041913 Chicago Maroon

FRIDAY • APRIL 19, 2013

ISSUE 38 • VOLUME 124

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892

CHICAGOMAROON.COM

Slates, liaison candidates face off in SG debate Facebook page sparks OMSA forum Stephanie Xiao Associate News Editor

tion in the [article] has opened doors to personal attacks that take away from the issues that I want to talk about today,” Al-Jarani said.

“The fact that there has been no penalty [from] the E&R speaks to the strength of the allegations.”

Less than 24 hours after its inception, a Facebook page entitled “Politically Incorrect UChicago Confessions” prompted a gathering of more than 75 students and administrators who voiced their hurt and anger toward both the page itself as well as an alleged culture at the University of apathy toward race and gender issues at the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) on Tuesday afternoon.

The page, created early Monday evening, encouraged students to anonymously share their “UChicago–related, politically incorrect thoughts” and featured a photograph of Ph.D. student Toussaint Losier being arrested by the UCPD during the January 27 trauma center protest. An early version of the post submission

DEBATE continued on page 2

OMSA continued on page 3

All four slates, pictured above, and liaison candidates running for Student Government congregated in Kent last night to engage in a debate over issues key to student life. From left: Moose Party, Ignite, Impact, UChicaGOLD. TIFFANY TAN | THE CHICAGO MAROON

Sarah Miller Senior News Staff Candidates for slate and liaison positions in the upcoming SG elections debated methods to increase student influence on the Board of Trustees, the accessibility and effectiveness of

student petitions to the administration, and the recently publicized allegations made against Ignite slate’s presidential candidate, second-year Yusef Al-Jarani, last night.

Before the slates discussed their platforms, Elections and Rules Committee (E&R) moderator and third-year

Hope Yao offered the slates two minutes to respond to a recent Maroon article that discussed the allegations of election misconduct against Al-Jarani.

Yao said that, following the responses, the Maroon article would not be brought up again during the debate.

“The response to the informa-

Divestment referendum Community expresses concern to appear on SG ballot about high-rise at Mobil site Ankit Jain Associate News Editor Students from the UChicago branch of Stop Funding Climate Change (SFCC) have succeeded in getting a referendum on the SG ballot calling on the University to stop investing in fossil fuel–intensive companies.

The referendum, which reads, “Should the University shift its investment strategy to account for the environmental impact of oil, gas, and coal used by the companies it invests in?” was added to the ballot after both the College

Council and Graduate Council voted to include it on Wednesday.

Third-year and SFCC coordinator Paul Kim expects the measure to pass, saying students realize the threat that climate change poses to their futures.

“A lot of students I’ve talked to, not just undergraduates but pretty much from all divisions, know that climate change is a threat to the whole world, not just for people in general but [for] themselves. I think people know that, and they know that these companies are part of the problem. So they’re will-

Jonah Rabb News Contributor The proposed 13-story high-rise that may replace the Mobil gas station on University-owned property at East 53rd Street and South Kenwood Avenue has caused

a stir among Hyde Park community members. The project, which is set for construction at the beginning of 2014, would create 267 new apartments along with 30,000 square feet of groundlevel retail space.

Community members

voiced their resentment at a March 18 community meeting at Augusta Lutheran Church, asserting that the development would negatively impact traffic patterns in the area, especially because Nichols Park and the Murray MOBIL continued on page 2

DIVESTMENT continued on page 3

UCPD increases campus security Thomas Choi Associate News Editor Following a sudden increase in crime on and near campus, the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) is upping its security presence.

Last Sunday, a security alert was e-mailed to students and faculty about an armed robbery between East 56th Street and East 57th Street on South University Avenue. Two students were walking at 5:25 a.m. when two unknown males, one of whom was armed with a handgun, took

their wallets and an iPhone. The suspects then got into a waiting vehicle and headed north on University Avenue. Neither of the victims reported injuries.

Three days later, an unknown male tried to take the backpack of a student walking west on East 57th Street between South Ellis Avenue and South Drexel Avenue at 2:05 a.m. But after seeing an approaching University shuttle, he ran to a waiting vehicle without the backpack. The student, whose hair was pulled during the incident, declined medical attention.

SECURITY continued on page 2

Developers are proposing to build a 13-story apartment and retail building at the location of the Mobil gas station on 53rd Street.

JAMIE MANLEY | THE CHICAGO MAROON

IN VIEWPOINTS

IN ARTS

IN SPORTS

Always look on the South Side » Page 4

On campus stage, comedy troupe finds heart of sharpness » Page 7

Back Page

Letter: Event posters use offensive rhetoric » Page 6

Artists destroy matter to create meaning at MCA » Page 7

Five for Friday: Taking a look at this weekend’s key storylines » Back Page

Maroons play through Thunder at Stagg »

2

THE CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | April 19, 2013

SG candidates call for more student involvement, representation, and open communication

Seven projects designed and run by graduate students have received funding in the inaugural round of the Graduate Student Innovation Grant. This newly established source of funding offers up to $5,000 per project for graduate students in the academic divisions and professional schools to pursue innovative ideas on campus.

“We feel that graduate students know better than anyone what their own needs are and how best to meet those needs through supportive programming to achieve academic, professional, and personal success,” said Brooke Noonan, director of graduate student affairs.

The new program has a similar purpose to the Uncommon Fund, which is open to all students on campus.

“The Graduate Innovation Grant is intended to complement the Uncommon Fund. We realize that institutional funding for student initiatives is limited,” Noonan said. “The Uncommon Fund’s FAQ Web page directs students to other sources of funding but doesn’t have any concrete suggestions of sources for graduate students in particular. Now the Graduate In-

novation Grant can work to fill that gap.”

A committee of University professors and graduate administrators selected seven projects, varying from a forum on U.S.–China relations to the Chicago Art Journal, out of the 10 submitted proposals.

Alisha Jones, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Music, is spearheading one funded project. “Move and Shake” consists of a retreat for women of color that provides a space for discourse on how to navigate their multiple identities.

“Among the University of Chicago graduate student events, there is a need for a retreat for women of color to explore the intersection of their professional, personal, and social experiences,” Jones said.

Noonan said the continuation of the grant would depend on the success of this year’s projects.

“We were delighted with the number and quality of proposals for this inaugural competition…. Offering the Innovation Grant for the first time was something of an experiment. In the coming months, we will evaluate the winning proposals’ impact on students and determine the financial investment in the project going forward.”

handgun struck a University student on the back of the head before taking his wallet, keys, and iPhone and fleeing north on University Avenue.

The victim declined medical attention. Since the incident did not occur on campus, only residents of Pierce were notified because it happened across the street from the dorm.

According to the security alert for Wednesday’s incident, UCPD is boosting its security presence. Mason reaffirmed this but would not elaborate on the nature of the increased security.

By Marina Fang

Weekly Crime Report 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 January 1. 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.

Here are this week’s notables:

Since Jan. 1

Since April 11

1

1

Robbery

1

1

Attempted robbery

8

0

Battery

5

0

Burglary

2

1

Criminal trespass to vehicle

5

0

Damage to property

128

7

Other report

3

1

Simple assault

130

11

Theft

3

0

Trespass to property

19

1

Arrest

93

9

Traffic Violation

Notables: » April 10 to 11, 5514 South University (Pierce Parking Lot), unknown time—Between 4:50 p.m. on April 10 and 12:30 p.m. on April 11, a parking placard was taken from the interior of unsecured vehicle. » April 14, South University Avenue between East 56th and 57th Streets, 5:25 a.m.—Two unknown males, one armed with a handgun, took property from two victims walking on the sidewalk. The suspects fled the scene in a black midsize vehicle.

» April 15, 6100 South Blackstone Avenue, 1:07 a.m.—UCPD officers arrested a man wanted 47th on a warrant from DuPage County. » April 16, 5815 South Maryland Avenue (Mitchell Hospital), 5:05 p.m.— Two male acquaintances became involved in an argument after visiting a patient. One subject threatened to cut the other; he was arrested by UCPD. » April 17, East 57th Street between South Drexel and Ellis Avenues, 2:05 a.m.—An unknown male forcibly attempted to take a backpack from a victim walking on the sidewalk.

Source: UCPD Incident Reports

Type of Crime

51st 53rd

55th

S. Lake Shore

Eric Chien News Contributor

UCPD spokesperson Bob Mason noted the sudden uptick in these campus incidents.

“This is very unusual because we had two security alerts in the past week, which were both crimes on campus, and the last one before that was back in November,” he said.

Pierce residents also received a safety memo on April 1 about an armed robbery on East 55th Street and South University Avenue at 1:30 that morning. Two unknown males armed with a

S. Hyde Park

Grad students get funding alternative

SECURITY continued from front

57th

59th 60th

62nd

Cornell

raised, Burns said, “These concerns are completely natural, but I believe that the developers of this project have taken into consideration the community’s concerns and are working to address them.”

Burns insists that the development will primarily make shopping and dining out more convenient. “This development would be beneficial to the community. Many residents want to walk from their homes to shopping corridors. They are tired of having to drive to Roosevelt Road or North Avenue or 95th Street to buy groceries and clothes,” he said.

A study conducted by Anzalone Liszt Research found that, after hearing details about the proposed development, 71 percent “believe it would benefit the community.”

Panelas pointed out that the research was commissioned by the South East Chicago Commission (SECC), an organization funded by the University. On its Web site, the SECC affirms those facts and says the research was “an independent survey of Hyde Park and Kenwood residents.”

Panelas is concerned about the uncertain effect the building might have on the other 53rd Street developments.

“There’s a lot of building going on in the neighborhood right now. Things are changing fast…. We should be in no rush to add another major high-rise in the area before we know what kind of impact these other buildings will have…. Let’s take our time, do it right, and make sure we keep Hyde Park a livable neighborhood.”

Two security alerts sent to students in the past week

Stony Island

MOBIL continued from front

School are located directly across the street.

Citizens for Appropriate Retail and Residential Development (CARRD), an ad hoc neighborhood organization, reemerged after hearing about the high-rise proposal.

“It’s the wrong building in the wrong place.

It’s too big; it’ll dwarf everything around it,” CAARD member Tom Panelas said in an interview with the Maroon. “We’d like to see something more suitable on that site, and we’d like the University to talk to the neighborhood honestly about it, not forge ahead unilaterally with a plan opposed by people living around the site.”

A recent text poll conducted by the Hyde Park Herald indicated that 61.95 percent of respondents do not support the development.

In response to the community’s reaction, the University reaffirmed that the development would incorporate features such as affordable housing, new retail options, and environmentally sustainable features such as a green roof and parking for bicycles.

