OCTOBER 31, 2017
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892
VOL. 129, ISSUE 11
UCPD to Launch Trainings Open to Public BY STEPHANIE PALAZZOLO DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR
University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) officers are undergoing Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) training this week. Community and University members are invited to attend any of the five free training sessions. COPPS is designed to promote partnerships between the community and police with the goal of reducing crime, the UCPD said. The program’s introduction follows the June appointment of Kenton Rainey, former head of the San Francisco Bay Area Rap-
id Transit, as the new head of the UCPD. When Rainey’s appointment was announced, the UCPD emphasized his focus on community and police collaboration. “One of the many valuable areas of expertise Kenton brings to the University of Chicago is his involvement with creating innovative, community-based policing strategies,” wrote Eric M. Heath, associate vice president for the University Department of Safety & Security, in a statement. “Throughout his law enforcement career, Kenton has worked in diverse communities, where he built strong and positive relationships with communiContinued on page 2
Shrine of Christ Marks Second Anniversary of Fire BY MADELEINE MOORE NEWS REPORTER
October 7 marked the second anniversary of the fire that severely damaged the Shrine of Christ the King, located on 64th Street and South Woodlawn Avenue. This month, the Shrine was approved to receive a grant from the National Fund for Sacred Places, which will provide funding to help with the restoration. The National Fund for Sacred Places will donate half of what community members and the Coalition to Save the Shrine, a local organization, are able to raise. The funding from this grant will go toward completing phase one of restoration, including masonry repairs, placement of a new roof, and building stabilization. As of now, the grant has given $250,000 to finish the roof, which is set to be repaired over this winter. The Coalition to Save the Shrine has so far raised $2.18
million out of the $3 million needed to complete phase one. Phase two, which includes repairing the mechanical systems, and phase three for interior repairs, are still under study and costs have yet to be determined. Originally named St. Clara, the Shrine was first built in 1923 by Henry J. Schlacks. It thrived for many years until the neighborhood’s Catholic population declined due to demographic changes, according to Emily Nielsen, a founder and board member of the Coalition to Save the Shrine. The Coalition was formed in the early 2000s to protect the Shrine. In 1976, the church had its first fire, an arson attack. “The church is really a survivor,” Nielsen said. In 2000, the church was set to be demolished. When the demolition crew arrived, Sister Therese, a member of the church, ran out and demanded permits from the demolition crew, Nielsen said. The city had, in fact, issued Continued on page 2
“Twilit West Loop” (Mixed Media). A scene from the Green Line on a cold February night. Find more art from Ben Nikodem on page 6 in this week’s Grey City.
UChicago Medicine to Offer New Cancer Therapy BY DAKSH CHAUHAN NEWS REPORTER
University of Chicago Medicine became the first site in Illinois to offer a new treatment, CAR T-cell therapy, for patients with relapsed or refractory dif-
Free Speech, Closed Doors Page 3 Our columnists writes about the importance of including students in the omnipresent debate around campus free speech.
Architecture and Politics at the Neubauer Collegium Page 4 The Collegium presents Havana Case Study, a meditation on America’s embassy in Cuba.
fuse large-B cell lymhophoma (DLBCL), a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The new immunotherapeutic treatment uses the patient’s own lymphocytes, a subset of white blood cells, to fight off cancer in place of the traditional chemo-
therapy, which is the current standard for most cancer treatments. “[CAR T-cell therapy] is one of the most significant advances in treatment that I have seen in my career,” said Michael Bishop, MD, Continued on page 2
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THE CHICAGO MAROON - OCTOBER 31, 2017
Events
New UCPD Trainings Aim to Reduce Crime
10/31–11/2 Continued from front
Today Scared of the Stacks? Tips for Successfully Finding Books in Regenstein Regenstein Library, 1:30 p.m. The staff of the Regenstein TECHB@R will offer an overview of the stacks and divulge some mysteries, including what to do if the B Level compact shelving doesn’t move.
ty members and successfully implemented new policing programs, resulting in effective policing efforts.” COPPS training will begin on Thursday, November 2, at the Hyatt Place Chi-
Tomorrow The Global Energy Challenge: Perspectives from Indian Lawmakers Saieh Hall, 12:30–1:30 p.m. Several Indian Members of Parliament will discuss climate policy in India, including balancing expanding energy needs and dealing with changes in United States policy toward energy. Reveal Live Logan Center, 7–8:30 p.m. Reveal is an Peabody Award –winning public radio show and podcast that aims to shed light on injustice. In this stage performance, host Al Letson will use his skills as a poet and playwright to probe the motivation behind racial hatred. Thursday Tea Time Concert: Jazz Combo Fulton Hall, 4:30–5:30 p.m. This week’s installment in the weekly Tea Time series, hosting student and faculty musicians as well as professional performers, is a lively jazz combo. Complimentary tea and cookies will be served. Free.
