9-23-11 by Northern Iowan

‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ holds pep rally at UNI

Northern Iowan

September 23, 2011

FRIDAY

Volume 108, Issue 8

Cedar Falls, Iowa

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the university of northern iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892

opinion 4 | campuslife 6 STAFF RESIGNATION

UNI says farewell to Dean Jon Buse Dean of Students resigns after 24 years of service

because Kirkwood is closer to home, it’s a good institution, and the people there impressed him. “It provides me the opportunity to serve stuBLAKE FINDLEY dents and grow professionStaff Writer ally,” Buse said. Spencer Walrath, After 24 years of serPresident of the Northern vice to the University of Iowa Student Government, Northern Iowa, Jon Buse, was sad to hear about Buse’s the Dean of Students, resignation. announced his resignation “To be honest, I was on Sept. 14. In December, heartbroken,” Walrath said. Buse will be leaving to “Jon was one of the first take a position as the Dean administrators to reach out of Students for Kirkwood to Ian and me when we College in Cedar Rapids. were elected. We were very Buse explained that the move is good for him

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IN MEMORY

“

It’s one of those feelings that you can’t quite put your finger on, but there’s just something missing, and you know it’s never going to be the same again.... - Ethan Harvey, junior trombone player

”

Marching band to celebrate life of deceased student with dedication

See BUSE, page 3

CAREER FAIR

140 organizations gather for UNI’s fall Career Fair

COURTESY PHOTO

Anna Williams, a UNI student who passed away March 18, celebrates a Panther men’s basketball victory during the team’s 2010 NCAA appearance. The Panther Marching Band will dedicate a small memorial in her honor this Saturday.

KARI BRAUMANN Editorial Staff

The passing of Anna Williams last March left a hole in the University of Northern Iowa Panther Marching Band’s ranks, and while many players have joined its numbers this year, her absence remains palpable for some. WHITNEY PHILLIPS/Northern Iowan

Left to right: Ethan Kumbera, a Johnston native, talks with Josh Fiala, a field adviser college professional, at the annual fall Career Fair on Sept. 19.

OLIVIA HOTTLE

Staff Writer

On Sept. 19, finding a job could have been be as easy as walking across Hudson Road because on that day, the University of Northern Iowa fall Career Fair was held at the McLeod Center. It featured 140 different organizations for students to network with.

During the fair, students distributed résumés, gained information on applying to companies in the future and learned what employers were looking for in job candidates. While no official interviews took place during the fair, a handful of employers held formal See FAIR, page 3

“It’s one of those feelings that you can’t quite place your finger on, but there’s just something missing, and you know it’s never going to be the same again, but you can’t really change it,” said Ethan Harvey, a junior trombone player in the band. Williams, a UNI sophomore who played trombone in the Panther Marching Band,

was killed in a car accident on March 18, near the end of spring break, when returning to UNI from her home in Carlisle, Iowa. The band will dedicate a small memorial on Saturday in her honor. Ellie Henson, a junior music education major and friend of Williams’ from the See DEDICATION, page 2

LECTURE SERIES

Luciano encourages pluralism, diversity DANIELLE KRULL Staff Writer

Danique Seymour performed her poem “Faces” at the Maucker Union Ballroom on Sept. 19 to set the mood for Felipe Luciano’s lecture entitled “Black Latino Unity: The Missing Link.” The lecture, which was sponsored by the University

of Northern Iowa’s Center for Multicultural Education, is part of a series of lectures on the topic of diversity that will be given throughout the year. “I recited ‘Faces’ because it speaks to everyone and everyone can relate to how your face or rather your race plays a huge role in your life and others and that we should

appreciate ourselves as well as others and who they are,” Seymour said. “It’s the only way to truly live life to the fullest.” The lecture coincided with Hispanic Heritage Month, which is Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. According to Tabatha Cruz, the program See PLURALISM, page 3

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NEWS

Forecast from National Weather Service

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Friday, September 23, 2011

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NEWS IN BRIEF

Sigma Alpha Epsilon sponsoring blood drive CHANCE FRERICHS

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Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs a blood transfusion, according to the American Red Cross. University of Northern Iowa students will have an opportunity to meet the need by donating blood at Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s first fall blood drive on Thursday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the West Gym. To donate blood, students can either sign up on Sept. 23, 26 or 27 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at an information table in Maucker Union or walk in on the day of the blood drive. “If you donate, you’ll be ranked among police officers and firefighters,” said sophomore Brad Meek, a member of SAE. “One donation can save up to three lives!” According to Meek, the goal for each blood drive is 130 units of blood. To encourage new donors, SAE asked businesses to offer incentives that students can receive for donating blood. In addition, SAE is sponsoring the UNI Blood Drive Challenge. “The student organization with the greatest percentage of members (to) donate (gets) a plaque and a pizza party,” Meek said. “If there is a tiebreaker, the organization that referred the most people will win the award.” SAE has been the sponsor of this blood drive for more than 85 years, making it the longest-running philanthropic event on campus. SAE sponsors five blood drives each year; two in fall: two in the spring and one in the summer.

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NEWS IN PHOTOS JOHN ANDERSON/ Northern Iowan

Northern Iowa Student Government senators and executives create a human statue for other groups to mirror as part of a team-building activity during their meeting in the University Room Wednesday. The activity, which was led by theatre professor Gretta Berghammer, featured several playful games designed to build community and encourage collaborative and creative thinking.

