JANUARY 10, 2017
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892
University Community Commemorates MLK BY JORDAN KARPIN MAROON CONTRIBUTOR
On Monday evening, a leading advocate against injustice in the criminal justice system delivered the keynote address during the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at Rockefeller Chapel, speaking from same pulpit from which King spoke in 1956. The celebration has been a tradition since 1990. Past speakers include P resident Barack Obama in 2002, then a senior lecturer in the Law School. This year’s speaker, Bryan Stevenson, is a public interest lawyer and law professor at the New York University School of Law, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), a MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, and author of a bestselling memoir, Just Mercy. The New Yorker* named Stevenson’s viral TED Talk about injustice one of the five key TED talks. T he Ch icago Ch i ld ren’s Choir per formed before he
spoke, singing iconic songs of the Civil Rights Movement such as Sam Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come. Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., keynote speaker at the 2015 celebration, made a surprise appearance on stage, singing with the children. Fourth-year student Elizabeth Adetiba delivered opening remarks that addressed the event’s theme, Why must we continue to sing this song? “Why must we continue to sing this song? An all too poignant question given the current state of our society. For centuries, marginalized communities in this country have been subjected to the song of racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, and state violence. It is a song that has claimed countless lives, from the strange fruit hanging in the trees during Jim Crow, to the lifeless bodies brutalized by those charged with protecting and serving them…. A song that preaches the myth of disposability—that there are certain classes of people who are just not worthy of justice or Continued on page 6
Student Government Launches New Version of Marketplace BY EUGENIA KO NEWS REPORTER
A new version of Marketplace that launched Friday now requires users to login with a CNetID in order to view the site. T he University required St udent G over n ment (S G) to shut down the website in mid-December due to what SG President Eric Holmberg called “illegal postings.” The site was shut down on December 13, and was revived on January 6 with stricter moderations and new restrictions. Although students with valid CNetIDs will not be affected by the update, alumni and many Hyde Park residents who frequented Marketplace can no longer access the site. According to University
Trust Deficit Page 7 Democracy has an unfortunate reliance on trust. Voters must have trust in the structure and integrity of their democratic institutions to believe their vote is worthwhile.
spokesperson Marielle Sainvilus, there has been no change to the access policy for the Marketplace site, and external users should never have had access. “ There was a temporary glitch discovered which mistakenly allowed external users to temporarily access the Marketplace site which has been addressed and resolved,” Sainvilus said in an e-mail. “Any person in the UChicago community with a CNetID can access the site.” Community members voiced their concerns with the change in the comments section of a Facebook group called Free & For Sale, an alternative to Marketplace that many users turned to during periods when the site was down in past years.
VOL. 128, ISSUE 18
- UNCOMMON INTERVIEW -
Photographing Obama, Eight Years Later Obama comes to Chicago today to give his final speech as President. We interviewed former photo editor Chris Salata about what it was like to shoot Obama’s 2008 election night rally in Chicago for the Maroon. (page 4) - ALSO Students wait hours in cold in freezing temps for tickets to the farewell speech (page 4) NBC’s Lester Holt will interview the President at an unnannounced Hyde Park restuarant (page 6)
Chris Salata | Chicago Maroon
Obama waves to a Grant Park crowd on election night / Front page photo of the Nov. 7, 2008 issue of THE MAROON.
SG Assembly Passes Resolution Calling for Part of SG Budget to Be Allocated Toward Undocumented Students BY JAMIE EHRLICH
protected under DACA. The first resolution— calling upon the University to establish an advisory council consisting of six undocumented students and six administrators—was passed with no amendments. However, many members of Graduate Council saw merit in calling for student participation in an existing administrative body. Many campuses across the country have declared themselves “sanctuary campuses” in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory, indicating that they will limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities in order to protect students from deportation. The University has avoided calling itself a sanctuary campus, though it has
committed to take some steps to support the students threatened by T rump’s education policy, including continuing to provide financial aid without regard to immigration status. Trump has promised to repeal DACA, an executive order made by President Barack Obama in 2012. The repeal of DACA would eliminate work permits and protection from deportation for young people who were brought to the United States as children. B oth resolutions passed Monday are primarily calls to action aimed at the administration, apart from the emergency fund allocations. First-year representatives Kosi Achife, Veronica Myers, and Jahne Brown proposed the
La La Land Taps Into Nostalgia on the 405
Chicago Secures Huge Win Against UAA Rival
Contributing to the Maroon
Page 9
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The relatively pared-down nature of their performances anchor the film against its lush, saturated back- drop.
“I see this win serving as a reminder that we can beat any team if we play hard and believe in each other for all 40 minutes.”
Continued on page 3
DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR
Student Government (SG) General Assembly passed two resolutions on Monday evening—one calling for the creation of a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) advisory council, and one calling on the University to become a “sanctuary campus.” General Assembly consists of College Council, Graduate Council, and SG Executive Committee. T he “sanctuary campus” resolution included an amendment calling on SG to create a “designated portion” of the SG budget to be allocated by the proposed advisory council with the goal of supporting undocumented students and those
History, Hysterics, and the Dun Page 9 William Rainey Harper apparently had a habit of playing the clarinet around campus like a pied piper.
Continued on page 6
If you want to get involved in THE M AROON in any way, please email apply@chicagomaroon.com or visit chicagomaroon.com/apply.
Excerpts from articles and comments published in T he Chicago Maroon may be duplicated and redistributed in other media and non-commercial publications without the prior consent of The Chicago Maroon so long as the redistributed article is not altered from the original without the consent of the Editorial Team. Commercial republication of material in The Chicago Maroon is prohibited without the consent of the Editorial Team or, in the case of reader comments, the author. All rights reserved. © The Chicago Maroon 2017
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THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 10, 2017
Tuesday, January 10 Info Session on Summer International Travel Grants Room 101, Stuart Hall, 4:30– 5:30 p.m. Students interested in doing an intensive/immersive language or study abroad program over the summer are eligible to apply for University grants to fund their experiences. This information session will give students more information about the application process and important deadlines.
On & Around Campus Study Abroad Student Fair McCormick Tribune Lounge, Reynolds Club, 6–8 p.m. Students who have participated in study abroad programs will discuss their experiences and answer questions about their time abroad. Snacks from the various UChicago Study Abroad countries will be provided. Poetry Reading: Peter O’Leary and Steven Toussaint Seminary Co-Op, 6–7:30 p.m. Poets Steven Toussaint and Peter O’Leary will be reading from their latest collections of work. O’Leary’s project, The Sampo, is based on a 19th-century Finnish epic and features lots of supernatural forces and action. Toussaint’s The Bellfounder is based on Dante’s Divine Comedy, as well as on the films of Tarkovsky and the music of Arvo Pärt. UChicago Alumni Association Presents: Hot Chocolate Night! Third Floor Theater, Ida Noyes Hall, 7–9 p.m. As part of the Kuvia celebrations, the Alumni Association will be providing free Mindy’s Hot Chocolate to all undergraduate students with a UCID. First-year students will also get a chance to pick up a complementary Class of 2020 mug. The Macroeconomics of Populism Room 021, Saieh Hall, 7–8:30 p.m. The rhetoric that Donald Trump pushed on the campaign trail often contradicted Republican economic orthodoxy (and, sometimes, the details of his own announced economic policies). This panel—including a historian, a political scientist, and an economist—will consider what it would mean if Trump were to pursue a populist approach. Wednesday, January 11 Hillbilly Elegy Cloister Club, Ida Noyes Hall, 5–6:15 p.m. Registration is required.
Author J. D. Vance will discuss his book Hillbilly Elegy with journalist Alex Kotlowitz. The book is equal parts memoir and social commentary—Vance writes about the pressures that upward mobility puts on the white working class from his perspective as a young man, and discusses how this pressure shapes the culture as a whole. Write to Obama McCormick Tribune Lounge, Reynolds Club, 6–8:30 p.m. This event will give individuals a chance to voice their support for an agreement ensuring that the interests of South Side residents will be kept in mind when the presidential library is built. Form letters about the issue will be available from the Coalition for a Community Benefits Agreement, as well as the materials needed to write a custom letter. Food will be provided. Marianna Tax Choldin: “Garden of Broken Statues” Seminary Co- Op, 6 –7:30 p.m. Author Marianna Tax Choldin (A.B. ’62) will be discussing her latest book, which examines the history of censorship in Soviet Russia. She ref lects not only on the history itself, but also on the close friendships she made over the course of her travels and her family’s roots in Russia. Thursday, January 12 Nor t h of D i x ie: Civ i l Rights Photography Beyond the South Ames Auditorium, DuSable Museum, 740 E. 56th Place, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., $8 for members/$10 for non-members. Purchase tickets online. Historian Mark Speltz will be examining some of the most iconic photographs from the Civil Rights movement as it swept through the northern United States. These photos tell the story of the many organizers based in cities like Chicago and New York as they protested racial discrimination. T HE M A ROON interviewed Speltz in last Friday’s issue. Thomas Friedman: Thank You for Being Late Quadrangle Club Library, 12:15 –1:15 p.m., Register online. New York Times reporter Thomas Friedman will be discussing the major forces conspiring to shape the world as we know it: the environment, globalization, and technology. Friedman argues in his new book Thank You For Being Late that these three fields are developing faster than ever before and that this acceleration of development will redefine how individuals and countries interact with each other. Sugar Cookie Decorating McCormick Tribune Lounge, Reynolds Club, 7–8:30 p.m. A not her Kuv i a even i ng event! Celebrate the almostend-of-the-week by decorating cookies with your friends.