NEWS REPORTER
Dr. Marshall Chin of UChicago Medicine (UCM), who was elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) last month, said in an interview with The M aroon that throughout his medical career he has strived “to be a voice—in a rigorous, evidence-based way—advocating for health equity, for the most favorable outcomes for the most vulnerable patients.” Chin, who has been with UCM since 1994, is the associate chief and director of research for the Section of General Internal Medicine, and Richard Parrillo Family Professor of Healthcare Ethics. He joins 14 other current or former UChicago professors who have been elected to the NAM. He received his medical degree at the University of California, San Francisco, and finished his residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital of Harvard University. The NAM describes itself as “an independent organization of eminent professionals from diverse fields including health and medicine; the natural, social, and behavioral sciences; and beyond.” Through programs in both the United States and abroad, “the NAM works to address critical issues in health, medicine, and related policy and inspire positive ac-
See more at chicagomaroon.com/events. Submit your own events through our intuitive interface.
tion across sectors.” Being elected to the NAM is considered one of the highest honors attainable in the field of medicine, given its international reach and the breadth of its work. Both when he was nominated and elected, Chin felt “honored and humbled” to be one of the 80 newly elected to the NAM, as the organization “both recognizes people who have made significant contributions” and “does a lot of work that has national importance.” Chin has already done work with the NAM in the past, including giving talks at a number of workshops on health equity and reducing disparities. “My work is both local, here in Chicago, and national,” Chin said. “One of the major foci of the past 15, 20 years [has been] how can we use research and policy mechanisms to improve care for all of our patients, including the most vulnerable.... The National Academy is a big forum for helping to shed further light on these issues and to help advance patient care and policy.” Moving forward, Chin will be continuing his work with a few medical programs he directs or co-directs, including a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation–sponsored program meant to research how to “align and integrate the way we organize health care
with the way we pay for health care” to figure out how to line up policies in healthcare so they can support “providing high quality, equitable care for everyone.” He also co-directs the Merck Company Foundation’s Improving Diabetes Care and Outcomes on the South Side of Chicago with Dr. Monica Peek, an associate professor of medicine at UChicago and the associate director of the Chicago Center for Diabetes Translational Research. The new program is meant to reduce and solve disparities in health care for patients suffering from diabetes. The program, Chin said, places emphasis on integrating the strengths of traditional healthcare with sectors of society that aren’t usually thought of as being related to health care but have an impact on health. For instance, “many [of the patients in the clinic] have a variety of key social challenges that really impact” their health and health-care options, such as employment, neighborhood safety, and access to food. “Taking that holistic view,” Chin said, “and then designing the policies and payment streams so that both individual clinicians as well as health-care systems can have a holistic view and address…these underlying factors that drive our outcomes. Until we do that, we’re not going to be able to achieve equity.”
Local Church Earns National Grant for Fire Repairs Continued from front
A Conversation with Susan Burton: From Prison to Recovery to Leading the Fight for Incarcerated Women SSA, 6–8 p.m. Burton is an author, a prominent figure in criminal justice reform, and the founder of A New Way of Life Re-Entry Project. Free.
on Saturday, November 4, from 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Trainings are limited to 25 non-officers per session, and attendees must RSVP online to reserve a spot.
Professor Appointed to National Academy of Medicine BY OREN OPPENHEIM
The Philosophical Hitchcock Seminary Co-Op, 6–7:30 p.m. Philosopher Robert B. Pippin will discuss his book, a scene-by-scene analysis of how Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo represents a general struggle for social understanding in late modernity.
cago-South at 5225 South Harper Avenue from 8 a.m.–12 p.m and 3–7 p.m. There will also be training sessions at the University Police Headquarters at 6054 South Drexel Avenue on Friday, November 3, from 8 a.m.–12 p.m. and 3–7 p.m., and
the permit for the wrong address. “It was a great blessing and enabled a preservation movement to swing in,” Nielsen told T he M aroon. The late Cardinal Francis George, the former Archbishop of Chicago, transferred the church to the Institute of Christ the King, a priestly order with past success in restoring churches. In 2004, Chicago granted the church landmark status, meaning that it cannot be demolished
unless deemed a public safety hazard. As restoration efforts proceeded, the Shrine began to attract people from all over the Midwest. However, on the morning of October 7, 2015, during the Shrine’s second phase of restoration, wood-staining rags spontaneously combusted and a fire engulfed the roof. The roof, choir loft, windows, and nearly all the interior furnishings of the church were destroyed. The archdiocese of Chicago declared it
a public safety hazard. Once again, the church was set to be demolished, and the fight for preservation persisted. “We started to make as much noise as we could,” Nielsen said. “It was a whirlwind of two months, but all the activity that we were doing ended up inspiring generous people who made anonymous pledges to Preservation Chicago up to $650,000… In that moment of crisis, how much that inspired so quickly was incredible.”
FDA Approves UChicago Medicine for New Cancer Therapy Continued from front
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professor of medicine and director of UChicago Medicine’s Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Program, in an e-mail to T he M aroon. “It provides options for patients who did not have options or for whom options were very limited or have limited value.” DLBCL is the most common type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that affects the B cells of the immune system. Each year, about 23,000 new cases are seen in the United States and median survival for DLBCL is six months. However, those who undergo the CAR T-cell therapy have significantly higher survival rates and 50 percent of the patients have complete remissions, according to Science Life, a scientific journal at UChicago.
With this therapy, the patient’s lymphocytes are “genetically [modified] by introducing a virus which contains genetic material that is incorporated into the cell’s DNA,” Bishop said. These genetically modified cells are then returned to the body, where they multiply and kill B cells. Common side effects include flu-like symptoms, blood pressure issues, and neurotoxicity, but they can be controlled with anti-inflammatory drugs, according to Bishop. Bishop also mentioned that getting UChicago Medicine cleared for this therapy by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was an intense process, in part because the CAR T-cell therapy involves multiple units of a hospital. It requires a level of collaboration among intensivists and neurologists as
well as oncologists and nursing staff who specialize in taking care of patients. “The University of Chicago has participated in several clinical trials testing this specific form of therapy,” Bishop said. “Our institution has demonstrated the ability to carefully care for these patients and has an infrastructure to support the conduct of such trials.” Bishop is hopeful for the possibility of future developments with the treatment. “Newer and more advanced forms are currently being tested or are in development,” Bishop said. “We think that [CAR T-cell therapy] will be moved forward to be used earlier in patients’ treatment courses. It can be applied to multiple forms of cancer.”
