110113 Chicago Maroon

FRIDAY • NOVEMBER 1, 2013

CHICAGOMAROON.COM

ISSUE 9 • VOLUME 125

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892

IOP alters program after insensitivity claims Jonah Rabb News Staff After concerns that the program’s name was racially charged, the Institute of Politics (IOP) is rebranding its “Poultry and Politics” series that invites state and local politicians to engage with students.

The program will be renamed “Chicago Style,” with the first event scheduled for next Tuesday, according to IOP Executive Director Darren Reisberg.

In an interview with the Maroon, Reisberg said the program was originally modeled after the Harvard IOP’s “Pizza and Politics.” Keeping the alliteration, providing food to attract attendees, and

inviting local politicians were important priorities, he said.

When bringing it to Chicago, students suggested Harold’s Fried Chicken as a caterer for the event.

The program hosted Fifth Ward Alderman Leslie Hairston in the spring and Fourth Ward Alderman Will Burns (A.B. ’95, A.M. ’98) on October 8.

But some students raised the concern that the name of the program could be offensive, according to fourth-year Clarence Okoh, a member of the IOP’s Student Advisory Council and last year’s president of the Organization of Black Students (OBS).

“When I realized that this was the only event featuring IOP continued on page 2

A happy homecoming Fourth-year Julia Covello carves a pumpkin during a University Community Service Center (UCSC) study break hosted by UCSC Director and Associate Dean of Students Amy Chan and fourth-year Michelle Lee. FRANK YAN | THE CHICAGO MAROON

Admissions chided for mass mailings Card readers coming Andrew Ahn News Staff Recent complaints regarding the College’s admissions marketing strategy are stirring debate around the efficacy of admissions marketing.

Several high school students and parents have raised concerns that the Office of College Admissions’ mailings have been incessant and potentially futile.

For example, one high school student wrote on a UChicago College Confidential thread for the Class of 2018:

“I’ve gotten mail from them since I first took the PSAT sophomore year.... I literally got a short novel from them a few months back, and I also haven’t even demonstrated interest in the school.”

On the same thread, a parent weighed in on the debate.

“My daughter has also received tons of stuff from Chicago. We have tried unsubscribing but it just keeps coming.

This school would be a long shot for her and she isn’t interested. I can’t help thinking they are trying to boost their selectivity numbers by getting students to apply then reject them.”

University spokesman Jeremy Manier said that the Office of College Admissions targets its mailings to students who have expressed interest in the school. He claims that much of the informational material goes to high school students who specifically express interest on the UChicago website or on standardized tests.

James Nondorf, dean of college admissions and financial aid, also defended admissions’ marketing in an Inside Higher Ed article written earlier this month.

MAIL continued on page 2

to a shuttle near you Carolyn Kang Maroon Contributor Students may have to adhere to a tap-and-ride policy when boarding NightRide shuttles starting winter quarter.

The University plans to add UCID card readers to all shuttles at the start of winter quarter, after a test run with the new 53rd Street Express Shuttle that launches on Monday. This policy is being implemented to help Transportation and Parking Services collect ridership information from shuttle users in order to evaluate the popularity and efficiency of each shuttle route, according to Bridget Malone, communications manager at the Department of Safety and Security, which administers the shuttle program. “[This information] will help them assess the best ways to direct

resources to provide the safest and most efficient transportation options on campus and in the surrounding areas,” she wrote in an e-mail.

The 53rd Street Express Shuttle will have UCID card readers installed upon launch. Previously, members of the University were only “encouraged” to display a valid UCID when boarding a shuttle, but this policy was not strictly enforced.

University IDs are issued to students, faculty, and staff members, as well as UCMC personnel.

Malone said Transportation and Parking Services is working on a policy in the case of a lost or forgotten ID and for visitors who wish to ride the shuttles.

“The University is considering ways of accommodating campus visitors on the shuttles,” she said.

Admin rejects Losier for IRC Linda Qiu News Editor Editor’s Note: Douglas Everson is a former Maroon staffer.

The Admissions Office has been accused of distributing an excessive amount of promotional material to prospective students.

STEPHANIE KOCH | THE CHICAGO MAROON

Administrators have rejected ninth-year Ph.D. candidate Toussaint Losier’s bid for a seat on the Independent Review

Committee (IRC), an autonomous auditor of the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD).

Earlier this month, the SG Executive Slate chose Losier as their nominee to the committee and submitted their recommendation to Vice President of Student Life IRC continued on page 3

IN VIEWPOINTS

IN ARTS

IN SPORTS

Spoiler alert: I’m bisexual » Page 4

Museum of Contemporary Art hosts stitchin’ new artists » Page 6

Women favorites, men underdogs at UAAs » Back Page

With great power: That giants walk the earth » Page 5

Arcade Fire blazes with reflective new release » Page 8

Maroons riding momentum into penultimate conference weekend » Page 11

THE CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | November 1, 2013

2

CNN anchor talks Afghan battle Sean Graf Maroon Contributor Why were American troops stationed in a remote outpost in Afghanistan, in a vulnerable position that made them practically sitting ducks for the Taliban?

CNN’s Jake Tapper set out to answer this question in his second book, The Outpost, which he discussed in a talk at the Quadrangle Club on Wednesday.

Combat Outpost Keating in eastern Afghanistan was located at the base of three steep mountains, which made it an easy target for anyone who wanted to ambush the American soldiers stationed there. The outpost was nearly destroyed in a Taliban attack on October 3, 2009, in one of the deadliest battles waged during the war in Afghanistan. Eight American soldiers were killed.

Tapper said the location of the outpost “just seemed

dumb,” and the fact that no one had written a story about it before spurred him to delve deep into the tale of the outpost and the soldiers who occupied it. “[The story of ] Combat Outpost Keating picked me,” he said.

The topic was an unusual choice for a senior White House correspondent who had spent most of his days on the North Lawn of the White House rather than on the battlefield. Tapper acknowledged during the talk that, before he wrote the book, his reporting on the war had only been in terms of troop numbers and the political battles behind the war effort. He had not covered the lives of the soldiers and their family members, who are deeply affected every day by combat and the decisions made in Washington.

For two years, Tapper investigated and researched

Combat Outpost Keating and the lives of the troops who served there. As he started calling soldiers who were stationed at the outpost to learn more about what happened there, he was surprised to discover that they were very eager to talk to him about their suffering.

“They wanted someone to tell their story,” he said.

Tapper immersed himself in the research, noting that it “became more than a book project.”

“Eight men were killed that day doing something selfless…[and] I have sacrificed absolutely nothing.…It made me feel I had given nothing back to my country,” he said.

When asked how writing his book might change the way he covers wars on television, Tapper argued that much more can be done to report on soldiers’ stories.

No content changes for renamed “Chicago Style” with a different name. Bitler emphasized that her committee within the Student Advisory Council, the Events and Marketing Committee, aims to involve more student input in the future.

The substance of the program will remain the same, Reisberg assured. He said that the change is only a rebranding effort.

“We’re still very focused on bringing in local and state politicians,” he said. “It’s just a name change.”

Okoh said he is satisfied with the way in which the issue was resolved.

“A concern is raised, addressed, and people can move on,” he said.

Next Tuesday’s “Chicago Style” will feature Debra Shore, commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.

IOP continued from front

African Americans on a regular basis, I was a little jarred. At the end of the day, the IOP has invested in reaching for students to become more engaged, but it was a little upsetting,” Okoh said. “Having an image of Will Burns and a piece of fried chicken isn’t the most inclusive and conscious thing to do.”

Third-year graduate student Nicole Bitler, a fellow member of the IOP’s Student Advisory Council, said that the program’s name was raised during a meeting earlier this quarter.

The Advisory Council then determined that a rebranding effort was necessary in order for the program to continue.

The Advisory Council met several times to brainstorm how the program could be reestablished

NEWS IN BRIEF Library working to fix Ex Libris late night lights problem A minor blackout failed to deter students from studying in Ex Libris last Thursday when lights automatically shut off at 1 a.m.

“Most of the lights in the café turned off. It was too dark to work on anything without a laptop. It was surprising because the café was so crowded,” said second-year Chelsea Fine, who was studying in the café.

The library staff was unaware of this issue until the Maroon brought it to their attention on Monday.

In response, Library Facilities Manager John Carey

said they would work with maintenance to prevent the lights from turning off again.

“We placed a request to have the schedule changed so that lights are on in Ex Libris 24 hours a day when the Regenstein all-night study space is open,” Carey said in an e-mail.

Carey added that the lights were on all night in Ex Libris Tuesday night, and that last week’s incident may have only been an unfortunate anomaly.

—Mike Gaffey

Weekly Crime Report

By Marina Fang

This is a series the Maroon publishes summarizing instances of campus crime. Each week details a few notable crimes, in addition to keeping a running count from September 23. The focus is on crimes within the UCPD patrol area, which runs from East 37th to 65th Streets and South Cottage Grove to Lake Shore Drive.

The October 29 article “Center in Delhi to Open March 2014” misidentified the author of the article. The author is Christine Schmidt.

The October 29 article “Four Shootings Near Campus Span Weekend” incorrectly referenced the guidelines for sending a security alert, due to an editing error. Crimes that pose a community threat fall within those guidelines.

