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Lester Spence delivers Black History Month Talk on Ferguson, neoliberalism South Documents Nearly 4,000 Names” served as a significant resource for Spence’s explanation of racial inequality in the United States. Spence explained: “What you see is variance.” He could not divorce the past from his message about the present and future. “We talk about the Jim Crow era as the Jim Crow era,” said Spence, “but really we should call it the Terrorism era.” Shortly thereafter, he added, “Lynching was constitutive of capitalism in the South. The lynchings were made public, newspapers sold special editions, trains had discounts to get Lester K. Spence addresses audience in Watson Forum on matters of historic, racial inpeople there. That was equality. SAM CARAVANA/THE DEPAUW an industry.” In speaking about the Ronald Reagan era, he defined “neoliberalism” as “an ideolBY ALEX WEILHAMMER ogy that promotes the idea that every human institution should news@thedepauw.com be governed by the market.” He drew parallels to how a failing DePauw students found a warm haven in the Pulliam Center school might try to remedy its shortcomings by making “it run Thursday night when Lester K. Spence arrived in the Watson Fo- more like a business.” Cities are then expected to operate in the rum. Soft conversation and laughter floated about the packed same way: become “entrepreneurial in their revenue income.” Spence explained how cities result to a reliance on municipal room before professor Clarissa Peterson gave Spence’s introbonds and on the militarization of the police when given this duction. As Peterson explained, Spence is an Associate Professor of expectation. Said Spence, “One way to understand Ferguson is Political Science and Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins Univer- to understand a long history of the relationship between cops sity. His lecture, entitled “The Right to Ferguson: Race, Rights, and black people.” Junior Amanda Buening appreciated Spence’s patient apand Power in the 21st Century,” was organized as a Black History Month Talk and was presented by the Black Studies department. proach to talking about Ferguson, as the issue is far from sim“What I want to talk about today is variance,” said Spence plistic. “What I really liked about it the most was how he talked early into the lecture. He let the word hang there, even repeated it a few times before continuing. A New York Times article titled “History of Lynchings in the Spence | cont’d on page 3
VOL. 163, ISSUE 31
Faculty speak out, discuss possibility of 3:2 course load BY LEXY BURTON news@thedepauw.com
Faculty led discussions continue as professors seek to shrink course load and incorporate more research and scholarship. At DePauw University, professors currently teach six courses a year which constitutes as a 3:3 course load. Although DePauw is a small liberal arts school where teaching is an important component of students’ success, many professors at DePauw still value their scholarship and desire to continue their research and development post doctorate. Professor Jeff Kenney, Faculty Development Coordinator, thinks scholarship is a key component to a successful academic experience for students and professors. “We don't want to become an IU,” said Kenney. “We want to be grounded in the class room with teaching but research is a important component for who we are as professors.” Kenney is not the only professor that has participated in conversations about the faculty course load. According to Kenney this discussion has been ongoing for the last five or six years, before Larry Stimpert was named vice president of academic affairs. “A few times you hear [the] administration and President Casey take it on and think it is something viable, but then nothing becomes concrete,” said Kenney. Several other professors as well as President Casey and Stimpert
have been a part of these ongoing conversations. Last summer during a Faculty Development Committee meeting, the faculty was upset after Stimpert announced changes in the faculty development funding. “We had a cut and faculty were worried that research wasn't taken seriously,” said Kenney, “So the 3:2 load discussion came up naturally.” With DePauw’s current 3:3 course load, professors find it difficult to devote enough time to their research or other scholarship pursuits. Kenney argues that with a 3:2 course load more time could be spent with students outside of the classroom, participating in research. “The whole point of Liberal Arts education is to merit interaction with faculty involved in their students academically,” said Kenney. “Once the semester starts with grading feedback with a 3:3 course load, weekends are spent grading and it is difficult to keep up with our research,” said Kenney. President Casey agrees and thinks the quality of student to faculty interaction is heightened. “I think when a faculty member has only two classes to teach their capacity to engage with students goes up,” said Casey. The meeting dismissed the old Faculty Development Fund model and changed how professors would receive funding for conferences and research oriented trips. With expressed concerns and pushback from faculty, the Faculty Development Funding program returned to
Course Load | cont’d on page 2
the depauw|news
PAGE 2
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
Code T.E.A.L. announces spring speaker BY VICTORIA HOUGHTALEN
www.thedepauw.com FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015 VOL. 163, ISSUE 31 Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Chief Copy Editor News Editors Features Editor Opinions Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Design Editor Multimedia Editor Web Editor Social Media Editor Assistant Social Media Editor Business Manager Advertising Managers
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The student organization Code T.E.A.L. will welcome a YouTube star to campus later this spring. Laci Green, who describes her online channel as “a frank video series on sexuality,” will serve as the primary speaker for the upcoming Code T.E.A.L. week in April. “Code T.E.A.L. is an organization that works to educate students on campus about sexual assault and make it preventative through education. Also, we support survivors of sexual violence,” says sophomore Claire Halffield, co-leader of the organization. “Laci Green is fun and gets people’s attention yet she is still powerful in her message. I think that is something that is important to have with causes that may sound somber or always like a downer.”
Laci Green has been posting videos on her “Sex+” series for six years and has accumulated more than 96 million total views on her videos, according to YouTube. “She’s pretty famous on YouTube, a lot of people know who she is.” says Christina Seung, a member of Code T.E.A.L. “She is really informative on issues like consent and sex positivity. We figured it would be a good idea to bring her, because she’d go more in depth on stuff that we try to talk about, but it would be more entertaining. She would give a twist on it”. The videos on Green’s channel range from “Does Sexism Hurt Men?” to “Finding Sexual Confidence” to “Interracial [Couples].” Seung adds, “She may talk about things that people are curious about but may never want to talk to someone else about. The titles of the videos are almost so shocking that you have to
click on it.” The presence of a YouTube personality has other organizations on campus excited as well. Heather Wright, the coordinator for the Women’s Center, says, “To have somebody that is famous like Laci Green is and is as current as she is helps the Women’s Center get our name out there on campus more.” “’Ending Rape Culture’ is the name of her speech which is essentially about how we can make steps at DePauw and how other students at other campuses can make steps in the right direction” Halffield summarizes. “Thinking about someone experiencing sexual assault can be really hard to talk about and uncomfortable but Laci Green, through her personality, and who she is and how she presents sex positivity and sexual assault make the topics seem more approachable. So hopefully we are able to engage students.” Code T.E.A.L. week will be later this
spring, running April 13th through the 17th. Green will present on Wednesday, April 15th at 7:30 in Meharry Hall. “The goal would to be to eliminate all sexual assaults on campus everywhere, not just DePauw,” claims Seung. “In fact, [Code T.E.A.L.] shouldn’t even exist.” “We really saw that choosing the [“Ending Rape Culture”] speech as our duty as Code T.E.A.L. to educate students in that way and give them another avenue through which they are able to learn about sexual assault and do something about it,” adds Halffield. “I’m excited to see conversations starting. I think students will be excited too. A lot of people know about her and a lot of people are excited that she is coming. I can’t wait to see what [Laci Green] has in store."
