Volume 120 Issue 5 Clarion

‘I’M STILL A FAN OF TODD HELTON’ | Page 9 University of Denver student newspaper since 1899

Vol. 120, Issue 5

Feb. 12, 2013

www.duclarion.com

Endowment grows by $85 million by sarah ford News Editor

“We are completing the finish and punch list work,” said Lautenbach.

While the finishing work on the exterior and interior takes place, Allen said there is much to be excited about.

“The dramatic increase in the number of enclosed study areas is something students will love, and there are so many choices in regard to the type of space – the new floor plan is so inviting,” said Allen. “Each student will find the right place, whether that is for solo, concentrated quiet study, or a place to meet a group from a course.”

Allen said that the interior renovation brings a lot more natural light into the building.

“The technology is supportive, and power outlets are everywhere,” said Allen. “I look forward to the returning collections, which will be a welcome resource for student and faculty research.”

In 2012, DU saw its endowment increase by 8.2 percent to a value of $373.4 million. Last year, endowments were valued at $345 million, a rise of 19.4 percent from the previous year at $288 million. DU showed the highest percentage increase of all Colorado schools in endowment funds.

DU was ranked 186 out of 831 schools nationwide in endowment rates by the National Association of College and University Business Officers in a study released earlier this month.

The study ranked colleges based on the size of their endowments by comparing over 830 participating schools nationwide. The study accounted for increases in new gifts and performance on current investments according to Margaret Henry, Assistant Treasurer and University Comptroller.

Endowments are donations made by alumni and friends of the university that are designated to the school in forms of scholarships, faculty chairs, research programs and other avenues. There are also dues designated to the construction of the library, the Arts and Humanities Department, athletic and other departments.

According to Henry, endowment donations can vary greatly in size, but many are $50,000. She said DU has accrued over 600 endowment funds.

Henry attributed the rise in endowment rates to several practices of the university.

She said the numbers can partially be attributed to the university’s return on investments, which she said was 2.6 percent in 2012.

“We had a positive return last year, and a lot of universities had flat or negative returns,” she said. The positive return came from performance by real estate owned by the university, a practice which she said is uncommon for other schools.

Henry said another likely reason for the positive growth this year is because of a unique matching program instituted several years ago. The program allows for DU to match endowment donations designated for graduate and undergraduate scholarships to the university, which adds to the overall endowment rate.

Henry said the program has so far allowed for the university to match for $35 million in funds since its implementation.

“Part of the reason we do that is to incentivize donors into our campaign and to restrict them to graduate and undergraduate scholarships,” said Henry.

Henry also said the university has been helped by donations of “new gifts,” which accounted for $23.6 million last year.

SEE library, PAGE 3

SEE inVestment, PAGE 3

illustration by Jill hamilton | clarion

DU’s endowment growth outperformed all other major universities in Colorado for the last 2 years.

Academic Commons to open March 25 by carolyn neff Senior Reporter-

The new library, recently re-named the Anderson Academic Commons, is set to open the first day of the spring quarter, March 25.

According to Penrose Library Dean Nancy Allen, the library is on schedule for the March opening, but there is still a lot of activity that needs to be completed before the building opens, such as interior furnishings and landscaping.

University Construction Project Manager Linda Lautenbach said the project was delayed in December 2012 due to asbestos found in the old structure by construction crews.

The originally planned date for the opening had been January of this year.

“The biggest challenge had to do

with the demolition phase, when the demolition crews encountered far more asbestos than anticipated, but that hazard is now completely gone, and all of the asbestos has been removed from the building,” said Allen.

Students were recently made aware of the landscaping and building process in an email sent on Feb. 5, regarding pedestrian closures on Evan’s Street.

According to Allen, the email referenced landscaping activity, which included large boulders being moved into place.

In addition, Lautenbach said the exterior hardscape (paved, landscaped areas, such as sidewalks), is complete, but the planting will not be complete until May 2013.

Construction crews are also in the finishing stages of construction of the interior.

“We are now focusing on delivering and placing furniture, working on connecting furniture to electrical outlets, and so on,” said Allen.

Heart broken?

In love? Read our Valentines day guide LIFESTYLES | Page 6

QUOTABLE

New date scheduled after delay due to asbestos removal

“It is time to open scouting to openly gay young men” OPINIONS | Page 9

26K

Total alumni

of DU Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

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Grad school No. 2 for Peace Corps Graduate students gain recognition for service by sarah ford News Editor

The DU graduate program is ranked second on an annual list of volunteer-producing schools released Wednesday by the Peace Corps.

The list ranks schools by the number of students who serve in the Peace Corps based on school size. Graduate school programs are ranked as one category. DU’s undergraduate program, which is included in the list of “medium” schools (5,000 to 15,000 students) is ranked 18 out of 25.

Currently, the graduate program has 28 Peace Corps volunteers abroad and 43 returned volunteers currently enrolled in classes, according to the list released by the Peace Corps. There are also 23 undergraduate students volunteering abroad.

While many graduate students serving abroad are part of the Korbel School of International Studies, the ranking takes into account students from all departments serving or who have returned from serving in the Peace Corps.

According to David Proper, director of communications for Korbel, the ranking reflects DU’s commitment to service learning.

“This shows our education goes beyond the classroom and book learning,” Proper said.

“We have an environment that attributed to the high rate of returned volunteers. stresses learning with purpose.”

“Many (students) have According to Proper, one of the most significant ways DU already felt that need and have stresses service education and the drive to get out in the comservice in the Peace Corps and munity,” said Frode.

Frode said DU also makes other organizations is through a strong effort two programs to reach out to for credit offered “Many [students] students and to graduate students. have already felt that encourage them DU is to enter the one of the 266 need and have the Peace Corps. schools nation“We have drive to get out in wide to offer a very active the Master’s the community.” returned Peace International Corps commuProgram, which nity,” said Frode. ordgives students Tiper Frode, a Peace ing Atoc c Frode, the chance to there will be an finish their Corps Fellow at i n for m at i on a l graduate school Korbel week, called studies through “PC week” held service in the Peace Corps. The program April 1-5 when returned volawards students 18 credits for unteers will reach out to stutheir 27 months in service, dents, including undergraduwhich typically comes at the ates, and answer questions end of their time in the gradu- about service abroad.

She also cited a Peace Corps ate school.

Additionally, DU offers informational night held at the students the Paul D. Coverdell Korbel School this past fall.

Fellowship, which gives returnThe University of Florida was ing volunteers the chance to ranked first on the list of graduenroll in Korbel school with an ate school volunteers, which also 18-credit waiver upon starting included the University of Washtheir studies. ington, Tulane University and “The environment really Colorado State University. encourages an international DU’s undergraduate properspective,” said Proper. gram was tied at 18 with the “The campus as a whole, not Washington University of St. just at Korbel.”

Louis, Tulane University, NorthTiper Frode, a Peace western University, Loyola Corps Fellow at Korbel, said University of Chicago and the the high ranking can also be University of Notre Dame.

U P C O M I N G TODAY Student Food Co-op Meeting 7-8 p.m.

JMAC 142 Are you unsatisfied with the food options available on campus? Interested in learning about opening a student food co-op at DU and bringing more food justice to campus? Come to this informational/brainstorming meeting and provide your input.

WEDNESDAY Ash Wednesday 7:45 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Evans Memorial Chapel Attend one of four services offered by Religious Life.

Military Studies Group Discussion with LTC Phillip Smith Noon SIE 150 We will be joined by LTC Phillip Smith, a Public Affairs Officer who most recently served on the staff of Gen. Jacoby. We will be discussing a variety of topics about how media interacts with the armed forces.

Legislating for Civil Rights in Colorado 12-1 p.m.

Law 170

P O L I C E

R E P O R T

VEHICULAR COLLISION

student who was intoxicated and unable to walk in the parking lot on the west side of the Fisher Early Learning Center. Officers contacted the student and the Denver Police Department (DPD) who transported the student to Denver Cares.

On Monday, Feb.5 at 12:34 p.m., while on routine patrol, a Campus Safety officer spoke with an unaffiliated party regarding damage to their vehicle which was parked in lot 320. The unaffiliated party showed officers a note which had been left on their windshield apologizing for the damage which consisted of a cracked bumper. Officers advised the unaffiliated party to file an additional report with the Denver Police Department.

On Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 10:08 p.m., Campus Safety took a report from a staff member who stated that while operating a university-owned vehicle, they struck a bollard at the entrance to parking lot U. The vehicle sustained minor damage.

ALCOHOL On Thursday, Feb. 7, at 2:50 a.m., Campus Safety responded to a call regarding an intoxicated student in Johnson McFarlane Hall. Upon arrival at the scene, officers contacted the student in question who was intoxicated and in possession of a false identification card. The Denver Police Department (DPD) was called to the scene. DPD transported the student in question to Denver Cares.

On Friday, Feb. 8 at 1:58 a.m., while on routine patrol, a Campus Safety officer observed a

VANDALISM On Thursday, Feb. 7 at 5:38 p.m., Campus Safety met with a student who reported their personal vehicle had been damaged while parked in lot C. Upon arrival at the scene, officers were shown a window on the vehicle that had been smashed. The student stated nothing had been taken from the vehicle.

THEFT On Thursday, Feb. 7 at 5:10 p.m., Campus Safety responded to a call from a Sodexo employee regarding the theft of food from the Sturm College of Law. Officers advised the reporting party to file an additional report with the Denver Police Department.

On Thursday, Feb. 7 at 6:57 p.m., while on routine patrol, a Parking Enforcement Officer was approached by an unknown male who stated a sign had been stolen from the Lambda Chi Alpha house.

The officer confirmed the sign was missing and conducted a cursory review of surveillance footage to determine the time of the theft.

E V E N T S

Join the DU Law ACLU for a discussion about civil rights issues that are currently being discussed by the the Colorado State Legislature.

Representative Claire Levy and ACLU of Colorado Public Policy Director Denise Maes will be speaking.

THURSDAY Django Unchained: A Roundtable Discussion of the Movie Noon Location TBA Participate in this important discussion on slavery and race in American history.

Asia Pacific Affairs Forum Happy Hour Social 5:30 p.m.

Illegal Pete’s The event will be an opportunity for members of APAF and interested parties to get together and discuss upcoming events, share ideas and interests on Asia Pacific Affairs. Everyone is welcome to join!

“It Could Have Been Me: Writing the United Red Army” 3 p.m.

Sturm Hall, Room 424 A talk on a political, human and media event forty years ago, after which Japan has never been the same. The spectacular rise, collapse and literary-cinematic afterlife of a home-grown, violent “Red Brigade” of young Maoist revolutionaries in the Land of the Rising Sun.

They Come for Gold ... They Come for it All 5-7 p.m.

Cyber Cafe Jerry Stookey, Director of Program Services at the Denver Justice and Peace Committee, will give a presentation about MineWatch, a DJPC program that advocates against irresponsible and unscrupulous mining practices implemented by the Denver-based Newmont Mining Corporation in Cajamarca, Peru.

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Show your school ID, Mondays and receive 20% off your total bill.

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FRIDAY Mark Blyth: “Austerity in the EU: The Intellectual History of a Dangerous Idea” 12-2 p.m.

Room 301, Cherrington Hall Mark Blyth is Professor of International Political Economy and faculty fellow of the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University.

To submit an event for the Upcoming Events calendar, contact Gigi Peccolo at Gigi.Peccolo@du.edu.

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Feb. 12, 2013

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AHSS honors alumni accomplishments by gigi peccolo Assistant News Editor

ryan lumpkin | clarion

The Anderson Academic Commons are scheduled to be completed by the beginning of spring quarter.

Library to open in March Continued from page 1

The library’s name also recently underwent renovation from the Penrose Academic Commons to the Anderson Academic Commons after Boston venture capitalist and alumni Ed Anderson, who made a naming donation to the project on Jan. 22 of this year.

According to Allen, a special week of events for students, faculty and staff will begin on the day of the grand opening in March.

“The Chancellor is having an event on March 22, 2013 in the evening,” said Lautenbach. “There will be a grand opening for the campus community on March 25, 2013.”

“We are not yet ready to

announce these, but there are plans afoot and students will see information about welcoming activities closer to the opening date,” said Allen.

Allen said students could hear about developments on opening day celebrations through the Facebook and Twitter pages for the Academic Commons.

Investments help increase endowment Continued from page 1

DU was one of few schools to report a raise in endowment funds this year. According to the study, many schools saw decreased donations or increases of 1 - 2 percent.

Henry said performance has been helped by what she called a “conservative” investment style, allowing DU to hold many of the investments received in cash, a technique that became more valuable after the 2008 recession, which many universities are still struggling to recover from.

Henry said the program uses a spending formula which des-

ignates 4.5 percent of funds from each endowment to be spent on its designated purpose. The rest is saved for future use. She said this is a calculated formula based on endowment market value from the past 12 fiscal quarters.

“Our endowment is probably always going to lag the market indicators, but it will hopefully be better when there are down markets,” Henry said of the strategy. She said this meant that DU would likely be able to report rises in rates more frequently, but they may not always reflect the strength of the market at that time. Overall, however, the strategy would keep increases posi-

tive even in market downturns.

The University of Colorado Foundation, comprising of CU Boulder and CU Denver, saw the highest endowments of any Colorado school, with $771.3 million.

However, this was only a 1.2 percent increase over last year.

Colorado College received $533.2 million, earning a rank of 140 on the list, and saw a decrease of 1.6 percent. The Colorado School of Mines also saw a decrease of 2.1 percent down to $204 million, and the Colorado State University Foundation saw a 1.9 percent rise to a $373.4 million value.

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The Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) will hold their first Alumni Achievement Award program this May to recognize former DU AHSS students, according to Kristin Altman, director of Community Relations and Communication for AHSS. “The first annual Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Alumni Achievement Award program is a new tradition at DU in recognizing the personal, professional and community service accomplishments of our liberal arts alumni,” said Altman.

