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MAROON The student newspaper of the University of Chicago since 1892
Accepted Take a deeper look at the U of C's admissions trends over the years
News, page 2
TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2011 • VOLUME 122, ISSUE 36 • CHICAGOMAROON.COM
ADMISSIONS
STUDENT LIFE
Admission rate falls
SASA stomps up Mandel Hall
U of C's acceptance rate over the past two years dropped faster than all other universities By Sam Levine News Staff A record low 15.8 percent of applicants were offered a place in the College's Class of 2015, down 3 percentage points from last year, and nearly half of the acceptance rate four years ago. The declining acceptance rate at the U of C falls into a trend of increased selectivity across the nation, as schools have received a flood of applications, which strongly correlates with wider access to the Common Application, increased financial aid, and stronger efforts by admissions offices to attract students. This year, the College received 21,774 applications, a 12 percent increase from last year. Over the last two years, the College has seen a 54 percent increase in applicants, the largest spike in the country. “There are students in parts of the country like the South and California who might not have known about the University of Chicago, who are hearing about the University of Chicago for the fi rst time,” University spokesperson Jeremy Manier said. He added that the expansion of study abroad opportunities, as well as the opportunity to experience Chicago through the Chicago Studies program, has also attracted more applicants. Among its Midwestern peers, the U of C's acceptance rate for the Class of 2015 is slightly above
that of Washington University in St. Louis (15.4 percent), but lower than that of Northwestern (18 percent). This year, the five most selective American universities were Harvard (6.2 percent), Columbia University (6.9 percent), Stanford (7.1 percent), Yale (7.4 percent), and Princeton (8.4 percent). While the College’s acceptance rate is more than double that of some of the nation’s most selective institutions, no school has experienced a more rapid decline in admissions rates than the U of C. While Harvard’s Class of 2015 will have an acceptance rate 1 percentage point lower than their incoming seniors, the U of C's Class of 2015 will have an acceptance rate 22 percentage points lower than the Class of 2012. Manier said he did not think it was fruitful to compare U of C acceptance rates to those of other schools and declined to project what future acceptance rates may look like. “The standard for any institution has to be what you’re doing to best serve students,” Manier said. “Comparing numbers implies that there is a universal standard, which there isn’t.” As the College has become more selective, the percentage of students who matriculate at the University has increased. Last year, while the College’s acceptance rate declined by approximately 8 percent, the yield of students who chose to
ADMISSIONS continued on page 2
F
ourth-years Anish Patel (left) and Neerja Joshi (center) lead SASA's Raas dancers at Mandel Hall Saturday. The group, which performed the longest piece, recently placed first in an Iowa competition.
MICHELLE YEO/MAROON
STUDY ABROAD
Explosion shakes Jerusalem study abroad U of C Jerusalem program continues and students safe after scare on day one By Jonathan Lai Associate News Editor Following a March 23 bus bombing in Jerusalem that left one person dead and dozens wounded, the U of C study abroad program remains largely unaffected, though the University has issued stricter guide-
lines for its students. Students arrived at Hebrew University’s Scopus Student Village the day the bomb went off, and according to third-year Michelle Boyd, the explosion was far enough away to go unheard. However, word traveled fast. “I could hear all the sirens and
helicopters … then I got this text message in all caps from Hebrew University’s alert system, and less than ten minutes later Ori [Program Assistant Ori Yehudai] started calling us individually,” Boyd said. Ye h u d a i a s k e d t h e s t u d e n t s to stay in their dorms until they
JERUSALEM continued on page 2
ADMINISTRATION
CAMPUS LIFE
Molecular Engineering Director named
Students to sculpt events for Smart Museum
Matthew Tirrell in front of the Crerar Quadrangle. He will be the founding director of the Institute for Molecular Engineering starting July 1. PHOTO COURTESY OF LLOYD DEGRANE
By Harunobu Coryne Associate News Editor University scientists and faculty have chosen a leader for the University’s first major foray into the field of engineering as the
founding director of the Institute for Molecular Engineering (IME). A joint committee of scientists and faculty from the University and the Department of Energy’s Argonne National L ab oratory unanimously voted in Matthew
Tirrell, currently the chair at the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California Berkeley. Ti r r e l l w i l l b e g i n h i s n e w position July 1, months before construction begins on the $215 million William Eckhardt Research Center that will house the Institute. “We were considering candidates from Europe, from anywhere around the world,” said Margaret Gardel, a professor in the physics department who sat on the nine-person search committee that formed last May. “We were looking at people who had demonstrated leadership in building organizations.” Gardel added that Tirrell’s success as Dean of Engineering at the University of California Santa Barbara, as well as his pioneering research on polymer physics in the 1990s, showed that he was a strong fit to lead the University’s
TIRRELL continued on page 2
By Ben Pokross News Staff Aiming to add campus input and involvement, the Smart Museum of Art is enlisting students to coordinate events and encourage their peers to take that short walk from the Regenstein Library to the corner of Greenwood and 56th. According to C. J. Lind, the museum’s Public Relations and Marketing Manager, the Student Advisory Committee will start planning more quarterly events similar in nature to Study at the Smart that will target the University student community. “In the past there used to be concerts where there were student music groups,” said Lind, who envisions the Student Advisory Board incorporating the museum space into student life to a greater extent. “Study at the Smart was
really successful and the type of program that we’re looking to expand upon.” Though the Smart Museum became a separate segment of the U of C almost three decades ago, it began as a part of the University of Chicago’s Art History department and has maintained a close affiliation with the University since becoming a public museum, according to Lind. “Our mission is driven by our academic connections, by our relationship with the University,” Lind said. “We really want to get student input.” Th e C o m m i t t e e a s a w h o l e will meet once a quarter to plan new programs, Lind said. He also noted that ad hoc groups drawn from the larger committee might meet more often to flesh out the details of particular events. Third-year Marie Whittaker
SMART continued on page 2
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CHICAGO MAROON | NEWS | April 5, 2011
ARCHITECTURE
Prospective student: University of Chicago admissions separates the wheat from the chaff ADMISSIONS continued from front page attend increased by 3 percent. Manier said that the yield was expected to increase from last year’s 39 percent, although he said it was difficult to predict by how much the number would grow. He added that while the yield would increase, class size would not. Gavin Schiffres, a senior at Packer Collegiate Institute in New York City who was accepted through Early Action, said that the U of C’s low acceptance rate helped him convince his parents to let him apply. “Admission rates reflect a certain selectivity about a school,” Schiffres said. “I wanted to go to a school where they separated the wheat from the chaff, and at Chicago I knew I wouldn’t be the smartest person in the room.”
