CHICAGO
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MAROON The student newspaper of the University of Chicago since 1892
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2011 • VOLUME 122, ISSUE 25 • CHICAGOMAROON.COM
ien
A twist on the conventional Three style blogs that stray from tradition Voices, page 6
STUDY ABROAD
DISCOURSE
U of C students in Cairo evacuated to Paris
Sotomayor speaks at Law School
By Christina Pillsbury Associate News Editor Amid protests, political unrest, and panicked foreigners in overcrowded airports, the University has successfully evacuated all undergraduate students and faculty from the College’s Middle Eastern Civilizations program in Cairo, according to study abroad director Martha Merritt. In line with the U.S. State Department’s rush to get citizens out of the unstable country, the University has chosen to relocate members of the Cairo program to its center in Paris. “Half of the students are already in Paris; some are spending the night in Athens en route to Paris; and one student was in transit to Germany as of earlier today,” said Merritt in an email. “ Th e O f f i c e o f S t u d y A b r o a d thanks its worldwide community for coming together to help speed these 18 UChicago citizens to our campus in Europe.” Personnel at the Oriental Institute’s Chicago House in Luxor, about 300 miles south of Cairo, have remained b ehind, according to University spokesman Jeremy Manier. “Events in Cairo warranted immediate steps to ensure the safety of our community members. We continue to
monitor the situation in Luxor, where the University has maintained a presence since 1924,” he said. According to Manier, the area surrounding Chicago House has been stable in the last few days, and program directors have maintained contact with local authorities to ensure the Institute’s safety. After days of worrying, Yulissa Villasenor said that her family was notified Sunday that her sister, second-year Isamar Villasenor, had arrived safely in Paris. “We know that she was in an unsecure environment because of the protesters in Cairo. There were gunshots and killings,” said Villasenor in an email. “My sister was on her way to the beach with a group of U of C students and the U.S. embassy picked her up along with the group of students.” Upon arriving in Paris, students took to Facebook to update friends concerning their safety and whereabouts. Fourth-year Mark Redmond posted Sunday evening: “Thx for thoughts and concerns. I am in Paris and doing well. No luggage.” At 9 a.m. yesterday morning he updated again: “The Cairo 9 should b e reunited with us tomorrow. Inshallah.”
MEDICAL CENTER
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor spoke with Law School faculty and students Monday morning at the Law School auditorium. DARREN LEOW/MAROON
By Amy Myers Associate News Editor Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor had a few words of advice for law students Monday morning: work on something you’re passionate about, but don’t try to tackle all the world’s problems. The 111th Justice addressed an audience of University law students and faculty about her transition to the Supreme Court and reflected on
her experiences in each level of her career, starting with her time at Yale Law School. “Do you stop and read? Do you sit and stop and talk for the sake of talking? Do you ever go to a movie?” Sotomayor asked. She cautioned against the modern “information overload” and the trend for law students to be over-involved. Instead, she praised law students who have a single passion. Sotomayor said her informal discussions with fellow law students helped
her form her own views on issues. “Those conversations, I don’t know if they were educational because we were still students, but they were educational in opening our hearts and minds.” As the first Hispanic member of the Supreme Court, Sotomayor said her distinction does not largely influence her decisions. “I do think I have a special role on the court, but not in the way that you think.”
SOTOMAYOR continued on page 2
GRAD STUDENTS
UCMC appoints new president TA policy change surprises grad students
Sharon O'Keefe, who comes to the U of C from Loyola University Medical Center, was recently named president of the University of Chicago Medical Center. O'Keefe's position will take effect on February 23. COURTESY OF UCMC
By Ella Christoph News Editor Sharon O’Keefe, president of the Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, IL, has been appointed
as the president of the University of Chicago Medical Center (UCMC). She will begin February 23. With decades of experience in hospital administration, clinical program management, and improving patient and staff satisfaction, O’Keefe plans to bring her expertise to the University. “There’s tremendous commitment, alignment, [and] momentum of all of the leadership team to take on all of the challenges that are going to be in front of academic medical centers,” O’Keefe said. “I truly am both honored and excited to take on the challenges.” O’Keefe will be taking over the position from interim president Ken Sharigian. Sharigian has held the position since the departure of David Hefner, who served for three years beginning in 2006. O’Keefe will report to Kenneth Polonsky, dean of the Division of the Biological Sciences and the Pritzker School of Medicine and executive vice president for medical affairs. O’Keefe said she wants to make the U of C the strongest hospital in the area and a top competitor nationwide. “There is an interest in operational excellence, and I think one thing is the operations of the medical center need to rival the quality of the science at the
O'KEEFE continued on page 2
By Haru Coryne News Staff Changes at the beginning of the year in the implementation of the Graduate Aid Initiative (GAI) have limited the teaching opportunities for University graduate students in the philosophy department, but students are still unclear
on how the change went into effect and how far-reaching its scope is. According to the GAI, each student is required to complete three terms as a teaching assistant (TA) before fifth year, followed by one term teaching a standalone tutorial. The teaching requirements are fulfilled according to a point system, with each student given a
total point limit. TA positions count as a single point; a full tutorial is two. Teaching positions beyond departmental requirements previously did not count toward a student’s points and served only as a source of extra income for graduate students. But the changes make all teaching positions, whether or
GRAD STUDENTS continued on page 2
STUDENT LIFE
CAPS visits by first-years double By Benjamin Pokross News Contributor It’s no surprise that fourth-years without jobs lined up are starting to get anxious, but they’re not the only ones: First-years are already hungry for employment. Reaching an all-time high, 435 first-years scheduled appointments with Career Advising and Planning Services (CAPS) this fall, a 68-percent increase in first-time visits over last year, according to Assistant Director of Strategic Programming and Outreach Shannon Delaney. According to CAP S director
Meredith Daw, recent classes of admitted students are more careeroriented. “Students are coming in with a stronger sense of what they want to do after graduation and what they can do while they’re here,” she said. Th e n u m b e r s s u g g e s t t h a t first-years aren’t making just one appointment, either. According to Delaney, there was a 95-percent increase in the number of total contacts that CAPS had with first-years during the period from July 1 to January 27. Daw also credits the increase in attendance to greater enthusiasm
among first-years. “There’s a change in the excitement level about how they can use the services,” she said. According to Daw, the admissions department is informing first-years more fully about CAPS offerings so that they enter the University knowing more about the “Chicago Careers In” programs and the Metcalf Fellows Program. In response to the surge in interest, advisers at CAPS are spending more face time with students. According to Daw, walk-in hours have been extended this quarter and advisers are offering more scheduled
CAPS continued on page 2
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CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | February 1, 2011
CRIME
CAPS predicts more students in Class of 2014 will graduate with jobs
Robberies prompt community alert By Sam Levine News Staff In response to a series of armed robberies at local businesses between East 47th and 55th Streets and South Drexel and Dorchester Avenues this month, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) issued a community alert to Hyde Park residents on Friday. CPD believe the robberies are unrelated to recent armed robberies of students. Students were not alerted about the robberies through the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) because the off-campus crimes CPD is investigating have not involved students, according to UCPD spokesperson Bob Mason. The most recent robbery occurred on January 22, when two armed, unmasked men walked into Windy’s Deli on East 53rd Street and demanded that two clerks empty the cash register. Art Chotipradit, one of the clerks, said he gave the men between $200 and $300. Chotipradit said it was the third
time the deli had been robbed in the last seven years. “It happens so quick. It was like stealing candy from a baby,” said Chotipradit, who also noted that there was a CPD patrol car parked across the street from his store while he was robbed. According to Sergeant Gregory Jackson, a detective in CPD’s Property Crimes Unit, police are searching for various assailants, 18-25 years old, average height and build. Jackson would not say the exact number of robberies that had taken place to prompt the community alert, though the Sun-Times connected it to at least 12 people being robbed at gunpoint in an article Saturday. Chotipradit said that while he had noticed an increased police presence around Windy’s Deli recently, he was skeptical that police would be able to prevent future robberies. “Robberies around here are like Christmas,” he said. “You can always expect them to come around at least once a year.”
