November 15, 2012

American University’s student voice since 1925

November 15, 2012 Volume 87 – Issue 12

BA TT LE

THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

T E G D BU

|3 4 E S U | O D H E S ’ D RWIN IKES NEE E K S ON H M R O ITI 2 ST U S T U CA IMITED IAL | 1 SG: L F EDITOR STAF @THEEAGLEONLINE

2 | NOVEMBER 15, 2012 theEAGLE

Healthy adult volunteers needed The National Institute of Mental Health is conducting outpatient research studies on fear and anxiety at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in B eth e sd a, M ar yl a nd .

Over a period of one to three visits of one to three hours each, participants will be interviewed and complete computer tasks during which heart rate will be recorded.

Volunteers must be between 18-50 years of age, medically healthy, and not be taking medica tion. There is no cost for study-related tests. Compensation will be provided.

Fo r mor e inf or ma ti on, p leas e c al l:

1 - 8 00- 411- 1222 (T TY: 1-86 6-411- 1010) S e hab la es paño l

O r go on lin e, c lin ical tr ial s.g ov

Refer to study #: 01-M-0185 or 02-M-0321 De p ar tme nt o f Hea lth and Huma n S e rv ices Na tion al I nsti tute s of Heal th Natio nal Inst it ute of M en tal Health The NIH Clinical Center, America’s research hospital, is located on the Metro red line in Bethesda, Maryland.

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health

ANA SANTOS / THE EAGLE

AU volleyball finished its regular season in second place and will enter the Patriot League Tournament this weekend. They’ll face Army Nov. 17 at Colgate University in New York. More on page 15.

Corrections A stor y in the Nov. 8 edition of The Eagle titled, “D.C. concerts from the coffee-house to the Kennedy Center” misidentified band Grass Widow as “Grass Willow.”

Last week’s cover photo should be credited: JARED ANGLE / THE EAGLE.

Front Cover Both photos are taken by: JARED ANGLE / THE EAGLE Cover design by: Allie Powell

Events NOV. 15

BOOK TALK WITH FORMER REP. MICKEY EDWARDS

NOV. 16

NOV. 16

6:30 to 10:30 p.m. / Join the Caribbean-U.S. diplomatic core, fellow students, alumni, parents and friends for a sit-down dinner. / School of International Service 113 / Fee: $10 / Host: Caribbean Circle / aucaribbeancircle@ gmail.com

8 to 10:30 p.m. / The AU Symphony Orchestras concert will begin by playing music from Latin America, Germany and the United States. / Tickets: $15 regular admission, $10 AU community and seniors. / Katzen Recital Hall / Tickets: american.tix.com / auarts@ american.edu

FIFTH ANNUAL CARIBBEAN AMBASSADORS DINNER

5:30 p.m. / Mickey Edwards, the author of “Reclaiming Conservatism: How a Great American Political Movement Got Lost — And How It Can Find Its Way Back,” will be participating in a discussion moderated by Professor James Thurber. / MGC 200 / RSVP: NOV. 16 ccps@american.edu WVAU PRESENTS OPEN MIC NIGHT COVER PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE

STARTING AT TOP) BY: DIANA 8 p.m. / Show us what you’ve got ALVARENGA / THE EAGLE, and grab a cup ofANA coffee at an open SANTOS / THE EAGLE, MISSION: IMPROV-ABLE LONG FORM micCOURTESY night hosted by AU’s student-run OF ALYONA internet radio station. / Batelle Atrium SHOW VOGELMANN, 11 p.m. / AU comedy improv group EMMA / wvauevents@gmail.com KNIGHT / THE EAGLE

NOV. 16

delivers their last performance of the semester. / Kreeger Auditorium / improv.able007@gmail.com

AU SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA’S CONCERT

NOV. 18

SPRINT IN HER STILETTOS

Noon to 4 p.m. / Support Alpha Chi Omega’s efforts to spread awareness about domestic violence. One female coach and four males make up a team in 4x100 relay races in heels that the organization will provide. / Kim Truong, kt9930a@student.american.edu

NEWS

German ambassador talks economics, Syria 6

CAUS brings tuition fight to Kerwin’s home with late-night rally

By JARED ANGLE EAGLE STAFF WRITER

JARED ANGLE / THE EAGLE

Kerwin (right) addresses protesters on his front lawn.

The class you need starts next week.

And the next week.

And the one after that.

Members of the Coalition of American University Students (CAUS) marched to President Neil Kerwin’s home on Glenbrook Road Nov. 8 to demand a tuition freeze, leading to the dispatch of two AU Public Safety cars and a Metropolitan Police Department car.

“You are in violation of the law,” said an AU Public Safety officer over his car’s loudspeaker as the students approached Kerwin’s home. D.C. currently forbids “unreasonably loud noise” after 10 p.m. Nobody was arrested.

Over 40 CAUS members, including some students from the University of Maryland, College Park, arrived at the home just before 11:30 p.m., banging on pots and pans and shouting protest chants, such as “Hey hey, ho ho, tuition hike has got to go” and “Beat back the tuition attack.”

“You’re hurting yourselves,” said Kerwin, who left his home to address the students.

Kerwin criticized CAUS’s method of protesting, particularly the noise level in a residential neighborhood late at night.

“It’s not the way [a tuition freeze is] gonna get done,” Kerwin said.

president and chief operating officer of Goldman Sachs.

“One would expect the president to be accountable to the students,” CAUS member Valerie Kiebala, a sophomore in the School of International Service, said in a phone interview with The Eagle after the protest.

“We’re really surprised by Kerwin’s lack of respect for us.”

Kiebala said “You’re hurting yourselves” that CAUS members will expand their focus and plan to approach trustees and other members “Who are you accountable of the AU administration to disto?” CAUS member Mana Ali- cuss a tuition freeze. She also abadi, a sophomore in the School said students from Portland of Public Affairs, asked Kerwin.

State University in Oregon and “The [AU] Board of Trust- the University of Pittsburgh in ees,” he said.

Pennsylvania are interested in Several CAUS members starting similar campus organichanted the name of investment zations. banking firm Goldman Sachs in “Tuition money comes from reaction. students,” said Kiebala. “StuAU Board of Trustees Fi- dents have a right to a say of nance and Investment Commit- where that money goes.”

JANGLE@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM tee Chairman Gary Cohn is the

- AU President Neil Kerwin, to CAUS

Graduate on time from your own school with courses from ours.

Learn how at

phoenix.edu/transferclass

*Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. **To receive this offer, you must enroll by 12/31/12, but you may begin classes anytime between enrollment and 3/31/13. University of Phoenix is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association (ncahlc.org). College credit granted by University of Phoenix. For information about University of Phoenix accreditations and licensures, please visit our website.

While widely available, all courses and programs may not be available in all locations and in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with a University Enrollment Advisor.

JARED ANGLE / THE EAGLE

AU students march down Glenbrook Road to Kerwin’s house to call for a tuition freeze.

4 | NOVEMBER 15, 2012 NEWS theEAGLE

SG advocates for limited tuition hikes, budget transparency

By HEATHER MONGILIO EAGLE STAFF WRITER

Student Government is advocating for a tuition increase to cover necessary University costs.

SG also endorsed raising the proportion of tuition that is spent on financial aid and asked for more budget transparency, according to their report on the University budget released Nov. 12.

Students currently pay 81 percent of AU’s budget, according to the University Budget.

The rest of the revenue comes from housing and dining fees and donations.

The SG Commission on University Budget Policy, which consists of six SG members, released the report in preparation for the town hall with the Board of Trustees and President Neil Kerwin on today at 5:30 p.m. in Ward 1.

“We commend all students who decide to make their voices heard on the University budget,” SG Comptroller Joe Ste. Marie said. “We think student engagement is the way this University is run and we encourage it.”

SG President Emily Yu, Comptroller Joe Ste.Marie, former Comptroller Eric Reath, Co-Directors of the University Budget Policy David Horowitz and Tionna Lake, and Class of 2015 Sen. Patrick Kelly sit on the Commission.

MARGINAL TUITION INCREASES

SG chose not to advocate for a tuition freeze because of the financial challenges it may bring to the University, Ste.Marie said.

“We are not advocating for fixed tuition because we think it hurts student interests and we don’t think it’s achievable,” Ste. Marie said.

If the University does not raise tuition during this budget cycle, it could force the University to raise tuition even higher in the next budget cycle to recoup losses. The University could also face millions of dollars in cuts if there is no tuition increase, Ste.Marie said.