Schiffres said that he was persuaded to apply to the U of C after an information session at his school. Once he was accepted, Schiffres received a handwritten note from his admissions counselor quoting lines from his application that he enjoyed. Schiffres said that all his friends who had been accepted to Chicago also received personal notes with their acceptances. While the declining acceptance rate indicates a more selective admissions climate, Manier said he did not believe that the University’s success could be measured by how many students it admitted. “The best measure of our success is how enthusiastic students are about the University of Chicago,” Manier said. “And that’s something that we’re seeing.”
Steep drop in acceptance rate follows skyrocketing applications Applicants Admitted
Total Applicants
21,669 19,370 13,600 12,418 10,408
Class of
Percent Admitted
2015
15.6
2014
18.4
2013
26.8
2012
27.8
2011
34.9
Math-Stat fire deemed accidental By Jonathan Lai Associate News Editor The Chicago Police Department Bomb & Arson Unit’s investigation of the October 26 fire at the Statistics and Mathematics building determined that the fire was accidental, thought it did not rule out negligence as a possible cause. Though the investigation was inconclusive, the case was shut due to its accidental and non-criminal nature, according to documents filed the next day by the Chicago Police Department (CPD). The fire started at the first floor entrance doorway, the report reads. According to detective Dean Graves, a fire official said construction workers had been welding earlier that day at the southwest entrance inside the doorway. The official speculated that “a possible ember spark got inside the wood and smoldered until a flame developed,” according to the report, and then “fire caught onto the middle staircase and moved upward to the second/third floors venting through the roof.” The released documents also provide more details on the minor injuries sustained by firefighter Mark Managan, who was taken to the University of Chicago Medical
Study abroad safety guidelines tightened as tensions escalate in Jerusalem JERUSALEM continued from front page
Director of new Institute for Molecular Engineering brings "path from science to society" from California to Chicago TIRRELL continued from front page venture into molecular engineering. “He really was a complete package, both in terms of his innovative research and in his capacity to lead at the university level,” she said. Tirrell has spoken about the social benefits of molecular engineering, a field that he considers to be “the path from science to society.” “I envision the Institute for Molecular Engineering to be what I’d like to call a translational kind of institute that is operating right at the forefront of modern science and is able to use all of the tools of modern science, but translating those tools into agents to attack engineering problems in society,” Tirrell said in a March 7 press release. Currently, the University has no engineering program at either the undergraduate or graduate levels. However, after the Institute becomes operational in 2015, it may seed a new department for undergraduate study, according to President Robert Zimmer. “Ultimately, this has the potential to attract undergrads who have engineering interests,” University spokesman Jeremy Manier said. “[The Institute] contributes to the diversity of the University, obviously,
but it’s also something that contributes to the research environment.” Tirrell is also excited about the prospect of undergraduates taking advantage of the Institute’s offerings. “Students, as much as they’re interested in depth and fundamentals, are also extremely eager to have that favorable impact on society,” he said. According to Gardel, molecular engineering is considered to be an emerging field with vast, untapped potential for applications in a variety of industries, including health care, electronics, and energy. Working on a molecular scale, scientists can create and manipulate materials that might allow for technologies that previously only occupied the realm of science fiction, such as nanoparticles that can circulate inside the human body, detecting ailments that otherwise would be undetectable. University administrators introduced the possibility of a molecular engineering program in 2007, and a series of internal and external committees discussed the issue over the course of the next three y e a r s . Th e C o u n c i l o f t h e U n i v e r s i t y Senate voted in favor of establishing the program, and the Board of Trustees provided the final go-ahead in 2010. The Institute is slated to open in 2015.
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Center’s emergency room. Managan “suffered trauma to head, neck and shoulders from a portion of the construction chain link fence being blown by the gusting wind onto his head,” the report reads. Managan was subsequently discharged from the hospital in stable condition. Th e c o n s t r u c t i o n o n t h e b u i l d i n g stemmed from renovations to create a space for its future role as the Stevanovich Center for Financial Mathematics. The work has been ongoing since last summer and has since resumed progress. The continued construction also hindered the investigation, according to the report. Graves’ “was unable to gain access to the structure to conduct an origin and cause investigation due to a chain link construction fence surrounding and securing the building,” according to his report. The investigation was ultimately closed without conclusive results. “The [reporting detective] was unable to rule out careless workmen welding on the first floor causing an ember to lodge into the wooden framework and smolder. Based on the above investigation, the [reporting detective] believes this to be an accidental fire and recommend[s] this case be closed non-criminal,” the report reads.
received further notice. He also suggested they contact their families to confirm their safety. But half an hour later, administrators emailed parents with the new guidelines and assured them that all students were safe, Boyd said. The new guidelines carry stronger language on traveling around the city: in an April 2 email to students, to On-Site Program Coordinator Ariane Weisel strongly recommended that students not ride on public transportation, that they travel “with at least one other person when leaving the area of campus and the dorms,” and that they not travel to the West Bank “under any circumstances.” Since the bombing occurred the day before classes were set to begin, Yehudai updated students on the program’s status at orientation and told them to direct any further concerns either to him or Weisel. Boyd said that administrators offered assistance if students wished to return to Chicago, but that they did not specifically advise leaving the program. “If we or our families were uncomfortable, the University [said they] would help with the arrangements to go back and do our quarter in Chicago,” Boyd said.
According to Boyd, one student left Jerusalem, bringing the total number of students to 21. Despite the new travel regulations, the rest of the program remains largely the same. On March 31, the Study Abroad office issued an online statement, assuring the University community that while classes will continue as scheduled, student “excursions have been modified as deemed prudent.” Boyd said she was surprised by the response to the bombing. “We [in the Study Abroad program] were shocked, and everyone else was defi nitely also shocked and scared, but it was surprising how life moved on,” she said. “Classes at Hebrew University kept going that day, as far as I know, and it was just weird that life didn’t just stop.” Th e b o m b i n g w a s t h e w o r s t a t t a ck in Jerusalem in four years, according to the March 2 3 New York Times article “Jerusalem Blasts Raises Fears of Growing Violence.” One woman died from a chest injury sustained in the attack, and 24 were wounded. The attack came at a time of escalating tensions between Israel and Palestine, including increased exchanges of air strikes and rocket attacks.
Advisory Committee will increase student activity at the Smart Museum SMART continued from front page applied for a position on the committee, attracted by the board’s mission of forming a bond between the museum and the University community. “Anything that would bring students to the Smart Museum would be good,” she said, pointing out that some students don’t know the location of the museum, or have never visited it. The museum currently employs about 80 students in various positions, including baristas, gallery attendants, and business and curatorial interns. Still, even students
already working for the museum were notified about the new positions with the rest of University community. Though she currently serves as a business office intern, Whittaker applied with the rest of the applicant pool. “They’re just bringing everyone in fresh,” she said. According to Lind, the museum has received around 20 applications so far and is planning to select six to twelve students. The first meeting is slated for this quarter, with the first board-planned event scheduled for the beginning of the next academic year.
