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FEBRUARY 5, 2010
CHICAGO
AROON
VOLUME 121 ISSUE 25
CHICAGOMAROON.COM
The student newspaper of the University of Chicago since 1892
CITY GOVERNMENT
SAFETY
Hyde Park alderman wins Cook County Board President primary
Unsolved Classics quad thefts frustrate faculty Thieves trumped UCPD efforts to prevent further break-ins By Amy Myers News Staff Burglars bashed through some third-floor walls in Goodspeed Hall to steal a laptop and five computers last month. The January 25 incident comes after a string of thefts this winter in the Classics quad, prompting faculty to ask for increased security and to be alerted about crimes that occur where they work. Robbers have targeted Goodspeed Hall, Cobb, and Gates-Blake in the past two months, according to UCPD spokesman Robert Mason; the music, film, and French departments, as well as the Center for the Study of Languages (CSL) were robbed. Every office on the fourth floor of Gates-Blake has
been broken into, some twice, creative writing instructor Dan Raeburn said. The UCPD does not know how many burglars are involved in the thefts, and no one has been taken into custody for the break-ins, Mason said. He called the localized rise in crime unusual and said that UCPD has upped its patrols in Goodspeed in response to the thefts. The robberies, which have taken place since early December, have resulted in thousands of dollars of lost property. On December 7, a thief smashed a glass-fronted case at the CSL in Cobb using a billiards ball taken from the commuter lounge in the basement. A flat-screen TV was stolen. The January 25 burglary followed a similar incident on the fourth floor of Goodspeed in December, Senior Director of Capital Planning in the Humanities Patricia Monaghan said.
BREAK-IN continued on page 2
Fourth-Ward Alderman Toni Preckwinkle at the House of Hope last week. Preckwinkle won the Democratic nomination for President of the Cook County Board Tuesday. If elected, she will be the first woman to hold the seat. COURTESY OF GREG A. RODIL
By Hannah Fine Senior News Staff Fourth-Ward Alderman Toni Preckwinkle (A.B. ’69, M.A.T. ’77) won the Democratic nomination for Cook County Board President Tuesday in a landslide. P r e ck w i n k l e w o n n e a r l y 5 0 percent of the vote out of a field of four, with twice as many votes as her closest competitor, Metropolitan Water Reclamation D i s t r i c t P r e s i d e n t Te r r e n c e O’Brien. Preckwinkle also defeat-
TRANSPORTATION ed incumbent Todd Stroger, who was criticized for his controversial sales-tax increase and claims of patronage hiring. “It’s a great night; we’re really pleased,” Preckwinkle said in an interview after the results party, which ended unexpectedly early because of Preckwinkle’s decisive win. Preckwinkle will face Republican Roger Keats November 2. She stands to be the first woman elected to the position. Preckwinkle said she saw her victory coming, however, after polls
indicated she was pulling away as early as January 22. “We’ve known the polling numbers were good for a while,” she said. Sixty-three year-old Kevin Corrigan, a developer, described Preckwinkle as “independent” and a “splendid lady.” He has known her for about six years through construction work he has done on the South Side. H found her to be fair, which he said is unusual in Chicago. “She doesn’t ask for any favors,” he said, adding that she had earned
PRECKWINKLE continued on page 2
ADMINISTRATION
Drinking policy unchanged, despite spike in alcohol-related ER visits By Carolanne Fried News Staff There are currently no plans to change University alcohol citation policy despite a spike in alcoholrelated ER visits last quarter, administrators said this week. The policy, relatively lenient compared to that of peer institutions, has resulted in a handful of disciplinary cases, but no arrests. “The incidence of over drinking on our campus is still quite small compared to other schools,” Dean of Students Susan Art said. “It’s not a prevalent part of our culture in the College.” According to crime statistics provided by the University of Chicago Web site, there were 14 disciplinary referrals for campus violations of liquor law during the years 2006–2008, and no arrests. According to similar information published online by the University of Pennsylvania, the UPenn campus had 73 disciplinary referrals and 54 arrests for on-campus violations of liquor law in the same time period. Despite last quarter’s spike in emergency room visits due to exces-
sive alcohol consumption, Art said that fewer than 20 students were sent to the ER as a result of alcohol intoxication last fall quarter. “Certainly there is protocol for students committing violations. But we just don’t have that many incidents,” said Bob Mason, a UCPD spokesman. “Maybe that has to do with the size of the student population or maybe that has to do with the kind of people here at the University of Chicago.” Mason added that the UCPD arrests underage drinkers. “Students are treated like any other member of the community,” Mason said. While the University of Penn-sylvania is one of many schools to employ police citations as a method of disciplinary action, the University of Chicago does not have a formal citation process. “We haven’t had our police doing citations for underage drinking or for behavior related to drinking,” Art said. Northwestern University, which reported 37 arrests and 872 disciplinary referrals for liquor law violations on their Evanston campus from 2006–2008, uses a system of police
citations and administrative action to discipline alcohol-related infractions. “We tend to do municipal citations for possession of open alcohol in public areas, underage possession of alcohol, fraudulent identification; those types of things are sent to a hearing officer and they are adjudicated by the city,” said Daniel McAleer, deputy chief of the Northwestern University police department. Municipal citations at Northwestern are accompanied by academic action. “With every citation written against a student, a copy goes to the judicial affairs office at Northwestern University,” McAleer said. While the University does not have such strict guidelines regulating alcohol-related behavior, the administration will still address dangerous alcohol use among students, Art said. “We are most focused on student health issues. We make sure to get students the help they need.” The lack of formal disciplinary guidelines related to alcohol abuse is partly attributable to the average U of
DRINKING continued on page 2
CTA cuts #55 and #6 service, threatening downtown travel By Tiffany Young News Staff Several CTA bus routes connecting Hyde Park and downtown will be cut or reduced in service Sunday as part of major budget reductions across the transit system. Two express bus routes running through Hyde Park will be cut: the X55 Garfield Express that runs along 55th Street to the Red and Green Lines and Midway Airport, and the X4 Cottage Grove Express that runs to Michigan
Avenue. The 55 Garfield and 6 Jackson Park Express routes will operate less frequently, and the 6 will begin running later in the morning and make its final runs at 12:30 a.m. All major CTA rail lines will also operate less frequently. “It’s going to be increasingly hard to get out of Hyde Park,” Student Government president and fourthyear Jarrod Wolf said. “People who don’t live in the eastern part of town near the 6 will suffer.” Students said that while they still
CTA continued on page 2
Poetic Justice
F
ormer South African Justice Albie Sachs lectures Tuesday at the Law School on the right of same-sex couples to marry. Sachs helped draft the South African Constitution after he was tortured and then exiled by the pre-apartheid government. He lost his arm in a car-bombing. SHANE COUGHLAN/MAROON
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CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | February 5 , 2010
UCPD failed to communicate string of break-ins, South Sider picked to head U of C education research writing lecturer says ADMINISTRATION
By Ilana Kowarski News Staff Education reformer Paul Goren will head the University’s research efforts on urban public schools as director of the Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR), the University announced last week. “I have spent over 25 years at the intersection of education research, policy, and practice,� Goren said. “CCSR is a perfect fit for me given the work I have done over the years as a teacher, a senior administrator in the Minneapolis schools, a policy director for the National Governor’s Association, and in both the MacArthur and Spencer Foundations.� Goren served for the past nine years as senior vice president of the Spencer Foundation, an organization that provides funding and logistical support to educational research. He started his career as a middle school teacher, and later worked as a school administrator and education policy analyst. CCSR conducts research on behalf of the University’s Urban Education Institute, which funds CCSR research, operates four charter schools
on the South Side, runs educational leadership programs, and trains teachers for urban schools. Goren will succeed John Q. Easton, who served as CCSR director from 2002 until 2009, when he was appointed by President Barack Obama to lead the Institute of Education Sciences, the research branch of the U.S. Department of Education. Goren said that meeting the standards set by his predecessors will be a difficult task. “I hope to carry on the legacy that John [Easton] and Tony Bryk established, of helping to run and being involved in a high quality, respected education research center that is known to help improve schools and schooling for those who need it most,� he said. “I have big shoes to fill and look forward to working with the CCSR colleagues to move the organization forward.� Easton said in a press release that he was confident in Goren. “Paul’s experiences working in large urban school districts and with policymakers and top researchers across the country make him the perfect person to lead CCSR. I expect Paul will expand CCSR’s national presence, maintain the highest quality research,
CTA cuts due to $1 million budget gap from 2009 CTA continued from front page want to make the trip north, seemingly minor service changes have a large impact on their ability to leave Hyde Park. “Less service means longer waits,� first-year Valerie Michelman said. “While it may not seem like much, trust me, when you are waiting for the 55 outside the Garfield stop in bone-chilling wind, every minute counts. If that wait gets any longer, I may think twice before going downtown.� The impending changes are the result of a significantly decreased CTA budget, which has had trouble keeping up with workers’ salaries and maintenance costs.