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Harvey remembers Williams as someone who “made everything super fun and super ridiculous at the same time” and was “probably the loudest person in the section, when we started losing especially.” Henson explained that the dedication will be “just a small little ceremony.” The marching band, in uniform, will go to the site of the memorial at 1:45. A few people will speak, including marching band director Danny Galyen and some of Williams’ friends. The band will play three of Williams’ favorite songs from pep band. Henson said she “would love for (Williams’) nonmarching-band friends to come” and any of Williams’ professors as well. Harvey said if anyone “(wants) to be there, they can be there.” “It’s a pretty relaxed kind of thing,” he said. “It’s just kind of to turn out and show how much she meant, for us and for her family.”

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those planning the memorial had it moved a little farther than that, because “she always wanted to be taller,” according to Henson. “She was pretty short and we always made fun of her for being so short, so we moved the tree a little bit farther away from the sidewalk so she could be taller,” Henson said with a smile. Harvey, an English education and outdoor recreation double major who marched with Williams for two years, said a maple tree in particular was chosen because of the way its colors change in autumn. “… Fall was always fun because she would love the changing of the colors, like all the different colors on the trees. It’s just so lively when everything changes like that, and that felt a lot like her. “Plus, a tree is a symbol of life and it’s going to be there forever, and we all hope that that’s what Anna’s experiencing now,” Harvey said.

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band, said the memorial and its dedication have been in the works since April. When the band returned for “band camp” before classes began

were “alums sending me money, their parents sent me money, people that I didn’t even know.” “It was a really cool experience to see how many lives she had touched,” Henson added, “and half of them hardly knew her.” “Most of the money that we gathered (was) from new marching band members that had never met Anna and had no idea who she was or what she was like and just wanted to help,” Harvey said. “It kind of just spoke to what kind of person she was that everyone was willing to help out.” The memorial will consist of a maple tree, which was recently planted between the UNI-Dome and the McLeod Center, and a plaque with an etched image of Williams. The site for the tree was chosen so that Williams’ memorial tree could be close to the action of the UNI athletics she loved. The tree had to be planted at least 10 feet from the sidewalk, but

Northern Iowan Staff

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this fall, a booth was set up to take donations for the cause. Henson said that by the end of the first day of registration, about half of the $400 needed for the memorial had already been raised. The sum increased, she said, as there

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DEDICATION

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Advertising errors that are the fault of the Northern Iowan will be corrected at no cost to the advertiser only if the Northern Iowan office is notified within seven days of the original publication. Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement at any time. The Northern Iowan is funded in part with student activity fees. A copy of the Northern Iowan grievance procedure is available at the Northern Iowan office, located at L011 Maucker Union. All material is copyright © 2011 by the Northern Iowan and may not be used without permission.

NEWS

Friday, September 23, 2011

FAIR continued from page 1

interview sessions the following day in the Maucker Union. The organizations involved were as varied as Panda Express, Beef Products, Inc., the FBI and Iowa Public Radio. “Not only do businesses get students for interviews and jobs, but the name exposure for the organization is good,” said Kristin Cahill, UNI employer relations coordinator and twoyear facilitator of the fair. One company at the fair, The Hershey Company, has come to many career fairs and hired several UNI business graduates.

BUSE continued from page 1

intimidated to be thrust into our positions, but Jon made Ian and me feel welcomed.” Walrath said that Buse treats students as equals. Walrath gave an example of this in a story about the first time he emailed Buse. He was unsure of how to address him, so he wrote “Dean of Students, Mr. Jon Buse.” In response to this, Buse replied that Walrath had been far too formal and encouraged Walrath to give him a nickname. Thereafter, Walrath addressed him as Johnny Bravo. “That’s how he works,” Walrath said. “He treats you as an equal. He treats you with respect and dignity, regardless of whether you’re in his office to talk about NISG or because you’ve broken the Student Conduct Policy.” Buse, a 1991 graduate of UNI, has worked in Gilchrist since 1987 as an undergraduate, a graduate student and then as part of the staff. “This is the only place I’ve ever known,” Buse said. “I will miss the people; first and foremost (I will miss) my colleagues, the faculty and the students. There is a certain collegiality among the staff and students that is really special.” Buse also joked that he would miss the cookies and cayenne cheese soup. Buse has spent the last four years as the Dean of Students. He said that one of the most rewarding aspects of his position was the effort made to improve the success of new students and their transition to college life at UNI and the partnership with Academic Affairs to accomplish this. Buse also vividly remembers the student response to the potential Westboro Baptist Church protests last fall. “Never have I been prouder of the students than when they marshaled the people and resources to respond in such a classy and honest way,” Buse said. “It was awesome to see.” For Buse, one of the most difficult parts of his job was responding to the needs of families when students died. He said that it was “challenging, humbling and there was not much more to say.”

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“The kids (we’ve hired) are enthused and energetic; we’ve had great success with UNI,” said Dan Micek, district manager for Hershey’s. Each business had its own booth, complete with a list of majors they desired in applicants. “I’m a graphic design major, and sometimes opportunities are hard to find,” senior Kathleen Roling said. “I got to ask businesses if they had any design opportunities for me, and the few I found were insightful.” UNI hosts both a fall and spring career fair, both of which are planned a year in

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Dean of Students

WHITNEY PHILLIPS/Northern Iowan

A student talks to Tara Christensen, the recruiting director for Mass Mutual, at the annual fall Career Fair on Sept. 19.

