013112 Chicago Maroon

TUESDAY • JANUARY 31, 2012

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892

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Obama targets tuitions, with blame to go around Jennifer Standish News Staff In a State of the Union address that bore heavy implications for the University, President Barack Obama laid out ambitious policy proposals last Tuesday for reining in the costs of higher education.

In addition to calling on Congress to keep interest rates on federal Stafford loans from doubling in July, extend tax credits for tuition fees, and double the number of work-study jobs in the next five years, Obama urged colleges to do their part in making higher education affordable for students.

“Colleges and universities have to do their part by working to keep costs down,” Obama said in his address. “Some schools redesign courses to help students finish more quickly. Some use better technology. The point is, it’s possible.”

Obama also threatened to take away federal funding from schools which let their tuition rates climb too high, while promising to reward those which kept

costs down.

“If you can’t stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers will go down,” Obama said. ”Higher education can’t be a luxury—it is an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.”

Tuition and fees for the University have been climbing regularly for years and currently sit at $41,853, up from $35,169 five years ago—the sixth highest in the country, according to Forbes.

The University’s budget for merit- and need-based aid was $88 million for 2011-2012, and $81.4 million in 2010-2012, according to University spokesman Jeremy Manier. Those budgets were mostly independent of federal money, offering institutional grants like the Odyssey Scholarship, which reduces the reliance on loans for students whose families earn less than $90,000 and eliminates loans for families making under $60,000.

Roughly half of undergradOBAMA continued on page 2

Chicago boutique Akira to open flagship High-end clothier will occupy former Borders space

Clothing retailer Akira will open a flagship store in the former Borders bookstore along East 53rd Street. | THE CHICAGO MAROON

DARREN LEOW

Raghav Verma News Staff Akira, the Chicago-based apparel and shoe retailer, will open its flagship store at East 53rd Street and South Lake Park Avenue this fall, bringing one of the city’s major retailers to Hyde Park.

The store will take up 8,000 square feet of the building formerly occupied by Borders

bookstore, which closed its doors last March. The University purchased the 25,000 square foot building in July.

In a University statement announcing the store’s opening, Akira co-owner Eric Hsueh said that the store’s research showed that a significant portion of shoppers came from Hyde Park.

Students were optimistic that the retailer would work with organizations on campus.

For costumed activists, all the Court’s a stage

Fourth-year Brita Hofwolt (pictured right with the megaphone) and third-year Molly Cunningham (pictured right with the orange and blue scarf) stage a mock “groundbuilding” at the Harper Court construction site in protest of the Hyatt Hotels’ labor practices.

COURTESY OF THE SOUTH SIDE SOLIDARITY NETWORK

Linda Qiu Associate News Staff Donning suits and alter egos, a handful of students took a comical slant toward community activism on Friday afternoon,

staging an “alternative version” of the Hyatt Hotel’s November groundbreaking at Harper Court on East 52nd Street.

Organizing with the Southside Solidarity Network (SSN), a troupe of costumed

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ISSUE 24 • VOLUME 123

parodists mocked University bureaucrats and hotel executives, joined by roughly 40 community and student activists protesting the hotel chain’s labor policies.

Protesters emphasized that

the parody was not anti-development but was rather a call for “University accountability to the community,” according to fourth-year SSN member Brita Hofwolt.

“We weren’t trying to make a huge statement about the actual construction of the Hyatt. The parody nature of the event was designed to expose how the University has made a lot of deals with the Hyatt that hven’t really been inclusive of the University community as a whole and the Hyde Park community as a whole,” fourth-year SSN member Ross Carstens said.

The demonstration was part of SSN’s ongoing campaign against the Hyatt at the Harper Court site. Carstens said that Hyatt’s poor track record of fair labor practices was the motivation behind Friday’s publicity event. Last November, Hyatt and Hilton employees spoke about unfair working conditions at different hotels throughout PROTEST continued on page 2

“They really work well with students,” said MODA co-director and fourth-year Colin Bohan, adding that Akira has sponsored MODA’s annual fashion show with gift cards and will work with students on the organization’s bi-annual magazine.

Bohan also anticipates internships that will be more readily available to U of C students interested in exhibiting their fashion prowess. In the past, internships

were mostly concentrated in Wicker Park, where another Akira store is located, but having the flagship store in Hyde Park will allow for these opportunities to migrate southward, he said.

Customers will also have the opportunity to share their style with series of photos displayed throughout the Hyde Park store, allowing for a more interactive experience between the AKIRA continued on page 2

Apartment fire puts students out of home Rebecca Guterman Associate News Editor Four students have been left to couch-surf with friends or hole up in University housing, after a fire tore through their East 54th Street apartment in the early morning of January 21.

The fire, the cause of which is still under investigation, wrecked the students’ apartment and caused smoke damage as far as two floors above it, according to one of the residents, third-year Thomas George.

George said that he and his roommate third-year Paul Chang lost the majority of their possessions.

“The damage was severe.

Most of our belongings were destroyed, including our Everett upright piano from 1900 and our wok,” he wrote in an e-mail. The two had lived

in the apartment since June.

Fourth-year Liz O’Brien and third-year Lexie Grove, who were living in the unit above George and Chang’s, had to move out so that the floor could be repaired, O’Brien said.

All four students were given the temporary option of living as guests in University housing on the apartment meal plan; O’Brien was placed in I-House and Grove in Pierce Hall.

George and Chang, however, chose to live with friends.

Grove said that she and O’Brien coordinated with Ana Campos, Associate Director of Undergraduate Student Housing, who was alerted when Dean-On-Call Daniel Steinhelper arrived at the scene of the fire.

The fire, which was reported at 1:40 a.m., appears to have been electrical in FIRE continued on page 2

IN ARTS

IN SPORTS

SightSoundSpace brings together wider Chicago art community » Page 5

Johnson drops 49 points to sink fourthranked Emory, break UAA record » Page 8

USO brings star-crossed lovers to Mandel Hall » Page 6

Unbeaten Chicago hands Rochester first loss » Page 8

THE CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | January 31, 2012

2

Program will track CPS student progress Looking for love, speed-daters Kelsey Reid News Staff The Urban Education Institute (UEI) will receive $2.45 million for a collaboration to change the way students across the South Side and the country will progress through their education.

UEI and the Ounce of Prevention Fund received the award from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, and the Foundation for Child Development.

The fund is meant to develop an “educational continuum,” which will help teachers gain a greater understanding of what has happened to students in previous grades and what is expected of them in the next grade, according to Debra Pacchiano, director of Continuous Quality Improvement for the Ounce of Prevention Fund.

“If learning begins at birth, so must teaching,” Pacchiano said.

UEI director Timothy Knowles said this project is necessary to streamlining transitions between grades, schools, and stages of learning by bolstering policy with sufficient research.

“We’re hoping to build evidence to show that if there is a coherent pathway and it’s done right, we will

have dramatically better results for kids,” Knowles said.

The collaborative effort will take advantage of each organization’s complimentary skills to develop positive and constructive childhood experiences, drawing on research-heavy analysis of the current school system in order to help others implement what works for students, according to Pacchiano.

Citing his concern about the transitional hurdles intrinsic to beginning freshman year of high school, Knowles said that students can feel alienated.

“There may be less personal engagement with staff and a feeling of anonymity,” he said, referring to students’ transition into high school.

However, according to data recently released by the Consortium on Chicago School Research, the research branch of UEI, the percentage of ninthgraders on track to graduate from Chicago Public Schools (CPS) high schools increased from 55 percent to 73 percent from 2006 to 2011. Knowles said that the data was “encouraging.”

Knowles and Interim Executive Director of the Consortium Elaine Allensworth hope that the new

data’s emphasis on ninth grade performance will impact many school districts around the country.

Allensworth said that she is not surprised by the upward trend because of the work many CPS schools have done over the last five years.

She said she hopes this research will help more schools have the tools to adequately support students.

