ChicagoMaroon020717

FEBRUARY 7, 2017

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892

VOL. 128, ISSUE 26

OBAMA FOUNDATION CHOOSES LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

FOURTH WARD ALDERMAN CANDIDATES FACE OFF

BY YAO XEN TAN

BY MAX FENNELL-CHAMETZKY

STAFF REPORTER

STAFF REPORTER

Last week, the Obama Foundation announced the team of landscape architects that will help shape the 20-acre grounds surrounding the Obama presidential library in Jackson Park.

Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, an architectural firm based in New York, will serve as the lead designer, while Chicago-based landscape architects Site Design Group and Living Habitats will serve as partner designers. The landscape architects will be working together with Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects.

“This highly skilled and diverse team stood out in their commitment to creating accessible public spaces that honor their environment, community, and history,” said David Simas, the Obama Foundation’s CEO, in a public statement.

Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates is a prestigious architectural firm, nationally renowned for its work on the Brooklyn Bridge Park.

The firm has also worked on a number of high-profile projects in Chicago, notably Maggie Daley Park and The 606 trail.

If the Obama Foundation gets its way, a couple of major roads that cut through Jackson Park could be closed to provide a more pedestrian-friendly experience to library visitors. Discussions are ongoing among community leaders. “It is premature to talk about specific ideas related to site configuration, improvements, street and access matters, and related issues,” said a spokeswoman for Mayor Rahm Emanuel in a statement. “Options will be fully vetted once additional details on the center have been developed.”

In a statement to DNAinfo Chicago, Site Design Group founder Ernest Wong expressed a strong connection to the project. “Growing up in the Hyde Park–Kenwood community has infused in me a sense of responsibility to the South Side and the city as a whole,” Wong said.

The Hyde Park–Kenwood Community Conference hosted a forum on Saturday for the five candidates running in the Fourth Ward Alderman special election.

This was the fi rst time that current Fourth Ward Alderman and Mayor Rahm Emanuel appointee Sophia King sat down at the same table as her four challengers. King is facing Marcellus Moore, Jr., Gerald Scott McCarthy, Ebony Lucas, and Gregory Seal Livingston in her bid to keep the seat. She was appointed alderman last April when Will Burns stepped down to take an executive job at Airbnb. The winner of the February 28 election will hold the Fourth Ward seat until May 2019.

The candidates were asked a series of five questions on the topics of safety, public schools, public transit, housing, and local business in the ward. Each had two minutes to formulate a response.

King often brought up the record she already has as alderman to stand out from her challengers.

“We brought jobs, youth engagement, and work with local educators to make sure we have the resources for our neighborhood schools,” King said. “Nothing stops a bullet like a job.”

Regarding public schools, all the candidates lamented the lack of funding, with Lucas stressing that the city council takes money away every year. “I support and fight for the schools to get the funding they are supposed to get. Money is taken out every year and is not put back into our schools,” she said.

By the third question, tension between the candidates was evident. Livingston began to directly criticize Emanuel and his policies, placing himself firmly against the mayor’s administration.

“I don’t owe Rahm anything...

Rahm and me, we cool, he re-

Kiran Misra A dramatic pair, Gregory (Noel Rubio) and his mother Bobbie (River MacLeod) bicker in an energetic argument in “A World of His Own, a Twilight Zone Parody.” Read about UT’s Weekend of Workshops on page 5.

UCM Reports More Contributions to South Side U of C Medicine Invested $373 Million to Improve Local Health Care in 2015

BY TYRONE LOMAX STAFF REPORTER

UChicago Medicine (UCM) last Monday released its fi fth Community Benefit Report, which detailed an 18 percent increase in contributions to the South Side in comparison to last year. UCM funded beneficiary South Side medical programs and employed community benefit health workers.

In addition to the 18 percent contribution increase, the report lists several other improvements UCM has made over the year. The number of licensed beds, emergency room visits, employee staffi ng, nurse staffing, and the number of general admissions have all increased.

According to the report, UCM invested a total of $373 million in the 2015 fi scal year.

The funds were directed toward six high-priority health care areas, determined by a Community Health Needs Assessment.

During the assessment, a wide sample of community residents, public leaders, and physicians were interviewed to gauge the health conditions of the South Side, and what they thought could be improved. UCM compiled health statistics from external sources as well.

The six high-priority health

care areas are adult diabetes, prostate and breast cancer, pediatr ic obesity, pediatr ic asthma, violence prevention and trauma care, and HIV and STIs. According to Brenda Battle, vice president of UCM’s Urban Health Initiative (UHI) department, the targeted health care area system is extremely effective.

“We have focused our programming on working with organizations that either deliver direct services to address those [community] issues or deliver programs that address the social determinants [and] environmental factors that create, cause or contribute to these six health issues,” Battle said.

Courtesy of University of Chicago Library

A New Kalven Report

Balancing the Scales: A Talk With Stephen Burns

Page 4 It’s important to look at how the University will move forward in reaction to the Trump administration’s policies.

Meet Emily, Weed Hat Girl Page 2 “Is there a specific reason? I like the hat. I don’t smoke that much, to be honest.”

In addition to partnering with community organizations, UCM also employs and trains workers dedicated solely to civic work.

Battle believes that the workers’ familiarity with the community gives them an innate advantage toward being implementing beneficial prog ramming. T he strateg y is a common one in community benefit programs across the country. “ There’s lots to do in the community of the South Side of Chicago, there’s great need, and we’re committed to being there, to address those needs with the community and community partners,” Battle said.

Page 5 The fulcrum point is that leverage point, the tipping point, the kind of balancing as well as leveraging act that all art does.

The Core Goes Wild: Marx and More at Weekend of Workshops Page 5 The evening’s performance elicited a curiosity that only a show just out of the rehearsal process can.

Continued on page 2

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All rights reserved. © The Chicago Maroon 2017

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THE CHICAGO MAROON - FEBRUARY 7, 2017

Tuesday, February 7 Everyone Loses: The Ukraine Crisis by Samuel Charap Institute of Politics, 12:15– 1:15 p.m.

R icha rd L . Chambers helped found the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Chicago and ran the center from 1979 to 1985.

L i nda Da rl i ng — l i ke Chambers, a scholar of Turkey and the Ottoman Empire —will deliver a lecture titled “ Richard L. Chambers: A Life in Turkish Studies” in his memory.

On & Around Campus 2/7 — 2/9 Mode/ Matter/Publics/ Persons: New Books in 18th-Century Studies Seminary Co-Op, 6–7:30 p.m.

From fashion to theater to science, the 18th century was a time of great change in nearly all aspects of life. Six authors and historians will discuss the implications of these changes on the culture at the time, and the progress we have made since.

Wednesday, February 8 What Now, After Work?

N e u b a u e r C o l l e g i um , 4:30–7 p.m.

Rutgers University history professor James Livingston will explore fundamental questions about what it means to be human as the phenomenon of “work” inevitably no longer exists.

Su’ad Abdul Khabeer: Muslim Cool Seminary Co-Op, 6–7:30 p.m.

Scholar, artist and activist Su’ad Abdul Khabeer will discuss her new book, “Muslim Cool: Race, Religion and Hip Hop in the United States.” The study

explores the new concept of “Muslim Cool” in the Muslim-American experience.

O f fen Po et r y P r i z e Reading by Poet Roger Reeves Logan Center, 6–7:30 p.m.

