ChicagoMaroon052416

MAY 24, 2016

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892

SG Pay Plan Fails

BY EMILY FEIGENBAUM SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

A proposal to pay top Student Government (SG) officers failed in a General Assembly (GA) vote last night.

GA gathered last night in the basement of Booth for its last meeting of the school year to discuss a proposal by Executive Slate to apply rollover funding toward the compensation of Executive Committee (EC) members. GA voted to instead allocate the funding to Student Leadership Recognition and Access Program (SLRA), a program that compensates students who balance volunteer work and part-time jobs. The motion passed 18–9–6.

In a memo addressed to GA on May 21, Slate proposed to allocate annual awards to EC members for their elected roles in order to mitigate the financial burdens the roles carry. The annual sum of $16,979 in awards would have been derived from administrative funds and rollover funds from previous years.

Updated rollover figures, which total $311,691, with $96,191 remaining after allocations for next year’s recently passed budget, were introduced at the meeting. The rollover amount increased by $58,348 from the estimate at the previous GA meeting, which Vice President for Student Affairs Kenzo Esquivel explained is due to conservative projections. Slate proposed using the newly projected rollover funding to increase SLRA funds by $7,500 and create EC awards totaling $16,979.

The Annual EC Award Proposal stated that Slate members would be awarded $3,465, Liaisons would be awarded $1,040, and Council Chairs would be awarded $1,733. Using estimations of 10 hours per week for Slate, three hours for liaisons, and five hours for council chairs, the memo noted the calculated hourly wage would be $10.50.

Discussion of the SG Awards proposal began with personal anecdotes from Executive Slate members. Kissinger, struggling to hold back tears, said that being a University student is a full-time job.

Kissinger explained that he is a self-supporting student and that his financial aid and outside schol-

It’s All Greek to Me Page 4

Greek life’s positive impact is being forgotten amid criticism.

arship do not cover all of his expenses. Vice President for Administration Alex Jung, also teary-eyed, explained that she attends UChicago because it less expensive for her than attending college in Korea.

Citing a statistic from the American Student Government Association (ASGA), the May 21 memo stated that 77 percent of elected student government leaders across the US are financially compensated. Kissinger added in an online personal statement that SG leaders at other universities are compensated with free tuition or salaries surpassing $10,000.

A related proposal put forward in 2014, sought to provide SG cabinet members with stipends to compensate for their large time commitments, failed. Citing the growing role of SG, Slate wrote in its memo that time spent on SG poses a financial burden, especially for low-income students who must support themselves through parttime employment.

“For much of my time at UChicago I was unable to engage in the classroom to the degree I wish I could have, and that came as a result of trying to work a campus job while prioritizing my work in SG above all else. While I’m immensely proud of the work that we’ve done in SG over my past two years as President, I know I could have done more if it weren’t for this financial stress,” Kissinger wrote on the SG website.

“Collectively, the three of us in Executive Slate work a total of six part-time jobs. The amount of time it takes to do the work in these positions will only continue to grow as SG’s impact on campus grows.

That is why we are proposing for EC members to receive a small annual award— essentially the equivalent of a part-time campus job,” Kissinger added.

Several SG members voiced support for paying SG members, but expressed consternation over the message it sends to the student body.

Graduate Liaison to the Board of Trustees Katie Perri, a USC alumna who witnessed a similar program during her undergraduate career, explained that the USC SG awards system was both robust and effective. However, PerContinued on page 2

VOL. 127, ISSUE 50

No Standard Rules for GC Elections

BY PETE GRIEVE & ADAM THORP DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR & NEWS EDITOR

Graduate Council can keep its medley of methods for selecting Zoe Kaiser representatives, General Assembly Provost Isaacs takes questions at Monday’s Student Government decided yesterday, rejecting an atMeeting. tempt by Executive Slate to bring them into line.

Last night, Student Government (SG) General Assembly, which is comprised of College Council (CC) and Graduate Council (GC), approved an amendment to its bypresented counter arguments to

BY ISAAC STEIN laws by a vote of 20–7–5 that will students’ calls for a $15 minimum SENIOR NEWS REPORTER wage for all on-campus workers, and allow GC to determine the electoral Provost Eric D. Isaacs, flanked emphasized their limited availabili- processes of its members on a division- or school-specific basis. by several employees of his admin- ty for meetings with students.

The amendment was introFrom the onset, the discussion istrative office, stood at the center of the Student Government (SG) was tense. Student activists affili- duced after Executive Slate and meeting on Monday night to field ated with IIRON Student Network the Elections and Rules (E&R) questions from the audience in a (ISN) attended as a group, and committee made clear their intenscheduled half-hour Q & A session. asked questions in rapid succession. tions to standardize and centralize The administrators, including Isaa- IIRON is a Chicago-based social ac- GC elections, bringing the various cs, noted that the University plans tivism coalition that “organiz[es] to methods used to select GC repreto add a deputy Title IX coordina- build student power to create social sentatives into agreement with one another and with SG’s governing tor for students by midsummer, Continued on page 2 documents.

Executive Slate argued that the representative selection processes were inconsistent and in some cases undemocratic, but GC representatives claim that diverse processes suit the unique needs of the various divisions and schools.

Though the Assembly’s bylaws

BY ALEX WARD Justice (DOJ) that had been prorequire GC to be elected directly, foundly affected by September 11 SENIOR NEWS REPORTER and overtaken by partisan hiring GC’s 15 divisions and schools have Yesterday, former United practices, which he eliminated in practice developed a wide range States Attorney General Eric Hold- by ensuring that hiring decisions of methods for selecting representaer discussed his legacy and views would be made only by career tives in the years since those bylaws on current politics with a UChi- members of the department. He were adopted, including direct eleccago law professor at the Gordon went on to criticize what he saw tions and appointment by school- or as attacks on voting rights in the division-level student government Parks Arts Hall’s assembly lobby.

The Institute of Politics (IOP)– wake of the Shelby County v. Hold- and deans.

Section 12(f) of Article II of the hosted event was introduced by Da- er Supreme Court decision, which vid Axelrod, whose time as senior removed sections of the Voting new bylaws will allow GC to “ceradvisor in the Obama administra- Rights Act of 1965 intended to tify alternate electoral processes outside of the [E&R] framework tion overlapped with Holder’s time prevent discrimination.