“In total, the CTA’s 2010 operating budget is nearly $1 million lower than the projected 2009 operating budget,� a December CTA press release said. The CTA has laid off over 1,000 employees to help balance the budget. Though the current decisions to cut back on routes have helped avoid fare increases, the downsizing may have safety consequences. “How will students come back to the University in the late hours of the evening, especially considering high crime in the area?� Wolf said. CTA officials said the cuts should increase wait times two to five minutes during rush hour on affected routes.
and work closely to inform new initiatives in Chicago Public Schools.� A native of Chicago, Goren said his new position would have personal significance for him. “I grew up on Chicago’s South Side—30 blocks south of the University, where my parents still live—and I am a graduate of the Chicago Public Schools. It is an honor to work in an organization dedicated to improve the schools in a city I love and where I started my education,� he said. He added that the breadth of CCSR’s research will allow him to help the schools he graduated from. “CCSR is now seen as a national model for doing research on urban education and public schooling. It is helping to change the image of educational research being done in isolation of those who work in schools by addressing the pressing needs faced by educational practitioners,� Goren said. “The new Chicago Public School administration is focused on using data and information as the cornerstone of its decision-making. This provides the consortium with obvious opportunities to continue to be of assistance as an independent lens on Chicago Public Schools.�
Dean: No need for citations for serious College students DRINKING continued from front page C student’s focus on academics, Art said. “We are naturally in a better place than at many schools where students aren’t as serious about being students and about their academic careers. “Could we eventually get to the point where we are doing citations? Yes, we could, but it hasn’t been that much of an issue for us so far,� Art said.
Âť The January 26 News article “Brother, can you spare ACâ€? incorrectly identified Erez Yoeli (Ph.D ’09) as a University professor; he is an economist at the Federal Trade Commission. The article also mistakenly reported that one of Yoeli’s quotes was referring to the inconvenience study participants felt when signing up for a SmartAC service; the quote referred to the process of signing up, not reducing AC output. Yoeli is not planning to run his future experiments in San Jose, where the reported experiment was held. Âť The February 2 Voices article “Family matters in Steppenwolf’s Brother/Sister trifectaâ€? was published without a byline. The article was written by Jessica Hester. Âť A sidebar in the February 2 Sports section accompanying the article “Two throwers nab automatic bids as track sweeps competition at Chicago Dualsâ€? incorrectly identified the events in which fourth-year Claire Ray has recorded qualifying marks this season. Ray has met the automatic-qualifying standard in the weight throw, and the provisional-qualifying standard in the shot put. The sidebar also incorrectly identified the year of Paige Peltzer, who is a second-year.
According to CSL manager Michael Berger, the UCPD increased the number of patrolling security guards to the area following the December break-ins, in response to faculty requests. But those measures failed to prevent the January 25 incident, and the UC P D has since increased its patrol in Goodspeed between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. The University also considered adding an after-hours card reader to restrict access to Cobb, or additional video surveillance. “There is going to be access control to these buildings, and extra security initiatives,� Mason said, but did not specify how the buildings would be controlled. The Music Department also issued an e-mail to faculty, reminding staff to lock doors and protect valuables. “If people are going to break in, they’re going to break in. We want to make things as difficult [for them] as possible,� Monaghan said. The constant threat of break-ins illustrates a lack of communication between the UCPD and faculty, Raeburn said. “The University never warned anybody [that the repeated theft] was going on. We didn’t even receive an e-mail,� he said. “A rash of massive break-ins across the quadrangle, we don’t hear anything.� Raeburn said e-mail notifications by the University could have prevented or decreased the office theft, similar to the security alert system for violent crimes on campus, which he praised. Raeburn, whose laptop was stolen December 15 when thieves pried open his dead-bolted door, said the University needs to upgrade its security system. “It’s very easy to pop those locks,� Raeburn said, adding that Gates-Blake is usually accessible at night due to propped-open fire escapes.
University alum Hoffman loses Democratic Senate nomination PRECKWINKLE continued from front page
CORRECTIONS
BREAK-IN continued from front page
the respect of every developer he knows. Corrigan said he hoped Preckwinkle would help reform Cook County, which is notorious for its corruption. “I work for Cook County, and I have seen patronage at its worst, and its effects on the taxpayers of Cook County. It’s a difficult task to bring it to an end, but she leads from the top and knowing her style, she’ll hopefully reform Cook County and bring it to an end. It’s long, long overdue,� he said. Preckwinkle said she was looking forward to the general election for Cook County Board President, a position responsible for the public health and safety policy of the over five million residents of Cook County. “This is an overwhelmingly Democratic county, but we’re going to work really hard from now until November,� she said.