Professor Kenney leads lecture on ISIS’s past and future
DePauw Professor of Religious Studies Jeff Kenney explains the connection betwen ISIS and al-Queda. The lecture was live streamed online to over 70 viewers. SAM CARAVANA/THE DEPAUW BY SAM CARAVANA
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Despite arctic temperatures outside, Professor Jeff Kenney delved into the hot issue of ISIS on Tuesday evening inside the Watson Forum during his presentation “ISIS and the Pathology of Middle East Politics.” Kenney is a professor of religious studies at DePauw whose focus the past few years has been on Islam. Kenney explained the issues surrounding ISIS and its rise from a scholarly perspective. “Most people writing about ISIS have been dealing with international policy and politics,” Kenney’s focus strayed from this
traditional rhetoric. He gave an extensive history of similar movements that lead up to ISIS’s creation. One major figure, according to Kenney, was Hassan Al-Banna, an Egyptian citizen who helped to found the Muslim Brotherhood in the late 1920s. Kenney pointed to Al-Banna as one of the first to think that Islam could be used in politics. “He was painting Islam into a modern nation state,” said Kenney. Kenney delved into more recent history citing the rise of a Shiite government in Iraq as a factor in Sunni backed ISIS’s rise. “Essentially Shia are empowered at the expense of Sunni,” said Kenney as he attempted to wade through the sectarian nature of Iraq
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fessors. Numbers would shift and Casey argues that 15 new faculty would need to be hired and classes could grow to numbers of 65-70 students. “I think there’s a sense that administration doesn’t want to do this in just a capricious way,” said Casey. “The answer is, it’s a tradeoff. There are pluses and minuses.” With the recent discussions about the 3:2 course load Kenney is hopeful that it becomes necessary for DePauw, “it is an essential pillar for the future DePauw if we were going to present ourselves, not just with buildings, but how we are going to transform ourselves intellectually and that is a fundraising effort.”
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THE DEPAUW: (USPS 150-120) is a tabloid published most Tuesdays and Fridays of the school year by the DePauw University Board of Control of Student Publications. The DePauw is delivered free of charge around campus. Paid circulation is limited to mailed copies of the newspaper.
-ment Funding program returned to its original model. “The faculty development program supports both faculty teaching, faculty scholarship and creative works so we want to make sure faculty have resources to be effective,” said Stimpert. “What was never planned or proposed was to actually reduce the amount funding, what we were proposing was to change it around a bit.” DePauw professors currently teach a 3:3 course load instead of a 3:2 course load that several other liberal arts colleges and universities implement. Other competing Liberal Arts universities and
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Course Load | cont’d from page 1
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colleges, including Grinnell College and Denison College, have a 3:2 course load which grants more time to professors to conduct research and devote to scholarship. “We do have to be concerned about how competitive we are for brand new faculty that we hire,” said Stimpert. Due to lighter course loads at other universities, DePauw has a difficult time competing with other universities when recruiting faculty. If the university takes steps to adopt a 3:2 course load, where professors would only teach five classes a year, many things would have to be taken into consideration. This would include class sizes shifting, raising tenure standards, professors teaching more students and DePauw would have to consider hiring more pro-
the depauw | news
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
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about the structural causes,” said Buening. “It’s not just one thing that can be fixed, it’s a lot of things that need to be fixed.” Junior Hannah Viti also appreciated the structural focus of Spence’s speech. “I don’t think you can segregate this issue to just Michael Brown, or just Ferguson, or even just relations between police and black males. It’s a much bigger, systemic, cultural racism,” she said. St. Louis County has 90 municipalities, each with their own electoral and tax structure. To explain this significant political reality, Spence “cherry-picked” various municipalities and revealed the ratio between the black population percentage and the revenue percentage those municipalities receive only from “policing and fining.”
and the Middle East. In addition to connecting the dots to how ISIS came into being, Kenney gave the group a hopeless prognosis. “ISIS is a pseudo state with a not very long life in front of it,” said Kenney. Although Kenney may have not believe ISIS would survive much longer, he predicted its effects would out live its life, maps would have to be redrawn. He theorizes that Iraq and Syria will be sliced into four regions based on religion and ethnicity: Shiite, Sunni, Kurds and Alawites. “It’s going to be very difficult to put these countries back together. At this point in time it looks impossible,” said Kenney. Though attendance at the lecture was in the single digits, the presentation was seen by many more. As a part of the Virtual Alumni College, Kenney’s lecture was streamed via the internet to over 70 online viewers. All viewers, both virtual and in person, were able to ask Kenney questions as the event came to a close. One of the three students in attendance, sophomore Allison Schultz who has taken classes with Kenney before, enjoyed the lecture. “He went into a lot more depth about ISIS’s origins instead of the politics,” said Schultz. Professor Emeritus of Religious studies, Bernard Batto, despite his background in the field found Kenney’s lecture to be enlightening. “Most of us have no idea the fact that what happened in Egypt in 1925 is very much at the base of what is happening right now with ISIS,” Batto said. Kenney regularly teaches classes about Islam such as “Classical Islam” and “Judaism, Christianity and Islam.”
“If your county depends upon policing,” asked Spence. “What kind of relationship [is there going to be] between the police and its citizens?” This question largely explains why Spence assigns so much importance to #blacklivesmatter movement. “The move to make #blacklivesmatter is arguably one of the most important moves we’ve seen in black populations in modern time,” said Spence. “I can’t think of something more important.” Buening added, “I definitely learned I need to get more into politics. I feel like I’ve definitely been getting more involved with the issues, but as he was talking about grassroots movements, I feel we aren’t active enough.” St. Louis native, junior Taylor Jones said, “Of course when students go away from their hometown, and especially when it’s a town of violence and inequality, and it actually impacts you personally, you want to do something about it. You want to make change.”
