Northern Iowan The University
of
Northern Iowa’s
student-produced newspaper since
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Tuesday, September 28, 2010 Volume 107, Issue 9 Cedar Falls, Iowa northern-iowan.org
A family affair TC to be joined by his little sister
Page 4
Opinion Some things aren’t best in moderation Page 7
Panther football experiences the same old follies in loss to Cyclones TIM GETTING
Class exchange brings unique opportunity to students
MAGGIE DONOVAN
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Panther fans traveled to Jack Trice Stadium in Ames Saturday expecting to witness a thriller. However, they left the set disappointed. Iowa State University shut out the University of Northern Iowa 27-0 in what proved to be a tragic comedy. Through the eyes of a critic, the script was well written. The protagonist always seemed to be on the verge of curing its central flaw, yet proved to remain
Imagine studying at a school half way across the world where your native language is not spoken. Now try and imagine adapting to a whole new university setting and country. For the students of the University of Northern Iowa’s Culture and Intensive English Program, those two scenarios are their reality. Studying abroad can offer amazing opportunities for students to learn a new culture, enhance their character and have the time of their lives. But living in a country where your language is rarely spoken can also be intimidating and present many challenges. CIEP at UNI provides instruction in the English language and cultural orientation to its students. These international students come from several different countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Japan, Vietnam, Mexico, South Korea, Chile and Iraq. The greatest number of students in the program come from China and Saudi Arabia. On Thursday, Sept. 23, the CIEP students were given the opportunity to utilize their English conversational skills by engaging in a “class exchange” with students from a Human Relations class. The majority of the students in the Human Relations class are education majors. Through this class exchange, both the students from CIEP and the Human Relations class were given the unique opportunity to interact with peers from a different culture. Kathy Oakland, human relations instructor, hopes that through this class exchange her students will understand the importance of human relations in teaching. “This is my favorite day of the semester. In our changing world and chang-
SCOTT KINTZEL/Northern Iowan
No. 32 James Conley makes a tackle for the Panthers during their 27-0 loss to the Iowa State Cyclones. UNI outgained the Cyclones in total yards 320-210, but two interceptions cost the Panthers a shot at the upset.
President Allen speaks about the changes ahead for UNI See PANTHER LOSS, page 11
KARYN SPORY
Staff Writer “This great university will change substantially over the next five years. Either we can effect that change intentionally, or it will be imposed upon us by the state or by the marketplace. I prefer that we will be in charge of the change,” said President Benjamin Allen during his State of the University Address. President Allen’s address began this year’s convocation on Sept. 22, which was held in Maucker Union Ballroom. In addition to the State of the University Address, the convocation also included Regents Awards for faculty and staff. During his address, Allen spoke about the challenges and changes the University of Northern Iowa will face in the coming years. On Sept. 16, the Board of Regents approved a new strategic plan. “The new plan establish-
KARYN SPORY/Northern Iowan
es clear priorities that will stretch us to reach the goals that we’ve set. In short, the plan provides a direction and a challenge to the university,” said Allen. Along with the new strategic plan, Allen touched on several other items. One of them was the increase in enrollment over the past four years. He also spoke about UNI’s recent record fundraising. The UNI Foundation has raised nearly $32 million. This represents a 50 percent increase in fundraising from 2008 and includes two of the largest donations in UNI’s history.
Oct. 23 will be the kickoff for “Imagine the Impact,” a comprehensive fundraising campaign. Gifts already received have brought funding for 200 new scholarships and 154 new programs. In closing, Allen quoted an old proverb, “Everybody loves progress, but nobody likes change.” Following address, the presentation of the Regents Excellence Awards to faculty and staff took place. Four faculty members were recognized for their accomplishments during the 2010 spring and fall semesters. William Downs, professor of social work, received The James F. Lubker Faculty Research Award. The Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Liberal Arts Core went to Doug Shaw, professor of mathematics. Gayle Pohl, associate professor of communication studies, recieved the Ross A. Nielsen Professional Service Award. Finally, Michele Roth, professor of physics, was awarded the Class
of 1943 Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching. Following the awards, President Allen, Executive Vice President and Provost Gloria Gibson, and Board of Regents member Greta Johnson presented the Regents Award for Faculty Excellence. Those receiving the award were: Gretta L. Berghammer, professor of theater; Ken M. Bleile, professor of communication sciences & disorders; Harry W. Brod, professor of philosophy & world religions; M. Kimberly MacLin, associate professor of psychology; Otto H. MacLin, associate professor of psychology; and Catherine H. Palczewski, professor of communication studies. Finally, the Regents Awards for Staff Excellence went to: Linda Paar, laboratory specialist for the Chemistry and Biochemistry Departments; Mike Weiglein, assistant manager of the Piazza; and Laura Wilson, assistant director of Career Services.
See CLASS EXCHANGE, page 3
PAGE 2
NEWS Tuesday, September 28, 2010 northern-iowan.org
TwentyTen | TwentyEleven | ArtistSeries Sunday | October 10 | 2 & 7:30 p.m.