Reeves, who is currently a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, will be reading a selection of his work. His debut poetry collection, King Me, was awarded “Best Poetry Book of 2013” by Library Journal.

Thursday, February 9 Joshua Chambers-Letson, “Nina Simone and the Work of Minoritarian Performance” Centers for Gender/Race Studies, 4:30 p.m.

Nothwestern professor Joshua Chambers-Letson will discuss the role of minority-focused presentations within the art of Nina Simone.

Campus Conversation Quadrangle Club, 5:30 p.m.

This forum provides an opportunity for students to discuss issues of diversity on campus with the Diversity Advisory Council. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP online.

Programmed Inequality Seminary Co-Op, 6–7:30 p.m.

Professor Marie Hicks will be discussing her latest work, which examines the detrimental effect that gender discrimination in the 1970s had on technological advancements in Britain.

T he Ba l lad of Fred Hersch Logan Center, Screening Room 201, 7 p.m.

Esteemed jazz pianist Fred Hersch’s extraordinary life and music get their close-up in The Ballad of Fred Hersch. From his early AIDS activism to recent health scare, this 2016 documentary tells the story behind the notes.

This on-campus screening provides the prelude to Hersch’s concert alongside his trio the following evening.

Meet Emily, “Weed Hat Girl”

BY ALEX WARD SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Although Emily Truong might not be a name many people at the University— outside of her friends and professors—would know, her distinctive wardrobe has made her one of the most immediately recognizable students on campus. A fourth-year math major who now lives in Campus North Residential Commons, she is widely known on social media channels and in dining hall conversations as “weed hat girl,” a reference to the beanie with a marijuana-leaf pattern she’s regularly worn since her first year.

Despite her current fame, she says that the “weed hat girl” legend only got its start by chance. THE MAROON sat down with her to discuss the origin of her hat, her relationship with fame, and her plans for a legacy.

EMILY TRUONG: It was winter quarter of my freshman year, and I hadn’t packed a proper winter hat even though I’m from Ohio, and my friend pointed that out.

We were outside and I was wearing a baseball cap with earmuffs, because that was like the only headgear I had, and then she told me, “Emily, you’re from Ohio. Why don’t you have a proper hat?” And I’m like, “I don’t know, I forgot to pack mine,” and then we went back to her room, and she rummaged through her drawers, and she’s like, “Oh, here’s this hat, my friend gave it to me as a joke, but you can have it if you want,” and I’m like, “OK,” so then I just started wearing it, and then it never came off.

CHICAGO MAROON: The perception is that you wear it a fair amount.

ET: Yeah, I wear it pretty much every day, except like at work and stuff, because I don’t want to project that I’m a stoner in front of my boss.

CM: Is there a specific reason?

ET: Is there a specific reason?

I like the hat. I don’t smoke that much, to be honest.

CM: Are there times when you’ve had to take off the hat?

Feng Ye

Truong became famous on social media for her iconic headgear.

ET: When I get in the shower, I don’t wear the hat. When I go to work at the Law School, I don’t wear my hat.

When I have a job interview, or anything where I’d have to look semi-professional or semi-formal, I don’t wear it, but other than that, it’s pretty much always on. Or when it’s just really too hot, and I’m like, “I can’t.” I don’t wear the hat during church either, that would qualify as semi-formal.

CM: Have you ever accidentally worn the hat to work?

ET: No, that hasn’t happened yet, but sometimes I walk out of the Law School and I put on my hat, and one time I ran into my boss, and he just kind of looked at me and laughed and said, “Have a good weekend, Emily,” and I was like, “OK.” So it probably wouldn’t surprise him if I did wear the hat to work, but I’m keeping it off just in case.

CM: Have you ever been approached by people in real life about the hat?

ET: Yeah, I get comments pretty frequently just from people in the street. “I like your hat,” and I’m like, “Yeah.” One guy approached me like, “Do you want some drugs afterwards?” and I’m like, “Uh, no.”

CM: Where did that happen?

ET: It was on the CTA, I think. Yeah, he’s just like, “Really?” and then he just kept nudging me like “Are you sure?” and I’m like “Yeah, I’m sure I’m good.”

CM: Do you remember when you first became aware of people knowing about you

because of the hat?

ET: I think like during sophomore or freshman year, when Yik Yak was still popular, one of my friends showed me some Yik Yaks of people saying, like, “Weed hat girl?

More like ‘I wanna wed that girl.’” That was my favorite Yik Yak, probably. And there were just a lot of Yik Yaks like, “Spotted: weed hat girl” or “Where is weed hat girl?” or “weed hat girl is my roommate,” which—that I thought was weird, because I’ve never had a roommate. I’ve always had a single room. I had a suitemate, but I don’t think she interacted with people enough to actually post that.

I don’t know if she still goes here, even. And then there was one poser who was like, “My brother gave it to me as a joke, but it’s chill...Now we’re chill.” I’m like, “Poser, I don’t even have a brother.”

CM: It was someone pretending to be you?

ET: Yeah, on a Yik Yak, in a comment, like, “Hey, my brother gave it to me as a joke, and I got mad at him when I realized what it was, but now we’re chill.”

CM: How do you feel about the attention that it’s gotten?

ET: I feel like…At first I thought it was weird, but eventually, I kind of grew to like it, because I never thought that it would cause such a stir among people. I just wore the hat because it was a free hat and it was literally the only winter beanie I had during that time.

CM: Have you ever worn the hat to class?

Candidates Discuss School Funding, Housing, and Mayor Rahm Emmanuel Continued from front page

spects me, but I don’t need him to like me. I will fight for my community. Do we need more money in order to make the transportation system better? That is an absolute yes...we are left out,” Livingston said. “You must be able to stand up to the powers that be.”

When it came to housing and business, most of the candidates agreed that the focus in the ward should be on increasing affordable housing. McCarthy and Moore said they aimed to promote small business through a more positive perception of the area. McCarthy noted that

the Obama presidential library could change how developers look at Hyde Park.

Livingston then continued with his assault on Emanuel. “I ain’t taking no money from Rahm, because Rahm’s a killer. Know this: Me and the appointee are not on the same side. She’s on Rahm’s side, I’m on your

side,” he said. Reactions to these remarks were mixed; there was applause and a smattering of boos.

King, who has joined the progressive caucus, which typically opposes the mayor’s actions, called these allegations “alternative facts” and noted that Livingston has taken mon-

ey from Republican sources.

Longtime Hyde Park resident Tessa Clark did not like the divisive feel on the stage Saturday morning. “I don’t like that they put all these people against each other,” she said.

“There’s only one side.”

ET: Yes, I’ve worn the hat to class. Usually, for my hat rule for class, the first week I don’t wear it because I don’t want to establish that I’m the weed hat girl on the first day of class, but then once they start to know me a little bit, then I start wearing it second week.

CM: Have any of your professors reacted?

ET: One of my professors, a creative writing professor, he wanted to set up one-on-one meetings with us, and then at the end of class, he was like, “Emily, when we have this one-to-one meeting, I’m gonna ask you about your hat,” but he never did, actually.

Truong will graduate soon, but she doesn’t want the weed hat to leave the UChicago campus when she does: ET: If my sister gets into UChicago, I want her to continue wearing the hat. If she says no, I’ll be like, “You’re bound by blood to continue the weed hat girl tradition.”

CM: Would you give her this weed hat?