Community Reacts to New Golf Course BY MARJORIE ANTOHIE MAROON CONTRIBUTOR
A visit from the chief of the Chicago Park District yesterday gave area residents a chance to respond to last month’s announcement that Tiger Woods’s course design company will create an elite golf course in Jackson Park and South Shore. The Jackson Park Advisory Council convened at Jackson Park Field House to discuss the plans for the construction of a PGA-caliber golf course on land currently largely occupied by two smaller golf courses in southern Jackson Park and around the South Shore Cultural Center. At the meeting, Park District CEO Mike Kelly answered questions from community members concerned about the golf course’s potential impact on the area, which is already anticipating the arrival of the Obama presidential library. In an e-mail exchange between Kelly and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the Kelly expressed concern about public reaction to the project. “We must be very cautious, as this community typically weighs in loudly on any capital project that makes change.” Many at the meeting expressed apprehension about the new golf course’s potential to gentrify Jackson Park and South Shore. The land set to be occupied by the course is currently the site of a gymnasium, fitness center, and multi-purpose facilities with after-school programs and youth activities. The installation of a championship-level golf course, which is anticipated to draw players to the area and possibly host a PGA Tour event, may make the park less accessible to community residents. “I am just concerned about the community involvement, whether the community will have a say-so. I just want to be sure that we have a voice, that our concerns and cultural needs are met,” community member Natasha Dunn said. Dunn voiced the concerns of many residents of the Jackson Park area, who made clear at the meeting that retaining the park’s cultural significance is of paramount importance. Jackson Park served as one of the sights of the
Marjorie Antohie
Park District CEO Mike Kelly answers questions from community members concerned about the golf course’s impact on Jackson Park and South Shore.
1893 World’s Fair and was laid out by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who is best known for designing New York City’s Central Park. Residents at the meeting also articulated misgivings about how the new golf course may affect the community’s youth. While proponents of the course, including Kelly, claim that the golf course will educate children about golf and create job opportunities, opponents claim that the money going toward the course would be better spent on a sports complex that could include platforms for several different sports and would be more accessible to children from low-income families. One of the people voicing this concern was Ernest Radcliffe, a football coach who started Southside Wolfpack Football, an independent football team for children without access to other football programs. “Are they really going to allow the community, the young people, the older people, to use the facility without being overcharged?” Radcliffe asked. “It is a beautiful idea… but the main question is, when they tear those fields up, where will they replace those fields? We would like to have a multi-complex that can house everyone.”
People at the meeting also voiced concerns about potentially rising fees and costs for using the golf course. Kelly insisted that fees for local residents would stay at or below $50, while fees for non-residents would be substantially more. One of the attendees expressed skepticism about the ability of the new golf course to make a positive impact on the low-income neighborhood surrounding Jackson Park, which, she said, does not even have a “viable grocery store.” The golf course is expected to cost over $30 million, six million of which will come from taxpayers. The hefty price tag has prompted community leaders to ask why the money is not being put toward other projects. “Why is this proposed golf course a higher priority for the use of public funds for Jackson Park than urgently needed items such as renovating the Jackson Park Field House, repairing the Darrow Bridge and the foot and bike paths, and upgrading the existing bathroom facilities?” asked Jackson Park Watch coordinator Brenda Nelms. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I hear everybody saying ‘we want change on the South Side, we want investment on the South Side,’ so we’re trying, and we’re making change,” Kelly responded.
University Funds Affiliated Start-Ups BY CAMILLE KIRSCH NEWS REPORTER
Early last month, the University of Chicago announced a new initiative which aims to bolster campus entrepreneurship by funding university-affiliated startups. The initiative, called the UChicago Startup Investment Program, will invest $25 million from the University’s endowment over the next decade in businesses that are based on University of Chicago intellectual property or are led by students, faculty, or alumni. “The UChicago Startup Investment Program is the next step in the University of Chicago’s commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation,”
sa id Un iversity Spokesperson Marielle Sainvilus. “ The program will encourage more students and faculty to start companies and it will enable them close their rounds more quickly—bringing more attention and capital to startups going through programs at the Polsky Center.” T he Un iversity plans to g ive out f unds t o th ree or four new companies each year during the start-ups’ Series A rounds, which are first major round of fundraising. No one compa ny w i l l receive more than $500,000 from the Startup Investment Program, and the University will not contribute more than 20 percent of the total amount of money raised by the company during
this round. The latter requirement is designed to ensure that the program attracts outside investors to University of Chicago-affiliated startups. If a company has one investor, it can often attract others more easi ly. A nd by on ly g iv i ng money to companies which can convince other investors that they are viable, the university will limit its financial risk. The new program has led to excitement among the University’s student entrepreneurship groups. “ I th in k th is is a g reat thing that UChicago is doing which really has the potential to help students get their businesses off the g round,” Continued on page 3
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THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 10, 2017
Law Professors Oppose Trump Attorney General Pick BY LEE HARRIS NEWS REPORTER
Twenty-two University of Chicago Law School faculty members have joined law professors nationwide in signing a letter urging the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions for Attorney General. A total of 1,424 law school professors from universities in 49 states (Alaska does not have a law school) have signed the letter. The statement begins by referencing Sessions’s nomination to a federal judgeship in 1986, which was rejected on the basis of perceived prejudice against African Americans, including his prosecution of black civil rights activists for voter fraud in 1985, and goes on to list numerous concerns about his suitability to head the Justice Department. “Some of us have concerns about his support for building a wall along our country’s southern border. Some of us
have concerns about his robust support for regressive drug policies that have fueled mass incarceration. Some of us have concerns about his questioning of the relationship between fossil fuels and climate change. Some of us have concerns about his repeated opposition to legislative efforts to promote the rights of women and members of the LGBTQ community. Some of us share all of these concerns. All of us believe it is unacceptable for someone with Senator Sessions’ record to lead the Department of Justice,” the statement reads. More professors signed from UChicago’s law school than from most other top law schools, including NYU (19), Harvard (18), Yale (17), Columbia (16), Duke (15), Cornell (14), and UPenn (11). UChicago Law was surpassed only by Stanford’s 26 signatures and Northwestern’s 29. University of Chicago Law School Professor Alison Siegler was one of the seven professors who organized the letter. She pointed to Sessions’s support of longer sentences for immigration and nonviolent drug offenses as principal concerns.
