DU Clarion Volume 126 Issue 4

FEB. 06, 2019 VOLUME 126 ISSUE 4

DU RALLIES TO BEAT NORTH DAKOTA IN RIVALRY WEEKEND SEE PAGE 3

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DU CLARION

| NEWS

FEB. 06, 2019

The government is open, but not for long

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n Jan. 25, President Donald Trump made an unexpected move and opened the government after the 35-day shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. The government has been partially shut down since Dec. 22, 2018 when Democrats and President Donald Trump could not pass an appropriations bill. President Trump demanded that $5.7 billion be allocated in the appropriations bill for a wall along the southern border, while Democrats were unwavering in their opposition to funding the project.

As a result, nearly one million workers were furloughed, and certain governmental functions were put on hold until further notice.

But a week and a half ago Congress passed, and Donald Trump signed, a bill on the floor funding the government for three weeks. This is the first bill that the president has agreed to sign despite the many

bills proposed in the month since the shutdown began. He long cited the fact that these proposals did not include $5.7 billion in wall funding which is why he, with the help of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, shot them down.

The day before he signed the stopgap measure, the president tweeted, “Nancy just said she ‘just doesn’t understand why?’ Very simply, without a Wall it all doesn’t work. Our Country has a chance to greatly reduce Crime, Human Trafficking, Gangs and Drugs. Should have been done for decades.

We will not Cave!” However, the bill he did sign did not include any funding for a wall.

Many pundits are claiming victory for Democrats. However, President Donald Trump did not concede and said that this is only a larger part of his strategy. He tweeted on Jan 25., “This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were

ABOUT US

getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races!”

The ramifications of the partial shutdown are numerous. Government is quintessential to life in the U.S., and Americans have suffered without it. The U.S. economy lost $6 billion, airports were closed, hundreds of thousands of workers were not paid for

a month, federal contractors lost money and contracts that cannot be recovered and numerous others. On Feb. 15, the stopgap measure will expire and if other provisions have not been passed, the government will enter yet another partial shutdown.

Isaiah Jakab | Contributing Writer

Alex Wroblewski | Bloomberg | Getty Images

DU Clarion EDITORIAL STAFF

TARYN ALLEN, Editor-in-Chief GRACE CARSON, Executive Editor DANIELA SANTOS, News Editor HANNAH BRANIT, Sports Editor The Clarion is the official student newspaper of the University of Denver, serving as the “Voice of the Pioneers.” Founded in 1899, it covers campus and local stories with the highest level of journalistic integrity possible. 1000 copies are distributed each Wednesday afternoon (throughout the academic year) across the DU campus, and every article is also published at duclarion. com. The Clarion does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff and/or administration of DU, and the opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion.

Reproduction of the Clarion in whole or part in any form written, broadcast or electronic without written permission of the Clarion is prohibited. The opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion. The Clarion reserves the right to reject advertising, stories, columns or letters to the editor that it deems graphic, obscene or that discriminate on the basis of race, culture, gender or sexual orientation.

The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. Those who submit letters must limit them to 500 words. Some letters may not be published because of space limitations, overly-libelous content or similarity to past submissions. Please submit letters to duclarioneditor@gmail.com.

HOW TO JOIN The Clarion is open to contributors of all years and majors at DU, including both undergraduate and graduate students. There’s no application necessary; all you have to do is show up to one of our weekly meetings, which are held every Monday at 6 p.m. (during the academic year) in the Hub. Can’t make it to a meeting? Send an email to duclarioneditor@gmail.com and we’ll do everything we can to get you published.

ELIZABETH LOCHHEAD, Opinions Editor JUSTIN CYGAN, Arts & Life Editor NINA PETROVIC, Arts & Life Editor CAITLAN GANNAM, Photo/Video Editor VICTORIA VALENZUELA, Photo/Video Editor SARA LOUGHRAN, Copy Editor MAYA PINON, Copy Editor CHELSIE FINCHER, Illustrator LAWSON MONTGOMERY, Paper Delivery Person HALEY BIRT, Paper Delivery Person SYDNEY KAPP, Business Manager ANDREW MATRANGA, Faculty Adviser Cover photo courtesy of Victoria Valenzuela

CONTRIBUTING STAFF ISAIAH JAKAB

RACHEL KUNZI

LAWSON MONTGOMERY

SKYLAR NITZEL

BEN ROSSI

BAYLEE SCHNEIDER

HALEY PAEZ

MEGAN COONEY

CAMERON ELDER

REBECCA SHAGRIN

SAWYER AUSTIN NASH

FEB. 06, 2019

DU CLARION

SPORTS | 3

Victoria Valenzuela | Clarion

Pioneers secure vital points against NCHC rival North Dakota

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n a return to Magness Arena, the no.