SG believes that cutting administration salaries would not replace a tuition increase because the administration salaries are not worth enough to cover the amount needed to cover University costs, Ste. Marie said. “[Administration] are paid less than 1 percent of the budget,” Reath said.

Professor salaries would also have to be cut in order to meet the amount needed for a tuition freeze, Ste.Marie said

SG: HIGHER DISCOUNT RATE WILL BENEFIT STUDENTS

Currently, for every dollar paid toward tuition 29 cents

Survey says students lack quantitative skills

By TORI DALCOURT EAGLE STAFF WRITER

AU is forming plans to address negative feedback in regard to students’ math education.

“The census results are not so bad,” said Mieke Meurs, associate dean of graduate studies in the College of Arts and Sciences.

“But they are less than what we would like.”

The feedback was received through the May 2012 Graduate Census, which is given to all undergraduate seniors at the time of their graduation.

When asked if AU developed students’ “quantitative skills,” 60 percent of students answered “well” or “very well,” according

to Maralee Csellar, associate director of media relations.

The term “quantitative skills” has several definitions, including a person’s ability to analyze data or the use of general math skills, according to Meurs.

Provost Scott Bass appointed Meurs to be chairwoman of a task force intended to examine AU’s current courses, collect data on students’ learning outcomes in the area of quantitative skills and suggest possible changes.

The tasks force also looks into course requirements of different programs. For example, a literature major may not be prioritizing classes that emphasize quantitative skills, Meurs

said. Some majors may not need more quantitative math courses while other majors may need more of them.

Bass asked that the task force submit a report by the end of the semester summarizing the group’s finding and any suggestions that they may have, according to Meurs.

The task force has begun to collect data on how AU and other schools teach quantitative skills, according to Meurs. She said AU wants to make sure that its course offerings are similar to those of other institutions.

“I would love to have more information about what alumni think,” Meurs said.

TDALCOURT@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

goes to financial aid, Yu said.

Ste.Marie said SG would like to see that proportion, called the tuition discount rate, raised to 30 percent.

SG said in the report that a low discount rate is bad for students, because the higher the discount rate the larger the pool of available financial aid.

A higher tuition discount rate could also result in a larger tuition increase, but the amount of financial aid would also increase, Ste.Marie said.

The University recently reallocated a portion of its financial aid from merit-based to needbased aid, The Eagle previously reported.

With more money for financial aid, both need-based and

merit-based scholarships would increase, Reath said.

STUDENTS’ RIGHTS TO KNOW

SG’s final point calls for more transparency on the budget.

SG believes more attention is needed to explain where student money goes in the budget, but it does not believe a list of every purchase is needed, Ste. Marie said.

“More transparency on personnel costs, financial aid, and more detailed unit budgets would allow students to better understand how their tuition dollars are being spent,” according to the SG report.

Staff Writer Sam Raphelson contributed to this report.

theEAGLE NEWS NOVEMBER 15, 2012 | 5

Demolition date set for Glenbrook house

BY LEIGH GIANGRECO EAGLE STAFF WRITER

The Army Corps announced Nov. 13 that demolition on 4825 Glenbrook Rd. will begin the week of Nov 26.

Site preparation for investigative work is set after Dec. 19 when the Corps hopes demolition is completed. This work includes inspecting the site for arsenic trichloride, a dangerous chemical which affects the eyes and lungs. However, the Corps will not search for additional

arsine-filled munitions, of which they previously found three.

The Corps will begin work under a large tent, called a “containment structure,” in January, when they expect to find chemicals. Army Corps spokesmen at the meeting said that precautions have been put in place for the investigation. However, they have also instituted voluntary “shelter in place” procedures, which instructs people about where to take cover in case something goes wrong at the site.

There are eight properties

which fall into the zone where residents would be advised to “shelter in place,” including Watkins Hall and President Neil Kerwin’s home at 4835 Glenbrook Rd. Brenda Barber, Corps project manager, said she has also communicated with AU’s athletic department about providing emergency access through the intramural field. Signs, audio and video cues will be located on AU’s campus, according to Barber.

NEWS@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

Phonathon falls short of fundraising goal alumni and parents who live in the affected areas on the East Coast to make up the deficit Phonathon, a University-run starting in January 2013, acprogram where stucording to Levin. dents call alumni for “Student callers “The less people who have to call means less need donations, will not to ask alumni people we have to ask for contributions,” for donations” in ormeet its fundraising goals due to Hurrider to fully fund the cane Sandy, according University, Levin to Assistant Director said. “I am confiof Annual Giving Grifdent that we will get fin Ross.

Levin, student supervisor of the them to give back to AU.” The program has raised program, said. “The less people Alumni donations currently $110,000 since May 1 and sought we have to call means less people make up 2 percent of the Unito raise $250,000 by Dec. 1. we have to ask for contributions.” versity’s revenue.

“Because of the storm, we Callers will begin contacting NEWS@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

BY AMBER COHEN

EAGLE STAFF WRITER

have decided not to call alumni who live in Delaware, New Jersey and New York until we come back from winter vacation,” Ariel

- Ariel Levin, student supervisor of Phonathon

Students honor late professor with “Day of Service”

BY SUZANNE GABER EAGLE STAFF WRITER

Two years after the death of Professor Sue Marcum, students are still working to honor her memory.

The second annual Sue Marcum Day of Service will be held on Nov. 17 through the AU Campus Kitchen, a collaboration with St. Luke’s Mission to provide food to the hungry. The event, hosted by the Accounting Club, is a memorial for the late professor who was murdered in her

Bethesda home Oct. 25, 2010.

The Campus Kitchen project takes food from local restaurants and cafeterias and distributes the food through Regency House.

Those who volunteer are often allowed a free meal as well.

Marcum taught accounting and taxation in the Kogod School of Business. She was also the faculty advisor for the Accounting Club and a faculty brother of Alpha Kappa Psi, which is the professional business fraternity on campus.

NEWS@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

CAN YOUR DEGREE GET YOU THE JOB YOU WANT?

A Masters from us can.

The University of Maryland’s top-ranked Smith School welcomes graduating seniors into its Master of Science (MS) in Business programs.

Open House Reception Nov. 28, 5:30 pm University of Maryland Van Munching Hall, College Park REGISTER AT:

www.rhsmith.umd.edu/mastersatsmith

Advertise in

theEAGLE business@theeagleonline.com

OFFERING CAREER-ORIENTED GRADUATE BUSINESS PROGRAMS IN: Q Accounting Q Finance Q Supply Chain Management Q Information Systems Q Marketing Analytics

All attendees on Wednesday, Nov. 28 have a chance to win an iPad Mini!

6 | NOVEMBER 15, 2012 NEWS theEAGLE

Students thank campus staff who worked during Hurricane Sandy

By PETER SEREMETIS EAGLE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

AU students scribbled signatures and phrases along 22- by 28-inch posters, all giving thanks to the University workers who gave their time and energy to help the cam-

TDR comment board, according to Urriola.

“We were ecstatic over receiving the card,” said Holly Mussatti, assistant director of operations at AU Facilities. “It was ver y fulfilling to be recognized for our efforts during the storm, and we were ver y

“We were ecstatic over receiving the card,” - Holly Mussatti, assistant director of operations at AU Facilities

JARED ANGLE / THE EAGLE

German Ambassador Peter Ammon speaks to students in the School of International Service.

German ambassador talks war, economics

By JARED ANGLE EAGLE STAFF WRITER

German Ambassador to the United States Peter Ammon assured AU students Nov. 13 that the economic situation in Europe is not as dire as it seems.

“There are so many prejudices flowing around,” Ammon told the audience of about 100 in the School of International Ser vice Founder’s Room. “It’s wrong to be pessimistic about the United States, and it’s ver y wrong to be pessimistic about Europe.”

Ammon expressed confidence in trans-Atlantic economics, saying that the U.S. and European Union together account for half of the world’s economy, with 600,000 U.S. jobs created through German investment.

The event was hosted by Delta Phi Epsilon and sponsored by the German Embassy’s “Think Transatlantic” initiative.

Ammon painted a picture of Germany and the EU as staunch allies of the U.S. in the foreign policy arena, saying that EU countries were

the first to join the U.S. in the 2001 war in Afghanistan.

The ambassador also condemned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the recent civil war in his countr y.

Ammon said that while Germany has applied tough economic sanctions on the nation of nearly 21 million people, they have not decided on a militar y or humanitarian inter vention, saying that forcing democracy on Syria would fail.