Community College Proposed in Conjunction with Presidential Libary BY KATHERINE VEGA SENIOR REPORTER
Timothy Knowles, the outgoing director of the Urban Education Institute, has proposed a new community city college for high-achieving honors students in Chicago. The proposed college would be a collaboration with the Obama presidential library and would symbolize President Obama’s mission to increase college completion rates for young people. According to a 2013 e-mail from Knowles, the college would eventually become the “academic crown jewel for the city college system.” The idea, conceived in 2013, came to light after a lawsuit prompted Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office to release thousands of e-mails to the public. In one brief July 2013 interaction, Knowles proposed his ideas to the mayor and other allies in the city, who called it “interesting.” Emanuel stated that he had recently been thinking of a similar plan, but the e-mail chain does not reveal what that idea was, nor does Knowles know. In his initial e-mail to Emanuel, Knowles wrote that the new city college should be rigorous, selective, and explicitly designed as a pipeline for high-achieving students to eventually transfer into four-year universities. He also wrote that the college would ideally be charter-based or privately operated and tenure- and union-free. Knowles told T HE M A ROON that the idea is still in its preliminary phases, and it has not been developed since 2013. “ This seemed like a really logical marriage,” Knowles told T HE M A ROON , referring to the proposed college’s ideal proximity to the Obama presidential library. Since the release of the e-mails, Knowles has gone public about his goals for the city college in a recent interview with DNAInfo. Despite the lack of concrete plans, Knowles is hopeful that this idea might one day move forward if it is given enough exposure and time. “ The real reason for [the college], though, is rooted in the very best social science that shows the direct line
between educational attainment…and everything that we care about, ranging from lifespan to earnings to voting. That led me to think about what the city could do to increase educational attainment for large numbers of city kids.” Knowles’s vision of the college as union- and tenure-free was rooted in his appreciation for the flexibility that charter school systems allow. “I thought in creating a new city college, one could imagine reducing the constraints and thinking more imaginatively about what a city college could look like,” he said. He added that whether or not tenure should exist at the school should be up for debate if plans move forward. For students in Chicago, the inability to pay for college is one of the biggest obstacles to graduating. College completion rates in the city are low; in 2006, only 8 percent of all ninth-grade boys completed a four-year college education, and that number dropped to 4 percent for black and Latino boys, according to Knowles and a report by the UChicago Consortium of Chicago School Research. In recent years, those numbers have climbed, but they are still low compared to the national average. Studying at a community college and then transferring to a four-year college or university could save students 30 percent of their investment, which could drastically improve completion rates, according to Knowles. Knowles hopes that, should his vision come to fruition, the University would be heavily involved with the new college. “ This is all a big theoretical, but if, say, the city college was built in Woodlawn or in Englewood or in Bronzeville even, but proximate to the University, I would hope very much that the University would be interested and engaged in thinking about how it could bring its resources—its students, graduate students, faculty—and other assets to make it a great institution.” Knowles, who has been at the University since 2003, will be departing from his position at the Urban Education Institute on February 1. In his new position, he will help develop a nonprofit and social venture organization that creates K-12 college-to-career pipelines.
“The kinds of policies he promotes are going to take this country’s criminal justice system in the wrong direction. They’re going to increase mass incarceration and impose high economic costs and brutal human costs. This is somebody who has called himself a lieutenant in the drug war. And many people agree, from both sides of the aisle, that that has been a massive and very expensive failure…this is going to reverse a lot of reform,” Siegler said. UChicago law professor and constitutional scholar Aziz Huq cited voting rights as a primary objection to Sessions’s nomination. He said the Justice Department’s responsibility is “to mitigate the still considerable barriers that racial minorities and the poor have to voting.” “I am deeply concerned that an attorney general who is personally antipathetic to the legitimate interests and constitutional rights of all citizens to participate in our democracy will deploy the Voting Rights Act and related statutes in ways that throw up impediments rather than
on-ramps to robust democratic participation,” Huq told T HE M AROON. Siegler stressed that a Republican-led Congress rejected Sessions’s appointment to a federal judgeship, and said that Sessions’s record on civil rights issues should alarm legislators on both sides of the political aisle. Despite emphasizing the possibility for bipartisan agreement on the senator’s problematic history, Siegler is unsure whether the letter will succeed at preventing Sessions’s confirmation. “We knew that this would be a really hard battle to win, given the way that the wind’s blowing, but we still felt that it was an important statement to make,” Siegler said. Siegler also helped raise funds to take out full-page advertisements in local newspapers in states including Maine and South Carolina in the hopes of swaying senators who will be voting on Sessions’s nomination this week. Sessions’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
New Initiative Marks the University’s First Direct Investment in Startups Continued from page 2
said Ryan McDonnell, a co-chair of the Booth School of Business’ Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital group (EVC). “Startups are just inherently risky in terms of how much capital they need, and this will help.” McDonnell said that although he knows some programs which receive funding won’t involve current students, he feels confident that some student startups will make the cut. “We have some great new programs coming out of the Booth school and EVC,” McDonnell said. “I think people should keep an eye on them—I think they’re going to have a lot of success in the next few years.” This program marks the University’s first direct investment in startups. Startups can be a risky investment, since they are new businesses with no established track record. Over the past fiscal year, the University’s endowment dropped in value by almost 2 percent, partially due to the underperformance of certain in-
vestments. However, Sainvilus said that the Office of Investments is optimistic about the Startup Investment Program’s returns, given its past experience investing in venture partnerships, or groups that invest in startups. “Private equity has one of the highest nominal expected rates of return of any of the endowment’s asset classes,” Sainvilus said. “ The University has been an investor in venture partnerships since 1978 […] historically, the asset class has earned an [internal rate of return] in the low 20 percentiles.” The Startup Investment Program will be overseen by the Office of Investments, which manages the University’s 7.1-billion-dollar endowment. However, preliminary vetting will be run by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Interested individuals can learn more and apply through the program’s website.
University Requires Student Government to Shut Down Marketplace Continued from front page
Many expressed frustration and confusion over the University’s decision. Alumnus Sid Colton wrote about the long history of Marketplace in the community and its importance to alumni, whose credentials are different from those of students and now limit their access to the site. “ This is silly, at best. It does not qualify as more than a D+ in ‘reasoning’ ability, since ‘their reasoning’ is mentioned above: Just because the ‘University’ (i.e. its lawyers and provosts) wants something, does not make it at all sensible or correct or good for the University,” Colton wrote in a Facebook comment in the group. Holmberg said the decision to limit
Marketplace to students was made by the University and suggests that alumni turn to alternative services. “SG’s main priority is to serve our constituents, who are students,” Holmberg said. “I understand the dismay over an unforeseen change to a service, but the decision to limit access to members of the community was made above SG. I have worked on behalf of my constituents to support Marketplace, and I would encourage alumni and other members of the community to reach out to their own representatives in the University with their concerns. In the meantime, students and other members of the community are encouraged to utilize platforms like Craigslist.”
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THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 10, 2017
Uncommon Interview: Chris Salata BY PETE GRIEVE NEWS EDITOR
One night shortly after the 2016 election, while editing in T HE M A ROON ’s basement office, I pulled out the 2008 archives and f lipped to the November 7 issue. I saw the head line I expected: “Obama, former law professor, wins presidency.” The front page photo, however, was remarkable—it showed a young-looking, in-focus Barack Obama waving to a Grant Park crowd with blurred American flags fluttering in the foreground. It might as well have been the frontpage photo of the Chicago Tribune. Maybe it was the front-page photo of the Tribune, I thought. No way a M AROON photographer got something this good—this must be a professional photograph, right? But the photo tag read: “Chris Salata/Photo Editor.” Last weekend, as I was applying for credentials to cover Obama’s farewell address in Chicago, I was reminded of Salata’s front page photo. So I gave Chris a phone call. He told me the story behind what might well be the best election-night photos ever taken by a student journalist. Salata: At that particular time, the primary photographer for the University was a guy by the name of Dan Dry. We met early on during my career at T HE M AROON, and he kind of took me under his wing. He became a real mentor to me to this day. Dan was right there with me for a lot of the stuff that I did with Obama and especially Election Night. He was shooting for the University; I was shooting for the student newspaper. Election Night was really difficult to cover. The way those events work—and it’s kind of the exception rather than the rule—is the media basically pays to cover it. They cover the campaign’s costs. It’s like when you travel on Air Force One; you get billed and you pay. You’re kind of zeroing out the balance sheet. It turns out it was very expensive to erect a tent and risers and what-not in the middle of Grant Park. So, a proper riser spot to photograph Election Night was something like $600 or $700. Dan couldn’t get anybody at the University
