The DePauw, Friday, April 4, 2014 by The DePauw

DeNapping on page 6 FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014

Kal Penn selected as 2014 Commencement speaker By NETTIE FINN

Indiana’s Oldest College Newspaper

VOL. 162, ISSUE 38

International aid to Afghanistan does more harm than good

news@thedepauw.com

DePauw University President Brian Casey announced via email at 10 a.m. on Monday that Kal Penn would be the commencement speaker for this year’s graduating class. Penn is well known both for his acting career and his foray into politics. He has starred in well-known television shows such as House, 24 and How I Met Your Mother. Then, in 2009, he joined the Obama administration as an a associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement, working on issues such as financial aid for college students and the “don’t ask, don’t tell” military policy. According to Betsy Demmings, the executive assistant to the president, both she and Casey have known that Penn would be this year’s speaker since the fall semester. “We’ve held it really close,” she said, recognizing the fact that often speakers of this caliber will back out well before the time to speak arrives. Talks concerning potential speaking candidates began early in the fall. The group consisted of Casey, Demmings, DePauw Student Government senior senators Logan Cash, Jazmin Harper-Davis, Clark Edwards, Peter Stuart and Aashray Patel, as well as student body president senior Walker Chance and vice president senior Olivia Flores. The group began their discussions with a general brainstorming session of potential speakers. “It’s funny because I’ve done this for 15 years, and I always hear the same names: Oprah, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Bill Cosby, Ellen DeGeneres. All these names always go out, and understandably, because everybody wants the ‘wow’ factor,” Demmings said. However, Demmings said that Casey often tries to steer student committees away from the household-name speakers. She referenced President Obama’s commencement address at the University of Notre Dame in 2009 as one example of why it’s often better to opt for speakers who don’t generate quite as much national attention. “What happens is when you get a situation like that, it didn’t become ‘the Class of 2014 Commencement’ it became ‘Barack Obama Day,’” Demmings explained. At the end of what Demmings believes was only about three meeting sessions, Kal Penn was both Casey’s and the senior committee’s first choice for the commencement address speaker. According to an email

Commencement | cont’d on page 2

Karim Merchant speaks to the DePauw community about Afghanistan. JULIE BLOCK / THE DEPAUW By JULIE BLOCK news@thedepauw.com

Changes will take center stage in Afghanistan in 2014 and 2015. The Middle Eastern country will hold presidential and parliamentary elections, and international troops will withdraw, taking with them international aid. But maybe the exit of an international presence in Afghanistan isn’t

a bad thing. Karim Merchant lived and worked in Afghanistan for 14 years and helped develop some of the country’s largest community and governmental development programs. Tuesday night, Merchant offered about 35 members of the DePauw community an insider’s perspective on how the international aid the United States and other countries sent to Afghanistan during its economic and governmental struggles hurt the coun-

try more then helped it. Merchant explained that instead of trying to help the Afghan people succeed in the long term, many countries, including the United States, tried to fix problems in a more short-term manner. This, he explained, ended up wasting billions of dollars in the long run.

Intn’l Aid | cont’d on page 2

the depauw | news

FRIDAY, APRIL 4 2014

PAGE 3

New SPAC system puts an expiration date on course enrollment By BROCK TURNER news@thedepauw.com

As students begin preferencing courses for fall 2014, they may face additional challenges when enrolling in courses with a Special Course Access Code (SPAC). SPACs are unique codes issued to students by professors allowing those students to enroll in a course previously unavailable to them. Those codes will now include an expiration date. The change was originally outlined in a white paper passed by DePauw Student Government in 2012. According to student body president Walker Chance, who was a first-year senator when the paper was initially passed, the white paper’s purpose was to make the course registration system fair for

all students, while limiting the number of students who take advantage of the system by ‘sitting on SPACs,’ or not using them once they are assigned. “Sometimes students absolutely need to be in a class, but there are no SPACs left,” Chance said. “If the professor is not willing to make a wait list, a student has to wait until class scheduling and course changes go into effect on the first weeks of classes.” The white paper suggestions were reviewed by the Registrar’s Office, which began outlining changes shortly thereafter. “We probably should have made them [the changes] a lot sooner,” said DePauw Registrar Ken Kirkpatrick. “When we talked with the students who wrote the white paper, we realized the issue was a lot bigger than we originally thought.” The new system will offer email confirmation

for students, and it will keep class sizes under the university set limit, according to Kirkpatrick. Under the old system, a SPAC issued by a professor could be used even if the course was full following the course requests phase. The new system also allows instructors to track how many SPACs they have issued. This alleviates the need for professors to track the number of students and SPACs in each course they teach. The new system, which took over two years to develop, is now live. Many students who have begun using the updated system are pleased with the changes. “Overall I’m satisfied with it,” said first-year Claire Halffield. “[The new system] seems like it will help myself and other students get the courses we need.” Kirkpatrick states that he has received positive

feedback from professors, and he believes the new system will be a positive shift forward. He says instructors are hopeful for the changes. Despite the initial positive reaction, Kirkpatrick advises students to look closely at the expiration dates and other communication they receive from his office as well as the system. “That SPAC culture was very, very engrained.” Kirkpatrick said. “[Some students] get that ‘use by’ email and [will] probably ignore that and they won’t use the SPAC and find out it is expired.” Kirkpatrick advises students to take the time to read the material before preferencing courses, and know how long each SPAC is good for to ensure their course schedule is correct when they are released on April 28.

CAMPUSCRIME March 18 • Threats / intimidation • Under investigation | Time: unknown | Place: Campus

March 19 • Civil disturbance • Officer checked area / unable to locate subjects | Time: 9:49 a.m. | Place: College St. • Solicitor • Smoke located / checked okay | Time: 11:59 a.m. | Place: Julian

• Suspicious activity / mishchief subjects in tree • Suspects leaving upon officer arrival | Time: 1:29 a.m. | Place: Hanna / Locust Sts.