The Awards will be broken up into four categories: the Young AHSS Alumni Achievement Award, the Community Engagement Award, the Alumni Service to DU Award and the Lifetime AHSS Alumni Achievement Award. Depending on the different categories, each should have made “creative or original accomplishments,” be a leader in their field and should have done something to serve the community.

“We hope that we inspire current liberal arts students by showcasing the success stories of our alumni,” said Altman.

According to their website, the selection committee will be made up of AHSS Advisory Board representatives and the dean. Under-

graduate and graduate alumni can both be nominated.

Alumnus Ian Mohr, who serves on the AHSS Advisory Board and helped create the program, said it’s important to recognize the accomplishments of AHSS alumni.

“It was important to us that the awards include a multigenerational range of DU alums -- from students who’ve graduated within the last 15 years to those worthy of a lifetime achievement honor,” said Mohr. “The awards can also help engage alumni because they can participate in the nomination process, and the awards help us all be more aware of the exceptional things former students of AHSS programs are doing today.”

According to Mohr, AHSS Dean Anne McCall “spearheaded” the creation of the awards program.

“It’s a great opportunity to honor people who honor us every day,” said McCall.

Nominations are being accepted until Monday, March 4 at 11:59 p.m. Anyone can nominate on the AHSS Alumni Awards web page. According to Altman, nominations must be completed fully or they will not be considered.

Winners will be notified by email on Friday, March. 15; awards will be given on on Monday, May 6 at the AHSS Alumni Reception and Livingston Lecture in Davis Auditorium. Winners will receive a plaque.

Korbel teaches students social networking skills by carolyn neff Senior Reporter

The Josef Korbel School of International Studies held a “LinkedIn and Social Networking Workshop for Students and Grads” on Wednesday, Feb. 6. The seminar focused on how to build a professional profile and successfully network on LinkedIn. This was the third workshop in a four-part sequence of workshops covering internship/job search techniques, resume and cover letter writing and interviewing held on campus during winter quarter.

According to Bachelor of Arts Program Internship Coordinator Laura Seaman, creating a professional profile is important, but knowing how to effectively join groups, find people and connect with them appropriately is difficult.

“Approaching contacts and keeping up with networking is something that people often have difficulty with or forget about,” said Seaman.

According to Seaman, students should regularly participate in group discussions that interest them on LinkedIn. Seaman said that this should help keep them connected with contacts who may be helpful later in recommending them for a particular position.

“Remember to make sure that your statement is brief, with an introduction and a clear statement of what you want,” said Seaman.

“Sometimes it is also helpful to include a similarity to the person you are contacting, such as if you

are both in the same group on LinkedIn.” Seaman said students should also make sure to update contacts with their progress in a job search if they have reached out to them for guidance or networking assistance.

According to Seaman, the seminar also briefly covered how to use Facebook and Twitter for networking and job searching. She said they increase and find connections that help lead to a career path.

“Just make sure to Google yourself before applying to any job, or before you go for an interview,” said Seaman. “Stay on top of your privacy settings and keep up-todate with changing Facebook privacy rules.”

Following Wednesday’s LinkedIn session, Seaman said that the final workshop of the quarter will be held tomorrow from 6-7 p.m. in Sturm 432.

According to Seaman, this seminar, “Ace an Interview and Prepare for the Career Fair,” will cover all aspects of interviewing to help students prepare for the Winter Career Fair on Feb. 20.

“We will cover how to prepare for different types of interviews, common interview questions, how to dress, what to bring, what questions to ask and how to follow up,” said Seaman.

Seaman also said that there will be a mock interview of an INTS student to observe and critique.

Seaman said that she will be offering another sequence of professional development workshops around the start of spring quarter.

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Feb. 12, 2013

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New biology class dives into spring break

photo courtesy oF Jim Fogleman

Jim Fogleman is a certified scuba instructor and will be takling students from his Coral Reef Ecology course scuba diving in Mexico for six days to learn about coral reef life.

by lanna giauQue Staff Writer

An upper division biology class being offered for the first time at DU this quarter will take 13 of its students to Cozumel, Mexico over spring break for six days of scuba diving.

The course, called “Coral Reef Ecology,” acts as a standard upper division elective course in the biology department. Its optional lab section, however, will take place completely in the field in Cozumel.

Professor Jim Fogleman, who teaches the course, said the idea to offer the class and its lab section first came to him around seven years ago. He says he has a passion for diving and his various diving trips led him to think about coral reefs as a topic for an ecology course.

“Corals are some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet,” said Fogleman, “and on top of that, they’re fun to go see up close.”

The course is a comprehensive study of coral reefs, including their locations, why they exist in those locations, what environmental and biological factors impact them, what organisms make up the reef and how reef organisms interact with each other and their environment. Course material is presented through a combination of lectures and videos, which Fogleman says are an important part of showing students processes that would otherwise be difficult to convey.

Interest in the course has been much more significant than Fogleman expected. He said he originally thought he would be lucky to get 15 people signed up for the course, and decided to set the initial enrollment maximum at 20 students.

“We blew by that in the first hour of registration,” he said.

There are 38 students enrolled in the course from a wide variety of backgrounds.

“We have not only our ecology majors, but we also have environmental science majors, and then we have people who just wanted to take it. They’re biology majors but they just wanted to take it as an elective,” said Fogleman.

Students who wanted to take the course had to have experience in biology or ecology as shown through previous coursework, and Fogleman said he had to turn away some students from the class who he felt did not have enough background knowledge to do well in the course.

The lab section also had several prerequisites, including being certified for scuba diving. The majority of the students who wanted to enroll in the lab, however, were not certified and had to take classes over the winter interterm or during this quarter to receive their certifications before spring break. Since certification requires several

Mayor Hancock visits campus by lanna giauQue Staff Writer

Mayor Michael Hancock spoke to a group of over 70 students, faculty, staff and community members about the importance of global thinking and awareness last Thursday in Cherrington Hall.

The event was part of a Religion and Violence Series sponsored by the Korbel School of International Studies and the Iliff School of Theology. It also included a short lecture by Professor Willie Jennings from Duke Divinity School and a panel discussion including Korbel professor Alan Gilbert, psychology professor Edward Antonio and psychology professor Arthur Jones.

The Religion and Violence Series was started as a way to facilitate discussions about issues related to religious violence. It is aimed mainly at upper-division and graduate-level students from Iliff and Korbel, but the events are open to everyone at DU and the surrounding community. Events featuring different speakers are held quarterly.

Hancock emphasized the need for globalization to happen in

Denver, and for the city to become a gateway to the rest of the world.

“My vision for this city is that we are a global city,” said Hancock.

The mayor cited the new nonstop flights out of Denver International Airport (DIA) to places like Reykjavik, Iceland and Tokyo, Japan as ways of accomplishing this goal. He said more efforts like this will be coming in the future. He also talked about the connection between religion and violence and the importance of avoiding the glorification of violence through religion.

He said one way this glorification can be avoided is by training religious leaders how to perform funerals for gang members who have died from gang violence without unintentionally portraying the violence as heroic. Hancock cited this type of training as an important part of preventing younger people from wanting to become part of violent communities such as gangs.

The mayor stayed for the lecture by Professor Jennings, which aligned with the theme of black history month.

Jennings discussed the emergence of racial identity in conjunction with the development

of commerce and private property in relation to the slave trade. He described the slave ship as “the first cosmopolitan space,” where international groups of people were united behind one goal and a commercial entity was bought and sold on a large scale. He also pointed out that anyone who was not bought and sold was considered white at this time, which further developed the idea of racial divisions and identity.

Jennings also said there is a strong connection between the Christian faith and the emergence of racial identity because of the way Christianity categorizes people into different groups. Jennings said people have traditionally been seen as “either Christians or potential Christians” in the eyes of Christianity. This duel thinking can also be applied to racial identity according to Jennings. He told the audience that he was attempting “to give a different account of where race came from,” and ended by posing three questions to the audience: “First, how do we relate to one another, and why do we relate to one another? Second, To whom do we belong? Finally, Who do we want to be?” said Jennings.

dives and Fogleman is certified as a scuba instructor, he says some of the students might also finish their final certification dives under his instruction upon their arrival in Mexico.

Getting students certified was just one aspect of the logistical planning required to take the lab section to Cozumel.

Fogleman says that at least eight university divisions, including the university lawyers and Campus Safety, had to approve the idea over the past few months when he was putting the course together.

Several different forms of insurance were required as well.

“The university was very supportive in trying to develop the course,” said Fogleman, “but part of the course is the laboratory, which actually goes down to Mexico and is taught underwater. That part of the course was difficult from a bureaucratic standpoint, because there were lots of hurdles to overcome.”

Another challenge was making the trip affordable for students. Cozumel was selected for its close proximity and its relatively low costs. According to Fogleman, a package deal was arranged that includes roundtrip airfare, transportation, food, boarding, diving for six days, equipment rental and insurance and will cost about $2,700 for each student.

The large group also means that the class will have exclusive use of a diving boat during

their week in Cozumel. Fogleman says the students will have assignments during their dives, including looking for examples of course concepts.

“It’s a combination of academic experience and recreational experience, and that aspect is pretty attractive,” Fogleman said.

He also emphasized the importance of doing work in the field, saying that the biology faculty is starting to promote field experience as an important part of the learning environment.

“What better experience for students to have? Having heard about and studied things in a classroom, they can go out in nature and look at the interactions between organisms and the environment,” said Fogleman. “I can think of nothing that reinforces the concepts more, or that is a better learning experience than that.”

Fogleman says he has already received inquiries about whether the course and its lab section will be offered again next year. Although he does not expect to have as large a class in the future, he says he plans to offer it again as long as the university will approve it.

“I’m really excited about it,” he said. “All the students who are signed up for the lab are really excited about going. A course like this could be the beginning of students’ careers in marine science or marine ecology.”

Feb. 12, 2013

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Students practice seduction in photo exhibit by brenda VelasQuez Contributing Writer

The opening of the “Seduced by Light, Seduced by Life” student photography exhibit was held Thursday evening from 5-7 p.m. in the lobby of the Schwayder Art Building. The exhibit showcased the work of 18 students who accompanied SAAH assistant professor Roddy MacInnes on a trip to London and Paris for a winter 2012 interterm course called “Photography and the Invention of Photography.”

“It’s something I’ve been planning for years,” said MacInnes. “I wanted to introduce the students to the places where the first photographs were taken, to build a connection between the history of photography and the students themselves who were making their own history on this trip.”

The students came from various disciplines and were a mix of photography amateurs and pros. Assael Ramirez, a Denver native and second-year business student recounted the progress he made on the trip.

“I learned how to choose my subject and applied new techniques for composition and lighting,” said Ramirez.

During the excursion, the students received a new assignment each day then posted a written reflection in a class blog.

The assignments prompted reflection, challenging the students with topics like “Sense of Self,” in which they took self-portraits that expressed their personalities, and “Sense of Others,” in which they attempted to convey another person’s character.

Professor MacInnes explained the reasoning behind the loose prompts.

“I purposely left the objective ambiguous so that the students could interpret it. I avoided being too specific because it would make the assignment restrictive,” said MacInnes.

During the exhibit, the photos, each about six inches by eight inches, were stacked vertically and arranged in a beltlike shape, with a thick center and two thinning sides running horizontally across the walls. The contents featured a variety of subjects including humans, objects, architecture, text, landscape and more, all shot in full color or in classic black-and-white.

Similarly, the photos illustrated a wide array of emotions, from jubilee to fatigue, from shyness to coyness to pensiveness. The somberness of a stoic countenance contrasted the spontaneity of surprised eyes, and fresh candid shots complemented static, posed images.

Witty students demonstrated the playfulness of superimposition, producing humorous photographs of photographers taking photos. In each of these cases, vivid hues drew the viewer into the picture while the eclectic composition maintained his attention.

While taking cliché photos of touristic monuments like the Eiffel Tower and Stonehenge, the students explored the possibilities of abstract art. They attempted to capture the movement and depth of everyday moments, “going beyond the snapshot,” MacInnes said.

They achieved these goals by experimenting with perspective, shooting the subject from up close and from intrigu-

ryan lumpkin|clarion

The photo exhibit “Seduced by Light” showcased the work of 18 students who participated in a winter interterm course in London and Paris.

ing angles, and light, generating distinct moods using soft or harsh illumination.

The exhibit’s choice of heading was inspired by a museum expo the class visited while in London titled “Seduced by Art: Photography of the Past and Present.” But although the two exhibits share the same nostalgic theme, the students’ work concentrated on the enchanting quality of light, striving to reflect and celebrate the beguiling energy of luminosity in their radiant photos.

At the end of the trip, the students compiled their work in an online book, or blurb, documenting their travels.

MacInnes likened this final product to a collective family album, a gallery of shared experiences. This London and Paris course will be offered again next winter.

For the moment, however, students can look forward to the upcoming spring 2013 interterm course called “Photography in San Francisco,” also taught by MacInnes.

For more information about these courses, contact Diana Carvalho in the Special Community Programs Office. To view photos of the winter 2012 trip visit: http://www.flickr.com/ groups/2069577@N25/pool/

Alum entrepreneurs open restaurants by kameryn tanita Contributing Writer

Restaurant entrepreneurs don’t always know if they will have the recipe for success, but two DU alums, Adam Baker (‘96) and Alex Comisar (‘07), have proved their legitimacy within the fast-casual restaurant scene.

Last week, the two alums coincidentally opened up neighboring restaurants Larkburger and The Slotted Spoon in the University Hills Shopping Plaza on Colorado Boulevard and Yale Street.