to pay for it, and I couldn’t get anybody at T HE M A ROON to pay for it—we had even less money than the University. But we ended up getting like five or six credentials for T HE M A ROON , which was astounding to me—let’s just put it that way. But that only guaranteed access to the site; it didn’t get me a clear line of site to be able to photograph Obama. We were cordoned off probably a couple hundred feet from the podium. So what we did—which I thought was genius—we actually went to Midway Studios, the art building on campus at the time, and borrowed two big six or eight foot ladders and strapped them to the top of Dan’s car. We drove down to Grant Park and used our credentials to get in. Broadcast takes so many hours to set up, so they typically made those sites available day-of, and then they’d lock it down for like two hours and do the full Secret Service sweep. Then they’d let you back in. So we went in right before the Secret Service sweep, and we found a good spot in-between the risers and put up our ladders right against this fence. Dan and I looked at each other and we’re like ‘OK, the Secret Service may take these things and we’ll never see them again and we’re going to owe Midway studios two new ladders.’ Miraculously, they stayed put. I think I may have zip-tied them, but we came back after the Secret Service sweep to set up, and they were still there. Consequently, we were basically the only two photographers who weren’t credentialed for riser access to get a passable shot of Obama. If you didn’t have the height from the risers or if you didn’t have the height from the ladders like we had, you were staring at the backs of like 500 people. And those damn American f lags covered him up constantly. When did you get started with T HE M A ROON, and how many times did you photograph Obama? I timed it pretty well. I started at T HE M AROON in spring 2007. I got to see Barack Obama run for president and eventually win, and I covered him for T HE M A ROON a couple times. The first time I photographed him was on Super Tuesday in 2008. He actually was voting at his local precinct in Chicago, which was the 23rd precinct at Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School in Ken-
wood. It was probably five minutes from T HE M A ROON office. If I remember correctly, I think I walked there. I stood out in the cold with a bunch of other photographers. He had Secret Service protection, but it was much less formal. I don’t even think there was any credentialing. We were just herded off in one area and stood there waiting in the cold with all the photographers. That was the first time I took a photo of him— February 5, 2008. When was the next time you photographed Obama? I drove down to Springfield to cover his announcement of his running mate which ended up being Joe Biden. So I made that long, boring journey down there. That was my first real experience with a professional political campaign apparatus. All these events are pretty much run the same and orchestrated very similarly. So that was my first major indoctrination, and I had a hell of a good time. The cool thing about going to these events back then was so many of his campaign staffers went to the University of Chicago, or had some affiliation. So when I put in my press credential request, it wasn’t just shoved aside. I specifically remember being down in Springfield and having my press credential issued to me. I was in line with like eight different people from various BBC outlets. And it was kind of a hohum for them, but when the woman gets to me to issue my credential she’s like ‘Oh, T HE C HICAGO M A ROON! My son—or my brother—or somebody goes there,’ and we had a nice little conversation. So I was on the main riser directly in front of the podium, sandwiched between all the wire photographers and a couple newspaper photographers. So that was really, really cool. Regardless of your political perspective it’s really interesting to see the process right up in the front view. That was Springfield in front of the statehouse. It was symbolic for him because that’s where he announced he was running. So I did that, I photographed one rally in Indiana on Halloween. Of course I did election night, and then I went actually to the inauguration. I didn’t get a riser spot, but I went there and photographed the parade and a couple other things. Was T HE M A ROON closely covering
Obama’s campaign? Right now we’re a pretty campus-focused publication… Um, no. This was something that I really pushed for. It was something that I really wanted to do. I was really thankful to have very supportive editors who let me do this on my own. They would either try to find a spot for it in the paper or try to find a spot for it online. After I did it a couple times and they saw that I could go down there and get some really nice stuff—stuff that competed really well with what the Trib was doing and with what The Times was doing—they were much more flexible with giving me space in the paper. The hard part was always getting a writer to come along. To answer the question though, there wasn’t a real focus on national stuff. I really, really wanted to be a professional photojournalist, and this was my opportunity to kind of hang out with the people who did that for a living and to meet some of the most accomplished people in the field. They were literally standing to the left and right of me. Did you ever photograph Obama post-M AROON ? I photographed him one more time. He came to the Palm Beach Convention Center back in 2011. He came there, and gave a speech and I photographed him for the Palm Beach Daily News. It was kind of remarkable seeing how much he aged in the process. Going back and looking at these photos, my God, he looks like 30 years younger. Can you talk a bit about your career as a visual journalist after graduation? Right after I left T HE C HICAGO M AROON , I started freelancing for the Chicago Tribune and I kind of broke that up with a couple stints here at the Palm Beach Post as an intern. When I was back up in Chicago I got a phone call from a friend that I worked with at the Palm Beach Post mentioning a job opening at the Palm Beach Daily News, which was the sister publication of the Post, and I applied to that and was accepted. I worked there for two years as a photographer here in Palm Beach. I’m at my current job now—I work for a photography studio called Capehart Photography. I do a lot of events, a lot of portraits, and a lot of commercial studio-type photography. It’s a real mix of stuff. This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Students Wait for a Chance to Hear Obama BY HILLEL STEINMETZ ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
Last Saturday, UChicago students braved the biting cold of the early morning for a chance to hear President Obama deliver his farewell address at McCormick Place on Tuesday evening. Some students woke up as early as 5 a.m. to arrive at McCormick Place in order to receive the free tickets. Although the doors were supposed to open at 6 a.m., the team organizing the distribution had allowed a line to form before then. Ticket distribution began at
around 8 a.m. Students described the atmosphere in the early morning as disorganized and cramped. Dani Plung, a fourth-year English major, said she waited in a line that led to nowhere before a friend directed her to the correct line. According to some students, one individual falsely told others waiting in line that all of the tickets had been distributed. “There was one person who was not affiliated with anyone that decided to walk down the line and loudly announce that they had stopped giving out tick-
ets when they most definitely had not,” third-year Caleb Bacos said. “I think that he was trying to get people to leave so he had a better chance. But he managed to get about a dozen people to abandon the line—and that was after two hours of waiting.” The atmosphere started to brighten when tickets began to be distributed. Many of the people waiting in line cheered for those who received their tickets. “People would come out and yell and everyone would cheer,” second-year Ellie Richardson said. “It was very cute.”
Plung expressed excitement about participating in this historic transition, but said that it was President Obama’s personality and character that ultimately drew her to wait for tickets to the speech. “I think he’s been a powerful symbol over the past eight years,” she said. Bacos said that he would like the speech to arouse the same hope Obama promised when he fi rst ran for president in 2008. “This is the last chance for 2008-era hope,” Bacos said. “And we would like to enjoy a little bit of that before we experience a new president.”
THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 10, 2017
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Chris Salata
A collection of Chris Salata’s photos from his time photographing President Obama for THE MAROON.
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Leading Advocate Against Injustice in the Criminal Justice System Delivers Keynote Address Continued from front page
second chances,” she said. University President Robert Zimmer spoke brief ly and addressed “the companion values of diversity and inclusion,” which he praised as central to both King’s vision and the University’s mission. Stevenson began his talk by citing statistics on mass incarceration in America. He said that the United States’ prison and jail population has skyrocketed from 300,000 in 1972 to over 2.3 million individuals today. He stressed the particular burden of women’s incarceration rates, stating that the number of women going to prison has increased 646 percent and that 70 percent of those women are single mothers whose children are displaced by their imprisonment. Stevenson said that “the statistic that keeps him up latest at night” is the Sentencing Project’s report that one in three black males born today will be incarcerated in his lifetime. He moved on from numbers and statistics as he urged the audience to “get proximate” to real stories and get to know the people affected by injustice, and launched into stories from his law career that moved many audience members to tears. Stevenson emphasized the importance of narrative and social consciousness in overcoming the myriad forms of injustice he named. “I hear people
Brooke Nagler
As the Chicago Children’s Choir sings Lift Every Voice and Sing, the choir and the audience join hands with neighbors in a collective movement.
talking about the Civil Rights Movement and it’s starting to sound like a threeday carnival,” he said. Stevenson pointed to Rwanda and Germany as countries that have successfully integrated their histories of genocide into social consciousness, creating public monuments and fostering deep historical awareness. “We ought to talk about the fact that we’re a post-genocidal society,” he said. Stevenson views the construction of public monuments and historical awareness as key ways to overcome problematic racial narratives. EJI is currently raising money for just such a project: a memorial to victims of lynching in Mont-
gomery, Alabama. “I don’t think the great evil of American slavery was involuntary servitude. The great evil of American slavery was this narrative of racial difference, this ideology of white supremacy, that we made up to legitimate our enslavement of other people,” Stevenson said. “We haven’t talked about this legacy of terror and what it’s done…. The reason why we have all this widespread poverty and despair, the reason why the South Side of Chicago and our urban communities in the north and west, has to do with terrorism. Because the black people who came to Chicago, the black people
who came to Detroit, to Los Angeles, and Oakland, and Cleveland, and Gary, Indiana, the people did not come to these communities as immigrants looking for new economic opportunities. They came to Chicago and cities like Chicago as refugees and exiles from terrorism.” The University’s commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day continues next Saturday, when the University Community Service Center will dispatch more than 200 volunteers to different service locations around Chicago, and historian Timuel Black and Senior Lecturer Bart Schultz will lead a bus tour tracking King’s legacy in Chicago.
Lester Holt to Interview Obama at an Undisclosed Hyde Park Restaurant BY JAMIE EHRLICH AND PETE GRIEVE DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR AND NEWS EDITOR
President Barack Obama will be i nt er v iewed t oday at a n as- of-now undisclosed restaurant in Hyde Park before his farewell address downtown, according to NBC News. A nchor L ester Holt will conduct the interview. The Hyde Park location is symbolic—the NBC News release refers
to the neighborhood as “the birthplace of his presidential campaign.” Holt will interview Obama on how well he thinks he delivered on his campaign promises. Though the President was born in Hawaii, he considers Chicago to be his hometown, and he has often stayed at his home on Hyde Park Boulevard and Greenwood Avenue when visiting Chicago. Obama visited Chicago 19 times as President, according to a recent DNAInfo report.