March 22 • Intrusion alarm • Subjects located / checked okay | Time: 10: 35 a.m. | Place: Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity

March 27

March 20

• Investigate for odor of gas • Greencastle Fire Department dispatched / unable to locate source | Time: 4:25 p.m. | Place: 500 E. Seminar St.

• Battery / trespass • Under investigation | Time: 7:38 p.m. | Place: Lucy Hall

• Civil disturbance • Officer checked area / unable to locate subjects | Time: 5:13 p.m. | Place: Hanna St.

March 31 • Property damage accident • Report filed | Time: unknown | Place: Lilly Center Sidewalk SOURCE: PUBLIC SAFETY WWW.DEPAUW.EDU/STUDENTLIFE/CAMPUS-SAFETY/PUBLICSAFETY/ ACTIVITY-REPORT/YEAR/2014/

Weather courtesy of www.weather.com

HIGH: 60° F

LOW: 30° F

MONDAY

SUNDAY

FRIDAY

The T-storms will break and the sun will pop our from behind the clouds over the weekend, but Monday will start off a little glumy with all-day showers.

SATURDAY

greencastle WEATHER REPORT

HIGH: 54° F

LOW: 32° F

HIGH: 60° F

LOW: 44° F

HIGH: 47° F

LOW: 36° F

PAGE 4

the depauw|news

FRIDAY, APRIL 4 2014

Second Prindle director candidate James Norton comes to DePauw By EMILY MCCARTER news@thedepauw.com

James Norton is the second Prindle director candidate to come to DePauw to be interviewed. He is currently the Assiociate Professor of English and Dean of Liberal Arts at Marian University in Indianapolis. PHOTO COURTESY MARIAN UNIVERSITY

With interviews for two out of three candidates for the open position of director of the Prindle Institute completed, the decision is close to being made. James Norton, dean of the School of Liberal Arts and an English professor at Marian University, spoke to students, faculty and staff in a discussion about ethics on Monday afternoon in Harrison Hall. The program consisted of a discussion about ethics and rural ethics led by Norton, a brief description of his vision for the Prindle Institute, and a question and answer session. “Prindle needs a point,” Norton said. “It has an identity, but in higher education and generally speaking in the world today, it needs a kind of point or identity of the thing that it does really, really, really well. It needs to be the go-to place for this particular skill.” Norton stressed the importance of rural ethics for Prindle, since the institute is located in rural Indiana. “I think one point to really focus on is to take advantage of DePauw’s location, it’s space, where it is in time and space, right here in Indiana,” Norton said. An email listing Norton’s qualifications was sent out to all DePauw community members. A few of Norton’s qualifications include strategic planning, fundraising and civic engagement. He also developed and oversees Marian’s Center for Organizational Ethics. Although Norton has experience in the field of ethics, some stu-

dents were not impressed with his interview. “I think he kept talking in circles,” said first-year Prindle Intern Vanessa Freije. “I wasn’t impressed with his ability.” After the strong leadership of the first two Prindle directors, Bob Steele, ’69, and former University president Robert Bottoms, the new director will have big shoes to fill. “The Prindle [Institute] is trying to get someone who is a true visionary,” Freije said. “[Someone] who can actually take the Prindle to the next step because we already have such a great institution that what we need to see happen is it being more noticeably active…making it more of a resource for the students to use.” Since the first two candidates have similar ideas for the direction of Prindle, Freije thinks it will be interesting to see what the third and final candidate has to offer. “Both [candidates] had good suggestions about tying the Prindle [institute] into the Greencastle community,” Freije said. “That’s one similarity they had.” Senior Prindle Intern Garth Synnestvedt is the only student on the search committee involved in hiring the new director. “I’m a student representative basically giving a student voice on the hiring process as the Prindle intern and as a senior student,” Synnestvedt said. The third candidate will not be revealed until a few days before his or her scheduled visit, and the decision of who will be hired for the director of Prindle will be made after all three final candidates have interviewed.

DePauw turns T.E.A.L. to spread awareness on sexual assault By LEXY BURTON news@thedepauw.com

Code T.E.A.L will kick off Teal Ribbon Week with the Alcohol and Rape Culture forum. The forum will be hosted by President Casey and Director of the Women’s Center, Sarah Ryan, and discuss the effect of our drinking culture and its affiliation with rape culture. Feminista started Code T.E.A.L (Talk, Educate, Advocate and Listen), a sexual assault awareness campaign, two years ago with the support of the Women’s Center. Currently, Code T.E.A.L is not a student-recognized organization, but rather an active student group of volunteers and publicity from DePauw Student Government and the Women’s Center. “Our goal is to get as many different groups of people involved on campus,” senior Mike Curts said. “That includes greek, independent, identity affinity groups, every single surface and facet we have to offer at DePauw.” The importance of student advocacy is huge to Code T.E.A.L. because men and women are both susceptible to sexual assault. Statistics show that one in four women are affected by sexual assault and one in 33 men are affected. This year, Teal Ribbon Week will have themed days starting Sunday, and continuing until Friday. Each day will have a forum and activities centered on a specific topic to promote discussion and action advocating positive awareness. These forums will allow men and women to open up to topics, questions, concerns and support regarding

sexual assault on campus. “It is exciting to raise awareness about some of these issues on campus and creating more of a dialogue on campus,” senior Jillian Balser said. All week Code T.E.A.L encourages students to ‘Teal the Campus’ with buttons, ribbons, pamphlets, sheet signs and bandanas provided in the Hub all week. On Friday, everyone is encouraged to wear teal.