7 Pioneers secured a win and NCHC point against NCHC rival North Dakota Fighting Hawks. The Pioneers are now 15-6-4 on the season and 7-6-2-2 in the NCHC. On Friday night, North Dakota got a fast start against the Pioneers in the first period as they outshot the Pioneers 19-6. However, the Pioneers were first on the board as sophomore Jaakko Heikkinen (Helsinki, Finland) settled a pass from freshman Tyler Ward (Kamloops, B.C.) to supply sophomore Jake Durflinger (Walnut Creek, Calif.) with an assist at 8:48 to put the Pioneers up 1-0. The second period brought a more balanced approach to the game for the Pioneers as it became more physical. The Pioneers were able to increase their lead at 2:48 as junior Tyson McLellan (San Jose, Calif.) sent the puck to the right-

wing side for the crashing sophomore Ryan Barrow (Banff, Alberta) to put the Pioneers up 2-0. The third period would become quiet until a few shots from the Pioneers got close to increasing the lead. North Dakota decided to fight back as a loose puck in front of the net left freshman Filip Larsson (Stockholm, Sweden) helpless as the Fighting Hawks pulled within one. The Fighting Hawks would try to equalize but to no avail due to Denver’s goalkeeping. Larsson made 45 saves against North Dakota, 15 of the 45 saves coming in the second period to help propel the Pioneers to a win.

On Saturday night, the Pioneers and North Dakota tied 1-1 before freshman Brett Stapley (Campbell River, B.C.) was able to secure the NCHC extra point for the Pioneers in three-onthree overtime.

Early in the first period, North Dakota was called

for a five-minute major and game misconduct to the head. Thirty seconds later, North Dakota was called for tripping. The Pioneers did not capitalize on the five-onthree power play, but junior Liam Finlay (Kelowna, B.C.) scored when North Dakota returned to full strength during a drive to the net.

Sophomore Ian Mitchell (Calahoo, Alberta) and Barrow went down with the assists. The Fighting Hawks almost tied the game at 11:25 in the second period, but the goal was eventually disallowed after goalie interference was determined during video review. The Fighting Hawks would tie the game at one each with 13 seconds left in the second period. Neither team was able to get a winning goal in the third period.

However, North Dakota came close with 3.8 seconds left in the game, but Larsson shot out of his crease to deny the shot. Larsson continued to display his strengths as

Denver’s goalkeeper as he shut down multiple two-onone opportunities and ended the night with 34 saves. In the NCHC overtime period junior Michael Davies (St. Louis, MO.) fed the puck to Stapley in the neutral zone, and Stapley took it from there. He danced around a defender and chipped the puck into the back of the net for the overtime win.

This weekend stretch helped place the Pioneers in fourth place in the NCHC standings, three points ahead of North Dakota with one fewer game played. The Pioneers will be traveling during the Feb. 15 and Feb. 16 weekend to no. 3 Minnesota Duluth for a hardfought battle. The Pioneers upset the then no. 1 Minnesota Duluth the last time the two teams squared off this season and will hope to repeat their winning ways.

Lawson Montgomery | Contributing Writer

Victoria Valenzuela | Clarion

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DU CLARION

FEB. 06, 2019

Super Bowl hits all-time low in scoring: Pats win again

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n what was expected to be an offensive shootout between two of the league’s top offenses, Super Bowl LIII ended up being the lowest scoring Super Bowl in NFL History with the Patriots emerging victorious at 13-3.

The first half did not see a single touchdown as Stephen Gostkowski scored the only points in the half on a 42-yard field goal to give the Patriots an early 3-0 lead. Despite generating some offensive momentum with 195 yards in the first half, the Patriots failed to put the ball in the endzone, as they suffered a missed field goal by Gostkowski earlier in the first half.

Brady also threw an interception on his first pass attempt to Chris Hogan that was picked off by Cory Littleton off a Nickell Robey-Coleman deflection. The Rams’ offense

was even more silent in the first half as they only managed 27 total yards on offense and just two first downs.

Both offenses showed no signs of a turnaround to start the second half, as both teams were forced to punt in their first two possessions of the half. With 3:40 left, Goff showed signs of life, completing an 18-yard strike to Robert Woods to put the Rams in field goal range, nearly scoring a touchdown on the drive. The Rams ended up settling for a 53-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein to tie the game at three. The game headed into the final quarter without a single touchdown.

The Patriots offense finally showed promise with a change in their offensive formation to one deep receiver in the fourth quarter which resulted in Brady finally leading the Patriots on a solid drive down

the field with several key passes to wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman. This drive was capped off by a two-yard touchdown run by Sony Michel to put the Patriots back in the lead 10-3.

The Patriots managed to hold the Rams’ offense in check despite a promising drive led

by Rams quarterback Jared Goff that nearly resulted in a touchdown to Brandin Cooks, Stephon Gilmore came up big as he picked off a weak pass from Goff who was under enormous pressure.

The game was looking pretty out of reach for the Rams at this point, and a final Patriots drive finished off by a 41-yard field goal by Gostkowski was enough to seal the deal for the Patriots to win their third Super Bowl in five years and their sixth Super Bowl in franchise history, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers

for most Lombardi Trophies.

All six of these trophies have come in the 21st century under the helm of Head Coach Bill Belichick and quarterback, Tom Brady, perhaps the greatest Head Coach/quarterback duo in NFL history. This victory happened on the same day against the same team that the Patriots’ first victory happened 17 years ago when the Belichick/Brady Patriots upset the Rams to begin the buildup of the greatest dynasty in NFL history continuing to today.

“I’m pretty proud that we’ve been able to keep him and our quarterback together for 19 years,” said Patriots Owner Robert Kraft. Belichick and Brady are expected to remain together, as the 41year-old has shown no signs of letting up.