“The project also would create more than 300 new construction jobs in Hyde Park and substantially increase tax revenues available to the community while requiring no public dollars to build,” said Calmetta Coleman, director of communications for the Office of Civic Engagement.

Fourth Ward Alderman Will Burns is required to rezone the area in order for construction to begin. Regarding the potential issues that some community members have

Third-year Rohan Manthani, the incumbent liaison, said his past experience working with members of the Board of Trustees and his current relationships with members could not be substituted with other experiences.

First-year M.B.A. student Navin Manjooran, the only candidate for the graduate liaison to the Board of Trustees at the time of the debate, said that the biggest issues graduate students faced included health care and funding.

First-year Christina Dong, the only candidate for community and government liaison at the time of the debate, stated her intention to introduce office hours for her position, days of service that would bring various community service RSOs together, and campus-wide socials at Logan.

SG elections begin Tuesday at 9 a.m. and end Thursday at 5 p.m.

Blackstone

Project could increase tax revenues to community

ability to sway the administration.

“I see the petition as a way of SG officials avoiding taking a position on major issues. It shows you don’t care about issues and that you are relying on students to take a stance,” he said.

The Moose Party, composed of three representatives from Delta Upsilon fraternity, campaigned for increasing funding for shuttles that would fit through drive-thrus, “suns out, guns out,” the No. 1 Left Behind initiative, and jet skis for students traveling across Lake Michigan.

After an hour of debate among the slates, the five candidates running for liaison positions were given time to speak.

Second-year Brendan Leonard, third-year Joanna Kadieva, and first-years Thomas Remissong and Holly Rapp all discussed the need for more open communication between the Board and students.

University

UChicaGOLD and Ignite slates stressed the importance of increased collaboration and communication between student groups. Ignite proposed weekly meetings with RSOs with a special focus on major issues on campus, while UChicaGOLD proposed increasing student representation of houses, RSOs, fraternities, and sororities within SG as opposed to individual meetings.

“We want to hear more from the average members of the student body, and adding representatives would make that easier and SG more transparent,” Dong said. “Adding representatives would be more efficient than us as three people having to go to each RSO meeting every week.”

Although both Ignite and UChicaGOLD expressed a desire to improve student awareness of petitions to the administration, McCown questioned the value of student petitions and their

Ellis

Second-year Raymond Dong, UChicaGOLD candidate for vice president of student affairs, said that he and Al-Jarani had been roommates and best friends for the past two years and that he would not do anything to “defame the morals, campaigns, or platform” of Al-Jarani. He also said that he did not agree with the Maroon’s decision to write the article and that he tried to stop the article from being published.

Impact presidential candidate third-year Michael McCown chose not to comment on the issue.

Moose Party candidate first-year Jacob Silverman said he did not care enough to form coalitions with other candidates, and that the other platforms cared too much about SG. Because of this, he claimed that the Moose Party is the “most honest slate.”

Cottage Grove

DEBATE continued from front

*Locations of reports approximate

THE CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | April 19, 2013

3

Law professors talk child immigration struggles Sindhu Gnanasambandan News Staff Law School professors Maria Woltjen and Elizabeth Frankel spoke to students about unaccompanied immigrant children in the United States and the shortcomings of current child immigration policies on Tuesday. Woltjen and Frankel direct the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, an independent nonprofit based at the Law School, which trains law students and volunteers to represent immigrant children in courtroom proceedings.

Children come to the United States to escape conditions of poverty and deprivation, to find their parents, or to flee gang recruitment, armed conflict, child abuse, and prosecution, the speakers said.

“One of the hardest things about working with these kids is gaining their trust and figuring out what their stories are—these kids are coached heavily to tell a certain story by their traffickers and family members, so we spend a lot of time working with them and really figuring out why they came to the United States,” Frankel said.

Frankel and Woltjen contend that there is no requirement under the Immigration Nationality Act

mandating judges to consider the best interests of the children when deciding whether to deport them.

Furthermore, the children have to prove they have a right to remain in the United States but have no right to an attorney and often have to represent themselves.

“These kids—they had a plan.

They thought they were going to reach Mom or Dad or Uncle. They want to work, pay mortgage for the home, and now they are getting threats and are stuck in this place where they don’t know what is going to happen, and they are really scared and confused,” Frankel said.

In 2012, 15,000 children were apprehended by the federal government and placed in immigration detention, Frankel said, and now face deportation proceedings. In years past, the number was closer to 8,000 annually. Projections estimate that 24,000 children will be taken into custody this year.

“We have heard many different possible reasons for this [increase]—violence in their countries, two consecutive droughts in Guatemala, poverty, the economy—but we really don’t know,” Frankel said.

A little over a decade ago, there was one detainment facility in Chicago with 70 children.

There are now six detention cen-

Elizabeth Frankel (left) and Maria Woltjen of the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights discuss the recent increase in children illegally entering the country.

JAMIE MANLEY | THE CHICAGO MAROON

ters throughout the Chicagoland area that house over 400 kids, the speakers said. The Center aims to provide assistance for these children but has to contend with constraints in its resources in the

face of growing demand for its services.

“When Maria started, we used to always automatically serve any young child under the age of 15.

Now if we served every child under

the age of 15, I don’t think we would ever be able to sleep. There would be so many kids,” Frankel said.

The event was hosted by the UChicago chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Students call for concrete changes for addressing diversity, including more emphasis on race in the Core OMSA continued from front

form stated that “racism, homophobia, prejudice, offensiveness, etc. in all forms is welcome.”

That statement has since been removed.

The first few posts included a pun about the Boston Marathon explosions, an anecdote from a self-proclaimed Math 130s TA about his or her students, and race-based complaints about students in the Regenstein Library.

Despite the controversial nature of the page, fourth-year Amara Ugwu said it nonetheless serves as a useful illustration of how intolerance is still very much alive on campus.

“It has been such a teaching moment for people who think that there are no more racial problems, there are no more problems of gender or even religion,” she said. “To know that your classmates, the people you sit next to at Bartlett, some of their feelings are hateful, and it is hate speech.”

According to third-year Aerik Francis, editor of the Organization of Black Students’ (OBS) online magazine Blacklight, the knowledge that a few anonymous UChicago students harbor such feelings has created an atmosphere of distrust, a sentiment echoed by other students at the meeting.

“I’m distrustful of my peers, and that’s unacceptable because in a classroom environment where I’m communicating with my peers in discussion and we’re learning together, how can I function and how can I take any productive knowledge from that discussion if I’m sitting here wondering whether or not my classmates think I’m inferior?” Francis asked. “This is really toxic to the University.”

In order to remove any official affiliation with the University, the name of the page was

changed to “Politically Incorrect Hyde Park Confessions” on Tuesday evening, accompanied by a new photograph of the Museum of Science and Industry. On Wednesday evening, the photograph and name were changed once again to a solid red background and “Politically Incorrect Maroon Confessions” to once again reflect the fact that “this page is mainly targeted toward students,” according to an administrator of the page.

Many of the racially offensive posts that prompted the initial backlash against the page have also been deleted. On the page, the administrator maintained that the page was never intended as a forum for hate speech on Tuesday evening: “This was surely not the original intent of this page, and we regret that there are many bigoted people out there who chose to abuse the service.”

According to OMSA Director Ana Vázquez, because the page does not violate Facebook policy and exists in a domain outside UChicago jurisdiction, there is no clear way to secure the removal of the page.

However, many students allege that a lack of concrete administrative action is a deeper problem than simply a lack of control over non-University Web sites.

One student, for instance, pointed out how easily the page’s administrator was able to defend the page’s content using official University statements. When one post told the administrator to “enjoy the conversation with Dean [of Students Susan] Art that you will surely be having by the end of the week,” the page administrator responded with a quote from the UChicago student manual, which read, “The ideas of different members of the

University community will frequently conflict, and we do not attempt to shield people from ideas that they may find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even offensive. Nor, as a general rule, does the University intervene to enforce social standards of civility.”

Throughout the meeting, students said they felt hopeless, tired, and done. Some remarked that these issues happen too frequently, citing last year’s racial controversies involving Delta Upsilon (DU) and Alpha Delta Phi and an incident fall quarter when a Confederate flag was seen hanging from a window in DU. Others said they could not actively encourage prospective students to come to UChicago.

Assistant Vice President for Student Life Elly Daugherty addressed student concerns by emphasizing the need for a clearer statement of the value of diversity as well as ways in which the University has already supported diversity, citing an expanded MLK celebration last quarter among other efforts.

“We often respond with dialogues and opportunities for dialogues, but I think we should take it further today,” she said. “I think we should be defining discrete ways that we can make a very visible statement on the campus that we are a community of many differences, and that is our greatest strength.”

However, some students were skeptical of how University administrators’ words would translate into tangible changes, arguing that students least receptive to discussions about diversity would not participate in them in the first place.

“The administration itself has shown that there’s not really going to be a serious change from the administration side of things.

That’s just how it feels,” third-year Marley Lindsey said. “Yes, MLK may have been expanded, but who showed up? Not the people who are running this page.”

Students proposed targeting mandatory elements of UChicago life, such as by giving racial and minority issues, particularly those related to American history, more weight throughout Core humanities and social sciences curricula.

For others, these changes should start during Orientation Week by incorporating open discussions that attempt to challenge or explain preconceived notions about race rather than simply illustrate that those preconceived notions exist.

“During your Chicago Life Meeting when you’re asked if you would cross the street if black people are coming towards you, I am done with that question,” secondyear Brianna Tong said. “There’s no attempt being made to change people’s minds and point out how structural differences and inequalities are fueling the assumptions they’re making. There’s no attempt at that whatsoever. It’s just letting people continue thinking the things they think.”

For third-year Michael McCown, frustration at a lack of administrative response is justified, but prejudice in itself is also a product of society and can only totally be challenged by the individuals who make up that society.

“I definitely think we should expect more from our administration in making this campus welcoming to students of color, but I also think that it is the place of people in society with a conscience to say that these things are wrong and to keep saying that these things are wrong,” McCown said.

SFCC learned from Socially Responsible Investment Committee referendum in crafting campaign DIVESTMENT continued from front

ing to take the action that they see fit to fix the problem,” he said.

He sees the passage of the referendum as a significant step in SFCC’s fight.

“I think it will be pretty much one of the clearest signals available that we have the backing of the student body on this issue, that it is a pressing stu-

dent concern, and that students are concerned for their futures,” he said.

Kim is hopeful that SFCC will ultimately get the University to divest from fossil fuel– intensive industries, but cautioned that it might take some time.

“We see this referendum as another step, I would say, in raising student awareness about

the issue. We’re prepared to go at it for a long time if that’s what it takes because it’s important, and I think worthwhile things don’t come in a year,” he said.