“One of the most important things about Code T.E.A.L is that it makes people talk about things that most aren’t comfortable talking about. But these are issues that need to be brought up in order to make changes.” - senior, Jillian Balser

“One of the most important things about Code T.E.A.L is that it makes people talk about things that most aren’t comfortable talking about,” Balser said. “But these are issues that need to be brought up in order to make changes.” During lunch on Monday, there will be a women’s and men’s identity discussion led by Code T.E.A.L representatives. That evening, greek-influenced discussions will be held in respective chapters. “One of the issues with sexual assault is that people don’t really know how to talk about it,” Curts said. “We will have gender facilitated discussions because often men and women don’t feel talking about

this issue in a co-mingled environment.” On Tuesday, Campus Life will be hosting Mary Lambert in Thompson Recital Hall at 7 p.m. with a message about sex positivity and nourishment. Lambert is a chart topping pop artist who co-wrote “Same Love” with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Lately, Lambert’s single “She Keeps Me Warm” has hit the radio waves. Her concert will provide insight on how we can create an environment where individuals can hold one another accountable for sexual assault and how we can create a sex positive environment where people are not ashamed to show their sexual identity. Wednesday’s lunch-time panel will feature representatives from several public services including Public Safety, the judicial system and student life. The panel wants to help educate students so they are aware of how to react if a sexual assault survivor were to turn towards them for help. “The first words definitely need to be the right words, especially when helping a survivor, largely because the first few moments are pretty key to making sure that they are mentally and physically healthy,” Curts said, “then going down the line towards what steps need to be taken and all within his or her own pace.”. Friday is a symbolic rally event in the academic quad at 11:30 a.m. where students can participate in a silent walk around campus followed by the opportunity for students’ testimonials. “I am excited that it’s a hot topic on campus because I feel like sexual assault is something that commonly gets overlooked even if it is a prevalent issue on campus,” senior Clarissa Zingraf said. “The fact that it is in public light right now is really exciting so it is a great time for us to be out there doing these events.”

the depauw|features

FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014

A moment with author and editor Michael Hainey Michael Hainey came to DePauw University as part of the Kelly Writers Series Wednesday. Hainey is the deputy editor of Gentlemen’s Quarterly and author of “After Visiting Friends: A Son’s Story.”/ PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUW UNIVERSITY.

By NICOLE DECRISCIO features@thedepauw.com

Michael Hainey, the deputy editor of Gentlemen’s Quarterly and author of “After Visiting Friends: A Son’s Story,” read an excerpt of his novel as part of the Kelly Writers Series. The reading took place Wednesday afternoon in the Pulliam Center for Contemporary Media’s Watson Forum. The DePauw Features sat down with him after the reading to ask him a few questions. The DePauw Features (TDP): What made you want to pursue a career in journalism? Michael Hainey: I’ve always loved writing, ever since I was a kid. I don’t know if I really wanted to get into journalism, but I was afraid to be a real writer. So I went into journalism because there is always material to be done. It took me a long time to become a real writer. TDP: What do you do as the editor of GQ? MH: I’m the deputy editor, which means that there’s the editor in chief, Jim Nelson, and then I’m below him. I do everything from helping to assign and create a monthly magazine, working with writers and photographers, working with other editors on stories and conceiving ideas and assigning them. I also oversee the website, and I also oversee a lot of there things that we do like a book or a special issue.

Magazines these days, are sort of like everything in publishing, you have all these different pieces of it that you have to do now. You don’t just run the magazine, so I tend to manage all that. TDP: What is your biggest challenge as a journalist? MH: I think the biggest challenge is something that happens for all of us. It is to keep evolving because in the last 10 years, it’s about the technology and adapting to that, whether it’s looking at a magazine on a smart phone and what is our website going to look like and making sure that we keep evolving so that someone who is 22-years-old, if they want to read a magazine on a smart phone, we’re there. TDP: What advice would you give to aspiring journalists or writers? MH: I would say work hard. It’s as simple as that. You have to work really hard, and I also think that if you want a good career in journalism, you need have to have ideas. A lot of people forget that. That’s something that every month I have to put out a magazine. Every story in there starts with an idea. Every day on the website there’s got to be ideas. You’re never going to succeed if just you sit at the desk and are like, ‘Hey where’s my assignment?’ You need to, even when you’re deputy editor. I’ve got to a couple ideas to pitch people. It’s about learning to think creatively.

PAGE 5

iTunes’s new artist to watch in 2014: jazz pianist Kris Bowers By KINSLEY BUSHONVILLE features@thedepauw.com

Jazz pianist and one of iTunes’ new artists to watch in 2014, Kris Bowers is becoming a rising star in the industry. Bowers showed early promise as a talented musician, growing up with a passion for music, which only increased as he got older. His talents as a pianist earned him both an undergraduate and master’s degree from Julliard University with a focus on jazz performance. After Julliard, Bowers entered and won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition in 2011 and landed a record deal with Concord Records and prompted him to launch his first solo album, “Heroes + Misfits”. Kris has worked on some high profile projects including Jay-Z and Kanye West’s 2011 collaborative album “Watch the Throne.” Bowers’ band mates on “Heroes + Misfits” are friends of his, and they have been making music together for years. The launch of “Heroes + Misfits,” which debuted at number one on the iTunes jazz charts, will let his own voice be heard as he shared his unique sound and style with the world. This album is a modern take on jazz music that appeals to a wide audience. The songs on “Heroes + Misfits” are

all original songs that were written specifically for this album. His song “First” is a short piano solo that sets the stage for some of his other pieces. The song “Drift” is a more traditional take on jazz, and “Wake the Neighbors” is an up-tempo song that crosses genres and inspires its audience. He identified some of his diverse musical inspirations such as Grizzly Bear, Jeff Buckley, Radio Head, Bon Iver, Kendrick Lamar, Terrence Blanchard and Quincy Jones. The songs on “Heroes + Misfits” show the diverse nature of the album and Bowers’ variety of musical interests. Bowers said that he frankly had no expectations. “I anticipated that most people might have expected my music to be more straight ahead,” said Bowers in a phone interview. It has a neo-soul aspect due to the style of one of the vocalists on the album. He also hoped that his audience respected the jazz world. “I went into this project with no expectations,” Bowers said. “I’m just trying to see where it will take me.” He explained that after years of performing with other people’s bands, his new role as a bandleader has given rise to many new exciting responsibilities and challenges.

