Vol82issue23

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Vol. 82, Issue 23

MARCH 9, 2016

headed out

Payton bids farewell to MSA presidency Head: “I think through everything, we accomplished a lot.”

EMILY GALLION Assistant News Editor

JENNIFER LEVIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Director Spike Lee follows and records the Concerned Student 1950 protest on Monday. Lee is known for being involved in black rights activism.

CS1950

Spike Lee films CS1950 doc Concerned Student 1950 member Kendrick Washington: He’s not new to understanding institutionalized oppression, racism, any of that.”

ALEC LEWIS Sports Editor Oscar-nominated film director and entertainment icon Spike Lee came to MU to shift the narrative, said Marshall Allen, an original member of student movement Concerned Student 1950.

Lee has been on campus since the Saturday screening of the Concerned Student 1950 documentary, produced by journalism students Varun Bajaj, Adam Dietrich and Kellan Marvin, at the True/False Film Fest. On Monday, ESPN spokesman Jay Jay Nesheim said that Lee was at MU for a “digital short,” part of his “Spike Lee’s Lil’ Joints” series that will air May 31.

This specific short is titled “2 Fists Up” and is “an examination of how the Black Lives Matter movement sparked activism at the University of Missouri, its football team and across of the rest of the United States.”

Lee is the founder of 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks.

A graduate of Morehouse College, a historically black

university in Atlanta, Lee has directed movies about racial issues such as “Malcolm X” and “Do the Right Thing.”

This most recent project, on which Lee declined to comment as he walked with and filmed protesters Monday, fits seamlessly with his passion for sports and race, Concerned Student 1950 member Kendrick Washington said.

“First of all, Spike is an educator,” Washington said.

“This is something that he follows. He’s not new to understanding institutionalized oppression, racism, any of that. So, his questions and his approach was more a reflection from his work and our drive behind the movement, so it was a dialogue. We were discussing oppression on various settings.”

On Monday, Lee also had a sit-down interview with graduate student Jonathan Butler, who went on a hunger strike in November 2015 with the goal of removing UM System President Tim Wolfe from office.

Butler tweeted Monday morning he was no longer affiliated with Concerned Student 1950.

Hours later, Lee and members of his production team followed a Concerned Student 1950 protest from the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center to Traditions Plaza.

Payton Head remembers having a conversation with a waitress at The Heidelberg before beginning his MSA presidential campaign. She told him she would vote for him and his running mate Brenda Smith-Lezama because she felt they “truly got it.”

She said to him: “I work all these hours for the Heidelberg. I barely have time to study. I can barely afford to go here. If I miss one paycheck or if somebody doesn’t tip me the right way, I could be out of here in a heartbeat.”

Head said the conversation opened his eyes to the amount of privilege he had in even being able to run for and hold the position of Missouri Students Association president. He realized that students like that waitress were not able to be active in MSA because they had to work and did not have some of the options that he did, such as taking only nine credit hours one semester to give more time to the organization.

“The average student who’s working 40-plus hours a week just to stay a student at Mizzou is not going to be sitting in MSA committee meetings, but somebody has to know their experiences, and somebody has to speak up for them,” he said.

Head has tried throughout his presidency to understand students who come from different backgrounds than his own. He grew up in the South Side of Chicago, so he said when he arrived at MU, he was “still learning about white people.”

He and Smith-Lezama ran on a platform titled “Ignite Mizzou” with a strong social justice emphasis. He said in September 2015 that he was initially told he would “never win” because he was black and, at the time, not a member of a fraternity.

Head and Smith-Lezama were the first two black students to win the presidency and vice presidency together. The election received the highest voter turnout in MSA history.

“I think we did really well (meeting the goals of our platform), honestly,” he said. “The first semester, I was a little concerned because I didn't know that we would have time to do everything that we wanted, but I think through everything, we accomplished a lot.”

SPIKE | Page 4

HEAD | Page 5

Explaining the UM System The UM System is complex. We tried to break it down for you.

page 7

Didn’t catch this True/False secret screening? Check it out:

page 15

Terrence Phillips is the new favorite for Mizzou basketball fans.

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THE MANEATER | ETC. | MARCH 9, 2016

NEWS

MU, city and state news for students

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COURTESY OF EARL/SCHAFER CAMPAIGN

missouri students association

Earl/Schafer celebrate special election win

Earl: “We decided to run after all of the drama because we saw a lot of our friends and our peers hurting.”

ANDREW FREIN Staff Writer Hot Box Cookies was the first place Sean Earl stopped Wednesday night after hearing the results of the Missouri Students Association special election.

Once he ordered a cookie and calmed his nerves, Earl made a phone call to New Hampshire to tell his mother that he was going to be the next MSA president.

The route Earl and his running mate Tori Schafer took to become the president and vice president of MSA was a nontraditional one. After a brief special

campaign season, Earl and Schafer were announced the victors of MSA’s special election on March 4.

Earl and Schafer will have their work cut out for them as the next leaders of MSA. In addition to appointing a new executive cabinet and acquainting themselves with an almost entirely new set of committee chairs, Earl and Schafer will be charged with the task of repairing MSA’s damaged reputation.

“Right now, MSA is at rock bottom,” Earl said. “I think it was necessary for Tori and I to be elected because we have that knowledge of how MSA works.

We know where the kinks are (and) we know where the issues are.”

Despite the long road ahead, Earl is optimistic about the future of MSA. Earl said a large part of rebuilding MSA will be transparency. He plans on strengthening MSA’s relationship with KCOU and MUTV and transforming

the Department of Student Communications into an entire committee. Earl said he hopes these changes will show students what MSA can truly do for them and inspire more of them to get involved.

Earl also said he plans to create monthly “town hall meetings” where students can bring their ideas and opinions to MSA in an informal setting. Currently, any student can speak at a full Senate meeting, but Earl said this is often too intimidating for students.

“We’re hoping that the town hall will be more of a safe space environment where people can have those kinds of conversations and feel like they’re not under pressure,” Earl said.

Earl and Schafer’s journey to the executive office began during the full Senate meeting Feb. 24 when

MSA | Page 8

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Academic Retention Services seeks to expand its staff Graduate assistant Marcus Ferguson: “ARS has a special touch with the students because when they come in here, we don’t rush them in and out.

We spend our time with (them).”

TESS VRBIN Staff Writer Over the past two semesters, Academic Retention Services has undergone leadership and operational changes, but its mission to serve students has stayed the same.

When ARS Director Donell Young was hired in July 2015, Vice Provost of Undergraduate Studies Jim Spain asked him to create a committee to expand the

reach of ARS. “Instead of one size fits all, we’re going to develop programs that are going to be helpful for students based on their academic preparedness,” Young said.

Last semester, students requested that ARS become more active in minority communities, but Young and graduate assistant Marcus Ferguson both emphasized that serving underrepresented students was already their priority. The department serves all students that come to MU on diversity-based scholarships, such as the George C. Brooks Scholarship, and reaches out to minority students without scholarships.

To make this easier, ARS is expanding its staff.

There are currently five full-time staff members, two graduate assistants and student staff. Ferguson said some schools have larger ARS buildings and more staff than MU does, but they serve half the amount of students. Former Missouri Students Association

adviser Farouk Aregbe will soon join Young as an ARS coordinator, and the office will soon hire a third one.

More staff will make ARS more effective in serving multiple students, Ferguson said.

“ARS has a special touch with the students because when they come in here, we don’t rush them in and out,” he said. “We spend our time with (them).”

He said students come to ARS to discuss issues they are facing, not just academically but also personally, such as being a minority on campus. Ferguson said Young was a mentor to him when he was an undergraduate at MU. ARS seeks and receives student feedback regarding its programs in order to better serve the student population. One way ARS does this is through a

ARS | Page 8

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THE MANEATER | NEWS | MARCH 9, 2016

SPIKE Continued from page 1

When Allen was asked about this and if Lee was involved in planning the protest, he said: “It just so happened that (Lee) was here.”

Many have reported on this group, but Allen said the way Lee has done it has been different — “a good different.”

“One of the first things he does it that he captures what it takes behind the scenes,” Allen said. “Everybody only sees us when we’re doing demonstrations and when we’re angry, but the first question that Spike Lee started asking was, ‘What does it take to do this?’ We appreciate the fact that we have people that want to come and know the truth.

“He’s someone who wants to come and actually shift the narrative of the monstrous, the vilifying, the demonizing of black students on campus speaking out, so we really do appreciate people who come to actually find out the truth.”

Washington concurred and spoke with a similar appreciation.

“I think I can speak on the behalf of Concerned Student, but we are extremely appreciative of Spike’s presence — him wanting to hear our narrative is a great feeling and it’s an accomplishment,” Washington said. “ We know people care about our movement on a national level and our dedication inspired him to come to know more about us.”

Edited by Taylor Blatchford | tblatchford@themaneater.com

JENNIFER LEVIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

A student leads the Concerned Student 1950 demonstration Monday. Concerned Student 1950 has done several demonstrations during the 2015–16 school year on campus.

JENNIFER LEVIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

JENNIFER LEVIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

White and black students march hand and hand through campus as they protest for Concerned Students 1950. Students of all races and genders were seen standing with the Concerned Students 1950 crowd Monday.