A similar referendum, to create a Socially Responsible Investment Committee that would advise the University on its investment strategy, passed with an overwhelming majority two years

ago but was never implemented. Kim said that SFCC has studied that campaign and hopes to avoid a similar fate by keeping up engagement if the referendum passes.

“I can’t think of any important social movements that were won in a couple of years. So I don’t see that as any reason to stop. I think we’ll have to work hard, but it’ll take as long as it takes.”

VIEWPOINTS

Editorial & Op-Ed APRIL 19, 2013

Back to school

CPS decision to close Canter Middle School neglects the school’s culture of support for students The student newspaper of the University of Chicago since 1892 REBECCA GUTERMAN Editor-in-Chief SAM LEVINE Editor-in-Chief EMILY WANG Managing Editor DOUGLAS EVERSON, JR Senior Editor JAMIE MANLEY Senior Editor MATTHEW SCHAEFER Senior Editor CELIA BEVER News Editor MARINA FANG News Editor MADHU SRIKANTHA News Editor JENNIFER STANDISH News Editor AJAY BATRA Viewpoints Editor EMMA THURBER STONE Viewpoints Editor EMMA BRODER Arts Editor ALICE BUCKNELL Arts Editor DANIEL RIVERA Arts Editor VICENTE FERNANDEZ Sports Editor SARAH LANGS Sports Editor JAKE WALERIUS Sports Editor HYEONG-SUN CHO Head Designer SONIA DHAWAN Head Designer KEVIN WANG Online Editor ALICE BLACKWOOD Head Copy Editor JEN XIA Head Copy Editor BEN ZIGTERMAN Head Copy Editor SYDNEY COMBS Photo Editor TIFFANY TAN Photo Editor COLIN BRADLEY Grey City Editor JOY CRANE Grey City Editor THOMAS CHOI Assoc. News Editor ALEX HAYS Assoc. News Editor

This week, Fourth Ward Alderman Will Burns (A.B. ’95, A.M. ’98) announced that he did “not oppose” the closure of Miriam G. Canter Middle School in Kenwood, one of 54 schools in the city that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has proposed closing at the end of this year to help make up the system’s nearly $1 billion deficit. Burns, who has worked to keep other schools in his constituencies open in the past, cited Canter’s “long-term performance and population trends” as reasons behind his position. If the Board of Education approves the proposal on May 22, students from Canter will be moved to Ray Elementary and Bret Harte Elementary in Hyde Park, which will start teaching seventh- and eighth-grade classes in order to accommodate the influx of students. However, Canter’s story is more complex than numbers show—its closure and the transfer of its students to neighboring schools is not necessarily a step toward giving those students the best opportunity to succeed.

Burns is correct in noting

that Canter has the lowest possible student performance rating from CPS and is underenrolled.

However, in 2012, Canter was assigned the highest possible rating and designated a school “well organized for improvement” by 5Essentials, a survey developed by the University’s Urban Education Institute (UEI) that samples a school’s students and teachers. The survey also gave Canter high marks for having effective leaders, collaborative teachers, and involved families. The potential for success at Canter is significant, especially given that research from the University’s Consortium on Chicago Schools Research has found that moving students out of poorly performing schools rarely improves their academic performance.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who called the status quo “unacceptable,” defended his and CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett’s decision to close Canter and 53 other schools in the city by pointing to a need for drastic action in order to improve the 56 percent dropout rate among black male CPS

students. Change is certainly needed; however, closing schools should not only be a question of academic performance formulas or enrollment trends, but also a question of the chance that a school is giving its students to excel. Closing a school where data show that families, teachers, and school leaders are invested in improving students’ education is not a step forward.

Even more concerning is that Ray Elementary and Bret Harte Elementary might not be able to provide Canter students with a stable environment. Ray’s leadership has been in flux after its principal and vice principal were abruptly removed last month. CPS has refused to explain why the two school leaders were removed, and the Maroon reported earlier this month that not even Fifth Ward Alderman Leslie Hairston was informed of the change. Bret Harte was designated “not yet organized for improvement,” with weak responses in regard to collaborative teachers, involved families, and effective leaders on the 5Essentials survey. Taking kids out of Canter,

which is “well organized for improvement,” and placing them in bigger schools—one that is currently in a period of administrative transition, and another that has demonstrated less potential for progress—is not conducive to the creation of effective learning environments.

CPS’s consolidation decisions may be well-intentioned and supported by data, but there are also signs indicating that closing Canter would shut the doors of an institution that is well-poised for improvement. At a community meeting with CPS officials discussing the closure of Canter earlier this month, a student credited the school with inspiring him to do well after he struggled academically in elementary school.

As Emanuel and Byrd-Bennett look to improve public education in Chicago, they might look to this kind of testimony as a sign that they’ve underestimated the importance of potential.

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

ANKIT JAIN Assoc. News Editor HARINI JAGANATHAN Assoc. News Editor STEPHANIE XIAO Assoc. News Editor KRISTIN LIN Assoc. Viewpoints Editor WILL DART Assoc. Arts Editor LAUREN GURLEY Assoc. Arts Editor

Home field advantage UChicago athletics offer all the beauty of sports with none of the usual drawbacks of being in the stands

TATIANA FIELDS Assoc. Sports Editor SAM ZACHER Assoc. Sports Editor JULIA REINITZ Assoc. Photo Editor FRANK YAN Assoc. Photo Editor TYRONALD JORDAN Business Manager TAMER BARSBAY Undergraduate Business Executive QUERIDA Y. QIU External Director of Marketing IVY ZHANG Internal Director of Marketing VINCENT MCGILL Delivery Coordinator ANDREW GREEN Designer SNEHA KASUGANTI Designer

By Raghav Rao Viewpoints Columnist

ALEXANDRIA PABICH Designer JONAH RABB Designer NICHOLAS ROUSE Designer KEN ARMSTRONG Copy Editor KRYSTEN BRAY Copy Editor CONNOR CUNNINGHAM Copy Editor LISA FAN Copy Editor ALAN HASSLER Copy Editor NISHANTH IYENGAR Copy Editor CECILIA JIANG Copy Editor

This past weekend I watched the UChicago men’s soccer team play a friendly game against Loyola. The intensity of the morning sun had led me to believe it would be a nice day, but wind raked the Stagg bleachers, and I had to shout to speak to the people right beside me. UChicago lost by

a single goal—the result of a messy squabble that ended with a Loyola player tucking it home from close range. But, despite the bad weather and the loss, I enjoyed myself immensely. There was a serenity to the proceedings. I was watching a sport that I love without the trappings that encumber professional or high-profile college sports.

Earlier this year, I went to watch the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park. It was cold. The concessions were ridiculously expensive. The logistics of getting in and out of the stadium were poorly managed. It was by no means an unequivocally bad experience. The crowd atmosphere was certainly more positive than what I’ve seen at Europe-

an games; there were more kids, there was less taunting. And yet, despite the higher-quality soccer on display relative to our team, I much prefer watching our good-natured lads in maroon.

UChicago sports may no longer be considered a long-standing joke, but going to watch them is still seen as an unusual way to spend an afternoon. Since the teams aren’t ranked high nationally, it’s fair to assume that we’re not watching the best, or anything even near the best. If we had a basketball team like North Carolina’s, we would have the privilege of possibly watching the Michael Jordans of the future—an opportunity very few sports-lovers would eschew. However, for that privilege, we would have to

suffer drunks, taunters, brawlers, and, worst of all, adult face-painters. Followers of Maroon sports aren’t watching world-beaters, but the tradeoff is the sort of sports-viewing tranquility that is increasingly valuable today.

When I watch my nephews play soccer in the suburbs, irate parents yell at the referee for the duration of the game. At UChicago, aside from the rare “X school was my safety school” taunt, we’re spared those unpleasantries. The game proceeds on the green, and the handful of spectators watch in a dreamy, meditative state. Test cricket often proceeds in such a manner. Because it isn’t a mob, the audience realizes that the collective “we” that tribalSPORTS continued on page 5

MICHELLE LEE Copy Editor CHELSEA LEU Copy Editor KATIE LEU Copy Editor KATARINA MENTZELOPOULOS Copy Editor JONAH RABB Copy Editor LINDSEY SIMON Copy Editor

Always look on the South Side The path to connecting with our South Side neighbors starts with some steps in their direction

ESTHER YU Copy Editor

The Chicago Maroon is published twice weekly during autumn, winter, and spring quarters Circulation: 5,500.

The opinions expressed in the Viewpoints section are not necessarily those of the Maroon. © 2013 The Chicago Maroon, Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 East 59th Street Chicago, IL 60637 Editor-in-Chief Phone: 773.834.1611 Newsroom Phone: 773.702.1403 Business Phone: 773.702.9555 Fax: 773.702.3032 CONTACT News: News@ChicagoMaroon.com Viewpoints: Viewpoints@ChicagoMaroon.com Arts: Arts@ChicagoMaroon.com Sports: Sports@ChicagoMaroon.com Photography: Photo@ChicagoMaroon.com Design: Design@ChicagoMaroon.com Copy: CopyEditors@ChicagoMaroon.com Advertising: Ads@ChicagoMaroon.com

By Tyler Lutz Viewpoints Columnist “Hey, are you Polish?”

This was apparently a pressing question, important enough to warrant the man’s leaping off the house’s porch and running down to the sidewalk where I happened to be passing by.

My facial expression probably said

everything, but I answered anyway: “No, Swiss-German. Why?” He gestured at my chest—I was sporting my red class of 2013 shirt. The white phoenix outlined on the front reminded him, he said, of the bird commonly displayed in Polish heraldry.

Impressed, I explained that I was a UChicago student and that the bird was actually a phoenix, our mascot (or something). He nodded and said he wasn’t particularly familiar with the school, despite being from the South Side. We talked for a while longer and, as he turned to leave, he made sure to wish me “good luck in [my] studies at UIC.” This episode is utterly unremarkable except for one considerably com-

plicating little fact: The whole thing took place about 10 blocks south of the University campus. I walked away embarrassed, but definitely not for him—while this guy knew the colors and insignia on the flag of a country lying nearly 5,000 miles away, he somehow couldn’t quite remember the acronym for a major educational institution a mere 20-minute walk to the north. Clearly we’re doing something wrong.

I’ll admit I’m tempted to waste your time with another vague invective about how the University needs to be more engaged in the community. But that would be trite. And dumb. So how about this.

You. Yes, you there with the Ma-

roon—put down the paper and go for a walk. Or better, a bike ride— did I mention that the University offers free bike rentals? Anywhere south of the Midway is good; bring a buddy if it makes you feel better.

What’s that? You have too much work? Seriously, you can just cut out your Netflix watching for tonight— this is important.

