112213 Chicago Maroon by The Chicago Maroon

FRIDAY • NOVEMBER 22, 2013

CHICAGOMAROON.COM

ISSUE 15 • VOLUME 125

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892

E&R rule changes fall one vote short Joy Crane Grey City Editor After two postponements, the vote to substantially revise Student Government’s Elections and Rules Committee (E&R) bylaws failed to pass in yesterday’s Assembly meeting. The proposed changes, which aim to create greater transparency though publicly accessible meetings and minutes, fell one vote short of the two-thirds majority required for changes to SG’s bylaws. The SG Assembly delayed the vote first in October to give newly elected first-year representatives time to study the proposed changes, and then again in early November due to the meeting’s time constraints. SG took up

the matter in response to a controversial election season last spring , when E&R was accused of bias in addressing multiple accusations of campaign rules violations. “I think that people are just being cautious in how we proceed and it takes two-thirds of the assembly in order to change the bylaws,” said SG president and fourth-year Michael McCown. “So it’s not surprising that there are still disagreements that need to be worked out.” A poor showing of just 19 committee members coupled with two no votes and four abstentions led to the near-miss of the proposal’s passing. Two representatives, class of E&R continued on page 2

Large fire guts Central shuttle The central shuttle caught fire on 55th and Woodlawn at around 5:15pm on Tuesday evening. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire was unknown at press time. Article on page 3. JAMIE MANLEY | THE CHICAGO MAROON

“Coffin march” at Univ. draws crowd after downtown senate hearing Jonah Rabb News Staff

Protestors from Fearless Leading by the Youth (FLY) and Students for Health Equity (SHE) carry coffin effigies painted with the names of communities that could benefit from a trauma center at the University. PETER TANG | THE CHICAGO MAROON

Over 150 community members and UChicago students protested this past Wednesday for the establishment of an adult level-1 trauma center on the South Side. Billed as a “Coffin March Protest,” the event came after a hearing on the same day hosted by state senator Mattie Hunter (D) in response to new research about “trauma deserts.” The last protest to create a level-one trauma center was held right after Alumni Weekend this year. Protesters held a demonstration on the quads hoping to gain

attention and draw support from alumni. Wednesday’s protest was organized by the Trauma Center Coalition, a group composed of Fearless Leading by the Youth (FLY), Southside Together Organizing for Power (STOP), Students for Health Equity (SHE), Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, and Reclaiming InnerCity Streets and Elevating Chicago (RISE Chicago). It comes six months after Dean of Pritzker School of Medicine Kenneth Polonsky publicly expressed support for the establishment of a trauma center, according to activists.

The protesters marched along South Cottage Grove Avenue from East 61st Street, accumulating the majority of community members and students on their way to South Maryland Avenue and East 58th Street, where the bulk of the demonstration was staged. In memory of those that lost their lives without the advantage of a trauma center on the South Side, the demonstrators carried two coffins, each adorned with South Side neighborhood names. Those leading the protest distributed flowers to be placed on the coffin upon the conclusion of the TRAUMA continued on page 2

Aramark workers gear up for negotiations University mourns Isaac Stein Maroon Contributor Currently in the middle of electing a union president, the University’s dining hall and food service workers are gearing up for contract renegotiations with their employer, food service provider Aramark, next spring. Aramark employees, who are classified as contractors because the University does not directly pay them, are hoping for higher wages and less emphasis

on seniority in benefits. They are represented by Teamsters Local 743: the Warehouse, Mail Order, Office, Technical, and Professional Employees Union. Linda Smith, a cook and the acting union steward for Bartlett Dining Commons, believes that currently negotiated yearly wage increases for the employees are insufficient to keep up with the cost of living. “Over the past few years, the customary increase in wages, year over year, has been 30 cents. It’s

simply not enough to pay the bills. We need a better contract next year,” Smith said. Smith’s claim of a 30-cent wage increase is verified for 2012 and 2013 by the wage table provided in the workers’ current contract. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased by 3.2 percent in 2011 and 2.1 percent in 2012. Assuming a $10.50-perhour salary, which is the lowest ARAMARK continued on page 3

Abbie Harper, 23 Stephanie Xiao Associate News Editor Abbie Harper, a second-year student in the Law School, died last week. Her body was found in her Regents Park apartment last Thursday night. She was 23. According to an e-mail sent to the Law School community by Dean Michael Schill and Dean of Students Amy Gardner, Harper died of natu-

ral causes. She is remembered for her intelligence, compassion, creativity, love for her family, and faith. “[Her parents] asked that we share with you that they are comforted by Abbie’s strong Christian faith and by how happy she was to be a student at the Law School,” Schill and Gardner wrote. “We hope we can take solace in the fact that... Abbie knew this was the place she HARPER continued on page 2

IN VIEWPOINTS

IN ARTS

IN SPORTS

Sorry I’m not sorry: In defense of viewpoints » Page 4

For the Lyric Opera, Wagner’s Parsifal is Holy Grail » Page 8

Men and women poised for NCAA Championship » Back Page

Letter: Equity does not preclude marriage » Page 5

Letter from Vienna: Having it all by taking none » Page 10

Maroon turnovers hand victory to UW–Whitewater » Page 11

THE CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | November 22, 2013

State Senator Hunter to convene meeting with South Side hospitals, SHE activist says TRAUMA continued from front

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YOUR AD HERE advertise in the MAROON ADS@CHICAGOMAROON.COM

Nov. 14Nov. 20

Robbery

Attempted robbery

Battery

Burglary

Criminal trespass to vehicle

Damage to property

133

Other report

Assault

Theft

Trespass to property

Arrest

Traffic Violation

» November 16, 5500 South Ellis Avenue, 1:58 a.m.—A UCPD officer discovered a motorist unconscious in a vehicle. The motorist was removed from the vehicle and transported to the ER. » November 18, South Woodlawn Avenue between East 55th & 56th Streets—Between 7:40 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., an unknown person(s) gained entry to a private residence by breaking a side window. The suspects removed property from the home. The case has been turned over to the CPD for investigation. » November 18, 1330 East Midway Plaisance—Be47th tween 2:30 and 3 p.m., an unknown person broke into a parked vehicle and took a DVD player, GPS, and pager. » November 19, 1116 East 59th Street, 7:37 p.m.—A group of young males were involved in an argument that resulted in a physical fight. The UCPD detained one suspect, who was turned over to CPD. » November 20, Levi Hall, 9 a.m.—Scratches were found on the exterior surface of a second floor hallway door. The cause is unknown.

CLASSIFIEDS

Since Sept. 23

Source: UCPD Incident Reports

Type of Crime

51st 53rd

55th

Blackstone

The advocates for the trauma center announced Polonsky’s phone number at the protest and encouraged UChicago students and parents to call him. “U of C needs to take into consideration what their students feel,” said FLY lead organizer Veronica Morris-Moore during the protest. Hunter’s hearing featured testimony from doctors, community leaders, and UChicago students. According to fourthyear SHE member Patrick Dexter, all of the testimony was in support of the trauma center. Dexter said that Hunter has agreed to convene a closed-door meeting with representatives from major South Side hospitals, including UCMC, to see what progress can be made with this issue. The date for the meeting has not yet been set.

Here are this week’s notables:

57th

59th 60th

62nd

University

protest. Several demonstrators took turns speaking to the crowd, encouraging others to keep fighting for those that have lost their lives on the South Side. “With each protest, we’re getting one step closer. We’re trying to open up more of a dialogue with University,” said Zan Adams, cofounder of RISE Chicago, an organization created to support the efforts of establishing a trauma center. Adams said he founded RISE two days after his friend was shot and killed on the South Side last May. On May 28, he was able meet with Polonsky. Regarding UCMC’s stance on establishing a level-one trauma center, he said, “They haven’t been open to the idea at all. They say they don’t have enough money, space, [or] resources.”

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.

S. Lake Shore

—Additional reporting by Carolyn Kang

Weekly Crime Report By Marina Fang

S. Hyde Park

was meant to be.” In an e-mail to the Maroon, Gardner also emphasized Harper’s academic success and how much she enjoyed her classes. “Abbie was an exceptional Law School student. She was happy to be in class, and her professors talked about the joy with which she approached even the sometimes-stressful situation of being called on under the Socratic method of questioning,” Gardner said. Originally from Maryville, Tennessee, Harper graduated with degrees in journalism and political science from Miami University in Ohio in 2012 before matriculating at the Law School as part of the class of 2015. She was active in the Law School’s Women’s Mentoring Program, the Christian Legal Society, and intramural volleyball. She also mentored undergraduates through UChicago Careers in Law. Second-year law student Jessica Gonzalez, the president of the Christian Legal Society, remembered Harper as one of her first friends on campus. “Moving to Chicago was a huge shock to begin with, and it was something I bonded with

2015 representative Aseal Tineh and Graduate Council chair and second-year M.B.A. candidate Josh Johnston (A.B. ’04), voted against the changes, voicing concerns about the potential for personal attacks and the need for discretion when dealing with allegations of electoral rule violations. Community and Government Liaison and second-year Tyler Kissinger defended the changes, stressing that the proposed ban on anonymous complaints would strengthen SG’s accountability. “I am very supportive of public complaints,” he said. “I understand the concern about backlash, but my feeling is that a lot of what happened last year— the reason it got so intense—was because E&R was so closed off to the public.” Other proposed changes involved the inclusion of at least one graduate school member on the five-person committee and

Cornell

HARPER continued from front

a prohibition on early campaigning and promises of personal favors by candidates. An overhaul to the appeal process, whereby E&R decisions on a complaint may be challenged, would permit the person who appealed to be present while the SG Cabinet adjudicates on the E&R decision. McCown said that a revised version of the new E&R bylaws would be introduced at the next Assembly meeting third week of winter quarter and was optimistic that it would ultimately pass. “There’s really just this one sticking point: whether the meetings will be open or whether they will be closed. I think that what will end up happening is a compromise will be made around that or an amendment will be made, and we will proceed,” he said. The next SG Assembly will be just three weeks before the new members of E&R will be chosen.