NBC Nightly News declined to provide the time or location of the interview, citing security reasons. When he is in town, the President is known to frequent Valois on 53rd Street, which features a “ President Obama’s Favor it es ” menu a nd has hosted two breakfast victory parties after each one of his elections. The Maroon reached out to Valois to ask if they were anticipating a visit from the outgoing President, but three em-
ployees said they did not know. T H E M A R O ON also contacted The Promontory—the employee who answered the phone had no knowledge of an interview with Obama. A fter the inter v iew, Obama will give his farewell address to the nation at McCormick Place at 8 p.m. The taped interview with Holt will air Friday at 10 p.m. ET on Dateline NBC as part of the special, “Barack Obama: The Reality of Hope.”
“I don’t think the political risk of attempting to protect the livelihoods of some of the most vulnerable people on the campus is one not worth taking.” Continued from front page
resolutions with the help of first-year undocumented student Moises Rodriguez Cruz. On the first resolution, two Graduate Council representatives raised the concern that the resolution was calling for the creation of a body, where it could instead call for student participation on the existing one. Brown responded by saying that when the resolutions were initially proposed, the authors had no knowledge of a preexisting advisory council. Fourthyear representative Joshua Engelman then pointed to the two e-mails from Provost Daniel Diermeier that reaffirmed the University’s commitment to undocumented students protected under DACA. Since the College Council vote last week, Diermeier has elaborated on the administration’s plan to protect undocumented students in a school-wide e-mail. “ The University will continue to meet 100 percent of the demonstrated
financial aid need of all undergraduate students, regardless of immigration status. Additionally, undocumented and DACA undergraduate and graduate students may access emergency funds from the Office of Campus and Student Life for expenses outside the standard educational expenses,” the e-mail reads. After the passage of the first resolution 20 –3 –3 with no amendments, despite one amendment being written to propose student participation in the existing council, General Assembly moved to debate the second resolution, which calls on the University to become a “sanctuary campus.” T hird-year representative Adam Biesman articulated his dissatisfaction with the second resolution, calling it more “political” than the first. “I don’t think the political risk of attempting to protect the livelihoods of some of the most vulnerable people on the campus is one not worth taking. I don’t think the anger this might cause in a select few students on this campus…is worth not taking a stand given
the risk at hand,” Community and Government Liaison Cosmo Albrecht said. Myers said that the resolution itself is more tangible than symbolic, pointing to clauses that give concrete actions the University takes. “If this university and its students aren’t going to show their solidarity with their students that they were chosen to represent it really defeats the purpose of your job,” Rodriguez Cruz said. “ If you’re worried about controversy instead of protecting your classmates and constituents it’s really pointless for you to be here.” “There are other students that don’t agree with this resolution so just keep in mind that there are people that disagree as well,” Biesman said. “Keep in mind that sometimes your job might be representing people that disagree with you.” An amendment, originally intended for the first resolution, was passed and added onto the second resolution. The amendment called for student participation on the administrative council
should the University not implement the f irst resolution. One Graduate Council representative worried that the amendment didn’t “fit with the resolution,” but it passed nonetheless, with representatives acknowledging that it would have taken too long to reconsider the first resolution with the addition of the new amendment Additionally, the amendment creating a fund for undocumented students was passed by a majority of SG General Assembly. The second resolution, calling on the University to become a “sanctuary campus,” was passed by the body along with the two amendments in a vote of 19-2-5. General Assembly was adjourned before it was able to hear all of the items on the agenda. A resolution in support of the so-called “ Stone Report,” was pushed to the next General Assembly meeting, as were proposed changes to SG’s governing documents which will require a student body referendum.
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VIEWPOINTS Trust Deficit Much of the American Public Has Embraced a Dangerous Vision of Government as Hopelessly Corrupt
Natalie Denby Halfway through a 15hour flight over winter break, I found myself passing the time by watching the Jason Bourne series. The passenger in front of me was watching Mr. Robot. And the passenger to my side was having trouble loading House of Cards. At first I thought: When did in-flight entertainment get so good? But then I realized something strange. The Jason Bourne series features government conspiracies, an absurd number of assassinations, and a homicidal CIA director. Mr. Robot would have us applaud an anarchist hacker hell-bent on destroying everything. And Congressional representatives, as portrayed in House of Cards, are disproportionately likely to commit a whole slew of crimes, including murder. It’s not just these three, either— Americans gorge themselves on fantasies in which cynical heroes “take down the system,” or expose their government as a criminal, broken farce. There’s certainly plenty to criticize about Congress and other federal agencies. Free word association might yield such charming follow-ups as “inept,” “embarrassing,” or “perpetually gridlocked.” But teeming with evil conspiratorial masterminds? Unlikely. Murderous? I should hope not. Corrupt? Occasionally—but not with any great consistency, and certainly not via mass coordination. The Corrup-
tions Perception Index gives the U.S. a score of 76 (with zero being extremely corrupt, and 100 being essentially clean). This is on par with most developed countries and, while far from perfect, is considered to be an acceptable score. The Business Anti-Corruption Portal, an E.U. Commission-funded project that provides resources about corruption, notes that the U.S. has a history of effectively prosecuting corruption vis-à-vis the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The 2015 prosecution of corruption in FIFA is a recent and prominent example of the U.S. adopting the mantle of anti-corruption leadership. Yet at every turn we are assailed by depictions of our democratic institutions that allege all manner of offenses without blinking an eye. One is left to wonder if these exaggerated portrayals could be doing any damage. Indeed, voter suspicions in this election cycle have mirrored entertainment’s strangest plot twists. Remember that Hillary Clinton spent the entirety of her presidential run combating rumors that the election would be stolen; that the media had been “rigged”; that she had deleted incriminating emails; that she was running a child sex-trafficking ring out of a pizza parlor. Although the extent to which Clinton’s character was consistently maligned is especially extreme, similar examples abound.
The MAROON Editorial Board consists of the Editors-in-Chief and editors of THE MAROON.
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on Election Day. The best part? You’re a morally righteous underdog, fighting against evil by doing absolutely nothing at all. Too bad that strategy is about as effective as it sounds. Democracy has an unfortunate reliance on trust. Voters must have trust in the structure and integrity of their democratic institutions to believe their vote is worthwhile. Turnout will fall still more if voters remain convinced our country’s failings are fundamental to our democratic institutions themselves, as Hollywood would have us believe.
The problems facing American democracy are tragically not as exciting as the stuff of conspiracy theories. But you don’t need Jason Bourne or some unhinged psychopath storming a pizzeria with an AR-15 to fix them. Reforms are born through decidedly less glamorous means: protests, petitions, and letters to Congressional representatives—but most of all, through votes. At the end of the day, you just need your ballot. Natalie Denby is a second-year in the College majoring in public policy.
No Debate Without Defiance
Maggie Loughran, Editor-in-Chief Forrest Sill, Editor-in-Chief Annie Cantara, Managing Editor
Cole Martin, editor Sarah Zimmerman, editor
Gallup found that the American public’s trust in “key U.S. institutions” has sunk to historically low levels, averaging a mere 32 percent. A 2015 Gallup reportfound that 75 percent of Americans believe corruption is “widespread” in government. Even if you think this trust deficit is justified, its potential ramifications are troubling. Cynicism in the civic sphere is toxic for any democracy. A healthy democracy requires high levels of participation. But that participation is impossible to bring about when large sections of the population are convinced it’s not worth the effort. Why, after all, should someone get involved when elections are rigged? When everyone on the ballot is corrupt? U.S. voter turnout was never terribly impressive, making recent drops all the more disturbing. In 2016, voter turnout fell to a 20-year low, at 55 percent. (Low youth voter turnout, at 50 percent, does not bode well for the future.) What makes this even more troubling is the composition of that missing 45 percent of the general electorate. Intuition tells us that the first to drop out are moderates, those either not passionate or extreme enough to overcome their misgivings. We leave politics to extremists. When the middle is too cynical and apathetic to be involved, fringe ideology wields an outsize influence on politics and policy, further fueling popular disenchantment with government. Distrusting government is an easy thing to do. All it requires is that you occasionally rant about your worst misgivings and that you remain rooted to your couch
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Disruptive Protests Are a Catalyst, Rather Than an Impediment, to Meaningful Debates BY MATTHEW ANDERSSON MAROON CONTRIBUTOR
After garnering national media coverage for his threat to vomit on incoming press secretary Sean Spicer at an Institute of Politics event, UChicago fourth-year Jake Bittle was invited on Tucker Carlson Tonight to clarify his beliefs. While one may disagree with Bittle’s political views and choice of language, he articulated a very important point in his Fox News interview that was largely lost on the host. Much consternation arose over obvious hyperbole in Bittle’s various writings concerning the Trump administration and the obviously controversial Spicer. Bittle clearly rejects Trump’s
general political platform, and used provocative language to express that rejection, as well as to signal his readiness to mobilize others. He made a far more profound point, however, that kept flying over Tucker Carlson’s head: A university is a highly organized corporate institution that sustains numerous formal barriers to meaningfully challenge establishment representatives, let alone allow students to gain any kind of equal footing in a university-sponsored speaker venue. Universities do indeed, as Bittle said, “sanitize” debate; and perhaps somewhat ironically, tacitly validate and shield visiting speakers. It may seem surprising that students,
whether in the College or the professional schools, can be well-informed and more emotionally poised to express their intuitive, instinctive reactions to what are often highly corrupted or compromised guests. There is much wisdom in students that can be thoughtlessly dismissed in university or corporate hierarchies where titles, and perhaps political power, are so faithfully coveted and protected. Tucker Carlson suggested that a more civilized, formal debating approach would yield better results. But he knows as well as anyone that the preponderance of institutional college decorum does not allow students to meaningfully chalContinued on page 8
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“Some healthy defiance is surely one of the most liberating skills any student can learn...” Continued from page 7
lenge speakers, outside of a limited and quickly forgotten comment. In matters of such emotional and ideological weight as national politics, often a disruptive, insistent, and memorable challenge not only vividly communicates an opposing viewpoint, but also galvanizes an audience into more critical thinking and a less guarded response. In these cases, real learning can take place as emotional content is introduced or heightened, and with it, deeper convictions.