As long as you keep your eyes (and mind) open, I can personally promise you that you’ll have a fulfilling experience no matter where you end up.

However, if you’d prefer to have a concrete destination in mind, I can recommend the following: 1. Oak Woods Cemetery. If you’re NEIGHBORS continued on page 5

5

THE CHICAGO MAROON | VIEWPOINTS | April 19, 2013

Becoming yourself The adage “Be yourself” is not the right message for those trying to come to terms with their accomplishments and failures

By Jane Huang Viewpoints Columnist “Be yourself,” though oft-repeated, is rather unhelpful advice. Unless you’re an actor or a spy, who else are you going to be? Nevertheless, we are frequently instructed to “be ourselves.” A couple of weeks ago in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, a high school senior named Suzy Lee Weiss challenged the value of this instruction. She writes, “Colleges tell you, ‘Just be yourself.’ That is great advice, as long as yourself has nine extracurriculars, six leadership positions, three varsity sports, killer SAT scores and two moms. Then by all means, be yourself!” I still can’t tell whether the article was intended to be satirical, but enough people agreed

with the face value of her point that I think it’s worth examining what “being yourself ” really means.

First of all, “being yourself ” does not imply passivity. I am not exactly the same person that I was five years ago, and I hope that I won’t be exactly the same person that I am five years from now, either. Among other things, I’d like to write better, become more cosmopolitan, and develop the ability to carry around heavy boxes with ease. There are certainly people out there right now who are better than me at writing and carrying heavy things. I will readily admit that even if all of us are being ourselves, it’s perfectly fair to acknowledge the differences in our qualifications. However, this doesn’t mean that we have to be content to let the status quo stand: You can push your limits and try to develop as a person without compromising the core of your identity.

Furthermore, the objective of “being yourself ” is not to get into the college of your choice.

Take the University of Chicago, for instance: Out of 30,369 applicants to the College’s class of 2017, 2,676 were admitted. Logistically speaking, schools can’t take every person who is true

to herself, even if that were the sole criterion for admission. And as much of a hubbub as colleges make about “fit,” there are certainly some standard things that are helpful for any applicant to have: stellar grades and test scores, community service, a quirky or uplifting essay, knowledge of a foreign language, leadership in school activities (especially sports or student government), interesting summer activities, and a transcript chock-full of honors and AP courses (and maybe even some college courses). None of these is easy to accomplish, but at least a person knows what kind of script to follow if she is intent on molding herself into a person that would appeal to an admissions committee.

But what if someone, like Suzy Lee Weiss, didn’t get into her top choice? Well, at that point, it’s helpful to be able to say that you know who you are and where you want to be. The point of “being yourself ” is not to get accepted, but to understand how to respond to falling short of a goal. Though you might not have gotten what you wanted at the moment, “being yourself ” means that you can use your experience and knowledge to form a plan B that will let you move on and work toward achieving longer-term goals—rather than having to re-

mold yourself to fit whatever new laundry list of qualifications you think you’ll need. I say this not only in reference to college, but also to the opportunities that people pursue later on.

All of that being said, I don’t think that the advice to “be yourself ” should be taken to heart too much at this point in our lives. We’re still at the age where many of us are busy exploring our identities.

When I was in elementary school, I had an English teacher who admonished us for using the “to be” verbs excessively. “I want to see action verbs,” she proclaimed. I guess that’s the problem with telling people to “be themselves”—where’s the action? A lot of us want to take initiative in our lives, and “be yourself ” doesn’t offer much guidance in that regard. There are better verbs: Push yourself, question yourself, confront yourself, confuse yourself. And, though this may seem contradictory, perhaps even change yourself, because sometimes understanding your identity involves some false starts and dead ends. “Being yourself ” isn’t a state; it’s a process.

Jane Huang is a third-year in the College.

Centering around progress Far from simply “shaming” those in charge, trauma center activists cultivate ties with local figures and groups working toward change Akshaya Kannan Viewpoints Contributor A fourth-year member of Students for Health Equity (SHE), I became involved with the trauma center campaign three years ago through Fearless Leading by the Youth (FLY), a group that has been advocating for city, state, and federal support for trauma care since Damian Turner’s death in 2010.

Before then, trauma surgeons and hospitals statewide were among a handful of groups aware of the deficiencies in the city’s trauma system. Recognizing the need for improvement in the trauma system, trauma directors from hospitals across the state have submitted a series of recommendations to the Illinois Department of Public Health regarding the state’s trauma system. This is not a new issue, and we are not the only ones working on it.

A Maroon op-ed recently encouraged the trauma center campaign to drop the University of Chicago Medical Center (UCMC) as a target and instead focus on state and federal support for a trauma center. The author argued that advocating for a trauma center at the UCMC is misdirected. I am writing my B.A. on the history of the Illinois trauma

system. Perhaps a little more information about this system and about the trauma center campaign’s allies will assuage the author’s and others’ fear that the campaign for a trauma center is solely about “shaming UCMC.” To respond to a claim made in the article, Chicago’s trauma system was by no means a “bizarre citywide trauma fad.” Chicago did not participate in the original Illinois trauma system when it was formed in the 1970s. In 1984, the tragic death of high school basketball star Ben Wilson put a spotlight on the severe deficiencies of Chicago’s emergency medical system. Wilson was 17 years old and a resident of the South Side. Public pressure and outrage over what was seen as the preventable death of a promising young man prompted the formation of the Chicago trauma system. The system was then revamped, and Chicago hospitals were officially designated as trauma centers. Around the same time, a Trauma Center Fund was created at the state level, which further encouraged hospitals to participate.

Chicago has an acceptable number of trauma centers. However, because hospitals voluntarily include themselves in the trauma system, these are not distributed optimally across the city. Hospitals

Flashes of brilliance shine just as brightly on our fields SPORTS continued from page 4 ism imparts to sport is an illusion. Instead, it just watches the orientation of minds and bodies bent toward a single purpose. The sport is stripped of its allegiance narrative. It’s like you stopped by a park on your way home and happened to glance at a high-quality pick-up game. You aren’t invested in a particular outcome—it is the ongoing action of the present that is intriguing.

This isn’t to say that we should go to sporting events and not root for our team. I have seen games here where the audience is raucous and the support is strong. Those games have their charm too. But still, at every UChicago sporting event that I’ve attended, there’s a single moment during which I realize the opportunity for unsullied, non-corporatized appreciation of athletic ability we have at our disposal here. Sure, that athletic ability isn’t hugely remarkable, but if it were remarkable, then it would be corporatized.

It’s a catch-22 all over again.

In the UChicago vs. Loyola game, there was one moment that stood out to me. First-year Jorge Bilbao picked up the ball close to the left byline. He looked for someone to pass to. A defender closed in on him aggressively. In one-tenth

of a heartbeat, he nutmegged his marker—meaning that he knocked the ball in between the defender’s legs and retrieved it, leaving the defender shamefaced and behind him—and was quickly beyond him. There was a collective gasp from my fellow bleacher-mates. The move resulted in a chance, but nothing came of it. The trick was difficult to execute, effective, and aesthetic—the qualities that make sport appealing to many of us.

Like many others across the globe, I consume vast quantities of sports media: fueling some of the largest non-productive industries in the world, filling pockets with sordid amounts of money, all for flashes of brilliance similar to Jorge’s.

The weather is improving, albeit gradually. Our UChicago athletic teams are gearing up for their spring seasons. They’re realistic; they don’t expect hordes of spectators. If you do go to a game, regardless of the sport you choose, you may surprise yourself. We don’t have to buy cable packages or illegally stream from questionable Web sites just to satisfy our craving for the eternal that’s in sport. Just head on over to Stagg and you might luck out.

Raghav Rao is a fourth-year in the College majoring in English.

can enter and leave the trauma system as they see fit. In 1988, UCMC was able to join and leave the system with virtually no consequences after participating for a mere eight months. Our current system can only manage the demand because hospitals like Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn have repeatedly stepped up over the past 20 years to provide this service to the otherwise abandoned South Side and southern suburbs.

There are many ways to strengthen the Illinois trauma system, which has an extremely minimal Trauma Center Fund and poor administrative support at IDPH. One way is to follow the example of Maryland, where trauma is funded fully by the state through a number of measures. For example, Maryland has matched the Medicaid reimbursement rate to the Medicare reimbursement for trauma. They also generate funds by adding a small fee of about $2.50 to car registrations. Public funding has given Maryland’s lead trauma agency the power to influence trauma center locations and designations.

FLY recently took these and other recommendations to Congressman Bobby Rush, who plans to advocate for trauma care at the national level. At the state level, we have been working with Representatives

Mitchell, Flowers, and Hunter. Aldermen Cochran, Beale, Hairston, Burns, and Dowell have all voiced support for a South Side trauma center. We have organizational endorsements from Health and Medicine Policy Research Group, Illinois Single Payer Chicago, Physicians for a National Health Program Illinois, the National Nurses United, and more.

But we need more than support. We need a qualified hospital to act as a Level-I or Level-II facility on the South Side. That’s why we have targeted the UCMC: Anyone who has been to the community hospitals on the South Side knows that they are understaffed in their daily operations and currently in no position to take on a trauma unit.

The trauma center activists aren’t merely one group. Over the past three years, it has grown from undergraduates in SHE and youth in FLY, to medical students at Pritkzer, physicians at UCMC, local and state officials, and physicians and surgeons from all major hospitals in Chicago. Changing the trauma system will involve multiple players, and the trauma center coalition is working to bring them together.

Akshaya Kannan is a fourth-year in the College majoring in public policy studies.

Fall asleep on the #6 in your swimming trunks NEIGHBORS continued from page 4 famous and Italian, chances are you’ll be buried in the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence— Galileo, Ghiberti, Machiavelli, Michelangelo, and Rossini all ended up there. Much to the tourist’s disappointment, however, a monument to Enrico Fermi on the Basilica’s northern wall mentions in rather small print that the illustrious physicist is actually buried in Chicago, Illinois. Where exactly? Find out for yourself by venturing to the intersection of East 67th Street and South Greenwood Avenue. As you’re exploring, be sure not to stumble over the graves of Jesse Owens or Harold Washington. Do pay attention to the languages and ethnicities of the names on the gravestones—a good deal of Chicago history can be read right off of them. And you hardly need to be a history buff to appreciate the oddly moving burial mound and memorial to confederate soldiers in the cemetery’s southwest corner.

2. The Aldi on South Cottage Grove Avenue and East Marquette Road. If you really think you can buy more inexpensive groceries anywhere else in Chicago, I’ve got some cheap land in Florida to sell you.