“This research represents a shift in thinking and provides a strategy where schools can really monitor to get an idea of a student’s level of risk, Allensworth said. “Some schools do a good job of getting students adjusted to high school, but that’s more the exception than the rule.”

Knowles believes that the impact of the Consortium’s data and the funds from the award will lead to positive change for schools across the country. He hopes that the award will foster an understanding that students must be supported and monitored at every stage of their academic careers.

“We know we have potholes like ninth grade on that path, but if we have academic and social interventions and support at all stages, we can get the whole thing right,” he said.

Students recovered cat before leaving in a hurry FIRE continued from front

nature, according to Chicago Fire Department Media Affairs. CTA buses had evacuated the building’s residents by 3:18 a.m.

It was Chang who called the fire department after waking up to a blaring smoke detector. George was not at home at the time.

O’Brien had returned at around 1:30 a.m. and was awake when the alarms went off. Seeing smoke, she alerted Grove, grabbed her cat and laptop, and went out into the

snow.

The extent of the damage was obvious, according to Grove.

“Soot covered everything, and it smelled really, really bad,” she said, recalling her return to the building later that morning. “You could tell that the unit below us was completely black and charred.”

Grove admitted that they got lucky, however. “Nothing was damaged beyond repair,” she said. “I think all of it is salvageable.”

Still, the smoke took its toll. “You

can imagine, the things that absorb a lot of smoke—beds—are completely ruined. Everything needs to be cleaned out,” O’Brien said.

Grove said that Blackstone Management has been helpful in finding them a new place to live.

Blackstone has offered her and O’Brien a unit in the same building, and they hope to move in within the week.

Blackstone could not be reached for comments.

–Additional reporting by Angela Li

“Bobby Bureaucrat” parodies University PROTEST continued from front

the city at a “teach-in” with students hosted by SSN. Hofwolt said that SSN was seeking “an agreement signed between the business and the union that will make the whole organizing process fairer and less aggressively pro-business.”

The groundbreaking lampoon was not intended to be an anti-development effort, she added.

Carstens said that students had an obligation to stand up for Hyatt workers.

“The University is building this

Hyatt, in a sense, for the students,” he said. “It’s immoral for us to stand by and see a company who sees its employees as less than people come in and service our needs.”

Among the caricatures depicted in the scripted parody were Una Placenta, a female hotel developer, and Bobby Bureaucrat, a University official played by Hofwolt who was well-versed in “doublespeak.”

“This wonderful development really brings things that represent the Hyde Park spirit, like a L.A. Fitness!” Hofwolt

said, in character as Bureaucrat.

The parody also included a staged “community takeover,” where Pastor Ken Beckman of Augustana Lutheran Church and an employee of Palmer House Hilton voiced their own objections. A reception at Southside Hub of Production (SHoP) followed the “groundbuilding.”

The Hyatt demonstration was the first in a series of “action-receptions” that will combine demonstrations with discussions addressing South Side social issues.

Student fashionistas see potential in Hyde Park location AKIRA continued from front

store and its patrons. Bohan said that he thought the store would provide a “great opportunity to have small shopping events and fashion shows that will continue to engage students.”

Hsueh and Akira co-owners Erikka Wang and John Cotay opened the chain’s first branch in Bucktown in 2002. Since then, the store has expanded to 15 locations throughout Chicago, in addition to an online shopping store.

The store will open directly across the street from Harper

Court, a mixed-use land development set to open next year that will include a hotel and LA Fitness gym. The University also hired a leasing agent last year to help attract a diversity of businesses along East 53rd Street. Akira will join Five Guys restaurant, Clarke’s 24-hour diner, and a new movie theater as a part of that effort.

Fourth-year Shola Farber said that while she was glad Akira was opening in Hyde Park, she generally had mixed feelings about chain stores opening.

“They’re gentrifying the commu-

nity, and so is the University, but that’s how the world works for better or for worse,” she said. Farber added that she thought Akira would serve both local residents as well as U of C students.

Bohan said that Akira would increase Hyde Park’s reputation for fashion.

“Students don’t really have an outlet. Hyde Park will not only be known for a great university but also a desirable place for these kind of amenities,” Bohan said.

–Additional reporting by Crystal Tsoi and Sam Levine

jump a gender divide Joy Crane News Staff

U of C singles wined and dined to the sweet serenades of the oldest a cappella group on campus last Friday, at a fundraising event organized by the unofficial university matchmakers, Unaccompanied Women.

Salvaging students from another lonely evening at the Regenstein, the a cappella group hosted its very first nonheteronormative speed-dating event “Un-Unaccompanied” in Reynold’s Club to mark its 20th anniversary.

The event was originally conceived as a way to address a systemic social problem at the University, according to Unaccompanied member and fourthyear Allison McCaffrey. Promotional material advertised the versatility of the event: Daters could choose to seek friendship, a relationship, a “bromance,” or “whatever I can get.”

“When it first started we were thinking about needs that the University didn’t really fulfill for undergrads, in that most people were having a difficult time finding people,” McCaffrey said.

Forty undergraduate and graduate students partook in the three-minute dates, guided by a series of provided questions. After each dating round, students indicated whether their date was a “match” or a miss on a form and were emailed their respective matches’ contact information later that night.

“Lots of matches were made,” said second-year Stephanie Burda, co-president of Unaccompanied Women. “I was sending the emails until very late that evening.”

Although in its third year running, this was the first time the event sought

to avoid the “traditional speed dating style [with] boys on one side, girls on the other side,” according to secondyear co-president Heather Lyon.

“We sat down before this event and thought well, yikes, that’s really heteronormative that enforces binary gender stereotypes, which we’re trying to get rid of as a community,” Lyon said. “So we thought, how can we make this more inclusive to anyone regardless of gender identities and sexual orientations? So we made it gender neutral—girls talked to girls, boys talk to boys, etc.”

The speed-daters themselves seemed in favor of this unconventional approach, reporting that it helped relieve the anxiety commonly associated with dating.

“I thought the [nontraditional] spin was cool,” said first-year and novice speed dater Christian Adames, who plans on going to a poker night with his match. “It was much less ‘I’m looking for a relationship’ and instead much more ‘I’m trying to find friends.’”

“I think it definitely relieved the tension,” agreed Burda. “We didn’t want to make it seem like if you make a match with this person then you have to go on a date with them. It was more like, if you’re a girl and you talk to a girl that you really like then you have a lunch buddy, which made things less awkward.”

Proceeds from the event are being used by the a cappella group to produce a CD in celebration of their anniversary. The group, which originally only sang love songs, will be keeping with this same theme with their next musical telegrams fundraising initiative, “Singing Valentines,” which will be held later next month.

Obama pledges 700,000 work-study jobs 5 years ago

Today

Obama’s goal for 5 years from now

Number of work-study jobs (in thousands)

695

713

1400

Appropriated toward federal Perkins loan program (in billions)

1.62

0.971

8

Appropriated toward federal Pell grant program (in billions)

12.8

34.8

Not mentioned in address

Source: CollegeBoard Trends in Student Aid, 2011

OBAMAcontinued from front

uates are recipients of need-based aid, taking an average of $34,650, Manier said.

But for federal money to dry up would certainly impact University finances. The University administers federal Perkins and Stafford loans, and participates heavily in the work-study program, which offers students up to 15 hours of work a week in federally subsidized jobs.

Some 711,000 students across the country, most of them undergraduates, received work-study jobs for 2011-2012, and Obama pledged to double that number within five years. Moreover, he has proposed an aggressive expansion of Perkins loans, which carry no fees and accrue no interest while the student is in school.

How these proposals may shape University policy remains to be seen.

“In terms of the new policy proposals, this discussion is still taking shape, so it’s too soon for us to offer a full assessment,” Manier said.

Fourth-year Abe Goldstein said

that the University would do well to aid middle-income students.

“They try to squeeze the most out of students who can pay,” said Goldstein, who is ineligible for work-study.

Third-year Jen McPhillips, also ineligible for the program, said that finding a paid job on campus is “pretty prohibitive for non work-study students.”

