Chicago-Maroon-10-04-02

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FRIDAY APRIL 2, 2010

CHICAGO

VOLUME 121

AROON

IN VOICES

IN SPORTS

Kushner’s Illusion

Maroons win UAAs

» Page 11

» Back page

Court Theatre brings the playwright’s dramatics and fantasy to the stage

Women’s track and field takes first at UAAs, fourth at nationals

ISSUE 33

CHICAGOMAROON.COM

The student newspaper of the University of Chicago since 1892

TUITION

ADMISSIONS

Tuition to increase 4.2 percent next academic year By Asher Klein News Editor The cost of an undergraduate education will increase by 4.2 percent for the 2010-11 school year, the University announced Monday, the smallest increase in more than a decade, yet one that keeps the University among the most expensive schools in the country. Financial aid is expected to increase 4.5 percent. Both tuition and fees for room and board will increase by 4.2 percent. Next year’s undergraduate tuition will cost $40,188, up from $38,550 this year. The total cost of education will rise by just over $2,000, to $53,244, with $13,056 devoted to room and board, and other fees. When adjusted for inflation, the real increase in tuition for 201011 is about 2 percent. In a March press release, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced a 2.1 percent increase in the consumer price index (CPI) from February 2009 to February 2010. The CPI is an indicator of inflation that calculates the real increase in prices over periods of time, although University spokesperson Steve Kloehn suggested CPI does not apply to the formula the University uses to determine costs.

TUITION continued on page 2

LAB SCHOOLS

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Acceptance rates continue to decrease as applications soar. JAKE GRUBMAN/MAROON

Acceptance rate falls by one third, reaching record low of 18 percent By Ella Christoph News Editor Th e U n i v e r s i t y o f C h i c a g o accepted 18 percent of applicants for the class of 2014, a record low that comes months after the University saw one of its largest jumps in applicants. O f t h e 1 9 , 370 a p p l i c a n t s — a 42 percent increase—3,560 were offered a spot at the University. Last year, 26.8 percent of applicants were accepted. While this is the lowest acceptance rate the University has seen, University officials aren’t focusing on numb ers, according to University spokesperson Sara Olkon. “The overall goal is

to make sure that everyone who could contribute to and benefit from the distinctive academic culture here is encouraged to apply. That’s more important than any specific number or comparison to other institutions,” Olkon said. Th e 4 2 p e r c e n t i n c r e a s e i n applicants reported in January was “eye -popping,” according to one education expert, and caused a stir in national media. Admissions officials have cited an array of factors contributing to the jump, including a new marketing campaign instituted last year, which included targeted e-mails on topics in which students expressed interest.

Community mourns death of Lab Schools senior By Ella Christoph News Editor Senior Faith Fufang Dremmer, 17, was killed last week while on a bike trip in downstate Illinois. A funeral service was held at Dremmer’s synagogue on Sunday and a memorial service organized by the Lab Schools was held Wednesday in Rockefeller Chapel. At the memorial service, students and teachers who knew Dremmer spoke about her generosity, selflessness, and talent. Students were invited to share a memory at an emotional memorial service. Dremmer was killed on March 24, when she and two classmates were hit by a minivan on a rural

road 320 miles south of Chicago. According to state police, the driver, John Hillyard, 86, may have passed out or fallen asleep. He was cited for improper lane usage but does not face criminal charges. Dremmer’s Lab Schools friends, Julia Baird and Kaia Tammen, both 18, were seriously injured, and Baird remains in critical condition. The three friends had spent weeks planning their spring break trip through southern Illinois. At the funeral service, which was attended by about 1,300 mourners and conducted by Rabbi Aaron Petuchowski at Temple Sholom in Chicago, Petuchowski read from Dremmer’s college essays, which described the close

DREMMER continued on page 5

ACCEPTANCE continued on page 2

ACADEMICS

CMES quells fears, submits grant application in spite of recent firing By Adam Janofsky News Staff Students and faculty associated with the Center for Middle Eastern Studies (C M E S) were relieved to hear it will continue to receive funding after associate director Rusty Rook (M.A. ‘96) was fired three weeks ago, although concerns remain over CMES’s independence from the University. Dozens of CMES students and faculty took note when Rook, who was two weeks away from applying for the $600,000 Department of Education grant that historically provides the bulk of CMES’s funding, was asked to leave his office. Many were worried that his untimely removal signified weakening University support for the center and that the decision could put CMES in financial jeopardy. Despite concerns, the grant was submitted with Dean of the Humanities Martha Roth’s signature and was received by the Department of Education on time, current CMES director Fred Donner said. Students and administrators see the grant's submission as an assur-

ance of the center’s future. “We had a kind of nervous wracking a couple of weeks ago,” Donner said. “But things are definitely settled down.” Many CMES students are still concerned with Rook's firing, as he worked at CMES for over a decade. “He made grad school a little fun,” CMES student Chris Harvey said. “I came here to be a student, I didn’t come to jump through hoops.” Although Rook, Donner, Roth and Dean of Social Sciences John Mark Hansen declined to comment on why Rook was fired, calling it a personal issue with confidentiality restrictions, four University deans are meeting with C M E S and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations students today to discuss recent concerns. And despite the grant's successful submission, some faculty feel that there’s still the question of the center’s independence from the rest of the University. As a national resource center, CMES is structured as an umbrella organization covering everything under its geographical region, regardless of academic discipline, Rook said. “There’s a sense that these centers are

supposed to run independently,” Rook said, referring to their traditional role as autonomous organizations. According to former C M E S director John Woods, this sense of independence could potentially be under pressure because of the grant’s wording and the University’s attitude toward a politically and financially independent C M E S. “We’re all relieved that the grant went through,” Woods said. “But the next issue is going to be over the job description of the principal investigator,” who serves as the administrator of the grant. Although Woods is confident Donner is the only principal investigator, he said that, if an administrator not affiliated with CMES were listed as principal investigator, CMES would lose its independence and be answerable to a “corporatized” administrative system. But other C M E S administrators feel that there is no current dispute between the center and the Humanities department that oversees it. “There’s always tension with who controls the money,” Donner said, dismissing the issue.

Lab Schools senior Faith Dremmer, 17, was killed in a bike crash in southern Illinois last week. COURTESY OF STUART-RODGERS PHOTOGRAPHY

ADMISSIONS

Unemployment drives increase in graduate division admissions By Gabe Valley News Staff Graduate division admissions offices are reporting increases in applications for the 2010-2011 academic year, citing the economy and unemployment as factors for the upswing. So far, five divisions have reported an increase in applications. Four—the Graham School for Continuing Education, the Division of the Social

Sciences, the Pritzker School of Medicine, and the Social Service Administration—have yet to calculate their data. The Harris School of Public Policy experienced the most dramatic increase: a 13.6 percent jump in applications from the 2009-2010 academic year. Dean of Students Ellen Cohen attributed this increase to initiatives the school has taken, as well as the current economic

GRADUATE DIVISION continued on page 4

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CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | April 2, 2010

Increase in financial aid will help alleviate growing college costs for students and families TUITION continued from front page “Tuition, room, board, and fees are pieces of a complex financial picture that includes many different forms of revenue and many different costs, few of which are captured well by the consumer price index,� Kloehn said. Last year, officials called the slightly greater cost increase for 2009-10 “the lowest in more than a decade,� although with inflation then at zero, the real increase was steeper than in years past. A cost increase of just under 5 percent has been standard for the last 10 years. About 60 percent of students receive financial aid, according to the announcement, and University officials stressed that aid will alleviate the financial burden for students and families. “The University remains committed to helping students and families afford a Chicago education,� said Jim Nondorf, vice president and dean of college admissions and financial aid, in the announcement. “We are home to the nation’s most intellectually creative students. The University is expanding its student aid programs so that those exceptional scholars can continue to come here, regardless of financial resources.� Just under half of undergraduates receive need-based financial aid, which the announcement said would average at $35,000 per aid-receiving student. The University gave $76 million in financial aid this year, according to Alicia Reyes, the director of college aid who was quoted in the announcement. University spokesperson Sara Olkon said in an e-mail that while tuition continues to rise, so does financial aid. “The University’s spending on financial aid has risen steadily in recent years, driven by factors such as the impact of the financial crisis on families’

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Like its peer institutions, tuition and living expenses for the University of Chicago continue to outpace inflation each year. JAKE GRUBMAN/MAROON

resources and generous donations including the anonymous gift that started the Odyssey Scholarships program,� Olkon said. Olkon added that increase in financial aid funding relative to tuition costs is due to a bigger student body and an expected increase in Odyssey Scholarship recipients, whose families must make less than $75,000 per year to qualify. Reyes said in the announcement that $4.8 million was spent this year on the student loan-reducing Odyssey Scholarships. While this year’s nominal increase in tuition is the smallest in recent memory, it is larger than those of its peer institutions’. A Stanford announcement pegged

their nominal increase in cost at 3.5 percent and The Yale Daily News reported that Harvard’s was 3.8 percent, although Yale’s costs increased significantly, by 4.8 percent, this year. The total cost of all three schools will be less than the University of Chicago’s, with Stanford’s the highest at $50,576. The formula the University employs to determine education costs is complex and still feeling the effects of the recession, Kloehn said. “We continue to face external economic pressures that affect sources of income such as the endowment payout and philanthropic giving. The University of Chicago has worked diligently to cut costs where

possible, while continuing to fund key priorities such as student aid, the demand for which is rising at a much faster rate than inflation.� Commonly considered one of the most expensive schools in the country, NYU’s total costs will be slightly more than the U of C’s, at $53,603 for the upcoming year. That figure is based on a tuition increase of 3.1 percent this year, as reported by the NYU News, and using last year’s costs from the NYU’s admissions page. Costs for undergraduates at George Washington University will be $57,182 next year, according to the GW Hatchet, George Washington’s student newspaper.