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THE CHICAGO MAROON - OCTOBER 31, 2017
VIEWPOINTS Free Speech, Closed Doors UChicago Needs to Incorporate Student Voices Into Its Discussion of Free Speech
Zahra Nasser Though it’s been over a year since Dean of Students John “Jay” Ellison released the infamous “no safe spaces” letter to the Class of 2020, its sentiments remain controversial and relevant today. UChicago’s latest initiative to facilitate discussion on rigorous discourse was a closed-door conference about the freedom of expression on college campuses with 66 provosts and presidents attending. In the words of Provost Daniel Diermeier, it was a “group large enough to have different kinds of institutions represented, but small enough for intense interaction among participants.” Not in attendance? The press and college students themselves. If the irony of a closed-door freedom of expression conference isn’t evident enough, the fact that the University forbade press coverage is problematic to say the least. The very people the College will impact through these initiatives, its students, are largely unaware of what was discussed with regard to the education for which they pay exorbitant amounts of money. If the College truly cares for rigorous intellectual discourse and engaging multiple perspectives, those perspectives should also include those of the students, not just a bureaucratic mishmash of those of the provosts and presidents. The lack of student input in such a matter only exposes the hypocritical brand of free speech for which the administration seems to advocate: one in which the College’s carefully
curated vision and reputation is insulated from its supposedly easily-triggered millennial students. I understand the University’s desire to keep the meeting intimate and focused for productive discussion. But in such situations, we can’t afford to sacrifice diversity of age or thought. Perhaps student government representatives could have been invited to share the student body’s perspective on free speech, which would presumably be useful to the administrators attempting to create positive change in student life. There’s another problem with the conversation regarding freedom of expression as it currently stands. If the issue is that students are increasingly intolerant of ideas different from their own, the College should try to understand the root causes of these sensitivities instead of brushing them under the rug. There is great hypocrisy in expecting students to remain open-minded to different concepts when their own opinions on the matter aren’t even considered, simply because they’re thought to oppose those of the administration. For the University to be a place for open discussion, people across the spectrum—students, administrators, and intellectuals alike—should have an equal opportunity to debate their ideas. Critiques protesting controversial speakers such as Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulos pertain specifically to this conversation. Instead of condemning the protests outright, the University should encourage students to challenge the speakers and allow student protesters to voice their qualms about such programming. To not listen to the reasons for protest is to stymie potentially rich argument—the
Amelia Frank
exact opposite of the kind of open-minded debate for which the University is formally advocating. I believe University administration should take pride in the fact that students care deeply enough about certain issues to challenge them. Such action ties into the broader goal of stimulating intense discussion and demystifies the common belief that millennials are too self-absorbed to show concern for pertinent topics. Instead of discouraging dissent, UChicago, not to
mention all colleges, should encourage student opposition, listen to the reasoning behind it, and challenge aspects of it in a respectful manner. Student voices in the conversation about freedom of expression on college campuses shouldn’t just be included as a formality; they’re necessary in ensuring such a freedom is at all possible. Zahra Nasser is a first-year in the College.
Crying Over Spilled Milk (and Honey) The Rupi Kaur Meme Trend Disparages a Voice That Stands Up for Women
Kathleen Cui
I am tired of people making fun of Rupi Kaur. Yes, her writing is simple; yes, her poems are short; yes, she lacks the esoteric metaphors and allegories that Hum courses have taught us to both despise and revere. But every parody on every Facebook meme page reeks of retrogressive ignorance because, although Kaur is no
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Shakespeare, her poetry lends an honest, raw and, most importantly, necessary voice to the modern young woman. People ridicule Kaur’s work because they assume she is only capable of employing her trademark straightforward style— hence the copious memes mimicking her seemingly juvenile writing. But hasty critics need to understand that the simplicity of her work is not only deliberate but also advantageous. Who else speaks so nakedly in a society where far too many important issues, spanning from sexual assault to gender paradigms, are tinged with taboo and consequently either embellished or obscured? The immediacy of her poems is empowering; she wastes no time proving her intellectual ability to a culture that consistently questions the competency of women. In a poem where she writes “the rape will/tear you/in half//but it/will not/end you,” Kaur bluntly embraces the issue of sexual assault without shame, delay, or embroidery. She leaves the reader no room to ignore the issue and thus propels change. Kaur’s conciseness allows young women from completely different backgrounds to build off of her simple backbone and draw from their own diverse, yet related, experiences, fostering a resolute acceptance of all histories, traumas, and taboos.
Unfortunately, Kaur’s message of selflove and female pride has been marred by the recent barrage of memes that deride the very qualities so fundamental to her work and valuable to the community of women that has grown around it. As a fellow dark humor appreciator, I welcome the meme culture of exaggerated communal misery, but a line must be drawn when this humor corrupts an emerging model for female empowerment. Especially with this past week’s retitling of University of California, Berkeley’s meme page as “uc rupi kaur memes for deeply poetic teens,” college campuses nationwide, including UChicago’s, have hopped on the deleterious bandwagon of derision. And although perpetrators may claim the memes are created in harmless jest, this transient humor is not worth the lasting shame experienced by young women who have derived strength and individuation from the original poems, but now feel alienated. Leave Rupi Kaur alone; sleeping Dean Boyer memes have yet to be exhausted. Kathleen Cui is a first-year in the College.