Baker’s restaurant Larkburger opened its twelfth location on Feb. 1 in the University Hills Shopping Center. Larkburger has won numerous awards for its burgers, including the Judges Choice Award at The Denver Burger Battle in 2012. Baker graduated from University of Massachusetts with a degree in economics and then got an MBA from Daniels College of Business in 1996 through its extension program in Vail Valley. While he was working on his masters, Baker was also working full time at the Bully Ranch Restaurant in Vail.

Baker later partnered with friends Thomas Salamunovich and Nancy Sweeney to open up Larkspur in 1999, a sophisticated fine-dining restaurant in the Vail Valley. After five years in business, and significant attention from their “Larkburger,” the partners decided to open up a more casual restaurant.

“We really wanted to make something that we could go to ourselves because there really weren’t that many options in Vail, and at the same time that we were

having this revelation, our hamburger on the menu became very popular,” said Baker.

Starting in 2005, Baker and his partners spent a year and a half developing his plan and finally opened their first restaurant in 2006 in Edwards. Since then, Larkburger has opened up restaurants throughout Colorado.

Their infamous “Larkburger” is still on the menu, along with the mouthwatering chicken, tuna, vegetarian and turkey burgers, not to mention their delicious truffle fries. They even offer a healthier option of soybeans with sea salt.

“We spend an obsessive amount of time on what we deliver and on the environment and the service,” said Baker. “What takes up the most time is our food. We have a relatively simple menu but we try and deliver the best possible food we can.”

Since the beginning, Larkburger has always wanted to be environmentally responsible.

The trays they use, the paper and cardboard containers that hold the fries, are all recycled products and the wood interior is reclaimed Monterey Cypress, according to Baker.

“Everyday we strive to get better at what we do with less impact and we started that way although when we started commercial compost wasn’t available.” said Baker. “But we did use packaging that was going to break down at the landfill. We have been doing compostable cups since the beginning.”

Larkburger not only is environmentally responsible, but their food is delicious. Baker has plans to expand more in

Colorado and both south and west of Colorado.

Right next door to the new Larkburger location is Slotted Spoon, a startup restaurant that has a satisfactory spin on the fast-casual concept. With a modern interior and great music, there is no doubt customers will enjoy the tasty food and the atmosphere.

Owner Alex Comisar, a 2007 Hotel Restaurant and Tourism Management graduate, knows a thing or two about the restaurant business. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Comisar comes from a fourth generation restaurant family.

“This is in my blood,” said Comisar. “I knew when I was a little kid this is what I wanted to do. I never even thought about doing anything else.”

Being an HRTM student also helped Comisar get a job in the restaurant business. At one of DU’s career fairs, Comisar met a representative from The Palm Restaurant, where he would eventually go on to get an internship, which led to a job out of college.

“HRTM gave me a foot in the door in regards to people knowing that this is what you do,” said Comisar. “I think that my resume spoke for itself in the sense that I grew up in a family restaurant business, so I had lots of experience being in a kitchen.”

After graduating from DU, Comisar started working at Ocean, a restaurant that was in Cherry Creek and then worked his way up through the business.

He became the assistant manager and then went on to open up TAG Restaurant in Larimer Square and was the assistant Gen-

eral Manager. Following this, he ran Suite 200 and opened Chloe, both bars in Downtown Denver.

He’s been living in Denver for the past ten years.

“I’ve been well traveled, but Denver is my home now,” said Comisar.

After traveling to New York, Comisar got inspiration from The Meatball Shop, a traditional restaurant. He came back to Denver and partnered with friends Jensen Cummings and Johnny Coast, to start the process.

“I wanted to discover a singular-food item concept that I could bring back to Denver to tweak,” said Comisar.

The Slotted Spoon opened on Feb. 4 and has already seen great results in terms of customers. In the first two days there were around 700 customers, according to Comisar.

“We’re not trying to be a mom and pop place,” said Comisar. “We wanted to do a finished product, not a hodge-podge. You’ve seen a couple of those by the DU area and that’s not what I am trying to do. This is what we do for a living we’re not just a bunch of guys trying to open a restaurant.”

Comisar’s partner Jensen Cummings is the chef and mastermind behind the menu at The Slotted Spoon. The menu includes an option for everyone with a pork, chicken, beef, lamb, salmon and black bean meatball. The best part of the menu is that it is all choice-based. Customers choose what meatball they want, what “vessel” they want it in—bread or pasta, for instance—and then the sauce. Or, customers can choose from one of the unique ‘chef

signature series’ items. Comisar recommends the Chicken Picnic Sandwich, a chicken meatball with honey jalapeño BBQ sauce, provolone and their so-cal slaw.

It’s messy, but definitely worth it.

The Slotted Spoon is not just about the food. They are founded upon three main principals: flavorful, neighborly and charitable, according to Comisar.

They use local products and also feature a monthly meatball where proceeds go to their philanthropy, Share Our Strength, an organization that ensures no child is left hungry.

Comisar and his partners are looking to open two or three more stores, some down south, in Boulder and Fort Collins and hopefully more around town.

As for being neighbors with fellow DU alum, Comisar believes Larkburger has a really cool concept.

“We think the synergy between the two products will really work well,” said Comisar.

Advice to future restaurant entrepreneurs: Both Baker and Comisar said to be cautious and realistic about goals.

“This is an emotional business and there is a reason people say 90 percent of businesses fail because they don’t understand the grind and they don’t know how to run a business,” said Comisar.

“What I would say to anyone graduating is set lofty goals but realistic expectations,” said Baker. “So, it always looks easy when you are on the outside looking in and any business will look better from the outside looking in but success is hard.

Nothing happens overnight.”

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Valentine’s Day The Clarion’s guide to all things pink and lovely

Single & Lovin’ it by sarah ford

A playlist for the loved, loveless and all Lovers the in-between Lane by kameryn tanita

Celebrate yourself today On a holiday surrounded by hearts, candy, flowers and love there are some serious benefits to consider for those of us flying solo this season. Stop and think for a moment about the freedom afforded those without dates and significant others this Valentine’s Day. For these fabulous and eligible bachelors and bachelorettes, there is a whole world of fun to be had on Valentine’s Day that doesn’t involve expensive dinner dates. Believe it or not, there are also options which do not include sitting alone eating Nutella and watching “The Notebook.”

Let’s consider some of the options for all the single ladies and gentlemen this Valentine’s Day. There is always the opportunity to go out to a concert or show and let loose. What better escapism on a Valentines night?

Or you can skip class and spend the day taking advantage of the empty slopes and hit the mountain for the day.

For those not wanting to go out, spend the time with your friends and watch some movies.

That one guilty pleasure movie that’s not very good but so-and-so celebrity is so hot in? Go ahead, watch it. Make yourselves a good dinner in, or buy an (almost) unnecessary amount of chocolate from the store and eat it all.

Maybe spend the day on a date with yourself. Valentine’s Day is all about love, right?

Love yourself. Get a massage, buy that thing off Amazon you have been wanting so badly but couldn’t justify buying. Spend $30 buying overpriced cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. You deserve it.

In fact, those who spend Valentine’s Day out and about doing what they want are probably having a better time than all those couples on romantic dates.

Sure, Valentine’s Days with significant others are nice the first couple rounds, but after a while they become tedious.

What is there to look forward to? Overly priced candlelight dinners and carriage rides through the park? After a while they all blend together in a meaningless mix of candy hearts and bouquets that die in a week. “Oh, you bought me a teddy bear and left it on my doorstep for me to find?

How original.” If nothing else, appreciate not having to jump through the hoops again this year.

The best part of being single on Valentine’s Day is that you make your own fun. So go ahead and pick whatever feels right.

And if that includes staying in and watching “Titanic” while eating a container of raw frosting, that’s ok too.

by hannah gilham

Contributing Writer

News Editor

Lifestyles Editor

Valentine’s Day might be a Hallmark holiday, congested with roses, chocolates and cliché cards, but don’t let your day be ruined with terrible tunes. Whether you are single, smitten in love or somewhere in between, this playlist will make your Valentine’s Day even better.

“Single Ladies” Beyoncé

Situation: Single Ladies. You know who’s always sexy? Beyoncé. Who cares if you don’t have a man bringing you roses and chocolates on Valentine’s Day? Beyoncé’s single ladies anthem should give you everything you need to be the fierce, fun, confident single lady you are.

“Acting up / a drink in my cup / I can care less what you think.”

“Next Girl”

“Oh my next girl / she’ll be nothing like my ex-girl / I Situation: Single Boys. Just because you got your heart broken by made mistakes back then / a merciless woman does not mean you are stuck being single forever.

I’ll never do it again.”

The Black Keys

Put down the video games, grab your boys and go find your next gal.

“Us”

“They made a statue of us / and put it on a mountaintop Regina Spektor Situation: The happy couple. Everyone knows you are the dream / blow bubbles with their duo, so there is no doubt this Valentine’s Day will be just as good as gum / they’ll name a city the others. You are the ultimate example of a couple in love, so enjoy. after us.”

“Never Going Back Again” Fleetwood Mac

Situation: Recently single. Still hung up on a recent breakup?

Don’t let Valentine’s Day rub in all the bad memories of love and lust.

Grab your friends, have a good time and don’t look back.

“She broke down and let me in / made me see where I’d been / been down one time / been down two times /never going back again.”

“You’re My Best Friend”

“I want you to know that my feelings are true / I really Situation: Single but not alone? Who needs a significant other on love you / Oh you’re my best Valentine’s Day when you have your best friend? Rain or shine, this friend.” friend will always be your go-to Valentine.

Queen

“A Thousand Miles” Vanessa Carlton

Situation: Long-distance relationship. You might be lonely knowing your significant other is miles away on Valentine’s Day, but don’t let distance depress you. Your significant other still knows how much you care.

“If I could fall into the sky / you know I would walk a thousand miles / if I could just see you tonight.”

“Baby I’m Yours” Breakbot ft. Irfane

Situation: The Loyal Lover. You’re significant other is so lucky they found you. They may have made a few mistakes in the past but they know they were wrong and want nothing else but to be with you, so enjoy their company on Valentine’s Day and tell them how much you care about them.

“Anything Could Happen” Ellie Goulding

Situation: The Crush. If you have felt the chemistry but have been too afraid to make the first move, now is your chance. Luck could be in your favor this Valentine’s Day and anything could happen.

“We Found Love”

“Listen baby / your wish is my command / baby won’t you understand /what can I do to make my baby understand?”

“Cover your eyes / so you don’t know the secret / I’ve been trying to hide.”

“It’s the way I’m feeling I just can’t deny / but I’ve got to Situation: The Hopefuls. Everyone wants that feeling of affection let it go /we found love in a no matter how big or small, or random. Regardless of your status, hopeless place.” everyone can find love on Valentine’s Day.

Rhianna and Calvin Harris

Realistic expectations, your sweetie make for happy V-Day It’s here again: the season of “love,” as countless Verizon commericals continue to remind us. There are pink shades of everything in the stores, from chocolate teddy bears to cereal boxes and condom wrappers—consumerism at its finest comes yearly on Feb. 14.

But as many couples can attest, Valentine’s Day can often lead to frustration, empty wallets and unrealistic expectations. We’ve all had the fantasy that V-Day will end in some romantic flurry of snowflakes and passionate kisses on an empty, moonlit sidewalk while John Williams orchestral music starts to play.

Fortunately, in some happy relationships, those moments do happen occasionally. But, rarely do such moments of romantic bliss happen on this prescribed holiday of love.

So if you are in a relationship this V-Day, just make sure to do something that the two of you enjoy. Don’t fall prey to the chocolate-rose-dinner-date formula if that isn’t who you two are as a couple.

For some people, an overly priced and forcibly romantic dinner where you’re both surveying all the other couples and making fun of how many times you overhear “babe” in conversation might be a dream night.

For others, maybe it’s just watching a movie at home and sharing the couch. Split a bottle of wine or two. Maybe V-Day is just reminiscing about all the wonderful times you’ve (hopefully) spent together. Maybe it’s going out with your best friends and dancing.

It’s important not to forget what Valentine’s Day is really supposed to be about: celebrating the beauty and compassion of love for another human being, be that your boyfriend, best friend or even your parents.

So pitch a tent in your dorm room, watch reruns of “Lost” together and discuss theories. Make a Skype date if your sweetie is long distance and both order Chinese food so it gets delivered at the same time. Watch Disney movies, bake cupcakes, play a drinking game.

The possibilities are endless. Don’t fall victim to the factions that say that Valentine’s Day has to look a certain way to make it legitimate. Love can look a thousand different ways—why should its holiday be any different?

Feb. 12, 2013

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The Grind: HCC offers sex advice Beatrice & Woodsley by maura shea

The Clarion editors review bars, restaurants and coffee houses; attempting cultural mutiny on all things hipster

photos courtesy oF denver.org

Beatrice & Woodsley offers unique drinks and small and simple entrees.

Beatrice & Woodsley: 3 beans by anita balkrishnan Editor-in-Chief

Beatrice & Woodsley fine dining restaurant is nestled in the comfortably-hip cruiser territory of South Broadway abreast the Mayan, Sputnik and who-couldforget Buffalo Exchange. A plain and unassuming storefront fails to capture your attention amidst a row of rowdy bars – and that’s exactly how the restaurant wants it.

According to Douglas Ambrose, assistant manager and event coordinator, the restaurant is meant to be reminiscent of a “hidden, overgrown cottage in the woods,” and restaurant patrons are led on a mythical journey to get there. Take up the quest and you won’t be disappointed – the motif extends through the interior, which is divided by towering aspen trunks throughout, to even the bathrooms, which are hidden in a copse of vegetation-meets-highfashion decor.

The restaurant describes its style simply as “small plates, big wine.” True to its inspiration, the atmosphere is the primary appeal, mixing contemporary class of clean lines with rustic touches, such as wood-burning stoves. The effect is an understated elegance to the tune of Miles Davis and MGMT. But no fear foodies: with libations aplenty and fresh foods, B&W talks the talk and walks the wok.

