The Daily Illini: Volume 143 Issue 102

Page 1

INTERVIEW WITH PHANTOGRAM

Sarah Fiedler leads Illinois gymnastics into NCAA Nationals

The electronic rock duo is performing at the Virginia Theatre on Wednesday

The senior finished first in the balance beam at the Minneapolis Regional.

LIFE & CULTURE, 6A

WEDNESDAY April 9, 2014

SPORTS, 1B

THE DAILY ILLINI The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

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Frerichs’ Pay It Forward bill in Senate Bill explores paying for college without upfront tuition BY ALEX SWANSON STAFF WRITER

State Sen. M ichael Frerichs, D-52, introduced a bill to the Illinois Senate on Feb. 14 which could eventually revolutionize the way that students pay for college. Under Senate Bill 3451, the Illinois Board of Higher Education will create the Pay it Forward, Pay it Back pilot program which will select one public Illinois school for a test run. The program would allow all undergraduate in-state students at the selected university to receive full funding for tuition and fees, room and board, and books and supplies. In exchange, the students will pay back the university with a percentage of their income once they become employed. The bill is co-sponsored by State Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-4, who said she was attracted to the bill because it provides an opportunity for students to pay for higher education without having to pay for tuition upfront. “Senator Frerichs has done a fi ne job of identifying a creative way or option to assist more students,” she said. Frerichs said the bill is a result of a series of public hearings around the state centered on college affordability. The bill unanimously passed the Illinois Senate Committee on Higher Education last month and is now on the Senate floor. Many of the details of this bill are not yet fi nalized. Frerichs said that he and collaborators are still working out where to fi nd the funding for this project, what school would be selected for the test run and how long the test run would last. Frerichs said despite the challenges, he feels that the program, if successful,

Vol. 143 Issue 104

SHE’S BACK Alma Mater has finally come home BY CLAIRE HETTINGER | STAFF WRITER

The ‘new’ color

When the Alma Mater returns to campus, she will have returned to her original color, or as close as conservators can match it. The sculpture will now be a chocolate bronze, instead of the familiar green with white and black streaks. The beloved green color was actually an indication of harmful oxidation occurring on the statue, said Jennifer Hain Teper, chair of the preservation working group. A little oxidation is fi ne, but after a while it starts to damage the surface, which is the point the Alma Mater had reached because it had never been cleaned, she said. The white and black streaks on the statue were indicators of advanced corrosion and that the surface of the sculpture might be harmed. The initial reason the conservators brought attention to the need for conservation, she said. No record can be found of the exact color Lorado Taft, sculptor of the Alma Mater, intended the statue to be. Melvyn Skvarla, campus historical preservations officer, said there was a large fire in Taft’s studio and many of his documents were lost after the creation of Alma Mater. There are pictures from 1929 of when the statue was brought to campus. Color pictures of bronze were turned black and white in an attempt to compare difference bronzes to the original picture.

Unexpected delays

Although the original plan was to clean the statue to remove the harmful corrosion on the outside of the sculpture, it was clear that something had to be done about the inside bolts as well when Alma Mater was lifted up in 2012. “There was no question. We had to repair the inside as well,” Hain Teper said. The different sections of the sculpture are connected by bolts, all of which had to be replaced. Christa Deacy-Quinn, collections manager at the Spurlock Museum, said the conservator did an x-ray of the statue and found that every bolt in the statue was failing or had failed. Some bolts were missing completely, either turned to dust or broken off by the force of their weight. Hain Teper, said the fact that people climb on the statue has been a major factor in the conservation efforts. She added that it would have been a much simpler process if only the cosmetic issues were addressed. But, because the bolts were rusting, the statue may have broken from people climbing on it and could have been dangerous for the climbers, she said. Every bolt was replaced with a bronze bolt, which was the most expensive and time consuming part of the conservation efforts, Hain Teper said. Melvyn Skvarla, campus historical preservations officer, said the sculpture was taken apart so the bolts could be changed in all the little areas of the sculpture. For some of the replacements, a conservator had to go inside the sculpture in order to reach the small spaces, he said. Iron bolts are cheaper than bronze, so that may be why they were originally used. However, the combination of iron-on-bronze does not mix well and led to corrosion which jeopardized the quality of the sculpture, Deacy-Quinn said. But, the bronzeon-bronze combinations should last a few hundred years.

About the sculptor

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0RUH RQOLQH Watch the whole process live at http:// go.illinois.edu/almacam Find out what’s in the Alma Mater time capsule at http://illinois.edu/ lb/article/5510/83661 Follow @ClaireHettinger on twitter for updates on Alma’s return

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0RUH LQVLGH For what our editorial board finds important for the time capsule, Turn to Page 4A

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Taft graduated from the University with his bachelor’s in 1879 and his master’s in 1880. He grew up around campus because his father was a professor of geology. Taft was fond of the University, expressing his admiration and his hope of building an Alma Mater statue for campus in letters to the University architect at the time, Skvarla said. Taft’s dream was for the sculpture to “show ‘Our Mother’ as a benign and majestic woman in scholastic robes, who rises from her throne and advances with outstretched arms, a gesture of generously greeting her children,” according to “A guide to art at the University of Illinois” by Muriel Scheinman, assistant professor of art and design. “I hope (the young people in Urbana) may keep the bronze throne polished by their visits,” Taft said in a letter to a friend in the book. Taft said in a letter that the University’s motto is fortunate and enabled him to add the other figures, Learning and Labor, to the Alma Mater group. There are also other sculptures by Taft on campus. When Taft passed away, the University bought his estate and everything that was in his studio. The two women sculptures in front of the main library and the two men behind Foellinger Auditorium are all Taft’s creation.

Looking forward

Every two to three years Alma Mater will be washed, and a hot wax will be applied to protect the surface and prevent the sculpture from oxidizing to a harmful level, Hain Teper said. This process will keep the sculpture from oxidizing to a level that hurts the surface, she said. “We are hoping the Alma Mater has raised awareness with people,” she said, “At least to get people thinking about it and to get some small amount of money to use for simple repairs and upkeep to keep things from ever getting that bad again.”

Claire can be reached at hettngr2@dailyillini.com and @ClaireHettinger.

Timeline of Alma Mater sculpture’s history 1879

Lorado Taft, the Alma Mater sculptor, graduated from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign.

1883

Taft expresses interest in making the statue in personal letters.

1916 Alma Mater’s journey to campus

Taft began seeking support for the creation of the statue.

Schedule of events • 6 a.m. Alma Mater leaves Chicago and heads to Champaign • 8:30 the time capsule is placed in the base • 9:30-10:30 Alma Mater arrives on campus • 2-4 hours following the statue’s arrival, it will be secured in the base.

1962

Alma Mater is moved to its current location on the corner of Green and Wright Streets.

1981

Major repair work is done to the statue.

2012

Alma Mater is removed for restoration.

2014

Alma Mater returns to campus. SOURCE: ILLINOIS ALUMNI MAGAZINE MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2010, INSIDE ILLINOIS, FEB. 16, 2012,

PHOTO COURTESY OF MELVYN SKVARLA

SEE BILL | 3A

‘Walk with Xochitl’ protests Chief Native American student writes letter to administration in effort to change ways BY MEGAN JONES ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

As depicted in a letter sent to University administration last week, Xochitl Sandoval, a Native American student, struggles everyday with the remnants of the University’s former mascot: Chief Illiniwek. While administrators stopped supporting the Chief in 2007, students and the local community have continued to keep the mascot alive with apparel, accessories and unofficial appearances of the Chief at sporting events. Additionally, the Chief’s performance music, such as the “Three in One,” still plays at sporting events. “I don’t go to sports events because I know that that is where pro-Chief people will be congre-

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gating at and where they will be playing the music,” Sandoval, a senior in LAS, said. “I see Chief T-shirts and even though the official symbol has been removed, there are still people who are able to get their hands on the official logo, and every year Unofficial always has some kind of spin on the Chief.” Sandoval struggles with the lingering mascot, specifically in regard to the “disrespect and racism” the mascot represents to her. The Native American and Indigenous Student Organization joined forces with Sandoval to host a “Walk with Xochitl” on Tuesday night on the Quad. “We are walking in support of all people who have to go through any struggle,” said Chris Castle,

an officer of the Native American and Indigenous Student Organization. “We are walking in solidarity of Xochitl, and we are walking for each other and the betterment of the University.” Sandoval’s letter was sent to Chancellor Phyllis Wise, the Board of Trustees, the Office of the Dean of Students, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Access and other administrators. Sandoval said the University has not yet reached out to her. “This is a time when we have a strong administration,” Stephanie Skora, junior in LAS, said. “We have a strong chancellor now. We can make the final push to get rid of the Chief once and for all. I’m proud to be a student at the University ... and I don’t want this dishonor to be played out any further.” Sandoval recommended the chancellor prohibit students from wearing apparel or accessories

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associated with Chief Illiniwek, and went on to say that she will leave disappointed by the University and will not recommend the school to any of her indigenous peers. Last year, the Board of Trustees made an agreement with Honor the Chief Society, Inc., an organization that wanted to register the Chief Illiniwek trademark to use for dance and educational services. As a result, the Honor the Chief Society abandoned its application and agreed to not file any other trademark applications; however, the University cannot object to the organization’s events that honor the Chief or its desire to reinstate the Chief. The society’s website lists that the University does not support its efforts, and they can no longer refer to “Chief Illiniwek.” Holley Nast, a Native American sophomore from Parkland College

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Stephen Kaufman, MCB professor emeritus, speaks to a crowd during the “Walk with Xochitl” on the Quad on Tuesday. who planned to attend the University, said she is transferring to Oklahoma State University in the fall. “While I was touring, I felt more of a connection there than I have in the few years I’ve lived in Champaign,” Nast said. “I think that really says something ... I feel that a lot of alumni have been hurt

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Champaign Damaging property and unlawful use of ID was reported in the 100 block of East Daniel Street around 12 a.m. Saturday. According to the report, two offenders appeared to be urinating on the front door of the fraternity and were observed damaging vehicles. One of the offenders was under the age 21 and had been drinking and was in possession of another person’s ID. Q

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The Daily Illini is the independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The newspaper is published by the Illini Media Co. The Daily Illini does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the University of Illinois administration, faculty or students. All Illini Media Co. and/or Daily Illini articles, photos and graphics are the property of Illini Media Co. and may not be reproduced or published without written permission from the publisher. Editor-in-chief Johnathan Hettinger 217 • 337-8365 editor@dailyillini.com Managing editor Lauren Rohr reporting@dailyillini. com Creative director Austin Baird visuals@dailyillini. com Asst. creative director Anna Hecht Asst. news editors Eleanor Black Megan Jones news@dailyillini.com Newscast director Tiffany Drey Daytime editor Miranda Holloway 217 • 337-8350 news@dailyillini.com Asst. daytime editor Bryan Boccelli the217 producers Lyanne Alfaro Imani Brooks Sports editor Sean Hammond 217 • 337-8344 sports@dailyillini. com Asst. sports editors Peter Bailey-Wells Michal Dwojak Alex Ortiz Torrence Sorrell Features editor Sarah Soenke 217 • 337-8343 features@dailyillini. com

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Night system staff for today’s paper Night editor: Tyler Davis Photo night editor: Melissa McCabe Copy editors: Lindsey Rolf, Darshan Patel, Sam Ziemba, Delaney McNeil, Amelia Mugavero, Evan Jaques, Erika McLitus, Maggie Pluskota Designers: Bryan Lorenz, Austin Baird, Keely Renwick, Torey Butner, Hannah Hwang, Klaudia Dukala Page transmission: Franklin Wang Periodical postage paid at Champaign, IL 61821. The Daily Illini is published Mondays through Thursdays during University of Illinois fall and spring semesters, and Mondays in summer. New Student Guide and Welcome Back Edition are published in August. First copy is free; each additional copy is 50 cents. Local, U.S. mail, out-oftown and out-of-state rates available upon request.