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Three students lead the Concerned Student 1950 demonstration Monday. Each of these students as well as their following chanted, “We will be alright,” as they marched throughout campus.

JENNIFER LEVIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Concerned Student 1950 activists march down East Rollins Street. Many of the activists danced and chanted, “If we don’t get it, shut it down!” and “Back up back up, we want freedom!”

JENNIFER LEVIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Concerned Student 1950 activists continue their march down East Rollins Street.

The protest route was through highly populated parts of campus.

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THE MANEATER | NEWS | MARCH 9, 2016

Click supports AAUP’s investigation of dismissal An investigation by an AAUP committee may result in MU being added to a censure list, warning potential faculty of academic and tenure freedom breaches.

ANNA SUTTERER AND KYRA HAAS of The Maneater Staff The American Association of University Professors announced Monday that it will send a committee to MU to conduct a formal investigation of assistant communication professor Melissa Click’s termination, according to a news release.

Depending on the findings, the AAUP may add MU to its censure list, which warns “association members, the profession at large and the public” about institutions breaking academic freedom and tenure principles. It reports investigated administrations and serves as a caution to

potential faculty.

MU was censured by the AAUP in 1973 after administrators sanctioned sociology professors. The department called off classes in 1970 due to the Vietnam War and the Kent State and Jackson State shootings, according to the department’s website.

On Feb. 24, the UM System Board of Curators voted to terminate Click’s employment during an executive session, according to previous Maneater reporting, despite Click having been well into the process of being evaluated for tenure.

Not only was this method incongruent with common practice nationwide, it also deviated from standard MU procedure, according to the release.

Click released a statement Tuesday in support of the AAUP’s upcoming investigation. Click has appealed the board’s decision to terminate her without due process and said the AAUP’s investigation into the matter underscores her belief that “the Curators have overstepped their authority,” according to her statement.

“The Board of Curators is using me

as a scapegoat to distract from larger campus issues, but their termination of my employment will not remedy the environment of injustice that persists at MU,” Click wrote. “Instead of seeking to silence Black students and their allies, MU must acknowledge the concerns of marginalized students on our campus, address the racial problems that shape the campus community and ensure fair treatment of all students, staff and faculty.”

The UM System and the Board of Curators had no comment on the AAUP’s decision to investigate, UM System spokesman John Fougere said in an email.

Three AAUP committee members from other institutions will visit Columbia on March 22–23 to meet with board and faculty leaders, administration and Click.

The investigating committee will gather information about the board’s proceedings and the positions of principal parties to determine if the dismissal violated the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure.

The statement has been endorsed by more than 240 educational organizations

including the Missouri Association of Faculty Senates, according to the AAUP website.

The AAUP release states termination should, if possible, be considered by both a faculty committee and the board, and in all cases of dispute, the accused teacher be informed of charges before a hearing proceeds. The committee will question whether the board’s actions disregarded MU’s own policies concerning academic freedom and tenure.

A draft report of the committee’s findings will be sent to the AAUP’s standing Commitee A, which focuses on Academic Freedom and Tenure. If approved, Click and MU administration will be invited to comment on the draft.

The AAUP will publish the final text online and in its bulletin, and Committee A will use the report at its meeting June 3 and 4 to determine if censuring the MU administration is justified.

Edited by Taylor Blatchford | tblatchford@ themaneater.com

Payton looks back on his term as MSA president HEAD Continued from page 1

He said one of the major successes was establishing the national It’s On Us campaign at MU, which he said became a model for other universities to follow. The implementation of the campaign came with a few struggles. He and Smith-Lezama were dissatisfied with the lack of national leadership in programming for It’s On Us, which left most of the work to students at individual universities.

The two used It’s On Us to promote existing sexual assault prevention organizations and initiatives rather than trying to “reinvent the wheel” and create new ones. He said he was also satisfied with the way his cabinet handled a controversy over a showing of the film “American Sniper” as well as their participation in different leadership summits, including trips to Israel and Washington, D.C. However, the promotion of It’s On Us and other programs were set aside when MU became the focus of a national conversation on race relations.

Head was at the center of one of the first events leading up to the resignations of former UM System President Tim Wolfe and former Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin. After a group of students called him the N-word as he was walking through campus, he made a Facebook post that went viral.

The first “Racism Lives Here” demonstration came 12 days later. As more and more events unfolded, Head played a prominent role in the activism.

He had already been interviewed

by The Washington Post for an article about his Facebook post and was comfortable speaking with national media outlets.

After the resignations, he went on CNN and MSNBC. He said that

by then, giving an interview felt routine.

“I had to be very discerning with the media outlets that I chose to interview with because some people weren’t after the real story,” he said. “Some journalists came down with the story they were going to tell, and they just needed two or three people to validate it for them.”

Although Head and other activists celebrated the resignations of the administrators Nov. 9, the next night was different. Concerned Student 1950 tore down their makeshift campsite amid threats on Yik Yak of violence, and Head mistakenly posted on social media that the Ku Klux Klan was at MU. After that post, which he removed and posted an apology for, calls for his resignation began circulating on Twitter.

“Honestly, that was horrible,” he said. “Nobody wants to scare people or put out misinformation.

Especially for me, I had the best intentions of the students at mind in every single thing that I was doing, and I think that was hard for me, you know, to fail.”

Looking back on that week, he described it as hell.

“It was really scary,” he said.

“For a peaceful protest, people wanted to take my life. I didn’t go home for two weeks. I was living at my friend’s house or I was sleeping in my office, and there were times when I didn’t even go to my office because it was so bad.”

On Twitter, he and other activists received tweets from “trolls,” he said, who tried to “suppress people who tried to get the word out” for Concerned Student 1950. He said sometimes he would refresh his notifications after just a few seconds and find 30 or more mentions.

He said he felt like he had a target on his back and that he and other activists were “scared for (their) lives.” Since then, he said

MANEATER FILE PHOTO

MSA Vice President Brenda Smith-Lezama practices her inauguration speech with President Payton Head on Jan. 31, 2015. The inauguration was held at the Great Reading Room in Ellis Library.

he has gotten treatment through the Student Health Center and is learning to rely on others to support him.

“I’m still in a traumatic state after last semester,” he said. “I don’t interact with people in the same way that I did before I was elected.”

He said he met with students who emailed him about the incident and said all of those conversations ended positively.

After that semester, Head was ready to move on. In an interview at the beginning of the spring semester, he said he was looking forward to “focusing on being a student” and leaving the stress of the presidency behind.

President-elect Haden Gomez and running mate Chris Hanner both resigned the night they were scheduled to be inaugurated, and Head became interim MSA president for over a month while the Board of Elections Commissioners and Senate organized a new election.

“I’m getting ready to graduate,

obviously,” Head said in an interview the night of Gomez’s resignation. “But at the same time, I care about MSA, I care about the students, and I want us to be in a much better place. I don’t want to leave MSA in a place where it’s not productive and not serving the student body like it should be.”

After Sean Earl and Tori Schafer were elected president and vice president at the end of the special election, Head said he believed they genuinely cared for the students.

He said he hoped that Earl and Schafer would put students first and not get caught up in the “gold nametag” mentality. He called the special election “cute” and said he was looking forward to graduating the night of the announcement at Traditions Plaza. “(MSA president is) something that’s been a part of my identity for the past year,” he said. “It’s been a position where I’ve grown and learned so much about myself, and I’m just excited that that experience can be shared with

somebody else moving forward.

I’m not meant to be here forever.”

Head is graduating with a degree in political science. He does not have concrete plans yet but says he is looking into ways to include his work with advocacy and diversity into his career goals.

“This semester and this experience that I’ve had have changed and shaped what I want to do and what I thought I wanted to do,” he said.

With regards to the protests and resignations earlier in the year, he emphasized that he wanted students to remember that MU was “not a bad place to live” and said he was glad to go to a school that made itself a model in speaking out against racial harassment.

“Every other school in the country has its issues,” he said.

“Mizzou just became the epicenter of it. I’ve never been prouder to call myself a Missouri Tiger.”

Edited by Waverly Colville | wcolville@themaneater.com

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THE MANEATER | NEWS | MARCH 9, 2016

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THE MANEATER | NEWS | MARCH 9, 2016

Explaining the UM System

CLAIRE MITZEL Staff Writer

What is the UM System?

The University of Missouri System is a state university system made up of four public universities, a healthcare system, an extension program providing distance learning opportunities and 10 research parks home to high-tech companies. It is primarily funded by the state, with the university system receiving more than $450 million from the state each year, and an additional $120 million from gifts. The UM System’s total endowment is $1.3 billion.

The four campuses, MU, UM-Kansas City, UM-St. Louis and the Missouri University of Science and Technology, are each separately accredited and offer both undergraduate and graduate/ professional programs. MU, the flagship campus, is the oldest and largest school within the system.

The Board of Curators governs the UM System and chooses the system’s president, who reports to the board.

Each campus has a chancellor who reports to the president. There are also five vice presidents, a chief of staff and UM Healthcare Advisory board who report to the UM System president.

Why was the UM System created?

MU was founded in 1839, but the UM System wasn’t created until 1963.

The Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy was established in 1870 as part of a compromise between the General Assembly: The Colleges of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts would be housed at the Columbia campus, and an additional campus would open in Rolla. When the UM System was created in 1963, the Missouri School of Mines became UM-Rolla (now known as Missouri S&T).