With an extensive bar and unique cocktails, the high-functioning alcoholic in you can rest assured. The beer menu, while composed solely of Colorado beers, is disappointing and limited, but the wine list more than makes up the difference – try the 2010 Quinta de Aleque for a sweet, light and smooth sauvignon blanc, and stick with the 2009 Donati claret for a rich, fruity and ultra-smooth red.

If you actually want food with your booze, the menu may appear limited, especially for vegetarians and vegans, but it does not disappoint. Though simple, options from sprouts ‘n spuds to risotto showcase the flavor of each ingredient, leading to the complex-yetstraightforward palette that only gourmet can provide.

While B&W provides inarguable quality, it’s not without a price.

At $30 a head for three courses, this joint is special-occasions-only for starving artists. Not to mention the barrier to entry – Friday nights fill up fast for 6-8 p.m. reservations, and its specials for Valentine’s Day and Denver Restaurant Week are already booked.

With five bean status for Colorado class, this hidden gem boasts the exclusivity of true hipsterdom – being able to say you “discovered it first.” But with a hefty price tag, dividends from your alternative press might not fund admittance – bringing B&W down to a three bean eatery.

Staff Writer

Given the upcoming holiday of love and recent political controversy surrounding contraceptive methods, birth control and safe sex practices are a topic on everyone’s mind. Luckily for students, the Health and Counseling Center (HCC) offers medical care and advice.

While the birth control and safe sex methods for women outnumber what is available to men, there are many different options to choose from. According to David Odell, the medical director of HCC, many students are taking advantage of the different services offered.

“The HCC has always seen a healthy number of students seeking contraceptive methods,” said Odell. “A number of students are not yet aware that the Affordable Care Act includes providing some contraceptive measures at no additional cost to them through their insurance.”

While this is true, Odell also says this is not the case for every insurance plan. Some students may not be covered to receive free birth control, so it is important to discuss this with individual insurance carriers.

It is also important to note that due to changes in federal law, the HCC will no longer carry birth control in its pharmacy, but will gladly write a prescription for nearby pharmacies.

The most common contraceptive method the HCC offers is the birth control pill, which reduces the risk of pregnancy by stopping ovulation and regulating the menstrual period. These pills can become ineffective when they are not taken on a daily basis or as directed by a doctor.

Many women are concerned with the myths surrounding the pill, particularly weight gain.

“A recent review of 44 studies noted no significant weight gain associated with taking birth control pills,” said Odell.

“A few women may experience mild water weight gain when initially starting birth control pills that resolves in two to three months. Previous birth control pills contained higher doses of estrogen that caused increased appetite and fluid retention, thus weight gain. The current low dose birth control pills do not cause weight gain.”

But they are not without risk. According to Drugwatch. com, different birth control pills, such as Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella, are known to cause a higher rate of blood clots in women.

“Each method comes with risks and benefits that are discussed with the student,” said Odell. “At the HCC, we offer student visits to discuss the various options with a medical provider and help students decide which option is best for them. We even have a gynecological consultant that offers IUD insertion in her office.”

Intrauterine devices (IUD), such as Mirena, are long-term birth control methods that are placed in the uterus and release hormones that prevent pregnancy. They can be used for up to five years, but can be removed at anytime. IUD also has some risks involved.

“There is a small increased risk of pelvic infection with intrauterine devices,” said Odell.

Other popular forms of birth control for women include the contraceptive ring, such as Nuvaring. This ring is placed into the vagina where it stays there for three weeks. At the end of three weeks it is taken out and a new one is put in a week later. This is a very effective form of birth control and cannot be felt by women who use it.

“No contraceptive method is 100 percent effective, and the

risks of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases are always present,” said Odell. “Contraceptive choice is a very personal decision best made with your medical provider, who can help you decide which option is best.”

When it comes to men, there are very few birth control and safe sex methods other than condoms.

According to Odell, a male contraceptive pill is currently being researched and studied but is not yet available on the market.

“The only other option would be a surgical procedure called a vasectomy, which is a permanent form of sterilization for men,” said Odell.

A vasectomy is sometimes possible to reverse, but only through extensive surgical procedures, according to WebMD.com.

It is also very important to be screened for sexually transmitted infections on a regular basis. In honor of Valentine’s Day, Denver Health will be offering free STI testing on Feb. 13 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Driscoll Student Center located on the first floor next to the pioneer I.D. card office. During this time, The Denver AIDS Project will also be providing students with free HIV testing, which is usually done by taking a small blood sample.

The HCC offers STI testing and treatment at any time.

“We screen women for STIs during their annual pelvic examination,” said Odell. “If you or your partner are concerned for any sexually transmitted infections don’t wait, get tested.”

The HCC, located in the Ritchie Center, is available to all DU students, undergraduate and graduate. Many of their services are covered by the health and counseling fee that is included with tuition.

To make an appointment with HCC, go to their website at du.edu/ duhealth/ or call their front desk at 303-871-2205.

DU band Vetta Star hits main stage by hannah gilham Lifestyles Editor

The city of Denver is slowly becoming a mecca for extremely talented musicians and artists alike, and DU’s campus is no exception.

The Lamont School of Music continues to turn out talented and eclectic musicians from all spheres of the music world and lately, they’ve been booking some major shows, including Vetta Star’s show this Friday during the Discovery Denver Raw Artists event at City Hall on Broadway.

The product of four roommates, one band merger and almost four years of studying together at Lamont, indie-rock band Vetta Star is known for their smooth vocals, uplifting guitar lines and high energy dynamics.

Members include senior Brandon Meagher, an audio production major with a concentration in jazz drum set from Cape Elizabeth, Maine, senior Charlie Fitz, an audio production major with a concentration in saxophone from Menlo Park, Calif., senior Joey Genetti who’s also an audio production major with a concentration in jazz piano and ’12 Lamont graduate Paul Edelman

from Oakland, Calif., who graduated with a degree in jazz guitar.

The foursome live in a house near campus where their practice space is a shared basement with all manner of instruments and sound systems for creating musical magic.

Genetti and Edelman performed as part of DU band Sleeptalk for three and a half years before merging with Race Street Riot last summer, which was predominantly the project of Meagher and Fitz.

“We were always opening for each other and playing for each other in our separate bands, when we ended up living together this last summer and we just started playing in the basement, Vetta Star was born,” said guitarist and backup vocalist Charlie Fitz.

Identifying as “intergalactic and indie rock,” the bandmates claim their influences through many different musical avenues.

“I think it’s safe to say that Radiohead is a big influence,” said Edelman. Drummer and vocalist Meagher claimed Vetta Star’s influence as Coldplay, The Foo Fighters and LCD Soundsystem as well.

Their first EP combined the creative efforts and existing songs from the remnants of the two previous bands.

“Someone brings in a theme, a riff, and all four of us bring it to where Vetta Star wants to be .… It’s transitional,” said Meagher.

Meagher explains that living together and being close friends is all part of the experience.

“Being in this band though, is the combination of four creative minds working together to put out the best music we can write collectively. It’s teamwork and a family,” said Meagher. While currently looking for a bass player for the band, Vetta Star’s has been able to book some big performances in the past few months. Performing as the main entertainment during Freshman Orientation week this fall was a huge achievement for the budding band.

The group also received some radio airplay this past holiday season for the “Hometown for the Holidays” segment on northern Colorado modern rock radio station 93.3. Because of this coverage, Vetta Star was able to gain some notoriety and they were asked to perform at the Discovery Denver Raw Artists event this Friday at City Hall on Broadway and 12th.

“The Discovery Denver Raw Artists event is basically a multi-

photo courtesy oF vetta star

Lamont student from left: Charlie Fitz, ‘12 Lamont grad Paul Edelman, and Lamont seniors Joey Genetti and Brandon Meagher make up alternative-rock band Vetta Star.

genre artist convention,” said Meagher. “It’s one night where you’ve got painters, photographers, aerial dancers and fashion all combined with music … It’s the first gig that we get to play with other super talented musicians plus people that don’t do music because now we have a draw coming from all ends of art, visual as well, and that’s exciting.”

Meagher explains the event as a mini festival and that tickets can be found online at rawartists.org/ vettastar.

“Being in this band though, is the combination of four creative

minds working together to put out the best music we can write collectively. It’s teamwork and a family,” said Meagher. “When we’re on stage together, performing the material we’ve been rigorously writing and rehearsing, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

For all things Vetta Star, check out their Facebook, website, Instagram account and Twitter as well as their first EP on iTunes and be sure to make it out for the Discovery Denver Raw Artists event this Friday. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets can be purchased online.

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Number of majors and minors debilitating by anita balakrishnan Editor-in-Chief

Variety is the spice of life, they say - but we can’t all handle as much spice as we’d like to think, and too much choice can be a headache. This is the case with programs of study at DU - adding more majors and minors would only befuddle already-confused teens and twenty-somethings entering college.

In addition to causing confusion, more majors will do little in expanding our almost infinite choices of study while doing nothing to impress future employers.

When I enrolled at DU in 2010, there were 68 majors offered and more than 15 areas of study offered only as minors - and this has only

increased in the past three years.

Almost-seventy majors may fall short of coursework offered at other universities; however, given that DU students are required to have one major and one minor, at minimum, it lends itself to almost endless combinations. In fact, a quick statistical analysis shows that a set of two courses of study (one major and one minor) with 68 choices leads to well over 4,000 combinations.

Now, imagine your options with two majors and three minors - options could jump into the millions.

This can lead to what economists call the “paradox of choice,” which occurs when “choice no longer liberates, but debilitates. It might even be said to tyrannise ... the fact that some choice is good

doesn’t necessarily mean that more choice is better,” writes Barry Schwartz, author of “The Paradox of Choice.” The theory goes that when making a decision becomes too complicated, it is no longer an advantage to the consumer. As consumers of a college education, this is exactly what we are faced with when we walk in as green freshmen to a laundry list of majors.

In fact, most college students will agree that the decision of what to major in is anything but straightforward: A 2005 CNBC article states that more than 50 percent of college students change majors during college.

With a struggling job market, rising college costs and existential crises to boot, the last thing most 20-year-olds need is more decisions to make.

Further, it is unlikely that future employers will recognize the difference between the political science major you have now, and the “theory of political economies” major that you desire. Anyone who has made a resume can attest that there is one line reserved for your degree and GPA - and the rest of a page dedicated to your work experience and skills.

Firms hire accounting majors because they know they have skills - such as using Microsoft Access. An English or History major simply signals “ I can write” to their employer - whether or not you took “Theories of Rhetoric” or “Survey of Jane Austen.”

Ultimately, students are looking to set themselves apart in a specific job market should look to cultivate skills outside

their curriculum, such as internships and certificate programs.

You can do things like learn how to program or speak Italian without a degree for it.

And if it’s academic exploration that students seek, there are many interdisciplinary majors and minors, such as integrated sciences and socio-legal studies, that pull from several fields to allow students to have a customizable and flexible educational experience.

Adding majors will just add cost and confusion to the university experience, with little personal or professional payoff - I can speak for several when I say that deciding where to apply to grad school, how to pay the rent, what classes to take and where to do my laundry are enough to keep me busy for four solid years.

More major and minor options beneficial by chris bach Staff Writer

What do Folklore and Mythology, Public Health and Dance all have in common?

They are majors offered at universities other than DU. This is not to say that DU needs to adopt these particular programs of study; for most of us, DU has great programs that we are already studying.

However, I know some people that are still looking at what they would like to study and haven’t found success or comfort in the areas in which they have already taken classes.

For that reason, I believe that DU should offer more major and minor options.

Many students enter college without the faintest idea of

what they want to study. Con- diversity of the school by studyversely, many students enter ing something less common.

DU should strive to attract college with an idea of something they want to study, but these students through the introduction of more don’t find it as major and minor fulfilling as they “It will add degree options. had originally Having these thought. Both variety and give additional majors of these can and minors would be solved with students who not be a waste of more options don’t know resources, either. in both majors what they want There would and minors. be people to take This issue to study other the classes. Even if could certainly be solved by opportunities to there is not a large influx of students picking a differ- find something at first, over time ent college that these programs offers more vari- they enjoy.” will attract even ety or even parmore students. ticular programs.

Additionally, there will be However, DU would be missing out on potentially bright stu- students who will take classes in dents who can further add to the these programs to explore their

options. These programs would start off slow, for sure, but in the long-run, they would be great assets to the students of DU. The argument could be made that there would be a logistical problem with having more majors and minors. This would include having to hire more faculty members, which of course will increase costs.

New departments would have to be created and new professors hired to fill the newly created departments.

Again, if only a few more majors and minors are offered, the benefit of attracting more students and adding variety to current students’ possibilities outweighs the costs.

At the very least, more minors and class options should be offered. If majors

prove to be too difficult to add, then minors are an easier alternative for all.

They can be incorporated into other existing departments and may not even need new professors to teach them.

By offering more minors and thus more class options, then students can at the minimum expand their horizons even more and add depth to their majors.

Adding options in classes, majors, and minors will only benefit the student body.

It will add variety and give students who don’t know what they want to study other opportunities to find something they enjoy.

For those reasons, it only makes sense for DU to attempt to increase the choices in both majors and minors.

Pioneer Voices: ’ what are you doing for valentine s day?

salman almaduog English Language Center Saudi Arabia

liz stolpovskaya Sophomore Russia

nancy lien Junior Taiwan

hashim alhashimi English Language Center Saudi Arabia

“Actually, nothing.”

“I will spend an evening with my friends.”

“I am going to dance with the DU Tango Club.”

“Just hanging out with my friends.”