ACTIVITY AT CAPS
68%
The 435 first-years scheduling appointments with CAPS during Fall Quarter represents a 68-percent increase from last year.
95% CAPS had a 95-percent increase in total contacts with first-years between July 1 and January 27 compared to last year. CAPS Programs Continue Growth • 230 Metcalfs offered this year • Four new Chicago Careers in... programs started this year
CAPS continued from front page appointment times. The positive response to events like Venture to Adventure, where third-and fourth-years share their experiences with younger students, has prompted CAPS to consider new events for underclassmen to interact with older students and alumni. By starting early, students are more prepared to look for and get internships and summer opportunities during their third and fourth years, according to Daw. “It’s changing our model, how we serve upperclassmen,” she said. Daw hopes that the rise in first-year participation will continue. “Students who start [coming to CAPS] in their first or second years are more likely to graduate with plans,” she said. First-year Alessio Franco agreed that CAPS has a strong presence on campus, but it hasn’t been enough to motivate him. “I haven’t been to CAPS,” he says, “but I may go there in the future.”
Grad students unclear why teaching assistant requirements changed Sotomayor encourages students to stay enthusiastic, keep integrity SOTOMAYOR continued from front page She believes her presence has encouraged an increase in the number of Spanish-speaking groups visiting the courthouse, and though she sees reaching out to these new visitors and students as a priority, “I don’t come to the process [of decision-making] as a woman of color,” she said. “I am first and foremost a justice committed to the rule of law.” Following her nomination by President Obama in May of 2009, Sotomayor’s hearings included criticisms surrounding a 2001 remark when she described herself as a “wise Latina woman.” She was confirmed in August 2009 and despite the grueling confirmation process Sotomayor endured, she still views the evaluations as necessary. “As critical as it often times is, the process will give people cause to think about the qualities they want in a justice,” she said, describing the experience as “one of the few times when you hear people talking about the institution of the court and our history.” Sotomayor, known for her outspoken style, was asked about her reputation of confidence on the bench. “I think people mistake exuberance, passion, and intensity, for self-confidence,” she answered the University law student. “Almost
everything I’ve done, I’ve been frightened about doing—including being a Supreme Court Justice.” “When people perceive you as an inspiration, you’re almost doomed for failure at some point, especially when you’re a judge,” she said. “It’s the nature of judging.” Ultimately, Sotomayor believes she has an obligation to serve the larger community. She recalled her first court appearance as a district judge: “My knees were knocking. I was convinced the whole court room could hear them.” Still, she said that her desire to serve has overcome fears at every level of her varied career. “Everything I’ve undertaken, I’ve had my knees knocking and my stomach churning.” Sotomayor lamented the new media scrutiny she has had to handle in her transition to her post as Supreme Court Justice. “Being a public figure on this level has destroyed any sense of anonymity that I had. It’s a whole different world,” she said. “The greatest asset you have as an attorney is your integrity,” she said, leaving the law students with her final advice. “Never leave a job unfinished.” Sotomayor planned to speak at Northwestern Law School today, but the event was cancelled due to weather.
CORRECTION » The January 28 article "Comparing Fifth Ward Candidates" misstated Michele Tankersley's relationship wih Chicago Public Schools. She was a consultant for them. The MAROON is committed to correcting mistakes for the record. If you suspect the MAROON has made an error, please alert the newspaper by e-mailing Editor@ChicagoMaroon.com.
Peace Corps 50 Years of Promoting Global Peace & Friendship
not they fulfill a student’s graduation requirement, now count toward a student’s points in the GAI, a two-tiered aid program that has provided annual stipends to a large proportion of graduate students in the humanities, social sciences, and Divinity School since 2007. Because of this change, some philosophy graduate students working as TAs are concerned they will use up all their points on classes that do not meet their contractual obligations for GAI. The dissemination of the new policy came as a surprise to many graduate students who worked as TAs as a supplement to their department requirements. “I was absolutely astonished,” said one philosophy graduate student, who wished to remain anonymous after resigning from a teaching position. “I had no clue that was going to happen. To a certain extent, I think even my DGS was surprised.” Graduate students were unclear as to whether there was an official change in the language of the program, if the methods of enforcement by the University have changed, or if upper-level department administrators have made changes. With no official announcement, the information surrounding the GAI’s new policy was disseminated by the philosophy department’s Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) chair Candace Vogler, who has declined to comment until the matter is resolved. “The doomsday scenario was that students who had taught in the writing program will have used all of their points in the GAI,” said Mark Hopwood, a fourth year Ph.D. student in the philosophy department and a representative to the Graduate Students Union (GSU). GSU is a pay-into organization which represents graduate students as workers, but is not recognized by the University as a collective bargaining group.
“Our concern is that graduate students need to have more of a say in the way these policies are implemented and the way their status as workers is defined,” said Hopwood. “We can’t, as graduate students, go on with the constant threat of the administration handing down something like this.” Members of the GSU see the situation as demonstrating the need for graduate students to organize as workers. “Graduate students are employed as teachers without being employees,” said GSU member and English department graduate student Andrew Yale. GSU member Duff Morton believes the GAI has provided a standardized system of financial support for a large, diverse body of students. “There used to be this dizzying variety of funding packages, and they’ve been rolled into two,” he said. He said the GAI is too rigid and does not take into account the students’ varied needs. “Now the GAI needs to be modified to recognize the fact that not everybody is going to teach in the same way at the same time,” he said. However, the administration has previously indicated graduate academic work as a priority. “For the history of the [writing] program, students have had to balance the program with finishing their scholarly work,” said Larry McEnerney, the director of the University’s writing programs. According to students in the philosophy department, Deputy Provost for Graduate Education Cathy Cohen agreed to meet with the complainants, and Dean of the Humanities Martha Roth also met with students. Neither responded to emails and phone calls from the Maroon. Still, Hopwood defended philosophy department leadership, which has already managed to recoup some of the students’ lost points. “They’ve been really helpful,” he said. “Our beef is definitely not with them.”