2

Attempted robbery

2

0

Battery

2

1

Burglary

1

0

Criminal trespass to vehicle

7

1

Damage to property

79

10

Other report

0

Assault

8

Theft

1

Trespass to property

1

Arrest

0

Traffic Violation

» October 26, 5100 South Blackstone Avenue, 2:28 p.m.— An unknown male smashed the window of a car parked on the street, took an iPhone, and fled on a bicycle. After a brief chase, UCPD officers arrested the man and charged him with felony burglary. The iPhone was recovered and returned to its owner. » October 29, 5300 South Ellis Avenue, 11:35 p.m.—An individual walking on the sidewalk was approached by three males. One of them struck the individual and attempted to take a cell phone. UCPD officers arrested the suspects.

The victim was not injured.

Source: UCPD Incident Reports

51st 53rd

55th

59th 60th

57th

S. Lake Shore

» October 25, 5550 South Uni0 versity Avenue (Henry Crown Field House)—Between 6:50 34 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., a man unaf1 filiated with the University tried 7 to enter the property using a false name. UCPD officers arrested 0 him and found two University combination locks in his possession. The suspect later admitted to stealing a cell phone from 47th the building on October 12.

University

CORRECTIONS

2

S. Hyde Park

Coast, but the perfect blend of students,” he said.

The College has seen significant increases in applications and yield rates over the last few years. The Class of 2012 had 12,447 students apply, and of those accepted, 39 percent matriculated. For the Class of 2017, 30,369 students applied, and 55 percent of those accepted matriculated.

This year’s early action admissions deadline has been extended by one week to November 8, due to glitches in the online Common Application.

Decisions will be released midDecember.

Robbery

Blackstone

“In our materials, we aim to try and communicate a bit more of the UChicago experience to students (or parents) who may find themselves a good fit for our programs for a variety of reasons, but may not be able to visit campus,” he wrote.

For some current students, admissions material was the tipping point in their decision to come to UChicago.

“Chicago was the only school that sent information about the school. Other schools had you attend information sessions, or go to their campus, but they would never

send you stuff,” first-year Andrew Xue said. “After reading through all of the material UChicago sent, I realized it was an awesome school.”

First-year Sean Morrissey also said he was influenced by the mailings to come to UChicago. Looking at the bigger picture, Morrissey believes the uptick in mailings has allowed admissions to reach a broader audience of potential applicants.

“I think that admissions is branching out so that they can find the best minds from all around, not just from the Midwest, East Coast, or West

0

Cornell

MAIL continued from front

3

Type of Crime

Stony Island

Admissions defends mailings as targeted, effective

Oct. 24Oct. 30

Cottage Grove

CNN Chief Washington Correspondent Jake Tapper discusses his new book The Outpost with David Axelrod.

JAMIE MANLEY | THE CHICAGO MAROON

» October 24, East Rochdale Place between South Dorchester & Blackstone Avenues, 4:28 p.m.—Two males, one armed with a handgun, attempted to take an individual’s car. UCPD officers located the suspects as they attempted to flee, recovered the weapon, and arrested the suspects.

Since Sept. 23

Ellis

Here are this week’s notables:

62nd *Locations of reports approximate

THE CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | November 1, 2013

Losier says administration decision “calls into question how independent the IRC is�

IRC continued from front

Eleanor Daugherty (A.B. ’97). Losier was arrested by UCPD officers while protesting the lack of an adult level-1 trauma center at the University’s Medical Center in January. “After careful consideration and consultation with stakeholders...[Daugherty] judged that this appointment would put the IRC’s impartiality in dispute,� University spokesperson Jeremy Manier wrote in an e-mail.

Manier declined to reveal the identities of the stakeholders and declined to comment on the details of the decision. He noted that both the IRC’s impartiality and objectivity in fact as well as perceptions of its impartiality and objectivity are essential to its role and operations. “This is why, for example, members of the UCPD do not serve on the IRC. Although they fill an essential role for our community, they would not be seen as impartial in matters concerning the UCPD,� he wrote in an e-mail.

For his part, Losier said he would have preferred to speak with administrators directly to assess the question of bias in his nomination. “I would have a better sense of the impartiality issue if I had an interview or talked to people about it,� he said.

The current process for IRC recommendations does not incorporate a direct meeting between applicants and recommenders. Losier, who has contacted administrators, believes that this process is opaque and undermines the IRC’s role as a stand-alone committee. “This action by the administration calls into question how independent the IRC is.... There’s some sort of vetting of what’s acceptable and unacceptable for the IRC.

The SG nomination is the only transparent part of the process,� he said.

SG President and fourth-year Michael McCown cited Losier’s experience in student government, participation on a similar police review committee in 2010, as well as his arrest as reasons for his recommendation. “The experience that Toussaint had precisely qualifies him,� McCown said. “I don’t see the principle. It implies anyone who has a problem with the police in any way is no longer capable of reviewing police conduct.�

The SG executive slate has chosen to recommend fifth-year Ph.D candidate Hannah Chazin in Losier’s place. Chazin, along with undergraduate nominee thirdyear Emma Labounty and the nominee from the professional schools have been approved

by Daugherty.

It is not unheard of for administrators to reject SG nominations to committees, and it has happened in the recent past, according to former SG VP for Administration Douglas Everson (A.B. ’13), who was on the IRC last year.

Losier, who is black, expressed concern with the racial makeup of past IRC committees, considering that many complaints made about the UCPD involve issues of racial profiling.

Since March of 2005, 66 of the 83 cases the committee has reviewed have involved a complainant whose race was listed as black, according to the IRC report. “Looking at past IRC reports, there’s a disproportionate number of student and community complaints that come from people of color, and one of the unfortunate aspects is the IRC doesn’t have many people of color. My participation would have been an opportunity to take that into account,� he said.

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Grad students express frustration over lactation stations William Rhee Maroon Contributor Since last year, members of the University’s Graduate Student Union (GSU) and the Student Parent Organization (SPO) have voiced discontent with the administration’s provision of lactation stations for breastfeeding mothers on campus.

The complaints stem from the fact that the majority of lactation stations on campus are located in public spaces that have a lounge or in handicapped bathrooms.

In addition, several of the lactation stations were reported as non-operational by graduate student parents.

Federal law requires that employers provide working mothers with “a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk.�

The complication arises from the conflicting viewpoints shared by the University administration and graduate students over whether graduate students should be recognized as fulltime employees.

SPO President and secondyear Ph.D. candidate Claire Roosien maintains that the administration should treat their graduate students as employees. “GSU would argue, and I would argue too, that graduate students should qualify as employees because we do paid work for the University,� she said.

Students have noticed that the location of the stations is no longer publicly available. At the beginning of the year, the link to a list of campus lactation stations was removed from the graduate student resources website, although the list can still be found via Google search.

According to Roosien, Director of the Family

Resource Center Lizanne Phalen said at the beginning of the year that she didn’t know who had put up the link of the campus lactation stations initially, but that she would take it down.

In hopes of creating a parents’ lounge that included lactation stations, SPO unsuccessfully applied for funding from the Women’s Board, a group of approximately 500 University-affiliated women who pool their donations yearly and allocate them to provide financial support for project grants, Roosien said. “We basically just wanted a room with a private place, an outlet, and a refrigerator that could be used for that kind of purpose,� she said.

University officials have pointed at the limited space on campus as the reason for not installing more stations, according to Roosien. “I find that hard to believe, because all we need is a large closet,� she said.

FOR MORE NEWS, VIEWPOINTS, ARTS, AND SPORTS, VISIT CHICAGOMAROON.COM, WINNER OF A 2013 ONLINE PACEMAKER AWARD FROM THE ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS.

SUNDAY AT ROCKEFELLER

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Remembering those we have loved and lost this year Rockefeller Chapel Choir and Orchestra | Directed by James Kallembach Dean Elizabeth Davenport, preaching Sunday services at Rockefeller Chapel draw from a wide variety of Christian traditions over the course of the year, with music and liturgy suited to the cathedral-like space. Sacred text is illuminated by music, poetry, and literature. All are welcome at the table, always.

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5850 S. Woodlawn Ave. • 773.702.2100 • Elizabeth J.L. Davenport, Dean A limited number of FREE student tickets are available through the Arts Pass program; visit chicagopresents.uchicago.edu for details.

VIEWPOINTS

Editorial & Op-Ed NOVEMBER 1, 2013

Voluntary vigilance Opt-in crime alert system would allow individuals to remain aware without inundating inboxes The student newspaper of the University of Chicago since 1892 REBECCA GUTERMAN Editor-in-Chief SAM LEVINE Editor-in-Chief EMILY WANG Managing Editor

CELIA BEVER Senior Editor VICENTE FERNANDEZ Senior Editor MATTHEW SCHAEFER Senior Editor MADHU SRIKANTHA Senior Editor MARINA FANG News Editor ANKIT JAIN News Editor LINDA QIU News Editor KRISTIN LIN Viewpoints Editor EMMA BRODER Arts Editor WILL DART Arts Editor LAUREN GURLEY Arts Editor SARAH LANGS Sports Editor JAKE WALERIUS Sports Editor SONIA DHAWAN Head Designer KEVIN WANG Online Editor MARA MCCOLLOM Social Media Editor CONNOR CUNNINGHAM Head Copy Editor SHERRY HE Head Copy Editor JEN XIA Head Copy Editor BEN ZIGTERMAN Head Copy Editor JAMIE MANLEY Photo Editor TIFFANY TAN Photo Editor COLIN BRADLEY Grey City Editor JOY CRANE Grey City Editor THOMAS CHOI Assoc. News Editor

In the last week, there were four shootings in areas around the University that did not prompt a campus-wide security alert. In an interview with the Maroon on Tuesday, a University spokesperson said that the reason the University did not issue an alert was that the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) and campus administrators did not believe that there was an ongoing threat to the community. The rationale behind current guidelines is reasonable; restricting security alerts to incidents when danger is imminent ensures that students take notice when there is a serious security concern.