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Watch State of the Union for unfiltered education by danny zimny-schmitt Staff Writer

In a world overrun by smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops that appear more dinosaur-like every day, the idea of an annual State of the Union address may seem like an old-fashioned tradition that has no place in today’s fast moving world.

But the State of the Union is one of the rare occasions where American citizens actually get to hear their president speak to them without modifications by the news media, and it should be preserved for the long term.

In Article 2 of the Constitution, the president is charged with the responsibility of addressing Congress on the state of the country: “He shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

With that command, the State of the Union has become a time-honored tradition, and rightly so.

But how necessary is it? In today’s world of attack ads leading up to elections, five second daily political news blurbs and most major newspapers or news station tilting their news coverage to the left or to the right, it is very necessary.

Time for Boy Scouts to support membership for gay youth

It is about one hour of time, once per year, where the president speaks to the people about his plans for the country and the recent accomplishments made.

There is so much political noise from every form of media, but little real news about what is actually happening in our Congress to move the country forward.

The truth of the matter is seeing a few seconds of news updates on local or national news about politics is not very effective in educating the public about the real issues, instead providing what media critics like to call “infotainment.”

The State of the Union, however, is an hour of uninterrupted coverage of real issues facing the country and the president’s plans for dealing with them.

It is one of the few times left in the world when political coverage is not constantly interrupted by ads and dulled down into useless tidbits of information by pundits.

President Obama will deliver the annual address from Washington tonight, at approximately 7 p.m.

I’d recommend tuning in.

I can guarantee you that you will learn more about politics during the speech than you will in days or weeks reading or watching the news.

Boy scouting was founded in 1908 by Lord Baden-Powell in England. I know this because it was a fact that I had to learn to earn my Tenderfoot rank when I was a Boy Scout back in elementary school.

As a former scout and someone who sees the great value of the experiences and character building that accompany scouting, I believe it is time to open scouting to openly gay young men so they can have the same growth and learning experiences that their straight counterparts already do.

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) currently includes 2.7 million youth members and approximately one million adult volunteers. But gay scouts or adult leaders currently have to follow something of a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy regarding their sexual orientation.

As public opinion on this topic changes rapidly across the country, from states legalizing gay marriage and civil unions to the military’s repeal of their “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, it is time for Boy Scouting to do the same and keep up with the times.

During the summer, BSA reconfirmed its ban of gay scouts and adults in the organization, but announced at the end of

able, fans need to support him in this time of need.

I have heard fans say lots of thing about Todd these last few days.

I have heard people say they are sorry to have to get rid of his jersey, that they won’t be able to cheer for him in what he has announced will be his last season.

I understand the anger.

There is no excuse for a DUI, this is a serious mistake that could have cost someone their life. But I am also not willing to stop being a fan of Todd Helton because of what happened Tuesday night.

Let me explain. Todd Helton has been with the Rockies for 16 years, and during that time he has been nothing but one of the most honest, kind and classy players in baseball.

I can tell you countless stories of watching kids go up

to ask him for autographs and seeing him smile, give the kids a high five and take the time to talk with them.

He has always, during his 16 year career, been considered one of the kindest-hearted athletes in sports.

His passion and commitment to his fans is something rarely seen. Todd Helton does not deserve to lose his fans in his final season.

I am not saying this makes up for his actions this past week; a DUI is not something to brush aside, to shrug and move past simply because Todd is who he is.

That is not what I am saying at all. This DUI is something Helton will need to own up to and something that rightfully should continue to cause repercussions.

I fully expect to see him continue to address the situa-

by danny zimny-schmitt Staff Writer

January that it was reconsidering the ban.

A national Quinnipiac poll of 1,772 voters taken after this proposed change found that 55 percent of voters were in favor of opening scouting to gays and lesbians, while 33 percent opposed it.

Last Wednesday, amid public demonstrations outside of BSA headquarters in Irving, Texas, BSA announced that it would postpone its final decision on the matter until May. The truth is that even organizations with more than a century of history behind them need to change as the world around them does.

Even though on the surface it may appear to be a digression to mention how economies and governments change over time as people and ideas change, the argument over whether BSA should change its policy to openly gay members is really not very different.

The people, ideas and general acceptance of homosexuality have changed a great deal in the 105 years since the founding of scouting, and it is time for the policies of scouting to reflect these changes.

Growing up in the 21st century, I have found that being inclusive seems to be the rule,

not the exception, among youth groups that are on a mission to increase their membership and reputation. I do not understand why BSA would want to reaffirm their stance and move backward on an issue that is moving forward.

Perhaps the most ironic thing about this whole debate is that the Scout Law itself seems to imply that scouting should be open to all.

“A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent,” is the Scout Law that all of us in scouting had to recite year after year in our weekly meetings.

But how can a scout be loyal, friendly, and kind if he is unwilling to be a fellow scout and friend to someone because of just one difference between them?

I believe it is morally wrong to treat others unfairly or in a way you would not want to be treated yourself.

I learned many of these morals in my days of boy scouting, and believe it would be completely hypocritical of me to say that these morals for whatever reason do not apply to scouts who have a different sexual orientation than I do.

On that note, it is time for a quality organization driven by tradition to live up to its promise of being an inclusive, engaging organization open to all boys who have the ambition to join.

I’m still a fan of Rockies hero Todd Helton by sarah ford News Editor

When the news came out Wednesday that Rockies first baseman Todd Helton had been arrested for a DUI the previous night, I found out almost immediately. My phone was suddenly inundated with texts from friends with the news, some sending me his very unfortunate mug shot from Thorton Police.

I couldn’t believe what I was reading. In fact, it wasn’t until I confirmed the news for myself on the Denver Post that I was even willing to consider that Todd Helton, face of the Rockies and one of the best men in sports, could have possibly been driving under the influence.

This is hard news to take for us Rockies fans. Todd Helton is not only the face of this team and Colorado, he is the heart, and while his actions are deplor-

tion as his final season begins.

It’s good to see that Todd has already expressed the willingness to own up for his actions. In his public statement, he wrote “My entire career I have worked to set a positive example for my family and in our community and I fell far short of this standard”, and continued to ask fans, the community and the organization for forgiveness. There is much more that is needed, but this is a start.

Let’s not let what’s happened forever change our judgment. Todd Helton is not a bad person; he is a good person who made a very bad mistake.

Our mistakes should not be what define us.

I cannot forget his years of consistent loyalty to the organization, kindness to fans and the humility shown by Todd Helton throughout his many years in a Rockies uniform.

When fans look back and think of Todd Helton at the end of this year, after his last game as a Rockie, I do not want this shameful DUI to be all they see.

I will remember an honorable man who has stayed with the Rockies through thick and thin (mostly thin, unfortunately) for 16 years.

I will remember the man who was always willing to own up to team failures, and who always humbly brushed aside praise to recognize the team.

The DUI cannot be forgotten, but it also cannot blind us to the man Todd has shown himself to be for the past 16 years.

So when Todd Helton takes the field on Opening Day, I am looking forward to cheering for him - cheering for what he has done for Denver, for this team, for Colorado and for his lifelong career as a Rockie, as it draws to a close.

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Feb. 12, 2013

‘Thief’ steals audiences’ time

photo courtesy oF mediaspins.com

Melissa McCarthy stars as Diana, a con artist who steals Sandy Patterson’s (Jason Bateman) identity and sparks a cross-country cat-and-mouse game in which Patterson attempts to clear the debt racked up in his name.

by meg mcintyre Staff Writer

“Identity Thief” is a comedic rendition of what happens when someone’s identity is stolen. The film follows the story of conwoman Diana, who lives the high life in Miami by stealing identity after identity.

However, this time she’s stolen the wrong person’s money—Sandy Bigelow Patterson, a respected financial businessman from Denver. In order to regain his job, his money and essentially his life, he must search down the identity thief and bring her to Colorado.

The catch is that he has one week to do it.

This movie is not exactly what viewers will expect based on the previews. While there is definitely plenty of zany comedy throughout, the storyline takes many unexpected twists and turns, some of which seem

a bit unnecessary. On a positive note, this creates a film that is less predictable than many others of the same genre, but it also makes the film almost two hours long. While some of these plot twists are fun and imaginative, others are just superfluous and the script could have done without them.

Despite the longevity of the film, there is a lot to love about it. For one thing, it’s impossible not to like the character of Diana (Melissa McCarthy, “Bridesmaids”), despite the fact that she is a criminal who ruins people’s lives for a living. Diana is spunky, comedic, quirky and, most of all, entertaining. What’s more, she has a touching backstory that makes her endearing and lovable.

The character of Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman, “Arrested Development”) is also one that audiences will love. As he is seen doing everything possible to put his life back

together for his family, audiences will sympathize with him and root for him to succeed.

As far as acting goes, Melissa McCarthy really shines in her role as Diana.

Though viewers have seen her before in comedies such as “Bridesmaids,” this is the first time she’s had the spotlight all to herself. Within “Identity Thief,” she truly embraces her character and is never afraid to go as far as she needs to make the moment funny. Overall, McCarthy adds a lot to a film that otherwise flounders, and makes the best of a badly written script.

Finally, viewers will enjoy the surprisingly heart-warming nature of the film.

Many other films of the genre today focus only on the comedy and offer little in terms of moral or emotional subplot. However, within “Identity Thief,” audiences will find that Diana and Sandy’s journey across the coun-

try is emotional as well as physical. As the film progresses, these two characters form a relationship that will have viewers rooting for them both despite their supposed opposition to each other. This emotional aspect adds sentiment to an otherwise incoherent plot line, and makes the characters and the story in general more endearing.

In all, “Identity Thief ” gains points for lovable characters and worthy acting, but these elements aren’t enough to save the film from its script. With excessive subplots and unnecessary conflicts, the film is simply too long and wanders too much. If some of these extra elements had been cut down, “Identity Thief ” could have been one of 2013’s best comedies.

Unfortunately, as it is, “Identity Thief ” is one of 2013’s more mundane comedies with some great acting thrown in.

Indie band Foals grow up on new album by christian allen Web Editor

For a band with such a timid namesake, Foals seems to have a remarkable affinity for making grand statements. Whether it was the chaotic eruptions of drums and guitar that characterized a good chunk of the group’s 2008 debut Antidotes, or the sweeping sonic landscapes that made up its 2010 follow-up, Total Life Forever, Foals has always been an indie band with its eyes set on the mainstream.

Nearly three years later, the Oxfordbased quintet is poised to drop its third record, Holy Fire, and for the first time, Foals has unabashedly created an album with a scale and production befitting the group’s grandiose ambitions.

Holy Fire is far from being a perfect album, and while it holds some of the most astonishing moments of the band’s career, it might not even be a great one—more than anything else, lead singer Yannis Philippakis’ repetitive lyrical style comes up a bit short

when trying to appeal to a larger audience.

That being said, Holy Fire is a confident, at times stunning and always intriguing record that further secures Foals’ place as one of the most consistent indie rock groups, and it may earn them a rightful place within the mainstream landscape as well.

Most of Holy Fire’s first half is fantastic.

An instrumental opener, “Prelude,” serves to introduce the bigger, more assured band at work here, and it takes its time building from a solitary guitar tremolo into an allout sonic assault, with the loudest, roundest rhythm section the band’s ever wielded.

The fourth track, “Bad Habit,” combines the dramatic grandeur of Coldplay and U2 with the taut rhythm tracks and sprightly tenor guitar that has become Foals’ signature.

The most interesting of these, though, is “My Number,” which fervently flourishes a strident syncopated guitar line, four-on-thefloor beat and an utterly addictive chorus, in which Philippakis triumphantly states: “You don’t have my number / And we don’t

need each other now.” It’s without a doubt the catchiest song Foals has ever written, but it’s also got more depth than a typical pop jam— listen to the way the guitar interplays with the auxiliary percussion, the slides during the bridge or the occasional sixteenth notes drummer Jack Bevan throws on his hi-hat. A pop song it may be, but it’s one that no one else could create.

This is Holy Fire at its best. Big, bold, stadium-ready indie rock jams that still sound like pure Foals. Four tracks in, you’ll feel as though Foals can do no wrong. It’s as the record progresses that you start to see some chinks in these horses’ armor.

“Out of the Woods,” for example, features an opening verse in which the titular line is spouted four times in a row. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the problem with this technique here is that it puts additional pressure on the chorus to deliver, which, in this case, doesn’t really happen.

“Milk & Black Spiders,” on the other hand, suffers from this problem’s inverse— the song assuredly builds tension through-

out the verses, but is then jolted back by a half-time chorus in which Philippakis states plaintively: “I’ve been around two times and found that you’re the only thing I need.” It’s a nice line, but when you hear it sixteen times in one song, it starts to feel rather tedious.

It is these second-half weaknesses that drain some of the hard-earned momentum Foals spent much of the first half building.

There are some impressive moments later on, but as a whole, it’s going to be the opening half of this record you’ll likely wear out first.

With that in mind, it’s important to know going into Holy Fire that you’re in for a rather uneven affair. The band sounds more mature and confident than ever, the production is bold and the songwriting, at times, is utterly fantastic. At the same time, the second half is marred by some lyrical weaknesses that keep the record from consistently matching the high standard set by the group’s previous two efforts. These Foals may have grown up to become stallions, but Holy Fire hasn’t yet earned them the Triple Crown.

Feb. 12, 2013

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Students return to ‘Community’ by dylan proietti Entertainment Editor

And we’re back. Last Thursday, Oct. 19—for those who don’t know—NBC’s Community and the Greendale Seven returned to airwaves with “History 101.” Despite the loss of the show’s creator and showrunner, Dan Harmon last spring, the cult classic show introduced some changes, but fans will be relieved to hear that the show, for now, has kept its essence.