“I have a new appreciation of the business,” said Bowers. Bowers has been offered many exciting opportunities that will help make his career blossom. Bowers’ album mainly features instrumental pieces with only a few songs featuring actual words and lyrics, but Bowers feels no difference between the songs with vocals and those without. “As an instrumentalist, it was easy for me to play and write songs without words,” said Bowers. For the songs that do not have words, there are poems included with the album that give a loose textual representation to the idea behind the song. Bowers gave some advice to those wanting to get into the business: “Be honest about who you are musically.” He also explained that even if you are not getting any recognition or success for your music, it is important to keep going and to not give up. One thing that he learned is not to care about expectations. “Create what you want to create, and be proud of what you have created,” said Bowers. Bowers is an exciting new addition to the music industry. Be sure to check out his new album and catch him on his U.S. tour this year.

Kris Bowers’ album cover for his first album “Heroes + Misfits.” Bowers is one of iTunes’ new artists to watch in 2014. / PHOTO COURTESY OF CONCORD RECORDS.

PAGES 6 & 7

the depauw | features

beneficial to health and handy for students By TYLER MURPHY features@thedepauw.com

When the Red Bulls and Roy O. coffees just aren’t enough to keep those eyelids open, DePauw University students are turning to their final option: the nap. Sleep can be a hard thing to fit into a busy schedule. Many DePauw students get creative with the times and places they catch some zzz’s. “With the work load I have, it’s almost impossible to get to bed at a decent hour,” sophomore Cassidy Melendez said. “Napping is my only option.” In August, a Facebook page titled “DePauw Naps” showcasing pictures of DePauw students asleep around campus popped up. While the person who runs DePauw Naps asked to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, they gave us some insight on what the page is all about. “The page was started because we noticed that people were always taking pictures of their friends awkwardly napping in public, but there was no outlet for these [pictures],” DePauw Naps said. “Now they have one.” Aside from being an outlet for these pictures, DePauw Naps also likes to think it can brighten one’s day. “We bring people together as they chuckle at the newest nap victims,” DePauw Naps said. Occasionally, students are featured multiple times on the site. “I’ve been featured on DePauw Naps at least four times,” first-year Eric Heaton said. DePauw Naps isn’t the only page that has caught on to people’s fascination with napping. Google Naps, similar to Google Maps, shows satellite images of the globe and allows users to drop a pin on the best places to nap in cities or towns all across the world. DePauw doesn’t have any places to nap featured on the site yet. Some of the more intriguing places on DePauw’s campus that students are utilizing include the chairs in Watson Forum, the couches in the PCCM, the pods on the third floor of Roy O. West and under the trees near Bowman Park. “We found a couch thrown out of Bishop Roberts,”

first-year Josh Clark said. “That’s normally where I nap.” According to DePauw Naps, there are certain places that are most prominent for taking 40 winks. Among them is the communications department lounge, known as the Comm Pit, in the Green Center for Performing Arts (GCPA). Roy O. West Library and the Den are also popular snoozing spots. Heaton agrees with these spots, finding it hard not to sleep in the GCPA. “My favorite place is in the two blue chairs in the pit of the GCPA,” Heaton said. “I push them together. I could sleep all day in them. Sometimes I have to set myself mini alarms just to keep from doing just that.” First-year Jessica Tilley has made sure to take advantage of as many DePauw spaces as she can. “I’ve seriously napped in most of the academic buildings,” Tilley said. “I’m surprised I’m not the mascot for DePauw Naps.” If a nice long nap is simply out of the question, some students are having to get creative, like first-year Kainat Akmal. “I have found that if you drink a cup of coffee, then can manage to fall asleep before it kicks in, a short nap is all you need,” Akmal said. “After 15 minutes, you’re roaring and ready to go.” While the embarrassing photos of friends on DePauw Naps can be both entertaining and draw a good laugh, napping is an essential part to maintaining a healthy life. According to the National Sleep Research Project, napping, even just power napping, helps to reduce stress and increase alertness and productivity. Sleep is also good for helping improve memory. Aside from the mental aspects of napping, it can help lighten a person’s mood and has been known to cure hangovers. According to the project, the best time to nap is between noon and two o’clock in the afternoon. Meditation gives the body similar effects of a nap, as well as exercising and eating a healthier diet. Even being out in the sun can boost one’s mood and energy. No matter the reason or the technique used in achieving it, however, the nap is the ultimate important part in any DePauw student’s life.

the depauw | advertisement

the inchworm

top ways to nap

ClariNap

PHOTOS COURTESY OF “DEPAUW NAPS”

the Caveman Nap-ception Class-ic Tilley Time Lapse

FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014

the depauw | opinion

PAGE 8

FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014

Abby Margulis | Editor-in-Chief Nettie Finn | Managing Editor Leann Burke | Chief Copy Editor