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THE CHICAGO MAROON - OCTOBER 31, 2017
ARTS Improvised Black Mirror Is Cracked, Not Clearer BY IVAN OST MAROON CONTRIBUTOR
Theater, when spectacular, can seize the everyday and remake it into something luminous. The best productions often begin unconventionally. It is the addition of something else, a half-step out of line with humdrum reality (a fantastic storm, the Devil himself, or the sudden onset of a musical number) that allows the play to linger on your tongue and makes you wonder whether the everyday is even normal to begin with. So although the concept of Improvised Black Mirror seemed difficult to execute well, it might have been in step with the strangely wonderful world of theater. Furthermore, the show came from the lauded Public House Theatre. Give the show a chance. As it turns out, I should not have been so optimistic. Problems began before a single actor set foot on stage. To generate ideas for each of the night’s two “episodes,” as the performances were styled, the audience was prompted to enter one-word ideas into an online polling system. Results were projected live onstage. To no one’s surprise, displaying anonymous submissions publicly is risky. After polls Public House Theatre’s Improvised Black Mirror disappoints. first opened asking our greatest fears, we learned that members of the audiA word could have given this set of It went no further. The actors could not ence were most afraid of a cornucopia of improv actors a theme. Instead, the ac- decide who else onstage knew about the racial slurs. Submitting one term mul- tors attempted to create a thought-pro- drug: Our protagonist encountered both tiple times made it grow larger on the voking, moving drama or tragedy in half alarmed social workers frightened by screen. Soon, we faced the introductory an hour without any focused direction. his violent thoughts and friends indulgslide to an intro-to-the-alt-right course. The first episode considered vio- ing publicly (and legally!) in the drug. This wasn’t fun. lence. Our protagonist tried a drug Delivery was hesitant: Scene changes Nastiness like that is something a called Booch (originally a cutesy way were often accompanied by long um’s as warm, contradictory presence can mol- to refer to kombucha that grew without actors tried to figure out how to prolify: The cast could call out the racist, explanation into a psychoactive chemi- ceed. Dialogue was often circular and put on a play about acceptance, and cal, revealing that the show was, in fact, repetitive (you killed him! No, it was shepherd us back into warm, liberal unscripted). The drug revealed his in- only a fantasy. But you killed him! Yes, bubbles. But when they came on stage, nermost violent thoughts on screen, al- in a fantasy! But I saw him die!) as the they milled around, speaking about lowing him to join coworkers and friends cast tried, often unsuccessfully, to push neutral or funny suggestions (biggest in the emotional catharsis of murdering the scenes forward. And, most damningly, the conclusion was weak and infear for the future? Grandchildren! Ha parents, children, and spouses. The concept was compelling. It cut, ternally inconsistent: The protagonist Ha!). Finally, they launched into an “episode” without explicitly naming a focus in theory, close to the racial hate em- was arrested for a real murder that he blazoned on the screen at the beginning. believed was only a fantasy. word.
Improv Resource Center
What’s the message? Is it that violent thoughts are fine and universal, or is it that they ought to be suppressed since they beget real violence? If the latter is the case, we are in deep trouble, since we were told everyone has violent thoughts. Improvised Black Mirror dug too deep in its quest for deeper meaning, crossing and confusing its own path. The second act fared even worse. A second poll appeared, this time asking what people did not want to change in the future (essentially, the first question asked for something bad, and the second for something good. Most popular answers to each: first hate, then love; answers that made sense, but were rather shallow). Again, slurs appeared, Continued on page 5
Neubauer Collegium Deconstructs U.S. Imperialism through Architecture BY ROSEMARIE HO MAROON CONTRIBUTOR
As part of the second Chicago Architecture Biennial and EXPO Chicago celebrations, the Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society presents Havana Case Study in its building on 57th Street and Woodlawn. Part research and part art installation, the project examines the architectural history of the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, and is the second in a series that explores U.S. international relations through American diplomatic architecture. New York–based Canadian artist Terence Gower began the project, in part made possible by the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship, almost a decade ago in 2010. The majority of Havana Case Study consists of four vitrines that contain archival documents and photographs arranged in the style of a museum exhibition. Plastic-sleeved photographs and newspaper clippings from after the Cuban Revolution cover the vitrines to create two layers of information for the audience to peruse. All artifacts explore the design and use of the Cuban U.S. Embassy in its
multiple historical contexts, from its initial goal to create architecture that articulated U.S. foreign policy in a positive light, to its abandonment until the resumption of U.S.-Cuban relations in 2015. Gower called the “centerpiece” of his exhibition the replica of the only balcony of the Havana Embassy. A State Department surveyor wrote in a report that this balcony was “Mussolini-style” and evocative of U.S. imperialism. A 1:1 scale rebar sculpture of the balcony is displayed on the balcony of the Neubauer Collegium itself. Reception of the exhibition varies; a member of the public was disappointed by the artwork, saying that the sculptural and archival components of the exhibition were “disparate” and left “a lot to be desired.” On the contrary, Professor Jonathan Lear described the exhibition as emblematic of the Neubauer Collegium’s “unusual but important work.” “A rt projects like [Gower’s]…are integral to the kinds of thinking and research that will assist us in explicating the problems of our time,” he said during the opening reception. Gower noted that the exhibition is
in no way “a static archive,” and that he will continue to “add to the pile of history” on the vitrines as more materials become available. The audience is encouraged to engage with the artifacts displayed and to interpret the historical documents as they see fit. In his artist talk, Gower also added that his interest in studying local building technologies and traditions is a re-
sult of his belief in the ability of design to facilitate dialogue. “Architecture contains…our hopes and dystopias,” he explained. “ This exhibition is an exploration of that in the [context of ] U.S. international relations.” The exhibition will run until December 15. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday from 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society
Terence Gower began Havana Case Study in 2010.