“I think what we’re seeing now for running elections on a divias attorney general. Holder joined professor David Strauss, co-editor is another attempt to somehow sion-specific basis by a two-thirds of the Supreme Court Review, to disenfranchise, or make more dif- vote of that body.” The Chair of speak about his tenure as attor- ficult the voting process for people GC will be required to compile and ney general and his hopes for the of color, for young people, people maintain a list of exemptions to the future directions of the issues he who have Democratic leanings,” E&R framework, but the processes “must involve direct election of a Holder said. targeted while in office.

Asked about his handling of representative by the students or a Holder described his experience entering a Department of Continued on page 3 Continued on page 3

Tough Questions for Provost Isaacs at Assembly

Holder Talks Legacy, Views on Current Politics with Law Professor

Pop-up Museum on Quad Sheds Light on Sexual Assault

Eight Women to Represent Chicago at Nationals

Page 6

Page 8

At night, the museum was lit up with string lights—a quiet tribute to the stories contained within it.

The women’s track and field squad heads to the NCA A Championship this Thursday.

Chance Colors Outside the Lines at Listening Party Page 6 Chance made good on the following line, too: “Make you remember how to smile good.”

Contributing to THE MA ROON

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 2016

2

THE CHICAGO MAROON - MAY 24, 2016

Student Activists Came Prepared; Demanded Yes or No Answers Continued from front

change in the public arena,” according to its website.

When posing questions to Isaacs, the IIRON student activists prefaced their queries with “this is a yes or no question,” which visibly irritated the Provost.

“You know that none of these questions are yes or no questions.... We’re the University of Chicago; we’re really about discussion and debate—we’re not about yes or no questions,” Isaacs said.

On the subject of Title IX staffing, the administrators and students agreed that the University ought to make additional hires. Title IX Coordinator Sarah Wake, who is also Assistant Provost & Director of the Office for Equal Opportunity Programs, said that the hiring of the incoming deputy Title IX coordinator reflects that “we need to increase the staffing.”

Regarding minimum wage, Isaacs said

that he believes in a “fair wage,” and emphasized that the University has established several recent financial aid initiatives to assist students. He also said that there is “no fixed minimum wage” on campus and advised students to contact their supervisors if they find their pay insufficient.

Fourth-year IIRON member Spencer McAvoy responded by clarifying that the IIRON Fair Budget UChicago (FBU) campaign is “talking about all campus workers,” in addition to students. In response to Isaacs’s comment that campus workers, on average, make “considerably more than $15 an hour,” McAvoy argued that the provost’s position disregards workers who make less than that. He also said that what campus employees earn is insufficient to pay for their health care costs.

“Do you know what happens to people who don’t have insurance, when they don’t have enough money to pay [their medical bills]?

They die, or they bankrupt their families, or

the IIRON activists and Isaacs on the frequency, length, and forums of their meetings. Last year, Isaacs answered questions at SG for one hour.

“I get a lot of requests to meet with students, with faculty, with many people who live off-campus...with students, and particularly the student government...I have come to meet with [SG], and I think this is the right group for me to meet with. There are only so many meetings every year that I can possibly schedule, so I come to meet with Student Government, and I’m happy to do it,” Isaacs said.

A fourth IIRON member, second-year Sofia Butnaru, questioned the provost on whether the meeting was long enough.

“Last time, you spoke for an hour, and so that would mean that we only have one hour and 30 minutes to ask you our questions and concerns.... Do you think that’s enough time?”

they usually do both. I know people, I have multiple friends whose parents had to work while they were dying of cancer in order to pay for their treatment. Now, do you feel comfortable with having workers on campus who need to do that?” McAvoy said.

“The truth of the matter is that if I was getting paid $15 an hour, I would actually be able to focus on my studies and be a student here...you say a lot that the University doesn’t have the money to pay a living wage, but it spends tens of million dollars on hedge funds... so would you say that spending money on new buildings, hedge funds, and endowments is more important than human beings?” she said.

Isaacs responded by stating that “we spend a lot more on financial aid than we spend on hedge funds, or on any of the things you just mentioned.”

The Q & A session was also peppered with a fundamental disagreement between

SG Assembly Votes Down Compensation for Executive Slate Members Continued from front

ri argued that all members of EC should be equally compensated for their work, stating that Slate members do not necessarily work harder than their EC counterparts. Esquivel responded that most institutions implement a hierarchal awards structure.

First-year CC representative Qudsiyyah Shariyf expressed concern over the message that awarding SG leaders sends to RSO leaders who apply for funding through the SLRA. Shariyf noted that this may not be the intended message of the proposal, but said that it may be interpreted as a form of privilege that SG members would be guaranteed annual stipends.Second-year CC representative Calvin Cottrell noted that this was the last GA meeting of the year and SG members should take more than one meeting to dis-

cuss the proposal to pay themselves.

Current CC Chair and incoming SG President Eric Holmberg voiced support for the proposal, but stated that both he and future Vice President for Administration Salma Elkhaoudi would abstain from voting on the issue. Incoming Vice President for Student Affairs Cody Jones, who does not currently hold an SG position, argued that there should be no shame in privileging SG members with compensation. Jones added that Holmberg, Elkhaoudi, and incoming Community and Government Liaison Cosmo Albrecht should not be discouraged from voting.

Third-year representative Katherine Shen agreed that SG members should be compensated, but proposed that funding for the program not be derived from Student

The Lumen Christi Institute presents

a symposium on

HEIDEGGER’S CONFESSIONS: The Remains of St. Augustine in Being and Time & Beyond

Life Fees. In response to Shen’s suggestion that EC members be compensated by means of tuition cuts or housing subsidies, Esquivel said that the administration has not been receptive to these proposals.

Second-year Asya Akca asked why the compensation of CC members was not part of the discussion. In response, Albrecht said the program could be expanded later.

Despite arguing against the particularities of the proposal, most SG members who spoke during the debate expressed gratitude to Slate members for their work over the course of the year.

“We didn’t come in to be thanked. It was more just to try to make the opportunity available to a wide range of students and I don’t think that got accomplished today,” Jung told THE MAROON after the vote.

A motion to approve an increase to SLRA funding with the same splits between College and Graduate Councils passed unanimously, with one abstaining vote. Shen then proposed that the SG awards system be a pilot program in which the end goal is to find an alternative source of funding rather than the Student Life Fee. Shen’s amendment stated that the future Slate would have to vote to renew the program next year. The amended version of the proposal failed 12–16–5.