Adults $53, $48, $43, $38, $33 | Youth -20% | UNI Student -50% sponsored by A
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*UNI students receive one ticket at 50% off with valid uCard ID
NEWS Tuesday, September 28, 2010 northern-iowan.org
CLASS EXCHANGE continued from page 1
ing school populations, it is important for students to be aware, sensitive and knowledgeable of other cultures,” said Oakland. “It’s important for the students of the human relations to be aware of potential future students in classrooms,” said Alek Davis, a senior history education major. Sally Roos, activities coordinator for UNI’s CIEP, believes that the class exchange will greatly benefit the students in the program. “You can only learn so much of a different language if you don’t practice it with native speakers of that language. So I think it provides two things for our students: it provides English conversation practice, and then it provides opportunity to learn about American culture firsthand by making a friend,” stated Roos. During the class exchange, the Human Relations and CIEP students were paired off and encouraged to engage in conversation with one another. Friendly, enthusiastic conversation filled the room as students learned about each other’s differing cultures. Overheard were questions from the CIEP students about American culture such as sports, entertainment and food, as well as questions from the human relations students about their new friends’ journey to America and why they chose to study here at
DESIREE DAHL/Northern Iowan
UNI students Echo Lie, Ashley Fitzgerald and Kelsi Karkosh participated in the class exchange and were provided with the opportunity to interact with one another and gain exposure to a culture different from their own.
UNI. “It gets them fired up to be actively involved at UNI with other students. It makes them realize that it’s not so scary to talk to a native speaker,” commented Roos. Towards the end of the class exchange, the students were asked to gather around for some group conversation about their experience. As the entire group of students laughed and talked together, some shared what they enjoyed most about the interactive exchange. “I really enjoyed learning the differences between our cultures as well as how similar we are at the same time. For being worlds apart, we’re close in so many ways,” said Michael Tweedt, a senior physical education major. “This class exchange really helps take you out of your comfort zone in terms of social communication. You begin to understand what it is like for someone to experience and adapt to a new culture. This will help me to
be more aware and appreciative of the cultural diversity that may exist in my future classroom,” said Ashley Fitzgerald, a senior elementary education major. For the human relations students, the class exchange helped them become more aware of the cultural diversity that already surrounds them. Through this experience, many think they will take what they learned and apply it to their future careers. “I think being able to learn about other cultures will make me a well rounded student and a better future teacher,” said Matt Svare, a senior elementary education
PAGE 3 major. As for the CIEP students, many saw the class exchange as an opportunity to actually talk to American students and interact with them, something that many CIEP students haven’t done before. “This was an interesting conversation. I liked it so much because before I didn’t have the opportunity to talk for a long time with people from UNI. I usually talk with my classmates from CIEP and my teachers,” explained Matias Fuentalida, who is originally from Chile. The class exchange was a great opportunity for all students involved. For the human relations students, the experience offered a look into a different culture and the awareness and appreciation of diversity that they can apply to their future classrooms. For the CIEP students, the experience offered conversational practice with native English speakers, an opportunity to gain the confidence to speak to an American student and most importantly, to make a new friend in their new surroundings.
Corrections The article “Bob Dylan coming to UNI” on the front page of the Sept. 24, 2010 edition of The Northern Iowan was accompanied by a picture of Robbie Robertson instead of Bob Dylan. The Northern Iowan regrets this error. The Northern Iowan welcomes all comments, suggestions and complaints about errors that warrant correction. These messages can be emailed to northern-iowan@uni.edu.
Internship Opportunity NI NEWS SERVICE
Caitlin Staebell, intern coordinator for the office of Sen. Tom Harkin in Washington, D.C., will be on campus Tuesday, Sept. 28. She will be available to meet with students interested in an internship from 10:30-noon in the Student Involvement/ Activities Conference Room located in Maucker Union. If you have questions, contact the Office of Governmental Relations at 319-273-6144.
The University of Northern Iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892
Features
4
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 Volume 107, Issue 9 Cedar Falls, Iowa northern-iowan.org
A family affair
T.C. to be joined by his little sister
Office hours
The life of a professor
Kischer-Browne signed her way through childhood By EVA ANDERSEN Staff Writer
SCOTT KINTZEL/Northern Iowan
T.C. poses with UNI cheerleaders during a football game. A new mascot, T.C.’s sister, will join T.C. during games this year.
By WILLIAM KRESSE Staff Writer
This year, during the University of Northern Iowa homecoming football game, a new mascot will take the field alongside T.C. T.C.’s little sister, just out of high school, is eager to start her UNI career. As of now, the new mascot is without a nickname. Fans of T.C. visited his website to vote for the name they liked best. The choices were T.K. (The Kitten), TShe, T.L.C (The Little Cat), and L.C. (Little Cat).