ET: Yeah. If she doesn’t get in, though, I am planning to put on Overheard, “Hey, who wants to be the next bearer?

Submit applications.”

CM: You’re going to pass it along?

ET: I’m probably going to do it. I’m not sure yet, but probably. I’ve thought about it as a joke, or maybe not. “Write a 500-word response on why you think you are worthy of wearing the weed hat.”

CORRECTION: An article entitled “Student President Arrested at Protest Against Betsy DeVos for Education Secretary” (published February 1) misidentified third-year Anna Wood as a second-year.

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THE CHICAGO MAROON - FEBRUARY 7, 2017

VIEWPOINTS Letter: Faculty and Students Petition University to Protect Students Affected By Executive Order Dear President Robert J. Zimmer and Provost Daniel Diermeier, We, the undersigned members of the University of Chic ago ac adem ic c om mu n it y, call on you to take a clear and unambiguous stance against P r esident D on a ld T r u mp’s exe cutive order ( E O) entitled “ P rotecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry to the United States” signed on Friday, January 28, 2017.

This EO denies immigration to individuals from the seven Muslim-majority countries of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen.

This EO targets any person who is a citizen of one of these countries, including holders of valid visas. The EO also indefinitely bans Syrian refugee entry. We agree with the more than 14,0 0 0 A merican academics, including 50 Nobel laureates, who have signed the petition Academics Against Immigration Executive Order, that P resident T rump’s EO will have a devastating effect on U.S. higher education and research.

F reedom of i nqui r y and freedom of expression, two of the foundational principles of the University of Chicago, are impossible when scholars and their families are unable to travel, collaborate, and pursue critical research opportunities. Scholarship is critically impeded when the families of faculty, staff, and students are torn apart, and when scholars are forced to abandon research projects and students are compelled to stop pursuing their degrees. Already, internation-

al students from other U.S. u n iversities have been de tained at the border and are scheduled for deportation. On Saturday, January 29, 2017 a prominent Iranian-born Canadian scholar was forced to cancel his invited talk to the Political Theory Workshop as a direct result of this EO. On T uesday, January 31, 2017, *The Chicago Maroon* reported that due to the EO an Iranian graduate student in sociology at the University of Chicago fears she may not be able to return to teach her Core class in spring 2017. These are only initial examples of the intellectual losses we can expect to see under the EO. Beyond the University’s immediate academic interests, these policies are destructive and contrary to the very core of our values as an institution committed to excellence and innovation, a diversity of community and ideas, respect for the dignity of others, and engagement in the economic, civ ic, cultural, and social development of our state, our nation, and our world.

We ask you to take concrete steps toward providing legal protection to international faculty, students and staff affected by this EO. Recently, you were among more than 600 college and university presidents who signed a letter expressing a commitment to upholding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and to protecting the diverse scholarly community that makes groundbreaking research possible. We ask you to reaffirm your commitment

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to the University as a diverse and pluralistic community by making a commitment to protect and support in the following ways: 1. We ask that the University of Chicago build on your statement from January 29, “ Message R ega rd ing Immigration,” and your January 30 letter to President Trump, by publicly denouncing the EO as discriminatory, unconstitutional, and contrary to the University’s values. The University administration should continue to publicly condemn such restrictions and advocate for the human rights of members of the academic community.

2. We ask that the University continue to offer free and confidential legal assistance (in addition to the NIJC “Know Your Rights” workshop) to students, faculty, and staff from the 7 countries listed in the EO, DACA students, and any others who may be directly targeted by the President’s evolving immigration policy.

In addition, ongoing legal assistance should include students, faculty and staff who are currently on campus as well as those who are abroad and will not be able to reenter the United States. It should also be extended to immediate family members of students, faculty and staff who are affected by the ban.

3. We ask that the University administration, the Office of International A ffairs and attorneys and/or legal observers meet with affected faculty, students and staff to develop a plan for them to continue with their employment and deg rees. T he EO may limit the ability of individuals to comply with University procedures and deadlines as they contend with visa status and entry obstacles. Their affiliation status with the University should be extended so that they can legally remain in the country and access housing in the United States, especially over the summer. We urge administrators to interpret all relevant requirements flexibly to help those affected continue their studies and /or employment.

4. In addition to the “Know Your Rights” workshops hosted by the University, we ask that more financial resources and fund raising initiatives be directed to the Center for Identity and Inclusion, Office of International A ffairs, and Office of Multicultural Student Affairs to support international faculty and students with the logistical consequences of the ban and to provide financial support to cover the cost of filing fees or inability to work for those affected by the ban.

We ask that these resources be made available to faculty, students, and/or staff who are affected by the ban, along with their families. Moreover, since the EO may inter fere w ith the employment eligibility of members of our community, we ask that the University administration set aside funds for financial assistance where this change results in a loss of promised employment, such as GAI teaching requirements for graduate students.

5. We ask that you quickly move to fill the vacant director position in Student Support Services within the Center for Identity and Inclusion, tasked with supporting undocumented students and those with DACA , among other vulnerable populations, and ensure that the position has a budget.

6. We ask that the University of Chicago commit to restricting governmental access to student records and identifying information (national origin, immigration status, and physical address) above and beyond the level required by FERPA, while retaining students’ ability to elect to send academic documents such as transcripts and confirmation of employment as necessary.

We ask that the University of Chicago follow our peer institutions Northwestern University a nd the Un iversity of Michigan by making this commitment public in a campus-wide e-mail.

7. We ask that the University administration and the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD), like our peer institution Northwestern University (in a January 30 e-mail from President Morton Shapiro), reiterate by email to the academic community the UCPD’s stated policy of not inquiring about or recording information about immigration status when performing their duties, and not partnering with federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration law except when required to do so by law.

8. We ask that the University of Chicago speak out publicly in support of preserving the current Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. The program has been expanded to give hundreds of thousands of graduates with degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields an additional 24 months of work authorization. This is especially important for University of Chicago STE M students affected by the ban. The Trump administration is taking steps to dismantle the current OPT program.

9. We ask that the University of Chicago admissions offic-

es issue a clear statement that national origin and documentation status will not be a factor at any level of admissions, consistent with the University’s non-discrimination policy and admission standards. The University’s concerns for the student welfare under the EO should include a commitment to future applicants, not just current students. Future applicants from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen should be reassured that their applications will be fully and fairly reviewed, and that they need not hesitate to apply. Once students are admitted, the University should be committed to fostering an env ironment in which each student can f lourish, including ensuring students’ ability to remain enrolled and complete their degrees. Furthermore, the University of Chicago must also maintain hiring standards, considering qualified scholars and researchers from the affected countries as candidates in competitive application processes for faculty hiring and selection of postdoctoral scholars.

10. We ask for a weekly repor t f rom the Un iversity administration to the entire academic community as the situation develops as a demonstration of the University ’s commitment to our campus community. This support will be crucial to a campus-wide resistance to the EO and any other forthcoming immigration restrictions.

Our academic community expresses who we are as a University and ref lects our foundational commitment to inclusion and diversity. Every one of us—regardless of our background or country of origin or immig ration status — should feel welcome in our community. We applaud you for articulating to President Trump and the University community the University of Chicago’s commitment to do its utmost to support its students, faculty, and staff, regardless of immigration status. We urge you to continue articulating this commitment and to act concretely to protect and advocate for international students affected by the immigration ban.

