’t going well. “It’s really like a matter of just staying loose and trusting yourself,” she said. “You see the spot, you’re gonna hit the glove. It’s like muscle memory at that point…I’ve gotta work on doing more of that, being
able to trust myself and my pitches.” According to Dean, the team has a saying that Evans started which lays out their philosophy during tough times: Fake it ‘til you make it. “Even if you’re having a rough day, you get up there and just, ‘I’m gonna get this one,’” Dean said. “Even if you’re not feeling very confident, you have to show the other team that [you are confident] so they don’t know.” That is especially important for someone who is in the circle and handling the ball as much as Verdun has been this season. “When you go out there, the game is about you,” Verdun said. “It doesn’t go on without you, so you kind of have to have that, we like to as a team call it swag…so confidence in yourself and just knowing that your team’s behind you and they’re gonna work hard for you, your pitches are gonna hit their spots and you’re gonna do your job.” And don’t forget about the stories.
“
We just want to get past all the red tape and play. -Billy Tomazin
”
this year’s spring season and the entirety of fall season 2011, McCarthy said. More penalties may arrive, depending on the result of an appeal that is currently ongoing. Members of the club said they take full responsibility for their infractions, and have no qualms with the penalties they have received. This is not to say that some players weren’t more frustrated than others. “We’re just gamers,” said Billy Tomazin. “We want to get past all the red tape and play.” The fate of the club will be handed to the team’s president after the school reviews the club’s appeal for their third suspension. But their current issues have not slowed the team down. The team regularly practiced
every Monday and Wednesday afternoon, and games took place almost every week on Saturdays. The DePaul team typically schedules matches and tournaments at schools across the Midwest. Their single games, which are most common during the season, consist of an A-side game, and later a B-side game, the latter of which is said to be more informal and is sometimes considered an educational scrimmage for newer players. McCarthy said that they have many intense rivalries, mainly with University of Chicago, Northwestern and Loyola. In addition, this year is the first year that the club has enlisted the aid of a coach, Daragh Watson. He is an accountant who used to play rugby while growing up and living in Ireland. “We’re pretty excited to have him help us out,” Tomazin said. Watson will contribute to the team on a volunteer basis, and plans to fine-tune their fundamentals. According to McCarthy, the group is quite close. “We use nicknames so much that we forget each other’s real names,” he said. They have come a long way since 2000, when a group of transfer students from Northern Illinois University missed playing the sport and decided to start the first club. Despite a small amount of interest, rugby remains more of a fringe sport than mainstream. McCarthy said that the guys who play are the ones who love the game. “It’s the satisfaction you get from 80 minutes of physical contact, and a handshake from your opponent afterwards,” McCarthy said when asked what the benefits to playing rugby are. “Rugby helps you build life-long friendships.”
Sports. May 2, 2011. The DePaulia 27
Week in Review
“Cycling” continued from back cover mean, we don’t get any funding from the school. Well, we get some from SAF-B. We have to apply for it obviously. But cycling’s really expensive and we’re going up against, there’s only one or two other schools in the conference that aren’t varsity, but their schools buy all their merchandise for them and all their gear, even though they’re not varsity. “So we’re kind of on our own in the conference.” Expenses include everything from racing bikes and uniforms to spare tires and tools to hotels and iGo accounts. “We only have one person in the club that has a car this year, so we have to rent cars also,” Karklin said. “We had to pay for an iGo account, but they waived a lot of fees for us and they kind of acted as a sponsor, so it was really great. And then we have to pay for hotels. And that’s all out of pocket and then race entry fees as well.” The club also acquired a sponsor this season in velospace.org, a social networking site for bike enthusiasts. “So we’re technically the velospace.org cycling team of DePaul University,” Karklin said. “And they gave us some money and that helped us out with our gear a lot.” This year the team participated in eight meets across the Midwest, including regionals at Lindenwood University where the women’s B team won the team time trial in their division and the men’s B team came in second. Though each meet varies slightly, they tend to follow a similar format. There are four men’s categories in each race (A-D) and two women’s categories (A and B). Typically, road races and individual and team time trials will be held on Saturday and criteriums, a short quarter-mile to mile long race with sharp turns, on Sunday.