Ben Rossi | Contributing Writer

Photo courtesy of International Business Times

You’ve made it to the X Games: Here’s what you should know

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he half-melted snow sloshed around boots of eager fans rushing closer to the mountain. Through a sea of beanies and loud cheers, all eyes were locked on the Big Air Jump.

The stadium approved lights were in full glow, possibly brighter than the rays the sun offered earlier in the day.

Yeah, it was cold. Maybe low 20s at best. But with friends and strangers packed tighter than Crayola crayons, the heat was just right.

Fur jackets of electrifying color that wouldn’t belong to any animal in the wild were commonplace. Tricked out goggles or funky sunglasses worked as long as either didn’t obstruct the view of athletes sailing higher than skyscrapers. Suddenly, a figure leapt from the pure white snow lip, and the commencement of twists and turns left mouths wide open. Right as one snowboard descended gracefully over the knuckle and touched down, it was time for the next rider to take his shot.

This event isn’t like baseball. There aren’t three strikes and you’re out. Nope, it’s about how many hits you can get in the 25-minute time slot, off a 49-meter ramp, no more no less. They each spun left and right to combine for the beloved perfect 100. With the time running low, it was

hard to imagine that any more rotations could be spun, but with triple courts being the expectation, it only caused these athletes to do more.

Sebbe De Buck proved Superman really does exist after soaring in slow motion with a single flip being his stylistic jump. A smile never

faded from Rene Rinnekangas’s face even as he found himself upside down. At only 17-years-old, Takeru Otsuka’s snowboard stomped the snow harder than the percussion from Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham. Flakes of snow fluttered off his board while his hands were raised high Photo courtesy of Wikimedia

above his head. Imagine that: a last-minute entry made the veterans’ knees twitch as they dropped down the almost vertical ramp.

Mark McMorris, 15-time medalist at the X Games, knew that a 46 was needed for another gold to be added to the list, and with his drop ready to commence, there was only excitement beaming through his goggles. He sliced through the air naturally, like he had wings from his Red Bull sponsorship.

Ultimately, his switch grip and 1440 rotation couldn’t secure his stop at the top of the podium. The newcomer from Japan, Takeru Otsuka, was crowned king, standing proudly over his subjects with a gold X Games medal instead of a crown. Regardless, the audience breathed in unison as if they were out of breath from tackling the challenge of Big Air. But their challenge had just started. There were still two more days of music blasting, people cheering, snow being swept around, athletes dominating and euphoria to be had. These initial moments are what confirm your ticket for the same craziness that X Games 2020 has to offer.

Haley Paez | Contributing Writer

FEB. 06, 2019

DU CLARION

SPORTS | 5

DU scores all-time high road score Feb. 2

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n a meet at Morgantown, W. Va. DU Women’s Gymnastics scored a 197.450, a program record for a road score. In accomplishing this, the team also finished first at this Big 12 meet, beating Iowa State (196.700) and home team West Virginia (196.125).

Starting the meet on the bars, the Pioneers scored 49.375, led by junior Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) with a 9.925. Second in this event, sophomore Emily Glynn (Longmont, Colo.) scored a season-best of 9.900. Sophomore Lynnzee Brown (Kansas City, Mo.) put up a 9.875 tying for third in the event. Also scoring in the high 9s were freshman Alexandria Ruiz (Lake Mary, Fla.) with 9.850, sophomore Mia Sundstrom

(Boulder, Colo.) with a 9.825 and senior Claire Kern (Charlotte, N.C.) with a 9.800.

Carrying this momentum on to the beam, where the team also scored a new record for a road score of 49.375, Karr and freshman Alexis Vasquez (Arcadia, Calif.) were highlights of the rotation with 9.925s. Sundstrom’s season-high 9.875 earned her a tie for third in the event, and Ruiz tied her personal best with a 9.825, also the score put up by Brown. Junior Kaitlyn Schou (Orlando, Fla.) also added a 9.800.

The third rotation moved the team on to the floor with a 49.400. Ruiz tied for first place with a career-high of 9.925 with Brown. Karr with 9.875, Sundstrom with 9.850 and

Schou with 9.825 were also on the leaderboard of DU’s counted scores for the round.

Karr vaulted a 9.975 to win the vault event and lead DU into the last stretch of the competition. Sundstrom had a careerhigh of 9.875 on the vault, and Schou and Ruiz scored a 9.825. Brown and senior Diana Chesnok (Charlotte, N.C.) also scored 9.800s to wrap up the last of the events.

Karr earned the all-around title with a 39.7000, the sixthbest score in DU history to add to the near perfect scores in the vault with a 9.975 and bars and beam with 9.925.

All of the all-arounders finished on the podium above 39.400. Karr was followed by Sundstrom, Ruiz and Brown who tied for second with

39.425s. Both Sundstrom and Ruiz earned career highs with these scores.

Head Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said, “It was, overall, just a really balanced competition and a strong showing by the freshmen. This team continues to show their character and growth.”

The team will now return home for their next three meets, beginning Sunday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. MST in Magness Arena against No. 1 Oklahoma.

Cameron Elder | Contributing Writer

The Clarion Crossword: Week 5 Need some help? Visit duclarion.com for the answer key.