“Democracy will only flourish if there is [Syrian] ownership of the process,” he said.

JANGLE@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

pus weather through the harsh conditions of Hurricane Sandy.

The AU United Methodist Student Association collected the signatures on the Quad Nov. 6 and 8, then hand-delivered the posters to the Aramark, Public Safety, Housing and Dining, Facilities (2-Fix), Grounds Maintenance, Bon Appétit and Librar y offices on Nov. 9 as a surprise for the workers.

Ian Urriola, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences who started the project, said he came up with the idea after hearing that students ate at TDR during the superstorm.

“We just wanted to show gratitude for those who came in and made sacrifices to keep AU running during the storm,” Urriola said.

All of the departments were pleased to receive the posters and were thankful for students’ appreciation. The Bon Appétit workers put their poster on the

surprised and pleased that the students went out of their way to do this.”

AUUMSA’s worker appreciation project was not the first to be arranged after the Hurricane. AUUMSA president and Letts Hall Resident Assistant Cassie Baker said her residents posted signs on their doors as a tribute to Aramark workers for their assistance during the hurricane.

Baker said AUUMSA has not discussed yet whether the poster project will be continuous, but did mention that “getting together with Student Government in the future to provide a student-wide thank you would be great.”

“I was not expecting Aramark workers to be cleaning bathrooms during the hurricane,” said Zach Robbins, a senior in the School of International Ser vice. “Lo and behold, ever ything was functional.”

NEWS@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

SCENE

Check out recommendations for exciting art exhibits 9

AU Players tackle comedy with ‘Bald Soprano’

By MARK LIEBERMAN EAGLE COLUMNIST

COURTESY OF LASTFM/CHIDDY BANG

Chiddy Bang, Hoodie Allen to perform for free in Tavern

By REBECCA ZISSER AND MAEVE MCDERMOTT EAGLE STAFF WRITERS

The Student Union Board will host Chiddy Bang and Hoodie Allen for its second concert of the semester.

The show will be held in the Tavern on Nov. 17, and doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets will be free to the first 600 AU students with a student ID. Chiddy Bang is an American rap group that was founded in 2008 after band members, Chiddy (real name Chidera Anamege) and Xaphoon Jones (real name Noah Beresin), met during their freshman year at Drexel University.

Since then, the band has recorded four mixtapes, three EPs and one studio album titled “Breakfast,” which was released earlier this year.

The band gained popularity after several features on the music

blog Pretty Much Amazing and releasing their debut mixtape, “The Swelly Express,” in 2009.

Chiddy Bang’s also broke the world record for longest rap at the MTV O Music Awards. The duo rapped for nine hours and 18 minutes without stopping, beating the previous record set by MEighty in 2009 by three minutes.

Performing with Chiddy Bang is frat rap upstart Hoodie Allen.

After ditching his job at Google in 2011 to pursue rap full time, the University of Pennsylvania graduate and Alpha Epsilon Pi brother released a handful of successful mixtapes after his breakout 2010 hit, the Marina and the Diamonds-sampling “You Are Not A Robot.”

Allen’s March 2012 mixtape “All-American,” his first album featuring his producer RJF’s own beats instead of samples, debuted at No. 1 on iTunes. Stay tuned for a new mixtape, due later this year.

THESCENE@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

The more we talk, the less we listen.

The AU Players have dissected this seemingly paradoxical statement with their production of Eugene Ionesco’s “The Bald Soprano.” This obscure comedy exposes redundancies in modern communication.

Director Jeff Gan, a junior in the School of International Service and College of Arts and Sciences, reinterpreted several key aspects of the production to distinguish this performance from previous iterations, challenging his actors to reveal new meanings buried deep within the inscrutable script.

Admitting that he is “in love with this play,” Gan said that he was inspired to direct this version after seeing the AU Players’ production of the obscure 13thcentury medieval drama “The Conversion of Thais the Whore” last April.

According to Ryan Mays, a freshman in the School of Communication, “The Bald Soprano” was once described as “the tragedy of the English language” because the script demonstrates communication’s destructive ability to diminish truth.

The minimal plot follows

two husband-and-wife duos, the Smiths and the Martins, during an evening of ephemeral, neighborly camaraderie gone awry. A visit from the town’s meek but lovable fire chief (Mays) catalyzes a disturbingly chaotic release of nonsensical dialogue, culminating in a striking reversal that brings the story full circle.

The show’s six characters fall into three categories of comprehension. The Smiths and Martins struggle to make sense of their meaningless interactions, while the maid chooses not to think about the implications of her discourse. As for the fire chief?

“He sees the meaningless communication, and it utterly destroys him,” Mays said.

Although the rehearsal process has ultimately been rewarding, this play presented several challenges for the actors. Alex Johnson, a freshman in CAS who plays Mrs. Smith, said “putting meaning into the lines,” many of which neglect traditional grammar and basic coherence, required intense memorization. Prior to run-throughs, the actors recited formidable tongue twisters to “maintain focus,” according to Paige Austin, a freshman in CAS. The actors are also required to provide the show’s only source of light, pointing flash-

lights at themselves and others to illuminate their faces while leaving the rest of the stage in shadow. While initially disconcerting, the eerie absence of traditional lighting reflects the play’s central themes.

“The characters are always trying to define for themselves what their reality is,” Gan explained. “They can only illuminate as much as their narrow state of being allows.”

Gan also said that the actors experienced difficulty with the unconventional lighting situation.

“They’ve really taken to it now,” he said, praising the actors for their perseverance in realizing his “slightly darker read” of a play usually presented as pure farce. By fusing rapid wit with disconcerting distress, Gan hopes to provoke thought and laughter in equal measure.

Despite the unfamiliar production style, Austin experienced a comfortable, welcoming rehearsal environment.

Will humans ever transcend the crippling limitations of communication? Perhaps audiences at this weekend’s performance of “The Bald Soprano” will be one step closer to the answer.

MLIEBERMAN@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

WHERE: KATZEN STUDIO THEATRE WHEN: NOV. 15 – 17 HOW MUCH: $5

AU Players’ “Bald Soprano” uses only flash lights to light the actors’ faces.

SARAH JACQUES / THE EAGLE

8 | NOVEMBER 15, 2012 SCENE theEAGLE Tribune, who called the movie “Spielberg’s best in a decade.”

Sounds downright presidential.

DID LABEOUF TRANSFORM?

TV, FILMS TAKE ON LINCOLN, BIDEN MARK LIEBERMAN — TAKE 5 THIS WEEK’S POP CULTURE HEADLINES SURPRISINGLY DIP INTO PRESIDENTIAL WATERS. VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN WILL GUEST STAR ON AN UPCOMING EPISODE OF “PARKS AND RECREATION,” WHILE DANIEL DAY-LEWIS TACKLES THE ROLE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN IN STEVEN SPIELBERG FILM “LINCOLN.” OBAMA? (K)NOPE!

Leslie Knope, the optimistic city councilwoman at the heart of NBC’s hilarious and

heartfelt comedy “Parks and Recreation” (Thursdays at 9:30 p.m.), finally meets the man of her dreams next week, as Vice President Joe Biden makes a high-profile guest appearance on the low-rated but critically acclaimed show.

Knope (Amy Poehler) once described her ideal man as someone with “the brains of George Clooney and the body of Joe Biden,” so this meeting will likely provide strong fodder for the show’s writers.

Viewers who love wacky characters and a comedic pathos ought to check out “Parks and Rec.”

AU Chamber Choir performs Russian, German works

By DAVID KAHEN-KASHI EAGLE STAFF WRITER

Under the skillful direction of Daniel Abraham, associate professor in the Department of Performing Arts and director of choral activities at AU, the AU Chamber Choir performed a series of Russian, German and American works on Nov. 10 and 11.

The series precedes the group’s upcoming spring 2013 tour through Russia in May. The choir will forgo most major cities in favor of smaller, less wellknown locations.

“Going off the beaten path was more interesting,” Abraham said.

Avoiding the larger cities in favor of more quaint accommodations would yield a far more

LINCOLN LOVIN’

What do you get when you combine a beloved and prolific filmmaker (Steven Spielberg) with the award-winning author of the play “Angels in America” (Tony Kushner) and mix in one of the most impressive actors of his generation (Daniel Day-Lewis) playing one of the nation’s foremost political heroes? You get “Lincoln,” a biopic about the pressure-filled months leading up to the end of the American Civil War and the 16th president’s storied life.