PAGE 3 DePauw
Tiger Tweets Ben Gorman, ‘16 @Benjorman1
6:00 a.m.- 19 February 2015
We should all email @DePauw telling them that forcing us to reset our passwords every semester is pointless and confusing
Parker Schwartz, ‘15 @theschwaman
10:07 p.m. - 18 February 2015
It’s been fun calling @DePauw_MBB v @wabashathletics the past 4 yrs. I’ll miss it! Nice way to spend part of my b-day.
Jordan Niespodziany @NespoKnows
10:30 a.m. - 18 February 2015
Dear DePauw students, don’t make a daring dash across the street in the snow... My car will slide and your day will be flattened
INSTAGRAM PHOTO OF THE ISSUE
the depauw|news
PAGE 4
"The New Black" debuts on campus BY AMANDA BROWN news@thedepauw.com
Maryland, not commonly known as a political arena, became just that after the 2012 re-election of Barack Obama, as the fight for LGBTQ rights raged on in the African American community. On Wednesday, the Compton Center partnered with the Cultural Resource Center to bring a documentary entitled, “The New Black” to DePauw’s campus. The film directed by Yoruba Richen highlights the fight for LGBTQ rights within the black community. After the 2012 election, the world saw a shift from Obama. No longer defining marriage as the union between a man and a woman, he paved the way for the conversation for LGBT rights to be brought on at a serious level. Following three activists for the legalization, viewers get to witness the background work that it takes to pass legislation. Activist Sharron Lettmen-Hicks, supporter and leader for LGBTQ rights stated the following: “LGBT is the unfinished business of black people being free.” She continued, “People have to realize that all minorities are in this together, and we want the same things.” Not only showing the pro-LGBTQ side of the cam-
paign, viewers also see the campaign against rights for the communities. Headlined by strong religious leaders in the African American community, such as preachers and pastors these advisories became a force to be reckoned with after getting double the signatures needed to put a referendum on the ballot. Reverend Eddie Smith, one of these religious leaders defined being a gay as, “a white man’s disease that kind of latched on to us [African Americans.]” “When choosing a film I wanted to go with something that would show a lot of the behind the scenes work that is so important in a campaign for LGBTQ rights. It also does a really good job of highlighting the issue at hand, but showing both sides at the same time,” said organizer Vivie Nguyen. Professors echoed similar sentiments. “Films like these are important because they are our best tools for exposure. The generation we are educating have a far greater visual literacy than if you were just to pick up a book and read it,” said professor Karin Wimbley. “One of the challenges professors face is we have all of this wonderful programming but we can’t make it all. These campus events are extremely beneficial to students and the education process.”
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
DePauw Trust receives 6 million estate gift, Campaign for DePauw now totals 210 million TDP STAFF REPORTS news@thedepauw.com
Six million dollars will get you 4,500 pairs of Louis Vuitton heels, three fourbedroom homes in Greencastle or 2 million bottles of truffle oil. It is also six percent of what The DePauw Trust hopes one day to hold. On Feb. 16, President Casey announced that a recent six million dollar gift from the Theadore R. Peterson and Elizabeth Emison Peters ’40 Living Trust will be added to The DePauw Trust. The DePauw Trust is one of the four parts of The Campaign for DePauw—and
the biggest. Of the 300 million that The Campaign for DePauw hopes to raise by Jan. 1, 2018, 100 million will be allocated to The DePauw Trust, which contains money specifically set aside for providing needbased aid. This most recent gift from the Peterson estate brings The DePauw Trust total up to 56 million, and gets The Campaign for DePauw to 210 million dollars. “In 2011, 2012 people said we’d be lucky to get 225 million total,” President Brian Casey said. With 210 million already raised, Casey says he is confident that reaching 300 million in the next three years is achievable.
CAMPAIGN FOR DEPAUW GOAL: 300 MILLION CAMPAIGN FOR DEPAUW CURRENT TOTAL: 210 MILLION
MEGAN HAMMERLE MEMORIAL SERVICE Celebrate Megan’s life with music and reflection on Monday, March 2, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. at Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be sent to: Megan Hammerle Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o PNC Bank.
PLEASE WEAR YOUR FAVORITE COLOR
THE DEPAUW TRUST GOAL: 100 MILLION THE DEPAUW TRUST GOAL: 56 MILLION
the depauw |FEATURES
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
PAGE 5
Professor Profile: Nahyan Fancy BY AUSTIN CANDOR features@thedepauw.com
Nahyan Fancy is an Associate Professor of Middle East/Comparative History at DePauw University. Recently, he was offered membership to The Institute of Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. This week, The DePauw had a chance to sit down with Professor Fancy and learn more about him.
the institutions I highlighted because I had a great experience at a liberal arts college myself as a student, and so I always wanted to teach at a liberal arts college… In this particular case, [DePauw] fit in many ways. It was not just Middle-Eastern history, but it was comparative history.”
The DePauw: Could you talk a little bit about your background? Nahyan Fancy: I was born and raised in Dubai… Dubai being United Arabic Emirates. I did my schooling in the British system of education, which included the Ordinary levels, and then they’ve got something called the Advanced level examinations. Then [I] went to an undergraduate liberal arts college, Knox College, in Illinois… Got very interested in history and philosophy of science through a course in economics that was taught by a post-modern Marxist… Went for my masters to University of Toronto, and my PhD at Notre Dame.
TDP: What would say you enjoy the most in being in a Liberal Arts atmosphere? NF: The part I enjoyed most as a student, and that I get to enjoy to some extent as a faculty member, is a vibrant intellectual community, where… you have access to professors, learn about their research, learn about, you know, all kinds of things by having these intense conversations with them with regards to developments that are taking place research wise in their field as well as in the world at large… I’m the only historian of science in the university [but] I interact with faculty from many other disciplines whose research intersects with my own interests resulting in amazing conversations and providing me with new questions and perspectives all the time.
TDP: How did you come across DePauw? NF: So DePauw had a position that was open amongst many others that were open when I was on the job market. I hadn’t finished my PhD yet, but I was nearing it, so the idea was I could go on the job market, and if I get it, you know, hopefully I’ll finish the dissertation. If not, then I’ll try to take another year to complete it. DePauw was one of
TDP: Can you go into more depth about The Institute for Advance Study? NF: Basically it’s a bunch of scholars… from all over the world. You can kind of talk about it as kind of a scholar’s liberal arts intellectual community. I guess that’s one way to talk about it. It’s quite prestigious. It was established particularly as a place that would just encourage thinking…It’s supposed
to just encourage curiosity-driven research… without thinking too much about funding, applicability or any of those kinds of issues that may bog someone down from conducting some kind of inquiry. TDP: What advice would you give DePauw students? NF: I think I would request students to take more advantage of inculcating their learning; spend
PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES
more time speaking to professors after class, coming to office hours, doing more than what may be the bear minimum to…basically get the grade… The intellectual community exists and is waiting to be harnessed, and if they don’t make the most of it, they will regret it once they leave.