Chelsie Fincher | Clarion

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| SPORTS

DU CLARION

FEB. 06, 2019

Men’s Basketball falls to South Dakota State 92-82 The Pioneers took on Mike Daum and South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Sunday night and just fell short by a score of 92-82. The Pioneers witnessed an exciting future as freshman duo Jase Townsend (Dallas, Texas) and David Nzekwesi (Fort Worth, Texas) topped the score sheet for the Pioneers with 17 and 21 points, respectively. This

combined 38-point performance earned both freshmen their career highs while at Denver. Junior Ade Murkey (Minneapolis, Minn.) ended the night with 10 points.

Both teams began strong in the opening minutes of the game with it being a one-point contest, but the Jackrabbits were able to get an 11-5 run.

Denver was able to keep up as

the half went on, but the Jackrabbits were able to end the half with an 11-point lead. As the second half commenced, the Jackrabbits were able to jump ahead even further, extending their lead by 24 pointS at one point. However, the Pioneers were able to fight back in the closing minutes of the second half with a young group of players to make the

final score 92-82.

The Pioneers commence a two-week road trip making their first stop at Oral Roberts on Thursday, Feb. 7.

Lawson Montgomery | Contributing Writer

Men’s Tennis dominates the court against Air Force

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he men’s tennis team competed against in-state rival Air Force on Friday evening at the new Denver Tennis Park. The Pioneers took the match 7-0.

The night opened up with the doubles competition where the team was able to assert their dominance

early in the match. At no. 1 doubles, the sophomore duo James Davis (Barnstaple, England) and Matt Summers (Maidstone, U.K.) won their match 6-1. Sophomore Eric Morris (Corinth, Texas) and freshman Daniel Krulig (Miami, Fla.) were able to secure no. 3 doubles with a 6-3 win in their match.

The Pioneers and Air Force moved to the singles competition where the Pioneers were able to close the match sweep. Krulig was able to take the no. 5 match 6-2, 6-2 with junior Pedro Fernandez Del Valle (Newport Beach, Calif.) winning his no. 3 singles match by a score of 6-1,

6-2. No.109 Mattia Ros (Latisana, Italy) was able to defeat a tough opponent 7-5, 6-2 at no. 1 singles.

The Pioneers will be traveling to face their next opponent, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, this Saturday, Feb. 9.

Lawson Montgomery | Contributing Writer

Photo courtesy Denver Athletics

Denver sets records during senior meet

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n an action-packed meet at El Pomar Natatorium on Sunday, Feb. 2, Denver Swim and Dive defeated Air Force during the 2019 Colorado Sprint Championships. During the meet, Denver swim and dive honored their seniors and set six new El Pomar Natatorium records. The women’s posted 260 points to Air Force’s 62 while the men’s team posted 225.5 to Air Force’s 96.5.

Junior Colin Gilbert (Kamloops, B.C.) was the first to break a record, doing so in the 200 free after touching in 1:37.85, a time that was 0.73 seconds faster than the previous record.

Gilbert broke another record in the 500 free after finishing in 4:28.23, a time that was .42 seconds faster than the previous time. Freshman Patrick Groters (Santa Cruz, Aruba) set a new 200 IM pool record with 1:50.29, and sophomore Cameron Aunchinachie (Binghamton, N.Y.) broke the 50 free record with a time of 19.76.

In the women’s 200 medley relay, in which Denver’s squad of senior Annelyse Tullier (Dallas, Texas), freshman Brandi Vu (Longmont, Colo.), junior Josie Valette (Boulder, Colo.) and senior Lauren Moden (Parker, Colo.) combined for a record-setting 1:39.39. They were followed close behind by the foursome of redshirt-senior Heidi Bradley (Victoria, B.C.), sophomore Charlotte Simon (Saint Remy, France.), junior Kylie Cronin (Marblehead, Mass.) and junior Sarah Lingen

(Maple Grove, Minn.) in 1:41.36.

On the men’s side junior Neil Wachtler (Waco, Texas), sophomore Cy Jager (Moscow, Idaho), sophomore Adriel Sanes (Rosharon, Texas) and Aunchinachie led the way with a 1:27.53.

Teammates freshman Finn Kennard-Campbell (Hamilton, New Zealand), sophomore Anthony Nosack (Beaverton, Oregon), junior Peter Webster (Odense, Denmark) and sophomore Jackson Gainer (San Jose, Calif.) followed in second with a 1:30.02.

The relays were followed by the 50 butterfly, in which the men took the top two spots, and the women swept the podium.

On the men’s team, Wachtler and Webster finished one and two with times of 21.67 and 22.26. Valette (24.34), Cronin (25.06) and junior Blair Williams (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) (25.51) swept for the women.

In the 50 backstroke, Bradley finished first after touching in 25.72 and Tullier took third in 26.05 for the women. On the men’s side Wachtler took second with 22.77, and Kennard Campbell posted a time of 23.09 to take third.

Vu, senior Courtney Laird (Overland Park, Kan.), sophomore Emily Vandenberg (Ajax, Ontario) and sophomore Ally Yancy (Cave Creek, Ariz.) took the top four spots in the women’s 50 breaststroke, touching in times of 28.62, 29.30, 29.36 and 29.90 respectively. In the men’s 50 breaststroke, Jager finished

in front with a time of 25.18.

The women swept the top three spots in the 50 freestyle after Moden, sophomore Aysia Leckie (Georgetown, Ontario) and Bradley finished first, second and third with respective times of 23.25, 23.86 and 23.90. The men swept the top two spots in their 50 freestyle after Aunchinachie touched in 19.76 to finish first and Gainer touched second in 20.51.