Information Session & New UCMC president O'Keefe: "I am a very active leader" Diversity Panel Tuesday, Feb. 9th 6:00 p.m. Cloister Club, Ida Noyes Hall University of Chicago 1212 E. 59th Street
Life is calling. How far will you go? 800.424.8580 l peacecorps.gov/50
GRAD STUDENTS continued from front page
Be part of the next Peace Corps generation.
O'KEEFE continued from front page institution,” she said. O’Keefe also said her experience at research universities that serve the community, including Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Washington University in St. Louis, would help her to balance the University’s community service mission with research goals. “For me, they’re exciting business and clinical challenges to solve,” she said. “It really does come down to working with the clinical leadership to ensure that there’s alignment in priorities and where resources are allocated,” she said. “I’d like to meet with some patients; I’d like to understand perspectives of the community.” O’Keefe is a Chicago native who earned a B.S. in nursing from Northern Illinois University in 1974 and a M.S. in nursing from Loyola University Medical School. She served as director of nursing at
Johns Hopkins for six years before becoming associate hospital director at Monte Fiore Hospital in the Bronx, NY. She also spent two years as a senior manager for health care at the accounting firm Ernst & Whinney (now Ernst & Young). She returned to hospital administration in 1989 as senior vice president for operations at the University of Maryland Medical System in Baltimore. In 1999, she joined Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as executive vice president and chief operating officer. In 2002, she became chief operating officer at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “I’m a very active leader. I like to get out and touch and feel the operations,” O’Keefe said. “I’m actually very much looking forward to getting to know the staff and experience their working environment.”
CHICAGO MAROON
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VIEWPOINTS | February, 2011
VIEWPOINTS
EDITORIAL & OP-ED FEBRUARY 1, 2011
EDITORIAL
CHICAGO MAROON
The student newspaper of the University of Chicago since 1892
JORDAN HOLLIDAY, Editor-in-Chief JAKE GRUBMAN, Managing Editor ELLA CHRISTOPH, News Editor ADAM JANOFSKY, News Editor PETER IANAKIEV, Viewpoints Editor ALISON HOWARD, Viewpoints Editor HAYLEY LAMBERSON, Voices Editor JORDAN LARSON, Voices Editor NICK FORETEK, Sports Editor MAHMOUD BAHRANI, Sports Editor JESSICA SHEFT-ASON, Sports Editor VICTORIA KRAFT, Head Copy Editor MONIKA LAGAARD, Head Copy Editor HOLLY LAWSON, Head Copy Editor MATT BOGEN, Photo Editor DARREN LEOW, Photo Editor CAMILLE VAN HORNE, Photo Editor JACK DiMASSIMO, Head Designer JOSH SUNG, Web Editor AMY MYERS, Assoc. News Editor CHRISTINA PILLSBURY, Assoc. News Editor SHARAN SHETTY, Assoc. Viewpoints Editor ILIYA GUTIN, Assoc. Voices Editor
VINCENT McGILL, Delivery Coordinator IVY PEREZ, Senior Designer DOUGLAS EVERSON, Designer ANDREW GREEN, Designer ALYSSA LAWTHER, Designer VINCENT YU, Designer SABINA BREMNER, Artist JANE BARTMAN, Copy Editor ALICE BLACKWOOD, Copy Editor HUNTER BUCKWORTH, Copy Editor MARCELLO DELGADO, Copy Editor DANIELLE GLAZER, Copy Editor DON HO, Copy Editor JANE HUANG, Copy Editor ALISON HUNG, Copy Editor TARA NOOTEBOOM, Copy Editor LANE SMITH, Copy Editor GABE VALLEY, Copy Editor ALEX WARBURTON, Copy Editor BELLA WU, Copy Editor LILY YE, 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.
©2011 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
SUBMISSIONS The CHICAGO MAROON welcomes opinions and responses from its readers. Send op-ed submissions and letters to: Viewpoints CHICAGO MAROON 1212 East 59th Street Chicago, IL 60637 E-mail: Viewpoints@ChicagoMaroon.com The editors reserve the right to edit materials for clarity and space. Letters to the editor should be limited to 400 words. Op-ed submissions, 800 words.
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Too cool for school
The University's aversion to snow closures isn't worth the risk If the weathermen and Facebook statuses are to be believed, right now a blizzard should be hitting the U of C campus, bringing with it as much as 18 inches of snow. In spite of icy sidewalks and burgeoning snow drifts, we students will continue to trudge around campus, unless a particularly kind professor (or rather, one finding it impossible to drive into Hyde Park from the suburbs) cancels his or her class, bestowing on us at least a partial, unofficial snow day. If you were expecting an official, University-wide snow day, it’s probable that you’re from the South or some other place with a warm climate, and you’re still adjusting to the concept of “snow” in the first place. In fact, the entire city of Chicago has an illustrious history of not stopping business as usual for such a weak reason as some snow-
fall. The public school system hasn’t had a snow day since 1999, when conditions got so severe that Lake Shore Drive shut down for the first time ever. Even then, the University did not close. While the University does have a procedure for canceling classes and closing administrative offices due to severe weather, it has not been carried out in recent memory. And if you’re wondering how likely the University is to pull out the snow closure procedures in the near future, just know that they’re filed in the same section of the U of C’s Emergency Management Plan as the procedures for handling a flu pandemic and for turning the ground floor of Henry Crown into a “temporary morgue.” It fits in with the rigor of a U of C education that we essentially don’t have
KNOB CREEK
snow days—but it also fits our oftenmocked lack of practicality. Blizzards don’t need to get as bad as the infamous Chicago Blizzard of 1967 to create hazardous situations for students and staff. Often enough, there are situations that call for a more unified, University response than teachers canceling class to avoid dealing with the snow or in recognition of the fact that students won’t come to class anyway. Deep snow and icy conditions can slow or shut down bus travel around the neighborhood, and walking across streets in whiteout conditions is a dicey proposition. Beyond the borders of Hyde Park, there are a few students and many more instructors and support staff who have to drive to campus as long as classes remain in session. While students might be split on the pros and cons of clos-
ing school for one day, it would be the height of selfishness to demand that these people brave a foot of snow and dangerous road conditions so that we aren’t inconvenienced. Ultimately, a snow closure isn’t about the safety of people who live on Drexel or Ellis; it’s about the people who have to come from Pilsen, Edgewater, and Oak Park. This is all to say that recognizing Chicago weather can be dangerous isn’t an admission of defeat for administrators. An official, school-wide snow day encourages students, faculty, and staff from throughout the Chicagoland area to stay home and stay safe, and sometimes that’s exactly what we need. The M AROON Editorial Board consists of the Editor-in-Chief and the Viewpoints Editors.