U of C admission rate decreases, but Ivy League peers dip even lower ACCEPTANCE continued from front page

THE

MAROON

WANTS

YOU

The campaign also included traditional methods, like an increase in mailings to students. The University also joined the Common Application in time for the previous crop of applicants. In its first year, there was a 1 percent decrease in the admissions rate, but the increased accessibility of the unified application may have contributed to this year’s jump, University officials said. Admissions officials have also described the “Obama factor,� which has created a higher profile for both the U of C and Hyde Park, contributing to the name recognition of the University. Recent quality-of-life improvements at the U of C may also have drawn more students than in the past, officials said. Study abroad programs have been expanded in recent years, and a number of new buildings on campus make space for both academic and extracurricular pursuits. The lower acceptance rate is part of a

decades-long trend. In 1993, 77 percent of applicants were accepted; 38.5 percent of students were accepted for the Class of 2010, more than double that of the Class of 2014. Admissions rates have decreased across the board this year as more students are applying to colleges than ever before. However, the U of C’s admission rate is still higher than that of its peers, which h a v e a l s o g r o w n m o r e s e l e c t i v e . Th e University of Pennsylvania admitted 14 percent, down 17 percent from last year. Harvard and Stanford’s admission rates dropped a few decimal points as well, landing at 6.9 and 7.2 percent, respectively. According to the administration, the admissions office isn’t aiming to match admissions statistics of the Ivy Leagues. “I just want to reach out to every scholar in the country and let them make the decision if they’re a good fit,� Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Jim Nondorf said earlier this year.

All students interested in writing for the MAROON News section should come to our meeting at 2:45 p.m. Sunday in the basement of Ida Noyes Hall.

Chicago

aroon.com

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CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | April 2, 2010

CRIME

CAMPUS LIFE

U of C graduate student and alum claim police beat them unconscious

Fortune cookie project one of 13 to luck out with Uncommon Fund

By Michael Lipkin MAROON Staff Two U of C affiliates claim they were beaten unconscious by Chicago police officers last month outside a Bucktown restaurant, prompting an investigation by a city review committee. Matthew Clark (A.B. ’06) and sixth-year history graduate student Gregory Malandrucco filed a lawsuit against the city last week, claiming they were “brutally” beaten by police, who left them in the restaurant’s parking lot “without providing medical attention despite their obvious need of it.” Clark and Malandrucco left Arturo’s Tacos, on Western Avenue, at around 3 a.m., February 7, when they bumped into two men and a woman who glared at them, Malandrucco said in an interview. The three plainclothes officers were waiting for Clark and Malandrucco outside, and began cursing them, Malandrucco said. “They seemed very aggressive,” Malandrucco said. “I just began to plead with them to forget about it and to make peace.” One of the men then punched Clark in the face and began beating him on the ground while the

other man held him down. Malandrucco said he tried to pull the men off Clark, and was warned by the woman to stop resisting. “These guys are cops,” she said, according to Malandrucco. “They’re going to beat your ass.” Part of the beating was captured on a security camera, and footage was released by Clark and Malandrucco’s lawyers last week. During the beating at least three uniformed officers arrived at the parking lot, ignored Clark and Malandrucco’s pleas for help, and helped beat the pair, the suit alleges. When all of their attackers began to leave, Malandrucco said he pleaded with the uniformed officers to help them file a complaint. “We wanted to press charges, wanted medical attention,” Malandrucco said. “They said to us, ‘It’s just a fight. Go home and forget it ever happened.’” Clark and Malandrucco went to a hospital the next day and were treated for concussions, broken noses, and other scrapes and bruises. The Independent Police Review Authority said it was investigating alleged misconduct after complaints were filed by Clark after the attack. The city’s law department did not respond to requests for comment.

A police spokesman declined to comment, but Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weiss spoke with ABC Chicago last week. “It’s easy to take a small video out of context and try to figure what really happened so we have to wait for everybody to do their jobs and hopefully that will be in the near future,” he said. Clark and Malandrucco’s lawyer said the case is “very compelling” because the attack was unprovoked and on camera, but also because the pair have a U of C education. “Many of the firm’s clients are not U of C students with Ph. Ds,” attorney Heather Donell said. “It doesn’t change the wrongness of the action of the police but the fact that this case involves highly educated, Caucasian, individuals with no criminal background has attracted attention. Malandrucco, who also teaches a section of Self, Culture, and Society, said lecturing pulled him through his emotional trauma. “My students were unbelievable,” said Malandrucco, who noted he was teaching Foucault’s Discipine and Punish the week he was attacked. “I felt my students have a right to their education and I knew there was no way I was going to turn them over to another lecturer.”

The Big Easy 55th & Hyde Park Blvd. 773 330-0440

Metromix Review from March 8, 2010 ...overall rating: ***** “As a long time Hyde Parker I‛ve endured an endless stream of mediocre restaurants passing through our neighborhood, but The Big Easy, which recently took over the old Orly‛s location, hits all the high notes. My friend nd I decided to check out their weekend brunch and we both agreed as we left that they made us happy campers. A friendly woman greeted us when we walked in. A waitress, as it turned out, on her way to get some drinks at the bar. She explained that someone would be with us shortly...soon a guy named Jean Claude walked us to a table and informed us he‛d be taking care of us. Nice guy, cool French accent. They made some kind of concoction with ground up strawberries and oranges into a great Punch. Good way to start. We shared the stuffed Jambalaya and Gumbo. Both dishes hit the heights, but the Jambalaya was a different take on the classic dish. They take a large chicken breast, crispy on the outside and tender inside, and the Jambalaya just falls out into the plate. Great idea... we both loved it. But the homemade dessert buffet really rocked us. I think they made about 15 different Mini-cakes, cookies and muffins. The peach cobbler brownies and fresh banana cake won us over and we went back for more. The Big Easy actually is also a bakery, and you can buy their stuff to take home. I bought a piece of the chocolate Turtle caramel cheesecake and ate it later in the evening. Heaven!! I think this place is going through growing pains as they‛re probably busier than they expected after only a few weeks; they‛ll presumably be adding more staff in the weeks to come. But the people who we encountered were warm and friendly. What‛s not to like? Will be returning soon.”

The Big Easy Introductory 20% Discount

Weekend Brunch at The Big Easy ...Saturday-Sunday 10:30 - 4:00

By Amy Myers News Staff From a circus show to a business symposium, Student Government’s Uncommon Fund is set to fund a number of student-led initiatives this year. The Uncommon Fund Committee chose 13 projects from 54 submissions, ranging from new board games in Ex Libris to plans for public art installations on campus. Th e p r o j e c t s w i l l u s e $ 4 0 , 0 0 0 i n grant money made available by Student Government. Fourth-year Yucong Ma wants students to “Think globally, act loco.” It’s just one of the custom-printed messages inside fortune cookies that will appear in Hyde Park as part of Ma’s “Fortune Favors” project, chosen by the Uncommon Fund this year. The grant of $550 will fund two rounds of fortune cookies, though she hopes other groups around campus will become involved. Ma plans to offer the cookies in coffee shops on campus and during study breaks. Eventually, she hopes fortune cookies will be available in the admissions building, giving prospective students a sense of the University’s quirky culture . “We’re going to use the least amount of money to reach the most people,” Ma said. The project allows any University student to propose a custom message, in part to encourage RSOs to help distribute the cookies as a form of advertising. The committee also chose to fund a revival of the Le Vorris & Vox circus show. The proposal, by second-year Lucy Little, will fund a parade of musicians and entertainers like the one that once regaled University students. The circus show, slated for May, will include stilt-walkers, jugglers and fi re acts. The $2,650 provided by the Uncommon Fund will fund equipment required for aerial performances. According to Little, the project will showcase talented student performers, but she hopes many more will get involved. “It’s a circus show, but it can be all-encompassing,” Little said. “We’re going to be making stilts. We’re going to be making costumes.” A project led by fourth-year Ashley Angulo will create house-run gardens outside Breckinridge, Maclean, Stony Island and Snell dormitories. The Uncommon Garden Project aims to create above-ground herb and vegetable gardens. The proposal called for the creation of garden docent positions within each house to oversee the harvests. Angulo hopes the $3,200 will jump-start a project that will encourage students to get involved by offering incentives. “What I hope is the fruits, vegetables, and herbs will be used by students,” Angulo said. She also hopes the garden will provide for house study breaks. Even students outside the house system will have the opportunity to participate in the new venture. “It sounds very housecentric, but if anyone wants to get involved, they can contact the house docent,” Angulo said. The system allows any student involved in the process to enjoy fresh vegetables and fruits. Students will see the results of this year’s funding this quarter in public art installations that will appear across campus. The project, led by first-year Vivien Sin along with a team of ten, was created as a response to a lack of art and social interactions on campus. The large public sculptures will bring students outside and foster social interactions, said Sin. The project will be complimented by a blog, detailing the process of bringing largescale art to the University. Other winning projects include a composting program in student cafés and a Latino pop culture exposition.

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CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | April 2, 2010

STUDENT LIFE

Chicago Students for Immigration Reform head to D.C. in protest By Chelsie Sluyk News Contributor Members of the RSO Chicago Students for Immigration Reform joined over 200,000 activists in a march and rally in Washington, DC on March 21 demanding comprehensive immigration reform. Immigrants and activists carrying banners, signs, and American flags filled five blocks of the National Mall in what organizers referred to as the largest gathering on any issue since President Obama took office. The rally took place in view of Capitol Hill, where Congress was concluding final debates on the historic health care legislation. The protesters called for the president and Congress to turn their focus to immigration reform, citing President Obama’s campaign promise to enact comprehensive reform by the end of his first year in office. They hoped to demonstrate the urgency of the issue through their large turnout. First-year Lizzette Melo-Benitez was one of several Chicago students leading the march, waving a “Change Takes Courage,” banner alongside the Reverend Jesse Jackson. “It felt very empowering because it was just a bunch of young people taking the lead,” Melo-Benitez said, “and we had Jesse Jackson right there, so there was a unity across the age gap.” Melo-Benitez is one of 50 student activists— around 24 from the U of C—who traveled 13 hours to DC on a bus that departed from Reynolds Club the evening before the march. During the rally, activists chanted the labor and civil rights slogan “Si Se Puede,” which Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign echoed with “Yes We Can.” In response to an upsurge in deportations (to about 400,000 in the first year of Obama’s presidency—more than the yearly average under President Bush), they called for a path to legalization for undocumented workers living in the United States. Undocumented youth and student activists in Chicago staged at protest on March 10th, and worked with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) to arrange for 200 buses to bring almost 9,000 immigrants and their allies to Washington, DC to join the march. Most of the students were from the University of Chicago. Others were from DePaul, Northwestern, Loyola, and Dominican. On the bus before arriving in DC, the students shared their experiences. Many had parents or grandparents and close friends who were undocumented, and told stories about the difficulty of getting well-paying jobs or affording the high tuition fees required to attend college without the support of financial aid. Melo-Benitez, whose parents and grandparents were immigrants, became the first generation in her mother’s family to attend a four-year university after earning a full scholarship to attend the University of Chicago last year. She brought her

