Vol82issue18

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M THE MANEATER

The student voice of MU since 1955

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Vol. 82, Issue 18

February 3, 2016

graduate rights

Grad students still hope for housing and childcare

The Task Force on the Graduate Student Experience’s report, released in December, outlined three main recommendations to improve graduate students’ quality of life. KYRA HAAS Reporter

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

A packed Leadership Auditorium on Jan. 27 as MSA senators attempt to pass a piece of legislation that would nullify the 2015 presidential election.

MSA Meltdown

How MSA Senate toppled their president-elect

In a historic Senate meeting, Haden Gomez resgined four hours into the meeting, which one former chairman called “a public execution.” EMILY GALLION Assistant News Editor T he Missouri Students Association full Senate planned to end with a different president than it began with on Wednesday evening. Instead, Payton Head remained in office as interim MSA

president after Haden Gomez and Chris Hanner resigned. As of 10 p.m. Jan. 27, Gomez and Hanner were no longer the MSA president- and vice president-elect. Gomez and Hanner faced challenges since the very beginning of their campaign. On Oct. 7, five days before the Board of Election Commissioners announced his candidacy, Gomez made a Facebook post describing his experience undergoing a Title IX investigation and calling for a more streamlined investigation processes. He removed the post and apologized Oct. 8 after the post received significant online backlash. The BEC could have removed

Gomez and Hanner from the election for a major violation after thencampaign manager Natalie Edelstein sent mass texts to friends telling them to vote, but at the time the BEC had no evidence that Gomez or Hanner had any knowledge of the texts. After new evidence of their infraction arose, Senate had to choose what to do about MSA’s president-elect. Look back at the events that led to the resignations of Gomez and Hanner

For Kristofferson Culmer, president of the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students and chairman of the Forum on Graduate Rights, concern about the university’s treatment of and compensation for its graduate students did not begin with the health insurance coverage scare or the formation of FGR in August. “With health insurance, that was basically the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Culmer said. For organizations like the Graduate Professional Council, the efforts to meet the demands outlined by FGR this fall have gone on for years. “GPC has been working on many of these issues for 15 years, and that has been documented in our resolutions we’ve passed, and that’s unacceptable,” GPC President Hallie Thompson said. In spring 2015, former Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin requested a task force to assess the overall status of graduate students at the university. Shortly thereafter, Associate Vice Chancellor for Graduate Studies Leona Rubin formed the Task Force on the Graduate Student Experience, which released their report in December. Tracy Kitchel, the assistant vice provost for graduate and postdoctoral affairs and co-chair of the task force, said that the findings of the task force were not surprising. “I think our office was aware of the issues and Graduate Professional Council had several resolutions over the last few years highlighting some of the issues that emerged,” Kitchel said in an email. “As the report outlines, graduate education, in general, needed attention on our campus.” According to the report, the task force focused on Association of American Universities metrics

MSA | Page 10

REPORT | Page 5

New bill could bring debt relief to graduate students Of the $1.3 trillion in U.S. student debt, graduate students owe 40 percent of it on average, said Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia.

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It’s cheesy, but it’ll make you feel grate.

page 13

Focus key for wrestlers in final months of season.

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THE MANEATER | ETC. | FEBRUARY 3, 2016


NEWS Applications to MU have decreased this year from undergraduates, graduate students and transfer students. Here’s the breakdown by state. Numbers represent the change in applications from the same time the year before

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MU, city and state news for students

A National Decline

represent the change in applications from the same time the year before.

-2

-3 5

1 -6

1

8

-10

-51

-90 -30

-8

-10 -15

-38

1

-24

-15

-52

2 -5

-6

-5

-3 -20 -7 2 -3

-22

-52 -13

-5 -13

ollment Management

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-25

-37

-465 11

0

-35

-17

-1 8

-1

-26

-14

-27

2 -23

5 5 Source: Office of the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Taylor Blatchford // Graphic Designer

0-25 percent decrease 26-50 percent decrease 51+ percent decrease

0-25 percent increase 26-50 percent increase 51+ percent increase

Housing

Residential Life adjusts housing plans For the upcoming fall semester, there has been a decrease of 941 applications from this time last year, with that decrease coming entirely from nonresidents. LAUREN WORTMAN Staff Writer Expectations of lower enrollment rates in fall 2016 have prompted the Department of Residential Life

to make a number of housing changes, including closing Tiger Reserve and offering upperclassmen more on-campus housing. For the upcoming fall semester, there has been a decrease of 941 applications from this time last year, with that decrease coming entirely from nonresidents, according to a memorandum released by the Office of the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management. There has also been a decrease in deposits, with the highest decrease seen from non-residents, mostly from Illinois, and 30 percent of the decrease in deposits coming from students of color. Plans for “increased yield activities” are underway

Brief

Weekly Notebook Catch up on MU news from the last week. TAYLOR BLATCHFORD University News Editor Two curators resign David Steward announced his resignation from the UM System Board of Curators Monday, following curator Yvonne Sparks’ resignation Jan. 27. There are now three unfilled spots on the board, and all six remaining curators are white. Melissa Click suspended The Board of Curators suspended assistant professor of communications Melissa Click on Jan. 27 after she was charged with third-degree assault Jan. 25. MU’s Faculty Council and student activist group Concerned Student 1950 both released statements in disagreement with the curators’ decision. Wolfe criticizes administration in letter Former UM System President Tim Wolfe made accusations against former Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, current interim UM System President Mike Middleton, the Board of Curators and other MU officials in a confidential letter to UM System supporters leaked Jan. 27. Wolfe resigned Nov. 9, 2015, following a series of student protests and graduate student Jonathan Butler’s hunger strike. Foley gives State of the University address Interim Chancellor Hank Foley delivered the first State of the University address Jan. 27. Foley discussed goals for campus inclusivity and announced an increase in graduate stipends, as well as an increase in police officers and dispatchers for the MU Police Department.

in efforts to increase both applications and deposits. For now, Residential Life is making adjustments to account for the decrease in enrollment, such as getting rid of extended-campus housing. The department will be closing Tiger Reserve, a set of off-campus housing units, when its lease with The Reserve expires at the end of this academic year, Director of Residential Life Frankie Minor said. The purpose of off-campus housing was to accommodate enrollment rates, which were growing faster than

open | Page 12

UM system

Faculty Council eyes proposal to examine UM System link with MU Professor Art Jago: “If ever there’s a time to examine the system and the relationship to the campus, it’s now.” CLAIRE MITZEL Staff Writer Faculty Council is considering a proposal that would commission an independent examination of the relationship between the UM System and MU. Depending on the examination’s conclusion, recommendations could be made to the UM System Board of Curators to consolidate the offices of the UM System president and MU chancellor, add more schools to the UM System or disband the UM System entirely. The proposal was presented at the Faculty Council meeting on Jan. 21 by two members of the council’s executive committee, professors Art Jago and John Gahl. During the presentation, Jago called the unprecedented occurrence of the simultaneous vacancy of the presidency and chancellorship a “unique opportunity in the 53-year history of the UM System campus.” Because of the vacancies, Jago said in an

interview later, “If ever there’s a time to examine the system and the relationship to the campus, it’s now.” Jago said it would be a unique chance to conduct an objective examination by an outside consultant without any loyalties to any institution or person. “There’s no suggestion that things should necessarily change, but neither is the suggestion that change shouldn’t occur,” Jago said. “Simply because something existed for 53 years doesn’t mean it should continue to exist. Now’s the perfect time for the questions to be raised, and that’s what this proposal does—it raises questions.” The point of the proposed examination is to determine “value added,” according to the proposal. It references the annual UM Efficiencies and Effectiveness report published in December 2015. According to the proposal, “interim (UM System) President Middleton reported $77 million in savings were generated by the System over the last two years.” “These savings, however, are not independently audited and are based on theoretical projections, hypothetical assumptions and educated guesses

change | Page 12



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THE MANEATER | NEWS | FEBRUARY 3, 2016

REPORT Continued from page 1

and MU strategic planning goals to assess the current graduate student experience. They outlined three main recommendations to improve students’ quality of life and academic and nonacademic resources. The report also included suggested means to meet these goals. Broadly, those suggestions are to improve compensation and workload of graduate assistants and support structures for graduate students, as well as improving and promoting graduate education culture. The task force found that in comparison to other AAU institutions, MU doctoral stipends are “$1,000-$3,000 lower depending on type (TA or RA), discipline and comparison regions (Midwest and South).” Interim Chancellor Hank Foley addressed the issue of compensation in his State of the University address Wednesday, stating the minimum graduate stipend of $12,000 will increase $3,000 per year for the next two years to make the new minimum stipend $18,000. The other stipend levels will increase proportionally. This increase completes the suggestion outlined in the task force report in half the time. “The Forum on Graduate Rights is pleased by the announcement and believes this to be a step toward advancing the well-being of graduate student employees at MU,” read a statement issued by FGR following the address. “This success was made possible through the collective action and engagement of organized graduate student employees, graduate and professional students and our allies.” The funds for the stipend increase will come from a reallocation of the general university budget, not from individual departments. Health insurance: Regarding graduate student health insurance, the task force delegated much of the discussion to a more specific task

force. However, during his speech, Foley reiterated his guarantee of the current graduate student health insurance coverage for the next year as well as comparable coverage in the future. The report also recommended full tuition waivers for those on departmental stipends or higher, as well as the elimination of departmental and supplemental fees. “Stated simply, our task force feels graduate assistants should not have to endure additional financial burden by tuition if they are on a qualifying assistantship,” the report read. In seeking to improve graduate student support structures, the report emphasized improving access to childcare and housing near campus, providing graduate students with better mentoring opportunities and improving communication with and for them. The 2015 MU Graduate Housing Market Survey found that most current graduate housing options are “in old buildings and are generally small.” According to the survey, over 75 percent of all graduate students said that providing housing was either “extremely important” or “somewhat important.” Vice Chancellor for Operations Gary Ward gave a presentation during a December UM System Board of Curators meeting on MU’s master plan, in which he discussed the need for more graduate student housing. He said MU plans to use a private company to build a graduate housing complex at the site of former University Village and current University Heights, according to previous Maneater reporting. “That doesn’t mean it has funding, but that does mean it’s on their short list,” Thompson said. The report also cited the 2014 MU Child Care Needs Assessment Survey, which found that 67 percent of students struggled to find childcare and that 60 percent would pay more for affordable childcare close to campus. Both the members of the task force and the GPC view the lack

of affordable childcare on and near campus as “an issue of women’s rights to higher education.” Student Culture: The report noted that often the GPC has been a “forgotten component of student government,” with the Missouri Students Association sometimes confused as being representative of the entire student body, not just undergraduates. While GPC has gained more recognition through student activism this year, especially during August 2015, there have been times where “MSA student body presidents were invited to events, and GPC was not,” Thompson said. The report also called for the Office of Graduate Studies to be “afforded strategic communication staff to facilitate the sharing of graduate student successes,” in order to raise awareness of the entire graduate student body and its achievements in general.