University

Theft was reported at Wardall Hall, 1010 W. Illinois St., at 8:30 p.m Monday. According to the report, a UniQ

versity student reported that someone had stolen clothing, valued at $60, from a washing machine. Q A 29-year-old male was arrested on the charges of possession of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence of drugs, driving with a revoked license and for operating an uninsured vehicle near the intersection of Fourth Street and Green Street at 7 a.m. Sunday. According to the report, the offender was pulled over after police checked the car’s registration information. A later search revealed cannabis and a glass pipe.

Urbana Attempted first-degree murder was reported in the 1300 block of Brookstone Court around 1 a.m. Monday. According to the report, the victim was shot by an unknown offender. Q Sexual assault was reported in the 400 block West University Avenue around 12:30 p.m. Sunday. According to the report, the victim was told by a friend that the previous night she might have been sexually assaulted by multiple offenders. Q

Compiled by Miranda Holloway and Jessica Ramos

HOROSCOPES BY NANCY BLACK TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES

Today’s Birthday It’s a lovely year for magnificent adventures. Spend time on detailed plans, and set launch dates for after 5/20. Put energy into your home, friendships and partnerships this spring. Pretty up the place and throw parties. After summer, the real fun begins. A personal revelation in October leads to new freedom. Study and learn. Shared resources grow. Nurture happiness. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) Today is a 7 — Now you’re cooking. Meditate on the desired flavors. Add spices as you slowly raise the heat. Sip something delicious while another’s enthusiasm infuses you. Let yourself get riled up. Get others involved. Your team adds crucial supporting elements. Coordinate efforts like a dance.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) Today is a 6 — There’s more work ahead. Passions rise, and could boil over if left untended. Consider a friend’s suggestion. Your team’s hot... provide leadership for balance. They’re backing you, so provide the same support. Blow off steam together. Clean up a mess at home and relax.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) Today is a 7 — Explore new territory today and tomorrow. Follow the money trail, and hit gold. A person of higher status can assist. Maintain your best behavior, and keep your

schedule. Don’t dive into deep water until you can swim. Suddenly, it all makes sense.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) Today is a 7 — A new profitable opportunity arises before another project’s done. Make plans without taking action yet. Set goals with a partner, and solicit feedback. Do the reading. Follow through on previous obligations before changing directions, and send thank you notes to contributors.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) Today is an 8 — The Moon’s in your sign, favorably aspecting warrior Mars. You’ve got the power. Physical exercise works wonders and builds energy. A hunch could be quite profitable... check the data before compromising. You’re in the spotlight, rehearsed and ready. Play with finesse and style.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) Today is a 7 — Get organized with your plans today and tomorrow to manage your deadlines. Travel later. Contemplate your next move. Clarify your direction, and chart out the logistics. Review priorities, and handle previous commitments before taking on new ones. Handle chores to keep systems functioning well.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) Today is a 7 — Play with your community today and tomorrow. Focus on partnership, and do what you promised. Together, anything’s possible. Hold meetings, schmooze, and go to parties (or throw one). It’s surprising what can be accomplished when people collaborate. Soak up the applause.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21)

I SPY THE DI

Today is an 8 — Consider new opportunities over the next two days. Discuss them with a partner. Review your resources, and restock if needed. There’s a test or challenge ahead, and a boost in status with success. Provide leadership, and schedule actions. Keep your cool, and love triumphs.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) Today is an 8 — Today and tomorrow include expansion. Plan a trip, widen your territory, and broaden the focus of your studies. Travel and fun are favored. What do you want to learn? Emotional energy enhances an opportunity. Work to fulfill a passion. Light a fire under someone.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) Today is an 8 — The tempo’s upbeat, and you’re jamming. Find an area to increase efficiency, and save energy. Trust a hunch. You’re gaining respect. Okay, now you can buy toys. Get a romantic surprise for your sweetie, and a little something for yourself. It’s the mood that matters.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) Today is an 8 — Devote energy to a partnership today and tomorrow. Reignite common passions, and don’t unveil your secret power yet. Provide well for your family and invest in your home. Exert yourself physically. Create something of value. Savor the fruits of your efforts together.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) Today is a 7 — The pace jumps with high energy today and tomorrow. Take care to avoid accidents. Throw some money at a problem. You’re busy with creative projects... take one step at a time. Sort through feelings as they arise (rather than stuffing them).

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CORRECTIONS In the April 8, 2014, edition of The Daily Illini, the article, “UI budget chair: SURS ‘seriously underfunded,’� stated that the SURS unfunded liability had changed from $6,492.30 to $20,110.50. The unfunded liability went from $6.492 billion to $20.110 billion. The Daily Illini regrets this error. When we make a mistake, we will correct it in this place. We strive for accuracy, so if you see an error in the paper, please contact Editor-in-Chief Johnathan Hettinger at (217) 337-8350.

Corrections: If you think something has been incorrectly reported, please call Editor-in-Chief Johnathan Hettinger at (217) 3378365. Online: If you have a question about DailyIllini.com or The Daily Illini’s social media outlets, please email our Web editor Johnathan Hettinger at online@dailyillini.com. On-air: If you have comments or questions about The Daily Illini’s broadcasts on WPGU-FM 107.1, please email our managing editor, Lauren Rohr, at onair@dailyillini. com. Employment: If you would like to work for the newspaper’s editorial department, please fill out our form or email employment at dailyillini.com. News: If you have a news tip, please call news editor Corinne Ruff at (217) 337-8345 or email news@ dailyillini.com. Calendar: If you want to submit events for publication in print and online, visit the217.com. Sports: If you want to contact the sports staff, please call sports editor Sean Hammond at (217) 337-8344 or email sports@dailyillini.com. Life & Culture: If you have a tip for a Life & Culture story, please call features editor Sarah Soenke at (217) 337-8343 or email features@ dailyillini.com. Photo: If you have any questions about photographs or to suggest photo coverage of an event, please call photo editor Folake Osibodu at (217) 337-8560 or email photo@ dailyillini.com. Letters to the editor: Letters are limited to 300 words. Contributions must be typed and include the author’s name, address and phone number. University students must include their year in school and college. The Daily Illini reserves the right to edit or reject any contributions. Email opinions@ dailyillini.com with the subject “Letter to the Editor.�

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FROM 1A

WALK because of the Chief ... we’re talking about lives here and the University administration should act.” In the letter, Sandoval expressed her experience at the University, beginning with an anecdote of how a student was wearing a sweatshirt with the Chief on it and it made her

feel uncomfortable. “What pushed me to write the letter was that I was at my wit’s end,” Sandoval said. “I honestly didn’t think this letter was going to spread as quickly and as far as it did, but I wanted to have my lived experience here documented and be my final statement to the University.” After meeting with an attorney in March, she received informa-

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

tion that she could confront the student or the class. However, she believed this to be a “band-aid solution to this problem that has caused such an immense psychological damage to not only myself, but countless others.” She wrote, “on March 11, I had the thought that I should commit suicide.” At the event, Sandoval told attendees that she is still upset, but is now OK.

Last year, Sandoval helped create a student group, Campus Spirit Revival, to brainstorm ideas for a new mascot. However, another group formed in protest, Stop Campus Spirit Revival, diminishing the progress. Steve Kaufman, professor emeritus in the College of LAS, said that while there has been progress with the mascot, there is much more that needs to be

done. “They are not going to come to you, you have to take this to them,” Kaufman said. “They cannot justify how playing the Chief’s music does anything to promote the values of the University; it does just the opposite.” He went on to say that Chancellor Wise promotes diversity; however, she did not attend the event and will not talk about the issue

3A

when people approach her on it. “They’ve adopted a policy of doing nothing,” Kaufman said. “Stop blaming the NCAA ... Gather all the minority groups together ... The only ones they can blatantly disregard is the Native American students because of the low numbers (of students).”

Megan can be reached at majones5@dailyillini.com.

ZACH DALZELL THE DAILY ILLINI

Runners wait at the starting line before the 2013 Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon on April 27, 2013. Marathon officials’ and police’s safety preparations are a year-long process, which began following last year’s races.