The film has already attracted raves from critics like Michael Phillips of the Chicago culturally nourishing experience, Abraham said.

Acquiring a grant from the State Department, the choir will work with Russian youth conservatories and foster relations with the local Russian community in addition to singing.

The centerpiece of the program’s Nov. 10 and 11 performances was a selection of choral songs by Russian composer Georgy Sviridov, the 20th-century composer known for his film score to “The Blizzard” (1964), which contained intonations of Russian and low bass humming for the rendition of “Three Cho-

Michael Bay once insisted that he would only direct three “Transformers” films, despite evidence to the contrary. Then he insisted that he would not be casting Mark Wahlberg in a possible fourth installment in the series, despite evidence to the contrary.

Ultimately, Bay proved to be no match for the piling evidence to the contrary, revealing this week that Wahlberg will indeed be the star of a new adventure for the Autobots and Decepticons, to be released in June 2014. Speculation has mounted that Wahlberg will play the father of a teenage son who will take the lead in future installments.

AMERICA’S CHOICE

The latest in an endless string of awards shows with three-letter acronyms airs on ABC this Sunday night at 8 p.m.

The American Music Awards (AMAs) are selected purely by music fans, who can vote now by logging on to www.abc.com.

As with any awards show, the show provides the opportunity for popular acts, including Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Usher, Ke$ha, PSY, Kelly Clarkson, ruses from the Incidental Music to the Tragedy of A. K. Tolstoy’s ‘Czar Feodor Ioannovich.’”

Selecting Sviridov prompted an extensive search for sheet music, with Abraham searching as far as Finland to find proper sheet music transcriptions of the choral music. After the music was shipped to the U.S., he enlisted the help of AU graduate Angela MacDougall, School of International Service ‘13, to transcribe and translate the Cyrillic text.

Not as bombastic and nationalistic as Dmitri Shostakovich and not as experimental as Igor

Carly Rae Jepsen, Nicki Minaj, The Wanted, No Doubt and Christina Aguilera, to reinforce their ubiquity by performing live.

The broadcast will also look back fondly with clips to commemorate the program’s 40th anniversary.

NO, THANK YOU!

This Tuesday marks the annual music industry tradition of flooding the marketplace with high-profile new releases immediately before Black Friday sales commence. “American Idol” season 11 winner and “Home” hitmaker Phillip Phillips unleashes his debut set, “The World From This Side of the Moon.”

Environmental implications aside, party rockers will be pleased with Pitbull’s “Global Warming,” featuring collaborations with the usual suspects: Usher, Jennifer Lopez and Chris Brown. The latter also makes a slightly more controversial appearance on Rihanna’s “Unapologetic,” her third album in three years.

Finally, Kid Rock’s music has arrived on iTunes just in time for a new addition, “Rebel Soul.”

MLIEBERMAN@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

CHECK OUT THE SCENE’S REVIEW OF “LINCOLN” ONLINE!

Stravinsky, Sviridov’s music is melodic, even at times containing hints of melancholy, as exhibited in performances of “Inexpressible Wonder” and “Having Witnessed a Wondrous Birth.”

Other pieces of interest were a series of American spirituals: “The Gift to Be Simple,” “Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal” and a sentimental rendition of “Oh Shenandoah.”

The AU Chamber Choir truly proved their strong ability through their evocation of mystic folksiness.

DKAHEN-KASHI@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

theEAGLE SCENE NOVEMBER 15, 2012 | 9

D.C. art exhibits get elemental twist, draw from international influences SEAN MEEHAN — FINE ART FOR FREE

Living in a big city can be expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. Every week there’s somebody willing to feed, entertain, occupy, educate or annoy you, for free. Fine Art for Free rounds up the best free arts events in the coming week to help you stretch that paycheck just a little bit further.

LAST CALL “LOW MOMENTS” | PLEASANT PLAINS WORKSHOP OPEN UNTIL NOV. 18

The idea behind “Low Moments” is basically the opposite of what other exhibitions are looking for. Built out of an open call for “artistic failures,” “Low Moments” features various artists showcasing some of their worst moments. A lighthearted change of pace from the seriousness of many exhibitions, this exhibit is a great way to inject some humor into a day at the galleries. As an added bonus, the art hanging in this exhibit all comes from area artists, making it easier to track down some of their work of which they are actually proud.

Pleasant Plains Workshop is located on Georgia Avenue between Euclid and Fairmont Streets, directly across the street from Howard University’s main campus.

COURTESY OF ZENITH GALLERY

EARTH, WIND, FIRE — Peter Kephart’s works use the elements, along with gunpowder and paint.

WHAT’S NEW “PASSPORT PLEASE” BY AL BURTS INTERNATIONAL VISIONS GALLERY NOV. 8 - DEC. 8 | OPENING RECEPTION NOV. 10 6:30-9P.M. In “Passport Please,” Al Burts uses his distinct and intricate style of ballpoint pen drawing to create portraits inspired by the African roots of America. Burts’ attention to detail and intricate shading demonstrate an unrivaled mastery of the somewhat unconventional ballpoint pen as an artistic medium. The portraits themselves are profiles of strength and resilience, from the silent strength of women working through rough times to the almost messianic calmness of Marvin Gaye.

International Visions Gallery is located at 2629 Connecticut Ave., NW near the Woodley Park Metro station.

“FIRE, WATER, EARTH AND WIND: THE UNFORGETTABLE FIREPAINTINGS OF PETER KEPHART” | ZENITH GALLERY OPEN UNTIL NOV. 27

Combining fire, water, wind, paint, gunpowder and pastel, Peter Kephart’s “firepaintings” are a little more labor-intensive than most paintings. Using a process that leaves a lot of his creations up to chance, Kephart crafts intricately colored and whimsical landscapes that swirl together all the natural elements that go into them. Kephart embraces the elements of chance in nature, working with these elements to create collaborative paintings with beautiful, warm colors.

Zenith Gallery is located on the second floor of 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW near the Friendship Heights Metro Station.

SMEEHAN@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

10 | NOVEMBER 15, 2012 SCENE theEAGLE

AUDIOPHILE

Aretha Franklin, Dan Deacon to tour D.C.

By AURORA DE PERALTA EAGLE STAFF WRITER

ARETHA FRANKLIN — SAT. @ DAR CONSTITUTION HALL 7:30 P.M. $59.95-$115 Attention, soul music junkies: your queen, Aretha Franklin, is coming to D.C. Despite concert cancellations in New York and New Jersey, Franklin is set to perform at the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall.

The iconic Lady of Soul’s music is epitomized by her gospel-charged sound. She earned her royal title with a flurry of late ‘60s hits, like “Chain of Fools,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and of course, “Respect.” She continues to make albums today under her self-titled record label, Aretha’s Records. Her title as Queen of Soul still remains uncontested.

The ticket price range can seem daunting, but it will be a price well paid to see this music legend live and in all her glory.

DAN DEACON — SAT. @ 9:30 CLUB 8 P.M., $15 Known for his euphoric synth electronica, Baltimore-based Dan Deacon will perform at the 9:30 club this Saturday. The bearded electronic music composer will feature songs from his album released last month, “America.”

Having participated in the “Occupy” movement, Deacon’s boldly titled album has undeniable political undertones. But despite the governmental titles,

his songs don’t go down the route of explicit investment-bank-cursing and Republican-bashing rhetoric. His music is marked by manipulated instrumentals and furtive atmospherics that bring a cinematic mood to his concerts. Audience members can expect an earringing night of electro-pop from Deacon.

Performing with Dan Deacon will be rap group Heights With Friends, electro-pop producer Chester Endersby Gwazda and visual artist Alan Resnick.

JAZZ JAM SESSIONS — TUESDAYS @ TAKOMA STATION TAVERN 7 P.M.-10 P.M. FREE For weeknight jazz that is fun, friendly and conveniently located on the red line, look no further than Takoma Station Tavern. Every Tuesday, this historic venue hosts lively open jazz jam sessions.

Takoma Station Tavern has hosted Jazz Jam Sessions since October 2010.

The lineup constantly changes with different musicians, but is always led by bass player Raymond Magic. Notable Latin jazz, international jazz and progressive jazz musicians all perform at the venue, and audience members are more than welcome to bring their voices and instruments to play along with them.

But the tavern does demand classy attire for their jazz nights. Sneakers and athletic wear are strictly prohibited.

THESCENE@THEEEAGLONLINE.COM

Looking for new music? DJs at WVAU share their thoughts on a range of recent releases.