State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias defeated David Hoffman (J.D. ’95) Tuesday for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senator, and 10th-District congressman Mark Kirk won the Republican nomination. Incumbent Pat Quinn won the Democratic nomination for governor after rival Dan Hynes conceded Thursday; the Republican race is still too close to call. Overall Illinois voter turnout for the primary was below 25 percent, close to a record low, according to the Chicago Tribune. Chicago turnout was about 26 percent. The Tribune attributed the low turnout in part to disillusioned voters unwilling to declare themselves members of either party, and the primary’s unprecedented move from mid-March to February, when the weather is worse. —Additional reporting by Asher Klein
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| VIEWPOINTS | February 5, 2010
VIEWPOINTS
3
EDITORIAL & OP-ED FEBRUARY 5, 2010
EDITORIAL
Sober solutions CHICAGO MAROON
The student newspaper of the University of Chicago since 1892
SUPRIYA SINHABABU, Editor-in-Chief TOM TIAN, Managing Editor MICHAEL LIPKIN, News Editor ASHER KLEIN, News Editor EVAN COREN, Viewpoints Editor HAYLEY LAMBERSON, Voices Editor BEN SIGRIST, Voices Editor JAKE GRUBMAN, Sports Editor JORDAN HOLLIDAY, Sports Editor BEN ROSSI, Editorial Board Member EMILY KAISER, Editorial Board Member ANDREW THORNTON, Ed. Board Member DANI BRECHER, Head Copy Editor
Administration should promote alcohol awareness and trust between students and housing staff Last November, Deans Susan Art and Kim Goff-Crews sent an e-mail alerting the campus to an increase in alcohol-related incidents, including ER visits. While drinking at the College pales in comparison to our peer institutions, the trend remains disconcerting. Art has indicated that stricter disciplinary measures will not be implemented, although they may still be on the table if the upward trend continues. However, by instituting a few common-sense policies, incidents of alcohol abuse can be reduced without the need for stricter disciplinary methods. Contributing to the number of incidents is that many students matriculate without much experi-
ence with social drinking, knowledge of their body’s particular response to alcohol, or an understanding of how to act when a problem arises. Therefore, the College Programming Office should make drinking education a more significant component of the O-Week “Chicago Life” sessions. The “Sex Signals” skit and discussion helps inevitable sexual experimentation occur in a safe way. We should take a similar approach to alcohol education. A program for drinking could provide helpful insights; for example, given the prevalence of alcohol-caffeine mixtures at many parties, it would be useful to know that perception of intoxication is reduced when alcohol is consumed
with caffeine, despite the fact that judgment and reaction times remain significantly impaired. Such information would go a long way to assist the decisions students make. While official University policy proscribes alcohol in residence halls, there is an implicit “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that ensures experimentation—without ensuring that it happens in a safe way. Therefore, more should be done informally to encourage RAs and RHs to make proactive interventions, and to encourage students to have confidence in seeking their help when needed. It is important that RAs establish more comfortable relationships with their residents,
having a regular, friendly presence at parties while ensuring a safe social setting for all. The University is right to refrain from strict citations that would simply drive students to drink offcampus. By providing adequate information of alcohol’s risks and encouraging more confidence in relationships with RAs and RHs, the University would obviate the need for stronger disciplinary measures in the future.
ers. In this case, two guys who want to marry are denied such a license. But even if we were to include gay marriage in the approved marriage category, government would continue to deny licenses to polygamous people or to underage couples, among others. There is a great social intrusion: Government is defining the institution of marriage. Most same-sex marriage advocates would say that we should draw the line at “two consenting adults.” Yet, like it or not, even this demarcation is inherently a moral judgment. As long as the state is handing out the licenses, it cannot stay neutral. Allowing same-sex marriage won’t solve this problem. Government would then be telling certain religious groups that their conception of marriage is wrong.
(Just as now government, in most states, tells everyone that gay marriage is wrong.) The question then is whether or not this is the role of the state. To a gay-rights supporter, I would ask whether or not it is government’s role to enforce the value of tolerance for gay people. One can certainly answer “yes” to that question. Government should take the lead, one might argue, in supporting tolerance of our fellow citizens. Fair enough. But if you’re making that argument, then you’re supporting more governmental intrusion into our private lives—more specifically, our private beliefs—not less. Imagine, instead, a government that does not take sides, that it does not even issue marriage licenses.
— The MAROON Editorial Board consists of the Editor-in-Chief, Viewpoints Editors, and three Editorial Board members.
ERIC GUO, Photo Editor CAMILLE VAN HORNE, Photo Editor HEATHER LEWIS, Head Designer ABRAHAM NEBEN, Web Editor BURKE FRANK, Associate News Editor LIAT SPIRO, Associate Viewpoints Editor RYAN TRYZBIAK, Associate Sports Editor JUDY MARCINIAK, Business Manager JAY BROOKS, Business Director JACK DiMASSIMO, Designer
OP-ED
Rethinking rights Gay rights movement should reconsider state’s role in bringing equality
ANDREW GREEN, Designer IVY PEREZ, Designer CHRISTINA SCHWARTZ, Designer JESSICA SHEFT-ASON, Designer Matt Barnum Columnist
NAKUL SINGH, Designer MATT TYNDALE, Designer ANNA AKERS-PECHT, Copy Editor JORDAN FRANKLIN, Copy Editor DANIELLE GLAZER, Copy Editor VICTORIA KRAFT, Copy Editor MONIKA LAGAARD, Copy Editor HOLLY LAWSON, Copy Editor LAUREN LARSON, Copy Editor MIRANDA LI, Copy Editor LAUREN MAKHOLM, Copy Editor ALEX WARBURTON, Copy Editor LILY YE, Copy Editor WENJIA DOREEN ZHAO, Copy Editor
The CHICAGO MAROON is published twice weekly during autumn, winter, and spring quarters. Circulation: 6,500 The opinions expressed in the Viewpoints section are not necessarily those of the MAROON.
The debate on gay marriage is oftentimes truly incoherent. One side says shrilly, “Destruction of the family!” To those of us who support gay rights, this makes no sense; same-sex marriage would lead to the construction of families. But to someone who opposes gay marriage, the other side must seem just as nonsensical. “Equality!” we shout, to which our opponents blink dumbly and think, Well, gay people aren’t equal. And how can we argue against that, really? If someone says being
gay is wrong because the Bible says so, there’s no way to respond. The rote reply might go something like this: Fine, you can have your religious beliefs, but don’t try to impose them on the rest of us. This is where things get sticky. Same-sex marriage supporters like to think that their cause is one that simply asks government to get out of people’s personal lives. Take David Hoffman, an Illinois senatorial candidate (he lost in the primary this Tuesday), who writes on his web site, “The government should not intrude on our personal decisions of who to love. That is why I support gay marriage.” If only it were that simple. When the government awards a marriage license to a straight couple, it necessarily denies marriage to oth-
©2010 CHICAGO MAROON, Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 East 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
OP-ED
Editor-in-Chief Phone: (773) 834-1611 Newsroom Phone: (773) 702-1403 Business Phone: (773) 702-9555 Fax: (773) 702-3032
The cost of “bipartisanship”
SUBMISSIONS The CHICAGO MAROON welcomes opinions and responses from its readers. Send op-ed submissions and letters to: Viewpoints CHICAGO MAROON 1212 East 59th Street Chicago, IL 60637 E-mail: viewpoints@chicagomaroon.com The editors reserve the right to edit materials for clarity and space. Letters to the editor should be limited to 400 words. Op-ed submissions, 800 words.