The show begins with a “Community” sitcom moment, revealing what could possibly be viewers’ worst nightmare. A laugh track, spotty lighting and jarring comedic timing make the opening scene one that’s hard to love—until one realizes that this program is brought to your eyes courtesy of “Abed TV.” A quick transition later and it becomes apparent that this staple sitcom-esque scene takes place entirely in Abed’s (Danny Pudi) head, a method of coping suggested to him by Britta to deal with the stress and worry about senior year.

While Abed wants things to stay the same, the rest of the gang is moving forward and changing.

New Jeff (Joel McHale)—a sensitive and caring friend—spends the whole episode winning a hilarious combination of events known as “The Hunger Deans,” a competition designed by Dean Pelton (Jim Rash) to select the final seven seats in Greendale’s “History of Ice Cream” class.

Annie (Alison Brie) purposefully infects herself with senioritis and insists on playing pranks and not saying her g’s—a train that Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown) quickly boards, Troy (Donald Glover) and Britta (Gillian Jacobs) have begun some sort of intimate relationship, going as far as to hold hands in front of the group.

Pierce (Chevy Chase), however, seems to be the only one to remain

photo courtesy oF glamour.com

Jeff Winger (Joel McHale, left) competes in “The Hunger Deans,” a compeition for the final seats in a class at Greendale Community College called “The History of Ice Cream.”

stagnant, still being excluded and attempting to make gay jokes, and barely receives any screentime.

Yet, despite the changes the study group seems to have undergone over the summer, Greendale and its students seem to remain the same. Perhaps it is the cast’s acting; according to Joel McHale’s Ask Me Anything on Reddit, “We as a cast have become more vocal about jokes in scripts and such. Since we’ve lived with these characters for four years we have a pretty good sense of what they might say or do.” Or perhaps it’s simply the writers, both new and old, who were able to assimilate themselves into the “Community” community. Either way, there is a certain comforting familiarity to

the first episode of season four.

That being said, the first episode definitely came with some faults. Though “Community” has always been a show that could walk the fine line between meta and obnoxious, referential and original and camp and serious, “History 101” fell on the more obnoxious and camp side, relying on a single Winger speech and some Annieinduced existential crises to take a show based on a “Hunger Games” parody and a dream-within-adream of “Greendale Babies”— courtesy of Abed—and ground it in some form of reality.

These faults are easy to forgive, though, and fans of the show will be extremely thankful to see that Dan Harmon’s absurdly loveable show

remains intact—for the most part.

Despite the small slip-ups, you can tell that one extremely important and underlying factor remains in the show: a love for the fans.

The writing, even if it stretches a bit, demonstrates that those working on the show still want to make it work, against insurmountable odds and an ungodly amount of pressure and expectations. On writing the finale, former writer Megan Ganz stated on Reddit, “I wanted it to be a finale worthy of a show it could never be worthy of.”

Writing aside, the cast continues to perform admirably, portraying each member of the Greendale Seven just as well, if not better, than they ever have. Few casts have taken such a direct interest in their

fans and even the show itself, many shamelessly promoting the show during its delay and reaching out to the fans through various forms of social media.

“History 101,” ironically primarily revolving around the future, may not have been perfect—but it was “Community.” Much like the lesson Abed learned in the episode, fans can learn much the same thing: Everything ends. Whether it’s in 12 episodes or after the fabled “six seasons and a movie,” Community will end one day.

Something about the premiere, though, makes that notion comforting, almost as if saying goodbye to a best friend—sad, yes, but worth time you had together.

pilot episode is always interesting, especially when compared with other current medical dramas on television today.

Unfortunately, the pilot episode lacks in character development. The only character viewers learn something substantial about is Sydney Napur (Sarayu Rao), a feisty cardiothoracic surgeon whose engagement falls through because she’s married to her job.

Other than that, the audience is given only brief snippets about the lives and personalities of the characters on the show. Overall, viewers may find that at the end of the episode, they will barely remember the characters’ names.

What the new series lacks in development it makes up for in performance—mostly. Most notable is Alfred Molina (“Spider-Man 2”) as the cold-hearted chief of surgery, Harding Hooten. Molina’s enactment is chilling and convincing, making Hooten a character feared by the viewers as well as the physicians on the show. Additionally, Ving Rhames (“Pulp Fiction”) shines on the small screen as Jorge Villanueva, a gruff trauma surgeon who knows better than everyone.

Rhames approaches his role with discipline and fervor to create a character that is both endearing and intimidating.

Yet what sets “Monday Mornings” apart from other current medical dramas is the series’ focus on the decisions made by surgeons on a daily basis. The depiction of the hospital’s weekly “Morbidity and Mortality” meetings provides viewers with a unique inside look to the complicated system of the medical field. While other series

focus on the process of diagnosis, the intensity of surgery itself or the pressure of the emergency room, “Monday Mornings” emphasizes the difficulty of making life or death decisions concerning the treatment of patients. Overall, this creates a new experience for viewers—and one that is both distinctive and thrilling.

As a whole, “Monday Mornings” is creative, cinematically interesting and well cast. In essence, the pilot episode contains many of the factors necessary to create a successful medical drama. If character development improves throughout the first season of “Monday Mornings,” TNT may have television’s next “ER” or “Grey’s Anatomy.”

‘Monday Mornings’ no longer a drag on TNT by meg mcintyre Staff Writer

“Monday Mornings,” TNT’s newest medical drama, chronicles the lives of the surgeons working at Chelsea General Hospital. The new series focuses on the weekly “Morbidity and Mortality” meetings, held every Monday morning at the hospital, in which the doctors must explain the details behind cases in which their patients have died. In most cases, these deaths turn out to be the fault of the attending physician—a factor which makes for an incredibly dramatic pilot episode.

Drama is what this new series does best. Between suspenseful surgeries, traumatic ER scenes and heated arguments, the pilot episode is never without it. Most intense are the scenes from the ‘M and M’ meetings. These segments contain the perfect amount of silence and friction to create truly electric moments.

The pilot episode is also cinematically dramatic, with the use of intensely bright colors, intriguing camera angles and creative transition and flashback sequences.

This gives the new series a unique, almost filmic vibe. The creative use of cinematography also adds to the intensity of some of the more dramatic scenes. Visually, the

photo courtesy oF JamiebamberFan.com

The cast of “Monday Mornings,” TNT’s new medical drama about Morbidity and Mortality conferences, attempts to resuscitate a patient.

Feb. 12, 2013

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‘Side Effects’ not worth the risk by julia kuttler Contributing Writer

“Side Effects,” the newest psychological thriller film, is a cat-and-mouse game that keeps audiences wondering what the next escalation will be. Written and directed by Scott Burns and Steven Soderbergh, the creative team from such disparate films as “Contagion” and “Magic Mike,” “Side Effects” has a little bit of each genre, attempting to blend the medical mystery with sexy suspense.

The star-studded cast features Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones as psychiatrists clashing over the care of emotionally volatile patient Rooney Mara (“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”). Though there are plenty of thrilling plot twists, the movie lacks inner focus, convoluting the plot line. What starts off as an apparent critique of American psychiatric care centered on an innocent victim of pharmacology quickly turns into a power struggle between all of the characters involved. Rooney Mara is the true star of the film; it is her performance that drives the action of the film from start to finish.

Like an action movie made solely for car-chase sequences, “Side Effects” seems equally

photo courtesy oF pathe.nl

Rooney Mara and Channing Tatum star in “Side Effects,” in which Mara’s character suffers from violent side effects from her medication.

shallow, focusing primarily on the aforementioned power struggle. Fortunately, Soderbergh knows how to pack the film full of conspiracy and scheming, keeping audiences’ interest. Slowly and bit by bit, the confused motives of the characters are revealed, maintaining the film’s dramatic tension for the full 106 minutes.

Mara stars as Emily Taylor, a depressed woman who begins psychiatric medication when

her husband (Channing Tatum), imprisoned for insider trading, returns home. However after starting the medication Taylor becomes suicidal, suffers with sleepwalking episodes and turns violent. Her behavior turns into a national scandal when she is put on trial for murder, claiming the pills were at fault. Jude Law’s Jonathan Banks is her expert witness, also having been the one to put her on the medication in the first place.

As Banks’ life unravels from the scandal, he becomes bent on revenge and is convinced that Taylor’s last psychiatrist—an icy cold Zeta-Jones as Victoria Siebert—set him up.

In a series of realistic encounters, Banks meets with Siebert and the imprisoned Taylor, determined to find out the truth and clear his name.

This is the first time the movie begins to fall apart, for Banks’ intentions are muddled and

unclear—we are allowed to see his behavior but are given no insight into his inner thoughts.

As a central player Banks is the weakest of the movie’s characterizations. Taylor’s character is not well developed either, but Mara’s performance is compelling enough to convince you that you understand the character.

For all the intrigue of the plot, the movie lacks explanation, leaving audiences puzzled instead of offering dramatic insight. Twists though there may be, backstory is nearly absent.

Without fully understanding the history of the characters, it is difficult to understand the over-thetop behavior of both the doctors and the patient. Hints are given as to what their past lives may be, but nothing is explicitly told.

The cinematography is as blunt as the subject matter, made up for a series of hard close-ups and long pan-outs. While the soundtrack, as with most of the acting, is forgettable, “Side Effects” is well paced and confident. The film is at its best when embracing the “thriller” genre. If audiences are able to suspend disbelief for a while, “Side Effects” can be a gripping, compelling drama; if, however, you are looking for a story with a deeper message, you will not find one here.

‘Arc’ wraps around modern themes by christian allen Web Editor

If there’s one thing that can be said about Everything Everything’s much-hyped debut, Man Alive, it’s that it was a bit all over the place. At its best, tracks like “MY KZ, UR BF” or “Qwerty Finger” demonstrated Everything Everything’s strength at combining pop, electro, indie rock and some utterly zany vocals into a unique, stirring and strangely beautiful package.

At its worst, Everything Everything just sounded disorganized, jagged and not quite sure of itself. Everything Everything was a band with potential, undoubtedly, but it had yet to realize it.

It’s tough to say whether with Arc, nearly two and a half years later, Everything Everything has lived up to its full potential—the album isn’t perfect.

Arc wastes no time in grabbing your attention with “Cough, Cough,” an opener and lead single that’s as spastic and convulsive as, well, a cough. At first listen, it may seem just as irritating, too. Coughing noises, repetitive vocals and a seizureinducing synth track make for a jarring mix, to say the least.

Listeners unfamiliar with Everything Everything, moreover, will need some time to get used to Jonathan Higgs’ signature falsetto yelp. Hidden beneath this superficially over-the-top mix, though, is an exceedingly clever and finely orchestrated pop song with a lot to say, and it serves as the introduction to the lyrical themes that pop up consistently throughout Arc. Higgs has always had an overt fascination with the scientific and technological, as he’s been barking about things like NASA, Faraday cages, Photoshop,

LED screens and cellular division since his band’s inception. Before now, however, these somewhat erratic references never really added up to a cohesive message, and consequently, it felt like the band was merely trying to drive the point home that it was a capital-M “modern” band with a singer who happened to be exceedingly well read.

On Arc, though, this “fascination” with the scientific, the technological and the futuristic has evidently transformed into a definable unease. Whether on the aforementioned “Cough, Cough” (“That Eureka moment hits you like a cop car / And you wake up just head and shoulders in a glass jar”), the anorexic stylings of “Torso of the Week” (“Hollowest cheeks in the county / Time to Tweet”) or the vocal frenzy of “Undrowned” (“Princes fly drones who can see through your bones”), Arc thematically serves as an indictment of the rapid industrialization and reliance on technology in which modern society is caught.

It’s an ironic message coming from a band that uses electronics to get its point across now more than ever. Synths appear consistently throughout, vocal manipulation is frequent and the percussion tracks sound chopped up and computerized.

Though there are occasional curves off into the natural (such as on the fantastic Sigur Ros-ian string swell of “Duet,” or the stirring piano-based pseudo-closer “The Peaks”), Arc for the most part maintains an inorganic, metallic aesthetic.

But it’s one that works for them. Arc is peppered with songs that are as sonically engaging and lyrically dynamic as they are computerized. The infectious half-time groove of

second track “Kemosabe” is a first-half highlight, while the Passion Pit-esque “Armourland” skillfully transitions from a jagged, chopped-up opening into the most lush, romantic and inviting hook the band’s ever written (“I wanna take you home / Find some new joy in this autopilot land”).

The centerpiece “Undrowned,” which is based primarily on the interplay between a rapid-fire vocal line and pulsating keyboard triplets, might just be the best track on here. What begins as a prescient observation of the quarrelsome outside world quickly and cleverly builds into a desperate cry for help amidst the chaos of modernity (“I’m in debt, Ma, I’ve waited too long / I thought there was something, I waited for something / Don’t

leave, girl, don’t leave”). It’s Higgs’ best vocal performance yet in one of the best songs of the year, and it’ll blow you away.

Arc isn’t uniformly impressive, though. For one, the album feels a bit long, and perhaps is a bit encumbered by one or two too many slow numbers.

“The House Is Dust” is a latealbum snooze that feels entirely unnecessary. The mid-album neighbors “Choice Mountain” and “Feet for Hands” also feel meandering, and suck a bit of the momentum out of the generally fantastic opening section.

That being said, if there’s one song on here that serves as the Sparknotes to Arc’s sometimes obscure manifesto, look no further than the late-album gem “Radiant,” in which Higgs first presents a world in which

“every inch of matter is measured, and every force and element is known,” and asks: In this world of infinite information, where do we look to find novelty, to find beauty? In the final chorus, he provides a retort, shouting “the birth of a child, the sunrise / It’s all I ever had,” with a ferocity and humanity that’ll send shivers down your spine. It’s the most breathtaking moment Arc has to offer, and it’s one that’ll make you return to this song again and again.