In the 200 freestyle, Gilbert finished first with his record-setting time of 1:37.85, followed by teammates, junior Hugo Sykes (Weston, Conn.) who touched in 1:39.02, and senior Kyle Ewoldt (Gilbert, Ariz.) who finished in 1:40.69. On the women’s side junior Andi Johnston (Fort Collins, Colo.) first in 1:50.70, Tullier second with 1:51.13, senior Avery Neimann (Oklahoma City, Okla.) third in 1:53.26 and freshman Izzy Smith (Leawood, Kan.) fourth in 1:54.42, swept the top four spots.

In the 500 freestyle, Tullier finished first with a time of 4:53.49, followed by teammate Johnston in 4:59.61. Smith finished fourth with a time of 5:10.61. Gilbert finished first for the men, and Jesse Haraden finished third in 4:40.24.

In the last individual race, the 200 IM, the Pioneers took five of the top six spots, with the women sweeping their side.

Vandenberg touched in 2:04.34 for first, followed by Cronin in 2:05.55 and Simon in 2:05.73.

In the men’s race, Groters finished first with his new pool-record time of 1:50.29, while Ewoldt finished second with a time of 1:51.66.

In the last two races, the 200 freestyle relays, DU picked up wins on both the men’s and women’s sides. The women swept the top three spots with several different squads. In first was a quartet comprised of junior Sarah Lingen (Maple Grove, Minn.), Valette, Leckie and Moden, combining to touch first with a time of 1:31.83.

The second squad, freshman Melissa Funes (Seattle, Wash.), freshman Livi Schmid (Fairfax Station, Va.), freshman Angie Lindsay (Beaverton, Ore.) and Williams, touched in 1:36.33.

The final foursome was made up of junior Molly Kuettel (Lake Jackson, Texas), Tullier, Johnston and Smith, touching in 1:36.67. The men’s team took the top two spots with a team made up of Aunchinachie, Gainer, junior Robin Keubler (Centennial, Colo.) and Sanes touching first in 1:20.52, while the second team comprised of Wachtler, Sykes, Webster and freshman Darragh Mahns (Missoula, Mont.) finished in 1:22.08.

The Pioneers compete next in the Summit League Championships on Feb. 20, where they look to defend their title from last year.

Hannah Branit | Sports Editor

FEB. 06, 2019

DU CLARION

OPINIONS | 7

Letter to the Editor: A fraternity brother and sexual assault survivor’s take on SAE

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when i am afraid to speak is when i speak. that is when it is most important.” ~the freedom in fear Nayyirah Waheed

I was sexually assaulted during my freshman year of college at a fraternity party. Almost exactly one year later, I was initiated into Theta Chi fraternity. It was a decision that required heavy introspection about my own values and experiences, but it has allowed me to experience firsthand how fulfilling it is to be a

part of a diverse community of truly resolute men. It has also allowed me to understand the issues with Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s (SAE) potential return from two angles.

As a survivor, I recognize how SAE’s revived presence sends the message that the experiences and traumas of survivors matter less than a fraternity with a dangerous history on campus and nationally.

As a brother, I recognize my own responsibility in taking a stand against rape culture, the societal culture that trivializes and perpetuates sexual assault, in fraternities

and minimizing the amount of harm inflicted on others.

Each of the fraternities in the Interfraternity Council (IFC) need to understand that there are brothers amongst them who are survivors, whether they are vocal about it or not. According to the Campus Sexual Assault Study, one in 16 males will be sexually assaulted during his time in college. Odds are that some of them are our brothers.

It is not a matter of if SAE will return but rather when. Many fraternities on campus have provisions in their national bylaws that require

them to vote “yes” on new fraternities returning to campus. Because of this, the IFC will be voting on when SAE will return, not if they return.

When I joined Theta Chi, I joined a group of men who have been there for me every step of the way. I hope this continues. I hope my voice is heard and respected. I hope we can do the same for all of the others across campus with stories like mine, because they are far more common than we realize.

Sawyer Austin Nash

Photo courtesy of Connor W. Davis

With 5G comes a world of the future

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Chelsie Fincher | Clarion

ike clockwork, ten years following the release of 4G, or Fourth Generation network, 5G is gearing up to become the new staple of network connectivity. Better, faster, stronger: 5G will replace 4G as the principal source of wireless connectivity at the end of this year and will allow data to transfer at a maximum speed of 20 gigabytes per second, a speed vastly more efficient than its 4G counterpart, which has download and upload speeds that level out at just one gigabit per second. Experts predict this upgrade will be revolutionary, allowing a plethora of new possibilities for virtual reality, eSports, cell phones and more.

Companies such as AT&T and Verizon, as well as Sprint, are expected to release phones with access to 5G networks before the latter half of 2019, but this doesn’t mean that current cell phones won’t be able to operate.

In fact, they’ll function the same as ever, with 5G phones also having access to 4G networks as 5G becomes more common.

Despite the advances of the 5G network, many members of the general public may not even need that capability, as connectivity speeds today are leaps and bounds faster than what was available ten years ago. Streaming movies and TV shows doesn’t require such high speed but will likely still be appreciated by the average consumer.