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RIGHTS continued on page 4
Obama’s attempt to engage Republicans has blocked real reform
By Peter Ianakiev Viewpoints Contributor If I could get Barack Obama to denounce any one of the promises he campaigned on, it would be his commitment to bipartisanship. Don’t get me wrong—there’s nothing inherently wrong with reaching across the aisle and working with members of both parties to craft legislation. But there is something quixotic about liberals’ striving for it. The reason for this is that, simply put, the Republican Party is frighteningly effective at opposition politics and is far more concerned with
political expediency than good policy. Consider this: At the height of Republican domination of Congress, following the 2004 elections, there were 45 Democrats in the Senate. Somehow, Republicans were able to accomplish with 55 (and fewer) what Democrats are unable to with 59: Get things passed. It’s really quite telling that a situation where Democrats have an 18-seat majority is a positive one for Republicans. The meaning of this is simple: Republicans are fantastic at obstruction. They are adept at blocking Obama’s nominees and making sure that legislation has to
have 60 votes before making it to the Senate floor. And the consequences of this approach, while terrible for the country, are a political boon for Republicans. When the 2010 elections come, and little has been done about health care reform, the economy, financial regulation, etc., what are voters going to do? Are they going to stick with a party that has been able to do nothing despite a majority that did not exist in Dick Cheney’s wildest dreams? Can Democrats truly expect people sick of a weak economy and an incompetent government to go out for them in droves? Clearly, Republicans are
onto a winning strategy. We see this with Scott Brown’s victory. It’s completely ridiculous to say it’s a reaction to a leftward shift in our government. Nobody who rationally evaluates modern American politics can possibly conclude that, somehow, Obama has moved things far left. What exactly did he do that is socialistic? Vigorously support single-payer or a public option? No. Instead, he has settled for a compromised, “centrist” health care plan that has left many Democrats and Independents bitterly disappointed.
BIPARTISAN continued on page 4
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CHICAGO MAROON
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VIEWPOINTS | February 5, 2010
Republicans have no incentive to cooperate with Obama agenda BIPARTISAN continued from page 3 Scott Brown’s win is best attributed to the feeling that simply not enough has been done to change the status quo. In a political climate full of anger and resentment at a government that has not alleviated the problems of ordinary Americans, is it any surprise that people would vote for the opposition—any opposition, out of sheer frustration? And shouldn’t that tell us that what Democrats have to do is not, as is their typical approach to politics, give up, but actually, for once in far too long, stand up and fight for what they believe? Thousands of Obama voters in 2008 stayed home for the Massachusetts special election. Who can blame them? Can you expect any supporter of the President to be fired up and ready to go after so much difficulty in passing anything? If Democrats want to win, they have to get something done. Realistically speaking, this means they will have to use reconciliation. Reconciliation is a Senate procedure, reserved for budgetary matters, that allows a party to pass a bill by a simple majority without the need for the 60 votes a filibuster requires. George W. Bush used it three times to pass tax cuts. Any threats on the part of Republicans that using reconciliation now will somehow destroy bipartisanship are entirely empty; the death of bipartisanship is all too clearly exemplified by the Republicans’ goal to turn health care reform into, as Jim DeMint put it, “Obama’s Waterloo,” and not to actually fix a system that even they acknowledge has serious flaws. It is disastrous, both in terms of policy and politics, for Democrats to water down their legislation and compromise even more. No doubt, some Senate moderates, like Evan Bayh or Ben Nelson will advocate this; but it is imperative for the good of the country and the future of the party that they be ignored. Republicans will not commit themselves to any program of meaningful reform. It’s just far too tempting to block any serious attempts right now and reap in the gains when
EDITORIAL CARTOON
frustrated voters go to the polls in 2010 and lash out against a party they had such high hopes for only two years ago. At this point, Congressional Republicans just are not interested in working with Democrats. To try to appease them, when the country needs significant reform, is suicidal. Survey after survey shows a consistently high level of support for the public option that is entirely inconsistent with both the idea that Obama is somehow a Communist or the sheer impossibility of getting it passed in Congress. Most recently, a poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs January 28-31 shows that a solid 49 percent of voters favor a “public entity to directly compete with existing health insurance companies” versus 42 percent who oppose it. A public option is not an unpopular idea. Significant health care reform is not an unpopular idea; nobody thinks a system where health insurance companies can deny you coverage because of pre-existing conditions is close to ideal. Thousands of Obama voters who switched parties in the most recent Massachusetts election want more dramatic reform than anything the Senate is considering at the moment. What Scott Brown’s victory shows, above all, is that this is still a country hungry for change; the sad irony is that it will have precisely the opposite effect. Republicans will only be more emboldened to obstruct and filibuster. Why bother compromising now and working toward a common solution, when it will benefit Democrats and hurt your party’s chances to make dramatic gains in the Senate come November? Obama has the potential, the talent, and the vision to bring about the change he was elected for and truly accomplish something great: The humanization of a system that for too long has denied care to those who need it. The choice is clear: Obama can be great or he can be a bipartisan moderate. But he can’t be both.
The sky would not fall. If gay-rights supporters really believe that government should not impose morality, it’s this path that they should support. How can we say no, government shouldn’t implement morality—except if it’s our morality. Unfortunately, this view—that the implementation of the “right” morality by government is fine—is what the gay-marriage movement is all about. Supporters subscribe to the conservative belief that government is the arbiter of what a real marriage is. Thus, they’re trying to change the governmental definition of marriage. And they will win:
By Elle Opitz
— Peter Ianakiev is a second-year in the College majoring in political science.
By licensing marriage, state necessarily imposes a particular moral stance RIGHTS continued from page 3
RAISING ELLE
There’s almost no doubt in my mind that, say, 20 years from now same-sex marriage will be recognized in most states, if not the whole country. The truth is that, to a large extent, I will be happy about this. But achieving this goal will mean having to cede a moral battle that is perhaps even larger than the tremendously important fight for gay equality. It is the fight against the government as the arbiter of morality. And, unfortunately, it is a fight that, at least on many issues, seems lost. — Matt Barnum is a fourth-year in the College majoring in psychology.
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2 0 1 0 R O N A L D H . C O A S E L E C T U R E I N L AW A N D E C ON O M I C S
Political Economy of Public Law Jacob Gersen
Assistant Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School Allocating Powers and Functions in Constitutional Democracy
Wednesday, February 10 4:00 p.m. Weymouth Kirkland Courtroom University of Chicago Law School 1111 East 60th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 Reception Following This event is free and open to the public. No response is required but seating is limited. For special assistance or needs, please contact Marjorie E. Holme at 773.702.0220 or mholme@uchicago.edu.