Many task force members supported a shift from the Office of Graduate Studies back to a graduate school, in part because of the nature of each. “A Graduate School has a Dean, which is an academic administrative position; an office has a different administrative position (at MU, it’s associate vice chancellor) that does not have the same academic connections to entities like council of deans,” Kitchel said. The Office of Graduate Studies also does not report to the same offices as an academic entity like a school does, so some task force members believed it would be beneficial to align the school with the Office of the Provost, since it is the chief academic officer on campus. While the increased stipends and potential housing are promising first steps toward bettering the graduate student experience, some

of the initiatives, such as building housing close to campus and making childcare more available, won’t happen overnight. “We realize the reality of the situation,” Culmer said. “It necessitates some patience. We have exercised that patience, and we are willing to dialogue with administration and other students about the issues grad students face.” In an effort to increase that dialogue with the administration, FGR is working on a union card drive and plans to hold elections later this semester after they have a plurality. “There needs to be a sustainable, consistent structure put in place to ensure that grad students always have a seat at the table to discuss these things as it pertains to compensation is what we really want to drive home,” Culmer said. Edited by Taylor Blatchford | tblatchford@themaneater.com


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THE MANEATER | NEWS | FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Bill Vega looks forward to MSA VP stint Vega: “You don’t have to be in an official position, you don’t have to be a vice something or an interim whatever, you can come pop in and say, ‘Hey, this is something I’d like to see done better.’” ANDREW FREIN Staff Writer Bill Vega stepped up to be the interim Missouri Students Association vice president after the heated Senate meeting Jan. 27 ended with Payton Head as

interim president for the next 30 days. Former Budget Committee Chairman Vega is a newcomer to the executive branch, but he said he is ready to serve. Q: Why did you first get involved in MSA? A: My older brother Ben Vega was the old Academic Affairs chair. He had been involved so he got me into what they do. I was like, ‘Alright, I’ll go try it.’ You really got the feeling right as you walked in like, ‘Wow, this is definitely something that can influence change on campus,’ and it just really sparked my interest from there.

Q: What is your prior experience in MSA? A: Before this, I was the Budget chairman for two semesters, so I actually came in last spring as the new chairman. What that entailed was crafting the budget alongside the former Vice President Brenda SmithLezama, so that process was very “jump in with both feet” kind of aspect for starting off my chairmanship.

campus, I have things going on during the semester, be it school or otherwise. I sort of came to the realization right after Payton appointed me that this would be a good, natural transition. I thought that this would be a good time to remove myself from that and take on the vice presidential role to just get through the budget season process so that it could be completed as efficiently as possible.

Q: What were your thoughts when Payton said he wanted you as his interim vice president?

Q: What are you anticipating these next 30 days as interim vice president will be like?

A: My first thought was initially no. Like everyone on

A: It’s going to be a whirlwind, but it should be

great. I think my committee is totally prepared for the next seven weeks as hopefully am I, so I think it should be a pretty smooth transition. I’m really excited to see how my committee and how the entire association reacts to the shock. The entire culture on campus has been unstable recently, and I hope that we can be a catalyst for getting back on track in a positive and healthy way, so I’m definitely really excited to see if that happens. Q: Is there anything you would like to tell the student body? A: I feel like the more people that decide to take issue with things, the more actively changes are going to happen. Say something to anyone, start a conversation about something you want to see done better. It’s my job to funnel your opinion somewhere, but I have to have something to funnel. Maybe there’s a social justice issue, or something with your academics that you want to see changed, or just something with student involvement in general. You don’t have to be in an official position, you don’t have to be a vice something or an interim whatever, you can come pop in and say, ‘Hey, this is something I’d like to see done better.’ Edited by Waverly Colville | wcolville@themaneater.com


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THE MANEATER | NEWS | FEBRUARY 3, 2016

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

MU undergraduate and graduate students and faculty attend the press conference held by Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia, Feb. 1 in the Student Center.

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia, holds a press conference in the Student Center on Feb. 1 to discuss his Student Debt Relief Act, which would allow graduate students to refinance their student loans.

Student Debt Relief Act to aid grad students Of the $1.3 trillion in U.S. student debt, graduate students owe 40 percent of it on average, said Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia. HAILEY STOLZE Student Outlook Editor Matt McCune, Graduate Professional Council director of communication, is no stranger to issues of student debt. He and his wife chose to attend community college while working full-time just to avoid it. Although they don’t have any student loans, they’re now 36 and 37 years old and still in graduate school. “If you look at statistics you could say wow, you did very well, you don’t have very much debt,” McCune said at a press conference Monday. “Well, we sacrificed years of our lives to have that.” These struggles led him to “nag” Missouri legislators for years to make changes involving student debt. Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia, heard his complaints. Over the last year, Kendrick has had listening sessions on campuses across the district, including MU’s. Through these, he said he has learned about student issues, and student debt, specifically, was one topic that kept coming up. Wanting to tackle the issue, Kendrick introduced House Bill 2432, or the Student Debt Relief Act, with the help of GPC, Associated Students of the University of Missouri, the Missouri Students Association and Tigers Advancing Political Participation. The bill would provide a refinancing option for graduate students. Kendrick spoke about the bill at the press conference

Monday on the main floor of the Student Center. “Rather than a debt crisis, we have a repayment crisis,” Kendrick said at the conference. “The standard 10-year repayment plan requires borrowers to repay the bulk of their debt when earnings potential is the lowest and job security is the least.” MU processed about $240 million of student loans just last year, Financial Aid Director Nick Prewett said. Prewett said students will often avoid checking how indebted they are because they have so many student loans. He said it is better to be aware of the debt in order to know how much they will owe monthly. Sixth-year doctoral student Jesse Kremenak and his fiancee’s combined incomes have not been enough to sustain them through graduate school, so they have taken out student loans. They borrowed a little each year to “make ends meet,” which adds up, Kremenak said. “The amount of money that we’re paid really gets stretched thin,” Kremenak said. “A lot of times we have to rely upon student loans in order to make up that gap, in order to keep the lights on, keep food on the table, put gas in the tank, make car repairs … It’s pretty darn stressful going through school knowing that you have this large balance kind of looming over your head.” This issue prompted him to create Grads Have Debt 2, which is part of the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students. The program, a former GPC committee but now a separate entity, researched foundational data that prompted ideas for change, Kremenak said. “I decided to found the Grads Have Debt 2 campaign, which was really to address the inequalities in all these federal student loan bills, and to provide a voice for students that, prior to this, didn’t really have a voice,”

Kremenak said. “They were drowning in debt and weren’t able to get out from under, and didn’t really have a venue to get it out and express what was going on.” ASUM Legislative Director Steven Chaffin wants to go to graduate school. His goal, he said at the conference, is to reduce inequality in his hometown, St. Louis. “As Representative Kendrick can surely speak to, helping others often doesn’t come with a big paycheck,” Chaffin said at the conference. “In fact, my student debt actively discourages me from helping others.” Graduate students owe 40 percent of the $1.3 trillion in U.S. student debt, Kendrick said. On average, graduate students borrow nearly 45 percent more than undergrads, totalling $47,000, he said. His bill aims to help make college debt more manageable for graduate students. Research shows that 90 percent of those defaulting on their student loans don’t have a degree, and 60 percent didn’t make their first payment, Kendrick said. The bills requires student to have obtained an associate’s degree or higher and make their first payment on the original loan, in order to refinance. If the bill passes, students would not be able to borrow any more than the debt they owe when consolidating and refinancing loans. Because of these requirements, Kendrick said he considered the bill “a safe bet for Missouri.” He also has confidence that he could gain some Republican support, as student debt is an issue that “transcends party lines.”


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MU should consider benefits of relationship with UM System In their next meeting, MU’s Faculty Council will vote on a proposal that would commission an independent examination of MU’s relationship with the UM System as well as the possible consolidation of the roles of chancellor and system president. We urge the council to vote in favor of this proposal because an examination could provide information valuable for MU’s future. The proposal comes at an unique time for MU and the UM System, as both the positions of chancellor and system president are unoccupied. This would be the ideal time for the two offices to be consolidated into one role without running the risk of the movement being perceived as a power grab by one administrator. The idea of consolidating the roles of chancellor and system president was initially introduced in April 2004 by then-UM System President Elson Floyd. At the time, MU Chancellor Richard Wallace’s retirement was approaching and Floyd argued that the consolidation of the positions would save the system $4.3 million. As of 2015, the University of Houston, University of Michigan and Purdue University operate with these two roles consolidated into one. Nonetheless, Floyd’s proposal was shot down because it came across as too self-serving. However, given the fortuitous timing of the vacancies in both offices, the potential consolidation is worth examining

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3. Stop oversexualizing black women

Black people tend to complain that our women are being oversexualized by other races, for we are seen as a sexual commodity and fantasy. But I believe other races are not at fault for this notion, because we do it to ourselves. Our culture is full of rap and R&B music that oversexualizes black women mainly in mass media publications like songs, music videos

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and magazine covers. I truly believe black culture is the only authentically American culture the U.S. has, which poses other races to consume it at a ridiculous rate. Other people pull from these publications and form their opinions about us. So when a white male turns on the television and hears a black man talking about booty and tits, along with the oversexualized images of black women on the screen — what is he supposed to think about our women? He definitely won't be thinking about how smart they are.

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Too often as a child, I was criticized for sounding "white." I never really knew what sounding white meant until I got older. Sounding "white" only means that you sound educated. This is not to say that people who do not speak in this way are not educated, but typically if someone says you sound white, that is what they mean. People who sound “white" typically use advanced vocabulary in casual conversation and speak at a fast pace with concise diction. Throughout the years, I separated the way I speak to black people and the way I speak at school and to white people in order to avoid someone telling me that I sound “white." But as an older adolescent, I realized that I was removing elevated language, adding slang and even changing the sound or accent of my voice to fit in. In a lot of instances, I felt using this way of speaking won me a lot of friends that I wouldn't have been able to connect with otherwise, but why do I and other black people have to go so far only to fit in and not "sound white."