But the selective policy prevents students from getting an accurate and up-to-date picture of crime in the neighborhood. In addition to sending out campus-wide security alerts under serious circumstances, UCPD should create an opt-in system where anyone can receive crime notifications, regardless of whether the incidents fall under the University’s guidelines for sending

out a security alert.

The UCPD’s Daily Incident Reports, the department’s most comprehensive listing of criminal activity, are a good first step towards creating a more accurate picture of crime. However, the Incident Reports are published the day after the incidents are reported during the week, not until Monday for crimes reported over the weekend, and do not contain crimes in the area reported to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).

Because CPD only publishes crimes on its database a week after they occur, someone seeking information about a recent crime in the area might not be able to find out any information immediately. This leaves a gaping hole in the crime information available; for example, as of now there is no record of the shooting that occurred on Sunday at East 54th Street and South Cornell Avenue, an area near Broadview Hall and close to student apartments, in either the UCPD Daily Incident Reports or on the CPD website.

To make sure that all residents have the most up-to-date crime information, UCPD should create an alert system that reports all crimes, including those reported to CPD, that occur near campus and oftfrequented areas. If implemented, more frequent alerts would give all residents who sign up an awareness of the area. The alerts, which could take the form of a text message or e-mail, would avoid creating an inflated sense of crime or emergency since the individuals receiving them would understand that the alerts are intended for awareness rather than warning of immediate danger.

For those who hear about crimes from other sources, such as news outlets, this opt-in system could also help alleviate unnecessary fears by clarifying, for example, that a shooting is gang-related and nearby residents are therefore not targeted.

An alert explaining the nature of the crime could let individuals in the vicinity know that they do not have to be worried about an ongoing threat.

ELEANOR HYUN Assoc. Viewpoints Editor

Spoiler alert: I’m bisexual

LIAM LEDDY Assoc. Viewpoints Editor

“Queer” exists in the vague space between false dichotomies

ALEX HAYS Assoc. News Editor HARINI JAGANATHAN Assoc. News Editor STEPHANIE XIAO Assoc. News Editor

ANNA HILL Assoc. Arts Editor TATIANA FIELDS Assoc. Sports Editor SAM ZACHER Assoc. Sports Editor PETER TANG Assoc. Photo Editor FRANK YAN Assoc. Photo Editor

TYRONALD JORDAN Business Manager TAMER BARSBAY Undergraduate Business Executive VINCENT MCGILL Delivery Coordinator ANNIE CANTARA Designer CARINA BAKER Designer AURNA HASNIE Designer CASEY KIM Designer JONAH RABB Designer NICHOLAS ROUSE Designer KRYSTEN BRAY Copy Editor SOPHIE DOWNES Copy Editor MICHELLE LEE Copy Editor CHELSEA LEU Copy Editor KATIE LEU Copy Editor JOHN LOTUS Copy Editor KATARINA MENTZELOPOULOS Copy Editor CHRISTINE SCHMIDT Copy Editor ANDY TYBOUT Copy Editor LAN WANG Copy Editor RUNNAN YANG Copy Editor

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. © 2013 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: Design@ChicagoMaroon.com Copy: CopyEditors@ChicagoMaroon.com Advertising: Ads@ChicagoMaroon.com

By Clair Fuller Viewpoints Columnist For the past few years, on October 11, at least one of my Facebook friends has made a status announcing their sexuality in honor of National Coming Out Day, always to many congratulations and acclaim from their friends and family. For the past three years, on October 11, I’ve also considered making a status announcing my sexuality in honor of National Coming Out Day, and every time I’ve decided against it.

The reason I watch Coming Out Day pass every year without actively participating is not because of fear of rejection or internalized shame.

It’s because, put bluntly, I’m bisexual and I feel like no one will care. Not that no one should care, or that I don’t feel like my sexuality matters to me, but because for as long as I’ve been aware of this part of myself I’ve felt that it’s something that had to be prefaced with a qualifier. No, I’m not a lesbian, I’m just bisexual. I’m dating a boy, but I’m kind of into girls too. Only a little bit queer. Not quite exactly straight. Just bisexual.

I didn’t realize until my junior year of high school that I would have any reason to even consider participating in Coming Out Day, anyway. As a girl who dated boys and enjoyed it, it didn’t occur to me that there was something more to my sexuality until I had a few frank

conversations with girls—girls who actually were straight—regarding how they felt about being sexual with other women. Even after I came out to myself, I struggled with how to come out to other people, or if I should at all. It seemed almost anticlimactic to sit my parents down and make the announcement that I was interested in kissing girls, not instead of men, just as an “in addition to” thing.

I would later learn that the idea that you can come out once—to your family, or on the internet, or in a heartfelt letter—and then be done with the whole affair and live a newly liberated and “out” life was optimistic at best. Coming out is a process that a queer person is never done with; they will out themselves or be outed by others over and over again to various groups of people throughout their lives. The clumsy strategy I opted for—chiming in enthusiastically during conversations about Scarlett Johansson until people got the idea—was effective in some ways, but backfired in others. People who knew me as straight were confused (“Wait, what? Don’t you have a boyfriend?”); People who knew next to nothing about me assumed I was a lesbian. Sexuality, like gender identity, is often misunderstood as a rigid binary—you’re either gay or straight, you’re a man or a woman. No exceptions, no inbetween. Muddling the cues that are supposed to indicate which side of the binary you stand firmly upon confuses people.

“If you’ve only dated guys, how do you know you’re into girls too?” asks a straight male friend. I ask him how he knew that he was into girls before he ever dated one. The

point is made, but the question nags at me. Even though I am the one experiencing my identity all the time, even though I know what my feelings are better than anyone else does, I still torment myself sometimes with the thought that I am not queer enough to be part of the LGBTQ community, both on campus and on a more general level. I feel suspended awkwardly between queerness and heterosexuality, like my claim to both is tenuous at best. An acquaintance once told me that I was “basically just an ally” to the queer community. Shortly after, another acquaintance recounted an argument they had gotten into about homosexuality—they said they wished I had been there to back their points because they “needed someone gay.” It struck me that maybe I would always be too gay for the straight people and too straight for the gay ones.

National Coming Out Day was three and a half weeks ago; this column is not quite a timely one.

But I don’t mind being vaguely out of sync in this respect, because there are some things that don’t fit squarely into conventional narratives of otherness. The reality of being queer, or in any other way outside the norm, is one of constantly being vaguely out of sync, sometimes in ways that are too difficult to articulate in a Facebook status. Instead, I am finding new ways to occupy and own my identity, both in public and in private—ones that don’t involve justifying myself to others.

Clair Fuller is a second-year in the College majoring in gender and sexuality studies.

This system—which should be open to both University and nonUniversity affiliates—would not only better serve people concerned with crime in the area, but could also help the police by providing more eyes on the street to identify at-large suspects and related suspicious activity.

With access to the most current and localized information on criminal activity, the UCPD is in a unique position to provide effective and accurate data for this opt-in system. One of the most frequent pieces of advice that the UCPD gives to the University community is “to be aware of your surroundings at all times.”

In order to be fully aware of their surroundings, however, individuals who seek more information about crimes in the area should be able to get comprehensive and up-to-date information.

The Editorial Board consists of the Editors-in-Chief and the Viewpoints Editors.

How the tables have turned Don’t judge a college by its ranking

By Jane Huang Viewpoints Columnist Now that I’m what the underclassmen call an old person (that is, a fourth-year), some of them want to know how I think my post-graduation prospects might be affected by the University’s changing admissions rates. I’ve always wondered whether our student population’s fixation on the significance of the admissions rate was overblown, since I can’t imagine that any hiring managers or graduate school admissions committees would be able to quote several years’ worth of admissions statistics off the top of their heads, the way some current and prospective students can. However, I suppose the rate’s significance varies based on the field one is hoping to enter.

For the sake of argument, let’s proceed with the apparently common assumption that the University’s recent increase in selectivity will have a significant impact on our chances of success (defined in the traditional sense) after college.