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organized manner. Speakers (or more cautious students or administrators) rarely left an event without memorable inspiration, and more often, with decisive reconsideration of their assumptions. Sadly, on many college campuses across the country, such methods and freedoms are under constant assault or institutional dampening. With so many behavioral reinforcement factors— grades, degrees, careers, and recommendations—hanging over the heads of students, some healthy defiance is sure-
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Carlson, somewhat hypocritically, was a beneficiary of that tradition: as a history undergraduate at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, he was exposed (as I was) to the influences of that department’s most notorious and revered professor, Jack Chatfield, who counseled an invigorating aggressiveness toward received opinion, establishment actors, or authority figures presented as experts. Chatfield was famous for nearly inciting a riot at speaker events and seminars, while also marshaling his facts in an
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Crossword by Daniel Ruttenberg
Across 1 Largest continent by area, population, and population density 5 Demonstrate mathematically 10 Sniper's need 14 "The Tonight Show" host Jay 15 2014 Iggy Azalea hit 16 Facts and figures 17 *Highly energetic person 19 Places with long lines, abbr. 20 GPS calc. 21 16-across, for short 22 Hardy who place Bane 23 Jorts fabric 25 Phosphorylating enzyme
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ly one of the most liberating skills any student can learn (and one indicative of leadership). As Frederick Douglass said, “power concedes nothing without a demand.” Bittle’s instincts came across as genuine. They might serve as a healthy expression and vital reminder of the scope and generosity of a more resilient “Chicago School.” Matthew Andersson is an alumnus of the Booth School (M.B.A. ’96).
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THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 10, 2017
ARTS La La Land Taps Into Nostalgia on the 405 BY ALEXIA BACIGALUPI ASSOCIATE ARTS EDITOR
Debbie Reynolds’s recent passing brought to mind one of my favorite movies—Singin’ in the Rain—and the special magic of musicals. My dad likes to joke that we own just about every Oscar-winning musical from the 1940s and ’50s. I grew up singing along to classics like My Fair Lady, West Side Story, An American in Paris, and, of course, Singin’ in the Rain; movies with infectious songs and swirling dance numbers would leave me humming along and tapping my feet long after the credits rolled. The opening scene of La La Land taps into that same unabashed delight. A typical L.A. traffic jam bursts into a technicolor whirlwind of movement and music; honking horns and car radios unfurl into a big, bouncy melody and commuters leap from their vehicles to dance on car roofs and highway dividers. The city stretches out in the background, bathed in sunlight, the horizon shimmering with heat and the tantalizing promise of success. It’s a bold opening, over-the-top and bursting with almost frantic energy, but deliciously earnest. Out of the traffic jam emerge the two main characters: Mia (Emma Stone), a barista with dreams of being an actress, and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a struggling pianist and jazz purist with hopes of opening his own club. She has just failed yet another audition and he is having trouble paying his bills, preferring to
rail against a salsa tapas bar that has replaced a venerated jazz club. After the usual series of chance encounters, the two accept their chemistry and their romance doubles as a love letter to L.A. and the arts. They watch Rebel Without a Cause in an old theater, go to a jazz club, and waltz around the Griffith Observatory in colorful, sun-drenched scenes offset by palm trees. And as their love blossoms, so do their dreams: Sebastian encourages Mia to write an autobiographical one-woman show, and he joins the fusion band of an old friend (John Legend). Yet the poor response to Mia’s play and Sebastian’s ambivalence toward the band put pressure on their relationship. The pursuit of dreams is often consuming: When love threatens to suffocate those dreams, what then? Stone and Gosling channel the same easy chemistry from Crazy Stupid Love, imbuing their relationship with charm and sincerity. The relatively pared-down nature of their performances anchor the film against its lush, saturated backdrop—a slight dose of realism in the ethereal City of Stars. And as very real people struggling in a fantasy, the pair are no Fred and Ginger: they dance somewhat stiffly and sing sometimes imperfectly. The breathiness and slight catches of Stone’s voice in the emotional solo “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” evoke the melancholy and delicate charm of “Moon River” in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. La La Land marks director Damien Continued on page 10
Dale Robinette Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) dance in a scene from La La Land.
History, Hysterics, and the Dun BY HANNAH EDGAR ARTS EDITOR
UChicago alums were instrumental in the rise of improv comedy: Mike Nichols (X ’53), Elaine May (though she hitchhiked across the U.S. to attend classes, she never formally enrolled), and Paul Sills (A.B. ’51) founded The Compass Players and performed at a Hyde Park street corner—55th Street
and University Avenue—between 1955 and 1958. Since its opening in 2015 on that same corner, The Revival’s modus operandi has been to bring improv comedy back to its birthplace on Chicago’s South Side. “ The Hutchins Plan,” a semimonthly fixture at The Revival, pays homage to the University’s role in improv history. Named after former University president Robert Maynard
Ruben Abbou Dean Boyer is featured in improv comedy alongside students and faculty in The Revival’s “The Hutchins Plan.”
Hutchins (1929 –1951), each hour-long show is framed around monologues by faculty guests —usually about their interests or field of study—which are riffed upon by an ensemble of former and current UChicago students. As host, ensemble member, and Law School professor Randy Picker noted, the guest of FryoniWHY?WHYiday’s show needed no introduction: Dean of the College John W. Boyer. Though always aimed toward a University-affiliated audience, this installment of “The Hutchins Plan” promised to be especially UChicago-centric. Former presidents of the University cropped up as popular subjects; a life-size cardboard cutout of Hutchins himself, perched on the stage, confirmed as much. To start, Picker sat Boyer down alongside the ensemble for an interview about Hutchins (turns out the University’s fifth president was an inveterate golfer, and considered quite the heartthrob among undergraduate women), then opened the floor to even more candid questions from the ensemble. “Say the University invites someone to speak on campus, but he’s straightup Hitler,” third-year Val Bodurtha asked. “ If Jake Bittle is revving up to puke on him at an IOP event, and you have the option to deflect the vomit with a silver tray, but splash it on innocent students in the first row, do you do it?” “Uh, I think I’d call my staff,” Boyer demurred. With mo ck bash f u l ness, Kev i n Shang (A .B. ’16) shot up his hand. “What’s the story of your first kiss?” “It’s a sad story,” Boyer said. “It’s not good to have a failed kiss on a rainy day.”