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2. Stop criticizing people for sounding "white"

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1. Stop marginalizing one another based on skin tone

Black people continue to marginalize one another by the color of our skin. Light skin vs. dark skin: It's almost as if the two have become their own races. But the shades of black people vary so much there is no way to marginalize our whole people into two groups. Light skin people tend to earn positive attributes based on the lightness of their skin while dark skin people get stuck with the negative. Does anyone see that we are perpetualizing the slavers idea of light skin blacks vs. dark skin blacks, house slaves vs. field slaves. They told

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I believe the black community has issues within itself that we must fix, and I think we need to love one another more before we can realistically think that outsiders will respect us. Do we deserve respect? Absolutely. Will we obtain respect without first respecting ourselves? Absolutely not. I look at the black race the same way I look at women; being a black woman I think gives me the opportunity to see our situation this way. If a woman does not respect herself first, how will she expect a man to respect her? In the same token, if we do not respect and love ourselves as a race, how can we expect outsiders (white people) to, especially if they've shown us little but mostly no respect throughout history? So here are four things I think the black community should in order to progress as a race, in order to show one another more respect within our race so that we may demand respect from outsiders.

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us that there was a difference between the two; they told us it was better to be lighter than to be darker, and we continue to marginalize ourselves based on the racist white slavers scale.

KENNEDY JONES

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were not done in an independent audit and rely on “theoretical projections, hypothetical assumptions and educated guesses of what might occur,” according to the proposal. In education, there are certainly economies of scale when it comes to some services operated by the system, like payroll and appropriations. But, at the same time, there are systemwide programs and services that could potentially operate more efficiently on a university level or if they were dissolved entirely. One such example is the system’s intercampus course sharing program, wherein students are able to take courses on UM System campuses other than their own. While the program sounds nice, only 127 students out of 77,000 systemwide have enrolled in courses not hosted by their home campus. This is not exactly the picture of system-level efficiency. At their next meeting on Feb. 11, Faculty Council needs to vote in favor of this proposal. The questions raised by the proposal are thought-provoking and need definitive answers that can only be provided by a thorough examination. A comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of MU’s relationship with the UM System and the consolidation of the chancellor and presidential roles needs to be developed in order to make the best decision possible.

What the black community needs to do to progress as a race

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closer — especially if the financial merits are as present as they were in 2004. But Faculty Council’s proposal goes beyond just the consolidation of these two positions. It also includes a proposed examination of the relationship between MU and the UM System and the organizational structure of the system itself. In clearer terms, the council is questioning whether MU would operate more efficiently without being a part of the UM System. Before you begin to wonder how a flagship university can exist without being a part of a state system, bear in mind that there are several flagship universities that are not part of any system. The universities of Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky and Florida all operate in this way. The purpose of this part of the examination is to decide whether the “value added” through membership in the UM System is greater than the prospective costs and shortcomings. According to a UM System report from December 2015 referenced in the proposal, a potential $77 million in savings were generated by the system over the last two years. While this statement taken at face value indicates a drastic financial disadvantage in leaving the UM System, the proposal argues that this estimate is, well, just an estimate. These prospective savings

the kaleidoscope view

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OPINION

EDITORIALS REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OPINION OF THE MANEATER EDITORIAL BOARD

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We want to hear your voice. Submit letters to the editor at: www.themaneater.com/letter-to-the-editor FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

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A PLACE FOR FREE EXPRESSION

4. Stop believing the only way for our boys to be men is for them to be "thugs"

Black people, particularly black boys, believe that the only way for them to prove they are men is for them to be "thugs." Maybe not thugs in the literal sense, but from an early age our boys are taught not to cry or show unnecessary emotion. I've seen toddlers refuse to kiss their mothers because they’re "men now." I don't want to pretend that black people are the only people with these issues (society itself has to stop forcing gender stereotypes on our young boys), but I see it as a major problem in the black community. Pay attention to the children you see on social media. It's seen as cute for small black boys to claim that they are thugs or to even pose as "players"; they take videos flexing their muscles; yelling "I'm a thug”; scrunching up their faces to resemble a gangbangers facial expression; and dancing to sexual music portraying themselves as sex objects, all before they turn five. We need to stop teaching our boys that in order to be men, they have to be emotional thugs, and we should work on sheltering them so they do not continue to believe that "thug" is their only option.


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THE MANEATER | OPINION | FEBRUARY 3, 2016 sweet scrutiny

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Special election MU students deserve better MSA presidential candidate will set a precedent Former Jordan McFarland on what comes Students’ trust toward MSA is about to be tested once again. ELANE EDWARDS

The upcoming Missouri Students Association special election is more than merely voting for whomever the MU student body wishes to be president; it will make or break the fragile trust MU students have toward student government. After Haden Gomez and Chris Hanner resigned and Payton Head was appointed interim president, the Senate decided a special election was the next step toward a strong and stable student government. Phrases like “a fresh start” and “a new beginning” have been floating around the campus as students hope for stability. However, if this wish is not met with a successful outcome, there may hardly be any hope left. Consequently, this special election is MSA’s last chance to build up a student government worthy of the trust and respect of the students it serves. Otherwise, the damage of the past several months has the power to disintegrate the entire reputation and effectiveness of MSA. MSA has failed to display proper leadership since the beginning of the 2015-16 academic year, which has set a low precedent for MSA’s ability to improve the MU campus. For instance, there were opportunities where the Gomez/Hanner slate could have been removed from the election due to infractions. The Pocket Points notification supporting the Gomez/ Hanner slate was filed as a major infraction. Additionally, the Board of Elections Commissioners filed a minor infraction toward Gomez/Hanner because of a mass text message sent by campaign manager Natalie Edelstein asking friends to vote for Gomez/Hanner. This stunt put the campaign at risk of a second major infraction, which would have led to the removal of Gomez/Hanner. The BEC decided it was a minor infraction since Edelstein wasn’t formally a part of the slate, and there was insufficient evidence that either Gomez or Hanner knew of the mass text Edelstein sent. That is not true leadership. Blindly following the book and not thoroughly questioning the people who have the potential to be president and vice president of our campus is not enough when it comes to fulfilling the greater good. In this case, going by the book was taken advantage of and hurt the MU campus. The lack of strength and skepticism displayed by the BEC and MSA is partly to blame for the embarrassment of Gomez/Hanner’s resignation. I respect the “innocent until proven guilty,” attitude of the BEC, however, the benefit of doubt given to the Gomez/Hanner slate was slightly absurd because despite the infractions handed to Gomez and Hanner, their messages were already sent. The publicity the campaign gained could not be taken away despite minor punishment, which ultimately made their entire campaign unfair. The past semester came with multiple unanticipated challenges, but that must not be used as an excuse for how unorganized and soft-spined the MSA election was. If Edelstein’s mass text would have received a major infraction rather than a minor one, Gomez/Hanner would have been removed from the election, saving MU from the process of the upcoming special election. It is of the utmost importance that the special election is treated with seriousness. The special election needs to be done swiftly, smoothly and sternly. No benefit of the doubt can be given this time around, and communication with students needs to be more open. Students are shying away from being an informed and active voice in student government because of this past election, which is inexcusable. The precedent that MSA has been setting so far this year needs to be improved, and if the special election does not set a better example, the trust in student government may be misplaced and broken more than this campus can afford.

next for the association. To the editor,

Mizzou deserves better. Students deserve better. We deserve better. The Missouri Students Association failed last week. They failed to uphold ethical standards, they failed to build on the failures of a disheveled administration and failed to put the focus squarely on the students. First, let me say this: the way in which Haden Gomez and Chris Hanner were put on public trial makes us no better than them. Our job as student leaders ought be to rise above sensationalism and focus on improving the Mizzou experience. Don’t get me wrong, I stand by the notion I’ve made in the past that I have never met two men with such a lack of moral character. That does not mean I would suspend the rules to attack them on a livestream in Senate chambers. That was not productive. That is not leadership. That is not in keeping with respect, responsibility, discovery or excellence. For that, I am disappointed in how the removal of the Gomez administration took place. I am glad it has happened, nevertheless, because now we can move on. Now we must focus on the students. In this special election, in the year to come, we cannot afford to have someone run simply to “focus on internal affairs.” That blind ambition, that behavior that leads many to think we take ourselves too seriously, is how we got to this point in the first place. Some of us forgot why we devote our time to MSA. The greatest kryptonite to government is apathy. The next president, speaker and vice president need to lead the charge in a culture change. MSA is badly wounded, in perception and operation. It won’t be enough to simply slide into office and take an idealistic approach. It won’t be enough to have meetings or simply talk to people. The next leaders of MSA need to physically be in the room with NPHC, PHA, IFC, RHA, LBC, MISC,

Four Front, GPC taking action and empowering; they need to be downstairs in the Student Center sitting at a booth, even if it’s just doing homework for the off chance a student walking by might voice a concern—we need to do everything to make this happen. The next student leaders need to know that one changes and makes more efficient the internal operations of the association by getting back to our core purpose: going out and serving students. We, as an organization, need to focus on accessibility, social and financial inequity and bridging the fathom deep gaps on campus in understanding race relations and in addressing sexual assault and rape culture. We need to be focused on the National Green Dot Day that Mizzou is leading the charge in next semester. We need to be empowering groups like CS1950 and programs/events like Active Minds, Stitch and Bitch and TurboVote, and those pushing for a Diversity Course Requirement and a more inclusive campus. The events of the past four months are not indicative of who we are. Here, now, we are the captains of our own ship in rough waters. We can stay the course and capsize or turn right towards the menacing waves ahead to find calmer waters. That which was done in darkness has since come to light. Now it is time to wield that light and fight for students and focus on the issues important to all of our fellow Tigers and actually move Mizzou forward. It’s time for a culture change. So, now, as Stephen Colbert says, “one more thing.” While I might not have Jon Baptiste and Stay Human, I do have this to say: back in October I shared on Facebook why I was running for President. Today I find myself with a similar sentiment to remind my peers and the student body that: “We, I, fight for those because of the experiences we've lived through. And we've got a long way to go.” Mizzou deserves better. Sincerely, Jordan McFarland jampf9@mail.missouri.edu

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Leadership is being the bigger person Former MSA Chairman Alex Higginbotham urges students and senators to treat others how they wish to be treated themselves. Dear Editor, As long as I can remember, I have been raised to follow one overriding principle, and that is to treat others as you would like to be treated. You’ll notice it does not stipulate that we treat only “good” people well. It does not say if someone has treated you poorly, go ahead and throw the Golden Rule out the window. That’s why it’s a principle. It’s not supposed to be easy, and it doesn’t always seem fair, but it exists for a reason. After all, true justice is often quite and subdued. It is almost never the most exciting or sensational route. No matter how just your end goal might be, if you have to sacrifice all principle to get there how are you any better than the ill you set out to correct? Wednesday night MSA showed how far it's willing to stoop to win. Cruelty and bullying are not traits of leadership, and yet they run rampant through this association. Regardless of who you think Haden Gomez and Chris Hanner are, they are HUMAN BEINGS. Virtually no one Wednesday night acknowledged that. Wednesday wasn't a Senate hearing. It was a public execution. Wednesday wasn't a discussion of the issues; it was a quest to destroy the wellbeing and lives of two human beings. That is not what MSA is about, it's not the organization I joined, and it's not an organization