Would this be a good thing? Many of us are taught in college to prize the meritocratic ideal. Students spend time trying to get good grades and good internships in part because they RANK continued on page 5

THE CHICAGO MAROON | VIEWPOINTS | November 1, 2013

5

With great power: That giants walk the earth The allure of comic books is not the escape they offer into other worlds, but what they tell us about our own

TEDDY WATLER

Ken Jung Viewpoints Staff I found myself reading comic books last year, during an exceptionally severe bout of senioritis. It was an uncontrollable impulse (not that I tried to control it), resurrected by nostalgia for something half-forgotten: a desire to hear again the echoes of Saturday morning cartoons, and to see again those distant panels on pages long forgone for the educational promise of books without pictures. On that fateful day, I embarked on a journey to my high school

library. I scanned the shelf, finding a handful of titles of which I had heard. I like to think that at that moment, a child in my head was singing “Tolle lege!”, so vast was the world I was about to enter— in truth, the voice probably said something more along the lines of “YOLO.” As my arm reached out for Superman: Red Son, I looked apprehensively around me, not wanting to be caught in what might as well be the children’s section of the library. I took the book, hurriedly settled myself in the nearest armchair, and started reading.

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Superheroes make for a peculiar object of our fascination. Who can explain how a bunch of men and women in tights managed to pervade popular culture for so long? They’re silly! They’re ridiculous! They’re childish!

Yes, I admit it: superheroes are all of these things, especially the last. Childish. It is quite true that the genre is more often considered a juvenile diversion than a serious art form. Indeed, children in particular seem to have an affinity for the superhero—and the reason isn’t very difficult to figure out.

Superheroes can do stuff that

children can’t. Superheroes have everything that children don’t: respect, power, and recognition.

A particularly direct example is that of Captain Marvel, whose alter ego, twelve-yearold Billy Batson, needs only shout “Shazam!” to magically transform into a tall, hunky superhero, sporting a bright red suit complete with a suave shoulder cape and shiny gold lining. A boy with such an identity reflects a not-so-private longing in the mind of every little boy who has ever lived: the longing to be larger than life.

The desire to transcend the boundaries that are set upon us is by no means exclusive to children. Plenty of adults like superheroes too, and obviously it is the grown-ups who draw the comics, write the stories, and shoot the movies. This might suggest that many adults are simply children inside, and that the world of the superhero serves as a fanciful diversion from the hardships of reality. The idea that obtaining superpowers can solve our problems is certainly comforting; it is for this reason that we often cry out, “I’m not Superman!” as a way of acknowledging our own limitations.

But any true comic book fan will know that this idea cannot stand by itself. It is often the case that the acquisition of superpowers creates proportionately super problems, a notion now immortalized in the dying

words of Spiderman’s Uncle Ben: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Superheroes don’t have it easy, and it is significant that some of the most iconic superheroes have their origins in vulnerability: there can be no Batman without the murder

“

I was reading the Iliad, and I couldn’t stop thinking about superheroes.

”

of Thomas and Martha Wayne, nor can there be a Superman without the destruction of Krypton. Further, vulnerability gives birth impartially to superheroes and supervillains alike, as can be seen in the Joker’s origin story in The Killing Joke: “All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy.” In a way, superheroes are no different from the rest of us; the mere possession of superhuman strength does not make one superhuman, in the same way that a bigger body does not turn a child into an adult. It would then seem to follow that the superhero genre is as much a normative art form as it is a positive one. As the saying goes, we don’t read to learn about other worlds, but to learn about this one. There is something in the burdens of the powerful that resonates

strongly with our humanity.

I find that my ruminations on comic books resurface unexpectedly in familiar and unfamiliar places, most recently in my Hum class. I was reading the Iliad, and I couldn’t stop thinking about superheroes. My professor likes to call the work a profound meditation on mortality: the heroes and the nameless, the brave and the cowardly, those loved by the gods and those who are not—they all share the common destiny of death, that same fatal fate. How different is Achilles, the most deadly and most doomed of the Achaeans, from Superman, whose most persistent enemy is not Lex Luthor, but his own strength? Might we see in Achilles’s vindictive, unbridled rage against the Trojans the silhouette of Gotham’s caped crusader? Indeed, the most godlike human in the Iliad must reconcile himself with his mortality, just as the superhero must come to terms with his own vulnerabilities.

“There is nothing alive more agonized than man of all that breathe and crawl across the earth.” An epic poem thousands of years old and many a comic book have that much in common with each other, and perhaps that much in common with us as well.

Giants do walk the earth, and we are the giants.

Ken Jung is a first-year in the College.

Students often feel that the UChicago education is undervalued outside of academia RANK continued from page 4 want their accomplishments to be a testament to how worthy they are of future opportunities. Most students, though, cannot claim credit for the admissions rate of the classes that arrived after them, except perhaps those who work for the admissions office or who are featured in one of the admissions pamphlets.

Therefore the concept of judging people who had arrived years earlier based on the current admissions rate is rather odd.

One of the laments heard perennially on campus is that the quality of the University has been consistently undervalued by people outside of academia. Consequently,

before the University’s admissions rate dropped drastically in recent years, students felt that they were at a disadvantage compared to those enrolled at institutions that the University typically considers its peers. By this view, it would be reasonable to think that the new admissions rate is a more accurate reflection of school quality, and it would therefore be fair to judge older students through its lens.

However, the umbrage taken by students who feel that their school is underrated is interesting in light of the opinions they express about other schools. While one cannot rigorously analyze students’ sentiments by reading the “Overheard at

UChicago” Facebook page, enough students frequent the page that the posts and the comments found there can still offer some insights.

“Overheard”’s scope seems to have expanded in recent years, as there is now a steady stream of posts linking to lists of college rankings, whose sources range from the wellknown (U.S. News & World Report) to the more offbeat (The Daily Beast, BuzzFeed).

While it doesn’t appear that students take the rankings to heart, they’re designed to be link bait: It’s nearly irresistible to click through them and then start commenting about how ridiculous they are, because School X is above School Y when clearly School Y should

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be above School X. The comments that disparage other schools can be a little off-putting. To be fair, some of them are just jokes that arise from longstanding rivalries (ahem, Northwestern).

Others, though, appear to be sincere. Though the methodology of many of the rankings is definitely iff y, it seems that people are more likely to criticize a ranking’s methodology when its results don’t reflect their ideal outcome. I admit that at times, my initial reaction to the rankings resembles the opinions expressed in the comments. However, when I think about it a little longer, I realize that the rankings to which we object the most tend

to be the ones that deviate from U.S. News’s. A public school rated higher than an Ivy League one? Ludicrous, apparently. Thus, while it’s become nearly an article of faith that benchmarks such as admissions rates have led to inaccurate judgments about our own school in the past, there seems to be less willingness among students to question the same kinds of judgments made about other schools.

Philip Bump suggested in The Atlantic Wire last week that the solution to avoiding biases in the way we assess students from different schools is just to ignore the schools’ names entirely. I don’t think that’s a viable option,

because schools have different resources, expectations, and specializations that can play a large role in the development of their students’ interests and abilities. Thus it would be impractical to suggest that such significant information be ignored. But I do think it’s important to remain aware of the limitations and blind spots we may have when it comes to evaluating other people. In the end—though it’s been said often enough to be a cliché—I still believe that the way we choose to judge ought to mirror the way we wish to be judged.

Jane Huang is a fourth-year in the College majoring in chemistry.

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Welcome to Ellis, culinary flashmob of Hyde Park There are certain pillars of my week— things that, come hell or high water, are permanently etched into my schedule. I have quite a few of these, but none is quite as important to maintaining my sanity as the semiweekly food truck lunch. Twice a week I trek across the Midway to shop the culinary bazaar-on-wheels that pops up on Ellis between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on weekdays.

The food truck scene here is a quirky combination of the mom-and-pop shop and the foodie fad. Truck owners will often serve food and chat away with customers, a refreshing and disarming change from some nearby bureaucratic brick-andmortars, but the business is still a tough one to succeed in. One week a truck is in, and the next it’s out. The product of this crazy market is a novel and homey culinary scene that is one of a kind for these parts, hence my obsessive semiweekly exploration.

Last November, the Maroon reviewed

a few of these mobile purveyors of food, but it’s time for an update. The Ellis scene is constantly in flux: I can count at least six new trucks that have made appearances in Hyde Park over the past summer, and two of the trucks in that review are no longer common visitors to the area. Another reason to re-review this street of noms is to give those new to food trucking a place to start their adventures. In order to do the Ellis trucks justice here, I’ve opted to make a Top Three List (in no particular order) of the best food items at the newcomer trucks. There are countless more items to speak of—feel free to ask me, as long as you have an hour to kill—but hopefully this short, inexhaustive compilation will be enough to convince you to make the first jump, or at least to try something new.

1. The Eastman at Eastman Egg Company (sandwiches for $6–$8)

The Eastman Egg Company joins the small but slowly growing group of trucks that quietly sit on Ellis in the much less trafficked mornings. The exterior of the vehicle itself is highly unassuming, which makes it kind of easy to mistake for a UPS van. That is why I missed it the first time I attempted to eat here. However, spending some time scanning the street is worth the effort. There are only three basic sandwiches on the menu, of which one stands out.

The Eastman, the Company’s classic, sits on a lightly toasted English muffin and comes with several bold and familiar ingredients—cheese, egg, and ham—along with some more unusual additions—sweet chili sauce and cucumber. This sandwich is confusing ; it straddles the border between the flavors one might anticipate in a breakfast sandwich and something completely different. If it weren’t for the fact that the two ingredients are so visibly prominent, it’d be hard to tell exactly what

creates the nuance of flavors. The sandwich’s sweet chili sauce adds a heat that comes out of left field, but harmonizes with the much cooler and lighter pieces of crisp cucumber. The Eastman is an unassuming and bizarre sandwich, a pleasant jolt to the morning routine.