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CHICAGO CHICAGO MAROON MAROON | VOICES | VOICES | November | February 20, 2, 2010 2009
VOICES
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FEBRUARY 5, 2010
FILM
Dear John: Return to sender By Michelle Welch Voices Pen Pal A friend explained to me the other night that he has seen Avatar seven times now, largely because there is nothing else worth his while in theaters. Dear John is the perfect justification for him. It’s disappointing that the winter film season, typically beginning in January and lasting through March, is programmed as a forgettable few months packed with tepid horror movies, kiddie comedies, and secondrate dramas that can’t contend with the Oscar bait in November and December. Let’s face it, we’re in the middle of the filler season and coming up on Valentine’s Day, so a treacly Nicholas Sparks adaptation with bright young things Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum is par for the course. Seyfried, who I have found incredibly like-
DEAR JOHN Directed by Lasse Hallström Wide Release
able in her films up until now, plays Savannah Curtis, a college student from an affluent, conservative, southern family who falls for— you guessed it—a boy from the other side of the tracks. Channing Tatum plays John Tyree, a brooding army soldier on leave with a troubled past that the military disciplined out of him. But like Nicholas Sparks’s other southern-set tearjerker The Notebook, boys separated from girls by tracks have hearts of gold, caring fathers, and decent homes. What’s different this time is that John gains respect as a serviceman, whereas Ryan Gosling’s carpenter just “wasn’t good enough” for Rachel McAdams in The Notebook.
John (Channing Tatum) and Savannah (Amanda Seyfried) try their best to ignore creepy guy (background), who has been staring at them for 20 minutes. COURTESY OF SCOTT GARFIELD
As the plot unfolds between 2000 and 2007, Tatum returns to his Army unit for his next tour of duty and Seyfried returns to college, both writing love letters all the while. But 9/11 corrupts the plans of the happy couple, who had promised their love to each other after just two weeks of summer lovin’ in 2000. Tatum is compelled to extend his tour
of duty now that his country needs him, and Seyfried is left to ponder when she’ll have this man in her life again. Unfortunately, we’re set up for a big twist that arrives with a “Well duh!” thud, only to be re-routed through levels of sap and sugar thicker than a Charleston Chew. This is a matter of fault with the source material that
proves to be the “jump the shark” moment for the film, and serves no purpose but to make our dear John seem like the nicest guy who ever finished last. The film boasts the sentimental directing pedigree of Lasse Hallstrom, who has been hit-and-miss in the past with successes, such as What’s Eating
JOHN continued on page 6
THEATER
Just in time for midterms, UT serves up some schaudenfraude By Jessen O'Brien Voices Morbid Fascination For most students, fifth week is rife with stress and panic as midterm assignments and tests seem to attack from all sides. UT’s fifth week workshops, collectively titled Self, Torture, and Anxiety, appear to honor this anguished time, but also explore moments of sorrow more traumatic than midterms, perhaps providing us with some much needed perspective on our academic woes.
SELF, TORTURE, AND ANXIETY Through February 6 3rd Floor Theater
The first play, Kissing Christine by John Patrick Shanley, focuses on a first date. Christine (Haley Doner) and Larry (Tom Weisgarber) go through all the requisite moments of awkwardness, with the occasional interruption of their overfriendly server (Crystal Croyl). Despite the brevity of their time together, Christine and Larry connect almost immediately as two people dealing
with troubled situations. Throughout the play, the audience watches Christine and Larry grow increasingly intimate. From they audience’s perspective, they’re in profile for most of the play, emphasizing the couple’s detachment from the rest of the world. The server breaks this mood, providing comic relief as the tension between Christine and Larry builds. Croyl and Doner convincingly portray two people surprised by the understanding between them, struggling to find something solid in their lives. Variations on the Death of Trotsky by David Ives is a rather surreal interpretation of the last day in the life of Bolshevik leader Leon Trotsky. Mrs. Trotsky (Autumn McConnico) continually explains to her husband (Graham Albachten) that a mountain climbing pick has been smashed into his head. She reads him encyclopedia entries outlining the facts of such an injury while he speculates how he ended up with a mountain pick lodged in his head. By far the most humorous of the four plays in the workshop, this one act deals with issues of identity and mortality. Albachten’s Trotsky is utterly sincere, genuinely unable to understand why his gardener Ramon (Nicho Kelly) would kill him, seeing as how Ramon is a proletarian. Kelly's and McConnico’s exagger-
ated dancing is a particularly funny moment, and simple physical humor like this offsets Trotsky’s bizarre process of understanding throughout the play. The third play, The Informer by Bertolt Brecht, transports the audience from Mexico and Germany. The Informer centers on a family in the midst of Nazi Germany and the everyday paranoia under the regime. The Wife (Bryn Adams) and Husband (Marc Amante) fear that anyone, including the Maid (Emma Gist), the Boy (Caroline Cox-Orrell), and each other, may have informed the government of unpatriotic behavior. Fluctuating power structures outside the home cause a deterioration of those within it, as the two grown adults begin to fear everyone, including their own son. Cox-Orrell is largely responsible for The Informer’s humor as she innocently plays with blocks and steals sugar while the household tension grows. Adams and Amante manage to convincingly accuse and support each other simultaneously. They maintain an underlying devotion even as they yell at each other, certain that the government will soon bear down upon them. The final play, Chushingara translated by Donald Keene, explores suffering in ancient
Japan. An ensemble of five students (Ian Morrow, Caroline O’Donovan, Sam Pollock, Christopher Shea, and Tamera Silverleaf ) tells this story of revenge. Chushingara explores concepts of honor and revenge dissonant with those of modern, Western society. However, while the characters’ reactions might seem strange at first, they all align with a system of honor that becomes increasingly understandable as the play continues. The play is choreographed in the style of Kabuki theater. Each actor plays multiple parts, and gender roles are often swapped for comedic effect. It is difficult to execute such a specific style, especially following three more immediately accessible plays. Nevertheless, each cast member fully commits to his or her role, providing a memorable performance. Overall, Self, Torture, and Anxiety is a wonderful example of schadenfreude, or happiness at the misfortune of others. Although all contain humorous moments, none depict particularly happy characters or pleasant circumstances. However, they transform the lives of midterm-addled audience members from miserable to manageable while simultaneously prodding them into thinking about how people cope with suffering in different times and cultures.