The group proceeded to tie together the disparate themes (first kisses, golf, The University of Chicago: A History) in a series of irreverent scenes, plus a cheeky nod to an infamous headline from the past year. (“Mom, don’t get me wrong—I’m still really excited to go to UChicago in the fall, but I wish they’d stop sending me hate mail! There was the first one, and now this one just says: ‘ Marla Ignatius, go fuck yourself!’”) S ometimes awkwa rd, sometimes slow, last week’s historically-steeped “ Hut ch ins Plan” shone in moments that united the past and present. A fter taking a predictable audience suggestion for a theme (“ Habsburgs! ” ), Boyer characterized F ranz Joseph I as a cunning leader masquerading as a simpleton. This inspired an imagi ne d d i a lo g ue b et we en t he “ r e a l ” Donald T rump ( Picker) — an enlightened enthusiast of Plato — and supposed puppet master Kellyanne Conway ( Bodurtha). The next monologue used the much-circulated “ Dun Boyir ” meme as a launching pad, though Picker missed the reference. “ It’s a very inept portrait of me,” Boyer said, by way of explanation. B oyer ’s second monolog ue quickly returned to the University ’s president s a nd t hei r p er s on a l qu i rk s . Wi l liam R a iney Ha r per appa rently had a habit of play i ng the cla r i net a r ou nd c a mpu s l i ke a pie d pip er ; Hutchins once tr ied to commercialize the College’s Great Books collection , sel l i ng bo oks “ by wh it e ma le authors” as a marketing ploy for the University. “ They deserved memes, too,” Boyer said.
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THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 10, 2017
Words Take Action at “Writers Resist” BY MAY HUANG DEPUTY ARTS EDITOR
It is no surprise that—along with disappointment, celebration, and change— literary works respond to politics. Last November, The Atlantic published a piece explaining “Why Poetry Is Viral in the Aftermath of Trump’s Election.” Around the same time, poet Erin Belieu, co-founder of VIDA: Women in Literary Arts, sent out a number of e-mails and posted a status to Facebook—one that would eventually evolve into Writers Resist. “In response to the horror visited upon us with this election, the other day I sent out an e-mail to some writers I know and asked if they would like to participate in a WRITERS RESIST event, to raise money for liberal action funds that will be desperately needed in the coming days, and to raise our community’s spirit,” Belieu wrote on Facebook. “We will come together and actively help make the world we want to live in. We are bowed, but we are not broken.” Now, there are more than 1,800 members in the Writers Resist Organizing Forum on Facebook, planning for events that will take place around the world next Sunday, on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Writers Resist, which Belieu hopes will become a “National Day of Resistance for the writing community,” is happening on a truly international scale, with participants ranging from former poet laureates to journalists. Fifty-nine events will take place in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, London, Zurich, and Hong Kong. On Sunday, writers will converge to read their original work and the work of other
writers for a “re-inauguration of compassion, equality, free speech, and the fundamental ideals of democracy.” In Chicago, Writers Resist will begin at Open Books in the West Loop at noon and end at La Bruquena in Humboldt Park at 7 p.m. Throughout the day, free and public readings will span the length of the city, taking place in such locations as River West, Pilsen, Albany Park, and Evanston. “Historically, writers have spoken out against the injustice of their times, so I’m very happy for this event and as a writer to be part of that tradition,” Brian Kornell, local writer and co-event manager, said. Poet Ruben Quesada, the event director for Chicago Writers Resist, and fellow organizer and writer Barrie Jean Borich will also be reading during the day, along with other novelists and poets such as Audrey Niffenegger, Carol Anshaw, Quraysh Ali Lansana, and Daniel Borzutzky. Speakers from various social organizations like the ACLU of Illinois, Planned Parenthood, and the Center on Halsted will also present talks. Writers Resist is by no means, however, a single-day phenomenon. “Beyond the January 15 event, we want Chicago Writers Resist to be a resource for continued resistance,” Kornell said. “That could mean organizing additional resistance events as needed or directing people to resources in their communities. This is about what we can accomplish together. We want this to be a way for activists for equality to connect with each other. Most importantly, we want those in marginalized communities to know that there are
EXHIBIT [A]rts
[1/10] T UESDAY
6–7:30 p.m. Come to the Seminary CoOp and Committee on Creative Writing’s first poetry event of the year as UChicago professor Peter O’Leary and New Zealand–based Steven Toussaint read from their latest poetry collections. The Seminary Co-Op Bookstore. Free. [1/11] WEDNESDAY 7:30 p.m. Listen to music across the ages as artist-in-residence Daniel Pesca is joined by an ensemble of guest musicians to present a program featuring work from J.S. Bach to UChicago professor emeritus Shulamit Ran. Logan Performance Penthouse. Free. [1/12] THURSDAY 5–8 p.m. Experience over a dozen exhibitions, try drop-in sketching in the Continued from page 9
Chazelle and composer Justin Hurwitz’s second collaboration. As in Whiplash, their first collaboration and another Best Picture nominee, La La Land explores commitment to one’s craft, set to an evocative score. Yet while Whiplash was often introspective, La La Land is inclined to wear its heart on its sleeve, exploring how one can balance love and the pursuit of art, if at all. Hurwitz’s score is perfectly paced—at times lingering sweetly, other times punchy as a car revving up on L.A.’s highways—and delivers well-timed doses of nostalgia to balance the fi lm’s modern core.
galleries of South Asian art, and watch multi-instrumentalist David Boykin perform work inspired by Kemang Wa Lehulere all for free at the UChicago Night at the Art Institute of Chicago. 111 S. Michigan Ave. Free with UCID. [1/14] SATURDAY
4:45–7 p.m. Attend a live broadcast of the radio show “A Prairie Home Companion” with Chris Thile as he is joined by musicians Andrew Bird, Laura Marling, and Beth Stelling to create music and make you laugh. Symphony Center. $35 to $80. 6–9:30 p.m. Watch one of the most well-known Chinese love stories unfurl with a modern, sci-fi twist as CUSA presents “The Butterfly Lovers,” featuring romance and time travel. Chinese food will be served for dinner before the show. Mandel Hall. $8 in advance/$10 at the door. Charming and endearing—old-fashioned words describe a movie that lovingly reworks the old-fashioned for the present. I walked out of the theater with a silly grin on my face, feeling rather like Gene Kelly as he swung around a streetlight in the pouring rain. “What a glorious feelin’/ I’m happy again.” La La Land won a record-breaking seven Golden Globes, taking top honors for a comedy/musical in the categories of Best Motion Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress, as well as Best Director, Screenplay, Score, and Song. La La Land will be screened at Doc Films on March 4.
Stephanie Lulay The first public reading of Chicago Writers Resist will be held at Open Books on the 15th.
others who will stand with them and for them.” Thus, the January 15 events may be considered a launching point for continued engagement with issues that demand protest and encourage citizens to defend democracy. On its website, Writers Resist suggests that students start book clubs to read works by authors who champion democratic ideals and encourages bookstores to invite such authors for local readings. Writers Resist also plans to release writing prompts to inspire the public to put pen to paper, in hopes that they will share their own stories on social media using hashtags such as #ReadersResist and #WriteOurDemocracy. Back in 1986, E.L. Doctorow said in an interview with the Paris Review that “the reason we need writers is because we need witnesses to this terrifying century.” Now, in a different century, his words
still ring true. Although writers now use different platforms to present their work, the reason why they write has largely remained the same. “We want people to walk away from the event with concrete action steps, a sense of how to help, where to turn if they witness or encounter intolerance,” Kornell said. “We also want people to walk away with a sense of hope.” As the number of organizers, participants, and writers involved with Writers Resist demonstrates, its legacy will last well beyond January 15. As long as there are people determined to write for democracy, Writers Resist will continue—in print, online, in person, and around the world. Writers Resist will take place on Sunday, January 15, throughout the city. Visit chicagowritersresist.info for more information.
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THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 10, 2017
Shocking End Leads to Loss for Maroons MEN’S BASKETBALL
BY MINNIE HORVATH SPORTS STAFF
On Saturday, the University of Chicago men’s basketball team hosted No. 24 Wash U in its conference opener. The Maroons showed resilience and tenacity to come back from deficits multiple times throughout the game. They fought brilliantly until the final buzzer, but unfortunately fell to the Bears 70 – 68 in the end on a questionable goaltending call. The game started roughly for the Maroons, as they were trailing 24–12 after 10 minutes, due in part to four baskets by the Bears from behind the arc. However, they answered back with some lights-out shooting of their own by third-years Jake Fenlon and Collin Barthel, and first-year Jordan Baum to take a 36 –35 lead into halftime. While the Bears continued to wreak havoc from downtown in the second half, the Maroons always stayed close and took a lead 56 –55, thanks to some key points from fourth-year forward Waller Perez. However, this was followed by an 8–0 Bears run to make the score 63–56 in their favor. But, the Maroons were able to cut the defi cit to within three with 1:24 left in the game. The team came together behind second-year guard Noah Karras to tie the score 68–68 with 12 seconds left on the clock. However, an untimely goaltending call ended the Maroons’ quest for overtime. Pacing the Bears on offense was fourth-year Clinton Hooks, who led the t ea m w ith 19 poi nt s. T h i rdyear Jake K nupp also contr ibuted 12 points, while his classmate Kevin Kucera doled out seven assists. Hooks was given the credit for the goal-tended basket. Despite the less than ideal result, Karras said, “ It was fun competing against Wash U on our home court in an exciting environment. We believe we can be competitive against any team.” Karras was 45.5 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from behind the arc. He sank three 3-pointers, one of which came with 12 seconds left on the clock to tie the game. “It felt good that the coaches and our team had faith in me to take those shots, and I’m glad I was able to execute,” he said.