Volunteers vital for Illinois Marathon safety BY JESSICA RAMOS STAFF WRITER

Public safety officials continue to prepare for the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon, taking place April 26, almost a year after the Boston Marathon bombing that occurred April 15. Jan Seeley, co-director of the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon, said preparations involve a yearlong effort and because of that, preparations for last year’s marathon proved to be effective. “In general terms, there is a committee much larger than the police department. We meet throughout the year to begin planning for each marathon,” said Lt. Jon Swenson of the Champaign Police Department. Swenson stated that every year, authorities make an effort to make changes emphasizing that this event is not any different than any other event. “We did some additional things last year that we hadn’t done the first four years,” he said. “Some of those things we’re going to con-

tinue to do — some of them have been scaled back a little bit.” Last year, public safety officials involved in the committee were aware of the special preparations that needed to take place. The University Police Department became involved with federal partners such as the FBI to ensure that the area where the marathon takes place was prepared should anything happen. Personnel were trained and cameras were added to certain locations. “All the agencies are preparing together, making plans, making sure the roads are safe, that we have officers working that day,” said Lt. Robert Fitzgerald of the Urbana Police Department. Fitzgerald stated that public safety officials hold joint meetings to prepare for the Illinois Marathon. Local police departments, Illinois State Police and the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office collaborate for preparations. University Police Department Deputy Chief Skip Frost said more than 10,000 people ran the

FROM 1A

pay for his or her education through a higher tax rate after graduation and upon entering the workforce. could have a positive effect on A policy think tank in Oregon picked up the idea, and since then university students. “For many students out there, they have been promoting the it can be transformative,” idea most recently. Delaney added that the Frerichs said. “For many students, they are looking at United States does in fact have a defi ned amount of debt they an income contingent program; would acquire, and be obligated however students need to know to for the rest of their lives, and about the program in order to might be discouraged. Now, this participate in it and it isn’t the would give them the option of norm, unlike in Australia. paying a percentage of their Jason Nwosu, member of the income.” Student Advisory Committee Former students will start to the Illinois Board of Higher payments to the university upon Education and sophomore at employment, though payments Oakton Community College cannot begin any later than in Des Plaines, Ill., expressed ten years after graduation. support for the concept. “When I hear it, I think The senator also commented that if the bill is passed, he that is a great idea,” Nwosu felt graduates who go into said. “Especially being able low-paying fields won’t feel as to have immediate access to much pressure to make college undergraduate education. And payments, while graduates in then once you’re able to gain high-paying jobs won’t mind successful employment, paying it back.” paying back However, the institution that gave them Nwosu a lso an educational questioned advantage. the financial Frerichs also workings of said that if the the program, program goes specifically if well, it could the graduates fi nd themselves eventually unemployed. a f fe c t the C a ndace University MICHAEL FRERICHS M u e l l e r , of I l l i noi s , ILLINOIS STATE SENATOR a ssi st a nt as well as all director for other public e x t e r n a l universities in the state. relations at the Illinois Board Jennifer Delaney, assistant of Higher Education, voiced professor in the University’s concerns over the original College of Education, discussed funding source for the pilot the educational background of program. the Pay it Forward, Pay it Back “It’s a fair statement to make that the discussions are still concept. According to Delaney, the works in progress,” Mueller said. roots of the concept for this “There’s really just no available bill started as a class project upfront money in the state right at Portland State University. now, for this kind of a program.” Speaking specifically about St udents ex a m i ned t he educational system in Australia, the bill, Delaney said she felt and wrote a proposal about the there were a lot of details that still needed to be considered, concept. The Australian higher but she felt the bill could move education system uses the forward. Higher Education Contribution “It really has caught the Scheme, which is income attention of policy makers across contingent. There is no required the country.” upfront tuition; depending on what program a student is Alex can be reached at enrolled in, the student will amswans2@illinimedia.com.

BILL

“Now this would give them the option of paying a percentage of their income.”

full marathon last year. About 3,500 volunteers are required for the event and about 600 of those volunteers aid in securing the marathon route safety. “It takes a lot of planning and it takes a lot of overseeing — command and control — during the event,” he said. “It’s probably the most widespread, largest event that we deal with in this area from a safety standpoint.” Seeley mentioned that volunteers play a major role in the outcome of the preparations for the Illinois Marathon. “We couldn’t have the race without them. They are a required element,” she said. “It’s really critical for the safety of the event to have all the volunteers but especially the ones that work on the course.” If the Illinois Marathon fails to draw the volunteers it needs, coordinators and the rest of the committee would have to make adjustments. Volunteers would have to be moved from their assigned areas and more police

officers would be required. “There is a number of volunteers that are responsible for directing traffic and intersections throughout Champaign-Urbana. We place uniformed officers and utilize squad cars to direct traffic,” Swenson said. Swenson mentioned that a portion of volunteers are responsible for traffic safety in neighborhoodbased intersections. Those volunteers have proven to be integral to the safety of runners. Frost said even though the event draws a big crowd, preparation is year-round, similar to other large events such as football games. The area, however, is still in a heightened state of alert. “I always joke, with us — we’re always planning for the day we hope never happens,” Frost said. “Always planning, always training — making sure that we have plans in place should something pop up.” Frost expressed that the University police wants people to understand that everyone can

contribute to the success of the marathon. “It takes all of us. We will work as hard as we can, but we are not going to be everywhere and see everything,” he said. “We need the community to assist us to adjust crime.” Swenson suggests that if bystanders see anybody engage in suspicious behavior, such as leaving a bookbag behind, they should get in contact with police. “Be aware of the people around you and what they’re doing,” he said. “But also rely on us to do the things we need to do too to ensure a safe environment.” The Illinois Marathon will start near Assembly Hall, go through Urbana and Champaign and finish on the 50-yard line of Memorial Stadium. In terms of marathon safety, Seeley has one primary suggestion: don’t wear headphones. “It tunes you out to what’s (happening) on the course, it tunes you out to other runners, to instructions that might be (given),” she

said. “Those headphones make people really oblivious to other surroundings.” Fitzgerald said Urbana police, will have about 12-13 extra officers coming in, other local police departments will have extra staff prepared as well. “We’re keeping prepared like we did last year for any contingency that might happen. That’s why we’re having extra officers out,” he said. Preparation for the Illinois Marathon is a collaborative effort. University Police Chief Jeff Christensen said the Champaign-Urbana area is fortunate to have the cooperative relationship it has now. “It’s built on a strong foundation that’s grown through years,” he said. “That’s a huge element in planning for these events and like Skip mentioned, responding to the unexpected.”

Jessica can be reached at jramos34@dailyillini.com.

Solar farm contractor approved, project nearing approval phase BY AUSTIN KEATING STAFF WRITER

A 20.8 acre lot on the South Farms is on track to house a large grid of solar panels later this year after the state approved the project’s contractor last month. The solar farm, which will be located at the intersection of First Street and Windsor Road, was set to be complete by the end of 2013 after the University’s Board of Trustees approved it in October 2012. Last year however, the state called into question the fi nancial stability of the project’s

contractor, Phoenix Solar Inc. It has since approved the company. Under the original plans, it was projected the solar farm would provide about 5 percent of the University’s power by 2015, which is in line with the Illinois Climate Action Plan’s goals. But in a previous interview with The Daily Illini, Morgan Johnston, sustainability coordinator for Facilities and Services, said the percentage would now most likely be around 2 percent by 2015. “We’re going to lease our University land to the vendor, they

are going to, at their cost, design, build and connect the solar farm to the campus electrical grid, and we will buy all the electricity the solar farm generates,” Johnston said. The lease for the farm will cost the company $1 a year, and the University will buy the energy from the farm at about $1.5 million a year for 10 years, according to the original proposal. The next step is to fi nalize the details of the contract agreements — the power purchase agreement and the lease agreement — and send the project to

administration for approval. Johnston said the company anticipates, without accounting for weather, the project will take 30 weeks from when it receives the award to when it reaches the “substantial completion” stage. “After the award, then they will fi nalize their design, they’ll order the equipment, they’ll do grading on the site, they’ll install the panels and they’ll do the electrical connection to our campus grid,” she said.

Austin can be reached at akkeati2@dailyillini.com.

C-U promotes smoke-free local housing BY CHRIS RADECKI STAFF WRITER

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District officials are hoping to persuade landlords in Champaign County to ban smoking in apartments. Officials have been in ongoing discussions with multi-unit housing property owners regarding the benefits of smoke-free housing. Nationally, there is a trend toward multi-unit housing properties becoming smoke-free, according to Tara McCauley of the ChampaignUrbana Public Health District. The majority of people in the U.S. do not smoke — about 18.1 percent of adults in the nation were smokers in 2012, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Because most renters do not smoke, most renters prefer smoke-free housing. Every year in the U.S., approximately 49,000 people die from lung cancer and coronary heart disease caused by exposure to second-hand smoke,” McCauley said. “In an apartment building, up to 65 percent of the air can circulate between the

units — which puts renters at risk for exposure to toxic air in their homes, even if they do not smoke in their apartment unit.” As of late, the ChampaignUrbana Public Health District has been reaching out to landlords to inform them and explore whether they would be interested in the proposition. Should the landlord agree, they then form a partnership, and health district officials help them transition into a smokefree housing unit. McCauley noted that many landlords are interested in smoke-free housing because of the damage that smoke can cause in the units. “Beside the health reasons, the market is gravitating toward smoke-free living (in apartments). People prefer a fresh clean apartment versus an apartment that has been lived in by a smoker; you can tell there is a noticeable difference,” Roland Realty leasing manager Alec Gillespie said. Roland Realty has implemented smoke-free living in its 25 apartment complexes scat-

tered around Champaign and have had positive results, Gillespie said. “It requires less time and effort to get the odor out of the rooms. We have also seen various burn holes on the furniture or carpets,” Gillespie said. “The paint is also an issue because it will leave stains from people smoking in the room.” Cigarette butts also present a considerable amount of litter outside the apartments, which is why many landlords are starting to ban smoking on their properties completely, McCauley said. “The sticky residue that can be left behind in a smoking apartment unit is called thirdhand smoke,” McCauley said. “Many property owners have spent a significant amount of money on cleaning up smoking units to make them suitable for a new renter.” Former Roland resident Martin Tomic, despite being a smoker, believes smoke-free apartments would be a beneficial addition to landlord’s policies.

“I certainly believe that smoke-free apartment units will contribute to better living conditions for other residents and perhaps as a by-product make smokers realize that outdoor smoking is far more enjoyable anyways,” Tomic said. “As an avid tobacco user, smoking inside seems to defeat the purpose, which for me is to clear your head a bit, something I find difficult to do starting at a wall or television.” Gillespie echoed McCauley’s statement that there is a trend of residents wanting smokefree living. “The majority of students would prefer not to be in a building that has other smokers because it does travel in the hallways or through the air vents in other apartment buildings,” Gillespie said. “Today’s population is more educated on health risks, not just direct inhalation but second-hand smoke, people appreciate that these days.”

Chris can be reached at radecki2@dailyillini.com.