U of C students march for immigration reform in Washington, D.C. on March 21, representing the RSO Chicago Students for Immigration Reform. CHELSIE SLUYK/MAROON

mother and younger sister along to join the rally. “I am so very proud of my daughters,” said her mother, Rosalba Benitez, 52, of DuPage county. “I’m proud to be Hispanic, and that my daughters are sharing this opportunity to show their roots and their belief in what we have gone through to get here in the United States. It’s a great country… the land of opportunity.” Advocates at the rally chanted, “The Time is Now,” and said they didn’t want to wait for change. “Every day without reform is a day when 12 million hard-working immigrants must live in the shadow of fear,” said chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Representative Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.). President Obama addressed the crowds in a taped message displayed on large video screens flanking the main stage. He reaffirmed a commitment to fixing the “broken immigration system,” and repeated his support for the contentious immigration framework drawn up recently by Senators Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Graham (R-S.C.), which focuses on securing borders and creating a path to citizenship for undocumented workers

that would involve paying a fine, paying back taxes, learning English, and performing community service. “I pledge to do everything in my power to forge a bipartisan consensus this year on this important issue,” the president said, but re-emphasized that change would not “happen over night.” Advocates hope Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-I.L.), whose comprehensive immigration reform bill failed to past last year, will be able to initiate future reform. “We’ve been patient long enough,” Gutierrez told the crowds at the march. “It’s time to let immigrants come out of the shadows into the light, and for America to embrace them and protect them. With unemployment numbers continuing to look bleak, many politicians are trying to balance immigration reform with concerns about American jobs. “I think that the march made it clear that people will keep fighting until they get comprehensive immigration reform,” said third-year Cindy Agustin, a bus captain for the University of Chicago’s ICIRR bus. “It has shown the United States that this is not just an issue that will easily

go away if it’s avoided but rather that there are many, many people from different backgrounds who support a bill that will grant rights to millions of people in the country.” Some students, including second-year Jonathan Rodrigues, stayed behind in Washington Monday to march on the Republican National Committee’s Headquarters, demanding a meeting with leading anti-immigration leaders in Congress. This move marks a new step in the current movement, broadening the political pressure beyond calling for leadership from Democrats already supporting immigration reform to all policy-makers. At the U of C, student group Chicago Students for Immigration Reform is in the process of collaborating with students at other universities to host a teach-in on immigration issues, focusing on undocumented students and their situation. They will join a national effort to take action during Congress’s Easter recess, including sit-ins, vigils, and call-ins to encourage their senators to support comprehensive immigration reform. Agustin said, “It is important that we get everyone involved to let Congress know that we will not stop after this rally.”

in areas such as financial mathematics and computer science, but do not offer graduate aid; they are usually aimed at people who are interested in or are already involved in the corporate and business world and would like further training. Along with increased marketing, Hefley said the length of these programs and their applicability to the current economy are big draws for people who are not interested in research careers. Graduate divisions have also seen a change in the distribution of applicants’ nationalities. Hefley observed a greater number of Chinese and American applicants in recent years, but a decrease in the number of Europeans applying to the division. “Perhaps because of economic conditions, there seem to be more Americans, fewer Europeans,” Hefley said.

Shah also saw a lower number of European applicants since the beginning of the decade, but attributed the decline to a variety of factors, including the 9/11 attacks and the University of Chicago’s high requirements for TOEFL, a test which measures a student’s proficiency in English. While Pritzker has yet to announce the number of applications they received this year, they have seen a reduction of more than 10 percent over the past few years. According to Sylvia Robertson, the associate dean of admissions, this drop is due to a decrease in class size, from 112 to 88 students. The cut in class size is aligned with the Pritzker Initiative, a program instituted to better support excellence in education. “We continue to have the strongest applicants in the country applying to Pritzker…evident in the excellence of their leadership, extracurricular, scientific, and academic achievements,” Robertson said.

Pritzker’s decreased class size means fewer applications, says associate dean of admissions GRADUATE DIVISION continued from front page situation. “It is almost always related to the state of the economy, the cycles of ups and downs,” Cohen said. The Division of the Humanities, which saw a 9 percent increase from last year, also attributes its increase to the economy and the rate of unemployment. “Applications to graduate programs typically increase during periods of high national unemployment, and this year is no exception,” said Thomas Thuerer, dean of students for the Humanities. The Division of Biological Sciences has noted growth in applications as well: a 10 percent jump in domestic applications from the 20092010 academic year. Application numbers have grown 95.5 percent since 2001, according to Parag Shah, the associate dean of students for

the Biological Sciences division. “This increase is probably due to the enhanced reputation of our graduate programs, both in scientific opportunities for research projects and overall programmatic enhancement dedicated to our students,” Shaw said. Though the Law School and the Division of Physical Sciences have not yet calculated their numbers, both noted a 3 to 4 percent growth in applications. Rick Hefley, dean of students for the Division of Physical Sciences, said the number of applications to longer programs, like Ph.D. programs, held steady at around 600, but the number of applicants has increased for the one-year professional masters programs. “The financial math program has grown enormously in the past few years,” Hefley said. These programs offer a Master of Science

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CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | April 2, 2010

ADMINISTRATION

RESEARCH

Professor Neil Guterman to serve as SSA dean

U of C chemists help shape future of stem cell research

By Asher Klein News Editor Professor Neil Guterman, an expert on maltreatment of children, will serve as the next Dean of the School of Social Service Ad m i n i s t r a t i o n ( S SA ) , t h e U n i v e r s i t y announced Monday. Guterman will begin his five-year term on July 1, succeeding current SSA Dean Jeanne C. Marsh, who has served as dean for 16 years. “It’s an exciting and opportune time to take the helm at the SSA, because, nationally and locally, there’s quite a bit of development and change going on in social welfare practices and policies, and the SSA, historically and the future, plays a lead role in…addressing some of the most difficult and entrenched social problems in American society,” Guterman said. A U of C professor since 2006, when he joined the SSA faculty from Columbia, Guterman studies children’s exposure to violence and how to prevent child maltreatment. Much of his own work, he said, has been on the effect of early home visitation services, which seek to prevent violence against children by fostering a positive environment before they are born. He said he was encouraged by some of his colleagues to consider the position for dean because of his diverse background. “I bring an anchoring in the real world, the interdisciplinarity that is part of the genetic makeup of the SSA, and a value on top flight scholarship to reduce, in a tangible way, some of the most intractable social problems that we deal with on a day-to-day basis,” he said. Guterman has consulted with various government agencies to help set the agenda on child abuse and neglect prevention, including the Surgeon General’s Office, the International

By Isadora Blachman-Biatch News Contributor

Professor Neil Guterman will begin his five-year term as Dean of School of Social Service Administration on July 1. COURTESY OF LLOYD DEGRANE

Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Conference of State Legislatures, according to his University biography. He is also director of the Beatrice Cummings Mayer Program in Violence Prevention at the SSA. “The SSA is a really stellar institution, a very unique place in the sense that we have scholars from many different disciplines devoted to society’s most intractable problems. So it is a very exciting place to be,” Guterman said.

He said it was too early to discuss his plans as director, but noted an “opportunity” for the SSA to interact more broadly with Chicago. “The SSA is historically a lead institution in advancing social welfare practices and policies in Chicago and nationally, and I think we face a real opportunity to deepen our partnerships in Chicago, and deepen our ability to make a difference in the surrounding community,” Guterman said. Current Dean Marsh will take a sabbatical in July, before returning to the SSA to teach.

University chemists have determined that the shape of stem cells is important in their differentiation. Professor Milan Mrksich’s lab investigated the impact of the environment and the shape of the stem cells on their differentiation, a field that few stem cell researchers have studied. Other researchers have focused on making stem cells differentiate using chemicals and proteins. “Most work with stem cells takes them out of their natural environment. Part of the purpose of the experiment was to look at the effects that [a particular element] of the environment might have,” said Dr. Kristopher Killian, a member of Mrksich’s lab. Mrksich’s lab used a patterning technique to change the shape of the cells. The shapes included long rectangles and squares, and shapes with rotational symmetry, like a pentagon, a flower with curved petals and a star shape. The group “tried all of the Lucky Charms shapes,” Killian said. Th e r e s e a r ch e r s d i s c o v e r e d t h a t increased tension in shapes like elongated rectangles and stars increases the likelihood the stem cell will become a bone cell. Squares and flower-shaped cells, which have less tension, develop into fat cells. Understanding this type of platform is important for learning the rules that exist in the body for stem cell lineage commitment. It increases the number of available methods for impacting differentiation. This technique is easier than chemical methods because chemicals must be injected multiple times, while the geometric-patterned surfaces only have to be used once. The lab’s research is adding “another tool to the toolbox,” as Killian put it, that may eventually lead to practical applications in regenerative medicine.

Memorial celebrating Dremmer’s life fills Rockefeller Chapel DREMMER continued from front page bond between Dremmer and her mother Michele. Michele adopted Faith from a Chinese orphanage at the age of two and raised her as a single parent. In her essays, Faith described her mother’s love and dedication. “That is what drives me. You ask me who my mother is, and I say Michele Dremmer. She is my mother and will always be,” she wrote. While Dremmer had not chosen a college to attend, she knew she wanted to study math and science, and at the Lab Schools, she was an active member of the math and science clubs. She also played on the soccer and tennis teams. Dremmer also spent much of her time volunteering, including as a Peer Leader on community service for younger Lab School students. She held a bake sale for a Lab School employee to raise money after the worker had lost a child and was struggling to cover the funeral expenses. “It set off chains of reaction of people feeling good just by being in her presence,” said Patty Kovacs, her adviser at the Lab Schools. Kocacs first met Dremmer during her junior year, and said she was one of the most selfless people she had ever met. “This was one of those young people that you really hope your kids [will grow up] to be like.” The memorial service was organized by Lab Schools students with help from t e a c h e r s a n d a d m i n i s t r a t o r s , Ko v a c s said. Thoughtful ways of remembering Dremmer’s memory permeated the event - the students requested that everyone wear bright colors, because Dremmer had

always worn bright scarves and accessories. Students shared a slideshow they had made with photos of Dremmer and played her favorite songs in the background. The mix ranged from world music to the soundtrack of the television show Glee, one of Dremmer’s favorites. At the end of the service, attendees were given a tea bag as a reminder of Dremmer and her love for tea, which she kept stored in her locker. “If you knew Faith, you always saw her with a cup of tea,” Kovacs said. L a b S ch o o l s d i r e c t o r D a v i d M a g i l l sent out an e -mail shortly after Faith’s death offering his condolences to the Lab Schools community and providing information on therapy and counseling services that would be available at the school during the week. “This is a heartbreaking loss for the families, and for the entire Lab community,” Magill said in a separate statement. “We are all grieving right now, and this loss will be felt for some time to come.” Kovacs said the memorial service was a celebration of Dremmer’s life, in the spirit of a favorite Dr. Seuss quote of hers: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” At the end of the service, students gave a scrapbook they had made with photos of Dremmer to her mother, and invited attendees to write on notecards that would be given to her as well. There was “a real sense of community galvanizing to remember, a celebration of Faith,” Kovacs said.