Photo courtesy of DePaul Cycling Club and Team
Kirk Fields races earlier this season. And though cycling may be seen as somewhat of a leisure sport, things definitely get competitive on the racecourse, according to Lazio. “Even though they’re, like I’m a C-rider and even though I’m not the category of B or even A, they’re still very, very competitive races,” Lazio said. “They’re not quite as fast and the races don’t have quite the same skill level. Not necessarily the ability to ride faster, but to have the knowledge of how to race. But they’re still really, really competitive. It can get pretty intense and verbal back and forth between riders. There’s a lot of, I wanna say kind of trash talking, but it’s very competitive and people get kind of competitive with it.” Developing a plan and riding in packs, or pelotons, can definitely help. “Cycling is more of a team sport than an in-
Softball (31-11, 14-1) 4/22-23 — The Blue Demons swept Rutgers in a doubleheader, the first two games of a three-game series. DePaul won the opening game 9-4, thanks to two RBI from both Sean Plese and Samantha Dodd. Kirsten Verdun gave up three earned runs in 4.0 innings. Lindsey Dean pitched a scoreless final three innings to close out the game. The Scarlet Knights pulled their starting pitcher Megan Williams after giving up four earned runs in 2.0 innings. In the second game, a five-run outburst by the Blue Demons in the 10th inning gave the team a 15-10 victory. Marla Matthews hit a gametying two-run homerun in the top of the seventh to send the game to extra innings. In the 10th, Dodd hit a three-run homerun after Verdun was intentionally walked ahead of her. Pitcher Bree Brown gave up nine earned runs in 4.0 innings. Dean pitched the last six and gave up one run. The next day’s series finale was canceled due to weather.
Photo courtesy of DePaul Cycling Club and Team
Kirstin Karklin and Dimitri Karas show off their DePaul cycling pride with a flag. dividual sport,” Karklin said. “A lot of people don’t actually know that. It’s very, very strategic. You have to draft the right way–that’s blocking the wind from the riders behind you. And so what a lot of people do is they’ll, the team will kind of decide who’s feeling good today, who wants to take the wind if they can get up there and the rest of the team will work on helping them move into position. Each member of the team kind of has their own little job. “We’re not to that point yet with our new team.” The riders must also get good starting position because by not starting in the front, it is easy to get dropped, lapped and pulled out, said Karklin. “If you’re in a bad spot when you turn [in a criterium], your wheel could slip out, you could get hit, you can cause a crash,” Karklin said. “Same thing during the road races. People don’t really pay attention…If you don’t have a good starting position, then you can fall right off the back if someone makes an attack, which is if you lose a sprint up a hill or wherever they can. “So it’s definitely very strategic positionwise. You have to know the course. You have to know the weather. You have to be very aware of the road and the conditions of the road obviously. “And usually you have to have all of your senses open. Seeing what people are around you, knowing where the wheels are going, knowing, you just kind of have a feel when someone’s going to make an attack and be able to pick up that sprint right away to get on their back wheel. Because if you lose their back wheel you’re pretty much going to get dropped off the back of the pack.” Lazio, on the other hand, often finds himself as the lone DePaul rider in the C category, forcing him to create a strategy of his own. “As much as biking is individual, with a 30-mile road race, if I don’t have any team members to work with, it’s kind of hard…it is a very individual sport, but at the same time
you do need a lot of cooperation with other people,” Lazio said. “Its just hard to keep in and stay in because people aren’t as willing to work with you and especially in the criteriums, which I really like to ride in, it’s really hard to get anything going because you are just out there as an individual going against a lot of other people. “So going into the race I have to decide how I’m going to try, where I’m going to stay in the pack, how I’m going to work with
Tuesday 5/3
Wednesday 5/4
Thursday 5/5
vs Northern Illinois 4 p.m. (Faculty and staff tailgate at 3 p.m.)
@ Illinois 4 p.m.
Friday 5/6
Big East Outdoor Championships Philadelphia, Pa.