2. Burnt ends sliders with fried pickles and hush puppies at Husky Hog BBQ (two sliders and two sides for $10) Husky Hog BBQ always makes me smile. This is a truck of personality more than anything else, driven both by its rambunctious owner, Joe, and by the great food being served. There’s little to no pretension at Husky Hog—but that said, it is also one of the most surprisingly flavorful food trucks regularly stopping on Ellis. Its barbecue is served through sliders, with a set number of sides included in the price.

There is a clear winner among the variFOOD TRUCK continued on page 9

Museum of Contemporary Art hosts stitchin’ new artists and industrial lighting created a futuristic yet cold atmosphere for the piece. The artists’ appearances also didn’t stand out.

Both wore plain gray T-shirts, blue jeans, and sensible walking shoes. Mirroring their artwork, they also sported long, scraggly beards that reached down their chests, almost interfering with their meticulous crocheting.

Even the weather outside was drab. The only color present within the exhibition was the bright pink tube, which stood in stark contrast to the black and gray of the floor and walls.

The tube commanded attention as it slowly grew in length, like a vibrant snake uncoiling.

UNTITLED (PINK TUBE) Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Through November 19

Chicago natives Stan Shellabarger and Dutes Miller have been crocheting this pink tube together for 10 years.

COURTESY OF CHICAGO ART MAGAZINE

Andrew McVea Maroon Contributor When you think of crochet, you usually think of handmade Christmas socks from Grandma.

For many, the act of crocheting ser ves a functional purpose, and while it can be aesthetic in nature, warm gloves are the ultimate goal. For husband-andhusband artists Stan Shellabarger and Dutes Miller, though, the art of crocheting can transcend

the mere practice and become something attractive and meaningful.

Native Chicago artists Miller and Shellabarger are most famous for their ongoing piece Untitled (Pink Tube), in which they crochet a long tube out of pastelpink yarn for hours on end. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of this work, they have returned to their hometown for an ongoing exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Three days

a week, for three to four hours at a time, they sit together on the fourth floor of the museum and crochet steadily.

When I visited, Miller and Shellabarger were seated in front of a grand glass window overlooking the autumn foliage of the Seneca Playlot Park below. Although the view was inspiring , the surroundings within the gallery were dull and monochromatic. Black fauxmarble floors, steel columns,

The artists begin their work every day on the fourth floor, but move throughout the museum as the day progresses, wandering into some of the other exhibitions or even onto the front steps. The pink tube that is featured in their work is representative of the working relationship between Miller and Shellabarger. As their piece grows over time, the couple is slowly pushed apart, representing the toll that creating a work of art can have on a relationship.

However, the art that pushes them apart also physically links

them together and unites them in a common goal. They have also said that each stitch in the tube symbolizes the time that they have spent together as a couple.

Tucked away on the fourth floor of the museum on a weekday afternoon, Miller and Shellabarger’s piece did not draw a very large crowd. Most visitors stopped by long enough to snap a photo of the artists before continuing on to the adjacent Alexander Calder exhibit or the elevators. A few art students with bleached blond hair peeking out of their navy stocking caps stayed briefly to chat with the artists about their inspirations, and one person sat down to do a sketch of them, but most of the museum patrons didn’t stay long, leaving the artists to themselves and their crocheting.

When they weren’t idly chatting with passersby or with each other, Miller and Shellabarger were incredibly focused on their work.

Years of practice allowed their hands to move quickly and easily through the yarn, and the tube lengthened almost magically from their swift fingers. The piles of fabric were made of countless numbers of bundles of yarn, and although the color choice was uniform, distinct lines between faded and brighter sections could be observed in the piece.

Miller and Shellabarger will be continuing their exhibition through Tuesday, November 19.

They “perform” every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; their tube remains on display whenever they are not there.

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THE CHICAGO MAROON | ARTS | November 1, 2013

With American premiere closing, The Wheel takes a last turn Evangeline Reid Maroon Contributor A good work of art does not provide answers; it poses questions and provokes. It begs to be analyzed through a dozen different lenses, from a dozen different angles. Fortunately, Steppenwolf ’s uniquely staged American premiere of The Wheel does just these things, mostly thanks to Joan Allen, the production’s leading lady and a longtime ensemble member.

Allen has spent the last two decades of her career on bigger stages and bigger screens. Though known to many as Pamela Landy from The Bourne Identity series, Allen has had years of experience beyond blockbusters. In 1996 her performance in Nixon earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also won a Tony Award for her Broadway performance in Burn This.

She returns to the Steppenwolf stage as the tough character Beatriz, who begins the story joyously preparing for her sister’s wedding in 19th century Spain. Beatriz takes it upon herself to care for a girl who is separated from her father when war breaks out. Things do not

go as planned, though, and a greater journey begins. As she struggles forward, picking up other lost children, time races forward through World Wars I and II and the Vietnam War, with Beatriz at the center of it all alongside the mute and nameless girl, who begins to show strange powers.

THE WHEEL Steppenwolf Theatre Company Through November 10

However, The Wheel offers much to think about beyond the basic plot summary. The play includes elements of magical realism. In this case, time travel connects events and ideas throughout history in an endless, repetitive cycle of war and conflict, and assists in developing complex, interwoven themes of war, good and evil, family, and morality through the allegory of Beatriz’s journey.

Director Tina Landau initially hesitated to take on the script, written by British playwright Zinnie Harris, because of its

density. As she delved into it, however, it became a challenge she was willing to face. Using a large cast of 17 people, live music, and wildly dynamic staging , she brought the story to life.

Blythe R .D. Quinlan provides an inventive set that shifts before the audience’s eyes. It is created without backdrops on the exposed stage, and the actors move within the entire theatre, as if it were a continuation of their world. The lighting and sound effects, designed by Scott Zielinski and Kevin O’Donnell respectively, help to evoke the ideas of war with terrif ying , visceral realism. The experience, in its entirety, is enthralling.

The Wheel runs several layers deep with metaphor and allegory for us to digest, perhaps with great pains. It explores how humanity both reacts to and survives war and crisis. Allen is extraordinary, displaying humor and joy alongside fear and suffering. She is complemented by a talented supporting cast, great staging , and careful directing , but it’s ultimately her performance that captures and compels the audience, who cannot help but be dragged along on her journey and retrace it in their minds for days afterward.

Joan Allen stars as Beatriz in Steppenwolf’s production. Does that baby doll look creepy, or is it just Halloween?

COURTESY OF MICHAEL BROSILOW

With Redford at the helm, all’s not lost Arcade Fire blazes with Ellen Rodnianski Arts Staff All Is Lost is the powerful story of a man’s solo adventure at sea. The adventure begins when a container rams into the sailboat manned by the only and nameless character, played by Robert Redford, and leaves a hole in the boat’s hull. The character’s misfortunes only continue after this setback: shortly afterward, the boat sails into a severe storm that leaves the anonymous mariner fending for his life in the middle of the Indian Ocean, in a lifeboat with very limited supplies.

The movie begins with a long, beautiful shot of the ocean and sky at sunset. This scene, which is reminiscent of a Monet painting, is accompanied by one of the few verbal moments in the movie: the narrator (Redford’s character) is apologizing, presumably to his family.

The reason for this apology, along with most of the film, is never explained. This narration is the longest speaking part of

the 100-minute movie, during which the mariner speaks only three more times: first to make an SOS call on a broken radio, later to express frustration at the lack of fresh water on the lifeboat, and finally to cry out for help when a cargo ship passes by.

ALL IS LOST J.C. Chandor AMC River East

The director, J.C. Chandor, who is relatively new to Hollywood and known for his previous film Margin Call, demonstrates impressive attention to detail. The focus of the film is largely on the actions of the mariner, who calmly— even professionally—calculates his next moves. Chandor reveals the character through actions rather than words, which is a refreshing approach. It seems that

nothing should go wrong with the boat that “Our Man,” as Redford’s character is named in the credits, is sailing, but nature throws obstacles at the clearly experienced sailor. This persistent man-versus-nature struggle is in many ways predictable, but beautifully done. All Is Lost is a paragon of a modern existential journey.

Redford gracefully demonstrates his Oscar-worthy acting in his nearly wordless performance. His weathered and aged features, which become more and more sunburnt as the movie proceeds, are the visual focus of the film.

One may only guess at the character’s past, but the existential theme of the movie is effectively conveyed through Redford’s stellar performance and the few words that Chandor chose to keep in the movie: “I fought to the end…. I don’t know what that was worth.” All is Lost naturally guides the audience to ponder existential questions by showing the struggle of a confident man hovering between death and survival.

Robert Redford stares pensively into the wine-dark waves of the Indian Ocean. Cotton tee, Nautica, $75.

COURTESY OF LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT

reflective new release Tori Borengasser Arts Staff Arcade Fire has a very personal history for me. The first time I heard of them was back in 2006; I remember going to the Sam Goody at the mall near my house with my best friend at the time, who was a lot more hip that I was. She plucked a CD out of the racks—it was a little brown paper CD case with an illustration of a hand holding a delicate bouquet of feathers—and it was Arcade Fire’s debut album, Funeral. She bought it immediately and told me all about this weird little indie baroque pop band from Montreal. Little did I know it would become the odd, very popular, Grammy-winning indie band it is today. Arcade Fire has had songs featured in movies, made countless late night appearances, and won awards all around the world for its records.

