FRIDAY • APRIL 24, 2015
CHICAGOMAROON.COM
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892
ISSUE 40 • VOLUME 126
College to implement CTA U-Pass Program in 2016 Stephanie Williams News Staff
Students for Health Equity (SHE) arrange and light candles on the Midway that spell out the words “TRAUMA CENTER NOW”. The organization arranged the candle lighting event last Thursday in order to urge the University to open a trauma center. MARTA BAKULA | THE CHICAGO MAROON
Neubauer Collegium celebrates renovations at 57th and Woodlawn Cairo Lewis News Staff The University of Chicago’s Neubauer Collegium Culture for Society celebrated the opening of its newly renovated building at 5701 South Woodlawn Avenue on Monday, April 20. The building now includes small and large offices, conference rooms, spaces for public events, and a separate space for exhibitions. The Neubauer Collegium supports one- to three-year proj-
ects in which UChicago faculty work with professors from around the world in the humanities. In addition to providing a more spacious working space, Dean of Humanities and the Chauncey S. Boucher Distinguished Service Professor of Assyriology Martha Roth said that the building was reconstructed to support professors’ projects. “The new building will house the visiting fellows, provide seminar and meeting spaces, and offer state-of-the-art com-
munication systems to enable global collaborations. There are open and flexible spaces and transparent walls. Every decision about the space was made with the goal of enhancing intellectual exchange and challenging established modes of thought,” Roth said. Elspeth Carruthers, Executive Director of the Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society, says that the new space has enabled professors to collaborate NEUBAUER continued on page 4
Last Tuesday, Student Government (SG) announced that the College will participate in the CTA’s U-Pass program during the 2016–2017 school year. Students will pay $250 a year to receive unlimited bus and rail rides as long as they qualify as full-time students. The College was originally supposed to begin participation in the U-Pass program this upcoming year, but the start date has been pushed back due to budgeting issues. Discussion of joining the 47 schools who already participate in the CTA program extends back to 2002, when an SG party claimed to be the only group to support the program. Proposals and rejections of U-Pass appear
every year in SG platforms. In 2014, some candidates proposed passing U-Pass with key modifications. Some wanted an option to “opt out” of the program and others only wanted to pass the program if the University internally covered the cost for all students. Others called for a wholesale rejection. SG President and candidate Tyler Kissinger announced Tuesday on his platform website the final approval of U-Pass. Slight majority support for UPass was indicated by a two-day February referendum: Half the College voted, with 55 percent in favor of the program. According to Kissinger, students interested in transportation were more likely to participate. The positive wording of the question ("do you support the participa-
tion of your school in...’) likely biased voters as well. The support, if not entirely representative, is not new. In a 2014 spring referendum, 69 percent of students voted in favor of the joining the program. In 2007 the student population generated more than 700 signatures to put U-Pass on the ballot, and pushed for a nonbinding referendum that passed by 200 votes. Past efforts were shot down: University administrators claimed the cost was too high a burden to impart on individual students and rejected the proposals. Supporters of the program see the U-Pass as incentive to explore Chicago in depth. Students who go downtown frequently say it will relieve the strain of limiting U-PASS continued on page 4
Renowned historian Sir Christopher Bayly passes away Wendy Lee News Staff Sir Christopher Alan Bayly, one of the world’s most influential historians of India, passed away on April 20 of a heart attack. Bayly was appointed one of two of the University’s Indian Ministry of Culture Vivekananda Visiting Professors in 2013. Bayly revolutionized the field of world history by reshaping people’s understanding of India’s
past. In 2007, Bayly was the first academic expert in extra-European history to be knighted, and he was also elected Fellow of the British Academy in 1990. “Bayly stood out as an exception in the growing specialization in Indian historical research,” Sarath Pillai, one of Bayly’s history Ph.D. students, wrote in an e-mail. “His grip over Indian history and world history made us think about the possibilities of combining both….
Bayly taught us that generosity and humility were indispensable to a mentor/teacher. His generosity was legendary and perhaps the single characteristic of his persona unquestionable to anybody who came in contact with him. At his passing, we have lost a great historian, a kind teacher, and a charming friend.” Bayly was born on May 18, 1945 in Kent, England. After attending The Skinners’ School,
violating Title IX law, which prevents discrimination on the basis of sex, for their administrative policies in regard to sexual assault. Administrative responses to allegations of Title IX violations, as well as the process by which media should report on allegations of on-campus sexual assault, have also been in the national spotlight. A flashpoint came late last year, when Rolling Stone magazine retracted a November feature story titled “A Rape on
Campus,” which described a fictitious allegation of a gang rape at a University of Virginia fraternity. Since then, college students, faculty, and administrators, as well as education reporters, have questioned how the story’s flaws will impact future reporting on collegiate sexual assault. On Monday, a panel of reporters who have covered on-campus sexual assault for national news outlets expressed consensus on two major points:
UChicago partners with high schools Journalists discuss coverage of sexual to devise a new K-12 school system assault in light of recent controversies Cairo Lewis News Staff
The University of Chicago is collaborating with Amundsen and Lake View High Schools to develop a new K-12 school system. The goal of this initiative is to relieve students of some of the stresses that come with the selective enrollment high school process and enhance their families’ chances of staying in the city for high school and college. The collaboration is made possible by UChicago Impact, which offers specific programs to help improve students’ academic performance on exams. One
of its plans involves enforcing several programs within GrowCommunity that focus on literacy for pre-K through third grade students in comprehension, fluency, and accuracy. They will use strategies that were deemed successful study guidelines from 20 years of research from the University of Chicago’s Consortium on Chicago School Research. Forty-seventh Ward Alderman Ameya Pawar, 40th Ward Alderman Pat O'Connor, and 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney are a part of a group called Grow-Community, which aims to improve the educational system in Chicago by lobbying
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Board of Education. Emanuel says he is keen on providing students, parents, and teachers with the resources they need to improve their educations. “Every parent and child in Chicago deserves to have a highquality public school in their own neighborhood to help every student reach their full potential and through this innovative partnership, we will work together to achieve that goal. From principals to parents, city leaders to community leaders, we all have a role to play in the education of every child in Chicago. Through
IMPACT continued on page 5
Isaac Stein Senior News Writer In the past five years, the University’s administrative role in handling cases of on-campus sexual assault has come under scrutiny; in 2012, an alumna filed a federal suit against the University for mishandling her report of sexual assault. In 2014, the Department of Education listed the University among 55 institutes of higher education then under investigation for
OBITUARY continued on page 4
WRITERS continued on page 5
IN VIEWPOINTS
IN ARTS
IN SPORTS
Editorial: Home is where the heart is » Page 6
Annual campus pride week offers a veritable parade of colorful events » Page 8
Senior Spotlight: Bryan Tisdale
Alum reflects on experience in college housing » Page 6
» Page 10
This week in sports » Page 11
THE CHICAGO MAROON | SPECIAL REPORT | April 24, 2015
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STUDENT GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE SLATE
MOOSE PARTY
Left to right: Wetterstrom, Grimm, Sheth
T.K. APPRECIATION
Left to right: Kebaish, Kim, Goodman (not pictured)
THE VERY GOOD SLATE
Left to right: Shen, Viola, Rapp
President: Owen Grimm VP Administration: Luke Wetterstrom VP Student Affairs: Amay Sheth
President: Kareem Kebaish VP Administration: Pearson Goodman VP Student Affairs: Lyle Kim
President: Mike Viola VP Administration: Holly Rapp VP Student Affairs: Katherine Shen
“Our slate platform is to make the University of Chicago suck less. We’ve lost 20 years in a row; we think in the 21st we’ll experience more success. More importantly, after the big vote counting scandal last year, we’re really out for blood this year.”
“Our platform is looking to do things that are reasonable and within our reach. We’re not asking for big things out of the school, we don’t want to make empty promises, so we want to do things like increase the amount of art classes available…Dining, we could look into that, we’re not going to promise a huge project.”
“We really want to focus on increasing affordability for students, increasing transparency of the executive slate, dramatically improving our self-support, and being a very open community-building organization that responds actively to student concerns.”
Trauma Center: "The trauma center is a very serious issue, we’re not a serious slate, so we’re not going to comment on that." Divestment: "If you have looked at the charts recently, I think energy is an investment opportunity. So we need to put the whole endowment in oil." University handling of sexual assault: "No comment." University handling of bias incidents & racial discrimination: "No comment."
ONE CAMPUS
Left to right: Shapiro, Sachar, McMann (not pictured)
Trauma Center: Support an Adult Level I trauma center.
Trauma Center: Support an Adult Level I trauma center, but think there needs to be further investigation into the cost and student opinion.
Divestment: Indifferent. Divestment: Support the University's divestment from fossil fuels. University handling of sexual assault: "Every undergraduate institution needs to look into how they’re handling sexual assault on campus" University handling of bias incidents & racial discrimination: “Every undergraduate institution needs to be scrutinizing their administration, there’s obviously a lot of things, nothing’s perfect, nothing’s ideal, everything needs to be looked into.”
OPEN MINDS
Left to right: Akça, Mansoor, Tripathi
University handling of sexual assault: “The University does not handle it in a way that people are happy with... we really believe that student government’s role is to make everyone else’s role easier, in terms of RSO’s, so if we do our job right, the groups who are devoted to that can do their jobs better, ultimately for a better result.” University handling of bias incidents & racial discrimination: “It’s unclear how the University can always respond…I would say that the University’s options are insufficient or poorly presented..."
UNITED PROGRESS
Left to right: Kissinger, Esquivel, Jung
President: David Shapiro VP Administration: Lauren McMann VP Student Affairs: Chirag Sachar
President: Jake Mansoor VP Administration: Asya Akça VP Student Affairs: Anika Tripathi
President: Tyler Kissinger VP Administration: Alex Jung VP Student Affairs: Kenzo Esquivel
“We want to shift student government’s focus back to student life, and we want to do that by primarily focusing on more RSO funding transparency, really streamlining the SG website to cater to applying to be a new RSO or applying for SGFC funding, as well as continue current really important efforts dealing with student life..."