Cottrell proposed a motion to allocate the proposed EC awards funding to SLRA, in

Answers to Friday’s crossword puzzle, “Most Wanted Bachelors” 1

2

A

3

4

M

Ryan Coyne University of Chicago

5

I

I

14

with

addition to the previously allocated $7,500.

This motion passed 18–9–6. The new total of $24,479 was a significant increase from the $10,000 allocation.

Slate members expressed dismay with the final decision.

“I think that we’re obviously disappointed with the outcome…. I am excited that SLRA is seeing increases at the levels that it is going to and I think that it’s exciting that we have folks in the GA who are committed to figuring out how SLRA can also go to support members of Executive Slate and Committee” Esquivel told THE MAROON following the vote. He emphasized that this sentiment extends to all of SG. “I’m definitely disappointed. The work of Student Government leadership should be accessible to all students; as you heard tonight, it simply isn’t at this point. As the one who originally proposed the SLRA program and got it off the ground, I am proud that it is recognized as a program worth supporting. But as long as the workload of SG EC members remains so substantial, and as long as the impacts of that work have an impact for all students and student organizations at UChicago, I think the roles deserve compensation so that students of all backgrounds have the realistic ability to succeed and dedicate the amount of time these roles deserve,” Kissinger said.

6

7

B

I

8

15

T

A

R

17

N

O

10

R

E

I

S

H

D

E

N

I

G

M

A

B

E

L

O

I

T

C

T

R

L

C

K

E

E

S

D

S

O 19

M

I

L

L

O

N

E

S

T

Y 23

A

W

A

K

E

S

L

A

G

O

P

25

A

26

D

L

O

29

N

O

L

I

E

H

31

R

E

N 33

37

C

38

B

32

P

O

T

A

G

O

S

L

D

S

M

I

A

T

O

O

H

O

M

L

A

H

T

41

42

43

E

V

I

L

A

L

E

T

A

A

F

I

R

S

T

A

U

G

U

S

T

E

I

G

H

M

A

R

X

U

E

E

S

46

T

Y

P

O

S

48

P

T

40

45

47

A 35

39

44

I

E

34

G 36

49

T

O

S

E

T

50

51

H

O

R

A

52

WWW.LUMENCHRISTI.ORG

S

30

Mark Alznauer, Moderator Northwestern University

Cosponsored by the Philosophy of Religions Workshop and the Theolog y & Religious Ethics Workshop

24

28

T

Swift Hall, 3rd Floor Lecture Hall

Y

22

27

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 4:30PM

13

W

21

H

Jean-Luc Marion University of Chicago

12

E

20

Gregory Fried Suffolk University

11

J 16

18

A

9

S

53

E

N

T

E

R

54

O

56

R

H 57

E

E

B

O

K

59

S

55

58

I

D

E

A

60

Y

N

O

D

S

C 61

T

E

R

N

E

THE CHICAGO MAROON - MAY 24, 2016

Executive Slate Hoped to Align GC With Other SG Elections Continued from front

divisional council.”

The amended section states that the GC representative selection processes “may not obfuscate the will of the voters by permitting area deans to appoint representatives unilaterally.”

The new selection processes will have to be submitted as “Divisional Election Codes” to the Chair of E&R by spring quarter, and any divisions that do not do so will have their representatives elected under the standard E&R framework. Under the new election processes, GC representatives’ term dates and lengths will be able to vary by division.

Earlier in the meeting, E&R passed by a vote of 21–1–10 a minor amendment to the election code that specifies the number of signatures that graduate students will need to obtain within their division to get on the ballot if their elections are conducted under the E&R framework. Candidates will need 30 signatures or signatures from 2.2 percent of enrolled students by the registrar’s count, whichever is lower.

During discussion on that amendment, GC representatives asked what would happen to recently elected or appointed members if the bylaws were fully enforced and the signature amendment passed. One GC member said that his school’s election was coming up in a week, and asked what would happen to its GC seat.

E&R member Joshua Savitt said GC representatives currently are technically not legitimately elected members under the SG bylaws. Graduate Liaison to the Board of Trustees Katie Perri and Biological Sciences representative Haley Stinnett questioned how they could vote if they aren’t legitimate members. Kissinger clarified that rules would go into effect after fall SG elections.

Kissinger added that the conditions for implementation are not ideal, but that he thought now would be the best time because divisions would have five months to adjust before elections in the fall. Stinnett said that some GC members would prefer to have the changes implemented next spring.

GC co-chair Elliott Balch said he “embrace[s] the goal of direct elections,” but criticized enforcement of the E&R framework across the board on the grounds that it would reduce turnout in some divisions relative to

current election processes.

“The thing is that elections that happen locally tend to be more salient in the divisions and schools, and you can see that by the turnout,” he said. “At Harris for example, the last SG election this quarter had a 29 percent turnout, but our local election, also this quarter, had a 51 percent turnout. At Booth, it was a 21 percent SG turnout; the local turnout was more like 60–70 percent in the local divisional election. So if we want to encourage participation, the representation on the grad council needs to be salient to the people who are voting.”

The electoral amendment to the bylaws was introduced two and a half hours into the meeting. Fourth-year CC representative Clark Halpern argued that the amendment should be tabled to allow Assembly members to have more time to review it. “The mere fact that [Balch] proposed this at 6:52 [p.m.] while we are already in session is kind of crazy to me,” he said. “This is a very important thing where we are shifting power away from a centralized [SG].”

CC representative second-year Calvin Cottrell pointed out that the Assembly has voted on important issues on short notice in the past. He added that everyone was operating on an accelerated timeline as the signatures amendment was proposed on Thursday and this was the last meeting of the year. Cottrell also encouraged CC representatives to listen to GC members.

“These processes will not obfuscate the will of the voters by permitting area deans to appoint representatives unilaterally,” he said. “I think that goes to a lot of the democracy problems that we had before. I think we should listen to the grad students and what’s best for them.”

Second-year CC representative Cosmo Albrecht expressed concern that the GC electoral processes would be under the discretion of GC and not the Assembly. Stinnett said that the amendment would strike a balance between E&R and GC authority, because divisions would be able to use the E&R framework if they needed it.

Editor’s Note: This article includes sections from another article that ran online Sunday night previewing Executive Slate’s plan to enforce the Assembly bylaws in GC elections.