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CHICAGO MAROON | VOICES | February 5, 2010
H U N G E R
S T R I K E
By Iliya Gutin
JOHN continued from page 5
Bayless's Xoco Small scale with big taste Rick Bayless is pretty fly for a white guy. He was born in Oklahoma to a family for whom barbecue was the preferred method of cooking anything and everything. He worked at his family’s grocery store, joined the Boy Scouts, and played baseball. He even received a doctorate in Anthropological Linguistics from the University of Michigan. Despite having absolutely no Mexican heritage or formal culinary training, he has somehow become the most prominent figure in contemporary Mexican cuisine. Say what?! Simply put, Bayless did his damn research. After spending six years living, studying and, of course, eating in Mexico, he realized there was more to Mexican food than just rice and beans. Coming back to Chicago with a completely new perspective on the country’s cuisine, he proceeded to open his signature Frontera Grill and Topolobampo—the cornerstone of upscale Mexican food in the U.S. And now more than 20 years down the line, after numerous James Beard Awards (the Oscars of cooking, so to speak), cookbooks, and even a Top Chef Masters victory…what does Rick Bayless do? Open a hole-in-the-wall joint with an unpronounceable name right next to his other two restaurants. He’s become a glorified street food vendor. But, oh, how glorified he and his little shack Xoco are. Xoco is Rick Bayless’s ode to the amazing and diverse street food of Mexico. The emphasis is on tortas: white bread sandwiches stuffed with meat, cheese, beans, and salsa, and more meat, and peppers, and avocados, and even more meat…. Hot dogs and pretzels they are not. But if such meaty goodness does not suit your tastes, there are also salads and caldos, hearty soups featuring many of the same ingredients. Keeping with the street vendor tradition, the place is tiny; it only seats around 40 at a time. Understandably, a Saturday night dinner led to about an hour wait. But even standing in line is an experience within itself. The ambiance is warm and energetic, a welcome break from the cold that you may take for granted until you have to leave. As the line snakes its way to the ordering counter, you get to experience the full scope of the kitchen; from the wood oven, to the griddle, to the wonderful deep fryer that pumps out churro after churro, and finally to the corner where all the chocolate is cut up and
"It's log, it's log..." actually, it's Channing Tatum
ground into powder. My party ordered some freshly made chips and guacamole while we waited. The freshness of the chips was actually noticeable, and the guacamole had a nice kick to it—a nice amuse-bouche to whet our appetites for the glory that was to come. I had the privilege of tasting two of Bayless’s incredible torta creations. The Jamón with fried egg was a warm, gooey mess of avocado, cheddar, mustard, and egg yolk that perfectly complemented the crispy white bread that valiantly absorbed all of the juices. The Prosciutto Picante had just the right amount of heat, mostly adding a nice smokiness and bite to the sandwich. A friend’s Ahodaga, pork carnitas in a spicy tomato broth, was just as delicious. The pork carnitas, coupled with pickled onions, had the perfect blend of savory and sweetness to stand up against the spicy broth. The coup de grace of the meal was a delicate serving of churros and hot chocolate. The freshly fried (if there is such a thing) churros were warm and spongy—perfect for dipping into an assortment of exotic hot chocolates. The Aztec hot chocolate had an interesting water base that gave it a very light texture that worked perfectly to highlight the allspice that gives the drink its signature taste. The Barcelona version was milk-based, incredibly viscous and thick, yet incredibly sweet and creamy. We also tried a flan atop a chocolate base that, besides being quite tasty, also showcases the versatility of flan as more than just a stand-alone dessert. Oh, and did I mention that this feast was under $20? Frontera Grill and Topolobampo are definitely a bit on the pricey side, so this is certainly the cheapest way to get a taste of Rick Bayless. After the meal, the word that kept coming to my mind was “refreshing,” both in the literal and figurative sense. The meal may sound heavy and dense, but it was actually a very clean affair that effectively masked the caloric massacre that had just taken place. The food was also a much welcome departure from the misconception of Mexican cooking that is so endemic in our society. On some subconscious level, I had felt that I had done an ethical deed by consuming this food. Through my overindulgence, I was paying tribute to thousands of years of tradition. Ultimately, Xoco serves to exemplify the fact that Rick Bayless is a gastronomic one-upper. He has encountered Mexican culture and cuisine. He has embraced it. He has perfected it. A culinary veni, vidi, vici.
Gilbert Grape and The Cider House Rules, and misfires, like An Unfinished Life and The Hoax. Character actor Richard Jenkins, best known as the deceased patriarch in Six Feet Under and the manager of the Hardbodies gym in Burn After Reading, also stars in a difficult role as Tatum’s father with high-functioning autism. Jenkins is exquisitely nuanced and doesn’t overread his character’s disability. His performance is an effectual one that helps the film earn a compelling and truly poignant scene, even if that scene takes place in a hospital hallway where Jenkins, post-stroke, is inexplicably abandoned. It’s a touching scene hindered by one question repeating in your head: “What the hell is he doing in the hall?” This scene is our one glimpse of a Tatum
capable of showing emotions that can’t be expressed through his usual blank stares and reserved banality. During most of the movie, Tatum is the human equivalent of the Ren and Stimpy log. Although his wooden sturdiness fits his role as a soldier, I can’t stop hearing the lyrics to the log song from the show. “It’s log, it’s log / It’s big, it’s heavy, it’s wood” do not speak kindly to Tatum’s leading-man charisma, or rather his lack. You can do better with silly rom coms than you can with this emotionally manipulative variety of drama. I invited a guy friend to come along to my screening of this, which he politely declined “because it’s Nicholas Sparks.” I later apologized for inviting him. No good friend would ever subject another to this movie.
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CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | February 5, 2010
TRACK & FIELD
Whitewater Invitational features some of DIII’s top throwing talent By Jordan Holliday Sports Editor This weekend, Whitewater, WI, is the place to be to see DIII’s best female throwers in action. Besides Chicago’s throwing trio of fourthyear students Claire Ray and Nicole Murphy and third-year Kristin Constantine, tomorrow’s Warhawk Classic at UW–Whitewater will include an outstanding contingent of UW–Oshkosh throwers, making for one of the deepest weight throw and shot put fields this side of indoor nationals. “This is no doubt the strongest competition that we’ll see in the throws until Nationals in March,” Constantine said. “But we’ve been training harder than ever for the past eight months, and we’re physically prepared for any level of competition.” Oshkosh’s top throwers include Holly
Ozanich, the only woman in DIII this season to have posted a weight throw mark (18.05 m) better than those put up by Ray (17.9 m) and Constantine (17.34 m) at last weekend’s Chicago Duals. Ozanich, Ray, and Constantine are thus far the only automatic qualifiers in that event. Besides Ozanich, the Titans have three other women who have hit at least the provisional mark in the weight throw. One of those three, Ellie Sitek, currently sits third on the NCAA’s national performance list for the shot put. Another Titan, Jecel Gerner, is currently fifth on that list. Between Sitek and Gerner is Murphy, in fourth, while Ray is sixth in the shot put going into this weekend. Being between a pair of Oshkosh throwers isn’t new for Murphy: At Nationals last March, she finished seventh overall in shot put, right behind Sitek and one spot ahead of Susie Trzebiatoswki, who’s also a Titan.