Although the poll closed on Friday, the new mascot’s name has not been announced as of press time. “She is an addition to the T.C. family,” said Tony Smith, T.C.’s personal assistant. “She is not meant to take over as a fulltime mascot. T.C. will always be the official mascot of the University of Northern Iowa and that will never change.” But UNI isn’t a stranger to supplemental mascots. In the 1980s, UNI had “Little Panther,” another young cat who would appear at high
attendance games to help T.C. with his duties. We’ve also seen TC’s parents from time to time at events during family weekend. “T.C.’s sister is younger and smaller than her older brother,” said Smith. “She has a wide array of wardrobe selection just like T.C. has, so she will be making appearances in different outfits. She will eventually be able to stunt with the cheer squad just like T.C. does now. She is going to be a great special addition to the program.”
degree. He mentioned that he was once interested in psychology, which lead him to his successful book. “Once I made this book, I realized I couldn’t stop,” Hansen said. “Secret Regrets,” which comes from anonymous confessions in a blog at www. secretregrets.com, is a medium for Hansen to help people. Hansen believes that in this era, the Internet has had a great amount of impact on people and sometimes the effects can be negative. He wants to use the Internet to do good. Most of the participants on the website are teenagers. That is part of the reason Hansen believes that this
book is suitable for college students. “This book says it is OK for college students to make mistakes, because we will eventually make regrets,” he said. Hansen believes this book has helped a lot of people -- he said that a lot of people decided not to attempt suicide and learned from others’ regrets. Hansen’s project not only invites people who know their regret, but also helps people to see it as a reflection: to think about what have done in the past, acknowledge their regrets and move forward. He hopes that people can help
UNI alumnus speaks about his book, ‘Secret Regrets’ By CATHERINE AU JONG Staff Writer
Last Thursday, Kevin Hansen, the author of “Secret Regrets,” gave a presentation at University Book and Supply. His book, “Secret Regrets: What if you had a second chance?” was the bestselling book on Amazon. com. For the past three years, more than half a million people have visited his website and more than 10,000 regrets have been posted. During his presentation, he shared how his project got started and how it can help people out of their regrets. Hansen is a University of Northern Iowa alumnus who graduated with a marketing
See REGRETS, page 5
Karlene Kischer-Browne was born into a family of two deaf parents. Before she learned how to speak, she learned how to sign. “I had never really thought of going into the ‘family business,’” she said with a chuckle. But for KischerBrowne, a University of Northern Iowa instructor of American Sign Language, the “family business” is more than just a job, it’s a lifestyle. Learning sign language before English was normal for her. “Little kids normally pick it up through their ears while learning spoken English, and I just picked it up through my eyes,” she said. “But the family doctor was very concerned that there was not someone in the house who spoke.” The doctor’s recommendation? Get a radio and a TV, and learn how to speak. “I can tell all kinds of stories about shows I watched as a child and remember very well,” she said. Before Kischer-Browne was old enough to interpret on the phone for her parents, they used to have to drive to even schedule a doctor’s appointment. She remembers a humorous incident where she had to interpret for her mom to schedule an appointment. When the nurses told her that the doctor was busy, she said, “Why don’t you get Dr. Kildare?” The nurses had a good laugh, as she had just requested to see a fictional doctor who only existed on TV. Growing up in a family of deaf parents led to other unique situations and responsibilities. Whereas most families have chore charts that list regular jobs such as “take out the trash” and “do the dishes,” one of the chores in the Kischer household was “phone duty.” “We would take turns interpreting for our parents … my dad would call us over to the phone and interpret what he had written on paper,” she said.
Having control over interpretations had its advantages, especially for the mischievous child. At parent-teacher conferences, Kischer-Browne admitted that she used to stretch the truth a little. “When the teacher was describing my behavior problems, I signed to my mom, ‘She is doing great! She is very well-behaved!’” But her mom caught on. “After looking at the teacher’s concerned look, she looked back at my face and signed ‘You are finished!’” she said. Her mother took over with a pad and paper from there. Lighthearted situations like that made it seem like living with deaf parents wasn’t so bad after all! However, people often misunderstood. “They’d ask, ‘Can your folks even drive?’” she said. They could, and they were great at it. “Deaf people are some of the best drivers I know because they’re hypervisual,” she said. “There would be times when they could see a siren long before I could hear it.” And even though conversing with her family in public places was normal for her, it was always frustrating when people made comments about them. But since Kischer-Browne was hearing, she could always catch them at their own game. “We’d let them go on for awhile and dig their own grave and then I’d turn around and say, ‘Gosh, it’s too bad that you pity us See BROWNE, page 5
FEATURES Tuesday, September 28, 2010 northern-iowan.org
REGRETS continued from page 4
and support each other. “The ones that are really tough to read are the ones that do not have a second chance. Regret is something in your life that hold you back, and for some reason it is always there, no matter how hard you try, and it keeps you stuck.” Kevin Hansen author of “Secret Regrets”
Reading more than 10 regrets a day, Hansen realized that there are a lot of heartbreaking regret stories.