E&R continued from front

Stony Island

COURTESY OF THE DAILY TIMES

her over since she also came from the South,” Gonzalez said. “When I think about Abbie, I think about someone who was very giggly. The first time I saw her, she was uplifting.” Harper was also an avid writer who enjoyed reading and discussing literature with her short story club. “She was really creative. That week before she passed...we met for breakfast and read the short story she picked out, ‘Babes in the Jungle’ by O. Henry. She seemed to like the way that he gave such a surprise ending,” Gonzalez said. Harper was “pursuing her dream to help internationally underprivileged communities,” according to her hometown newspaper. She worked at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies in Johannesburg, South Africa last summer as part of the Law School’s international human rights program. In the essay she was required to write at the end of the program, her “humility and passion” for her work shone through clearly, Gardner said. “Abbie truly cared about her fellow students…. Her personality came through most clearly in her suggestions for future students, where she provided detailed directions on how to avoid mistakes she had made,” Gardner wrote. “She went to such lengths to help make it less stressful for future students to move to Johannesburg and help others.” “What I enjoy and remember her most by is just her honesty and transparency,” Gonzalez said. “She was completely relatable. Even though she’s had all these experiences, she was so down-to-earth, and she was always someone I was very comfortable talking to.” Most of all, Harper loved and was loved by the many members of her family, including her new nephew. According to Gardner, she had already started her Christmas shopping. Harper is survived by her parents, her three sisters, her brother-in-law, her nephew, and her four grandparents. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. this Sunday at Bond Chapel.

SG president confident bill will pass after changes

Ellis

Harper remembered for “honesty and transparency” and down-to-earth attitude

Cottage Grove

*Locations of reports approximate

The MAROON is on Twitter! Follow us @ChicagoMaroon for live updates and on-the-scene photos!

THE CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | November 22, 2013

Sudden fire forces Central University buys Harper shuttle evacuation Court for just under $100 million Isaac Stein Maroon Contributor

At approximately 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, a University shuttle bus caught on fire at the corner of East 55th Street and Woodlawn Avenue while waiting at a stoplight. According to the UCPD officer that was first on scene, neither the bus driver nor the students that were on the bus, a Central shuttle, were injured or hospitalized. The officer, who declined to state his name, said that the fire “was put out within roughly ten minutes.” The officer said that the cause of the fire was still unknown. First-year Miranda Wei was on the shuttle and said there were warning signs, but she didn’t notice anything extremely out of the ordinary until the shuttle reached 55th street. “I think even when we were at Reynolds, it did smell kind of strange. But it’s UChicago—there’s construction everywhere—so I didn’t really consider it. By the time we got to 55th and we were stopped there, there was smoke coming

out, and it was only from the front of the bus,” she said. “It got to the point where there was a column of smoke. It was clearly, ‘Something’s wrong.’” Wei said that the fire started out small but quickly grew larger, until it “basically covered the entire front panel of the bus.” The shuttle driver shepherded everyone off the bus when she noticed the column of smoke, Wei said. Wei said that the shuttle was full when it caught fire and estimated that 20 people were on it. Anthony Griffin, who identified as the third UCPD officer on scene, said that the bus fire was unprecedented. “In seven and a half years of service, I have never seen anything like this,” Griffin said. University spokesperson Jeremy Manier said the bus fire is “the first one in [his] memories” and an isolated incident. Though the cause of fire is currently unknown, the shuttles’ vendor will inspect all other vehicles, according to Manier. —Additional reporting by Ankit Jain and Linda Qiu

Evangeline Reid Maroon Contributor Days after Harper Court’s star-studded ribbon cutting, the University has bought up the newly opened 12-story office tower and retail complex. The $98 million deal was closed on November 14. The contract with Harper Court Partners, the property’s developer, included the option for the University to acquire the property after the building’s opening. In the deal, the University purchased the 150,000-square-foot office tower, more than 75,000 square feet of retail, and two parking garages, as well as rigths to land for Phase II. In a press release, Associate Vice President for Commercial Real Estate Jim Hennessy said the school does not intend to own the property permanently, but the temporary purchase allows the University to facilitate the process of finding a permanent owner. Director of Communications for Civic Engagement Calmetta Coleman said in

an e-mail, “By taking ownership now, the University can make decisions about the conditions of a sale, help guide the future of the complex, and guarantee that it continues to support a mix of amenities that complement existing businesses in the 53rd Street corridor and reflect the kinds of retail options local residents want.” Coleman explained that by continuing its involvement in the property, the University is furthering its stated goal “to ensure that Harper Court includes a mix of national, Chicago-based, and locally-owned businesses, and that those businesses include South Side residents in their hiring plans.” The University expects to put the property on the market in 2014, she said. Harper Court opened on November 8 with a ribbon cutting ceremony, where Grammywinning artist Estelle performed and Mayor Rahm Emanuel was in attendance. The new economic hub is intended to spur other developments and job opportunities along 53rd Street.

@rtifice recycles old electronics to energize young minds Andrew Ahn News Staff One man’s e-waste is another man’s treasure. That’s the concept behind @rtifice, a youth center in Woodlawn, created this summer by a group of UChicago affiliates. Envisioned as an effort to transform South Side neighborhoods, the center is stocking up on old computers, hard drives, cameras, and other discarded electronics and turning them into learning opportunities. The goal: help local high school students gain technological and business skills. Its pilot program will launch December 2 in an empty storefront on East 63rd Street and South Blackstone Avenue, a location arranged by 20th Ward Alderman Willie Cochran. The center will use project-based, hands-on learning, revolving around

four main “skill trees”: web development, mobile apps, computer hardware basics, and robotics/electrical engineering, according to cofounder Adam Hammond, the curriculum director for the Biophysical Sciences Ph.D. program. “The idea is that there are skill trees that students can climb at their own rates. When you achieve something, you unlock a selection of other things, and that’s part of the motivation we’re trying to provide…. The higher you go in the skill trees, the more access you will have to cool stuff,” he said. “We’re trying to push skills, not degrees, because skills will get you hired,” added cofounder and fourth-year biophysics Ph.D. candidate James Crooks. Part of @rtifice’s vision is that these endowed skills will help students eventually create small businesses that can help the Woodlawn neighborhood and surrounding areas.

“We’re introducing technolog y as a producer and not just as a consumer and user,” Crooks said While Crooks, Hammond, and cofounder Ashley Lane (A.B. ’11) do not have educational backgrounds in technolog y, they chose to center the organization around it because they predict technolog y will produce the most economic return. “We have disadvantaged people who need skills that can be flexible in getting a job or starting a business. You need something where the discrimination barrier is going to be minimal, and something where low financial capitals can framework things. Tech is that field,” Crooks said. Beyond endowing skills, @rtifice also aims to be a safe place where kids can relax and have fun. Complementary to the “skill trees,” a point system will allow students to earn bids to control the snacks and music and to gain permanent rewards, such as

titles that reflect progression. “We want kids to come through the doors because they already want to be there,” Hammond said. The pilot program will contain fewer than a dozen high school students from the South Side who have been nominated by their teachers. They will undergo a “boot camp” that covers all four main skills. Lane said that the pilot will help solidify the “skill trees” and inform the program’s future plans. According to Crooks, the group has recently filed for RSO status in hopes of recruiting undergraduate and graduate students. While interest in the program is high, Lane feels that @rtifice can still use all the help it can get. “I spent 11 hours yesterday in a cold room waiting for AT&T and Comcast, who have dropped the ball multiple times, to show up to install the Internet,” she said. “We’re fighting the power.”

Employees hope to get higher wages, fairer seniority rules in upcoming negotiations with Aramark ARAMARK continued from front

wage paid to Aramark employees at the University according to the current contract, a 30cent increase would represent a 2.85-percent wage increase. Smith also argued that the workers’ wages are insufficient when compared to those of food service employees elsewhere. According to the existing contract between Aramark, the University, and Local 743, starting pay for Aramark employees working at the University ranges from $10.50 to $13.40 per hour, depending on job description. “Maybe, once upon a time, wages used to be competitive around here. But I’ve been hearing a lot recently about how so-andso makes a dollar more per hour in other states, given the same experience and same job,” Smith said. One dining hall worker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, expressed similar

sentiments. “I have friends in the South who are also in food service, and who pull 16, 17 dollars an hour, starting pay. At an institution like this, the least they could do is be competitive,” the worker said. Smith would also like to see changes to Aramark’s consideration of seniority in employee benefits. In the existing contract, the duration of an employee’s work history with Aramark is factored into processes including, but not limited to, determining wages, yearly allotment of vacation days, and funeral leave. For example, according to Article 12 of the contract, “employees who have completed three months of employment shall, upon notification to their supervisor, be allowed three working days off upon the death of a member of the employee’s immediate family.” This allotment increases to five days

after an employee has worked for 10 years. While Smith believes that seniority is a legitimate way to determine wages, she said that she would like to see the seniority time decrease significantly. “Ten years is a long time. Some of those clauses, which permit a significant increase in a benefit only after working for 10 years, are ridiculous,” Smith said. Some dining hall workers also expressed a desire to be able to use University gym facilities, which they currently cannot do. While students receive free gym memberships and faculty may purchase them, contractors at the University are generally not allowed to buy them in the first place. Another dining hall worker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, used to play basketball at Ratner Athletics Center after work. While he did not have a gym membership, friends employed at

Ratner would allow him in. “Up until two years ago, me, a few other guys, and a small group of students used to go play ball at around 9 p.m. Eventually, the gym stopped letting me and the other contractors in because we didn’t have memberships,” he said. “Under the current system, we can’t even buy memberships if we want to. It would be a nice thing to do if the University let us in. Basketball is a good stress release. Exercise like that helps keep people off the streets.” Jennifer Coleman, assistant athletic director at Ratner, confirmed the worker’s claim that contractors at the University, including Aramark employees, are not eligible to purchase gym memberships, citing space concerns. “We are currently operating at full capacity, and it is difficult to allow in significantly more members while maintaining the quality of the facilities and

programs that exist,” she said. However, she also noted that a few contractors, employed by Facilities Services, had purchased memberships despite the policy. “For a lot of contractors, using the gym facilities here may not make sense, as they don’t live close by. But over the past several years, there have been roughly 10 long-term contractors, Facilities [Services] contractors, who saw a lot of benefit in being able to use the gym. They asked if they could buy memberships, and they were able to,” Coleman said. Coleman also suggested that the policy could be subject to review if dining hall employees, Local 743, or the public asked for such action. “We are rarely asked for the option [to purchase gym memberships] by contractors, their unions, or their employers. If people asked, we would definitely stop and reconsider,” Coleman said.