GRAYSON PITTS

Fort Hood shooting about more than gun control issues On Wednesday, April 2, 2014, gunshots from a mass shooting sounded at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas for the second time in five years. Three soldiers were killed and 16 were injured. Less than 48 hours after the shooting, this editorial board’s hearts go out to everyone affected by the Fort Hood shooting; our minds ask questions. First, we would like to know how Lopez was able to get a gun onto the base. According to the New York Times article, “Personnel are not allowed to carry concealed weapons on military bases.” Yet, the same article quotes Lt. Gen. Mark A. Milley, the base commander at Fort Hood, saying that individual searches are not conducted: “We’ve got a population well over 100,000 here. It would not be realistic to do a pat-down search on every single soldier and employee on Fort Hood for a weapon on a daily basis.” There may be some merit to Milley’s claim, but Lopez suffered from mental illness, and Fort Hood medical personnel knew that. This editorial board cannot help but think searches of potentially mentally unstable soldiers should be a doable and good idea. Investigators have, after all, determined Lopez’s mental illness probably triggered the tragedy. Despite his mental problems, however, CNN reported in an online article titled “Fort Hood shooting: Psychiatric issues ‘fundamental underlying causal factor” that, according to Army Secretary John McHugh, Lopez showed no signs that he was likely to commit any acts of violence in a psychiatric evaluation last month. The same article says that at the time of the shooting, Lopez had not been diagnosed with PTSD and that, although PTSD is common with veterans, diagnoses take time. But how much time? Lopez returned from Iraq in December 2011. It is now April 2014. Psychiatrists have had nearly two and a half years to determine whether Lopez had PTSD and to treat him. While this editorial board does not claim to know about PTSD diagnosis process, two and half years seems excessive. While it would be easy to take the 2014 Fort Hood shooting and make it about gun violence and gun legislation, we wonder if that is really the conversation this tragedy should spark. Perhaps it would be better, instead, to look at mental illness and PTSD in our armed forces. Perhaps it would be more constructive to tackle an issue that affects our military personnel in a more personal way than guns. If psychiatrists can diagnose and treat mental illnesses like PTSD more quickly, maybe future shootings can be prevented.

email us at edboard@thedepauw.com

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.

he typical day for a DePauw student: wake up, go to classes, work, attend clubs/seminars/ extracurriculars, maybe get exercise, study, spend time with friends, study more and sleep. We stay busy. Our days and weeks are split into hourly time grids that we follow religiously—just check your schedule on e-services. From the moment our alarm clocks sound, we’re thinking about our agenda and planning out our day. On this campus, our time is always managed. And whether we use it efficiently or not, we always have something extra to keep us going. Coffee with a double shot of espresso, energy

drinks, ibuprofen, Adderall, even a pre-workout. Most of us don’t go a day or even a few hours without an upper to keep us attentive and able to get everything done. And before bed: melatonin. I wouldn’t say that these things are necessarily bad; some of them are beneficial to the body. But they each fit the definition of a drug: “a medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body,” according to the Oxford Dictionary. Every “something extra” we need is readily available and legal. We can buy it or get it prescribed with little to no effort. It would almost be stupid not to use our resources in order to get ahead, to use our time more efficiently. However, it seems more and more like an unnatural cycle that we willingly put ourselves through. It doesn’t seem healthy to rely on substances to get through the day, and I use the word “substances” judiciously. Most people don’t call

What are your thoughts of the

coffee or Monster a substance, but it’s easy to say announcement of Kal Penn as that until trying to go without them. Caffeinated drinks are only on the soft side of “substances.” commencement speaker? We could easily say it’s not our fault. We are the twenty-somethings of 2014 living in a time characterized by technological and social progression. “He serves as a great Information and new ideas are shared at the snap of influence to the political a finger, and no one wants to be left behind. We’re realm and his presence used to the fast life, and we’re well on our way to the real world—the workforce. We can’t slow here at DePauw will down, much less stop. mean a lot, especially to The circumstances may be against us. Maybe the graduating class.” our workload is too much. Maybe too much is asked of us. Maybe we try to do more things than we can manage. Or maybe the side effects are too meager to even call it a problem. The first step to CARL THOMPSON, JUNIOR finding an answer is acknowledging our heavy use of that something extra. Is it farfetched to think we can get everything “It’s awesome because done in a day running on food and water?

-Pitts is a sophomore English writing major

Tyler Murphy / THE DEPAUW

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Having you here is privilege enough for me In response to the recent discussions on the social climate of DePauw University, I would like to share my experiences within the context of diversity prior to my DePauw experience. I am an adopted black man, raised by gay parents in San Francisco. My upbringing provided me an open-minded perspective regarding people with different backgrounds and life circumstances. Since arriving at DePauw, I have acquainted myself with many a person from different ethnic groups, economic statuses, political alignments, religious preferences, sexual preferences, sexual identities, etc. As a DePauw student I’m privileged because I have access to a diverse student body and faculty with varying experiences and perspectives I can share and learn from. I’m continuously educated about the experiences of minorities in the U.S. At times I couldn’t fully relate to some of these experiences because I’ve had the privilege of growing up in a stable home, living in a neighborhood mostly free of

PAGE 9

Students running on empty, look to substances for help PHOTOPINION

CARTOON

THE DEPAUW | Editorial Board

the depauw | opinion

crime, attending high quality academic institutions, etc. I’ve had the privilege of avoiding many of the negative life experiences that many people unfortunately endure. However, I’m continuously developing a more complete understanding of theses experiences through dialogues on such topics with my family, friends, classmates and acquaintances. I cannot control where I come from, but I can control how I respect and appreciate others and where they come from. I would be a hypocrite to say that I practice what I preach at all times; however, I do strive for my social betterment through understanding myself and those around me. In order to understand, I can’t judge or assume. I must embrace other people’s differences if I expect to be embraced for mine. We all have opportunities to discover things beyond our own lives, and we should take advantage of them. It’s a privilege to interact with the various people I come across on a daily basis at DePauw University. -Reginald Webb, Class of 2016