COLIN THE SHOTS
Worthwhile improvements Popping the bubble Chicago has issues to address before it becomes one of the world's premier cities
By Lloyd Lee Viewpoints Columnist I’m an avid reader of the all-thingsquality Monocle magazine. Out of Monocle’s ten issues a year, many include lengthy city surveys for such global destinations as Sao Paulo, Seoul, Tokyo, and Hong Kong (notice the magazine’s love for Asia). Monocle also does country guides for smaller favorites like Finland and Singapore. Perhaps the most widely known survey Monocle produces each year is its Quality of Life Survey, ranking the top 25 most livable cities. The magazine dispatches teams of journalists and photographers to major cities around the world, and then ranks them according to its own metrics, including conventional ones like health and crime, but also more typical Monocle metrics like whether one can find a good drink at 3 a.m., the number of cinema screens in town, and the quantity of retail options. In an interview revealing the most recent Quality of Life Survey from Tokyo last year, Tyler Brûlé, Monocle’s brain-man and editor-in-chief, talked about the hate mail he receives from Chicago. Apparently he’s received one too many emails from snarky Chicagoans about their great city in the heartland of the United States. In fact, Monocle sent some folks to Chicago for its last Quality of Life Survey, but of course, it was nowhere near the top 25. But fret not my brethren, the list didn’t include New York City or Los Angeles either, nor San Francisco.
However, Honolulu and Portland, OR did make the list. Most U.S. cities are like war zones compared to the likes of Tokyo and Singapore, and with Chicago’s relatively high homicide statistics, of course the city didn’t make the cut. But in light of Monocle’s snubbing, and because I have a naïve hope that Rahm Emanuel is reading this, I'd like to offer a brief fix for Chicago: Solve the segregation problem. Chicago is one of the most segregated cities in the United States, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. An analysis by the Chicago Sun-Times revealed that in order for African-Americans to be as evenly distributed as whites in Chicago, 81 percent of them would need to move. One would think that the mayoral race would be rife with rhetoric about fixing segregation. But how far could that go when the African-American community was too busy debating over which one of the three black candidates, Davis, Braun, and the bigot of the bunch, Mr. Meeks, would be the “consensus candidate.” If you are skeptical about the level of segregation in Chicago, then just take a ride on the Red Line, starting in Rogers Park, ending at Garfield. You will notice how everything begins as you would expect with any major city–a nice mix of people. Notice what happens at Roosevelt–virtually every white person leaves. And it seems if you aren’t black and haven’t left by 35th street, then you are surely a U of C student, or otherwise live in Hyde Park. If you lived in Kenwood, you would have just driven home. Speaking of the CTA, the city should invest in better infrastructure and subway cars. Examples found in many Asian cities are unrealistic and impractical for Chicago to strive for, but domestically, both the Metro in Washington and the MTA in New York utilize available space better, making rides
CHICAGO continued on page 4
Leaving the "UChicago Bubble" means focusing on something other than school once in a while
By Colin Bradley Viewpoints Columnist Before coming to this school, I heard a lot about the “University of Chicago Bubble,” but didn’t understand exactly what the phrase was supposed to express. It didn’t take long to realize that people use it to refer to the University’s geographic situation. Our campus, despite University efforts, admittedly does create at least something of a bubble separating itself from the surrounding communities. To counteract this, we U of C students do our best to get out and about in this vast city. Be it a house trip to Dat Donut on 82nd and Cottage Grove, some vintage shopping in Wicker Park, or a visit to some less fortunate friends at Northwestern, I think it can be safely said that, for the most part, we recognize when we need to get out of Hyde Park. However, it has occurred to me more often over the last several months that maybe this U of C bubble exists as something more than just our physical location on the South Side of Chicago. I began to realize that while, from time to time, this bubble lets our bodies leave Hyde Park, it almost always holds our focus and attention. So long as the quarter is in session, our minds are almost exclusively stuck in Hyde Park: in the pages of Foucault, or in null hypotheses, or in ontological proofs. And this isn’t really anybody’s fault, it’s simply the way things are at a school as demanding as this one. I personally rarely have time to focus on
anything beyond my Hum and Sosc readings. And when I do, I have to study for Bio. But sometimes we pick our head up off the desk, wipe the drool off our Nicomachean Ethics, and in that split second before checking Google Calendar we notice something happening outside our bubble. (Okay, I know this is a little exaggerated, but sometimes we all just need to complain about our work load.) For the past week, the major distraction looming outside our bubble has been the political unrest in Egypt. The Egyptian youth have led the nation to release its frustration with Hosni Mubarak’s thirty year, one-party dominion. They have taken to the streets in astounding numbers demanding he leave his office and, more importantly, that a proper democratic process fills the void after his rule. I know this is probably a hackneyed observation, but I can’t help when something like this happens but to step back and think about the fact that I don’t even vote. Maybe I have my reasons for that, maybe I am just too lazy; that’s not really the point. The point is that while we run to Reynolds with our heads down, thinking about Hobbes, there are people on the streets of Cairo and Alexandria fighting for their rights to live in a free state. At the risk of drawing too thin a connection between our environment of academic disinterest and the real world, we should at least acknowledge that the Egyptian students knew when to step out of their bubble. Obviously we don’t have the same pressing motivation to fight for our basic human rights, but certainly there are causes out there that we all care about. Obviously we don’t need to march on Daley Square and demand democracy, but we probably couldn’t get 50 students to march on the quad if necessary. Take, for example, the article from
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CHICAGO MAROON
| VIEWPOINTS | February 1, 2011
Crime, CTA are just two of the city's many problems CHICAGO continued from page 3 far more efficient than those found on the CTA. Looking at expanding certain lines and adding new ones would also be appropriate. Chicago isn’t huge in area, but many portions of the city could use greater subway access. And what’s the point of the Green Line again? Actually do something about the level of crime. Policy makers don’t seem to understand that banning guns doesn’t solve gun violence. If the Chicago gun ban worked, then the city wouldn’t have weekends where the number of gun violence victims reached upwards of 40. For the future success of brand Chicago, the city should hire a customer service consultant. Customer service in Chicago is dismal, spanning from areas like the CTA, where asking the bus driver a simple question can be sacrilegious, to businesses serving food–try ordering a Big Mac on 53rd. I don’t know why, maybe it’s the stress of the city, or the traffic, or the cold, but I have never experienced worse customer service across so many areas of industry in any other big American city. There are some sweet spots, like the Starbucks
on Rush in the Gold Coast, and even the CitiBank on Ellis, but usually I can expect an unpleasant experience when spending money in Chicago. Good customer service is not hard to accomplish and does not take much effort. When it is done well, it goes tremendously far in changing attitudes and the quality of experience for everyone. Demolish the Democratic machine. Persuade New York to loan Michael Bloomberg to Chicago for a year. Chicago is rather slow at change, and I’m optimistic about Rahm Emanuel possibly being the next mayor. But what Chicago really needs is an independent mayor. It is probably too much to ask for a mayor independent of party affiliation at this point, but at least the mayor should be independent in his or her decision-making. The city needs a mayor with vision that sees Chicago beyond its small-town mentality, and as a global destination for business and culture. Well, there it is. I could go on, but like Mr. Meeks, what would be the point?
The University of Chicago Law w School ho Presents hoo Pre resents ts THE 2011 DEWEY LECTURE IN LA AW A N D P H I L O S O P H Y
Democracy v. Citizens United? JOSHUA A COHEN EN N Professor off Political P Science, Sciencce,, Philosophy, Phil andd Law at Stanford S Sttanf nfordd Univers University niv iversi v erssity ty
Lloyd Lee is a fourth-year in the College majoring in Political Science.