Editor’s Note: A delegation of signatories hand delivered this petition to the administration office Febuary 6. To see all signatories, see the online edition of this article.

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THE CHICAGO MAROON - FEBRUARY 7, 2017

A New Kalven Report Trump’s Indefensible Actions Have Propelled the University Into the World of Politics

Fred Kardos On January 30, University President Robert J. Zimmer and Provost Daniel Diermeier published a letter sent to the White House outlining their support for accepting immigrants into the U.S. Whether you agree with the sentiments of the letter or not, one fact remains clear: The University got political. Time after time the administration has used the 1967 Kalven Report as an excuse to remain neutral, stating that the “university must sustain an extraordinary environment of freedom of inquiry and maintain its independence from political fashions, passions, and pressures.” On countless campus controversies, ranging from divestment to protests, the administration has steadfastly refused to take definitive stances because a 50-year-old report supposedly continues to restrict what the University can and cannot do. However, with the recent letter to the White House, the tables have turned. At least in this instance, the spirit of the

Kalven Report is dead, and the University is engaged in several “political fashions, passions, and pressures.”

Back when it looked like Hillary Clinton would become president and Barack Obama’s legacy would remain in place, it was easy for the University to remain neutral. It was so easy to stay neutral that the Class of 2020 received a letter about why it’s so admirable that the University remains neutral. Now, with a new president and new executive orders, the University’s tone is distinctly different. Faced with a morally indefensible statute, one worthy of institutional condemnation, the University has found it convenient to subtly reverse its longstanding policy of political neutrality.

While the letter may seem hypocritical in terms of precedent, the University’s change of tone is welcome. While the recent letter could easily be disagreed with on the basis of it being overly political or on the basis of how it

Emily Xue

commodifies immigrants, the letter remains objectively significant because of its divergence from established university policy.

Now, the University has a newly established precedent allowing statements and policy to be made in the favor of the University’s needs, even if those needs interfere with the University’s now anachronistic embrace of political neutrality.

So what does this letter mean for the near future?

It means that the administration finally understands what a Trump administration entails and that it is no longer beneficial nor

feasible to remain silent.

Not only do the Trump administration’s executive orders restrict the rights of select groups, but they also restrict the ability of the University to function at its full capacity, with a diverse community of students from all across the world.

With the Kalven Report rendered essentially null on the issue of Trump’s infamous executive order, it’s important to look at how the University will move forward in reaction to the Trump administration’s policies. In an America where the president can

threaten the removal of federal funds over students exercising their constitutional right to protest, the current university administration needs to take a strong stance, and not tolerate a government whose goals are antithetical to the aims of higher education.

While the University has no need to become a regular political commentator, it does have the obligation to stand up for the rights of students and faculty. While it seems unlikely that the administration will declare itself a “sanctuary campus” at this point, the administration can still move for-

ward on other measures.

In the spirit of being proactive, the University can publicly support the right to protest, support Title IX, and continue its efforts to protect both documented and undocumented immigrants.

Rather than normalizing the Trump administration, the University must continue to act for the students and faculty, protecting the values that make UChicago an inclusive and educationally supportive environment.

Fred Kardos is a firstyear in the College.

The Conservative Bubble Despite Talk of the “Liberal Bubble,” Conservatives Have a Lot to Learn About the Opposing Side Too

Andrew Nicotra Reilly Earlier this week, I was lucky enough to see J.D. Vance on campus at an event sponsored by the Institute of Politics. He’s the writer of Hillbilly Elegy, a book that, in part, joins the chorus of voices calling for an understanding of the demographics of white, postindustrial poverty. The book preceded the election of President Donald Trump and now seems to be representative of many of the themes harped on in the election.

Throughout, there was a general sense that we (read: college educated, often “coastal elites” ) needed to try to understand the other side. The onus is on the left to try to understand the underemployed, angry, and sometimes backward views of these economically disadvantaged white people.

The theory of the “liberal bubble” assumes an asymmetric f low of information, where the left remains ignorant of “real Americans.” Particularly odd about this theory is that there is no call for the people whom Vance, and many politicians, are so concerned with winning the votes of to learn about the left and the struggles of more overtly disadvantaged groups. While I can sympathize with the economic downturn that has occurred in certain mostly white areas, I also fi rmly believe that it is not the responsibility of the oppressed to meet their oppressors halfway.

To elaborate, the bigotry perpetrated by the right is often contextualized under the guise of economic necessity. The logic goes something like

this: Manufacturing and other industrial jobs have gone away and it must be immigrants who have stolen those jobs. There is an assumption among these blue-collar white voters that focusing on perceived social progress and diversity is a waste of time, distracting from the more tangible decline of manufacturing and other jobs.

White working-class voters are upset, and the information that many of them receive plays into this narrative. What nobody from either side of the mainstream political spectrum seems to be willing to say is that it is not immigrants who are taking jobs, but rather the unstoppable forces of globalization and mechanization that have caused the economic downturn for these communities. Con-

fronted by an electorally uninspiring reality, even Democrats are reluctant to articulate that these jobs will likely never return. The erosion of labor unions, as well as longstanding tax policy explicitly favoring the wealthy, has contributed to an environment that allows for worker exploitation (including the hiring of undocumented immigrants and the outsourcing of the few manufacturing jobs we had).

This is not a complicated economic analysis by any means. If profit is allowed to win, then companies will shift to the ways that generate the most profit, most often away from human workers whenever possible.

But this is not the narrative that reaches people through Fox News or Breitbart. Instead, the left is blamed for caring too much about “soft issues” centered on social justice, apparently indicating a lack of understanding

of the poor white workers struggling in these post-industrial areas.

Surely the left can do more to understand the plight of these disenchanted whites, but it should be noted that economic and political disadvantages are nothing new to oppressed groups. The government, for example, has regularly enforced statutes that allowed for discrimination against and termination of an employee based on their sexual or gender identity.

Regressive policies have continually maintained a political and economic dominance reserved only for white, straight males.

Add internalized, often unconscious biases, and these more formalized forms of domination increase in scale. So this call to understand a group of people who have benefi ted so greatly from society’s biases is a slap in the face to every marginalized individual who has been denied a job on the

basis of something they can’t control, while also dealing with societal bias thrown toward them.

This is why the onus is not on a political movement, the left or the right, but rather the people who have benefited from society’s structural biases to understand and ameliorate the issues that exist today. If you are lucky enough to attend this university and your identity has presented little to no roadblocks on your path to getting here, fi ght for those who need it. Learn to sympathize with people who face domination or oppression. Do this because it is right, not because you are looking to get something from it. You have been given an extraordinary opportunity to better yourself—make sure other people can do the same.

Andrew Nicotra Reilly is a third-year in the College majoring in economics and political science.

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ARTS The Core Goes Wild: Marx and More at Weekend of Workshops

BY EMILY EHRET ARTS STAFF

University Theater (UT) closed fifth week with A Weekend of Workshops, an ambitious endeavor highlighting students’ short pieces, rehearsed over the course of just five weeks. This winter brought three pieces to the stage of the FXK Theater in the Reynolds Club. Drawing on a variety of classic works, this production took delight in playing with the audience’s relationship to the scenes before them, with surprising results.

The first of the three acts was Coriander Mayer’s “Pericles, but Marxist.” To welcome us into this Shakespearean world, Tess Gundlah delivered a charming iambic-pentameter version of the FXK’s fire safety speech (any visitor to this theater will know about its remarkably hazardous design and UT’s creative efforts to inform its audiences of the escape routes).