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Erratic C-U weather among intangibles we wish to include in time capsule

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fter almost two years without her, today we are finally able to welcome the Alma Mater back to campus with arms as open and warm as hers. As a way to commemorate her return and acknowledge the University as it is in the year 2014, a time capsule will be put into the statue with various items submitted by students, faculty and staff. The Daily Illini reported that an i-card, a brick from Garner Hall, a Commencement program and pin, along with other commemoratives will be placed inside. Although we love the idea of a capsule filled with items intended to capture our time here, there are some things that can’t easily fit into a little compartment inside a statue — things that represent the people, places and experiences at our University today. Below are a few we would like to acknowledge: Our incredible ability to make our way to class in weather that simply cannot make up its mind Nothing captures campus life in Champaign-Urbana quite like the mental image of students slipping and sliding their way across layers of slick icy sidewalks. Not to mention dealing with the torment of the backand-forth between warm, sunny days and cold, wildy snow falls — it’s weather that really builds character. When students of the future complain about 10 degree weather, may they look at our resilience this winter as an example. The sights and smells of campus With Green Street being a continuous hub of change and innovation, we know it will not look this way forever. Places like Apricot Lane, Ragstock, Panda Express and Chipotle will probably be a thing of the past by the time the capsule is revisited in 100 years. However, we assume that KAM’S will still be here, and we can only imagine how its notorious stench will have evolved. The hard-working mentality of University students Although we sure do know how to have fun on campus, one aspect of our life here that can’t be tangibly captured is all of the time and effort we put into our various activities and school work. We are here because we are eager to learn and, as such, a majority of our time is spent glued to a laptop whether we are reading, taking notes, responding to emails or writing papers — all in an effort to acquire the evercoveted diploma from our varying colleges. Hopefully, this is a characteristic of University students that will remain constant for hundreds of years to come. These are only three of many intangible aspects of the campus in the year 2014 and regardless of how we remember our campus experiences, we are happy to have our Alma Mater back as she reminds us of what it means to be part of the University family.

C OMME N TA RY

Quick Commentary delivers bits of relevant and important issues on campus or elsewhere. We write it, rate it and stamp it. When something happens that we are not pleased with: DI Denied. When something happens that we like: Alma Approved.

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Before March Madness ensued, one confident Kentucky Wildcats basketball fan, Tyler Austin Black, felt so sure of his team’s fate in the 2014 NCAA men’s basketball tournament that he had “2014 Nati9nal Champions,� along with the team’s logo, tattooed on his lower calf. It turns out that he wasn’t sure enough. Kentucky fell to the University of Connecticut 60-54 in the championship game Monday night. Despite the loss, Black told ESPN.com that he plans to keep the tattoo.

What could be more Alma Approved than the long awaited return to campus of Alma Mater herself? Though some have scoffed at the length of her absence and her new bronze appearance, we’re just happy to have her back. For more than 80 years, Alma Mater has been an important symbol at the University of Illinois, representative of our campus and our values. Now that she’s back, all gussied up from her restoration, Alma Mater will be able to continue sending greetings to the happy children of the future from those of the past. Welcome back, Alma!

Over break, entrepreneual group assists Indian farmers BY ANDREW HORTON GUEST COLUMNIST

I knew I was in a very different place as soon as I stepped out of the airport. It was about 1 a.m. local time. I immediately spotted two stray dogs scavenging through trash on the ground. In the distance I saw a group of at least 20 people sleeping on a public lawn. I boarded a bus that was greeted by a barrage of motorcycle horns as soon as it turned onto the main road. Looking out the window I saw an endless stretch of ramshackle roadside shops, characteristic of a developing urban area. I also spotted the first of what would be many cows walking on the side of the road. This was not going to be a typical spring break. I was among 18 University students who forwent the traditional college spring break to travel to southern India to promote marketplace literacy, as part of the Entrepreneurs Without Borders campus organization. We flew to the city of Chennai and met up with MBA students from India’s SRM University. We were guided by a local team working as part of the Subsistence Marketplaces Initiative, directed by professor Madhu Viswanathan from the College of Business and India’s Marketplace Literacy Communities, a non-profit partner of Marketplace Literacy Project. Our goal was to immerse ourselves in a subsistence culture, gain insight into the unique challenges that people were facing and present some possible solutions. I found the experience to be more eye-opening than anything I could have imagined, and it gave me new insight into the hidden challenges that make poverty such a difficult problem. Our main destination was the rural village of Kadambur. We broke into four groups and spent several days interviewing various village residents including farmers, homemakers, entrepreneurs and village leaders. My group focused on farmers. We learned through our interviews that water was their greatest concern. The success of their harvest is

completely dependent on the amount of rain, and one bad harvest could make it very difficult for them to support their families without being forced to take a loan or pawn their few valuable possessions. When asked what they did to combat this problem, they said that they simply go to the temple and pray for rain. One farmer we interviewed told us that he uses the same farming methods that his father taught him. He told us that he knows about government-sponsored training programs, but he refuses to go to them because he does not trust the government. These interactions illustrated the fact that people living in subsistence are focused on the present. They are concerned only with providing their families’ immediate needs and are unable to take on the risk of innovation. They instead continue to use the same methods passed down from earlier generations that have been known to work. We realized that enacting any kind of change would be difficult in this kind of setting because it would require combating this established mindset. At this point I thought: If the people are satisfied with their current way of doing things, then why change it? Why not just let them be? What I came to realize after talking to members of professor Viswanathan’s team is that while the villagers’ current way of doing things has worked up until now, changing economic and environmental conditions are threatening their future quality of life. To illustrate from the farmer’s perspective: Soil fertility is declining as the land has been continually worked over the years (many of the farmers we interviewed admitted to having substantially lower yields). Meanwhile the cost of living in India is increasing as its economy grows, meaning that farmers will be unable to sustain their quality of living unless they can improve their business model. Thus, we saw a huge opportunity to make a difference.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW HORTON

Illinois faculty and students pose for a photo with faculty and students from India’s SRM University and members of the Subsistence Marketplaces Initiative in India over spring break. My group decided to present the concept of a value chain to farmers to help them understand how their crops reach the customer, and how possibly skipping links in the chain could allow them to be more profitable. We also suggested trying to store rainwater as well as using organic fertilizers to replenish the soil at a cheaper cost than what is commercially available. The farmers were surprisingly engaged in our presentation, though they were skeptical of some ideas. For instance, they pushed back strongly against our suggestion that they should come together to form an association, insisting there would be conflict. This highlighted the additional level of complexity that, as outsiders, we cannot possibly understand everything about their culture, and that they may have valid reasons to oppose ideas that may seem logical to us. In spite of this additional challenge, these discussions were an important first step toward sparking new ideas that will lead to change in the future.

The most rewarding part of the trip was seeing the benefits to all parties involved — University students, SRM students and the villagers. However, it was clear that there is still a lot of progress to be made. Entrepreneurs Without Borders hopes to maintain its relationship with SRM University to engage in future immersion experiences. Professor Viswanathan is continuing his efforts in India and has sought to expand his reach to Tanzania and Argentina. Visiting India was unlike anything I have ever done before, and it gave me a new appreciation for the challenges involved in combating poverty. It also gave me hope that the desire of the Indian people to provide for their families along with the efforts of the Subsistence Marketplaces Initiative will lead them to a better quality of life.

Andrew Horton is a junior in Engineering and former Illini Media employee. He can be reached at ajhorto2@illinois.edu.

Early involvement in RSOs, major can pay off SIMRAN DEVIDASANI Opinions columnist

On

Monday, I groggily got out of bed to attend the American Advertising Federation coffee hour — where students who are part of AAF can come to ask questions and network with the AAF board and other students. Even though it was raining, and I had a leg cramp, I knew this hour was important for me in my plan to get ahead in making connections for the future. During the hour, the thing I heard most from advertising juniors and seniors was that they wished they had started making efforts to advance their careers earlier — that they had focused freshman year on coming to events like the AAF coffee hour instead of laying in bed Netflix binging. If there’s one thing I’ve absorbed during my freshman year, it’s that starting early — becoming active in events or taking classes revolving around your major — is extremely useful. Whether it is advertising, business, engineering or any other field, pushing yourself to learn about your major freshman year will allow you to gain the most from the college experience. Even if you come in undeclared, by actively participating in RSOs that interest you and pushing your attentiveness in various classes, you can narrow down your interests and learn what various majors have to offer. In this day and age, obtaining a job is not simple in any field — besides stellar performance in school, companies want to see experiences you have had in their particular areas. According to Forbes and The Undercover Recruiter, two major characteristics employers want to see are team-

work and leadership abilities. And while a group project for school may encompass teamwork abilities, it is not something you can add to a resume. On the other hand, you may list teamwork positions from extracurricular activities or leadership positions you have held. And by starting these activities early, you can demonstrate that you’ve been a team player or leader from freshman year onwards, which will add weight to your resume and set you apart from someone who may have started sophomore year.

Though many of us freshman may feel weighed down by a new environment and a new experiences, getting involved earlier will benefit us in the future. As a freshman in advertising, I applied to the National Student Advertising Competition team and made it in. While at the competition this weekend, I spoke to employers such as Leo Burnett and was able to make contacts. The Leo Burnett employer was impressed that I was a freshman taking part in the competition and told me to contact her in the future. More than just extracurriculars, paying attention in classes related to your field can also help you become successful. In high school, I, like most of my peers, would merely study for our economics class to get good grades to impress colleges, but in college, most people, including myself — an

advertising major — should aim to find more value in a macroeconomics course. Instead of just learning information for tests and forgetting it afterward, we should learn so that in the future when employers ask us to discuss the importance of the company’s economic strengths and weaknesses, we can. Moreover, the majority of college students change their minds about their major once during their college career, By getting involved and really knowing your major from freshman year onward, you can leave room for changes or additions. If you are attentively involved beginning freshman year, you can realize your distaste for your major and switch it — saving you time and money. Despite the challenge of mainly taking introductory courses freshmen year, you can also learn more by establishing relationships with professors or attending clubs revolving around your chosen major. By being involved in advertising organizations freshman year, I’ve been able to help narrow down what kind of advertising classes I want to take in the future. Another perk to starting early is that I’ve established myself within the advertising world at the University. Thus, hopefully as time goes on, I will obtain a higher position on an advertising committee — which is always a bonus to add on resumes. Though many of us freshmen may feel weighed down by a new environment and new experiences, getting involved earlier will benefit us in the future. And even though our freshman year is almost over, this is important to keep in mind as we pick classes for summer and sophomore year, as well as throughout the rest of our college career.