“Our platform is divided into three main parts: the first being a quest for a more inclusive community, as well as campus life improvement, and the third being University transparency and SG accountability.”
“The overarching vision for our platform is a student government that is strong, and an advocate for all students at the University of Chicago, graduate and undergraduate.”
Trauma Center: Support an Adult Level I trauma center
Trauma Center: Support an Adult Level I trauma center
Trauma Center: Support an Adult Level I trauma center
Divestment: Understands restrictions of the Kalven and Stone Report; support socially responsible investments
Divestment: Support the University's divestment from fossil fuels.
Divestment: Support the University's divestment from fossil fuels. University handling of sexual assault: "A big part of our platform is expanding the Chicago Life Meetings further to deal with sexual assault. Sexual assault on campus is a huge issue, and we’d love to support that in any way we can." University handling of bias incidents & racial discrimination: "With bias incidents on campus often being brushed off and often being written off as microaggressions... We think there needs to be a lot more attention paid to how victims are being treated in the aftermath of the situation."
University handling of sexual assault: “We believe the University has mishandled sexual assault victims and their cases, and we think there needs to be a conversation, and the University needs to be held accountable for the actions they have taken in the past, or the lack thereof.”
University handling of sexual assault: “The area where there’s a lot of improvement for growth is including survivors in the process, changing the policy moving forward, releasing more accurate aggregate data about reports of sexual assault and sexual misconduct on campus…and improving the University’s Title IX compliance."
University handling of bias incidents & racial discrimination: “As part of the Chicago Life Meetings, I think it needs to be prioritized that we discuss the resources available when bias is encountered. I think people sometimes consider the Bias Response Team as a joke, and I think people should just understand that it’s a successful program and policy..."
University handling of bias incidents & racial discrimination: “The affirmation of values, say, free speech, while important, also fails to address a lot of concerns regarding how that affects a lot of groups. What people want in those instances is not only affirmation of what values the school is looking for, or endorsing, but rather, the people that don’t get included of what the scope of those values includes.”
THE CHICAGO MAROON | SPECIAL REPORT | April 24, 2015
ELECTIONS 2015 LIASONS
3
MEET THE
CANDIDATES
ANTHONY DOWNER
ANDREW YOUNG
NINA KATEMAUSWA
UNDERGRADUATE LIASON TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
UNDERGRADUATE LIASON TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
UNDERGRADUATE COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT LIASON
“I am a low-income student, first-generation student of color. I think that those students are not getting enough voice to the Board of Trustees, and cooperation with the other voices that usually get to talk to the Board of Trustees... I also want to increase contact between the Board of Trustees and students through more luncheons and meetings, and more contact information from that limited subcommittee that the liason sits on.”
“Increasing communication, accessibility, and transparency with the Board of Trustees to better foster relationships on campus and to be able to relay the ideas, thoughts, and concerns of the student body to the board to better inform their decisions.”
“Administrative accountability and transparency in matters dealing with the University’s relationship with the South Side community.”
Trauma Center: Personally supports an Adult Level 1 Trauma Center, but would not advocate for it himself. Would give the Trauma Center Coalition a platform to speak with the Board.
Divestment: Supports the University's divestment from fossil fuels.
Trauma Center: Supports an Adult Level I Trauma Center and would inform Board of student efforst for it. Divestment: Supports the University's divestment from fossil fuels. University handling of sexual assault: “I think that, since we’re going under investigation and we have our campus climate survey out, the University has to do better, and I think they realize that... this is a big problem, and it needs to be addressed further.” University handling of bias incidents & racial discrimination: "I think that when the administration deals with [these incidents], they need to respond quickly, and in the right way. They’re getting better at it, it’s really reactive, but they need to continue to engage with those students on campus.”
Divestment: Personally supports the University's divestment from fossil fuels, but would not advocate for it himself. Would give UCAN a platform to speak with the Board. University handling of sexual assault: “I met with the head of Phoenix Survivor’s Alliance. Here’s one where I can give a real answer: I think the University’s handling it very poorly because I don’t think that the question is one of advisory when it comes to the University keeping its Title IX obligations, which it’s failed to do."
Trauma Center: Supports an Adult Level I Trauma Center.
University handling of sexual assault: “The University has recently been called into question for violating Title IX, and I think that in order for them to show they are compliant, they need to act on the concerns and demands of sexual assault survivors on campus.” University handling of bias incidents & racial discrimination: “The University needs to follow up and be held accountable for the promises it makes, so I think it’s a step in the right direction that the University has initiated the climate survey, both for sexual assault and racial discrimination, but I think we should critically examine the results of that data, and make policies that implement whatever the findings are.”
University handling of bias incidents & racial discrimination: “I think we are improving, I think the University has largely not been very communicative on the issues, I think I am supportive of the campus climate survey, I think that was a good first step. I don’t think the University has been very productive on that.”
EDUARDO ARENAS
FADI HAKIM
KATIE PERRI
GRADUATE LIASON TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
GRADUATE LIASON TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
GRADUATE LIASON TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
“My platform consists of three main ideas. First, is a closer and more horizontal relation between students and the Board of Trustees. The second one is related to sustainable investment, which is kind of my professional direction in life...The third one is about how to articulate different initiatives between the graduate students and the board of trustees.”
“I would like the University to be accountable for the increasing financial burden of graduate education, and to ensure that the University continues to be viable as an option for independent, politically conscious action.
“My platform is focused on three key areas. The first is ‘one team,’ I really believe that students, administrators, and faculty are all on one team...the second is data-driven. We really need to gain greater access to data in order to make stronger decisions around investment and prioritization. The third is diversity and inclusion, so really wanting to develop open dialogue among various stakeholders..."
Trauma Center: Unsure if its relevance to the position.
Divestment: Supports the University's divestment from fossil fuels.
Divestment: "I believe that the University of Chicago can send a clear message by taking a stance in divestment, but I’m not really sure about the overall effects, so that’s why it needs to be discussed inside the board of trustees."
University handling of sexual assault: “Inadequate, as of now.”
University handling of sexual assault: No position. University handling of bias incidents & racial discrimination: “I do think there is much to be done in how students understand bias...For international students, it’s especially hard, because first it’s not speaking in your own language, and then when you come from a different culture, how do you understand race, how do you understand gender roles, and it’s completely different, so I do think that there needs to be a super-huge push from the University as a whole to better engage the situation.”
Trauma Center: Supports an Adult Level 1 Trauma Center.
University handling of bias incidents & racial discrimination: “Inadequate, as of now.”
Trauma Center: Supports an Adult Level I Trauma Center; feels it comes down to strategic planning and is not an overnight solution. Divestment: Supports University's divestment from fossil fuels, but knows it's not easy to make investment switches quickly. Would like to see more leadership from faculty on the issue, as well. University handling of sexual assault: “I think that the University is making improvements, which are obviously necessary. I think the first step is doing the climate survey..." University handling of bias incidents & racial discrimination: “Again, I’m really excited to see that there’s another climate survey coming out around this...I think that it’s not just about overt racism, I think indirect racism and microaggressions are key issues that need to be addressed as well..." Reporting by Raymond Fang. Edited by Eleanor Hyun. Photos by Marta Bakula and Forrest Sill.
THE CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | April 24, 2015
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“Half the College voted, with 55 percent in favor” The renovations would enhance “intellectual exchange” U-PASS continued from front
visits. First-year Luke Clohisy stated, “I go to local DIY shows so the U-Pass [will be] extremely useful. CTA can get annoyingly expensive and sometimes I'm worried about whether or not the change in my pocket will cover a train ride. U-Pass will take that worry away.” Others specifically highlight the social benefits of providing incentive to venture outside Hyde Park. Fourth-year Hamid Bendaas commented, “As I see it, U-Pass isn't about paying $85 a quarter nor not; it's about people who are uncomfortable with our insularity being the norm and people who like things as they are. I think a lot of students are genuinely afraid of the people they are around on public transportation the few times they take it. That's a huge problem.” According to survey data, students claim they will ride the
CTA an average of five times a week ($11.25) with a U-Pass, and a median of four times ($9). Surveys on current CTA activity return averages of three rides per week, though it is unclear if the number includes 170s transactions (170, 171, and 172, which are not to be affected by the UPass approval), which students take to get around Hyde Park. In the 2010 rally for U-Pass approval, participating students highlighted the perpetual rise in tuition costs, and favored the pass as a worthwhile addition. “Mr. Zimmer, just add it to my tuition. Hell, you’re going to raise it anyway,” wrote Steve Saltarelli in a Viewpoints article. He added that the CTA is a critical resource that supports the city’s least wealthy residents. Critics cite the financial burden and the unrealistic nature of the program as reasons for opting out. “U of C doesn’t need the
U-Pass because students don’t ride the bus often. Everything we need is in Hyde Park. It’s a lot cheaper to just pay for CTA only when we need it,” one student commented in accordance with speakers before her. The University promises to cover the cost for families receiving financial aid, which a 2012/2013 statistic claims is 61 percent of all undergraduates (3,435/5,703). This amounts to half the program cost. The other half of the student population will pay the additional fee themselves. Some students paying their own way foresee it a financial burden. As one student pointed out, the U-Pass is inactive during a critical period, the summer. “I generally budget less than $20 for transportation during the school year: the summer, when I work full time, is the only time I would need or be able to actually afford the U-Pass.”
The new Neubauer Collegium Culture for Society building will support faculty projects within the humanities. MARTA BAKULA | THE CHICAGO MAROON NEUBAUER continued from front ment around research questions
with fellow professors worldwide. “Having a dedicated space to house the Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society was a critical part of the vision from the start… Very specifically, we are able now to house visiting scholars who are collaborating on projects, deepening the University’s global engage-
whose scope is too broad for any single discipline to encompass,” Carruthers said in a statement. After purchasing the land in 2011, the University employed Kilment Halsband Architects to update the 1930s styled NeoGothic building. University Architect Steve Wiesenthal built large, transparent spaces of glass
“to encourage both planned and spontaneous interactions. “The entire ground floor and much of the second floor are about welcoming people to share ideas, connecting them formally and informally,” he said. The opening ceremony featured a discussion between University of Chicago leaders and a panel discussion among Neubauer Collegium Faculty Fellows. The discussion focused on the advancement of research in the humanities department. The inaugural exhibition No Longer Art: Salvage Art Institute opened yesterday. The project was curated by Jacob Proctor and shows features a collection of salvaged art. The building is named after trustee Joseph Neubauer, M.B.A. ’65, and his wife Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer after making a $26.5 million donation to the University.