PLURALISM continued from page 1

It’s going to be bittersweet leaving UNI, but I’m excited for the opportunities that lie ahead. Jon Buse

advance. UNI alumni are also able to attend the fairs. “It’s easy to get a good base to meet with people,” said James Chase, a junior finance major. “(The businesses) come to you and want you to come to them. They’re really excited to meet everyone.” Micek encourages students to put their best foot forward at the Career Fair. “Students should have confidence and represent themselves well,” Micek said. “They should show what they can bring to a company, including their skills and work ethic, and they should know what they really want.”

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“I wish I never had to deal with it, but it happens,” Buse said. “As difficult as it is, though, it’s an honor to be able to represent UNI. We take seriously meeting the needs of those families to the best of our abilities.” Walrath commented on the impact Buse has had on the university, not only in the past four years but also in his entire career. “Jon Buse is one of the strongest advocates that UNI has ever seen or will ever see,” Walrath said. “You would be hard pressed to find another administrator anywhere that treats students with the respect that Jon shows to each and every student at UNI.” Walrath noted that Buse is able to connect with a variety of students such as those who have had a parent die, those who have gotten behind in their classes or those who are feeling lost and without hope. “Jon has such a difficult job. He rarely gets to be the bearer of good news and yet he keeps such a positive outlook towards UNI and the students here,” Walrath said. “I think that’s what makes him so unique.” Buse said that one of his goals in his new position at Kirkwood is to increase purple and gold on the Kirkwood campus, which would hopefully get more students to transfer to UNI upon getting their degree from Kirkwood. “It’s going to be bittersweet leaving UNI, but I’m excited for the opportunities that lie ahead,” Buse said. “I will be forever grateful to the opportunities I have had at UNI, both as a student and as a professional.”

coordinator for the CME, Hispanic Heritage Month is during the time when most Latin American countries declared their independence. Luciano, who gave the lecture, is a news reporter and anchor, poet, writer, activist and lecturer. Michael Blackwell, director of the CME, introduced him as someone who “speaks his mind (and) speaks truth to power.” Throughout his lecture, Luciano spoke about history, political opinions, knowledge of various cultures and inspiration. He also shared his personal story as a black and Puerto Rican man growing up in the U.S. Luciano emphasized the importance of pluralism because it defines America. According to Luciano, “pluralism is many cultures from many backgrounds in one country interacting with each other without losing their unique identity but all working together to approve the whole. It’s the decision to honor culture -- not simply to tolerate them, but to love them.” Katie Gourley, a resident of Cedar Falls who came to the event, said that what stuck with her the most was “how intense Luciano was about the importance of culture.”

“Culture is more important than many people care to acknowledge and his love for it really came through in his lecture,” Gourley said. Luciano also talked about looking into the “telescope” of other ethnic groups, which he believes will bring unity. Luciano encouraged students to travel if possible or to “embrace” other culture through art, music, literature, history and religion. He also encouraged students to learn their history. Luciano comes from a diverse background himself. He grew up in East Harlem, where in his apartment he lived with Sicilians, Chinese, Puerto Ricans and African-Americans. He said he “grew up to love and embrace culture.” He was sent to prison for murder at 16 years old, where he received the equivalent of a high school diploma. Later, he graduated from Queens College, and is now working on his master’s degree at Union Theological Seminary in New York. For Anna Werner, a junior German and marketing major, what stuck with her was Luciano’s discussion of activism. “When you see something that needs to be changed, speak up and do something about it,” Werner said. “Take action; don’t just wait around for someone else to fix it.”

Opinion

the university of northern iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892