PAGE 5
He noted that the most moving stories he has received are the ones where broken relationships cannot be repaired. “The ones that are really tough to read are the ones that do not have a second chance,” Hansen said. “Regret is something in your life that holds you back, and for some reason it is always there, no matter how hard you try, and it keeps you stuck.” According to Hansen, “Secret Regrets” is a useful resource for college student. “It tells people it is OK not to have the answer,” he said. CATHERINE AU JONG/Northern Iowan
UNI students Ben McCarty and Matt Walters get books signed by Kevin Hansen, UNI alumnus and author of “Secrets Regrets,” at University Book and Supply Thursday.
have a decent conversation and sense of understanding,” continued from page 4 she said. After talking with Kischerso much,’” she said with a laugh. “When people won’t Browne, I developed a new stop staring at us and not outlook on the deaf commulook away, that can be kind nity. Despite their obvious of frustrating and insulting. disadvantage, there is no reaThat kind of stuff tells us son to pity deaf people. “You have contact with that even despite teaching years of ASL, they are still deaf people every day and you probably don’t even know not being educated.” This is why Kischer- it because it is an invisible Browne teaches sign lan- disability,” she said. And when I asked her if guage to hearing students at UNI. In her classes, she there is any deaf person who makes sure to teach not only she believed defeated all odds the language, but the history to achieve success? “I don’t think of it that and culture behind the deaf community -- a group of way,” she said. “In a way, which she has always consid- every person of the deaf community is a living success ered herself a member. “It is my hope to educate story.” Do you know a professor students so that if they’re in a situation where they encoun- whose story is ready to be told? ter a deaf person, they can Email Eva at Eva@uni.edu.
BROWNE
Visit www.northernVisit www.northerniowan.org for for exclusive content. exclusive content
Fourth annual Pink Ribbon Run to be held Oct. 2 JESSICA SNOOK
Staff Writer
Tie your shoelaces. The fourth annual Pink Ribbon 5k Run will be held Oct. 2 at 8 a.m. The run is sponsored by Cedar Falls Community Main Street and will begin and finish in front of the Cedar Falls Library. Runners and walkers of all abilities are welcome. Awards will be given to the overall male and female finishers as well as to the top three participants in each age
group. After the race, there will be pink ribbon bagels provided by Panera Bread. The event will also feature door prizes donated by area businesses. The cost is $30 per person, which includes an official Pink Ribbon t-shirt and a pair of Fox River Sox. All proceeds from the race will go to the Beyond Pink T.E.A.M. (Taking action, Educating, Advocating, Making a difference). The organization encourages
men and women to make informed health care choices by increasing cancer awareness throughout the Cedar Valley. The TEAM provides women living with breast cancer a support group, newsletter, resource guide, free and low-cost mammograms, advocacy and special events. For more information, call 277-0213 or visit www. communitymainstreet.org to download a registration form.
Orchesis Dance Company and
International Dance Theatre
Present
Family Fest 2010 Free Friday Oct 1st, 7:30 p.m. Sunday Oct 3rd, 2:00 p.m. Bengtson Auditorium, Russell
PAGE 6
FEATURES Tuesday, September 28, 2010 northern-iowan.org
NSCS awarded silver STAR status By ALLIE KOOLBECK Staff Writer
It’s not a gold star, but it’s the next best thing. The University of Northern Iowa chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars was awarded silver STAR status this June at the NSCS’ National Leadership Summit in Chicago. Only the most active and engaged chapters receive this award. According to Janine
Deegan, manager of branding and campus outreach at NSCS, receiving such an award is something to be proud of, as only 40 out of 270 chapters nationwide received this award and many chapters have no status at all. Chapters can have one of four status levels: bronze, silver, gold or platinum. “It’s flattering because it means we’re active,” said Ira Simet, advisor of UNI’s chapter of NSCS. “It’s recogni-
tion that we’re trying to be more than a line on a resume. I’m particularly proud of this chapter because everything is student-driven. They don’t look to me for guidance, but instead tell me what they’re doing.” In order to receive silver STAR status, the chapter had to hold an induction ceremony for new members, create an on-campus membership recruitment campaign and send at least one mem-
ber to the NSCS Convention. Additionally, silver STAR status is based on chapter program success, community service, member engagement and on-campus involvement. According to Simet, the UNI chapter of NSCS usually does about two service projects a year, such as can drives, tutoring and letters to Santa. The chapter also holds “March to College Day,” where middle school students come to UNI to get a feel of
what a college student’s day is like. The students tour the dorms and the dining center and attend a mock class. “We try to excite them about coming to college and give them something to aspire to,” Simet said. The chapter was awarded $100 for achieving silver STAR status, which Simet said will be used for programmatic things, such as those mentioned above. NSCS is a national organization for high-achieving freshmen and sophomores. Members must have at least a 3.4 GPA and be in the top 20 percent of their class. The UNI chapter, which has been in existence since 2000, typically has about 200 active members. “The purpose of NSCS is to link scholarship and service,” Simet said.