In terms of its popularity, critics have been drawing comparisons to U2 lately, even calling the band members the “Achtung Babies.” In the wake of all its immense success, it’s sort of hard to be critical of Arcade Fire, which has been the darling of music criticism publications everywhere for years.

Reflektor continues to make this very difficult. The new release, out today, is the band’s fourth studio album. Like its previous albums, it’s a concept album focused around a set of central themes. Singer Win Butler, who writes most of the lyrics, cited three main lyrical influences. The first is the 1959

film Black Orpheus, which inspired the themes of isolation and death. The album also pays tribute to the Orpheus myth through its album cover, which features Auguste Rodin’s statue of Orpheus and Eurydice, as well as the album’s tracks “Awful Sound (Oh Eurydice)” and “It’s Never Over (Oh Orpheus)”.

The second main influence is Søren Kierkegaard’s essay “The Present Age,” in which the Danish philosopher argues that in the coming reflective age, life is drained of the significance of its morals and values through a passionless indolence and inaction. This is especially obvious in the title track “Reflektor” when Butler sings, “Now, the signals we send are deflected again/ We’re so connected, but are we even friends?/ We fell in love when I was 19/ And now we’re staring at a screen.”

The third influence is Haitian rara music, traditionally played in street festivals and processions. Butler’s wife, the multi-instrumentalist Régine Chassagne, is of Haitian descent.

Her family fled the country before she was born. Haiti has been a lyrical theme in a couple of the band’s songs from albums past, but it’s taken until now for Haitian musical influences to become fully manifest.

The liveliness and celebratory sound of Haitian rara mesh well with the audible disco and dance punk influences of producer James Murphy. The band had expressed interest in ARCADE FIRE continued on page 9

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THE CHICAGO MAROON | ARTS | November 1, 2013

Friday | November 1 Give yourself an excuse to journey into the city by attending SOFA Chicago 2013 (Sculpture Objects Functional Art + Design) at Navy Pier. This year marks the 20th anniversary of this cutting-edge art exhibition, which features contemporary art of all types. Dubbed “the largest and longest continually running art fair in Chicago,” SOFA Chicago offers viewers the opportunity to behold the most modern art presented by galleries from across the country and around the world, and, if you fancy, to purchase pieces of your own.

Check out SOFA’s special exhibits, such as Currents and Taking Shape, and be on the lookout for the glassblowing done by the legendary Corning Museum of Glass.

Festival Hall, Navy Pier, 11 a.m.–7 p.m., $15.

Not quite finished with Halloween?

Continue the celebration and swing by Eckhart Quad to catch a glimpse of Le Vorris and Vox’s A Circus Halloween.

Don’t miss your UChicago friends and peers masquerading as goblins, ghosts, skeletons, witches, ghouls, and other classic Halloween characters as they perform stunning acrobatic feats and awe-inspiring stunts right before your very eyes. You’ll walk away captivated, entertained, and satisfied by this prolonging of the scariest day of the year. Eckhart Quad, 7:30 p.m., free (donations welcome).

Saturday | November 2 Let’s be real: What we all secretly crave on a chilly fall day is a generous slice of good ol’ American pie. This weekend, you can go crazy for pie at the Second Annual South Side Pie Challenge.

Enjoy homemade pies of all types baked specifically for this contest, from fruit to

Food trucks: Go hard on sauce, soft on salsa FOOD TRUCK continued from page 6 ous slider contestants: the burnt ends slider. Cut from the smoked brisket, this hunk of meat is divinely rich. I’m not sure if it’s the extra smoker time or the char left behind from the long cooking process, but just add some of Husky Hog’s Memphis barbecue sauce and the damningly delicious meat is ready to be wolfed down.

As for sides, there are quite a few options worth considering, but I’d personally go for an item straight out of the deep fryer.

Fried pickles or hush puppies take about three minutes to cook, at which point they are done to a golden-brown perfection that I greedily consume until there is nothing left to show. Just remember not to go overboard on the ordering. This food will fill you.

3. Carne Asada and Carnitas Tacos @ The Salsa Truck ($3 each) I have a love-hate relationship with The Salsa Truck, but it’s a relationship worth describing, for the sake of others who come after me. The dirty little secret

of this food truck is, and I’m sorry if you disagree, that the salsas are mediocre at best. And so are the chips they are served with. So the namesake of this business is actually not worth your time, which is comical and somewhat pitiful if you think about it.

Then again, the tacos here are surprisingly well put together. The carne asada taco, for instance, is a simple, unimposing creation of well-seasoned, well-cooked beef sitting on a bed of garnish and onions, maybe with a light dollop of salsa. The carnitas taco, too, shines from the same simplicity, allowing the pork to show its tender, juicy flavor while still letting the salsa have a supporting role in the dish.

It baffles me still that a place with such tremendously ordinary salsa and chips can nevertheless make great, straightforward tacos, but that is the case. The Salsa Truck understands the taco—it knows it has to be fresh, and it knows that simple shines through better than any frills could. For understanding these two principles alone, I tip my hat to the little red truck with the average salsas.

nut to classic pumpkin. Judge for yourself which one takes the cake in each category, and see if your predictions are right at the awards ceremony, which will take place at 3 p.m. The money raised at this event aids the Hyde Park and Kenwood Hunger Programs. 5631 South Kimbark Avenue, 1–4 p.m., $3/slice.

Grab a group of friends, sit back, relax, and absorb A Weekend of Workshops presented by University Theater and Theater and Performance Studies. You’ll experience an evening (or an afternoon) of exciting and thought-provoking one-acts directed by our own UChicago students.

Acts include David Henry Hwang’s Trying to Find Chinatown, directed by Martin So; Samuel Beckett’s Eh Joe, directed

by Joshua Harris; Anna Stillman and Mark Matthews’s Smitten, directed by Michael Steffen; and Barely There, a piece combining music and theater devised and

directed by Daniele Wieder. Francis X. Kinahan Theater, third floor of Reynolds Club, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., $6 in advance, $8 at the door.

Sunday | November 3 Day of the Dead? What is it, you ask?

Come find out at the Día de los Muertos celebration hosted by the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán at UChicago. It’s nothing solemn or morbid, we promise—on the contrary, you’ll be met with plenty of festivities, including folkloric dancing and a colorful display of the “altars” of various RSOs. Stick around for the yummy treats, like sugar skulls, pan dulce, and Mexican hot chocolate (a.k.a. the best kind of hot chocolate).

Besides the food and entertainment, you’ll no doubt gain a richer understanding of another culture and its traditions. Hutch Commons, 6:30–8:30 p.m., free.

Reflektor is far from Funeral for stellar band ARCADE FIRE continued from page 8 working with the former front man of LCD Soundsystem for years. Arcade Fire initially intended to make Reflektor a short album, but after working on roughly 60 song ideas, which were eventually narrowed down to 18 songs, the members decided to release a double album. The two-disc release is comprised of 13 tracks, each song at an average of six minutes long , and the double album seems to have a shift when it reaches the second disk. The fast, bouncy beats and distorted guitars on the first disc take somewhat of a backseat to the darker atmospheric soundscapes of the second disc.

At first listen, all these dance and rara influences are kind of an interesting surprise, but given Arcade Fire’s body of work, subsequent listens made me wonder, “Well, why didn’t they do this sooner?” The head bobbing and foot

tapping that Reflektor encourages with these new sounds is very much in line with the band’s original sound—in both the punk and the grandiose elements—and its past works create a clear trajectory for these new influences to grow. Tracks like “Normal Person” and “Joan of Arc” recall the bouncy ’70s punk inclinations from “Month Of May” on the band’s last record, The Suburbs, while both “Here Comes The Night Time” and “Here Comes The Night Time II” are reminiscent of some of the slow, sweeping, and swelling anthems from Funeral.

There’s not a whole lot to say about Arcade Fire that hasn’t already been said.

It’s good at making records, and Reflektor is no different. With this new release, the band has succeeded in adding another record to its discography that will satisfy fans but will still provide something compelling and new to nosh on.

ILLUSTRATE FOR THE MAROON.

Old food trucks have driven on, and 57th Street & Ellis now host half a dozen newcomers.

JAMIE MANLEY

| THE CHICAGO MAROON

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THE CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | November 1, 2013

New look offense Chicago to face mixed field at Benedictine Tourney Volleyball takes on UIC Basketball Alexander Sotiropoulos Senior Sports Staff The Maroons have traditionally been known as a three-point shooting team.

This Saturday, however, in an exhibition against DI UIC, Chicago will showcase its new, more balanced offense for the first time.

“There’s an emphasis on getting the ball inside because I think we can exploit people there. I think it plays to a lot of our strengths,” said fourth-year forward Sam Gage. “We’re going to be getting down the court quickly, and we have a pretty athletic and long team, so if we can get in the open court, that will definitely benefit us. There are a lot of built-in looks for a lot of the wings from the three-point line as well.”