VIEWPOINTS

Editorial & Op-Ed NOVEMBER 22, 2013

Tech support More opportunities to learn computer skills benefit students, regardless of major 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

As computing skills become increasingly important in the modern job market, demand for computer science courses at UChicago has grown significantly over the past few years. In response, the Department of Computer Science has worked to make its classes available to as many students as possible and to increase the number of students who are at least conversant in the language of computers. But the computer science (CS) department is reaching the limits of its resources, and further funding from the administration and support from other areas of the University is needed, but absent. The University prides itself on the holistic nature of its education, yet the nature of a well-rounded education has changed. The University needs to respond to the higher demand for computer skills through increased opportunity in the CS department as well as in non-academic departments. Currently, the University offers

five different sets of introductory computer science courses of varying difficulty, three of which are for non-majors. The largest and most popular are the 120s sequence— designed for non-majors—and the 150s sequence—the introductory course for majors that also sees many non-major students, according to Anne Rogers, an associate CS professor. Many of the students who take these courses plan to apply the skills they learn to their own fields of study. Rogers said that last year, even after accepting 20 more students than originally planned into CMSC 121, the department had to turn away 75 students total from the two sequences. The University must ensure that it can provide these skills to all of the students who need and request them. The department is doing everything it can to accommodate the demand for these courses, yet does not have enough faculty and resources to do so. More funding could help

to add another section for these sequences each quarter, or to add more lab sections. Whatever the solution, advanced computer skills are becoming indispensable in many fields of employment. On the other hand, for those students not looking to use computer skills in their work lives, a less formal, non-graded option could be ideal. The University currently offers the less rigorous CMSC 105 and 106, the former of which saw only 29 of its 40 available spots filled this quarter. This indicates that students who are simply curious about programming or general computer skills are less inclined to commit to a quarter’s worth of class. A feasible alternative is for the University to support computer training through other departments. Recently, the University hosted a well-attended two-hour coding basics workshop on a Saturday; IT Services also holds training sessions for popular software. Career Advancement currently offers Mi-

crosoft Excel training to students in UChicago Careers in Business. These workshops could be extended to students outside of the program to supplement IT’s occasional offerings. Introductory workshops for coding and prevalent computer programs like Excel can provide a solid foundation for students interested in less technical fields. Our university is one that prides itself on the completeness of the life of the mind, and in the modern world computer skills are part of a truly complete education. Whether students need the skills for their future and current employment or are simply looking to gain as complete an education as possible, the University should facilitate opportunities for students to gain competency in computer programming and other technical capabilities.

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

COLIN BRADLEY Grey City Editor JOY CRANE Grey City Editor THOMAS CHOI Assoc. News Editor ALEX HAYS Assoc. News Editor HARINI JAGANATHAN Assoc. News Editor STEPHANIE XIAO Assoc. News Editor ELEANOR HYUN Assoc. Viewpoints Editor LIAM LEDDY Assoc. Viewpoints Editor ANNA HILL Assoc. Arts Editor TATIANA FIELDS Assoc. Sports Editor

Fift y years later, “ask what Sorry I’m not sorry: you can do” In defense of viewpoints John F. Kennedy’s legacy should extend beyond his assassination

A truly liberal stance allows for the expression of all perspectives, even conservative ones

Patrick Reilly Viewpoints Staff

Eliora Katz Viewpoints Staff

SAM ZACHER Assoc. Sports Editor PETER TANG Assoc. Photo Editor FRANK YAN Assoc. Photo Editor

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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

I have a suggestion for your next study break: At 12:25 p.m. today, spend a few minutes streaming MSNBC or Fox News, depending on your political leanings. At 12:30, once you’ve had your mindless affirmation of your own political views, close that window and bring up JFK’s inaugural address. Fifty years to the minute after our 35th president’s wide-open car rolled into Dealey Plaza in Dallas, click “Play” and take it in. There’s no better antidote to whatever small-minded bickering you just watched on cable news. In sharp contrast to an age when “politics” on the national level has become synonymous with this bickering, Kennedy urged, “Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.” While today’s elected leaders have channeled most of their energies toward quibbling over (or eliminating) healthcare.gov, Kennedy called Americans to “a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.” Today’s pundits seem unable to peer beyond 2016, yet Kennedy looked much, much farther ahead. “All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.” Kennedy outdid even these stirring lines with one final challenge, as relevant today as it was 50 years ago: “And so, my fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”

This was a president unafraid to think big and to ask his countrymen to do likewise. Yet according to academia’s current conception of Kennedy, the 35th President’s career went downhill from there. Even The New York Times has called him out: In a November 2011 op-ed, columnist Ross Douthat argued that “the kindest interpretation of Kennedy’s presidency is that he was a mediocrity whose death left his final grade as ‘incomplete.’ The harsher view would deem him a near disaster—ineffective in domestic policy, evasive on civil rights and a serial blunderer in foreign policy.” Douthat cites the Vietnam War as “Kennedy’s darkest legacy,” and, for good measure, mentions “adulteries that eclipsed Bill Clinton’s for sheer recklessness.” Following up on this sentiment two weeks ago, the Times concluded in a front-page article that the perception of Kennedy “has evolved from a charismatic young president who inspired youths around the world to a deeply flawed one whose oratory outstripped his accomplishments.” Perhaps Kennedy retroactively fell victim to the 21st-century postprivacy phenomenon of fixating on a prominent figure’s flaws and peccadilloes, rather than his accomplishments. He wouldn’t be the only president. We instinctively think of Monica Lewinsky at the first mention of Bill Clinton, but struggle to remember his aggressive intervention in the Balkans that saved countless lives. Jefferson still commands respect for his authorship of the Declaration of Independence and considerable accomplishments as president, but even those are now tainted by his owning JFK continued on page 6

It was a dark and dorm-y night. Unable to study in my room with the loud post–house meeting hubbub creeping up from the Kenwood lounge, I make my way to the fifth-floor study room. En route, I notice a violet poster hiding a crumpled, dejected piece of paper. Lifting it reveals an ad for a pro-life march in D.C. At the corner of the hall I catch another one of these prolife posters, this time layered in graffiti that spells “hands off my vagina.” The scene was more or less the same at the other two sad pro-life posters I passed before arriving at my destination. Is this what liberalism looks like? Vulgar graffiti on posters with which you disagree? Are all views acceptable today, except those which aren’t yours? After writing that article on my induction into the wonderful world of collegiate “humps and dumps,” I was surprised by the plethora of people who reached out to me, especially the handful of Muslim students and the one who explained how he was “pretty happy that someone put it out there for others to read; sometimes I feel like the rest of the school should understand or at least recognize our dilemmas.” But I was most stunned by how “offensive” my article seemed in the eyes of Maroon commentators and classmates alike. Yes, I know it’s not proper writer’s etiquette to respond to reader remarks, but we are living in a post-modernist

era where societal norms are meant to be broken, and almost anything goes (as long as it’s in line with post-modernist nondoctrine doctrine). Nonetheless, I am writing this not to buttress the virtues of my own article or to use as many Franco-English words as humanly possible, but because I realized something greater than my journalistic repute lies at stake: viewpoints. Not this section of the Maroon in particular, but viewpoints— perspectives, beliefs, opinions— as well as the ability to express, flirt, question, mull, and engage with them at large. It seems boys and dorm rooms aren’t the only magical entities here at U of C: It didn’t take long for me to recognize that each time I mentioned a particular, made a description, or stated my personal opinion in my articles or beyond, I would hear voices—soprano, tenor, and sometimes alto—crying “YOU ARE OFFENSIVE!” Why must my personal opinion be offensive? I am not claiming to know universal truths or platonic forms—I am merely describing my experiences and my personal ruminations of the befores and afters. My claims are not facts and shouldn’t be treated as such. In my previous column, I briefly shared my feelings on “humps and dumps”: how, despite the pressure to participate in that culture, I prefer to decline. By doing so, I am not professing that those who do engage in it while packing their “hills of flesh” into spandex and crop tops are immoral or wrong ; I PERSPECTIVE continued on page 6

THE CHICAGO MAROON | VIEWPOINTS | November 22, 2013

Double standards are unacceptable Member of the Coalition for Equitable Policing responds to last week’s UCPD Leadership Conversation Ben Chametzky Viewpoints Contributor Last Wednesday, at Student Government’s Leadership Conversation with the UCPD, students had an uncommon opportunity to engage with UCPD administrators face-to-face. One hundred students walked into the room with one message, stated clearly on the stickers they wore: “I stand against racial profiling.” On behalf of the Coalition for Equitable Policing (CEP), I thank Marlon Lynch and the rest of the UCPD leadership for participating and expressing a willingness to continue to meet with the student body for future discussion—especially considering that many issues raised in the Leadership Conversation demand further discussion. Despite this willingness, however, UCPD administrators failed to put forward

a coherent account of how the UCPD can reconcile the great responsibility of policing the public with the use of their private status to shield themselves from public inquiry. Chief Lynch stressed the full police powers of UCPD officers as well as the extensive scope of their jurisdiction, which spans from 37th Street to 64th Street and covers 65,000 people, the largest jurisdiction of any private police force nationwide. However, when it comes to whether contact cards (brief summaries of police stops that reveal their racial makeup, among other data) should be released by the UCPD upon request, Chief Lynch leaned on the University’s status as a private institution to justify withholding this vital information. Public police forces in Illinois release this information pursuant to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. But as part

of a private institution, the UCPD prefers to keep such information secret. Since the UCPD has full police powers within its jurisdiction, we find it unacceptable that the University refuses to release this kind of information.

“

UCPD made it clear that they do not treat students and community members the same way.