3. The South Shore Cultural Center at the eastern end of East 71st Street. In case you’ve been persuaded by Susan Patton’s recent letter to The Daily Princetonian, this, it turns out, is a popular wedding spot. It’s not hard to see why: classy architecture, picturesque beach, cozy picnic areas in a nature sanctuary, and a great, if somewhat expensive, restaurant to top it all off !

I can recommend it as an ideal study spot for your next lazy Sunday afternoon.

4. Rainbow Beach Park between East 75th Street and East 79th Street. Ever wonder where you’d end up if you slept through all the Hyde Park stops on the #6? Try it sometime—and bring a bathing suit.

There are too many University-affiliated programs operating in the neighboring communities for me to list here; I certainly encourage you to seek them out and get involved if you’re interested. But just being in the communities over the course of a simple walk or bike ride is an important first step toward organically improving our relationship with our neighbors.

Tyler Lutz is a fourth-year in the College majoring in physics and English.

THE CHICAGO MAROON | VIEWPOINTS | April 19, 2013

6

Letter: Event posters use offensive rhetoric Political Union event title disrespects undocumented immigrants Recently, UChicago Coalition for Immigrant Rights (UCCIR) and many other members of the larger campus community became aware of a poster advertising an event hosted by the University of Chicago Political Union. The poster read, “Resolved: States Should Defend Themselves Against Illegal Immigrants.”

While we understand that the group’s intention was to ignite interest in the topic and not to harm or offend anyone, it is necessary to address why the poster was offensive in order to educate and to prevent future incidents like this.

The statement succeeded in its primary goal of being provocative and getting attention for the event. But we believe the statement could have just as effectively accomplished this goal without being anti-immigrant. It is not the state that needs to defend itself against immigrants, but rather immigrants that have needed to defend themselves against xenophobic attacks, both in rhetoric and in the form of raids that break up families and have resulted in record numbers of deportations in recent years.

The most problematic part of the poster was the usage of the term “illegal immigrants.” Just last week, the Associated Press changed the rules in its stylebook to state that “illegal” can only be used to refer to an action, not a person. There can be illegal immigration, but there cannot be illegal immigrants.

The usage of the term “illegal immigrants” is dehumanizing and criminalizes all undocumented immigrants. It unfairly labels people who may be out of status due to a variety of circumstances, such as those who have left their country to escape natural disasters or those who have been on a backlog for years waiting to obtain papers. Being undocumented does not make you less of a person, and “illegal” should not be used to describe immigrants without legal status. We also wish to

make it clear that such language can work to further alienate this vulnerable population.

The effects and consequences of language are real. As a university campus, we must be aware of our language and the populations it affects.

As part of a community that includes undocumented immigrants, we would hope that students be more thoughtful about the rhetoric they use because we want to make it clear that this is a safe and welcoming place for people of all walks of life.

UCCIR supports the Political Union’s mission in sponsoring open and engaging dialogue on this important and pressing topic. However, we would like to make it clear that we, as an organization, will not accept the kind of offensive rhetoric that was employed in marketing this event.

—Eric Chien, Cynthia De La Rosa, and Lynda Lopez

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.

Residential Properties Faculty and Staff Housing Fa We assist eligible faculty and staff of The University of Chicago find their new home in the Hyde Park area.

Enjoy the benefits:

Great amenities No security deposit Early lease termination option (subject to program guidelines) Friendly and responsive staff

Large Pizza up to 5 Toppings

Conveniently located near: Campus Schools Restaurants Retail shops Transportation

Visit rp.uchicago.edu for:

Property locations & amenities Floor plans Building photos Price ranges

only

$12!

Carry-out or Delivery Order online! www.papajohns.com

Hyde Park Location 1418 E. 53rd Street (773) 752-7272

Contact us today by calling 773.753.0860 or emailing residential@uchicago.edu!

5100 S. Dorchester Avenue

Chicago, IL 60615

Mention this coupon to receive offer

ARTS

Heartlandia APRIL 19, 2013

On campus stage, comedy troupe finds heart of sharpness Will Dart Associate Arts Editor Upon arriving at the University of Chicago, comedy-lovers—a rare but not extinct species—are likely somewhat underwhelmed by what’s to be found here in the way of live humor. You can occasionally see stand-up at Logan, and I have once or twice had a chuckle courtesy of University Theater, but it remains remarkably

OCCAM’S RAZOR Reynolds Club Third Floor Theater Free

difficult for an overworked UChicago student to get his or her laugh on without shelling out cash or trekking off campus.

So, if you count yourself a fan of funny things or think that your life could benefit from some audible laughter free of charge, you may want to come to the Reynolds Club Third Floor Theater this Friday, where the members of the improv comedy group Occam’s Razor will take the stage, gesticulating wildly.

Founded in 1999 under “mysterious circumstances,” Occam’s Razor has since gone on to become one of the foremost improv comedy troupes at the University of Chicago. They currently play three shows a quarter to sizeable audiences and participate in improv festivals and comOCCAMS continued on page 9

Adam Levine, a MAPH student and member of Occam’s Razor, tells prospective student Ellis Powell a themed pickup line at a prospie show in Reynolds Club earlier last week.

SYDNEY COMBS | THE CHICAGO MAROON

Artists destroy matter to At Franke Institute, writer create meaning at MCA David Shields on the defensive Tianyuan Deng Senior Arts Staff

“Wildboar Hunting 1” by Kazuo Shiraga consists of the hide of a boar that the artist himself shot, killed, and skinned. He then painted on it using only his feet.

COURTESY OF ALEX GARCIA

Alice Bucknell Arts Editor Destruction is a form of creation. While this is not a totally novel idea (it goes back at least to postmodernism), it is a complicated one. Paradoxically, the act of destroying , seemingly impulsive and susceptible to the element of chance, can’t quite be compacted into the act alone. There’s a lot of bleed-through within the pockets of negative

space that remain, shameless and unyielding , after the things that once occupied them are removed.

DESTROY THE PICTURE Museum of Contemporary Art Through June 2

It’s common knowledge among physicists and artists alike that matter never fully disappears, but merely changes shape. So, in

conflating that fact with the fate of an object that is ripped, smashed, or burned away from our immediate viewing experience, it begs the question: If the physical presence of a thing has been obliterated, where does its energ y really go?

On art, I can say two things with certainty: first, that art is fundamentally reactionary, and second, that art is inherently political. Destroy the Picture, BOAR continued on page 8

David Shields gave a talk and read two excerpts from his books (he’s published 14) at the Franke Institute in the Regenstein this Monday. The talk was rather diffuse, but mainly pertained to how he wrote; the two excerpts were about, respectively, George W. Bush and an erotic relationship between a man and a woman. The reading was followed by several skeptical but friendly questions, to which Shields reacted quite defensively, at times even emotionally. As it turns out, the rigorous thinking of this university, which the author went out of his way to praise, later tested him. Some audience members left unconvinced that he stood the test.

Before the reading , Shields stressed the meditative aspect of his works.

He started the talk by raving about the theoretical bent of the University of Chicago, recounting encounters with students here. Then he quoted a paragraph by Philip Roth (A.M. ’55) about doing the wrong thing : One can never get other people

“right,” or know exactly what others think or feel.

This sentiment made me expect Shields to elaborate on his own version of, as he termed it, “getting it wrong.” However, if Shields had explained this, he did not do so clearly enough. He went on to explain that his works are all about the psychological push-pull of human beings, and how in every human being is the entire human condition contained.

While the complicated nature of human emotions was confirmed, Shields dropped the subject of “getting it wrong.”

The ensuing two readings were at times fun, but largely unexciting. The first excerpt was a laundry list of how the author resembled George W. Bush, in all its glorious trivia.

For example, when someone asked Bush what his New Year’s resolution was one year, he said it was to eat fewer sweets. This resolution was exactly the same as Shields’s that same year. Despite clever coincidences like that one, the purpose of this Bush trivia game remained opaque. At times I wondered if I had missed the part of the read-

ing where the “purpose” was shown. But then, the point of a literary piece should be felt throughout, and not need to be stated in a few sentences.

The second excerpt Shields shared was about an erotic affair between a woman and a man, in which the woman keeps a diary of all her sexual woes and fantasies. As much as I enjoy lurid tales, Shields’s piece was neither twisted, nor very intense: a piece of spice that lacked bite, probably because his sexual references were too direct and even (dare I say) akin to a tale you might read in a drugstore romance novel.

In the story, the man’s interest in the woman subsides as the woman lays bare her inner psyche through her diary, losing her mystique.

Maybe this piece was supposed to explore the phenomenon of sexual tension instead of depicting the tension in all its intensity.

Yet how can one cut to the core of such a relationship if one does not convey, as the author stressed often, the rawness of a push-pull dynamic?

Although one might not have been impressed SHIELDS continued on page 8

THE CHICAGO MAROON | ARTS | April 19, 2013

8

Artists cut, slash, and burn their way toward reappropriation of wartime experiences BOAR continued from page 7 a long-term exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art, and—as its title suggests—a show concerned with the effects and affects of destroyed art, takes aim at these axioms with a boldness that is as impressive conceptually as it is aesthetically. Attentive to art produced during the postwar period (1949–62), the exhibit presents works born from the anxiety, frustrations, and general existential crises invoked by the mass physical and psychic destruction of the war.

The works featured in this show act as distilled visual manifestations of this “bad feeling.” Motivated by fear, anger, and confusion, the artists literally attacked the canvas to express and, through the process of art making , to lessen the massive psychological burden of being. In many ways, the paintings produced at this time served as a cathartic release, pulling out from within the self deeply embedded feelings of guilt, hopelessness, and other anxieties, and reorienting them into a physical thing that was as much a container as an art object.

But as significant as the physicality of the object itself was in dealing with the psychic and social damage of the war, the process by which these objects were introduced into the world and then obliterated by it was just as meaningful, if not more so. This becomes apparent when one looks at the variety of techniques used by artists in Destroy the Picture to destroy their pictures—from the blowtorches used by American artist Lee Bontecou to Frenchborn Niki de Saint Phalle’s penchant for shooting her paintings with a rifle. Each tool holds symbolic weight in dismantling and ultimately reproducing the meaning of the artwork featured. So clearly influenced by the particular tools used in World War II and the lingering fear of nuclear warfare, it is unsurprising that many of the show’s artists opted to manipulate their work with abrasive chemicals that bite into the material and, at times, totally disintegrate it.

As Japanese artist Kazuo Shiraga demonstrates in his piece “Wildboar Hunting 1,” destruction is not necessarily an act of reduction. While other featured artists

like John Latham, Yves Klein, and Lucio Fontana reveal a means of destroying art by creating negative space and visual cues of disintegration through their mixed techniques of removing , burning , and slicing into the canvas, Shiraga proposes that things might be destroyed by adding the physical and symbolic weight of other things.