Gundlah’s narrative then segued into “Pericles,” a heroic tale of love, lost family, and reunion, all told while standing before what appeared to be a hand-painted portrait of Karl Marx.

I must admit that beyond Karl’s omnipresence on the wall, I thoroughly lost the Marxist vein of the production. The frenzied combination of a minimal cast,

disorderly college-themed props and costumes, and simply trying to get through an entire Shakespearean plot in less than half an hour fueled this production with a certain chaotic creativity. Part of me thought it should have found a brand and stuck to it. Nevertheless, the cast’s energy and hilarity made this theatrical collage a delight to watch.

The next act was an excerpt from Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, directed by Rami Kablawi. The play—Chekhov’s last—is known for its duality, and Kablawi explored this aspect by envisioning a single scene as both a comedy and a tragedy. Lubov (played by first-year Gio Hooton) revisits her childhood nursery and confronts the reality of her personal debt, which she considers paying off by selling her cherry orchard. The audience is first thrown into the scene’s humorous interpretation before the stage is reset for the more emotional take. Kablawi’s interpretation raised varied reactions in the audience, ranging from confusion to curiosity, an emerging theme among all of the night’s acts.

The last workshop was “A World of his Own, A Twilight Zone Parody” under the capable direction of Emma Heras, based on an episode of the same name.

The scene centers on a college-aged

playwright named Gregory Hayden-Smith (third-year Noel Rubio) who, even while squandering his time on Super Smash Bros. and warm beers, considers his dramatic talents a gift to the world. As he settles in with a charming acquaintance (second-year William McKissock), the pair is disrupted by an unexpected return visit from Hayden-Smith’s mother (first-year River McLeod), who spotted them through the window. Soon Gregory reveals that the characters he writes become flesh and blood if he records their description into his voicemail, and that one of them was sitting in his room with him moments earlier. From there, it becomes increasingly unclear which character was created by whom, leaving the audience with many questions about reality and trickery.

The evening’s performance elicited a curiosity that only a show just out of the rehearsal process can. If you’re curious to see more of the ideas students are bringing to campus theater, check out the variety of new works and workshops that UT presents every quarter.

Visit arts.uchicago.edu/theater-and-performance-studies/ performing-groups/university-theater for information on all of this quarter’s shows.

Kiran Misra First-year Tess Gundlah and second-year Mariam Desta gear up for a joust in “Pericles, but Marxist.”

Balancing the Scales: Stephen Burns on Music, Otherness, Inclusion

BY REBECCA JULIE ASSOCIATE ARTS EDITOR

On February 10, the Promontory will host Fulcrum Point New Music Project for The Black Composer Speaks: Exhortation!

The performance will feature a world premiere by Chicago-based composer and Chicago Tribune “Chicagoan of the Year” Tomeka Reid as well as pieces by three generations of black composers, with a final free-jazz improv set by Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble. Before the concert, Fulcrum Point’s Curator of Inclusion and Discoveries Seth Parker Woods will lead a discussion on making the music world more welcoming for musicians of all backgrounds.

The evening is in keeping with Fulcrum Point’s continued dedication to promoting inclusivity in classical music; since its inception, the group has performed programs that feature composers from around the world. THE MAROON sat down with Fulcrum Point’s Founder and Artistic Director Stephen Burns to talk about Friday’s concert, diversity in the arts, and “checking your privilege.”

CHICAGO MAROON: I noticed that Fulcrum Point performs in a wide variety of locations for a really wide variety of audiences. How do you approach making new music accessible to such a diverse array of listeners?

Stephen Burns: I try to work with contextualization—putting people

into a social, artistic, or aesthetic context so that they’re better able to understand the abstract music forms we present. For example, most people would be doing The Nutcracker and Handel’s Messiah in December. But when you’re talking about cutting-edge new music, the context that I’ve chosen for the holidays is peace on Earth and goodwill to all. In the past, we’ve put it in the context of peace between Arabs and Israelis, and other times it’s simply the idea that war and peace are extremes that we deal with year in and year out.

In our upcoming concert, The Black Composer Speaks, we’re talking about celebrating the richness and diversity within the entire black diaspora.

CM: Was the choice to include three generations of black composers on the program a conscious effort, or was it the result of simply looking to include as many different types of composers as possible?

SB: Actually both. It’s male-female, old-young, gay-straight, Republican-Democrat…. Really, it is just a celebration of the brilliance and the varied perspectives from artists in this particular group.

CM: I also noticed that one of the artists on the program is former Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) President Kahil El’Zabar, who has played with artists from Dizzy Gillespie to Paul Simon. What is the collaboration with him going to

look like for this concert?

SB: The fulcrum point is that leverage point, the tipping point, the kind of balancing as well as leveraging act that all art does. The AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) is where classical, jazz, free-improv, and really complex composition all come together. Tomeka Reid, who is an extraordinary artist with a foot in both classical and jazz worlds, has written a new work for this concert, which is called “Present Awareness,” for a classical ensemble of seven musicians and a jazz trio, Kahil’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble. The piece is through-composed, and yet there are sections that are improvised, so there will be moments where Kahil or I will be guiding the improvisations. That is really the culminating moment of the whole show.

an oxymoron that doesn’t include enough. That’s why I cast a wide net to really welcome creativity and exploration.

CM: I know that you were also one of the co-curators of the Ear Taxi Festival, and it seems like this idea of inclusivity and celebrating as wide a network of types of musical expression as possible was also the driving ideology behind the festival.

SB: Yes, although Ear Taxi did not have any free improv or jazz. It was governed by the grant we received from the Ditson Fund, and so Gusty [Augusta Read Thomas] and I decided that we would keep it to composed music as well as written and created sound installations.

With New Music Chicago, which is an organization I founded 15 years ago, we plan to bring improv into the second iteration of Ear Taxi.

Continued on page 6

CM: Speaking of improv, do you see a lot of overlap between the worlds of free jazz and new music? Where do you draw the line, in terms of genre, between those two? Both are so innovative.

SB: I don’t draw the line at all.

Just as there is neo-classical, and minimalist, and modernist, and post-modernist in new music, there are improvisatory elements in the music of John Cage, and Milton Babbitt, and John Corigliano. So free improv is one of the languages or sound-worlds in the new music scene. This is where I find that “contemporary classical music” is

Fulcrum Point New Music Project Stephen Burns hopes that the Fulcrum Point New Music Project will encourage diversity in the music world.

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Continued from page 5 CM: I know Fulcrum Point started in 1998, and that Chicago is celebrated as one of the best cities for new music today. How have you seen new music evolve here?

SB: I think Ear Taxi Festival definitely put it on the map. When I was invited to start Fulcrum Point in 1998, it was basically an open invitation to curate a really broad range of new music and to create special events for Performing Arts Chicago. Back then there were really only a handful of new music organizations and most of them were academic or within the Chicago Symphony. New music was coming out of the old school of Pierre Boulez and Ralph Shapey, a very rich but narrow modernist tradition. In the last 15 years, a lot of Chicago schools have created new music ensembles. We now have over 25 new music organizations in Chicago that are coordinated by New Music Chicago, which incorporates presenters, composers, performing organizations, funders, supporters, and fans.