I will be a part of. That's why effective January 27 I resigned from my position as Chairman of MSA Senate’s Campus and Community Relations Committee. But this was not a brash decision made in the heat of the moment. It’s been a long time coming. I've watched MSA become this way over the course of my involvement, and I have been contemplating resignation for quite some time. I assure you that I tried very hard to keep things from getting to this point, but unfortunately I failed. This is something I've lost countless hours of sleep over. When I joined MSA Senate we could debate things on the senate floor all night, but they always remained civil. No matter how much we disagreed, they were disagreements of policy. Never did it become personal. Yet over the last semester that has become less and less the case. Wednesday night might have been the boiling point, but it was certainly not the sole example of an atmosphere that is riddled with bullying and cliques. An atmosphere where dissent and legitimate concern are met with dismissal and condescension. I assure you this is not about any one person. It’s about what I see in the collective body of MSA. Please, I implore each of those in the Association to take a long hard look in the mirror and examine what motivates them; what they believe is acceptable behavior of leadership. Often times leadership means being the bigger person. If we are going to call ourselves student leaders, then I think we owe this campus at least that much. Respectfully Yours, Alex Higginbotham akhzt2@mail.missouri.edu


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MSA MELTDOWN

D BEHIND THE O W N

THE MANEATER | NEWS | FEBRUARY 3, 2016

FALL

EMILY GALLION Assistant News Editor

Here are the events that led to the resignation of Gomez and Hanner: 1. Natalie Edelstein comes forward with screenshots from Gomez/Hanner campaign GroupMe Natalie Edelstein, former campaign manager and assistant director of the MSA Department of Student Communications, came forward Jan. 25 with screenshots she took from the Gomez/Hanner campaign group message. The screenshots showed campaign staff discussing the payment of Pocket Points in exchange for their endorsement, mass text messages Edelstein sent and the Concerned Student 1950 protests. In the messages, Edelstein sends the group a message she says she is texting all of her friends. Hanner says, “same.” After reviewing the screenshots, senators began to plan to stop the inauguration of Gomez and Hanner Tuesday night in an extended Operations Committee meeting. After hours of meetings, Gomez resigned Wednesday night during the full Senate meeting. Leading up to Gomez’s resignation, senators struggled to find a way to remove Gomez within the established procedures of the senate bylaws and constitution. The constitution contains strict rules for when elections can be held. Because it cannot be altered without a popular referendum of students, senators did not initially think they could hold a special election.

2. Operations Committee discusses potential removal of Haden Gomez After confirming two of Gomez’s cabinet members and rejecting one, Senate Speaker Kevin Carr presented Edelstein’s screenshots to the Operations Committee. Senators began to discuss how they could remove Gomez from office. Ideas ranged from the consultation of the Student Court to a resolution that would assert that January was November and the election wasn’t over. A great deal of discussion centered around the ethics of appointing a president. Gomez had not been sworn into office yet. His inauguration was scheduled to take place at Senate the next night. After his inauguration, Senate would would have to follow impeachment proceedings to remove him. The constitution and bylaws do not give provisions for the removal of a president-elect before his inauguration. Around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, the Operations Committee drafted resolutions that would have removed Gomez and Hanner from office through a variety of methods. One of the resolutions would have nullified the election, and another would have struck the Gomez/Hanner slate from the ballot and appointed the Ejaz/Parrie slate in their place. A third would have also nullify the election, but included a provision regarding the appointment of the next president and vice president.

3. Operations Committee finalizes plan in an emergency meeting immediately before Senate At 5 p.m. later that day, senators held another emergency Operations Committee meeting to determine what actions to take with the resolutions. At the beginning, senators agreed that they needed to convert the resolutions to acts because resolutions express group opinions, not legislative actions. MSA adviser Farouk Aregbe explained that invalidating election results could be unconstitutional because the election results represented an outcome of a student referendum in the same way that the constitution does. Because of that, he felt it would be inappropriate to override the results with an act, which would not be voted on by the students. He also expressed concerns with senators’ involvement in the Ejaz/Parrie and Gomez/Hanner campaigns, which he thought could contribute to personal biases. “It is clear that a lot of people in this room supported one candidate or another, and we have to keep that in mind,” he said. “Three slates ran; for some reason we’re having a conversation about two slates. We should be having a conversation about three.” Senators discussed the role of the Student Court. Some students, including former Campus and Community Relations Chairman Alex Higginbotham, wanted Senate to allow the court to rule on the election. However, senators who had been in communications with the court said it would not be able to meet to rule on the election until Jan. 29. Senators expressed concern about the delay due to a stipulation the the constitution that required 30-day advance notice before a special election. A few minutes before 6 p.m., when full Senate was scheduled to begin, the committee came to a vote and decided to submit legislation instead of waiting for Student Court to make a ruling. Committee members passed the piece of legislation that only nullified the election.

4. Senators debate legislation to remove Gomez and Hanner At the start of the Senate meeting, Aregbe restated his positions from earlier and admonished students who used Concerned Student 1950 as a platform point. "Don't be about CS1950 today if you weren't about it yesterday,” he said. “Don't use it as a soccer ball." During the meeting, several students spoke including students who had protested with Concerned Student 1950. Students spoke on their experiences with Gomez and Hanner as well as their opinions of their character. Some speeches became heated or personal. “I hope you look back, and you feel real shitty about it," former MSA vice presidential candidate Heather Parrie told him. When the legislation, Act 55-23, came to the floor, some senators proposed an amendment that would prevent Gomez and Hanner from running in the proposed special election. At that point, Gomez and Hanner had re-entered the chamber. Hanner told Senate that the amendment would be unnecessary because he would not be running in another election. The amendment failed unanimously. Vega proposed an amendment that would appoint Head as interim in the 30-day wait for the special election to commence. The amendment passed.

5. Senators abandon legislation, move forward with impeachment proceedings After the passage of that amendment, Academic Affairs Chairwoman Tori Schafer gave a speech in negation to the act, saying that it would be more sound procedurally to inaugurate Gomez and Hanner and then impeach them. “Don’t let this organization be more corrupt than it already is,” Schafer said. The senate went into another 10-minute recess. At the end of recess, Senate motioned to return to the announcements portion of the agenda, and Gomez announced his resignation. “At the end of the day, I am a person, and I wish that would’ve been respected more than it was,” he said during his resignation. After the announcement, Senate swore Hanner in as president. Hanner then appointed Head as his vice president before resigning, moving Head up to be interim president at 10 p.m. Head said he was hesitant to assume the role of interim president. “I was just getting used to the lifestyle of not being MSA president, because it’s something that’s been my whole life,” he said. “It’s thrown me into the national and international spotlight, invaded a lot of my privacy and it’s where I’ve had some of my lowest lows. At the same time, through this organization, I’ve had some of my highest highs.” Head said he wanted to stay with the association to make sure the transition ran smoothly. Head appointed former Budget Chairman Bill Vega, who had to first resign as chairman, as his vice president. Vega said he also took the interim position hesitantly. “I was going to say no,” he said. “I wanted Payton to appoint someone else, but after tonight, I realized that we need some sort of change in the association. I feel like that’s one step that I can take personally.”

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Haden Gomez speaks about one of his cabinet members before he gets questioned for confirmation on Jan. 26 in the Student Center.

New appointed BEC chairs seek to reform election process BEC Chairwoman Bridget Everson: “We’ve been given an opportunity to restore faith in MSA.” EMILY GALLION Assistant News Editor Board of Elections Commissioners Vice Chairwoman Bridget Everson was appointed BEC chairwoman in Missouri Students Association Operations Committee on Tuesday night. The BEC has received backlash this year after a controversial election cycle. At one point, former Campus and Community Relations Committee Chairman Alex Higginbotham petitioned to impeach former BEC Chairwoman Emma Henderson for what senators saw as a lack of action on campaign infractions on her part. Everson said she had several ideas for reforms to the BEC, including a requirement that candidates register all campaign works as a part of their slate and a clause that would make lying to the BEC grounds for immediate expulsion from the election. Another policy she and Senate Speaker Kevin Carr wanted to implement was a policy that would allow candidates to be impeached after the end of the election for violations that came to light afterward. Everson said she was unsure whether that

policy would need to come from the BEC Handbook or the MSA Bylaws. She also wanted to improve communication between the chairwoman and the vice chairs. She said during her confirmation in the Operations Committee that she would allow the vice chairs to override her decision if the two of them came to an agreement without her. The Operations Committee confirmed Taylor Cofield and Shannon Turner as vice chairs. In their confirmation, Cofield and Turner both expressed frustration with how Senate handled the removal of Haden Gomez and Chris Hanner. “As a student who has not previously been involved with MSA, it was actually rather disappointing to see such a professional organization to not be acting professionally,” Turner said. “Like Taylor said, it was more of a personal attack than a professional critique of the slate.” The plan for the election, which Carr posted in the MSA Senate Facebook group Jan. 28, provides for a three-week cycle, while the previous lasted over a month. “I think that the consequences of the events of Haden and Chris’s (resignation) is going to have an effect on the election,” Carr said when asked how he thought the compressed schedule would affect the election. “I think the BEC and Student Court failing to make the appropriate decisions when necessary had an effect on any future elections in upcoming history.”

6. MSA plans special election Per the constitution, the special election must be announced and voted on 30 days in advance. No such vote was taken during that session. The evening of Jan. 29, Carr proposed the special election through an online poll in the Senate OrgSync. Carr closed the poll the morning of Jan. 30 with 27 votes in affirmation and two in negation. Also on Jan. 29, Carr, Head and Associate Chief Justice Landen Smith appointed Bridget Everson as Board of Elections Commissioners chairwoman. Everson was vice chairwoman during the fall election. According to a tentative timeline Carr posted in the Senate Facebook group, Senate will suspend the rules to pass the BEC handbook in the Feb. 10 Senate meeting. Slates may begin soft campaigning Feb 12 and hard campaigning Feb 17. Polls will open Feb. 29 at 5 p.m. and close March 2 at 5 p.m.

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Members of the MSA Senate discuss the events of the Senate meeting on Jan. 27 in Leadership Auditorium.

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Students involved with Concerned Students 1950 stand before MSA Senators in Leadership Auditorium on Jan. 27 to voice their opposition to the results of the 2015 presidential election.


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THE MANEATER | NEWS | FEBRUARY 3, 2016

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Interim Chancellor Hank Foley gives a thank you speech during the donation announcement for the University of Missouri music program on Feb. 1 in the Reynolds Alumni Center.