“For many years, Bayly’s works have been considered essential reading in universities all across the globe” OBITUARY continued from front
he went on to study at Balliol College and St. Antony’s College—both at the University of Oxford. He received his B.A., M.A., and D.Phil. degrees there. During his time at the University of Cambridge, Bayly was the Vere Harmsworth Professor Emeritus of Imperial and Naval History, the president of St.
Catharine’s College, the director of the Cambridge Centre of South Asian Studies, and the co-editor of the New Cambridge History of India. In addition, Bayly was previously a professor at Queen Mary University of London and a Humanitas Visiting Professor at the University of Oxford. In 2006 Bayly was appointed the Library of
Congress Kluge Center Chair of Countries and Cultures of the South, where he researched the emergence of liberal ideas in India and its effect on the country’s intelligentsia. For many years, Bayly’s works have been considered essential reading in universities all across the globe. His early texts, The Local Roots of Indian Politics:
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Allahabad, 1880–1920 and Indian Society and the Making of the British Empire, are now considered classics in the field of history. His book Rulers, Townsmen, and Bazaars is standard recommended reading in Indian universities. Professor Dipesh Chakrabarty worked closely with Bayly in the South Asian Languages
and Culture department. In an e-mail, he wrote: “Chris...was a presence in my life ever since I came into the world of South Asian history…. The field was very divided along ideological lines…[but] in 1983, came Bayly’s masterpiece, Rulers, Townsmen, and Bazaars…that completely changed the face of 18th-century India…. Our
academic community…loved him…a great scholar, a wonderful person, and an enabler of other, and especially younger, scholars.” Bayly is survived by his wife Susan Bayly, who is a prominent historical anthropologist based in Cambridge. A memorial service will be held at the Franke Institute on Wednesday, April 29.
THE CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | April 24, 2015
5
Every “child in Chicago deserves to “Investigative reporting on sexual assault cases is far from dead” have a high quality public school” WRITERS continued from front he said. they didn’t buy a keg. Everyone from a school about a sexual asIMPACT continued from front
this collaboration we will identify what works so we can build on it to reinvigorate neighborhood schools in every part of our city,” Emanuel said in a statement. “Thanks to decades of hard work by parents, teachers, and community members, Chicago has more excellent elementary schools than ever before. This partnership will catalyze a more aligned, challenging and cohesive educational experience for all types of learners,” Pawar said. UChicago Impact also works with the Urban Education Institute’s 6to16 college preparatory program, which handles students in sixth through 12th grade. This program focuses on preparing students and their families for college by assisting them with questions about potential financial aid, preparing them for the college admissions process, and ultimately matching them with schools that fit their needs academically and financially. According to Grisel Maldonado, UChicago Impact Director of College Success, “The 6to16 curriculum helps students get on the path to college attainment by first guiding them through the development of their own college and life vision beginning in the 6th grade. The curriculum then assists students in building a path to achieve that vision through the development of
high school, college and career knowledge, as well as the student success skills needed to be successful in college and beyond.... We plan to stay committed to providing this timely curriculum to Amundsen, Lake View, and any school system that is committed to preparing students for college success as early as sixth grade and up through 12th grade.” Emanuel and CEO of UChicago Impact John Gasko will lead the development of the new K-12 system, along with the three aldermen, principals, teachers, parents, and community leaders. “Everyone benefits when public schools excel and prepare students to succeed not only in high school, but also in college and beyond,” Gasko said. Maldonado said in an email to The Maroon, “Although the Chicago Public Schools have come a long way in college attainment ever since the groundbreaking Freshman On-Track research, our current CPS 14 percent college graduation rate is still far from where it should be and can be. 6to16 was developed to meet the needs of schools in Chicago, and nationwide, that are fighting the potholes on the road to college. Our aim is to continue using innovative new research to support schools in preparing students for college success.”
reporters have an obligation to obtain comment from alleged sexual assault perpetrators, and colleges across the country are making additional preparations for handling sexual assault cases. The panel, titled “How to Cover Campus Sex Assault,” was hosted by the Education Writers Association (EWA) as part of its annual national seminar, which took place at the InterContinental Chicago hotel in the Loop. The panelists included T. Rees Shapiro, a reporter with the Washington Post, Tyler Kingkade, Senior Editor of the Huffington Post, and Nicole Noren, a producer with ESPN. In December, Shapiro wrote one of the first mainstream news stories that cast doubt on the truth of the series of events portrayed in the Rolling Stone feature, by taking statements from both the UVA police and several friends of “Jackie,” the alleged sexual assault victim. He said that his straightforward reporting style was essential for completing the investigation. “It’s all about transparency from the very beginning, working slowly, and being as deliberate as possible. The alleged victim also has to want to talk to the media; if their case is factual, they were forced to do something that they didn’t want to do. The last thing you want to do is make them do something else that they don’t want to do,”
However, he also said that his carefully planned writing method led to some initial difficulties when he was struggling to find on-campus sources to go on the record and challenge the events depicted in Rolling Stone. “At UVA, the environment hasn’t chilled at all, even after our own reporting showed the flaws in the Rolling Stone reporting. At the beginning [of the investigation], I knew the name of the alleged perpetrator. But when I asked the administration if anyone by that name or a derivative of that name had attended UVA, or had ever attended, and they said ‘no,’ I thought that was weird. But I still didn’t have any other sources. The turning point came when I was walking around the campus late at night, and I bumped into several of Jackie’s friends, who would later become my main sources. They said that they were beginning to have doubts about Jackie’s story,” Shapiro said. He added that in time, he was able to win the trust of both Jackie’s friends and members of Phi Kappa Psi, the fraternity that was falsely accused of perpetrating the assault against Jackie at one of their parties. “I messaged every single fraternity member by both e-mail and Facebook. I later found out that they had a lot of proof that they didn’t throw a party that night, including the fact that
knows that a frat party needs kegs. Anyway, by the time they opened up, they knew who I was,” he said. Kingkade, who covered a series of sexual assault cases at the University of North Carolina in 2012 that resulted in the alleged victims filing federal complaints against UNC for mishandling their cases, said that reaching out to alleged perpetrators is especially important, because in most sexual assault lawsuits, both sides feel wronged. He also said that Title IX law and the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) are valuable tools, both for journalists to obtain accurate information and for sexual assault survivors to obtain justice. “In 2012 at UNC, the complainants went to the Education Department, and the Office of Civil Rights, and filed a Title IX suit. With a Clery complaint [pursuant to the Clery Act, a federal statute passed in 1990 that requires colleges that receive federal funds to release statistics related to on-campus crime], schools that are found to be in violation of the act are only subject to a $35,000 fine. If the case is prosecuted under Title IX, the school loses federal money that it uses for research grants and financial aid, which is definitely not something that [the administration] wants to happen…. Also, no two parties can demand more information
sault case than the accuser and the accused, under a FERPA waiver,” Kingkade said. Noren added that while FERPA can be useful for obtaining information about a sexual assault case from any college, school administrators might also protect themselves from allegations of mishandling student complaints by invoking a little-known clause in the act that allows them to access the medical records of students who file sexual assault complaints. “I don’t know any college that isn’t receiving federal dollars, and therefore would not have to follow FERPA. However, in the recent case at the University of Oregon [an alleged gang rape perpetrated by three members of the men’s basketball team], the school used the FERPA clause to get the medical and psychiatric records of the accuser. Schools are becoming more aggressive in defending themselves, and this is very calculated,” she said. Noren also suggested that while administrators feel particularly threatened by recent Title IX lawsuits and the false accusations at UVA, investigative reporting on sexual assault cases is far from dead. “Schools are in protection mode, and administrators are even threatening campus [sexual assault awareness] activists in order to prevent them from speaking to the media.”
STUDENT HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD (SHAB) Do you want an opportunity to influence health on campus? Are you interested in working on a team focused on enhancing mental health, health promotion and wellness and/or clinic services on campus? This is your opportunity to provide input to Dr. Alex Lickerman, Assistant Vice President of Student Health & Counseling Services and members of the senior leadership team about our services and the University Student Health Insurance Plan (U-SHIP)?
Join the Student Health Advisory Board!
We are currently accepting applications for the Student Health Advisory Board for the 2015-2016 academic year. You can apply by going to the SHCS website under the Student Health Advisory Board tab: https://studenthealth.uchicago.edu. Deadline to apply is April 30, 2015.
The Student Health Advisory Board (SHAB) is comprised of undergraduate and graduate students, Deans of Students, campus partners, and SHCS Leadership.
SHAB Members: x
Assist in the implementation of SHCS strategic plan.
x
Play a key role in collecting student feedback.
x
Influence the ongoing development of our programs and services.