Even as U of C students, our problems extend beyond schoolwork
Wednesday, February ebr 2, 2011 011 4:00 p.m.
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Weymouth Kirkland Courtroom University of Chicago Law School 1111 East 60th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637
the 1/11 issue of the Maroon about our school’s recent poor free-speech rating. A large population of the school read the article, or at least gave it a cursory glance. I heard many people at least mention the headline. But despite all that attention, not many people were or are very interested in doing much about it. We are so wrapped up in our midterms that even if we could change University policy, we wouldn’t have time to enjoy our victory. This is not an indictment of our student body, if anything it is mostly self-incriminating—there are hundreds of students here who are much more active than I am. But here’s some advice for all
of us: We all love to complain, that’s obvious. It’s part of the reason we came to this school. But the next time you’re about to complain to your roommate about how your sadistic professor assigned a problem set due on the same day as your midterm, consider instead complaining about the fact that you have very little say in how your school operates, or that your marches are subject to censorship before they are approved, or maybe even complain that Safe Ride made you wait outside that party for an hour last weekend. As long as you remind yourself once in a while that there’s something outside the bubble. Colin Bradley is a first-year in the College.
Reception ption Following
This event is ffree and open to the public. No response is required but seating is limited. For special assistance or needs, please contact Rebecca Klaff at 773.834.4326 or rklaff@law.uchicago.edu.
VOICES Convention inventions
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FEBRUARY 1, 2011 ART
National Identity creates abtract art out of paella By Morgan McCarty Voices Food For Thought
R
ebecca Pickering, winner of the Cosplay Contest, dresses as a Chii Kipi during the UChi-Con IX, an anime convention organized by the University of Chicago Japanese Animation Society that was held Saturday. MICHELLE YEO/MAROON
Have you ever had paella? It’s a fantastic seafood and rice dish that is recognized as one of the national dishes of Spain. Now have you ever wondered what paella is in the abstract? Probably not. Stephen Lapthisophon’s newest installation, The Construction of a National Identity, depicts the paella recipe through a carefully thought-out, abstracted assemblage of mixed media and ready-made objects. The exhibit aims to explore what we create and how it addresses issues of place, identity, and history. Set up on the second floor of the Hyde Park Art Center, The Construction of a National Identity consumes the entire length of the hallway that is Gallery 5. The exhibit, though composed of seemingly haphazard elements, is a systematic examination of the act of making (a meal, in this case). Candles on a cardboard counter simultaneously set the dinnertime ambiance characteristic of late night dining on Spanish streets and remind the viewer of the necessity of fire in cooking. The capability to heat a pan or pot for oil or water is
a basic and necessary ability of all civilizations. Next to this is the name “SLAPTHISOPHON” painted on the wall in saffron ink, curiously abstracting his identity and the idea of authorship. He is making his mark, literally and figuratively. By choosing to write in saffron, Lapthisophon focuses on the materiality of the
THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NATIONAL IDENTITY Hyde Park Art Center Through May 22
act of spelling. By including his first initial before his last name, Lapthisophon not only abstracts his name but explores the idea of spelling as a means of representing invisible patterns of meaning, reminiscent of another of his exhibits, Spelling Lesson, currently running in Dallas. Furthermore, Lapthisophon is exploring the idea of a public space—a wall—as a space not only for claiming identity but also as a shared space that allows individuals from diverse backgrounds. The ingredients for paella are painted further down on the wall. “Squid, peas, saffron, thyme, sage”
drip down towards the f loor, as though their individual written beings are fleeting and are combining into one dish. After Lapthisophon has mixed all the ingredients, the viewer comes to rice, a uniquely unifying food. Rice is, somewhat ironically, a cultural hybrid all its own. Although it is a bland food source, it is, at the same time, used over and over again by cultures across the world. A pile of this cultural hybridism thus sits on a piece of cardboard on the floor. Accompanying the rice is a set of pink stamps, remarking on the ability of a cultural staple to travel and spread. Above the rice on the wall is what seems to be a simulation of steam rising from a pot of cooked rice, as though he is “cooking” many cultures together. Probably unintentional are the ants that have discovered the pile of rice. The Construction of a National Identity requires the necessary interaction between the piece as a whole and the viewer, as well as complete attention during said interaction. The viewer, akin to a cultural symbol like paella, is constantly in dialogue with its surroundings, interpreting and adapting to the times, but remaining steadfast in its history and origin.
MUSIC
Destroyer trades lyrical depth for disco ambiance By Ruben Montiel Voices Lounge Lizard Reviewers have read into the title of Destroyer's new album, Kaputt, to mean a sense of foreboding in an album that talks of “Wasting your days chasing some girls, all right/Chasing cocaine through the backrooms of the world.” Turns out that Daniel Bejar, Destroyer’s frontman and a member of The New Pornographers, just liked the sound of the word when he saw it on a book cover, but never mind. Kaputt—with a luxurious feeling conjured by blinding synthesizers, reverbed horns, and washy electric guitar—brings to mind a night of doing salacious things while on your illegal substance of choice, all while listening to smooth jazz.
KAPUTT Destroyer Merge Records
It’s clear from even a cursory listen of Kaputt that the album is an experiment in creating a sonic atmosphere. Some mainstays of Destroyer are still there, especially the dense, almost impenetrable lyrics that demand figurative rather than literal readings and are riddled with non sequiturs. But new to this record is the indulgent feel and channeling of soft
rock, disco, and funk bass lines to achieve a dominating aesthetic effect. Trumpet and tenor saxophone make an appearance on every track. The former is often under the influence of so much reverb that it sounds as if it were recorded in an empty concert hall next door. Sax plaintively finishes Bejar's phrases and closes songs with whispered, subtoned warmth. Drums employ hi hat on upbeats, conveying disco sensibilities. At times, the effect can be such that you are struck by the wryness of the entire enterprise. Bejar and Destroyer manage to come off in such a way that they can be taken seriously throughout the record. (Consider that Kaputt achieved an 8.8 rating from Pitchfork in an article that referenced its smooth jazz overtones positively, calling them “sad and sexy and joyous.”) At other times, I was left wishing that Destroyer had spent more time replicating the complexity and epic scope of the compositions on Rubies, an excellent record, rather than channeling the ‘80s, a decade recognized for its dubious contributions to pop culture. The album’s highlights include “Chinatown,” a medium tempo groove based on acoustic guitar strumming, high electric countermelodies, sax runs and plaintive trumpet, and lots of tambourine. The title track, complete with a chimey ostinato by the synth, brings to mind a lot of mustachioed men grooving
COURTESY OF DESTROYER
in a pink and purple lit club. But the horn work here is effective. Trumpet is looped to create a sort of fugue in support of the meaty funk of bass, and saxophone is particularly effective at channeling wistfulness in lots of notes that die away with vibrato. The closer, the 11-minute “Bay of Pigs,” is by far the most compositionally rich on the album. Low synths, the sonic equivalent of being underwater, constitute a minute and a half of opening until Bejar
comes in with “Listen, I’ve been drinking.” It is a particularly effective instance of a harmony between the aesthetic sensibility the record tries to pursue—washed-out, indulgent to a fault—while maintaining a certain compositional integrity. The same can be said about a line where Bejar sings to his lost paramour, “On a night like this, why, she’s pro-stars, pro-sky,” high-pitched chimes twinkle in the background. Then mention of a
discotheque is made, and the funk begins. Acoustic guitars churn out a Latin beat in one section; electric guitars take their time as they arpeggiate major and minor 7th chords, a Bejar-ian trademark; bass continues to thump on downbeats. Bejar has said that the intention was ambient disco, and the effect is well enough achieved. But what’s more important is that the song maintains other well-known hallmarks of Bejar’s composition: an epicness of scope, a fixed idea that permeates the changing sections of a song, different textures of sound, and the emotional pull that comes from those arpeggiated guitar chords. As a whole, Kaputt is a bold and clever record, and a radical departure from Destroyer’s earlier work. The sonic atmosphere of over-indulgence comes across honestly and palpably. But too often, Kaputt sounds like a record where the project of channeling a mood took precedence over writing the harmonically dense, structurally sophisticated music that is usually essential to Destroyer’s music. With regard to their new album, I was reminded of a poignant lyric from Rubies: “All good things must come to an end/the bad ones just go on forever.” Too often does the luxury turn into lethargy, too often does the music all sound the same–too often does Kaputt, for all its cleverness, just sound like it will go on forever.