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THE CHICAGO MAROON - OCTOBER 31, 2017
Gorgon City Electrifies Concord Music Hall BY MIMANSA DOGRA MAROON CONTRIBUTOR
Gorgon City, hailing from North London, is an electronic music duo consisting of producers Kye “Foamo” Gibbon and Matt “RackNRuin” Robson-Scott. Their music, which fuses house, electronic, and U.K. garage, is difficult to pin down. One of their singles, “Ready for Your Love,” reached No.
4 on the U.K. Singles Chart. Their songs are characterized by smooth melodies (often courtesy of a guest singer such as Wyclef Jean) underscored by a complex bassline and diverse beats. They have released three EPs, one studio album titled Sirens, and their newest studio double-album, Kingdom: Part I and Kingdom: Part II. The doors to Concord Music Hall opened at 8 p.m. last Friday, and attendees began
to pour in around an hour and a half later. Many of the concertgoers were costumed: I spotted a mouse, a tiger, “Left Shark,” and what resembled a Life Alert button before recalling that I was observing Halloweekend, and not the aesthetic of Gorgon City’s fanbase. The room was dimly lit with an open bar in the back and balcony seats above for concertgoers who were tired of dancing. An impressive sound and lighting system
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Mimansa Dogra
sprawled across the stage, making the producers standing behind the table look tiny in comparison. Two music producers, Lee Foss from Chicago and Kidnap Kid from England, opened the concert. Their performances were accentuated by colored and flashing lights in the background, as well as a movie screen behind them that pulsed with dynamic images. Gorgon City took the stage around 10:30 p.m. When one listens to Gorgon City’s music online or on a record, one’s first impression might be that the music is relaxing. The beats are often understated and can be overpowered by a guest singer on the track. But dance music is often better live, and Gorgon City did not disappoint. Crowd favorites included “Real” and “Imagination,” featuring singers Yasmin and Katy Menditta, respectively. These two songs are from Sirens, and had the audience singing along. Some new and unfamiliar tracks, ostensibly from the duo’s upcoming album, were also played and garnered a positive response. Gorgon City’s incredible sound system allowed for the bass to reach the sidewalk outside of the concert hall, and the light and visual dynamics rotated in time with the music. When the beat dropped, the entire room—lights, screen, and people—went wild. It was an immersive experience, and soon everyone on the floor was breathless. Kingdom: Part I and Kingdom: Part II are expected to be released sometime in 2017.
Gorgon City’s electro sound fuses diverse styles, from house to U.K. garage.
Improvised Black Mirror Is Cracked, Not Clearer Continued from page 4
and the second most popular option was “Shrek.” W hen the cast took to the stage again, they issued a half-hearted condemnation: “to whoever wrote those words, fuck you!” Then they decided the next episode would be about racism. In the episode, ordinary people have implants in their heads that change what they see. Out of nowhere, an update makes our protagonist hate redheads. We learn quickly that her child is redheaded. She makes her way to a
psychologist’s office where she weathers accusations of child abuse. The solution is another update that makes it impossible for her to see red. This has little effect, and she is finally arrested and dragged off to an unclear fate. The final scene showed the executives who managed the update, crowing that within 15 years, their update will cause all people to look the same due to interbreeding. No more hate, since no more redheads. When approaching sensitive questions of racism, science fiction has traditionally taken two courses. The first
imagines that there is no diversity and illustrates the consequences. The second imagines that freedom of expression is limited, and imagines the consequences. This show chose both. Freedom of choice is limited: the mother can’t see red. This limitation results in arrest and emotional trauma. Then, diversity is eliminated. But diversity is eliminated only because freedom of choice is not an option. Both paths are ugly, and the anti-racist ending to the play seemed like a bitter pill to swallow, not a victory. The actors meant to
shame the racist in the crowd, but inadvertently advocated for exactly that kind of racism. Improvised Black Mirror took on a profound burden in attempting to improvise what really should be a scripted, thoughtful affair. They tackled intricate, thorny issues with no planning and stumbled face-first into the rose bushes. Save the price of the $12 ticket, buy yourself a month of Netflix, and watch the real Black Mirror—you’ll be better off.
Exhibit [A]rts [10/31] Tuesday 5 p.m. Get your fright on downtown as Navy Pier transforms itself into a Haunted Maze and carnival. May the odds be ever in your favor. Navy Pier, $15. 6 p.m. Enjoy a special Halloween screening of Candyman, directed by Clive Barker and featuring music by UChicago alum Philip Glass. The event will also include a discussion with Professor Adrienne Brown and lots of candy. Rosenwald Hall 011, free. 9:30 p.m. From acclaimed Spanish director Guillermo del Toro comes Pan’s Labyrinth, a twisted fairy tale that examines life under General Francisco Franco in Spain. Doc Films will also host a costume contest where the winner will receive a free season pass for winter quarter. Max Palevsky Theater, Ida Noyes, $5. [11/1] Wednesday 5 p.m. Continuing the University’s series of lectures, screenings, and exhibits of Arts and the Nuclear Age, Japanese poet Takako Arai and award-winning translator Jeffrey Angles will be reading and discussing excerpts of her work. Logan 801, free.