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VIEWPOINTS
EDITORIAL & OP-ED APRIL 5, 2011
EDITORIAL
CHICAGO MAROON
The student newspaper of the University of Chicago since 1892
ADAM JANOFSKY, Editor-in-Chief CAMILLE VAN HORNE, Managing Editor AMY MYERS, News Editor CHRISTINA PILLSBURY, News Editor PETER IANAKIEV, Viewpoints Editor ALISON HOWARD, Viewpoints Editor JORDAN LARSON, Voices 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 DARREN LEOW, Photo Editor LLOYD LEE, Photo Editor IVY PEREZ, Head Designer ABRAHAM NEBEN, Web Editor KEVIN WANG, Web Editor HARUNOBU CORYNE, Assoc. News Editor JONATHAN LAI, Assoc. News Editor SHARAN SHETTY, Assoc. Viewpoints Editor ILIYA GUTIN, Assoc. Voices Editor CHARNA ALBERT, Assoc. Voices Editor VINCENT McGILL, Delivery Coordinator HAYLEY LAMBERSON, Ed. Board Member DOUGLAS EVERSON, Designer ANDREW GREEN, Designer ALYSSA LAWTHER, Designer ALYSSA MARTIN, Designer VINCENT YU, Designer SABINA BREMNER, Artist AMISHI BAJAJ, Copy Editor 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 ANNA AKERS-PECHT, Copy Editor ALEX WARBURTON, Copy Editor BELLA WU, Copy Editor LILY YE, Copy Editor MICHELLE LEE, Copy Editor MERU BHANOT, Copy Editor JULIA PEI, Copy Editor The CHICAGO MAROON is published twice weekly during autumn, winter, and spring quarters. Circulation: 6,500
Walk the campaign trail The best way to improve student government is to get involved It’s that time of year again: Today marks the deadline for all petitions to run for slate, undergraduate liaison, and class representative in the upcoming Student Government (SG) elections. After petitions are submitted, candidates will have two weeks to campaign before voting begins on April 19. Sidewalks will be chalked, posters will be pinned and spread across dining hall tables, and, for a frenzied few days, candidate platforms will be highly publicized. However, elections usually induce more sighs and shrugs than energy and excitement. For a student body that calls for more effective representation throughout the year, response during election week is characterized by nonchalant resignation. The various requests muttered in dorms and coffeeshops—more speakers on campus,
more engaging social life, more student input on dining options—are seldom articulated in the one arena specifically designed to address them. It has come to the point where both running for and caring about student government are stigmatized. The upcoming election is an opportunity for students to rise out of apathy and express the issues that they want to be heard. Attending debates, taking the time to read candidate statements, and actively researching viable solutions to campus problems should be expected and encouraged, not scoffed at. If students fail to do these things, they shouldn’t be surprised when results don’t meet expectations. SG is, naturally, chosen by the student body; as a result, when students don’t care, bad student government becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Lackluster representatives are often the result of lackluster participation. When students fail to take an active interest in SG, the outcome is clear. SG positions are reduced to résumé fodder for ambitious candidates who subsequently face no pressure to live up to their promises of improving campus life. Fortunately, there are plenty of avenues by which students can affect the election process and prevent this from happening: Sharing grievances, helping the campaigns of preferred candidates, and making sure friends are informed are all effective ways of bringing out the best in SG candidates and improving accountability. And if none of these options sound appealing, the solution is even simpler: Run. Thirty signatures are all that stand between you and the chance to implement your vision of a better U of C
experience. There is virtually nothing to lose by running; the downsides of defeat pale in comparison to the positive effects competition and increased dialogue will have on the election. In the past year, we’ve had a student government that has laid a foundation for better representation in the future by increasing student forums and improving administrative transparency. If we want future representatives to build on their success, we mustn’t succumb to the apathy, cynicism, and disinterest that have so often characterized the election process. We must remind ourselves that change begins and ends with us.
only that, but the operation would be swift and easy because the U.S. had the superior military capability to make it so. Another similarity between the conflict in Iraq and the current Libyan war is the lack of coherent goals for the future of the country. With the absence of tangible goals and piecemeal international support, the United States should refrain from deeper military involvement in the Libyan Civil War or run the risk of shouldering the lion’s share of the burden in a potentially protracted conflict. The first problem the United
States faces in Libya is the combination of lofty ambitions and modest military means. Currently, the U.S. has stated that its goals are to ensure the survival of Libyan civilians and anti-government opposition and secondly, to assist in the ousting of Col. Qaddafi. It has been agreed by NATO and the Arab League that the best way to achieve the first goal is to institute a no-fly zone over Libya. A no-fly zone, it is argued, would impede the use of air power against civilians and rebels and would greatly balance
The Editorial Board consists of the Editor-in-Chief, Viewpoints Editors, and an additional editorial board member.
OP-ED
Getting real about Libya American national interest should be of primary interest when debating Libyan intervention By Adam Ahmad Viewpoints Contributor On the anniversary of the Second Gulf War, the United States elbowed its way into yet another conflict in the Muslim world. Proponents of intervention in Libya argue that the U.S. possesses not only the military capability to balance the conflict between Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s forces and the rebels, but that it has a moral imperative to do so as well. They claim that the United States cannot idly sit by and watch a tyrannical dictator “slaughter” his own citizens and commit “genocide”
against those calling for freedom. They argue also that it is paramount that the West be on the right side of history in this struggle in order to improve its standing in the Middle East and in North Africa. Th i s a r g u m e n t m a y r e m i n d some of the similar reasoning that resonated throughout Washington during the run-up to the second war with Iraq in 2003. Liberal interventionists and hawkish foreign policy wonks insisted that the United States was endowed with the moral impetus to remove Saddam Hussein and lib erate the Iraqi people. Not
LIBYA continued on page 5
The opinions expressed in the Viewpoints section are not necessarily those of the MAROON.
