January 8, 2018

New Illinois laws you should know about

Know your 2017 memes See ARTS & LIFE, page 18

DePaulia

The

See NEWS, page 6

2016 Pacemaker award Finalist/ Best Weekly College Newspaper-SPJ

Volume #102 | Issue #10 | Jan. 8, 2018 | depauliaonline.com

Early morning sprinkler forces residents out of Seton Hall Story by Jonathan Ballew Asst. News Editor

Check www.depauliaonline.com for video footage of a flooded Seton Hall In the frigid early hours on Thursday, residents of Seton Hall awoke to alarms.

At 6 a.m., students shuffled down the stairways as cascading streams of water nipped at their ankles. The incident caused quite a commotion and the building had to be completely evacuated.

Director of Housing Services Rick Moreci said that a faulty sprinkler head is to blame.

“It was one sprinkler head and it was in the main hallway itself,” Moreci said.

“It had nothing to do with weather or any human factor. It just kind of activated itself.”

Moreci said that sprinkler heads don’t usually go off without cause.

“In all my years of being here, I can’t remember a time when a sprinkler head went off by itself,” he said.

When asked about the potential water damage to the dorms, Moreci said, “We were very very lucky.”

Moreci said that the flooding only affected a couple of student lounges and only a few student rooms. The damage to student rooms was minimal, with no property damage and only a small amount of water leaked under the doors.

Riley Cox is a resident of Seton Hall and woke up to fire alarms early in the morning.

“We opened the door to the stairwell and we got soaking wet,” Cox said.

Cox and her roommate were worried about the cold temperatures after getting drenched. Cox lives on the 4th floor where the sprinkler head went off.

Cox said that at first many of her friends thought there must have been a fire due to the alarm. After making it outside they began to realize their initial thoughts were incorrect.

“We noticed there were no fire trucks or smell, so we figured it couldn’t be a fire,” she said.

What Cox and many other residents do remember is a terrible smell, saying “A lot of people thought it was a gas leak.”

While many may have attributed the unpleasant odor to a gas leak, DePaul

officials confirmed that there was no such leak. Instead what the students were likely smelling was water from the sprinkler system.

According to a representative from the Oak Park Fire Department, oftentimes sprinkler systems can have a foul odor because they hold gallons of old and possibly moldy water.

While most students were ushered to the Welcome Center to avoid the freezing temperatures, not everyone made it out of the building. Clare Ruddy is a resident of Seton Hall who never evacuated her room.

Ruddy said she slept through the initial

See FLOOD, page 6 PHOTO COURTESY OF RILEY COX EDITED BY CODY CORRALL | THE DEPAULIA

“We noticed there were no fire trucks or smell, so we figured it couldn’t be a fire.”

Riley Cox

Students were rushed out of Seton Hall early Thursday morning and shuffled across the street into the Welcome Center. (Still from Snapchat video)

Seton Hall resident

Investment expert joins DePaul’s Board of Trustees

By Evan Sully Contributing Writer

DePaul’s Board of Trustees has announced that Judith Greffin will be its 45th member.

Greffin is a 25-year veteran at Allstate Insurance Company, where she worked her way up to executive vice president and chief investment officer, while leading a global investment group managing more than $85 billion for Allstate and the company’s subsidiaries.

Along with holding executive positions at Allstate, Greffin held other major investment roles before being appointed to CIO in 2008. These roles included strategy and business development, portfolio management, fixed income management and operations.

Greffin is honored to have been elected to the board and already thinks highly of DePaul. “DePaul is well run,”

JUDITH P. GREFFIN Greffin said. “It’s Photo courtesy of Judith P. well managed.”

Greffin, DePaul University T h e r e s e Fauerbach, who has been on the Board for a year and a half and also serves as the CEO of Northridge Group, a management consulting firm, and is pleased that Greffin has been added to the team. Fauerbach has a lot of faith in Greffin and firmly believes that Greffin’s past investment experiences will contribute to “decisions that have financial expertise.”

Given Greffin’s impressive resume, she is ready to help out in any way, shape, or form in order to “deliver on

THERESE FAUERBACH Photo courtesy of Organic Headshots, DePaul University

the mission: help kids graduate and be successful,” Greffin said.

The Board of Trustees has “fiduciary and moral responsibilities for shaping the corporate directions and strategy that best promote the fulfillment of the university’s mission and values,” Greffin said.

Equally important, the board helps DePaul’s 12th president A. Gabriel Esteban, who formally assumed the role last July, with corporate strategy.

The road to getting elected to the Board of Trustees is a formal one.

“My election to the Board of Trustees

was approved by the Board of Trustees.

It’s a three year renewable term,” Greffin said.

Greffin’s journey to the Board was definitely an intriguing one, too. In particular, Greffin was initially contacted

by Jim Ryan, a current board member, to inquire on whether or not she was interested in the position.

Furthermore, a few members on the Board previously worked with Greffin at Miami University in Oxford, OH, where she still serves as a member of the Farmer School of Business Advisory Council as she has for several years. Besides that, Greffin’s other tie to DePaul came from her daughter being a student at the university.

One of the most important financial situations that’s lingering on the Board right now is how to grow the university’s endowment. As a part of a six-year action plan, the university is considering

See BOARD, page 5

2 | News. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018

First Look OW RN

ON A I

The DePaulia is the official student-run newspaper of DePaul University and may not necessarily reflect the views of college administrators, faculty or staff.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Amber Colón eic@depauliaonline.com

PAULIA THE DE

PAGE 29

Podcast

MANAGING EDITOR | Rachel Fernandez managing@depauliaonline.com NEWS EDITOR | Benjamin Conboy news@depauliaonline.com ASST. NEWS EDITOR | Jonathan Ballew news@depauliaonline.com

Tune in to Episode 10 of The DePaulia’s official podcast “Page 29,” available on Soundcloud and iTunes.

NATION & WORLD EDITOR | Carina Smith nation@depauliaonline.com OPINION EDITOR | VACANT opinion@depauliaonline.com FOCUS EDITOR | Ashley Fedha focus@depauliaonline.com ARTS & LIFE EDITOR | Lacey Latch artslife@depauliaonline.com SPORTS EDITOR | Shane René sports@depauliaonline.com ASST. SPORTS EDITOR | Andrew Hattersley sports@depauliaonline.com DESIGN EDITOR | Victoria Williamson design@depauliaonline.com DESIGN EDITOR | Ally Zacek design@depauliaonline.com

THIS WEEK Monday - 01/08

Check out our campus crime database, Crime Watch. This map is updated on a weekly basis with data made available to The DePaulia from the City of Chicago data portal and DePaul’s Office of Crime Prevention.

Check out our new and improved website at depauliaonline.com

Tuesday - 01/09

Wednesday - 01/10

SSDP Student Voter Cannabis Legalization Forum Levan 100

Colleges Against Cancer Richardson Library

DePaul Medlife Meeting Richardson Library - Lincoln Park

7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Friday - 01/12

Saturday - 01/13

Guest Recital: Peter Steiner, Trombone Concert Hall, 800 W. Belden Ave.

Shabbat 100- Magic Show and Illusions Courtelyou Commons

January Donate-a-Day (College of Law) Marillac Foglia Center, 2859 W. Jackson

8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Thursday - 01/11

PHOTO EDITOR | Josh Leff photo@depauliaonline.com ONLINE EDITOR | Yazmin Dominguez online@depauliaonline.com

GET DEPAUL NEWS SENT TO YOUR INBOX EACH WEEK. SIGN UP FOR THE DEPAULIA’S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: depauliaonline.com/newsletter

COPY EDITORS | Mackenzie Murtaugh BUSINESS MANAGER | Kelsey Horvath business@depauliaonline.com

FOLLOW US:

facebook.com/TheDePaulia

twitter.com/TheDePaulia

thedepaulia

ADVISOR | Marla Krause mkrause1@depaul.edu

Dear readers,

CONTACT US depauliaonline.com GENERAL PHONE (773) 325-2285 OFFICE HOURS Thursday: 6-8 p.m.

Friday: 10-6 p.m.

Sunday: 10-5 p.m.

NEWS TIPS news@depauliaonline.com

ADVERTISING business@depauliaonline.com

You’re going on winter break — and so is The DePaulia. We will not be publishing hard copies of the paper, but you can keep up with stories on our website and social media. We appreciate your readership and interest in the paper! We will resume publication on January 8, 2018.

RADIO DEPAUL Chicago's College Connection Happy Holidays, The DePaulia Staff

Listen in at radio.depaul.edu or on the Radio DePaul App

thedepaulia

News

News. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018 | 3

Student debt at DePaul surpasses Illinois average Unrelenting tuition hikes are taking their toll

By Benjamin Conboy News Editor

An annual metrics report has revealed that more DePaul students are currently graduating with more student debt than ever before.

68 percent of the class of 2015 graduated with some form of student debt, a 6 percent increase from just four years earlier. This marks the first time in recent history that DePaul students are graduating with more debt on average than students of Illinois’ other four-year colleges.

By comparison, Loyola University, who has the nation’s fourth largest enrollment for Catholic universities (DePaul has the highest) and DePaul’s North Side cohort, only saw 23 percent of students graduating with debt in 2014, according the most recent data available from the Department of Education.

The amount of debt DePaul students are graduating with has also increased. In 2011, graduates $27,486 in debt on average. Four years later, that number has risen to $29,932.

Senior Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing David Kalsbeek urges caution when interpreting statistical averages about student borrowing because they might not tell the full story.

“One-third of DePaul students graduate with no debt at all,” Kalsbeek said. “The average amount of borrowing varies by student circumstance, too. For example, students from families with higher incomes actually borrow more than students from lower income families.”

But the fact remains that college, particularly DePaul, is becoming less and less affordable for a lot of people. Compounding

the problem of rising student debt is the university’s continued tuition hikes to mitigate the effects of enrollment declines in recent years.

Kalsbeek says that attending an expensive college is a “shared obligation” between government programs, the university and the student.

“Student borrowing is a natural and expected element of how students and families now pay for college,” Kalsbeek said.

“The real problem is when the level of debt and the financial obligations students bear upon graduation becomes excessive in light of their future earnings.”

DePaul is currently working through a strategic planning process to determine a six-year plan to improve the educational value for students and correct financial issues. Curbing tuition costs and increasing enrollment will both be priorities in the plan.

Sophomore Nicholas Ogarkov isn’t ALLY ZACEK | THE DEPAULIA worried about the student debt he has DePaul’s rate of student indebtedness has climbed to 68 percent, up 6 percent from 2011. incurred quite yet.

“I’m fortunate enough to have parents mind, which isn’t always a bad thing. I feel colleges and the Trump administration is that are able to help me out, but I’m still like I value my education more because of it.” currently weighing whether or not to roll taking on some debt,” Ogarkov said.

Cody Hounihan, program director for back loan forgiveness programs for people “Everyone knows DePaul is an expensive the advocacy group Student Debt Crisis, said who work for the government for at least 10 school when they come here, so if you don’t the cost of higher education is ballooning at years. like it you can go to (University of Illinois at rates that are not seen in other markets.

“Since this administration has taken Chicago).”

“The rate of increase for the cost of over, I can’t think of one example where a Other students are not as fortuitous college right now is not normal,” Hounihan policy has been introduced for the explicit as Ogarkov. Depaul USA, a Vincentian said. “When you compare it to the rate of benefit of student loan borrowers,” Hounihan nonprofit that helps the homeless, estimates inflation, the cost of food and healthcare, said. “They’re rolling back protections that there are about 50 homeless students at the rate at which the cost of college is hold (student loan) servicing companies DePaul in a given quarter. Sam Moylan, a skyrocketing is at a pace that is unmatched.” accountable. Who are the victims of this? junior finance student, said she her loans Adding to the difficulties of living with The students, often low-income, minority give her a nagging anxiety. student debt is the rescindment of Obama- and under-represented students.”

“At the beginning of every quarter I era student borrowing protections by think, ‘There goes another $14,000 that Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. She has I’ll be paying back for the rest of my life,’” blocked regulations on predatory for-profit Moylan said. “It’s always in the back of my

CPS pension crisis leads to controversial tax hike

By Hector Cervantes Contributing Writer

Taxes will be on the rise for Chicago residents in 2018 since the Chicago Public School (CPS) system will hike up taxes to $225 million to help teachers with their pensions.

In a press release, former-CPS CEO Forrest Claypool, who resigned from his position in December, lauded the legislators who “courageously fought for and won a historic victory for education funding reform that creates more stability in schools and will continue the trailblazing academic growth that has attracted the attention of top academic researchers and experts throughout the country.”

Claypool credits the efforts to lawmakers and significant management reforms.

“CPS is putting the cloud of uncertainty behind us,” Claypool said. “Chicago students will directly and immediately benefit from legislators’ victory in the form of lower interest rates and the ability to refinance high cost debt.”

CPS has a budget of $450 million for 2018. Of this, $130 million will go towards teacher pensions while $80 million will be used for school security and student safety costs.

Since 2011, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, the school board has received more money by raising property taxes to the cap allowed under state law, and through a capital improvement tax.

Assistant principal Minh Nguyen of Roald Amundsen High School, a public school on the North Side, says the pension crisis has to be solved for CPS to continue operating.

“Teacher pensions should be paid,” Nguyen said. “I’m looking at the bigger picture, and one of the primary constraints of the CPS budget is teacher pensions. In the long term, in order for the system to be solved, they need to address it in some way.”

The city has been dropped the ball time and time again on pension reform, and Nguyen has had enough. “(CPS) has been doing a lousy job because we would not be in this position if they had been paying all along instead of pushing it down the road,” Nguyen said. “And now they are just trying to scramble and pay off these pensions the very last minute.”

DePaul University business manager Joe Bertolli has been a Chicago resident his whole life but does not support raising taxes to help pay off teacher pensions.