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CHICAGO MAROON

| VIEWPOINTS | April 2, 2010

VIEWPOINTS

EDITORIAL & OP-ED APRIL 2, 2010

EDITORIAL

Musical chairs CHICAGO MAROON

The student newspaper of the University of Chicago since 1892

JORDAN HOLLIDAY, Editor-in-Chief JAKE GRUBMAN, Managing Editor ASHER KLEIN, News Editor ELLA CHRISTOPH, News Editor EVAN COREN, Viewpoints Editor HAYLEY LAMBERSON, Voices Editor BLAIR THORNBURGH, Voices Editor AUDREY HENKELS, Sports Editor WILL FALLON, Sports Editor A. G. GOODMAN, Sports Editor VICTORIA KRAFT, Head Copy Editor MONIKA LAGAARD, Head Copy Editor HOLLY LAWSON, Head Copy Editor CAMILLE VAN HORNE, Photo Editor MATT BOGEN, Photo Editor JACK DiMASSIMO, Head Designer ABRAHAM NEBEN, Web Editor LIAT SPIRO, Assoc. Viewpoints Editor PETER IANAKIEV, Assoc. Viewpoints Editor JUDY MARCINIAK, Business Manager JAY BROOKS, Business Director ANDREW GREEN, Designer

Finding a seat in a Core Art course shouldn’t be such a frustrating game With first week drawing to an end, most students have finalized their spring quarter schedules and are back to work on readings, problems sets, and response papers. But for one group of students—those hoping to fulfill their Dramatic, Musical, and Visual Arts requirement this quarter—a final course schedule is likely to be a luxury they don’t yet have. Stymied by the difficulty of registering for classes that meet the Arts requirement or the often lengthy process that accompanies pink-slipping into those classes, these students are left in limbo, uncertain if they should buy books and start reading and writing for arts classes in which they aren’t yet registered. Fortunately, there’s a straightforward remedy for their situation: The Art History, Music, and Theater and P e r f o r m a n c e S t u d i e s ( TA P S ) departments should add a handful of high-capacity, theory-based lecture classes that both meet the Arts requirement and are easy to

get spots in. The difficulty of registering for classes that meet the Arts requirement stems from the limited number of these classes, plus the limited number of seats in each class: Most are capped under twenty students per section, and some allow as few as twelve. Because demand is high and spots are at a premium, students know to make these classes their top picks during course registration, which reduces their chances of getting into other popular classes. And since ranking Arts classes first or second is still no guarantee of a spot, getting into an Arts class during course registration often requires ranking those classes highly two or three quarters in a row. Pink–slipping into a section is an option for those who want to fulfill their Arts requirement right away, but that is a gamble as well. To pink slip into the Art History department’s Core classes, for example, students have to submit

a request form to the Department Coordinator, attend the first sessions of the class they want, and then wait until the end of first week for a final decision on their request. In the meantime, students are forced to forego classes that meet at the same time as the Art History class they want, and they have to juggle assignments from five or six classes until they know for certain which classes they’ll drop and which they’ll keep. If the Art History, Music, and TAP S departments each added one large lecture class a quarter that met the Art requirement, that would go far towards meeting the excess demand that exists now. Students who registered for those lectures could be confident about getting spots, and students who found themselves with gaps in their schedules during shopping period could readily pink slip in. As with any other Core requirement, students could easily take their Arts requirement

classes in whichever quarter they choose, and they would no longer have to repeatedly use their top picks in course registration to get Arts classes. And as with many popular course offerings, including some Core requirements, Arts lectures could be supplemented by discussion sections in order to maintain the character of smaller classes. The Arts requirement provides a meaningful complement to the Core’s other pieces, but it is only one requirement among many that students must meet, and it shouldn’t be a logistical nightmare just to register for the classes. Creating a few large lectures each quarter that fulfill the Arts requirement would be a modest change that would make life easier for many students on campus.

this suspicion. It’s sad because this route really was a good idea on paper. Unfortunately, as is the case with most other attempts by University brass to tailor transportation offerings to the needs of the common student, it was plagued by low student demand and a clumsy public-awareness campaign. It got me thinking: We really need something more flexible and easy-to-use. After dismissing the expensive, freemarket-based fantasy of pro-

viding monthly vouchers for taxi rides downtown, I reconsidered an old solution: the U-Pass. The CTA’s U-Pass program, launched in 1988, is the current method of transportation for 42 Chicago-area colleges and universities. It provides registered students with an identification card that allows unlimited use of the CTA’s web of trains and buses, connecting virtually every area of Chicago. In 2007, after students amassed

growing, group resorts to throwing bricks into Congressional campaign offices, while others hurl threats and slurs at their representatives. Others disengage completely, cynically denying any possibility for helpful change. At the end of the day, no constructive arguments are made, and Representatives Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and Louise Slaughter (D-NY), as well as the Charlottesville, Virginia G O P

office, are left to pick up shards of glass. It wasn’t always this way. In the 1960s, a decade commonly seen as full of turbulence, several important aspects of public education were markedly “U of C.” Many public high schools emphasized the use of primary sources. In a lower-class area of the Quad Cities, my mom and her peers were expected

— The M AROON Editorial Board consists of the Editorin-Chief and Viewpoints Editors.

IVY PEREZ, Designer CHRISTINA SCHWARTZ, Designer JESSICA SHEFT-ASON, Designer

OP-ED

MATT TYNDALE, Designer ANNA AKERS-PECHT, Copy Editor HUNTER BUCKWORTH, Copy Editor

Resurrecting the U-Pass

MARCELLO DELGADO, Copy Editor JORDAN FRANKLIN, Copy Editor DANIELLE GLAZER, Copy Editor LAUREN LARSON, Copy Editor MIRANDA LI, Copy Editor

With U-Pass, students would enjoy Chicago conveniently and cheaply

LAUREN MAKHOLM, Copy Editor SAALIKA ABBAS MELA, Copy Editor

Steve Saltarelli Columnist

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.

©2010 CHICAGO MAROON, Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 East 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637 Editor-in-Chief Phone: (773) 834-1611 Newsroom Phone: (773) 702-1403 Business Phone: (773) 702-9555 Fax: (773) 702-3032

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I saw a sad thing the other day. Coming back from the Loop on the #6—the CTA’s premiere South-Side-to-downtown route—I caught sight of a familiar vehicle. Its coloring was that of white paint, dirt, and s alt stains—its driver seemingly disgruntled. Those clues alone were enough,

even before seeing a University logo adorning the side, to know that this short bus was an obvious memb er of our Safe Ride fleet. Its location on Lake Shore Drive, however, meant that this particular vehicle must be the fabled “South Loop Shuttle,” a student government-created route offering late-night service between the Reynolds Club and the corner of Roosevelt Road and State Street. The fact that the bus was completely empty, save the aforementioned driver, confirmed

SALTARELLI continued on page 7

OP-ED

Damaged discourse Public education’s decline endangers Americans’ essential citizenship skills By Liat Spiro MAROON Staff Much has been written about the dumbing down of America, especially in response to the infamous SAT recalibration in 1995 and American students’ ailing test scores in comparison to international standards. At least since the 1983 federally-commissioned report, “A Nation at Risk,” Americans have discussed the

dire consequences of academic failure for the country’s economy. Equally worrisome, however, is a secondary victim of lowered standards: the country’s polity. Today, many of the Americans who experienced declining standards in school are unable to make persuasive arguments— to engage in the business of democracy. Unable to analyze and express their discontent, a relatively small, but rapidly-

SPIRO continued on page 7

CHICAGO MAROON

Previous assessments of U-Pass’s value miss the larger picture SALTARELLI continued from page 6 over 700 signatures to get it on the ballot, the U-Pass was put to a non-binding referendum during the Student Government (SG) election, where it passed by nearly 200 votes (not insignificant when considering low SG voter turnout). It seemed as though the University would finally join nearly every other university in the city and provide their students with the keys to the city’s public transportation. It didn’t happen. The issue was buried by the administration, which claimed that the costs (about $200 per student) were prohibitively high, and the service was only cost-effective if each student made 1.5 roundtrips downtown each week. And with that, the University ended the discussion. After all the debate leading up to the vote, it seems that students simply forgot to follow up on what they’d voted for. Allow me to remind the student body why we voted for this and counter the University’s self-serving argument. Firstly, while three trips every two weeks may seem like a figure much higher than the current practices of our undergraduate population, it’s important to remember these students have formed their daily habits in an environment sans U-Pass. That’s like asking a student without a meal plan how frequently he pays to eat at a dining hall. I posit that if everyone were given a U-Pass, the option of going downtown for dinner would become a much more viable one, as would going to the movies or visiting museums, thus significantly increasing the number of house trips, shopping excursions, and ultimately visits that each student would make to city hotspots. I call this the “If you give a Scavie a bus pass‌â€? theory, and I believe one of the reasons it works is because paying for the CTA is, quite frankly, a ridiculous inconvenience—a reality that stifles our students’ travel throughout the city. The current bus fare is $2.25 per ride, which really means producing three singles (CTA buses do not offer change, of course) for those paying with cash and not sporting a change purse, an oftentimes difficult proposition in an increasingly cash-less world. Good luck trying to get those wrinkly dollar bills through the machine when you have 12 people standing behind you on Randolph and State. Oh, you only have a credit card? Screw you; take a cab. For those blessed with forethought beyond the years of a college student, your payment options (Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus) are more favorable, although plagued with problems of their own. To start, the Chicago Card, which essentially acts as a gift card refillable at CTA stations, is a completely useless offering. Not only is it inconvenient to refill for