VIEWPOINTS
Editorial & Op-Ed APRIL 24, 2015
Home is where the heart is The decision to close dorms should have been made with student input—but it is understandable On Monday, the University announced that five dorms will be shut down and their houses moved to Campus North under new names after next year. With no forewarning of the announcement, many students were justifiably shocked and outraged. This decision follows a long trend of disregard for student opinions on the part of University administrators when making major decisions affecting student life. The University ought to have communicated with students before announcing its decision. If it had done so, students may not have reacted so strongly against a decision that will likely have more tangible benefits than harms. In 2013, the University made a string of sudden announcements regarding decisions made without student input. These included the closure of Pierce, the reappropriation of space in Hallowed Grounds for ORCSA offices (a decision so unpopular that it was later cancelled), and the restructuring of the University Community Service Center and Summer Links program. All of these decisions were met with student outrage, but it seems that the University still hasn’t learned. Ultimately, final decisions to close dorms and retire houses can only be made by the University, and many students assumed the older, outlying dorms would soon be closed anyway. But when these decisions come with no forewarning it sends the message that the University simply does not care
about students. The retiring of nine houses is intimately related to student life. Students’ houses are the first communities that they identify with. To feel robbed of those identities by the University is an especially sore blow. If the University had solicited opinions on these decisions before making them, students would probably still be loudly opposed. However, even if the University ended up coming to the same conclusion, it would have been better to do so at the end of a dialogue with the students. If this were the process, then perhaps it would be easier for students to understand the University’s reasoning. Although these changes can be difficult to swallow, they do make sense. Most students would rather live closer to campus, particularly incoming first-years. In fall 2016, first-years moving into Campus North will be happy with the new, updated facilities and probably will not wish that they could live in a dilapidated building a mile away from campus instead. For the many generations of students coming after us, the new dorm will be a major improvement. In a similar vein, house name changes should not be taken lightly, but are justified if they bring in enough revenue to the University to significantly benefit student life. For students who are concerned about losing the communities that have meant so much to them, their concerns are understandable. But every year, as first-years enter and upperclassmen leave, houses
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are tasked with reimagining their own communities and deciding what personalities to adopt. In fall 2016, when new houses open in Campus North, students will have that chance once again.
Even though the University does not seem to be, many students are invested in continuing the tradition and culture of their current houses. Fortunately, as founding members of new houses, they will
be in the best position to do so. Because it’s the people who define a community, not the buildings or names. —The Maroon Editorial Board
Great things come in small dorms The loss of satellite dorms means the loss of a diverse UChicago The student newspaper of the University of Chicago since 1892. Eleanor Hyun, Editor-in-Chief Sarah Manhardt, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Stephen Moreland, Managing Editor The Maroon Editorial Board consists of Alan Hassler, Eleanor Hyun, and Lear Jiang. News Natalie Friedberg, editor Alec Goodwin, editor Marta Bakula, deputy editor Isaac Easton, associate editor Raymond Fang, associate editor Shelby Lohr, associate editor Maggie Loughran, associate editor Annie Nazzaro, associate editor Isaac Stein, senior writer Viewpoints Sarah Zimmerman, editor Kayleigh Voss, associate editor Kiran Misra, senior editor Arts Andrew McVea, editor Evangeline Reid, editor Ellen Rodnianski, editor Hannah Edgar, associate editor Grace Hauck, associate editor James Mackenzie, senior editor Sports Helen Petersen, editor Zachary Themer, editor Ahmad Allaw, associate editor Katie Anderson, associate editor Tatiana Fields, senior editor Sarah Langs, senior editor Grey City Sindhu Gnanasambandan, Editor-in-Chief Kristin Lin, Editor-in-Chief Design Annie Cantara, head designer Copy Sophie Downes, head editor Alan Hassler, head editor Sherry He, head editor Morganne Ramsey, head editor
Multimedia Forrest Sill, editor Photo Marta Bakula, editor Frank Wang, editor Yeo Bi Choi, associate editor Video Amber Love, editor Social Media Emily Harwell, editor Online Ryan McDowell, web developer Business Nicolas Lukac, chief financial officer Ananya Pillutla, vice chief financial officer Andrew Ahn, co-director of marketing Eitan Rude, co-director of marketing Ben Veres, director of operations Patrick Quinn, director of strategy Lenise Lee, business manager Harry Backlund, distributor Kay Li, director of data analysis This issue: Copy: Rebecca Kuang Design: Julia Xu, Jen Xue Editor-in-Chief E-mail: Editor@ChicagoMaroon.com Newsroom Phone: 773.702.1403 Business Phone: 773.702.9555 Fax: 773.702.3032 For advertising inquiries, please contact Ads@ChicagoMaroon.com or 773.702.9555 Circulation: 6,800. © 2015 The Chicago Maroon Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 East 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
Jason Quino McCreery Maroon Contributor In my four years at the University of Chicago, students, faculty, and administrators all seemed to agree on one thing: We are a school dedicated to and built around “inquiry-based learning.” Students don’t passively learn by writing down the professors’ answers, but rather, they inquire, explore alternative perspectives, and conclude whether such answers are valid. An inquiry-based education implies that we will learn from each other and grow from the experience of exploring something together. Ultimately, this comes from diversity—geographical, political, socioeconomic, and even personal. The greatest strength of institutions like the University of Chicago is that they are able to pull students and faculty from all corners of the globe with an assortment of personalities, experiences, and perspectives into a single geographically limited space. In high school, my classmates had roughly similar social and economic backgrounds. However, at UChicago, I met students who had spent their entire lives in other countries and professors
with C.V.s whose lengths rival Greek plays. I was surrounded by intelligent people who disagreed with me and saw the same material in a different way. And this diversity that I learned to love was by no means limited to the classroom. The housing system, too, places students of unlike minds, different backgrounds, and that same thirst and drive for discovery together. The University encourages diversity by giving several fundamentally different options for student housing. We can live in dorms with co-ed bathrooms or single-sex floors, choose how far we are from campus (and downtown), and even decide if we want to live in traditional college dorms or a renovated former retirement home that once had a psychiatric ward. But with the recent closure of small dorms, we lose this diversity in housing and thus lose one of the most important requirements for an inquiry-based education. The housing system, as a whole, acts as a facilitator for diverse minds to come together by breaking up the imposing monolith of the stereotypical college dorm and allowing students a more manageable space where they can learn and grow. Each house holds
its own culture, and gives students the opportunity to experience something new. The value of the houses is not that they are smaller than dorms from other schools. The value is that each house is different from the other houses. Unlike other colleges, students can choose which unique environment they want to be a part of; this is irreplaceable in creating and perpetuating house culture. This is why meeting someone from Max P or South is different than meeting someone from Maclean or Breckinridge. Diversity does not simply come from our backgrounds. Diversity comes from the fact that every day we live different lives, and the housing system acts as a way to provide options for the multitude of ways students want to live their lives. With the loss of the small, independent houses, the University loses more than several old and decrepit buildings (which, I’ll admit, they are). We lose distinct perspectives that can only come from being shaped in those small houses. As we live, we cannot help but be influenced by the physical space around us. Education is dynamic— the person I was when I first walked DORMS continued on page 7
THE CHICAGO MAROON | VIEWPOINTS | April 24, 2015
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“To lose those small dorms is to lose something integral to the larger University of Chicago community.” DORMS continued from page 6
through Hull Gate developed into the person I was when I stood in my graduation robes on the quads four years later. For me, and I know for countless others, that change was (in no small part) facilitated by my house. The variety of different houses, big and small, sporty and nerdy, close and far, all help
the College (and the University as a whole) grow into a truly diverse community. This is not an issue that can be resolved by trying to preserve distinct house cultures as they move from their own dorms into Campus North. Even if the houses were transplanted into the new space, they would still inevitably
change dramatically. Part of the culture of the independent houses comes from the very fact that they are independent. The organic development of the diverse cultures we see today in the houses comes from, in part, the nature of the physical space of the house itself. To lose those small dorms is to lose something integral to the larger Uni-
versity of Chicago community. Diversity, and therefore inquiry, requires students with different experiences in all aspects of life; the multitude of housing options helps foster this development of a fundamentally unique experience for each student. Parity is important—we should give students equal opportunities to live in a healthy
manner—but we must take the utmost caution that parity does not breed homogeneity. Because with homogeneity there are no new perspectives, no radical worldviews, and we can no longer truly learn through inquiry.
rio Group, and MSCI have all found that fossil-free portfolios outperformed their standard counterparts. An MSCI investment index, for example, yielded on average 1.78 percent more profit than the standard index fund. Even when profit maximization is the priority, divestment remains the best practice and could even improve our University endowment’s performance, creating opportunities for increased financial aid and other resources on campus. Even with these potential benefits, the SFCC ultimately recognizes that divestment is not a panacea for climate change. But neither is it irresponsible or ineffectual; it is simply one step (of many) that we should take when addressing climate change. And it is a step that we, as students, with a voice and a stake in an influential institution, are in the unique position to push for. As
a leader of the intellectual world, the University of Chicago has the opportunity to join the 27 universities, 74 religious institutions, 33 foundations, 42 cities, and 20 other institutions around the world who have already chosen to withdraw their financial and moral support from fossil-fuel corporations. As we grow increasingly aware of the threats of climate change, ignorance toward the facts is no longer acceptable: There is no reason—moral, institutional, or financial—that the University of Chicago should not seriously consider divesting.
the eye, Young has hit the ground running with andrewcyoung.org. Young has taken the easy way out, throwing his money and influence around to get a head start. The simple truth is that not every student on campus has the ability to buy a domain and create a website for a two-week-long period. Young is just another politician, using flashy and shiny things to get the attention of his potential constituents. But that’s really what this election seems to come down to: who can do the most to express their privilege and flaunt their entitlement. Young claims that he wants to make the position of his candidacy about personal interactions between the students
and the Board of Trustees, yet he hides behind his computer and his privilege. Don’t let the campus community fall into the same system of reinforcing the authority of the privileged. Student Government should be a celebration of student diversity, not a game of who can spend more. Money and race are not reflections of ability or commitment to the student body. If a candidate didn’t care about the community before the election, what makes you think that he will after it?
Jason Quino McCreery is a college alumnus (A.B. 14).