UNI Gallery of Art to present solo exhibit by Duane Slick By JORDAN MAKINSTER Staff Writer
The University of Northern Iowa Gallery of Art will present a solo exhibition called “The Untraceable Present: Paintings by Duane Slick” from Sept. 27 to Oct. 24. This exhibition is the second of many in a yearlong series of events featuring UNI Department of Art alumni entitled “Time is Ripe.” “We feel it’s really important to educate (the) campus community and the community at large about success with the artists,” said Darrell Taylor, director of the UNI Gallery of Art. “We are proud of our alumni and we want the community to be proud of them as well.” “I think it’s a really neat idea and a great way to connect alumni to present day students,” said senior Jeremiah Landon. A lecture given by Slick will occur at 7 p.m. Sept. 27 in Kamerick Art Building room 111. During the lecture, Slick will talk about his work and ideas and share his inspirations and his career. A reception will follow the lecture. The lecture is sponsored in part by the Florence Hartwig Foundation and the UNI Alumni Association. The exhibition in the gallery will feature more than a decade of paintings as well as the artist’s books. Read the rest of this article online at www.northern-iowan. org.
The University of Northern Iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892
Opinion
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 Volume 107, Issue 9 Cedar Falls, Iowa northern-iowan.org From the editorial staff
Don’t let the pressure of relationships get you down When coming to college, it can be difficult to maintain strong, healthy relationships with all the people that you have left behind — your parents, your friends, your significant other. And with that comes the difficulties of forming new relationships at college. The pressure to make new friends and enter the college dating world can be difficult for many people. You often hear the saying, “college is where you meet your lifelong friends.” For some this is true and for others it’s not. It all depends on how close you were to your high school friends, and sometimes you won’t see this closeness, or lack thereof, until you enter college. Of course, if someone’s friendship really does mean a lot to you, you will make the effort to keep in contact with them and continue your friendship past high school. However, don’t feel that by missing a weekly Skype session or not replying to a text immediately you are leaving your friend behind. You are making new friends, and it is likely they are as well. High school has a tendency to limit your potential, whereas college has many more organizations and clubs to become involved in. So if you are having a hard time meeting new people, get involved in something that interests you. Doing so will help ease the transition from high school to college and help you find people that you have things in common with. Dating in college is where people often feel the greatest pressure. Unlike high school, there are added elements that make dating in college rather intimidating, including “private” living quarters, easier access to alcohol and increased expectation of sex. All these things make finding a committed relationship more difficult. When it comes to dating, it is again important to be yourself. Whether or not you drink, whether you want a committed or casual relationship — these things are all your decisions. There are currently 13,201 students enrolled at the University of Northern Iowa; somebody is bound to have the same moral values as you. So don’t cave and be someone you’re not just for the opposite (or same) sex. Be happy with yourself and the relationship choices you have made. Doing so will decrease the pressures of dating. Remember that college is where you can have fun and let go, so don’t feel that a relationship is something you must have in order to be happy. Don’t let relationship issues control your happiness. Remember that you are not alone, and keep in mind the fact that the most important elements of meeting friends in college are to get involved and be yourself. High school can often put a film over who you are really meant to be, but along with that, college can pressure you to be someone you aren’t. Be who you are and you will attract people who enjoy you for you, which is ultimately the most important part of a relationship.
This editorial reflects the position of the Northern Iowan’s editorial staff: John Anderson, Leah Jeffries, Brad Eilers, Cassie Tegeler, Anna Schreck and Kari Braumann. All other articles and illustrations represent the views of their authors.
What do you think? Share your opinion by visiting www.northern-iowan.org
7
The marching million TREVOR BOECKMANN
trevor@unifreethought.com
On Sept. 16, Jon Stewart announced his march of a million moderates on the National Mall in a rally to restore sanity. Stewart says his rally is for “the people who think shouting is annoying, counterproductive and terrible for your throat; who feel that the loudest voices shouldn’t be the only ones that get heard; and who believe that the only time it’s appropriate to draw a Hitler mustache on someone is when that person is actually Hitler. Or Charlie Chaplin in certain roles.” The rally is quite obviously a response to Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor” rally. With the political climate dominated by, as Stewart sees it, extremists, the Rally to Restore Sanity is a chance for the “busy majority” to be heard. Stewart even gave some mock poster designs such as “I disagree with you, but I’m pretty sure you’re not Hitler.” Stewart’s goal is noble, but
LEONARD ORITZ/Orange County Register/MCT
“The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart will hold the “Rally to Restore Sanity” on Oct. 30 in Washington, D.C.