7

| VIEWPOINTS | April 2, 2010

Rapid growth of “Patriot� militias fueled by failing schools our students (the nearest CTA station is the 63rd-Cottage Grove Green Line stop), but the embedded computer chip wears out after about four months. The Gold Card, or Chicago Card Plus, is clearly the better choice of the two, and the method of choice for many U of C students. It acts as a proxy credit card, automatically deducting bus and train fares from the line of credit or debit it’s linked to. Unfortunately, it’s manufactured with the same defective computer chip, and renewal, initial purchase, or expiration of the linked credit card requires logging onto the CTA’s website, which works exactly as well as one might expect. Adding the U-Pass to our student life portfolio would eliminate all this hassle, and give students a vehicle through which they could actively engage the richly diverse city of Chicago. Regardless of whether students travel downtown at a rate approaching “costeffectiveness,� I still believe the U-Pass is worth it. Just as is the case with every other service provided by the University, some people will get really good use out of it, some less, and some not at all. For instance, I get better use out of Safe Ride than probably any other student in this school. It is my personal taxi service, and I happen to be of the opinion that it is the single most valuable resource the University provides. Contrast that with my use of our three major undergraduate libraries, which (now that free printing is gone) is closer to the “not at all� end of the spectrum. I’m okay with that, though. Because even though I don’t derive utility from the Reg in a manner proportionate to my shared costs, I understand that some people—like my roommate—practically sleep in it, and that it is probably in the best interest of our University community to have simple and unrestrained access to books, computers, and study areas. Suffice it to say, I feel the same way about transportation. The fact of the matter is, as college students, we’re going to get overcharged for everything we do, anyway. From the food in Hutch, to the printing in the Reg, to that ludicrously-priced Barnes and Noble, the University of Chicago is collecting its “rake� on every service it can. I, for one, would rather give those $200 to the CTA—a struggling, yet critical service to many of the city’s lower-income residents—than to the University to hire another junior-level administrator to oversee our school’s broken transportation system. Mr. Zimmer, just add it to my tuition. Hell, you’re going to raise it any way. The University (along with its peers) has repeatedly demonstrated its intention to nickel-and-dime the student body with tuition increases of between 4.5–5.5 per-

U-PASS continued on page 8

FRIENDS OF BLACKSTONE LIBRARY

Nicole Mitchell Up Close

SPIRO continued from page 6 to read Hobbes, Locke, and many of the Founders for themselves. Better yet, teachers required them to make well-reasoned and persuasive arguments (both oral and written) about these texts. Rhetoric was analyzed; simplistic analogies were put to the test. The average high school student then knew more about economics than current students do. With a mastery of basic microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, earlier generations could approach major fiscal and monetary decisions with informed opinions. There was some degree of parity between common knowledge and the knowledge necessary to make good arguments and voting decisions. Today, that balance has been severely destabilized; the complexity of the economy has grown just as Americans’ understanding has diminished. Prior to 1970, the majority of reform efforts advocated peaceful protest. More importantly, American citizens were making surprisingly incisive arguments at surprisingly young ages. Overall, frustration had an impressively productive outlet. So why the focus on destruction nowadays? Why are Americans throwing bricks? Why are Americans spitting on Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and calling Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) a faggot? Why are Americans calling Representative John Lewis (D-GA), a prominent civil rights leader, a nigger? In response to these questions, some have cited the struggling economy and the rage joblessness can engender. Others have focused on the changing face of America, demographic “challenges,� and the relative disenfranchisement of the white male. Yet others have mentioned the incendiary language and imagery employed by some Republican leaders. All of these are likely contributing factors, but I believe the major enabler has been the fall of the American public education system and many Americans’ subsequent inability to think critically, civically, and civilly about national issues. As Americans have become more easily duped and manipulated, the extreme fringe has found ready recruits. Violent discourse has gained popularity— and violent action with it. A recent report from the Southern Poverty Law Center reveals that the number of active “Patriot�

militias more than doubled in 2009. How did we get to this point? First, both the Left and the Right have contributed to the dismantling of America’s public education system. Starting in the 1970s, relativism pervaded available curricula and assessment methods. Every child was talented; every argument was valuable. In humanities and social studies classes, students acquired few analytical tools with which to measure an argument’s worth or to discover what makes a good argument. Reflecting Reagan’s rhetoric, the 1980’s introduced the opposite approach (particularly in social studies courses): a black-and-white, dichotomous portrayal of America’s superiority. One narrative of history and nationalism reigned. There was little room for argument. Much of our generation experienced the legacies of both faulty systems. In English classes, relativism remained an obstacle to students’ learning to make persuasive arguments. In social studies classes, many of us learned a diluted version of Fukuyama’s End of History—Capitalism was the spirit and the word. AP History exams only demanded knowledge of the constituent facts of one, accepted version of history. In too many public schools, arguments weren’t—and aren’t—being made and tested by students. More recent changes are further endangering peaceful and productive political discourse in this country. The College Board’s 2005 removal of analogies from the SAT means that analogies and analogical thinking have largely disappeared from public school curricula. But politicians and pundits will continue, no doubt, to use analogies frequently and indiscriminately. How will Americans parse analogies and other rhetorical devices? Will they immediately accept policy proposals as “lipstick on a pig?� How easily will a bill be branded a “baby-killer?� About a century ago, John Dewey observed that “we naturally associate democracy, to be sure, with freedom of action, but freedom of action without freed capacity of thought behind it is only chaos.� Freeing minds means challenging them. — Liat Spiro is a second-year in the College majoring in International Studies.

cream rises to the top. this is where it’s

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s "ENElT FROM THE VALUE OF TAKING #OLLEGE COURSES IN AN ACCELERATED INTENSIVE FORMAT s 'ET AHEAD IN THE #ORE s %ARN UP TO A YEAR S WORTH OF CREDIT IN A WIDE SELECTION OF CLASSICAL AND MODERN LANGUAGES !RABIC #HINESE -ANDARIN &RENCH 'ERMAN 'REEK #LASSICAL (EBREW -ODERN )TALIAN *APANESE +OREAN ,ATIN 0ERSIAN 2USSIAN 3PANISH AND 3WAHILI s 3PEND FOUR WEEKS IN 7YOMING STUDYING PALEONTOLOGY WITH &IELD -USEUM RESEARCHERS s ,IVE ON CAMPUS OR COMMUTE s %NJOY BEING IN #HICAGO FOR THE SUMMER

Literature as Art

june 21–august 27, 2010 / 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9-week sessions

Wednesday April 7, 2010 6:00 pm Blackstone Branch Library 4904 S. Lake Park Ave. In the Auditorium Nicole Mitchell. Courtesy of the Artist. Photographer, Brad Walseth

The influence of Octavia Butler and Afrofuturism Join Nicole Mitchell along with panelists John Corbett, writer and curator, Corbett vs. Dempsey Gallery, and Madhu Dubey, professor, African American Studies and English, University of Illinois Chicago, exploring afrofuturism’s influence on music, literature, and visual arts. Presented by Friends of Blackstone Library as part of Passport to Jazz, a program of HyPa. Additional support from Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Stage

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For more information, visit hjbbZg#jX]^XV\d#ZYj$bVgddc dg XVaa ,,($,%'"+%((

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CHICAGO MAROON

Cuts to 173 and 174 routes should finance switch to U-Pass

| VIEWPOINTS | April 2, 2010

INTERESTED IN BLOGGING FOR THE MAROON?

U-PASS continued from page 7 cent each year. It almost seems as though the administration knows exactly how much they can raise the total cost of attendance without making national headlines or sparking student protests (see: Berkeley hippies), and that number is mysteriously close to the one that comes out of the big black box of tuition hikes each year. So, if we’re forced to pay annual tuition increases well above inflation rates in order to get our degrees, wouldn’t it make sense that we at least get a useful service in return? I have another question. Where did all that money go when, at the beginning of the year, the school cut the 173 and 174 bus routes? That move, which the University said would save “at least $750,000� per year, should in part fund our move to the U-Pass. In fact, at the $200-a-pop rate quoted by the University, that move could have covered the costs of putting at least 3,750 undergraduates on the U-Pass, making the full coverage required by the CTA a negligible additional expenditure away. Let’s do that. Let’s stop paying for empty shuttles to make runs downtown. Let’s stop handing out Chicago Cards to firstyears during Orientation Week. Let’s stop wasting money on our University’s transportation bureaucracy. Let’s outsource. Let’s bring a valuable service to campus— one the student body already voted for. Ms. Goff-Crews, get us the U-Pass.

Viewpoints is currently looking for student bloggers to be part of the MAROON’s expanding Web presence. E-mail viewpoints@chicagomaroon.com with a link to your blog or sample clips.

BVS <Sea /`]c\R G]c W1VWQOU] bVS 1671/5= ;/@==<¸a T`SS W>V]\S O^^ZWQObW]\

— Steve Saltarelli is a fourth-year in the College majoring in Law, Letters, and Society.

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The University of Chicago’s Artspeaks series is produced by The is produced by The University of Chicago Presents in partnership with Court Theatre; the Smart Museum of Art; the Department of Music; the Department of Visual Arts; University Theatre; Theatre and Performance Studies; Cinema & Media Studies; the University of Chicago's Provost Office; the Museum of Contemporary Art; the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Gossett Fund/ Center for Jewish Studies; and doc films. . Artspeaks is made possible through the generosity of the University of Chicago Arts Council and the Office of the President. Persons with disabilities who believe they may need assistance may call in advance of the event, 773-702-8080.

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WE KNOW YOU’VE GOT A BUSY SCHEDULE, SO WHY NOT HAVE THE OPTION TO PLAN AHEAD? Students can purchase $15 tickets to The Brother/Sister Plays and Endgame online and in advance. Visit steppenwolf.org and use promo codes BROSIS15 or ENDGAME15. Students are limited to 4 tickets per order and MUST present a valid student ID for each ticket purchased. All reservations will be held at the box office.