6 p.m. Indian multimedia artist Seema Kohli will speak about how modern and ancient Indian traditions, as well as her spiritual journey, manifest in her art. Great Hall at Midway Studios 106, free. 7 p.m. In REVEAL Live!, presented by WBEZ, the Center for Investigative Reporting, and PRX, hosts Al Letson and French radio reporter Raphael Krafft relive the investigative journey behind the European refugee crisis. Logan Center, $30 general, $15 student. [11/3] Friday 7 p.m. Black Lives Matter activist and writer Shaun King will be speaking as part of Smart Decarceration Initiative’s Second Annual Conference. Doors open at 6 p.m. and registration takes place through Eventbrite. Rockefeller Chapel, free. 6 p.m. Writer Malu Halasa, of Jordanian and Filipina descent, swill discuss her debut novel, “Mother of All Pigs” with Chicago Review of Books editor Adam Morgan at the Seminary Co-op. The book explores contemporary life in the Middle East. Seminary Co-op, free.
7:30 pm. UChicago Presents brings violinist Leila Josefowicz and pianist John Novacek to campus, where they will perform a program that features Sibelius, Prokofiev, Saariaho, Mahler, and Zimmermann. Mandel Hall, $38 general, $30 faculty/staff, $20 under 35, $10 students. [11/4] Saturday 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Join the Smart Museum for a Blanket Package Shipping Extravaganza! This Saturday marks the last day that people can send their knitted welcome blankets to the Smart. Smart Museum of Art, free. 6:15–10 p.m. Spend a classy night downtown at the annual CSO Fall College Night, which includes dinner (plus dessert!), a Q&A with musicians, and a diverse program featuring music by Beethoven, Bartók, and more. Chicago Symphony Center, $20. 8 p.m. The Newberry Consort will be performing music from Renaissance Spain and the oral tradition of Sephardic Jews in Sacred Love: Songs of the Sephardim. Logan Center, $50 preferred seating, $40 general admission, $5 with UCID.
8:30 p.m. The Grammy-nominated pop duo (and twins) Tegan and Sara will be performing on campus as part of their tour celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their hit album The Con. Rockefeller Chapel, $35 students. [11/5] Sunday 2 p.m. Join MEChA de UChicago as they celebrate Día de los Muertos with a performance by Los Chinelos en Chicago and a display of altars designed in conjunction with other University advocacy and cultural groups. Light refreshments will be served. Cloister Club, Ida Noyes, free. 3 p.m. The New Music Ensemble celebrates the music of composers who have recently joined the Department of Music with a program that features world premieres of numerous original works. A reception will follow. Fulton Hall, free. 6–7 p.m. If you’re already nostalgic for Halloween, relive it again with Rhythm and Jews at their A (Belated) Spooky Arch Sing! Come in costume and buy discounted decorations for next year. Cobb Gate, free.
6
THE CHICAGO MAROON - OCTOBER 31, 2017
DECODING THE DECREPIT Ben Nikodem
If I could define myself as an artist, I’d say I’m a doodler. If a piece of paper comes near me, it usually ends up covered with drawings of goofy faces, creatures, and the like. Even my college notebooks have more sketches than course material. My doodles are hardly publishable, but they play a large part in defining my more technical and serious work. Though I’d say my work isn’t imbued with much deep meaning and symbolism, many different themes, moods, and artists inspire it. Again and again I’m drawn to industrial cityscapes. The symmetrical and exact intricacies of modern structures such as power plants or railroad bridges have always fascinated me. Many regard them as eyesores, but if you look at them in the right light (or very little in the case of silhouetting), even cluttered construction sites can become entrancing. Nature’s relationship with the man–made is something else I approach in much of my artwork. Maybe it’s an abandoned city, weathered by the elements, or a lonely residence in the woods. In any case, the juxtaposition of order and disorder makes for some interesting pieces. From an artistic standpoint, I find it both challenging and gratifying to emulate the aesthetic clashes found in industrial decay. Many of the artists who influence me explore similar themes. Hayao Miyazaki, Jean Giraud, Wayne Barlowe, Auguste Renoir, and Bill Watterson are some of my favorites. Not to mention, they’re all doodlers to some extent. I’d like to think all artists are.
“The Midnight Mosque” (Mixed Media) – A traveler arrives at a place of worship.
“Chinatown” (Mixed Media) – A view of the Canal Street Railroad Bridge seen from the Cermak–Chinatown Red Line station.
“Twilit West Loop” (Mixed Media) – Seen from the Green Line on a cold February night.
“Seaside Market” (Ink and Watercolor) – A quiet fish market inspired by Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle.