Still, the U of C is likely to be less under-the-gun from Obama’s proposals than public universities, and Goldstein took the University’s $6.58 billion endowment as a sign that it could weather a storm from Washington.

“I think this is more of a concern for a state school,” he said.

McPhillips questioned the logic of Obama’s carrot-and-stick approach altogether, arguing that well-endowed universities do not need federal rewards even if they do limit tuition hikes.

“I’m not sure the incentive structure is correct,” she said. “Schools able to keep costs down have the largest endowments. It seems counterintuitive to give money to those schools.”

VIEWPOINTS

Editorial & Op-Ed JANUARY 31, 2012

Early to rise Despite increased applications, yield rate remains low and would benefit from a switch to Early Decision The student newspaper of the University of Chicago since 1892 ADAM JANOFSKY Editor-in-Chief CAMILLE VAN HORNE Managing Editor MAHMOUD BAHRANI Senior Editor JONATHAN LAI News Editor HARUNOBU CORYNE News Editor SAM LEVINE News Editor EMILY WANG Viewpoints Editor CHARNA ALBERT Arts Editor DANIEL LEWIS Sports Editor VICENTE FERNANDEZ Sports Editor DOUGLAS EVERSON, JR Head Designer KEVIN WANG Web Editor ALICE BLACKWOOD Head Copy Editor DON HO Head Copy Editor GABE VALLEY Head Copy Editor DARREN LEOW Photo Editor JAMIE MANLEY Photo Editor REBECCA GUTERMAN Assoc. News Editor

As the Maroon reported Tuesday, the College received a record number of applications this year, up 16.1 percent from last year. Recent efforts to attract more applicants have largely accounted for this laudable change, and the University has steadily been closing the admissions gap with peer institutions. However, the yield rate—measuring those who actually matriculate—lags behind. This indicates that more applications are coming from students not seriously interested in attending. The easiest and most realistic solution to this problem is to replace Early Action with Early Decision.

Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid James Nondorf has done much to improve the school’s ranking and name recognition.

While this has solved long-

standing problems, attracting top applicants has never been a weak point. Applications coming from unqualified or disinterested students do nothing to increase the yield rate, which is what the University should turn its efforts toward. Our yield rate has been extremely low compared to other top schools: For the Class of 2012, the yield rate was 39 percent—the same as it was for the Class of 2014. The key to increasing this real indicator of “popularity” is weeding out early applicants who apply because the application is non-binding.

Now that we have name recognition and students have gotten the message that we aren’t where fun goes to die, it would be easy to use Early Decision as a barrier against students who apply

to Ivy League schools with the U of C as an afterthought because there is no commitment involved.

It would also reduce the number of under-qualified students, but would not scare away those who have U of C as their top “reach” school.

Of course, a criticism of this plan could be that it will drive down early application numbers.

However, those applicants accepted Early Decision would provide a 100 percent yield, ensuring that overall yield would increase as well. Since a large portion of the class would have already committed to attend, the University would only need to accept a smaller number of regular decision applicants. Additionally, the guesswork involved in predicting an Early Action yield would be eliminated.

Another method to increase the yield rate could be expanding the current supplement to the Common App. Increasing the amount of effort one would need to apply to the U of C would discourage those who don’t have a genuine desire to attend.

However, unlike switching to Early Decision, this would dissuade people from applying in general. In the end, whether by opting for Early Decision or working harder on their supplements, applicants should somehow be made to go the extra mile to show their interest and dedication to attend the U of C.

The Editorial Board consists of the Editor-in-Chief, Viewpoints Editors, and an additional Editorial Board member.

LINDA QIU Assoc. News Editor CRYSTAL TSOI Assoc. News Editor GIOVANNI WROBEL Assoc. News Editor AJAY BATRA Assoc. Viewpoints Editor TOMI OBARO Assoc. Arts Editor MATTHEW SCHAEFER Assoc. Sports Editor

Exit interview Savor learning for learning’s sake in college before diving into real-world practicality

TYRONALD JORDAN Business Manager VIVIAN HUA Undergraduate Business Executive VINCENT MCGILL Delivery Coordinator HAYLEY LAMBERSON Ed. Board Member HYEONG-SUN CHO Designer SONIA DHAWAN Designer ALYSSA LAWTHER Designer SARAH LI Designer AUTUMN NI Designer AMITA PRABHU Designer BELLA WU Designer

By Peter Ianakiev Viewpoints Columnist

KELSIE ANDERSON Copy Editor CATIE ARBONA Copy Editor AMISHI BAJAJ Copy Editor JANE BARTMAN Copy Editor MARTIA BRADLEY Copy Editor ELIZABETH BYNUM Copy Editor NISHANTH IYENGAR Copy Editor MICHELLE LEE Copy Editor KATIE MOCK Copy Editor LANE SMITH Copy Editor JEN XIA Copy Editor ESTHER YU Copy Editor BEN ZIGTERMAN Copy Editor

At a job interview recently, I was asked what my favorite and least favorite things about college were. If I had a few days to think about it, 20 minutes to deliver it, and a license to swear while doing so, this is the answer that I would have given: Basically, what I like about college is the lack of bullshit and what that lack of bullshit indicates.

Superficially, this sounds ridiculous—college is full of bullshit,

as anyone who was unfortunate enough to read my freshman musings on Durkheim can attest to.

But my limited experience with the real world worries me, because it suggests that the problem is far worse there than here.

Think, for example, of the kind of abuses perpetuated on the English language by people in the corporate world. Think of “enterprise business management professionals” or, worse, “consultants.”

Think of the entire job application and interview process, essentially designed to test one’s ability to bullshit and disguise various weaknesses and shortcomings.

I am convinced that bullshit is far less common in college, especially once we leave Core classes and find a concentration. At that point, people tend to study things that they are interested in, that they care about, and while BS may

rear its ugly head once in a while, what’s far more common is substantive discussion and argument.

In college, it seems to me, people actually care about the papers they write, about solving problems correctly, about, in some way, shape, or form getting close to what is true and what is real.

What this lack of bullshit is indicative of is the basic fact that, in my experience, students care about their education for its own sake.

Everyone naturally wants to receive good grades and attain a high GPA, but this is far from being the whole story. It doesn’t explain, for example, the fact that so many students are willing to spend hours on a single homework problem, one which accounts for something like 0.0001% of their final grade; it doesn’t explain the perfectly ordinary experience of students spending hours upon hours trying to

make sense of two pages of reading, even if they are extremely unlikely to appear on the midterm.

None of this is unique to the U of C, but we’re nevertheless fortunate enough to experience it.

The reason I make such a big deal about it is that the “real world” tends to view things more instrumentally. For example, I’m looking for a job now, so I can both earn a living and add to my (admittedly limited) set of marketable skills, which will in turn help me find a different job that both pays better and teaches me other, more marketable skills, and so on. Companies will or won’t hire me based on how much I help the bottom line; I’ll either be useful to them or I won’t be, and sure, maybe things like employee fit matter, but they are far, far less important than profit considerations.

EDUCATION continued on page 4

Moving off and moving on Living off-campus provides transitional experience between dorm life and post-college independence Joe Cronin Viewpoints Contributor The Chicago Maroon is published twice weekly during autumn, winter, and spring quarters Circulation: 5,500.

The opinions expressed in the Viewpoints section are not necessarily those of the Maroon. © 2012 The Chicago Maroon, Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 East 59th Street Chicago, IL 60637 Editor-in-Chief Phone: 773.834.1611 Newsroom Phone: 773.702.1403 Business Phone: 773.702.9555 Fax: 773.702.3032 CONTACT News: News@ChicagoMaroon.com Viewpoints: Viewpoints@ChicagoMaroon.com Arts: Arts@ChicagoMaroon.com Sports: Sports@ChicagoMaroon.com Photography: Photo@ChicagoMaroon.com Design: Douglas@ChicagoMaroon.com Copy: CopyEditors@ChicagoMaroon.com Advertising: Ads@ChicagoMaroon.com

About a week ago, my roommatesto-be and I began searching for an apartment. We started early because we’re nervous; there are five of us, and five-bedroom units are hard to come by.