“Wildboar Hunting 1” is familiar in its rectangular dimensions and appears to be an Abstract Expressionist painting from a distance, but any comforts of similarity end there. Move closer to the painting , and its rich oxblood-red hues and gorgeous sculptural qualities suddenly become grotesque as tufts of fur and hints of the snout of a wild boar emerge from the sticky mess of reds, browns, and blacks.

Using his feet to smear layers of viscous red paint upon the pelt of a boar he shot and skinned himself, Shiraga reveals, through the violent abstraction and obfuscation of the boar itself, that to destroy an object does not necessitate a material removal of that object from the world. Rather than obliterating an object to create a void, one

can destroy an object by overwhelming it with other material. In other words, one can destroy an object just as easily by filling a void than by carving one.

To return to the ideological nucleus of the exhibit, which presents the act of destroying as a form of creating , the two actions now seem more interconnected than ever. The unremitting violence of World War II no doubt created very real physical voids. In attempting to grapple with these pockets of negative space—of unjustified violence and existential ennui—postwar artists fearlessly attacked and dismantled their work to create new social and psychic meaning. Destroy the Picture suggests that destruction not only sustains the creative process, but also impels it; one cannot exist without the other, and furthermore, the two are interwoven in a self-sustaining cycle. In cultivating a new and dynamic form of art from the bleak aftermath of war, the exhibition’s artists are an inspiration of creative vitality, demonstrating that not just alchemists and heroes of fantasy can produce something from nothing.

Shields: “I have already answered the question, and I would not reinscribe that”

Writer David Shields. At a talk on campus Monday, Shields read excerpts from his large body of work.

COURTESY OF LAUREL ANGRIST

SHIELDS continued from page 7

by Shields’s writing from the selections he shared at this reading, one also tends to wonder if this unappreciation stems from the writer’s less-thanbrilliance, or from the

reader’s lack of insight.

For me, this doubt was dissipated in the Q & A session. Shields proved to be quite irascible. A student asked him to elaborate on a point he had made, and he promptly responded, “I

have already answered the question, and I would not reinscribe that.” At one point, the host made a reference to the popular Web site Buzzfeed, and Shields waved his hand haughtily and almost shook, expressing surprise that the host would bring in such a lowly medium. (In fact, because the discussion at that moment was about collage, Buzzfeed was quite relevant.)

Shields’s attitude did not help the discussion, because much of his reasoning actually demanded clarification or elaboration. For example, he repeatedly stressed the importance of innovation of the narrative form, without providing a solid reason for it. When a student asked why novelty for novelty’s sake, he firmly replied that he was very against novelty for novelty’s sake, and that he had not argued for that earlier.

End of discussion—that student was left unanswered. Shields’ habit of starting sentences with quotes from famous people was not helpful. More

ering was a bit sidetracked by the writer himself—his lackluster excerpts and his defensive attitude toward skepticism. After the event, I conversed with two participants, both of whom said that they found him unconvincing; one even said Shields had been “pretentious.”

The Sawyer Seminar on Around 1948: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Global Transformation

THE COLD WAR IN ASIA AND THE NEW AMERICAN CENTURY Saturday, April 27 3:15 - 5:00 pm CONCLUDING ROUNDTABLE John Kelly, Professor, Anthropology, The University of Chicago UC Santa Barbara

Classified advertising in The Chicago Maroon is $3 for each line. Lines are 45 characters long including spaces and punctuation. Special headings are 20-character lines at $4 per line. Submit all ads in person, by e-mail, or by mail to The Chicago Maroon, Ida Noyes Hall, Lower Level Rm 026, 1212 E. 59th St., Chicago, IL 60637. The Chicago Maroon accepts Mastercard & Visa. Call (773) 702-9555.

2 BDRM CONDO 4 RENT

RECEPTIONIST WANTED

Quiet 2bdrm, 2bth Woodlawn condo for rent.

Tenant pays utilities. Central air, stainless steel appliances, in-unit washer/dryer. $1300 per mo. 1st mo. rent & security required. Contact Howard 773-879-8165.

for NorthKenwood/Hyde Park full service salon and spa. Must be pleasant, computer savvy, & able to multi task. Flexible hours and a fun working environment. Call Susan 773624-0090

looking to share 2BR/2Bath apartment in South Loop near Prairie/15th streets - $800/ mo.

Contact: kallsop@ciber.com.

speare and Aristotle.

The Franke Institute was great in coordinating the event; it was well organized, with an intimate atmosphere. The host asked intelligent questions, and the rest of the staff was beyond friendly. By any means, one should frequent Franke Institute events. Yet this gath-

Suk-Young Kim, Associate Professor, Theater & Dance,

CLASSIFIEDS

GRAD STUDENT IN CHICAGO

often than not, the quote itself was a piece of wit that needed elaboration, and using a large number of dense quotes for explanation only complicated the idea. One might wonder if Shields was really quoting, or if he just enjoyed compulsively name-dropping heavyweights like Shake-

JET SKIS, FlyBoards, Kayaks, Paddleboard rentals and Paddleboard Yoga classes at 31st Street Harbor, opens May www.ChicagoWaterSportsRentals.com 312-924-7979

Kenneth Pomeranz, University Professor, History The University of Chicago

Wesley Sasaki-Uemura, Associate Professor, History, University of Utah

Home Room, International House, 1414 East 59th Street This roundtable concludes the three-day conference COLD WAR IN ASIA on April 25, 26 & 27.

For more information, see: http://lucian.uchicago.edu/blogs/coldwarasia For contact, email: coldwarinasia2013@gmail.com Persons with a disability who believe they may need assistance are requested to call 773-753-2270 in advance.

THE CHICAGO MAROON | ARTS | April 19, 2013

CALEND AR 1

2

3

4

5

6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Friday | April 19

9

WITH HANNAH GOLD

Do What You’re Told

A wise man named Woody Allen once said in a movie of his, “To be happy, one must love or love to suffer or suffer from too much happiness. I hope you’re getting this down.” In this vein of deep, philosophical comedy that doesn’t give answers so much as raise the same question over and over again, catch “The God, Sex, Death Variety Hour” with host comedian Danny Black at The Hideout.

This show keeps things fresh with performances by musicians, clerg y, morticians, and sex workers. An “itinerant juggling act” will be on hand to ensure maximum suffering. 1354 West Wabansia Avenue.

6:30 p.m., $5 at door.

2nd Story—a story maker and storyteller collective that does everything from theater paired with wines to workshops and podcasts—will perform “I Got Schooled: Stories from the Classroom

of Life” at the Logan Center. Each of the three narratives communicates a lesson learned well outside of any lecture hall (and not in a seminar, either). The event is presented in conjunction with Memoryhouse, a campus lit mag that publishes student memoirs. Keep your eyes peeled for the first issue, coming to a library near you sometime during sixth week.

915 East 60th Street. Doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 6:30, free, first-come, first-served.

Saturday | April 20 Go back to brew basics with AlphaBeer X at John Barleycorn’s in River North. Not only will you have the chance to taste 26 beers in alphabetical order, you’ll learn the differences between them and what food they pair best with, all with a focus on the wholesome ales of the Midwest. This event is your chance to acquire the skills needed

to order a craft beer in a hip bar with confidence, unless, as with preschool, you don’t end up remembering any of it.

149 West Kinzie Street. 12–3 p.m., $45 in advance, $50 at door. 21+.

Graze, the Logan Square–based lit mag that blurs the line between life and food, is unveiling a third issue with its See Food party at Intuit: Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art. As the name of the soiree would suggest (phonetically, at least) there will be fish from Burhop’s Seafood, with additional catering provided by Peerless Bread & Jam and Très Jolie Patisserie. There will also be a cash bar, a performance by Sidewalk Chalk, and the catch of the day—a complimentary copy of Graze. 756 North Milwaukee Avenue.

Starts at 8 p.m., $10.

In case you need reminding , it’s Record Store Day nation-wide, and this year nearly two dozen Chicago shops are

participating. Among them, Café Mustache is giving away free coffee with the purchase of an LP; Dave’s Records will roll out discounts, candy, and cupcakes; and our own Hyde Park Records will have the Thursday Night Dusties Party DJs on hand while you shop the sales at its Soul Reunion. Grab a bud and go. Soul Reunion: 1377 East 53rd Street. 12–8 p.m., free.

Sunday | April 21

Di sney gets dragged through the mud yet again at Gorilla Tango’s “The Roast of Cinderella,” hot off the 2012 Chicago Fringe Festival circuit. This rude-girl show features “girl-on-girl action at its very best,” smack-downs, and a refreshing lack of Prince Charming. The show only runs this weekend and next, so book it to the ball before this happily-never-after turns into a pumpkin. 1919 North Milwaukee Avenue. 7:30 p.m., tickets $20.

Occam’s first show of the quarter plans to poke fun at all the Metcalfs you didn’t get OCCAMS continued from page 7 petitions across the nation. Membership is open to undergrads and grad students alike, all of whom write and perform in equal measure.

Their show this Friday, Summer Opportunity Workshop Presentation, is a loving tribute to the horrors of the collegiate job search. Laughter being the best medicine, they’ll use their comedic stylings to soothe the pain we’re all feeling over whoring ourselves out to Internet startups or, worse yet, being forced to work another summer as a greeter at Men’s Warehouse.

I myself cannot speak to the quality of the show, as I haven’t seen it. No one has, not even the cast members themselves. Improv comedy showcases are, as a rule, remarkably different every time they’re performed. So how do the student-comedians of Occam’s Razor ensure that a show they think up on the spot is going to make people laugh with any kind of reliable consistency?

That problem, like so many in the world of improv comedy, can apparently be solved with two fairly simple maxims: Just go with it, and try to have a good time. “We think that what we do is funny, and generally we force it on other people, and if they like it, they stay,” said group president and not-

Maroon-5-frontman Adam Levine (he’s half-joking here, but then that’s almost always the case). Fellow Occamite Tony Ditta put it in gentler terms: “If you’re authentic to what you find funny, people will tend to find that funny because they can tell you’re having fun.” Careful analysis of that statement yields an important truth: You can’t spell funny without fun. Improv, at its heart, is play; it’s a cooperative, non-competitive game in which the primary objectives are to create new things and to have a good time doing it. And, as in any game, if you’re not having a good time, you’re probably doing something wrong.