“Anyone older than 40, if you ask them if you agree or disagree with the hike in taxes they are going to tell you, ‘No you should not going to raise the taxes,’’’ Bertolli said. “But anyone under 40 they are going to say, ‘Oh yeah, go ahead because they are going to get a better education.’”

Neither Bertolli nor his children attended public schools.

He finds it unfair how Chicago residents are taxed more for teacher pensions regardless if they attend public schools in Chicago.

“They are already taking enough money out of those peoples’ taxes and payingfor something else with it,” Bertolli said. “What they need to do is learn how to cut a corner somewhere else instead of charging the people of Chicago. I think it is really wrong.”

The Board of Education voted on the amended budget proposal at its Oct. 25 meeting.

According to the CPS 2016 budget, funding has decreased tremendously to just 52 percent of its 2001 budget, which represents a decrease of almost $9.4 billion.

Freshman Ashley Garbarek wants to become a kindergarten teacher and teach in Chicago. She feels that it should be Chicagoans collective responsibility to make sure these pensions are funded.

“I feel like paying for their pensions is a job that all Chicago residents should do,” Garbarek said.

After Garbarek saw the monumental cuts in the CPS budget, she said the budget should be resorted to its orginal 2001 funding.

“I know a lot of teachers put in a lot of work outside of the classrooms and they are not getting paid much,” Garbarek said. “Teachers spend money out of their own pocket to pay for supplies and they spend a lot of time arranging classrooms to fit the need for other students to make sure each student is catered to specifically.”

4| News. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018

DePaul student Omar Aboul-nasr bundles up to face unfamiliarly cold temperatures. Aboul-nasr is from Tucson and dealing with Chicago winters is a new experience for him.

Demons freeze on first days back Students face frigid temperatures to begin winter quarter Photos by Ben Conboy Text by Jonathan Ballew Although the early stages of winter were fairly mild, temperatures have been unusually low since Christmas, even for Chicago. Students have had to bust out their warmest winter clothing to combat the subzero temperatures.

Extremely cold winters can be even more challenging for out of state students from warmer climates. Junior Omar Aboul-nasr was taken by surprise by the frigid cold.

“This kind of weather is completely

different for me,” he said. “I’m definitely not used to this cold or snow.”

Since moving to Chicago, Aboul-nasr has had to buy a whole new wardrobe to prepare for a foreign climate. Covered from head to toe, it is clear that Aboul-nasr has learned how to thrive in his new home.

While temperatures next week are expected to rise into the 20s and 30s, there may be more snow to come.

Some students use the cold as an opportunity to flaunt their most stylish winter gear.

True to its name, the Windy City brutalized Chicagoans with wind speeds upwards of 20 mph.

News. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018 | 5

Chicago runners undeterred by record lows

By Jonathan Ballew Asst. News Editor

With record low temperatures sweeping the nation, Chicagoans prepare for business as usual. Millions of residents will bundle up with scarves, hats and mittens ready to face the arctic temperatures on their daily commute.

Although those from warmer climates may think Chicagoans are crazy for braving the cold, there is another group that baffles even some of the most hardened winter veterans — Chicago runners.

Each morning, thousands of Chicago runners pound the pavement, despite temperatures that have already claimed the lives of at least three Cook County residents this winter. Some wear expensive spandex, while others run in full winter jackets. Bearded runners become adorned with icicles making them look like human Popsicles.

What is it that drives these perfectly sane individuals to swaddle themselves in spandex and warming layers in order to keep running through the harshest elements?

To a non-runner, it can seem perplexing.

Watching a runner zip by with frozen snot and chapped cheeks, radiating steam, looks awful. While most would assume that these runners are dedicated but miserable, the overwhelming majority of winter runners couldn’t imagine running indoors.

Filip Latocha is the vice president of the DePaul Run Club. His organization hasn’t stopped meeting for outdoor runs, despite the frosty temperatures.

“Running on a treadmill, I consider that cheating,” Latocha said. “It isn’t the same effect as running outside.”

Latocha says his club does not shy away from either cold temperatures or the snow.

“Sometimes we will even wear goggles,” he laughs when saying this, perhaps knowing how crazy he must seem to a non-runner.

The one thing that will keep the DePaul Run Club indoors is freezing rain, and with good reason. Moisture is a real danger in sub-freezing temperatures, and runners can become extremely susceptible to frostbite or hypothermia.

Over the past week temperatures in Chicago have dipped as low as 9 degrees below zero. The highest they have risen is a frigid 18. According to the National Weather Service, frostbite can occur within minutes if the skin is exposed to temperatures below 15 degrees. It is important for runners to know

A jogger braves negative temperatures to run along the Lakefront in the frigid early hours of Jan. 4. how to dress if they want to be successful running outside all year long.

Lindsey Baum is a product manager at Fleet Feet Sports, one of Chicago’s premier retail and training companies for runners, with several locations throughout the city. Baum has a few tips for runners to be successful in winter conditions.

“You need to dress in layers, but you also need to determine what works best for you,” Baum said. “I may sometimes just need spandex, while my husband will be in a full winter coat and balaclava.”

The key she stresses, is layers.

“If you have proper layers, and understand your body it makes things easier.” Baum recommends a product called Nuun Energy Tablets. She says that adding them to warm water can be a great way to warm up before or after a particularly cold run. When asked why she continues to run outside, Baum says, “it can be very meditative outside in the winter, since there are hardly any runners out. Being cooped up inside is not very fun.”

Being outside is the major selling point for Ryan Caturan when recruiting new runners in the winter. Caturan is a coach at Chicago Endurance Sports and helps run a program called Winter Warriors.

Throughout multiple locations, hundreds of runners continue training for races during

what Caturan considers to be the off-season.

“The reason we run outside is because the treadmill sucks, and you can quote me on that,” he says jokingly. “When you do winter running and don’t allow the elements to keep you inside, it shortens that winter up.”

When asked if there is a threshold for runners being able to run outdoors, Caturan says that “there is no limit for an individual runner.” For safety and liability reasons, his group does have a threshold for when they will cancel an outdoor run. Caturan says that negative temperatures, or a real feel of 20 degrees below zero is the limit for the Winter Warriors.

But just how cold is too cold? Most experts say that as long as the temperature is above 20 degrees below zero, exercise is still safe providing an individual is properly dressed. The biggest danger is exposed skin and moisture.

Runners should favor fabrics that wick sweat away from the body, like spandex or Merino wool. Cotton is not ideal, as it becomes damp and clings to the body. It is especially important to remember to bring some type of payment in case a runner becomes stranded far from home. Things like dehydration, or a fall on the ice may make it difficult for a Chicago runner to make it home in freezing conditions.

When asked if they have a policy for

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASSOCIATED PRESS

injured or stranded runners in the cold, a representative from the Chicago Transit Authority unsurprisingly said that “there are no free rides on the CTA.” If a runner becomes stranded in sub-zero temperature and is too exhausted to continue, they better make sure they have some means to pay for transportation home.

No matter the conditions, Chicago runners don’t care. They will continue to run through the elements in order to satisfy an addiction that even they can’t quite explain.

“Running on the treadmill I consider cheating. It isn’t the same effect as running outside.”

Filip Latocha Vice President of the DePaul Run Club

BOARD continued from front page doubling its current $550 million to $1 billion by 2024. In order for this to happen, a colossal amount of investing needs to be done.

DePaul’s current endowment numbers are by no means up to par with other private institutions across the country and let alone the Midwest. In comparison, as of 2016, Northwestern University’s endowment stood at $9.6 billion, Notre Dame’s at $8.7 billion, and the University of Chicago’s at $7 billion.

Fortunately for DePaul, Greffin brings profound investment expertise.

Greffin is a strong advocate of growing the endowment, mentioning that “DePaul could use a larger endowment.” By growing the endowment, DePaul could offer a wider variety of scholarships and even offer more scholarship money.

“Everyone should have the opportunity to a good education,” Greffin added. Greffin wants the university “to continue to give a greater amount to kids” in terms of scholarships and grants being made available to students.

Many DePaul students would certainly like to see more scholarships being made available. According to the university’s website, DePaul awards more than $28 million in scholarships each year.

Kofi Nyarku, a graduate student who received the Double

Demon Scholarship to further his studies, concluded the scholarship still doesn’t provide the financial assistance that he needs.

Nyarku expressed disappointment in regards to the scholarship.

“I honestly don’t see it as a scholarship,” Nyarku said. “It is basically 25 percent off your tuition for attending undergrad and continuing to graduate school.”

Given that the financial assistance for the Double Demon Scholarship is mere, Nyarku just calls it “a discount.”

“The Double Demon Scholarship has unfortunately not been much of a help to me,” Nyarku said. “I still had to take out a grad plus loan to be able to pay my tuition in full.”

When asked about the university potentially increasing its endowment, Nyarku optimistically said “I think it will be beneficial for DePaul to grow its endowment to offer students more scholarships.” If DePaul offers more scholarships Nyarku thinks that “it will make more DePaul students want to go to graduate school even though most students believe that it is too expensive.”

While Greffin’s tenure on the board has just begun, she’s excited to get to work and contribute.

“I’m not an alum of DePaul, but truly believe in the mission,” Greffin said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUDITH P. GREFFIN

6| News. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018

Hundreds of new Illinois laws go into effect in 2018

By Benjamin Conboy News Editor

With the beginning of a new year comes the inauguration of more than 100 new laws in Illinois.

The Statehouse is often out of sight and out of mind for a lot of people, but the laws it signs are of equal consequence as those passed by the Federal legislatures. The laws passed cover dozens of topics from new abortion protections to bicyclist safety regulations.

LGBTQ Rights Among the more notable laws passed is the outlaw of the “gay panic” defense, which is a legal defense often used in assault and murder cases where a defendant claims samesex sexual advances induced a temporary insanity as justification for committing a violent crime against a homosexual individual.

The American Bar Association called for the prohibition of this defense strategy in 2013, saying their continued use of the defense “marks an egregious lapse in our nation’s march toward a more just criminal system.”

Illinois became the second state after California to outlaw the defense tactic after Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the trio of bills in August, which were cosponsored by state senator and Democratic gubernatorial

candidate Daniel Biss. The bill was unanimously passed by both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly (GA).

LGBTQ advocates applauded the passage of the bill. Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, said the approval of the bills shows that “Illinois is moving forward on LGBTQ rights while the federal government reverses course and that Donald Trump is going against the tide of history.”

Abortion Protections With President Trump now in charge of the nomination of Supreme Court justices, many pro-choice advocates have become concerned that his appointments will lead to the eventual overturning of Roe v. Wade.

The Illinois GA seized the moment of uncertainty to pass a bill that would uphold the core tenants of Roe V. Wade if it is ever overturned. The bill also expanded Medicaid coverage for low-income individuals and makes access to abortions easier.

Cofounder of Student for Reproductive Justice Jenni Holtz said the passage of the bill is “especially a victory for poor people who would not be able to afford an abortion without insurance.”

Proponents of the bill said it would protect women from dangerous and seedy abortion practices.

“Abortions are healthcare and healthcare is a right,” Holtz said. “It is the individual choice of the person to get that abortion, and they should be able to do so safely Signing the bill proved to be a costly political move for Gov. Rauner. Last April, he

FLOOD continued from front page

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL UNIVERSITY

Residents of Seton Hall were abruptly woken up by alarms triggered by a faulty sprinkler.

officials confirmed that there was no such leak. Instead what the students were likely smelling was water from the sprinkler system.

According to a representative from the Oak Park Fire Department, oftentimes sprinkler systems can have a foul odor because they hold gallons of old and possibly moldy water.

While most students were ushered to the Welcome Center to avoid the freezing temperatures, not everyone made it out of the building. Clare Ruddy is a resident of Seton Hall who never evacuated her room. Ruddy said she slept through the initial alarm and was unaware that she needed to leave.

“Someone from the school unlocked my door to check if I was in my room,” she said.

“But by the time I realized what was going on, they had already left, so I went back to sleep.”

Ruddy woke up later only to realize that everyone in her dorm was gone. “It was kind of scary,” she said. By the time Rudy could find a maintenance worker to find out what was going on, the evacuation was over and students were being let back into the building.

Students were only out of the building for about a half hour and had to use the alternate stairwell for part of the day.

“It was kind of an all hands on deck situation so it was brought under control immediately,” Moreci said.

This is the first flood since McGowan South suffered a water main break in February of 2016. Several inches of water streamed down the stairs and settled on the ground floor, causing weeks of repair operations.

Benjamin Conboy contributed to this story.

said he would veto the bill if it made its way to his desk, but he soon reversed course and his position became murky. The Republican is already one of the most unfavorable governors in the country, and signing a bill expanding abortion protections is sure to alienate some of his downstate base.

The IL House of Representatives Republican leader Jim Durkin called the signing of the bill “an absolute betrayal,” and announced he would be withdrawing all support for the Republican governor as he runs in a hotly-contested reelection campaign.

Elephant Ban In another pioneering move, the Illinois GA passed a law that prohibits the use of elephants in travelling circuses, punishable by up to a year of jail time. 21 countries in the European Union have also banned elephants in traveling , but Illinois is now the first state in the U.S. to do so.

“Elephants in traveling shows live a dismal life in which they are dominated, imprisoned and violently trained. Workers routinely beat, shock and whip them until they learn to perform meaningless, confusing tricks that have no connection to their natural instincts and behavior,” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said in a statement.

The push for the bill garnered some celebrity support when Emmy-award winning actress Jane Lynch urged Gov. Rauner to sign the bill, saying, “(Elephants in circuses) are deprived of everything that

is natural to them, such as the ability to roam and form tight matriarchal family groups.”

“While Illinois is the first state to ban performing elephants, it’s likely that other states will follow suit in protecting them and other performing animals,” said Brett Davinger, associate director of the College of Law’s Center for Animal Law. “These stories don’t just generate large amounts of public interest, they also inspire people to demand change.”

The law, however, does not apply to elephants in non-mobile institutions like zoos.