DIRTY PROJECTORS

ABOUT TO DIE Pretty good for a collection of odds and ends; Dirty Projectors have already released a full-length studio album this year, the quality of which you may still be contemplating.

“About To Die,” then, comes as something of a bonus release.

Consisting of the titular track (one of the best from the album “Swing Lo Magellan”), three original songs and the two tracks released earlier as a tour-only single, the

PILE

DRIPPING A cathartic reminder of ‘90s heroes with touches of post-hardcore.

Pile throws Built to Spill’s intricate guitar melodies into a blender with Modest Mouse’s angrier moments and sprinkles in touches of folk-punk and Shellac’s hammered drums. The result is a dark, moody album featuring songs that feel absolutely monstrous despite their

17-minute EP is typical Dirty Projectors. There’s the general off-kilter attitude toward meter and key, the usual female vocal harmonies, all topped off by the over-the-top, multi-tracked yelping of David Longstreth.

That being said, it’s still worth a listen. “While You’re Here,” written after the 2007 passing of TV on the Radio member Gerard Smith and features just strings and vocals. But Longstreth’s relatively short length.

“Baby Boy” opens the album with a grimy story juxtaposing childhood innocence with adult failure.

Their Boston heritage is apparent not even a minute into the album as Rick Maguire sings, “He washes his hands in a water bubbler” in a song that owes its quiet-loud-quiet dynamics to fellow Bostonian ‘80s alt-champions, the Pixies.

There’s an abundance of gutwrenching, honest emotion seething just beneath the surface, from the shriekingly beautiful guitar

ANDREW BIRD HANDS OF GLORY The whistling indie violinist goes to a honky-tonk: Andrew Bird is back with his second album of 2012.

“Hands of Glory” is a stripped down, intimate companion to March release “Break It Yourself.”

It’s also a little bit country.

Recorded with a few musicians

around a single microphone, “Hands of Glory” is full of covers of Bird’s favorite Americana tunes.

Known to be a huge Townes Van Zandt fan, Bird includes a fairly faithful cover of “If I Needed You.” “When That Helicopter Comes” is an eerie yet swingy version of

unconventionally melismatic approach to singing keeps it from getting boring. “Simple Request” sounds like one of Led Zeppelin’s lighter tracks with a Jimmy Page-esque acoustic performance, subtly powerful drum track and crooning, melodic vocals.

The final two tracks, from the tour-only single, are also pretty catchy. And while it might not be anything revolutionary for the band, it is still a great companion to their album this year.

Recommended If You Like: Animal Collective, Frank Zappa, that David Byrne & St. Vincent collaboration

By BILL OLDHAM, “KERWIN’S KORNER” TUESDAYS, 8-10 P.M.

solo that closes “Prom Song” to Maguire’s roaring, bone-cutting refrain on “The Jones.”

If you’re a fan of ‘90s guitar-driven indie rock and the snarling aggression of post-hardcore, you owe it to yourself to give Pile a chance.

While the band is still finding an audience, “Dripping” already feels as classic as the legends that it brings to mind.

RIYL: Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, Pixies, The Jesus Lizard

By CAMERON STEWART “SULTRY RED FEEDBACK” SATURDAYS, 3-4 A.M.

the already mysterious Handsome Family song.

“Hands of Glory” is folksy rather than artsy, unlike Bird’s previous albums. He leaves out his virtuosic whistling and exposes his vocals more than ever before. These songs deal with difficult concepts of sin and salvation through story, just like any good country record.

RIYL: Townes Van Zandt, Gillian Welch, M. Ward

By TREVOR LANGAN “GYPSY SOUL” - THURSDAYS, 6-8 P.M.

theEAGLE SCENE NOVEMBER 15, 2012 | 11

TV PICK: “American Horror Story”

BY YOHANA DESTA EAGLE STAFF WRITER

When the creators of “American Horror Story” decided to completely change the location and characters of the already beloved series for its second season, fans everywhere held their breath.

But even after all the changes, the show (now called “American Horror Story: Asylum”) is still as gut-wrenchingly addicting as it ever was.

Eagle Rants All you LDR people (and I’m one too) - just remember that he/she loves you and wouldn’t be doing it if they didn’t like the Beatles said “love is all you need.” It still sucks.

I would’ve whistled as you walked by, but we were on the silent floor A guy in the dav currently has whiskers painted on his face and is wearing cat ears. I just want to know why.

My roommate is the one who ranted a couple days ago about how she didn’t remember if she ranted the “I think I’m going crazy” rant.

She just said “You’re going to die” completely seriously and out of the blue. Then she said she had no idea why she said it. She IS going crazy.

Centered around the Briarcliff Mental Institution, the show follows a handful of characters as they struggle to survive the absurdity around them. Jessica Lange (who won an Emmy for her portrayal as Constance in AHS’s last season) is tantalizing in her lead role as Sister Jude, a pious nun with a dirty past. Other familiar faces from last season include Evan Peters (who plays a good guy framed as a murderer), Nora Montgomery (as a devil-possessed nun) and Sarah

Paulson (a journalist who gets trapped in the mental institute).

Thus far the show has pushed its horrific boundaries, including scenes of terrifyingly graphic murders, hell-raising exorcisms, aliens and all-around twisted characters with more than a few skeletons in their closets.

YDESTA@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

“AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM” AIRS ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT 10P.M. ON FX.

Go ahead, speak your mind. We’ll probably print it.

If a CAUS makes a lot of noise on the quad, and nobody gives a damn, did it really make a sound?

I hate that when I move my feet on my bed it makes farting noises. I’m not farting, roomie!

A paper on why a specific ethical issue is an ethical issue? How about our next assignment is on why a certain country is a country or why a certain type of dog is a dog

Not sure which is more pathetic, the fact that I have nothing to do with my saturday night than be on my laptop or that this is actually an average saturday night for me

I have no idea what this person next to me at the library is doing. They are rubbing their pen vigorously on a cinder block. Are they trying to sharpen it? I don’t understand Liking to be dominated is not super kinky. It’s more like french vanilla.

To all the vets out there, while I may not always agree that war is the answer, I have nothing but utmost respect for you. We civilians may not always show it, but I for one thank you from the bottom of my heart for your service. I am now and forever will be indebted to you.

Anyone saying the CAUS protest was too disruptive has clearly never heard of protesting.

I wish people knew quiet hours were a thing….second straight night I have been woken up by loud biddies…

NIMH RESEARCH STUDIES: Researchers are interested in learning about

brain and body responses associated with generalized anxiety disorder.

Do You Worry A Lot? Do you generally experience more tension, Participants must be between 18-50 years of nervousness, or anxiety than your friends age, and medically healthy. There is no cost or family? If so, you may be interested in for participation or any tests associated participating in research studies involving: with the research. Financial compensation is • Brain imaging available for participation.

• Emotional response tests & For more information call: 888-644-2694 Computer-based tasks or 1-888-NIH-ANXI (TTY: 1-866-411-1010) • Outpatient visits at the NIH Clinical E-mail: anxiety@mail.nih.gov Center, Bethesda, MD http://patientinfo.nimh.nih.gov • Evaluation for study eligibility includes physical and mental health assessment. www.clinicaltrials.gov

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis ACROSS 1 Actress Jessica 5 Uses spurs, say 10 Sports squad 14 Fortuneteller 15 Not yet burning 16 Taper off 17 Light reddish shade named for a fish 19 Tehran·s land 20 Uganda·s Amin 21 Drawer projection 22 Env. stuffing 23 Flows slowly 25 Children·s imitation game 29 Deal, as a blow 31 “Then what happened?”

32 Govt. hush-hush org.

33 “Grody to the max!”

34 Dessert served in triangular slices 35 Grub 36 Sticky breakfast sweets 40 Relax in the tub 41 Solemn promise 42 “__ as directed” 43 Do some sums 44 Crank (up) 45 Dormitory, to dirty room 49 Grated citrus peel 52 Onetime capital of Japan 53 Swigs from flasks 54 Tiny bit 56 Chili __ carne 57 Go steady with 58 Winter cause of sniffles and sneezes 61 “Deal me a hand” 62 Heavenly path 63 Golden St. campus 64 Kennel guests 65 Pre-meal prayer 66 Bouquet DOWN 1 Birthplace of St. Francis 2 Hard to lift 3 Religious conviction 4 Shirt part · V · V TV detective Peter 6 Not AWOL

By Don Gagliardo and C.C. Burnikel

7 Perp-to-cop story SOLUTION Saturday·s Puzzle Solved TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE 8 Crowd noise 9 Wall St. buy 10 Minnesota baseballers 11 Auditory passage 12 Some therapists 13 “Little __”: Alcott novel 18 Thumb-andforefinger gesture 22 Finish 24 Put (down), as a bet 26 Common street name 27 What a solo homer produces 28 Airline to Copenhagen 30 Venezuelan (c)2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc. president Hugo 50 Starts the 44 OR staffers 34 “Batman” sound show 45 Like numbers in effect 51 “The Lion King” the periodic table 35 Song of mourning king 46 Ornate 18th36 Alias for a secret 55 Beach bag century style agent 57 Salsa, e.g.