UConn Head Coach Kevin Ollie found stardom ERIC ST. BERNARD

new star emerged in college basketball at last Saturday’s Elite Eight match up between the University of Connecticut Huskies and the Michigan State Spartans at Madison Square Garden. Many would think the star is Shabazz Napier, the Huskies’ 6’1 senior point guard, who scored 25 points and added four assists in the biggest game of his basketball career. However, Napier has been an instrumental part of the Huskies program since his freshman year, when he backed current NBA star Kemba Walker to an NCAA Championship under then-Huskies coach Jim Calhoun. Labeled as Walker’s protege, Napier has been in the national spotlight for the past three years. The true star that emerged from last Saturday’s Huskies “upset” was the man coaching from the sideline--a lanky 41-year-old NBA wash-up from urban Los Angeles--UConn Head Coach Kevin Ollie. Ollie played high school basketball at Crenshaw High School in South Los Angeles. To give a little perspective, Crenshaw has been featured in the 1991 movie “Boyz in the Hood,” and again in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “Love & Basketball.” After going on to play under former UConn head coach Jim Calhoun, Ollie entered the NBA draft in 1995. No team thought he was good enough to use a draft pick on him. In 1997, Ollie

was given a crack at the League, where he played for 12 years. He was far from a first ballot Hall-ofFamer, playing for 15 different teams with a career average of 3.8 points per game. After retiring from the NBA, Ollie returned to his alma matter in 2010, where he would be an assistant coach under Calhoun. Even with his assistant coaching position, Ollie embodied post-hoop dream achievement. Shortly thereafter, the Huskies basketball dynasty that I was all too familiar with was on the brink of demise. After almost two decades heading the program, Jim Calhoun retired a month before the 2012 preseason workouts and the team was banned from NCAA tournament play due to a flimsy academic standing. They were essentially stranded from the Big East Conference and forced to move down to a lesser-respected American Athletic Conference. The Huskies lost Kemba Walker to the NBA draft, a few more players transferred out of the program, even more recruits lost interest and the list goes on. The University of Connecticut wasn’t the place to be. Then came Huskies’ Athletic Director Warde Manuel’s decision to hire Ollie as Calhoun’s successor, a move fully backed by the Hall of Fame coach. Not only did Ollie get the head coaching position for the 2013 season, but he was inked for a five year, seven million dollar contract before his first game as a coach. For someone like myself, a Brooklyn boy that had to follow whatever Big East team was relevant at the time [sorry, St.John’s], I was stuck asking: why Kevin Ollie? He was not qualified. He had no coaching experience prior to the Huskies assistant

not only is he a comedian, but his experience in the White House will give the seniors insight to what life after college can be.”

position in 2010, not even a local middle school or DIONE GORDON, JUNIOR Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team. At forty years old, he barely made it past the mid-life crisis. I, along with the rest of the college basketball nation, now sees what Calhoun saw when he re“I love how everybody cruited Ollie out of the rugged Crenshaw High knows that he was in School. According to Calhoun, it was his resiliency and tenacity that attracted him. It’s what the Harold and Kumar, but legendary Don Nelson saw when he gave the unnot as many people drafted Ollie a spot on his Dallas Mavericks 1997 know that he works in roster or what the countless coaches after him saw when they wanted Ollie on their bench. Calthe White House.” houn saw the same characteristic 13 years later, when he offered Ollie the assistant coaching position, and again when he recommended Ollie as his successor. Now, the nation gets to see it: Kevin EVAN ZELESNIK, SOPHOMORE Ollie, the overachiever. We all overlooked it last year when Ollie took UConn to a 20-10 overall record. We overlooked it “He has a lot of differearlier this season when the Huskies upset Florida ent experiences that by one point, who was at the time the best team in the country. Up until Ollie’s Huskie’s defeated a will be interesting to Tom Izzo led Michigan State Spartans last Saturday, hear about.” we continued giving Ollie the blind eye. Now, with the only number-seven seeded team to ever make it to the Final Four since the 1985 Tournament expansion, we can overlook no longer. The Huskies play the number one seeded University of Florida Gators again this Saturday, one MARISSA JANSEN, SENIOR step away from the NCAA Championship. Florida is heavily favored to win. I , however, have learned my lesson--expect the overachiever to overaJACKSON MOTE / THE DEPAUW chieve. Have a question you want answered?

-St. Bernard is a junior English literature

the depauw | sports

PAGE 10

FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014

Swimming closes out season with 15th place finishes at NCAA meet By JACOB LYNN sports@thedepauw.com

For the last six months, DePauw University’s swimming squads have been competing in meets all across the Midwest. The grueling season ended with the NCAA Division III Swimming and DIving Championships on March 22 in Indianapolis. Both the men and women earned 15th place finishes and closed out their seasons on a high note. Women’s 400-yard relay glides to record-breaking time The women’s meet was highlighted by a strong performance from the 400-yard freestyle relay. Sophomores Caroline Bridges and Erin Horne, junior Emily Weber and first-year Kristen Olson broke DePauw’s record time with a swim of 3:27.89 in the preliminary round with their collective performance. The four Tigers weren’t done, however. The squad improved their record by 47 seconds in the final round with a time of 3:27.42, finishing 10th in the event. “It was a great feeling because it was the last swim of the NCAA’s,” said Weber. “Of course breaking a record is wonderful, but that wasn’t our motivation. We wanted to make it back to finals as high as we possibly could, and in doing so, we were setting ourselves up for a successful relay time in the end.”

Tennis | cont’d from page 12 -consin-Whitewater, Concordia and Carleton. “I think the biggest factor that contributed to our success over spring break was our mental toughness,” junior Claire Marshall said. “In our first match, we were down 0-4 and fought our way back to win 5-4. Throughout that match, we all demonstrated extreme mental toughness by forgetting the score and focusing on the match in front of us.” The women carried that mindset into their next three matches. With the mental toughness also came a sense of focus among the women’s team be-