Automatic Voter Registration Illinois joined 9 other states in passing a bill that automatically register people to vote whenever they interact with the DMV. The bill enjoyed bipartisan support and was passed, again unanimously, by the GA. Voter turnout in Illinois is chronically low. In the 2014 gubernatorial election, about 200,000 votes were cast, just 1 percent of the state’s 12.8 million residents.

The bill was reshaped after Rauner vetoed an earlier version, saying he wanted there to be an option for people to opt out of being registered if they wanted.

“Automatic voter registration is a winwin,” said Cook County Clerk David Orr in a statement. “For voters, it takes the burden of registration off their backs and shifts it to the government, where it should be. For election officials, it creates a tremendous tool to clean up the voter rolls, and saves money as well.”

News. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018 | 7

Elon Musk plans to submit bid for Blue Line high-speed rail to O’Hare

By Jonathan Ballew Asst. News Editor

Elon Musk wants to take a whack at solving one of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s most pressing transportation concerns.

After meeting with Chicago’s thendeputy mayor Steve Koch in Los Angeles, Musk tweeted to his followers that his tunneling company – ironically named the Boring Company – would “compete to fund, build and operate a high-speed loop connecting O’Hare Airport to downtown.”

Musk’s high speed rail would be underground. The tunnel and railcars would be state of the art and able to travel using electromagnetic pulses that would propel railcars through tunnels much narrower than traditional subways. Though Musk has been interested in tunneling for quite some time, he has yet to actually put the ideas into practice.

This news has set the transportation world in Chicago ablaze, with residents dreaming of a shorter commute and city officials pining over different consequences and possibilities.

Anyone that lives in Chicago and flies out of O’Hare knows what a challenge the commute can be. The Blue Line can take 45 minutes, sometimes longer if there are delays, and once you have boarded, you are basically stuck until the train gets moving again.

Some are fortunate enough to have family or friends with a car, though that will cost you gas money, plus a very big IOU. And Uber? Forget about it. Those rides will cost commuters anywhere from $40 to $60 one way.

Emily Lindsey is an out of state student at DePaul that frequently travels to O’Hare.

f

“Not a lot of my friends on campus own a car, and I don’t like to burden them with asking for a ride,” she said. “I definitely don’t want to pay for an expensive Uber.”

Many DePaul students don’t have the money or resources to get a ride to the airport, and the free U-Pass certainly makes riding the Blue Line the practical option for most. For a student living on the North Side, the commute becomes even longer, requiring either a trip into the Loop to connect to the Blue Line, or multiple bus transfers.

An improved travel solution would be a welcome addition for many DePaul students and Chicago travelers.

Joseph Schwieterman is a professor in the School for Public Service and is an expert in transportation. He is in favor of Chicago taking proposals for an express service option to O’Hare.

“We are all pretty skeptical, but I think it’s exciting,” he said. “I think it’s the right thing to do, in the sense that we will know

by February whether or not there is a serious bidder out there.”

Schwieterman said there is no risk to the city by taking proposals because it is a good measuring stick to find out if there are any serious proposals.

Emanuel has promised that the project would take no taxpayer funds and would be completely funded by private enterprise.

“That really tied a hand behind his back,” Schwieterman said. Since Emanuel needs private funding it will likely take a major player like Elon Musk to submit a feasible proposal.

Schwieterman said there could be another major player in competition with Musk to secure the bid.

“The Chinese seem very interested in proving to the US that they can create high

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Musk’s proposed high-speed rail would bring travelers to O’Hare in 15-20 minutes. speed rail in America,” he said.

“Chicago is one of the only US cities with As of Jan. 2, the China Harboring rapid travel from the city to its airport,” she Engineering Company is listed as one of the said. registered document holders expected to Djurovic is right: compared to US submit a proposal in February. cities, Chicago consistently ranks in the top But what would a project of this ten for its transit options. The problem, magnitude mean for the average Chicagoan? Schwieterman said, is how Chicago stacks “We are already seeing pushback by up globally. “By international standards, we everyday transit users,” he said. need a face lift.”

According to Schwieterman, many It is no secret that one of Emanuel’s top Chicago residents see this as an unnecessary priorities is making sure Chicago secures its project that will divert the cities attention place as a global city, welcoming international away from more pressing transportation commerce. If anyone can usher Chicago issues. into a new era of global transportation, Miljana Djurovic is a DePaul student that Schwieterman thinks Musk may be just the believes the Blue Line is already an adequate man for the job. option. She said that spending time on an additional option is a waste of resources.

CAMPUS CRIME REPORT: December 20, 2017- January 2, 2018 LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS

LOOP CAMPUS

University Hall

Clifton-Fullerton Hall 7

3

5

3

DePaul Center 8

Student Center 3 8

6

4

11

Ray-Meyer Fitness Center 6

4

LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS DECEMBER 20 1) An indecent

exposure report was filed against a man at Seminary Ave. and Montana St.

DECEMBER 22 2) Battery reported at 900 Webster Ave. Subject transported to hospital.

JANUARY 1 3) Suspicion

of marijuana report filed at University Hall. Paraphernalia was confiscated.

Assault & Theft

Drug & Alcohol

Other

JANUARY 2 7) A possession of cannabis was reported in DECEMBER 22 4) A disturbance was reported in Student Center Clifton-Fullerton Hall. Chicago police issued a 9) Battery reported at a University Center retail regarding an individual who refused to leave.

5)

A threat by phone report was filed by a university employee against a student.

6)

A disturbance was reported at the Ray Meyer Fitness Center. An argument occurred between three individuals.

citation.

LOOP CAMPUS

space.

DECEMBER 24 10) Aggravated Battery reported at University Center retail space.

DECEMBER 21 JANUARY 2 8) A disorderly conduct report was filed at the 11) A theft DePaul Center. An individual was loud and irate, needing to be escorted from the building.

report was filed at the DePaul Center. Suspect diverted attention by passing out flyers, while stealing the complainant’s cell phone.

8| News. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018

With tensions high, student leaders travel to Israel

By Benjamin Conboy News Editor

Amid tense geopolitical strife, student leaders traveled to Israel to learn about the Israel-Palestine conflict and Middle Eastern culture in a trip sponsored by the Jewish United Fund.

They covered ground all over Israel from Tel Aviv to the country’s northeastern border with war-torn Syria, where the group reported hearing explosions.

One experience that was universally appreciated was speaking with university students from both sides of the conflict.

President of Honor Student Government Nick Gricus was struck by the difference in the public and private sentiments of the Middle Eastern students.

“Our group was discussing the potential for everyone to coexist if we put politicians in place who would be able to foster that,” Gricus said. “In conversation, an Israeli girl was openly in support of a two-state solution, but privately, she was 100 percent pro-Israel and didn’t believe a two-state solution would work. It was the same thing for the Palestinian students.”

The group also visited Jerusalem less than a week after President Trump’s controversial decision to move officially recognize the holy city as the capital of Israel. Diplomats and leaders from all over the world condemned the decision, saying it would spark violence in the region, but the group of DePaul students never felt unsafe with an armed

PHOTO COURTESY OF OLIVIA ADAMS

The group posed for a picture atop Mount Bental in the Golan Heights near Israel’s northeastern border with Syria. security guard by their side at all times.

Days after the announcement, the group stood atop a mountain overlooking Jerusalem, which is split between an Israeli and Palestinian side. They reported seeing people on the Palestinian side shooting fireworks at soldiers and police on the Israeli side.

Schedules jam-packed with speakers dominated the daily schedule. They engaged with anyone from former members of the Israeli parliament, to Arab journalists.

Sophomore Alyson Dressman said the experiences with speakers challenged her pre-conceived notions about the conflict.

“As an American, I can’t come back and act like I know what to do about this,” Dressman said. “It’s so easy to hear things in the (American) media that portray things in an innaccurate light.”

Sophomore Grace Hoegler said she came away from the trip with a whole new appreciation for the nuances of the conflict.

“I always thought of the conflict as being

so complicated that I couldn’t even begin to tackle it,” Hoegler said. “Being able to engage people from both sides of the conflict taught me more than any book could.”

“I went into the trip thinking a two-state solution was totally sensible,” Gricus said.

“But now because of talking to both sides, it has given me a lot of hope, but also crushed all the hope I had. It was a confusing trip, and I think we all left much more confused than when we went in.”

News. The DePaulia Jan. 8, 2018 | 9

Are you ready for more?

Northwestern University post-baccalaureate certificate programs offer a unique opportunity to advance your career or prepare yourself for graduate school, including law, education, and PhD programs.

• Advance your career with a range of programs in areas including business, finance, IT and management, or create a custom program that meets your goals.

• Build your academic resume in preparation for advanced study in areas such as business, education, medicine, or law.

• Attend convenient evening courses on Northwestern’s Evanston and Chicago campuses.

Apply today — applications are accepted quarterly. sps.northwestern.edu/post • 312-503-2579

10 | Nation & World. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018

Nation &World "Swatting" call takes a life How a Twitter fight lead to deadly prank

ALLY ZACEK | THE DEPAULIA

By Carina Smith Nation & World Editor

A call came in to the Wichita, Kansas police department on Thursday, Dec. 28 that painted a scary tale of a man who was holding his mother and brother hostage after killing his father.

Police surrounded the house that evening as the victim was on his phone in his living room.

Moments after they arrived, the man inside was shot to death by an officer.

The man who was killed was unarmed, unaware of the police and completely innocent.

Andrew Finch, the 28-year-old Wichita native and father of two, was a victim of a national hoaxing trend referred to as “swatting,” which is when someone makes a phone call to the police reporting a fake crime in the hopes that the SWAT team will be deployed to that person’s home.

The alleged caller, Tyler Barriss of Los Angeles, California, has been arrested after a very public outcry about the way the police handled the situation. Many have posed the question as to whether or not the blame should be taken out of the officer’s hands or not.

The victim’s mother, Lisa Finch, posed the question, “don’t they do training for SWAT incidences?” in a Dec. 31 interview.

“I am quite blown away by how trigger-happy the police (officer) was,” former Wichita State University student Paul Raymond said. “I understand to the police’s knowledge there was good reason to think the man was dangerous, but it’s concerning that the first instinct was to shoot.”

A lot of people became upset after the news broke that Andrew Finch was unarmed at the time of the shooting. According to the Wichita Police Department, the victim was not cooperating with the police and had put his hands on his hips, causing an officer to discharge his weapon on Andrew Finch.

The Wichita incident comes on the heel of scrutiny for police shootings in recent years. Movements like Black Lives Matter have popped up after police across the country have killed unarmed citizens in their cars, at home and on the street. The issue of whether or not police are too triggerhappy has been a topic of huge debate in the country.

“This is, of course, an issue with American police in general and I frankly do not understand how it always seems as though the police finds a way to fire their gun so easily,” Raymond said about recent police shootings.

This is the first swatting incident that is believed to end in

bloodshed. The prank first started from video game chatrooms as a way to get revenge on another player, but it has since affected celebrities and common people who have somehow wronged the person who is calling. Usually, the caller disguises their true location when placing a call, and they report wild situations like hostage scenarios in order to garner a

“This is a national trend,” Deputy Police Chief Troy Livingston said in a press conference on Dec. 29. “We’re not the only community dealing with this type of incident.”

The tragedy in Wichita came after two players of the video game "Call of Duty" were arguing through Twitter when one user, said to be Barriss, threatened swatting. The other user gave a fake address to deter the call, which ended up being Andrew Finch’s. Barriss, now accused of making the fake phone call to an innocent man’s house, tweeted on his account (which has since been suspended) that the “kids house that I swatted is on the news.” Later, he professed his innocence, saying, “I DIDNT GET ANYONE KILLED BECAUSE I DIDNT DISCHARGE A WEAPON AND BEING A SWAT MEMBER ISNT MY PROFESSION.” This was not the first time PHOTO COURTESY OF GLENDALE POLICE Barriss has been accused of DEPARTMENT making swatting calls. Barriss Tyler Barriss, accused of making the has been accused of making as swatting call that led to Andrew Finch's many as 20 similar calls, and death, is shown here in this 2015 booking in 2016 he was sentenced for released by the Glendale, California, making false bomb report calls Police Department. in the Los Angeles area. police presence. The ultimate goal For now, the Wichita Police is to surprise or humiliate the Department is waiting to unknowing victim with a police transport Barriss from L.A. to force knocking on their door.

Wichita in the following month

while also talking to others who were involved with the initial fight and the fateful call. The investigation is still ongoing for the officer involved in the shooting, who is on paid leave.

"There are other people involved," Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay said in a Jan. 5 press conference. "This is a serious case that has wideranging implications. There also is not clear laws for this type of activity as well, which adds to the difficulties of it. Because of the complexities of the online activity that took place, that also takes more time."

For the victim’s mother, peace will not come until she gets questions answered. In a Jan. 2 letter that was written by Lisa Finch to Wichita’s mayor and the city’s police, Lisa Finch asked for the name of the officer who shot her son, why she and her family were handcuffed and interrogated that night, and the protocol and training that the police department will put into place for responding to another prank swatting call.

“The cops are trying to make this go away, and it’s not going to go away,” Lisa Finch said in an interview with KAKE. “People aren’t going to let it.”

Nation & World. Jan. 8, 2018. The DePaulia | 11

Nation&Worldbriefs

MATT ROURKE | AP A man pushes his way through a winter snowstorm in Atlantic City, N.J., Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018. A massive winter storm swept from the Carolinas to Maine on Thursday, dumping snow along the coast and bringing strong winds that will usher in possible record-breaking cold.

Content written by the ASSOCIATED PRESS Compiled by Carina Smith | THE DEPAULIA

THE SOUTH KOREAN UNIFICATION MINISTRY In this Aug. 22, 2015 file photo South Korean National Security Director, Kim Kwan-jin, right, and Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo shake hands with Hwang Pyong So, left, and Kim Yang Gon during their meeting at the border village of Panmunjom in Paju, South Korea.