I’m tired of this knee-jerk reaction to assume that the middle ground is always the right place to be. Maybe one of the extremes is correct. All it takes is a quick glance at history to see how this
is often the case. When racism was rampant in America, “separate but equal” was the middle ground. Before that, the three-fifths compromise was the middle ground. As
students’ list of priorities. With so much going on in a college student’s life, it is easy to argue that finding time to volunteer is not feasible. A student’s life is much less predictable than the life of an individual working a consistent 9 to 5 job. Also, throughout a single semester there may be weeks of total insanity followed by weeks of lull, so having a regular commitment to donate time can fluctuate between being a burden and a welcome distraction. In general, it is not easy to fit volunteering into a student schedule. But I must ask: how busy are students, really? Have you ever spent several additional needless hours on a class group project simply because you could not stop discussing the weekend’s football game? How often do you spend an entire Sunday recovering from the drunken night before instead of beginning your homework? How many hours per day do you spend on Facebook with your reading assignment open in a separate
window of your computer? Of course, these relaxing, low-stress periods are absolutely necessary in moderation. Volunteering would not put too large of a dent in your life if you could just eliminate one or two of those lessprudent activities and spend time instead on someone or something that truly needs your attention. We students may spend a lot of time on productive, meaningful things, but we certainly know how to waste time, too. In general, we aren’t the best at time management. The same type of argument can be made when considering the donation of money. Students are poor: from tuition to books to supplies to food to room and board to transportation, it is common to need financial aid simply for college to be a possibility at all. So it is no secret that students cannot afford to donate much money. However, I have yet to meet a student who is too poor to order late-night pizza, pay the
Volunteering: It’s not too much to ask CASSANDRA BOEVERS boeversc@uni.edu
The world is full of problems. There are starving children, diseased nations, abused animals, dying ecosystems, dwindling natural resources, etc. Instead of letting these facts discourage us, I would like to propose a solution: the young, caring, able-bodied and able-minded UNI students could fight to change these problems by donating their time, money and energy. These college years are ones to cherish. Students have a wealth of opportunities in academics, extracurricular groups, athletic events and social circles. They have countless concerns and priorities like building a strong résumé, earning good grades, considering graduate schools, searching for jobs and creating the brightest future for themselves as possible. However, I fear that volunteerism rests too low on some
See ON MODERATION, page 8
See VOLUNTEERISM, page 8
PAGE 8
ON MODERATION continued from page 7
long as we’re making Nazi Germany comparisons, the middle ground there was silence, as immortalized by Martin Niemöller in his “First they came…” poem. Although I hesitate to ever invoke Ayn Rand in an argument, she hit the nail on the head in “For the New Intellectual” by saying, “In any compromise between food and poison, it is only death that can win. In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit.” Salon.com blogger Glenn Greenwald makes a similar point in a post where he lambasts Stewart for his comparisons between calling Obama a socialist and Bush a war criminal. “It’s admirable to want to apply the same standards to both sides, but straining to manufacture false equivalencies doesn’t accomplish that; sometimes, honestly applying the same standards to each side will result in a finding that one side, at least in that regard, is actually worse. When that’s the case, a person engaged in truly independent, non-ideological inquiry -- rather than the pretense of such -- will expressly acknowledge the imbalance, not concoct an equivalency where it doesn’t exist.” We see this same attitude in religion. Atheists are mean, dogmatic, and are every-
OPINION Tuesday, September 28, 2010 northern-iowan.org thing they claim to despise. Christian fundamentalists are crazy. Religious moderates and agnostics are the only reasonable ones, right? I don’t buy it. As Sam Harris explains in his “Letter to a Christian Nation,” “By failing to live by the letter of the texts, while tolerating the irrationality of those who do, religious moderates betray faith and reason equally.”
“
So what’s the solution? Think for yourself. Groups like the Interfaith Alliance try to keep everyone happy. They condemn drawing Mohammad and attempts to protect blasphemy rights. They support gay rights, but would never dream of telling another group they’re wrong. This is the state of religious moderation today -sitting around and singing “Kumbaya” as real things are happening in the world. So what’s the solution? Think for yourself. Don’t buy into the buzzwords and talking points. Don’t assume political or religious views are best in moderation. We should certainly critically examine both sides of the political and religious spectrums, but sometimes, one of those extremes will be correct on an issue. There’s nothing wrong with recognizing that.
JEWELETTE BOTELLO/Northern Iowan
Graduate student Amy Costliow volunteers during the Martin Luther King Volunteer Day on Jan. 18, 2010.