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

MU student violinist Britney Stutz performs a piece with an ensemble of other students for the announcement of the Music Department donation Feb. 1 in the Reynolds Alumni Center.

School of Music receives $2 million donation ALYSSA BESSASPARIS Staff Writer Interim Chancellor Hank Foley announced Monday Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield’s $2 million donation to the Mizzou New Music Initiative, which provides a wide range of programming and aims to help the School of Music become a leader in composition and new music. College of Arts and Science Dean Michael O’Brien said the money will provide stipends for graduate students in the New Music Ensemble. It will also

allow MU to continue funding two annual full tuition undergraduate composition scholarships and fund one additional annual runner-up scholarship. After the $2 million donation, the Sinquefields will have donated almost $15 million to support composition at MU. “This is totally unauthorized and probably illegal,” Rex Sinquefield joked, followed by audience applause. “I want to thank (my children). I think it’s wonderfully courageous and self-immolating for you to be here as you watch us give away your inheritance.” Last spring, the Sinquefields also helped fund the construction of a new School of Music building with a

$10 million donation, which is still underway. Additionally, the donation will continue to provide financial support for a full-time, non-tenured track faculty member, a full-time staff member, adjunct faculty and a postdoctoral fellow for the School of Music. “The donation reasserts the Sinquefields’ belief and pride in MU during what are obviously challenging times,” Foley said. “The Sinquefields’ most recent gift helped position the music school as a recognized leader in composition nationally and throughout the world.” Edited by Waverly Colville | wcolville@themaneater.com

Residential Life to remove cap on returning students Continued from page 3 housing capacity. “We’ve got a brand new residence hall, Brooks Hall, opening this coming fall,” Minor said. “In essence, we’re kind of replacing the capacity we needed that we had out at Tiger Reserve with what we have at Brooks Hall.” George C. Brooks Hall is one of the many new residence halls scheduled to open within the next few years. The new hall will open in fall 2016, with another opening in 2017. The two residence halls, which will replace the demolished Jones Hall, are going to open on schedule despite dropping enrollment, Minor said. Decisions about whether to delay construction will be made

later, when enrollment estimates are more solidified. Residential Life is planning on demolishing Lathrop and Laws halls and building three new residence halls in their place. “We’re still assuming that we’re going to move forward with the demolition and construction,” Minor said. “I think we’ll look over the next few months as to whether or not that should be delayed at all. Our plans right now are to continue with the design of that, but we’ve got a little bit more time to determine whether or not we’re actually going to do the demolition and new construction.” The decreased enrollment for the upcoming freshman class will also allow for more on-campus housing for upperclassmen, transfer and

international students. Residential Life has removed the cap on the number of returning students who can apply for on-campus housing. Currently, there is a cap of about 100 spaces for transfer students, but the cap could be removed if spaces remain available. “We always want to make sure that we can accommodate the incoming freshman class, that’s our highest priority, and then as many of the currently enrolled students who are living with us and then the transfer students,” Minor said. Near the end of 2015, Residential Life was considering modifying the ROAR process to allow for any returning students to apply for single rooms. Currently, acceptance for single room requests depends on

the number of semesters a student has lived in the residence halls. However, the Residence Halls Association voted to keep the process the same. Representatives likely felt that upperclassmen benefited from having a single room in ways that others might not, RHA President Billy Donley said. “There tends to be a lot of students who, after their first year, get very involved and they see living in the residence halls as the best option for them,” Donley said. “I think that for students who it’s not their first year, they’re looking for different things than a lot of firstyear students who will benefit from having a roommate.” RHA has played a role in many decisions made recently by

Residential Life, such as naming George C. Brooks Hall and getting the opportunity to name the second new hall, which will be voted on later in the semester. RHA’s relationship with Residential Life will only continue to grow, Donley said. “We’ve always had a strong connection, but now RHA is being able to voice a lot more opinions on different matters,” Donley said. “They are a lot more willing to hear that student voice from RHA. That relationship has been great this year, and next year is going to be even better.” Edited by Taylor Blatchford | tblatchford@themaneater.com

Times have changed since UM System was established

Continued from page 3 of what might occur,” the proposal read. Jago said that despite the report’s claim that the UM System saves the four campuses money, some have questioned the validity of the statement. “A number of faculty over the years have asked what added value does the system provide,” Jago said. “And there are some obvious answers. Payroll, procurement, and a number of system functions they do and they do very well. But I’ve also heard a number of complaints over the years that the system seems to be pretty expensive. And there have been times when, as described in the proposal, some people have suggested that some system and campus functions be combined, like the president and chancellorship, which exists at some other universities as well.” When the UM System was

formed in 1963, Jago said, there were good reasons for the creation. Missouri University of Science and Technology, known as Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy before the university system formation, had already been a branch campus of MU since its founding in 1871. UM-St. Louis was a community college and UM-Kansas City was a private school, both of which, Jago said, were being neglected. “The reasons for the system were very good,” Jago said. “I’m just asking the question, ‘Do those reasons still exist?’ Those are mature institutions now with different goals, different responsibilities and they serve different populations and they do it very well.” According to the proposal, the four campuses have now reached the point where similarities are hard to find. “The campuses do not share a

common fee structure, a common grading scale, nor a common course numbering system,” the proposal read. If the examination finds that the added value of the UM System is minimal, then appropriate steps should be taken, Jago said, whether it be disbanding the four-campus system or consolidating the offices of the UM president and MU chancellor. The proposal cited other flagship universities that are not part of a system, such as the University of Iowa and University of Kansas. Other schools have a university system in which the president is also the chancellor of the flagship school, like the University of Michigan and Purdue University. On the other hand, the proposal cites another opportunity if appropriate added value is identified: adding the other public schools in Missouri to the university system, creating a statewide system.

“I don’t think anything should be off the table,” Jago said. “If the system is good for UMSL, Rolla, UMKC and MU, why isn’t it also good for Missouri State, Truman and some of the other nine four-year universities we have in Missouri?” Jago said he believes some would welcome the being part of the UM System, while others might think they would come up with the short end. If this was found to be a feasible option, it would be up to the legislature to decide if they wanted to expand the UM System. During the Faculty Council presentation, some council members voiced concern over the proposal not being discussed with the other three campuses before being voted upon. Jago, however, explained that there wouldn’t be any point in bringing the other campuses into the discussion before it was voted upon by MU’s Faculty Council.

"If we think the status quo is fine, there isn't much of a reason for us to raise the question to the other campuses,” Jago said. He also said that the proposal is a draft and is subject to change if the council decides it should be amended. The proposal will be voted on at the council’s next meeting on Feb. 11. If it passes, it will then go to the curators to vote on and to the Intercampus Faculty Council to discuss among the four campuses. If the examination is conducted, the conclusions and recommendations will go to the curators and stakeholders to consider and act upon as they see necessary. “My only position is that it’s time for an examination,” Jago said. “There is no better time than right now.” Edited by Taylor Blatchford | tblatchford@themaneater.com


MOVE

The key to your entertainment

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JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Local Columbia residents Renne Riley, Wendy Peña and Travis Neely look over The Big Cheeze food truck’s menu Feb 2.

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Columbia residents Renne Riley and Wendy Peña talk with one of the owners of The Big Cheeze food truck Feb. 2.

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

The Big Cheeze food truck sits on the parking lot of the Woodrail Office Plaza at the corner of Nifong and Forum Feb. 2.

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

A grilled cheese sandwich cooks in the back of The Big Cheeze food truck Feb. 2 in the Woodrail Office Plaza.

The Big Cheeze is grilling more than just cheese BIANCA RODRIGUEZ Staff Writer This country was founded on the basis of one American dream: a warm and gooey grilled cheese. While I may be stretching the truth a little bit, that’s the exact feeling I get every time I bite into a grilled cheese from The Big Cheeze food truck located here in town. Owners and MU alumni Tim and Beth Mallory took this on-the-go eatery to the streets last September on a mission to bring cheesy goodness to the residents of Columbia. The couple realized the potential

MOVE Katie Rosso Elana Williams MOVE Editors

Amanda Baltmer, Anna Maples, Bianca Rosriquez, Grant Sharples Writers

success of bringing a grilled cheese food truck to Columbia after a visit to Nashville, Tennessee, this past summer where they attended a food truck event in a local park. “There was about 10 food trucks there of all kinds; they were all real nice, but the only one that had a line was called the Grilled Cheeserie,” Tim says. With money left over from a previous food stand, they purchased a food truck, and The Big Cheeze, with a ‘z’ to honor Mizzou, was born. Ever since then, The Big Cheeze has been serving 10 different grilled cheese sandwich combos, adding something new every two weeks. Each sandwich

STAFF Columnists Regina Anderson, Stephanie Hamann, Jack Howland, Gabby Velasquez Kat White

Lets be friends: Twitter @MOVEManeater Website MOVE.themaneater.com

is accompanied by a bag of chips and a sliced pickle. The sandwiches feature fresh baked bread from locally owned Upper Crust bakery and the option of choosing from seven different cheeses such as pepper jack or cheddar. Besides grilled cheese, The Big Cheeze also sells a pulled pork sandwich called The Porky. “I smoke the butts myself, with a little bit of apple wood and mostly hickory for about 15 hours,” Tim says. Popular sandwiches among customers are the Pig Mac, with gouda, pulled pork, caramelized onions and homemade macaroni and cheese, and When Pigs

Fly, which is a grilled cheese featuring turkey and bacon. For dessert, The Big Cheeze offers the S’more, which features Nutella, marshmallow fluff and graham crackers, otherwise known as heaven. When asked why he believes the truck has become so popular, Tim believes it’s because of the food. But it only takes one visit to understand it’s more than just the food — it’s the hospitality you receive. You can follow The Big Cheeze on their Facebook and Twitter pages for their whereabouts around town and when they are available for delivery through the app OrderUp.