Because of the emphasis on this playing style, the result of Saturday’s contest does not matter to head coach Mike McGrath, but he looks forward to high-intensity basketball.

“What’s important to me is how we can compete against the best competition in Division III basketball, which is what the UAA is, and to get ready to do that, any time you can play really good competition, I think you want to do that,” McGrath said.

Since the Maroons are playing such a strong squad, this game can only have positive implications for the Maroons’ regular season performances.

“We can see where we’ll be lacking in places because you’re definitely going to get exposed against DI speed, size, and athleticism,” Gage said. “[The game] serves as motivation as well because it shows you there’s another level you can get to because DI teams are just that much faster, that much stronger, they’ll put that much more pressure on the ball. You realize that if you think you’re playing hard in your own practice, there is another level you can always take it to.”

Therefore, at the time they were interviewed, neither McGrath nor Gage had scouted the Flames. They are solely concentrated on the Maroons.

And given some big changes to the Maroon squad, it’s imperative that Chicago remain fully focused.

While third-year Alex Pyper was Chicago’s leading scorer last season, averaging 11 points per game, his absence leaves the door open for second-year Jordan Smith to make a mark at the shooting guard position. Last year, Smith was named UAA Rookie of the Year.

“I think [Smith is] towards the top of the talented kids we’ve had in our program over the years, and I think he’s going to start showing that a little more this year because of how hard he worked and because he’s getting more comfortable,” McGrath said.

Aside from Smith, fourth-year Charlie Hughes has been explosive as of late. He was Chicago’s second-leading scorer last season, averaging 9.4 points per game, and earned an All-UAA Honorable Mention selection.

“He’s kind of a picture of what sticking with it and working hard will do for you,” McGrath said. “He’s developed as a basketball player and just gotten better and better.”

In all, the Maroons look to contend and win the UAA title this year.

“We’ve got to do some things, but the talent’s there,” McGrath said. “We’ve just got to piece it all together.”

Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at the UIC Pavilion. Maroon TV will provide a live audio stream of the game.

Noah Hellermann Maroon Contributor

The Maroons (20–9, 6–1 UAA) will play the last four matches of their regular season this weekend at the Benedictine Tournament in Lisle, Illinois. Chicago is ranked 19th in the nation and is looking to finish the year strong before UAA playoffs.

The South Siders can’t improve their UAA record, but they still have NCAA rankings to consider.

“This is a big weekend for us,” head coach Vanessa Walby said. “We need to get more regional wins.”

The Benedictine Tournament is hosting eight teams from Wisconsin and Illinois, including No. 5 Elmhurst (27–4). The Bluejays swept Chicago in three sets last weekend, but the Maroons won’t get a chance for a rematch in this tournament.

Chicago opens the tournament on Friday afternoon against North Central (10–18).

Later in the evening, the Maroons will take on Concordia-Chicago (4–18). These two teams have weaker records than the South

Siders, but Chicago isn’t ready to write them off.

“This weekend will be the first time all year we’ve seen [any] of the teams we’re playing,” said fourth-year setter Nikki DelZenero.

Even though the Maroons haven’t played any of the teams they will face this weekend, their approach is the same as it always is.

“We need to stick to our game plan and prove to ourselves that we can completely put together some solid matches,” DelZenero said.

The competition will be more intense on Saturday. The Maroons will take on Carthage (19–12), followed by DePauw (21–4). “[Neither] of them are ranked…but DePauw is doing really well this year,” DelZenero said.

Even though DePauw competes primarily in a different conference, they’ve had a strong season. The Tigers have averaged 13 kills per set this year while the Maroons have averaged just over 12. Both teams have similar stats in many other categories as well.

“The girls are going to have to come out and play against every single team because

they are all going to be tough,” Walby said.

Chicago has three players with over 200 kills this year. If the Maroons do well against aggressive teams like DePauw and Carthage, fourth-year right-side hitter Katie Huntington, fourth-year middle blocker Maggie Vaughn, and second-year outside hitter Maren Loe will all need to get their share of attacks.

Loe leads the team in kills per set, but Chicago has five players averaging over two kills per set. This is largely due to DelZenero’s impressive 7.23 assists per set. An emphasis on teamwork has always been crucial to the South Siders’ success.

“We need to focus so that we can come together and play as a team in order to prepare for our next big weekends,” said first-year setter and right-side hitter Erin Risk.

After the Benedictine Tournament, Chicago will play in UAA playoffs, hopefully followed by a run in the NCAA tournament.

Even though the regular season is ending, the Maroons still have a lot to keep playing for.

Chicago will begin against North Central at 2 p.m. this afternoon.

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11

THE CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | November 1, 2013

Maroons riding momentum into penultimate conference weekend Women’s Soccer Tatiana Fields Associate Sports Editor

Third-year Meghan Derken advances the ball in a match against Brandeis last season.

COURTESY OF HANS GLICK

This weekend, the Maroons hope to keep their hot streak going as they take on NYU (7–5–3) and Brandeis (9–5–1) in two crucial conference games on the road. The South Siders (10–3–2) will travel to New York and Boston, and have high expectations for both games as their season starts to wrap up.

The Maroons have been having a fairly strong season, and are currently riding a three-game winning streak after consecutive victories at home over Rochester, Case Western, and UW–Oshkosh. With just three conference games left in the season, Chicago is focused on winning as many games as possible to improve its UAA standing and to qualify for the postseason NCAA tournament.

At the moment, the South Siders are tied for third in the UAA with Carnegie.

“We need to win both games this weekend to best solidify our résumé to be selected into the NCAA tournament,” head coach Amy Reifert said. “Winning both games also maintains our outside chance of a UAA title and our finish within the UAA, which will

also play a role in the tournament selection.”

Today, when the Maroons face NYU, they will need to focus on keeping up the strong offensive play they have demonstrated in their past few games. The Violets have not been able to tally a conference win yet, with a UAA record of 0–2–2, and tied Rochester while the South Siders defeated the Yellowjackets 2–1.

However, this does mean that the Violets are thirsting for a victory within the UAA and will likely be difficult opponents. Both teams fell to Emory, but NYU was able to get past the Eagles’ defense to score a goal while the Maroons were shut out, which reveals the Violets’ threatening offense. After two recent losses in the UAA and three conference games left in its season, NYU will want conference wins just as much as the Maroons.

“Winning the midfield battle will play a huge role in who wins the game, as will shutting down attacks,” Reifert said. “Our ability to maintain possession by limiting turnovers and their opportunities will be a key to the weekend.”

After playing the Violets, Chicago will take

on Brandeis on Sunday.

Brandeis has not won a game in three weeks after three losses and a tie, and are definitely going to be looking for a win. The Judges are 1–2–1 in the conference and have a very strong defensive line, as demonstrated by nine shutouts this season.

“Both [NYU and Brandeis] are very talented with dynamic players on top and solid consistent back lines,” Reifert said.

The Maroons will look to several upperclassmen for leadership on the field.

Fourth-year forward Micaela Harms and third-year midfielder Sara Kwan have each tallied six goals this quarter, sharing the title of lead scorer. Fourth-year captain Natalia Jovanovic has also been instrumental in creating opportunities and scoring; Jovanovic has five goals to her name this season. Defensively, thirdyear goalkeeper Jacinda Reid has been a key player to the team with 86.7 percent of shots saved.

Chicago kicks off against NYU in their first away game of the weekend today at 1:30 p.m. ET. On Sunday, the Maroons will match up against Brandeis in another away game, also at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Confident squad looks to rebound against Case Western Football Sam Zacher Associate Sports Editor At this point in the year, one game does not dictate a whole season.

Even though the Maroons (5–2) fell to Pacific (6–1) last Saturday and are 1–2 in their last three games, Chicago’s confidence has remained sturdy.

“We played a good team last week and still did some good things despite losing, so we are looking to build on that to finish these next three weeks, which are the most important of our season,” said second-year receiver Sam Coleman.

Winning five of its first six games and holding opponents to roughly 14 points per game gives Chicago a good reason to play with confidence. The Maroons have also scored 21 points per game, thanks to fourth-year quarterback Vincent Cortina, who set a career high (in the team’s first loss of the season against Rhodes) with over 350 yards and five passing touchdowns.

Chicago has only lost on the road this season, but each time the squad still played well. Special teams have been one weak point, however, as the Maroons allowed two blocked punts against Rhodes and missed a field goal and extra point last weekend against Pacific.

The Maroons have played solid defense, but fourth-year linebacker and captain Brian Duffy has his eye on key aspects to improve.

“We need to do a better job on third downs. Getting off the field quickly and not allowing our opponents to extend drives has been a key to our successes this year,” he said.

The South Siders have a chance to put their hard work to use when they travel to Case Western (3–3) this Saturday.

As for offense, Chicago has been scoring points, but last week the team simply struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities.

“I think it comes down to us executing better and making plays in the red zone to finish drives,” Coleman said. “Coach emphasizes red zone and its importance a lot.”

The Maroons began the season 4–0 but have lost two of their last three games.

This is no concern of Duffy’s heading into this weekend.

“We take each game week by week and do everything possible to not allow past successes or failures to affect how we play this week,” he said. “As long as we play each game as its own—the way we know we can play—then generally we shouldn’t have any problems.”