When you look around the city now, there is so much going on in clubs and venues. It is a celebration of Chicago’s “can-do,” “let’s-makeit-work” mentality, and I think it will continue to grow because this is a city of innovation.

This is a “maker community,” and new music is riding the crest of that wave.

CM: Do you see The Black Composer Speaks as an annual, ongoing series?

SB: It is definitely an ongoing series, and I think the most important aspect is the roundtable discussion that will happen before the performance. It is being hosted by Steve Bynum and will include Tomeka [Reid], our Curator of Inclusion and Discoveries Seth Parker Woods, Nathalie Joachim from Eighth Blackbird, and Sadie Woods, a DJ, artist, and promoter. The discussion will focus on how we as artists can create a more welcoming and open community, as well as opportunities for composers of all demographics.

At the discussions we had at the DuSable Museum last year, Seth Parker Woods was discussing things in terms of making this go beyond tokenism. The idea now is to expand the project beyond black composers and bringing inclusion to every program, from other perspectives. Otherness can be gender, otherness can be gender identification or ableness; there are all kinds of ways of looking at the world that have been traditionally excluded…. I think at a certain point it becomes too contrived if you say, “We are going to do an all-woman composer program or an all-black composer

program.” Now we want to try contexts that are even richer, that are even more sophisticated than just black-white, male-female, straight-gay, or any kind of polarity, for that matter.

CM: And do you see roundtable discussions as key to this effort of creating inclusivity?

SB: This is about giving audience agency.

Another project that is part of the Fulcrum Point Project that Seth Parker Woods is curating is a series called “Discoveries.”

This is an audience-interactive experience where composers present their music and talk about their inspiration. The audience gets to give feedback and discuss the process, and then the performing musicians make suggestions and play the piece a second time. So the roundtable discussion is an opportunity for the audience to not just be observers, but to actually participate as active listeners and commentators. It is also for people to bring their perspective to this conversation about inclusion and accessibility in new music and in the performing arts.

One of the reasons I brought Seth on as curator is because everyone commented last year that within various organizations and the government, even, there are relatively

few black administrators. So last year we brought him on and he has been crucial in shaping the conversation as well as programming. It is really a matter of putting our money where our mouth was. You can talk a good game about diversity, but if you don’t put people in positions of power and control then what is really going to change?

There needs to be a personal, an institutional and a societal acknowledgement of privilege that has come from 500 years of European-American blindness to our own prejudice. In the language of the movement, it’s called “checking your privilege,” and the arts are a catalyst for this. A fulcrum is like the jack you put under the car, but nothing gets done without putting the actual bar on the platform. The whole idea is that it’s a machine that only functions with a long lever. As Archimedes said, “Give me a long lever so I can put it on my fulcrum, and I can move the world.” For us, the platform is the Fulcrum Point Project and the leverages we are using are, in this case, the perspective of black composers and social action. In other cases it is aesthetics in art, architecture, food, dance, literature, and politics. We hope to continue finding ways of exploring our world through music and connecting people to that creative energy.

UCO Presents and Previews Songs of Drama and Dance

BY ABBY KUCHNIR MAROON CONTRIBUTOR

The University of Chicago Chamber Orchestra spent Saturday night celebrating song and dance, invoking feelings of place as well as spirit. The audience began in a French Renaissance court in Le roi s’amuse and travelled to the magical woodland setting of Iolanthe, all the while instilled with the spirit of dance. Conductor Matthew Sheppard asked the audience to “picture the elegance of the setting” while listeners partook in the orchestra’s celebration of dance and joy rife with internal drama.

The first movement of the piece, Gaillarde from Delibes’ Le roi s’amuse, i nt r o duc e d t he t it u l a r c h a r ac t er with whimsy and cheer. The second movement, entitled Pavane after the

16th-century dance, is the most familiar of the piece and expressed dynamics that rose and fell beautifully. Throughout Le roi s’amuse, the joyfulness had a foreboding undertone, hinting at the drama of the Victor Hugo play for which it was composed, in which a king and his jester accidentally bring a violent curse upon themselves.

The second piece the orchestra performed was also titled Pavane, this time composed by Fauré. Sheppard invited the audience to imagine Fauré’s depiction of “a banter call back and forth between a couple dancing,” a lighter inspiration than Delibes’ courtly dance fraught with cursed tragedy.

This dance opened with violas as cellos laid the floorwork throughout their part. Together, they created the dance floor upon which the violins, violas, and the woodwinds took turns embodying

the voices of f lirtatious dancers. The song faded, like the end of a romantic evening, with a final flourish from flautists fourth-year William Petterson and first-year Kristine McLellan.

The concert concluded with a sneak peek of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe, which the Chamber Orchestra will perform later this quarter with the Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company. The overture, one of the only ones written

by Sullivan himself, begins with an ominous minor chord before fading into f lutes, the voices of the opera’s fairy characters. The piece presented a cheerful, woodsy tune with minor chords scattered throughout to represent the dramatic events in Iolanthe’s pastoral setting before falling into a march harkening to adventure, finishing with more fairy flutes and drawing to a thunderous close.

A fter the overture had foreshadowed what was to come, the events were revealed more fully through six songs that were then performed by singers from the opera company. The orchestra accompanied the vocalists with music that was subtler than the earlier pieces. These selections began with a chirpy love song sung by the two young lovers Phyllis and Strephon (played by professionals Teaira Burge and Matthew Peckham) and featuring more dialogue than operas generally include. The following numbers brought even more pronounced comedy. Iolanthe promises to be a topsy-turvy runin between the English parliament and feisty fairies of the countryside—a delightful taste of a performance to come.

The Chamber Orchestra will return to play Iolanthe on March 10 –12.

EXHIBIT [A]rts [2/09] THURSDAY 5:30–7:30 p.m. Wondering what that concrete car is in the Campus North Parking Garage? It’s the centerpiece of Concrete Happenings at the University of Chicago, an ongoing series that explores concrete and art. Concrete Poetry (Part I) will explore the tangibility of language through an exhibition tour and a concrete tablet-making activity. (Part II on February 16.) Starts at the Smart Museum of Art and ends at the Special Collections Research Center in the Reg, free, RSVP encouraged.

7 p.m. Esteemed jazz pianist Fred Hersch’s extraordinary life and music get their close-up in The Ballad of Fred Hersch. From his early AIDS activism to recent health scare, this 2016 documentary tells the story behind the notes. This on-campus screening provides the prelude to Hersch’s concert alongside his trio the following evening. Screening Room 201, Logan Center, free.

Thursday, February 9, through Saturday, February 11, at 7:30 p.m. Matinee on Saturday, February 11, at 2 p.m. UT/TAPS tackles Sam

Shepard with Geography of a Horse Dreamer. Directed by third-year Si Squires-Kasten, this production provides a unique take on Shepard’s western to question gender, art, and the American Dream. Theater East, Logan Center for the Arts, $6 advance, $8 door.

[2/10] FRIDAY 7:30 p.m. UChicago Presents hosts the celebrated Fred Hersch Trio in a program of Hersch’s own music. He is joined by Eric McPherson on drums and John Hébert on bass. There will be a pre-concert discussion between Hersch and UChicago Professor of Music Thomas Christensen in the venue at 6:30 p.m.

Performance Hall, Logan Center, $5 students, $28 Faculty and Staff, $35 general admission.

7:30 p.m.–11 p.m. This #flashbackfriday, UChicago Swing Dance Society is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Java Jives in C-Shop. The event will begin with a beginner lesson, followed by hours of dancing the night away with coffee-themed tunes and snacks!