ANDREA MEROLA | ANSA VIA AP Some jewels are on display at the 'Treasures of the Mughals and the Maharajahs' exibithion, at Venice's Doge's Palace, in Venice, Italy, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018.

Stolen jewels from Venice include diamond earrings

Record low temperatures and massive storms hit the Northeast

Venice, Italy

Boston, Massachusetts A massive winter storm roared into the East Coast on Thursday, dumping as much as 17 inches of snow in some areas and unleashing hurricane-force winds and historic flooding that closed schools and offices and halted transportation from the Carolinas to Maine.

Forecasters expected the storm to be followed immediately by a blast of face-stinging cold that could break records in more than two dozen cities and bring wind chills as low as minus 40 degrees this weekend.

Blizzard warnings and states of emergency were in wide effect, and wind gusts hit more than 70 mph (113 kph) in places. In parts of New England, snow fell as fast as 3 inches per hour.

Four people were killed in North and South Carolina after their vehicles ran off snow-covered roads, authorities said. Another fatality was reported near Philadelphia when a car could not stop at the bottom of a steep, snow-covered hill and slammed into a commuter train. A passenger in the vehicle was killed. No one on the train was hurt.

More than 100,000 homes and businesses lost power at some point Thursday. While many outages were restored by the day's end, officials from the mid-Atlantic to New England warned that those numbers might climb again as strong wind gusts and frigid temperatures continue through Saturday.

In New England, the powerful winds brought coastal flooding that reached historic levels in areas. The frigid waters overwhelmed fishing piers, streets and restaurants, and stranded people in homes and cars, prompting dozens of evacuations and The National Weather Service said record low temperatures were set for 28 major cities across the northeast by dawn Sunday, Jan. 7.

North and South Korea agree to meet for first time in two years Panmunjom, North Koriea The rival Koreas will sit down for their first formal talks in more than two years next week to find ways to cooperate on the Winter Olympics in the South and to improve their abysmal ties, Seoul officials said Friday. While a positive sign after last year's threats of nuclear war, the Koreas have a long history of failing to move past their deep animosity.

The announcement came hours after the United States said it will delay annual military exercises with South Korea until after the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, next month. The exercises infuriate North Korea, which claims they are an invasion rehearsal, although South Korea and the United States have repeatedly said they are defensive in nature.

On Friday morning, North Korea sent a message saying it would accept South Korea's offer to meet at the border village of Panmunjom next Tuesday to discuss Olympic cooperation and how to improve overall ties, according to South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles North Korean matters. Panmunjom is where a North Korean soldier dashed across the border into the South in November. He is recovering after being shot five times by his former comrades.

Unification Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said he expects the two Koreas will use a recently restored crossborder communication channel to try to determine who will head their respective delegations next week.

Any dialogue between the Koreas is seen as a positive step. But critics say the North's abrupt push to improve ties may be a tactic to divide Seoul and Washington and weaken international pressure and

sanctions on Pyeongyang.

In his New Year's address Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he was willing to send a delegation to the Winter Olympics but he also said he has a "nuclear button" on his desk to fire atomic weapons at the United States. President Donald Trump quickly responded that he had a bigger and more powerful "nuclear button" of his own.

The Trump government on Thursday said its springtime military drills with South Korea will be held from March 8-18 following the Feb. 9-25 Olympic Games.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis insisted the delay was a practical necessity to accommodate the Olympics, not a political gesture.

The White House said Trump approved the postponement in consultation with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who said he suggested the drills' delay to the United States.

Moon, a liberal, has been pushing to improve strained ties and restore stalled cooperation projects with North Korea since his inauguration in May, though he joined U.S.-led international efforts to apply more pressure and sanctions on the North.

Moon's government wants North Korea to take part in the Winter Olympics.

But North Korea is not strong in winter sports and none of its athletes have been qualified to compete in the Games. It needs to acquire additional quotas by the International Olympic Committee to come to South Korea. Baik said North Korea is expected to hold talks with IOC officials next week.

One was a delicate, tasseled pendant, featuring a flawless 10-carat diamond surrounded by a ring of rubies and diamonds. The other was simpler but no less gorgeous: two pear-shaped 30.2-carat diamond earrings surrounded by smaller, irregular-cut diamonds suspended like starbursts.

The Al Thani Collection on Friday revealed details of the precious jewels stolen Wednesday from a Venetian palace exhibit in a brazen theft that sorely embarrassed Italian security officials.

A manhunt has been launched for the thieves, who calmly pocketed the gems and mixed in with the crowd to make their getaway.

The collection, assembled by Qatar's Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani, hasn't revealed the value of the stolen pieces. But news reports have estimated they are worth a few million euros.

Al Thani said the two pieces were designed by Bhagat Jewelers, the exclusive Mumbai jeweler, in 2011 and 2014.

Bhagat jewels, known for the unique craftsmanship, quality gems and one-ofa-kind designs by Viren Bhagat, can fetch into the seven figures.

Surveillance footage of the theft Wednesday at the Doge's Palace in Venice show one of the thieves calmly opening the showcase window, as if he had a key, putting the jewels in his pocket and sauntering off while another stands nearby watching.

Police say the alarm was triggered a minute later, giving the thieves time to escape. That makes them think the job was done by professionals who knew what they were doing and what they wanted. A gold necklace in the same display case was reportedly left untouched.

The Venice exhibit, located in the famed Palazzo Ducale on the edge of St. Mark's Square, was the latest stop in an exhibit "Treasures of the Mughals and the Maharajas" that has brought the collection to Paris' Grand Palais, London's Victoria and Albert Museum, New York's Metropolitan and the Miho Museum near Kyoto, Japan.

12 | Opinions. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018

Opinions

Letter to the editor:

U.S. holds responsibility to prevent mineral exploitation in Democratic Republic of Congo JOHN BOMPENGO | ASSOCIATED PRESS

By John Kafarhire Contributing Writer

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is known to be one of the richest countries in the world by its natural resources attracting several other countries and multinational companies. However, the country has undergone, throughout its history, different atrocities of genocidal proportions. Today, the Congolese population lives crushed under the suffering and injustices done by a system in which human lives can be traded against a cell phone.

More than 6 million Congolese have lost their lives in conflicts over minerals in the Congo in the last three decades. The eastern region of the country has been under the control of several armed groups and militia who atrociously kill innocent people in order to take land rich in highly demanded minerals, such as cobalt, coltan, copper, and diamonds. Some multinational companies have been involved in those conflicts by either funding or supporting those groups in order to get cheap deals in the purchase of minerals essential for electronic devices like

computers, smart phones, video games, etc.

For much of the past decade, cheap supplies of minerals, derived from these mines have flowed into a long and complex supply chain, involving infamous groups, such as the Hutu militia associated with the 1994 Rwandan genocide. It is time to end these atrocities!

In 2010, the Dodd-Frank Act legislation passed by the U.S. Congress, has required companies whose products contain tin, tantalum, tungsten or gold to conduct supply chain checks, known as due diligence, on minerals that may originate from the DRC or its neighboring countries. Since then, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable, and the National Association of Manufacturers have been reluctant to welcome that decision, arguing that it imposes too many costs, goes beyond congressional intent, and violates First Amendment freedoms by forcing companies to their own.

In 2017, Enough Project, a nongovernmental organization aimed at supporting peace and an end to mass atrocities in Africa’s deadliest conflict zones, published a report on company rankings titled “Taking Conflict Out of Consumer Gadgets,” in which it assesses progress made by some companies to eliminate conflict

minerals from their supply. There still is a long way to go and this issue of conflict minerals will continue to grow worse if we do not offer global solutions to the quandary of the DRC. The history of the DRC is mixed with tragedies and silence that few people have tried to explore and denounce the entailed injustices. The issue of conflict minerals needs to be addressed and peace restored in the eastern region of the DRC so that Congolese can benefit from their natural resources in a decent way and enjoy a better social life without wars and conflicts led by the greed of capitalism.

That is why denouncing all these atrocities today turns out to be the work of every one of us considered as consumers of products that might contain conflict minerals from the DRC. It is our responsibility, especially students and, in a way, main consumers of electronic products, to take action and influence our decision makers to effectively intervene and implement regulations that can prevent our providers from being involved in the deterioration of conditions of life in countries like the DRC.

New year, new office, new plans

By Editorial Board Dear readers, We’ve got exciting news to share: our office moved from the basement of University Hall to the Lower Level concourse in the DePaul Center (1 E. Jackson). Instead of being tucked away in a quiet corner of Lincoln Park, we are happy to be working out of a large, clean and professional space that will allow us to produce what we hope will be better work.

Our new office space includes a workspace, conference room, several private offices and a large television where we can broadcast our online and multimedia content. That being said, we are looking to revamp not only the way wefunction as a newspaper, but the way that we cover the news here at DePaul University.

A New Year’s resolution of the DePaulia editorial staff is to be able to foster a greater culture of passion, creativity and truth-seeking in news and content creation. Our publication wants to reflect the rich history, culture and sense of community that comes with being a Chicago-based publication with a Vincentian mission.

Since we are no longer in a space that requires us to sign in our visitors, we want

our contributing writers, interested students, fellow truth-seekers and faithful readers to know that they are all welcome to stop by the office space and engage with us. In the coming weeks, we hope to host open-house events, panels, guest speakers and much, much more now that we have an accessible space to share with those who inspire us and want to work with us.

Over the break our online editor, Yazmin Dominguez, worked hard to revamp our website, which will now includes staff and writer bios, a breaking news ticker and a slide show of stories on our home page. We recently brought on two new online editors to help produce online-only content that will run independently of the paper. One of our 2018 resolutions was to drastically improve our online presence and engage our readers in other platforms besides the paper.

Our editorial staff is committed to staying engaged with the DePaul and greater Chicago community and bringing the public the news and content they are most interested in reading. Our goal is to be more approachable and involved. If you have issues or concerns with any aspect of the community, including the way in which our own publication is writing and reporting, please reach out and make your voice heard.

We are here to help and represent you.

As always, you can reach us by email or phone, but we would love it if you stopped by during our office hours, which you can find near the bottom of page 2.

Opinions. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018 | 13

CTA introduces budget proposal with unfavorable fare hike

VICTORIA WILLIAMSON | THE DEPAULIA

Without improvements to quality of commutes, major consequences await

By Evan Sully Contributing Writer

Under the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) new budget proposal, base fares have increased for the first time since 2009.

The CTA on Dec. 13 voted unanimously to approve a $1.5 billion dollar spending plan. Both train and bus fares increased by 25 cents apiece. The proposed fare increased the cost of a train ticket to $2.50 from the original price of $2.25 and will increased the cost of a bus ticket to $2.25 from $2.00.

Aside from the fares of everyday train and bus tickets rising, 30-day passes would surge to $105 from $100.

This marks the first time since 2013 that the cost of passes increased.

With that being said, if the fare hikes are approved at the meetings then they will set the official new market price, which came yesterday.

According to the CTA, as of 2015, the average weekday ridership for the buses stood at 873,147 commuters and 767,730 for trains.

Whether or not the fare hikes will actually go into full effect, there are many lingering questions as to why the CTA proposed this in the first place. Commuters who are already struggling financially won’t be too happy because more money will come out of their pockets.

An online letter from CTA’s President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. indicates that the primary reason for the proposed fare hikes is due to the state cutting the CTA’s annual funding by $33 million in 2018. Along with that cut, Carter mentioned that other factors posed a challenge to the CTA’s budget such as “historically low gas prices” and “new marketplace competition.”

“In essence, money on which we’ve traditionally relied simply wasn’t there,” Carter said.

Liliana Fargo, an adjunct economics professor at

DePaul, has a different viewpoint on why the CTA proposed to increase fares.

“I could speculate that due to the high cost of pension liabilities and health care cost for public employees, this entity might be forced to raise its fares,” Fargo said.

No matter what the official reasoning is for the proposed fare hike, the economic impacts could be quite devastating on a microeconomic level. Microeconomics analyzes the economic behavior of individual units of an economy such as a person, household, firm or industry.

“A rate increase will certainly have a very negative impact on the residents who are already struggling to survive in a sluggish local economy, and it might motivate users to seek alternative forms of transportation (in particular Uber and Lyft)," Fargo predicts.

Fargo believes that a fare hike could lead to “changes in the working and travel arrangements” for commuters, meaning they might try to avoid committing to work in the city or travel into the city “only when strictly necessary.”

“The rate increase could also have a negative impact on the level of economic activity in the city.” Fargo said in regards to overall economic activity. “People traveling less to the city will also spend less in the city, leading to a decline in commercial activity and potential loss of jobs.”

Given Fargo’s predictions on how the CTA fare hike could impact commuters, she also elaborated on the outlook of revenue and its relation to the elasticity of demand, or demand elasticity. Demand elasticity is the degree to which demand for a good, or service in this circumstance, varies with its price.

“Depending on the elasticity of demand, a fare increase could or not generate more revenue for CTA. A highly elastic demand might, in fact, lead to lower total revenue,” Fargo said.

Despite the CTA’s proposal to raise fares, not all DePaul students are initially against it.

“There is nothing wrong with increasing the fares

to help fund future improvement projects to increase the accessibility of public transit to underserved areas,” Jordan Delmonte, DePaul junior, said.

However, if the CTA fare hike doesn’t help out the city by way of infrastructure improvements or the quality of daily commutes for Chicagoans, there could be major consequences.

The effects of the fare hike will be unfavorable to all CTA riders.

“Unless the CTA manages to provide a better quality of service, the fare increase will at the end create an extra burden for local residents, many of whom are already considering relocation to more affordable nearby areas,” Fargo said.

Along with Chicagoans being affected, DePaul students could be affected too, given that school Ventra passes don’t work during school breaks. Not to mention, some students stay in Chicago when school is not in session.

Delmonte works part-time and for the most part, resides in the city over breaks for work.