Nostalgia from my time with St. Augustin: dreamy, Danish pop you need to know about CAMPUSCRIME February 16
unknown | Place: Off Campus
• Fire Alarm • Subject Burning Incense/Alarm Reset | Time: 11:02 a.m. | Place: Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity
• Fire Alarm • Pull Station/Alarm Reset | Time: 4:22 p.m. | Place: Hogate Hall
• Medical • Ambulance Dispatched/ Transported to Hospital in Personal Vehicle | Time: 11:48 p.m. | Place: Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity February 18 • Harassment/Violation of Protective Order • Forwarded to Prosecutor’s Office/Pending | Time:
February 19 • Minors in Consumption/Minors in Possession of Alcohol • Forwarded to Prosecutor’s Office/Forwarded to Community Standards Committee | Time: 2/17 | Place: Anderson St. SOURCE: PUBLIC SAFETY WWW.DEPAUW.EDU/STUDENTLIFE/CAMPUSSAFETY/PUBLICSAFETY/ACTIVITY-REPORT/ YEAR/2015/
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BY HANNAH VITI features@thedepauw.com
Four twenty-something’s clad in black apparel and leather jackets take me up to see their studio in the neighborhood of Frederiksberg in Copenhagen, Denmark. We walk up several flights of stairs to the attic; it’s cold and cluttered, filled with instruments and amplifiers. The foursome, made up of Sofie Augustinus, Alex Foersom, Mio Friberg and Mikkel Beck, all under 25, met when they were teenagers. They drifted apart, but last year decided to collaborate on a new project, calling the band St. Augustin. I first heard St. Augustin at Studenthuset, the bar down the street from my apartment, a frequent hangout for Danish students due to the low priced beer and generally good, local bands. Initially, I was struck by the penetrating voice of front woman Sofie; equal parts soulful and whimsical, wholly eerie. The band produced a dreamy, layered version of pop meets singer-songwriter folk that was unique to my American ears. This was music that isn’t being made anywhere else. A series of Facebook messages brought me to their couch. Sofie sat peeling a tangerine, Alex chain-smoked while Milo sat perched
near the computer. I’m later told he’s the professional one. They showed me what they have recorded so far. We started with Mio’s, the bass player’s favorite song, “I Want What Is Mine.” It builds slowly into a clash of profound, rhythmic expressions, then takes us back to the original more simplistic tones and Sofie’s permeating sounds as she sings, “I want what is mine. I’ve been swimming around. I’ve been waiting too long.” A final, manic jolt of busy, but never sloppy pop finishes the track. “I just want the guitar to not sound like the guitar,” Foersom adds as the song is ending. My personal favorite, “Crazy,” is little short of therapeutic. The simple, tight drums hold together a song about insanity. The chorus, “I’m sorry, I’m not as crazy as you,” repeats throughout rhythmically, met by a trance like sequence chugging into a piercing final, altered chorus that confronts the truth of the piece, “I’m sorry, I’m just as crazy as you.” The live version I saw at Studenthuset ended in a mash up featuring Cindy Lauper’s “Time After Time.” Clean and professionally, they merged the songs in a way that made sense. “Shut the Blinds” deserves honorable mention for its warm melodies, introspective baselines and nostalgic undercurrents. It’s also the track that best displays the talents of drummer Mikkel Beck. The ele-
ment of nostalgia is at the core of their sounds. Their music and poetry is reminiscent of a distant experience, somehow familiar but fresh. Their first EP is yet to be released. The band made the possibly controversial decision to record the whole thing themselves, deciding it was their concept project and their vision of music. Mostly, they didn’t want to be dictated by anyone else on their sound. Foersom revealed, “We want the sound you would get at one of our rehearsals. Untarnished.” Sofie confirmed, “We don’t have machines or computers, no synth. We make music with the instruments we got.” I left our interview feeling like I do when I listen to their music, a bit sad but better off for it. Haunted by a voice and sound that are near impossible to classify and harder to forget. There is something special about this band and their chilly, melancholic mixtures. Checkout their Soundcloud and Facebook: https://soundcloud. com/st-augustin, https://www.facebook.com/st.augustin.music.
the depauw | features
PAGE 6 & 7
DePauw students:
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
FASHION FORWARD AND EVER TRENDY BY: REBECA BAGDOCIMO
1 #
Bean Boots The first fad that has made its mark on campus is L.L. Bean Boots. Originally designed for hunting in Maine, Bean Boots have replaced riding boots and have become a staple for collegiate men and women. The boot become popular in the 1920s when farmers and woodsmen everywhere craved a sturdy, yet fashionable boot, to wear while husking corn and hacking trees. Those with the highest sense of fashion are aware that Bean Boots not only keep your feet dry, but they also have a lifetime warranty. The only item in my closest with a lifetime warranty is the hammer my grandmother purchased from Ace Hardware in 1956.
Styles come and go but fashion is forever. The standard of preppy has changed significantly in the last year. Though you still see riding boots paired with gingham button downs from time to time, preps are integrating trendy fashions such as Boho, Edgy and Vintage into their everyday wardrobe.
#2
CONVERSE Sperry’s may be an appropriate choice when sailing along the East Coast but when it comes to fashion, people are finding comfort in shoes that were made for land over sea. The second trend combines comfy and edgy in one. Sneakers such as Converse All-Stars and New Balances are dominating college campuses. Both shoes can be purchased in an assortment of colors compared to the three shades of brown Sperry Top-Siders offer. Although loafers provide long-lasting comfort and are the perfect compliment to khakis and quarter zips, undergrads are selecting sneakers and tennis shoes over Sperry Top-Siders.
#3
OVERSIZED EVERYStudents no longer need to fear hiding their beer bellies or their excess weight gained from the amount of Papa Johns found on campus because we have found a solution: oversized everything. Shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, socks and more! The phrase “bigger is better” is fitting for this fad. You’ll find both men and women wearing clothing two sizes too big. Students should be aware that prices are going up for Comfort Colors, Patagonias and Spirit Jerseys. There has even been a shortage of fabric in the market due to this trend. If the demand for oversized clothing continues to increase, students may have to start wearing clothing that fits to compensate for the limited supply of cloth.