Bridges, Weber and Olson would come together again in the 800yard freestyle relay, along with first-year Angela Newlon. The four would complete the event in just under seven and a half minutes, a time good for fifth place overall. “Knowing that you would be competing with the best Division III athletes and representing our school is such an honor,” said Weber. “Standing on the podium for the 800 free relay with my three other teammates was such a wonderful experience that we will always carry.” After competing in the 800-yard free relay, Olson broke her own school record in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:03.15 that earned an 18th place finish. DePauw earned 62 points overall. Emory University easily captured the national title with 595.50 points, over 100 points clear of their nearest challenger, Kenyon College. The women improved significantly on their 27th place finish from last year’s championship and look to improve even more as they head into next season. Men’s swimming “hungry” for next season

sophomores Blake Lehmann and Alex Grissom, broke the threeminute barrier in the finals of the event. Their time of 2:59.78 not only broke a school record, but was good enough to earn a fourth place finish. “Well, after finishing seventh in the morning, with a few slow splits, we knew that we could only get faster,” said Hooker. “It was incredible to see Alex Grissom bring home our relay for the fourth place finish. I have never been more excited to represent DePauw than I was after that race.” Competing in his final collegiate event, senior Matt Gleason finished 22nd in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time just over two minutes. The Tigers finished 380 points behind NCAC rival Kenyon, who took home the national title. However, over the past seven seasons, the Tigers have been the model of consistency. This 15th place finish marked the sixth time in the past seven seasons that the Tigers have finished in the top 20 at the NCAA meet. “While finishing 15th in the country is exciting, we know that we are capable of much more,” said Hooker looking forward to next season. “This has left us very hungry for next year.”

It was another record-breaking 400-yard freestyle relay on the men’s side that helped the Tigers finish in 15th place at the meet. The team, made up of juniors Casey Hooker and Alex Alfonso and

ing in S.C. and far away from DePauw. “I think we went in to spring break mentally and physically prepared to play some tough matches and to improve in both doubles and singles across the board at all positions,” senior Meg Crowley said. “I think we reached our goal as we went undefeated on the island. There is always room to get better though and we will continue to expect and do just that with all of our future matches.” The Tigers are back in action this weekend as they take part in the Midwest Invitational in Madison, Wis. The men return to action Saturday, April 12, against Gustavus Adolphus College in Milwaukee.

Got balls?

WRITE FOR SPORTS email sports@thedepauw.com

the depauw |SPORTS

FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014

DePauw softball sitting on top of NCAC with five-game win streak By RYAN KONICEK sports@thedepauw.com

After a slow start to the season, DePauw University’s softball team has been picking things up. The Tigers are 6-2 in their past eight games and have won their last five games. DePauw continued to come out on top with a sweep of Tuesday’s doubleheader with Denison University on the road in Granville, Ohio. The wins moved the Tigers to an unblemished 4-0 record in NCAC play and 13-9 overall. DePauw Head Coach Erica Hanrahan attributes the team’s success to the tough exhibition schedule. “We had a successful start to our conference season because we played several top 25 programs in our

“Our team is resilient. There have been challenges thrown at us and instead of getting down, these challenges have propelled the players on our team to step up in a huge way.” - senior, Megan Landahl

pre-season schedule and learned how to compete with the best and fight through adversity,” said Coach Hanrahan. Key to the teams recent run of success is pitcher Kahla Nolan. The junior has tossed two straight shutouts against Kenyon and earned the title of NCAC Pitcher of the Week. “Kahla Nolan earning those honors does not surprise me,” said senior Lauren Krumwelde. “She deserves them entirely and I am so proud to be her teammate. She is our rock.” Sophomore Sammi Bell agrees. “There isn’t a better pitcher than her in the conference,” she said. “Nobody else is going out and pitching 14-inning double headers and doing it well. She, without a doubt, deserved both awards.”

Nolan is excited about the accolade, but she insists that she didn’t win it alone. “The two straight shutouts were really team achievements,” said Nolan. “The team made all the plays and stopped Kenyon from being able to scratch out a run. Without a solid defense my work as a pitcher really doesn’t mean much.” The team’s NCAC schedule could not open soon enough for the Tigers. In non-conference match-ups, the Tigers are playing .500 softball at 9-9. Senior Megan Landahl commented on what else has been responsible for the team’s sudden surge. “Our team is resilient,” Landahl said. “There have been challenges thrown at us and instead of getting down, these challenges have propelled the players on our team to step up in a huge way.” Krumwelde and Bell attribute the 5-0 run to work the team has put in off the field, working on the mental side of the game in a classroom. “The upward push is due to the constant hours of hard work,” Bell said, “not only in physical conditioning, strength, and softball skills, but in the increased amount of time spent in the classroom working on mental toughness and getting their minds ready for the game.” In the classroom, the team members work on goal setting and mental preparation for both themselves and the team as a whole. The team hopes their work off the field will help them achieve the highest level of performance come game time. Their 4-0 start in conference is unbelievable for them, but it also puts a target on their backs because opponents are going to want to break that streak. Coach Hanrahan believes her team is strong enough to keep the wins from affecting them. “We are preparing by focusing on each team one at a time, practicing parts of our game that will hopefully exploit a potential weakness in our opponent,” said Hanrahan. “Having varied offensive tools, aggressive base-running and a solid defense is at the heart of who we try to be.” The Tiger softball team returns to action with a double-header at home against conference rival Hiram College this Saturday at 1 p.m.

PAGE 11

tiger week of the

KAHLA NOLAN PITCHER

hometown: WEST CHICAGO, ILL. sport: SOFTBALL Kahla Nolan is a junior pitcher for DePauw University’s softball team. In 19 appearances this season, Nolan has earned a record of 10-6 with one save. She has a solid earned run average of 2.86 while striking out 68 opponents. We caught up with Nolan to talk about her recent run of success and what the team will do to continue their undefeated conference record.