Simran is a freshman in Media. She can be reached at devidas2@dailyillini.com.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS | opinions@dailyillini.com with the subject “Letter to the Editor.� The Daily Illini reserves the right to edit for length, libel, grammar and spelling errors, and Daily Illini style or to reject any contributions. Letters must be limited to 300 words. Contributions must be typed and include the author’s name, address and phone number. University students must include their year in school and college.

THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

FROM 6A

GOTW Pittman said. “There’s a lot of people from my University that will be coming here next year, so I’m trying to convince them to rush and join a sorority too.” Her friends’ confusion stems from the fact that in the U.K. there is no official Greek system set in place at the universities. “In England, they don’t have Greek life, so that’s why I was so confused about it when I first arrived here. We don’t have fraternities, sororities, anything. When I chose U of I, I didn’t know that it was such a huge part of the school,” Pittman said. “Looking back, I remember we had someone talk to us about U of I back home, and she mentioned that the University had a big Greek life. I remember looking around, and no one knew what this ‘Greek life’ was.” Having been born and raised in Burghfield, a tiny village near London with a population of just over 5,000 people, Pittman has never had the chance to become entirely accustomed to such a diverse student population. But in spite of her hometown’s lack of cultural diversity, her sorority sisters’ cultural and ethnic diversity has become one of her favorite aspects of Alpha Chi Omega. “Even though my sisters and I are all in the same house, we’re all very different and unique, yet get along really well,” she said. “It’s such a random selection of people, but it’s awesome that we have so many girls from so many

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

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NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD different backgrounds.” While school and her sorority take up most of Pittman’s time, she still finds opportunities to do one of the activities she loves most: traveling. “I love traveling, and I do it quite a lot at home. In America, you can just rent a car and travel between states, which to us English seems like different countries because each state is so distinctly different.” P ittman has traveled a number of places in the U.S. already, including Florida, Washington, New York, Kansas and Massachusetts. Once the school year ends, she plans on visiting the states that make up the Deep South. Although she said that she feels more at home at the University, she is still getting used to one change. “Having a roommate was definitely a difficult adjustment to make. In England, we don’t have roommates. We have our own room throughout the whole four years of college,” she explained. “Moving into the house, I moved in with my best friend Sarrah, and we get along really well, but it was just a huge adjustment having to actually live with someone and share a room, something I just hadn’t done.” Sarrah Spohnholtz, Pittman’s roommate and freshman in DGS, first met Natalie the week after they found out they would be joining the same sorority. With Pittman’s tall, slim fra me; st rong, femi n i ne cheekbones; and thick, blonde curls that frame her face, she does not look too different from the other girls in her sorority. However, the minute she opens her mouth and begins to speak,

the difference between her and her sorority sisters becomes clear. Spohnholtz believes that it is more than Pittman’s obvious foreign accent that sets her apart from other sorority girls. “She is not judgmental whatsoever,” Spohnholtz said. “There’s this stereotype that Greek life is just made up of a bunch of judgmental people, but Natalie is definitely the furthest thing from that.” Ruby Daly, one of Pittman’s sorority sisters and sophomore in DGS, agreed that Pittman is refreshingly open-minded in a world that at times seems dominated by snap judgments. “She’s a good, honest person,” Daly said. “She’s different from so many girls in the fact that she’s open to anything and anyone.” With the school year winding down and only half a semester of classes left, Pittman will soon have to pack her bags — albeit begrudgingly, she admits — for a flight back to the U.K. “I already know I’m going to be so terribly sad the day I actually have to pack up and leave. It’s going to be an awful adjustment, going back home. If I could stay, I really would, but you can count on me coming back to visit,” Pittman said. Despite having to leave, Pittman said she is grateful for every skill the University has helped her achieve, most importantly the newfound confidence she’s gained by living here. “Now that I’ve been here, I feel like I can now go off and do anything I want,” she said.

Elizabeth can be reached at edye2@dailyillini.com.

ACROSS 1 Beret-sporting rebel, familiarly 4Nutrition label units 9 Town with an eponymous derby 14 Bottom line? 15 Cuban salsa singer Cruz 16 Wide receiver’s pattern 17 Assent on the Hill 18 20 More than a lot 22 eHarmony users’ hopes 23 Graph marking 24 28 Act the sore loser, say 29 “Ciao, amigo!” 30 Move like the Blob 31 Render unreadable, in a way 33 Prefix with mural 34 Many a noble element 37 40Bummed out 41 Money spent 43 Avoid, as a tag 45 Siouan tribesman 46 Flying machines, quaintly 48 Letter starter 52 54 Terra ___ 55 Like “Goosebumps” tales 56 High-flying socialites 57 Phrase that defines (and describes) 18-, 24-, 37and 52-Across 61 Create some drama 62 Reference work next to Bartlett’s, maybe 63 Flip 64 Not just “a” 65 Nancy Drew creator Carolyn 66 Aquaria 67 Last letter in “Boz”

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1 Trophy winners 2 “Psst!” 3 “Kick it up a notch” TV chef 4 Popular instant-messaging app 5 One of two in an English horn 6 What a gimel means on a dreidel 7 “Cool” amount 8 Dictated, as a parent might 9 Aria title that means “It was you” 10 Late 1990s fad 11 They have umbras and penumbras 12 Ear-related prefix 13 Sound from an Abys-

sinian 19 Domino often played? 21 Tattoo parlor supply 24 It may be bounced off someone 25 Like half of all congressional elections 26 Cornell of Cornell University 27 Out of juice 29 Word often abbreviated to its middle letter, in texts 32 “Game of Thrones” network 33 Roadside bomb, briefly 34 Tasty 35 Prefix with pilot 36 Fred and Barney’s time 38 Plum relative 39 Conservatory stu-

dent’s maj. 42 Exact revenge 44 Mark one’s words? 46 Words clarifying a spelling 47 Barely make 49 Like Splenda vis-à-vis sugar 50 Don of “Trading Places” 51 Squealed on, with “out” 53 Glacial ridge 54 Satellite broadcasts 56 Kind of mail or bond 57 Rub the wrong way 58 Furrow maker 59 Pro that may be replaced by TurboTax 60 “Total Recall” director Wiseman

The crossword solution is in the Classified section.

FROM 6A

of your songs that represents your sound as a band, which one would you choose?

more than our first record.

DI: Is there something unique to your shows, such as a tiful place to visit and a beautiful Barthel: I think I would choose tradition you do as a band place to write music and kind of “When I’m Small.” It has all of before, after or during your the elements that we’re really show? evolve as an artist.

PHANTOGRAM

DI: Do you think that the atmosphere of Harmony Lodge gives the band a unique sound? Barthel: I think, in general, Harmony Lodge represents somewhere where we started and somewhere where we just have grown from. It influences our music. At first we thought we could go somewhere else, we could go to New York City and try to write a record down there. And we realized it wasn’t vibing. I think it was just because we were not where we first started. Up there, there are no distractions, really nothing to keep us away from our lyrics.

DI: If you had to choose one

inspired by. It has guitar, pretty melody, dark lyrics, a superheavy beat. The song is dynamic as well. It moves from place to place. So yeah, that song is really a good one to represent us.

DI: When making your most recent album “Voices,” what were you trying to capture that you hadn’t really pursued in previous tracks? Barthel: I think we wanted to grow naturally and still maintain our original sound that we kind of created — that was fresh and new — and we kind of added to that. We experimented a lot with instruments and messed with a lot of records. We also wanted to be more dynamic with this one,

EDUMACATION

JOHNIVAN DARBY

Barthel: Josh and I kind of get everyone together and we do a little prayer (with) the whole band together. I don’t think that’s really unique because I know of a lot of bands that do similar things before the show.

DI: In what settings do you imagine people listen to your music?

DOONESBURY

GARRY TRUDEAU

Barthel: I know it’s fun to drive at night with music, and ours is great for that type of thing. Or even walking around the city, day or night, anytime. As long as the music is turned up, then you’re doing it right.

Alexander can be reached at vassili2@dailyillini.com.

BEARDO

DAN DOUGHERTY

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ILLINOIS

PHOTO COURTESY OF EDWARD TUFTE

Yale Professor Emeritus Edward Tufte will present his lecture on Wednesday in Foellinger Auditorium.

Tufte to present ‘The Thinking Eye’ lecture on science, creativity BY ANNABETH CARLSON STAFF WRITER

Over the years, Foellinger Auditorium has presented a wide variety of established lecturers, scientists and performers, such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Maya Angelou and Bill Gates. This tradition will continue on Thursday, when the auditorium hosts Edward Tufte at 7 p.m. Tufte, a statistician, landscape sculptor and professor emeritus of political science, statistics and computer science at Yale University, will give a lecture titled “The Thinking Eye.” “’The Thinking Eye’ is about seeing, thinking and producing at a high level in science and art,” Tufte wrote in an e-mail. “Examples come from Galileo, Paul Klee, Tim Berners-Lee, xkcd and hi-res 6k maps moving in time.” This lecture will not be the fi rst for Tufte, as he often teaches one-day courses at various venues across the United States. During his career, Tufte wrote and designed four books about data visualization. These include “Beautiful Evidence,” “Visual Display of Quantitative Information,” “Envisioning Informa-

tion” and “Visual Explanations.” These works led New York Times to call Tufte the “Leonardo da Vinci of Data,” and Business Week calling him the “Galileo of Graphics.” Along with his lectures and courses, Tufte is presently building a sculpture park in Connecticut that will house his artwork. Colleen Bannon Bushell, a senior research scientist in the Visual Analytics Group at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, organized the lecture. Tufte is a former colleague of Bushell’s, and when he decided to visit campus, they decided to set up an opportunity to share his project. Because Tufte tends to draw a big crowd, Bushell said they chose to have it in Foellinger Auditorium to accommodate a large amount of people. Tufte wrote that the talk will be part of his happy tour around Illinois, as he will get to see his friends from the NCSA. Bushell said she thinks students should attend the lecture because they can learn from Tufte about a topic that is applicable to a variety of fields. “What Edward is able to do so well is describe and demon-

strate how you can communicate information more clearly so people understand it, and that (skill) applies to so many different areas of work like science,” Bushell said. Others share Bushell’s high regard for Tufte, including Cinda Heeren, University senior lecturer in computer science and Larry DeBrock, the dean of the College of Business. “Tufte is both a master and the founder of the field of Data Visualization,” Heeren wrote in an email. “I feel a little bit like Paul McCartney is coming to town!” Heeren also said she is grateful to Tufte for his work, because it directly shows there is room in computer science for elegance and creativity. As for DeBrock, Tufte’s work has influenced how he views data and explains it. He said he is curious about what will be covered in the lecture. “It’s been a while since he wrote a book, so it will be interesting to see what he is thinking about now,” DeBrock said. Thursday’s lecture will be free and open to the public.