The Brother/Sister Plays Through May 23

Endgame Through June 6

Exclusive Student Email List Be the first to hear about dirt-cheap ticket offers and special events— for more info email students@steppenwolf.org. Stay in touch with Steppenwolf:

buy online at steppenwolf.org or call 312-335-1650. Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 North Halsted, Chicago IL Public Transportation, Red line North/Clybourn or #8 Halsted Bus Pictured: ensemble member K. Todd Freeman in The Brother/Sister Plays

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CHICAGO CHICAGO MAROON MAROON | VOICES | VOICES | November | April 2, 20, 2010 2009

VOICES

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 2, 2010

THEATER

THEATER

Court invites audience into Kushner's Illusion

The witch hunt begins again with Commonwealth Theater

By Rob Underwood Voices Gob

By Christy Perera Voices Malleus Maleficarum

While there is no question that Tony Kushner’s The Illusion is a modern adaptation of Pierre Corneille’s early 17thcentury comedy, proclaiming so would be an injustice to Kushner’s creativity, which stands in its own right as an excellent work of theater. From the moment it begins, the play shuttles the audience immediately into the action. The play’s two acts each begin with an unprovoked crash of a closing door as the theater goes dark. And

“Go and tell her she’s a whore!” Strong words for a 17th century Puritan woman. Clearly there is no order in the court, so to speak, as tensions run high in Infamous Commonwealth Theater’s production of Arthur Miller’s classic, The Crucible, now playing at Raven Theatre. Although set nearly 350 years ago, this infamous allegory of McCarthyism cautions against paranoia without cause and the importance of reputation and redemption as hundreds of “good Christian women” are accused of witchcraft without any hard evidence. The story follows Abigail Williams who, against all Puritan dogma, dances for the devil with a small group of girls in the woods. When two of the girls suddenly fall ill and try to fly, the town assumes witchcraft. Abigail Williams and the group of girls accuse every man and woman who has ever wronged them of witchcraft; those who are convicted face death. The girls cause hysteria throughout the town as they condemn good, prominent members of the Puritan society. John Proctor, Abigail’s secret lover, finds himself in jail along with his pregnant wife. Many make false confessions to save their lives, but John Proctor refuses to soil his good name. The production occupies a tiny stage furnished with simple, convincing set pieces that look straight out of the Salem Witch Museum. The costumes are similarly authentic, which is surprising considering the size of the production and troupe. Still, the play is not exactly a period piece, and Commonwealth’s talented troupe of

THE ILLUSION

Court Theatre Through April 11

from there it’s hard to look away. The play takes place in the magician Alcandre’s cave, and revolves around his showing the visiting Pridamant visions of his disowned son. Both actors (Chris Sullivan and John Reeger, respectively), though they do not play a major role in the play, are consistently engrossing. Sullivan’s is the better performance, as he plays an imaginative combination of supernatural authoritarian and oddball tinkerer (at various times he seems to be orchestrating the visions, while at others seems to have as much control over them as Pridamant). Reeger, who at times expresses convincing remorse for how his character treats his son, has a tendency to fall into either melodramatic wails or unpersuasive authoritarian gestures. The overall structure of the set design is tremendously compelling as well. The visions take place on a raised platform under which gears churn and seem to activate the magic which takes place. The story arc is divided into three visions, and here Kushner places his own stamp on Corneille’s complex narrative. Pridamant’s son (alternatively named first Calisto,

ILLUSION continued on page 12

THE CRUCIBLE

Alcandre (Chris Sullivan) plays the world's smallest violin to console Pridamant (John Reeger) for terribly mistreating his son. COURTESY OF MICHAEL BROSILOW

ART

Saunders draws positivity from negative space By Alexandria Pabich Voices Rorschach

Left biker: What a wonderful spring day! Right biker: I swear to God, if you cut me off one more time, I'm going to kick you in the shins. COURTESY OF THE RENAISSANCE SOCIETY

Raven Theatre West Stage Through April 25

Fourth floor, Cobb. A colorful mix of students hurry to and from class on the left side of the hall; to the right, the stark blankness of the Renaissance Society is interrupted by a video screen projecting moving black and white figures. The figures transform and materialize into moving bicycles. German visual artist Matt Saunders provides a detailed, nuanced perspective, even as he reduces the world to black and white. “Parallel Plot” is Saunders’ first solo museum show. In this exhibit, Saunders presents multiple interrelated works of drawings, short videos, paintings, and photographs, forming from disparate sources a new kind of story. All of his pieces are done in black and white, and Saunders makes the most of his colorless works by playing with negative images and contrasting them with the original. This inversion

SAUNDERS continued on page 13

actors successfully transcends its temporal surroundings. Their vivid performances highlight the sheer insanity of the situation, which makes it easy to see Miller’s allegory. Abigail Williams, played by Elaine Ivy Harris, an Infamous Commonwealth newbie, captivates the audience with her stellar performance. Her realistic, near-professional acting is reminiscent of Winona Ryder’s performance in the same role in the 1996 film adaptation. Craig C. Thompson, who plays John Proctor, similarly shines in his performance as he vividly and convincingly highlights the importance Puritans placed on their good names and reputations. Yet one of the cast’s most shining moments comes when Tituba, played by Adrian Snow, undergoes her dramatic “conversion” from the world of Lucifer to that of the Holy Father. While the play is lengthy—it runs just under three hours including intermission—it is unlikely that the average theatergoer will object as the troupe’s performance is consistently compelling. There were a few subtle departures from character, but the performance overall is worthy of praise. This jury rules The Crucible guilty of successfully providing a stimulating theatrical experience that calls on the audience to question what they hold true about redemption.

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CHICAGO MAROON | VOICES | April 2, 2010

Nothing is as it seems in Kushner's comedic take on Corneille ILLUSION continued from page 11 then Clindor, and finally Theogenes; but all played by Michael Mahler) b egins in a state of obsessive love for a nearby princess (Hillary Clemens, who also has three names throughout), and their interaction develops from there. While Corneille is famously concerned with the concept of theatricality within everyday life, Kushner’s text and Charles Newell’s direction emphasize a mix of slapstick and histrionic comedy with pockets of dark character traits and profound expressions of love and anguish. While most of the dialogue and general action within the visions is strong, Mahler’s performance is the weakest. His attempt to inject a somewhat psychotically obsessive element in the character’s actions push Kushner’s over-the -top rhetoric too far and does not mix well with Clemens’ subtly complex desperation to fall in love. The indisputable gem of the supporting cast is Matamore, played by Timothy Edward Kane. A pompous, cowardly blowhard

whom Clindor serves, Matamore is a mix between an incapable warrior hell-bent on conquering the world and a Musketeer. During the second vision, Kane has impeccable comedic timing in dispensing with diversely witty descriptions of the man’s conquests while being an obvious fop who almost asks to be ridiculed. The play is a gripping and imaginative comedy which should hold almost any theater fan through to the completion of the three visions. Kushner, however, continues the narrative in a culmination of sorts between Alcandre and Pridamant where Alcandre attempts to give a one-minute analysis of the visions’ implications. Such reflection is best left to extended thought and slow recollection, and Kushner’s explanatory technique feels uncomfortably crammed in. The disappointing ending, however, does not take away from the entirety of the play’s world, where dramatic inpredictability and emotional intensity produce a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Melibea (Hillary Clemens, left) and Calisto (Michael Mahler) have an awkward blind date while Elicia (Elizabeth Ledo, center) is an overbearing third wheel. COURTESY OF MICHAEL BROSILOW

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CHICAGO MAROON | VOICES | April 2, 2010

H U N G E R

S T R I K E

By Iliya Gutin

Set phasers to "Yum!" Food: the final frontier. These are the experiments of Molecular Gastronomy. Its mission: to explore strange new ingredients, to seek out new techniques and new technologies… Yes, a Star Trek reference. There are few times in life when Star Trek is applicable to food. This is one such moment, and I am not letting it pass me by. The two have more in common than you would think. Whereas Star Trek revolutionized the public’s notion of space travel in the ’60s and ’70s, molecular gastronomy is fundamentally changing the definition of food. And what is molecular gastronomy exactly? The term itself has been around s i n c e t h e 1 9 8 0 s w h e n Fr e n c h c h e m ist Hervé This decided to focus on the scientific aspect of food preparation, the molecular nature of reactions, the tools and techniques used for preparing dishes, and a general investigation into the commonly held notions of food. The fruits of this initial exploration were bountiful: the rediscovery of sous-vide, or vacuum-sealed pressure cooking, the incorporation of chemicals to manipulate the texture of food, and the demystification of cooking in general, such as proving that the weight of a chunk of meat has no bearing on its cooking time. Molecular gastronomy was just the next logical progression in the culinary timeline.

As the focus of molecular gastronomy shifted away from the science, and more towards the “artistic” and “social” norms of cooking, it assumed a role as the most prestigious culinary tradition. For the past five years, El Bulli and The Fat Duck, meccas of molecular gastronomy, have been rated as the number one and two restaurants in the world, respectively. Both have achieved the elusive rating of three Michelin stars, and their waiting lists span years. Both will also drain your wallet faster than you can say bacon-and-egg ice cream. But with this great success came great pretentiousness. Soon every chef was buying anti-griddles, thermal immersion circulators, and even (freakin’) lasers. Anything that remotely resembled food was frozen with liquid nitrogen in the hopes of sticking the dish with a fancy name and a hefty price tag. Molecular gastronomy has its merits, but certain chefs were really pushing it when they referred to themselves as psychologists experimenting with the public’s attitudes towards food. It’s one thing to surprise someone by presenting his favorite fish as a delicate sorbet, but it’s another to argue that fish sorbet represents the struggle of humanity in the face of inescapable adversity. Recently the top chefs in the field,

Fe r r a n A d r i à o f E l B u l l i a n d H e s t o n Blumenthal of The Fat Duck, have both distanced themselves from the term. Although El Bulli plans to close its doors in 2011, Ferran Adrià plans to start up a culinary think-tank for food innovation. Meanwhile, Heston Blumenthal now seems to focus more on preparing simple dishes with seasonal ingredients. Nothing new or shocking here. Even the Italian government recently voted to ban some of the substances and chemicals used in molecular gastronomy. These developments have raised the inevitable question in the food community of whether molecular gastronomy would soon be seeing its own last meal. However, the fate of molecular gastronomy is as uncertain and strange as the food it has produced. While the field seems relatively confined to the upper echelon of the culinary world, it only appears to be spreading outward towards the wider consumer base. As more restaurants start incorporating the molecular gastronomy t e ch n i q u e s i n t o t h e i r d i s h e s ( h e r e i n Chicago Alinea, Charlie Trotter’s, and L20 are the most prominent examples) and as more chefs are seen using the techniques on Iron Chef and Top Chef, the more demand there will be for these outlandish dishes. Hence, we now have nice,

consumer-friendly versions of the same fancy instruments in restaurant kitchens all across this great land. Think easy-bake oven for adults. Still, seeing people this excited about food is a pretty remarkable phenomenon. Some of the finest examples of molecular gastronomy really do make you question why we are so strict with our definition of foods. An amazing transformation happens to the taste of steak if you eat it with a fork intertwined with rosemary. Or how about a delicious whitefish pasta, where the noodles themselves are made of fish? And nothing compliments a chocolate soufflé like airy dragon-fruit foam. Though this food “movement” may seem a bit too avant-garde, or honestly too obnoxious for most diners, it is nonetheless important for its contributions to food science as a whole. The process is full of trial and error, and if we are on the fringe of the movement now, who knows where we will be in a few years as the practices of current molecular gastronomy become commonplace and, dare I say, boring? But, we can rest assured that molecular gastronomists will never fail to astound, shock, and even appall because, as William Shatner reminds us, a molecular gastronomist’s mission is... …to boldly go where no chef has gone before.