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By Emily Wang Viewpoints Columnist When the temperature rises above 5 0 degrees, it suddenly seems as though the student b ody has doubled in numb er. It’s a phenomenon witnessed on most campuses, but particularly at the U of C, where the infamously brutal winter never ends. Until, miraculously, it does. Students, pale and withdrawn,
suddenly find new color in their complexions and newfound energy in their expressions. Spring quarter, as the common sentiment suggests, means better weather, friendlier faces, and lighter schedules. Right? Well, that remains to be seen. As the third quarter of my first year begins, I wonder what my goals for this final quarter are. I realize I, like many others, have psychologically paired winter with work and spring with, well, restoring my sanity. A reawakening, if you will. My goals, then, accurately reflect this: meet new people (an activity precluded by my hermetic winter Reg habitation), go to the gym (the walk to Ratner will finally cease to be an
icy trek), and most importantly, take all the classes that I believe will begin to shape my future path at the University (a.k.a. my first non-Core classes). The first two: very doable, if I commit. The latter? That’s a little more complicated. I wanted to, for example, take four classes, only one of which is part of my Core requirement. The other three were either classes I wanted to take to explore my potential major, or ones I wanted to take simply for my interest in the subject. The problem, though, is whether or not taking a full course load would mean sacrificing my other two goals. Did I really have time to take three reading-intensive classes, another class that meets five times a week,
work out regularly, and show my face to the world every once and a while? The answer, I realized, was no. I had to take into account factors like RSOs, the unfortunate location of my dorm relative to the gym, the additional time needed to not only meet new people but also to cultivate those friendships, and my powerful—and still unfulfilled—hope to forge a stronger connection to the city itself. Hesitantly, I dropped a class, but the specter of my tuition money loomed over me, inducing intermittent pangs of guilt. The whole decision-making process, though it led me to what I believe is the right choice, was accompanied by a large degree of anxiety,
SPRING continued on page 5
CHICAGO MAROON
| VIEWPOINTS | April 5, 2011
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United States shoulders a disproportionate share of the cost of intervention LIBYA continued from page 4 the terms of future engagements between pro and anti-government forces. However, a no-fly zone, in actuality, will do little to accomplish this. Col. Qaddafi’s forces are ground-based, consisting of tanks and a mixture of armed mercenaries and loyalist soldiers. These are the forces doing the killing. While a no-fly zone will minimize casualties, it doesn’t stop the bulk of the threat posed to the civilians and rebels. The second and loftier goal is regime change by forcing Col. Qaddafi out of power. Currently, the only way to achieve this is to arm the rebels in the hope that they stand a better chance against the pro-government forces. This scenario is dangerously similar to the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan in the 1980s. Arming tribes that we know little to nothing about would more than likely spark another civil war within Libya. “Rebels” are not simply com-
prised of a monolithic tribe, but represent a cross-section of all Libyan peoples. Arming them with hopes to topple Qaddafi would only make them more eager to fight an internecine war once the dictator has been vanquished. Similarly, there is no guarantee that a pro-American group will emerge to assume power in the aftermath. Another problem with this approach is that there is no guarantee that it would work and, more importantly, it is a minimalist strategy at best. Regime change requires foreign boots on the ground with superior military capabilities to roll back pro-government forces to Tripoli. This is an option the U.S. refuses to undertake, and rightly so. However, without willingness to do what is necessary, how on earth does the U.S. plan on achieving its ambiguous goals? One could argue that the reason why there are no clearly defined goals or means of achieving them in the first place
is because there simply is no vital U.S. interest worth fighting and dying for in Libya. The current civil war in North Africa is more of an interest to European countries such as Ireland, Italy, France, and Britain—the consumers of Libyan oil. Similarly, Egypt’s military receives $1.6 billion annually to maintain an adequate military force. Cairo should be playing a larger role in the Libyan theater. Instead of the U.S. shouldering the burden of this conflict, why not pass the buck and allow the Europeans and other Arab states to assume their geo-strategic responsibilities? Washington could still provide logistical and intelligence support to our allies in this project. However, since America is already overstretched in two wars in the periphery, a third war would further compromise our vital national interests. The international community is right to intervene in the Libyan conflict. However,
the argument that the U.S. must enter to strengthen its image in the Arab world does not hold water. Regardless of what some may think, the Arab world still does not want U.S. or NATO forces in the Middle East, nor do they want to be perceived as being beholden to Washington. Moreover, for those howling that U.S. military intervention is morally just, try applying some of that morality to our own country. Those tomahawk missiles cost a hefty sum at a time when the U.S. is significantly cash strapped. During the Cold War, George Kennan advocated for a moratorium on military intervention unless it was needed to protect essential American interests. It would be wise for current U.S. policymakers to learn from history and follow suit. Adam Ahmad is a graduate student in international relations.
Spring reveals that a college education can be more than just taking classes SPRING continued from page 4 the same sort of anxiety I watched my peers experience as they tried to figure out what classes to take in the frenzied period known as Add/Drop. Some students attend as many as six or seven classes in a hectic two days to try to determine those three or four official slots. Major reading assignments—and some times even written assignments—are due as early as the second day of class, which forces students to commit before they’ve even gotten a feel for the class. It’s frustrating for many students to have to make such important decisions in such a small window of time, which is what Add/Drop necessitates.
How can some of these time limitationinduced anxieties be reduced? Extending Add/ Drop to create a period similar to other institutions’ “Shopping Periods” is structurally impossible due to the quarter system. It would be helpful, though, if professors limited the workload for the first few classes before fully diving into the course load, or possibly made sure the syllabus was available for students to view before the first day of class. Even small changes like these would make a big difference. Another way to reduce stress, though, relies not on structural changes or the decisions of professors, but on changing our attitudes about course loads. The system
allows you to drop classes as late as the third week of class if it’s not working out, but this is assuming you’re comfortable taking only three classes, and many people simply aren’t—I’ve had several friends contend that doing so would be wasting their tuition money and not making the most of their time here. Taking three classes often comes with the stigma of being a slacker or, in our future-obsessed college culture, of being shortsighted. But many people forget that college isn’t necessarily about accumulating or possessing knowledge, but being initiated into the world of knowledge; this consists not only of taking classes but using the critical thinking skills developed in those
classes to explore the world beyond Hyde Park. Scholarship isn’t confined to the classroom. Seeing plays downtown, biking (or tandem-biking!) with friends on breezy weekend afternoons, and tasting the culinary delights of world-class restaurants are just as valuable to the college experience as taking that extra course. So, for those students facing similar dilemmas, are lighter schedules and less stress realities for spring quarter? They can be, if we realize that fewer classes don’t necessarily result in an intellectual letdown. Emily Wang is a first-year in the College.