7
THE CHICAGO MAROON - OCTOBER 31, 2017
Split Weekend for South Siders
Maroons Dominant as Usual
VOLLEYBALL
WOMEN’S SOCCER
BY ALYSSA RUDIN SPORTS STAFF
This weekend, the Maroon volleyball team headed to Aurora, Illinois, to compete in Aurora University’s Jim Coleman Memorial Tournament. The Maroons went 3–1 overall, defeating University of Dubuque, Concordia University Chicago, and North Park University, and falling to Aurora University. On the first day of competition, Chicago split their matches against Dubuque and Aurora. In their first match of the day against Dubuque, the Maroons started strong by dominating the first set. Initially, they led 7–2, and never trailed in the set, taking it 25–17. The Spartans struggled, hitting only .022 in the set. In the second set, Chicago similarly struggled offensively, hitting only .045, and Dubuque took advantage of the momentary weakness to take the second set 25–16. The third set was tight, and the Maroons barely escaped 25–22. Riding on that momentum, Chicago started the fourth set up 9–1 and closed out the match 25–21. Chicago was led by some solid performances offensively and defensively. Third-year Sarah Muisenga and second-year Anabella Pinton were forces on offense with 15 kills each. First-year Emma Griffith made 38 assists. Five players reached double digits in digs. Second-year Anne Marie Stifter reached 34 digs, Muisenga 17, fourth-year Frances Mcdonald 14, Griffith 13, and first-year Katherine Wilson with 11. In their second match of the day, the Maroons did not fare as well, and were swept by Aurora 25–20, 25–20, 25–19. Third-year Audrey Scrafford was the
main offensive force for the Maroons, earning almost half of the team’s kills at 16. Stifter, again, led the defense with 15 digs. Heading into the second day of the tournament, the Maroons didn’t let their loss stop them, sweeping Concordia Chicago 25–16, 25–13, 25–12 to start the day. Scrafford once again boosted the team offensively with 14 kills and achieving a very impressive .542 hitting percentage over the match. The team as a whole made only four attack errors the whole match, leading to a new season high hitting percentage of .363. Muisenga hit 10 kills and made seven digs and Griffith lead the team with 11 digs. In their final game against North Park, the Maroons lost an extremely tight first set 29–31 but once again did not let that deter them as they took the next three sets in a straightforward fashion, 25–19, 25–13, 25–14. Scrafford was unstoppable on offense again, hitting .410 with 20 kills. Muisenga impressed with 14 kills and 16 digs. Griffith reached a new personal record of 52 assists and Stifter made 20 digs. At the end of the tournament, both Scrafford and Muisenga were named to the All-Tournament Team. Looking back on the Invitational, Macdonald thought it went very well. “We lost an important match to Aurora but we can improve on a lot of things. The loss sucks but it’s nothing we are too worried about,” he said. “[Heading into UAAs] I think we needed rest from fifth-week midterms, but since those are done we will be well rested coming into conference. I do think we are ready for competition and we are really excited to play and see what happens! It should be a fun time.”
FREAKY FRESH! FREAKY FAST!
BY DIESTEFANO LOMA SPORTS STAFF
Coming off a dominant 2–0 victory against New York University, the University of Chicago women’s soccer team was back on the road as it faced off against Brandeis University. In similar fashion, the Maroons claimed a 2–0 victory, maintaining their perfect record of 17–0, as well as being 6–0 in the University Athletic Association (UAA). The Maroons didn’t hesitate and immediately got on the scoreboard when thirdyear Jenna McKinney scored her 11th goal of the season with a well-played through ball from fourth-year Madori Spiker. The offense continued to put pressure, with second-year Hanna Watkins having her deadliest shot in the 19th minute, when her volley hit the crossbar. While it was a quiet first half in terms of scoring, the Maroons were definitely put to the test, as the Judges began to find their rhythm and took more shots and made more decisive plays as they increased the pressure they were putting on UChicago. In just the first half, the Judges had five shots on goal, with three players in their offense taking charge with the aim of leveling the scoring board. However, no more goals were scored. As the start of the second half rolled on, first-year Katie Jasminski looked to drive the dagger into the hearts of the Judges by scoring the Maroons’ second and final goal of the game. This came around the 49th minute, after the goalie misplaced the ball and it went right through her legs, leaving Jasminski with the opportunity to sink it in the back of the net. Unlike most teams that the Maroons dominate, the Judges managed to get close to matching the Maroons’ dominant offense. Brandeis had 14 shots in total, with seven
on goal. The Maroons had 20 shots in total, with six on goal. Jenna McKinney, who leads the offense as the top goal scorer, ended up having two shots on goal. Second-year Hanna Watkins would continue to demonstrate her abilities as she closed in on extending the lead the Maroons had. While she was at the right place at the right time to receive passes and crosses, two of the shots she took went just above the goal. Aside from the lethal offense and precision displayed by the Maroons, the defense, starting with second-year Katie Donovan, continued to impress. Donovan went on to have five saves. First-year goalkeeper Miranda Malone, who came in during the second half, made two saves. One can’t deny the hustle and hard work put in by the defenders. This was demonstrated in an instance where the Judges’ offense was open to score a goal, but was thwarted by the Maroons’ defense whose pace and pressure allowed them to quickly shut out any threat. First-year Charlotte Waechter stayed firm and made decisive plays to keep the offense of No. 23 Brandeis out of the box. For most of this month, the University of Chicago women’s soccer team has been able to play at home. This is the first time since October 15 that they must travel outside of the state. As teams venture outside to play, there is always a chance that they are affected physically due to the long trek. However, Jasminski said, “Since we have such a good mentality and prepare well for every game, I don’t think going on the road will negatively affect our play. We have enough time to practice before the game to loosen up, focus, and get ready to play, and I think this will prepare us for this game just as well as at home!” The Maroons will face off against Wash U on November 4 at 1:30 p.m.
A Final Seriousness:
Wallace Stevens’ Late Poems Revisited
™
a lecture by
Paul Mariani
Thursday November 2 | 4:30pm Swift Hall Room 106 Paul Mariani is author of The Whole Harmonium: The Life of Wal-
lace Stevens and University Professor of English Emeritus at Boston College. Author of seven poetry collections, in 2009 Mariani was awarded the John Ciardi Award for Lifetime Achievement in Poetry.
Wallace Stevens lived a richly imaginative life that found beautiful expression in his poetry. His philosophical questioning, spiritual depth, and brilliantly inventive use of language made him one of the twentieth century’s most memorable poets.
WE DELIVER!
The lecture is free and open to the public. Copies of The Whole Harmonium will be available for purchase. Presented by the Lumen Christi Institute. Cosponsored by the Program in Poetry and Poetics and the Seminar Coop Bookstore. For more information and to register, visit WWW.LUMENCHRISTI.ORG
8
THE CHICAGO MAROON - OCTOBER 31, 2017
SPORTS Football Loses to Ripon in Final Seconds FOOTBALL
Defne Anlas
Fourth-year cornerback Andrew Beytagh recovers the ball for the Maroon defense.