“I don’t believe the rate hike is fair to DePaul students who rely on the CTA during breaks,” Delmonte said.

“Many students stay in Chicago during the school breaks and many of us work part-time or full-time, leading to reliance on public transit to go to and from work.”

Even though a fare hike could impact DePaul students, Thomas Byrne, a junior at DePaul, believes that it shouldn’t impact students too much because he believes that students already have poor spending habits that add up over time.

“College students often incur unnecessary expenses through getting their daily Starbucks, eating out too much and going to the bars on weekends,” Byrne said. “It will not put a large dent in their lifestyle.”

The opinions in this section do not necessarily reflect those of The DePaulia staff.

Focus 14 | Focus.The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018

By Ashley Fedha Focus Editor

Student Suc

As a DePaul student, flourishing academically can be quite stressful. From “sleep for dinner nights” to “hungover 8 AM classes,” these experiences make it especially difficult to focus on academics, as well as future employment plans. A major role in these drawbacks is the need to be involved in various activities. Whether it be nightlife or DePaul clubs, balancing your activities is especially important. The following tips are realistic strategies that could aid in the success of every struggling college student.

While this is a tip that has been repeated since middle school days, it is especially pertinent throughout college. As we head into the new year and new quarter, workload may be especially light. This is the perfect window to get started on assignments or readings due in the future.

“What I usually do is start off focused,” junior Victoria Williamson said.

“Although professors are usually easy-going for the first few assignments, it helps to start readings as soon as possible. Preparation and anticipation is key.”

This is probably the first piece of advice any college student is told as soon as they begin classes. Professors are here to help you learn, so most of the time they are more than willing to talk to you, especially during allocated office hours.

“Asking questions is not a crime,” professor Ogenga Ottunnu said. “Students are always hesitant to talk to professors when they have questions, I don’t understand why. We are paid to help you succeed. And the more you succeed, the higher we are paid.”

While it’s easy to drift off during an hour or three hour lecture, jotting down important information can determine your final exam preparation. Most professors do not project elaborate explanations within their PowerPoints, and only you know what you need a little extra explanation for.

“I started off freshmen year with just one notebook sectioned out for all of my classes. This was efficient, but I also used to stuff papers and handouts into this one notebook,” senior Nyah Lyn said. ”What helped me was having another folder for handouts. I also had another notebook for all the details pertaining to my final or midterm. So I would just study those when finals were coming up.”

Focus. The DePaula. Jan. 8, 2018| 15

ccess Tips Have you ever thought that saving money could solve half your problems? Being a broke college student is one of the most relatable experiences among students. While going through this phase prepares you for the ‘real world,’ it can also lead to more unnecessary stress. These student minded tips have helped the following upperclassmen survive the past few years of college.

Living in Chicago is expensive, especially with the high DePaul tuiton, so most students have to result to a job to survive. While it can be difficult juggling school and work, both benefit your success in the future.

“Right now I have three jobs. All of these jobs have helped me save more money, but they definitely stress me out with school,” senior Nyah Lyn said. “So I would advise anyone seeking a job to make sure they are on top of their schoolwork before looking for any other job.”

The ability to save money can solve more than half of the college struggle. If you have a job, this is especially important. Getting your paycheck could easily result in a quick spending spree. While this is expected and normal for the very first paycheck, try and build up a realistic budget.

“The top apps I usually use to save my money are called Digit and Chime. They basically save your change or a percentage of every amount you spend,” junior Victoria Williamson said. “Although I’m a shopaholic, these apps have really narrowed down my habits.”

The benefit of having two bustling and diverse campuses is the ability to get involved within the community. There are various internship and job fairs at DePaul that encourage all students to participate. Whether you are a freshman or junior, all of the companies that come to DePaul seek student involvement. Taking advantage of these events could really jump start your future career.

“I started at DePaul with simple retail and restaurant jobs, but after attending various on campus networking events I had all sorts of internship opportunities,” junior Samantha Raven said. “It’s obviously not easy but the sooner you start reaching out to people, the better your chances are of succeeding.”

ALLY ZACEK | THE DEPAULIA

16 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018

Arts & Life

GRAPHICS BY ALLY ZACEK | THE DEPAULIA

By Rachel Fernandez Managing Editor

The last five seconds of every Dec. 31 leading into Jan. 1 starts the same for millions of people around the world: with families and friends counting down and synchronizing their voices with the second hand on the clock ticking to an enthusiastic “happy new year!” The following days are spent discussing New Year's resolutions and intentions to make the next 365 days better than the last.

The start of a new year marks a specific time for people all over the world to reflect on the past and set goals moving forward whether they intend on keeping those goals or not.

Senior Aubree Smith is resolving to find enjoyment in life’s simpler things in 2018. After a rejuvenating trip to Hawaii over the winter break, she noticed that her mentality on vacation centered around being excited about daily minutia making her happier and wanting to maintain that

mentality throughout the year.

“When you’re on vacation, you’re like ‘oh my god, I’m going to the lobby,’ and it’s not that big of a deal, but you love the lobby and you love the people in the lobby because you’re happy,” Smith said. “Instead of thinking about all of the things I have to do in a negative way, think about them in a positive way, so that it’s like ‘oh my god, I live in Chicago and I get to go downtown every day to go work in a cool office.’”

Many New Year’s resolutions are rooted in taking stock of your own actions and outlooks, how they influence the way you live your life and how you can improve yourself moving forward. For senior Evette Escobar, accepting the good with the bad and being realistic about her situations is a main focus for her in 2018.

“I’m just trying to get my sh*t together, but also realizing that my sh*t doesn’t have to be together at the same time, so finding that balance,” Escobar said.

These resolutions tend to manifest themselves also as lifestyle changes that

require a conscious effort to maintain for an extended amount of time. One of the most challenging parts of setting these goals is finding the drive to start and follow through with them for the whole year.

“I’m already exhausted and still trying to get in the rhythm of things,” Escobar said. “But I think once I get a set routine and figure out classes and my work schedule and how it’s going to be during the quarter, I think that will help me motivate myself.”

Keeping yourself motivated can be difficult, but having a support system can help for keeping resolutions on track.

Escobar’s girlfriend is the source of her motivation for the new year.

“We were talking about how we were so tired, but in the end we always figure it out. She motivates me and keeps me going,” Escobar said.

Other resolutions are more concrete in their goal. Inspired by growing up watching musicals from the ‘30s and ‘40s, senior RT Hardiman’s New Year's resolution is to learn how to tap dance. “I don’t exercise,

so that’s going to be a huge step up because I know dance is a lot of work,” Hardiman said.

His 2017 goal to learn how to do a backflip did not happen, but he approaches his resolutions with a grain of salt. “I get why [New Year’s resolutions] mean something to other people,” Hardiman said. “It’s like a new beginning, but for me it’s just another day.”

Sophomore Lauren Kaplan also has more measurable resolutions including getting herself to do more improv performances and make sure to spend time with her friends at least once a week. Her 2017 New Year’s resolution was to work on improv more, which she was successful in doing since she enrolled in classes at iO. “I am continuously making goals throughout the year,” Kaplan said. “I think it’s good for people to have goals, but if they’re just doing at the new year I think it’s unrealistic to expect it to happen because goals and resolutions can change.”

Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018| 17

DePaulia staff sets sights on 2018

By Lacey Latch Arts & Life Editor

This past year was one to remember by all accounts. From the craziness that ensued in Washington to the terrible natural disasters that affected Americans far and wide, 2017 was a year that brought something new each day. As we dive into 2018, The DePaulia embarks on a new year with plenty of stories ahead. We also embrace some much needed changes as we continue reporting on everything DePaul. We have finally left the dark, musty, windowless basement of U Hall behind for a newsworthy office in the Loop. It even has windows! In honor of the new year, some of the DePaulia staff have made resolutions for the year ahead in an attempt to make the next 12 months the greatest yet.

GRAPHICS BY VICTORIA WILLIAMSON| THE DEPAULIA

18 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018

Old year, old me(mes)

Al

k back on the viral jokes that got us through 2017

By Rachel Fernandez Managing Editor

Memes are the gifts that keep on giving. The most widely distributed and easily understood jokes. The backbone of internet comedy that never fail to unite people. They’re are inside jokes we have with strangers, and there’s no better way to pay homage to a somewhat rocky 2017 than by looking back at some of the most circulated memes of the year.

Mocking Spongebob

The summer of 2017 was dominated by yet another Spongebob meme adding to a collection from the show including Primitive Sponge and Confused Mr. Krabs. The sassy joke paired a slightly disturbing image of Spongebob as a chicken with captions that insinuated ridicule of some sort. The meme probably got popular since almost all millennials share the experience of growing up watching Spongebob, so there’s a feeling of nostalgia when jokes about the show emmerge. Although circulation has diminished, a good Mocking Spongebob meme is always gonna get a chuckle.

Bean Events

If you are even slightly Chicago-adjacent, chances are you spent a good month or two scrolling through what felt like an endless amount of Facebook events inviting people to do some absurd thing at The Bean. The best part about this meme was how intricate the events became if you followed them closely: “Windex the bean” “Paint the bean black so they can’t windex it” “Prime The Bean so they can paint it black.” The joke was pretty niche and got annoying after a while, so it didn’t give the joke a very long viral life, but it was good while it lasted.

Distracted Boyfriend

The comically convoluted structure and unnecessarily dramatic picture made this meme an instant classic. Stock images are funny on their own, but adding text really takes them to another level. The catch with this meme is that you have to read it right to left, but once you get a grasp on the format, the laughs come naturally. This is another one of those timeless memes that you can always adapt to whatever is happening in the world.

Expanding Brain

Making this 2017 meme required skill. The meme is set up presenting a hierarchy of three or more things with a specific connection, and putting them together took a lot more effort than just using a reaction image.

Anyone who made an expanding brain meme actually had to take the time to think through the joke and use photo editing software to put it all together meaning that many of them were really good. It also left a lot of room for absurdity with some of the memes going on for up to nine or 10 panels. Nothing but respect for anyone who made an expanding brain meme in 2017.

Not all heroes wear capes.

Honorable mention: Rick Roll

Rick Rolling will never die (see: bolded words)

Arts & Life. Jan. 8, 2018. The DePaulia. | 19

"Bright" leaves viewers unsatisfied

By Lacey Latch Arts & Life Editor

Netflix’s most recent original fulllength feature, “Bright”, while entertaining, might have been a bit too ambitious for the streaming service. The film follows Will Smith as LAPD Officer Daryl Ward and his Orc partner Nick Jakoby (played by Joel Edgerton) as they navigate an alternate present-day filled with societal unrest.

Despite the film being the most expensive Netflix production to date, the plot was still lacking in substance at times. In the end, the entirety of the story in “Bright” left the audience with more questions than answers.

The first 30 minutes of the film felt so jam-packed with information and exposition I found myself feeling as though I was almost at the end of the movie when in actuality I had two-thirds of the film still ahead. With that said, within all of that exposition, there are still things that are mentioned later in the movie that seem completely random because they were never properly introduced or explained.

Throughout the two-hour film, backstory of the characters as well as of the society at large are brought up at length but never discussed in depth leaving the audience with a desire for much needed explanation. Even basic details relating to the cause of the immense unrest between the races is hardly covered. This, in turn, makes the often unpleasant interactions between characters seem unnecessary and unwarranted.

Frequent mentions of the dark and

storied past of this world without proper clarification leaves the viewer feeling out of the loop. While the conflict within the film is resolved, the entire conflict leading up to everything that unfolds on screen remains a mystery.

In addition to that, “Bright” often feels as though it is trying too hard to speak to the current state of the real world. The strife between races in the movie often seems forced. In the opening title sequence, even before any characters are introduced, there are repeated shots of graffiti covered walls throughout LA stating things like “Fairy Lives Matter.” The blatant attempts at relevance is initially easy to overlook but after repeated occurrences of similar social commentary, it begins to take away from the plot. As the audience lives in a world where society’s issues are more prevalent in daily life than ever before, these obvious attempts to speak to a greater truth feels like unnecessary overkill.

With that said, one of the main redeeming qualities of “Bright” was the brilliant casting. Smith is consistently funny and once again proves his prowess as an action star. He navigates the action scenes and the diverse cast with expertise. The interactions between him and Edgerton are endlessly entertaining and their raport seems effortless due in large part to Edgerton. He plays Officer Jakoby perfectly, as the complex and almost universally disliked character.

Jakoby is naive, well-intentioned and most importantly hilariously awkward which brings a sense of ease and breath of fresh air to an otherwise action-packed and

COURTESY OF IMDB

Will Smith and Joel Edgerton star in this Netflix original directed by David Ayer. incredibly violent movie. making it much easier for the audience Those behind “Bright” also excelled to believe the world the filmmakers have when it came to makeup and special created. effects. The film is visually spectacular at All things considered, “Bright” seemed almost every turn. While the movie as a to bite off more than it could chew. While whole is incredibly violent, each scene is the story in general was interesting and choreographed to perfection to maximize captiThe audience was left with a handful it’s visual appeal and execution. The of unanswered questions, and the story left transformation of Los Angeles to create a lot of room for exploration. With news the world of “Bright” with both run- of a sequel being recently confirmed at down areas and others filled with luxury Netflix, one can hope that the filmmakers seamlessly transport the viewer into the take this opportunity to do the world they fictional universe. Also, the makeup on the created, and the audience, justice. orcs leave them entirely unrecognizable

Gen Z finds a voice with "Grown-ish"

By Lacey Latch Arts & Life Editor

Following the overwhelming critical and commercial success of ABC’s “Blackish”, creator Kenya Barris seized the opportunity to create a new show directed toward a younger and much sought after demographic. From that, the new spin-off “Grown-ish” was born.