47 Ring-shaped 37 Words of 58 Gear reefs confession tooth 48 Workweek start, or 38 “Shake a leg!”

59 Hockey an apt title for this 39 Native of Japan·s immortal puzzle based on third most Bobby an abbreviation populous city 60 Coffee found in its five 40 Mineo of container longest answers “Exodus”

Level: 1

2

3

4

Complete the grid so

SOLUTION TO LASTeach row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold WEEK’S PUZZLE borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk

SOLUTION TO WEDNESDA<·S PUZZLE

1-

© 2012 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

OPINION

STAFF EDITORIAL

Tuition freeze: better in theory than practice The University’s budget should be a top priority for all students, but it’s clear that the students advocating for us, elected or not, are failing.

It’s easy to dismiss raising tuition costs as unnecessary and to complain about President Neil Kerwin’s salary. But tuition decisions are never that simple, and a tuition freeze is simply misguided.

AU is a private university, meaning it lacks state funding and has to operate from two revenue sources: alumni endowments and tuition. AU has only begun to emerge in the last 50 years, so it cannot depend heavily on alumni endowments like competing universities, such as George Washington University.

Tuition accounts for 81 percent of AU’s income. Students pay for almost everything, from air conditioning to dry-erase markers, from the WONK campaign to, yes, Kerwin’s salary.

If AU was to instate a tuition freeze, the school would lose tens

of millions of dollars. We would be sacrificing the quality of our professors, speed of construction and the vast resources in our library, just to start. Inflation is going to keep rising. If the Uni-

to the fact that they are working toward the same goals: affordable education and student representation.

Collaboration is not going to happen without some changes.

Take tuition into your own hands, because right now we cannot count on SG or CAUS to do so. versity fails to acquire the necessary funding, students will end up suffering.

Students, instead, need to fight for a fixed tuition, which was a central message of Student Government President Emily Yu’s original campaign. With a fixed tuition, students would play the same rate each year, regardless of inflation. But each class would have a slightly higher tuition than the year graduating before it.

This is not the final solution; it’s a compromise and a place to start. A fixed tuition would re-

Bottled water is far from pure Banning the sale of bottled water on campus might seem like an odd way to take a stand against social injustice, but few people fully understand exactly what they are sipping from their disposable plastic bottles. The issues associated with bottled water and the privatization of water in general far exceed those of roadside litter and landfills.

The environmental issues surrounding bottled water are noth-

quire trustees to acknowledge the high tuition and be honest with all financial expenses.

A fixed tuition could help accomplish Coalition of American University Students and SG’s first

ing new. Plastic bottles are made from a byproduct of refining oil and, when accompanied with the gasoline used to transport the bottles from one place to another, give bottled water a huge carbon footprint. Also, only 10 percent of plastic bottles are recycled, sending the rest to landfills, incinerators and waterways, according to Food & Water Watch.

One issue AU students may find particularly hard to swallow

collaborative goal: transparency in the budget. Tuition freeze or not, students need to hold the University accountable.

Transparency will not be granted without accurate student representation from the two most powerful student groups on campus, CAUS and SG. SG has the official representation students need in negotiations with administration, and CAUS has enough presence to galvanize student action. But with neither group willing to work together, nothing can be accomplished. They’re blind

First, Yu, as a key undergraduate voice on the Board of Trustees meetings, needs to advocate for students. Yu claimed that if she argues for a complete tuition freeze, the trustees will laugh and ignore her recommendations.

But Yu’s job is to represent the students and, so far, the students voicing their opinions want a tuition freeze, misguided as that extreme idea might be. If SG is preemptively giving up ground because they are afraid to negotiate with the administration, they shouldn’t have been elected.

is the effect that water privatization has on human rights in our global community. Buying bottled water supports international companies who have succeeded in privatizing all municipal water in third world countries. The privatization of Bolivian water has led to a doubling of water prices. Many Bolivians cannot afford the price increase and there have been mass riots across the nation.

In addition to hurting the global water system, buying bottled water supports unjust efforts right here at home. Several towns in our country have had their municipal water sources claimed and bottled by big companies

like Nestlé, Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

Even during times of drought, these Americans are forced to buy what used to be a free resource. Even as they grow thirsty, the companies continue to bottle.

In a survey administered to the AU community in October 2012, one student posed the argument that purchasing bottled water is everyone’s right. In response, students declared our freedoms only extend until they infringe on the rights of others. Everyone has a right to clean, safe drinking water.

This freedom should not be sacrificed for our luxury of drinking from disposable bottles while our sinks are filled with safer, cleaner

As for CAUS, the recent protests are a disappointment. CAUS began this semester as the pragmatic version of SG. Students across the board were taking them seriously because they were no longer the rowdy protesters. After last Wednesday’s protest outside Kerwin’s personal home, CAUS has dissolved back into another version of the Occupy movement. Actions speak louder than words, and banging pots and pans will not accomplish anything more than angering a few neighbors.

Today, Kerwin and Board of Trustees Chairman Jeff Sine will host a town hall meeting in Ward 1. It’s imperative that students take advantage of this meeting and express their opinions on every aspect of the budget. Bypass SG and CAUS and make your voice heard.

Take tuition into your own hands, because right now we cannot count on SG or CAUS to do so. ≠ E EDPAGE@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

water.

The most common misconception about bottled water is its superiority to tap water. D.C. tap water is checked for bacteria several times a day and has a water quality report available online.

Nationally, tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Safe Drinking Water Act and is held to higher standards for safety than bottled water, which is regulated as a food product by the Food and Drug Administration. Addition-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 ≥

theEAGLE OPINION NOVEMBER 15, 2012 | 13

SG encourages discussion on tuition On Monday, the Student Government released its recommendations to the AU Board of Trustees, administration and students concerning the creation of the budget for the next two fiscal years.

We presented three recommendations: increase the amount of financial aid, limit tuition increase as much as possible and make University finances more transparent. The University budget provides an opportunity to address the increasing burden of tuition, exacerbated by falling household incomes, elective borrowing and nationwide economic uncertainty.

Though it is easy to get lost in budget reports and policy recommendations, tuition is not just a number. For parents, it represents another cost atop increasingly strained household budgets. For the University, it represents operating revenue that pays professors’ salaries and heats buildings. For students, it all too often represents

a future in debt.

Let us be clear: Our primary concern is to make AU as financially accessible as possible.

That means increasing financial aid while keeping a tuition increase as close to zero as possible.

Our recommendations, however, offer only one of many opinions about how the University’s budget should be addressed.

We respect all student perspectives and encourage everyone to make their voice heard.

We urge our fellow students to continue this discussion with respect and civility for the campus community, President Kerwin and the Board of Trustees.

After all, we ultimately want the same result: a better AU. Eric Reath, Chairman of the Commission on University Budget Policy Joe Ste.Marie, Comptroller of the Student Government Emily Yu, President of the Student Government

theEAGLE

OP-ED

Being polite won’t work

Earlier this semester, the Coalition of American University Students (CAUS) delivered President Neil Kerwin a petition containing the signatures of more than 1,700 students, demanding a tuition freeze for the next two years and student bargaining rights in budget decisions.

We had hoped, seeing this petition was signed by more than a quarter of undergraduates, Kerwin would respect the will of the students and back down on planned tuition hikes that will result in about a 30 percent tuition increase over the next five years.

Instead, Kerwin responded with a dismissive and condescending letter that unambiguously indicated that he would not yield to student demands.

Recognizing that working through such “polite” methods would result in no progress toward realizing a tuition freeze, the CAUS has embarked on a strategy of disrupting and inconveniencing the lives of those individuals who are making the decision to saddle us with thousands of dollars more in tuition and, for many, thousands of dol-

American University’s student voice since 1925

EDITORIAL STAFF

lars more in debt. The goal here is to escalate such actions to the extent that these decision makers would rather abandon the tuition hikes than continue to deal with these disruptions.