Former US Attorney General Discussed Voting Rights, Government Leaks, Policing at IOP Event Continued from front

government leaks, Holder defended his reputation for harshness in prosecuting individuals like Edward Snowden, whose actions he said had dangerous consequences for national security. Holder pointed out that although he is often criticized for bringing more cases against leakers than all previous presidential administrations combined, he still presided over only six individual trials and rejected many more. He also noted that he had personally ensured that the DOJ never prosecuted journalists who shared leaked information for doing their jobs.

Holder spent much of the discussion addressing the issue of police violence and community relations. Asked whether the federal government has any role in handling issues involving local police departments, he said that police generally want to do things “the right way” with regard to their communities, but that this can sometimes require outside training and federal efforts to break down

unhealthy cultures of abuse. Speaking about allocating federal resources to improve local police departments, Holder said, “I think for the money that you invest, the return is exponentially better.”

Responding after the discussion to an audience question about whether any country provides a better model for political enfranchisement than the U.S., Holder affirmed his faith in the country and said that his criticisms should not be taken as indictments. Holder also said that he continues to believe in the potential for significant improvement, and told the audience that this responsibility falls partly on them.

“I’m always hopeful that this country, as good as it is, can be made better; it’s what I’ve tried to commit my life to, it’s what I think you should commit your lives to. You can’t be passive in this fight for progress: you’ve always got to ask tough questions, be able to face hard truths, and be prepared to engage.”

3

4

THE CHICAGO MAROON - MAY 24, 2016

VIEWPOINTS Giving a Green Light to the Media University Wavered in Its Commitment to First Amendment Freedoms Last Week An NBC News crew was not g ranted access to the main quad to videotape students protesting what they see as the corporatization of the University last Thursday. The protest, organized by the IIRON Student Network (ISN), involved a 150+ person march across campus and a sit-in in Levi Hall by 34 students and alumni. The sit-in ended at 5 p.m., when the building closed and the UCPD escorted protesters out. The protesters demanded a meeting with administrators—following a lack of administrative attendance

at public meetings hosted by student groups including Fair Budget UChicago, the Campaign for Equitable Policing, Students for Disability Justice, and UChicago Climate Action Network—but were unsuccessful. According to IIRON, this was the largest protest on campus in at least three years.

Organizers of the protest contacted local and national media outlets, including NBC News, to solicit coverage. According to one of the organizers, second-year Hannah Breslau, the University denied the T V crew access

to the quad to videotape and interview students, who were inside Levi Hall and gathered outside the building on the quad-facing side. The press was required to stay on the street-facing side of Levi, which is public property, and shoot video from there. The University’s policy states that outside media should contact the News Office before arriving on campus, and TV crews must obtain prior permission to enter the quad.

The protest last Thursday presented a case in which the University should have granted NBC News, and any other

outside media, permission to enter the quad to report on what was taking place. The University has the right to decide who can and cannot have access to campus because it is private property, but it has an obligation to be consistent in its stance on First Amendment freedoms. There are privacy and safety concerns that may occasionally justify restrictions preventing TV crews and reporters from entering the quad—students and staff should be able to go about their lives without the threat of public harassment— but such concerns were not

apparent in this case.

R espect for freedom of speech, freedom of protest, and freedom of the press are all deeply woven into the fabric of UChicago, which earned a “Green Light” rating from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) earlier this year. Even though NBC News was not able to make prior arrangements to cover last week’s protest on campus, the University acted contrary to its own principles by denying reporters access to the quad.

—The MAROON Editorial Board

Letter to the Editor: Administration Action Against Greek Life Unfairly Punishes Multicultural Greek Organizations The Center for Leadership and Involvement (CLI) has announced changes effective in the upcoming school year that will prohibit Greek organizations from applying for Student Government Finance Committee and Annual Allocations funding, and require us to pay for room reservations—with a limit of 10 room reservations per academic quarter.

These changes, implemented without the input of student members of Greek organizations, unfairly jeopardize the operations of the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) by treating all Greek organizations as a monolith.

We understand the University’s attempt to hold Greek organizations accountable; however,

MGC organizations should not be subjected to collective punishment for infractions we did not commit. Our values of inclusivity, service, and diversity lie far from the recent actions of fraternities. While it is easy to group all Greek organizations together, this approach is flawed in its overly simplistic view of MGC organizations. MGC organizations exist for a fundamentally different reason than other Greek organizations: to support and integrate minority representation in Greek life and beyond, where historically minorities have not been accepted. We have been integral in maintaining a supportive space for ethnic minorities on campus and the University has acknowledged this. Previ-

ously, MGC organizations were categorized as “cultural interest clubs,” rather than as traditional fraternities and sororities. This is apparent during RSO fairs, when MGC organizations are placed away from Panhellenic and NIC organizations and instead given tabling space near cultural organizations. The University’s decision to punish us alongside Greek organizations ignores our distinct identities, further excludes us, and deprives us of resources that allow us to pursue our mission of multicultural diversity. For over a century, member organizations of UChicago’s MGC have provided services through substantive projects to better our communities.

MGC organizations have fewer members than other Greek

organizations because MGC organizations serve underrepresented communities. As a result of this, we obtain the bulk of our funds from Student Government rather than member dues. The administration’s new policy will disproportionately harm us. Five out of six UChicago MGC organizations do not own a house and therefore rely on the University for meeting and event spaces. This new policy leaves us without a safe University-sponsored space to hold our brotherhood and sisterhood events, recruitment events that maintain and increase our membership, cultural awareness events, and MGC-wide social events. Furthermore, without access to campus spaces, our fundraising efforts will be severely im-

pacted. We will have nowhere else to turn to for funding or support.

MGC hopes to continue serving the University community and our brothers and sisters at full capacity. But we can’t do that without student and University support. On a campus that preaches diversity and inclusivity, supporting MGC organizations should be obvious. But the impending changes to our RSO status places our ability to enact positive, inclusive change in our campus community at a standstill.

–Multicultural Greek Council This letter has been abridged for print; for the full letter, visit chicagomaroon.com.

It’s All Greek to Me Greek Life’s Positive Impact is Being Forgotten Amid Criticism

Maggie Loughran, Editor-in-Chief Forrest Sill, Editor-in-Chief Annie Cantara, Managing Editor The MAROON Editorial Board consists of the Editors-in-Chief and editors of THE MAROON.