Now, we’d heard our fair share of horror stories, but put in this uncertain spot, we turned to the only place we knew would have properties available so early in the game: MAC Property Management.

They showed us three places: a huge duplex way out of our price range by the MSI, a tiny place in the Pepperland with bedrooms so small I actually had to lie down in one of the rooms to make sure a human could sleep in it, and a seriously charming basement apartment—with loads of exposed piping, low ceilings, and an oddly placed and all together

unnecessary staircase—that we ended up dubbing “the dungeon.” One of my roommates was so displeased with our “only options” that she went so far as to ask, “If we’re going to live in a shit-hole why don’t we just stay in housing?”

Easy, says I. Apartments are cheaper.

We split the rent, the utilities, and we cook our own food instead of paying exorbitant prices for meals so mediocre they almost inevitably end in either a whole plate of cantaloupe or the alwaysedible-but-never-great slice of pizza. Plus, “the dungeon” was kind of cool. But I see her point. We’re in South Campus right now, and we’re never going to live in so new (and remarkably still so clean) a building in Hyde Park. Even for those not in a place like South, the longer you stay in housing, the (theoretically) better your rooms get.

I suppose when it comes down to it,

the pragmatic appeals of off-campus vs. on-campus life seem to fall pretty evenly on both sides and just come down to matters of preference. But there’s more to it than that. The post-second-year housing exodus is—while by no means universal—fairly common practice on campus. There’s something else at work that’s drawing people to apartment life.

A friend of mine once described living off-campus as being “ambiguously cool.” When I pressed him on why, he understandably said he didn’t know— that’s what made it ambiguous. But it seems to be a sentiment held widely here.

I certainly share it; why else would I be excited at the thought of trading in the 8th floor panoramic view of the South Side from my South Campus apartment to live among the pipes in the basement of an old building on East 54th Street?

There’s a definite allure even when “the

dungeon” is your closest livable option, and that allure is independence.

Well, another degree of independence.

To be fair, in college you’re never quite independent. I mean, if I literally never ate I might be able to pay Hyde Park rent on my 15 hour-a-week work-study salary. But then I’d be dead. So the fact of the matter is my parents will be paying for my housing here, on-campus or off.

Regardless, in an apartment, you’re obviously more on your own. You might be able to decide where to go, what to eat, and what to do with your time when you start dorm life, but at the end of the day?

Your bathroom gets cleaned for you, there’s food waiting for you in the dining hall, and if you get into a spat with your roommate, your RH can help sort it out.

I got a taste of living off-campus thiS past summer when I worked in Hyde OFF-CAMPUS continued on page 4

4

THE CHICAGO MAROON | VIEWPOINTS | January 27, 2012

Responsibilities of apartment life help students mature OFF-CAMPUS continued from page 3 Park and stayed in a sublet apartment at 57th Street and Blackstone Avenue. Sure, some days I had a can of beans for dinner, but it’s these things, these little responsibilities of upkeep and compromise that apartment life forces on you that make you grow in tiny, seemingly insignificant ways that prepare you for the “real world” in a way a dorm (and as some pessimists might argue, the rest of this college) just can’t. It’s for those reasons that, despite all the cries to put more effort into student life and try to retain more students in housing, I’d urge people to move off. UChicago is often called “a bubble,” and in many ways it is. But it’s still an urban school and there’s this tiny extra bit of life preparation urban schools can offer with offcampus housing that other schools just can’t.

In the end, my roommate-to-be wasn’t so disenchanted with the whole idea of moving off-campus.

It was all the mild irritation of the moment. She be-

lieves about as strongly as I do in the merits of living on your own; we’re just looking for a lease six months in advance and all the not-dungeons are currently occupied. And while I do encourage people to move off campus, it’s obviously not for everyone. But, if you’re on the fence about moving off because you don’t like your options (I once overheard someone in a café describe MAC as “old-timey slum-lords.”

Their words, not mine.), consider the practical gap in your education it can help fill in, and the valuable opportunity off-campus housing offers beyond its “ambiguously cool” vibe: the opportunity to let go of dorm hand-holding and to, well, clean up after your own mistakes. Also, if you know of anybody moving out of a five-bedroom apartment, let me know. I’d really appreciate it.

present

THE GRAND DESIGN A N A UGUSTINIAN R EPLY S TEPHEN H AWKING

TO

JOHN CAVADINI University of Notre Dame

Joe Cronin is a second-year in the College majoring in anthropology.

Everyday concerns to replace search for truth, meaning EDUCATION continued from page 3 College represents, to me, the final sanctuary from this reality. It’s a place where, thanks to historical circumstances, material prosperity, and a lot of good luck, we’re able to spend four years studying whatever we like (though, for what it’s worth, I recommend you take one or two stat classes while here) without too much concern for its applicability. We can afford to spend hours wondering why Tychonoff ’s theorem is true while simultaneously realizing that neither our final grade nor our job prospects at all depend on it. To me, this is wonderful; I’m fairly certain the rest of my life will not be like this. My concerns will be much more prosaic. Instead of worrying about truth and meaning, I’ll worry about feeding myself, buying a house, saving for retirement. Most of my learning will be in

The Lumen Christi Institute and The Theology Workshop

the instrumental sense; I will read and work so I can make more money and live more comfortably, not for the intrinsic pleasure it provides.

To put it simply, I’m worried I’m never going to have the time to read Proust.

I’ve spent the last three and a half years living in the clouds—and I mean this as incredibly high praise. I’m going to try very hard to enjoy the next 15 weeks, knowing full well that a period of innocence in my life is ending and I’m not going to get it back. I find all of this rather depressing, but I take solace in the fact that I was lucky enough to experience it at least once.

Oh, and my least favorite thing? Dubstep.

Seriously, people, what the fuck?

Peter Ianakiev is a fourth-year in the College majoring in math.

Stephen Hawking has recently declared that philosophy is dead, and that science is the only reasonable method for securing knowledge. In response, Professor Cavadini will argue that philosophy is rooted in man’s wonder about the universe, and that scientific inquiry is only one aspect of true wisdom and should not be privileged over others.

Thursday, February 2, at 7:15 PM Social Sciences 122 1126 East 59th Street For more information, visit www. lu men ch risti. org

ARTS

Trivial Pursuits JANUARY 31, 2012

War and peace: Time Stands Still grapples with both Lily Gordon Arts Staff Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Donald Margulies in the midst of the Iraq War, Time Stands Still juxtaposes the banal with the complex, peace with war, and passion with comfort. Currently at Steppenwolf ’s Upstairs Theatre, the play tells the story of adrenaline junkie Sarah Goodwin (Sally Murphy), a wartime photojournalist, and her reporter beau, James Dodd (Randall Newsome). Richard Ehrlich (Francis Guinan), the couple’s editor and friend, and Mandy Bloom (Kristina Valada-Viars), his young event-planner girlfriend and future wife, round out the cast. Set in Sarah and James’s cozy Brooklyn loft, the fourmember ensemble takes the audience on an emotional, morally fraught roller coaster ride in a powerful but unpolished performance.

TIME STANDS STILL Steppenwolf Theatre Through May 13

As the show begins, the dark stage echoes the mood of Sarah, who has just returned home from Iraq with injuries from a bombing. Reporting abroad has also traumatized James, who copes with the fallout by watching horror films from the comfort of his own couch. Sarah resents her dependency on a crutch, used to help her move around the apartment, and repeatedly yells in frustration when James tries to help her. With only a few lamps lighting the apartment, the scene feels realistic, as if the audience is watching through a window. Scenic designer Walt Spangler does an impeccable job transforming the stage into an artsy, lived-in studio apartment. Photographs cover the refrigerator and line the walls, a bicycle and green potted plants hang from the ceiling, and the bedsheets are ruffled as if someone has recently awoken.