Balance crucial to squad’s successful first half W. BASKETBALL continued from back page conference title, and every team except for one has a record of .500 or better on the season. To persevere through this critical stretch, Chicago will continue to emphasize the importance of playing as a team. Although the Maroons have strong players like fourthyear Molly Hackney, who leads the te am in rebounding and field goal percentage, and second year Meghan Herrick, who leads the team in scoring and assists, the true strength of the
team comes from their depth and experience. “As I have stated all year, we are in many ways the textbook definition of a team,” said Rousell. “On any given night a wide variety of players could lead us in scoring, and I like it that way.” With its team emphasis and strong play, the Maroons will continue to make a push for the UAA title, and if the team can eliminate its mistakes from the losses to Wash U and Rochester, there will be better times to come.
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(Trzebiatowski has yet to qualify in the shot put this season but is eighth on the weight throw list.) “Having good competition at these midseason meets is a great opportunity because it really challenges me,” Murphy said. “Usually, the competition we see in the throws isn’t that great so I have to challenge and motivate myself.” This won’t be the first time the Maroons have seen Oshkosh this season. On January 9, they traveled to Oshkosh for dual meets with Augustana and Oshkosh. That day, Sitek won the shot put, Ozanich won the weight throw, and Ray finished second in both. Murphy was third in the shot put. Overall, the Titans beat Chicago 82–60. But, as Murphy pointed out, the importance of this meet won’t show on the score sheet. “Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter if I win or lose at this point, but it’s great practice at just competing well and bringing it when it
really matters,” Murphy said. “And if I do well now, that’ll give me confidence to believe I can do well again at the bigger meets.” Men’s track and field is also making the trip to Whitewater this weekend, but their meet will be this afternoon and evening, a day before the women get underway. As on the women’s half, Oshkosh will be the favorite to take top honors. The Titans beat Chicago 109–48 in their January 9 dual meet, and if the current national performance lists hold at NCAAs, Oshkosh would win the team championship by more than 10 points. But even if the Titans take another convincing victory in today’s invitational, as with the Chicago women, the meet will provide the men with another opportunity to hone their performances under pressure and against some of the country’s best track and field athletes.
Chance to play consistently lured Pawa from William and Mary to Chicago M. TENNIS continued from back page before returning to Singapore at age 18 for two years of mandatory national service training. All able-bodied male Singaporean citizens must undergo a term as full-time servicemen in the armed forces, police, or defense force until they become “operationally-ready” reservists. “I underwent three months of basic military training before I had to complete two months of vocational training as a signaler,” Pawa said. “The posting to be a signaler was by random chance. For the remainder of my service, I worked in a department concerned with operational exercise protocol and control.” Although this administrative job allowed Pawa some flexibility to continue his tennis training, it was no easy task to keep his game in top form or to adjust to military life. “The biggest challenge was not being able to practice tennis for a long period of time, and not being able to participate in tournaments,” Pawa said. “Also, it was difficult to get used to a life of discipline and regimen, and always being subordinate to superiors.” Despite the strain it placed upon him, Pawa supports the system of conscription in Singapore and is ultimately glad he served in the army. “I feel my time in the service was worth-
while because it made me appreciate certain things more, and also taught me to be responsible and maintain discipline,” Pawa said. After his two years of training was completed, Pawa returned stateside, enrolling at the the College of William and Mary as a first-year when he was 20 years old. “I was there for two years, in a strong Division-I program and did not c o m p e t e m u c h , ” Pa w a s a i d . “ I c h o s e Wi l l i a m a n d M a r y b e c a u s e I r e a l l y liked the tennis program there. At the same time, it is a very good academic institution, and the community of students there is something special.” The desire to play more consistently, however, ultimately led Pawa to look into transferring elsewhere. The opportunity to compete immediately, receive a high quality education, and work with head coach Marty Perry made Chicago the right choice for him. “I liked [Coach Perry] a lot because he is an honest and helpful person, and he is committed to having a strong team,” Pawa said. On the whole, Pawa feels he made the right choice in coming to Hyde Park. “I have enjoyed my time at UChicago so far. It has been a new experience and a new environment, but I am growing to like it and am adapting here quite well,” Pawa said.
McGrath expects team to improve with experience M. BASKETBALL continued from back page head coach Mike McGrath has highlighted a problem that tripped up the Chicago squad all season: consistency. “We haven’t been great, and we haven’t been bad,” McGrath said. “We’ve made an effort to be more consistent…. We have to learn to sustain that for longer periods of time and from game to game.” The team’s ups and downs have kept them inches from the top tier of the UAA this season with winnable games at Rochester last weekend and at home against Brandeis on January 17 slipping away. If they could have turned those losses into wins, Chicago would be tied for second in the conference. As it stands, the Maroons find themselves in sole possession of sixth place in the league, ahead of only Carnegie and Case. The conference schedule hasn’t brought only bad news for the Maroons, though. Second-year forward Tom Williams has emerged as a double-double machine in conference games thus far. Four of his six career double-doubles have come in this year’s UAA
play where he has averaged 12.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest. Fourth-year guard Jake Pancratz has also boosted his game over the last few contests, reaching double-digit scoring three times in the last four games. Perhaps the most important factor in the team’s performance, according to McGrath, has been and will continue to be experience. The relatively inexperienced sophomore class is continuing to develop into a strong group of players, but the season thus far has been more about progress than winning every game. With more experience will come more confidence, an asset McGrath said should do wonders on both ends of the court. The road continues this weekend with rematches against last week’s opponents, Emory and Rochester. While Chicago’s window in the UAA title race may already have closed, a couple of wins this weekend would certainly help Chicago to improve on their performance from the first half of the conference schedule. “If we can get going in the right direction this weekend, I think we can go on a nice run,” McGrath said.
IN QUOTES
SPORTS
“After it happened, the team rallied around me and said, ‘Coach, don’t worry about it.’” —Eric Maxwell, head volleyball coach at Southern High School in New Jersey, defending his decision to peg one of his players in the head with a volleyball after she made a mistake during a match.