NEWS

SOCIAL MEDIA

Tamar Honig, editor Adam Thorp, editor Pete Grieve, deputy editor Emily Kramer, deputy editor Eileen Li, deputy editor Sonia Schlesinger, deputy editor Christine Schmidt, senior news editor

Sarah Manhardt, editor ONLINE

Annie Asai, director of web development Euirim Choi, creative director Vishal Talasani, director of data analysis Juliette Hainline, director of interactive features

VIEWPOINTS

PHOTO

Cole Martin, editor Kayleigh Voss, editor

Zoe Kaiser, editor

ARTS

Stacey Reimann, editor

Hannah Edgar, editor Grace Hauck, editor Miriam Benjamin, deputy editor MJ Chen, deputy editor SPORTS

Katie Anderson, editor Zachary Themer, editor GREY CITY

Natalie Friedberg, Editor-in-Chief DESIGN

VIDEO BUSINESS

Patrick Quinn, chief financial officer Jeanne Marie Fishkin, director of development Anjing Fu, director of marketing Sandra Lukac, director of marketing Ben Lanier, director of operations Audrey Mang, director of strategy Regina Filomeno, business manager Harry Backlund, distributor

Stephanie Liu, head designer COPY

Sophie Downes, head editor Morganne Ramsey, head editor Erica Sun, head editor Michelle Zhao, head editor THIS ISSUE

Copy: Kate Blankinship, Steven Cui, Fritz Hofmann, Katrina Lee, Sarah Wang Design: Associates: Mahathi Ayyagari, Liz Xiong, Julia Xu, Kay Yang Editor: Lauren Han

Editor-in-Chief E-mail: Editor@ChicagoMaroon.com Newsroom Phone: (773) 702-1403 Business Phone: (773) 702-9555 Fax: (773) 702-3032 For advertising inquiries, please contact Ads@ChicagoMaroon.com or (773) 702-9555.

Circulation: 5,500. © 2016 THE CHICAGO MAROON Ida Noyes Hall / 1212 East 59th Street / Chicago, IL 60637

Brooke White W hen I care about anything, I care deeply.

The more my class discussion dragged on, the more intense our debate became.

The room was divided: some people supported us, while others did not understand us.

I sat back in my seat, biting my tongue as I listened to my classmate rebuke an organization that’s so meaningful to me and my time at UChicago.

“I just don’t believe that they add any value to this campus.”

I glanced quickly at the other sorority sisters in the

room, hoping to find some sort of solidarity. It’s easy for an outsider to not recognize the numerous benefits of Greek life, but hearing that our involvement on campus is essentially worthless was a hard pill to swallow.

This past year, especially on our campus, Greek life has been drowning in criticism, struggling to resurface with the respect it deserves.

The numerous sexual assault allegations that brought frats under fire have dragged sororities’ reputations down too. Our student body cares only about the negative dra-

ma. What makes the news?

Scandal and the fiery drama that circulates on Overheard at UChicago and Yik Yak. Nobody wants to hear that Pi Beta Phi, my sorority, sends girls every week to St. Thomas Catholic School to tutor children. Does no one care that we donated $14,000 to Pi Beta Phi’s literacy foundation to promote children’s literacy?

After spending fall quarter abroad, I spent my first few weeks of winter quarter consumed by social anxiety.

R eaccl imating to on- campus life was daunting, but my sisters provided me with the sort of social safety net that helped me find my place again. I was invited to sisterhoods (often off-campus Continued on page 5

5

THE CHICAGO MAROON - MAY 24, 2016

Greek Life Is Responsive to Criticism Continued from page 4

events to the Lyric Opera, movies, or restaurants with only sisters), ate too much pizza at formal, was a co-emcee at Arrowfest, watched movies and ate popcorn with my grand-big, and studied in a Reg room after chapter with 10 or more sisters. My sorority has built me up. My sisters have given me an insane amount of support, assuring me that they’re there for me whether I’m in Hyde Park, Chicago or Hyde Park, London.

Sororities and fraternities are by nature inclusive, not exclusive. There aren’t any prerequisites. At the beginning of each academic school year, each sorority encourages all girls to consider going Greek; if you want to explore, all sororities are open to you, and both the girls and the sororities

work together to determine which one best aligns with their interests.

Rushing is just like interviewing with any university—you determine which is the best fit for you. Like being a student at UChicago, Greek life is another organization that allows for connection and networking.

The differences between the role of a non-Greek-affiliated student and the role of a sorority sister are very few. In both situations, we work to educate ourselves and one another, make long lasting friendships with our peers and our superiors, and find leadership positions. And now more than ever, sororities and fraternities are working closely to address the atrocities of sexual assault and promote sexual assault awareness, education, and prevention. We are responsive.

Greek life is dynamic and empowering. Arrowfest, IF Sing, and Anchor Slam are all Greek-affiliated charity events that want to involve the entire campus. Bar Night and its culture are a campus-wide phenomenon. Yet when the negative attention which surrounds Greek life overshadows the positive aspects, campus slowly rejects us. But these organizations are important to us.

We put a lot of time, dedication, and love into them. You might not agree that Greek life is well-intentioned or that it brings anything positive to campus, but there’s a difference between disagreeing and devaluing.

Don’t ignore the good that Greek life has done to make your argument easier.

Brooke White is a second-year in the College majoring in public policy.

Anne Wang

2O15/16 CONCERT SERIES

JAZZ AT THE LOGAN

$

5

STUDENTS TICKETS

MIGUEL ZENÓN RESIDENCY Jazz master comes to campus with “Identities” Big Band

TUESDAY, MAY 24 Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, 4048 W. Armitage / 7 PM / FREE Folclórico: An exploration of jazz and Afro-Puerto Rican music

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 Foster Hall, Room 103, 1130 E. 59th Street / 12-1:30 PM / FREE Lunch panel with Miguel Zenón, hosted by the Center for Latin American Studies and the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture Fulton Recital Hall (Goodspeed Hall) / 4:30-6 PM / FREE Jazz workshop with Miguel Zenón and the Jazz Xtet

Amazing House, Amazing Community

. . . Amazing Value

Flossmoor

6 Beds 4.5 Baths 5560 Sq Ft Open Kitchen Excercise Room 2nd Floor Laundry Office Large Lot Man Cave Theatre Close to Metra Electric