”

UCPD administrators also made it clear that they do not treat students and community members the same way. The UCPD does not deem the same behaviors “criminal” across these two demographics. One student posed a question about why students—espe-

cially white students—are unlikely to face repercussions for underage drinking or illegal drug use, when we know that black students and people who are not University-affiliated often face repercussions for these very same things. Chief Lynch’s response was to ask whether students preferred that the UCPD spend more resources policing drug and alcohol use among students. We would not. Not only would we prefer to see the UCPD not direct its resources toward minor offenses like substance possession as a matter of principle, but we hold that their current unequal enforcement of these policies is a situation that must end. The UCPD should not have policing priorities that it is unable or unwilling to enforce equally. Chief Lynch attempted to explain away the UCPD’s double standards by pointing to the fact that internal

procedures are available as an alternative means to discipline students, but not community members. While we appreciate Chief Lynch’s regard for students, this does not get past the fact that the UCPD does not currently provide equal treatment before the law. The University cannot have it both ways. On one hand, the UCPD touts its unprecedented reach and policing powers as being equal to those of public law enforcement entities; on the other, the UCPD claims that it does not have to release its policies, procedures, or contact cards because it is part of a private institution. The UCPD is the primary police force for tens of thousands of people, the vast majority of whom are not University-affiliated. At the hands of the UCPD, individuals face the same consequences that they would when confronted with the CPD: end-

less court dates, blighted job prospects, hefty fines, and jail time. The people policed by the UCPD, students and community alike, deserve a police force that is publicly transparent and accountable. CEP stands strong in our message. On Wednesday last week, the UCPD saw the number of students who agree with CEP’s priorities. The UCPD can continue to shroud itself in secrecy, undisclosed anti-bias policies, and intimidating complaint procedures. However, let us be clear: as long as the UCPD continues to shield itself from this sort of accountability, it is playing an active role in reinforcing exclusionary boundaries and disparate treatment before the law on Chicago’s South Side. Ben Chametzky is a second-year in the College and a member of the Coalition for Equitable Policing.

Letter: Equality does not preclude marriage A few summers ago, I worked at a major LGBTQ organization. I understand many people’s concerns about these sorts of organizations. We do need to continue to hold these organizations accountable, but that does not mean that they are not doing good work in the meantime. These groups, like the Human Rights Campaign, may be devoting a lot of resources to the marriage fight right now. However, no one would ever argue that the battle ends with marriage. These groups are

not disappearing anytime soon, and they will continue the struggle for equality. Marriage just happens to be an area where we have been winning recently. I also sympathize with the plethora of problems facing the LGBTQ community beyond marriage. However, it is unreasonable to attack progress in one area because it does not make progress in all areas. Marriage just happens to have a direct legal solution. In his op-ed “Marriage Is

Not the Answer” (11/19/13), Kris Rosentel singles out Roe v. Wade and the Civil Rights Act for not solving society’s underlying discrimination. He is right, but they did help people, and to this day they continue to help people. Both of these monumental cases did not help everyone in society and they did not address every issue each of those groups faced. Similarly, marriage equality does not address all of the issues the LGBTQ community faces, but it is a start. We cannot let perfection be

the enemy of the good. Some progress is better than none. I find that this article forgets what the marriage equality movement really stands for. It is not for marginalizing people. It is for the two men whose complicated adoption process was made even harder because they could not get married; it is for the couple who were trying to figure out who got custody of their children if anything happened to them; it is for the man I met who had to watch his partner

die on the other side of a hospital window because they were not married. These are not abstract examples. These are all people with whom I have met and talked. When I talk to others about marriage equality, I think about them. Is there still work to do in other areas? Yes, but we should never discourage progress when it comes to equality. —Robbie Newell, Class of 2014

Making bank Long-term reforms that European Central Bank implemented recently focus on building lender confidence—at a cost David Grossman Viewpoints Staff As bad as the financial crisis was in the United States, it is Europe that has felt the fallout of the global recession most strongly. Much of this has to do with the relative sizes of the two countries’ central banking systems. When Wall Street collapsed, the Federal Reserve quickly suspended the free fall by taking $1.2 trillion of mortgage-backed securities and other potentially worthless assets onto its own balance sheet. The masses might make a run on a bank, but no one would dare question the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The parallel could not happen with the European Central Bank (ECB), which is in charge of all 17 countries in the Eurozone. The ECB simply couldn’t assume the debts of entire bankrupt European countries and have that be the end of it; there’s just not enough money for that. Nevertheless, the ECB is still responsible for using regulations and policies to maintain the purchasing power of the euro, and subsequently the financial stability of all of Europe. In this process, it has to walk a fine line. Many banks have capital shortfalls that take

a long time to replenish; at the same time, the regulation intended to stabilize the system restores consumer confidence at the cost of lowered profit margins. Too many restrictions and the banks can operate freely in the present even though they will still eventually collapse under the pressure of past loans. Bottom line, the European banks are a mess. They’ve been putting off recognizing losses for so long that no one knows how much they’re really worth and no one feels comfortable depositing money. After decades of seeing the can kicked down the road, the ECB has finally decided to pick it up and recycle the whole thing. A new era of structural long-term reform is just beginning. First, the ECB is combing through the balance sheets of 128 major European banks to determine the number of non-performing loans (NPLs), which is the accounting term for debts that the bank has officially given up on collecting. Banks in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Ireland claim to have bad loans totaling seven to 16 percent of their assets (compared to just two percent for banks in Germany). Concern has been heightened by fears that these numbers have been artificially manipu-

lated by “forbearance,” the practice of easing the terms of borrowing for creditors in default of “bad loans” so that their debts may be reclassified as “good loans.” In addition to creating standardized rules to deal with NPLs, the ECB is planning to raise the corecapital ratio, a risk-weighted comparison of risk-free assets to risky assets, to eight percent. Analysts predict that banks will need to raise an additional $69 billion in capital to meet these new requirements, which will have to come first from internally generated profits and bond holders or—if that fails—from Europe’s bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). Although financially stable governments like Germany’s complain about others tapping the ESM when it is more “fair” for Italy, Spain, etc., to bail out their own banks, the independent move by Mario Draghi, president of the ECB, to provide an FDIC insurancetype mechanism has gone a long way towards stabilizing Europe. Deposits in a shaky bank tend to stay there a lot longer if a €500 billion fund is standing behind it saying “don’t you worry ’bout a thing, I’ll cover your losses in a pinch.”

Although media attention has been directed toward national debt, private debt owed to the banks has ramifications for economic growth far beyond that of public debt owed by troubled countries. When a country goes into debt, politicians aren’t generally smart enough to cut back spending, but when a household or corporation goes into debt, much of future income is spent servicing the interest on that debt rather than flowing into the economy in the form of consumer spending. The same International Monetary Fund that determined that private debt has a stronger burden on economic growth than public debt has found that in Portugal, Spain, and Italy, 50, 40, and 30 percent of debt is “owned by firms which cannot cover their interest payments out of pretax earnings.” When corporations in Japan took on too much debt and became “zombie companies” that could no longer grow, GDP was effectively frozen during what became known as Japan’s “lost decade” of economic growth in the 1990s. The same threat of long-term stagnancy is now threatening much of Europe. Another major concern in Europe is household debt, which in countries like the Netherlands and Ireland has

grown past 100 percent of GDP. In the United States, someone with a loan can simply “walk away” by handing back the keys and giving up both the house and what remains of mortgage payments. But in Europe this is not the case, and the choices for those with underwater homes are limited. In addition to the ECB’s new banking regulations, European governments need to fast-track bankruptcy and tax reforms to cut losses now and encourage long-term economic growth. For example, Portugal has pioneered out-of-court bankruptcy settlements that have reduced legislative uncertainty and allowed companies to quickly restructure and resume operations. When slashing government borrowing and spending was insufficient, Europe’s acute public solvency crisis was solved by international bailouts. The chronic issue of private debt now needs to be cured gradually by restoring consumer confidence and proceeding from there. For all the earlier conflicts of interest between European countries, they’re finally heading in the right direction, together. David Grossman is a first-year in the College.

THE CHICAGO MAROON | VIEWPOINTS | November 22, 2013

Modern politics could use some JFK JFK continued from page 4 and sleeping with slaves. These moments of indiscretion and errors in policy may have drawn notice only recently, but Kennedy’s legacy has long been dogged by a much darker matter: the vexing mystery of exactly what transpired 50 years ago today in Dallas. Amazon.com lists many books about the conspiracy theories surrounding the Kennedy assassination, some of which are currently crowding a display table at the campus Barnes and Noble, none of which can sate our morbid curiosity for the truth behind that day’s events. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston takes a decidedly more tasteful approach to the president’s assassination. An excellent series of chronological exhibits on the president’s life and career funnels into a narrow, dimly lit hallway with the words “November 22, 1963” studded into the wall. Walter Cronkite’s choked-up news report that the president had died loops continuously on three black-andwhite monitors. That’s all. The hallway opens up into the final exhibit, entitled Legacy. It’s undeniably difficult to assess that legacy, especially on the thorny issues of civil rights and Vietnam. However, we can confidently attribute a few accomplishments to Kennedy’s 1,063 days in office. Domestically, National Guard troops were sent to protect the Freedom Riders, the first legislation supporting Americans with intellectual disabilities became law, and a fledgling government agency received the audacious goal of putting a man on the moon. Abroad, the Cuban Missile Crisis was defused, the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was ratified, and the first Peace Corps volunteers deployed to Ghana and Tanzania. A perfect legacy? Perhaps not, but certainly more uplifting than the grisly events of November 22, 1963. Legislative accomplishments aside, heeding Kennedy’s soaring rhetoric would certainly serve us much better in 2013 than continuing to debate who pulled the trigger. If you’re eager for more after watching his inaugural address, I recommend his 1957 classic Profiles in Courage, the collected accounts of eight U.S. Senators who acted according to their conscience in the face of stiff public opposition. In some cases, their conscience required breaking party lines. Though never popular, such conciliation would be nearly unthinkable in today’s gridlocked Washington. Kennedy would have undoubtedly taken issue with our current state of political affairs. “We shall need compromises in the days ahead,” he wrote in the introduction. “Compromise does not mean cowardice. Indeed it is frequently the compromisers and conciliators who are faced with the severest tests of political courage as they oppose the extremist views of their constituents.” We don’t see that sentiment on Fox or MSNBC very often, do we? Patrick Reilly is a first-year in the College.

SUBMISSIONS The Chicago Maroon welcomes opinions and responses from its readers. Send op-ed submissions and letters to: The Chicago Maroon attn: Viewpoints 1212 East 59th Street Chicago, IL 60637 E-mail: Viewpoints@ChicagoMaroon. com The editors reserve the right to edit materials for clarity and space. Letters to the editor should be limited to 400 words. Op-ed submissions, 800 words.