Richard and Mandy visit the couple throughout the play, their simple happiness challenging Sarah’s resistance to settling down with James and forcing her to confront her constant need to record war and endanger herself. Sarah initially dismisses Mandy as attractive and naïve,

Sally Murphy, Randall Newsome, Francis Guinan, and Kristina Valada-Viars discuss war’s repercussions in Time Stands Still.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL BROSILOW

as an obvious fulfillment of Richard’s desire for a mindless relationship—“I’m into events too,” Sarah mocks Mandy’s profession by discussing the events which a photojournalist must chronicle: war, genocide, and famine.

But Sarah reveals that the frequent discussions with Richard and Mandy have affected her when she questions the morality of taking pictures of strangers, instead of trying to change their lives.

Mandy seems to be a direct refutation of James and Sarah, who focus on the seemingly endless misery covering the earth’s surface. Mandy instead opts to see beauty in the world, and accepts her life of comfort and “simple boring happiness.”

After a first act jam-packed with character and plot development, the second act begins slowly.

The first half of the play brims with content and

emotion—I almost wondered if the show was over when the lights were dimmed. But when the second act begins, months have passed in the story, making it difficult for the audience to immerse itself back into the play. The show briefly loses momentum after the intermission.

Reestablishing the story feels petty after the emotional climax that finished the first act.

Murphy seems numb throughout the play, speaking in a spooked, stoical voice that makes it hard to decipher what she is thinking.

Whether this was intentional or not, by the end of the show I wished she would show a little more emotion in her voice. Newsome’s acting is adequate, although sometimes he, too, lacks emotion. The chemistry between the couple is not convincing. Guinan and Valada-Viars, how-

ever, work well together on stage. Guinan seems genuine in his role as a middle-aged man finally ready to settle down. Valada-Viars’s portrayal of Mandy is also quite thoughtful, making the most of a part that could easily have become excessively cloying.

Despite these foibles, Time Stands Still is still fresh and thought-provoking. Margulies, an English professor at Yale University, puts forth some deeply evocative questions. Should we really forgo our own career ambitions in favor of helping the seemingly helpless?

Should we care? Especially now, with the Iraq War’s official end, these sorts of questions seem to take on a heightened significance.

In forcing us to confront these tough issues, Margulies deserves commendation.

SightSoundSpace brings together wider Chicago art community Alice Bucknell Arts Staff Walking head-down to avoid slipping on the sheet of ice layering the sidewalk, I rapidly pass by the Reg, whose blocky facade looks more like an igloo than a library tonight. The Southside Hub of Production (SHoP) emerges from the darkness as something of an oasis to a winter night’s traveler. Out from its many windows stream light, music, laughter, and, most of all, warmth. With a twist of a doorknob, I’m ushered into a delightful ambiance: Smartly dressed youth chatter merrily as they move freely throughout the three floors of the building, while fine art of every medium imaginable covers every nook and cranny of the house.

The University of Chicago’s Festival of the Arts (FOTA) presented its second annual SightSoundSpace event this past Saturday at the SHoP. Approximately 20 artists from around

the Chicagoland area exhibited their artistic productions, which ranged from puppets to infrared photography. The event’s exhibitions were fitted around the longstanding contents of the SHoP, resulting in something akin to an artistic funhouse: Guests were invited to explore every room, hallway, and staircase of the building, all of which served as gallery space. Carefully rendered ink illustrations of cathedrals lined the narrow corridor leading to the third floor, where a video installation was set up in a porcelain bathtub. Meanwhile, a room full of antique radios and a bathroom-turned-candle-lit tarot reading room awaited guests on the second floor. Live music from the first floor floated through the entirety of the house, creating a warm atmosphere reminiscent of a cozy house party.

Youthful vivacity abounded, with artists ranging from undergraduates at the College to those completing master’s degrees at other schools in the city, all

converging to create an environment quite different from most arts events presented by RSOs. “SightSoundSpace is unique in that it embodies the art scene of Chicago entire, not just the University’s area,” said Adrienne Swan, the artistic director of FOTA, . “It’s an off-campus event that features local artists as well as UChicago students, which makes for a larger, more professional environment.”

Unlike the ten-day art festival put on by FOTA in the spring, SightSoundSpace exhibits all artists who wish to share their work with the public, regardless of their affiliation with the University. Such freedom guarantees a fascinating array of contemporary artwork sure to please spectator and student alike. “It gives [UChicago] students a nice way to interact with other artists and the outside world,” Shola Farber, executive director of FOTA, said. “We purposely select an offcampus venue to house the event, which distinguishes it as a more

sophisticated venue for people to exhibit their artwork.”

Among the event’s array of startlingly unique works was Ethan Tate’s collection of infrared photography. Color infrared film, long discontinued by Kodak, is extremely difficult to find—Tate himself purchased several rolls from a small supplier in Germany, reputed to be the only carrier of fresh stock. “My photos are completely unedited,” he said, pointing to a vibrant shot of a magenta-colored tree. His photos, in addition to several colorful snapshots of the natural world, also include portraits, which he hopes to experiment with more in the near future. Some of the musical performers included Gene Lee, a third-year psychology major with a futuristic, techno sound and Northwestern’s Fuzzy Moons, an indie rock band with a guitarist, bassist, and singer.

With its pleasant crowd, live music, and warm setting, FOTA’s SightSoundSpace was an enjoyable and illuminating

SightSoundSpace featured the work of 20 artists.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ADRIENNE SWAN

exhibition of the local contemporary art scene. But what makes this annual event one of a kind is its integration with art exhibition centers not affiliated with the University.

Working with the artwork, furniture, and atmosphere intrinsic to the SHoP while

organizing SightSoundSpace was “difficult to envision, but fun to improvise,” Farber said.

Watch out for the upcoming 10-day Festival of the Arts this spring and mark your calendars for next winter’s edition of SightSoundSpace—an event certainly not to be missed.

6

THE CHICAGO MAROON | ARTS | January 31, 2012

Museum celebrates 25th anniversary with Fiesta Sarah Miller Arts Staff If you think the American calendar is generally bereft of holiday cheer, you would be right. At least in comparison to Mexico, whose calendar boasts over 5,000 annual fiestas, the result of centuries of Spanish, African, and indigenous miscegenation. The National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA)—the largest such museum in the nation—attempts to capture the spirit of this rich history with its new exhibit, El Alma De La Fiesta.

The exhibit coincides with the museum’s 25th anniversary and emphasizes the NMMA’s commitment to represent Mexican art of all eras and from both sides of the border.

This dynamic exhibit encompasses work from 44 different artists that span the 5th to 21st centuries, including Diego Rivera, best known for his mural work and his on-again, off-again romance with fellow painter Frida Kahlo.

Set in the main gallery, the sheer amount and variety of work featured in the exhibit is astounding, given the relatively small size of the museum’s largest gallery. Fortunately, the gallery’s intimacy doesn’t detract from the individual pieces. Instead, it gives a com-

prehensive picture of Mexican culture from its early times to the present. Contemporary artists’ interpretations of Aztec culture fill the first portion of the exhibition.

Leopoldo Mendez’s “Preparing the Feast in Animaletalia” is a black-and-white sketch of an Aztec man wearing a mask commonly seen during feasts and festivals.

Further into the exhibit, the fusion of the native Aztec and Spanish Catholic cultures becomes more apparent. The origins of Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) can be traced to the Aztecs, but is often celebrated in Western culture as All Saint’s Day. Some works that portray this celebration are Alejandro Garcia Nelo’s “To the Family” and Diego Rivera’s “The Day of the Dead.” Nelo builds a shrine, which looks like a traditional family shrine, only on a much larger scale.

An Aztec sun hangs at the top, and four skeleton angels watch over a skeleton couple.

Food, flowers, and skulls labeled with names surround the couple, which represent the foundation of the family. With the contrast between the Aztec sun and angels, Nelo combines indigenous culture and contemporary, Catholic Mexican culture.