BY AUDREY MASON SPORTS STAFF
After a close back-and-forth game, Ripon College came back with 22 points in the last quarter to beat the UChicago football team 36–29. The Maroons now have a record of
4–4, with a 2–2 record in the Midwest Conference. The Maroons were down 14–0 after the first quarter, with Ripon completing runs of 53 and 41 yards in their two possessions. Ripon scored its first touchdown with a three-
yard run and its second touchdown with a five-yard pass, giving them the lead going into the second quarter. In the next two quarters of the game, UChicago scored 29 points while Ripon remained at 14. During the first drive that ended with a touchdown, fourth-year running back Chandler Carroll gained all 52 yards, including the eight-yard run into the end zone. Also in the second quarter, the defense forced three fumbles. With just over 30 seconds left in the second quarter, first-year quarterback Campbell Garrett and thirdyear wide receiver Andrew Falk completed a 14-yard pass for the Maroons’ second touchdown, ending the first half with a score of 14–13 in favor of Ripon. In the first minutes of the second half, Garrett ran 22 yards down the field, followed by a 32-yard pass to first-year Riley Trettel to score another quick touchdown. Soon after, Garrett threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Carroll. Also in the third quarter, thirdyear kicker Mike Kurzydlowski completed a 31-yard field goal, raising the score to 29–14 leading into the last quarter. Ripon made a huge comeback in the fourth quarter, intercepting Garrett four times out of the Maroons’ five drives, in-
creasing the score to 29–29 with a 61-yard interception return. In the last minute of the game, the ball was returned to Ripon, who quickly made it to the end zone with passes of 25 and 26 yards, scoring the game-winning touchdown with just 23 seconds left. Ripon ended the game with a 36–29 win. Overall, the UChicago defense played well, recovering three fumbles. Third-year safety Jeremy Vincent made an interception. Ripon had only 71 passing yards throughout the game, while UChicago ended with 253. Vincent and fourth-year Peter Casey each racked up nine tackles, while first-year Jackson Ross had 16, the most of his career. “This weekend was a tough game for us,” second-year Dante Nepa said. “We were able to make some plays, but in the end they made a couple more than we did. While we’re bummed about the loss, there were some great bright spots from the game, like some great defensive plays by one of our captains Jeremy Vincent, and some explosive offensive plays, especially from receiver Andrew Falk, who had a huge day. Ripon is a great team and we are looking forward to correcting our mistakes this week and moving forward onto Senior Day this Saturday versus Macalester.”
Maroons Bounce Back Against Brandeis MEN’S SOCCER
BY THOMAS GORON SPORTS STAFF
After a disappointing, tightly contested loss against North Park, the Maroons had an important weekend to bounce back. They faced their first road trip since the beginning of October with matches against NYU and Brandeis. This trip was a difficult stretch, but a golden opportunity to get back on track for the team. The Maroons took the opportunity with both hands (or feet), with a dominating, defensive display in both matches that led them to victory. Not fazed by the pressure, first-year Aaron Katsimpalis recorded back-to-back clean sheets in his first two career starts, a record that was a huge confidence booster for the team after the loss of their usual starting goalkeeper Hill Bonin. More specifically, the first match against NYU was a comprehensive display in a 3–0 win. Considering the difference in conference standings between the two teams, the Maroons expected the win. Though away
matches are always difficult, the Maroons took care of business and had little trouble. “Going into the NYU game, we knew we were going to have to be quick and decisive in the attack to break them down,” thirdyear midfielder Nicco Capotosto explained. They utilized this game plan to perfection, recording 24 shots in total and an impressive 13 on goal. However, after this match, there awaited a tough road test against Brandeis. This vital conference match against Brandeis was a tense affair with major implications for conference standings. A win for either team would put them in prime position to win the conference championship heading into the final week. Again, Capotosto stated that because “there was a lot at stake for both teams, [they] were really reluctant to break out in attack. It really turned into a scrappy game where the team that showed more grit was going to win.” The Maroons evidently “showed more grit” with an 79th minute win to take control of the conference. The team is now one win
away from clinching their second straight conference title. It all comes down to a home showdown with rival Wash U on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. Given the difference in
Latke or Hamantash?
SPORT Men’s Soccer Women’s Soccer Volleyball Volleyball Football Volleyball Volleyball Men’s Soccer Women’s Soccer
W/L
Opponent
Score
W W W L L W W W W
NYU NYU Dubuque Aurora Ripon Concordia Chicago North Park Brandeis Brandeis
3–0 2–0 3–1 0–3 29–36 3–0 3–1 1–0 2–0
Who will save the day?
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO HILLEL PRESENTS
The 71st Annual Latke Hamantash Debate Monday November 6th 2017 7:30 Mandel Hall
M AROON
SCORE BOARD
standings, the Maroons are the favorites to win, but records are often thrown out in a rivalry game. Come down and show your support for the team this Saturday!
Featuring: Hal Weitzman Ayelet Fishbach
Professor of Behavioral science and marketing Booth School of business
UPCOMING GAMES SPORT
DAY
Opponent
TIME
Volleyball
Friday
Rochester
2 p.m. ET
THE LATKE HAMANTASH DEBATE IS UNDERWRITTEN BY THE GEMUNDER FAMILY FOUNDATION
Moderator Executive director, human capital Booth school of business
Konstantin Umanskiy Associate Professor of Surgery University of Chicago Medicine
Simeon Chavel
Associate professor of Hebrew Bible Divinity School
Mandel Hall is an accessible building. If you have questions about accommodations, please contact melrivkin@uchicagohillel.org