while others only take up a small corner. The videos are animated, all black and white, and are in constant motion, moving through cycles of scenes. Though each video portrays different and seemingly disparate kinds of images—ranging from bicyclers, to a young boy, to a man smoking—they still relate to each other in form and style. Shapes emerge and repeat from a seemingly coincidental jumble of shapes and lines, and on-screen movement is intensified by the change from black to white and back again. And the similar dichromatic style gives the whole exhibit a unified look, even with disparate subject

matter. This continuity is also seen in the layout of the show as similar pieces are placed together. Some neighboring pieces have similar subject matter, while others only have their medium in common, which gives a nice flow in the gallery, as it leads the viewer from one type of piece to the next. The gallery as a whole gives a large variety of characters and ways of portraying them, drawing a contrast between the seemingly haphazard and the more put-together pieces. The exhibit is worth crossing the great 4th floor divide and entering Saunders’ stark domain.

Saunders projects a multimedia narrative of recognition and obscurity SAUNDERS continued from page 11 of black and white is at the heart of many of the pieces, both visually and thematically.

MATT SAUNDERS: PARALLEL PLOT Renaissance Society Through April 11

Saunders’ unique hybridization of painting and photography is exemplified in his “painted negatives” made using Mylar sketches developed on photo paper. The imagery of the negatives mostly includes

human and abstract forms. Most of them are hung directly on the wall, without any kind of framing, giving the edges of the picture a slight curl as a result. Only a few pictures— portraits of people—are framed, creating a marked difference between the abstract “painted negatives” and the more formal portrait-style photographs. This marked juxtaposition highlights Saunders’ affinity for toying with the idea of recognition (or the lack thereof ) and negative space. Not to be upstaged by their still, singleframe counterparts, five different videos are projected in the exhibit. Some are large, taking up great space on the wall,

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CHICAGO MAROON | VOICES | April 2, 2010

Voices STD (Stuff to Do) Friday | April 2 Contrary to what its Wikipedia page might say, the Dillinger Escape Plan is known as a “mathcore” band, not for its comprehensive understanding of differential equations, but for its complex and irregular rhythms. The band is currently on tour to promote its album Option Paralysis. (2109 S. State Street, 7 p.m., $18)

Saturday | April 3 Experience the grandiosity of a traditional South Asian wedding without the weekend-long time commitment at the 23rd annual SASA cultural show, “Jashan.” The event promises a night full of dancing and music, and a ticket also includes a full Indian dinner and a T-shirt. (Mandel Hall, 8 p.m., $12)

Sunday | April 4 Settle the debate once and for all over whether Avatar was snubbed for Best Picture at the Oscars this year...or just start

With Christine Yang

it up again. James Cameron’s epic science fiction film follows a paraplegic Marine dispatched to the ethereal world of Pandora who becomes torn between following orders and protecting his new home. (Max Palevsky Cinema, 12:30 p.m. $5)

Monday | April 5 In the wake of the healthcare reform, Illinois’ favorite Senator and Majority Whip Richard Durbin will be giving a lecture titled “Building a Strong Economy in the 21st Century.” The talk is sponsored by the Chicago Society and will also include a half-hour Q and A session for supporters and critics alike. (Ida Noyes Cloister Club, 5 p.m., free)

Tuesday | April 6 Learn more about the Asian carp invasion and its implications for the Great Lakes infrastructure at the Shedd Aquarium in an event co-hosted by the Program on

the Global Environment and the Chicago Council on Science and Technology. This foreign fish species has continued to advance up the Illinois River and disrupt fragile ecosystems, despite the use of various electric barriers and poisons. (1200 S. Lake Shore Dr., 6:30 p.m., free) Just when you think emo kids in tight jeans and ironic vintage t-shirts were a thing of the past, Chris Carrabba of Dashb oard Confessional comes out with another album. Hear songs from Alter the Ending as Carrabba promotes his latest oeuvre at the House of Blues. And don’t despair if you can’t make it—the band will be opening for Bon Jovi’s The Circle tour this summer. (329 N. Dearborn Ave., 6 p.m., $27) Renowned architect Frank Gehry will be giving the annual Cindy Pritzker Lecture on Urban Life and Issues at the Harold Washington Library. Fittingly, the 1989 Pritzker Prize winner will be interviewed by Tom Pritzker, son of the lecture series’ namesake. (400 S. State St., 6 p.m., free)

Wednesday | April 7 While few U of C students may have grown up in the ’80s, the awkwardness of coming of age in the decade is immortalized and universalized in John Hughes’ films. This week, Doc will be showing the classic tale of a birthday gone awry: Sixteen Candles starring Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall. (Max Palevsky Cinema, 7 p.m., $5)

Thursday | April 8 The 2010 Chicago Presents Discovery Artist, Brasil Guitar Duo, will be performing in the annual Regents Park Discovery Concert. The two young musicians have been performing together since they met as teenagers and have been praised for their ability to seamlessly incorporate traditional Brazilian sounds into the classical canon. (Mandel Hall, 7:30 p.m., $5)

Have an event you’d like to see in STD? E-mail christineyang@uchicago.edu.

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CHICAGO MAROON | CLASSIFIEDS | April 2, 2010

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CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | April 2, 2010

Team has moved on from indoor and is ready for spring

Tournament appearance a fitting goodbye for fourth-year class

TRACK AND FIELD continued from back page shot put. “It was pretty exciting,� Ray said. “I would have liked to do better, but it was just exciting to be there. For us to win and beat out our rivals Wash U was really great,� she continued. Ray hopes the team can bring this momentum with them into the spring. “I’m just hoping we can continue to do this in outdoor [track],� she said. With the outdoor season just around the corner, Coach Hall noted that both the teams are aiming to win their respective UAA championship meets. “We only have three meets to get ready so it will be a challenge, but one that our kids typically respond to really well,� Hall said. The track team will next compete at home in the Ted Haydon Invitational this Saturday at 11 a.m.

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Second-year Bryanne Halfhill, pictured against Wash U, led the Maroons with 15 points against Simpson on March 5.

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W. BASKETBALL continued from back page thankful for that.� The night was also a tribute to the team’s five fourth-years, whom the team will be sad to see go:

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CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | April 2, 2010

BASEBALL

In Japan, baseball fandom reaches new levels Matt McCracken Sports Staff We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto. There exists no sporting experience in America quite like a baseball game in Japan. The dynamic relationship between players and fans is uniquely Japanese: a mix of traditional Eastern values and a rabid intensity more typical of modern Western culture. This past spring break I was given the opportunity to see a Japanese baseball game while on vacation in Tokyo. While this was not my first ever game in Japan, this pilgrimage back to the Mecca of baseball fanaticism reminded me why baseball in the Far East is such a joy to behold. Fanaticism in Japanese baseball is epitomized by its exceptional cheering sections. One set of bleachers is designated as the home team’s cheering section while the other (usually smaller) set of bleachers is

where the visiting fans make their presence felt. Deafeningly loud chants are led by a central conductor who stands on a large step ladder, wearing white gloves, yelling out instructions to the legion of fans whose numbers regularly reach into the thousands. Each hitter has two or three songs or chants dedicated just to him, along with five or more songs to support the team as a whole. These cheers are memorized by all of the fans in the cheering section; one cannot help but wonder when these devoted followers have the time to learn upwards of 30 songs for their team. They use small plastic sticks, similar to the Anaheim Angels’ Thunder Sticks, to cheer and make more noise and complete the motions that are associated with each song. This is not your average group of baseball fans. A small orchestra lines the back of the cheering section to lead the songs — tubas,

trumpets, trombones, and giant drums are the norm. A cacophonous symphony mimicking the sweet sounds of oak on stitches. Furthermore, these hardcore fanatics often travel long distances to attend their team’s away games. Train trips up to five hours long are not uncommon in support of their beloved squad, to lead the songs of support in the cheering section. Fans serenade their beloved players with a passion matched only by legions of college football fans here in the US. But the organization of these devoted followers sets these Japanese fans apart and brings to mind Eastern traditions and cultural norms that make sports—specifically fanhood— distinct from its Western cousin. There is a rigid structure of proper rituals and overall respect directed towards the game that makes it a very Japanese spectacle. First of all, cheering is unheard of while the other team is at bat. Fans of the fielding

team sit in reverent silence, as if they were at a Shinto shrine or Buddhist monastery. Heckling or even cheers directed at the opposition is very taboo. In stark contrast, in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, one can often hear someone yelling, “What’s the matter with [Insert Opposing Outfielder]?” “He’s a BUM!” Not so at a Japanese baseball game. There is far too much respect for the game and the players to display such vitriol at a sporting event. Players on the home team bow towards the cheering section as they take the field every inning, and fans return the respect with a loud roar. While a Japanese baseball game will not bring you back to the heartland of Kansas any time soon, it is a unique experience that should not be missed if the opportunity presents itself. It will truly be an experience all its own—distinctly reflective of the culture of Japan and one rocking time.