Given the album’s underlying message of retaining humanity amidst modernity, and novelty amidst technology, it’s fitting that in spite of having some highly electronic elements and metallic production, Arc’s most memorable moment is also its most undeniably human one.

photo courtesy oF giloscope.co.uk

Vocalist and guitarist Jonathan Higgs performs live as a part of the British indie band Everything Everything.

Feb. 12, 2013

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Pioneers reclaim Gold Pan title DU skates to tie, loss against rival Colorado College by alex proietti Assistant Sports Editor

After losing the Gold Pan to the Tigers last season, the then-No. 8/9 Denver team sealed the win to bring it back to Denver in Friday’s 1-1 tie. The tie gave the Pioneers five points, officially claiming the title.

The series continued Saturday, as the team traveled to Colorado Springs to fall to Colorado College 6-5 in overtime, despite a third-period rally.

The weekend’s performance drops the Pioneers to 15-9-5 overall and 10-7-5 in conference play, as well as No. 11 in the USCHO.com and USA Today/ USA Hockey Polls, as Colorado College improves to 11-4-5 overall and 8-10-6 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and remains unranked.

Denver sits at No. 12 in the Pairwise Rankings, keeping them within the playoff-mandated top 16. The Pairwise Rankings determine which 16 teams will compete in the NCAA playoffs at the close of the regular season and conference tournaments.

In goal for the Pioneers on Friday was sophomore goaltender Juho Olkinuora, who recorded 35 saves in the 1-1 deadlock.

On the opposite end, senior goaltender Joe Howe stopped 33 Pioneer attempts to hold Denver to one goal.

“I think the opportunity we had tonight to do a little bit better probably was there,” said head coach George Gwozdecky. “But, with both teams creating all types of chances, taking advantage of miscues by the opponent, I thought the goaltenders were outstanding. We have to be better on our shot selection; we did not create enough second chance opportunities, and part of that is how their goaltender played.”

Sophomore Larkin Jacobson scored the lone goal for the Pioneers on Friday after jumping out of the penalty box to beat Howe on a wrister from just inside the circle with under three minutes remaining in the first period.

“I just wanted to get out of the box, and we were stuck in our own zone,” said Jacobson. “It was just perfect timing; right when I got out of the box it chipped off the glass there. We always stretch with the puck in practice, and I just thought I would put on that and hope for a rebound and it just worked out.”

Freshman defenseman Nolan Zajac scored what appeared to be his sixth

The Pioneers celebrate the lone goal scored in Friday’s 1-1 deadlock from sophomore forward Larkin Jacobson.

goal of the season at the start of the third period, but the goal was called back on goalie interference.

“You are never quite sure what is going to be the key moment of the game,” said Gwozdecky. “We scored the powerplay goal and then the interference, it was the right call, but at that point of the game, you hope that it’s not going to be a major factor.”

Olkinuora kept the Pioneers in the game in the third, making several key saves, including a sprawling stop on a CC breakaway opportunity by junior defenseman Eamonn McDermott.

Saturday’s Action The Pioneers travelled to Colorado Springs Saturday to play in the World Arena as they completed the series with the 6-5 loss after a late three-goal rally in the third period.

Despite the effort from the Pioneers, CC’s freshman forward Hunter Fejes scored his second goal of the game, the game winner, with just 10.5 seconds remaining in the overtime period.

Olkinuora represented the Pioneers in goal again on Saturday, registering 32 saves in the overtime loss. Howe defended the CC goal again as well, stopping 31 Denver shots for the win.

After leading the Tigers 2-1, the Pioneers allowed four goals in the second period, trailing 5-2 before their third-period flurry where they netted three goals in a 3:18 span in the final six

minutes in regulation, forcing the game into overtime.

Junior forward Nick Shore opened the scoring Saturday, giving Denver an early 1-0 advantage just 4:54 into the game, assisted by Zajac and freshman forward Gabe Levin. The goal marked Shore’s 11th of the season.

Capitalizing on a power-play opportunity four minutes later was sophomore forward Ty Loney, who stretched the Pioneer lead to 2-0 on a redirection of sophomore defenseman Joey LaLeggia’s shot attempt. Loney’s goal marked his first since Jan. 4 against Cornell and his seventh on the season.

The Tigers went on to a five-goal run before the Pioneers were able to answer, beginning at the 3:32 mark of the second stanza on a wrister by junior forward Archie Skalbeck when he beat Olkinuora to cut Denver’s lead to 2-1.

Just over six minutes later, CC struck again as Fejes picked up his first goal of the game on a one-timer from teammate senior forward William Rapuzzi’s perfect centering pass to knot the score at 2-2.

With 6:17 remaining in the middle stanza, senior defenseman Joe Marciano gave the Tigers their first lead of the game with a slapshot from just inside the blueline to beat Olkinuora on his glove side.

Continuing the defensive scoring trend, senior defenseman Mike Boivin scored CC’s final goal of the period with 4:22 remaining on a blast from the slot on Olkinuora’s glove side again, stretching their lead to 4-2.

Gymnastics vaults past Southern Utah by makayla cisneros Staff Writer

The DU women’s gymnastics team topped Southern Utah on Friday and performed incredibly well, according to head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart.

The team finished with scores of 49.125 on vault, 49.152 on bars, 49.025 on the beam and 49.1 on the floor for a total 196.4 in the competition, marking the team’s best score on the road since 2007.

The Pioneers entered the competition with distinct goals in mind, in addition to switching up their approach to the meet, according to Kutcher-Rinehart.

One of the team’s main goals was to score 49 or higher in each event, which they achieved.

“We had a lot of girls competing in areas that normally aren’t

theirs,” said Kutcher-Rinehart.

“The different line-ups really helped the athletes to get experience in new areas; it also allowed other athletes that normally perform the events get some rest.”

Another aspect of the performance that contributed to the victory was the mental attitude of the athletes, according to Kutcher-Rinehart.

“The mental toughness of the girls really helped a lot; they remained calm after making mistakes and really trusted each other,” said Kutcher. “One person after another could make a mistake, and it didn’t have to count.”

“A couple of girls that stood out were Ellese Sakai-Heart and Simona Castro; both either reached or tied their career highs.

Sakai-Heart reached a career high

of 9.85 on the balance beam, and Castro scored a 9.85 on the vault.”

This victory was key to the team’s overall season, according to Kutcher-Rinehart, and the fact that it was an away meet helps even more. It is beneficial to have a high away score, as it allows the team to drop a lower score and really helps the team’s overall ranking.

Kutcher-Rinehart is looking forward to the home competitions to come, however, and said she hopes the DU community will come out to support the team in this exciting time.

“Overall, our goals are really to build a championship tradition on a foundation of our three values: of teamwork, as in supporting each other; character, as in having trust in one another; and excellence,” said Kutcher-Rinehart.

ryan lumpkin|clarion

In the span of just five seconds, the teams exchanged goals when CC’s junior forward Alexander Krushelnyski netted his 10th goal of the season after racing up the left side and firing a wrister at Olkinuora, increasing the Tiger’s lead to 5-2 before being answered by Denver.

Immediately following Krushelnyski’s goal, Jacobson found the net for the second time in as many nights with six minutes remaining in the game to spark the Pioneer rally.

Utilizing the momentum from Jacobson’s goal, LaLeggia and sophomore forward Zac Larraza capped off the comeback with a goal each to knot the contest at 5-5 at the end of regulation.

LaLeggia notched his 10th goal of the season with 4:53 remaining before Larraza registered his seventh of the season with 2:42 left in regulation.

Saturday’s loss marked the 287th meeting between the programs and the final game in this season’s Gold Pan Series.

In the last eight games, six have been decided by one goal or ended in a tie.

The loss also puts Denver at 0-2-5 in overtime games this season. The Pioneers now sit in a three-way tie for fifth place in the WCHA at 25 points with Minnesota State and Wisconsin. Denver trails St. Cloud State with 31 points, North Dakota with 28 and Minnesota and Nebraska Omaha with 26 each.

The Pioneers have a 12-day layoff before they host North Dakota on Feb. 22 for the first of a two-game series in Magness Arena.

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LAX 2013

Feb. 12, 2013

LACROSSE

Men’s team in ‘hunt’ for national title

kim nesbitt|clarion

Team captains Chase Carraro (32), Eric Law (11) and Cameron Flint (18) lead the men’s lacrosse team in practice last week at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. Defensive player Drew Babb is the team’s fourth captain.

Pioneers begin 2013 campaign with Duke upset, snap Blue Devils’ home win streak by anna gauldin Sports Editor

After consecutive losses to the eventual national champions in the 2011 and 2012 NCAA tournaments, the 2013 season is officially underway for the DU men’s lacrosse team, and the Pioneers are looking to break the cycle.

Two years ago, the Pioneers made the program’s first Final Four appearance in their 14-8 loss to Virginia, who proceeded to claim the school’s fifth national title. Last season, Denver (9-7) suffered its sixth onegoal loss of the season to Loyola in the quarterfinals, ending the season with a 10-9 loss.

This season, however, the Pioneers are prepared to write a different story in the coming months, according to head coach Bill Tierney. Denver was ranked No. 2 Eastern College Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll, which was released on Friday, second only to defending national champion Loyola.

“It’s a whole new year, and there are so many good things to talk about,” said Tierney. “We have some great senior leaders and captains. We have a good, big freshman class, and they’re all talented kids. It’s an exciting time for DU lacrosse.

“Even though we had some good things last year, we feel like we really came up a little short. Six one-goal losses, fourth place in the ECAC—that’s not where we want to be. We want to win the ECAC championship and we want to be back in the hunt for a national championship.”

The No. 8/9 Pioneers demonstrated this goal with their first regular season game on Saturday—a 14-12 upset of No. 4/5 Duke on the Blue Devils’ home turf, snapping Duke’s nine-game win streak at home, which was the longest active streak in the nation. Sophomore attackman Eric Adamson led Denver on Saturday with a career-high five goals and one assist.

“I am so proud of our team for making the adjustments that we asked them

to make in the locker room and trusting and believing in themselves,” said Tierney. “Duke is a great team with very talented and athletic young men who really made it tough for us in the first half to get into any kind of rhythm. We’ve got a great group of senior leaders who really stepped up to lead this team today.”

After topping one of the top teams in the country, the Pioneers continue the 2013 regular season with a competitive schedule, taking on two more top-15 teams in their next two contests. Denver’s next two opponents—Penn State this Saturday in Florida and Lehigh at the DU Face-Off Classic on Feb. 23—are ranked No. 15 and No. 10/11, respectively.

“That’s one thing Coach Tierney does really well; he really creates your experience as a college lacrosse player by putting you up against high-quality opponents,” said senior midfielder and captain Chase Carraro. “These are games you’re going to remember for the rest of your life.”

The difficulty of the Pioneers’ schedule will carry over into conference play, which begins March 9. Denver will faceoff with Loyola, the defending national champions, Fairfield (No. 16) and Ohio State (No. 19/20), all three of whom topped the Pioneers at least once last season. The Pioneers will also host No. 3 Notre Dame in the Whitman’s Sampler Mile High Classic at Sports Authority Field on March 16.

Depth is key for Pioneer roster The DU roster boasts depth across the board this season, returning eight of its 10 starters, the entirety of its starting defense and its first midfield, which consists of Carraro, junior Jeremy Noble and senior Cameron Flint and has been lauded as one of the top midfield lines in the country.

“When you have eight of your 10 starters back, it’s really comforting,” said Tierney. “It’s really nice to know you have guys who aren’t going into big games for the first time.”

Noble leads the Pioneers’ returning players after recording 46 points last season off 25 goals and 21 assists, trailing

only former senior attackmen Mark Matthews and Alex Demopoulos, who were both selected in the 2013 MLL draft at the end of last season. Noble was named AllECAC at midfield on Friday.

“Jeremy is going to be on the field more than anybody out there,” said Tierney. “He can play offense, he can play defense and he’s a great groundball guy. He’s become a really vocal leader and really one of the most dynamic players on the team.”

The Pioneers are also led this season by four senior captains: Carraro, Flint, attackman Eric Law and defenseman Drew Babb.

“Forgetting lacrosse, they are four of the greatest young men I have ever been around,” said Tierney. “They care about each other, and they care about their teammates. Each one of them brings something different.”

Carraro finished the 2012 season ranked No. 8 in the country with a 0.604 face-off win percentage, earning 217-of-359 for the Pioneers and leading Denver to a No. 5 team ranking in face-offs. On Friday, he was also named All-ECAC as a specialist.

Flint, who struggled with injuries last season, is now in his second season as captain, while Law trailed only Matthews with 26 goals last season, and Babb forced a team-high 11 turnovers while racking up 21 groundballs.

Despite returning eight starters, the graduation of Matthews, Demopoulos and six other seniors left large shoes to fill on the Pioneer offense, as the two attackmen combined for 192 points last season. Stepping into the open positions at attack are sophomore midfielder Wes Berg, who tied Noble with 26 goals last season, and freshman attackman Gordie Koerber, who was ranked as one of Lacrosse Magazine’s 15 College Rookies to Watch last September.

In Saturday’s contest against Duke, Berg and Koerber were two of Denver’s top scorers, recording two and three goals, respectively. Koerber was also ranked the ECAC Preseason Rookie of the Year by the conference on Friday. Berg received the same honor in his debut season in 2012 and was named All-ECAC at attack this season.

“We’re adjusting better than I thought we would [to losing Mark and

Alex],” said Carraro. “We’ve had some really high quality freshmen come in that are really stepping up for us in our scrimmages and practices. Eric Law has done a fantastic job of taking over where Alex Demopoulos used to play, and his leadership has really propelled the younger guys to elevate their games even more.”

Defensively, the Pioneers return a number of key players, including sophomore defenseman Carson Cannon, who was named All-ECAC at defense last week.

The depth of the Pioneer roster even extends to the goal, where sophomore Ryan LaPlante holds the starting position after taking over last year when thensophomore Jamie Faus tore his Achilles tendon five games into the season. While LaPlante currently holds the starting position, Faus’ reestablished health will allow him to vie for the position.