6
CHICAGO MAROON | VOICES | February 1, 2011
Style
Chicago Manual of
by Jessen O’Brien
It barely takes a Google search to find hundreds of blogs devoted to fashion. Most fashion blogs seem to fall into one of two categories: Someone posting pictures of their own fabulous outfits or someone commenting on celebrities’ fabulously questionable outfits. Although these can be fun, particularly if you know the fashionista in question or are feeling rather vindictive and need a celebrity target for venting (in the latter case, see GoFugYourself.com), sometimes it’s refreshing to click through a different take on fashion blogging. So here are three blogs for you to peruse and judge at will, blogs that either have an interesting twist on the conventional or present something entirely different. THE SARTORIALIST
Scott Schuman spent years working in the sales and marketing departments for designers like Valentino before opening his own showroom for young designers. In 2001, he closed his showroom and began to focus on photography. Schuman then created The Sartorialist, a blog so successful that Time included it in a list of Top 100 Design Influencers.
At first glance, his blog might seem like typical pictures of people in pretty outfits. But this isn’t exactly the case. First of all, the photos are really, really good. These aren’t clichéd modeling pictures of a twenty-something girl pouting against a brick wall. These are photos of people on the street or personal friends, or behind-the-scenes snapshots of fashion shows. Secondly, Schuman isn’t necessarily interested in pretty outfits. Instead, he sets out to capture the type of images that fashion designers use for inspiration. He’s as likely to post an outfit because he’s intrigued by the draping of a pair of sweatpants as he is because he likes the cut of a shirt. He doesn’t intend for readers to copy the outfits, but instead wants the photos to encourage new ideas. ACADEMIC CHIC
On the other end of the spectrum, Academic Chic is not run by anyone with a history in the fashion industry. Instead, it’s the blog of four self-proclaimed feminist academics. I recommend this blog partly because of its academic focus. Yes, the posters are grad students and consequent-
Three style blogs that stray from tradition
ly face a set of challenges different from those of college students. However, certain rules apply for all facets of academia. Whether you’re 20 or 25, you have the same challenges in creating an interview outfit. Mostly, I recommend this blog because it does a series of photo-fashion tutorials and how-tos in a section called “Taking Notes.” Academic Chic breaks down fashion in clear, academic terms. For example, they explain why certain colors go together by constructing a color wheel and using equilateral triangles. They also combine function and fashion with posts on finding a stylish backpack, one which both looks good and has plenty of pockets to keep all your pens, papers, and Post-its sorted. The tone is slightly quirky, straightforward, and not at all condescending, just like that of the best grad students. TOM & LORENZO
With a URL of projectrungay.blogspot. com, it’s unsurprising that Tom and L orenzo first b egan blogging ab out Project Runway. And then you might guess that their main qualifications are
that they are Fabulous & Opinionated, as their website’s subtitle suggests. As a married couple, Tom and L orenzo tackle fashion, TV, and any combination of the two. Tom and Lorenzo have four kinds of posts. Sometimes they blog about recent ad campaigns or collections. Sometimes, they do “In or Out” posts on various celebrities. Sometimes they follow TV shows. These three types of posts succeed because of the force of their personalities. The pair is snarky, often in disagreement, and always funny. The fourth type of post, the post that really sets them apart, is the combination of fashion and TV. Their episode recaps are insightful, and their taste impeccable. When this results in Mad Style posts, I couldn’t be happier. Mad Style is essentially a fashion analysis of Mad Men. Tom and Lorenzo examine most of the characters through their outfits, pondering how the colors in a shirtdress tie a wife to her home or similar hairdos signal two women as foils for each other. But regardless of the topic, their posts are pretty, smart, interesting, and always entertaining.
Steven Copes
The Fun Corner.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 5 3 PM
Solution for 1/28 puzzle
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Kathryn Greenbank, oboe Steven Copes, violin Ruggero Allifranchini, violin Sabina Thatcher, viola Maiya Papach, viola Edward Arron, cello
Sudoku is provided by Laura Taalman (A.B. '94) and Philip Riley (A.B. '94).