Friday, September 23, 2011

Volume 108, Issue 8

Cedar Falls, Iowa

BELIEF

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DIVERSITY

Richness rather than threat GLORIA SUMPTER gsumpter@uni.edu

A Romance ANTHONY MITCHELL ayomitch@uni.edu I’ve written for the Northern Iowan since So no matter if you are religious or not, you 2009, and looking back at the 60-some-odd still face opposition… what does this have to columns I’ve written, I can’t honestly remem- do with us? Again, it goes back to that bumper sticker. ber ever writing about anything serious. And I came to the conclusion that religious coexwhy should I? The world is serious enough as istence is a romance; something that looks is; it doesn’t need another columnist spewing great on paper but impossible in practice. venom about death, taxes and the American It’s no exception when it comes to a college way. campus like ours. In fact, it’s places like this But you get to a point where just being a where we see this amplified. We’re no closer to goofball gets stale. So I’m going to give this coexistence than we are to self-propelled flight serious stuff a try. Don’t worry, I’ll be back (though pogo sticks and trampolines were a to analyzing world domination through telestep in the right direction). kinetic penguins sometime soon, but for now, Groups on campus on both sides of the let’s stop and think. issue continually beat their heads against a I was walking around campus the other day rock, whether it be a whackjob screaming when I saw one of those “COEXISTENCE” about brimstone or bumper stickers (Props pirates screaming about to the graphic artist that evolution. All it does is came up with that. Very add fuel to the fire (and cool from a design standto be fair, Billy Joel startpoint), and it really got Screaming doesn’t get ed it). me thinking. Coexistence I can remember back from a religious standus to think about a the last couple of years point: now there’s a possible afterlife. Some on days when some thought. I pondered it for deranged lunatic was a moment and then startmean-spirited chalked calling students sined chuckling to myself, phrases don’t get us to ners. I remember being almost to the point of so angry that a peaceappearing a little crazy. think outside the box. ful, loving religion was I pressed on. I began being so grossly misrepbreaking down religions resented and was simfrom a purely technical ply adding to the negapoint. A group of peotive stereotype. I also ple that have convinced remember days like “Blasphemy Day” in the themselves that they know how our known past couple of years. I remember being so universe functions, that they are correct about angry that peaceful nonreligious people would said function and that the entire world must be soon be made into hated targets. convinced as they are. I look at it now and I throw my head back Then I started thinking about the outspoand laugh. Screaming doesn’t get us to think ken atheists and some agnostics. They exist about a possible afterlife. Some mean-spirited to oppose (oftentimes) religion or at least dischalked phrases don’t get us to think outside credit it. Yet their function is identical. Instead the box. It just does a fantastic job of royally of convincing the world of a deity’s existence, ticking us off. And really, that’s pretty funny. they’re insisting the very opposite, that the Somewhere in our own self-denying, narcisworld must know there is no God. Remember, sism-fueled psyche, we actually think that we these are generalities of the evangelical and know what’s going on. And better yet, that we the outspoken, not applying to those who prachave to tell the world what’s right for them. tice either way in peace. (Mainly that statement I’m not anti-religion, nor am I anti-atheist is there so I don’t have to read 80 angry emails. by any means. My own personal beliefs have Then again, my framed angry email about no personal bearing either. I heavily encourage Justin Bieber is kind of lonely….) groups like Brothers and Sisters in Christ and Every action creates an equal or opposUNI Freethinkers and Inquirers to exist. It’s ing reaction – that basic principle of the just that we’re human. We won’t get along. We universe is pretty crafty. In simplistic terms, religion was answered by atheism, Judaism won’t coexist. So just accept it and move on. You wanted serious, there’s serious. If a litwas answered by Christianity, Catholicism was tle too much nihilism is hard to digest, always answered by Protestantism and so on. You can remember in the words of Mick Foley: “Have see what I’m getting at. One form’s existence a nice day!” spawns a response. Well no duh, we know that.

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Here is a “holla” out to freshmen and nontraditional students on campus. I hope you have fascinating experiences during your time at the University of Northern Iowa. Why, just walking across campus is an experience for me. On any given day, depending on what I am wearing, I am asked what class I am teaching, or where I purchased my Converses. One thing is for sure, when walking across campus, I see uniqueness. I love the continuation of diversity we are thriving for. For me, it is a motivating force, and my expansion of knowledge is unbelievable from the conversation with students from other areas. So, why are some students threatened by a person’s appearance or language? I see this from the classroom to the Union floor. Last week, I gave a presentation about AfricanAmerican culture. Now, that is something I know little about, in a sense. Is there such an animal -- one descriptive definition, food, appearance or behavior for an African American? Africans came from various parts of the continent of Africa, and thus, lots of languages and cultures. Even with the European influences, there is still a vast amount of uniqueness. I wanted the students I was presenting to not to feel threatened by the differences. Rather than expressing their uniqueness of their various cultures, I found most of the students worrying about ways to assimilate. For example, one student shared that the way men greeted each other by hugging, holding hands or nose touching were not acceptable masculine things to do, say, in the Union, with concerns that someone might think they were strange. I am speaking about our campus community. While this group of men is here, those types of signs/gestures of

affection will not be displayed – well, not in public anyways. How sad to feel threatened because of one’s culture. Remember the President and First Lady’s fist bump episode, back in 2008? I mean, that was bizarre – people actually thought it was a terrorist sign or activity. Why invite students on campus and not make them feel welcome? If we are going to get the richness of knowing about other cultures, it has to happen through the spirit of curiosity and inclusiveness. In addition, if we are going to retain the students here, we need to seek ways to be more than tolerant. We have to practice being respectful of people’s culture. Why “tolerate” you when I can learn from you, plus strengthen my worldview? Iowa has the friendliest people, right? Inclusiveness to me is having facilities for students transitioning, having conversations about homophobia, racism, sexism, classism and all the other -isms out there. It is about staying proactive. Instead of researching for “best practices,” let us start them. It is giving freshmen opportunities to grow in safe spaces, decreasing chances of staying ignorant or being misinformed. Building community with the LBGTIQA community, Muslims, Buddhists, freethinkers, women, the small Asian and Native population, and you can name many more cultures that are all rich in their own way, is an important part of the college experience. Diversity of culture should not be a threat to educated people. Should we expect students to assimilate or invite them to share their culture with us? Come on Iowans, put your money where your mouth is and engage in conversation with someone other than your twin.

OPINION

Friday, September 23, 2011

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EDITORIAL CARTOONS

SEASONS

Making a case for

winter NICK KROB nickkrob@gmail.com

MCT CAMPUS

Join the conversation Make your voice heard.

Don’t just complain about the way things are. Join the conversation about issues students are facing and be a voice for Panthers everywhere. Join the conversation. Write a letter to the editor. Letters may be no longer than 300 words and may be edited for spelling, grammar, length and clarity. Submissions should be sent to anderjao@uni.edu.