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THE MANEATER | MOVE | FEBRUARY 3, 2016

NERD REPORt

,-./0.1234.526726829.127.:;2<6=2/4>8=;7 !"##$ %&'"()*&+ After six years at the helm of BBC’s cultural phenomenon “Doctor Who,” showrunner Steven Moffat (also known for his hit show “Sherlock”) will be stepping down. Chris Chibnall, known for creating the hit crime drama “Broadchurch” will be taking over. Peter Capaldi, currently portraying the Twelfth Doctor, is rumored to be leaving. The next season will not arrive until 2017. Oh, and Netflix is removing all of “Doctor Who” from its streaming services. It’s a tumultuous time to be a “Doctor Who” fan, indeed. As a tried and true Whovian myself, I’m having a lot of trouble sorting through my emotions about this. I suppose I’ll simply tackle these events one at a time. Steven Moffat Moffat had very big shoes to fill after replacing former “Doctor Who” showrunner Russell T. Davies, the man responsible for bringing the show back in the first place. Davies was the man who created two of the most beloved incarnations of the Doctor: Nine (Christopher Eccleston) and Ten (David Tennant). His tenure produced some of the most emotionally satisfying episodes in the show’s 50 years. Moffat’s time on the show has been problematic at its worst and brilliant at its best. His portrayal of women is a prime example of the polarization of his

writing. On one hand, he gave us the female incarnation of the Master (the Doctor’s oldest nemesis and fellow Time Lord) and women such as Clara Oswald and Amy Pond. On the other hand, Clara and Amy both started out as massive flirts and Queen Elizabeth herself was turned into a lovesick, smiling damsel. However, despite all of these issues and a tendency to build overly-convoluted plotlines with no real emotional depth, Moffat has fully come into his own throughout his six years. The wonderful universe of “Doctor Who” and its complex mythology have been deeply developed, leaving many openings for new companions and adventures. “Doctor Who” is bigger than ever. Its characters are wonderfully fleshed out, and the stories are fresh. Chibnall certainly has a lot to work with. “Broadchurch” was perhaps one of the most realistic journeys through the state of humanity that I have ever seen. If Chibnall wants to bring “Doctor Who” into the future, he must maintain that level of emotion in the show. Of course, he is not a complete novice in the “Doctor Who” universe, he helped produce several episodes of both “Doctor Who” and its spinoff “Torchwood.” Stream No More Both Netflix and Hulu announced that “Doctor Who” would be removed from their sites as of Feb. 1. This was a bit of a surprise, but the more I think of it, the more it makes sense. Rumor has it that BBC is looking to consolidate its programming onto a streaming service of its own.

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I’m a wrestling fan, so when the WWE announced the launch of the WWE Network a few years back for $9.99 a month, I subscribed. They put a bunch of original content on there, as well as all of their pay-per-views streaming live. I think BBC is looking to follow suit. Am I happy about it? Of course not, I watch “Doctor Who” on Netflix all the time. It’s certainly cheaper than buying the DVD sets, which can range up to $100 in price. However, I think I see where this is leading. Peter Capaldi Leaving Now, before everyone starts sobbing uncontrollably, there is no confirmation of this just yet. But it does make sense, especially when you consider the show’s history. David Tennant and Russell T. Davies

departed together, and fresh-faced Matt Smith was a major part of how Moffat’s era became such a success. BBC likely wants a new Doctor for fans to associate with Chibnall’s era. Besides, Capaldi has had a solid reign. Christopher Eccleston was only the Doctor for one season. David Tennant and Matt Smith were both with the show for three. Season 10 will mark Capaldi’s third season. Might it also mark his last? Overall, there is a lot happening in the “Whoniverse.” But change is part of what makes “Doctor Who” so enduring. It’s constantly reinventing itself and changing the game. In “Doctor Who,” endings are never really endings; they’re beginnings. Let’s embrace this beginning with open arms.


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THE MANEATER | MOVE | FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Save the date for these concerts GRANT SHARPLES Reporter

There are plenty of exciting shows coming to Columbia this semester, and there’s something for everyone when it comes to genre and taste. From the EDM-dance of Alison Wonderland to the gritty folk-rock of Kurt Vile And The Violators, students have many great concerts to look forward to.

Made of Oak Date: Tuesday, April 12 Venue: Rose Music Hall Price: $13

More commonly known as one-half of indie pop duo Sylvan Esso, producer Nick Sanborn is bringing his indie-electronica solo project to Rose Music Hall in mid-April. His debut EP, “Penumbra,” is brimming with fuzzy synths, shimmering pads and psychedelic beats. Fans of his main project, Sylvan Esso, will surely love the EP, because the sound of Sanborn’s production is filled with stylistic elements unique to him.

Jason Aldean Date: Saturday, Feb. 6 Venue: Mizzou Arena Price: Varies

The Georgia native returns to Mizzou Arena once again. Aldean is your classic country singer who brings a little extra something to his concerts with a commanding stage presence. While the country star hasn’t released a new album since 2014, don’t expect his concert to feel stale. With hits like “Burning It Down” and “Dirt Road Anthem,” he’ll have fans on their feet.

Hoodie Allen

Date: Monday, Feb. 22 Venue: The Blue Note Price: $25 advance/$29 day of show To promote his new album, “Happy Camper,” pop-rapper Hoodie Allen will be coming to Columbia in late February. Hoodie Allen combines clever wordplay, catchy pop hooks and memorable lyrics to craft his music. He has collaborated with household pop artist Ed Sheeran as well as pop-rapper Chiddy Bang. Since he’s been working his way up the ladder in pop music, Hoodie Allen is sure to bring in a large audience.

Naughty By Nature

Date: Friday, Feb. 19 Venue: The Blue Note Price: $18 advance/$20 day of show In celebration of their 25th anniversary, staple hip-hop trio Naughty By Nature will bring their old-school rap vibes to The Blue Note in mid-February. Back in 1991, Naughty By Nature released their self-titled debut album. It helped spark the hip-hop phenomenon that lasted throughout the ’90s, so if you’re looking for a nostalgic trip to the realm of ’90s hip-hop, this is the concert to attend.

Kurt Vile And The Violators Date: Monday, April 11 Venue: The Blue Note Price: $20 Famously known as the former lead guitarist of indie rock band The War on Drugs, Kurt Vile initiated his solo career in 2008. His sound comprises of folk rock elements such as twangy guitar, banjo plucking and piano. His new album, “B’lieve I’m Goin Down…” encompasses the structure of indie rock with reverbfilled guitar hooks and unconventional song formats, yet breaks the trend by throwing in common aspects of folk music. If you love folk rock or indie rock, this is a concert to go to. Kurt Vile masterfully merges the two genres into something fresh and novel.

Photos courtesy of the artists

Houndmouth

Date: Friday, April 15 Venue: The Blue Note Price: $15 advance/$18 day of show Alt-soul rockers Houndmouth have been on the rise of popularity since the release of their sophomore album, “Little Neon Limelight.” Their single “Sedona” has been receiving plenty of exposure due to radio airplay. Hailing from a small town in Indiana, the “small town” vibes have a conspicuous influence on their sound. There are aspects of rock ’n’ roll, country and alternative rock in their music. Houndmouth is definitely a band that is rising in popularity, so go check them out for $15 before they start playing bigger and more expensive venues. I would definitely recommend to go check them out at The Blue Note in mid-April.


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THE MANEATER | MOVE | FEBRUARY 3, 2016

‘Hunchback’ cast recording delivers, even without a Broadway run

A look at why Disney shows don’t always make it. ANNA MAPLES Reporter In the past few decades, Disney has become a force to be reckoned with on Broadway, but not every musical has the mass appeal and staying power of “The Lion King.” Most recently, an expanded version of Disney’s adaptation of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” failed to make the cut. The cast recording for the 2015 off-Broadway production of Disney Theatrical Group’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” was recently released with much critical acclaim. “Hunchback” was expected to transfer to Broadway after its run at the Paper Mill Playhouse, but the adaptation was halted before it could move to a larger theater. So what set this show apart from massive hits such as “The Lion King” and “Aladdin,” or lukewarmly received adaptations like “The Little Mermaid,” which was a flop by Disney standards? The simple answer: this new “Hunchback” isn’t nearly as child-friendly as the 1996 animated movie. Disney released “ The Hunchback of Notre Dame” near the end of the Disney Renaissance, a period in the ’90s where much of the company’s most-praised work was produced, several of which have made it to the Broadway stage. It was one of the most controversial movies ever produced by Disney because of the obvious themes of lust,

religion and death. For those unfamiliar with the Disney movie, “Hunchback” tells the story of a teenage boy named Quasimodo, born with severe birth defects. A powerful priest in Paris, Frollo, takes Quasimodo in and keeps him away from the world in the top of Notre Dame Cathedral. Quasimodo spends his days ringing the cathedral bells and longing to see the outside world and eventually escapes for a day. He meets Esméralda, a gypsy, during his adventure before the day ends in disaster for both of them. The pair, soon trapped back inside Notre Dame, form a bond, but Phoebus, the newly appointed captain of the guard in Paris, has fallen for Esméralda after a brief interaction. In fact, nearly every male in the story falls in love (or lust) with Esméralda. Frollo sings “Hellfire,” one of the darkest songs in the Disney canon, about her. The song, while compelling, is also rather terrifying. Frollo sings of a “burning desire… leading him to sin” while a large chorus chants Latin phrases in the background. “Hellfire” isn’t the definition of family entertainment by any measure. Frollo grows more and more obsessed with Esméralda and sets out to capture her by any means necessary. Quasimodo and Phoebus, both in love with the gypsy, are forced to team up in an effort to save her. Through a barrage of other action and plot points, the Disney version ends in accidental death but optimism. The original book ends in complete tragedy.

In its new form, the “Hunchback” stage production is much closer to the plot of the Victor Hugo novel. Frollo is a priest in the book, not a judge like in the film, which further emphasizes the more controversial religious tones throughout the musical. The conflicting feelings of lust and piety in the character make his entire quest to capture Esméralda and cleanse the city more powerful and significant to the plot. The deaths at the end have a much darker meaning within the plot, and they are balanced somewhere between the Disney and Hugo versions. The new production also got rid of those annoying gargoyles and replaced them with a booming Greek chorus of statues. Throughout the show, the chorus acts as a narrator, mostly through reprises of the epic “The Bells of Notre Dame.” Included in the 1996 movie, the song is expanded throughout the show to fill in empty crevices. Unfortunately, the structure of the lyrics rhymes “Notre Dame” with itself an annoyingly large amount of times. Michael Arden plays Quasimodo in a realistic way. In the Disney movie, the character, while sweet and likeable, was unusually eloquent and educated for a person told he was a monster his whole life. When he speaks in the play, Arden sounds pained and unsure, just as anyone deafened by a lifetime of bell ringing would sound. When singing, however, his strong and clear voice shines through, a reflection of his inner beauty and worth. “Out There,” a ballad in

COURTESY OF PLAYBILL.COM

which Quasimodo expresses his deep desire to live among other people, shows the balance of these two voices when Arden’s singing voice bursts through the limits of his speaking voice. Of the added songs, two highlights of the show are “Rhythm of the Tambourine” and “Esméralda.” Both work to make the allure of the gypsy more understandable. “Rhythm of the Tambourine” takes place during Quasimodo’s venture into the outside world. It resembles a siren’s call, encouraging the men around her to pay attention to her dance and sultry voice. “Esméralda” depicts Frollo’s quest to hunt her down, and Phoebus’s refusal to comply with his methods. It also demonstrates just how much impact she has had on these men, as well as the lengths they are willing to go to deal with their emotions. The expanded score and lyrics by Alan Menken (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin”) and

Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked,” “Pippin”) ties the cast recording together in an achingly beautiful way, but, in an escape from the Disney brand, there is no “Hakuna Matata” or “Friend Like Me” that appeals to all age groups in an easily marketable way. Such a song would take away from the dramatic and fast-paced plot by focusing on funny lyrics and hummable tunes, instead. All of these changes, while not necessarily accessible to younger children, make the entire show and soundtrack much stronger than the animated movie. If this new version of the classic story sounds appealing, I definitely suggest checking out the cast recording. Listen to “Out There” and “Hellfire,” two of the original Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz songs from the movie. If those songs in their newly orchestrated versions are appealing , definitely check out the entire album.