Investing in Divesting Divestment isn’t a panacea for climate change, but it’s a great place to start Kristin Lin & Sonya Bennet-Brandt Maroon Contributors For the past two years, the UChicago Climate Action Network (UCAN) has been running a campaign urging the University to divest its endowment from fossil fuel assets. Stop Funding Climate Change (SFCC) has already gained the support of 70 percent of the undergraduate student body, as well as numerous faculty and community members. Last Friday, the SFCC led a walk-back to increase campus awareness and ask the administration to engage in a productive dialogue with students about the issue. As SFCC’s profile rises on campus, we want to address some widely held misconceptions that pervade current student discourse about divestment ef-
forts and their role in addressing climate change. First, the divestment movement does not intend to put financial pressure on fossil-fuel corporations. Rather, divestment is seen as a tool to socially stigmatize the corporations that are actively and irresponsibly perpetuating our dependence on fossil fuels. The power of social stigmatization should not be underestimated. A turning tide of public opinion helps support relevant legislation and encourages politicians to incorporate an issue into their platforms. The social stigmatization of homophobia and sexual orientation– based prejudice, for example, has proved to be an incredibly potent strategy for securing pro–gay rights legislation. The divestment movement can similarly harness this type of social censure in order to encourage legislation that will restrict the fossil-fuel industry and sup-
port sustainable energy sources. In fact, other divestment campaigns have done just that—and were successful. A 2013 University of Oxford study found that divestment was victorious in lobbying for restrictive legislation that affected stigmatized firms—galvanizing further action for issues from Darfur to tobacco to apartheid. The critics who point out that divestment has no direct financial impact on fossil-fuel companies are correct. Divestment is a wholly stigmatizing action—however, it is an important piece of a wider effort that has the potential to create real political change. Critics of divestment also argue that those who accept an axiom of profit maximization would never entertain divestment. These arguments are based on outdated assumptions. Investment advisory firms Bloomberg L.P., Ape-
Sonya Bennett-Brandt is a second-year in the College majoring in English. Kristin Lin is a third-year in the College majoring in political science.
Pay to play Student government candidates with bigger budgets have the larger advantage Justin Vargas Maroon Contributor It’s time to address the elephant in the room: We are all privileged. As a low-income student, and as a minority, I often find myself commenting on the privilege that my fellow, more well-off students have. But the truth is that my very presence at the University provides me with a kind of privilege that many people of similar backgrounds don’t necessarily have—the privilege of an education. Even though I am fully aware of the kind of privilege that I possess, I am also aware of the kind of privilege that the people around me possess. There are times when I have to turn down an invitation to eat dinner because I don’t have the finances to support a non-Bartlett meal, or I can’t afford to go shopping downtown with friends, or even buy a book for class because I just don’t have the money. My entire future rides on the way that I perform at the University—I don’t have a backup plan. I don’t have a safety net or the luxury of knowing that at the end of the day my parents will be there to take care of me if something goes wrong. I, like so many silent others at UChicago, am fully committed to this University because I can’t afford not to be. With campaigns for Student Government finally underway, it has become clear that the political atmosphere at UChicago is no different from its climate as a whole: a competition of privilege. Before I continue, I want to make something clear: This isn’t exclusively about race. Although Student Government isn’t as whitewashed as it has been in the past, there’s no ignoring that the institution continues to prove its apprehensiveness toward students of color. United Progress, Student Government President Kissinger’s brainchild, was
apparently founded on the premise of leveling the playing field between students and creating a better campus community. Yet, we are faced with the overwhelming evidence that besides UPass, this administration has done very little for the University’s less privileged students. At the very least, it is impossible to ignore that Kissinger’s Vice President of Administration Arlin Hill is one of the only black students currently serving in Student Government. It’s an unfair assessment to call oneself united in any type of progress when there is clearly a representative lack of all members of the community. It’s not enough to include one black student in Student Government and pretend that it’s somehow indicative of progress. Student Government has continued to fail to engage with the University’s community of low-income and minority students. Hill’s or any other non-white student’s presence on the Executive Committee is not a blanket solution to an issue of institutionalized oversight of non-white students, and more needs to be done by Student Government to address this issue. The current process for getting your name on the ballot is simple: Petitions are released at the end of second week of spring quarter. After that, it becomes a rat race to get at least 150 signatures. Continuing a facade of equality opportunity, each official candidate is provided $50 to $150 for printing as well as $100 to $200 in reimbursements for any other campaign expenditure in an effort to level the campaign field for everyone running, an amount that a privileged candidate might easily exceed, to their less privileged opponents’ disadvantage. Besides this, each candidate is still required to pay either a $25, $30, or $50 deposit, depending on the position, in order to run, excluding those without
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money from running. Without money, it’s impossible to win, or even run for that matter. The process is structured so that it thins out the herd, and only those capable of paying are able to secure a position in SG. In Student Government, there is no such thing as equal opportunity; the people who win positions are the ones with more privilege to outspend, out-politic, and out-clout their competitors. Andrew Young, a rising third-year in the College, officially launched his campaign for the position of Undergraduate Liaison to the Board of Trustees with a Facebook page and his very own website. Sleek, modern, and pleasing to
Justin Vargas is a secondyear in the College majoring in history and anthropology.
ARTS
What is art? APRIL 24, 2015
Annual campus Pride Week offers veritable parade of colorful events Hannah Edgar Associate Arts Editor This week marked the beginning of UChicago Queers & Associates’ (Q&A) Pride Week, kicking off a parade of events that began this past Thursday and will run through next Friday. The events are as diverse as they are many. According to Q&A board member and third-year Kris Rosentel, this year’s festivities are partly rooted in tradition. “We do Genderfuck every year,” Rosentel told The Maroon in an interview, referring to the dragthemed ball held annually in Ida Noyes. “We also always have some kind of keynote, generally a poet.” This year, said poet was spoken word artist Kit Yan, whose poems are centered on his experiences as a queer, transgender Asian American. Thursday, April 23 marked the first day of the free festivities, with Yan leading a poetry workshop in the afternoon, then performing in the evening at the FXK Theater in Reynolds Club. Associate sociology professor Kristen Schilt will also feature in the week’s events, leading a lunch discussion on Wednesday, April 29
at the 5710 Diversity Center. In 2010, Schilt wrote a book about the discrimination trans men face in the workplace, and her recent work focuses more broadly on all cases of shifting identity, covering everything from religious to gender identity. Conveniently, this year’s Pride Week overlaps with the fruit of a three-year endeavor, the new Closeted/Out in the Quadrangles exhibit, which is on display through the end of the quarter in the Special Collections Research Center gallery at the Regenstein Library. As a research and oral history intern, Rosentel had seen most of the material in the exhibit before in some context, but was still struck anew seeing the finished product. “It was really powerful seeing everything put together as one narrative,” they recalled. Rosentel and their fellow interns, most of whom have since graduated, contributed by conducting interviews with a total of 96 UChicago alumni. Snippets of several interviews were included as part of the exhibit, and the complete interviews are currently being transcribed for Special Collections. Rosentel noted that the most chal-
lenging part of seeking out interviewees for the project was making sure one demographic was not unfairly represented. “A lot of people lined up who wanted [to be interviewed]…. But the issue was that it ended up being mostly cis, gay, white men from the ’70s. After realizing there was a huge focus on this one subpopulation, we focused a lot more on finding people who didn’t fit that demographic.” Rosentel hopes that Pride Week will be similarly inclusive. When asked about goals for this year’s Pride, they were quick to express a desire in reaching as broad a community as possible. “Getting more people engaged in the events would be exciting,” Rosentel said. “[We’d like to give] people who are not normally engaged in Q&A a space to explore.” The full schedule of Pride events is listed below: April 24: Movie Night What better movie to show during Pride Week than, well, Pride? Winner of the Queer Palm at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, the true story of an unlikely alliance between a beleaguered miner’s community and a
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In the battle between good and evil, there will always be heroes, and there will always be villains. As this battle rages on, PhiNix Dance Crew hosts the latest of these struggles with its annual Revival showcase, this year entitled Heroes vs. Villains. This is PhiNix’s fourth year hosting the event, and according to the event Facebook page, it is the largest collegiate dance showcase in Chicago.
April 27: Ga(y)me Night After a Sunday off, Pride Week resumes with Ga(y)me Night. Board games will be provided; attendees are also welcome to bring their own. Amandla Lounge (Room 301), 5710 South Woodlawn Avenue. 7–9 p.m. April 28: Queers & Associates Pride Study Break and Meeting Q&A’s weekly meeting will be open to all, with food provided.
Walker King Arts Contributor
Student groups celebrate Holi, the annual Hindu festival of colors and spring, with playful event on the quad. Tide to Go required.
Have you ever wanted to throw stuff at your friends in the most affectionate way possible? Well, this Saturday is your chance. The South Asian Students Association, the Hindu Student Sangam, and the Office of Spiritual Life team up to celebrate Holi, an ancient Hindu festival marking the beginning of Spring. You will be able to cover your friends with colorful powder while running around on Eckhart Quad. The powder and refreshments will be provided. Make sure to wear clothing and footwear that could become permanently colored. Saturday, April 25, Eckhart Quad, 2–4 p.m., bring your UCID for a lassi, free
April 25: Karaoke Night Q&A hits Chinatown for a night of fun, friends, and karaoke. Q&A will leave from campus to take public transportation to the venue together. For more details, attendees must RSVP via a Google Docs form available on the Queers & Associates Pride Week Facebook page. PopKTV Karaoke Lounge, 2002 South Wentworth Ave. 7–11 p.m.
LGBTQ Lounge (room 302), 5710 South Woodlawn Avenue. 8–9 p.m. April 29: Faculty Lunch Assistant sociology professor Kristen Schilt and author of Just One of the Guys: Transgender Men and the Persistence of Gender Inequality will speak with students in an informal environment. Food will be provided. RSVP via the Queers & Associates Pride Week Facebook page. LGBTQ Lounge (room 302), 5710 South Woodlawn Avenue. 1–2 p.m. April 30: Creative Craft Night Q&A will kick it elementaryschool style with its penultimate event. Paper, glue, beads, and more will be provided. LGBTQ Lounge (Room 302), 5710 South Woodlawn Avenue. 6:30–7:30 p.m. May 1: Genderfuck Q&A’s annual drag ball, a Pride Week mainstay, closes out the festivities. This year’s Genderfuck will feature Chicago-based burlesque dancer Miss Mister Junior, as well as music, dancing, and food. Be there, and be anything but square. Ida Noyes Hall Theatre. 8–10 p.m.
Trainwreck lived up to its name
Arts, Briefly.