4 #
LEATHER WATCH
Leather wristwatches are finding their way back into the 21st century. Watches are a timeless staple. For a while, silver and gold watches were the modern man’s top choice. Now, men and women are slowly transitioning to a vintage look by finding handcrafted premium leather watches such as Shinola’s. Days of mass-produced metal watches are coming to an end as people are falling in love with American-made leather secured timepieces.
Speaking of vintage, three years ago Macklemore released “Thrift Shop” which sparked an interest in secondhand shops such as Goodwill. Shopping at thrift stores is a craze that makes you look chic while keeping your bank account from being overdrawn. Here you can find dated Bean Boots, broken-in converse, clothes that are too big and leather wristwatches to add to your closet.
the depauw | opinion
PAGE 8
THE DEPAUW | Editorial Board
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
News flash: black lives matter
CARTOON
Nettie Finn | Editor-in-Chief Alex Weilhammer | Managing Editor Alison Baker | Chief Copy Editor
Black History Month opportunity for DePauw to continue campus climate discussions In 1926, Carter G. Woodson together with the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced that the second week of February—chosen for the significant dates of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on the 12 and Frederick Douglass on the 14—would be considered “Negro History Week.” It was designated as a week in which black history would be taught and celebrated, with the push primarily being for education in public schools. However, in the first year of the initiative, only the Departments of Education in North Carolina, Deleware and West Virginia, as well as city school administrations in Baltimore and Washington D.C., actually cooperated. In 1970, Negro History Week was extended into the full month of February by leaders at Kent State, and six years later it was recognized by the U.S. government and President Gerald Ford, who stated that Americas should “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” So this month, all month, speakers will be on campus and events will be taking place. Campus climate has been at the forefront of DePauw’s collective mind for almost a year now, and this month is an opportunity to continue that discussion. As a campus, we need to make the time to attend these events. The DePauw Dialogue was a starting point, and this month we can take the next step, or even two. For those who are truly unable to attend, The DePauw will be providing coverage—in this issue two stories, “’New Black’ debuts on campus” and “Right to Ferguson,” focus on the events and speakers brought to campus in honor of Black History Month. Our campus climate is what our community makes it, and dedicating this one month to learning about the struggles and successes of a race that has been enslaved and marginalized is the very least we can do. Though learning about black history shouldn’t end with this month, this month is a good place for learning to start. Black History Month month presents us with a number of opportunities to learn, and taking advantage of them is not just a good idea, it is part of our on-going education, and of our efforts to make this campus a place where all feel welcome.
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EDITORIAL POLICY The DePauw is an independently managed and financed student newspaper. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of DePauw University or the Student Publications Board. Editorials are the responsibility of The DePauw editorial board (names above). The opinions expressed by cartoonists, columnists and in letters to the editor are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editorial staff of The DePauw. The DePauw welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and accompanied by the author’s name
and phone number and sent in by 4 p.m. either the Monday or Thursday before print dates. Letters cannot be retracted after 5 p.m. the same day of submission. Letters have a 350-word limit and are subject to editing for style and length. The DePauw reserves the right to reject letters that are libelous or sent for promotional or advertising purposes. Deliver letters to the Pulliam Center for Contemporary Media, email the editor-in-chief at editor@thedepauw. com or write The DePauw at 609 S. Locust St., Greencastle, Ind. 46135.
the depauw | opinion
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
ASHTON JOHNSON
NETTIE FINN / THE DEPAUW
Let’s talk about 50 Shades of Grey NATALIE WEILANDT
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0 Shades has swept audiences off their feet, selling 100 million copies worldwide and making $237.7 million in its global opening in theaters. In many ways, this success could have been predicted by its eerie similarity to other phenomenally profitable franchises (ahem…Twilight), but in other ways, what 50 Shades presents is entirely new. The series follows the love story of an unassuming bookworm girl and an older millionaire businessman—nothing new there. But the catch? He’s into BDSM: he likes violent sex. At a cultural moment where sex is a hot-button issue, the timing of the movie release couldn’t be more perfect (read: lucrative). But as Emma Green pointed out in her article for the Atlantic, on film, “the Fifty Shades version of hot, kinky sex will become explicit and precise, no longer dependent upon the imaginations of readers.” With the book, interested folks could discretely download the books on their e-readers and choose if they wanted to share their guilty fascinations. With the movie, it’s public. So now that everyone knows you’re curious, let’s talk about some of the major debates surrounding the movie and the issues it brings to light. One of the biggest arguments is the sheer volume of sex. With a full twenty-five minutes of pure sex scenes, one has to wonder what the motives are. Is it simply an empty shortcut to boost ticket sales? Or is the motive to open up the viewer to a more liberal approach to nudity and sex? One thing is clear: sex sells. But is there something inherently wrong with steamy sales tactics? Or, more specifically,
is there something inherently wrong with using fetishized sex to sell? This leads us to another point—one that was discussed in the Atlantic article: the movie’s representation of a particular community. The fact is that there really are people who are into BDSM. Some of these people have come forth, claiming that the movie misappropriates, among other things, the level of emotion and consent that’s actually involved. The movie didn’t show the couple talking, going on dates, falling in love... the focus is on the sex. And the moments not in the bedroom are uncomfortable: he sells her possessions, and pops up unannounced, and somehow maintains an constant aura of creepiness…uh, no thanks. As Green put it, “the most troubling thing about the sex… isn’t the BDSM itself: It’s the characters’ terrible communication.” Now, it could be that the film is riding the wave of sexual liberalism, giving the public insight into a taboo community and ultimately promoting openness. And some feminists will give it this. In her HuffPost article, feminist writer Soraya Chemalay says that, “this not secret, not silent, non-judgmental openness is a feminist success”. Many have also brought up the issue of class. Yes, this type of rare sexual preference is glamorous in a marblefloored penthouse between two good-looking people. Would it have been as appealing without the helicopter? This conversation goes on and on, back and forth and then back again. If you’re interested in reading more about the discussions surrounding the movie, as well as my personal take, head over to the PrindlePost.org. Personally, I haven’t read the book, but I saw the movie. I said it was just because everyone else was, but the truth is that I was genuinely curious…which I was 50 shades of embarrassed to admit. -Weilandt is a Prindle Intern from Winnetka, Ill. -This article was originally published in the PrindlePost opinions@thedepauw.com