Reader-submitted essays come to life on new podcast The New York Times has turned their column ‘Modern Love’ into a podcast with celebrities narrating the essays. AMANDA BATTMER Reporter On Jan. 21, The New York Times announced that readers can now enjoy the celebrated

column Modern Love as a podcast. The weekly essays consist of real-life stories about experiences with love and relationships: the good, the bad and the ugly. The New York Times teamed up with WBUR, Boston’s NPR news station, to bring the new segment to listeners once a week. Not only can fans tune in on WBUR.org and NYTimes. com, but on several podcast apps, including Stitcher (which is essentially radio on demand). Among the most notable

pieces include the tale of a woman’s run-in with a toesucking stranger in the back of a taxi and one gay man’s decision to become platonic life partners with his female best friend. The recounts and revelations are endless with this column, which is 11 years in the making. The intimate nature of the column’s essays are made even more intriguing with the podcast, voiced by familiar personalities from Broadway and television. So far, three

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episodes have been released, including “A Craigslist ‘Missed Connection’ Lure,” read by Broadway actress Lauren Molina, and “Just One Last Swirl Around the Bowl,” read by actor Jason Alexander (you probably know him as George from Seinfeld). Some other actors you can expect to find in the mix include January Jones, Judd Apatow and Sarah Paulson. Each 20-minute episode begins with the narrator’s reading of the essay (with apt sound effects and background music along the way) and ends with a discussion of the piece between the series’ host, Meghna Chakrabarti, Modern Love editor Daniel Jones and the essayists themselves. Episode one revolves around a Craigslist romance mishap, to say the least. The essay tells the tale of Toronto writer and editor Rosemary Counter, a woman who agrees to go on a date with a guy she met on Craigslist after making fun of the “desperate souls who

loitered” on the site. The podcast medium allows listeners a greater ability to connect with the writer and the story. The episode finishes by letting listeners catch up with the writer, who has an interesting twist to the tenyear-old tale. The second episode is similarly brought to life with an in-depth discussion with writer Dan Barry. His account of an extremely upsetting fate of the family goldfish proves to embody a deeper meaning that revolves around his relationship with cancer. In the latest episode of Modern Love released Jan. 28, Paulson narrated a story of a mother’s difficult decision regarding an open adoption. In her account of the “awkward choreography” of her decision, the author Amy Seek describes balancing her love with her son while sharing him with his adopted mother. You can listen to Modern Love every Thursday at WBUR.org.


SPORTS

THE BEST SOURCE FOR MU SPORTS

17

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Missouri Tiger 184-pound Cody Johnston celebrates his 16-point Technical Fall against Oklahoma Sooner Andrew Dixon only 3:45 minutes into the match.

Wrestling

Wrestlers stay focused Willie Miklus: “The dark days of January and February are where all-Americans and national champs are made.” ANNE ROGERS Staff Writer Some days, when junior Willie Miklus walks into the Missouri wrestling room, he questions why he’s even doing it. But other days, Missouri’s 184-pound starter knows exactly why he is there and would not want to be anywhere else. “The dark days of January and February are where all-Americans and national champs are made,” Miklus said. “The guys who can keep focus and work through those times are the ones who can end up on top.” The winter months often find wrestlers in a place of frustration and as the dual meet season comes in full swing, the national championship season begins to creep up on athletes. As Missouri looks to secure a place in the NWCA National Dual championships, and individual wrestlers look to lock in places for the NCAA national championship, coach Brian Smith teaches concentration and sticking to what the team knows how to do — wrestling and winning. “Our attitude can’t be walking into the room and asking when this (the national championship) is going to happen,” Smith said. “It’s going to happen, we just need to stay focused right now and do the right thing, right now.” After losing to Oklahoma State on Jan. 22, the first loss for Missouri in almost two years and the first loss to snap a 37-dual-win streak, the team needed to regain the motivation to bounce back. Multiple tight matches were lost, but Smith talked to the team about how one loss is not the end of the world. This weekend, Missouri bounced back: first on Saturday, with a 31-12 victory over Oklahoma, and again on Sunday in a 29-6 defeat over Old

Dominion. Matt Manley, Missouri’s 141-pound starter, lost a tough match against Oklahoma State’s No. 1 Dean Heil 3-1. On Saturday, the junior pinned Oklahoma’s Trae Blackwell in the first period and defeated Old Dominion’s Chris Mecate 4-1 Sunday. “Everything is still the same, I just need to keep on wrestling,” Manley said. “It was really important to come back after a week of practice to get things back to normal.” Smith looks to guys like Manley to show consistency in the times when dual season never seems to end. Every year, he tends to have the “stay focused” mentality around this time. This year, he compared the excitement his team has for championship season to the excitement his kids have when he tells them the family is going to Disney World. “They get all pumped up and excited, and don’t leave me alone for a month,” Smith said. “It drives you nuts as a parent. But we’re at that point in the season and they’re like, ‘Are we almost there yet?’ They’re losing their focus. And they can’t. Their attitude has to be like this is going to be great, we get to go to Disney or Madison Square Garden, we’re going to have that opportunity, but we have to stay focused.” Senior 174-pound Blaise Butler knows the importance of staying focused right now. After losing a big match at Central Michigan, he went on to win at Oklahoma State and then posted two big wins this weekend at home as well. He went back to focusing on what he knows what to do, and so far, it has worked out well for him. Butler emphasizes the significance of these middle-of-the-season matches, especially for seeding and rankings going into the championship tournament. “Everyone is kind of looking forward to the national championships but it’s important to stay focused and take things day by day and match by match,” Butler said. “Just really doing everything

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behind enemy lines

As days go by, the Border War subsides A Kansas fan: “I’ve always been a big fan of the rivalry, I really have. But when they moved out of the Big 12... It was like, good riddance.” ALEC LEWIS Sports Editor LAWRENCE, Kan. — The woman was a Kansas fan, of course. She wore a KU pullover that had the Jayhawk logo stitched on her left breast and she sat comfortably in a chair just a floor above the entrance to the Phog. She was working on game day inside Allen Fieldhouse, an unbeknownst sign of her fandom. It was Saturday, Jan. 30, and Kansas was set to face Kentucky in the primetime showcase of the 2015-16 Big 12/ SEC challenge — an event Missouri wasn't selected to play in. This was the matchup of the two biggest blue bloods — the two winningest programs in the history of college basketball. I was sitting in a jam-packed corner of the arena with history that's synonymous to the game of basketball itself, and with the clock ticking down toward tipoff, I thought it would be interesting to ask the woman her thoughts about that rivalry across the border. “You're a student at Missouri and they let you in here,” she said, jokingly, when I introduced myself. She continued: “I've always been a big fan of the rivalry, I really have. But when they moved out of the Big 12, it was like, good riddance." That was the mindset of the 10-plus Kansas fans and event staffers I talked to on the historic night — and yes, it was just that. It was historic in the sense that Kansas basketball prevailed in a game that featured the unveiling of the official rules former Kansas coach James Naismith once wrote at halftime. It was historic in the sense that the Jayhawks won and are now 201-9 at home under Bill Self. It was historic in the sense that it seemed as if every single person affiliated in some sense with the university seemed to stop and watch their school a play

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THE MANEATER | SPORTS | FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Men’s basketball struggles from young roster TYLER KRAFT Assistant Sports Editor The state of the Missouri men’s basketball team has become all too familiar for Tigers fans. Unfortunately for the Tiger faithful, it also appears that the current state is here to stay for the time being. Despite coach Kim Anderson’s expectations, the Tigers (8-13, 1-7 SEC) are on a losing streak of more than three games for the fifth time in his tenure. Anderson, who came to Mizzou with a 275-95 career coaching record, saw his team drop their sixth straight game last Saturday against Mississippi State, 76-62. “I’m not really used to this,” Anderson said. “I want these guys to have some success and I can’t go out and play. So yeah, you get frustrated.” Anderson’s squad, which boasts 11 underclassmen, has seen little success this season and is currently sitting dead last in the Southeastern Conference. “Some of the freshmen have kind of hit the wall,” Anderson said. “Unfortunately everyone hit the wall at one time.” The youthfulness has been apparent off the court as well as on it. Sophomore guard Tramaine Isabell has not competed

in Mizzou’s last three games due to poor practice attitude, according to the Columbia Missourian. “My responsibility is to help (Tramaine) grow as a person,” Anderson said. “I know he’ll come back. The question is when and that decision will be made by me.” Before his removal from the lineup, Isabell had been steadily gaining playing time. He reached his peak against Georgia on Jan. 20, when he played 24 minutes and accumulated 9 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists. Since Isabell’s removal from the lineup, the Tigers are experiencing a lack of depth at the point guard position. Although this has given freshman guard Terrence Phillips more playing time, it has also left Anderson without a valuable scoring option when Phillips is failing to produce. And while Phillips has been a spark for Missouri at times, it often appears as though the speed catches up with the freshman early on in games. In the first halves of Missouri’s last three games, Phillips has only scored 11 points while turning the ball over six times. Phillips is not the only youngster who has succumbed to frequent cold starts in recent weeks. The entire roster has come out sluggish in their current losing

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Missouri guard Terrence Philips (1) plays defense during the basketball game against Mississippi State on Jan. 30 in Mizzou Arena.

streak, finding themselves behind in five out of the six games heading into halftime. “We just don’t show up every night,” sophomore guard Namon Wright said. “The good teams in this league show up every night at home and that’s what we have to do.” For Anderson, his players’ struggles start in their minds. More specifically, his players need to have confidence in themselves heading into games. “It’s been a tough go,” Anderson said. “Our job as coaches is to get some

confidence back in these guys.” Anderson knows it will be a process to help his players mature on and off the court. It is one that he is willing to take on for as long as he is the coach of Missouri. “Yeah, every day I see light at the end of the tunnel,” Anderson said. “I’m going to coach these guys as hard as I can and keep encouraging them and try to get them to relax.” Edited by Alec Lewis | alewis@ themaneater.com

Stock Watch: Missouri basketball upperclassmen step up LEXI CHURCHILL Assistant Sports Editor Over the past week, the Missouri women’s basketball team faced two unranked opponents in LSU and Ole Miss, the first week since conference play began that it didn’t see a top-25 team. The players took advantage. Although Missouri won both matchups, its numbers for the games were not all positive.