UMKC was the University of Kansas City before becoming part of the UM System. At the time, MU was having trouble attracting Kansas Cityarea residents and the University of Kansas City was $1.5 million in debt.

Richard Drake, a former president of

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Mike Middleton speaks at a press conference after being announced as the interim president of the UM System on Nov. 12, 2015, at University Hall.

the University of Kansas City, told MU President Elmer Ellis that he saw no future for his school unless it became part of MU. To benefit both schools, plans were made to merge the two campuses.

After a country club sold land in St. Louis to the Normandy School District to create a junior college in 1950, the college, Normandy Residence Center, opened under the supervision of MU. After a large increase in enrollment, it was suggested that it become a fouryear institution and a campus of MU. In 1963, the four different universities merged to become the UM System.

Who’s in charge of the UM System?

The Board of Curators is the governing board of the UM System. It is in charge of appointing a UM System president. Both the board and president

are in charge of the four-campus system, with the board delegating power to the president.

Before the UM System was created, MU had a president. Now, there is one UM System president and a chancellor for every campus. The interim UM System president is Mike Middleton.

The interim MU chancellor is Hank Foley.

What exactly happened in fall 2015 within the UM System?

The fall semester of 2015 was punctuated by protests and resignations that put MU in the national spotlight.

Beginning in August, when graduate student health care was cut, MU experienced a number of protests about graduate rights, Planned Parenthood and racial injustice that culminated in the resignations of Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin and UM System President Tim Wolfe on Nov. 9.

It is commonly believed that Loftin and Wolfe both resigned because of the issue of racism on campus and what some saw as the lack of an administrative response. Loftin, however, did not resign solely because of student discontent, but also because of growing discontent from faculty and administrators.

In October, nine deans met with Loftin, Wolfe and Provost Garnett Stokes to ask for Loftin’s resignation, citing miscommunication, frustration with Loftin and a relationship that was irreparable. He didn’t resign.

Faculty were also unsatisfied with Loftin’s leadership; Faculty Council drafted a statement voicing their concern, and the English department faculty voted no confidence in his leadership. School of Medicine faculty

Continued on Page 8

were unhappy with the resignation of Dean Patrice Delafontaine, whom many thought Loftin forced out. Loftin also came under fire from students for his handling of a series of racial incidents on campus. Hours before Loftin’s resignation, the deans signed a letter calling for Loftin’s removal because of the “toxic environment” he had created.

While students were unhappy with Loftin’s handling of the racial incidents that occurred in fall 2015, Wolfe became the new target of dissatisfaction after an October Homecoming parade incident in which Wolfe’s car was blocked by Concerned Student 1950 protesters. The protesters were trying to get Wolfe’s attention after they said he had not responded to racial injustices on campus in years past and never responded to letters or emails. Ten days later, Concerned Student 1950 released demands for MU and UM System administrators. The first demand was that Wolfe issue a handwritten apology and hold a press conference acknowledging his “white male privilege.”

In November, following a Missouri football player boycott and national media attention, Wolfe resigned.

Hours later, Loftin resigned too. Since then, many have wondered if Wolfe was the wrong target and if it was his role as president to get involved with MU’s problems. The chancellor plays a more direct role in day-to-day life on MU’s campus, whereas the UM System president’s role is typically seen as more overarching. But if the chancellor fails to address problems, as Concerned Student 1950 believed Loftin had done, then is it the president’s role to step in?

It is unclear where the line stands for the president versus the chancellor's roles given the vague nature of the bylaws that govern the chancellor and president.

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THE MANEATER | NEWS | MARCH 9, 2016 COURTESY OF JUSTIN ROBERTS

What is the Board of Curators and what does it do?

The Board of Curators was first created in 1839 under the Geyer Act, the same legislation that created MU. Under the act, the curators had the power to conduct business in the interest of the university, draft the school’s bylaws and appoint a president.

The Board of Curators, being the governing board of the UM System, has the final say in all decisions relating to the four-campus system. While the board delegates authority to various officers of the UM System such as the president and chancellors, the curators have the right to act as they see fit.

Essentially, the board has the combined power of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government.

Some of the board’s responsibilities include assessing the UM System president’s annual performance-based goals, approving the annual budget and tuition, reviewing the university’s mission and “exercis(ing) such other authority as from time to time it deems appropriate” within the laws of the U.S. and Missouri, according to the board bylaws. The board also has the right to make, change or repeal board bylaws and rules.

Curators have individual responsibilities, such as becoming familiar with the board’s bylaws,

accepting and defending “academic freedom and the practice of collaboration governance” and working with the board to balance the public’s interest with the UM System’s need to fulfill its mission.

The board is based in Columbia, since MU is the flagship campus, but it holds regular meetings at all four campuses each year in addition to their annual meeting at MU. The board also has the right to hold any special meetings as they see fit. During meetings, the board sometimes goes into executive session to discuss confidential matters, such as the hiring and firing of personnel and contract negotiations. There must be five members on the board at any time in order to conduct business.

How are curators appointed?

In the beginning of the board’s history, there were 15 curators who served two-year terms. After going through changes throughout the next 30 years, a provision about the board was put into the Missouri Constitution.

The new legislation lowered the number of curators to nine and stipulated that curators would be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Missouri Senate. Curators serve six-year terms.

In the past, the governor and Senate have clashed over board nominations.

In these cases, the governor will either withdraw the nomination and attempt to appoint the person at a later date or be forced to appoint someone else.

JESSI DODGE | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Interim Chancellor Hank Foley discussed assistant professor Melissa Click’s employment and tenure application status Jan. 25 in Jesse Hall.

No more than two curators can be from the same congressional district, and no more than five can be from the same political party. Three curators’ terms expire every two years. Curators are not paid, but any expenses incurred are paid by the UM System.

Who are the current curators?

There are currently six curators and three vacant seats. The six curators are Chairwoman Pam Henrickson, Don Cupps, Maurice Graham, John Phillips, Phillip Snowden and David Steelman.

Since November, three curators have resigned. One of the former curators, Ann Covington, resigned in mid-November. In January, before the Senate could confirm her appointment, Yvonne Sparks resigned. David Steward resigned Feb. 1.

The resignations left the board with a noticeable lack of diversity; there is now one woman serving on the board and no racial minorities. Gov. Jay Nixon said he would fill the vacancies as soon as possible, but the Senate has promised to rebuff his attempts to appoint new curators until a new governor takes office next year.

What are the roles of the UM System president and chancellors?

The UM System president, according to an overview of the UM System organization, is charged with providing “overall leadership, vision and direction for the University of Missouri System” and carrying out the UM System’s mission. This includes creating a positive learning environment, developing an effective administration and setting high standards for community-university engagement.

The president serves as the “chief executive and academic officer” of the UM System, according to the overview, and has the authority to act for and on behalf of the board in any way he sees fit, within the bylaws, board rules and specific instructions of the board. He is accountable to the board and they have the final say in all matters.

The president has the right to vote at all faculty meetings and appoint all non-board committees. Additionally, he reports on progress and needs of the UM System at board meetings and

recommends changes as he sees fit.

The four chancellors are the chief academic and administrative officers of their campuses and are tasked with managing their campuses and reporting to the president. Their foremost responsibility is to “attain excellence of programs and offerings within the resources available to the campuses,” according to the Collected Rules and Regulations of the UM System.

Chancellors are also responsible for private fundraising and ensuring student support services are provided.

Additionally, each year, the Board of Curators and UM System president visit the chancellors at their respective campuses to meet with the chancellor, deans and a select number of faculty and student representatives.

What is the process for hiring presidents and chancellors?

The president is selected after an extensive presidential search by a committee that selects the private search firm they will use, decides what qualifications they want to see in the next president, interviews candidates and selects the president.

The committee holds forums before they begin the search to gain an idea of what the four campuses and Missouri community as a whole wish to see in the next president. Then they meet to discuss the input received and draft a qualification statement. As candidates begin to emerge, the search committee interviews them and meets with constituent groups before choosing the next president. The process typically takes close to a year.

The presidential search committee for the next UM System president will be composed of 11 representatives from all four campuses — two faculty members, two students, one staff member and all six curators.

The process to hire a chancellor is similar; there is an MU chancellor search committee composed of students, faculty, staff, alumni and administrators.

Public forums are held to determine what the community and stakeholders wish to see in the next chancellor, and a search firm is chosen to assist the search committee. Past search committees have conducted searches both only within the UM System and also nationwide.

Edited by Taylor Blatchford tblatchford@themaneater.com

|

9

THE MANEATER | NEWS | MARCH 9, 2016

developing future programs to help students reach their individual goals for success.

Young spent his first semester as ARS director working to form strong relationships with administration, faculty, staff and students. These relationships are another way ARS seeks and receives student input. The department has been reaching out to various

student organizations and has been increasing its social media presence, he said.

Spain said in an email that ARS is collaborating with the Honors College and the Fellowships Office. In the fall 2016 semester, ARS will support a Freshman Interest Group and two sections of the College Success Seminar class.

According to the MU course

catalog, SSC 1150 is a twocredit-hour course that helps students use their strengths to develop individual methods for collegiate success. “A cademic Re tention Services is making exciting progress and will be positioned to successfully implement their new strategic plan,� Spain said.