Airing on Freeform Wednesday nights at 8/7 Central, the show follows Zoey Johnson (Yara Shahidi), the eldest of the Johnson children, as she goes off to college at the fictional California University of Liberal Arts. Zoey was one of the most underutilized characters on “Black-ish” and this show serves as a showcase of Yara Shahidi’s talent. On "Black-ish", a show filled with zany characters and expertly skilled comedic actors of the likes of Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross, some of the secondary characters struggled to find time to shine. “Grown-ish” serves as the perfect opportunity to highlight Zoey Johnson as she leaves home and steps into an entirely new environment.

Luckily, the spin-off was able to keep the narrated format of the original which made the introductions in the pilot episode feel seamless. This allowed for the general background information for the ensemble cast all to be presented without it feeling overwhelming. Deon Cole also brilliantly assists the cast, by playing oddball Charlie Telphy on both shows, who is probably one of the funniest people on television right now. His addition to the cast is a brilliant decision and will give “Grown-ish” an even better chance of retaining some of the original audience coming from “Black-ish”.

Veteran television actor Chris Parnell also

serves as the University's president, adding some maturity to the cast. In addition to that, the occasional appearances from the main cast of “Black-ish” is always hilarious and beneficial to the overall narrative of “Grown-ish.” Anthony Anderson's role in the opening scene of the pilot set the tone of the show right off the bat.

The writing is just as sharp as it is on the parent show, and the jokes are whip quick. The fact that there is a steady flow of jokes also allows for the show to be as accessible as possible. Much to the writer's credit, not all of the comedy is centered on college topics or experiences, making it as relatable to the masses as possible.

“Grown-ish” also brings in an ensemble of fresh faces. The cast is youthful and diverse which is perfect for Freeform’s target audience. It also consists of relatively unknown actors, allowing for these new stars to become de facto ambassadors for this generation of television viewers.

In general, “Grown-ish” does not shy away from unpopular topics like parties and drugs of all kinds. At times, the show can seem like it’s trying too hard to be relevant to college life which makes some scenarios seem slightly forced. This attributes to the show’s overall sense of “wokeness”, or their attempt to be the voice of the younger generation. Though it may not be entierely relatable to all viewers, it’s subtle enough that it can be overlooked in the grand scheme of the show.

Through “Grown-ish”, the very vocal Generation Z has now found a voice in primetime. As the show tackles topics of importance and relevance to today’s young adults, Generation Z has finally found some much sought after representation on a grand scale.

COURTESY OF IMDB

Black-ish breakout star Yara Shahidi stars as her charcater adjusts to college life.

20| Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018

Jeff Rosenstock carries us into 2018

By Marty O'Connell Contributing Writer

Not many people would release a new album early morning on New Years’ Day, with no prior press or announcement. Even fewer people would release that album for free. Out of that small bubble of people, one of them is named Jeff Rosenstock. The Long Island musician and former Bomb The Music Industry! frontman has always been passionate about not adhering to industry standards, favoring the DIY ethos of the punk scenes he grew up in. Through his new album POST-, Rosenstock offers up a message of hope after a cruel and exhausting year.

The previous record from Rosenstock, 2016’s WORRY., was full of catchy singalongs and fast punk tracks that dealt with heavy matters, such as police brutality, gentrification, harmful social media side effects and death. That album was released weeks before the 2016 presidential election, and seemed to address some fears Rosenstock had about the state of the country before the election actually happened. Now, over a year later, another batch of songs has arrived. Rosenstock and his band (John DeDomenici on bass, Mike Huguenor on guitar, Kevin Higuchi on drums and Dan Potthast on the lap steel guitar) maintain the classic feel of his music while still adding new elements, like a higher presence of synths, to make these songs unique. Chris Farren and Laura Stevenson pop up on guest vocals as well, refreshing songs like “TV Stars” and “9/10” All of these songs seem to focus on the aftermath and the big question: what do we do now?

The first full song on the album (after a six-second intro message), “USA” opens on what could be described as the morning after a disastrous event, with Rosenstock feeling “crestfallen, grief-stricken and

exhausted.” Featuring a synth breakdown and a well-timed cowbell, this sprawling seven-minute track builds up to a recurring chorus of “You promised us the stars and now we’re tired and bored,” a notion that plenty of young adults in America can identify with.

“Yr Throat”, one of the catchiest songs on the record, sees Rosenstock detailing his inner thoughts of “first person shooter games, guitar tones, ELO arrangements, the differences in an MP3 and a vinyl record.” “All This Useless Energy” and “Powerlessness” deal with feelings of focusing towards what’s most important and feeling helpless in a society surrounded by struggle.

By the time you reach the halfway point of POST-, “TV Stars” can feel like a break in the action. It’s a slower-paced song, almost deserving of a slow dance (as opposed to a song meant for the mosh pit). The lyrics could be read to make something of a love song, as they detail how hard it is to imagine a significant other with someone else. “Melba” and “Beating My Head Against A Wall” bring the party back, two tracks that transition smoothly one into the next similar to the eight-song closing medley on WORRY. “9/10,” which cleverly placed as the ninth song on the 10-track album, details a life of loneliness and boredom on the subway.

POST- closes with “Let Them Win”, arguably the masterpiece of the album.

The song clocks in at 11 minutes and 10 seconds, culminating around the halfway point with a massive guitar solo followed by a five-minute ambient synth outro. Not only does this track solidify Rosenstock’s place as one of the most ambitious artists in modern rock, but it wraps up the album with a uplifting note. The song is a message of empowerment, reaffirming that no matter what “they” can do, “we’re not gonna let them win.” If POST- is a character

Rosenstock's sixth independent album, POST-, was released on New Year's Day. COURTESY OF JEFF ROSENSTOCK

we follow throughout the 41-minute run time, we watch it go from “downtrodden and dejected” to determined and dauntless.

Because of Rosenstock’s honest and authentic lyricism, by the time the album ends, you feel just as hopeful for the future too.

Seeing authentic artists like Jeff Rosenstock succeed in today’s scary world is proof that sometimes, good guys do win. He’s been a inspiration force in punk scenes everywhere for years, constantly embracing and preaching the DIY ethos he discovered as a kid in Long Island.

Having an artist like that receive critical

praise from publications like Pitchfork and Stereogum is huge for punk kids. The punk ideals that people in this scene believe in are validated by watching the underdog play a stage as big as Pitchfork Music Festival (and reveal how much the fest paid him before launching into the capitalismcritical “Festival Song”). Because of this, with POST-, Jeff Rosenstock has already become one of the most important artists of 2018.

Jeff Rosenstock will be performing at Beat Kitchen with Martha and Bad Moves on April 26. Tickets are available now.

If you enjoyed POST-, you might also enjoy: "AFTER THE PARTY" THE MENZINGERS

"THE DREAM IS OVER"PUP

"COWGIRL BLUES" KATIE ELLEN

"NEW KIND OF NORMAL" CAYETANA

The fifth studio album from American rock band the Menzingers was released in early 2017. It has received mostly positive reviews and was initially intended to be a "fun" album while still retaining the band's integrity when it came to songwriting.

The second album from Canadian punk rock band PUP was released in May 2016. Adam Feibel from Exclaim! described it as "youthful, sassy and sarcastic in one breath and introspectively mature in another."

Katie Ellen is a band fronted

by Anika Pyle from Philadelphia.

The band's Bandcamp profile says this album is composed of 10 songs of "twangy power pop with punchy melodies and Beach Boysesque harmonies."

Realeased in May 2017, this album from Philadelphia-based band Cayetana is comprised of immensely powerful songs that are deeply personal yet speak to universals at the same time.

Arts & Life. Jan. 8, 2018. The DePaulia. | 21

The divide in "Black Mirror" Newest season's positivity polarizes viewers

In the season premiere episode "USS Callister," the crew attempts to appease their seemingly bold and charismatic leader, as they are transported into action.

By Mackenzie Murtaugh Copy Editor

A spoiler alert is necessary, as many plot points and endings will be discussed and analyzed from here on out.

The fourth season of Netflix’s British smash hit “Black Mirror” premiered on Dec. 29, 2017 to vivid reactions by fans.

Viewers prepared by rewatching the past seasons of the mind-bending series and hoping the newest season follows through.

What surprised many is the apparent lack of dystopian, existential and ultimate deathby-invention that was so vital to seasons preceding. This dread of technology and the ultimate demise to robot-human trust is replaced with a more positive outlook towards the good technology can have and creates a karma-centric narrative.

Particularly, the episodes “USS Callister,” “Hang The DJ,” “Black Museum” and potentially “Arkangel” have brought much criticism by the more cynical and skeptical viewers.

The critique surrounding these episodes does not come unfounded: viewers have praised the series for its deep connection to the terrors of a tech-centric future. The season three episode “Nosedive,” a woman in a utopian, pastel future where others can rate you 1-5 is determined to increase her rating in order to afford her dream home and subsequently ruins her life chasing this unattainable goal, seems too close for comfort. With apps like Instagram and Twitter where likes and retweets equate to online social status, the ideology around a society attempting to thrive off the high of an accepted internet presence proves insidious.

While the newest season conforms to this inescapable reign of artificial intelligence and deadly tech stuff, with episodes like “Arkangel” where a deeply concerned mother uses a chip to track her teenage daughter through her angstfilled endeavours, viewers cannot help but criticize the lack of existential dread.

In the episode, the girl falls in love and experiences heartbreak, something that is easily relatable. This heartbreak is unknowingly at the hands of the mother, as she sees her daughter doing drugs and having sex with her love through a tablet that shows her what her daughter sees.

The critical mother ultimately pays, as the episode ends with her searching for her long-gone daughter who has hitchhiked her way to freedom. Though the viewer is left wondering the fate of the hover-parent, the satisfaction of the daughter’s exemption from her mother’s constant eyes surprises but doesn’t disappoint the viewer.

Some veteran viewers were not as pleased with the unconventional escapism as others.

“It didn’t make me as paranoid as the other seasons, which was a disappointment,” said Bess Connelly, a 20-year-old student.

The episode “USS Callister” begins as a traditional “Black Mirror” episode: a “Star Trek” tribute that traps the crew of the USS Callister in an online game controlled by the crew’s captain and real-life boss at his gaming studio, Robert Daly. The crew have been duplicated and held captive in this virtual reality game, and they work to overcome their captain to man the ship themselves. Funny and visually-striking with its perfectly retro homage to the ‘60s sci-fi adventure, the ultimate theme of the show is karma: the big and bad boss eventually pays, as his online presence is left floating in cyberspace as his worldly body is stuck in a vegetative state. This theme is not foreign to the show, like the episode “Shut Up and Dance” achieves in teaching a creep the implications of one’s nasty proclivity.

The closure in the more uplifting episodes hardly gives the viewers the discomfort and displeasure they are looking for. Yet the public‘s focus is not on the encrypted uneasiness and deep-seeded humiliation already pertinent to each episode, including this new season, but to focus and nitpick the polarity between seasons.

Season 4 of "Black Mirror" premiered on Netflix Dec. 29, 2017 An anthology series like “Black Mirror” sets itself up for drawbacks, like running out of storylines. While it’s easy to come up with ideas like “what if your girlfriend was also a microwave” or “what if your mom was a wifi router,” the usual and unexpected cutting-edge formula can become repetitive, as one episode of the newest season exhibits.

“Hang The DJ” feels most like the two-time Emmy-nominated episode “San Junipero,” the electro-80s inspired episode of two young women falling in love, only to find their world is a simulation for the elderly in which they can pass into this world after death. The episode marks the first happy ending for the series - the two women spend their never-ending lives together in the simulation, happily to the tune of Belinda Carlisle’s infectious 1987 hit, “Heaven is a Place on Earth.” “Hang The DJ” plays out somewhat similarly, as two lovers, defying the regulations of their dystopian dating world that puts a timer on each relationship in order to be together, find themselves inside of a simulation that sets a person up with their perfect match.

It’s no question that the minds behind the show saw the overwhelming critical

COURTESY OF IMDB

COURTESY OF IMDB

acclaim to “San Junipero” and wanted to capitalize on playing with the viewer’s emotions and giving them a break with the love story they deserve, in the midst of technological turmoil. Was the play off worth it? In reality, yes: “Hang The DJ” is a trip of an episode that’s visuals, specifically when the couple descends through the simulation towards reality, and themes, though somewhat cheesy, prove to be a refreshing break from the usual death-bytechnology narrative.

Has “Black Mirror” lost much of its technologically-centered facets? In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, executive producer Annabel Jones expresses the team’s commitment to the unexpected.

“If you have six films and they are all despairingly bleak and nihilistic, it’s not really very entertaining because you know what’s going to happen,” she said.

Regardless of the show’s drive for the unforeseeable, the closed and fulfilling endings will soon dwindle in favor, if not already. None of us signed up for “Black Mirror” to feel fulfilled; we indulge in the fear of our cell phones and targeted Facebook ads.

22 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018

There's always more to the story.

Get your news how you see fit at

depauliaonline.com Visit the depauliaonline.com: a fully responsive news platform offering the best coverage of DePaul, Chicago and beyond. Log on for up-to-date reporting, exclusive content, multimedia storytelling and much more.

what’s FRESH

Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018 | 23

on Netflix

Peaky Blinders

Boss Baby

This often overlooked period drama set in Birmingham, England after World War I has recieved immense critical acclaim over the course of its four seasons so far. Often described as the middle ground between "Downton Abbey" and "Boardwalk Empire", this show is the perefct choice for people who love period pieces and crime dramas. Originally premiering on BBC, "Peaky Blinders" can be found on Netflix.

At first glance, "Boss Baby" can be easily dismissed as a animated movie meant for children. However, that is barely scratching the surface of this film. This movie has aspects that appeal to people of all ages.

Cillian Murphy stars as Tommy Shelby, the cunning leader of a family gang as they conduct business and try to evade Chief Inspector Major Chester Campbell, played by Sam Neill, who was sent by Winston Chruchill to "clean up" the city. Each season starts with a two-year time jump keeping the world of "Peaky Blinders" fresh and interesting. As the seasons progress we see the gang expand their territory and their control throughout England and eventually creating an international crime organization.