CATHERINE GAO
group of London-based gay activists is told with charm, wit, and a whole lot of heart. Starring Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, and Dominic West. LGBTQ Lounge (Room 302), 5710 South Woodlawn Avenue. 6–8 p.m.
Along with UChicago’s PhiNix choreo team and Maya dance crew, groups from Loyola University Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), as well as Chicago groups The Electric Funketeers and Reversion Crew, will be performing. In addition to individual showcases, there will be an open freestyle battle. Tickets are on sale today in the Reynolds Club from 11:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Friday, April 24, Mandel Hall, 8 p.m., $5 in advance, $6 at the door Join Music Director Barbara Schubert and UChicago graduate student Chaz Lee as they share the podium at the University of Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s “Viva L’Italia” to conduct three masterpieces celebrating Italy in the primavera: German maestro Felix Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Russian genius Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien, and British Sir Edward Elgar’s Alassio, also know as In the South. Stop by Mandel Hall this Saturday to escape the unusually frigid Chicago spring by transporting yourself to the Italian Riviera at the
turn of the century. Viva L’Italia is also the name of a relatively mediocre movie. But have no fear: Barbara Schubert is here. Also, the name of the movie has no relation to this concert. Saturday, April 25, Mandel Hall, 8–9:30 p.m., free, donations requested: $10/$5 for students Off-Off Campus is ready to rumble again. Prepare to laugh with the opening of their Spring Quarter show, Star Wars: The Empire’s New Groove! This Friday, campus’s Shakespeare group, The Dean’s Men, will be opening for them at 8:30 p.m. before Off-Off takes the stage at 9 p.m., followed by an afterglow from “Coke and Water,” an improv duo composed of Peter Moller and Kevin D. Shang. The show does run through eighth week, but if you go now you’ll have the chance to sound knowledgeable whenever anyone else brings it up. Plus, you deserve some laughs before fifth week. Fridays, weeks 4–8, University Church, 8:30 p.m., $5, BYOB
Ida Noyes’s Max Palevsky theater was packed Monday evening as students took advantage of a free showing of Judd Apatow and Amy Schumer’s new film Trainwreck, hosted by student film society Doc Films. The offer was especially tempting, considering that the film isn’t scheduled to premiere for another three months. (This also means that what we saw Monday night was likely a work-in-progress print of the film, and literally everything I write here is subject to change.) Trainwreck is a loving recreation of the classic rom com tropes, just with the traditional male and female roles reversed, and a few more F-bombs than you’d see out of other Ephronian fare. While the appeal of the film may at first glance lie in the subversion of the well-worn formula, Trainwreck mostly plays it straight. Really, plug in Matthew McConaughey for Schumer’s Amy and substitute Catherine Zeta-Jones for love interest Aaron (Bill Hader), and you’d have an exact recreation of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, No Reservations, or any of the countless rom coms of the last decade where a smirking Lothario (invariably male) learns to settle down with a straitlaced scold who learns how to loosen up (depressingly, always female). Schumer, by her own admission playing herself, is following the hard-drinking and philandering ways of her father (Colin Quinn), who’s in a nursing home with multiple sclerosis. Her younger sister
(Brie Larson) has settled down with a dorky husband and an even dorkier stepson. Amy is holding down a writing job on a magazine when she gets the assignment from her boss (Tilda Swinton) to cover Dr. Aaron Connors and his new invention—a knee insert. They fall in love. Drama ensues. The film’s adherence to the genre’s familiar beats verges on tedious, and the extra plotlines enlisted to buoy the central love story are either undercooked or preposterous, putting a lot of weight on the jokes to keep the film chugging along at an engaging pace. The script is credited to Schumer, but there seems to be a lot of the standard Apatow style riffing that devolves scenes into the setup-improv-expositionimprov-exit template that alternates between pleasingly familiar and grating, depending on the quality of the actors and the riffs. Notably, scenes revolving around non-actors are actually the funniest. Wrestler John Cena and basketball player LeBron James both show up in roles that are more than just cameos, and both demonstrate a gift for comedic timing. Even playing the same threadbare character type (big buff dude who turns out to be sensitive and nerdy), they anchor the most entertaining scenes in the movie. In general, most of the jokes here are pretty dire, although there is the major caveat that Trainwreck was absolutely killing the crowd at Doc, so hey, what do I know ? Trainwreck is fated to be shoved into the “unladylike women” genre along with Paul Feig’s ROM-COM continued on page 9
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“The film’s adherence to the genre’s Attempt at unique indie rock familiar beats verges on tedious” album Foiled ROM-COM continued from page 8
Bridesmaids and the TV shows Broad City and Schumer’s own Inside Amy Schumer, a classification that’s more reflective of the male-dominated state of popculture than the qualities of the film. Still, Trainwreck may have tapped into a zeitgeist. After an introductory montage in which Schumer’s character gets into drunken misadventures and explains her rules for kicking dudes
to the curb like a boss, one of the people sitting next to me remarked to her neighbor, “I hope the whole movie is just this, like she never changes.” I think that remark sums up the appeal here. It is undeniably refreshing to see Schumer fill the role of unrepentant, debauched lout classically dominated by men, but how far that sense of refreshment persists through the next two hours probably depends on you.
chicagomaroon.github.io
Miriam Benjamin Arts Contributor Speedy Ortiz is the definition of an indie-rock band. When you think of the most stereotypical indie-rock band—frontman with wiry but melodic guitar lines, another guitar that does the flashy stuff, basic bass lines, drums that break and come in at all the right times, and just enough feedback to be edgy and not power-pop but not enough feedback to cite Sonic Youth as an influence—it’s Speedy Ortiz you’re imagining. In other words, Speedy Ortiz and its new album Foil Deer manage to distill indie rock to its most basic elements. This is where personal preference comes in: If you, as a rule, like American indie rock, you will like Speedy Ortiz. It is quintessential indie rock, which makes its music hard to dislike, unless you a) hate guitar music, in which case I can’t help you, or b) think it’s boring because it’s rolling with the same indie-rock wheel that R.E.M. and Pavement and The Replacements invented. But there is some virtue in being just an indie-rock band. When you think of famous American indierock bands, you think of bands that are known for a distinctive style or musical gimmick. Dinosaur Jr., Pixies, and Sonic Youth had feedback and were influenced by ’80s hardcore; Nirvana had the
whole grunge thing ; The Strokes are more layered. Just in recent memory, Arcade Fire attempted to bring disco back, and Vampire Weekend has a—whoa, wait for it—keyboard player. Going back to the very basics with Speedy Ortiz can be nice; it’s lack of complication that makes Foil Deer easy listening. Perhaps Speedy Ortiz’s equivalent is British indie bands of the 2010s—the ones with mildly witty lyrics complaining about life in Manchester or wherever—but even they tend to crib from different British rock lineages to form a distinctly British sound. However, about halfway through Foil Deer, I was bored. After a while, the music is just…bland. Speedy Ortiz has a distinct American indie-rock heritage but mostly fails to differentiate itself from the bands it was inspired by. Foil Deer is saved from being a carbon copy of Pavement’s Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain by frontwoman Sadie DuPuis’s lyrics. “Raising the Skate” is a rousing feminist anthem centered on the rallying cry, “I’m not bossy; I’m the boss!” The next track, “The Graduates,” sweetly confronts a chronic underachiever’s feelings of worthlessness (“We were the French Club dropouts/ but we never got excused from class./ The secretary must have been high to turn a blind eye on us sneaking
out back.”) and how those emotions seep into relationships (“So will you cauterize the bleeding or bastardize the meaning?/ I’m the one worth seeing”). It’s a poetic but cutting writing style, one that DuPuis has incorporated since Speedy Ortiz’s debut single “Taylor Swift”; all of the 11 songs on Foil Deer have at least one little gem like the lyrics quoted here. On the flipside of those two album highlights, the three long songs on Foil Deer are all too goddamn long. Just like its hero Pavement, Speedy Ortiz has a good ear for a melodic riff, but when the tempo is slow, like on “Zig,” “My Dead Girl,” and “Dvrk Wvrld,” the four minutes seem like eight, and it’s easy to lose interest two-thirds of the way through. If I were a Pavement fan, my experience with Foil Deer would have undoubtedly been more pleasant; if Speedy Ortiz’s earlier music wasn’t clue enough, the fact that it supported Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks on tour should be. Foil Deer can be received in two ways: You can focus on Dupuis’s lyrical capability and ignore the fact that if you subtracted her and added Rivers Cuomo, you’d get Weezer (“a poor man’s Pavement”), or you can ignore the math and realize Speedy Ortiz sounds like every other American indie-rock band.
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THE CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | April 24, 2015
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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
BRYAN TISDALE
FOOTBALL: TISDALE’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS EXTEND BEYOND THE GRIDIRON Ahmad Allaw Associate Sports Editor Fourth-year Bryan Tisdale, tight end for the Chicago football squad, will leave the College proud of his time spent with the team. Both on and off the field, his impact has been far-reaching as he has been the consummate teammate, peer, friend, and colleague. Over his career, the program has improved year after year. This past season, the Maroons finished 8–1. For him, though, success has not been singularly defined by wins or losses, achievements or disappointments, but by the unified drive, the impenetrable friendship, and the special fraternity shared among the football athletes. This fraternity extends beyond the gridiron as well, as Bryan was the president of the Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) fraternity during his time at the University. More than the game, Tisdale will miss those he went to battle with on Saturdays. “Like the typical UChicago football player, I am a brother of Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) on campus. Living with all of my best friends, who mostly happen to all be football players, in the same house, working towards the same academic, athletic, and social goals, has been by far the best part of my college experience,” Tisdale
said. “I’ve learned so much from all the individuals I’ve come in contact with and have made lifelong friends because of the fraternity and athletics. More than the competition, I will miss the camaraderie of the team. I have to imagine it’s a kind of relationship unlike anything else students could experience and something I hope to find in the future.” However, looking back on his four years, Tisdale acknowledges the other parts of athletic life he will miss: the burning edge, the poignant moments, and the personal growth. “Athletics, in general, has given me the opportunity to work through and experience the myriad emotions of life. From disappointment to ecstasy, determination to apathy, sports fostered sentiments that aided me in my personal development and infinitely improved my ability to be self-aware. Here at Chicago, I was given the opportunity to continue developing alongside extremely diverse yet like-minded individua ls,exacerbating my personal growth. It was difficult moving between all three facets of college life—academics,athletics, and social endeavors—but having athletics as a refuge and the support from teammates and coaches allowed me to receive what I believe was the best possible college experience anyone could ask
for.” However, Tisdale has given as much to Chicago as Chicago has given to him. Leading the team with exemplary spirit and character, he has been just as impressive off the field, never losing sight of his dual responsibility as a studentathlete. The public policy major will exit Chicago and head straight into a job with a major financing firm. Although his tenure with the Maroons may be winding to a close, Tisdale’s presence will undoubtedly be felt in the future. He isn’t just part of the Chicago family, but one of its leaders. “I will be staying in Chicago working at J.P. Morgan. I’ve loved the city and the relationships I’ve made here, which is what drove my decision to stay here. I can also come back and see some of the games!” And so, as Tisdale closes one chapter of his life and opens another, his trajectory will continue to follow the same exemplary narrative. He leaves a piece of advice to his peers, and one that is so evidently clear in the way he lives his life. “Do everything you can to be a good person. If you do that you will meet new people, make new friends, have more opportunities, and be more successful. And after all that success, give back to all those you can.”