It has come again. It is time to pack away the shorts and get out our sweatshirts and eventually coats. As summer slowly dies, we find ourselves in fall — the (unfortunately) nonexistent season. Much like how spring serves as a buffer from winter to summer, fall occupies a temporary space that is seemingly over before it begins. As the leaves start to fall from the trees and the temperature continues to drop, so too do the attitudes of the general population. Winter is generally accepted as the worst of all seasons. As the crisp winter winds begin to arrive in northern Iowa, I argue on the contrary. It’s only a matter of weeks before we’ll be having to scrape off the frost from our cars’ windshields in the morning. We’ll be out of breath as we show up to class and have to unbundle once we sit down. Our lips will be chapped and our faces dry. Is there anything better? Winter is quite simply the most beautiful time of year. It transforms the redundant Iowa landscape into a 1920s movie. The dead trees contrast against the white blankets of snow as gusts of white powder create movement in the desolate plains. Even the city is turned into a beautiful place to be. Walking down Main Street on a snowy day during the holiday season is potentially the best thing about this town. As the temperature plummets, air becomes breathable. While summer means humid days too muggy to breathe, winter is refreshing and bearable. For the particularly unmotivated students, winter provides the best form of procrastination. “Why should I do any of my work for tomorrow? Classes are totally gonna be canceled!” Even though it never happens, the thought is a nice one to have. Wishful thinking, perhaps. None of this is to say that there exist no downfalls about winter. Sure, waiting for your car to heat up can be rough. Sitting through class with wet shoes from walking in the snow isn’t ideal. But let’s be honest. It sure beats the hell out of summer. Jeans trump shorts any day. Shivers always beat sweat. For a state that has its fair share of seasonal experience, we get to see both sides of the argument. I have always been surprised by how little tolerance the area has for winter. You’d expect these attitudes from southern states, but Iowa? Once the first snow hits, cars in the city might as well be driven by children. And it’s not like we have an influx of out-of-state residents. Despite any drawbacks, winter is a time of the year that deserves to be embraced rather than shunned. While summer gets all of the attention because of sun and vacation, winter is worthy of a second look. Snow and holidays are hard to beat. Yet when it comes to something as dichotomous as hot vs. cold, you have to take a side. I’m choosing winter. Is anyone with me? Doubtful.

friday, september 23, 2011

volume 108, issue 8

cedar falls, iowa

campuslife

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‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ pep rally brings community together TEHRENE FIRMAN Campus Life Editor

One surprised northeast Iowa family will soon be getting a knock on their front door from some familiar faces. Ty Pennington and the design team of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” will be traveling to the Cedar Falls area on Oct. 2 as part of the ninth season of the show. The whole community is able to play a role in the project and is urged by team members of the show and local affiliates to get involved in the action, which started with a pep rally at the McLeod Center on Sept. 20. The spirit at the pep rally seemed contagious, from the energetic Independence High School marching band playing crowd favorites to the UNI cheerleaders and dance team leaving the crowd in awe with their stunts, flips and dance moves perfectly in sync with the band. Independence High School’s mascot, a mustang wearing a hard hat and all, was seen bonding with TC as they worked together to fire up the crowd for the evening’s events. As 6 o’clock came along, the stands were full of a community coming together for a cause (and whispers could be heard amongst the female portion of the crowd, hoping a visit from Ty Pennington was in store for them before the night’s end). Actor, Cedar Falls native and self-proclaimed head cheerleader of the night, Gary Kroeger, hosted the event, taking the level of excitement amongst the crowd even higher than it already was. The pep rally was full of, as Milan Vasic, senior producer of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” puts it, “heroes,” two of them being Ed and Janet Larson, owners of Larson Construction Co. of Independence, Iowa. Out of all of the construction companies in the area, Larson Construction Co., a family-owned business that has been in the con-

struction industry since the 1960s, was selected as the builder for the project. “At first we thought we were awfully busy and didn’t know if we could do this or not,” said Ed Larson, “but then they sent me a film of the family we were going to help and when you see that, there certainly isn’t a way we couldn’t do this.” Janet Larson agreed, saying, “It’s a very, very worthy cause.” Other attendees of the night included staff members and volunteers of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. “I’m very excited to see the community support,” said Karen Erickson, director of programs for the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. “We weren’t banking on a lot of these donations a week ago before we knew about the event, so this is all excellent – it’s all donated product that we can give out to our clients.” Vasic continually expressed his gratitude for everyone making the event possible, saying that being a part of the show is the “greatest job” and an “amazing ride.” Vasic spends 240-250 days out of the year traveling and producing the show, which receives 8-10 million views each week it airs. Throughout the time he is traveling, Vasic is asked many questions from fans, usually along the lines of “Does Ty really always have that much energy?” or “Is Ty’s hair real?”, to which the answers are both “yes.” The concept of the show has changed a lot since the very beginning in September of 2003. “Space Invaders,” the name of the original show, was giving a home makeover to a gentleman the team met outside of a hardware store. When they got to the man’s home, there was a Mercedes Benz sitting in the driveway and a BMW in the garage of the 400 square foot California home that needed to be “remodeled.” (He turned out to be a doctor.) “I remember as we were looking in the kitchen that I was thinking if we were

WHITNEY PHILLIPS/Northern Iowan

The University of Northern Iowa cheerleaders and dance team listen to Milan Vasic, senior producer of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” as he speaks to the Cedar Valley community about the events that will be taking place.

going to demo this kitchen, I was going to be dumpster-diving later,” said Vasic. “Those granite countertops would look pretty sweet in my apartment.” About halfway through the filming, the cast started to get some of the tape back and all sat there not sure why anyone would tune in and watch what they were doing. It was then that Conrad Ricketts, executive producer of the show, drove off and spotted a woman scraping paint off of a very rundown house with her daughter by her side. After finally deciding to go through with it, Ricketts walked up to the woman and bluntly asked, “Why is your house the crappiest house on this block?” It turned out that the house was originally bought knowing it would be a fixer-upper, but the woman’s daughter ended up being diagnosed with leukemia and every last cent and amount of time went toward beating the cancer and getting her healthy again. According to Vasic, it was at that moment that “the heart and soul of the television show was born.” After watching a heartfelt video of the lives

WHITNEY PHILLIPS/Northern Iowan

Milan Vasic, senior producer of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” spoke to the crowd and how they can get involved with the build in October.