Each episode is close to an hour in length which makes "Peaky Blinders" a pretty hefty commitment to binge, but there are only six episodes each season making it much more manageable. In addition to that, the upcoming fifth season is slated to premiere in 2019 so there is plenty of time to catch up before the next season.

LACEY LATCH | THE DEPAULIA

Alec Baldwin provides the voice for the titular role of the Boss Baby, an infant on a mission in a war between babies and puppies as they battle for their share of the world's love. The Boss Baby makes his way into an unsuspecting family where his older brother becomes increasingly suspicious of the new baby. Once Boss Baby's true identity and purpose is revealed, he and his brother go on an adventure to take down the evil corporation that intends on introducing a new puppy to the public that will take all of the love away from babies.

While the plot may seem far-fetched, the execution is flawless and endelssly entertaining. The dialogue is more often than not extremely funny and the sheer fact that you hear Alec Baldwin's voice coming out of a baby is hilarious in its own right.

Whether you're choosing a movie for family night or want to watch something on a night you and your friends are drinking, "Boss Baby" is the perfect choice.

LACEY LATCH | THE DEPAULIA

In theaters and upcoming film releases Dec. 15 “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker.

Stars: Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver

Dec. 22 “Pitch Perfect 3” The now seperated Bellas reunite for an overseas USO tour but struggle as they face a group that isn't strictly a capella.

Stars: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow

Dec. 20 "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” Four teenagers are trapped in a magical video game and must work together to complete the game and get out.

Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan

Jan. 5 “Insidious: The Last Key” A parapsychologist faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet in her own home.

Stars: Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell

Dec. 20 “The Greatest Showman” The birth of show business is celebrated in spectacular fashion and tells of a visionary who became a worldwide sensation.

Jan. 12 "Paddington 2" Paddington's gift for Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday is stolen after he is finally happily settled with the Brown family.

24 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 8, 2018

St.Vincent’s

D e JAMZ “Spinning fresh beats since 1581”

1 4 1

22

3

4

Find this and all our DeJamz playlists on depauliaonline.com and on our spotify account

By Lacey Latch Arts & Life Editor

As we struggle to brave this unbearably cold weather, music can provide us with a much needed reminder of warmer, better times. Personally, I like to spend my time reminiscing about when I could step outside and be comfortable not wearing six extra layers of clothing.

Therefore, The DePaulia has put together a list of some music to listen to for an escape from the weather outside.

1. "Califronia Sunrise" - Jon Pardi Country music newcomer Jon Pardi's second full-length album consists of songs that speak to summer romances and good old fashioned country fun. The title song "California Sunrise" finds Pardi thinking back on a past love and is bound to help you replace the cold weather outside with that of the sunny West Coast.

Each song ties together perfectly to create a cohesive album filled with modern country hits that even the most classic country fans will love.

Crossword

2."Lay Me Down" - Dirty Heads Probably one of the greatest songs the Dirty Heads have ever released, "Lay Me Down" places you directly on the beach. It is such an easygoing song you can listen to it over and over again while you wait in the freezing cold for your late Red Line train.

If you find yourself exploring their Spotify page, check out their entirely acoustic album "Home/ Phantoms of the Summer" for even more easygoing songs to make your morning commute more bearable.

Across 1. Surname of two presidents 2. Kind of battery, familiarly 11. Car-grille covering 14. Flower or color 15. Battery pole 16. A floor vote 17. How some win 19. Car speed (abbr.)

20. Noah’s count 21. Bobby of rink fame 22. Rock that’s worth something 23. Ideally 26. Type of restaurant 28. “___ who?”

29. Altar vow 32. Check out groceries 33. ___qua non 34. Dividing point in a road 36. Dusting powders 39. “__ before beauty” 40. How some make singles’ bar pickups?

42. Promissory note, of sort 43. Former Portuguese territory in China

3. "Do I Make You Wanna" Billy Currington This single off of Billy Currington's album titled "Summer Forever" is a classic ballad to summer love in the country. Whether you're from the South or never left the city, the lyrics are nonetheless relatable and are sure to have you wishing it was the middle of July when responsibilities were few and far between and the Chicago winter was a distant memory. As I suffer through the relentless wind, this song will undoubtedly be on repeat.

45. Eye provocatively 46. Avidly eager 47. Commits a faux pas 49. Festive neckwear 50. Emmy winner Perlman 51. Poison in classic mysteries 54. Small wheel 56. Starts of many park signs 57. Blood system letters 58. Curly cabbage 59. Word before “chi” or after “mai” 60. How some become popular 65. How some become popular 66. Treeless plain below the equator 67. Something to fight for 68. Pig’s place 69. County of England 70. Fall in winter Down 1. Priest’s robe 2. Home improvement letters

4. "Summer Nights" - Iration The song title is pretty self explanatory. One of Iration's greatest hits, "Summer Nights" is classic sunshine reggae. It will take you back to your fondest memories of summertime when the sun was shining. The song itself is simple and catchy and is perfect to sing along to as you curl up next to your space heater refusing to leave your apartment.

"Summer Nights" serves as a great example of the rest of Iration's music: easy-listening modern reggae perfect for thinking back on much warmer days.

3. “King” or “carte” lead-in 4. Like Hammett’s falcon 5. Flat bottomed boats 6. Inferior horses 7. Write-__ (some nominees) 8. Pacific salmon varieties 9. Anagram for “soared” 10. Takes away from 11. How some have romantic dinners 12. Copy, briefly 13. Expressed wonder verbally 18. Send word 23. Black tea from India 24. North American evergreen forest 25. Why some do what they do 27. Air traffic control agency 30. Toy person 31. Bay window 35. Bouncer’s joint?

37. Aborigine’s call

38. Cotton candy, essentially 40. Combustible 41. Jong, Kane and others 44. “Roses__red” 46. Arms depot 48. Female fortunetellers 51. Makes the pot grow 52. Cook over an open fire 53. Drug-yielding plants 55. Actors Guinness and Baldwin 58. Fort with many bars 61. Word before “Happy New Year!”

62. “Peggy __ Got Married” (movie) 63. Function 64. Having everything one needs

Sports

Sports. Jan. 8, 2018. The DePaulia | 25

Opening act

Tough conference slate, injuries mar start to Wintrust era BIG EAST Men's Basketball

By Andrew Hattersley Asst. Sports Editor

A promising start through nonconference play came to an abrupt end as DePaul entered another difficult run through conference play, which they kicked off with back-to-back top 10 matchups.

After falling to then No. 1 Villanova, two frustrating losses to Xavier and Georgetown followed that were marred by late game execution. After the loss to Georgetown, frustrated DePaul head coach Dave Leitao said winning games late is largely tied to trusting the system.

“We got to have better belief in our system and belief in each other,” Leitao said.

A non-conference schedule that began with the unveiling of their new arena against No. 14 Notre Dame wrapped up with an 83-66 victory over Miami (OH) RedHawks for DePaul’s (7-8) sixth win in seven games, with their only defeat coming at the hands of cross town rival Northwestern, a game they admittedly let slip away.

After starting 1-4 in a tough early stretch with losses to Notre Dame, Michigan State, Illinois and Oregon, the Blue Demons rebounded with their first five-game winning streak since 2012.

Leitao says he’s sensed his team received a noticeable confidence boost from the longest winning streak for any player on the roster during their time with the program.

“We’ve been through some things, so that gives them something to grab hold of and grow from,” Leitao said. “But I’ve said this from day one that I really really liked this group. I enjoy being in the gym and being around them every day, and I think they feel the same way about each other, so it makes growth a little more palatable and hopefully sustainable.”

Learning from these tough losses is a big reason senior Tre’Darius McCallum believes this team has developed such quick chemistry and head into conference play on a high note.

“Just a lot of team chemistry, just everyone coming together,” McCallum said. “We had a lot of tough losses so just everyone coming into a big circle and being ready to play.”

With graduate transfer Marin Maric and fellow transfers Max Strus and Austin Grandstaff headlining a group of veterans eligible to play, junior Eli Cain noted veteran leadership has been key in helping the younger players produce in bigger roles.

“I think we’ve taken a really big stride,” Cain said. “But I think the main thing that goes to that is the older guys like Marin, Joe and Peter, they made it easy for the younger guys and older guys to just transition, made it easier for guys to want to play for one another.”

The non-conference slate, while filled with positives, did not come without challenges. Before their win over UIC last month, it was announced point guard Devin Gage would miss the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles suffered in their win over Central Connecticut on Dec. 6. This forced Eli Cain to handle more of the ball handling duties, something coach

STANDINGS

KONRAD MARKOWSKI | THE DEPAULIA

Since taking over some ball-handling responsibilities, Eli Cain has struggled to find an offensive rhythm for much of the year.

Leitao said has a trickle-down effect on the rest of the roster.

“It’s not just that position because Eli has moved to play that position more and what he goes through in terms of when do I score or when do I distribute,” Leitao said.

“But then Max takes on a different role and the front court guys take on a different role because they are either playing more minutes or playing alongside a guy they wouldn’t naturally play in front of or behind so team wise we’ve had to make some adjustments.”

Reinforcements are on the way, however, as DePaul announced shortly before their matchup against Miami (OH) that New Zealand’s U19 national team guard Flynn Cameron will join the program starting this season. Cameron may be asked to handle some of these ballhandling duties and allow Cain to move back to more of a scoring role. While coach Leitao admitted it’s been an adjustment for both he and Cain, he plans to stick with Cain moving forward.

“Well we got no choice obviously with Devin going down,” Leitao said. “He was shooting the ball better today than he had been. He’s growing in that position it’s a work in progress; It’s not something he anticipated, nor did I, so it continues to be a work in progress.”

After a slow start to the season, DePaul’s head coach has also been pleased with the recent growth offensively with his squad averaging close to 75 points per game this season, while shooting 43 percent from the field.

"At the very outset I thought we would be much better offensively and the stats didn’t prove it out, and we weren’t shooting the ball well and scoring the ball as well,” Leitao said. “We’ve started to get better, and that was something that I wasn’t really concerned about, but it was on my mind.”

1.

14-2 (3-0)

2.

15-2 (3-1)

3.

13-3 (3-1)

4.

14-1 (2-1)

5.

12-5 (2-2)

6.

11-5 (2-2)

7.

11-6 (2-2)

8.

11-4 (1-3)

9.

8-8 (1-3)

10.

10-6 (0-4) (x-y) - Conference record

KONRAD MARKOWSKI | THE DEPAULIA

Devin Gage suffered a season-ending injury Dec. 6 against Central Connecticut.

Defensively, Leitao’s squad has been good all year holding opponents to 67 points per game, while the field goal percentage allowed has dropped steadily in recent weeks.

“I think their attention to detail on that side of the ball has been much better,”

Leitao said. “I think our camaraderie and our chemistry and our collective want to do the right thing is growing.”

While taking a step forward has certainly been a positive sign for Leitao and his squad, the next step is now competing in the Big East and finding a way to win close games and become more consistent.

“The problem that we face, and that everybody faces, is that this is a very difficult league top to bottom,” Leitao said.

“I can’t name another league that 70 percent of their teams went to the tournament last year and no one really got significantly damaged by graduation or other things, so everybody feels like they are in the same position as they were last year if not better.”

After prolonged dry spells resulted in losses to Michigan State, Illinois and Northwestern, putting together more consistent performances is also something Cain believes the Blue Demons need to do more of in the coming months.

“We start out a lot of games really hot; we have our spurts,” Cain said, “But it’s tough to have spurts in the Big East; you need to have that same focus, same intensity for the whole 40 minutes.”

The Blue Demons continue conference play with a home game against Providence on Friday.

26 | Sports. Jan. 8, 2018. The DePaulia

DePaul welcomes new year with new faces

By Shane Rene & Andrew Hattersley

Sports Editor & Asst. Sports Editor

Just a week after Thanksgiving, the DePaul’s athletic department announced the departure of one of their longest tenured coaches, that would set in motion a busy couple of weeks of coaching changes.

DePaul’s Athletic Department announced the departure from former head coach Craig Blazer’s regime and a national search for new leadership began immediately. The 17-year Blue Demon head coach led his team to a 5-11-2 (2-61 Big East) record and failed to earn a Big East Tournament bid this season.

“We’d like to thank Craig Blazer, Craig Reynolds and Anthony Szymel for their contributions to the men’s soccer program,” DePaul’s athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsetto said. “Coach Blazer upgraded the academic profile of the program and also provided growth on and off the field for our student-athletes.”

Just a week later, the DePaul athletic department announced the departure of Nadia Edwards, who captained the program for eight years, leading the Blue Demons to eight-consecutive AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) Team Academic Awards but little success on the floor. Edwards finished her run in Lincoln Park with a 77-162 cumulative record.

“We’d like to thank Nadia Edwards and her staff for their contributions to the DePaul volleyball program,” Ponsetto said.

“We are grateful for her service over the last eight seasons.”

With these two changes, the Athletic Department ushered in a new era for both men’s soccer and women’s volleyball by welcoming back two familiar faces.

Mark Plotkin, men’s soccer

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS

DePaul’s men’s soccer program completed its search for a new head coach on Dec. 21, announcing former Blue Demon Mark Plotkin will take over for his former head coach Craig Blazer next season.

Plotkin played for the Blue Demons under coach Blazer from 2006-09 and started all four years, helping DePaul to four consecutive Big East Tournament appearances and the program’s firstever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007. He graduated from DePaul with a bachelor’s degree in marketing in 2010 and returned to Lincoln Park for a brief stint as assistant coach from 2012-13.

“I would like to thank Jean Lenti Ponsetto, Jill Hollembeak and Peter Tombasco for giving me the opportunity to return home to my alma mater to be the next leader of the DePaul men’s soccer program,” Plotkin said. “DePaul has always held a special place in my heart, and I cannot wait to get started."