Annabeth can be reached at aecarls2@illinimedia.com.

ONLINE

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LIFE CULTURE

More than meets the eye

Discover the high level of science and art behind Edward Tufte’s lecture, “The Thinking Eye.� Find out more about the lecture and the “Galileo of Graphics� on Page 5A.

6A | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

THEDAILYILLINI

British student reflects on life at University, Greek system

BORNBRITISH,

BY ELIZABETH DYE

N

STAFF WRITER

atalie Pittman does not personally know the royal family. She does not enjoy a side of crumpets with her afternoon tea. And although she may be from the United Kingdom, she is not from London. The junior in LAS defies the stereotypes students often assume of her as a study abroad student and has instead joined one of the United States’ most notable college traditions. Pittman knew that she loved the United States from an early age, having made many trips to her relatives’ home in Sarasota, Fla. When college rolled around, she knew that she wanted to study American culture. Naturally, Pittman chose American studies as her major. Pittman ex pla i ned her major as being the literature, history, politics and sociology of the U.S. “I chose American studies because it’s multidisciplinary and I can use the degree to enter any career path, because in England you can get a degree and pretty much go into any career you want,� she said. “It’s not a straight and narrow path, so I could go into business with my degree if I wanted. It opens up quite a bit of doors, so that’s why I chose it.� She later learned that her degree requires her to study abroad in the U.S., so last fall she flew from her U.K. school, Swansea University, to attend the University for her junior year. “My institution back at home has a partnership with U of I, but also several other

PLEDGED

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PORTRAIT BY BRENTON TSE

schools in the U.S. I chose U of I because it fares really well academically,� Pittman said. “And of course, I heard the school likes its share of parties, so I was in.� On her first day at the University, she worried about the large student population and size of the University’s campus. But now, the size of the school does not bother her at all. In fact, one of her favorite aspects of the University is how although the school has a large student population, student organizations, sororities and fraternities can make it seem so much smaller. “I love how everyone is so close with each other. I can walk to class and bump into six or seven friends on the road. Back home, my school is only 14,000 people and I could go to every class and not bump into anyone I know,� she said. “It’s really, really strange, I know. I love how students create this community here.� Pittman’s sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, is like a home away from home for her; however, she admits her choice to rush was completely random. “I lived in Barton before I moved into the house, and the girls and I on my floor got really close. I didn’t know anything about Greek life, but we all agreed to try it,� she recalled. “I ended up choosing Alpha Chi Omega because the girls in the house were very laid back, chill and just seemed like they knew how to have a good time.� One of the hottest topics of conversation with Pittman’s friends back home is her being in a sorority and Greek life in general. “I’ve been telling a lot of my English friends back home about Greek life, and they still don’t really understand it,�

SEE GOTW | 5A

Dream-pop, electronic-rock duo to perform at The Virginia Theatre BY ALEXANDER VASSILIADIS STAFF WRITER

For the electronic-rock duo Phantogram, 2014 has been a longawaited return to promoting an album release. Nearly four years after their 2010 debut album, “Eyelid Movies,� the band released “Voices� as their most recent full-length studio album on Feb. 18. It quickly made its way to the numberthree spot on Billboard’s Top Alternative Albums and Top Rock Albums charts. The band will visit downtown Champaign’s The Virginia Theatre on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. as part of their national tour. Presented by Star

Course, the show will open with special guests TEEN. Tickets are $18 for University students and $26 for the general public. The band consists of Josh Carter, vocalist and guitarist, and Sarah Barthel, vocalist and keyboard player. The Daily Illini was able to talk with Barthel about the band’s latest release and their upcoming show at The Virginia Theatre.

The Daily Illini: How would you describe the music Phantogram puts out? Sarah Barthel: My music is experimental pop, psychedelic,

beat heavy emotional lyrics, with a touch of electronic.

DI: What do you usually stray towards when listening to music and looking for musical influences? Barthel: We just listen to and play whatever really feels good to us, musically and emotionally. We don’t really go towards a specific route or direction. Whatever really sounds good or fresh to us at the moment; whatever really does it for us. We just grab influences from

everything around us.

DI: Harmony Lodge, a remote barn in upstate New York, is your writing space and recording studio. What does it mean to you as an artist? Barthel: Harmony Lodge is a barn in upstate New York in the middle of nowhere. It’s surrounded by peace, quiet, beautiful scenery, nature and loneliness. It has this eerie feeling surrounding the place. We grab a lot of creativity from the atmosphere. It’s a beau-

SEE PHANTOGRAM | 5A

PHOTO COURTESY OF TIMOTHY SACCENTI

Phantogram, a dream-pop, electronic-rock duo, will visit The Virginia Theatre on Wednesday night for a show presented by Star Course.

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Groce aims to establish new team identity

ILLINI OF THE

Illinois men’s basketball loses only 2 seniors

WEEK

BY JOHNATHAN HETTINGER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

PORTRAIT BY BRENTON TSE THE DAILY ILLINI

SARAH FIEDLER

With 2nd career beam title, the senior leads women’s gymnastics to NCAA Championships as team finishes 2nd in regionals BY ASHLEY WIJANGCO STAFF WRITER

Editor’s note: The Daily Illini sports desk sits down Sunday nights and decides which Illinois athlete or coach is our Illini of the Week. Athletes and coaches are evaluated by individual performance and contribution to team success. The Illinois women’s gymnastics team had been in this position before. At the Morgantown (W. Va.) Regional last season, the Illini had a slight lead over Nebraska coming into the last rotation. At this year’s Big Ten Championships, Illinois was neck and neck with Minnesota, trying to place in the top-three heading into the fi nal rotation. On Saturday, the Illini ended the Minneapolis Regional on the balance beam just as they had in Morgantown. the year before, when they qualified for nationals. Illinois was on pace to take second place at Saturday’s meet, therefore qualifying for nationals again, but Minnesota was only four-tenths behind. With one rotation to go, it was still anyone’s spot to take. Senior Sarah Fiedler was the second-to-last Illini on beam, and the score she would earn would play a large role in not only the team’s future but in her own future as a gymnast. Despite the pressure, she knew her task remained the same as it had all season long: hit the routine. Fiedler ended up performing a near-fl awless routine and earned a 9.900 on the event. This tied three other gymnasts at the meet and set up a four-

way tie for the beam title. What made this even more special for Fiedler, though, was her score was accompanied by Illinois’ bid to nationals. “It was so special, especially with the position we were in,� head coach Kim Landrus said of Fiedler’s beam performance. “She was the fi fth competitor, and for her to go up and rock the routine the way she did was just awesome. She’s a true competitor.� That performance is a big reason why her season isn’t ending just yet, but Fiedler couldn’t have done it without her teammates. She felt more relaxed on beam than she had throughout the meet but wasn’t quite sure why. “I think that was just because we had such a solid meet up to that point,� Fiedler said. “I just know I can depend on the others in the beam lineup, and people had been hitting routines before me. I think that just gave me a little more confidence to hit my own routine.� Fiedler now has a second career beam title. It was also her fi rst beam title of the season, although she’s earned other event titles. Fiedler captured two uneven bars titles against Iowa and Minnesota. She even earned her fi rst ever all-around title against Lindenwood on March 8, which was also senior day. It still hasn’t hit Fiedler that her gymnastics career is nearing an end, but she knew, coming into the season, what kind of role she wanted to have when the time would come.

“When I was a freshman, I always looked up to my seniors, specifically (Melissa) Fernandez, Allison Buckley, and they were truly my role models,� Fiedler said. “I wanted to be able to fi ll those shoes. I wanted the freshmen to be able to view me like I viewed them.� She’s accomplished this feat, because she knows this year’s freshmen can come to her for help without any hesitations. “Whenever I do see them struggling, whether it be inside the gym at practice or with school, I’m able to talk to them and help them out,� Fiedler said. “Obviously I’ve been through all of it, so I help them figure out what’s going to work best for them or what worked best for me.� Freshman Mary Jane Horth concurred, saying: “She is such a steadfast leader on our team. She always has a consistent attitude day in and day out. It’s been really beneficial to us freshmen to look up to her and have her as an example and role model, as a senior gymnast just to look up to because she’s so strong and so solid.� Fiedler’s role model status isn’t just limited to the freshmen, though. In fact, she has been able to make an impact on fellow senior Elizabeth McNabb, who calls Fiedler her best friend on the team. “Even though we are the same year, it’s really nice to be able to look up to her as a beam worker and just a worker in general in the gym,� McNabb said. “She’s a really hard worker, and it’s really great to see that show through

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0RUH RQOLQH For the full interview with our Illini of the Week, Sarah Fiedler,

visit DailyIllini.com.

Honorable mentions Will Krug (baseball) — The junior batted in the gamewinning run in the 10th inning against Northwestern on Saturday. The Illini swept the Wildcats in three games over the weekend. Farris Gosea (men’s tennis) — In a win over Michigan on Sunday, Gosea defeated No. 115 Alex Petrone to keep his Big Ten record perfect. Gosea improved to 9-1 in singles competition for the season.