Of the Maroons’ final three games, Case Western (3–3) and Carnegie Mellon (3– 4) don’t pose the most difficult challenges.

It’s never smart to overlook opponents, but Wash U (5–2) seems like the only tough game remaining, particularly since the Bears beat Rhodes earlier this season— albeit in a double overtime game at Wash U. The end of the season is setting the stage for Chicago to finish at least 7–3, if not 8–2.

When asked if he was confident, personally, about Chicago performing well this weekend, Duffy replied with just one line: “We’ll come back with a win.”

The Maroons venture to Cleveland, OH for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday.

Fourth-year Brian Duffy (front) warms up with teammates before a game earlier this season.

FRANK YAN | THE CHICAGO MAROON

SPORTS

IN QUOTES “This is going to be one of the roughest seasons that the Lakers have ever faced. You’re waiting on Kobe [Bryant] to see if he can get healthy. Nobody knows if he can be what he was.”

—Magic Johnson on the L.A. Lakers’ expectations this season before their victory over the Clippers

Women favorites, men underdogs at UAAs NCAA berth on the line

in East Coast road trip

Cross Country Isaac Stern Sports Staff

Men’s Soccer

The high point of the season has arrived and the race for the conference title is tighter than ever. This weekend the Maroons will travel to Pittsburgh to compete in the UAA Championship for a chance at a conference title. The men have not won the conference since 2004 and the women since 2012.

Both squads took last weekend off from racing in order to prepare for the upcoming race. The Maroons have been running since the end of August, before school even started, and thus it was time for some rest.

“We are in our final training phase of the season so our primary goal in terms of practice is to begin recovering from the fatigue of a difficult training phase while still maintaining our fitness,” head coach Chris Hall said. “Our workouts have become less intense, and the races are much more intense.”

Six out of the eight teams on the men’s side received ranks in the national poll this past Wednesday.

Rival Wash U leads the way as the second-best team in the nation.

NYU follows next at seventh with the South Siders trailing not far behind at 14th. The Bears and Violets will be the Maroons’ toughest competition.

“I do not have a strategy to defeat Wash U,” Hall said. “We need to stay focused on how we race best and if we’re in a position to challenge teams ranked in front of us, that would be great.”

The women’s race will be even closer. The women also have six teams ranked in the nation. NYU leads the way with the eighth spot, immediately followed by Chicago at ninth and Wash U at 10th. Hall acknowledges the competition will be tight, but has other concerns as well.

David Gao Maroon Contributor

The women’s cross country team will compete in the UAAs this year.

COURTESY OF DAVE HILBERT

“Midterms, sleep, and not racing with the approach [we] used throughout the season are our biggest concerns right now,” Hall said.

“We need to continue to be ourselves and not let the importance of a conference meet dictate a new personality.”

At the beginning of the season, the Maroons had the chance to race Wash U only once. During the Brooks Invitational in Oshkosh, WI, Chicago’s men came in sixth, four spots behind rival Wash U. The women were able to hold off the Bears, beating them by the slim margin of four spots.

“In terms of our tactics, nothing will change,” said fourth-year captain Dan Povitsky. “We’ll aim to go out slightly aggressively so as not to get swallowed up by a large field, find teammates and run together, and move up through the later stages. With the field being much smaller than our usual meets, it’s important that we stay focused. Less bodies means less targets to chase after, but the fact that these are our conference opponents should rile us up and drive us to pass people as we near the finish.”

The men will find it difficult to overcome Wash U and NYU. At the Brooks Invitational, Wash U had all seven of its runners finish before Chicago’s second runner even crossed the line. NYU will be tougher to judge as the Maroons have not yet gone toe to toe with the Violets. However, a No. 7 ranking in the country does not come without some good races, and thus the Maroons will have some trouble catching these New Yorkers.

The women, on the other hand, have a shot at the title. Having not yet faced NYU this season, the national rankings have moved the Maroons and Violets back and forth. However, most weeks the Maroons held the top spot. At the Brooks Invitational, Chicago dealt with numerous injuries throughout the course and still defeated Wash U. If nothing goes awry, the South Siders should come home with a conference championship in their hands.

“The hay’s in the barn. We’ve put in the work and all we need to do now is reap the benefits,” Povitsky said.

The UAA Championships begin at 11 a.m. ET in Pittsburgh tomorrow.

five for FRIDAY men’s

women’s

CC

The Maroons’ regular season is coming to a close. They’ve got three games left to ensure they have a postseason to look forward to.

Chicago (8–4–2) plays two of those games this weekend, traveling to New York to play the NYU Bobcats (6–5–3, 0–3–1 UAA) on Friday before driving north to face the Brandeis Judges (12–4–0, 1–3–0) on Sunday.

Though the Bobcats haven’t won a conference game this season, they shouldn’t be underestimated.

“NYU is a very talented team.

They’ve been erratic but have shown the ability to score goals,” head coach Mike Babst said.

“They came out against CMU and scored two in the first 10 minutes, so they have the ability to be very dangerous attacking and have had a lot of quality results this year.”

The Bobcats opened their season at 6–0–1, but haven’t been as steady in the latter half, going 0–4–3 in their last seven.

After Friday’s match Chicago will rest a day before taking on the Judges, who led the conference last year. They currently stand second to last in the eight-team league, but have the best overall record in the UAA. “I think Brandeis is the best attacking team in the league. They have a number of guys up front that have produced a lot of goals like in the past two years that will really test the organization of our back line,” Babst said.

The Maroons are coming off a weekend that saw them secure a draw against UW–Whitewater,

thanks to a last-second goal from third-year Michael Choquette, and break a 40-year-old school record for most goals in a game.

The team’s priority now, however, is maintaining some of that momentum. They have struggled for consistency in the UAA this year, losing to Emory (10–4–1, 3–0–1) and Case Western (6–4–4, 1–2–1) after convincing victories over Carnegie Mellon (10–2–1, 3–1) and Rochester (11–2–1, 3–1), respectively.

“You hope to not have to learn the same lesson over and over. At this point we’re looking at a threegame schedule. Everyone’s going to be tough and I don’t think we’re in a position where winning only one of these games is going to put us in the tournament or conference race,” Babst said. “It’s going to be putting three really good efforts together, and the guys understand that we’re at the point this year that we can’t look past anybody.”

The team as a whole realizes the importance of these last several games.

“They’re all huge,” Babst said.

“You’d like to be in a position where you feel like you’ve already locked up an NCAA bid and you are out in front of the conference race. But there are very, very few teams that are in that position, so for us it’s going to be what this brings out in our guys. It’s probably the most urgent time this season and most desperate time. This is the time where it needs to come together.”

The Maroons kick off their weekend slate in New York at 11 a.m. ET this morning. The game against Brandeis is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET on Sunday.

taking a look at the week’s key headlines

Men’s soccer hopes to go back-to-back in the UAA

The Maroons followed their UAA opening game win against Carnegie Mellon with a loss to Emory. After bouncing back from that loss with a victory over Rochester they fell to Case Western. It seems Chicago is due a win against NYU—currently the worst team in the conference—today. But with only three regular season games left, and an NCAA bid still on the line, a win today would be meaningless unless the Maroons can follow it up with a win over Brandeis on Sunday.

Women’s cross country set for NYU, Wash U showdown

Chicago was ranked sixth in the nation and the top team in the UAA when they last competed on October 19. Since then, they have dropped to ninth place in the country, one spot behind NYU and one spot ahead of Wash U, neither of which has competed in that time either. What exactly the rationale was behind that shift in the rankings is unclear, perhaps unsurprisingly given the NCAA’s track record. What is clear is that this weekend’s UAA Championship is as fiercely contested as it has ever been. Don’t count the Maroons out.

Volleyball set for last invitational before conference championship

The South Siders play their final matches before next weekend’s UAA Championship today and tomorrow. No. 19 Chicago can be confident looking at the lineup awaiting them at the Benedictine tournament. The Maroons will face North Central, Concordia Chicago, Carthage, and DePauw. DePauw could pose something of a threat—setter Faith Rolwes, ranked in the top 10 in the nation in assists per set, in particular has had an impressive season—but this could be an enjoyable weekend for the Maroons, as they hope to gain some momentum heading into conference.

Football looks for seventh win in UAA opener

After starting the season 4–0 the South Siders have lost two of their last three games as competition has drastically improved. Special teams have struggled this season: two blocked punts contributed to the loss against Rhodes, and missed extra points have haunted Chicago throughout the last four games. However, they now have the opportunity to gain some ground, as Case (3–3) and Carnegie (3–4) stand in the path of the Maroons, who have a good shot to enter their final regular season game against Wash U (5–2) with a record of 7–2.

women’s

Women’s soccer streaking into final stretch

The Maroon squad is currently in one of this season’s upward swings — the last one being when women’s soccer won four straight games from September 15th to 29th and proceeded to go winless until October 18th. Since then, though, Chicago (10–3–2) has won three straight games but has only three games remaining against NYU (7–5–3), Brandeis (9–5–1), and Wash U (14–1). Defense has been the South Siders’ forte this year, allowing only .63 goals per game in their last eight, but the offense has picked up as of late, and that’s what the Maroons will need more of to finish the season with an exclamation point.

—the Sports Editors