Yes, you read the statement correctly: Black Lives Matter. Now some of you may be thinking, “Well sure, Black Lives Matter, because all lives matter.” Some of you may be thinking, “Why does this phrase even exist? I mean, why is there (always) a focus on black people? They already have Black History Month.” Others may be thinking, “What about other lives like White lives or Latino lives or LGBTQ lives or poor people lives. Why isn’t there a hashtag for them?” Although I do agree that all lives matter, the phrase simply is not true. If ALL lives truly mattered, then Michael Brown, Amadou Diallo, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Yvette Smith, Aiyanna Jones, Tarika Wilson, Deah Barakat, Yusor Mohammad, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, Penny Proud, Lamia Beard and Taja Gabrielle DeJesus would still be alive. I would argue that the only time there is a focus on black people is when black people bring it up. And correct, the nation observes Black History Month during February. The purpose of Black History Month, as created by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, was a means to educate both (at that time) blacks and whites about blacks and their accomplishments since their legacies were (and continue to be) left out of the American educational curriculum. It was formed to get around the institutional racial hatred of that era in order to empower blacks with historical awareness as well as educate whites about the endeavors of blacks in order to prevent negative stereotyping. Similarly to Black History Month, the phrase #BlackLivesMatter was created, by three black females, as a response to the anti-Black racism that continues to permeate our society. One of the creators of the hashtag states, “Black Lives Matter is an ideological and political intervention in a world where black lives are systematically and intentionally targets for demise. It is an affirmation of black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.” In our American society, a seven-year-old black girl is shot and killed
while sleeping on her grandmother’s sofa by a police officer during a police raid. In our society, a seventeen-year-old black male’s body is found rolled up in a wrestling mat in his high school gym. We live in a nation where a twenty-two-year-old black male is killed by a police officer inside a Wal-Mart while holding a toy gun. (Take note that he is the same age as some current seniors and how all of us go to Wal-Mart.) These three reported acts of violence and crime do not begin to scratch the surface of the harsh realities of being black in America. Living as a black person in America, you are, in a sense, a moving target. Although we no longer live in the era of overt acts of racism and racial hatred such as the every day occurrences of lynchings, we do live in a time where police officers can stop, frisk and search any person, walking or driving, based on assumptions and/or suspicions. We live in a time where professors, students and administrators assume that black students should be grateful for being allowed to attend white institutions or schools based on the assumptions that they were admitted only because of their race. We live in a time where more people of Color, especially blacks, receive hasher punishments and sentences for committing the same crime as their white counterparts. Yet, we still live in an era where black lives are taken by white males in authority, regardless if they are hiding behind a white sheet or a blue badge. In spite of the centuries of enslavement, the many years of Jim Crow laws and the continued acts of individual and institutional racism, black people have been able to and continue to resist, withstand and sustain themselves. Yes, we have made many strides towards justice and equality, but we still have more battles to fight. As the nationwide recognition of Black History Month comes to a close (because I celebrate Black History Month every month), remember that blacks in America have a history of violence, hatred, crime as well as resistance, healing and resilience. For black people, remember, “say it loud, I’m black and I’m proud.” For both black and nonblack people, remember Black Lives Matter. -Johnson is a senior sociology major from Springdale, MD.
PHOTOPINION “What is your favorite winter accessory?” “I like my boots because I can walk through campus and not even use the sidewalks.”
AARON ORR, FIRST-YEAR “This thing that is on top of my head.”
DEMAR AYEE, SENIOR “One thing I never leave my room without is my black scarf.”
opinions@thedepauw.com
LETTER TO THE EDITOR The late Stuart Hall, internationally renowned cultural and social theorist, observed in 1991, “The capacity to live with difference is, in my view, the coming question of the 21st century.” Whatever heading we apply to the context – “difference,” “diversity,” “multiculturalism” – the fact remains: “it” is here and we must draw our attention to the ways in which “it” shapes us and how we shape “it.” I could easily start this letter with a simple question: What is diversity in a DePauw climate? Instead, however, the more pressing questions emerging in light of recent activities deserve more critical consideration: How does diversity shape DePauw’s climate and context? And, how does the manufacturing of diversity – of difference, really – shape student, staff, and faculty relationships? The gap between the first question and the second rests upon the paradox of the first to move beyond naming diversity, to naming difference. Diversity has become something legible, tangle and, even, marketable in ways it impacts DePauw. For example, walk into any of DePauw’s classrooms to find two, perhaps three, bodies of color whose mere existence represents “good diversity” work exhibited by the University. That these
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bodies index our troubled and troubling history – as a learning community constituted through the inclusion of different looking bodies – speaks volumes to the very investment in those bodies. The University needs these racialized bodies; likewise, these racialized bodies need the University. A less observable determinant of difference – socioeconomic class – also marks every University encounter. To suggest otherwise is a disservice to students, like myself, whose DePauw experiences were shaped in and through low-income status, observable or not. If the DePauw community by naming those features that separate us into existence stops short with mere recognition, then the urgency of the ‘how’ questions become imperative to consider. My sincerest regards goes to those bodies of difference whose shoulders bear the (in)visible violence brought on by those who fail to recognize the ways in which “diversity” shapes individual and collective experience at DePauw. To DePauw, with love, Nic Flores ‘12
JARA ROLLINS, SOPHOMORE “I like my shawl becasue it keeps my neck from freezing.”