Opinion should not be conflated with fact PERSPECTIVE continued from page 4 simply have personally reasoned to choose another code of dress and conduct. But let’s not delude ourselves: Our actions do affect each other. By choosing to attend the University of Chicago, we have decided to risk the life of fun in favor of that of the mind, and more importantly, we have decided to join a community. In joining this community, each student is associated with the associations of this university—Milton Friedman, cute squirrels, theory, and the like—but it also works the other way around. Each of our actions, accomplishments, and endeavors reflects on the University as well. By behaving according to excellence, we create an atmosphere, a culture of excellence, and a community of excellence; by acting with vice, well, I’ll refer you to Book I of Nichomachean Ethics for that. As Haleigh Miller correctly proclaimed in her Maroon op-ed last week (“Let Me Choose to Seal My Lips,” 11/19/13), we can do whatever we want in college. However, it seems myopic to think that an individual’s behavior does not affect her greater community. After all, even the greatest empire in history crumbled at the hand of the pursuit of individual pleasure according to Cicero, Polybius, and Montesquieu, among other great dead white men. Whether we like it or not, every woman is a representative of womankind, every man a representative of mankind, every Jew a representative of Judaism, and every UChicago student a representative of the University of Chicago. It may seem like a heavy burden, but this responsibility also holds an opportunity for greatness. There is certainly room to disagree, but ending the debate by claiming I’m “offensive” or “shaming” people does more harm than good and sheds light on the real hidebound party. I am happy to discuss, but how can I engage in productive dialogue when I’m told I am being offensive and judgmental by one who asks to be spared my “vomit-inducing prose that wouldn’t make it past a seventh grade creative writing workshop,” as one commenter wrote? The lack of respect for any opinion that is not in line with liberal doctrine is inherently not liberal. In effect, many of these champions of the “offended” morph into the very bigots they loudly claim to criticize. Nonetheless, respecting and tolerating another’s opinion does not mean I must accept it. Undertaking every opinion would leave me upholding none: As the Talmud

teaches, “Tafasta maruba lo tafasta” (If you have seized a lot, you have not seized) (Chagigah, 17a). I have principles, values, ideas, and boundaries that I live, eat, drink, greet a rainbow, and tie my shoes by, and I am far from ashamed of that fact. The line between constructive dialogue and acerbic castigation seems to have been fogged by a haze of political correctness and oversensitivity in recent times. Call me conservative, orthodox, traditional, or whatever word has now accrued a negative connotation in secular society, but a true liberal would respect my opinions for being mine. Why are my values less valuable than secular ones? I assume most people would be jarred by someone running naked through a mall. Coming from a sheltered environment,

a frat was a jarring sense experience for me—that’s my viewpoint. The critical voices I heard are appealing to liberalistic norms, which are valid, but why are those any better than mine? If values are subjective and relative, and individuals are entitled to their opinions, then by definition, my religious or moral ones should safely stand in the waning vortex of “valid.” Silencing differing voices not only leaves us with a bland milieu, but will turn human discourse into a stagnant monologue stuck on replay, stifling the very notion of progress. I am not asking readers to agree with me or to buy chastity belts; I simply would like to share my “viewpoint” sans unwarranted censure. Eliora Katz is a first-year in the College.

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For the Lyric Opera, Wagner’s Parsifal is Holy Grail MJ Chen Maroon Contributor Wagner is difficult to appreciate: His operas are far too dense and much too long to be easily accessible. I don’t mean that the plot is a mess or that the music is inherently chaotic. It’s more Wagner’s own way of combining sound and story that makes everything so complicated. For one, there aren’t a lot of clear-cut, memorable tunes in Wagner operas: He emphasizes drama instead and embraces less conventional forms of expression. This makes for a complex, constantly shifting soundscape that’s unlike anything else out there. And Wagner expects you to follow all the clever things he’s doing—for five straight hours. Just sitting in the theater for five hours is exhausting, much less taking it all in. But Wagner’s music is so brilliant precisely because it’s so challenging. His final opera, Parsifal, is a mesmerizing experience, and the Lyric Opera’s production is a masterpiece of both music and design. The story follows Parsifal, a youth in feudal Spain who wanders one day into the realm of the Grail Knights. The Holy Spear has been stolen from the Order, and Amfortas, the King of the Order, bears a wound that will not heal from a failed quest. Intrigued by Parsifal’s innocence, the old knight Gurnemanz leads him to the Grail, but he does not understand its power and is sent away. The evil sorcerer Klingsor

sends the witch Kundry to seduce the youth, threatened by his pure soul. Parsifal resists temptation and regains the Spear by the strength of his spirit, and a mature Parsifal returns to the Grail Knights in the opera’s powerful final act. The whole thing takes place on a tremendous, visually arresting set designed by Johan Engels; the sheer power of the

PARSIFAL Lyric Opera of Chicago Through November 29

staging is most obvious in the second and third acts. The stage for Klingsor’s castle is bleak and barren, with ominous neon-red tubes of light fanning out from the center. When the sorcerer enchants a garden to delay Parsifal, the shift in scenery is extraordinary. As the flower-maidens sweep into view, a light, pearly-pastel cloth sheet billows out and covers the stage in soft color. The maidens wear long, free-flowing robes with sleeves that flutter as they move, making Parsifal seem lost in a storm of shimmering bodies and gossamer voices. Klingsor’s death seems all the more brutal by comparison. He rises up on a platform from under the stage, directly in front of the blood-red lights. All extinguish but the center beam, ripping through the sorcerer from head to foot.

In the opera’s final scene, Parsifal (Paul Groves) holds high the Holy Grail while standing in a large gold hand. COURTESY OF DAN REST

Lyric cast the production brilliantly. Kwangchul Youn plays a grave, humble Gurnemanz. His voice is rich and paternal, and Youn brings some serious spirituality to the third act’s baptism scene. His deep bass notes resound powerfully over shimmering strings, creating a beautiful pastoral sound. Daveda Karanas’s Kundry is a weaker seductress but a sincere penitent. Her voice in the

third act, shed of its darker elements after the second, is honest, devout, and lovely. Tenor Paul Groves shines as a mature, heroic Parsifal. Again, his character is strongest in the third act, weary but triumphant. His voice glows, especially in the Good Friday scene. Here, the melody of the Grail is heard in the orchestra, carried by the French horns. The music is simple, holy, and utterly

sublime—one of the most beautiful moments in music. Parsifal is chock-full of intense, spiritual moments, but the final image is by far the most powerful. Parsifal, standing in the palm of a golden hand, raises up the Holy Grail. The opera closes with the theme of the Grail. High above the stage, a white dove descends from Heaven.

Artist’s hand-animated film returns to the rust belt Death

Chris Sullivan, whose hands are pictured above, spent 15 years “handimating” Consuming Spirits. COURTESY OF TAYLOR GLASCOCK

Robert Sorrell Arts Staff Rome wasn’t built in a day, as the saying goes, and neither was School of the Art Institute of Chicago professor and performance artist Chris Sullivan’s 128-minute epic animated film, Consuming Spirits. “Built” is a particularly apt term for Sullivan’s project, as each shot was constructed, animated, or acted out in stop motion, and then painstakingly filmed frame by frame. The timeline for his project? A staggering 15 years—and what a strange conglomeration of emotion

and memory he’s made. After moving on from the Chicago Film Festival to strong showings at the Tribeca, Milan, and other international film festivals in 2012, Consuming Spirits is returning to the heartland on Friday night for a special event at the Logan Arts Center. The result is sure to be even more unsettling than the sack of Rome, sans blood in the streets. A Q&A session with Sullivan will follow the event. The film follows three enigmatic small-town journalists—Gentian Violet, Victor Blue, and Earl Gray— as they negotiate the miasma of

moral decrepitude and bad memories that infect the air in Magguson, a small rust belt town. The relation-

CONSUMING SPIRITS The Logan Arts Center, Screening Room 201 November 22, 7 p.m.

ship among the three becomes more complicated as the film unfolds and switches between past and present. Sullivan began the project in 1996. “Shorter films I just wasn’t interested

in anymore,” he said in an interview with the Maroon. “It felt like there was something abbreviated about it. So I started working on this feature project. I thought I would finish in six or seven years, but I didn’t. It kept growing. I felt pretty lucky that it had questions and things pretty deep under my skin so I didn’t lose interest in it, or really know the answers. It was a somewhat organic adventure.” Over time, Sullivan’s fledgling film grew into a hybrid of media. He incorporates wispy, surreal pencil drawings, which he envisioned as faded photographs with the saturated, disturbing colors of his hand animations. Fascinatingly complex, his animations were drawn by hand onto glass and moved using needles. The result is strange, joltingly articulated figures that are both grotesque and fascinating. The viewer is instantly repulsed and intrigued by the exaggerated facial features and intense colors that depict the cantankerous, eccentric journalists. The film’s title brings up two prominent motifs: alcohol and ghosts of the past. Sullivan says that these things are very connected in the film. “One thing that’s kind of interesting is that, when I first started the film, it definitely had more to do with alcohol and with drinking, and as I kept working on it, I became more interested in the idea of the ghosts that haunt you, the things you can’t quite shake from your past,” Sullivan said. “It’s funny to have a film where there are people that will [just] walk out, and then there are people that CONSUMING continued on page 9

Grips, but just barely hangs on Zane Burton Arts Staff

Last Wednesday, Death Grips released its newest album, Government Plates, for free download on its website. A music video for each of the tracks on the new album was uploaded to YouTube along with the release, fueling some speculation that the album is actually the soundtrack for an upcoming film written and directed by the band’s drummer, Zach Hill. As is becoming the norm for Death Grips, there was no promotion around the record, or even a release date announced beforehand. While Government Plates was released in a similar manner to the band’s previous effort, No Love Deep Web, the sound is a definite departure from earlier releases—with mixed results. Perhaps most immediately noticeable, MC Ride’s lyrics are not a focus here. For example, on “This Is Violence Now (Don’t Get Me Wrong ),” MC Ride simply repeats some combination of the three bars: “This is violence now,” “This is,” and “Don’t get DEATH GRIPS continued on page 9