The demonstration Nov. 7 was part of that strategy, and to that end it was successful. Kerwin was visibly angry as he emerged from his house after calling the police on student protesters, who had woken him up by banging pots and pans outside his house.

He told us that a tuition freeze would not happen, we should just “go home,” and he was accountable to the Board of Trustees, a body packed with corporate executives, rather than to the students.

Kerwin should know that AU students have a proud history of direct action. After all, former AU president and embezzler Benjamin Ladner was forced to resign after student opposition culminated in dozens of students storming a Board of Trustees meeting.

We are sorry for any students who were disturbed by the demonstration. Our goal in making

noise on campus was to bring attention to the action and increase involvement, not to upset any fellow students. But it is important to remember that every successful social movement in American history has involved actions that are loud, disruptive and sometimes even illegal, be they strikes by workers which halted production or marches by civil rights activists that disrupted traffic. Even the particular style of last Wednesday’s demonstration (banging pots and pans at night) was utilized by Montreal students in their recent and successful campaign to stop tuition hikes.

The action on Wednesday night will not, in itself, wring concessions from the administration, but it is part of a strategy that can and will. So long as Kerwin does not let us dream of a future in which an AU education doesn’t mean exorbitant fees and enormous debt, we will not let him sleep.

Steve Demarest, SPA 2013 The Coalition of American University Students

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14 | NOVEMBER 15, 2012 OPINION theEAGLE

GRAPHIC: BUZZFEED / SOURCE: CNN.COM 2012 PRESIDENTIAL RACE EXIT POLLS

If only white men voted...

JULIA GREENWALD | RANTING WITH MYSELF Election night has come and gone. President Barack Obama was re-elected. Many are still enjoying the after-glow of victory, while many are still tasting the bitter tinge of defeat.

Although this isn’t an article supporting one man over the other, I did find an interesting image online a couple of days ago regard-

ing the elections. Many sites have created “what if” maps of the U.S. divided into blue and red states, and this one caught my eye.

The map was titled, “What the election map would have looked like if only white men could vote.” Practically every state is red, except for blue states Washington, Oregon, Maine, Vermont

and Massachusetts.

The gender divide amongst voters is obvious. White men preferred Romney, while white women preferred Obama.

The latest poll by The New York Times and CBS News found that 52 percent of women and 44 percent of men support Obama, while 51 percent of men

2 S H Q )R U X P With AU President Neil Kerwin and Board of Trustees Chairman Jeff Sine

Thursday, November 15 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Ward Circle Building, Room 1

ĂŵĞƌŝĐĂŶ͘ĞĚƵͬƉƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚ ͮ ĂŵĞƌŝĐĂŶ͘ĞĚƵͬƚƌƵƐƚĞĞƐ

and 44 percent of women preferred Romney.

According to New York Times columnist Roger Cohen, many men who voted for Obama in 2008 were leaning towards Romney because they were frustrated by the president’s handling of the economy, afraid he could not make a decision and lead a recovery.

However, women who are more focused on social issues, the problems they face in the work force and abortion rights lean toward Obama.

Nevertheless, even with most of all white males behind him, why then did Romney and the Republican Party lose an election they were certain they had in the bag?

Gerald Seib of the Wall Street Journal believes that “the party simply failed to catch up with the changing face of America.”

Exit polls showed that Romney won among six in 10 white Americans. But among the ever-increasing important ethnic groups Romney lost. Compared to Obama, Romney lost 40 percentage points among Hispanics, 50 points among Asians and by more than 80 points among African-Americans.

Presidential contender Newt Gingrich says, “There is the ob-

jective reality that if ethnic minorities voted their economic interest, we would have a 65 percent Republican majority nationally.”

Gingrich has not only noticed that these ethnic voters are not going away, but that the Republican Party simply has to learn to appear more inclusive to minorities, particularly Hispanics.

Whites, who accounted for 87 percent of the vote in 1992, were 72 percent of it this year, exit polls indicated. Hispanics, who were 2 percent then, are 10 percent now.

Many women were turned off by what they saw as a “war on women” from the Republicans due to their position on insurance coverage for birth control and aid to Planned Parenthood, not to mention the “legitimate rape” blunder.

Yes, white men may prefer Romney to now re-elected Obama. But the U.S. is changing and it won’t stop. Female voters and minorities are determining the poll results. If they continue to feel ostracized by the Republican Party, it may take a while before we see a Republican comeback.

Julia Greenwald is a sophomore in the School of Communication.

EDPAGE@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

Ban the bottle ≤ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

FDA gives the responsibility for safety checks directly to the bottled water companies, who are never legally required to release this information.

Also, plastic water bottles contain PETs, a chemical that is linked with cancer and reproductive issues. PETs begin to leak from the bottle and into the water instantly. The chemicals leak into the water increasingly due to the duration and temperature at which the bottle is kept.

Ironic that the labels wrapped around those bottles read “pure,” “clean,” and “natural.”

The Take Back the Tap campus group is working to ban the sale of bottled water on campus.

Our goal is to have the administration agree to a campuswide ban of bottled water sales.

Bottled water will be available off campus and all other bottled beverages will continue to be available for purchase on campus. To find out more about the issue or get involved, please contact TakeBackTheTapAU@ gmail.com.

Water is life, and life shouldn’t be privatized.

Samantha Kenny is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences.

SPORTS

Allen reaches NCAA Cross Country Championships

By ERIC SALTZMAN EAGLE STAFF WRITER

AU’s Mark Allen qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships Nov. 17 at Louisville following his strong performance at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals Nov. 9 at Penn State.

Allen led all Eagle runners at Penn State, recording a seventhplace finish in a field of 170 competitors.

Allen is the first man to qualify for nationals for the Eagles since 2007, when Brendan Fennell and Steve Hallinan accomplished the feat.

The last time an AU runner qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships was 2010, when then-junior Octavia Rinehardt finished 125th out of 253 runners.

Allen has consistently been one of the top runners for AU throughout the fall. At the Patriot League Championships, the senior finished second out of 76 runners. He also placed second in October’s Leopard Invitational at Lafayette.

John Pope was the second Eagle to cross the finish line, coming in 16th. The junior received

All-Region honors to wrap up a noteworthy fall campaign. He earned a victory in the seasonopening Colgate Invitational, placed second at George Mason and finished just behind Allen at Lafayette.

Most recently, Pope was named to the Cross Country Academic All-Patriot League Team, marking the fourth time in his career he has earned the honor.

Eagle teammate Nick Regan finished 22nd at Penn State, joining Allen and Pope in being recognized on the All-Region team to give AU three honorees for the first time since 2007.

Mark Leininger placed 49th and Constantine Matsakis 51st to round out the AU runners.

Georgetown won the event, finishing with 56 points to edge out second-place Villanova.

Princeton totaled 61 points to fill out the top three, with the Eagles finishing fourth in the 25-team event.

Both the men and women will begin the indoor track season with the Navy Invitational. The men’s event will be held Dec. 1, with the women competing Dec. 6.

ESALTZMAN@THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

AU prepares for home opener vs. Mount St. Mary’s ≤ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

ing with nine points and nine rebounds. When taking on Mount St. Mary’s, one of the keys of the game will be how well AU can control the tempo, something that decided the outcome of each of the Eagles first two matchups. If

AU can slow down the pace, they should be able to find success. “[Mount St. Mary’s is] a good team, a pressing team that tries to play a very fast pace,” Jones said.

“We’re going to need to control the pace similar to what we were able to [do against Quinnipiac].”

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ANA SANTOS / THE EAGLE

Juliana Crum (right) and Morgan Hendrix will look to lead AU to a Patriot League title.

Volleyball enters PL Tournament on a roll

By JOSH PAUNIL EAGLE STAFF WRITER

Hoping to continue its dominance atop the Patriot League, the AU volleyball team enters this weekend’s Patriot League Tournament as the No. 2 seed after reeling off seven straight conference wins to finish the regular season.

“We’ve got the momentum running into the tournament,” AU head coach Barry Goldberg said. “These last seven matches are a good sign for us going in, and we’re feeling pretty good about our game.”

The Eagles (20-9, 11-3 PL) will take on third-seeded Army (20-8, 11-3 PL) Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. in Hamilton, N.Y. after splitting the season series with the Black Knights.

AU swept Army in its last matchup Oct. 20 while playing without setter Kylann Scheidt, who ranks third in the Patriot League in assists per set.