In fact, the players continued to struggle with two categories specifically. Stock Up Upperclassmen step up: With the freshman starters’ lack of contribution, someone needed to step up so the team looked to its upperclassmen. Against LSU, senior Morgan Stock scored 12 points and redshirt junior Lindsey Cunningham added 16.

A few days after, senior Sierra Michaelis led the scoring with 20 points, and junior Jordan Frericks added 17. With competitive matchups against Georgia and No. 11 Mississippi State coming up this week, Mizzou will need that same production from its upperclassmen. Unity showing: Coming off of three straight wins, the Tigers are gelling at the right time, redshirt junior guard

Lindsey Cunningham said. "We just had to make sure we stuck together,” Cunningham said after the LSU game. “We kept saying they had their run, and it was time to respond. I think most important we stuck together and then we kind of got back to the game. But like she said, we kind of got away from it.” Going forward against the likes of Georgia and Mississippi State, the Tigers will need to continue

to come together heading toward tournament time. Stock Down Underclassmen’s struggle on offense: The attendants of black and gold basketball games are used to hearing two new names. But, they’re echoed so often that they’re hardly new anymore; from the starting lineup to point announcements over the intercom, the fans constantly hear the names of freshmen Cierra Porter and Sophie Cunningham. Despite the pair’s unarguable successful track record, as they’ve both taken home SEC Freshman of the Week awards (four for Cunningham), they haven’t received the same recognition over the past week. There’s a reason. In the match against LSU, Porter sat out due to a slight ankle injury, leaving Cunningham as the lone freshman with a lone three pointer to contribute in her 28 minutes of play. Then when facing Ole Miss, the duo combined for only 17 points, a lower statistic compared to its usual high production. Turnovers continue to be a problem: Although the team’s total increased from the shocking 30 TO’s from its Florida win a week earlier, its numbers still aren’t where they need to be. Despite lowering the amount to 18, LSU still took advantage of those misplays, converting them into fast break points Missouri wanted back. The number only grew as the week went on, giving up 25 to Ole Miss in a 60-46 victory.


The lewis lead

The era of Maty Mauk comes to close

The former Mr. Football in Ohio, the former All-SEC freshman, the guy that returned the black and gold to national prominence now has no affiliation to the football team he became so accustomed to leading week-in and week-out. ALEC LEWIS Sports Editor

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basketball game. There's no way you could say the same for Missouri, as they hosted Mississippi State on Saturday for a battle of the Southeastern Conference worsts. The Tigers lost by 14. So, as the team in blue and red held 16,300 for an eardrumthumping, chill-inducing, mouthopening showcase of great basketball, the team in black and gold performed in a manner that those around the country have become accustomed to in recent years. Even Dick Vitale of ESPN said Saturday, “Well, Missouri isn't Missouri right now,” and the Kansas fans concur. “That's the problem,” a Kansas fan who said he owns an ice business in both states said. “What's the benefit for KU? Right now, it's how I look at games in

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Edited by Alec Lewis | alewis@themaneater.com

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the same throughout the entirety of the season and not letting anything slip is so important because that is going to affect your matches later.” Although the grind never stops for the Missouri wrestlers, having fun is an important part of Smith’s game plan, whether it’s in the wrestling room or on the road when traveling to meets. Before practice, the wrestlers gather to play kickball in the practice room, and whenever the team has time, Smith tries to get them to a movie the day before an away match.

by Mauk and, after a win versus Arkansas, the Tigers returned to the SEC Championship but lost to Alabama. Heading into 2015 with Sasser gone and the receiving core depleted, Mauk faced a tough task. Not to mention a freshman quarterback by the name of Drew Lock who came along to add pressure. Three suspensions and a dismissal later, Maty Mauk is no longer a member of Missouri’s football team. You’d be hard pressed to find a student-athlete in Missouri history who’s gone through more than Mauk. Remember the scooter arrest more than four years ago? As a true freshman, a midnight scooter ride led to a trip to jail. At 12:17 a.m. Aug. 30, 2012, Mauk ran a stop sign with two women on board and was taken to jail after driving away from cops. That was just a glimpse into the nightmare that ensued during his junior year. After opening 3-0, Missouri lost to Kentucky on Sept. 26. Three days later, Mauk was first suspended Sept. 29 for violating team rules. A week after being reinstated, on Nov. 1, he was suspended for the remainder of the season. Then, on Dec. 23, coach Barry Odom reinstated Mauk. "I believe in guys having opportunities and chances," Odom said. "I wanted to hear really what he wanted. Did he want to be here? Did he want to get his degree? Does he want to play football?" He might have, but a video that surfaced Monday showing Mauk snorting a white powder put Mauk back on indefinite suspension and ultimately derailed any chance to return to field. "After gathering information and speaking with a number of individuals this week, it is clear Maty has failed to live up to

For 125-pound sophomore Barlow McGhee, keeping things light and fun helps the mood, especially at this time in the season. He stresses the importance of staying relaxed, having fun and keeping a smile on everyone’s faces. “Cutting weight sucks, going out there and wrestling each other and beating each other to a pulp in practice and in competition, all that sucks, but we’re here to have fun and that’s what’s important,” McGhee said. “You just have to push everybody and keep a smile on everyone’s face, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

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BACK

MANEATER FILE PHOTO

Former quarterback Maty Mauk celebrates after scrambling 17 yards for a score against Florida Oct. 19, 2013, in Columbia. Mauk threw for 295 yards and a touchdown.

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Imagining what it’d be like to be the face of a university and go through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows is almost, well, unimaginable for most people. But not for Maty Mauk. So distant seem days like Dec. 7, 2013, when Missouri earned a spot in the SEC Championship for the first time. So distant seem days like Dec. 6, 2014, when Missouri returned to play in Atlanta after the school’s second SEC East title. They seem so distant to the fans, media and college football world alike, but imagine how distant they seem to Mauk himself. It’s Jan. 29, 2016, 839 days since a shoulder injury to former quarterback James Franklin sent Mauk to the helm of the sports team that is the heart and soul of the university. And so much has changed since that moment. Let’s go back to then, shall we? Mauk, a three-star recruit from Kenton, Ohio, was slated to manage a Tigers team that was 6-0 in the school’s second year in the SEC. No pressure, right? In his first start against Florida on Oct. 19, Mauk set standards high. His first pass was a 41-yard completion to L’Damian Washington, and his second was a 20-yard strike to Bud Sasser for a touchdown. Missouri prevailed in that game, 36-17, and though Franklin did return later in the year and ultimately started in the SEC championship, Mauk was the glue that held the team together through that stretch. After the Florida game, former Missouri football coach Gary Pinkel — who some said was on the hot seat heading into that season — spoke about his redshirt freshman quarterback: “I couldn't be more pleased with him. If you looked at him in high school, that's what you saw on tape every time you saw him play. He's a playmaker.” That’s what Mauk was his entire career at MU. Great arm? Maybe not. Great accuracy? I wouldn’t say that. But a great playmaker? Nobody could deny that after his first start, and nobody can deny that now. It was his ability to create things out of nothing that worked in 2013 and again in 2014, when he became the fulltime starter. Through the first five games in his sophomore year, Mauk threw 14 touchdowns and four interceptions and Missouri was 4-1 — with the one loss coming to Indiana. Then, against Georgia on Oct. 11, 2014, Mauk had quite possibly the worst game of his career, throwing four interceptions in a 34-0 loss. Memes were made, tweets were sent and Mauk was in hot water. Again, though, Mauk held the team together. Missouri won its next six games on the back of 11 touchdowns thrown

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THE MANEATER | SPORTS | FEBRUARY 3, 2016

those expectations by violating team rules in recent weeks," Odom said in a statement announcing Mauk’s dismissal. The former Mr. Football in Ohio, the former All-SEC freshman, the guy that returned the black and gold to national prominence now has no affiliation with the football team he led week-in and week-out. It has to be hard for Mauk, sure, but you can’t take away the two-year stretch that will go down as one of the most successful in Mizzou history. Mauk threw 42 touchdowns at Missouri, won two bowl games and most importantly, led Missouri to back-to-back SEC East championships. After a Kentucky game in his redshirt freshman year in which Mauk threw five touchdowns to tie a record set by Chase Daniel, Franklin said, "He's a great player, and he came in and made a lot of good throws and some good runs and helped us get a lot of wins." That’s what Mauk did. When Pinkel needed them most and when the fans wanted them most, Mauk won football games. “There is one thing I am very sure of — how incredibly thankful I am for the overwhelming support I have felt from the athletic department, the coaches, academics, my teammates and most all from the fans,” Mauk wrote in that hand-written statement. “I will continue to make myself the best I can be. I wish the Mizzou football program the best.” Edited by Elizabeth Loutfi | eloutfi@themaneater.com

Wichita. What is the benefit for us to go play them?” He has a point. Even on a night that featured John Calipari and Tyler Ulis and the rest of the star-studded Kentucky cast, Self wasn't that amused. It was a nonconference game planted smack dab in the middle of conference play, and Self wasn't the biggest fan. “It was a good game, but the time doesn't give it the same juice,” Self said post-game. “I didn't think (the crowd) was as good as OU.” Just a good game? Only one overtime, not two like Oklahoma. My bad. Not the same juice? The crowd hit over 118 decibels on the meter. So we can agree to disagree, coach Self. Self is a Big 12 guy as are many-a-Kansas fan, and maybe that's the issue. Maybe the way Mizzou left is why there's no more rivalry. Maybe the commitment to football has crushed the Border War. Or maybe, just maybe, there's no benefit for Kansas to play

Missouri. Maybe for a school that prides itself solely on basketball, the matchup is unnecessary to Kansas’ goals as a basketball team year-in and year-out. "We're not scared to play them,” said Anthony Rittof, a KU graduate student. “I respect their tradition, and I understand the questions, but is it that necessary?" A week ago, Self spoke to the rivalry, telling David Ubben that “(the ball) is probably in our court on who should make the next move." The longer Big Jay and Truman go without talking and the longer the ball is dribbled without switching hands, there's no reason to believe a move will be made. The majority of Kansas fans have moved on and Missouri hasn't given them a reason to look back. And for that reason, this should impact Missouri fans the hardest. Edited by Nancy Coleman | ncoleman@themaneater.com


THE STUDENT VOICE OF MU SINCE 1955

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