MEGHALI DESHMUKH, SENIOR JACKSON MOTE / THE DEPAUW
the depauw | sports
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
Men's tennis suffers third straight setback BY MEG MORROW sports@thedepauw.com
The currently 24th ranked men’s tennis team began the season with a shutout win against Principia College, but then fell to two other teams. On Tuesday this week, the Tigers hosted Division II University of Indianapolis and narrowly lost (5-4) to the Greyhounds. DePauw’s singles players, seniors Chris Bertolini and Rico Lumanlan along with junior Alec Kaczkowski all won their matches, with Lumanlan coming back after losing his first set 0-6 to defeat his opponent two sets to one. Kaczkowski also played doubles, partnered with senior Eric Vannatta, which was the only DePauw doubles team that had a victory on Tuesday. “It felt great to play as well as Alec and I did and get a win against Indianapolis,” Vannatta said. “I was not in the singles lineup, so winning my doubles match was very important to me so that I could get my point and help the team as much as I could.” Kaczkowski also felt good about the way he and his partner played Tuesday. “It was a great confidence booster for my partner and I,” said Kaczkowski. “We are starting off the season doing the right things so we are hoping to continue that this weekend against Rhodes and Earlham.” Beyond the personal victories though, for a Tiger’s team that is nationally ranked, three loss-
es in the first four matches of the season isn’t acceptable. “Honestly, the team we played was a very winnable match and I think most of us were pretty disappointed in our performance,” said Kaczkowski. “But we do have some positives to look at and some things to work on, so myself as well as the team is viewing the loss as a learning experience to apply to our next match.” Seeing as University of Indianapolis is a D-II team, it’s impressive that the Tigers were able to be competitive with them. “Indianapolis played very well and we were right there with them,” Vannatta said. “The match just came down to a few points on a few courts and, unfortunately, we were on the losing end of it.” Kaczkowski seems positive about the future of the season, however. “The team knows it's a long season,” Kaczkowski said. “We're obviously disappointed with our start but the level of competition has been extremely high. We know that if we just come to practice, work hard, and get better every day that we will improve and be in a great position to end the season on a very high note.” Sophomore Matt Santen believes the team is coming together through the losses. "We're getting better with each match," Santen said. DePauw hosts Rhodes College in their next match on Saturday at 4 p.m..
Senior Eric Bruynseels fires a ball back at an opponent during last Saturday’s loss to Wisconsin-Whitewater. This Tuesday, the Tigers suffered a 4-5 loss against Division II University of Indianapolis. The team is now 1-4 this spring. SAM CARAVANA/THE DEPAUW
the depauw | sports
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
Men's lacrosse looks to continue improvement from last season BY JACOB LYNN sports@thedepauw.com
2014 was a year of firsts for DePauw’s fledgling men’s lacrosse program. In its second year of existence, the Tigers picked up their first win, collected their first North Coast Athletic Conference victory and recorded the first winning streak in the program’s history on their way to a 3-12 overall record and a 1-6 record in conference play. After opening the season with a 7-4 loss against Rhodes College, the Tigers put up back-to-back wins defeating Elmhurst College and Hope College 14-6 and 8-6 respectively. After back-to-back losses, the Tigers got back to .500 with their first ever NCAC win, a 19-5 decision on the road at Hiram College. That’s when things went bad. The Tigers closed out the season with nine straight losses including a 14-0 shutout at the hands of Whittier College and a 21-0 defeat at the hands of eventual NCAC champion Denison University. “It’s a new season,” sophomore Dan Kantor said. “We’re using last season as a learning year.” The Tigers did manage to finish seventh out of eight teams in the NCAC, one spot ahead of Hiram who went 0-7 in
conference play. “The reason a lot of us came to DePauw is because we want to become one of the best teams in the nation and in order for that to happen we have to beat some of the best teams in the nation like Denison and OWU,” sophomore AJ Schlaff said. That 3-12 record doesn’t look as bad when looking at the lack of experience on the DePauw roster, however. Jack Russell and J.R. Strubbe were the only two seniors, there was a nonexistent junior class and Jackson Mote was the only member of the class of 2016. Besides those three, the entire roster was made up of first-years seeing their first glimpse of competition on a NCAA level. While they may have been young, however, last spring saw the emergence of a dominant class ready to bring the Tigers to prominence in the sport. Led by players like Robert Lapp, the class of 2017 has the future looking bright for the young program. Lapp led the team in goals with 24 and was tied for the team lead in points with 30. Adam Bridges scored 22 goals but tied for the team lead in assists with eight giving him 30 points as well. Also contributing was classmate Sam Caravana who pitched in with 17 goals of his own. While those three led the charge for the Tigers, two of them will not be returning. Both Bridges and Caravana won’t be featured on the field this year for DePauw, leaving Lapp as the only player with a double digit goal total from a year ago. The Tigers will be young once again in 2015, as Mote is the only returning upperclassman. The class of 2017 has been shrunk down to 13 and the incoming class of first-years will have 10 athletes. “The difference between the sophomores and the freshmen now is that we know what we’re competing with,” Kantor said. “We’ve seen the competition before, we know the level of game.” The Tigers may have to look to players like sophomores Sam Alkema and Benton Givens to step in and fill the offensive void left by some of their classmates. Alkema was fourth on the team a year ago with his nine goals and seven assists giving him 16 points. Givens also chipped in with four goals of his own. “As a program, we don't care about guys that aren't on the team, we have guys that can do just as well if not better,” Schlaff said. However, for players like sophomore Benton Givens, lifting DePauw lacrosse to prominence is a major pull to stick things out. “That’s one of the reasons I came here,” Givens said. “Being able to look back and say that I was on the group that kicked it off, got the ball rolling, that’s really the initial goal.” The Tigers will look to get that ball rolling this weekend when they travel to Rhodes College to open their season on Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore midfielder Grant Skipper leaves the Lily Center after a team meeting on thursday evening. The team has lost a number players since last season. SAM CARAVANA/ THE DEPAUW
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Tiger OF THE Week: KYLE WINTERS SWIM AND DIVE
EVENT: BACKSTROKE, BREASTSTROKE YEAR: SOPHOMORE For helping DePauw University’s men’s swim and dive squad finish third at last weekend’s North Coast Athletic Conference meet, sophomore Kyle Winters is The DePauw’s Tiger of the Week. Personally, Winters finished 11th in the 200yard backstroke with a time of 1:56.10. The Tigers relied heavily on that finish as their top nine swimmers didn’t taper heading into the event, meaning they weren’t competing at peak-performance. Winters’ 11th place finish helped the Tigers hold off eventual fourth place finisher Wabash College, that was right on the Tigers heels. The DePauw (TDP): How would you judge your own personal performance at the NCAC meet last weekend? Kyle Winters (KW): Last week’s NCAC meet went well for not just myself, but a majority of the team. Personally, my biggest accomplishment was breaking the one minute marker in the 100 breaststroke. Some other solid swims came in the form of a lifetime best in the 200 Backstroke, and touching out Casey J. Hooker in the 200 IM. TDP: Swimming in a conference with juggernauts like Denison and Kenyon, what did it mean to have such a strong team showing? KW: As a team we always look forward to swimming against Kenyon and Denison since it is such great competition. With only about half the team fully rested for conference, it really showed off everyone’s ability to step up and have fast swims. TDP: How do you guys move forward looking to nationals?