Reflecting Mexico’s strong Catholic culture, there are many pieces devoted to the

Virgin Mary, including Alejandro Romero’s “The Virgins” and Josefina Augilar’s “Nativity Scene.” “The Virgins” blends multiple depictions of Mary into one procession. The images start with the more traditional Lady of Guadalupe and end with more contemporary renderings of a younger Mary. Each Mary in the picture has progressively darker skin, a contrast to the more typical portraits of Mary with light hair and blue eyes.

EL ALMA DE LA FIESTA National Museum of Mexican Art Through August 19

Josefina Augilar’s “Nativity Scene” is a clay sculpture with a spin on more conventional scenes of the Birth. Unlike more orthodox Nativity scenes that feature Mary and Joseph in a barn with baby Jesus lying in a manger, Augilar depicts the Nativity scene outside under a tree. Instead of the Three Wise Men and shepherds, animals surround Baby Jesus. Both artists dedicate their work to Mary—Romero gives tribute to the Christmas tradition of the Posadas,

and Augilar to the family tradition of displaying Nativity Scenes in the home.

Not all of the works in the gallery depict specific major holidays, however. Francisco Mendoza’s “The Fiesta” is a painting of people in various Mexican attire—from an Aztec man wearing a headdress and animal mask to a woman wearing a blouse and peasant skirt.

In choosing to focus on various clothing from the past to the present, he celebrates the longevity of sartorial Mexican culture.

Another artist who chose to focus on more general celebrations is Carmen Lomas Garza.

Two examples of Garza’s work in the exhibit are “Making Tamales” and “Quinceañera.”

Using vivid colors and relying on her childhood memories, Garza uses her life stories to depict domestic scenes; she’s considered a narrative Chicana artist because of this.

The diverse works of the National Museum of Mexican Art mark the incredible growth of Mexican-American culture in America—an 1850 census claimed there were only 50 Mexican-Americans living in Illinois. Now an estimated 1.6 million Hispanics live in Chicagoland. The museum aims to celebrate the culture of America’s fastest growing ethnic group, and with El Alma de la Fiesta, it succeeds.

USO brings star-crossed lovers to Mandel Hall Joey LoCascio & James Stone Arts Contributors Forbidden love was in the air Saturday night at “Romeo and Juliet: A Lovers’ Triad,” the University Symphony Orchestra’s winter quarter debut, which featured three pieces based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. That conductor, senior lecturer, and performance program director Barbara Schubert didn’t come out in full costume as she normally does for the fall quarter Halloween concert was slightly disappointing as was her decision not to call down to the audience in romantic coos (and cues) from a balcony above the stage like poor, enamored Juliet. Instead, Schubert opted for a more low-key approach, arriving in traditional black conducting garb and delivering a warm, interesting introduction on the three selections to be played that evening.

Going into February, the focus on Romeo and Juliet engendered thoughts of Valentine’s Day romance as well as a mid-winter-quarterat-UC tragedy. The concert featured popular adaptations of the work by Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev, in addition to a selection by a relatively obscure American composer, David Diamond, in an effort to champion the works of great but under-appreciated American composers. Saturday’s American feature was “Music for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet”, which opened the concert.

This first Romeo and Juliet began with a dramatic “Allegro maestoso,” which Diamond saturates with simple descending melodies and skillfully-orchestrated string motifs (though perhaps of dubious melodic quality). The orchestra was well-suited to play the quickly changing musical textures, which occurred unexpectedly and frequently in most of the movements of the Diamond, perhaps mirroring the social turbulence at play in Shakespeare’s most famous work.

Samantha Fan, the concertmaster, handled Diamond’s music very well, leading the strings in their sprawling melodies, particularly in the “Andante semplice”. In the later movements, the orchestra showed control over both their dynamics and speed, notably during the “Allegretto scherzando”’s fascinating pizzicato and woodwind exchange. Some cues and cutoffs could have been cleaner and Diamond’s final movement seemed to lack the same sophistication as the previous onwa,

particularly in terms of dynamics, but this went largely unnoticed due to the orchestra’s wholly capable treatment of the material.

The Tchaikovsky came next, opening in a somber fashion, after which the orchestra warmed into a brilliant cohesiveness when Barbara Schubert deftly led them through some difficult syncopation and nuanced emotional texture. As the piece’s famous romantic melody first emerged, the violas really flourished, playing the theme with verve and emotional depth.

Soon after, the violins and woodwinds joined into the innocence and passion.

Throughout the piece, Barbara Schubert led the dichotomy between Romeo and Juliet’s tumultuous surroundings and their passionate love with ease. Finally, the woodwinds stole the stage, leading the piece to its mellifluous close and doing justice to a true masterpiece.

The program ended with an odd collection of excerpts from Prokofiev’s ballet based on the play. This was perhaps where the orchestra showed the most versatility, varying dynamics very well, carrying both light and heavy melodies easily and transitioning, as in the Diamond, from difficult pizzicato sections to virtuosic cascades of string acrobatics handled brilliantly by both the violins and the cellos. Though the orchestra seemed to lack complete unity during a rubato in the third movement, the complexity of Prokofiev’s work, which is a challenge for the best of orchestras, was otherwise played well.

The decision to end the evening with the death of Tybalt, portrayed by Prokofiev with tragic bombast, was unusual considering the popular close the Tchaikovsky might have provided. The choice of the famous Russian works in combination with the relatively obscure Diamond piece was interesting as well, as the latter strayed from the “definite musical form” that Diamond believed to be inherent in the works of Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky, which featured more easily discernible melody. All of these choices provoked thought not only of Shakespeare’s play, but also about the ways in which different master composers tackle the emotional roller coaster of Romeo and Juliet. Thus these diverse, albeit unusual, programming choices rendered themselves valuable and contributed to the performance.

Overall, the University Symphony’s performance was quite good, providing the audience with musical texture and color that is required

but rarely achieved in the pieces they played.

The pizzicati in the Diamond and Prokofiev, the lush melodies in the strings, the percussionists’ syncopation, the woodwinds’ beautiful finish in the Tchaikovsky, and the brass’s strong presence in all three works made the performance memorable. Multiple times during the performance, a Shakespeare quote was

called to mind, but not one from Romeo and Juliet. Instead, it was from Twelfth Night when Duke Orsino muses: “If music be the food of love, play on.” The University Symphony will be performing again in March with a symphony by Prokofiev, Beethoven’s “Leonore Overture No. 1,” and Walter Piston’s “Three New England Sketches.”

Peter Serkin, piano FRIDAY / FEBRUARY 3 / 7:30 PM Visionary pianist interprets one of the greatest sets of variations ever written Wolpe: Toccata in Three Parts for Piano Takemitsu: For Away Charles Wuorinen: Adagio Beethoven: Thirty-Three Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli in C major, op. 120 Buy your tickets today!

773.702.8068

Mandel Hall, 1131 East 57th Street chicagopresents.uchicago.edu

$35 / $5 students with valid ID A limited number of FREE student tickets are available through the Arts Pass program; visit chicagopresents.uchicago.edu for details.

THE CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | January 31, 2012

Duals sweep puts season back on track

Season opener results in trouncing of Kalamazoo Women’s Tennis Sarah Miller Sports Staff

Third-year Isaac Dalke (left) and first-year Renat Zalov (right) run during the Chicago Duals track meet on Saturday.

JAMIE MANLEY | THE CHICAGO MAROON

Men’s Track Matthew Schaefer Associate Sports Editor There wasn’t the toughest field at the Chicago Duals this Saturday—see Elmhurst, Illinois Tech, UIC, Loyola, North Park, Northwestern Track Club, Robert Morris, Roosevelt, and St. Ambrose. Although the Maroons’ 9–0 sweep at Henry Crown Field House was not shocking at all, it was by no means guaranteed.

“Sweeping the duals was not necessarily surprising,” first-year jumper Chijioke Okonte said. “Everyone on the team has been really stepping up their efforts during practice, so it was only a matter of time before it began to reflect on the track.”

“As a team, we are now beginning to enter a higher level of training each week, as our athletes are starting to reach higher levels of fitness and finesse,” first-year sprinter Andew Mandato said, “[and] thus meet performances are beginning to yield better results.”