Vicki Burke Stevenson www.hf-homes.com 708-251-1500

Logan Center Performance Penthouse / 7:30 PM / FREE Listening session with Miguel Zenón, presented in partnership with Hyde Park Jazz Festival

THURSDAY, MAY 26 Logan Center Performance Hall / 7:30 PM / $35 / $5 students Miguel Zenón Quartet and “Identities” Big Band Concert: Identities are Changeable For tickets and other information, visit chicagopresents.uchicago.edu

Julie and Parker Hall Endowment for Jazz and American Popular Music

6

THE CHICAGO MAROON - MAY 24, 2016

ARTS Pop-up Museum on Quad Sheds Light on Sexual Assault

BY KARDELEN SERTSOZ MAROON CONTRIBUTOR

In the wake of April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month, arts RSO Kitchen Sink collaborated with Resources for Sexual Violence Prevention (RSVP) and Phoenix Survivors A lliance (PSA) to present a pop-up exhibition called Light Shed on the quad this past weekend. The museum—a sparse frame hung with artworks— showcased h igh ly persona l depictions of rape, stalking, intimate partner violence, and other forms of sexual violence across various media. “ The purpose was to provide an outlet for self-expression and a space of solidarity for people who have been affected by sexual assault,” said second-year Kelsey Schmitt, RSVP peer educator.

The installation featured an open-air shed. Wires connected to the supporting beams, each bearing multiple pieces of canvas—each canvas held one person’s story. Third-year Angela Lin, a member of Kitchen Sink, explained that attendees at Kitchen Sink’s weekly painting sessions had been painting

self-portraits over the past three weeks. Some canvases contained simply words, some drawings, and others a combination of the two.

A representative manned the museum during the day to answer questions and ensure that the space remained safe, welcoming passersby to create their own expressions.

At night, the museum was lit up with string lights—a quiet tribute to the stories contained within it. The collection had a haunting quality.

F irst-year K arley R ojas, who helped set up the structure, reflected on the museum: “[I] think that this project was a way to perfectly capture the dialogue and [create] a safe space, open to the public, where they can share their experiences with the world.”

A s the days prog ressed, the installation slowly filled with more artwork. K itchen Sink, which provides free art supplies to students at weekly painting sessions, also provided materials to Light Shed for anyone to use while visiting the exhibition. By the installation’s last day, the exhibition’s walls resembled a quilt of per-

Cecília Resende

The Light Shed pop-up museum stood open on the quad, inviting passersby to reflect and to create.

sonal experiences.

During fall quarter, Kitchen Sink collaborated with Active Minds, the campus RSO promoting mental health, to create a pop-up museum with a focus on mental health awareness.

“I had seen Kitchen Sink’s

Pop -Up Mu seu m w ith the theme of mental illness, and I thought a similar concept could be implemented for Sexual Assault Awareness Month,” Schmitt said. “During the planning, the idea expanded—more than I had anticipated—into a really beautiful museum.”

Continuing the theme of artistic expression on the topic of sexual violence, PSA is showcasi ng its Clothesl i ne Project this week in Hutchinson Courtyard. The project is a similar exhibition of personal stories: not on small swaths of canvas, but on T-shirts.

Chance Colors Outside the Lines at Listening Party

BY MIRIAM BENJAMIN DEPUTY ARTS EDITOR

“I speak of wondrous unfamiliar lessons from childhood,” Chance the Rapper says in “Blessings ( Reprise),” the final song on his third mixtape, Coloring Book. For Magnificent Coloring World, his secret Chicago listening party (with emphasis on party), Chance did more than just speak about childhood: he provided it. Attendees met at the Pulaski International School, and were taken via school bus to a warehouse on Ohio and Sacramento.

As Coloring Book played over the speakers, it was obvious that Chance made good on the following line, too: “Make you remember how to smile good.”

Miriam Benjamin| The Chicago Maroon

Listeners gathered in a vibrantly decorated space to celebrate Chance the Rapper’s newest EP Coloring Book.

7

THE CHICAGO MAROON - MAY 24, 2016

Seminary Co-Op Celebrates 55 Years of Getting Lost in Lit

BY ZEKE GILLMAN ARTS STAFF

There’s a monastery in Hyde Park. Not many would call it that, but, more often than not, you will find students and Hyde Park residents congregating within its intimate abode. There, professors come to preach scholarly ideas, worship is done privately and in silence, vows are made, and your bible—well, it’s in your hands which academic title you choose to sanctify.

Formally, this sacred ground is known as the Seminary Co-Op. Located on South Woodlawn Avenue with another branch on East 57th Street, the store’s sweeping collections of books, organized in elaborate mazes, induce customers to explore and discover. Spend enough time here and you will undoubtedly feel the allure of being ensconced by interminable shelves of great literature.

None, it seems, escape the charming spell of the Seminary Co-Op. Yet while everyone recognizes and appreciates the store, not many know its origins.

John Mendonca, James Cavanaugh, and Joseph Pickle, the three students who founded the Seminary Co-Op, believed that they could gather the resources to sell the many obscure books that their courses demanded at affordable prices.

“The Co-Op was founded by at least three people, but depending on whom you ask it may be 17 people. But [the] three main shareholders [were] the first three found-

ing members,” said Jeff Deutsch, the current director of the Seminary Co-Op bookstores.

The first Seminary Co-Op bookstore was located in the basement of the Chicago Theological Seminary, now Saieh Hall. The founding managers, being the college students they were, crammed books in whatever space was available. “They would just find whatever corner they could find a bookshelf and put a bookshelf there,” Deutsch said. “So there were bookshelves on pipes and anytime there was a small space they took it over.

And there was this labyrinth of shelving that was so easy to get lost in and made one feel small in the best possible way, just surrounded by ideas.”

Thus, the Seminary Co-Op was born in 1961, nursed in the cranny of the Chicago Theological Seminary with 17 members. But soon it grew.

In fact, the Seminary CoOp currently boasts over 50,000 members, about 3,500 of whom live abroad. Deutsch even told of a group of foreign monks who annually request books from the Seminary Co-Op through handwritten letters.

Its growth and prestige are due largely to the work of Jack Cella, the storied general manager and Deutsch’s predecessor. Over the course of 43 years, Cella expanded the Seminary Co-Op to its current status. According to Deutsch, Cella’s labor turned the bookstore into a “Mecca for academic titles.”