WRESTLING
MEN’S TENNIS
Maroons seek 14th UAA title as conference tournament comes to Ratner
Pawa went from armed service to service line
By Jake Grubman Sports Editor It would be hard to call the wrestling team anything but dominant when it comes to the UAA Championship: In the past 22 years, Chicago has won 13 team championships. With the three-team tournament coming to Ratner tomorrow, head coach Leo Kocher has his squad eyeing championship number 14. “We’ve had a very good run against some competitive teams,” Kocher said. “You’re only as good as your next meet, but I’ve been happy with the way the guys are wrestling right now.” After sweeping Case and NYU a season ago, the Maroons will try to take home a second straight title and their eighth in the last 10 years, when the tournament returns to Chicago for the first time since 2007. “It’s nice. You get to wrestle at home every three years,” Kocher said. “The last one [in Chicago] the crowd was nice and energetic and really invested. It’s an excellent atmosphere to wrestle at home, and I hope we can deliver.” NYU, though, would be happy to play spoiler for the Chicago crowd. The Violets have finished first or second each year since 2004, and they return two all-UAA selections from a year ago, including the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler last year, Matt Magill. The third-year captain, who has
anchored the 157-pound weight class for NYU, has posted a 12–6 record so far this season, including a signature win over the second-ranked wrestler in the weight class, Augsberg’s Jason Adams. “It seems that NYU is consistently very competitive at all of their weight classes and want to win UAAs as badly as we do each year,” fourth-year Troy Carlson said. Nonetheless, Carlson is confident that the Maroons are capable of once again defeating the Violets. “If we perform to our ability, there is no reason we should not be able to win both duals this weekend,” he said. For Carlson, the nation’s seventhranked wrestler in his weight class, this weekend will be an opportunity to become just the fifth Chicago wrestler to win conference titles all four years. He has won championships at 157 pounds, 165 pounds, and 174 pounds, and this weekend he will be in competition for the 197-pound title. Third-year Ryan Hatten, an honorable mention on d3wrestling.com’s rankings board, will be looking for his third consecutive UAA championship at the heavyweight spot. Championship considerations aside, this weekend will also provide a final tune up before the Great Lakes Regional in two weeks. “A win here is very important because it not only gives us the recognition of being conference champions; it
By Matt McCracken Sports Staff
First-year Francisco Acosta, shown in competition with Wheaton, will anchor the 133-pound weight class at the UAA Championship tomorrow. ERIC GUO/MAROON
is also a good opportunity to see what corrections we have to make individually for the national qualifier coming up,” Carlson said. Both Carlson, who qualified for NCAAs last season, and Hatten have a good chance to advance to Nationals on February 20, but first they’ll look to earn one last measure of conference glory. Another victory would be a good send-off for Carlson and classmate
MIDSEASON REPORT: WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
MIDSEASON REPORT: MEN’S BASKETBALL
Chicago can reach NCAA tournament with wins down stretch By Matt Tyndale MAROON Staff It was the best of times. It was, well, the not so best of times. After a roller-coaster ride of a weekend, in which the Maroons (13–5, 5–2 UAA) won 80–70 at Emory (9–9, 2–5) on Friday to take a share of first place in the UAA, only to suffer a
DARREN LEOW/ MAROON
heartbreaking 54–52 loss in overtime to Rochester (15–3, 5–2 UAA) two days later, the Maroons enter the final stretch of the season in limbo. On the one hand, the Maroons control their own destiny: Win out and they will at least share the UAA title and will receive a NCAA tournament berth. But lose one or more games, and the likelihood of an NCAA tournament berth diminishes rapidly. This situation could have been avoided. Up by five with less than a minute-and-a-half to play in regulation, Chicago allowed five free throws to tie the game at 49–49 and then was outplayed on the defensive side of the ball in overtime. “I think we put ourselves in a position that our backs are against the wall now,” said head coach Aaron Roussell. “I think if we win 19 games that would put us in a good spot to get into the tournament, but many things could happen to change that.” The Maroons currently stand third in the highly competitive UAA,
Spencer Burns, who has come on strong for the Maroons at the 165pound spot, where he will look to capture his first conference title. Carlson, though, said he wasn’t too sentimental heading into this weekend. “It is a bit sad that these are my last two matches at Ratner,” he said, “but I am certainly not going to dwell on it because there are two very important tournaments after this weekend to focus on.”
Maroons still trying to put parts together
with the same conference record as Rochester but losing the tiebreak, one game behind league leader Wash U (16–2, 6–1), who defeated the Maroons 63–34 in early January. This precarious position places the Maroons in a must-win situation this upcoming weekend, as they play host to Emory on Friday in a game that will also feature the Women’s Athletic Association annual charity shootout to raise funds to benefit local elementary school’s physical education programs, and then Rochester on Sunday. With two wins over the weekend, the Maroons will take either first or second in the conference, depending on how Wash U fares over the weekend. Assuming the Bears and Chicago both win out, the South Siders’ final regular season game, against Wash U at home, will effectively be the UAA title game. “There are a lot of very good teams in this league, all of whom can beat us,” said Roussell. “So if we lose focus on who we are playing next, we won’t be in any position for those games down the road to mean anything.” Indeed, the UAA is one of the most competitive, if not the most competitive, conference in D-III basketball this season. Over half of the teams in the UAA still have a shot of winning the
Nobody said this season would be easy. After struggling through much of last year, men’s basketball’s 6–1 start was a breath of fresh air for Chicago faithful. But the growing pains of a young team have set in and with them have come mixed results in a UAA schedule that has featured just two home games out of seven so far. The good news is that it does get easier from here. While the Maroons will of course rotate back through the same competition for the second half of the conference schedule, they play five of their final seven games at home. For a team that just finished up a string of four consecutive road games, the home-heavy back half will provide a welcome respite, as the Maroons realized the challenges this past weekend. After winning at Case and Carnegie the previous weekend, Chicago stumbled to the halfway point with a 71–44 loss to Emory on Friday followed by a heartbreaker at Rochester on Sunday, where they fell 76–75. As the squad looks to regroup,
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By Jake Grubman Sports Editor
Men’s tennis player Kunal Pawa will never be confused with Andy Roddick. He did not grow up in Texas or California, was not blessed with a legion of coaches or sports psychologists as a child, and certainly has not followed the easy road in his tennis career. Pawa, a third-year whose family is from Singapore, has taken a very different path, with stops along the way in Florida, the Singaporean Armed Forces, the College of William and Mary, and finally in Chicago. His love of tennis began as a child in Singapore, where the game still lags in popularity. “It is definitely behind soccer, rugby, badminton, and other sports,” Pawa said. “They are all cheaper to play.” Pawa only became interested in the game through his father, an avid recreational player who took it up after he could no longer play squash with his friends. When a 15-year-old Pawa wanted to start playing highly competitive tennis, his parents fully supported his venture and allowed him to attend IMG Academy, multi-sport training and education facility in Bradenton, FL that is popular among many burgeoning athletes. “I visited the IMG Academy in Florida when I was 15, and I really liked the atmosphere there,” Pawa said. “A coach there really believed I could go far in tennis if I started to train intensively. Our training daily consisted of about four to five hours of tennis and conditioning, and we went to school for about four to five hours a day.” Pawa spent three years in Florida
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CA LEN DA R Friday
2/5
•Men’s Track and Field @ Wis.Whitewater Invite, 5 p.m. • Women’s Basketball vs. Emory, 6 p.m. • Men’s Tennis vs. Chicago State, 7 p.m. • Men’s Basketball vs. Emory, 8 p.m.
Saturday
2/6
• Wrestling hosts UAA Championship, 11 a.m. • Women’s Track and Field @ Wis.Whitewater Invite, 11 a.m. • Men’s Tennis @ Wis.-Whitewater, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday
2/7
• Women’s Tennis vs. Chicago State, 9 a.m. • Men’s Basketball vs. Rochester, 12 p.m. • Women’s Basketball vs. Rochester, 2 p.m.