“It is certainly a coach’s dream to have two young men who can play goalie for us,” said Tierney. “It’s very comforting to know that if we ever have the need, that if someone is hurt or not playing well, we have another great one right behind him.”

Going up against Duke, LaPlante recorded a career-best 18 saves, only three shy of DU’s record of 21, which was set by Jeff Nunziato in 2003.

What’s to come Looking forward, both Tierney and Carraro iterated goals of claiming the conference championship and attaining a national title. According to Carraro, the key is treating every game as a significant one. Tierney said he is confident in his team’s ability and work ethic.

“Our goals are very high,” said Tierney. “We think we have a shot at the ECAC title, and we think we have a shot at the national championship, but things can always fall the other way like they did a year ago. I think we have the chemistry, the team and the leadership and we certainly have the talent.”

The Pioneers will play their first home game when they host the DU FaceOff Classic at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium Feb. 23-24. Air Force, Lehigh and Canisius will attend.

LAX 2013

Feb. 12, 2013

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LOWDOWN

Pioneers prepped for new campaign by michael gooch Senior Reporter

The women’s lacrosse team will begin its 2013 season on the road against Vanderbilt this Saturday, followed by an additional two road games before their home opener on March 2 against Louisville, the first of five consecutive games at home.

“We are ready to go; we’ve been in preseason for over six weeks, and I think that the team and the coaching staff are really excited to travel to Nashville,” said head coach Liza Kelly. “[Vanderbilt] graduated a ton of seniors that were top in the country, so we’re not quite sure what team we’re going to see from them. I’m hoping that our team that we ended with in the fall is the one that we’re going to come out with.”

The Pioneers are returning 19 letterwinners this season, 10 of which were starters last year. During the 2013 season, the team finished second in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) regular season with records of 12-3 overall and 6-1 in the MPSF. According to the 2013 MPSF Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the Pioneers are selected to finish third behind Oregon and Stanford. However, Kelly said the team has their eyes set on first place and nothing less.

“I feel like I’m saying it every year; we need to get over the hump and win the conference championship,” said Kelly.

“This team did some great things last year, but I think the ultimate goal for us is to get better everyday so that we’re winning that championship game and so that there’s no question in anyone’s mind going into next year who’s the number one seed.”

Returning for the team are the top three scorers from last season, sophomore Jill Remenapp, junior Jenn Etzel and redshirt senior Kara Secora. Also returning is senior Kate Henrich, who led the nation in caused turnovers. The team as a whole also led the nation in caused turnovers.

Both Henrich and Secora were selected to the 2012 All-MPSF First Team last year, and were also named this season’s team captains, along with fellow senior Jessica Gring.

“Last season, I thought that we were really good, but I think this season will be better,” said Secora. “I think we’re stronger, and we are definitely an older team.

We have a lot more juniors and seniors this year, and all of us want to win.”

According to Secora and Kelly, the team is looking to start the season off

ryan lumpkin|clarion

The Pioneer women’s lacrosse team scrimmages at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium last week. Senior Kate Henrich (5) led the nation in caused turnovers last season, and sophomore Jill Remenapp (7) is one of the team’s top returning scorers.

with a win, something they weren’t able to do last season. The team opened against John Hopkins last season with a 20-5 loss.

“We got embarrassed last year against Hopkins, and I think that we’re putting ourselves out there again by going on the road against a tough opponent,” said Kelly. “We want to play the way that we ended the year, and even the way we ended the fall. I think we’ve got a lot of different threats on the field, and I think defensively we’re solid.”

Kelly said she views the team’s defense as one of their biggest threats to opponents. Gring finished third on the team with 18 caused turnovers last season, and Henrich broke the DU single-season record with 46 caused turnovers.

“We showed them a lot of different looks, and I think that our opponents can’t just prepare their offenses as if they’re going to see a standard man-toman [defense],” said Kelly.

As for the Pioneers’ offense, Kelly believes the addition of assistant coach Matt Lawicki will help to create new looks offensively. She said the Pioneers’ opponents won’t be able to see the same looks that they’ve shown in the past.

Last season, the Pioneers were ranked 10th in scoring offense with 13.93 goals

Men’s Lax Home Games

per game and were also 11th in scoring margin with a 4.2.

The team has been working on their field chemistry during practices in order to know what to expect from each other both offensively and defensively.

According to Kelly, the team has a great base of veterans that have been playing together for a while and now needs to figure out how the seven new freshmen fit into the mix.

“This freshman class brings a wealth of different experiences to DU,” said Kelly.

“They have competed for top high schools and club teams and play with a championship mentality.”

Four of the incoming freshmen will be playing midfield for the team. Lauren Gerrie was named All-County First Team for her final two years of high school and also led her team in scoring with 106 goals.

Sarah Kasun led her club team to the Club National Championship in 2009 and 2012.

Also playing midfield is Monica Lucas, who was named U.S. Lacrosse First Team All-American, and Rachael McKinnon, who led her club team to a 42-0 record in 2011 and 2012.

Rounding out the rest of the freshmen are Helen Shabinsky, Christa Reese

and Colorado native Brooklyn Batey on defense. Batey was voted All-State as a senior and earned all-league three times.

Reese was named to the Baltimore Messenger All-Star Second Team in 2011, and Shabinsky earned all-section, allleague and all-county honors from her high school team.

“I think we work a lot harder to help each other get better in practice everyday, and I think we have a little bit more of that drive this time,” said Secora. “Preseason is a lot of hard practices, but we’re definitely ready now; every practice means we’re getting better every minute. We take every practice and go from there.”

This new season also comes with a change to the NCAA tournament bracket, which has been expanded from 12 teams to 24 teams and eliminated the play-in games and added more at-large bids.

“We’re up to nine teams within the MPSF, and the winner of the championship gets the automatic qualifier because of the brackets match-up,” said Kelly. “I feel strongly that our schedule puts Denver in a position to contend for both an at-large spot and for the automatic qualifier, so it’s a big year for women’s lacrosse, and we’re hoping it’s a big year for the Pioneers.”

Women’s Lax Home Games

Saturday, Feb. 23 Lehigh 1:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 16 Sunday, April 7 Notre Dame, 4:30 p.m. Bellarmine* Sports Authority Field 1 p.m.

Saturday, March 2 Louisville 11 a.m.

Saturday, March 9 Fresno State* 11 a.m.

Sunday, April 7 UC Davis* TBA

Sunday, Feb. 24 Canisius 1:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 23 Air Force* 1 p.m.

Saturday, April 20 Fairfield* 1 p.m.

Monday, March 4 High Point 1 p.m.

Wed., March 13 Boston University 7 p.m.

Friday, April 26 Oregon* 5 p.m.

Saturday, March 2 Penn 2 p.m.

Friday, April 5 Marquette 7 p.m.

Saturday, April 27 Michigan* 12 p.m.

Friday, March 8 Winthrop 1 p.m.

Friday, April 5 Stanford* 4 p.m.

*Denotes conference competition. All home games are at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium, excluding Notre Dame on March 16.

*Denotes conference competition. All home games are at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.

Feb. 12, May 22, 2013 2012

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Men’s basketball wins 2 at home

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Feb. 12, 2013

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ryan lumpkin|clarion

Freshman Jalen Love takes a shot in Saturday’s game against Idaho. Love led the team, scoring a total of 22 points in the 74-58 win at Magness Arena.

by michael gooch Senior Reporter

After winning two games on the road against Texas San Antonio and Texas State last week, the Pioneer men’s basketball team won two more at home this past weekend with a 72-55 win against Seattle and a 74-58 win to top Idaho.

The weekend’s performance extends the team to a four-game win streak. In addition to the streak, the team’s record improved to 15-8 overall and 11-2 in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

On Thursday against Seattle, the Pioneers topped the school record of 18 steals by racking up 22 total steals that night.

Senior Chase Hallam was also able to set the all-time DU Division-I steals record with eight steals in the game, in addition to the 10 points he earned for the squad.

“Our defense is good; we were turning them over,” said head coach Joe Scott. “We were getting some easy baskets out of that, but we weren’t playing that well offensively.

We were just sluggish on the offense, but I think each time it got like that, our defense was very good at going after the ball and

getting baskets off of turnovers, and that was the key to the game.”

Leading the team in scoring was junior Chris Udofia, who scored 23 points and set a career high with his third 3-pointer of the game. Following in points were freshman Jalen Love with 11 and sophomore guard Cam Griffin with nine, along with five assists and four steals.

“I feel like we played really good together as a team,” said Griffin. “Defensive wise, we got 22 steals, so I feel like we played a pretty complete game. I just played off my teammates; they did a great job allowing

me to get in position to make plays. I’m just blessed to have them as teammates.”

In the contest against Idaho on Saturday, Love stepped up for the team, scoring a total of 22 points, followed by Udofia, who added 11 more. Sophomore Royce O’Neale added 12 points, as well as a team-high of six rebounds during the game. Scott said the team improved on all aspects of the game compared to the performance against Seattle just days prior.

“On Thursday, we were sluggish, but tonight, our guys were firing on all cylinders,” said Scott. “Our offense executed very well in the half court. We need to keep doing what we’re doing.”

The Pioneers had led the Vandals in shot percentage with 56.9 percent, compared to Idaho’s 47.9 percent. The team ended the first half leading 36-14, and during the second half, the lead was stretched to as many as 30 points.

According to the team, they are looking to continue to do well on defense, as they have, and sharpen up their offense.

“Offensively, we just need to be more in sync, and defensively, just continuing to attack the ball, get turnovers and take those easy points,” said Griffin.

The team will hit the road again this week when they take on Utah State on Thursday and San Jose State on Saturday.

Utah State is just below Denver on the WAC rankings board with a 17-5 overall record and an 8-4 WAC record. San Jose holds a 9-14 overall record and a 3-9 WAC record.

Utah State recently beat San Jose State 63-36 in their last meeting. Standing out for Utah State was junior Spencer Butterfield, who got his fifth double-double in that game. Utah State was also able to get a 16-0 run in the first half of the contest.

Utah picked up its third consecutive win that night, while San Jose State dropped their losing streak to eight consecutive games.

Denver can compare their shooting percentage of 55.6 percent in their last game to Utah’s 51.9 percent and San Jose’s 26.5 percent.

The Pioneers are looking to continue their winning streak as they take to the road, according to Griffin.

Hard work pays off for Ostrow, team

ryan lumpkin|clarion

Senior forward Shawn Ostrow leads the Pioneers on and off the ice.

by alex proietti Assistant Sports Editor

After following in his brother’s footsteps to Denver, senior forward Shawn Ostrow has grown with the program and taken up a leadership role for the Pioneer hockey team.

After maturing with the program, Ostrow now carries the burden of being a leader for the team. He is serving as an associate captain this season and is expected to be a role model for the younger guys on the team, as well as a leader of the team as a whole.

According to Ostrow, however, it is a role he has enjoyed.

“It’s definitely something different, having that role, but it’s nice at the same time having the younger guys that expect you to be a leader out there and perform every night because if you’re not and you take a shift off, then they feel they can do the same,” said Ostrow. “You have to make sure you’re just a little more focused and make sure those guys have something to look up to.”

The Calgary native picked up hockey at just 4 years old before beginning to play year-round for the foreseeable future.

“I played all year round, so I would play with my winter team, and in the summer, I had a team also, so I played with that all the way up,” said Ostrow.

His brother, Kyle, joined the Pioneer ranks before him, putting in time with the team from 20072011 and serving as the captain his senior season and associate captain his junior season.

According to Ostrow, his brother played a large role in his decision to become a Pioneer.

“He definitely did [influence me],” said Ostrow. “I came down here on a visit, and I saw how they treated him, got to watch him play Wisconsin and just loved the experience here. It made it a lot easier to have the opportunity to play with him for two years.”

Having the chance to play with his brother was invaluable and one he otherwise would not have been afforded.

“It was a great experience [playing with Kyle],” said Ostrow.

“We’d never had that opportunity being two or three years apart, so when I came down here, he was a junior and I was a freshman. We had a couple shifts together, and that was pretty special. We only ended up with one point together, but it was a good experience, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Since beginning with the Pioneers, Ostrow has grown as an athlete. After recording just three points his freshman season, he improved to 21 points last season

and 20 points already this season from 10 goals and 10 assists.

“I kind of came into my own last year,” said Ostrow. “Coach moved me to center, which I was more comfortable at. Being a senior this year, there’s more responsibility, and you’re expected to perform more. I started out as a penalty killer, and now I play power-play, which is another step in the development level here.”

Since moving to center, Ostrow’s increased presence on the ice has not gone unnoticed by the coaching staff.

“I think for Shawn, being a center, there’s a lot of responsibility that goes with that, having to play against a lot of our opponents’ best players,” said associate head coach Steve Miller. “He’s a very strong defensive player, tough to play against and very strong in the face-off circle. I think at one point in [the Feb. 2] game he was 15-0 on draws. That’s that senior leadership that Shawn has shown this year.

He’s always been a difficult player to play against.”

Ostrow, a finance major, has also been honored numerous time for his academic success. His sophomore year, he shared the Dr. Art Mason Memorial Award as Denver’s top scholar-athlete with Chris Nutini and was named to the All-WCHA Academic Team, in addition to being recognized as a WCHA Scholar Athlete for maintaining a 3.5 GPA or better. He was also named to the All-WCHA Academic Team his junior season.

Ostrow reflected on how quickly a hockey career can change and the importance of academics as a result of that, which he credits for driving his academic endeavors.

“There’s definitely more responsibility being a student athlete; student comes first, and that’s something coach preaches here,” said Ostrow. “You never know when hockey can end, so I put a lot of focus into my academics just in case I have to take that path after hockey.”

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