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Application materials are now available at the HCD Offices for lectureship positions in the Humanities Collegiate Division general education (Core) sequences during the 2010-2011 academic year. Applicants for these positions must have a Ph.D. or must be University of Chicago graduate students who have attained ABD status no later than the Spring quarter 2010. One-quarter lectureships may be available in the following sequences: Humanities 110-111-112 Humanities 115-116-117 Humanities 120-121-122 Humanities 123-124-125 Humanities 140-141-142 Humanities 160-161-162

Readings in World Literature, I, II, III Philosophical Perspectives, I, II, III Greek Thought and Literature, I, II, III Human Being and Citizen, I, II, III Reading Cultures, I, II, III Media Aesthetics I, II, III

Applicants are free to apply for more than one sequence, but they must submit a separate application package for each.* If applicant is a University of Chicago graduate student, application packages must contain: Application form, letter of application that also contains a brief statement of teaching philosophy, current CV, two letters of recommendation from faculty members familiar with applicant’s work, verification form signed by applicant’s Director of Graduate Studies, one chapter from the applicant’s dissertation (or, if a chapter is not available, a copy of the approved dissertation prospectus) on disk, and copies of teaching evaluations from prior teaching experience, if any.** If applicant holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago or another institution, application packages must contain: Application form, letter of application that also contains a brief statement of teaching philosophy, current CV, two letters of recommendation from UC or other university faculty familiar with applicant’s work, proof of Ph.D., and copies of teaching evaluations from prior teaching experience, if any. Applicants who are not UC students must also apply for these positions through the University’s UCHICAGO Jobs Online Employment website, Requisition Number 00054 in addition to submitting an application package directly to our office. Application packages are due to the HCD Offices (Harper Memorial 228) May 7th, 2010. The 2010-2011 lecturer salary is $5,000 per section. University of Chicago graduate students who receive financial aid through the University’s Graduate Aid Initiative will be credited with GAI points for lectureships. UC graduate students covered by older fellowships that include teaching service will also be credited with service in accordance with the guidelines of their fellowship. Hiring decisions will be made by faculty committees during the summer quarter, and scheduling is done based on the scheduling requirements of the Humanities Collegiate Division. These positions are part-time, term positions and are not benefits-eligible.

*If applying for multiple sequences, you must provide multiple copies of all application materials except the dissertation chapter or prospectus. One copy of the dissertation chapter or prospectus will suffice. This item must be on disk. **Preference will be given to those graduate students who have completed a substantial part of their doctoral dissertation, participated in the pedagogical training course offered by the College Writing Program, and served as writing interns in the Humanities Core. For details on the training courses offered by the College Writing Program, contact them at (773) 702-2658 or writing-program@uchicago.edu More complete descriptions of the Humanities Core sequences can be found in the College Catalog available on the College website at: http://college.uchicago.edu. If you have questions, please contact the HCD Office at 773-702-2959, or write to Norah O’Donnell, HCD Divisional Administrator neo2@uchicago.edu

19

CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | April 2, 2010

Fielding mistakes let Vikings claim victory BASEBALL continued from back page innings like we did at the end of the game.” One of the players who is currently doing well at the plate for the Maroons is second-year catcher Stephen Williams. Williams, who on Tuesday was named UAA player of the week after batting .432 and driving in 12 RBIs during the Maroons’ trip to Florida, led the Maroons in scoring on Wednesday with 4 RBIs and provided a key contribution during Chicago’s final rally in the ninth which sent the game into extra innings. First-year catcher Tony Logli, pinch hitting for first-year right fielder Ben Bullock, got the inning started for the Maroons with a single to center field before also being replaced by fourth-year Ben Nordstrom as a pinch runner. Third-year Marshall Oium was then walked

before Fazzari singled to load the bases. It seemed like the Maroons might fail to capitalize as a strike out and a ground ball that ended in a fielders choice at home left Chicago down to their final out, but Williams stepped up to the plate and delivered as he has all season. Two successive foul tips provided a warning of what was to come. On his third pitch Williams singled through the left side to bring in Fazzari and Oium, tying the game at 12–12. The Maroons then had a chance to seal a victory as first-year Stephen Schwabe was walked to once again load the bases, but relief pitcher Mike Giovenco came on to get North Park the out they needed to stay alive by getting first-year John-Reynold Lopez to fly out to right field. The Maroons were left to regret their missed

opportunity as the Vikings came back strong in the top of the tenth. The first two North Park batters both reached base on back-to-back bunts before a third consecutive bunt advanced both runners to scoring position. An intentional walk loaded the bases before a single, a wild pitch and a fielding error at third base led to four runs for the Vikings. The Maroons tried to respond once again in the bottom of the tenth, but a lead-off double by first-year Jack Cinoman, who ended the game 5-for-6 with two runs and two RBIs, failed to kick-start another Chicago comeback and three quick outs sealed North Park’s victory. The Maroons will look to recover on the road when they travel to Appleton, Wisconsin, to play Lawrence University before returning home to face off against Loras and Concordia Chicago on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

CHICAGOMAROON.COM CHICAGOMAROON.COM CHICAGOMAROON.COM CHICAGOMAROON.COM CHICAGOMAROON.COM CHICAGOMAROON.COM CHICAGOMAROON.COM CHICAGOMAROON.COM CHICAGOMAROON.COM CHICAGOMAROON.COM CHICAGOMAROON.COM CHICAGOMAROON.COM

IN QUOTES “I thought we were playing Michael (expletive) Jordan the way he was getting the whistle. Durant damn near shot more free throws than our whole team. That’s the game.”

SPORTS

— Kevin Garnett, on Kevin Durant scoring 37 points against the Celtics

TRACK AND FIELD

Four Maroons put in All-American performances at nationals FRONT OF THE PACK THESE ATHLETES PLACED FIRST AT UAAS ON MARCH 5TH

MEN 55-meter dash Bill Cheng, fourth-year 800-meter run Chris Cheng, first-year Triple jump Jacob Solus, third-year 4x400 meter relay

WOMEN 3000-meter run Liz Lawton, third-year Shot put Nicole Murphy, fourth-year Weight throw Claire Ray. fourth-year

Nick Foretek Sports Contributor Both the men’s and women’s indoor track teams had outstanding performances at the UA A Championships in Boston on March 6th. The women’s team grabbed the gold, besting Emory University 146 —133, and capturing its second UAA victory in the past three years. The men’s team took second to Wash U. Several standout performances assured strong finishes for both teams. On the men’s side, fourthyear Bill Cheng won the men’s 55 meter dash in 6.47. For the women, third-year Liz Lawton took home the 3000 meter event with a time of 9:53.75. Fourthyear Claire Ray, recently named U A A’ s t o p f i e l d p e r f o r m e r , alongside teammates fourth-year Nicole Murphy and third-year Kristin Constantine, dominated the weight throw and shot put competitions. “We competed very well for the most part,” said Head Coach Chris Hall. “Our women obviously won the meet and that was our goal. Perhaps a few of

our athletes felt they could have moved up a little in the competition but that is to be expected in a conference championship.” The women took this momentum and carried it into the D-III national championships at DePauw University the weekend of March 12th, where they placed fourth, tying with Illinois We s l e y a n U n i v e r s i t y — t h u s becoming the sixth team in school history to post a top-four finish in NCAA Division III competition, joining women’s tennis (2009), women’s soccer (2005, 2003, 1996), and men’s soccer (1996). Lawton gained All-American status for her 17:04:56 finish in the 5000 meter run. Though she came in fourth, she and the top three girls all had season bests. On the field, the Maroons were well-represented by the field team triumvirate: Constantine, Ray, and Murphy. Constantine and Ray placed third and fourth, respectively, in weight. Murphy placed fourth in shot put. Murphy became an AllAmerican based on her 14.04 m

TRACK AND FIELD continued on page 17

BASEBALL

Nicole Murphy, shown here competing in hammer throw, placed third in weight throw at nationals.

COURTEOUSY

OF

U

OF

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SPORTS INFORMATION

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Women’s basketball eliminated in tough NCAA first round Dave Kates Sports Contributor

Third-year Zach Osman, shown last season, scored a pair of runs in the Maroons’ home-opening loss. CAMILLE VAN HORNE/MAROON

Comeback falls short as Chicago loses home opener By A.G. Goodman Sports Editor Comeback falls short as maroons lose home opener Chicago came on strong in the ninth but couldn’t quite pull it out as the North Park Vikings handed the men’s baseball team their first home defeat of the season at J. Kyle Anderson Field last Wednesday. The Maroons trailed the Vikings during large periods of the game but showed a resilient spirit and fought back to tie the score several times, doing so for the last time in the bottom of the ninth. However, North Park managed to capitalize on Maroon mistakes in extra innings, scoring on a

wild pitch and a throwing error at home plate in a four run tenth that proved to be too much for Chicago, as they fell to a final score of 16–12. Despite the loss, the Maroons, who dropped to a record of 5–6 after splitting ten games during their spring break trip to Vero Beach, were optimistic over the never-say-die attitude demonstrated. “It’s good to have that feeling that we’re never out of a game, since we’ve shown the ability to come back,” third-year second baseman Nick Fazzari said. “Next time we just have to put up those runs and limit our mistakes earlier in the game.” Back-to-back walks in the beginning of the third inning cost Chicago

when both runners were brought home by a three RBI double by North Park second-year Andy Athans. The Maroons responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the third to tie the score but the Vikings once again managed to put three on the board in the fifth, an offensive performance that also saw them score in every subsequent inning. However, the Maroons were able to fight back by demonstrating some offensive power of their own. “We’ve got some guys swinging the bat really well right now,”said Fazzari, who led the Maroons with three runs scored. “We should be able to put together some breakout

BASEBALL continued on page 19

Women’s basketball put up a good fight in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Tournament at Illinois Wesleyan University on Friday, March 5, before losing 66–53 to Simpson College. The Maroons (19–7) started out strong. “We felt good going into the game,” Head Coach Aaron Roussell said, and in the first five or six minutes “we were in control of everything.” But the tides quickly turned as the Red Hawks started making their shots and pulled ahead 9–1. From then on the Maroons had to scramble but just could not catch up. “We got all the shots we want-

ed, they just didn’t go in,” Roussell explained. “We missed layups, we missed free throws, we missed open throws!” He felt that Simpson was a particularly hard match for the Maroons to face. “I think some of their [Simpson’s] strengths were some of the things we struggled with, as far as their zone and their pressure,” Roussell said. Making it to the NCAAs, however, was an achievement in itself. “I was so happy for our kids to get to experience this,” he said, “both for our young kids, to get a taste for down the road, and for our seniors; I would have been crushed if the senior class didn’t get a chance to experience this at the end of their year. I’m very

W. BASKETBALL continued on page 17

CA LEN DA R Friday

4/2

•Baseball @ Lawrence (DH), 1 p.m.

•Softball vs. UW–Whitewater (DH), 2:30 p.m.

•Men’s Tennis vs. Grinnell, 4 p.m.

•Women’s Tennis @ Midwest Invite, All Day

•Women’s Tennis @ Midwest Invite, All Day

Saturday

Monday

4/3

•Men’s and Women’s Track Field hosts Ted Haydon Invite, 11 a.m.

•Baseball vs. Loras, 3 p.m.

4/5

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