Some experts are, however, concerned about security involving new 5G networks, stating

that people may be open to having their digital data stolen when their phones connect to fake cell phone towers masquerading as real ones in order to secretly swindle consumer’s online information. This rather large issue is expected to be resolved by the time that 5G is unveiled, though.

While the public may not need these astronomical speeds, other industries will be making great use of these developments. The eSports industry, for example, is expected to grow even larger than the American basketball and football industries due to more effective, up-to-date information transfers to audiences in real time. Virtual reality is predicted to become more smooth and comfortable for users by decreasing their nausea occurrences and expanding potential to virtually attend their favorite sporting event or preferred artist’s performance. Self-automated cars and smart homes are also expected to explode in popularity and efficiency.

Overall, 5G will revolutionize the electronics industry as a whole and allow for more feasibility in expansion of digital projects. The possibilities are greater than ever would have been expected 20 years ago, and its generating of expanded bandwidth and data transfer speeds will likely be felt in companies and productions around the world.

Rachel Kunzi | Contributing Writer

The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion or of the DU community.

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DU CLARION

FEB. 06, 2019

DPS immigrant teachers face new threat during strikes

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n Jan. 24 the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, a union that represents Denver Public Schools (DPS) teachers, organized a district wide walkout in order to receive better pay for educators. As the ongoing DPS strikes continued to gain fuel, a new warning has been issued against teachers working on visas who are considering joining the strikes.

According to The Denver Post, on Jan. 24 an HR official from the DPS district reportedly sent a letter to a DPS school threatening to report striking teachers of either H or J visas to immigration services and the U.S. State Department. The letter was then released that evening by the Colorado People’s Alliance. H-1B work visas are issued to skilled professionals in fields that lack enough experts in the U.S. while J-1 student visas are issued to research scholars, professors and cultural exchange visitors.

District officials have since called the letter “an error.”

The school district’s law firm, Kolko & Casey P.C., does have guidelines regarding teachers on H or J visas in the event of a labor strike. The guidelines state that DPS must inform the U.S. Department of Labor if strikes begin due to the requirements of the Labor Conditions Application that are part of the H-1B process.

DPS, however, is not required to report the names of employees participating in the strikes to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

provided by a DPS employee regarding our educators on H-1B and J-1 visas.”

The letter was thought by some to simply be a “scare tactic,”

Photo courtesy of The Denver Post

The DPS district has since apologized for sending the immigration letter.

District spokesman Will Jones said, “An incorrect communication was

but what should be scary is the fact that the district thought it was okay to release it in the first place. DPS further discredits itself as a supportive institution

that encourages diversity and welcomes immigrant students by turning on their immigrant teachers, making it difficult for teachers to return to work as they stress about something that shouldn’t have been a problem to begin with.

The district statement said the error was a “misinterpretation of the information that we received from our immigration firm.” DPS officials have expressed their “deepest apologies for any anxiety that was caused by this error.”

The strikes, now coupled with this new interference from the district, will cause exhaustive pain for both students and teachers in the short term. Long term, however, the ongoing negotiations are just the first step in securing a stronger education for students and a more livable wage for teachers.

An apology from DPS doesn’t solve the problem that the money needed for both teachers and students to thrive within their education is not being distributed as it should be. It is entirely unnecessary for the school district to inform the government of the names of the strike participants, so maybe the questions they should be asking themselves should pertain to their mission as a public school system rather than the immigration status of their teachers.

Skylar Nitzel | Contributing Writer Photo courtesy of Connor W. Davis

Colleges know more than you think about their applicants

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t’s most likely no shock that universities are looking through available data on applicants to analyze and target their potential students, but it may surprise you to find out just how much these higher education institutions know about us.

Due to the continual influx of college applications, universities are attempting to find new methods to narrow down their applicant pool. This is done by placing a heavier preference on “demonstrated interest.”

Increasingly, universities are accounting for students’ interactions with the school during the application process before admitting or denying them.

Throughout this process, colleges know down to the second when students open emails from the school and if they clicked on any of the links in the email.

They can also figure out how long a student spends on their website, as well as if you RSVP

for an event and don’t show up.

Let’s take a moment and look at Seton Hall University in N.J. According to a Wall Street Journal article that delved into data mining at the university level, Seton Hall has a scoring system from one to 100. Unbeknownst to the students, Seton gives each person a score on that scale to represent their demonstrated interest. There are roughly 80 variables that go into the scoring process. Beyond the variables mentioned earlier, Seton looks at how early in your high school career that you began looking at their website, too.

Oftentimes, upon researching a potential college, demonstrated interest is listed as a significant factor. It is frequently rated by the schools as important or somewhat important, depending upon the institution.

Now, it is turning into an “unspoken requirement” just as extracurriculars and supplemental essays are. Ranked amongst the

most important factors in college admission processes from various institutions, it lands at number seven, just below essays and the counselor recommendation. It’s worth acknowledging that universities typically place importance upon demonstrated interest when considering a borderline applicant whose decision could go either way.

Now that you’re unnerved, we can begin to perceive data mining in a few ways. It’s most beneficial to view this in a positive light. Due to advanced information technology and data scrounging methodologies, universities can form a better idea of the applicant pool they want to target. With a clearer target market, it increases the likelihood that the university that gets in touch with you is one in which you’re interested. Plus, the bulk of demonstrated interest is online, as seen through time spent on their website, whether a link is clicked or not

and number of emails opened— it’s understandable if you can’t make a campus tour, especially if the university is a flight away. In that way, data mining makes it easier to demonstrate interest and stand out.