The Eagles’ improved hitting attack has been key to their

strong play of late, a main reason behind winning 18 of their last 20 sets. The Eagles, who rank first in the Patriot League in hitting percentage, have seen strong performances recently from right side hitter Kristyna Lindovska and outside hitter/middle blocker Sara Rishell.

“Kristyna started out really strong in the middle of the season,” Rishell said. “She has gotten back into her rhythm and she’s ripping the ball. She’s playing smart, but she still knows she has that really hard hit both cross and down the line.”

Lindovska, who was named the Molten Patriot League Player of the Week Nov. 12, led the Eagles in kills in both their Nov. 9 3-1 victory over Colgate and Nov. 10 sweep of Bucknell. She posted hitting percentages no lower than .500 in each match, and totaled a team-best eight block assists over the weekend.

Rishell, who ranks third in kills and tenth in blocks in Patriot League play, has been named to

the honorable mention list three out of the last four weeks in conference awards. She recorded eight kills in each victory last weekend while posting five digs in the Colgate win.

Although the Eagles have historically been an excellent hitting team, their outstanding blocking is something they aren’t typically known for. AU ranks atop the conference standings and is 22nd in the nation this season in blocks per set.

“We’re hitting the ball pretty well, and our block has been good all year long,” Goldberg said. “All of the top teams in the nation are all in the top 20 in hitting percentage and blocking. We’re climbing the charts here. It’s a good sign for us.”

If the Eagles pass Army in the Patriot League Semifinals, they will take on either top-seeded Colgate or fourth-slotted Lehigh Nov. 18.

The Eagles split the season series with both teams.

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16 | NOVEMBER 15, 2012 SPORTS theEAGLE

Lafayette shuts out AU in PL Championship

By MICHAEL GARDNER EAGLE STAFF WRITER

Fourth time’s the charm will have to turn into five next year, after the Lafayette Leopards defeated the AU men’s soccer team, 2-0, Nov. 11 at Reeves Field in the Patriot League title game.

The drought continues for AU (11-6-2), as the team lost its fourth straight Patriot League Championship game and second in a row at home.

“You look in a mirror and say, ‘What are we doing wrong?’ because we don’t win it,” AU head coach Todd West said. “On some level, we’re doing something right because we keep getting the team here. This is as hard a loss as I’ve ever had.”

The win gives the Leopards their first league championship since 2005, and they will face Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

“It’s been a few years for me so it feels great, but I’m just so proud of our players,” Lafayette head coach Dennis Bohn said.

Lafayette (9-7-4) used its physi-

cal style of play to put the young AU defense on its heels early and converted on a corner kick in the 20th minute.

Sean Peckham took the corner and sent it to Kyle Scharfenberg, who was able to glance a head past AU goalkeeper Billy Knutsen just outside the six-yard box for the 1-0 Lafayette lead.

The Eagles had limited chances to equalize, but a big opportunity came in the 32nd minute. After a corner kick by Colin Seigfreid, a scramble in the box forced the official to give Lafayette defender Rob Bedson a yellow card and Eagles a penalty kick as well.

Alassane Kane stepped up with the chance to tie the game, but Lafayette goalkeeper Nathan McDonald guessed correctly to deny the senior and keep the Leopards up 1-0 going into halftime.

Seigfreid and Dale McDonald registered back-to-back opportunities out of the break, but both attempts went just wide.

On an AU corner in the 64th minute, Cristobal Soto’s header forced Nathan McDonald to come away with the diving save.

SCHEDULE NOV. 15

Swimming and diving @ George Mason Invitational at 10 a.m.

Men’s basketball vs. Mount St. Mary’s at 7:30 p.m. (Home Opener)

NOV. 16

Swimming and diving @ George Mason Invitational at 10 a.m.

NOV. 17

No. 2 volleyball vs. No. 3 Army at 6 p.m.

(Patriot League Semifinals in Hamilton, N.Y.) Swimming and diving @ George Mason Invitational at 10 a.m.

NOV. 18

Volleyball Patriot League Championship at 3 p.m. in Hamilton, N.Y. Teams TBD.

NOV. 19 EVAN GRAY / THE EAGLE

Colin Seigfreid and AU couldn’t generate any offense vs. Lafayette.

A brawl ensued moments after the save, ending with Lafayette’s Nate Arronson receiving a cut below the eye and Dale McDonald being sent out with a straight red card.

Lafayette quickly capitalized on the advantage, as a miscommunication between Knutsen and Soto allowed Peter Adubato to take the ball away and finish, putting the Leopards up 2-0 and delivering the knockout punch to the Eagles.

Nate McDonald was named Tournament MVP, as Lafayette shut out both of its tournament

opponents.

For AU and West, this loss hurts just as much as the previous three.

“Obviously I have to credit them, they did what they had to do to get the win,” West said.

“Playing with a red card and a man down makes things difficult.

Credit to them, but I think we came out a little nervous, tentative. You think having played in a few of these, the guys would know, but it’s still a big stage and we didn’t have our best game on the big stage today.”

Men’s basketball vs. San Francisco at 7:30 p.m.

NOV. 21

Women’s basketball @ No. 5 Maryland at 4 p.m.

PATRIOT LEAGUE STANDINGS MEN’S SOCCER PATRIOT LEAGUE SEMIFINALS (REEVES FIELD): ≥ No. 1 American defeats No. 4 Bucknell, 1-0 No. 2 Lafayette defeats No. 3 Colgate, 2-0 PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP (REEVES FIELD): ≥ No. 2 Lafayette defeats No. 1 American, 2-0

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

Lumpkins leads men’s basketball in opening week

By JOSH PAUNIL EAGLE STAFF WRITER

For the first time in eight months, AU men’s basketball returns to Bender Arena Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. as the Eagles take on Mount St. Mary’s and attempt to duplicate last year’s early success at home.

The Eagles (1-1), who won their first 11 games in Bender last year and 13 of 15 overall, will lean on senior point guard Daniel Munoz, senior power forward

Stephen Lumpkins and junior center Tony Wroblicky in the home opener. All three have put together strong efforts early in the season and will play a huge part in AU’s success this year.

Since AU’s strength lies within its size, Lumpkins and Wroblicky are two of the focal points on offense and the ball will run through the low post – which is often Lumpkins – much of the time. On the opposite end of the court, the Eagles will have to run a zone defense, something AU

head coach Jeff Jones has never relied on during his tenure.

The interior scoring presence of Lumpkins and the 2-3 matchup zone have been on full display throughout AU’s first two games of the season, particularly in its 61-55 victory over Quinnipiac (1-1) Nov. 12.

Lumpkins posted a game-high 19 points on 7-9 shooting, while also recording a team-high six rebounds. “[We] earned that win,” Jones said of the Quinnipiac victory. “It wasn’t always pretty, but we talked about competing, we talked about toughness. For us to outwork them on their home floor is huge for us.”

Munoz was also critical in the

Quinnipiac contest, as he tallied 13 points, three assists and three rebounds. He also opened up opportunities for many of his teammates, especially Lumpkins.

“Lump doesn’t get close to [19 points] if Danny isn’t running the show and doing a good job,” Jones said. “Danny I thought had an outstanding game ... That’s what we’re going to need out of Danny. We’re going to rely on him.”

AU traveled to Minneapolis to take on Minnesota (2-0) in its first game of the season Nov. 9, falling to the Gophers 72-36.

Lumpkins led the Eagles in both scoring and rebounding, finish

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 ≥

Bucknell 2-0, 0-0 PL Holy Cross 2-1, 0-0 PL ≥ American 1-1, 0-0 PL Army 1-1, 0-0 PL Navy 1-1, 0-0 PL Lafayette 1-1, 0-0 PL Lehigh 1-2, 0-0 PL Colgate 0-2, 0-0 PL

VOLLEYBALL

Colgate 15-13, 12-2 PL ≥ American 20-9, 11-3 PL Army 20-8, 11-3 PL Lehigh 12-13, 8-6 PL Navy 11-15, 7-7 PL Bucknell 9-20, 3-11 PL Holy Cross 3-27, 2-12 PL Lafayette 9-17, 2-12 PL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Holy Cross 1-1, 0-0 PL Army 1-1, 0-0 PL Colgate 1-1, 0-0 PL Lafayette 1-1, 0-0 PL Bucknell 0-1, 0-0 PL Lehigh 0-1, 0-0 PL ≥American 0-2, 0-0 PL Navy 0-2, 0-0 PL