THE CHICAGO MAROON | ARTS | November 22, 2013

Friday | November 22 If you’ve grown tired of reading Shakespeare’s Hamlet, experience a new twist on the old classic by attending Hamletmachine, yet another compelling production put on by University Theater/Theater and Performance Studies. This 1977 work by Heiner Müller will be directed by Scarlett Kim and is sure to intrigue you and get you thinking with its postmodern flair. The Logan Center, Theater West, 7:30 p.m., $6 in advance, $8 at door. Saturday | November 23 Nothing beats spending a Saturday night in the heart of Chicago, surrounded by the twinkling lights, the bustle of shoppers, and

plenty of music and fireworks. Come out to the BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, now in its 22nd year. Festivities begin at 11:00 a.m., but you don’t want to miss the Tree-Lighting Parade at 5:30 p.m., featuring various floats and marching bands. Stick around for fireworks right over the Chicago River, and keep your eyes peeled for celebrities like Debby Ryan and Deborah Gibson. Try watching from Michigan Avenue’s supposedly less-congested east side. North Michigan Avenue, Oak Street to Wacker Drive, 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., free. What’s better than French cheese, French croissants, and the beautiful French language? Yup, French wine, and Beaujolais Nouveau, to be exact. If you’re a wine aficionado, be sure to check out the Beaujolais nouveau Wine Celebration

at the Chicago French Market. Try some of this four-month-old French red wine. Not over 21? Don’t worry. You’ll still have a good time, as there will be over 30 vendors offering their various products and a selection of delicious French fare. 131 North Clinton Street, 1:00–2:30 p.m., free. Sunday | November 24 Whether you’re 5 or 25, something about listening to someone recount a tale is fascinating, engaging, and relaxing. If your inner kid is calling out for story time, check out the Adult Evening Concert at The Chicago Storytelling Guild’s 17th Tellabration! at the Experimental Station just south of the Midway. Storytellers recognized regionally as well as nationally will grace the stage, from Mama Edie Armstrong to Jeff

Solotorff. This is, no doubt, an effective source of stress relief as you kick back, relax, and listen before jumping into the fury of ninth week. The Experimental Station, 6100 South Blackstone, enter from Dorchester. 7:00–10:00 p.m., $5. Christmas will be here before you know it. Jump into the festivities early and head to Rockefeller Chapel for Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, a relaxing and engaging musical performance that’s sure to put you in that special holiday mood. The Rockefeller Chapel Choir and various instrumentalists will accompany Kaitlin Foley, Angela Young Smucker, Matthew Dean, and Andrew Schultze as they perform Parts I–III of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Part III of Robert Kyr’s O Word of Light and Thunder. Rockefeller Chapel, 3:00–5:00 p.m., $20 or free with UCID.

Hemingway family’s collected stories don’t translate to screen Camden Bauchner Maroon Contributor There are certain established traditions of documentary filmmaking. In crafting a compelling narrative, one should always build vertically rather than horizontally. Instead of casting a wide net and only scratching the surface of a few subjects it’s essential to dive deeply into one. Another tradition, building off the last, is to get to the core of each character. None of this should come as news to Barbara Kopple, two-time Academy Award– winning director of the labor documentaries Harlan County U.S.A. and American Dream. But after viewing her new documentary, Running From Crazy, this wouldn’t be readily apparent.

RUNNING FROM CRAZY Barbara Kopple AMC River East

It starts off promising enough as Kopple follows Mariel Hemingway, the actress from Woody Allen’s classic Manhattan and granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, as she charts

the history of mental illness throughout her family. Unfortunately the film’s most glaring issues come to light soon after. No firm subject is established as the film meanders through many veins of inquiry, never staying long enough to examine anything thoroughly. Sometimes it seems the focus is mental health, other times Margaux, Mariel’s sister, and at other points the film seems stuck in the long shadow of Ernest’s legacy. Long interviews with Mariel stretch to eternity as she prattles on and speculates about what her sisters, father, and grandfather must have thought and felt. To her this illness seems a spiritual disposition native to the Hemingway clan, while in the 21st century we realize much of it has a genetic source, although the film probes the subject no further. Mariel’s sisters Margaux and Muffet seem more fertile ground for inspection. Margaux moved to New York in her teens, in the process becoming a famous model, gracing the cover of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar until falling from fame and succumbing to drugs and depression (she killed herself in 1996). Muffet, the oldest sister, has stories of bouncing on Picasso’s knee and running through town naked when she was a teen. In perhaps the most riveting scene of the film, Mariel goes to visit Muffet, who appears so crippled by her mental illness it’s nearly impossible to

Mariel Hemingway taking a rest after a long day of running from crazy. COURTESY OF CABIN CREEK FILMS

recognize her. The sisters’ father, the secretive Jack Hemingway, is the film’s most enigmatic character and the one most in need of further investigation. In the documentary’s most shocking twist, Mariel states firmly that her sisters were sexually abused by their father. But apart from this one scene of admission, the question is never raised again. Nor is the fact that in the ’90s Margaux accused her godfather of molesting her. It’s these missed opportunities that leave the audience oozing

“Government Plates lacks an urgency that was essential to its early albums” DEATH GRIPS continued from page 8 me wrong.” Without MC Ride’s usual stream-of-consciousness delivery, his presence feels less visceral and immediate than it did on earlier releases. To add to this effect, producers Zach Hill and Andy “Flatlander” Morin toy with MC Ride’s voice much more on Government Plates than on previous releases. The effect is that tracks like “I’m Overflow” and “Feels Like a Wheel” feel somewhat unfinished. Particularly on the second half of the album, it is disappointing that MC Ride doesn’t deliver more than a verse, or even more than just a few lines. While Death Grips’ instrumentation is aggressive on Government Plates, several of the beats are frustratingly repetitive. Specifically, “Whatever I Want (Fuck Who’s Watching ),” by far the longest track on the album, feels like a confused attempt to prove that Death Grips is immune to

the pressures of the mainstream music world—through, of all things, droning samples. While this is probably as close to true with Death Grips as it is with any other band, the decision to make this the song’s explicit message is questionable. Why would a band notorious for not showing up to live shows, for featuring an erect penis on previous album art, and for intentionally destroying their relationship with their previous record label care what anyone says? And yet in spite of this, the record’s lead single “Birds” is a stronger testament to Death Grips’ ability to ignore what people say. The track features the most melodic instrumental I have ever heard on a Death Grips track, and MC Ride’s flow is so relaxed that he almost sounds like he’s singing. “Birds” works because it covers new ground, rather than simply being a new, more repetitive version of old models. There are also a few tracks that successfully implement the sound of previous

Death Grips records. “You Might Think He Loves You For Your Money but I Know What He Really Loves You for It’s Your Brand New Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat” and “Anne Bonny” would have fit right in with the raw aggression on No Love Deep Web, and it’s a shame that this energ y stops dead in its tracks on the second half of the album. While much of the critical success of Death Grips has come from the band’s ability to consistently deliver unexpected and innovative music, Government Plates lacks an urgency that was essential to its early albums. Until this point, fans have put up with the antics of Death Grips because no other groups have been able to replicate the primal energ y of their records and live appearances. Lacking this energ y, Government Plates gives fans reason to reconsider their devotion to the band, particularly in light of the group’s recent series of live no-shows.

with frustration. Its not that the documentary is boring; it’s simply unfocused. All of the necessary elements are there, but they haven’t been pieced together properly. And it doesn’t help that the bard of this tale, Mariel, is the Hemingway least apt to discuss the disease she so brazenly pontificates about. Still, it is ultimately Kopple’s job to rein her in and retain creative control. In the immortal words of Ernest Hemingway, “there is never a failure of talent, only character.”

Chicago filmmaker Sullivan has new animation in the works CONSUMING continued from page 8 will say that’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen,” Sullivan said. “It definitely hits people in different ways. There is definitely an element of trust. You have to trust the film to believe it’s going to go to a certain place.” Luckily for film lovers, Sullivan is already working on an entirely handdrawn new project, The Orbit of Minor Satellites. “I’m getting this funny feeling that this film came to me and woke me up in the night and said, ‘I’m afraid you’re going to have to make me. This is important! Don’t fuck it up!’ But it’s kind of an exciting feeling—a sense of horrible responsibility.” But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We still have to grapple with Consuming Spirits.

THE 2013 THECHICAGO CHICAGOMAROON MAROON| |ARTS ARTS| |November November22, 1, 2013

ARTS from abroad Letter from Vienna: Having it all by taking none

View of a snowy house from the train in Northern Europe. ALICE BUCKNELL

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Alice Bucknell Arts Editor-at-Large The sprawl of city buildings somehow grows brighter as the train reels away from the Stockholm station. I can see individual office buildings trapped in a pasty yellow haze, individual offices brightening with fluorescent light as individual hands blindly swat at individual light switches with individual agitated coffee-deprived aggression. My head hits the seat’s ill-formed headrest, and I wake up way later in some icy tundra. It’s tinged blue-purple

from the cruel smothering of a 3 p.m. sunset, Schiele-esque scratches of wood houses and decomposing bridges barely stretching over frozen rivers. Mountains curl upward as far as I can see and slip into a crystallized snowy fog. I see no people, save a vaguely anthropomorphic cushioned blob tacking up the message, “SUMMER BIKE TOUR, FUN IN FINSE,” onto a whiteboard. The robotic chant of the train operator beeps overhead to inform me, first in Norwegian and followed quickly by English so chopped and cross-syllabic that it startles, that we’re passing through