This is not to say that they’re just fooling around up there. Although nothing is staged or preplanned, there are certain conventions that need to be followed to establish the scene and keep things moving in the right direction, and each skit has its pre-determined parameters. Lots and lots of practice also means that they’ve got a pretty deep bag of tools and tricks to draw on if things hit a snag or get really fucked up. All that being the case, the particulars of the performance remain completely spontaneous, and scenes can still go in some spectacularly strange directions. I’m told that, during one particularly lively show, one cast member

mimed giving birth to himself and then engaging in autoerotic acts as said newborn, all without breaking character.

Of course, breaking (that is, laughing uncontrollably) does sometimes occur in this line of work. But the group was quick to assure me that laughing intentionally to save a dying scene (à la Jimmy Fallon) isn’t something they do. “If it happens, it’s because you’re having a really good time, and surprising each other with what you come up with,” Willy Calvin said.

Again: Just go with it, and try to have a good time.

But at the humor vacuum that is the University of Chicago, just what kind of people join Occam’s Razor? Are they animated, highly-expressive goofballs who crack wise around the clock, or are their comedic sensibilities largely kept in check until they spring forth uncontrollably every full moon and terrorize the countryside?

From what I’ve gathered, improv doesn’t really bleed into one’s day-to-day life to a noticeable degree—Occamites don’t feel the urge to pretend the Reg is a pirate ship or respond to Chalk posts as Mr. T. Improv does not, as far as I know, help them climb the corporate ladder or fight crime MacGyver-style.

The men and women of Occam’s Razor are largely

DESIGN.

DRAW.

normal, mild-mannered UChicago students, albeit ones endowed with preternaturally quick wits and the urge to get up on stage a few times a quarter and perform comedy.

This they do quite well. I’ve seen Occam’s a few times, and I’ve been repeatedly impressed with the group’s ability to pull tightly paced, well-scripted scenes out of thin air. They’re a cohesive unit, anticipating each other’s thoughts so smoothly that it’s hard to believe they’re making it up as they go (they actually are). They make liberal use of references to bad movies from the early ’90s and pretty much never miss a chance to make sexual innuendo. And, God help me, I think they’re funny as hell.

But there’s only so much a performer can do on their end to make you laugh. Improv, like all forms of theater, is a bit like hypnotism: It requires a certain degree of willingness and participation from its audience (more literally, in this case). You need to come into the theater wanting to be entertained, or else the trick won’t work. Don’t be that tough guy at the comedy show who tries to make it through the whole thing without cracking a smile. Whatever happens on stage, just go with it. Try to have a good time—it shouldn’t be too hard.

WRITE.

COPY EDIT.

SEEKING WRITERS, DESIGNERS, COPY-EDITORS, CARTOONISTS, PHOTOGRAPHERS Have what it takes to make the Maroon Staff? Contact us: editor@chicagomaroon.com

10

THE CHICAGO MAROON | ADVERTISEMENT | April 19, 2013

Bucksbaum Institute for Clinical Excellence

Second Annual Donor Symposium Friday, April 26, 2013 Time: 12:30–5:00 p.m.

Location: Biological Sciences Learning Center (BSLC) 1:00–1:45 p.m.

Keynote: Shifting Paradigms: The Oldest Art Became the Youngest Science

Jerome Lowenstein, MD Professor of Medicine, Chief, Edward C. Franklin Firm, and Founder and Director of Program for Humanistic Aspects of Medical Education at New York University 1:50–2:15 p.m.

Lecture: The Gold Humanism Foundation: Past, Present, and Future [and its Relationship to the Bucksbaum Institute]

Arnold Gold, MD Professor of Clinical Neurology and Pediatrics, Columbia University and Founder Arnold P. Gold Foundation 2:45–4:30 p.m.

Research Presentations by Bucksbaum Institute Faculty and Student Scholars Master Clinician

Ross Milner, MD, Department of Surgery Junior Faculty Scholars

Nita Lee, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Amber Pincavage, MD, Department of Medicine John Yoon, MD, Department of Medicine Student Scholars

Anne Lauer, MS2, Pritzker School of Medicine Elizabeth Rhinesmith, MS2, Pritzker School of Medicine Robert Sanchez, MS2, Pritzker School of Medicine 4:30–5:00 p.m. Advisory Board Panel Discussion

Jordan Cohen, MD, President Emeritus, AAMC Laura Roberts, MD, Chair of Psychiatry, Stanford University Arthur Rubenstein, MD, Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Box lunches will be provided. Registration and Lunch begin at 12:30 p.m.

Please RSVP to http:/tiny.cc/BISymposium-RSVP For questions, please call 773-702-3247.

The Bucksbaum Institute for Clinical Excellence was created to improve patient care, to strengthen the doctorpatient relationship and to enhance communication and decision-making through research and education programs for medical students, junior faculty and master clinicians.

11

THE CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | April 19, 2013

Scheduled for the home stand: Tuesday’s victim North Park, Rockford on deck Baseball

BASEBALL UAA Standings Rank

School

Record

1

Case Western

18–9(5–3)

Win % .667

2 3 4 5 6

Chicago Washingon (MO) Emory Rochester Brandeis

14–8 (0–0) 18–11(5–3) 19–14 (4–4) 11–14 (4–4) 9–18 (2–6)

.636 .621 .576 .440 .333

Batting Average Rank 1 2 3 4 5

Player Engel Bullock Cinoman Lowery

Rank 1 2 2 4 5

Player Engel Cinoman Iturrey Keen Pakan

School Chicago Chicago Chicago Chicago Washington (MO)

Schwabe

AVG .434 .423 .419 .395 .387

RBIs

Rank 1 2 2 4 4

School Chicago Chicago Emory Case Western Case Western

Home Runs School Player Chicago Engel Chicago Cinoman Case Western Pakan Chicago Bullock

RBIs 31 28 28 25 24

Case

HRs 5 3 3 2 2

School Case Western Emory Rochester Washington (MO) Rochester

ERA 1.92 2.35 2.48 2.93 3.00

Keen ERA

Fourth-year co-captain Jack Cinoman takes a swing in a game against Dominican earlier this month.

JAMIE MANLEY | CHICAGO MAROON

Madelaine Pisani Sports Contributor Before the rain hit, the Maroons managed to squeeze in a little baseball this week.

Chicago (14–8) pulled out a 10–4 win over North Park (15–13) on Tuesday afternoon before its Wednesday matchup against North Central was postponed.

North Park went out in front early, scoring a run in the first inning and holding the South Siders at 1–0 until the third.

Second-year third baseman Kyle Engel hit a single in the third, plating three runners due to an error by North Park’s left fielder. Engel scored shortly after on another single from third-year DH Ricky Troncelliti to put his team up 4–1. The Maroons led for the rest of the game.

The Vikings threatened to strike back immediately but were restricted to only one run in the bottom of the third. Chicago regained its momentum in the top of the fourth. Fourth-year first baseman J.R. Lopez scored on an error before fellow fourth-year Ben Bullock batted in third-year shortstop Dylan Massey to bring the score up to a comfortable 6–2.

Chicago’s dominant offense received solid support from fourth-year starting pitcher Matt

O’Connor. O’Connor struck out seven batters in eight innings of work, allowing four runs on eight hits. The fourth-year didn’t need to be perfect, given his run support, but he was pleased with his outing nonetheless.

“I felt good pitching last Tuesday against Dominican and the momentum from that last game carried over to my performance today,” O’Connor said. “I wanted to keep the hitters off balance and tried to do so by throwing all my pitches for strikes.

Hopefully our team can build on the momentum from our North Park game leading into our next meeting with North Park on Friday.”

The South Siders scored three more runs in the seventh inning and one in the ninth, bringing their total up to ten 10 for the night. Third-year pitcher William Katzka closed the game out with a scoreless ninth inning in relief of O’Connor.

The win appeared comfortable for Chicago in the end, but the players were under no illusions about the importance of the game.

“We needed this game to stay in the running for a potential playoff spot,” fourth-year outfielder Jack Cinoman said. “North Park is a good team, and today we were better prepared and as focused as we could be on our task at hand.”

The Maroons have a busy few days ahead. They face North Park at home again this afternoon, play

Rockford (7–15) at home on Sunday, and travel to Michigan where they will match up against Hope (17–10) on Monday. With the playoffs fast approaching, the Maroons are keeping an eye on their final goal.

“North Park is a good team and we hope to have as good a game against them as we did Tuesday, in hopes of sweeping the season series against them,” second-year catcher Brenden Dunleavy said.

“Ultimately, though, I think everyone is putting in the work to drive the team to playoffs.”

The South Siders have reason to be optimistic heading into their weekend games. They have just beaten their first opponent, North Park, and their second is hardly setting the world alight this season. Rockford has lost three of its last four games and is still recovering from a 10-game losing streak earlier in the year.

The game against Hope presents more of a challenge. The Flying Dutchmen have shown some inconsistency in the last few weeks, splitting five of their last six doubleheaders, but they maintain a strong record and lie second in the MIAA conference.

The game against North Park is scheduled to begin today at 3 p.m. on Stagg Field and play against Rockford will begin on Sunday at 1 p.m., also at home. Monday’s game at Hope is slated to begin at 3 p.m.

At Wheaton Invite, last chance to book ticket to UAAs Track & Field

Rank 1 2 3 4 5

Rank 1 2 3 4 5

Player Gish Dillman Menke Bonser King

Strike Outs School Player Dillman Bonser

Emory Washington (MO)

Menke Johnstone Gish

Case Western Case Western

Rochester

Ks 59 42 34 32 31

SOFTBALL UAA Standings Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6

School Emory

Record 38–2 (8–0)

Win % .950

Washington (MO) Brandeis Case Western Chicago Rochester

23–9 (5–3) 19–10 (3–5) 18–13 (3–5) 12–10 (0–0) 11–16 (1–7)

.719 .655 .581 .545 .407

Batting Average Rank 1

Player Genovese

School Brandeis

AVG .462

2 3 4 5

Janssen Light Komar Neal

Washington (MO) Emory Case Western Washington (MO)

.459 .432 .410 .396

Rank 1

Player Light

School Emory

Neal Roberts Berg Kersthold

Washington (MO) Case Western Washington (MO) Emory

RBIs

2 3 4 5

RBIs 52 42 33 31 29

Home Runs

Isaac Stern Sports Staff The Maroons have begun the final leg of the race, so to speak, before the conference championship next weekend.

This Saturday they will brave the cold once again at the Don Church Wheaton Twilight Invitational.

Last year, the Maroons finished in fifth place at the Wheaton Twilight Invitational. This year, they will try to improve on that performance, although first place may be a stretch considering traditional powerhouse North Central will be in attendance. The Cardinals held the number one ranking in DIII on the men’s side for most of the season and currently sit at third.

Yet the biggest competition for the South Siders may not come from the opposing teams they will compete against this weekend. Rather, they will have to face off against each other. Due to entry limits for various events at the UAA

championship, not all Maroon athletes can compete in their usual events. This weekend is a chance for each individual to show that he or she deserves to represent the team at conference.