Understandably so, some people may be wary of being micro-analyzed. Yet, what most people don’t acknowledge is that we’re already being analyzed in all aspects of our lives.

Putting it into a realistic context, these privacy concerns are merely concerns. Most millennials and Gen Zers have grown up with their personal information at the hands of corporations and higher education institutions.

Unfortunately, it has been ongoing throughout the past couple of decades. We shouldn’t fear it; rather, it’s best that we confront it and use it to our advantage.

Megan Cooney | Contributing Writer

The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion or of the DU community.

FEB. 06, 2019

DU CLARION

ARTS & LIFE | 9

Getting baked: Cannabis-infused brownies

Photo by Baylee Schneider | DU Clarion

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veryone needs a classic pot brownie recipe in their repertoire, so I’ve composed an easy (and delicious) brownie recipe that can be made with or without Mary Jane.

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¾ cup chocolate chips (optional)

½ cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds (optional)

What You’ll Need:

½ cup cannabutter (or canna oil)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla (if you don’t have vanilla, coffee will work just as well)

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

For the Peanut Butter Frosting:

½ cup room-temperature cannabutter

3 tablespoons peanut butter

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or coffee)

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Grease an 8x8 inch pan, and preheat your oven to 350°.

In a large microwaveable bowl melt ½ cup cannabutter. In a separate bowl whisk together ⅓ cup cocoa powder, flour, salt and baking powder.

Once your butter has cooled down, whisk in your sugar, eggs and vanilla. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then add the chocolate chips and nuts if desired.

Pour into your pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Test it by inserting a toothpick into the center; if there are

a lot of crumbs stuck to the toothpick, put your brownies back into the oven and test them again in three minutes.

Once your brownies are nearly cooled, whisk your remaining ½ cup cannabutter and peanut butter until it’s light and fluffy, then add the teaspoon of vanilla. Slowly whisk in the powdered sugar and ¼ cup cocoa powder until incorporated.

Frost your brownies and enjoy.

Baylee Schneider | Contributing Writer

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ARTS & LIFE | 1 1

Why are we so obsessed with serial killers?

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n Jan. 24, 2019, Netflix released a four-part documentary about Ted Bundy titled “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes.” Coupled with that, the trailer for a movie based on Bundy and his killings, “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” starring Zac Efron as the infamous serial killer, dropped on Jan. 25, with the film premiering at Sundance Film Festival the next day. Both the documentary and the film have generated a lot of buzz, with some viewers fascinated and excited for the upcoming movie and some critical of the portrayal of Bundy in the trailer as well as the reignited public interest in a man who committed such horrendous acts. As serial killers always seem to draw fascination and a sort of morbid interest from the public, one has to ask—why are we so obsessed with them?

The four-part documentary on Netflix does not romanticize nor downplay Bundy’s actions; on the contrary, it describes in explicit detail the acts he committed and what kind of man he was. It seems set on adamantly dismantling the charming and charismatic persona Bundy embodied to point out how he was a compulsive liar, narcissistic, incapable of empathy, prone to fits of anger and not actually as intelligent as he portrayed himself to be (something that was a constant frustration and insecurity of his). However, from the trailers alone, the movie starring Efron has a much lighter and almost glib tone, with the editing and music seeming almost Tarantino-esque. Efron’s Bundy is absolutely charming and charismatic, and many are outraged that the film seems to romanticize him as a sort of anti-hero in an action film.

But these people are being fooled in exactly the same way Bundy attempted to fool the public—by using a charming and charismatic image to manipulate people into liking him and questioning if he was guilty or not. If this is correct, then the actual movie will end up exposing Bundy for who he truly was, but by first luring in viewers with a misleading trailer.

It’s not just serial killers— documentaries about shocking, outrageous and disturbing things are always eagerly devoured by the public. This can be seen through the hype around the Lifetime docu-series “Surviving R. Kelly,” as well as both Fyre Festival documentaries, “Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened” and “Fyre Fraud,” that premiered on Netflix and Hulu respectively, all of which (including the Bundy documentary) happened this January. People are eager for things that seem impossible to them, and there’s a sort of fascination blended with out-

rage and the inability to look away. Most people could never even fathom doing or witnessing Ted Bundy’s actions, and it’s that disbelief that keeps people intrigued and unable to stop watching.

There’s also the Netflix series “You” that stars Penn Badgley as a stalker and murderer, which has gained popularity since its release in January. Many people are unable to separate the star from the character and have ended up sympathizing and even being attracted to the character despite his heinous actions.

This has led to the actor himself actively dissuading people from doing that and trying to remind them that the character is a killer and a stalker and absolutely not someone to be romanticized. Many are worried that Zac Efron’s casting as Bundy will have a similar effect, with people unable to separate the handsome and likable actor from the heinous murderer and rapist.

The fascination with serial killers can also be compared to the popularity of the horror movie genre, particularly those that involve heinous crimes instead of supernatural occurrences. But those are still fictional movies, while the entire true crime genre is about real events (as the name suggests). There is also the psychology aspect of it, where people who are interested in how others think are particularly interested in these extreme cases of people who have done monstrous things.