After maximizing talent in his first two years in the helm, Illinois men’s basketball head coach John Groce expects next season’s team to take a big step forward and be more like the ones he hopes to build at Illinois. Coaching with leftover talent from former head coach Bruce Weber, Groce led the Illini to a No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament in 2012-13 and a 20-15 finish this season. In his first two years, Groce was not able to fully establish the system or identity — playing eight, nine or 10 players in a quick-paced and aggressive manner — he wanted. But Groce hopes the team will be more similar to his third and fourth years at Ohio, when he had the success that caught the eye of athletic director Mike Thomas. Next season, every player but two — seniors Tracy Abrams and Nnanna Egwu — will have been recruited by Groce. Abrams and Egwu will each be in Groce’s system for their third year. The team, which was playing its best basketball in March, will only lose seniors Jon Ekey and Joseph Bertrand, who both came off the bench late in the year. They will be replaced by three double-digit career scoring transfers, senior Ahmad Starks, junior Aaron Cosby and sophomore Darius Paul. “At times, we struggled to score,� Groce said at a news conference Tuesday. Starks and Cosby have also shown they can hit 3-pointers,

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another area where Illinois struggled this season. This summer will allow the players to focus more on improving their bodies and skills and less on learning the system, which was a major forcus for the nine new players last summer. Groce said “body transformation� is the biggest theme of the offseason. Last offseason, Egwu gained more than 20 pounds, while Rayvonte Rice lost around 35. Paul has already added 29 pounds since coming to Illinois. Groce said he expects Paul’s body to continue to develop and that he needs to improve his conditioning. As far as the other sophomore-tobe bigs, Groce thought Maverick Morgan needs to work on developing his post skills and becoming more aggressive, while Austin Colbert needs to add more weight to be effective in the Big Ten. Groce also stressed that returning players will be pushed to learn more than one position to help diversify lineups he will be able to play. Next season the Illini will be led by four seniors: Egwu, Abrams, Rice and Starks. Groce said each player has an area where he can improve. Egwu needs to work on his skill level and continue to develop his above-average shooting. Abrams needs to work on making his teammates better. Rice needs to improve his shooting. Groce said Starks not receiving his waiver to play the 201314 season may have been a blessing in disguise because Starks will be even more successful next season than he would have been this season after having a year to develop and learn the system.

Johnathan can be reached at editor@dailyillini.com and @jhett93.

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her gymnastics. And she’s very detail-oriented and gets upset if she makes that one mistake because she just wants to get it right every single time.� Gymnastics will soon be a thing of the past for Fiedler, but it’s given her more than just personal achievements. “It brought me here to U of I, and I’ve met so many great people and made so many friends through the sport,� Fiedler said. “It’s just given me so many opportunities.�

Ashley can be reached at wijangc2@dailyillini.com and @wijangco12.

BRENTON TSE THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois’ head coach John Groce praises his team during the game against Darthmouth at State Farm Center, on Dec. 10. Groce will have four starters returning: Egwu, Abrams, Rice and Starks.

Banks says defense improving

A perfect ending

Eight starters returning to unit BY STEPHEN BOURBON STAFF WRITER

JOHN WOIKE MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE

Connecticut center Stefanie Dolson celebrates against Notre Dame during the NCAA national championship game in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday. The Huskies beat the previously unbeaten Fighting Irish 79-58 to complete a 40-0 season. The title is UConn’s ninth in program history and second in a row. The win comes a day after the UConn men’s team won its fourth national championship. It is the second time the school has won both titles in the same year, the first coming in 2004. No other school has accomplished that feat.

Last season, the Illinois defense was near the bottom of the country in most major statistical categories. The Illini ranked 104th of 123 teams nationally in scoring defense, allowing 35.4 points per game. That number jumped to 40.8 in eight Big Ten contests, where the Illini were 1-7. The defense simply couldn’t get off the field. Illinois ranked 104th in the country in third down conversion percentage at 45.2 percent, and 119th overall with only 11 turnovers forced. Combine those numbers with a unit that allowed 238.6 rushing yards per contest, and the Illini defense was in trouble last year. After last year’s disaster, the Illini return almost the whole defense — eight starters in all — and the entire secondary, which is looking for redemption as spring practice winds down. The secondary featured sophomore sta r ters at cornerback in V’Angelo Bentley and Eaton Spence to go along with freshmen reserves in Darius Mosely and Jaylen Dunlap. Safety didn’t have

JOSEPH LEE THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois’ Earnest Thomas plays defense during the game against Southern Illinois at Memorial Stadium on Aug. 31, 2013. With most starters returning, the defense looks to improve from a dreadful year. much more experience. Outside of then-junior Earnest Thomas III, the Illini featured Taylor Barton, a redshirt freshman, and a junior college transfer in his fi rst season in Champaign, Zane Petty. All those young players return a year older and a year stronger to try and bring the defense back to an acceptable level. “Those guys have played, they got pretty good experience,� defensive coordinator Tim Banks said. “Their eyes aren’t as bright. They’re kind of taking it in, some of the details of the coverage, and I think they’re a lot more confident playing the ball when the ball is in the air.� The Illini moved Thomas

from safety to STAR this spring, a move that he says brings more versatility to the defense. Thomas was second on the team last season with 101 tackles and led the Illini with seven pass breakups and three forced fumbles. “With me there, we’ve got a lot of nickel principles,� Thomas said. “(STAR) is always in the middle of everything. I look at myself as one of those people that has to spark the defense every single practice.� Thomas said this spring the defense is trying to nail down the absolute basics of the system and build from the ground up. “It’s Day 1 stuff we’re trying

SEE FOOTBALL | 2B

2B

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

Illini women’s golf ties for 15th at Web.com Intercollegiate tourney BY ASHLEY WIJANGCO STAFF WRITER

SCOTT STRAZZANTE MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE

Rooftop owners outside Wrigley Field fear new proposed billboards could block the view of the field from their rooftops if the Cubs’ $500 million renovation plan for the 100-year-old ballpark is approved.

Feud could cost Cubs stadium Ricketts fails to play hardball with rooftop owners ARYN BRAUN Sports columnist

L

ast Friday, Wrigley Field opened the gates on its 100th season, and maybe one of its last. Wrigley rooftop owners, who worry new proposed billboards will block their views, have stalled Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts’ $500 million renovation plan indefinitely. The Cubs signed a 20-year agreement with the Wrigleyville Rooftop Association in 2004, legalizing rooftop seating and creating a partnership of sorts with the Wrigley community. But that partnership may disappear if the two sides cannot reconcile their demands for the good of the Cubs franchise. Ricketts said from the beginning of his tenure as chairman in 2009 that he loves Wrigley. He’s not just a businessman, he’s a fan.

But it is precisely that mentality that keeps Ricketts from playing hardball with the rooftop owners. No Cubs fan wants to move from Wrigley Field. It would decimate 100 years of history, tradition and loyalty. But, in order for Ricketts to be taken seriously, he needed to make moving seem like an option. What if Wrigley Field was in Skokie, Ill.? Or Orland Park, Ill.? Or some other suburb with mayoral support and some cash to burn? “Build it and they will come,” right? Ricketts needed the rooftop owners to sweat, make them worry more about keeping the Cubs than losing a little business. But he didn’t. He professed his love for all things Wrigley and allowed the rooftop owners a larger say than they deserve. The Cubs would be nothing without their fan culture, but no professional sports franchise should be held hostage by petty demands. It seemed as though an

agreement was possible when rooftop owners created a plan to put up digital billboards that would generate ad revenue for the Cubs without compromising rooftop views. But the Cubs remained staunch in their desire to put up signs at their own discretion. Renovations were supposed to begin this past offseason but now are scheduled to start after the 2014 season comes to a close. Wrigley Field is one of only two ballparks to reach the 100year mark and should be celebrated as a fragment of baseball history and a staple of Chicago pride. Instead, Chicagoans find themselves caught up in worry. If the renovations don’t happen, Wrigley may not be able survive for future generations of Cubs baseball. And if the feud forces Ricketts to move the Cubs, even an exact replica of Wrigley Field won’t feel the same. It would only be a shell of a once-great baseball institution. There are only so many

things Cubs fans can boast about. They’re not used to hoisting the pennant, or playing baseball deep into October, and sitting above .500 is a rarity. But they have Wrigley, and if this dispute forces the Cubs to move, everyone loses.

Aryn is a senior in LAS. She can be reached at braun17@ dailyillini.com. Follow her on Twitter @arynbraun.

There are only so many things Cubs fans can boast about ... But they have Wrigley, and if this dispute forces the Cubs to move, everyone loses.

Senior Ember Schuldt shot a 5-under-par 67, tying her career low, in the first round of the Web.com Intercollegiate, but the Illinois women’s golf team wasn’t as successful. On Monday and Tuesday, the Illini competed against 18 other teams at the par-72, 5,967-yard golf course at the Marsh Landing Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. After three rounds of golf, they found themselves with a total score of a 909 to tie Michigan for 15th place. “We just were struggling overall as a team,” head coach Renee Slone said. “It’s just a combination of things for everyone: ball-striking, short game, decision making. It’s just not where it needs to be to play good golf.” Early on in the tournament, the Illini were in fifth place. As the day progressed, though, their position continued to fall. At the end of the day Monday, Illinois had played two rounds of golf with 40 bogeys,and scored a double bogey or higher on 11 holes. This gave the golfers 13th place with a score of a 597. There wasn’t one thing in particular the team as a whole needed to work on to improve for the last round of play. Struggles varied from individual to individual. So when the first day concluded, Slone met with each golfer to assess how she had done so far and what needed work. The Illini hadn’t scored higher than 300 in either of the

FROM 1B

FOOTBALL to have perfection with,” he said. “Just trying to not be a repeat offender and clearing up the little things. We’re trying to be perfect. If you’re not trying to be perfect, you’re never going to be perfect, you’re not going to be close.” At safety, Petty and Barton appear to be the favorites to start again, after both saw reps with the starters at free safety during last season. Barton was the opening day starter at free safety before being usurped by Petty after five games. “(Petty) has really picked up where he’s left off,” Banks said. “He’s just been really consistent. He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, and he’s where he needs to be. He’s accountable.” At cornerback, the Illini return all of last year’s main pieces, although sophomore Dillan Cazley made the switch from the crowded cornerback

first two rounds, but in the final round, they earned a 312. This came as a result of 32 bogeys, and four holes marked a double bogey or worse. The beginning of the third round was also delayed because of a heavy rainstorm, and the first couple of holes were accompanied by rain; however, Slone mentioned this didn’t faze her team. There was a definite chance of rain Tuesday, so the golfers knew it was coming. “Overall in the tournament (Tuesday), the scores were higher for (the) majority of the teams, with the exception of Florida State, who walked away with the tournament,” Slone said. “But for the most part, today’s scores were a bit higher due to the difference in conditions. The course played much longer today after the rain. Even though we had some windy conditions (Monday) around midday, scores overall were a little bit higher today.” Slone also saw better ballstriking among the golfers, but there were also some challenges with putting. “We’ve got some work to do in the next week before we leave for the next tournament,” Slone said. “And just like I said, each player has some fine tuning to do on different aspects of their game, and we’re at a point where we need to hone in on some things here, so we can put together three solid scores at the next tournament.”