Solution for 1/28 puzzle
Principal players of the world-class chamber orchestra perform Mozart, Brahms, and Britten Britten: Phantasy Quartet Mozart: String Quintet in C major, K. 515 Brahms: String Quintet No. 2 in G major, op. 111
Buy your tickets today! 773.702.8068
Mandel Hall, 1131 East 57th Street chicagopresents.uchicago.edu
$35 / $5 students with valid ID A limited number of FREE student tickets are available through the Arts Pass program; visit chicagopresents.uchicago.edu for details
M Sunda: A Chicago who's who
Check out the Foodents review online at ChicagoMaroon.com/Voices
7
CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | February 1, 2011
WRESTLING
Wells-Qu downplays importance of midseason meets
Maroons falter against stiff competition By Eugene Chong Sports Staff Coming off of a tough loss against Augustana, the Maroons placed 25th of 32 against stiff competition this weekend at the 2011 Wheaton Invitational with a team score of 18.5, against perhaps the stiffest competition. “It is quite possibly the toughest tournament in DIII,” said head coach Leo Kocher. “There were a few Division-II powers at the meet like Indianapolis and Lindenwood. So it was a very tough tournament, with a really good group of D-II schools.” Chicago was also forced to compete without second-year Jim Layton, leaving fourth-year heavyweight Ryan Hatten as the team’s only ranked competitor. “I would say that probably our best wrestler this season has been Jim Layton, but he wasn’t able to wrestle due to illness. I think he’s 18–4 this year, and not having him there is difficult,” said Kocher. “You go into a tournament of the caliber of Wheaton and you like to have your best wrestler. The only seeded wrestler we had was Ryan.” Hatten, seeded sixth in his weight class, went 2–2 at the tournament, beating wrestlers from Indianapolis and Augustana. His two losses, against Case Western Reserve and Mount Union, came by only one point each. “I gave up takedowns late in my two losses that really set me back,” said Hatten. “I need to work on wrestling on the edge and closing out matches.” Coach Kocher added, “Ryan lost 6–5 to Case. Then he lost on a takedown right at the end to Mount Union with about two seconds left. There were very close matches, and I think in most of them Ryan was in control.” Second-year Josh Hotta filled in admirably for Layton, going 2–2 for the tournament while competing in the 157-lb. weight class. “Josh Hotta filled in for Jim, and he collected a fall for us. Every time you get a fall, you add two points to your team total. One of the reasons we finished second at Elmhurst [two weeks ago]
was that we had collected a lot of pin points. The guys, when they had the opportunity, pinned their opponents. Josh’s opponent at Wheaton was a pretty tough guy, but he took the opportunity and pinned him,” said Kocher. Having had nine days to prepare for Wheaton since the previous match against Augustana, Chicago focused on their conditioning. The team now looks forward to the UAA Championships this upcoming weekend. “We just hit the ground running and tried to get into better shape. I think we made some improvements, but, after this weekend, we have a better idea of what we need to do,” said Hatten. “I thought the team wrestled pretty well at Wheaton. We dropped some close matches and made some [errors] in technical areas, but I think that this team is on the right track.” Having won the previous two UA A Championships, Chicago aims to win for a third consecutive year. Still, they expect to face toughcompetition from their conference rivals. “I think that the teams are pretty evenly matched this year. I don’t know if we’re regarded as the favorite, though we might be since we won the last two UAAs,” said Kocher. “The last few years we and NYU have been pretty close. They’ve been second two years in a row and won it three years ago. Case Western has some very strong individuals, but they’ve been struggling to put together some good dual-meet teams. We usually have more strength top-tobottom than most teams. We’re going there to win it.” Hatten, a fourth-year, will be one of Chicago’s wrestlers to watch. He has won the UAA heavyweight championship for three years running, and he hopes to defend his title this year. “I learned not to look past some of my earlier matches in a tournament, and I gleaned some technical things I have to improve upon if I will be competitive with the best,” said Hatten. “I think that the only thing standing in the way of a fourth UAA title is myself. If I show up and wrestle my best, I should bring it home for the team,” said Hatten.
Fourth-year Ashley Eaves leads the pack in the women’s 400-meter dash. She finished first in the race with a time of 1:00.19. DARREN LEOW/MAROON
TRACK AND FIELD continued from front page [without Ray and Murphy],” Scott stated. “But we will still come out on top.” For the men triumphs came in the distance medley relay where the team of second-year Henry Ginna, first-year Ben Theo, first-year John Reece and second-year Bill Whitmore brought it home in 10:39.28. In the 5000-meter, fourth-year Jim Mumford cruised to victory in 15:44. Also noteworthy was second-year Demetrios Brizzolara’s runner-up time in the 200-meter. He finished the race in 22.90, just a hundredth of a second out of first. Distance veterans Andrew Well-Qu and Robert Cooper also went 2–3 in the mile run in 4:23 and 4:27. Wells-Qu was awarded UAA athlete of the week for his nation-leading 800 clip last weekend of 1:53.
Maroons undefeated halfway through conference schedule
Wash U, Chicago tied for third in UAA
W. BASKETBALL continued from back page
M. BASKETBALL continued from back page
Head coach Aaron Roussell said, “I thought our offense really clicked this weekend and we were able to get some easy baskets. This team is really starting to gel and they just complement each other so well.” With another successful home stretch the Maroons are in prime position to achieve a new feat for the women’s basketball program, going undefeated in conference play, but the road only gets more challenging from here. Third-year Bryanne Halfhill, who sees the challenge but isn’t about to back down, said, “We are looking to get better every day and know that since we are the only team in the UAA that’s undefeated we have a huge target on our back. That only means we need to
work even harder in practice and play stronger every game.” At the midpoint of their conference schedule Chicago has seven more games to make it through the season unscarred by their biggest rivals, a feat that if achieved, would have the Maroons in prime playoff position with plenty of momentum, momentum that could push the Maroons to achieving their ultimate goals. Third-year Meghan Herrick said, “We of course will continue to play hard, hopefully winning games, hopefully winning the UAA, and hopefully winning a national championship.” Look for the Maroons to continue towards those goals next Friday, February 4, as they prepare for a rematch against Case.
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remaining in the game, Case’s Austin Fowler scored a crucial lay-up, bringing the Spartan lead to three. McGrath called a well-needed timeout for the Maroons to discuss their last drive. “We ran a play we were familiar with,” McGrath said. As seconds ticked off the clock, the Maroons got the ball into the hands of Tom Williams. The crowd went wild as Williams sunk the three-pointer to tie the game at 57 with 13 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime. “The play went pretty much as executed,” McGrath said. “Case was more concerned about Johnson shooting the three.” In overtime, crucial three -pointers by Stefanou and third-year guard Michael Sustarsic, with the combination of precise free-throw shooting by the Maroons, sealed the victory, defeating the Spartans 71–66. Johnson led the game in scoring with 25 points. “Sometimes it’s more satisfying to get a close win,” Sotos said. Although the dramatic victory on Friday was necessary to keep the Maroons alive in the UAA standings, Sunday’s conference game against Carnegie loomed. The Maroons felt that, although they were pleased with Friday’s performance, Carnegie was another conference threat. “It a whole new game,” Sotos said. “I’ve never bought into the idea that momentum can transfer from Friday to Sunday.” Early on, it seemed as if Sotos was correct. The Maroons, eight minutes into the game, were down 14 points.
“Chewy,” as he is known by his teammates, confirmed the Maroons’ mentality that the midseason invites serve as stepping-stones for the meaningful meets at the end of the season. “It’s import to remember that track has a different focus than other sports,” Wells-Qu stated. “We’re not concerned with how well we do throughout the season, but only with how well we do at the end of the season.” Wells-Qu hopes to peak for the national championships in early March and garner All-American status. Chicago hopes to ride their momentum into next weekend as they travel north to UW-Whitewater. The Maroons hope to continue their improvement at the pre-national invitational. The men will compete in the evening on Friday February 4 and the women the following day, on February 5.
“The energy wasn’t there in the first half,” Sotos said. However, the Maroons slowly regained their composure. The Maroons shot 48 percent from the field and 46 percent from behind the arc. Led by Johnson’s 20 points in the first half, the Maroons saw their deficit dwindle to one point at halftime. “Johnson went bonkers in the first half,” Sotos said. The Maroons brought their first-half momentum into the second half. In spite of impressive shooting during the first half, the Maroons maximized their statistics in the second half of action. The Maroons shot 50 percent from the field and 58 percent from behind the arc. “We have a variety of guys that can shoot the ball well,” McGrath said. “You hope that one or two shooters are doing well in a given game.” More than two shooters did well against Carnegie Mellon, as first-years Derrick Davis and Sam Gage, along with Williams and Johnson, had double-digit scoring performances. Johnson led the game, mirroring Friday’s 25 points as the Maroons cruised to a victory with a score of 86–76. The Maroons’ spectacular performance this past weekend brings them into a tie with Wash U for third place in the UAA standings. Th e y p l a y b o t h C a s e a n d C a r n e g i e Mellon away this weekend, matches in which they hope to mirror the results of this past weekend. “If we can get wins, we can get in the thick of things,” McGrath said. “Everything can change in a weekend.”