Fourth-year Bryan Tisdale catches a football at a game against Carnegie Mellon last year. COURTESY OF UCHICAGO ATHLETICS
Elmhurst overwhelmed by hard-hitting South Siders Baseball Bobby Butler & Michael Cheiken
Sports Staff The Maroons poured in the runs this week. On the back of these two strong wins, Chicago will enter into a set of doubleheaders against Beloit and Aurora this weekend. The first of this week’s two games was an offense-fueled affair. The South Siders traveled to Elmhurst and were greeted by third-year pitcher Justin Luzzi. The Bluejay pitcher was quickly chased away by the strong bats of the Maroons. After yielding four runs in the first four innings,
he was yanked from the game. However, the Bluejays were able to match the offensive prowess of the Maroons, and after the bottom of the fourth inning, the home squad was down just a single run. This one-run differential held through the bottom of the seventh, as the Maroons led 7–6 with two innings left to play. With the help of the Bluejays’ miserable defense, the Chicago squad exploded for nine runs in the eighth inning, six of which were unearned. In the end, these runs were the exact margin of victory as the Maroons rode the slacking defense of the Bluejays
on their way to a 16–10 win. Even more incredible than the six unearned runs in the top of the seventh was fourth-year pitcher Andrew VanWazer’s performance. He pitched all nine innings, and faced 49 batters on the day, throwing 140 pitches in what was a truly gutsy performance. Playing down his long start, VanWazer said, “It was a lot of pitches, and the most I’ve thrown in a Maroon jersey, but I’ve thrown more pitches in games before during high school.” Laughing, he added, “I probably could’ve thrown 100
more.” VanWazer and company traveled back to the South Side in preparation for a home bout against North Central the next day. The Maroons put the visitors away early. After an infield error put the leadoff batter on first, second-year Ryan Krob hit a two-run jack to put the home side up 2–0. Two more Maroons made their way home in the inning, handing the reins over to fourth-year Anthony DeRenzo with a four-run lead. It was all the veteran starter needed. The Maroons were stalwart,
yielding only three runs to the visiting Cardinals. This is pretty impressive, considering the 20–12 North Central side beat Lawrence earlier in the year by a score of 30–0. Behind Krob’s four RBIs, the Maroons closed out the game. Looking ahead, the Maroons look to extend their win streak this Saturday with a doubleheader against Beloit College. The Bucs have won only one of their past seven games, so the Maroons are looking to continue their climb to .500 with a pair of wins this weekend. The next day the Maroons have
yet another doubleheader, this time against the Spartans of Aurora, a pair of games that will take place in Aurora, Illinois. The Aurora team is 19–15 on the year and sport an impressive .319 batting average. They certainly enter as the favorites, but the Maroon bats are certainly capable of keeping pace. Should the Maroons sweep the weekend, they will have clawed their way back from a 2–8 start to .500, an impressive feat. The doubleheaders against Beloit and Aurora begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
THE CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | April 24, 2015
Maroons face familiar foe, Case, at UAA Championships Britta Nordstrom Maroon Contributor
St. Louis vs Chicago Blackhawks: Wouldn’t this be a series? These two teams would light up the score sheet, as neither of these teams had trouble putting pucks into the net. Watching David Backes face off against Jonathan Toews, not to mention watching Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane go neck-to-neck, would be entertaining for Blues fans and Hawks fans alike. Minnesota Wild vs Chicago Blackhawks: Minnesota’s been playing well and their tough, hard-hitting style would match up well against the Chicago Blackhawks. Long Shot: The Nashville Predators must feel really demoralized after a recent triple-overtime loss, and with two overtime games already played, the Preds have to feel some exhaustion. They are a great team, but it is unlikely they have it in them to force a Game Seven and take the series. If they do, they’d face off against either the Blue Jackets or the Wild. Anaheim vs Calgary Flames: Anaheim was dominant in its 4–0 sweep of the Winnipeg Jets, and is now enjoying the nice California weather as it recoups and readies for round two. Anaheim has another not-so-difficult series ahead of them—these Ducks are feeling ready to breeze through yet another Canadian team, be it Calgary or be it Vancouver. Montreal vs Detroit Red Wings: Not all Canadian teams are a cakewalk. The Montreal Canadiens are one strong team, one of the best in the East, and with Carey Price in net, they would be a tough team to face for the Red Wings. Second-year Peter Muncey prepares to serve at a practice game earlier this season. COURTESY OF UCHICAGO ATHLETICS
up beating ourselves,” Tsai said. “Our team is good enough to win on all nine courts; we just need to keep believing in ourselves and execute.” The past three seasons Chicago has gone 2–1 in the UAA Championships and have taken fifth place. But, as Sabada said, “I think we are better prepared for this tournament than we have been in the past. Also, we have had a much better overall year
than we have had in the past and that gives us confidence heading in.” If the South Siders beat the Spartans, they will take on either NYU or No. 2 Emory, two teams that they have not yet faced this season. However, Chicago will surely not look past the first team in its path, Case Western, which it will face on April 24 at 8 a.m. in Florida.
Track & Field
This weekend marks the culmination of the outdoor conference track season, as the Maroons will travel down to Atlanta, GA to compete in the UAA Championships at Emory. Previously, Chicago’s women’s and men’s teams finished first and second respectively at home in March during the conference’s indoor championships. The men’s indoor season came down to the wire. To take first, they needed to finish ahead of Wash U in the meet’s final event, the 4x400-meter. However, they ended up placing second behind the Bears and falling one point short of first overall for the weekend. Among some of the South Siders’ strongest performers from the outdoor season is firstyear Patrick LeFevre, who currently holds the third-best time in the 110-meter hurdles this season in the conference. “At this point in the season we have already raced many times, so we know what to do and how to do it. Even though it is the UAAs it’s good to stay on a routine to keep the body
NHL PLAYOFFS
With one series finished, and another four dangerously close sitting at 3–1, is it time to start talking about the second round yet? Let’s look at some potential matchups:
Conference championships await squad in Atlanta Andrew Beytagh Maroon Contributor
This Week in Sports…
with Ruslan Shchetinin
Men’s Tennis
Thus the postseason begins for the No. 13 Chicago Maroons. The team wrapped up its regularseason matches with a close win against No. 16 Gustavus Adolphus, and now heads down to sunny Altamonte Springs, FL for the UAA Championships. While one would think that the South Siders’ stellar record of 14–4 would lead to a top seed, and potentially an easy first-round match, that is certainly not the case. The UAA is a conference stacked with top teams; there are five teams ranked in the top 25 nationally. These include No. 2 Emory, No. 3 Wash U, No. 8 Carnegie Mellon, No. 13 Chicago, and the team that the Maroons face in the first round: No. 12 Case Western Reserve. The South Siders have played two of these teams already this year, including Wash U and Case Western. Unfortunately both of these matches ended in 5–4 losses for the Maroons. However, the team has stayed positive for good reason. “We have had some tough losses, mostly to teams in the top 10, all four to five,” said first-year Peter Leung. “All of these matches show how much potential we have to beat top 10 or top five teams in the whole nation.” While Chicago took on No. 5 Wash U on April 11, they played then-No. 8 Case Western on January 7, which was the fourth match of the season for a team stacked with young Maroons. First-year Luke Tsai said, “I think that the team has grown so much from the last time we played Case. We’ve grown a lot more this season in terms of toughness from all the other matches we’ve played.” Deepak Sabada, a fourth-year, echoed this sentiment when he said, “I think as the season has progressed, we have gotten better through our practices as well as playing some of the best teams in the country.” At the time of their first match, Case Western was ranked No. 8 in the nation, but has since fallen to No. 12, while Chicago started the season with a ranking of No. 17, and has risen to No. 13. The two teams have had similar schedules, with the Maroons playing seven matches against ranked opponents while the Spartans have played nine. Both of these things should be indicative of a close match, and one that the Maroons are very much looking forward to. “Case Western is a feisty team to play. They may have gotten to us the last time we played them, but this week in Florida, we know that we can trust each other so all we need to do is focus on our own match and play our hearts out,” Leung said. “Case is obviously a great team, but I feel like we were mentally weaker during the match and ended
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fresh and feeling good,” said LeFevre on his preparation. Looking back, LeFevre also recalled his second-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles at the indoor UAAs in March, where he finished just a 10th of a second shy of first. “Above all else, I’m ready for a high hurdle rematch; indoor conference is as fresh in my mind today as it was over a month ago in Henry Crown. It’s going to be a great weekend,” he said. There are other considerations heading into the weekend. Because this is just the fourth meet of Chicago’s outdoor season, being fresh is not the only concern when trying to stay in top shape. “We tapered a little this week physically in order to be at peak performance this weekend,” said third-year Mikaela Hammel. LeFevre also pointed out that, despite the season’s brevity, there are still quite a number of players who are banged up or coming up off recent injuries. The abbreviated outdoor season has presented other challenges for the Maroons. The weather has cut short some of the team’s opportunities to race competitively. “Our biggest challenge this weekend will
be possessing confidence,” Hammel said. “We haven’t had great weather and the girls basically missed one meet, and thus we haven’t put up as many superb times and don’t have as much of a presence as we did on the conference leaderboards indoors.” Hammel, in her experience with UAAs, has learned how important confidence can be to performing well. At indoor UAAs this year, she finished second overall in the 400-meter, breaking the school record twice in the process. “From indoors I learned that you have to go into these championship meets with confidence and acting like you belong there,” Hammel said. “A lot of times you don’t have to have an elevated performance—you just need to do what you’ve been doing all season and you need to believe in yourself that you can perform.” Chicago’s team appears to be in good spirits heading into the weekend, exhibiting the confidence that will be imperative to put up winning numbers in Atlanta. Competition begins at Emory starting at 7 a.m. tomorrow and 9 a.m. on Sunday.