Edited by Waverly Colville | wcolville@themaneater.com

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workshop called “You Talk, We Listen,� which invites students to express their opinions about how ARS helps them and how it could improve. “A lot of times in college, you’re being talked at and you’re not really being heard,�

Ferguson said. “This is (the students’) opportunity to talk back.�

Young divided the committee into five subcommittees that focus on different aspects of the strategic plan the committee is crafting: peer mentoring, financial awareness and literacy, a summer transition program for incoming freshmen, faculty involvement with students, and

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Continued from page 3

Moving forward, Earl believes MSA won’t tolerate members who are only searching for a golden name tag and corner office. “(What happened last November) just seemed very messy, and it’s not what MSA is about,� Earl said. “I think a lot of those individuals, just off of new leadership have left. (The) last election was the last phase of transitioning the group out that is focused on the titles and ambition.�

Edited by Waverly Colville | wcolville@themaneater.com

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ARS

presidential election at the beginning of next year, but Schafer said that the problems that she and Earl saw in MSA last semester “sped their plans a couple months forward." “(My relationship to Sean in Senate) was very conflictual, but at the same time, we always knew that the other one was working for what we thought was the best for our organization and the student body,� Schafer said. “Through that we gained a mutual respect for each other.

Ever since freshman year, Sean and I have had such a great working relationship and also such a great friendship.�

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former President-elect Haden Gomez and Vice President-elect Chris Hanner resigned. “We decided to run after all of the drama because we saw a lot of our friends and our peers hurting,� Earl said. “(We saw) how much a group of individuals could tarnish an entire association that represents over 27,000 students. We wanted to get back to what we came into when we first started in MSA and that

candidates said they relied heavily on their staff during the election, which was made up of MSA members and newcomers alike. “I think our graphics got done in four days,� Schafer said. “Everything was really quick and we had a lot of dedicated people and students who really wanted to see change work for us and work hard to get the campaign where it needed to be in order for us to win.�

Earl and Schafer became friends while serving on the Operations Committee as freshmen. They had originally planned to run in an MSA

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MSA

Continued from page 3

was the true spirit of service, advocacy and representing our fellow Tigers.�

In the direct aftermath of the meeting, it was uncertain who would take part in the special election. Earl, a sophomore, said he originally didn’t want to run for MSA president because he considered it a role better suited for an upperclassman.

After discussing the situation in detail with Schafer, the pair decided that this was the time.

Earl and Schafer then began an impromptu campaign — a process that was made more difficult by the quick pace of the special election. Both

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

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Sincerely, A Black Artist

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themaneater.com/workforus

Within an essay I was reading

by W.E.B. Du Bois, I came upon an interesting topic, which I will paraphrase for you now. Basically, Du Bois was approached by a black poet who said that he wished no one saw him as a black poet because he was simply a poet, and his blackness shouldn't interfere with someone's interpretation of him as an artist.

Du Bois took this and thought about how disappointing that was, because your background will always contribute to your art, because the artist’s personal perspective will always shine through in what they produce, and we shouldn’t shy away from that. Although I do agree with Du Bois, I believe there is another sad element to this argument entirely.

As an artist of any form your race, background, personality and all aspects of your identity show up within whatever you choose to produce intentionally or not. As an artist, you should embrace that because any form of art is truly just for the artist, and if other people should identify with it or if your art sells is an added bonus. But sometimes when you're an artist whose identity is underrepresented, you find yourself overcompensating.

What do I mean by that?

I'm a writer, and not just for the diversity column. I also write fiction, poetry, etc. Although when I'm writing, I often come across the same problem. I'm writing for "my people" and not for myself. As a writer, I'm completely aware of the lack of black novels, characters and readership. I find myself starting a new story thinking... Well, what would black people like to read?

Well, how do I make sure my main character is obviously black? Well, how do I make sure that I make sure this is identified as a black character but make it for a universal readership so that it could sell? I ruin a lot of pieces just thinking about myself as a black writer and overcompensating for that fact instead of just letting my blackness speak for itself. I'm aware that everything I write will be identifiable as coming from a black woman, but I have to erase that consciousness when I produce a piece.

But this also doesn't mean that if I write without consciously writing for a black audience that my pieces aren't ever again specifically for a black audience. Sometimes I just write and read it back and go, "wow, I'm black." And that is so much better than searching for a way to produce blackness.

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KENNEDY JONES

that with justice and safety.

Still, Head’s term wasn’t flawless. During the height of hysteria caused by an assortment of Yik Yak threats in November, Head posted on social media that the Ku Klux Klan had been “confirmed” on campus.

That information proved to be false, but the repercussions were swift as people called for Head’s impeachment. Yes, Head made a mistake and added to the fear. He went too far to protect his fellow students.

As a slate, Head/Smith-Lezama failed to follow through with their plans to improve MSA’s outreach. The Cocoa Chats with Cabinet were a great start toward improving the relationship and communication between MSA’s executive branch and the student body, but they didn’t last.

Additionally, Head/Smith-Lezama displayed a troubling lack of transparency when their Chief of Staff Kelcea Barnes was dismissed for “professional differences.” The administration was enthusiastic in announcing Barnes, but the next transition seemed to be swept under the rug.

The Ignite Mizzou pair had a large impact on MSA elections, considering the voter turnout that they were able to achieve. Voting totals during their campaign year reached 7,075 votes, the highest ever in MU history. The previous year the student body cast only 5,387 votes. The last two elections were shadows compared to Head/Smith-Lezama’s.

Additionally, Head continued to sacrifice for MSA when he stepped up to serve as interim president following the resignations of President-elect Haden Gomez and Vice President-elect Chris Hanner.

Payton Head and Brenda Smith-Lezama didn’t reinvent the Missouri Students Association, nor did we expect them to.

They didn’t accomplish many of the items on their platform, nor did they navigate through their terms completely without fault. But this isn’t to say that they haven’t made a significant impact.

For this generation of freshmen, and for several to follow, the way Head used the office of MSA president will serve as a model to strive toward. They were the ideal students to serve in their positions for the tumultuous time in which they held office and their impact on MSA will not be soon forgotten.

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With the election of Sean Earl and Tori Schafer to the Missouri Students Association presidency, the Ignite Mizzou era has reached its end.

Outgoing president Payton Head’s term had its ups and downs, but through his leadership, he transformed what it means to be MSA president and made MSA relevant again.

The vice presidents did their jobs. Brenda Smith-Lezama finally defunded One Mizzou, Bill Vega started the budget process, and they both did what was required of them. But we largely credit the success of Ignite Mizzou to the president who stepped up to serve another month after a taxing term.

While his time as MSA president wasn’t perfect, he was the right leader to handle last semester.

From the beginning, Head strived to bring social justice to MSA in a meaningful way. He did just that when he posted about campus discrimination on Facebook last September, giving a voice to the marginalized students who experience discrimination and outright bigotry on a daily basis. He then used his two Twitter accounts, @HeadThePrez and @ MSAPresident, to hold administrators accountable when they didn’t respond to his post. Former Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin finally made statement six days later.

That post served to restart the conversation about race on campus. That conversation only gathered steam throughout the semester, culminating with the resignation of UM System President Tim Wolfe. Through it all, Head and MSA stood with students who were protesting. In fact, the executive cabinet met late at night to pen a letter calling for Wolfe’s resignation.

Under Head, MSA confronted campus issues, something the student government doesn’t typically do.

The controversy surrounding the on-campus showing of “American Sniper” in March 2015 was an early challenge for the new administration.

They held a meeting with the parties involved and then made the decision to go ahead with the showing of the film.

They listened to what the students wanted, and they understood the negative impact that the film had on students, but instead of censoring the film, they used it as an opportunity to spark a discussion about the film itself. This is what academia, learning and growth are all about, and we are proud to have an MSA president who knew how to balance

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A letter from a black artist

Ignite Mizzou lives up to its name

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the kaleidoscope view

EDITORIALS REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OPINION OF THE MANEATER EDITORIAL BOARD

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OPINION

We want to hear your voice.

Submit letters to the editor at: www.themaneater.com/letter-to-the-editor

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10

A PLACE FOR FREE EXPRESSION

11

THE MANEATER | OPINION | MARCH 9, 2016 the big-eyed believer

The excitement of Hindu holidays HUNTER BASSLER Religious rituals and traditions are, for the most part, pretty bland.

While rituals such as meditation, scripture readings and prayer are both fulfilling and important for those who take part, they are often seen by outsiders as nothing more than dull and unpleasant tasks. The majority of religions have some variant of these unappealing tasks.

But there is one religion that makes their rituals party-like and extravagant. Rituals that excite outsiders and appear as celebrations and fests. The religion I am describing is Hinduism, which is, in my eyes, the most festive of any religion.

One of these festivals took place Monday. The festival, Maha Shivaratri, is celebrated in honor of Hindu god Shiva. Shiva is part of the Hindu Trinity, along with other gods Vishnu and Brahma. While Hindus have many gods and divine beings, they believe that these beings are manifestations of one god. Each god has their own certain duties and powers, not unlike archangels in Christianity. Because of this, Hinduism provides a freedom

to approach the religion in each individual’s own way, encouraging a multiplicity of parts to the one god.