VOLUNTEERISM continued from page 7
cover charge at the bars on the Hill or hit up 4 Queens on a semi-regular basis. Eliminating only one of those spontaneous costs throughout the year would make $5 available to St. Jude’s, and almost inevitably it would be put to better use. We students may spend a lot of money on productive, meaningful things, but we certainly know how to waste money, too. In general, we aren’t the best at money management. A final note on volunteering is that while it is certainly good for sugaring up a résumé, that should not be the sole motivation behind doing it. We hear it all the time from
professors, advisors, professional schools, our mothers and our internal, nagging selves. Volunteering is a perfect résumé-builder, but it also fuels positive change in communities and society, it delivers delight and hope to the receiver and it brings fulfillment to the volunteer. Those motivators should be the inspiration for volunteering, not the fact that it “looks good on a résumé.” There are endless opportunities to volunteer in the Cedar Falls community and on UNI campus. There are numerous student organizations that volunteer their efforts for disease cures or the preservation of natural resources. The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley has an office in the Maucker
Union Student Involvement and Activities Center where beginning volunteers can get ideas. However, there is no specific path to take; there is only self-motivation to make a difference. Becoming a volunteer does not mean you have to sign your life away to an organization or commit yourself to a single child in need. It does not mean you have to chain yourself to a soon-to-be-bulldozed tree or adopt every animal from a humane society. It simply means you can find something you are passionate about and that you consider worth the donation of your time, energy or money. One small act can make a fantastic difference – whether you witness it or not.
The University of Northern Iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892
Sports
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 Volume 107, Issue 9 Cedar Falls, Iowa northern-iowan.org
Panther volleyball extends streak UNI continues to roll through the Missouri Valley Conference
CASSANDRA HAYNE/Northern Iowan
UNI continues to roll in Missouri Valley Conference play. The Panthers have won 22 consecutive games against MVC opponents.
By SAM JEFSON Sports Writer
The No. 16-ranked University of Northern Iowa volleyball team owns the Missouri Valley Conference. The Panthers have now won 22 straight regular season conference matches, coming off victories over Creighton University and Drake University on Friday and Saturday night.
On Friday, the Panthers began their road trip in Omaha by taking on the Creighton Blue Jays. Northern Iowa emerged victorious in four sets with game scores of 25-16, 25-21, 24-26 and 25-20. Offensively, the show belonged to Beth Discher and Michelle Burow. Each had big games against the Jays, with Burow hammering 18 kills and Discher putting
away 17. Three players for the Panthers stepped up on defense, each finishing with double-digit digs. Ellie Blankenship led the Panthers once again with 30 while Candice Burke and Amy Braun finished with 19 and 16 digs apiece. Northern Iowa’s only hiccup in the match against Creighton came in game three. The Panthers couldn’t
capitalize on a match point opportunity and surrendered three points in a row to the Jays, eventually losing the game 24-26. In game four, the Panthers returned with a vengeance, winning by a margin of five points. Saturday, the Panthers dismantled Drake in four games. Set scores were 25-22, 22-25, 25-21 and See VOLLEYBALL, page 10
9
UNI battles, comes up short against Missouri State, 2-1 NI NEWS SERVICE
The University of Northern Iowa women’s soccer team fell behind early against Missouri State and dropped its Missouri Valley Conference opener by a 2-1 margin Friday night at the Cedar Valley Soccer Complex. Missouri State opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Michelle Sommer put a shot past UNI goalkeeper Lauren Potzman. The Bears scored again in the 21st minute with a header by Brooke Williams. Trailing 2-0, the Panthers held on until the 40th minute when junior Megan Cameron headed in a corner kick from sophomore Morgan Olsen to cut the margin in half. UNI put together several scoring opportunities in the second half, but was unable to tie the game. The Panthers outshot Missouri State 7-4 in the second half. On the game, Missouri State outshot UNI 15-10. UNI goalkeeper Lauren Potzman finished the match with five saves. Senior Chelsie Hochstedler registered four of the Panthers’ 10 shots. UNI will return to See SOCCER, page 11
RYAN’S RANTS: Proud to be a Panther By RYAN FRIEDERICH
Sports Columnist
As a little kid I was a diehard Panther fan. My dad was fortunate enough to work at a job that gave him tickets to attend University of Northern Iowa athletic events for free with all of my siblings, so a lot of our weekends were spent in the Dome watching football and basketball games. My family moved the year before I started middle school, and the distance from Cedar Falls grew for my family and me. During this time I slowly transformed into a Hawkeye fan, and it didn’t take long for me to claim I bled black and gold. When I graduated from high school I knew my calling was to be an educator, and there is no better school in the country than UNI for that major. My decision was thus an easy one; I again became a
Courtesy Photo/MCT CAMPUS
Ali Farokhmanesh helped make UNI a household name with his clutch three-pointer that knocked the No.1-seeded Kansas University Jayhawks out of the NCAA Tournament.