SPORTS
IN QUOTES “We need to teach our kids it’s not only the winner of the Super Bowl who should be celebrated, but the winner of the science fair.’’ —President Barack Obama during last Tuesday’s State of the Union address.
TRACK AND FIELD
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Host Maroons rule Chicago Duals
Simpson’s double-doubles keep Chicago perfect in UAA
By Joe Sullivan Sports Staff The hosting Maroons dominated the Chicago Duals track meet this past weekend, both squads going 9–0 in the uniquely scored meet. Though events featured athletes from all 10 competing schools the meet was scored as headto-head competitions between each of the 10 teams. “I really like it,” head coach Chris Hall said about the meet format. “I feel it really measures who the best team competing is, as far as depth in all events. Chicagoland schools, both D-III and D-I, made the trip to Henry Crown Field House on Saturday, but the only squad to push the Maroons was UIC. Chicago downed their cross-town adversary 83–72 and 98–55 on the women’s and men’s sides respectively. Hall was satisfied with the performance, but looks for improvement in the future. “We did not have a great day,” he said, “but the goal was accomplished as we won all the duals,” he said. The women’s victory was highlighted by wins in eight events. In the sprints fourth-year veteran Stephanie Omueti clocked a 27.03 to win the 200-meter, while her classmate Ashley Eaves won the 400-meter in 1:00.19. The women also were victorious in the 4x400-meter relay composed of third-year Kaitlin Swanson, first-year Jennifer Porter, fourth-year Margaret Bujarska, and Omueti (4:11.31). The Lady Maroons owned the distance events with duos of second-year Julia Sizek and third-year Rachel Ohman going 1–2 in the mile in 5:14 and 5:25, respectively, with fourth-year Erin Cary and first-year Kiko Wemmer taking the first two spots of the 5000-meter in 19:51 and 20:18. Third-year Sonia Khan kicked to victory in the 3000-meter (10:49), completing a sweep of the distance events. The most impressive performances for the women came in the field events, where fourth-years Moriah GroomsGarcia and Kristin Constantine won the pole vault and the weight throw respectively. Grooms-Garcia’s vault of 3.40m set a new school pole vault record and Constantine’s heave was an impressive 16.47m, good enough to provisionally qualify her for the D-III national meet. Constantine is upholding the legacy of great Chicago throwing established by recently graduated All-American throwers Nicole Murphy and Claire Ray. Though Murphy and Ray were key scorers for the Maroons last year, fourthyear captain Bianca Scott noted that a number of role players have stepped up to fill in the gaps. “We’re stronger in a lot of other events where we were lacking before, particularly the 400-meter and 800meter,” Scott said. Despite having to rely on more new events for points than last year, the women are poised to defend their UAA title. “UAAs will be quite different this year
TRACK AND FIELD continued on page 7
By Vincente Fernandez Sports Contributor With two more games against conference rivals and two more wins against conference rivals, the University of Chicago women’s basketball team continued its dominance over the UAA this weekend in a convincing fashion, defeating Case (10–7, 4–2) by a score of 81–61 on Friday night and Carnegie (2–16, 0–7) 90–65 on Sunday. The two wins improve the Maroons overall record to 15–3, and allow them to retain a perfect 7–0 in UAA play. Chicago’s offense was simply unstoppable from the moment they hit the hardwood this weekend. Facing off against a trigger-happy Case Western team on Friday, the Maroons never let the contest become much of a shoot-out, controlling the lead and the tempo from the get-go. B e h i n d t h i r d - y e a r Ta y l o r Simpson’s domineering first half, in which she scored 17 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in just 20 minutes, the Maroons did not give the Spartans much breathing room, heading into the locker room on a 14–0 run and with a comfortable 44–20 lead. Simpson went on to finish the game with 23 points and 19 rebounds. Chicago did not let up either, pushing the margin to as much as
27 points at in the evening. Leading the charge were third-year sisters Meghan Herrick, who finished the game with 18 points, and Morgan H e r r i ck , w h o s c o r e d 1 2 . Th e player getting the ball into all of these scorers’ hands was third-year Bryanne Halfhill, who dished out seven assists and added her own 11 points. The Maroons handled their business in other aspects of the game, as well, holding the UAA’s leading scorer Erin Hollinger to just 17 points and the Spartans to 38 percent from the field. The biggest difference in the victory, however, was on the boards as the Maroons dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Spartans 42–24. The team picked up right where it left off on Sunday with the 12thranked Maroons collecting their 11th straight victory in a blow-out over Carnegie. The formula was the same and so was the result. Halfhill ran the show, distributing seven assists and tacking on 15 points and five rebounds. Simpson dominated in the post, scoring a game high 28 and snatching 14 boards, recording her fifth straight double-double, Morgan Herrick shot seven of nine from the field for 17 points, and Meghan Herrick extended her double-digit scoring streak to 13 games with a 12 point performance.
W. BASKETBALL continued on page 7
Fourth-year Karly Kasper shoots a free throw over the weekend. The Maroons are now ranked 12th in the nation. JEREMY ZIRING/MAROON
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Chicago wins two against Carnegie, Case By Alexander Sotiropoulos Sports Staff Coming off a three-game losing streak, the men’s basketball team pulled off two conference victories in front of the dynamic home crowd. The Maroons defeated
Case, in dramatic fashion, 71–66 in overtime on Friday, and they rattled Carnegie off the court on Sunday with a score of 86–76. They improved their record to 4–3 in the UAA and 7–11 overall. Going into Friday’s game, the Maroons focused on aggressive
low-post positioning from their big men. “Case is a really big team,” third-year guard Tommy Sotos said. “We needed to keep them from getting too many offensive rebounds.” The Maroons were able to do
Third-year Michael Sustarsic drives down the lane against Case. Sustaric had four assists and two steals in the game. DARREN LEOW/MAROON
just that. By allowing only three offensive rebounds to Case in the first half, the Maroons never let the game go out of hand. The most Case led by was three points, whereas the most the Maroons led by was four points. Considering the tightness of the match, the Maroons needed to retain their focus. “The plan was to take it possession by possession,” Sotos said. Going into halftime, the Maroons led the Spartans 25–24. Head coach Mike McGrath urged his players to maintain the drive and determination they exhibited in the first half. “ We d i d n ’ t h a v e a n y m a j o r adjustments,” McGrath said. “I just reminded [the team] about the little things they need to pay attention to.” The second half was just as close as the first. Despite impressive double-digit scoring performances in the match by third-year forward Steve Stefanou, third-year forward Tom Williams, and thirdyear guard Matt Johnson, Case contained the Maroons throughout the second half, causing 13 lead changes. With just under 30 seconds
M. BASKETBALL continued on page 7