Maha Shivaratri is believed to be the day on which Shiva performed the Tandava. Tandava is described as the cosmic dance that set in motion the creation, conservation and inevitable destruction of the universe. When this act was committed, Shiva proved that he was more powerful and supreme than any of the Hindu gods or goddesses.

The traditions associated with this holiday are an all-night festival, all-day fast and offering of bael leaves. Tradition states that Shiva is pleased with these acts and will bless those who perform these tasks with good fortune. Hindus flock to Shiva temples around the world where the celebration is traditionally held. During the festival, Hindus are required to wear brand new or fresh, colorful clothing.

The celebration is often filled with music, song and chanting of religious mantras. There is also the ceremonial bathing of Shiva Linga, which is an abstract symbol of the energy and potential of Shiva. The ceremony is also accompanied by many offerings of beautiful flowers, the burning of incense and the lighting of many

lamps and candles, creating a beautiful sight to see. These acts are in worship to Shiva and are said to, if performed sincerely, absolve the devotee of all sins and help them attain moksha, or liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth.

While Hinduism may be relatively unknown in America’s society, one cannot deny the extravagance and beauty of their traditions and rituals.

With the complexity and monotony that is so often related to traditional religious rites, Hinduism stands out as truly being a celebration and party.

Perhaps this appeal is one of the reasons Hinduism is the third-largest religion in the world.

In a society of spectacle, one that is becoming more and more obsessed with image, people are putting the entertainment value of an activity above any sort of real meaning — even when it comes to religion.

Imagine baptisms being accompanied by strobe lights and dance music or Islamic Salat, daily prayers, ending in dance sessions. Hinduism shows the world you don’t need to choose between fun and important when it comes to rituals; sometimes you can have both.

THE POLITICAL PUPIL

The Trump nomination is on the horizon TESS VRBIN

I thought I would have a lot to say after Super Tuesday, but I was wrong.

Instead, I was at a loss for words.

I watched in disbelief as the primary results rolled in, declaring Donald Trump the winner of seven of the 11 states to hold Republican primaries that day. It was horrifying, to say the least. How could so many Americans believe that Trump, a man with no political background but an abundance of vulgar and hateful behavior, would be a good president?

At the time, it seemed impossible that anyone but Trump had a chance of winning the Republican nomination.

Super Saturday proved all was not lost when Trump only won two states and his nearest competitor, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), won two. Cruz had won three states on Super Tuesday, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) took one state that day and Puerto Rico on Saturday.

On Monday, Trump led Cruz by less than 100 delegates. That lead surpassed 100 after Trump won two more states on the second Super Tuesday, but Cruz’s win in Idaho and Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s third-place finish in Michigan proved the race isn’t over yet. Even so, Cruz, Rubio and Kasich need over 800 delegates combined just to force a brokered

Republican national convention.

A brokered convention happens when no single candidate wins more than 50 percent of the delegates’ votes. At that point, the delegates can change their allegiances and recast their votes in an attempt to generate a majority for one candidate. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who ran for president against Barack Obama in 2012, advocated Thursday for a brokered convention, saying that Trump “has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president.”

Though Romney is a huge Republican figure, it’s not very reassuring that he was willing to call Trump out, or that Rubio and Cruz took a break from criticizing each other during Thursday’s GOP debate and jointly went after Trump instead.

The Republican Party is desperate to stop Trump from being nominated, and while there’s still a chance he won’t be, the chance that he will is uncomfortably high.

“He's playing the members of the American public for suckers,” Romney said during his anti-Trump speech.

It’s true; Trump’s inflammatory and outrageous behavior has garnered him a wide margin of votes despite his lack of reasonable policy standpoints.

The Republican Party, however, seemed to initially think its members were the opposite of suckers, or at least not dumb enough to nominate Trump, because it didn’t try to take

collective action against Trump until a brokered convention became the only way he couldn’t win. His numerous Super Tuesday victories were a slap in the face of the Grand Old Party because suddenly it didn’t look so grand anymore.

Trump would deal another staggering blow to the establishment if he wins Florida’s winner-takeall primary March 15. Not only would he collect 99 delegates and decrease the likelihood of a brokered convention, but he would also give Rubio, a self-professed champion of the establishment Trump opposes, the painful humiliation of defeat in his own state. Ohio’s winner-take-all primary, also March 15, will make or break Kasich, who has said he will drop out of the race if he loses the state he governs.

Losses for Trump in Ohio and Florida are the key to forcing a brokered convention. If he wins those two states, he basically clinches the nomination.

Although Ohio and Florida are in the national spotlight, Missouri’s primary is March 15 as well. The majority of MU students will be eligible to vote for the first time, and I sincerely hope that we will put that right to good use. Some out-of-state students have already cast their votes in their home states, and others will cast theirs later. Still, with Trump in the lead, every vote matters.

12

THE MANEATER | NEWS | MARCH 9, 2016

City Council candidates talk

about expanding student housiNg The Maneater spoke with three of the four candidates running for City Council on the city increasing student housing.

MANYUN ZOU Reporter Four businesses closed to make room for student housing between June 2015 and February 2016, with two more closing in the upcoming months.

Problems associated with the growth has prompted public discussions on topics ranging from affordable housing to infrastructure.

The Maneater sat down with three City Council candidates to discuss their stance on increasing student housing.

Daryl Dudley, Fourth Ward City Council candidate, could not be reached for comment.

MANEATER FILE PHOTO

Ian Thomas, incumbent Fourth Ward councilman JENNIFER LEVIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Law student calls for action against new downtown developments AMOS CHEN

The petition, which would create new zoning ordinances, has gained over 2,000 signatures.

Reporter Second-year law student Grace Shemwell recently started a petition to halt to proposed student housing developments that would displace historic buildings in downtown Columbia. Directed at outgoing Mayor Bob McDavid and the Columbia City Council, the petition has gained 2,657 supporters as of March 8.

The Maneater sat down with Shemwell at a work session held by the Columbia Historic Preservation Commission on March 1 at the James Condominium, which is being replaced by a student housing complex this year.

Q: What motivated you to create the petition?

Shemwell: I grew up here — I’m a thirdgeneration Tiger, and I had grandparents who lived here. My parents were married in a church right next door here.

My second motivation is I saw on social media a lot of my friends very disturbed by the amount of luxury housing and how it was displacing affordable housing and how it tended to be a lot of historical buildings.

Sometimes it's not even housing; it’s historical buildings like the Shakespeare’s building. I said, “No one’s going to see your voice on Facebook, so I’m going to create a forum for your voice.”

Q: What’s the value of protecting historic structures downtown?

GS: A lot of the attraction of the district is the district as a whole, and it is a chainmail of beautiful little gems. The Blue Note is a really unique place, Booches is a really unique place — Mark Twain ate at Booches. Places are attractive for residents and visitors because they’re fun

places to be, they’re affordable places to go and they’ve got a historical background that makes it so unique.

About 75 percent of my petition (signatures) is local people who value history in our district area. You go to different buildings, you’ll find different things. You’ll find tin ceilings in certain places; you’ll find hand carved tables … you’re finding great hardware and wood doors you’ll never find in any place.

environment and allows for outward growth.

The third goal is to incentivize affordable housing for students. So instead of knocking people (from existing housing) for bringing in luxury housing, or just allowing people to build whatever they want, you would incentivize affordable housing so people would want to build that; which really helps out students and communities alike.

Q: What are the petition’s goals?

Q: What are your thoughts on luxury housing in Columbia?

GS: My primary goal was to have the council overturn their decision. At that point in time, I hadn’t studied the case law yet; my primary goal is literally impossible.

Under state law, they have to accept a plat if it reaches the zoning requirements. The plat met the zoning requirement.

The secondary goals are achievable, and that is to create a zoning (requirement) that will take into account what citizens want and what the (State Historical Society of Missouri) wants while allowing for economic growth. You see these sorts of zoning areas in historical districts around the world. It really creates a balanced

GS: The demand for the market is not for luxury housing, which is what people outside of the state and outside of the city are envisioning. They’re envisioning us as an SEC school — as rich kids willing to pay $1,000 a month to live downtown. Housing right now is suffering a lot of urban sprawl for affordability and a lot of high costs for poor housing units downtown.

Q: What are your thoughts on local politicians in regards to this issue?

GS: There has been a lot of gifting donations to (local mayoral campaigns), by the people who are developing these high rise complexes. People need to vote into office people who care about the things they care about.

(Fourth Ward Councilman) Ian Thomas … met with me personally. He cares about his constituents. People like (Fifth Ward Councilwoman) Laura (Nauser), she doesn’t really care about her constituents.

She wants what her political ideals are … and there’s already been uprising against her because she’s not fulfilling what her constituents want.

(Mayoral candidate Brian Treece) reached out to me and said, “OK, I care about history, too.” I think that says something when you have a mayoral candidate who comes to salvage a place that someone set a thousand-dollar donation for closing.

Q: Any final thoughts to add?

GS: I would also encourage people to keep signing the petition, because each signature is a signature that counts for bringing this incentive to the City Council.

Edited by Hailey Stolze | hstolze@ themaneater.com

Thomas thinks businesses closing to make room for student housing is a function of the economy and said the government should limit intervention in those property decisions.