“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” has changed, the sniffles and wadded-up Kleenex were clear signs that the crowd was even more willing to lend a helping hand to a family in need right in the heart of their Iowa town. When Vasic asked who was already signed up to help with the build, a group in the crowd cheered loudly. Even more chimed in when he asked who was planning on being a part of the build.

With Vasic’s promise of a shirtless Ty if the weather is warm enough, the list might be growing at a rapid pace. Whether one is interested in donating supplies or their time, or just really wants the famous blue shirt, visit www.joinextreme.com/ iowa to get involved. In the meantime, the countdown begins until the show’s most notable catchphrase will be declared in the Cedar Valley – “Move that bus!”

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STUDENT VOICES:

How’s your first semester of college at UNI? Jordan L

Derrick B

ertram

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r Brteorwsncience major Taylo compu

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I like the freedom that comes from college. It’s nice to be in charge of myself for once.

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social s

major

I love the schedule of classes. It’s nice to not be in class for six to seven straight hours.

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Sadie Hinuensdecided

I like the parties and not having my mom around every five minutes. I love being independent.

CAROLINE DAVIS

From Friday, Sept. 23 to Sunday, Sept. 25, the University of Northern Iowa will be abuzz as it plays host to a large number of visiting families for UNI’s annual Family Weekend. Whilst here, there are a number of activities that students can partake in alongside their families. The weekend is officially kicking off with the School of Music’s annual Scholarship Benefit Concert, which will take place at 7:30 Photo courtesy of MCT CAMPUS

Ryan Gosling stars as the mysterious “Driver,” who is the getaway driver for criminals without their own driver.

‘Drive’ proves to be thrilling ride Film Critic

“Drive,” as the title might suggest, starts off with a car scene. It’s hard to call it a chase, because this is unlike most chase scenes – except perhaps if “Driving Miss Daisy” had one. It is not a full-throttle, fast and furious race against cops – it is a well-planned and even better executed hide-andseek, silent escape into the night. No flashes, no bangs – nothing but a calm and collected driver doing his job. Well, night job. By night, Ryan Gosling’s character, known only as “Driver,” is the getaway driver for criminals without their own. By day, he works as a mechanic, and in a rather clever scene, we learn he also drives stunt cars. As his “benefactor” and boss Shannon (Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”) says, “put this kid behind the wheel

”

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teachin

g major

I like (the WRC) where I can play ping pong all day. I also like the girls here.

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Compiled by Mahad Afzal

Family Weekend to take place at UNI Staff Writer

EMILY HEYER

ukehart

cience

of a car; there’s nothing he can’t do.” And although it’s never really the blockbuster car chase scenes one expects out of today’s movies, it is nonetheless a thrilling ride and never without impact. What packs the proverbial punch are the silences. The opening car scene is a silent affair with little dialogue, and that is a trend seen throughout the movie. The Driver is a silent man, brooding and observant. When he falls for neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan, “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”) and her son Benicio, it is a silent love that is expressed through an occasional twitch of a smile. It nevertheless is a deep love. When Irene and Benicio are put in danger’s way when Irene’s husband (yes, there’s a husband) returns from prison and owes money, the Driver does his part to help them and keep them safe. See DRIVE, page 10

p.m. on Friday evening in the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. Then, if one is in need of some more entertainment on Friday night, a trip to the observatory for some stargazing may be a great way to end the night. On Saturday, UNI chemistry students will be putting on two magic shows in McCollum Science Hall at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. However, if magic isn’t of interest, there is also the opportunity to visit the Botanical Center before heading to the Rialto Dining Center to tailgate

before the night’s football game. Finding a good seat at the Rialto for Saturday’s Family Fest Lunch might be tough. According to Mike Weiglein, the dining unit manager at the Piazza, and Rosanne Lang, manager of the Rialto, around 1,200 people are expected to attend – 200-300 more than regular Saturday brunches, and around 500 more than the average lunchtime headcount. The UNI men’s football See FAMILY, page 10

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STUDENT LIFE

Don’t tase me, bro UNI Pubic Safety discusses alcohol consumption DELANEY PALEN Staff Writer