Norway’s highest point at 1,220 meters above sea level. I decide to make good use of the completely empty cabin by stretching out across three seats to doze. I turn over and the collective crunch and sweet scent of October’s red-and gold-peppered leaves knocks the breath right out of me again. I’m stretched out on a pile of them somewhere in the neck of the Vienna Woods: The sun has done an almost perfect backstroke and is now right overhead. I’m up off the ground and looking skyward for some clarity, but when I come back down, the trees are now people and

the leaves are all cobblestone and I’m walking down another Quaint, OldTimey, and Romantic European street in Bratislava. No wait, isn’t this Munich? Or Budapest? The prickling sensation of panic blooms as several city maps fold into one and I realize in frustration that I can’t sever one experience from the other. Instinctively I pull out my smartphone, open up Maps, and sink right back into the blue-dotted bliss of geographical familiarity. It’s both the logical thing to do and exactly what you shouldn’t. Humans are blessed and cursed with the uncanny reflex of sensory compression: Memories are muted, desaturated, and categorized, in what is both an effort to safeguard us from constant sensory overload and an almost parental reminder that the past has passed. When this brainy defense goes up against a near-constant barrage of experiential novelties (i.e. travel), it shortcircuits our intellectual hardware, and precludes any sensory understanding. The effect is well understood by the mental exhaustion of a couple hours at a museum: Eventually your capacity to appreciate the art crumbles under the stress of having so much to look at, and somewhere between leaving one gallery and entering the next, the idea of taking in another round of paintings feels more like a burden than a luxury. In the same sense that the experiences of travel are bound by a fixed amount of time that we spend in a place, they are also restricted by a sensory monitor that can only process so much before it needs a break. Technology offers a sort of timebending solution to this human problem by reducing some of the demands made by whatever experience we’re chasing. While a camera or guidebook buffers the ennui of overexposure, allowing us

to bask in and maximize the value of the present for a while longer, the camera’s glass eye is also an additional layer between us and the world: It reduces the quality of experience in the same way it protects it. So maybe the problem is in the solution, or the mentality behind it. And perhaps that problem goes deeper than “Top 10 Things to Do in Paris” and “Best Bars in Berlin,” feeding into how we are told to remember, in terms of quantifiable objects that do have an apparent one-to-one equality with photographs. After seven weeks in just as many countries, these are the problems I’ve been grappling with, and here are the conclusions I’ve reached: It’s not as simple as switching off your camera and trading in your phone’s map for an intuitive directional pull that you think will lead you to the best sushi in Copenhagen. It’s about wandering without any sort of expectation, without hang-ups or preferences, without burdening yourself or the city with the need to understand precisely where you are at any given moment. It’s allowing your mind’s eye to stand in for the camera frame, sometimes focusing in on legendary architecture, sometimes leaves in the river, and sometimes nothing visual at all. Really it’s about achieving that same head space of perfect unassuming contentedness you get back in Chicago (or any familiar place) when you’re kicking at fresh snow and waiting for the #6 bus to whisk you into the city or back to class, the unambitious in-between moment where things lose their relative value and instead mean only what they are in the present, in and of themselves. For a more extensive version of this article, visit chicagomaroon.com.

Letter from Toledo: A shortcut to mushrooms Lily Gordon Arts Staff As a lifelong pescatarian who eats limited amounts of seafood and dairy, I braced myself for a diet change before beginning my quarterlong homestay in Toledo, Spain. My plan was to embrace as many traditional foods as possible while still avoiding meat and poultry (yes, that includes jamón ibérico). I expected cod, sardines, and wheels of Manchego, and my host mother does regularly prepare seafood paella, sardines in vinegar sauce, and grilled goat cheese with honey. What I didn’t expect, though, was the abundance of wild mushrooms, or setas, that awaited. Autumn and spring are the mushroom seasons in Spain—I had arrived just in time. Back at home, I would always jump at the opportunity to order dishes with shiitakes, chanterelles, enokitakes, or king trumpet mushrooms, most of which are cultivated or imported. But I’d never tried a succulent saffron milk cap (Lactarius deliciosus), a vibrant yellow and orange Caesar’s mushroom (Amanita caesarea), or giant knight mushroom (Tricholoma colossus), and I’d never seen a selection of over 20 recently harvested mushrooms like that boasted by one vendor at La Boqueria, a bustling market in Barcelona. My host mom introduced me to the mush-

rooms of Spain in October after her 30-something-year-old son had hauled home a crateful. He had foraged them, along with some chestnuts, in the mountains of El Real de San Vicente, the nearby pueblo of more than a thousand inhabitants where both he and his mother had grown up. He spent many a day from the time he was a child hiking in La Sierra de San Vicente, making a hobby of hunting for setas. When I expressed interest in learning more about Spain’s mushrooms, my host mother appeared at my bedroom door with a stack of mushroom-identifying guidebooks with Post-it notes marking the species native to her pueblo. She explained that the region attracts mycologists and aficionados and that she has recently observed a renewed interest in mushroom foraging there. Since then, I have tapear-ed (“tapa”-ed) in Madrid on croquetas de boletus, croquettes filled with a silky porcini purée; I have eaten black rice with setas in a macrobiotic restaurant in Barcelona; I have tried setas a la plancha grilled with olive oil, garlic, onion, and parsley, the most common way to prepare them in Spain; and I have indulged in my host brother’s foraged raw Caesar’s mushrooms (€19 for 400 grams) drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. Along with a new Spanish vocabulary in the realm of fungi, I also have the triumph of finding a mushroom in the wild to recall and cherish

A mushroom vendor’s selection at La Boquerìa, a market in Barcelona. LILY GORDON

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with my next bite. When I accompanied my host mom and her friends for a day hike on one of the spiky chestnut shell–covered trails of La Sierra de San Vicente on a zero-degree Celsius day, now and then we would pass somebody

in the forest with a wicker basket and brush to dust off foraged treasures. And after venturing off the path for a few minutes and scanning the ground covered in crunchy brown leaves for mushrooms, I found my first porcini.

THE CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | November 22, 2013

Maroon turnovers hand victory to UW–Whitewater Women’s Basketball

Women’s basketball lost to UW–Whitewater 90–76 on Tuesday. Above, third-year Ellie Greiner goes in for a layup during a game against Washington University last season. COURTESTY OF JOHN BOOZ

Adam Freymiller Maroon Contributor The Maroons (2–1) returned to action against No. 2 UW–Whitewater (3–0) on Tuesday evening. A competitive matchup that was keenly contested until its final stages provided insight on the team’s offensive strengths and its areas for improvement, as Chicago lost by a score of 90–76. From the outset, the balance of play seesawed from team to team. The Warhawks jumped out to a 5–0 lead before the Maroons charged back to go ahead 14–10. Nerves appeared to have an influence on the play of both teams; the Warhawks got into foul trouble early in the half, and both teams committed multiple turnovers. The teams even-

tually settled into their offensive grooves, and at halftime the Warhawks led by four points, 39–35. Following the break, the game continued at a breakneck pace as both teams traded points to keep matters close, but a few inopportune turnovers for the Maroons allowed the Warhawks to use their dynamic speed and high-tempo transition offense led by fourthyear guard Kaitlyn Thill to capitalize and build a 58–46 advantage. Chicago had an opportunity to turn things around after a Warhawk technical foul and a three-pointer by fourth-year guard Julie Muguira cut the lead to 58–54, but the Warhawks’ unrelenting offense and defensive press pushed Chicago into a few forced passes and more

turnovers. The Warhawks took a double-digit lead in the final minutes and held on for the 90–76 win. Chicago might take consolation from the fact that the Warhawks, as of the most recent rankings, are the second-ranked team in the nation and finished as runners-up in the 2013 Division III Championship last March. But as encouraging as it was to play a top-tier squad so close, the Maroons aren’t satisfied with merely competing. “Tonight’s game showed that we are more than capable of competing with the best teams in the country. However, no one on our team is happy just competing. At this point, there are a lot of little things we need to get better at, and I think this game gives us extra motivation to go work hard and focus on improving,” said Muguira, who led Chicago with 24 points and 11 boards. Third-year guard Claire Devaney, who contributed 14 points and 8 rebounds, also emphasized the importance of reducing turnovers in the next game. “We had a lot of unforced turnovers, and that really killed us. It was hard to get a good momentum going when we were turning the ball over on so many of our possessions,” she said. Still, head coach Carissa Sain Knoche and many players remain optimistic about the team’s prospects this season. “I’m disappointed because, had we done a few things better, I believe we could’ve competed on a higher level, but this group is resilient and I’m certain it will learn from this experience and be better for it,” Sain Knoche said. Chicago’s next game will be against the Manchester Spartans (1–1) this Saturday at Ratner at 2 p.m.

Gage: “We’re going to have to stay composed” MBBALL continued from back

advantage this weekend in the Lopata Classic at Wash U. The Maroons will face Whitman (0–0) on Friday and Rose-Hulman (0–0) on Saturday. Although neither Whitman or Rose-Hulman have played yet this season, they finished 19–8 and 24–4 last season, respectively. Fourth-year forward Charlie Hughes isn’t worried. “I feel good going into this weekend,” Hughes said. “We’ve got the talent to play with anyone, and

hopefully that will show in both games.” In addition to becoming comfortable with the new offense, Chicago has a few more roadblocks to overcome as well. “Our biggest weakness has been sustaining effort and focus for long periods of time. I think a lot of it is mental, and we’ll get better,” Gage said. Whitman scored over 90 points in 13 of its 27 games last season, so the game against the Missionaries will likely be high scoring , especially if the Maroon

offense, led by Hughes and third-year point guard Royce Muskeyvalley, clicks as it did against Lake Forest. “We are going to have to stay composed,” Gage said. “There will be times during the games when the other team makes a run. We have to make a conscious effort to stay calm and stay together when those runs inevitably happen.” Chicago tips off against Whitman on Friday at 6 p.m. and the Rose-Hulman Fightin’ Engineers on Saturday at the same time.