“I do hope and I expect that a bar or restaurant will be built (where Casablanca and Bengals Bar and Grill used to stand) afterwards,” Thomas said. “I am a very big supporter of requiring retail and restaurants on the ground floor of an apartment building, which makes the whole community much more livable … (and) vibrant and it helps the local economy.”

He said he considers parking a controversial issue and said the parking conditions downtown changed a lot over the past few years. One way to solve the problem is to develop a more efficient bus system, he said, but the city would need more money to do so.

“No criticism of the staff that run the bus system,”

Thomas said. “They do the best they can with a very limited budget. But we put between a third and a fifth as much money in our bus system as Lawrence in Kansas, Ames in Iowa and Champaign in Illinois — all college towns, very similar to ours in other respects.”

All the cities fund their bus system mainly with students’ fees, which he said is around $100 each year per student.

Thomas is working on promoting the bus system.

He hired a consultant from Olsson Associates who will provide information about how bus systems work in college towns and help design a long-term plan for the bus system to maximize its efficiency.

“We need to continue to educate students, we need to educate University of Missouri staff and administrators, and we need to educate the community about the benefits of this to get that program started,”

Thomas said.

For Thomas, selling cheap land to student housing developers is protected by America’s strong emphasis on property rights. However, he said some efforts could still be made to increase affordable housing.

The city is now preparing a potential solution called Community Land Trust, a non-profit organization that will operate independently from the city, Thomas said.

The city will provide some funding to start and the organization can acquire lands and build affordable housing. People who buy the houses can only own the houses, not the land, and must sell the houses at a price below market level.

“It will take a long time to get there, but that will increase affordable housing,” Thomas said.

Karl Skala, incumbent Third Ward councilman Between 2010 and 2013, when Skala was not on City Council, Brookside Downtown apartments opened in Columbia. This was the first large-scale student housing complex downtown. After that, many student housing developers come to Columbia to seek the chance to develop student apartments in the city.

“I only voted for one of them … it was in the works that they had adequate parking and I thought the infrastructure would have the capacity and so on,” Skala said. “I have voted against those projects, all the rest of them, because I did not think the folks who developed these properties would really play by the

rules.”

Although developers know the high density of residential housing will bring many problems with infrastructure, Skala said they still use a loophole in the zoning code to construct the apartments without contributing significantly to the infrastructure solution. Now the city is facing bubble point in student housing.

“I will not support them, unless someone can convince me that they are willing to contribute significantly to the infrastructure cost,” Skala said.

For him, the infrastructure is not only “hard

infrastructure” like sewers, electricity and water, but also “soft infrastructure” like police, fire and all other items that support the development in general.

“I am not anti-growth,” Skala said. “I am prosustainable growth. Most of these large-scale developers, once they have all the leases in and other companies come around and buy their property, then they get out and develop some place else. Meanwhile, everybody in this community has to pick up tabs for all of these extra infrastructure.”

Tom Leuther, Third Ward candidate Leuther said the student increase, especially since MU joined the Southeastern Conference, puts more pressure on parking, an issue the city needs to deal with.

“There were already some suggestions about increasing parking before student housing ever came down here,” Leuther said. “The council did not apply the suggestions then, which could have eliminated some of the parking pressure this time.”

He also said the council’s existing plan in zoning and planning will be efficient if all parties stick with the plan.

“And that is up to the developers to make sure there is enough parking for the housing,” Leuther said. “So I think the current code and zoning is efficient for any new development that will have multiple resident housing inside that.”

As for the student housing occupying cheap lands, Leuther considered it the nature of free market and capitalism. He said student housing is not the main problem here.

“The increased taxes and fees are the reason for less affordable housing because the developers will pass the increased cost back on to the people,” Leuther said.

“This is also why Columbia is the highest-cost living city in the state. It all roots in our housing, because certain people believe that we need to increase fees and taxes.”

He also thinks student housing downtown will be good for business.

“I heard complaints about student housing construction keeping businesses away,” Leuther said.

“But eventually when it gets students coming in, it will really increase their businesses.”

Edited by Hailey Stolze | hstolze@themaneater.com

THE KEY TO YOUR ENTERTAINMENT

14

COURTESY OF SILK ROAD PROJECT

true/false 2016

‘Strangers’ showcases music around the world

What begins as a documentary on a group of myriad musicians becomes an analysis of the human condition as a whole.

KATHERINE WHITE In the very first shot of “The Music of Strangers,” we see internationally acclaimed musician Yo-Yo Ma enter a room with his instrument, then look at the camera and say: “This is my cello. Have you ever seen one before?”

Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville’s film then continues to weave the stories of the members of the Silk Road Ensemble — a band of musicians from around the globe started by Ma — together in a beautiful way that examines the role of music and the arts alongside identity, conflict and tragedy.

Quickly, the audience discovers that Ma might be the most likeable, hilarious and relatable virtuoso on the planet (yes, he even makes a fart joke). He describes his inner conflict when he says, “I’m always trying to figure out at some level who I am and how I fit into the world, which is something I think I share with 7 billion other people.” This question — the role of the arts and culture in the world as a whole — is one the whole film follows.

The documentary profiles several of the Silk Road Ensemble musicians who went through their own incredible journey of mastering an instrument,

traveling abroad and hoping to find out their role in the world. “The Music of Strangers” is about more than music; it’s about the human condition. It’s about how one continues life after tragedy, how one defines “home” and how one determines their own cultural identity.

The mission of the traveling musicians was to combine Western and Eastern musical tradition into one ensemble. Their instruments range from Ma’s cello to Iranian string instrument kamancheh to the Chinese pipa. While the combination is unusual, there is never a moment when the audience questions it.

An immersive musical number on the streets of a European town is one of the first things viewers see, guaranteeing that you’ll have chills from the start.

The soundtrack is, expectedly, one of the strongest parts of the film. Music from Silk Road Ensemble members themselves provides an emotional backdrop for their own stories. However, the soundtrack is more than just background; it’s an immersive and significant part of the film. Neville himself said at the director Q&A after the film that “music is not a wallpaper,” and this sentiment shows. The film would not be the same without its music — it carries you from story to story, and is, in a way, part of those stories.

One of the most stunning examples of this is during a scene in which Kinan Azmeh, clarinet player for the ensemble and former resident of Damascus, describes his experience with the Syrian Civil War. With violence and war in the backyard of his home, he wonders why he’s a musician and why he matters compared to someone on the streets, fighting for their rights. The film plays a duet of Azmeh and Ma over scenes of the war in Syria, and that juxtaposition says more than words can. When Azmeh returns to teach

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children in Syrian refugee camps how to play wind instruments like his own, this question of the arts’ role is profoundly answered.

“The Music of Strangers” is more than just a documentary, it’s a concert and a world tour. Shot in nine countries and with seven languages, it’s a cultural experience in itself. One of the Silk Road Ensemble members summed up the importance of cultural exchange when they said in the film, “We don’t speak perfect English or perfect Chinese or perfect Persian, but we speak perfect music.”

The documentary is a must-see for any musician or music lover, but also for anyone who has experienced the human conflicts of identity, tragedy, culture and their role in the world. The incredible stories of these musicians are woven together along with the notes they play, and you’re certain to get chills throughout.

MOVE gives “The Music of Strangers” 5 out of 5 stars.

Edited by Katie Rosso | krosso@themaneater.com

MOVE

STAFF

MOVE Editors: Katie Rosso & Elana Williams Beat Writers Amanda Battmer, Anna Maples, Bianca Rodriquez, Grant Sharples

Columnists Regina Anderson, Stephanie Hamann, Jack Howland, Gabby Velasquez, Katherine White

Let’s be friends:

Twitter: @MOVEManeater MOVE.themaneater.com

15

THE MANEATER | MOVE | MARCH 9, 2016 true/false 2016

‘All These Sleepless Nights’ artsy but blank KATHERINE ROSSO When I went to “Secret Screening Tangerine” late Sunday night, one of the last films of the True/False Film Fest, it was announced that it was no longer a secret screening. Rather, it was a film titled “All These Sleepless Nights.”

This film, directed by Michal Marczak, was about Krzysztof Baginski, a Polish art student who finds love and meaning of life from long nights of partying, rhythmic dancing and drug use.

Let me tell you: I didn’t get any of that from the film — I got it all from the summary I found online. I left the theater confused, not even knowing who a majority of the characters were or why some people were introduced but served no actual purpose and were never mentioned again. There was no plot and the movie could not keep my interest.

As my roommate Whitney aptly put it: “Their life is like one cologne commercial after another.”

Don’t get me wrong, the filming was beautiful, but the film had no clear substance. Krzysztof and his girlfriend Eva Lebuef lay in a field, grass brushing their face while electronic indie music played loudly in the background. The camera followed Krzysztof around Poland as he got wasted, fell in love and broke up with girls, all separated by erratic jump cuts and hard editing.

In one scene, Krzysztof is dancing (though I feel like writhing is a better word) in the middle of traffic as cars whiz by, seeming to not notice the boy in the middle of the street. In another, the camera is only inches away from the face of a naked girl asleep in Krzysztof ’s

COURTESY OF TRUE/FALSE WEBSITE

bed.