“The team is probably the most positive, upbeat, and inspiring group of people I have ever had the privilege to spend time with,” second-year sprinter Francesca Tomasi said. “On the track we really push and support each other, and off the track it’s so easy to just have a great time together. Especially now, rolling into the second half of our competition season, it really does feel like a family.”

Tomasi recently returned to the track after a long hiatus due to injury. She will compete in the 200m and 400m dashes this weekend.

The Maroons have worked all year to improve and get ready for the conference meet. A few, like Tomasi, have just recently returned from injury and are diving right into high pressure situations. Others will use this as their final opportunity to perfect

form or correct baton passing. This weekend will serve as a final opportunity to fix any kinks left over from previous competitions and to mentally prepare for the climax of the season.

“Coach Hall has been doing a great job preparing us,” fourth-year Vicky Espinoza said. “[For the steeplechase], we began going over hurdles and doing hurdle mobility during indoor track season.”

Espinoza won the 3,000m steeplechase last weekend at the Benedictine Invitational and will compete in the 1,500m run this weekend.

The Maroons want to be successful this weekend and carry momentum over into next week. As the South Siders compete this weekend, their eyes will be on the finish line, but the UAAs will be lurking in the background.

Events are slated to begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

“We’re very optimistic about what we can accomplish as a team this season and [are] confident that all of our hard work will pay off,” first-year Jake Romeo said.

Rank 1 2 2 2 5

Player Light Sendel Neal Berg Mullen

School Emory Emory Washington (MO) Washington (MO) Washington (MO)

Rank 1 2 3 4 5

Player Kardys Carpenter Brottman Poole Grage

Rank 1 2 3 3 5

Player Taylor Pitkin Grage Kardys Carpenter

HRs 12 7 7 7 6

ERA School Emory Emory Emory Chicago Rochester

ERA 1.24 1.44 1.91 2.49 2.85

Strike Outs School Case Western Washington (MO) Rochester Emory Emory

Ks 137 88 83 83 78

SPORTS

IN QUOTES

“Also, if this game goes to the 11th, I’m going to punch [Rockies’ mascot] Dinger in the face, just because.”

—Mets reporter Kevin Burkhardt tweets his frustration in the 19th freezing inning of a doubleheader in Colorado.

Maroons play through Thunder at Stagg With pitching on point, Women’s Tennis

Fourth-year Linden Li returns the ball in a doubles match against Wheaton on Tuesday.

WILLIAM YEE | THE CHICAGO MAROON

Alexander Sotiropoulos Senior Sports Staff The Maroons put an exclamation point on what has been a stellar regular season.

No. 7 Chicago (14–4) blew out Wheaton (13–4) 7–0 in a home match at the Stagg Field tennis courts on Tuesday. The win capped off Chicago’s final match before the UAA Championships on April 26–28.

“It was important for us to play [well] against Wheaton so we could carry some positive momentum into the next week of practice,” head coach Jay Tee said.

“It also allowed us to pinpoint a couple areas that we would like to improve over the next 10 days.”

The Maroons outscored the Thunder 24–2 in doubles and also recorded an 8–0 shutout from the No. 3 pair of firstyear Sruthi Ramaswami and second-year Maggie Schumann.

However, Tee still sees room for

improvement in doubles.

“We’re still trying to get into the mindset of the aggressors in doubles,” Tee said. “We’ve been working on ending the point in five shots or less, which means crossing and putting more pressure on our opponents by hitting through the ball and gaining the offensive advantage when we get the chance.”

However, the tandem of Ramaswami and Schumann has not yet been penciled in for postseason play. First-year Stephanie Lee has shared time in the No. 3 spot.

“Stephanie has been playing well, but [Schumann] has been playing great in practice, and we wanted to give her a shot against Wheaton,” Tee said. “Both [Lee] and [Schumann] are key parts to our team, and I’m confident in both of them.”

Singles was almost a mirror image of doubles. No. 4 secondyear Kelsey McGillis out-powered and out-hustled Marissa Shults for

a 6–0, 6–0 victory in less than one hour.

“It had been awhile for me since I have [won 6–0, 6–0], so I feel a lot better about my game both mentally and physically for [the UAA Championships],” McGillis said.

Second-year Megan Tang, who has held the top singles spot in the lineup for the entire year, extended her winning streak to 14 games with a double bagel of her own shortly after McGillis’s win.

The final two matches to finish before the match was called on account of rain were first-year Helen Sdvizkhov at No. 3 (6–2, 6–0) and Ramaswami at No. 5 (6–1, 6–1).

“Sruthi Ramaswami has improved by leaps and bounds from the fall to now,” Tee said. “I remember telling her after her loss at the ITA tournament in October that she needed to get out of her comfort zone and play with more passion and energy, and she’s done that, and it’s paid off for her and the team. She’s slowly emerging as a leader with her play and her attitude.”

Tee has also been impressed with his other newcomers, Sdvizkhov and Lee. “Helen Sdvizkhov and Stephanie Lee have also stepped in and contributed as first-years, winning several key matches and learning how to compete with the tools they already have,” he said.

Though they have experienced many changes this year with a new coaching staff and a young lineup, the Maroons have fought their way to become one of the best teams in the nation. But Chicago is not satisfied yet, and Tee said more work needs to be done in order to have a successful postseason run.

“The bar has been set very high for Chicago tennis,” he said. “And we’re going to have to work even harder as a team if we want to get back to the NCAA Championship match.”

For now, the Maroons focus on UAA Championships, which take place in one week in Orlando, Florida.

focus shifts to hitting Softball Tatiana Fields Associate Sports Editor Despite the Maroons’ strong showing on defense, their offense just couldn’t deliver as they dropped both games of their doubleheader against Illinois Wesleyan (22–7) at home on Tuesday. Pitchers dominated both games, which finished with final scores of 2–0 and 2–1 in the Titans’ favor. With the losses, Chicago fell to 12–10.

Though this is the South Siders’ fifth straight loss, the team is not letting this slump get its spirits down. The team has faced strong opponents of late, including No. 10 UW–Whitewater and No. 18 North Central along with Illinois Wesleyan. The Maroons are determined not to let these defeats define their season.

“We played very well in our past six games going back to Whitewater,” head coach Ruth Kmak said. “Against three highly ranked teams, we played with great intensity, solid pitching and defense, and decent offense.

We quite simply did not get the hit we needed with runners in scoring position in games when we needed it.”

The first game of the day was dominated by strong pitching on both sides. Fourth-year Kim Cygan pitched for the Maroons, while third-year Molly McCready pitched for the Titans. The first five innings were scoreless, with McCready and Cygan both striking out 10 batters.

The Titans broke out of their offensive rut in the top of the sixth with back-to-back singles. The team almost scored after a double steal that put runners on second and third, but Cygan shut down the threat with a strikeout. The Maroons also came close to scoring in the sixth with loaded bases and two outs, but couldn’t get on the scoreboard.

Illinois Wesleyan scored the only runs of the game in the seventh on

a pinch-hit two-run homer over the fence, putting them ahead 2–0 and handing the South Siders their first defeat of the day.

In the second game, the first three innings continued much like the first game with no runs scored. Illinois Wesleyan scored both of its runs in the top of the fourth after three straight hits, an RBI double, and an RBI single.

First-year shortstop Kristin Lopez scored Chicago’s only run in the sixth inning with a solo home run. The game finished 2–1.

Statistically, the team hasn’t been hurt by its recent losses. Kmak believes that these numbers show that the team is fighting hard and just needs to work on the timing of its offense.

“Our fielding percentage has increased by about 20–30 points, the batting average against our pitchers has dropped by 50 points, and our team ERA has been going down,” Kmak said.

Yesterday, the Maroons had planned to take on Aurora (21–3) in a doubleheader on the road, but the game was rained out and rescheduled for Wednesday, April 24. What was a busy few days for the South Siders has now been cleared, with their Monday doubleheader at Hope also cancelled due to weather.

With Aurora and Hope currently out of the way, the South Siders can now focus on their next two games against Wheaton (14–11) at home.

Chicago may feel it has the upper hand with the Thunder’s current record for away games an unimpressive 2–4, and hopes to regain momentum for the rest of its season. Cygan will lead the team along with first-year Jordan Poole, who recorded the only two hits for Chicago in the first game against Illinois Wesleyan.

The Maroons hope to break out of their slump in their games against Wheaton at Stagg Field on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Five for Friday: Taking a look at this weekend’s key story lines

JONAH RABB | THE CHICAGO MAROON

1. THE WEATHER Baseball, softball, and men’s tennis have already had cancellations this week and their weekend games could suffer from a similar fate.

It’s meant to stay dry this weekend, but then again, this is Chicago, so your guess is really as good as ours. With postseason play nearing, consistent playing time is vital at this time of the season.

We’ve got our fingers crossed that the weather cooperates.

2. HOT

BATS ON THE BASEBALL TEAM

The Maroons have a team batting average of .370. As of last Sunday, they had the best batting average in DIII, and they have scored 39 runs in their last three games.

This weekend, they face North Park and Rockford before traveling to Hope on Monday.

They scored 10 against North Park on Tuesday. Rockford has a team ERA of 4.58, and Hope has a team ERA of 4.48. Expect runs.

3.

MEN’S TENNIS FOLLOWS GOOD STREAK WITH BAD

After going unbeaten for 10 matches between February 16 and March 28, the Maroons have lost three matches in a row. Granted, those three losses (against UW–Whitewater, Wash U, and Gustavus Adolphus) came against strong opposition, but with the UAA Championship now only a week away, Chicago needs to get back on track against Carthage this weekend. The team will look to secondyear Deepak Sabada, ranked fourth in the region, to lead the way.

4. LAST CHANCE FOR

5. WILL OFFENSE

The UAA Championships for outdoor track and field will take place next weekend in New York City. Not every South Sider is guaranteed a spot in the squad competing in the conference meet, so this weekend’s Wheaton Twilight will be an opportunity to prove their value to the team. Don’t expect fourth-years Billy Whitmore, Julia Sizek, or Dee Brizzolara to be sweating it, but the importance of this meet should not be underestimated for the lessestablished members of the team.

Softball has lost five games in a row and is now second to last in the Great Lakes region. Its offense has struggled throughout held to one run in was and stretch that against doubleheader a in innings 14 The Tuesday. on Wesleyan Illinois the in Titans the out-hit Maroons but doubleheader, that of game second they’re going to need to turn those hits into runs on Saturday when they face Wheaton, who is sporting an impressive team ERA of 2.76.

UAA HOPEFULS

FINALLY WAKE UP?