Karras credited the Maroons’ defense for allowing the team to come back several times, putting the team in a position to compete until the end. “Our defense was huge down the stretch in allowing our comeback. We were able to string stops together, including a few big ones during crunch time.” The team is looking to take that defense to Rochester next weekend,
The Maroons are 8 – 4 overall and 0–1 in the UAA. They will face the Emory Eagles in addition to Rochester next weekend. Karras said that the team is “focusing on preparing for a huge weekend ahead.” Rochester is favored to win the UA A with a 12–0 record, so the team is “looking forward to the opportunity to compete against a current top five team. Emory is always a tough
be an opportunity to take down a powerhouse squad, but it will also be a chance for the Maroons to stop a three–game skid. During the three losses, the team hasn’t been able to score more than 70 points, whereas its season average is 83. However, the South Siders seem to enjoy the road, as they are 4–1 when they leave the UChicago campus, while they have just a 4–3 record at home.
University of Chicago Athletics Department
Fourth-year forward Waller Perez attacks the basket in a game earlier this season.
where they will face the undefeated No. 4 Yellowjackets. “Rochester is led by a core group of seniors and they will be a tough matchup, but we believe we match up well against them. A big key will be to play great defense against their guards and try to make them uncomfortable on that end of the f loor,” Karras said.
matchup, and together these two games will give us a much better idea as to where we stand in the UA A.” Emory is also a solid program, having appeared in the NCAA Tournament the past three years. Although they lost to Rochester this past weekend, they are 9–3 overall and 4–0 at home. Not only will the games this weekend
This bodes well for the fi rst away weekend for the Maroons, as they have added motivation and seem to thrive in those hostile environments. The Friday game will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern in Rochester, N Y, while the Sunday game will start at 12 p.m. Eastern Time at the Atlanta home of Emory.
12
THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 10, 2017
SPORTS IN-QUOTES... “Soccer is simple, but it is difficult to play simple.” —Soccer Legend Johan Cruyff
Chicago Secures Huge Win Against UAA Rival WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
BY JOSH PARKS MAROON CONTRIBUTOR
The South Siders opened UAA competition with a bang on Saturday as the unbeaten No. 5 Wash U Bears rolled into Ratner Athletics Center. In a classic rivalry showdown, the Maroons’ toughness proved to be too much down the stretch, as Chicago handed the Bears their first loss of the season with a final score of 75–68. The two UAA powerhouses were in a battle from the opening tip. After a stalemate during the fi rst ten minutes of action, the Maroons began to flex their muscles in the second quarter. First-year Pennsylvania-native Taylor Lake closed the half, scoring five unanswered points, a handful of her 16 first-half points, to give the Maroons a 41–35 edge at intermission. In a second half full of runs, the Chicago defense weathered the counterpunches and stood firm in the final moments. With the Maroons holding a double-digit lead early on in the fourth quarter, the Bears surged back with a 13–2 run of their own. Clinging to a 68–66 lead with just two minutes remaining, Chicago’s defense answered the call. With just a five-point cushion and 24 seconds remaining, firstyear guard Miranda Burt grabbed her second steal of the night on the Wash U inbound, sealing the game for the South Siders. The Maroons took advantage of
their opportunities at the charity stripe, converting seven of eight free throws down the stretch. Lake fi nished with a career-high 23 points to lead a balanced Maroon attack that saw four South Siders in double figures. Fourth-year Britta Nordstrom tallied her first double-double of the season, contributing 14 points and 12 rebounds while Burt also chipped in 14 points. Ola Obi added 13 points, shooting 60 percent from the field. Lake credited the victory to an excellent week of training. “The practices this past week were a huge key,” Lake said. “We went hard every practice and made the most of every one, which helped us gain confidence in our game.” Looking ahead, Lake described the win as a testament to her team’s potential. “I see this win serving as a reminder that we can beat any team if we play hard and believe in each other for all 40 minutes,” she said. Ranked eighth nationally in scoring coming into Saturday’s contest (80.6 PPG), the Bears offense was limited to just 33 second-half points. Fourth-year forward Zoe Vernon led the Bears offensively, fi nishing with a team-high 18 points. Second-year forward Madeline Homoly grabbed 11 boards for Washington-St. Louis (10–1, 0–1 UAA), finishing the game with eight points, two steals and
University of Chicago Athletics Department
Third-year Elizabeth Nye focuses on a free-throw shot.
two assists. Saturday’s victory marks Chicago’s second straight win over a ranked Wash U opponent, dating back to last year’s season finale at Ratner Athletic Center when the Maroons defeated the ninth-ranked Bears by a score of 82–70 on Senior Night. Further, this win is especially exciting considering that the South Siders have not been able to defeat the Bears in consecutive games for the past four years. Interestingly enough, the Maroons also have missed the NCAA tournament those four years, while Wash U went on to compete late into
the post season. The South Siders (8–4, 1–0 UAA) will travel to New York on Friday to take on the red-hot No. 22 University of Rochester (10–2, 1–0 UAA). The Rochester Yellowjackets come into the contest on a fourgame winning streak, capturing a victory in their UAA opener against Emory on Saturday. On Sunday, the squad will head to Atlanta to take on the Emory Eagles, Rochester’s travel partner. Tip-off for Friday’s contest is scheduled for 6 p.m. Eastern Time, while Sunday’s game will occur at 2 p.m. Eastern.
South Siders Dominate at Home WRESTLING
BY GARY HUANG MAROON CONTRIBUTOR
This past Saturday, the Maroons played host to a seven-team field at the Henry Crown Field House on campus. The other participants in the Division III contest were regional schools, including the host Chicago, University of Dubuque, Manchester University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Saint John’s University, Trine University, and Wabash College. Coming into the matches, the South Siders had compiled a winning 10–6 record in dual meets since the 2013–2014 season. The team also featured six wrestlers possessing double-digit wins under their belt. Strong contributions from top to bottom of the roster resulted in a hat trick of wins for the Maroons on the weekend, catapulting them to 13–6 in the duals. In a match against the Trine University Thunder that included two forfeits, the South Siders took matters into their own hands to take seven out of the last eight matches. Team members from opposite ends of the experience spectrum were able to pin their opponents with first-years Kahlan Lee-Lermer (149 pounds) and Adam Rizk (heavyweight), and fourthyear Michael Sepke (165 pounds) coming out on top. Additional results from the talented class of first-years included Grant Morrison (141 pounds) and Steve Bonsall (157 pounds) winning their respective matches by major decision. This means that a wrestler wins from points alone, as long as the margin of victory is eight points or greater and less than the 15 points required for a technical fall.
University of Chicago Athletics Department
Fourth-year Paul Papoutsis pins down his opponent with intensity.
The second clash of the day ended with a 25 –16 decision over Dubuque. The Dubuque team received an initial boost with two forfeits from the Maroons, giving them a 12– 0 lead. However, UChicago was not to be left in the dust, as they stormed back to sweep the next seven games. Second-year John Jayne (195 pounds) was quick to pin his opponent in the fi rst round. An impressive display from fi rst-year Kyle Peisker (157 pounds) resulted in an 11–0 shutout of his opponent, while second-year Jason Lynch (184 pounds) was able to earn a major decision as well. In the third and last contest, the
South Siders once again came from behind to defeat Manchester University 33–16. A forfeit, a major decision, and a pin in the fi rst three matches put the Manchester Spartans up. Unfortunately, those were all the points they would muster, as the Maroons won the next seven matches in a row to cruise to a convincing win. First-year duo Lee-Lermer and Rizk earned pins once again, and Lynch and Bonsall each dominated to claim technical fall victories. The matches of Sepke and third-year Nicholas DiNapoli both concluded in 11–3 major decisions for the veteran duo. When asked to ref lect on the dual
meet, fourth-year captain Paul Papoutsis highlighted the contributions of the most recent additions to the squad. “The first-years played a huge role,” Papoutsis said. “The younger guys really stepped up and got some big wins so the team could come out on top.” About how the team could use this momentum going forward, Papoutsis said, “We need to continue to improve our technique and physical condition. As the season goes on, it’s important not to become complacent.” The team’s next fixture is the Elmhurst Invitational this Saturday, January 14.