This movie was like a John Green novel on steroids — young people saying unnecessary deep things that no teen would ever really say. It began with Krzysztof ’s thoughts on life, but his philosophical narrative spanned throughout the movie. At a big outdoor party, Krzysztof ’s best friend Michal Huszcza lights a cigarette, rocking back and forth to the music. Krzysztof ’s voice dubs in, talking about the collective breath of people smoking at the party, but in a way that made it seem ridiculous and fake. After lighting his millionth cigarette and doing a line of cocaine, Krzysztof says, “I’m afraid I’ll drown in the present.”

This movie was hazy and unclear.

It hardly introduced any characters, context or a fully fleshed out story.

Krzysztof was not a likeable main character and the confusion of constantly trying to figure out what was going on distracted from the film itself. This movie, though aesthetically beautiful, required too much thought and discussion to be worth the effort.

At one point in the film, Krzysztof sits in a park wearing a pink bunny suit, talking into a microphone. He compliments women as they walk by.

“Nice legs” he says to a woman who walks by with her family. Another woman offers him candy, calling him “Mr. Bunny.”

As the sun came up after another hard night of partying, I wondered whether Krzysztof had a job or if his main occupation was just partying. At the Q&A after the film, Marczak confirmed that the cost of life in Poland was so inexpensive that they could afford to do nothing all day.

After having sex, Krzysztof and a girl he met at a party sit on the floor as the sun rises. “What now?” she asks.

He looks back at her blankly. “I don’t know,” he says.

MOVE gives “All These Sleepless Nights” 1.5 out of 5 stars.

Edited by George Roberson | groberson@ themaneater.com

bingeworthy/cringeworthy

‘Better Call Saul’ isn’t ‘Breaking Bad,’ and that’s all right The spinoff series is something rare: a drama that’s light in tone and in no rush to get to the darkness.

Its second season builds on the success of the first.

JACK HOWLAND AMC’s “Better Call Saul” is a show filled with quiet pleasures. Considering this is the spin-off to a series you might have heard of called “Breaking Bad,” the Golden Age drama whose five-season run was known for mounting tension and explosive final acts, it may come as a surprise to some that the origin story of Bob Odenkirk’s sleazebag criminal lawyer Saul Goodman is a decidedly more unassuming character study.

That’s what makes it so enjoyable.

Co-creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, who took a substantial risk in re-purposing what seemed untouchable, borrows some of the best bits from its previously established universe — the sweeping shots of sun-scorched Albuquerque, the measured pace, the whipsmart dialogue, the tendency to montage.

What it gives up is its predecessors’ flair for cathartic acts of violence.

Granted, its pilot episode felt like fanfiction — albeit quite good fanfiction — pitting middling lawman Jimmy McGill (the given name of Goodman) in an escalating series of bump-ins that result in a gun to his chest and a “Breaking Bad” player brought back from the dead. It found a distinctive voice, though, by placing faith in its stars and the patience of its audience to invest in a quirky legal drama.

Good thing, too. Season one of “Better Call Saul” was an absolute delight, telling the story of Goodman six years before meeting Walter White as he struggled to do right as a public defender. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that McGill used to be “Slippin’ Jimmy,” a Cicero, Illinois, scammer who cashed in on feigned falls on the ice in front of local businesses. Those little joys in the first season came from its character dynamics: the relationship between McGill and his lawyer extraordinaire older brother, Chuck (Michael McKean), who now lives a secluded life free of technology because of an unexplainable psychotic disorder called electromagnetic sensitivity; McGill’s deadpan hook-up buddy Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn), who works at Chuck’s law firm Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill; the return of Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), Walter White’s former cop tough-guy fixer, who gets a proper and

heartbreaking origin story of his own; the zany weirdos and bingo-playing old folks who McGill defends.

By the season’s end, the show had struck a tone closer to that of a dramedy, with a meandering string of episodes that managed to lead to a devastating emotional revelation and fallout between McGill and his brother.

Chuck had been McGill’s inspiration to do right; without him, he vows he will never let morality stand in his way again. It was almost upsetting, in a way, as I had come to like the good guy at the center of the show almost as much as Breaking Bad’s notorious lawyer in the brazen suits.

But season two expertly slams the reset button. McGill takes a job with the law firm Davis & Main, continuing work on a layover case from last season, while Mike slowly delves deeper into the criminal underbelly of Albuquerque.

Often not much plot-wise goes down, making it the rare show that can entertain while not advancing forward.

In one episode, for instance, the bulk of the action comes from McGill and Kim pulling tricks on an unsuspecting bar patrons. Gilligan, Gould and the writing staff are wonderful at little interactions that elicit laughter as they shed light on their characters. They also have a refreshingly realistic view of the American legal system, swapping out

impassioned courtroom speeches for debates over plea deals conducted in the bathroom. “Better Call Saul” isn’t trying to impress anyone, and that’s what makes it such a delight. It also leaves plenty of Easter eggs for “Breaking Bad” fans to devour.

The difference between the two shows can be summed up in their disparate opening titles. “Breaking Bad,” of course, begins with that ominous wisp of green smoke over a brooding, chillinducing guitar. “Better Call Saul,” on the other hand, introduces a different droll image each week — a coffee cup spilling, an inflatable statue of liberty, a neon green tie — drenched in 1990’s VHS saturation. And the guitar riff here is snappier, lighter and worthy of a barroom jukebox.

It can be read as a declaration that this is not “Breaking Bad,” but rather something a little lighter and harder to peg down. In a time of overly macho dramas that often take the wrong hints from the story of Walter White, it’s nice to see a show play with genre conventions and audience expectations.

The series may never reach the dizzying cinematic and blood-soaked heights of its source material, and that’s just fine. It still dazzles.

Edited by Katie Rosso | krosso@ themaneater.com

16

MOVE’s

THE MANEATER | MOVE | MARCH 9, 2016

TRUE/FALSE 2016 RECAP

Como’s own documentary film festival came to town this past weekend. For full coverage, check out move.themaneater.com

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

ALEXZANDRIA CHURCHILL | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

LIBBY MOELLER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

ALEXZANDRIA CHURCHILL | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

ALEXZANDRIA CHURCHILL | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

18

THE BEST SOURCE FOR MU SPORTS

SPORTS

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Left: Missouri guard Terrence Phillips makes a drive toward the basket and dishes the ball off to a teammate during the game against South Carolina on Feb. 16 at Mizzou Arena. Middle: Phillips goes up for a three-pointer during the Rally For Rhyan game Feb. 13 against Tennessee.

Right: Phillips goes up for a contended layup against the Ole Miss Rebels in Mizzou Arena on Feb. 3.

BASKETBALL

Terrence Phillips becomes fan favorite The freshman has used several forms of media to connect with fans in a way other athletes haven’t.

ALEC LEWIS Sports Editor It’s an unconventional art form: See the ball, find the ball and jump a table to save the ball from landing out of bounds.

Those are the steps to the basketball masterpiece that Mizzou Twitter termed “table-jumping,” an art form Missouri men’s basketball’s point guard has mastered. It is the acrobatic nature of this play and the frequency of it that generated such a response from fans, but in full, it’s only a microcosm of the support

that the 5-foot-11 freshman from Oak Hill Academy has garnered in this 2015-16 season.

Terrence Phillips has become one of the most popular athletes on campus not solely by making these game-changing plays and not just because he’s Mizzou’s starting point guard, but also by using the tools available to a student-athlete in the 21st century.

What tools? You know, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram — for some athletes, these platforms can lead to trouble. But for athletes like Phillips, they can build brands.

Phillips was born in California, grew up in Italy and played high school basketball in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. At Missouri, he has endured more than five times the losses he did in high school. He’s been thrown to the forefront in one of the toughest rebuilding projects in the country.

The dismissals of teammates, the transfers, the suspensions, the nine-game losing streak and the selfimposed NCAA violations have made it tough. It’s safe to say that in one year as a college athlete, Phillips has seen a lot.

Yet, he’s embraced it every step of the way — including the way he’ll approach next year.

“I think everything that we’ve been through will be big time for us next year, especially with me and (Kevin Puryear) starting,” Phillips said. “We know what it’s like to start and play in big games at places like Kentucky and Texas A&M, and hopefully the guys are going to work hard through the offseason so that we can have a better start next season.”

Continued on Page 22

BASKETBALL

Missouri basketball suffers through disappointing season The freshman class provided Missouri’s lone bright spot in a dismal season.

TYLER KRAFT Assistant Sports Editor The 2015–16 season was much like its predecessor for the Missouri men’s basketball team (10–21, 3–15 SEC).

Fans often left Mizzou Arena disappointed, the Tigers struggled against any foe that offered a worthy challenge, and Missouri once again finished in the basement of the Southeastern Conference.

As the season comes to a close, here are three things that characterized another tumultuous season for the Tigers.

BALL | Page 21

MANEATER FILE PHOTO

Missouri Tiger basketball players sign the game ball after beating Tennessee 75–64 during the #RallyForRhyan game Feb. 13.

19

THE MANEATER | SPORTS | MARCH 9, 2016

Ryan Howard excels in second lineup spot

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Missouri left fielder Trey Harris takes a swing at a pitch during the Arkansas-Pine Bluff game March 2 at Taylor Stadium.

Jake Ring provides a nice cushion for Ryan Howard in the order.