“We had a very large following through our mail-order business,

and a number of people still stay with us even though they can get the books elsewhere,” Deutsch said.

“They believe in what we do, they think that as a cultural institution we’re important, and they support us.”

The Seminary Co-Op soon became so distinguished that Cella was approached by Columbia University to open a store there. For reasons unknown, Cella turned down the offer.

Since then, the Seminary CoOp has remained integral to Hyde Park’s culture. It ranks alongside the other idiosyncrasies of Hyde Park—gothic architecture, streets brimming with diner food, and the Obamas.

In October 2012, the Seminary Co-Op moved to its new location on Woodlawn. The current space replaced the cafeteria of what was the dormitory for Chicago Theological Seminary students. Its modern space is meant to reflect the traditional appeal that the basement-bookstore had. Tigerman-McCurry Architects wanted to reproduce the maze-like organization of books that was so unique to the old location.

In an age that emphasizes immediacy, the Seminary Co-Op remains one of the few bookstores that values patience in the search of a book. Not many businesses would take pride in telling its customers to “Get Lost!” But this is precisely the idea that is at the foundation of the Seminary Co-Op. It is the search that is essential, not the end.

This same philosophy perme-

ates 57th Street Books, a bookstore that the Seminary Co-Op owns and operates. 57th Street books was founded in 1983, when Cella was approached by the landowner of the building. He asked Cella to stock the available space with another legendary bookstore.

“Jack said ‘yes,’ but wanted to expand it. That first room, from what I understand, was the entirety of the building, and they just blew up wall after wall until the entirety of the basement was a bookstore,” Deutsch recalled.

57th Street Books, however, has a somewhat different purpose than the Seminary Co-Op. In an attempt to preserve the distinct nature of the Woodlawn store, the Seminary Co-Op has realized an unusual model: to split the two stores by genre.

“The idea behind it was to have a balance with the Co-Op. [There were books] on traveling, mystery, cooking, and other things; endeavors that were not academic in nature could have a place to be celebrated,” Deutsch said. “The same fine curation that went into a store like this [the Seminary CoOp] could go into a general interest community bookstore.”

Yet, despite the reputation of the Seminary Co-Op and its attempts to diversify its collection, it still struggles to maintain a steady profit. It is no secret that the Seminary Co-op has had its share of financial difficulties. Its core philosophy is in many ways an impediment to its financial success: in the age of online retailers and immediate gratification, it is difficult to

promote a more deliberate, inquisitive approach to book-buying.

“The last decade has not been good for us, and there’s certainly some things that we could have done better and that we could do better. We currently lose a couple hundred thousand dollars every year, and we won’t be able to survive with the way we are operating now,” Deutsch said. “The key to our survival [is the] community—those [who] care about spaces that are a little inefficient, that are a little slow, but see us as a cultural institution as much as a retail environment. Those people make conscious decisions to buy books from us. [. . .] We’re trying very hard to run a cultural institution and we’re trying to retain this breadth. We need a good couple of years to stabilize and hopefully figure out a business model that doesn’t compromise our cultural values.”

While the Seminary Co-op may not provide the fastest route to purchasing a book, it has always distinguished itself through its commitment to its cherished, unique values. Deutsch explained that these cultural values are at the heart of the Seminary CoOp: “Coming together, browsing, discovery, slowness, community, human interaction, and things of that sort. We have well over 50,000 members now and that membership, the active component of that membership believes deeply in bookstores and spaces, community gathering, discovery, and that there’s an experience that can’t be replaced by a search engine.”

Lang Lang’s Overblown CSO Appearance Even Flashier Than Fireworks

BY REBECCA JULIE ASSOCIATE ARTS EDITOR

In an interview with this paper earlier this year, Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) music director Riccardo Muti said, “In the last [several] years, we have become a visual society. So instead of listening to the music, we want to see conductors exercising on the podium, pianists that communicate with God while playing, violinists that try to impress the public with sexy attitudes…. All this didn’t exist 30 years ago, 40 years ago. Today, with television and other things, people are interested in what they see. Nobody speaks about the spiritual integrity of these [artists]; what they are conveying to the public.”

Previously, Muti’s words felt too cynical to me. Perhaps this is a reflection of my overzealous optimism about the future of classical music and the arts; but it had always seemed to me that audiences are still rife with people who love classical music for its artistry, not for flashy showmanship on the part of conductors or soloists.

Alas, I’ve been converted.

Saturday evening’s CSO performance, expertly led by French conductor Charles Dutoit, was a frightening validation of Muti’s words. The Chinese pianist Lang Lang, whose celebrity drew a

Columbia Artists Music

Lang Lang’s performance felt more inspired by Muse than musically inspired.

near-capacity crowd to Orchestra Hall, joined the orchestra for Prokofiev’s fiery third piano concerto. When he arrived on stage to boisterous applause, the energy in the hall was at a Yo-Yo Ma level of ecstasy.

But Lang Lang is no Ma. Unlike Ma, who is arguably one of, if not the most famous classical musicians alive today, Lang Lang’s celebrity is puzzling.

In signature Lang Lang style, the pianist let his hands fly dramatically from the keyboard after complex passages. Other times, he conducted the orchestra with his left hand during the lengthy piano rests, unwilling to give up the spotlight. Yo-Yo Ma respects

the intentions of composers when he performs and is a consistently gracious soloist—Lang Lang fits neither description.

However, the audience drank up the drama like it was the nectar of the gods, clapping loudly at the conclusion of the first movement.

When Lang Lang played the exposition, he slammed on the keys with a complete lack of regard for the light touch this energetic music needs. During the second movement, the orchestra frantically tried to keep pace with Lang Lang’s breakneck speeds, and Dutoit, unwilling to fight the soloist, resigned to the overly flashy tempi. It was only during

the rollicking, jazzy third variation in this movement that I felt Lang Lang’s heavy-handedness was actually a blessing rather than a curse.

T he orchestra, however, played extremely well under Dutoit’s masterful baton. The ensemble was sensitive to the nuances of Prokofiev’s score, and the signature clarinet solo in the opening bars of the concerto set the tone for a lovely interpretation of the first movement’s Andante.

However, the third movement was another testament to the orchestra’s responsiveness to Dutoit and Lang Lang’s utter lack thereof. Part of the reason this score is so brilliant is that, unlike most of the piano concerti of the Romantic period, the piano solo part is an integral puzzle piece in the overall orchestral framework. Amid opportunities for solo piano virtuosity, a successful rendition of this piece is dependent on the soloist and orchestra acting in unity, particularly in this concluding movement.