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VOICES
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 5, 2011
THEATER
MUSIC
SASA Night Live
Gimme Some gets personal By Yasmeen Hussain Voices Chart Topper
F
irst-years Maya Kailas, Sunameeka Panigraphy and fourth-year Neeria Joshi (left to right) perform the classical indian dances Odissi and Bharathanatyam at the South Asian Student Association's (SASA) annual cultural show. This year's show, "SASA Night Live," blended traditional performances with more modern and humorous skits. DARREN LEOW/MAROON
MUSIC
The Pains are crushed under the weight of the ’80s By Bradford Cox Voices Copy Cat It is perhaps every musical act’s ambition to leave its original mark on the world of music. Yet it is nearly impossible to avoid the influence of yesterday’s musical giants and be wholly original. Creating music that leaves an impact on listeners and persists on radio stations for decades happens when you throw your own take into the mix and make every one of your influences sound brand new. Dylan played folk through an amp, Zeppelin took the hooks and riffs of blues and turned them into a hard rock revolution, and U2 shaped ‘80s riffs into stadium anthem gold with guitar pedals and North Irish politics. With 2011’s Belong, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart explore their influences, ranging from The Cure to R.E.M. to My Bloody Valentine. Some of the Pains’ t r a ck s a r e p u r e l y o r i g i n a l , t a k i n g t h e sappy lyrics and delayed guitars of their influences to an unexplored level. Yet most of Belong finds The Pains regurgitating the hooks and elements of their lo-fi alt-rock ‘80s counterparts without delivering the s ame sort of ingenious kick. The album leads strongly enough with its title track, “Belong,” one that melds a solid indie song structure with melancholy vocals and heavy guitars reminiscent of Smashing Pumpkins. The track is uplifting in its energetic delivery and major tonality,
COURTESY OF SLUMBERLAND RECORDS
and is certainly a well-selected opener and album namesake. Then the mood shifts, and Belong starts to sound a little too familiar. The energy leaks and The Pains’ influences become exceedingly apparent. The ‘80s are a constant presence on the album, especially in the mellow ballad elements of “Anne with an E,” “Even in Dreams,” and “My Terrible Friend.” This becomes even more obvious when influences from specific bands can be heard. The guitar riffs and breathy vocals of The Cure appear on tracks like the sappy “Heaven’s Gonna Happen Now,” and “The Body” features the anthem vibes reminiscent of The Killers, a band also known for its ’80s sounds. After spending much of the album trying to figure out who The Pains sound like rather than just listening to The Pains, the
listener begins to hear more originality in the album’s later tracks. “Girl of 1000 Dreams” and “Too Tough” still evoke bands like R.E.M. and We Are Scientists, but there’s something new there. The energy that dissipated following the opener is back with new terrain to cover, and the tracks serve nicely to build to the finale. The Pains seem to finally find their sound right as the album is ending with “Strange.” The song is much more purposeful and well-crafted than most of the others on the album. As delayed guitars spiral in the soundscape behind those breathy vocals and driving drums, it’s easy to imagine the credits rolling on the best John Hughes movie never made. In the album’s closer, The Pains manage to bring all of their favorite influences to the table while pitching them in a way that you’re sure you’ve never heard before. There is no doubt that with Belong, The Pains deliver an honest and whole-hearted album. Their love for music and its creation is clear as it rings apparent on the album’s stronger tracks. But their unique voice, the distinguishing element that would jerk them from the abyss of indie obscurity, is clouded by their reliance on familiar ’80s and alt-rock elements. All in all, Belong makes for a relaxing and enjoyable work of indie-pop. But if you’re looking for the same innovation that those ‘80s giants brought to rock music thirty years ago, you might want to consider looking elsewhere.
Peter Bjorn and John will probably always live in the shadow of their 2006 hit “Young Folks.” The song’s melody, along with the mellow vocals and seemingly indifferent yet powerful lyrics, made it one magnetic song, topping charts and appearing in numerous commercials and television shows. The band has now released Gimme Some, its third album since then, but we’re still waiting for another “Young Folks.” Still, it’s important to remember that there’s more to Peter Bjorn and John than the song that was featured in everything from Gossip Girl to European commercials. Every aspect of Gimme Some seems authentic, and much of the album is just fun. Some songs, like “Tomorrow Has to Wait,” are upbeat and fast, drawing in some of the whistling techniques that have made this band so famous. Yet the trio is talented enough to turn around and make an almost purely punk song, like “Black Book.” In contrast, the long guitar solo in “Eyes” makes it clear that the song is more light-hearted and fun than deep and thought-provoking. Yet no matter how diverse the songs become, they never lose their ability to captivate the audience’s emotions, an essential part of every great album. In addition to the instrumentation, the vocals are a constant strength throughout the album. Lead vocalist Peter Morén has a distinct and recognizable voice that distinguishes Peter Bjorn and John from other bands. The vocals seem raw—they aren’t watered down, drowned out, or otherwise made to sound different from the artists’ actual voices. When performing live, Peter Bjorn and John sound just as great as on their recorded album. While Gimme Some has most of the key elements that make a rock album great, some may find the lyrics lacking. There’s no doubt that lyrics are usually one of the most important components of a song. While the beat and rhythm draw you in, the lyrics keep you connected to the artist. However, Gimme Some is one of those rare albums that succeeds despite its lack of meaningful lyrics. In this case, the absence of substantive lyrics gives way to great rock music. And that is what this album has—awesome guitar riffs, a flowing rhythm from one track to another, and distinctive vocals. The vague lyrics also allow for freedom of interpretation, giving the audience a more personal listening experience. And with the diversity of lyrics, beats, and rhythm in Gimme Some, it’s likely that any listener could find a song they can connect with. There are some great songs in Peter Bjorn and John’s new album, but nothing catchy enough to earn them another international hit. But does it matter? While Peter Bjorn and John may never make another hit like “Young Folks,” listeners shouldn’t pass judgment on Gimme Some without listening. For those music lovers in search of a great album to listen to while reading, muddling through homework, or chilling with friends, Gimme Some is an album worth digging into.
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7
CHICAGO MAROON | VOICES | April 5, 2011
Twenty Minutes Still You don’t have to be a pretzel. Twenty minutes at ROCKEFELLER each morning, 8 am. Mondays — Meditation with Zen practitioner Annie Markovich Tuesdays — Mindfulness meditation with Ginger Carr Wednesdays — Restorative yoga with Meredith Haggerty, gentle stretches and poses, with optional neck massage following Thursdays — Meditation and chant with Elizabeth Davenport Fridays — Ananda meditation with Christian Williams
EXHILARATING, AUDACIOUS AND BOLDLY ORIGINAL! A non-stop thrill! Fast-paced “
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CHICAGO MAROON | VOICES | April 5, 2011
Burt's Place can be your place, too Our trip to Morton Grove, Illinois was really great! On Saturday, we and our friends went to a pizzeria. It was far away. It was outside of Chicago, in a suburb called Morton Grove, Illinois. This pizza place is really, really famous because it is so great and maybe the best pizza place in the world. Burt’s Place is what the pizza place is called. It is named after the owner, whose name is Burt. We left at 6:50 and got into a car. Our friends, Paul, Thomas, and Jason went with us, because Paul, Thomas, and Jason are big kids with a car and we are little kids, but they like pizza anyways! When we got in the car, Jason put on the radio because he loves rock ‘n’ roll music. Paul was mad because Paul likes soul music. Tom was too, because Tom likes jazz fusion. But we were all happy because we knew we were about to eat the best pizza ever, and we don’t get bored like big kids do. Eating at Burt’s Place is hard. You have to order the pizza before you even go the pizzeria! How weird is that? Well, we think it’s pretty weird! We had to call in our order four hours before we even got into the restaurant! It’s because they’re so famous. They’re always busy. We couldn’t even eat inside! We ordered a 14-inch deep dish pan pizza
that had cheese, tomato sauce, peppers, sausage, and spinach. One side of the pizza had peppers and spinach, and another side of the pizza had sausage and peppers. The woman on the phone was very scared. She didn’t know what to do when we ordered. She should probably not have been a pizza person because she would have been better at being a doctor, lawyer, or preacher with a voice and because of the general effect that she had. But it was okay because we still got our pizza and our pizza was great!