Montreal vs TB Lightning: Tampa Bay Lightning still has a good chance against a Detroit Red Wings team who has seen some hot goaltending recently, including a shutout by young goaltender Petr Mrazek. If Mrazek shows any weakness, Tampa has shown it can execute. It netted five goals in Game Two. Tampa Bay Lightning, though it is down in its series, might have the offense needed to break through Carey Price if it makes it through round one. Long Shot: Can a young Ottawa Senators team come back from a 3–1 deficient? It’s already scored a desperate 1–0 shutout win to avoid getting swept. It’s a long road for the Senators, and if they pull it off, we’re looking at a matchup against the Red Wings or the Lightning NY Rangers vs NY Islanders: What better matchup then a local rivalry? If this is the matchup, the New York Rangers and New York Islanders will have a heated series that’ll definitely be one for the books, perfect for a last playoff meeting before the Islanders move even closer to Madison Square Garden with their relocation to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center next season. NY Rangers vs Washington Capitals: The New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals are no strangers in the playoffs; they’ve met three out of the last four postseasons. The Rangers won the last two series, but the Capitals took two before that. Expect these two teams, recently brought into the same Metropolitan Division, to expand on their already blooming rivalry. Long Shot: Can the Pens repay the Rangers for last year’s 3–1 series comeback? Doubtful. If they do pull it off, we’re looking at a massively entertaining series against the Islanders or the Capitals.
SPORTS
IN QUOTES “I’m a little tired but excited to go to bed.” – Chicago Blackhawks goalie Scott Darling expresses his relief in winning against the Nashville Predators
Balanced offensive attack fuels Chicago
This Week in Sports…
NBA PLAYOFFS
with Andrew VanWazer
Softball The Eastern Conference playoffs had a typical NBA playoff start this week, as only one road team pulled out a victory over a home opponent (the Spurs beat the Clippers on Wednesday night). The conference, which was dominated by the top five teams during the regular season, saw home opponents sweep all eight games played. The saying goes, “The series doesn’t really start until the road team wins,” and below I predict when, and if, that will happen.
Harry Brownfield Maroon Contributor The Maroons crushed North Park in both games of Monday’s doubleheader to put an end to their three-game losing streak. The South Siders won the first game 10–3, while the eight-run mercy rule brought an early end to the second game in the fifth inning at a score of 11–3. In both games, Chicago’s offense dominated. Second-year Anna Woolery led the charge, going six for nine at the plate on the day, driving in a total of four runs. Firstyear Alyssa Stolmack and third-year Kathleen Kohm combined to generate eight RBI and three homers. Four of those RBI came from Kohm’s grand slam in the top of the third inning during the second game. If the Maroons’ bats were hot during the first game, they were on fire during the second. Kohm’s homer capped an inning in which the South Siders scored eight runs and forced two North Park pitching changes. On the success of the Maroon offense, first-year Sara Koniewicz said, “We saw three very different pitchers, both in style and speed, and quickly made good adjustments at the plate. Being able to make those changes quickly let us keep the pressure on, even after their pitching changes.” Chicago’s pitching found no such difficulty. Third-year Jordan Poole gave up only five hits during her time on the mound in the first game. First-year Molly Moran also put on an impressive display in the second game, allowing only eight hits. Kohm said, “We had some interesting calls from the umpires on Monday, but the composure of our pitchers really calmed the whole team down. When we relaxed, the hitting became infectious and thankfully the effort of our whole team paid off.” Monday’s pair of victories improved the Maroons’ record to 14–16 on the season, as they now look hungrily at their three remaining doubleheaders. The team aims to win out and finish with a record of 20–16. The next challenge will be against Whea-
No. 1 Atlanta Hawks (60–22) vs No. 8 Brooklyn Nets (38–44) Hawks up 2–0 The Hawks seem to have copied the Spurs’ historical recipe for success, en route to the best record in the East. With no apparent superstar on the roster, Atlanta features a balanced offensive attack led by point guard Jeff Teague, forward Paul Millsap, and relentless sharpshooter Kyle Korver, who shot a blistering 48.7 percent from three-point range this season. The Nets and veteran point guard Deron Williams have at least been competitive in the series thus far, and may be able to squeak out a game at home, but the Hawks will continue with the success they’ve enjoyed all year. With that, I am going to stick with my original projection, and say that this series ends in five games with the Hawks eventually making their way to the second round.
Second-year Anna Woolery prepares to bat at a softball game against Hope College early last season. COURTESY OF UCHICAGO ATHLETICS
ton on Thursday. The Thunder have a record of 19–12 and are on a roll, having won their last five games. However, the South Siders are feeling confident after their resounding victories over North Park. The Maroons will also be playing at home, where they have a significantly better record. On the keys to the upcoming game, Woolery said, “We have strong hitters up and down the lineup. To be successful in
our upcoming game we need to lay off the drop and sit on the change. If we can handle these two pitches, which are the go-tos of the pitcher we’re facing, our pitchers and defense will take care of the rest.” The Maroons were scheduled for a doubleheader on Sunday against Carthage but due to a scheduling conflict, those games have been postponed to an undetermined date.
Iranpour, Tang, and Lo head to UAAs Women’s Tennis Brad Bozych Maroon Contributor In the coming days, the Maroons will start its final meet of the season. The stakes couldn’t be any higher. In a single-elimination tournament, Chicago will try to nab the UAA Championship. The Maroons are ranked fourth among the eight-team UAA field, setting up a first-round matchup against five-seed Case Western. Chicago will come into this meet with an 11–9 overall record. However, the win-loss column doesn’t quite do justice to how good the Maroons are: four of their losses have been narrow 5–4 defeats. Both teams will enter the match quite familiar with each other. Back in February, Case got the better of the Maroons. However, just three weeks ago, Chicago handily defeated the Spartans 8–1. The South Siders, then, will head into the match prepared and confident. Fourth-year leader Megan Tang spoke about the team’s chances this weekend, saying, “We are very confident in how we are playing right now. The team had good practices leading up to UAAs and we are playing well lately.”
With that in mind, much of the Maroons’ focus will be on Friday’s potential opponent, No. 1 seed Emory. However, the Eagles are ranked first not just in the UAA tournament, but nationally. The reigning national champions have a plethora of superstars and the experience to get back and make a run deep into the national tournament again this year. Emory will undoubtedly prove to be the Maroons’ stiffest competition yet. And so, while Chicago is quite confident in its chances against the Spartans, there is markedly less enthusiasm among Chicago players for their potential second-round opponent. First-year Jasmine Lee commented on the possible matchup against the Eagles, saying, “We feel confident we will beat Case, but the Emory matchup will be tough for us as they are the best team in the country. We are going to go out and compete, though.” Nonetheless, a better story line could not have set itself up for the Maroons. The Eagles will try to run through the field for their 26th UAA Championship. Chicago, meanwhile, will try to set the stage for a possible shock. Chicago’s first match will be at 9 a.m. Thursday in Altamonte Springs, FL. If the Maroons win, their next match will take place the following day.
No. 4 Toronto Raptors (49–33) vs No. 5 Washington Wizards (46–36) Wizards up 2–0 The Raptors’ high-scoring offense (104 PPG) has been led all season by the uber-talented DeMar DeRozan and his 20 PPG. On the flip side, the up-and-down Wizards have one of the best backcourts in basketball with the electric tandem of John Wall and Bradley Beal. The Wizards took the first two games at home, but look for this series to be the most competitive one in the entire first round of the NBA playoffs. In the end, I expect the Wizards to finally put it together for a sevengame stretch. Look for Washington to defensively tire this Toronto team, as the Raptors only managed 86 points in Game One. However, while Washington has looked dominant thus far this series, I still think the Raptors can really push the Wizards, and therefore I expect this series to go the full length of seven games, but with the Wizards ultimately prevailing. No. 3 Chicago Bulls (50–32) vs No. 6 Milwaukee Bucks (41–41) Bulls up 2–0 Derrick Rose has returned from injury for what seems like the 47th time, but the real stars of the 2014–15 Bulls have been Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol, who have stepped up in Rose’s absence. However, Rose averaged 19 points in the first two games of the series and looks as explosive as ever. “The Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo has surprisingly led Milwaukee into relevancy, but a more talented and finally healthy Chicago team should hold off the scrappy Bucks. No. 2 Cleveland Cavaliers (53–29) vs No. 7 Boston Celtics (40–42) Cavs up 2-0 The Celtics are a nice rebuilding story, as they amassed 40 wins only one year removed from a 25–57 record. Still, their young team has no chance of stopping LeBron James and the Cavs, who are 36–10 since LeBron returned from his mid-season injury. It has been Kyrie Irving who has led the way in the first two games, averaging 28 points in what were his first career playoff appearances. With the addition of Kevin Love’s two near double-doubles, this series will not be close.
First-year Courtney Warren returns a serve at a practice game this season. COURTESY OF UCHICAGO ATHLETICS