Ashley can be reached at wijangc2@dailyillini.com and @wijangco12. position to safety to bolster some depth behind Petty and Barton. The Illini had a fiveman rotation at corner — none older than a sophomore a year ago. Banks also highlighted Spence as a player who has emerged from the pack, along with sophomore Caleb Day. “Day is playing with a little more confidence, a little more swagger out there,” Banks said. “He should. He got baptized last year in some big moments, and I think he’s a better player for it.” Although Banks reiterated the unit has a long way to go, there is improvement from a calendar year ago, when many key pieces in the secondary were busy planning their prom. “I think we’ve made some strides,” Banks said. “Obviously we’re still a work in progress, but are we better than we were last year at this point? I think we are.”

Stephen can be reached at sbourbo2@dailyillini.com and @steve_bourbon.

Inclement weather cancels game at Eastern BY NICHOLAS FORTIN STAFF WRITER

The Illinois baseball team and the weather have not mixed well this year. Weather has affected six games so far this season, most recently with the cancellation of Illinois’ game Tuesday at Eastern Illinois. The game was canceled because of “poor field conditions” at Peterson Park in Mattoon, Ill. On top of being the second consecutive year the game between the Illini and the Panthers has been canceled, the cancellation also marks the second week in a row that rain has played spoiler for the Illinois baseball team’s midweek game. Illinois was forced to postpone last week’s Wednesday contest against Missouri at Busch Stadium because of “inclement weather.” According to a press release announcing the cancellation of the Eastern Illinois contest, “It is not known at this time if the game will be rescheduled.” Without the midweek contest against the Panthers, the Illini will ride their five-game winning streak, the team’s longest of the season, into a three-game home stand against Michigan this weekend.

Kravetz wins Big Ten Pitcher of the Week For the first time in his Illinois career, junior starting pitcher John Kravetz can call himself the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week. Kravetz, who is usually the No. 2 starter for the Illini, took home the weekly award after an impressive performance at Northwestern on Sunday. The junior closed out the weekend sweep for the Illini, securing a 1-0 win with his career-high eight scoreless inning performance. Kravetz also matched another career-high with seven strikeouts in the outing against the Wildcats. Kravetz picked up the win, his third of the season, after giving up only four hits and not allow-

FOLAKE OSIBODU THE DAILY ILLINI

John Kravetz pitches during a game against Purdue at Illinois Field on April 13, 2013. ing a walk. “It’s just good to see guys just pound the zone, pound the zone down, and put all the pressure on the other team,” associate head coach Eric Snider said. Illinois allowed only two runs in 28 innings over the weekend and shut out the Wildcats in two of the three games.

“Our pitching has just been outstanding,” Snider said. “Drew Dickinson, our pitching coach, does a really good job. All those guys are coming together and they’re putting up zeros. We’ve been playing defense, we’ve gotten the timely hit and we’ve won ball games.” Kravetz became the second Illi-

ni pitcher this season to take home the honor, joining sophomore Kevin Duchene who picked up the honor on March 3.

Duchene still out When Illinois takes the field this weekend against Michigan, No. 1 starter Duchene will likely not be

on the mound. Snider described Duchene’s injury, which has kept him off the mound since March 14, as “forearm tightness” and said his status remains “day-to-day.” “The health of the kid is most important,” Snider said. “When Kevin’s ready to come back he’ll let us know. Obviously he’s a kid

that competes, so he wanted to come back like three weeks ago. We’re just taking it day by day and again he’s doing everything he has to do to put himself in a position to be in the rotation.”

Nicholas can be reached at fortin2@dailyillini.com and @IlliniSportsGuy.

THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

3B

Softball catcher helps team, adds leadership

Senior builds friendships with pitchers, serves as role-model for freshmen

BY CHARLOTTE CARROLL STAFF WRITER

Illinois softball catcher Jenna Mychko’s blond hair isn’t streaked with grey. She doesn’t have grandchildren. And yet her status as a senior has led to a nickname that defies her youth. “We’ll always have little stupid inside jokes,� Mychko laughed. “And one is that they say I’m so old, so they call me ‘Grandma Jenna.’� However, it is this status that has led Mychko to become one of the team’s leaders, both at the plate and behind it. One of two seniors on the team, Mychko has taken her experience and put them into practice to help the Illini pitching staff and perform offensively herself. “There is not a player I’m more proud of at this point than Jenna Mychko because of how hard she has worked this year,� head coach Terri Sullivan said. “And in working with the pitchers, and really the entire team, she has come into her own as a leader. She’s always had that capability, but she works very hard both on her offense and defense. She’s improved on both. She has a great relationship and a lot of respect from all her team and certainly the pitchers, which is critical to a team’s success.� Mychko earned the starting catcher position midway through her junior year. She then went on to start in 20 of the team’s last 23 games last season. Though she has proved herself all season, Mychko once again demonstrated her experience and improvements this weekend, in a three-game series against Nebraska, when Illinois took only

the fi rst game Saturday. Mychko had four hits and two RBIs in Saturday’s doubleheader. Her solo home run in the second inning of the second game put Illinois on the scoreboard in a game. She then went 2-for-2 on Sunday with a two-run homer in the fourth that once again put Illinois’ fi rst runs on the board. And although Mychko came out this weekend offensively sound, her work behind the plate is to be noted as well. The ties she forms with the pitchers play a key role in the team’s progress. Mychko knows all three of her pitchers and their different personalities well. It’s this knowledge that helps compose pitchers in tough situations, keeping the game in perspective and demonstrating a maturity that is necessary at this point in the season, Sullivan said. Whether it’s cracking down by saying, ‘Hey, focus,’ or using a joke completely irrelevant to softball, Mychko knows what to do to calm her pitchers. “She’s been really good with handling us differently because all three of us pitchers are different,� junior Shelese Arnold said. “She knows how to talk to us, calm us down and get us going. Me, I’m the more serious type — so Jenna, she is kind of like, ‘Let’s go, let’s go Shey.�’ Her four years of experience also plays a role in helping the freshman pitchers with strategy. “She’s been around the game, and a lot of these other players that we’re playing against, for a long time,� freshman pitcher Jade Vecvanags said. “So she knows their strengths and weaknesses and how to work with them and work against them.�

MELISSA MCCABE THE DAILY ILLINI

Jenna Mychko is congratulated by her teammates after she hit a two-run home run during the softball game on Sunday. The Illini lost 12-3 in five innings. It’s these relationships with the younger pitchers that Mychko has come to value over the course of both the season and her entire Illinois career. It’s the time spent not only on the field but also grabbing food, watching movies like “Space Jam� or trekking out to Walmart that have aided Mychko in forming bonds with her younger teammates and establishing herself as “Grandma Jenna.� “It’s a lot of fun to see them progress,� Mychko said of freshman pitchers Vecvanags and Brandi Needham. “They’ve made tremendous leaps and bounds as far as success in pitching, from the fall until now, or just from beginning of the season till now. They’re willing to take the ball no mat-

ter what the situation is or who we’re playing or what the score is. They’re ready to just go in there and pitch. They really take the team on their back and carry us.� Though Mychko will soon have to swap her Illinois softball uniform in favor of a graduation gown, the senior is nonetheless excited to watch her teammates build on their experience in the future. “I think they’re going to take this program to the next level,� Mychko said. “And it’ll be fun to watch them progress even more.�

Charlotte can be reached at cmcarro2@ dailyillini.com

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THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

Too many games, too little intensity Long regular season schedules each year lower fans’ interest in throughout season MICHAL DWOJAK Sports columnist

A

fter a long week of classes, I decided to spend part of my Friday night watching my two favorite teams compete: the Blackhawks and Bulls. That night I witnessed the Bulls dismantle the league’s worst team, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Blackhawks squeeze out a win against the mediocre Columbus Blue Jackets. After watching a lackadaisical 102-90 Bulls victory that came just weeks before the playoffs, I came to the conclusion that these sports have regular seasons that are too long. I know many might not feel any pity for me. Once again, my favorite basketball and hockey teams will be making the playoffs, while some cities battle to have one team qualify, if that. The problem is my teams and teams like them are not playing to the best of their ability at this moment. Players are being rested until the playoffs start, because that’s when the real games start. This is especially true for superpowers like the Miami Heat, who knew they would be in the playoffs after their opening night win against the Bulls, Although no fan enjoyed the recent NBA and NHL lockouts, the shortened seasons made the sports much more exciting. TV ratings went up both nationally and locally for both leagues during the lockout seasons.

I can remember the start of last year’s NHL season, when the Blackhawks traveled to Los Angeles to face the Kings on Los Angeles’ ring night. With a commanding 5-2 win, I threw away all of my hatred toward the players, the owners and the league. I was in love with the sport again. I watched each game until that fateful June night in Boston, when the Hawks lifted the Stanley Cup once again. The same went for the 2011 NBA season. After I opened all of my presents on Christmas Day, I was excited to see Derrick Rose take the court against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. I was hopeful for that season and watched the Bulls dominate nearly every game, until Rose went down with his fi rst injury in the opening round of the playoffs. I watched each game because each game mattered; there was no margin for error. The same can’t be said about a baseball season. As the saying goes, “It’s just one of 162 games.� In today’s society, the average fan is too busy to watch all 162 games in a season. For all April and parts of May, many ballparks not in New York and Boston are embarrassingly empty. Who wants to sit outside for three hours in the cold to see — in Chicago’s case — bad baseball teams play? As it is with all things, the NFL has it right. The NFL season of 16 games in 17 weeks is what America looks forward to all year long. Each game is enticing and draws huge amounts of people. I look forward to each Bears game because I know that game might make the differ-

ence in a NFC North title, a wild card berth, or in the team missing the playoffs once again. This is one reason why the NFL is king. If there were 20 or 25 games in the regular season, it would be less special. The thrill of an NFL game cannot be matched by anything else, especially a matchup between the White Sox and Indians on April 13. In order for the other three major sports to match the intensity of the NFL, they should reduce the amount of regular season games. The NBA and NHL season should be reduced to 66 games and the MLB to 148 games. It would make the seasons much more exciting as well as improve player safety. Initially, this may not sit well with the fi nancial side of sports. Fewer games means less money from tickets, concessions and merchandise. The demand for tickets will be higher, allowing organizations to set higher prices. If viewership is up as well, advertisers will pay more for commercial spots, replacing and even adding more revenue that was lost with fewer games. It would result in happier organizations, sponsors and most importantly, a happier fan base. It would also result in the memories like the ones I was able to be make with fewer games when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in the lockout-shortened 2013 season.

Michal is a freshman in Media. He can be reached at dwojak2@dailyillini.com and @bennythebull94.

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