Panther. This past weekend I made the trek to Ames to watch our Panthers take on the
Big 12 Conference bottom feeders that wear cardinal and gold. As I was walking away from that game, I
couldn’t help but think how privileged I was to wear purple inside that less-thanappealing stadium. Most of us at this point in our lives realize how great of an opportunity we have to be receiving a college education, but I think we sometimes take for granted that we are getting that education at UNI. I realize that I am biased towards Cedar Falls and UNI athletics, but there is not one person in this state that could convince me to trade in these colors for black and gold or cardinal and gold. Over the past four years I have witnessed Mark Farley take this program to a powerhouse level and Ben Jacobson help turn our school into a household name. There was not one person in the state of Iowa last March that didn’t wish they were a part of this great university because you can
almost taste the tradition we have been building here in Cedar Falls. I still head down to Iowa City every once in a while to watch the Hawkeyes play, and every time I do I find myself waking up on Sunday with a pounding headache in a place that reeks of alcohol and other fluids I would rather not smell in the morning. There are a lot of Iowa students that are “proud” they made the list of top 10 party schools, and the Iowa State crowd has no problem heckling fans of other teams as they walk out of Jack Trice Stadium. The drive home to UNI from either place is always a refreshing one, knowing I am coming back to a place that actually feels like home. If there has been one thing I learned since freshman year, it is that I love Cedar Falls, I love this university and most of all I love the Panthers.
PAGE 10
SPORTS Tuesday, September 28, 2010 northern-iowan.org
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See more pictures from the game on our website: www.northern-iowan.org VOLLEYBALL continued from page 9
25-21. Michelle Burow led the attack offensively with 21 kills. Ellie Blankenship paced the defense once again with 23 digs Northern Iowa has now
extended their 2010 regular season win streak to seven games. The Panthers will return to the McLeod Center on Friday and Saturday against the University of Evansville and Southern Illinois University.
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PANTHER LOSS continued from page 1
tragically consistent with its true character in the end. The plot also progressed elegantly, making a complete circle as it ended in a similar fashion to which it started. So why isn’t UNI head coach Mark Farley selling the screenplay rights Hollywood? And, more importantly, why isn’t anybody laughing? Context. “Our first game when we realized that we could move the ball down the field ... it was a bit comical (when we turned the ball over in the red zone) because we would come back to the sideline happy because we knew that we could move the ball,” explained UNI quarterback Tirrell Rennie. “(Now) we’re almost in the middle of the season, and we need to start finishing. It was funny in the beginning, but now it’s a must situation.” Following Saturday’s defeat, the Panthers fell to last place in the Football Championship Subdivision in terms of turnover margin (-2.67) and red zone efficiency (33 percent). Iowa State forced five UNI
turnovers, and the Panthers came up empty-handed after each of their four red zone appearances. “We need to find rhythm in our offense. This is the first time we’ve ever come across a team that gets down inside the 20 (yard line) and can’t put it away,” said Farley. “We’ve shown flashes, but flashes don’t win.” During their first offensive drive of the game, the Panthers silenced the Cyclone faithful, marching 44 yards down the field into the red zone. Three plays later, UNI players jogged to the sideline, dejected. Iowa State’s Ter’ran Benton had denied UNI’s first scoring attempt, blocking Billy Hallgren’s 40-yard field goal attempt. “We’ve shown flashes, but flashes don’t win.” Mark Farley UNI head football coach
The Panthers’ final offensive drive seemed more promising. Although a comeback was out of the question, UNI could prevent ISU from handing them
their first shutout loss since 2004 if they capitalized on a first and goal situation from the Cyclone three-yard line. Four plays later, the Iowa State defense exited the field to the applause of their fans, having recovered a Rennie fumble in their own end zone. “For some reason right now it feels like we’re allergic to the end zone,” said Rennie. In between, UNI was the victim of two Grant Mahoney field goals, a fake field goal that eventually led to a Cyclone touchdown and two intercepted passes that were returned for touchdowns. Perhaps the most critical blow came at the beginning of the second half. Backup quarterback Zach Davis conducted a drive that took the Panthers over 60 yards in four plays, but two plays later, Iowa State’s Jeremy Reeves returned an interception 94 yards for a Cyclone touchdown. Davis left the game with an injury to his left arm. His diagnosis is unknown at press time. Rennie returned to the field only to give up another interception that resulted in an ISU touchdown two
PAGE 11 possessions later. The Panthers fell to 1-2 overall, their worst start since 2004. “We’re definitely in unfamiliar territory. UNI football is not known for losing, and losing back-toback games at that. Right now we just have to swallow this one and look forward to next week,” said senior tight end Schuylar Oordt.
SOCCER continued from page 9
Sept. 29 with another home game at the Cedar Valley Soccer Complex. The Panthers will take on Western Illinois University at 7 p.m.
“For some reason right now it feels like we’re allergic to the end zone.” Tirrell Rennie UNI quarterback
Despite the early concerns, UNI can look forward to potential success in the Missouri Valley Football Conference season. The Panthers are 1-0 in conference play so far and will look to improve that record next Saturday at the UNI-Dome as they host South Dakota State University. “We just have to move on,” said senior linebacker Jamar Thompson.
Courtesy Photo/NI NEWS SERVICE
UNI’s Chelsie Hochstedler registered four of the Panthers’ 10 shots in their Sept. 24 loss to Missouri State.
The University of Northern Iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892
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SPORTS Tuesday, September 28, 2010 northern-iowan.org
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