The intensity made for a different scene than a typical Maroon track meet.

“It was great to have multiple teams competing as opposed to just three,” first-year sprinter Andrew Mandato said. “When the track and its surroundings are full of several athletes, coaches, and spectators, it brings a zealous atmosphere, which more than often is vital to a runner, thrower, or jumper when it comes to getting ‘fired up.’”

In their first home meet of the season, the Maroons dominated the field, dismantling schools like Robert Morris, 104–0, and Illinois Tech, 100–29.

Their most narrow victories were against Beloit, 97– 52; Elmhurst, 88–43; Northwestern Track Club, 97–49; and, by an especially small margin, St. Ambrose, 82–66.

“I feel our team always performs better at Henry Crown Field House,” Hall said. “We like our facility and feel very comfortable in our surroundings while at home. We have less home meets this indoor season so that might make it a little more special to be at home.”

In competitive events, the men saw overall individual victories by fourth-year Tyler Calway in the 55-meter hurdles, third-year Jake Torcasso in the pole vault, and the men’s distance medley “B” team of fourth-year Brian Schlick, first-year Ben Nickerson, third-year Anthony Farias-Eisner, and first-year Kevin Vollrath. The men also had several top performers in the 800-meters and the mile.

“We were pleased overall with the meet performance,” Hall said. “We still have a long way to go in terms of being satisfied with our times, distances, and heights, but this was a very nice step forward.”

With the UW–Whitewater Invitational next Friday and the conference championship in less than a month, the Maroons have high goals— and high demands.

“The sky is the limit,” Mandato said, “but commitment, focus, and determination need to remain steady.”

7

Chicago (1–0) defeated Kalamazoo (0–1) by a score of 9–0 at Markin Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan this past Sunday. The Maroons are ranked fourth in the nation and first in the region, while the Hornets are ranked 21st regionally. The Maroons also beat the Hornets last year by the same score.

“With four new [first-years] on the team, we didn’t know exactly what to expect, but we were pleasantly surprised to find out that our team was still energetic and competitive,” third-year Linden Li said. “Doubles is something that we always try to focus on during practice, and it certainly showed today.”

In the doubles competition, fourth-years and cocaptains Carmen VacaGuzman and Kendra Higgins defeated their Kalamazoo counterparts 8–2. Li and first-year Maggie Schumann won 8–0, and firstyears Megan Tang and Kelsey McGillis won 8-5.

In the singles competition, McGillis won her matches by finals of 6–2 and 6–3, Li won 6–1, 6–1, VacaGuzman won 6–1, 6–1, Tang won 6–0, 6–0,

Schumann won 6–1, 6–0, and Higgins won 6–2, 6–3. Higgins is currently the region’s top ranked player in #1 singles.

“After this match, I feel like we definitely have a strong team for the season,” Tang said. “It was a good way to start the season, because we won every single match of the lineup without much difficulty. I can tell that we will improve in the upcoming matches as our strategies and technical skills solidify.”

“The new girls did great—they were energetic, fought hard, and were really focused throughout the entire match,” VacaGuzman said.

Still, the women have their eyes on the prize.

“There is always room for improvement,” Li said, “but with this opening match, we are starting off strong. I think if we keep going at it, keep fighting and working hard every practice, we will be on our way to a national championship.”

They hope to build off their performance against Kalamazoo and, coming off such a high start to the season, remain grounded.

“We don’t want to expect every match to be this successful, so these results will only motivate us even more to compete to the best of our ability,” McGillis said. “But still, overall an awesome start to the season, and we hope to have lots of matches like this.”

Blowouts becoming the norm in UAA play W. BASKETBALL continued from back

dence knowing that your teammates are out there to help you.”

Emory came out of the gates strong, using a press to throw off the Maroons’ offensive rhythm. The Eagles jumped out to a 7–1 lead, but Chicago quickly figured out the press and rallied, eventually evening the score, then going on a 10–2 run in the first half to break the game open.

“That was definitely a focus of our preparation for Emory was the press break,” fourth-year center Taylor Simpson said. “I think we did a good job of being calm and poised.”

The Maroons never trailed in the second half.

Three Chicago players—fourth-year Joann Torres, first-year Hannah Ballard, and Simpson—scored in double figures, as the Maroons got the opportunity to rest their starters.

Sunday’s game against Rochester was expected to be a clash between two UAA titans but ended up being yet another blowout, Chicago’s fourth in as many games. Chicago is defeating opposing teams by an average of 18.2 points per game.

The blowouts have given the Maroons the opportunity to play deep into their bench, giving their reserves more opportunities to get significant playing time. None of the Chicago starters average more than 28 minutes a game.

“I think our young kids really have provided us with some depth, and they’re just getting better and better,” Roussell said last week on Hoopsville. “I really have felt comfortable with those kids out there.”

Chicago had the lead for all but three minutes on Sunday, and led by double digits as early as halfway through the first half. Rochester battled back to within three at the outset of the second half, but Chicago promptly responded with a 10–0 run over the course of just two minutes. The Maroons would go on to win after leading by as many as 19 points during the game, despite Simpson putting up only six points and five rebounds. Fourth-years Bryanne Halfhill, Morgan Herrick, and Meghan Herrick scored 14, 16, and 13 points, respectively. Morgan Herrick scored her 16 points with efficiency, hitting all seven of her shots, including two from beyond the arc.

The Maroons will now complete the back half of the UAA schedule, playing each team a second time. They will travel to Atlanta next week to take on Emory again, before flying to Rochester to play the Yellowjackets in a highly anticipated rematch. Friday night’s game will tip off at 5 p.m. CST, and Sunday’s game will tip off at 1 p.m. CST. Both will be streamed live; for the links visit athletics.uchicago.edu.

Johnson follows record-setting night with 36 points in victory over UAA rival Rochester M. BASKETBALL continued from back

ing Derek Reich’s scoring record from the 2002–2003 season for most points in a single game by a Maroon.

By sinking his first two and bringing his scoring total to 45, Johnson broke the record. But that was the last thing on his mind.

“At that point, all I could think about was getting a win,” Johnson said. “When I heard the announcement about the record, I was only worried about what we could do to pull this one out.”

Johnson made his third free throw, and after the Maroons called a timeout, second-year forward Charlie Hughes fouled Greven to send him to the charity stripe for the double bonus.

Greven missed his first attempt, and made his second, before Johnson’s game-winning shot.

Even though the Maroons had their game against Rochester scheduled for Sunday, McGrath wanted the team to celebrate for the night.

“It’s fun to enjoy a really good win, and I wanted those guys to enjoy it,” he said. “I just said, ‘Hey, that’s a great one. We made it scarier than we should have. We’ve got to knuckle down.’”

I let them enjoy that night and kind of got

back to it the next day.”

The Maroons were able to celebrate the monumental victory in incredible fashion.

About one hour after the game ended, it was announced that Johnson’s shot would be featured on SportsCenter.

Shortly before 2 a.m. on Saturday morning, the announcement became a reality. Not only did Johnson make the “Top 10 Plays,” he garnered third on the list.

“Watching the play on SportsCenter was surreal,” Johnson said. “I got a text telling me [the play] was going to be on ESPN within the next 30 minutes, and I had butterflies the whole time. It was honestly a dream come true, and all my teammates were just as excited as I was. It was fun to share that moment with them.”

But, for the Maroons to keep their chances of winning the UAA, they would need to win Sunday’s game against Rochester, as well. McGrath said last week that three conference losses would probably determine the UAA winner. The Maroons already had three.

Just like Friday, Sunday’s game proved to be another Matt Johnson spectacle. But once again, the Maroons’ defense was also crucial in

the victory.

Rochester preseason All-American point guard John DiBartolomeo was held to a slim 6–15 shooting from the field.

“I thought we did a really good job of keeping him a little bit uncomfortable,” McGrath said.

Meanwhile, Johnson shot 9–14 from the field and a perfect 15–15 from the free throw line.