TDP Sports: Over the last week, you have a record of 3-1 and a total 14 scoreless innings against Kenyon College. Can you talk a little bit about how locked in you’ve been the last few games? Kahla Nolan (KN): This year we have a “station to station” mentality, meaning we aim to only give up one base at a time. We play solid defense by doing the little fundamental things right, and we limit unnecessary throws and plays. Knowing that I have a defense like that to back me up makes throwing easy and fun. I know that if I make a mistake someone will pick me up either on the field or at the plate. TDP Sports: You guys are 4-0 so far in conference play. How important is it for the team to have gotten off to such a solid start in NCAC play? KN: Our conference is full of very talented teams, and there aren’t any games on the schedule that can be taken lightly. By having these wins early, we now have momentum and confidence going into the heart of conference play. Last year, the entry into the conference tournament came

down to a tie, so any win that we can pick up during conference play is extremely important. TDP Sports: How honored are you to be named North Coast Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week? KN: The conference is packed with extremely talented pitchers, many of whom are very experienced, so to even be considered is a huge accomplishment. I have to give a shout out to my defense though, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without them behind me. TDP Sports: What does the team have to do continue the momentum this weekend against Hiram College and Anderson University? KN: In order to continue the momentum going into our doubleheaders against Hiram and Anderson, the team has to keep up the intensity and mindset that we have had all year. We approach each of our games as if the season is on the line, which helps us come out aggressive and ready to fight.

the depauw | sports

PAGE 12

FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014

Men’s, Women’s Tennis don’t break Lacrosse gets burned in Spring Break matchups stride in Hilton Head Island, S.C By JACOB LYNN sports@thedepauw.com

Julie Wittwer (serving) and Kaitlin Pickrel during their doubles match. / PHOTO COURTESY OF RICK MARSHALL. By MICHAEL JENNINGS sports@thedepauw.com

As spring break set in on DePauw University’s campus, the men’s and women’s tennis teams competed during the weeklong break. The teams combined to win eight matches at Hilton Head Island, S.C. The women went 3-1 during their time down south, with wins over Wisconsin-Whitewater University, Concordia College and Carleton College and a loss against Emory University. For the men, wins over Carleton, Oberlin College, Wisconsin-Whitewater, Colby College and North Carolina Wesleyan and a loss against Emory gave them a record of 5-1. The highlight of the week for the men came thanks to a 7-2 win over nationally ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater. First-years Patrick Farrell and Harold Martin won their doubles match by a score of 8-2 to help push the Tigers to victory. “Obviously we were happy that we beat a good team, but it was nothing that we didn’t expect,” Farrell said. “We knew that they were a solid team, but we knew that we were a great

squad too and that if we played well at every position and stuck to our game, which we did, we should win the match.” The men’s team held their expectation strong as they showed their superiority by taking five of six singles matchups and two of three doubles matchups against the Warhawks. Wins from seniors Sam Miles and Ben Kopecky, sophomore Alec Kaczkowski, junior Chris Bertolini and first-year Matt Santen propelled the Tigers to victory. The men’s team faced a variety of teams during the trip including not only conference opponents but also teams from different conferences and different parts of the country. “It was good for us to see a good variety of opponents so that we always had to keep playing better to win the next match,” Farrell said. “It also did a lot for our confidence, which was extremely helpful going on into our season.” Overall victories for the Tiger men came against Carleton, Oberlin and Colby in addition to Wisconsin-Whitewater. The women experienced similar success as they won three of their four matches. They came out victorious against Wis-

Tennis | cont’d on page 10

While the DePauw student body enjoyed a week off from classes, the lacrosse team faced a difficult schedule. The Tigers opened up their NCAC conference schedule in tilts with Hiram College and Denison University. DePauw also traveled across the country to California for matchups with Whittier College and Dominican University of California. The week began on a high-note with a record setting matchup against Hiram. DePauw’s Grant Skipper scored just seven seconds into the game and from there, the Tigers were off and running. DePauw led Hiram 5-1 after the first 15 minutes, and then put the game away with six unanswered goals in the second quarter. When all was said and done, the Tigers easily handled the Terriers with a 19-5 win for the first conference win in program history. “This was a big milestone win for us,” first-year Benton Givens said, “especially because we had a chance to beat them last year and messed up a halftime lead.” The 19 goals set a record for tallies in a game for the Tigers. DePauw outshot Hiram by 38 and let in most every offensive category. First-year Adam Bridges led the attack for the Tigers. Bridges scored five goals and picked up four assists in the winning effort. DePauw then traveled to the west coast for a contest against the Whittier Poets on Mar. 25. “I mean, we knew it was going to be tough playing against two really good teams,” Givens said, looking back on the trip. “They both just played quality lacrosse.” This matchup turned out to be a complete reverse of DePauw’s previous game with Hiram. The Poets raced out to an early 5-0 lead over the Tigers in the first 15 minutes and then added seven more goals in the second quarter. The Poets continued the offensive onslaught and played lockdown defense as they earned a 14-0 win over the Tigers.

Whittier outshot the Tigers 56-13 and handed DePauw their first shutout loss of the season. The Tigers then tried to rebound against the Dominican Penguins in a game again played in California. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the Penguins claimed a relatively easy 24-3 victory. After only three minutes, the Penguins already had a 3-0 lead and would go on to finish the first quarter up 8-1. The Tigers then made no noise in the second quarter as they found themselves down 12-1 at halftime. The final 30 minutes was more of the same, as the Penguins would put up eight goals in the third quarter. The Penguins would go on to add four more goals in the final 15 minutes and went on to win by a score of 24-3. First-year Robert Lapp provided the little offense there was for the Tigers. Lapp scored two goals and Bridges scored once and added an assist. When first-year Dan Kantor was asked if the long travel distance played a role in the team’s poor record on the west coast, he said it had the opposite effect. “No I don’t think so,” Kantor said. “I think it actually brought us closer together as a team.” DePauw then returned home for a NCAC matchup with Denison on Saturday to close out spring break. The fifthranked Big Red proved to be a tough opponent for DePauw, as they went on to defeat the host Tigers 21-0. Seventeen different players combined to score the 21 Big Red goals, and no player scored more than twice. Denison outshot the Tigers 72-12 and dominated every other statistical category. With the 1-3 record during Spring Break, the Tigers fell to 3-6 overall and 1-1 in NCAC play. “Our goal is to get at least two conference wins this season,” Givens said. “So it’s nice to be able focus on that second one now.” DePauw will look to pick up that second conference win tomorrow when they host the College of Wooster at 1 p.m.