C-Shop, Reynolds Club, free.

7:30 p.m. Finally, a show as scrambled as your post-midterm brain. Off-Off Campus presents Mad Libs Ad Libs using the plots of famous plots and movies for three separate stories. The Revival, $5.

8 p.m. Don’t miss the second installment of ARTiculate, a new storytelling initiative at the intersection of art, music, theater, and other media. Up this week are MeeSoh Bossard, Jonathan Gardner, Eli Winter, Will Davis, Karolina Simcic, and Grace McLeod, as well as Memento, Memoryhouse Magazine’s performance ensemble. Performance Penthouse, Logan Center, Free.

8 p.m. The UChicago Folk Festival enters its 57th year with two nights of concerts featuring folk headliners. Plus, don’t miss a diverse host of daytime workshops, at which you can learn everything from blues harmonica to English waltzes to improvisation on the recorder. A complete schedule of events can be found online at uofcfolk.org. Mandel Hall, Reynolds Club, $25 regular, $20 senior, $10 student. For Saturday, February 11’s concert, pricing is $30, $25, and $10 respectively.

[2/11] SATURDAY 6:30 p.m. This year’s College Night at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is going for Baroque with works by Italian greats, with a special focus on Antonio Vivaldi (of Four Seasons fame). Come early for pre-concert goodies, like dinner at 6:30 p.m. and a Q&A with CSO musicians at 7. Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave, $15 with a student ID. 5–8 p.m. The long-awaited opening of sculptor Robert Grosvenor’s exhibit at the Renaissance Society kicks off with an opening reception. A talk with poet and art critic John Yau begins at 6 p.m. Renaissance Society, 4th Floor, Cobb Hal, free.

CORRECTION: The concert review “Fans Flip Out Over Eclectic Twenty One Pilots Show” on Tuesday, January 31, stated that Twenty One Pilots have been nominated for three Grammys.

They have received five nominations.

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SPORTS Weekend of Revenge for Maroons WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BY JOSH PARKS SPORTS STAFF

After a stellar first half of UAA competition, the first-place Maroons welcomed Case Western Reserve University to Hyde Park last Friday night. After handing Chicago its second conference loss of the season just one week prior, the CWRU Spartans failed to muster the same fourth-quarter heroics, falling to the South Siders by a final score of 87–74.

Paced by a career performance from fourth-year Britta Nordstrom, the Maroons led for all 40 minutes of action. Scoring 23 points on an efficient 10-for-11 shooting run, Nordstrom became just the 12th

women’s basketball player in school history to surpass 1,000 career points.

First-year Miranda Burt had nothing but praise for Nordstrom, attributing the fourth-year’s achievement to her relentless work ethic. “Every practice, lift, and game she never gives anything less than her all, and holds all of us to the same standard,” Burt said.

“She’s been a great example for me and the other freshmen on how to represent the women’s basketball program.”

Third-year Elizabeth Nye was also in double digits in Friday’s victory with 13 points, while Burt and second-years Ola Obi and Alyssa Clemente each chipped in eight

points for the Maroons.

In their second matchup of the weekend, the South Siders finished the regular season sweep of Carnegie Mellon University in a Sunday matinee at Ratner Athletics Center.

Highlighted by a school-record 15 three-pointers, the Maroons rolled the 20th-ranked Tartans to the tune of 88–39.

After trailing in the early going, first-year guard Mia Farrell provided the spark, contributing 5 points of an 11–0 run that put Chicago ahead 15–8. The offense took over from there, surging to a halftime lead of 49–26. It was all Chicago down the stretch, outscoring the Tartans 39–13 in the final 20 minutes of play.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Maroons picked up right where they left off. Forcing 31 Tartan turnovers just one week earlier, the Maroons grabbed 26 turnovers on Sunday, accounting for 28 points at the other end. Anchoring the defense was none other than Nordstrom, claiming four steals and seven rebounds on the day. Obi was also a force on the glass, grabbing eight boards in the victory.

Knotted with archrival Wash U atop the UAA standings, the first-place Maroons are in control of their postseason fate. Looking to capture its first UAA championship and automatic berth to the NCAA DIII tournament in five years, Chicago (14–6, 7–2 UAA) kicks off the

all-important five-game stretch Friday evening by welcoming the University of Rochester Yellowjackets (15–5, 6–3 UAA) to Hyde Park. The Maroons will celebrate their seniors on Sunday in an afternoon contest against the Eagles of Emory University (13–7, 4–5 UAA). Friday’s tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.

“We’re right where we want to be right now—controlling our own destiny,” Burt said. Referencing the possible winner-take-all season finale against Wash U, she added, “The biggest thing for us is taking advantage of every practice and game going forward. It’s easy to look ahead…but right now, taking it one day and one game at a time is our biggest concern.”

Solo Weekend Match Spells Success WRESTLING

BY GARY HUANG SPORTS STAFF

A tremendous effort from the Un iver sit y of C h ic ago wrestling team guided them past No. 25 Augustana College 21–18 on Friday night at Henry Crown F ield House. T he

upset improved the Maroons’ du a l me et r e c or d t o 5 – 3 , while the Vikings fell to 8 – 6.

The ability to finish off close matches was the key factor in the home team’s victory.

The night started with a forfeit at 125 lb. and an 8 – 5 decision v ict or y at 133 lb.

that put the visiting side up 9 – 0 at the outset. However, UChicago took the next six matches and wrestled a hold on the competition as a whole.

F i rst-yea r Gra nt Mor r ison continued to be in form after a strong performance at the Pete Willson Invitation-

al the previous week, and he scored a 12– 6 decision at 141 lb. Fellow first-year Kahlan Lee-Lermer faced a familiar opponent in Augustana’s Matt Sears as they had a rematch from the Pete Willson Invitational. Once again, the 149 lb.

Lee-Lermer was able to grind

out a narrow 5–4 decision win.

A nother standout performer from the last weekend, firstyear Steve Bonsall at 157 lb., took the pivotal match in the meet, as his convincing 19 –1 technical fall victory swung the overall score in the South Continued on page 8

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SPORTS Broken Records and Hearts for Chicago MEN’S BASKETBALL

BY MICHAEL PERRY SPORTS STAFF

The University of Chicago men’s varsity basketball team (12–8 overall, 4–5 UAA) went 1–1 in a pair of home games this weekend against University Athletic Association (UAA) opponents, dominating Case Western Reserve University (5–14, 0–8 UAA) in a beatdown Friday night before falling to Carnegie Mellon University (11–9, 5–4 UAA) Sunday morning in an overtime thriller. The results were identical to last weekend, when the Maroons also beat Case Western on Friday before falling to Carnegie Mellon on Sunday.

The Maroons were shorthanded Fri-

day night, as fourth-years Tyler Howard, Blaine Crawford, Waller Perez, Alex Gustafson, and third-years Porter Veach and Collin Barthel were not available to play.

With four starters out, head coach Mike McGrath started first-year Jordan Baum, second-year Noah Karras, third-year Jake Fenlon, second-year Justin Jackson, and second-year Ryan Jacobsen.

The result of starting a young lineup and having a limited bench was the Maroons’ most complete game of the year, as they led wire-to-wire in a 99–73 shellacking of Case Western. The team was led by Karras, who put up 39 points, and Jacobsen, who put up 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Karras shot an impressive 11–14 be-

hind the arc, setting a new University of Chicago record for three-pointers in a game. The record had been previously set just five days before by Fenlon.