Partying, bars, alcohol – the list of things that one might associate with “the college life” goes on. Officer Bentley and Officer Juhl of the University of Northern Iowa Police Department spoke Monday, Sept. 19 at the Towers West Lounge about how to stay safe while consuming alcohol, safety measures one should take if a friend becomes overly intoxicated and precautions one should take in order to keep oneself from becoming overly intoxicated. The officers presented many safety procedures, such as the recovery position. They also provided a list of different on-campus offices, people and other safe havens where students could go to or call for help. Bentley and Juhl reiterated the importance for students to “not be afraid to give us a call. We’re there to help.” They also stated that the more cooperative the person is that they’re dealing with on any given night, the better off they will be when it comes to consequences. It could quickly and easily turn away from paramedics checking a student out to assure their safety, to a public intoxication or even a meeting with the Dean

of Students. The officers emphasized notifying an authority figure if a friend becomes dangerously intoxicated, or if a problem should arise while out. “If you’re gonna drink, and you need to drive, find somebody else that’s sober,” advised Bentley. “If you’re falling-down drunk, you probably better get a cab. If you’re decent walking, we’re good about that.” UNI has a provision in place stating that if a student is in need of assistance, another student could call and obtain that assistance without fear of violating student conduct codes. The “good Samaritan” provision states that “students who seek medical assistance for themselves or another person who is intoxicated due to alcohol and/or drugs will not be subject to university disciplinary action, except when it has been determined that another viola-

tion of university policy has occurred.” For more information on public safety at UNI, visit www.uni.edu/pubsaf.

What do you think about UNI’s alcohol policies? Share your opinion by commenting on this article on our website: www. northern-iowan. org

Liquid Library

friday, september 23, 2011

DRIVE continued from page 7

The tagline of the movie is “Some heroes are real,” and while the Driver is a hero to Irene and her family, he is not the typical hero. Silent (really, the dialogue of this movie could fit in a two-page paper) he protects, but as the situations escalate, so does his violence. A mix of rage and determination that becomes a passionate defense, the Driver is an intelligent man of few words. He is not a hero, but he is not an anti-hero – he is a decent man put in a sloppy situation who is making do. The film’s R rating comes mostly from the brutal violence that is seen throughout the film. However brutal – and it is brutal – it is surprisingly tastefully done. This is in part due to director Nicolas Winding Refn, a relative Hollywood newcomer from Denmark. Refn’s style fits the story, being understated yet dramatic, and he makes excitement and drama in the right places to help a dialoguelight story move. However, as good as the directing is, this movie’s success is all thanks to the talented Ryan Gosling. (Really, the directing is on him as well – he hand-picked Refn to direct.) Gosling, who in a few weeks will have three blockbusters in theatres with the release of “The Ides of March,” takes a seemingly flat character and makes him memorable, despite hardly speaking and remaining nameless. Perhaps most well-known by the female population as Noah Calhoun from “The

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Notebook,” Gosling shows a true talent here. He can act and speak without saying anything. We can see his joy with a twitch of the toothpick and his anger by the body language alone. Although it will not go down as an Oscar-winning performance, it is one of his best roles. Not the viewer favorite (which might now be his recent flick “Crazy, Stupid, Love”), but still one of the best. His co-star, Oscarnominated Carey Mulligan, is a match scene by scene for Gosling’s Driver. She is the softness to his coldness, a loving mother and caring friend and wife. She is not naïve, however. Irene makes her way through hard work and understands what her husband is going through. After the occasional digression of back-story or awkward conversation, Irene learns to work with the Driver in companionable silence, making the love realistic and heartfelt despite everything and the ending more poignant and meaningful. The hardest part of this movie to deal with is not the violence, but the silence. The Driver is a man of very few words. Based off the novel of the same name by James Sallis, it tries, and succeeds for the most part, to capture internal dialogue on the screen. What results is not oral language, but body language. Although it does translate very well, it still leaves a wanting for conversation. Perhaps this movie’s goal is to leave a wanting – a wanting for more, a wanting for something different. It is a realistic portrayal of life and love, but I wouldn’t agree with the tagline when it says “hero.”

FAMILY continued from page 7

team will host Western Illinois this Saturday at 4 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to get there early in their Panther apparel, because according to Troy Dannen, director of the athletics administration, it’s going to be a busy game. To close the weekend, there will be a free Orchesis and International Dance Theatre performance on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Strayer Wood Theatre. During spare moments throughout the weekend, there are other activities and amenities available, such as use of the Wellness and Recreation Center, tours and a scavenger hunt hosted by the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences in Sabin Hall. For a full schedule of the weekend’s activities, visit www.uni.edu/familyweekend.

Sports

the university of northern iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892

Friday, September 23, 2011

Volume 108, Issue 8

Cedar Falls, Iowa

northern-iowan.org

FOOTBALL (1-2)

(1-1)

#2 PANTHERS VS. LEATHERNECKS WHEN: 4 P.M. BRAD EILERS Sports Editor

The No. 2-ranked University of Northern Iowa football team will look to defend their Missouri Valley Football Conference title starting Saturday when they host the Western Illinois University Leathernecks. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. “This is our first conference game. That is what we have been planning for and working towards. I know we are all just excited to have our first home football game,” said UNI head coach Mark Farley. While history is on UNI’s side (UNI leads the all-time series between the two schools, 26-13), Saturday’s game against the Leathernecks (1-2) marks the Panthers’ third straight game against an opponent that beat them a year ago. WIU defeated UNI in last year’s regular season finale, 30-14. “(WIU) beat us at the line of scrimmage, on both sides of the ball,” said Farley of last year’s match-up. “They ran around us, they threw around us, they did what they