Squad optimistic ahead of Fall Classic Swimming Frannie Franklin Maroon Contributor It’s that time of year again: both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving squads are preparing for their annual Phoenix Fall Classic, where the Maroons will compete against seven other Midwest schools over a period of three days. Though the season just started in early October, the men and women are already off to a promising start, both squads winning their first two meets. The men’s team took the W at Wheaton in early November (147–97) and again a week later at home versus Wash U (190.5–94.5). The women also clinched two wins against the same schools (130–118 and 157–139 respectively). The South Siders are as strong as ever. Their determination and endurance have cultivated much success thus far, and it is understood among the athletes that they must maintain this work ethic going into this weekend. “This is the first taste of what conference will be like. It reminds us why we work so hard and put in all the hours we do,” said

third-year captain Sofia Gross. “There’s no better feeling than when we come together as a team, and that always happens at the Phoenix Fall Classic.” As the physical training becomes more intense, the relationships outside the pool have also grown stronger. The first-year swimmers have integrated into the team and are anticipated to perform well. “The first years have become a vital part of the team,” second-year Bryan Bunning said. Bunning, along with his teammates, looks forward to watching the newcomers compete this weekend, possibly even shattering a few records in the near future. First-year Mantim Lee and second-year Brian Weisbecker have been out of practice on the men’s side. Their return to practice and eventually to competition will be critical, as they are key members of the team. In the past, Chicago has raced well at Phoenix, often beating several DI and DII schools. Second-year free relay record-holder Jenna Harris believes this weekend will not be an anomaly. She detailed the Maroons’

exhaustive workout routines, saying, “I am confident we will kill it.” Even with this confidence, the Maroons still prioritize the necessity of concentration. “More than anything, this invitational will be a mental meet,” Harris said. “[Our] swimmers are as competitive as anyone, and when we want something, we will put our heads down and get to the wall faster than any other team.” With the guidance of head swim coach Jason Weber and head diving coach Kendra Melnychuk, the Maroons won’t lose their focus over the next few days. This is especially crucial as the team may be able to qualify early in the season for Nationals, not to mention those going for team records. “This is a great last meet to have leading into training trip, so we know where we want to be coming back from training trip into the heart of our season,” Gross said. The season is officially in full gear. The Phoenix Fall Classic will start at 6 p.m. Friday and will continue all day Saturday and Sunday at the Myers-McLoraine Pool.

South Siders to compete at Concordia University Open Wrestling David Gao Maroon Contributor Chicago (0–4) will compete at the Concordia University Wisconsin Wrestling Open this weekend, a tournament it is viewing, above all, as a learning opportunity. The South Siders will face dozens of schools at the Open. Last year’s tournament featured 19 Chicago wrestlers in a field of 372, while the upcoming tournament is expected to field over 30 competitors in each weight class. With so many athletes competing, the team is looking forward to providing all members with

valuable competition. “Concordia is always our first big test of the year. The whole team gets to wrestle, and it is a chance for us all to gauge where we are. A lot of teams that we will see all year are there, and the competition is always good,” fourth-year Sam Pennisi said. Both the athletes and the coach embrace Concordia as a learning experience and place to challenge the team. “You usually learn more in tournaments—both wrestler and coach—because the wrestlers get more matches. This tournament is probably among the top 10 Division III tournaments in the

country,” head coach Leo Kocher (M.B.A. ’87) said. “Everyone will be tested at this competition—even the champions. No matter what the outcomes, this kind of competition is important developmentally for the entire squad. Freshmen learn to compete at the collegiate level, and I want our veterans to hit their stride.” The Maroons hope to repeat their success in last year’s CUW Wrestling Open, where five Chicago wrestlers placed in the top eight of their weight class. Expectations are high for thirdyear Mario Palmisano, who was seeded seventh going into the

tournament and placed in the top five of his weight class last year, as well as Pennisi, who placed sixth in his weight class. First-year Charlie Banaszak is currently ranked in the top 25 and may be seeded in the upcoming tournament. “I think we will bring talented wrestlers at every weight to this meet, but 30-plus competitors is a lot of competition to wade through, and you have to be on for every match to get to the placing round,” Kocher said. Chicago is coming off a loss to Elmhurst (1–1), which ended the 2012–13 season as the second-place team at the NCAA Division III Wrestling

Championships. The tournament kicks off Saturday at Concordia. The Maroons will then train for three weeks before their next five tournaments and matches, which all take place over a span of two weeks. They won’t compete again until December 14, after finals week. “The season is always a long journey, even a grind. But you have to remember that every practice, every week, and every meet is a chance to get better. We’re always trying to make our skills more ingrained, get in better shape, and be mentally tougher,” Pennisi said. The Concordia Open begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

SPORTS

IN QUOTES “I was like, ‘Yo, you’re the biggest crybaby I know.’” —Vince Carter talking about an exchange of his with Rockets’ big man Dwight Howard

Men and women poised for NCAA Championship Cross Country Isaac Stern Sports Staff

Fourth-year Michaela Whitelaw competes in the UAA Cross Country Championship at Montrose Harbor two seasons ago. COURTESTY OF DAVE HILBERT

The waters have just begun to churn for the Maroons as the storm rapidly approaches. This weekend they will make their way to Hanover, IN to compete in the NCAA National Championship. Chicago managed to qualify both teams to the national meet for the first time in school history. The women qualified by winning the Midwest Regional race, while the NCAA selected the men as an at-large bid. “The team is so excited right now,” second-year Catt Young said. “Coming off of winning regionals for the first time ever has really given everyone an extra boost of confidence.” Last year, the women finished 15th at the National Championship while the men did not qualify. The men have not appeared in a national title race since 2005, when they placed ninth in the country. “In the past seven years, we’ve had All-UAA, All-Region, and All-American runners and nationally ranked teams and each year the goal has been to qualify to NCAAs,” said fourth-year captain Daniel Povitsky. “While it

is a first time experience for all seven guys competing, we feel like we belong. We’ve trained and raced with many good teammates who came before us and we compete on a regular basis in the deepest and most competitive region in the country.” The men come into the national championship ranked 18th in the country after their sixth place finish at the regional championship last weekend. Povitsky and fourth year co-captain Sam Butler have led the squad all year and formed a solid foundation based on pack running. “We are a very hardworking team with the guys committed to all of the small things that round out a great runner,” Povitsky said. “Perhaps the most significant aspect of this season has been the level of trust between members of the team. The upperclassmen have championed pack running and the entire team has put their trust in that leadership and running mentality. In my four years here, this is the best I’ve seen pack running executed consistently in workouts and races. When our entire team so strongly buys in, it fosters a level of trust and commitment to one another that pushes us through the pain

of an 8k race.” The women find themselves at the number six spot in the national rankings. Chicago’s best finish at the National Championship was sixth in 1998. These South Siders have an opportunity to make history if they can come in fifth or better. “The team is really just looking to run our absolute best,” Young said. “We are in the best shape of the season and so we have a great opportunity to do something special this weekend. If we all run to our full potential, we could be a top five team.” Wartburg, the winner of the central region, is currently ranked fifth. However, Wartburg only secured that spot by a mere four points in the pool. Thus, the Maroons are definitely within striking distance of a top five finish. The men are in a different situation. At 18th in the nation, their goal will be to finish in the top half of the field. A 16th place finish or better would accomplish that and their second best overall finish at the national race in school history. The race will take place at 11:00 a.m. for the women and 12:30 p.m. for the men this Saturday.

Offense hopes to find groove in two-game weekend slate Men’s Basketball Sam Zacher Associate Sports Editor Chicago’s (1–1) start to the season has been a strange one. After a 76–56 loss against Augustana (4–0) and a 99–54 destruction of Lake Forest (1–1) in their home opener, trying to get a read on how the season will shake out for this Maroon

squad hasn’t been easy. This well-rounded Chicago team only lost one fourth-year (center Matt McKenzie [A.B. ’13]) from last season, so the team chemistry hasn’t been a problem this year. A transformed offense has proven to be an obstacle in the team’s improvement, but it has a lot of potential. “We’re still working out some kinks with

the new offense,” said fourth-year forward Sam Gage. “We work on it every day, so we’ll undoubtedly get better. It suits our personnel very well. It allows for our bigger wings to get post touches and is conducive for us getting out into transition.” Gage finished with nine points and four rebounds in the win over Lake Forest, a game in which the offense proved

five for FRIDAY Men and women heading to nationals For the first time in cross c o untr y ’s history, both the men’s and women’s squads will compete at the NCAA Championship in the same year. It will be the men’s first experience of the national tournament, but Chicago has reason to be confident entering the tournament ranked 18th. Winning is likely off the table, but don’t rule out a top-16 finish. Expectations are much higher for the women, ranked 6th in the nation. A top-five finish would be the best in the program’s history. Watch out for Catt Young, who has starred for the Maroons in her second season in Chicago and could challenge for the individual title.

Chicago hoping to get back on track women’s After a 2–0 start to the season, women’s basketball faced its first setback on Tuesday, falling 90–76 to UW–Whitewater. The Maroons looked competitive against the Warhawks, ranked second in the nation, and were within reach of a victory well into the fourth quarter, but that has provided little satisfaction for this ambitious squad. That sort of commitment to quality will serve Chicago well if it is going to bounce back from a disappointing season last year, in which it finished 7–18. The first step will be victory against Manchester tomorrow. The Maroons can expect an easier game than against UW–Whitewater, but they’ll have to reduce the turnovers that cost them dearly in Tuesday’s game.

effective, and 10 players scored over seven points. “I think our biggest strength is our depth. We go at least two deep at every position, and the guys coming off the bench all add something out on the floor,” Gage said. Chicago will have to use its depth to its MBBALL continued on page 11

taking a look at the week’s key storylines Maroons look for offensive rhythm

Phoenix Fall Classic to get season going

Experience remains focus at Concordia

Swimming and diving started competing a month ago—and have recorded impressive victories against Wash U and Wheaton— but there will be an extracompetitive feel to this weekend’s Phoenix Fall Classic. It will be the last competition for the Maroons until 2014, and they will want to end on a positive note. Historically, Chicago has done very well in this event, and another strong performance, even if it isn’t a victory, will leave the squad feeling good heading into a competitive January slate and February’s UAA Championship.

Wrestling has started its season 0–4 but isn’t too concerned with the numbers right now. Two of those four losses came against DI programs, and one came against last year’s runners-up at the DIII Championship. Right now, the focus for this team is improving individually and integrating promising first-years into the team. The Concordia Open will pose a unique challenge for those first-years. How they cope with the atmosphere of a tournament featuring over 300 wrestlers will tell us a lot about the prospects of this squad heading forward. —the Sports editors

men’s

Men’s basketball will try to get into a rhythm for the season tonight in St. Louis in a game against Whitman. The Maroons lost their first game against Augustana 76–56, then rebounded to beat Lake Forest 99– 54. This weekend’s competition will include a game against Rose-Hulman as well, as part of the Lopata Classic. Chicago’s November and December slate is entirely non-conference, and the Maroons will need to use that time effectively to get their new offense running smoothly before facing Wash U on January 11. There’s no need to worry after only two games, but Chicago will want to be playing at its best when conference play rolls around.