Plotkin most recently served as

associate head coach at Colgate University after serving as the team’s top assistant coach between 2014-16. He played an integral role in guiding the Raiders to three-consecutive 10-plus win seasons (a program first), two Patriot League Championships and an NCAA Tournament upset over No. 13 Michigan to earn a spot in the Sweet 16.

“DePaul athletics is proud to welcome soccer alum Mark Plotkin as our men’s head soccer coach,” Ponsetto said. “(...)

Mark’s work ethic, positive energy and overall philosophy of developing the total person is well aligned with DePaul athletics mission.”

were looking for to elevate our volleyball program in the BIG EAST and nationally.”

Zidek was named a 30 Under 30 Award winner by the AVCA. She has a Kinesiology degree from Northern Illinois (2006) and a masters degree in Exercise and Sports Science from Oregon State (2010).

Flynn Cameron, men’s basketball

Marie Zidek, volleyball

PHOTO COURTESY OF FIBA

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS TWITTER

The firing and hiring season at DePaul’s athletic department concluded on Dec. 22 as Ponsetto named Marie Zidek as the new head coach of DePaul’s volleyball program.

This will be Zidek’s second experience with the Blue Demon volleyball program after serving as an assistant coach from 2010-12. She then took a coaching job in Buffalo before settling at the University of San Diego for the last four seasons.

“I want to first and foremost take this opportunity to thank Jean Lenti Ponsetto for this tremendous opportunity,” Zidek said. “Having worked at DePaul very early in my coaching career, her passion for leadership in collegiate athletics; vision for what impact we could have within Chicago and nationally; and fierce focus for each student-athlete’s success made a direct impression on my young coaching mind.”

“I also want to thank Jill Hollembeak for all of her hard work during the interview process. There is no one better that personifies the passion and personality of caring for each student-athlete that DePaul has on a day to day basis, and I cannot wait to work directly with her in this new era.

For the past 11 years, I have been working in this profession always with the goal in mind to create an opportunity for myself to build something special in a special place.

To have this opportunity present itself at DePaul is a dream come true for me and my family.”

During her time at the University of San Diego, Zidek help the Toreros to four consecutive NCAA appearances while tutoring two West Coast Conference (WCC) Players of the Year, six All-WCC team members and two All-WCC freshman team honorees. She was also part of the coaching staff that lead the 2016 Toreros team that ascended to No. 5 in the country.

“We’re pleased to have Marie Zidek rejoin DePaul athletics as our head volleyball coach,” Ponsetto said. “(...) hailing from Chicago’s south side, Marie understands DePaul’s value to the city of Chicago. Her leadership style, infectious energy, philosophy of positivity and tactical expertise were the exact qualities we

The Blue Demons will add some depth at the point guard position after the holiday break as 2018 recruit Flynn Cameron announces he will enroll at DePaul at the beginning of winter quarter.

It was initially reported that the 6-foot-3-inch New Zealand native would be eligible to join the team Jan.2 versus Georgetown, but he has yet to appear with the team, nor has the team hinted at when he will see the court.

“We are excited to add Flynn to our group for this year, it is a unique situation

being able to add someone to your team mid-year and we think that Flynn will fit right into our culture and be able to thrive,” DePaul’s head coach Dave Leitao said. “Flynn comes here with a lot of international basketball experience and also comes from a great basketball family.”

Cameron caught the attention of Leitao and his staff this July at the NY2LA Sports event in Milwaukee and made his official visit to DePaul Dec. 16 when the Blue Demons played in-state rival Northwestern at Wintrust Arena.

“I’m very attracted to the city and their players and coaching staff are so welcoming,” Cameron told 247Sports.

“They’re also the college that chased me the hardest making me feel like they really needed me.”

“Watching their game against Northwestern, I felt like I could make the difference between winning and losing,” Cameron told 247Sports. “Maybe not yet but in the future I believe I can.”

Cameron hails from New Zealand but most recently lived in Queensland, Australia where he attended Hillcrest Christian College (a primary and secondary school). This summer Cameron played for New Zealand’s U19 national team in the FIBA World Cup, averaging 4.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 2.7 APG, according to the FIBA’s website.

With starting point guard Devin Gage out for the season after sustaining a torn Achilles against Central Connecticut Dec. 6, Cameron looks to be a welcome addition to an increasingly banged-up Blue Demon roster.

Sports. Jan. 8, 2018. The DePaulia | 27

Wintrust Arena: half full or half empty?

By Shane Rene Sports Editor

Among the numerous story lines surrounding DePaul’s debut season at Wintrust Arena, the most critical — and perhaps the most concerning — is attendance.

DePaul’s decade-long spiral out of NCAA relevance brought along dwindling

attendance figures at home games, often welcoming more opposing fans than Blue Demon fans to Allstate Arena (DePaul’s home venue from 1980-2017) Twenty-loss season after 20-loss season did its part to bleed enthusiasm out of the program, but a home court stationed up to 90 minutes from Lincoln Park via CTA made attending home games more of a hassle than a pleasure.

DePaul’s Athletic Department says Wintrust Arena was built with students in mind, hoping improved proximity to the Lincoln Park campus would bring more students to the games and make Blue Demon basketball more accessible for local basketball fans.

Last season, DePaul's paid attendance — which includes tickets given away for free by the school and those who buy tickets

and stay home ­— averaged around 5,380.

According to calculations from HVS, a New York based colsulting firm hired by McPier, DePaul will need to average 9,500 in 16 men's basketball games this year in order to break even on operating costs.

Through nine home games at Wintrust, the Blue Demon's are averaging 5,985, according to attendance reported in final box score.

* Rough estimate GRAPHIC BY VICTORIA WILLIAMSON

Campbell stays hot, DePaul goes cold

By Andrew Hattersley Asst. Sports Editor

MILWAUKEE — DePaul (11-5, 3-1 Big East) entered Thursday night looking to avenge three losses to Marquette (9-5, 3-0 Big East) last season but was in a quick hole they couldn’t climb out of falling to their rivals 93-81 at the Al McGuire Center for their first loss of Big East play.

The Golden Eagles jumped out to a quick 10-0 start just two minutes in and at one point led 19-4 before the Blue Demons began to chip away.

DePaul head coach Doug Bruno, while pleased his team rallied, conceded it was too big of a deficit against one of the top teams in the conference.

“We just got off to a terrible start and that ended up to be the ballgame,” Bruno said. “(...) it’s really tough to overcome (an early deficit) against a team that is this good.”

The Blue Demons shot just 22 percent in the first quarter, while the Golden Eagles opened the game shooting 54 percent.

Marquette head coach Carolyn Kieger was pleased with the way her team's fast start.

“Our start was phenomenal. They were missing their shots, but we were getting the rebounds in those moments,” Kieger said. “When we can rebound, we can run, and that’s when we jumped out to that 8-0 run.”

After falling behind by 18 midway through the second quarter, the Blue Demons responded with a 13-3 run of their own to close within eight with just over two minutes remaining.

Despite the late rally from Bruno’s

squad, the Golden Eagles closed on an 8-4 run to take a 14-point lead to the break.

The Blue Demons weren’t going quietly, however, opening the second half on a 6-0 run to close the gap back down to six. Marquette responded with a run of their own, opening their lead back up to 11 entering the final period. Bruno admitted overcoming double digit deficits can wear down a team over the course of the game.

“When you have to expend this much energy fighting back from 14 down, 16 down, 18 down, you can’t rest,” Bruno said. “You still have to be one possession perfect.”

It was a tough night for a usually highpowered Blue Demons offense finishing just six-of-28 from behind the arc. The Blue Demons were led by Mart’e Grays who finished with 19 points.

Coming off being named Big East Player of the Week, it was also another good performance for sophomore guard Kelly Campbell who finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Kieger said pressuring Campbell was a focus, but she also stressed they were concerned with the Blue Demons versatile attack.

“We were trying to pressure her as much as we could,” Kieger said. “One-onone get up there and really cause havoc with her she’s a phenomenal player and distributing the ball really well right now, but DePaul you really can’t key in on one player—they’re all so versatile—so for us you’ve got to guard everybody like they are the best player on the team.”

Ultimately the Golden Eagles pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Blue Demons for fourth straight time.

Marquette guard Allazia Blockton, who

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS

Sophomore guard Kelly Campbell is averaging close to a triple-double over her last three games with 12.7 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists per game. finished with a game high 25 points, said she enjoys playing the Blue Demons in an environment like Thursday with both schools playing similar styles and being so familiar with each other.

“It’s a great game. I think a lot of us know a lot of their players so we’re cool off the court,” Blockton said. “Just getting to play in front of your home crowd and they’re so close, so they have a lot of fans come too, so we always know they are going to bring great competition. We play a similar style, so we know it’s going to be a fast paced game, a lot of points and a lot of transition.”

While disappointed with the loss, Bruno said it’s important not to dwell on this loss and turn their focus to Providence with a quick turnaround on Sunday.

“We’ll figure this out- we learned a lot about our team tonight,” Bruno said. “This is a marathon, not a sprint; the Big East season is a marathon not a sprint.”

The Blue Demons bounced back with a resounding 71-48 win Sunday afternoon against Providence. They will cap off their three game road trip Wednesday against Creighton before returning home for a men's/women's double header on Friday at Wintrust Arena.

Sports

Sports. Jan. 8, 2018. The DePaulia | 28

Big East

Breakthrough Men’s basketball breaks out of their Big East funk with their first victory of 2017-18 league play at St. John’s KONRAD MARKOWSKI | THE DEPAULIA

By Paul Steeno Staff Writer

The DePaul basketball team (8-8; 1-3 Big East) exorcised all their demons in a 91-74 victory against St. John’s (10-6; 0-4 Big East) on Saturday afternoon in Queens, N.Y. Everything that had gone wrong in the Blue Demons eight losses this season finally went right in the win against St. John’s.

“We’ve been going through some mental things, but it’s also so big to get a win on the road,” Leitao said. “It’s a victory for the mind as much as it is for the physical.”

The Blue Demons not only held but extended a four-point advantage at halftime, outscoring the Red Storm 49-36 in the second half to escape New York with a 17-point victory.

Four Blue Demons scored in double figures, and nine cracked the scoring column. It was a distinct contrast from the isolation-heavy, stagnant offense that sunk the Blue Demons in several second halves this season. The Blue Demons dished out 17 assists on 30 made field goals and weren’t solely dependent on Max Stru’s offensive wizardry.

“When you are driving things home, and it finally works, I just hope that it has a continuous effect on us throughout the

season,” Leitao said. “It improves what they know and also hammers home what we are trying to teach them.”

Most importantly, the Blue Demons earned their first Big East Conference win which also doubled as their first win against a power-conference opponent. They put up 91 points against a St. John’s team that led the Big East Conference in scoring defense by only allowing opponents to average 66.7 points per game prior to today.

Graduate senior center Marin Maric poured in a season-high 25 points (7-for-8 from the field; 2-for-2 from 3-point land) to lead all scorers and helped the Blue Demons post a decisive 46-30 advantage on the boards (Maric had 11 rebounds). Strus drained 22 points and had a season-high ten rebounds, while Eli Cain’s 11 points put him at 1,000 points even in his DePaul career.

After taking a 12-point advantage at the 14:10 mark after Maric drained a 3-point field goal before a St. John’s timeout, the Blue Demons cruised down the stretch for an important 17-point victory.

The Blue Demons spread the wealth around on offense in the first half to grab a four-point lead at halftime. Senior forward Tre’Darius McCallum had nine points to lead all Blue Demon scorers, with Maric, Cain and Strus close behind with eight points apiece. Four other Blue Demons

registered in the scoring column as DePaul shot 48.5 percent in the half.

But the Red Storm stroked in eight 3-pointers on 15 attempts (53.3 percent) to stick around despite losing the first-half rebounding battle 20-12 and surrendering 12 second-chance points off those offensive rebounds.

“One thing we’ve been pretty good at this season is rebounding the basketball,” Leitao said. “It hasn’t been perfect, but lately it’s been something we’ve been relying on as the season moves along, both on the defensive side and gaining extra possessions on offense.”

McCallum helped the Blue Demons jump out to an early 19-15 lead in this game, shooting 4-for-4 from the field through the 11:19 mark in the first half.

DePaul extended that advantage to 24-15 by the 9:23 mark behind a 3-point jumper from Cain and a jumper from freshman Jaylen Butz.

A mini run at the end of the first half brought the Red Storm back to within four points going into the halftime locker room, but the Blue Demons 49-point outburst in the second half was too big of a storm for St. John’s to weather.

The Blue Demons return home on Friday to battle Providence. The Friars (11-6; 2-2 Big East) upset No. 5/4 Xavier Musketeers on Saturday afternoon 81-72.

Tyger Watch Just over two months after taking an official visit to DePaul and Purdue, 2018 La Lumiere (IN) point guard Tyger Campbell received an offer Friday afternoon from UCLA. The 5-foot-11-inch point guard originally committed to the Blue Demons last May but reopened his commitment in September, stating on Twitter he was “ready to embark fully into this process and make a well-informed decision on where I will attend college.”

Campbell has been spotted at multiple Blue Demons games this season including their season opener against Notre Dame, conference opener against Villanova and select games throughout the year.

Rick Carter, former associate head coach to Dave Leitao, who played a role in Campbell’s initial recruitment told the DePaulia after Campbell reopened his recruitment this fall to expect Campbell to eventually land back in Lincoln Park due to his relationship with the coaching staff. Campbell’s former coach Shane Heirman was hired as an assistant coach at the end of the 2016-17 season.

The La Lumiere point guard also took his official visit to Maryland this past weekend, joining DePaul and Purdue as the other schools to receive an official visit.

The regular signing period begins April 11 and runs through May 16.

Per NCAA regulations, DePaul’s athletic staff cannot comment on Campbell while he is unsigned and Campbell has not responded to the DePaulia’s request for an interview.