BURT'S PLACE 8541 Ferris Avenue Morton Grove, IL
FOODENTS RATING: (8,2)*
Morton Grove, Illinois is a pretty suburb north of Chicago and next to Skokie, Illinois, which is where you can buy the tastiest bagels in the world! They’re even better than the bagels in New York City, New York, but don’t say that to our mom! Morton Grove has a big street in the middle of it where there are lots of restaurants and stores. There were even two CVS stores! To get to Burt’s place, you have to go on a
small street off the big street, and the restaurant is right on your left. It looks like a house from the outside. When the big kids let us out of the backseat, we walked to the restaurant fast. Luckily for the big kids, there was a lot of parking! We went inside and told them that we had ordered a pizza. The restaurant is tiny! It’s like the size of the bathroom we use at school (three urinals, two toilets, three sinks, one window, one door, two automatic faucets!) So, all of us had to stand packed up in the little room between the street and the restaurant. But it was okay, because we don’t get bored or hate to be touched like big kids do. But the man, (we think it was Burt!!) came with our pre-ordered pizza pie. He talked fast like a taxi driver and we knew he had a lot of selfesteem. The pizza is pretty cheap too! Only 18 dollars for a mucho grande pizza pie! (and mucho tasty too!) Because the restaurant was so small, we couldn’t eat inside. We had to go back to the big kids car, which is a black Honda (zoom, zoom, zoom!) and little kids can’t touch anything inside or they might break something. When we got in, the car started to steam up immediately. This pizza was hot! Fresh out of the oven! It was hard to
eat, because we had to split it up, and this pizza is not sliced like ordinary pizza. The pizza is sliced all over the place, but everyone had their share anyways. When you first take a bite, you taste the sauce which is so good. It is really tomatoey, but not too tomatoey. You can still taste every single spice. The garlic flavor, yum! But our favorite thing was the crust. It was crunchy and bread-y on the outside, but gooey and warm and soft on the inside. The toppings were fresh. The sausage was really good too. Everything came together to make the best Chicago-style pizza we all had ever had! So, we loved our trip to Burt’s Place. We will definitely go back and order an even bigger pizza. All in all, it was the best Chicago-style-deep-dish-pan-pizzeria ever. Bye bye, be good, eat good. *Our rating system: Our Rating System®, a mult-eye-dimensional modular restaurant system based around two axes: the self-explanatory “unexcellence/excellence” x-axis and the s i m i l a r l y s e l f - ex p l a n a t o r y “ u n fa n c y pantsness/fancypantsness” y-axis, with the center at (0, 0). A coordinate pair will be assigned to each restaurant based on its rating on each of these axes.
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9
CHICAGO MAROON | VOICES | April 5, 2011
The Fun Corner. "Animal House"
Solution to today's puzzle
Across
52 Bottom top?
21 Aida, for one
1 Car sticker abbr.
53 Broadview dolphin?
22 Sky in Zaragoza
5 ____ d’Ivore
55 ____ be young again!
23 Winning Super Bowl XXXIV player
56 Early 11th century year
25 ‘11 and ‘10, etc.
9 Hipster’s headphone of choice
27 Ritchie, of Snatch
13 Butler’s bride 15 Have ___ to grind
57 “___ Out” (Kevin Kline film)
16 Barcodes, briefly
59 Harper, and others
17 ____ one’s ways
60 Poet St. Vincent Millay
18 Nightcrawlers, perhaps 19 Musical comp. 20 South Campus bird?
61 Mattress maker
32 Former co-host of The View 34 Famous Muckraker Riis 35 Day after Fri. (and Sun. comes afterwards)
62 Gunner, to a pensioner, perhaps
36 Parisian pancake
63 Old Jewish man, occasionally
37 1st World Cup winner
64 Saints in Brazil
38 Florida NHL-er
23 Union Station figure 24 Acrobatic, in a way 39 Morphine, Codeine, etc.
26 Max Palevsky falcon?
Down
28 Cash suffix
1 Def, of 45-Across
29 USAF rank
2 Jerusalem juice
30Avenue in Arles
3 Family friendly
42 Matthew Broderick’s Day Off companion
31 Law, Letters and Society grad’s bane
4 F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Alma Mater
43 Christopher Nolan flick
33 If I Did It author, familiarly
5 ___ San Lucas
44 Now, in Napoli
6 With “I was,” excuse for elicit behavior
47 Juliet’s terrace call
35 Highlands Lad 37 Words in a fairy tale opening
7 Asian island capital
40 Compressed file extension
8 Certain undergraduate during spring break
41 Rifle refills 45 1-Down genre 46 Burton-Judson dog? 50 With “the,” indie poppers of Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone?
9 Head covering in Kabul 10 Mad woman in Hamlet
40 He gave you Goosebumps
48 Like many a dorm room 49 Pune Princesses 51 “___ to Me” (The Cure, 1985) 54 Perjurer in a courtroom 55 Early nombre for “The Wave” in arenas
11 Like a letter of note 12 Sixth Sense 14 Hosni’s predecessor
Sudoku is provided by Laura Taalman (A.B. '94) and Philip Riley (A.B. '94).
58 “____ Kapital”, required SOSC reading
Solution to 4/1 puzzle
10
CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | April 5, 2011
Upset is vital heading into UAA championships on April 15th
Constantine dominates throwing events, hits provisional mark in hammer
DOUBLES DOMINATION
TRACK AND FIELD continued from back page
Chicago got off to a fast start against fifth-ranked WashU and never lost hold of the lead. Successful doubles play was largely a result of switching up partners, a strategy orchestrated by coach Marty Perry. Jess Sheft-Ason
TENNIS continued from back page win. A 6-3, 6-0 loss by Szabo at second singles and a 7-5, 6-4 win by Stefanski at sixth singles kept the Maroon lead stagnant at 4-1. However, shortly after, losses by fourth-year Kunal Pawa, 6-4, 6-4, at fifth singles, and Golovin, 3-6, 6-0, 6-0, at fourth singles caused the Maroon lead to dwindle to one match. Golovin felt that his Wash U opponent stepped up to the task of making a comeback for his team. “I managed to win the first set, but the remaining two sets were a big struggle simply because my opponent was outplaying me from every angle of the court. I tried my best to mix it up, but he improved his level dramati-
cally, which caused him to win the match. This is one of the few times when I could say that I was clearly outplayed by an opponent,” Golovin said. With only fourth-year Will Zhang at first singles and thirdyear Troy Brinker at third singles remaining on the courts, one Chicago win would shock the St. Louis crowd. A Brinker victory would clinch the unlikely upset. In spite of losing a tight second set tiebreaker, Brinker did not let the momentum shift Wash U’s way. While the entire Bear team cheered against Brinker, he contained his opposition in the third set, winning in dramatic fashion 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-4, clinching the win for the
Maroons. Shortly after, Zhang lost his match 5-7, 6-3, 6-0, but all was well as the Maroons won 5-4. The win was important in providing confidence and optimism heading into April 15’s UAA Championships. “This win was very important for us. It gives us a lot of confidence going into UAA’s. But we know we still have a lot to prove and I think we can play even better than we did today, especially in singles. This was a very big step in the right direction, but I think we all believe we can do bigger and better things and are looking forward to the next month or so,” Stefanski said. Chicago plays again tomorrow.