“Case gave us good looks behind the arc and, thanks to our team, I was able to take advantage of that,” Karras said. “Jake and I are always going back and forth with three-pointers, so it’s funny that he broke the record last week and I got it this week.

Jake’s an outstanding shooter, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Jake got the record again.”

Sunday morning did not go as well for the Maroons, as they lost to Carnegie for the second time in 8 days, this time in an 85–83 overtime showdown. The Maroons could not stop Carnegie’s Jack Serbin or

Ryan Maha, who combined for 50 points.

In a back-and-forth game that saw the Maroons down by two points at halftime, it came down to the final seconds as Chicago could not tie it back up again as time expired.

“It’s always frustrating to lose, and especially to lose to the same team twice,” said Howard. “The team will come back from this loss though, and now we are focusing on Rochester.”

Howard scored 14 points and led the Maroons with seven assists while Crawford led the team with 25 points in a double-double.

The Maroons’ next game is this Friday at home against Rochester.

Windy City Friendly to South Siders TRACK & FIELD

BY EMMA GRIFFITHS SPORTS STAFF

In a two-day meet of 13 teams, the men’s and women’s track and field teams finished first by a large margin on both sides at the Windy City Invitational. Against several Division I teams, the Maroons proved their strength with remarkable performances all around.

In only one meet, four school records were broken.

Friday started the meet off with a bang as the heptathletes and pentathletes competed, with first-year Laura Darcey breaking the Women’s Pentathlon record with 3,056 points and third-year Will Ackerman breaking the Men’s Heptathlon record with 4,504 points. Third-year Olivia Cattau was close

behind Darcey, finishing with 2,997 points.

“I feel like all of my training is coming together. After a slow start to the season, it was amazing to have everything finally go to plan,” Darcey said after she broke the record.

Following the success of Friday, Saturday produced nine first-place finishes by the Maroons. On the men’s side, there was Nathan Downey in the 200-meter dash, Nick Nielsen in the mile, Andrew Maneval in shot put, and the 4x400-meter relay consisting of Tyson Miller, Elliott Paintsil, Ben Chaimberg, and Nathan Downey.

The women first-place finishers were Alisha Harris in the 60-meter dash, Cassidy McPherson in the 800-meter dash, Ade Ayoola in high jump, Isabel Garon in pole vault, and Mary Martin in long jump.

One of the highlights of the meet was the

moment when Isabel Garon broke the school record in pole vault while most of her teammates and coaches were gathered around the pole vault pit, clapping and cheering her on.

The unity of the team was shown, as most athletes paused what they were doing to support their teammate.

Reflecting on her success from Saturday, Garon said, “It has been a lot of work—and fun—training with the team the last couple of months. Saturday, all the preparation came together. I was happy to finally be playing up at the heights that I’ve been imagining for years. We have a great team and great coaches, and I look forward to seeing how the rest of the season plays out.”

First-year Robin Peter, the new record-holder in the 60-meter hurdles, said, “I’m very fortunate to be part of such a driv-

en and talented team. There’s a supportive atmosphere that’s present in both practice and meets; it certainly elevates my own motivation to work harder and perform.”

The team was full of smiles at the end of the meet as they gathered around coach Chris Hall for some post-meet remarks and congratulations. The crazy amount of records broken and overall team strength are great signs for what is to come for the Maroons this year.

With only two meets left before the UAAs, the track and field team is looking strong and progressing each week. With great competition at the meet this coming weekend at the North Central Chicagoland Indoor Championship, the team hopes to keep on improving and reaching new goals.

Maroons Remain Undefeated TENNIS

BY NATALIE DEMURO SPORTS STAFF

T he University of Chicago tennis teams continued their dominating performances with victories in three matches on Saturday. The No. 10 women knocked off Hope College 8–1, while the men took down Hope and Lewis University in two complete duals. The No. 5 men swept Hope 9–0 at home and came away with a 7–2 victory against Lewis at Evergreen Racquet Club.

The UChicago women started the day off strong with victories in all three doubles matches. At the No. 1 doubles spot, first-year Marjorie Antohi and second-year Rachel Kim picked up the win against their opponents with a score of 8–5. The No. 2 and No. 3 doubles teams

won their matches handily by margins of 8–4 and 8–3, respectively. In singles play, the Maroons won five out of the six matches in straight sets to earn an overall singles record this season of 26–1.

On the men’s side, UChicago split up their players to compete in two separate matches. In their win against Hope, the Maroons easily took all three doubles matches. The highlight of the action was No. 1 pair of third-years David Liu and first-year Erik Kerrigan shutting out their opponents 8 – 0. All six singles matches went to the Maroons in straight sets. At the No. 2 and No. 5 spots, third-year Luke Tsai and firstyear Jaird Meyer blanked their opponents with 6–0, 6–0 wins.

Just south of campus in Evergreen Park, IL, the other half of the men’s

team faced off against DII foe Lewis.

The Maroons went 2–1 in doubles play, dropping a close match at the No. 1 spot by a score of 8–6. At the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles spots, UChicago came away with 8 –2 and 8 –1 victories. In singles play, the Maroons took five out of six matches.

Third-year Nick Chua, who competed at the No. 1 singles spot and No. 3 doubles spot against Lewis, thought the team performed well for a match this early in the year. “We’re just starting a new season, but we are trying to set a better tone at the beginning of the season than last year. I thought all the guys from top to bottom really competed for every point, and that’s always great to see,” he said.

Chua added, “There were points in

every match where we could have executed better. Guys could have picked better shots to go for, finished the point stronger, or known better when they weren’t in control of the point. However, these are things that we’ll get better at as the season moves along.”

The undefeated Maroons have the weekend off before back-to-back competitions on February 18 and 19. The teams will travel to Indianapolis for a matchup against Denison University on Saturday before taking the court at DePauw University on Sunday. Last year, the men defeated both Denison and DePauw 8 –1, while the women knocked off Denison and DePauw by scores of 6–3 and 8–1, respectively. The women’s squad will face two top-25 teams in No. 22 Denison and No. 25 DePauw.

Chicago Conquers Vikings Continued from page 7

Siders’ favor, 11–9.

With the lead in hand, the Maroons did not relent and added 10 more team points through the next three middleweight matches at 165, 174, and 184 lb. First-year Kyle Peisker earned a 14 –5 major decision. In his last home meet ever, fourth-year Paul Papoutsis got the result he was looking for, with

a student crowd amassing to support him in the stands. Papoutsis surely heard the chants as he took down his opponent by an 8 –2 decision. Building on Papoutsis’s momentum, second-year Jason Lynch delivered UChicago’s last blow and final points of the game with a 5 – 4 victory over Christos Giatras, the first place performer in the 184 lb. weight class at the Pete Willson Invi-

tational.

The Vikings were able to keep the match interesting, winning the last two matches by decision and fall, but ultimately could not muster enough points to reclaim the lead and the match. UChicago head coach Leo Kocher was proud of the team’s mentality and perseverance after dropping the first match to forfeit and then facing

a lineup that included two champions from the Pete Willson Invitational. He highlighted the battle that the middleweight classes put up as well as the first-year performers.

This coming weekend, the Maroons will head to New York City, where NYU will play host to the UA A C hampionships.