It’s a fascination akin to observing a test subject, or an animal in a zoo. That, along with the unpredictability of the subject’s actions, makes it all the more intriguing to people who are interested in abnormal psychology.

It’s understandable that people worry about the romanticization of serial killers, especially since they killed real people and ruined actual lives. And it’s legitimate to criticize a film for seemingly encouraging that. Seeing a documentary that delivers the objective, cold-hearted truth about a serial killer is not something to be worried about, because it seems to be that when people see the actual person and what they’ve done, their fascination remains with the psychology of the person and the nature of the crimes and not an infatuated love for the killer.

However, when making dramatized movies about these people, it is important to be clear in the distinction between the charismatic actor and the actual monstrous person who committed these crimes.

Sara Loughran | Copy Editor

Photo Courtesy of The Mirror

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& LIFE

FEB. 06, 2019

Dior’s fashion exhibit drops jaws

C

Rebecca Shagrin | Clarion

hristian Dior, one of the top fashion designers of all time, used his unique creativity to develop the revolution that is Dior. From house originals to contemporary pieces, Dior has become an iconic name in the fashion world, and he really knows how to stun his admirers with the most out-of-theordinary designs. The Denver Art Museum’s (DAM) current exhibition, “Dior: From Paris to the World,” showcases hundreds of original looks from the past 70 years. You have to see it to believe it, but the precision and inventiveness of the pieces and the unbelievable history that comes with this brand will blow your mind.

Throughout the exhibit, you will walk through the history that occurred in the House of Dior and learn about the making of all the unbelievable couture.

Dior’s legacy was developed in

less than a decade, and he attracted his buyers by crafting his clothing to be wearable, while still making an entrance. Everyday style was masculinized after World War II, so Dior’s creations were a huge turning point for fashion at that time.

His successors, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri all incorporated their personal tastes in each of their collections, which has shaped Dior into what it is today. He has allowed women to embrace their bodies and express themselves in ways that nobody had ever seen before, and by sculpting his garments to extenuate the features of women he used fashion to inspire people to celebrate their outrageousness.

It is clear how Christian Dior’s life and hobbies were the spark for each idea of his collections. His love for gardening

is showcased in his floral collection, which features many vibrant embroideries of flowers (especially his signature flower, lily of the valley). His love for travel is displayed through the cultural implication in his garments. From Peru to Japan to England, Dior highlights the traditions and uniqueness of tons of different countries, which pushed the globalization of his brand to new heights.

The details of the garments demonstrate the genuine and natural talent for which Christian Dior is known. This exhibition will allow you to view the beading and embroidery of Dior’s pieces that are truly jaw-dropping. The photographs that are displayed beside the different collections will give you a new perspective on the fashion world and time period. One particular photograph that caught my eye in the gallery was of a woman being attacked in the

street. Wearing an original Dior dress, the woman is surprised while the attacker is enraged by the excess fabric that Dior used for the piece, stating that it was a waste of fabric. Dior dealt with many complications and hurdles throughout his designing career, but his love for his brand and devotion to fashion helped drive his success.

Witnessing the original sketches, personal letters to Marilyn Monroe, historical runway videos, famous photography and astonishing designs will make you appreciate Dior in a new way. He himself stated, “My dresses make a princess out of every woman,” but just being in the room with those extravagant pieces will make you feel like royalty.

Rebecca Shagrin | Contributing Writer

Bas brings the Milky Way to Denver Photo Courtesy of HotNewHipHop

C

ervantes’s Masterpiece was treated to a show filled with messages of self-love and perseverance as Sudanese rapper Bas performed on Feb. 2 with fellow artists Innanet James, Correy C and Rexx Life Raj as part of his Milky Way Tour.

Bas is best known for becoming the first artist to sign onto J. Cole’s record label Dreamville Records in 2014. The two have collaborated on songs such as “Tribe” and “Night Job.” Innanet James was first to perform, with hits such as “Where We Go,” with his goal to hype the crowd for Bas and his fellow artists. James strives to rap with tongue-twisters such as, “I do them greasy grease, might just go to Nice, and then go to

Russia grab my Helly fleece, just so I don’t freeze,” and pulled this off well, showing no signs of slowing down his flow throughout his performance.

Correy C dedicated his performance to recently being released from jail, stating that he is enjoying his newfound freedom and being able to continue to perform. One standout song from his performance was “Foreign Girl,” bragging about the women he has met around the world. The song most likely held more meaning to him and his new freedom to able to travel again.

While Rexx Life Raj carried the same high energy as James and Correy C, he made his performance more distinct by talking about how smartphones

have influenced concert experiences and bringing in a “new age of information.” He stated that smartphones have helped news become easily accessible to more people and asked that everyone use their phones to share the message of love and acceptance from his music.

Bas was welcomed with an uproaring applause and shouts of love for him and his music.

He then responded by sharing his message of perseverance, stating that he had worked hard to be able to tour around the country, even though many people believed he would not be able to become famous. The audience sang along with hits such as “Front Desk,” and one audience member was lucky enough to be picked by Bas to come up

on stage and rap with the artist.

Bas also invited Correy C back on stage to perform their song “Fragrance” together.

Overall, Bas delivered a show that left every one of his fans satisfied. He promised to continue to work to create music both he and his fans will continue to love and come back to Denver to bring another night full of fun.

Nina Petrovic | Arts & Life Editor