Pitchers Terry, O’Connor remain undefeated on the mound with strong performances against Lawrence BASEBALL continued from back page fielder Ben Bullock went 4-for-5 and scored three runs in game two. Lopez said, “Our team was successful against Lawrence due to our patience at the plate, each batter waited for the pitcher to make a mistake and we were able to capitalize,” said Lopez. Hitting was not the only phase of the game the Maroons commanded. First-year outfielder Conner Bartelman said, “Both our pitchers had sold outings.”
First-year Alex Terry owned the mound in the early outing, pitching a complete game while only allowing four hits and striking out seven. Terry improved his overall record to 2-0 and looks to continue that streak in the upcoming weeks. Second-year pitcher Matt O’Connor matched Terry’s stellar performance with a note-worthy game of his own, pitching six innings and striking out eight. O’Connor also remains undefeated, improving his record to 3-0 on the year.
The Maroons, now 8–5, had the opportunity to mark J. Kyle Anderson Field as a place where opposing teams should not want to come play this season and that is exactly what they did Sunday first-year outfielder Breff Huff said, “We’re happy we were able to keep our offensive momentum from Florida.” Look for the Maroons to try and run with their momentum this Wednesday at Benedictine University at 4 pm.
of 50.17m, a full 10m farther than any other competitor. Constantine also finished first in shot put by half a meter. The Ted Haydon Invitational was the first meet of Chicago’s outdoor season, introducing weather as a new factor in the outcome of events. The cold Chicago winds presented a different atmosphere for competition. “It’s usually an ice-breaker as we transition from ‘perfect’ indoor weather conditions to well...the windy city,” said fourth-year Stephanie Omueti, who participated in the women’s winning 400meter relay team. “It was very important that as a team we realized that although it would still be cold, we should not use that as an excuse to not show up ready to compete.” Finals week and spring break provided another mental hurdle for track to scale on their way to victory. “It was critical for us to approach the meet competitively and jump right back into competition,” said third-year Rachel Ohman, winner of the women’s 3000meter run. “Winter quarter finals and spring break make it easy to lose focus between indoor and outdoor track.” “Since track is a conditioning sport, I prepared for the meet (and my race) by continuing to train through finals week and over break,” said second-year Julia Sizek, who took home first place in the 1500-meter run. “I think that people who discontinued their season
during those key times would have less success.” Second-year Billy Whitmore also worked hard over break to prepare for Ted Haydon. “Coming off the indoor season, it was important for me to keep my mileage up and really focus on the assigned workouts over spring break. This way, I could return to the outdoor season with a good base and not lose any fitness.” Men’s track boasted two individual winners—Whitmore in the men’s 3000meter run and fellow second-year Ray Laws in the 800-meter run. “Outdoor track is a very long season, but the UAA’s are coming up so it was important to get out in the first meet and establish a good base performance to improve upon,” Laws said. The men also won the 400-meter relay with a team consisting of fourth-year Pat Kascur, second-year Dee Brizzolara, and first-years Theo Benjamin and Zihan Xu. Although Chicago enjoyed success at Ted Haydon, the more important meets have yet to come. “The meet was a good indication of how much work everyone needs to put in for the coming weeks,” Benjamin said. Track and Field will play host to the Chicagoland Outdoor Championships this Friday and Saturday for the women and men’s teams, respectively.
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11
CHICAGO MAROON | SPORTS | April 5, 2011
SOFTBALL
Offense comes alive against Lake Forest, Hope By Charles Fang Sports Staff There is nothing like a good spring cleaning to restore the soul after a long, dreary winter. The Maroons softball team brushed off doldrums of a Florida past and swept consecutive double headers against Hope and Lake Forest over the weekend. Winter dreams were not for naught as the Maroons endured the lowlands of Clermont and emerged a beast renewed. “ We h a v e f a c e d l o t s o f a d v e r s i t y throughout this season, losing our starting shortstop in the off season, as well as a few minor injuries that have limited the playing time of a couple of our starters,” fourth-year catcher Sara Whaley said. “I actually think our momentum has come from our first couple of losses,” second-year Samantha Hobson remarked. “It was after those that we really seemed to click as a team. It seemed as if we needed to lose in order to win.”
“[The recent streak] has really shown us our potential and how we can dominate teams that we have traditionally split with,” Whaley added. On Friday at Hope the Maroons eked out a victory in the first game of the brace, 4–2. After relinquishing a run in the bottom of the first, the Maroons produced two apples of their own, a solo homer by Whaley in the second inning and a tworun blush by Liz Payonk in the fifth. In the latter half of the doubleheader, the Maroons trounced the Flying Dutch 12–4, collecting 16 hits and three longballs in the rout. “We expected Hope to be aggressive with their baserunning, and they were, forcing us to make plays on runners attempting to take extra bases,” Coach Ruth Kmak said. “They pushed our outfielders to make good throws and our infielders to finish plays.” The Maroons faced the Foresters on Saturday and scored early and often,
recording a drubbing of Lake Forest 13–3. The Maroons recorded three three -run innings and 17 hits while racing out to a 5–0 lead that would prove insurmountable. A similar beating followed in the second contest, with Chicago conducting an 8–1 stroll through the park. The Maroons afflicted the Foresters with a severe case of lumber mortis, giving up just two hits in the first leg of the day-and-nighter and six more in the second. A remarkable figure shone in Julia Schneider who posted eight RBIs on the day. “Lake Forest has some hitters who take big, powerful swings—they typically score runs in bunches,” Kmak remarked. “Our pitchers needed to keep them off balance and prevent the multiple-run inning.” In fact, it was the Maroons with the mighty blows of offense. “A huge factor in our wins is that our bats have come alive—we are providing a pretty consistent offense with a whole lot of power and when we put up that many hits a game,
it’s hard for opposing teams to overcome it,” first-year Julia Covello explained. “An overwhelming offence is the best defense.” “I have never been on a team where six or seven home runs were hit within a twoday period,” first-year Kaitlyn Carpenter exclaimed. “I have also never seen five home runs hit by a single batter [ Julia Schneider] in that time span either!” Continued offensive success will be vital for the Maroons to continue their winning ways. “We need to keep our offense firing while also continuing to sharpen up our defense, and allow our pitchers to gain strength and momentum heading into the second half of the season,” explained Kmak of future keys to success. The Maroon play again today against Aurora. Pitching will have to find a way around first-year slugger Jackie Soch, who sports a remarkable 1.000 slugging percentage, in order for Chicago to be successful.