WHERE: CEDAR FALLS, IOWA

wanted to us.” Not only does Saturday mark the start of MVFC play for the Panthers, it’s also UNI’s home opener and Family Weekend. “It comes down to taking advantage of your home field. You’ve got to win your home field games. This gives us an advantage because we’re at home this time,” said Farley. UNI (1-1) has one of the best home field advantages in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Panthers are an astounding 177-45-1 (.796) all-time in the UNI-Dome. Aside from dominating at home, UNI has dominated the MVFC, winning 15 conference titles in 26 years. “Being (ranked No. 2) is great, but it’s all about (conference play). We know (the MVFC), we know it’s strong. We know (WIU) is good. It doesn’t matter who you play because we’ve all got each other’s scouting reports. It comes down to the players making plays,” said Farley. For the Panthers to continue their winning ways, they will need to continue to dominate the turnover battle. Through two games,

TV: NONE

RADIO: 1540 KXEL

BRANDON BAKER/Northern Iowan

UNI quarterback Tirrell Rennie (10) prepares to receive a snap against ISU on Sept. 3, 2011. Rennie is averaging 126.5 rushing yards per game, the seventh-best average in the FCS.

UNI ranks first in the FCS with an average turnover margin of 3.5. The Panthers have registered eight takeaways and have only turned the ball over once so far this season. “I’m very pleased with our turnover ratio,” said Farley. “We’ve

emphasized it, but our players have taken responsibility for it. The offense in particular, the way they have handled the turnover situation; they’ve done a great job. A lot of that has to do with Tirrell (Rennie).”

PAUL’S PERSPECTIVE

UNI’s next major: Fantasy Football 401 PAUL KOCKLER Sports Columnist

After attending the University of Northern Iowa Career Fair this week, I realized that the “real world” and its challenges are much closer than I would like them to be. As an accountant, I will most likely be making decisions that will affect millions and even billions of dollars for gigantic companies. This caused me to think about jobs that may not involve that type of pressure. Meteorology came to mind, where you can be wrong on a regular basis and keep your job, no problem. Then it occurred to me that a job that shares this same characteristics is being a “Fantasy Football Expert.” How can I become one of those? Presumably a meteorologist has to go to college and major in meteorology, so I ask, why isn’t there a major in fantasy football expertise? Am I crazy to think that there should be such a major?

Courtesy Photo/MCT CAMPUS/Rick E. Martin/San Jose Mercury News

Think about it. There is a definite market for the skill. People pay big bucks to be in these leagues and would surely pay for any edge they can get over their competition. I already spend way too much time watching and reading fantasy expert analysis that sometimes leads me astray, but yet I still crave their advice. Millions of people play online for millions of dollars. I think, once I am out of college and have some

money, I would be willing to pay for quality fantasy advice over a weather forecast. Let’s take this a step further; can you imagine a test in your Fantasy Football 401 class where a question would be to explain why Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush will be a startingcaliber fantasy football player this week? Your first thought would probably be that he won’t because he isn’t very good, but then you will look

at a sophisticated database of numbers and stats based off historical patterns and other situations like a meteorologist would and you could come up with a decent argument to the contrary. Having access to a database like this would be half the battle; you would just have to learn how to correctly interpret these numbers. This leads me to the rest of the curriculum for the proposed fantasy football major. At UNI, we have a large emphasis on students being well-rounded. This would not be a problem for fantasy football majors. Students would come into the program ignorant and uncultured and would leave world savvy and knowledgeable. I believe this because of the wide variety of classes it would take to acquire your degree in fantasy football. Naturally, a class on statistics would be required to interpret all the numbers you will be bombarded with. Different communication classes would be necessary

so your “tips and knowledge” could be conveyed to your audience. Anatomy and exercise science classes would be vital to learn about how injuries will affect players. Marketing and other business classes would have to be on the schedule because you would have to sell and market your newly acquired skills. I would argue that fantasy football majors would be some of the most intelligent students walking around campus. This major will be so prestigious that by the time this is offered at UNI, the market for fantasy football experts will be even bigger, therefore you will have no problem finding a job. The best part about that job will be that you don’t have to be right all the time, but instead you just have to try moderately hard. It doesn’t get much better than that. When this major is available at UNI, count on me signing up. Accounting is too hard anyway.

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Friday, September 23, 2011

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UNI FOOTBALL GAME DAY TRADITIONS

Created by BRAD EILERS/Sports Editor

Ladies and gentlemen, a ferocious predator has been seen stalking the nation. Carrying the No. 2 national ranking. We caution you to watch for the cat. Heeeeere come the Panthers! Bob Justis, UNI-Dome PA Announcer

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Cheer on the UNI Marching Band.

ACDC’s “Hell’s Bells” is played when the players run out onto the field.

Shake your keys during kickoffs. ves

rchi

TNE

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S/No

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nA Iowa

Get loud when the visiting team is facing third or fourth down.

Sing the “UNI Fight Song” Hail our Panthers, we are ever loyal, Showing our strength and unity. As we rise, we firmly stand behind you, Urge you on to victory. Rah! Rah! Rah! As you lead us on to fame and honor, Fight! Fight! Fight! will be our cry. So, give us a yell, Ho! the purple and the gold, Victory for UNI! U-N-I Fight! U-N-I Fight!

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Winning! UNI is 177-45-1 (.796) all-time in the UNIDome. The Panthers own 15 of the 26 Missouri Valley Football Conference championships.

ern Iowan

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BRANDON B

The Interlude Dance will be implemented as a new UNI Football Tradition this weekend.

CASSANDRA

HAYNE/ Nor

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