He also scored the 1,000th point of his career.

McGrath has one explanation for Johnson’s unfathomable shooting performances as of late.

“He’s just playing the game mentally a step ahead of everybody else,” McGrath said.

The Maroons tip-off their UAA games on the road. This time, Chicago faces Emory on Friday at 7 p.m. and Rochester on Sunday at 11 a.m.

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SPORTS

IN QUOTES “He’s an avowed virgin who’s saving himself for marriage and is looking for a woman with similar values, not someone with two failed marriages and a sex tape in her past.”

—A source close to Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow on Kim Kardashian’s advances on the NFL star.

He did it again!

Johnson drops 49 points to sink fourth-ranked Emory, break UAA record Men’s Basketball Alexander Sotiropoulos Senior Sports Staff

Fourth-years Matt Johnson (right) and Steve Stefanou (left) walk off the court after winning Sunday’s game against Rochester.

JAMIE MANLEY | THE CHICAGO MAROON

One shot was what it took for Chicago to defeat fourth-ranked Emory (15–3, 4–3 UAA).

One shot was what it took for fourth-year guard Matt Johnson to reach 49 points and break the UAA record for most points scored in a single game.

One shot was what it took for Johnson to be featured on SportsCenter’s “Top 10 Plays.”

One shot.

With six seconds remaining in Friday’s game and the Maroons (11–7, 4–3 UAA) down 102–100 at the Ratner Athletics Center, Johnson caught a pass from fourth-year forward Tom Williams. To get to the basket, Johnson would need to drive the length of the court.

Even with two Emory players, guard Michael Florin and forward Michael Friedberg, smothering him, Johnson ran past half court and launched a three-pointer from 30 feet away from the basket.

“We designed an inbounds play to get me the ball, and when [Florin and Friedberg] didn’t force me to pass it, I got past half-court as quickly as I could and got a shot off before the buzzer,” Johnson said. “It felt good when it left my hands.”

The buzzer sounded and the ball hit nothing but net. Just like that, the Maroons won 103–102.

The victory came before Sunday’s 96–92 win against Rochester (11–7, 2–5). With the weekend sweep, the Maroons ended their four-game homestand in fourth place in the UAA. Before the shot, Chicago had contained Emory, forcing Eagles’ point guard Austin Claunch into early foul trouble. Only eight minutes into the game, Claunch was already assessed with two fouls, leading to only eight minutes of playing time in the half.

With Claunch’s quickness temporarily removed from the contest, the Maroons pursued a more aggressive half-court defense.

“We limited them in the open court,” head coach Mike McGrath said.

Johnson’s offensive explosion allowed the Maroons to take leads and close gaps in the first half. Despite missing three free throws, Johnson shot 61.5 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the arc during that time. The percentages amounted to 20 points on 13 attempts.

“I’ve always felt that if I have a good look at the basket, my shot has a good chance of going in,” Johnson said.

“My teammates did a great job screening and getting me open all game, and when I got that chance, I wanted to knock it in.”

With a 46–45 deficit heading into halftime, and 17 lead changes already on the night, Chicago continued to rely on Johnson’s shooting abilities.

The Maroons’ strategy started to work early in the second half. In the

opening seven minutes out of the locker room, Johnson had 10 points, giving his team a nine-point lead at 69–60. Chicago would hold the lead for the next 10 minutes.

With 2:45 left in the game and a technical foul called on Emory head coach Jason Zimmerman, it seemed as if the Maroons would clinch the upset, given the 95–89 lead, and the flagrant foul called on Emory guard Justin Resnick 10 seconds later.

“I was getting close to feeling comfortable when the technical was called and when we got the two free throws on the intentional foul.” McGrath said. “I was like, ‘We can run it up to nine and have the ball.’”

Unfortunately for the Maroons, second-year guard Sam Gage missed both of his free throws. Chicago’s lead was cut to 96–92 shortly afterward when Emory guard Alex Greven sunk a three-point shot.

Chicago turnovers, and Emory’s three-pointers and free throws gave the Eagles a 101–97 advantage with only 27 seconds left.

With seven seconds until the final buzzer and the Maroons still down by the same score, Johnson shot a desperation three-pointer, which was blocked. A foul was called on Emory forward Jake Davis, however, sending the Chicago guard to the line for three shots.

If Johnson made those shots, the Maroons would be within one point of Emory, and Johnson would have 46 points on the night, breakM. BASKETBALL continued on page 7

Bittersweet meet paves way for UAAs

Unbeaten Chicago hands Rochester first loss

Men’s Swimming & Diving

Mahmoud Bahrani Senior Editor

Sarah Langs Sports Staff In their final dual meet of the season, Chicago (4–2) fell to DePauw (6–0) by a score of 153.5–146.5 at Ratner Athletics Center on Saturday.

“The men’s team swam exceptionally well,” assistant coach Krista Carlson said.

“It really just came down to depth, but the entire coaching staff was very pleased with how [the team] performed.”

The divers swept both events, with first-years Matt Staab and Anthony Restaino setting new records for both the Chicago team and the MyersMcLoraine Pool.

On the swimming side, the Maroon swimmers put up a strong showing, finishing first, second, and third in the 200-meter breaststroke. And first-year Andrew Salomon gutted out a tie in the 500-meter freestyle.

“While it would have been nice if he won outright, he swam an amazing race and posted an insanely fast time in-season,” head coach Jason Weber said.

After honoring the seniors before the meet, the team had been hoping to win to send them off in good fashion.

“The guys were upset that they

couldn’t pull off a win for the seniors,” Weber said, “but everyone is excited by how well they swam and performed.”

At this point in the season, with dual meet competition over, the Maroons will have from now until February 15 to prepare for UAA Championships.

“We are going to start tapering during this week,” first-year swimmer George Gvakharia said. “This will help us reach our top level at UAAs.” The Maroons likely won’t harp much on the loss.

“The team had their best performance of the season, so I can’t be unhappy with the results just because we lost,” Weber said. “Wins and losses are not a major factor in our dual meet season; how we train and perform is more important.”

“Due to the fact that it was our best performance at a dual meet, it was a kind of bittersweet loss,” Gvakharia said. “So I don’t think this loss has actually affected our team’s morale.”

With a positive attitude in tow, the Maroons will train hard over the next two weeks as they prepare for the conference championship meet.

“UAAs are going to be exciting and this meet made us very confident heading into conference,” Carlson said.

The UAA Championships will be held on February 15–18 in Ohio, at Case Western Reserve University.

Women’s Basketball

Chicago finished the first half of UAA play undefeated, taking down Emory 68–49 and previously undefeated Rochester 75–59. Emory’s sophomore star Hannah Lilly walked into the Gerald Ratner Athletics Center averaging 19 points a game; she left with her second lowest scoring night of the year. Rochester walked into Ratner as one of six remaining unbeaten teams in the country; they left without holding a lead in the second half.

Friday night’s game against Emory pitted Lilly against Chicago’s defensive ace, fourth-year forward Meghan Herrick. There was a frightening moment early in first half, as Meghan Herrick banged knees with guard and fellow fourth-year Bryanne Halfhill. Herrick crashed to the floor, visibly crying out in pain, but she was able to leave the floor under her own power and returned later in the half.

“So, I’m not going to lie, I was a little bit of a baby,” Meghan Herrick said, laughing, after the game. “I think, when it comes to the knee, I get a little scared.

It hurt a lot, but the good thing was that my knee locked, so there’s usually not going to be any tears, [and] I think it was just more of a scare.”

Fourth-year Meghan Herrick prepares for a layup during Sunday’s home game against Rochester.

JAMIE MANLEY | THE CHICAGO MAROON

Chicago barely missed a beat in Meghan Herrick’s absence, however, as second-year transfer Julie Muguira stepped in to fill the defensive duties on Lilly.

“We knew she was going to be a tough cover, but our mentality the whole game was team defense,” Muguira said. “I think it gives you a little more confiW. BASKETBALL continued on page 7