Sasanian Iran
The Other Great Empire of Late Antiquity
Dr. Touraj Daryaee WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011 - 7 PM - ORIENTAL INSTITUTE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC The Sasanian empire (third–seventh centur y AD), established the first postHellenic civilization on an imperial scale in the ancient Near East. Sasanian values and traditions, such as ethical dualism and an imperial vision in the unity of the world, came to exercise an important influence in world histor y. Sasanian cultural and economic influence was felt f rom the Persian Gulf to the Yellow Sea and on the Silk Road to Syria. This lecture provides a preview of the political, social, and religious life in the Sasanian world.
Dr. Touraj Daryaee is the Howard C. Baskerville Professor in the History of Iran and the Persianate World and the Associate Director of the Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture at the University of California, Irvine.
The Oriental Institute
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SPORTS
IN QUOTES “It would be mean to describe this game as ugly. Let’s just say it has a good personality”
—ESPN contributor Dana O’Neil at halftime of the NCAA basketball Division I national championship game. UConn would go on to defeat Butler, 53—41.
MEN’S TENNIS
BEAR DOWN
Chicago deals WashU third home loss in seven years By Alexander Sotiropoulos Sports Staff
First-year Krishna Ravella hits a forehand during an indoors match. Ravella teamed up with fellow first year Zsolt Szabo to win third doubles. DARREN LEOW/MAROON
Men’s tennis pulled off one of the biggest upsets NCAA Division III tennis has seen all year. The 15th ranked Maroons barely edged their conference rivals, fifth -ranked Wash U, 5-4 in Saturday’s thrilling St. Louis contest. The upset marked the first home loss for the Bears of the season and their third home loss in seven years. More importantly, the Chicago win improves the South Sider’s record to 12-3 on the season and gives well-needed momentum going into April 15th17th’s UAA Championships. Going into the team dual, head coach Marty Perry used skillful tactics to ensure wins in all three doubles matches. Seeing varied results from the doubles teams throughout spring break, Perry knew that the only way to upset the seemingly unstoppable 8-3 Wash U team was to pursue a drastic lineup change. First-year first doubles player Zsolt Szabo was reunited with his former partner, first-year Krishna Ravella, at third doubles, while first-year Alex Golovin, having not played doubles since the ITA Regional Championships in September, was paired with third-year Jan
Stefanski at first doubles. Understanding each other’s playing styles proved to be the key in the third doubles match. Szabo and Ravella were able to complement one another’s strengths, as the pair won 8-5. “From the beginning, we tried to corner our opponents with Krishna’s volleys and my serves and not give them the chance to show their strengths. We had some fluctuations in our performance, but it is common in our game to lose a break here and there. Eventually, we both finished strong and brought the W,” Szabo said. The lineup change proved to be effective at the first doubles position as well. Golovin was able to collect himself during his most important match this season. Despite his collegiate inexperience at doubles, Golovin complemented Stefanski’s strengths to erase an early 2-0 deficit. Precise serving and returning helped the pair to take a 5-2 lead, but the Bears rallied back to tie the match at 5-5. Both teams were then able to hold their next three service games to cause the Chicago pair to be one game away from a victory, at 7-6. Breaking the Wash U pair was a difficult task, but
Golovin and Stefanski fought off their nerves to ensure an 8-6 upset. “We began being up in the game and after multiple match points I hit a forehand that caused Wash U to commit a forced error,” Golovin said. “Competitors always find a way to win, which is what Jan and I did in our match against Wash U.” With an 8-5 win by third-year Troy Brinker and first-year Neil Karandikar at second doubles, the South Siders took an early and surprising 3-0 lead going into the singles matches. Although the Maroons only needed two singles wins to clinch the match, they did not want to start speaking of cruising to an easy victory after the doubles matches, remembering the comeback they had made against DePauw just four days earlier. “Just last week against DePauw, we got swept in doubles and then came out to win 5 of 6 singles matches to win the match, and we did not want Wash U to do something like that here,” Ravella said. The Wash U singles players did all they could to stop the Maroons short of an emphatic
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TRACK AND FIELD
BASEBALL
South Siders shine in season debut
Maroons sink Vikings
By Daniel Lewis Sports Staff Chicago returned from the break in full force, leading the pack of 13 schools at the Ted Haydon Invitational in Hyde Park on Saturday. With the UAA Conference Championships fast approaching, Chicago overcame several obstacles, including weather and spring break, and showed that they have got what it takes to compete. Men’s track and field placed first with 175 points, beating out UW—Stout, who finished with 151. The women’s also took first with 221 points, enjoying a spacious margin of victory from second place St. Ambrose’s second-place score of 130. “It was really important that we had a successful meet because the UAA’s are now only three weeks away,” said firstyear Jennie Porter, who posted a winning time of 1:09.33 in the 400-meter hurdles. “A lot of the other schools in our conference have already had two or three meets, so we wanted to post some good times that could be competitive in conference.” Porter was one of nine individual event-winners for the women, a group that included fourth-year Kristin Constantine’s national qualifying performance in the hammer throw. Constantine threw a qualifying distance
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By Vicente Fernandez Sports Staff
Fourth-year Bianca Scott high jumps at the Ted Haydon Invite. Scott won the high jump with a leap of 1.60 meters, good for fourth in the UAA. DARREN LEOW/MAROON
There is no better way to kick off a season than by winning your home opener. It is even sweeter when that opener is part of a doubleheader and when you produce a whopping 37 runs and two victories. That is what the Maroons (8–5) managed to pull off this Sunday as they manhandled the Vikings (2–11) by a score of 13-2 in their first outing and by 24-2 in their second game. The bloodbath was led by Maroon second-year first baseman J.R. Lopez, who drove in a ridiculous 10 runs on the day. He started off with a hot bat and finished without the slightest hint of cooling. Lopez drove in four runs in the first outing and followed up that performance with a 4-for-4 showing in the second game, adding an additional six RBIs and four runs scored. The ball was not just popping off the bat for Lopez. Secondyear shortstop Steven Schwabe had three hits and scored three runs in the opener. Second-year center
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