Yet what was supposed to be a conversation between orchestra and piano turned into more of a disjointed argument: the orchestra was trying to have thoughtful commentary and the piano was being a “that kid”—enjoying the sound of his own voice without listening to anyone else, even if it was entirely out of the spirit of

the debate.

The true magic of the evening came when Dutoit led the CSO in Stravinsky’s ballet score for The Firebird. Dutoit, a master of 20th-century Russian scores, lent his skilled hand beautifully to this challenging work. The interpretation was everything The Firebird should be—frightening in its intensity at times, heart-wrenchingly beautiful at others.

Strav i nsk y ca l ls for a near-Wagnerian size orchestra for this masterwork, but the large size never felt cumbersome. On the contrary, Dutoit drew sensitive dynamic contrast from the players that would have been impressive for a smaller ensemble, let alone one of this magnitude.

The concert’s opening was also a testament to Dutoit’s coordination with the CSO. Stravinsky’s charming, four-minute piece Fireworks was performed vibrantly, with the wind section setting the tone for an evening of consistent excellence.

It was unfortunate, then, that the ensemble’s intelligent playing was overshadowed in the Prokofiev concerto by a pianist who tried to “communicate with God while playing.” It was even more unfortunate that the audience was touched by this.

Maestro Muti, I’m sorry to ever have doubted you.

8

THE CHICAGO MAROON - MAY 24, 2016

SPORTS IN-QUOTES... “I don’t know about no flopping or nothing” —Russell Westbrook on Draymond Green’s allegations that he flops.

Bennett Looks to Reclaim National Title in Pole Vault OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD

KATIE ANDERSON SPORTS EDITOR

The men’s track-and-field squad w i l l be send i ng one lone athlete to the 2016 NCA A DIII Outdoor Track and Field Championships this weekend at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.

T he C h a mpion sh ips for both the men and women will begin on Thursday and continue through the end of Saturday.

Fourth-year Michael Bennett will be representing the Ma roons a lone i n the pole vault at nationals in his fifth career trip to the NCA As. He comes in as the 18th seed, with a seed height of 4.91m.

In 2014, Bennett was the national champion in the pole vault and outdoor national runner-up.

Bennett’s national title in his second-year indoor season was UChicago’s 14th individual national championship in school history, and just the eighth national title in trackand-field.

After a brutal injury to his hamstring this past summer, B en nett ’s fou r th a nd f i na l year has not been easy. Yet, Bennett’s recovery appeared seamless, as he came back to claim the UA A title in the pole vault at the end of April, just weeks after his return to competing.

“Recovery has been great. I haven’t had issues since ninth week of winter quarter,” the fourth-year said. “[Being in] the nationa l championsh ip again feels incredible. I can’t be more excited for this week after the performance it took to secure a spot during the Last Chance Meet this past weekend.”

Now, w ith a f u l l re covery and UA A Championship under his belt, Bennett feels prepared to bring the national title back to the South Side for a second time.

“It’s definitely going to be different this year in terms of all the competitors are very close together, so it’s going to take a near f lawless execution to secure A ll-American honors. On the plus side, I don’t have a target on my back this time. I’m confident I can surprise a lot of people Thursday.”

Bennett will also be present to support the eight Maroon women who will be representing Chicago at nationals in six various events. These women are second-year Khia Kurtenbach, fourth-year Nelson T rotter, third-year M ichelle Dobbs, second-year Megan Verner-Crist, third-year Madeleine Horvath, first-year Nicole VacaGuzman, fourthyear M ikaela Hammel, and first-year Emma Koether.

W h i le t he N C A A DI I I Cha mpionsh ips spa ns over

University of Chicago Athletics Department

Fourth-year Michael Bennett en route to a successful jump in a recent year’s meet.

four days, for Bennett it will be short, and hopefully sweet.

“It still hasn’t hit me in terms of ‘this is it for my career,’” he

said. “The only thing I’ve really considered is that I can go for broke at this meet and not have to worry about anything

afterwards” Bennett will compete on Thursday at noon for the national title.

Eight Women to Represent Chicago at Nationals OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD

University of Chicago Athletics Department

Fourth-year Rachel Jackson and second-year Aleksandra Majka race in hurdles at the UChicago Windy City Rumble.

BY RHEA BHOJWANI SPORTS STAFF

The Maroons’ grueling season with many highs and lows came to a close for many ath-

letes this past week. In the final meet preceding the NCA A DIII National Championships, the Maroons posted even more top finishes as they competed at the two-day North Cen-

tral College Gregory Invite on Wednesday, May 18, and Thursday, May 19.

T he UChicago team was looking to improve times and up marks in order to quali-

fy for the highly anticipated NCA A Outdoor Nationals that are approaching ever so quickly. With the team ending the invite on an immensely strong note, things are looking up for the talented Maroon team.

UChicago’s women finished with two statement victories, with the first victory coming from second-year Ade Ayoola’s impressive top high jump height of 1.65m. The second winner was second-year Megan Verner-Crist, who beat out the competition for the 1,500-meter with an astounding season-best time of 4:32.98.

The Maroons also raced to the finish line with multiple fifthplace finishes as third-year Michelle Dobbs ran the 800-meter in 2:10.72 and first-year Nicole VacaGuzman finished the 400-meter in 57.35. Not far behind, second-year Vivian Barclay finished in seventh place in the long jump as well.

This meet also served as the final one for many fourthyears as they complete their collegiate track-and-field ca-

reers. Although an incredibly bittersweet invite, this meet served as a meaningful one to many athletes on the squad.

When looking back at this memorable season, fourth-year Alisha Ho claimed, “Overall, this has been an incredible season for both the men’s and women’s teams. We had a lot of people showing significant improvement and outstanding performances. I really can’t point to only one person since there have been so many consistent and inspirational people.”

Rushing to track practice, Ho stated with enthusiasm, “ The national qualifiers are incredible though.”

Up next, the women’s team looks forward to the ever so anticipated NCA A DIII Outdoor National Championships, which will take place in Waverly, Iowa, from May 26 up until May 28. The Maroon women look to finish the season with a bang with hard work, extreme talent, and irreplaceable teamwork.