4/27 — Another doubleheader and another sweep for DePaul. The Blue Demons beat Seton Hall 7-6, then 1-0 to earn their 11th straight victory. In the opener, Lynsey Ciezki went 4-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Seton Hall’s Kristen Kaelin hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning, and Brittany Schillizzi hit a two-run blast in the seventh that made the game close. In game two, Dean pitched a onehit complete game shutout on her way to the 1-0 victory. The gave up three walks and struck out nine. Freshman Megan Coronado went 3-3 and notched the game’s only RBI. Freshman pitcher Jen Metzger threw the entire game for the Pirates, giving up six hits and one earned run in 6.0 innings pitched. 4/28 — DePaul’s scheduled game at Valparaiso was canceled due to weather. Men’s Tennis (16-8, 1-1)
Photo courtesy of DePaul Cycling Club and Team
Kirstin Karklin preps on her bike. them. But it definitely entails more planning ahead.” Regardless of the danger and stressors of competition, Karklin is always ready. “It’s a really good relaxation time,” Karklin said. “You’re relaxed, but you have to be so focused on what’s going on, so it’s a work out for the body, it’s a workout for the mind. It’s a challenge and I love a challenge. I’m always up for it.”
This Week in Sports: May 2-8 Monday 5/2
4/26 — Verdun pitched a complete game, five-hit shutout DePaul beat intercity rival Loyola-Chicago 4-0 in a nonconference game. Verdun also knocked in one RBI and scored a run in the game. The Ramblers left 10 players on base and struck out eight times in the game.
Saturday 5/7
Sunday 5/8
vs USF Noon, 2 p.m.
vs USF 11 a.m.
Big East Outdoor Championships Philadelphia, Pa. vs Purdue 4 p.m.
Big East Outdoor Championships Philadelphia, Pa.
News and Notes • Lindsey Dean was named to the Big East Honor Roll on April 25, her first weekly award of the season, after the right-handed pitcher went 1-0 with one save and an ERA of 0.78.
4/23 — The No. 60 men’s tennis team shut out Chicago state 6-0 to wrap up the regular season. DePaul improved to 16-8 on the year as Chicago State fell to 0-18. Blue Demon Filip Dzanko did not lose a game on his way to a singles victory in straight sets. The team won the only two doubles matches that were played. Women’s Tennis (13-10, 4-1) 4/23 — The women closed out the regular season with a 6-1 loss to No. 24 Notre Dame. DePaul’s only point came when Kelsey Lawson beat 106th-ranked Jennifer Kellner 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, 1-0 (10-4). It was Lawson’s first victory over a ranked opponent this season. Track and Field 4/23 — Six players finished in first at the Indiana State University Dual Meet. Toni Salvatore finished in first in the 1500m, and Mary Cate Quiett won the 800m. Alanna Kovacs won the javelin toss with a throw of 49.85m. Matthew Graham won the 3,000m with a time of 9:00.20, while Tim Nedow finished first in the discus with a throw of 52.35m, and Tonderai Tomu won the 400m dash.
Sports
Sports. May 2, 2011. The DePaulia 28
Men’s rugby hit with third infraction of the season By MATT HARDER The standard vision of a college athletics team committing violations and serving suspensions usually pertains to the highincome sports like basketball and football. However, the DePaul University Men’s Rugby Club has recently been an exception to
this stereotype. Yes, just like the NCAA, club sports have rules too. And similarly, there are penalties for violating those rules. This season, the club is serving its second of three suspensions in the last calendar year. Due to their multiple infractions, DePaul men’s rugby has been prohibited
from practicing and playing as the DePaul University Men’s Rugby Club. This means they can technically continue to practice, play and schedule games or tournaments, but it has to be under a men’s team name, not affiliated with the university. The school’s clubs sports administrators are unable to com-
ment on the current status of the rugby club due to the ongoing appeal of their suspension. The first suspension came in the winter quarter of 2010-2011, for failing to submit risk management paperwork, missing waivers from players and other paperwork. In April 2011, the team com-
mitted its second infraction. Every season, the club must submit background checks of every member that will be driving to and from club activities. The rugby club did not wait for their background checks to be approved before departing for a tournament at Northern Illinois University on April 2, said Kevin McCarthy.