KW: The guys moving on to Texas have about two more solid weeks of training before they begin their taper (rest) for the meet, but judging on how fast they were swimming unrested at conference last week the team is definitely looking to do some exciting things. TDP: What have been some of the highlights of the season thus far? KW: I think my biggest season highlight so far is definitely the way in which we as a team ended our season. We are all looking forward to a few months off, but the team is sitting in a good position already for next year. TDP: Was it tough being away from your special someone on Valentine’s Day? KW: Lucky for us, Coach Adam Cohen has enough love to go around that the entire team didn’t have to feel lonely on Valentine’s Day.
the depauw | sports
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
Men's basketball suffers NCAC setback at hands of Wabash BY DAVID KOBE sports@thedepauw.com
The DePauw University Tigers fell to the Wabash College Little Giants 62-72 Wednesday night in Crawfordsville, Ind. Despite Wabash’s home court advantage, DePauw had a healthy student section, but was still unable to come away with a win. Wabash’s superb shooting performance (52.2 percent) and their rebounding efforts allowed them to get the crucial late season conference win. DePauw dropped to 16-8 overall and 9-8 in North Coast Athletic Conference play. Wabash improved to 11-6 in conference play and clinched the third seed in next week’s NCAC tournament. If DePauw wants to host a game in the conference tournament they will need a win against conference champion Ohio Wesleyan University on Saturday afternoon. If the Tigers are unable to win then it will be up to Hiram College to defeat Wittenberg University and move the Tigers up in the conference standings. The Tigers got off to a hot start and jumped out to a 17-11 lead. Wabash rallied to tie the game up at 22. Wabash then proceeded to hit seven straight baskets. The score at the end of the first half was 31-28, Wabash. Wabash made 12 of their first 14 shots to start the half to give themselves a 43-32 lead with 16:21 remaining. The Tigers were unable to keep it close as Wabash made 9 of their last 10 free throws in the final minute and a half. DePauw shot 41.3 percent from the field while Wa-
bash shot an impressive 52.2 percent. If the Tigers want to make the conference tournament they must beat the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Neal Fieldhouse. A loss like this is a critical mistake late in the season, as the Tigers have no games to give. They put themselves in a tough position by now having to defeat Ohio Weslyean Saturday if they want to achieve their goal of hosting a game in the conference tournament. Sophomore Luke Latner spoke about the importance of rebounding against Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday. “There’s got to be a big focus on rebounding this Saturday as well,” Lattner said looking forward. “We got killed on the glass against Wabash and if that happens against a talented team like Ohio Wesleyan we aren’t going to win”. The Tigers were out rebounded by 26 Wednesday against Wabash. They benefitted from senior Tommy Fernitz returning to the court after being sick for multiple games. Fernitz had a good showing against Wabash dropping five assists and grabbing four boards. “The biggest thing was just getting my strength back and the stamina I had in the year,” Fernitz said. “With each game and practice I feel like I’m slowly getting back to that point”. The Tigers can capitalize on a victory on Saturday in order to give themselves a competitive edge in the conference tournament.
DePauw's Luke Lattner (center) plays defense as Wabash passes the ball around on offense. Wabash trumped rival DePauw 72-62 on Wednesday night in Crawfordsville. NETTIE FINN / THE DEPAUW
Fitness testing necessary for DePauw athletics preparation BY AUSTIN CANDOR sports@thedepauw.com
Fitness testing: a requirement for every sports program that no athlete ever wants to complete. Although it’s easy to overlook the essence of the training, it can come down to determining the outcome of player’s season. “Each coach has a different methodology for determining, sometimes, who is on their squad, who participates in games, that sort of thing,” DePauw University athletic director Stevie BakerWatson said. “They want to make sure the student athletes are physically in shape in order to go through the season. They’re generally playing over 13 weeks.” Fitness testing can come in many different forms, depending on the sport. Regardless of what form it’s in, fitness testing can always bear problems for
both players and coaches. This was the dilemma for men’s head soccer coach Brad Hauter, who incorporates a ‘Who will quit when it gets tough?’ into his fitness testing with his need for players to run two miles in 12 minutes or less. “Over the past five years, we have had 90-95% of our guys past the test… This year it was in the 60% range,” Hauter said. “We didn’t seem to have the edge and 'All in' feel as in previous years. Talent is great, but without hard work and commitment, it accomplishes little.” If a player is unable to meet this requirement in the fall, he cannot train with the rest of the team. “Two seasons ago, he allowed those individuals to remain a part of the team… This past fall… he made the decision that he was going to remove them from the roster,” Baker-Watson said. “He did give everyone at least three chances, maybe even four chances.”
Hauter is hoping the stricter consequences for not passing the fitness test will motivate the team’s preparation for seasons to come. “Our goals are to win conference titles and to win a national championship,” Hauter, whose team went 10-8-1 this past fall, said. “In order to accomplish this we need to find out who gets anxious in big moments and can’t perform. Our ‘Mental Toughness’ test (the run) helps identify that.” Softball coach Erica Hanrahan had to deal with a similar situation earlier this month when they opened their season. The team tests three standards: endurance (225 jump rope revolutions in two minutes), agility (softball-specific “movements” in a 40ft by 40ft box) and strength (two pullups, 30 pushups, 20 military pushups or ten isometric pushups). Like Hauter, Hanrahan gives her players multiple opportunities to pass
the test. If not completed on time, the testing starts to cut into playing time. “We’ve been doing [the fitness program] for three years, and everybody has always been able to play, because they’ve met these standards by the first games,” Hanrahan said. “This has never been an issue until this year.” The issue has been the timing of when the season officially begins, which is usually the third week of February. This season, the first game came on Feb. 7th, cutting the players’ time to prepare for the fitness training. One player that has suffered from this time crunch is junior infielder Linsey Button, who, as a result of the fitness testing, wasn’t able to play in the first four games of the season. “It wasn’t the plan to start the season not passing the fitness test, but I understood this is the standard for the team, and it doesn’t change for any one player,” Button said. “I made sure I had a
positive attitude all weekend and helped the team in the best way possible.” Button, who has been a starter for the past two seasons, recently completed the fitness training, and will be able to play in the Tigers’ next games on March 7th. “I couldn’t be more proud of how she… mentally and outwardly supported her teammates that [first] weekend,” Hanrahan said. “She just was a wonderful leader and role model, and bounced back right afterwards and was able to complete the test.” Regardless of how frustrating fitness testing can be, Hauter’s viewpoint on it can relate to any DePauw sports team. “It’s a rare player that can just show up and do [the fitness training],” Hauter said. “The more players invest in themselves in the team, the tougher they are to beat.”