Continued on Page 26
Rewriting records By MEGHAN BOWER
Assistant Sports Editor
As the sky filled with looming grey clouds and raindrops began to fall, another Blue Demon made her way into the record books. With a women’s javelin throw of 54.88m on April 16 at the DePaul DI Invitational, Alanna Kovacs knocked off the previous school record and claimed her spot in history. “Surprised,” said Kovacs of her recordbreaking throw. “Still in shock because it was at our home Photo courtesy of meet and we DePaul Athletics even Melissa Fraser didn’t throw off the official javelin runway because it’s currently broken. So we threw off the straightaway for the 100m and it Photo courtesy of DePaul Athletics was 9 o’clock Alanna Kovacs in the morning and it was cold and rainy kind of. It was my first throw. It was a short approach too and I was kind of like, ‘Whoa.’ I think everybody was just like, ‘What was that?’” Current teammate Melissa Fraser previously held the record with a throw of 51.47m at the Cardinal Twilight in Louisville, Ky. on May 15, 2010, but had only positive things to say of Kovacs.
Look simple? Think again.
Strategy shapes the way DePaul cycling club pedals as they look for ways to compete and have fun By MEGHAN BOWER
Assistant Sports Editor
Freshman or senior, new or experienced rider, for all members of the DePaul Cycling Club and Team, one thing is common: they ride bikes and they love it. “I definitely enjoy the racing and that part, but I’d say the thing I enjoy the most is the friendships and what we get out of it personally,” said Mark Lazio, junior and club vice president. The club, part of the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference, was founded five years ago by a group of young men who “picked up riding bikes and decided they wanted to have a club sport with it,” according to Kirstin Karklin, club president. “The guys who started it were awesome,” Karklin said. “They would ride in the top categories and win a bunch of stuff. There were only two girls on it last year or three girls. This year we had four girls competing and six girls Photo courtesy of DePaul Cycling Club and Team training all together, so six all together. The club’s really expanded Kirk Fields, Jon Andersh and Andrew Johnson of the DePaul Cycling Club and Team a lot, which is great.” Though this year’s team is group rides and train together at Train Chicago Studios, where they young, due largely to last year’s graduating class, their current train- help with office work and cleaning duties in exchange for training ing facilities and the assistance of athletic supporter Paul Drake have time. helped the team grow and reorganize. Due to scheduling conflicts, though, only about 10 members travel “We just kind of grew as a team,” Lazio said. “We just kind of ma- to each meet. tured. More numbers, more organized. Just kind of function better.” “It’s just whoever can go that weekend,” Karklin said. “We’re a Sixteen members make up the club and consistently participate in club sport, so if you want to do it, you can. And if you can afford it. I
Continued on Page 27
Continued on Page 26
Students go loco for Zumba classes
Page 25
From bubbly to bulldog Freshman Verdun shows her worth in the circle
By SHAYMUS MCLAUGHLIN Sports Editor There were some pretty big, empty cleats sitting in the pitcher’s circle at Cacciatorre Stadium before DePaul’s spring softball season began. Becca Heteniak, who had been the team’s ace for years, was gone, and with her went the 99 wins, school-best 264 strikeouts and DePaul record .167 opponent batting average. But her departure also made
room for something else: another voice in the locker room. Enter freshman Kirsten Verdun. “Obviously she likes to talk a lot,” said pitching coach Nancy Evans of Verdun, “so people like her.” Said Verdun’s teammate, senior Lindsey Dean: “She always has a story.” But don’t mistake her self-described bubbly nature as a lack of focus. On the mound, she has proven herself quite effective thanks to an intense focus and
strong work ethic. “She’s got a big heart and she wants to win, and so she’ll do what it takes to find a way to win,” Evans said. “Whether that’s work hard or lead her team offensively or lead the team defensively, she’s out there helping on every single pitch of every single inning, and the competitive drive in her feeds off to everyone on the team.” Head Coach Eugene Lenti says she has a “bulldog mentality” when she gets on the mound.
Photo by Brianna Kelly
Kirsten Verdun flashes her intenContinued on Page 26 sity against Seton Hall.
www.depauliaonline.com | twitter.com/depauliasports