JASON LOWENTHAL Senior Staff Writer It’s the hallmark of any good baseball lineup. It’s Todd Frazier for Jose Abreu with the Chicago White Sox. It was Matt Holliday for Jason Heyward — sorry, too soon? Regardless, protection for a team’s top hitters is critical. It opens up limitless possibilities for having a fluid lineup and allows the top hitters to simply worry about getting on base instead of putting pressure on them to be big RBI guys. That’s exactly what

junior center fielder Jake Ring has been for junior shortstop Ryan Howard this season.

Howard, who initially began the 2016 campaign as Missouri’s leadoff hitter, slipped to second in the order 10 games ago and has excelled in his new role.

Coach Tim Jamieson said that he had confidence in Howard as a leadoff hitter, but decided it was time for a change.

“We didn’t like to use Howard at leadoff because it just didn’t feel right,” Jamieson said.

The thinking was to have Howard, who Jamieson described before the season as the team’s best all-around hitter, bat first and set the tone early.

However, after the Tigers averaged just four runs per game over a four-game

series with Seton Hall to begin the year, Jamieson had seen enough. With the emergence of freshman right fielder Connor Brumfield, it allowed everyone in the order to drop down a slot. Howard became the No. 2 hitter and Ring found a home in the third spot.

“I think what’s been really good is to have guys that get on base ahead of both Ryan and Jake,” Jamieson said.

“Connor’s emergence has really helped everybody.”

Sandwiched between Ring, who is hitting .358 behind Howard, and Brumfield, who is batting .313, Howard has excelled in the early going. With the two threats on either side of him, pitchers have been more inclined to roll the dice and pitch to Howard instead of putting him on base with a free pass.

“If (Brumfield’s) getting on base ahead of your best hitters, it’s a lot easier to score runs,” Jamieson said.

Moreover, pitchers — though they might not be willing to admit it — have a tendency to look ahead. They’re constantly looking at who the man in the on-deck circle is, which only adds to the likelihood of making a mistake with the batter they should be worried about — the one at the plate. In this case, with pitchers consistently peering over to see Ring in the on-deck circle, it should give Howard more of an opportunity to sit on a fastball or take advantage of a hanging breaking ball. Being a lefty, Ring’s impact as protection for Howard increases tenfold.

In his new role as the No. 2 hitter, Howard has reached base in all 10 games and has recorded four multi-hit efforts.

He’s also smacked a pair of home runs since the change and knocked in eight RBIs. The bottom third of the order has also reaped the benefits of the newlook lineup. With guys getting on ahead of them more often, the bottom three aren’t forced to be big run manufacturers. Instead, they can focus more on a small-ball type approach — moving runners over via sacrifice bunts and hits, working deep counts, etc. Since Howard’s move down, the various combinations of 6–9 hitters have combined to hit .384 with 22 RBIs and 23 runs. That’s a monumental boost in production from a source that wasn’t expected to give much this season.

“If we get to the point where we have multiple guys contributing, it makes a big difference,” Jamieson said.

Senior first baseman Zach Lavy relayed Jamieson’s message.

“When you see teams scoring a lot of runs, the big innings seem to come when the lower guys get on base,” Lavy said.

As the Tigers get ready for the start of SEC play — a mere week and a half away — it will be interesting to see if the momentum gathered over the past 10 games with this new lineup can continue. Jamieson seems comfortable with the 1–9 he’s got locked in right now, but as we’ve seen already this season, it’s always subject to change.

Edited by Alec Lewis | alewis@ themaneater.com

Mizzou baseball: Three takeaways from UIC series The Tigers took three of four from UIC to improve to 11–3 on the season.

JASON LOWENTHAL Senior Staff Writer Against a pesky Illinois-Chicago team, Missouri’s bats heated up late in the four-game set and came away with a series win against the Flames. The Tigers outscored UIC 23–10 and recorded consecutive doubledigit hit totals over the final two games.

Missouri improved its record to 11–3 on the season and has seemingly found an offensive groove. The Tigers have seven more nonconference games before Southeastern Conference play begins.

Here’s what we learned from the Tigers’ series against UIC:

Bullpen is beginning to show signs of stability Missouri’s bullpen is one of the team’s clear weaknesses this season, but it showed some promise this past weekend against the Flames. Five relievers combined to toss 9.2 innings against UIC, allowing just one earned run and holding a 9:1 strikeout-towalk ratio. In a series-opening 7–4 Friday night victory, freshman right-hander Brian Sharp earned the win. In game three, redshirt sophomore Cole Bartlett picked up his second save of the season in a 10–5 win.

In middle relief, redshirt freshman Liam Carter gave the Tigers some quality innings and was able to maneuver out of a couple jams during critical points.

Stability for an inexperienced bullpen will be key for the Tigers during SEC play.

Now is the time for these young guys to gain confidence, and their performances this past weekend did just that.

Ring provides a nice cushion for Howard in the order Junior shortstop Ryan Howard has already been moved around in the lineup.

After a brief stint as the team’s leadoff hitter, he moved down a slot, behind freshman right fielder Connor Brumfield.

The move has paid big dividends already for the Tigers.

Since his move to the No. 2 spot in the

order 10 games ago, Howard and the Tigers have seen a notable increase in manufacturing runs. Missouri averaged four runs per contest with Howard as the leadoff hitter but have posted 7.5 runs per game since the move.

Howard himself has also seen a spike in production and he can credit the man hitting behind as one reason why. Junior center fielder Jake Ring, who is batting at a .358 clip, is giving Howard some much-needed protection in the order. Opposing pitchers don’t want to face Ring, so they’re more inclined to throw to Howard, which has proven dangerous. Howard is batting a team-high .368 on the season with three home runs and 10 RBIs. The emergence of Brumfield as a reliable leadoff hitter has also done wonders for the Tigers. Brumfield’s success at the top of the order puts guys like Howard and Ring in run-manufacturing situations.

Harris might have turned a corner If Trey Harris can return to form after a sluggish start, it will add that much more depth to the Tigers’ lineup. Harris, a sophomore outfielder from Powder Springs, Georgia, saw his average dip below .200 after the first two games of the series. However, in the final two games, he exploded for a 4-for-6 effort with six RBIs. In just those final two games, Harris raised his season average by 73 points up to .244. It’s a small sample size, obviously, but if Harris has turned a corner, it will be critical for the Tigers.

Next up Mizzou will continue its long home stand with a quick two-game series against Alabama A&M (2-11), beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday. It will mark the first-ever meeting between the Tigers and Bulldogs. Both games will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and KTGR. Edited by Alec Lewis | alewis@themaneater.com

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THE MANEATER | SPORTS | MARCH 9, 2016

Seven Missouri swimmers qualify for NCAA Women’s Championships 13th in the 100-yard race at nationals last season. Like Stevens, she was a member of the Tigers’ 400-yard medley relay team.

Nadine Laemmler, junior In her first season with the Tigers, Laemmler qualified in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke. The Western Kentucky transfer is also eligible to compete in the 200-yard individual medley at NCAA Championships.

Last year, she was 34th in the 200-yard backstroke and 37th in the 100-yard race.

EMILE LIPPE | STAFF PHOTO

Swimmers line up on the block as they await the buzzer to start the backstroke competition Feb. 20 in the Mizzou Aquatic Center.

PETER BAUGH Features Projects Editor A program-high seven Missouri women earned invitations to the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. The meet will begin March 16 in Atlanta.

A look at the Missouri qualifiers:

Hannah Stevens, sophomore Stevens qualified for the meet in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke. Last season, she earned All-America honors in the 100-yard backstroke, placing 14th. She was also a member of the Tigers’ fourth-place 400yard medley relay team and seventh-place 200-yard medley relay team. Stevens is a member

of the U.S. National Team.

Abby Duncan, senior Duncan was invited to the 2016 NCAA Championships in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke. She is seeded in the top eight in both events and is also eligible to swim the 200-yard individual medley.

The senior placed 11th in the 200-yard breaststroke and

Katharine Ross, junior Like Duncan, Ross is primarily a breaststroker.

She qualified for nationals in the 100- and 200- yard breaststroke as well as the 200-yard individual medley.

At Southeastern Conference Championships, Ross became the Tigers’ first individual to win a swimming championship, touching first in the the 100yard breaststroke. In 2015, she was a member of the Tigers AllAmerica 200-yard medley relay team last year, and she also

placed 14th in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Anna Patterson, senior Patterson was invited to the meet in the 50-yard freestyle and is eligible to swim the 100-yard butterfly and 100yard freestyle. She earned AllAmerica honors last season as a member of the Tigers 200- and 400-yard medley relays.

Sharli Brady, sophomore Brady qualified for NCAA Championships in the 400-yard individual medley and 200-yard butterfly. She was an honorable mention All-American as a freshman, finishing 12th in the 400-yard individual medley and 13th in the 200-yard butterfly.

Kira Zubar, sophomore Zubar will make her NCAA Championship debut in 2016.

The Minnesota native qualified in the 500-yard freestyle. She is also eligible to swim the 200and 1,650-yard freestyle.

Edited by Alec Lewis | alewis@ themaneater.com

Missouri wrestling locks up fifth straight conference title Five individual wrestlers won MAC titles, and Missouri will send eight wrestlers to nationals.

ANNE ROGERS Staff Writer The Missouri wrestling team dominated the Mid-American Conference Championship this past weekend in Ypsilanti, Michigan, winning its fifth straight conference title and fourth straight MAC title.

In addition to winning the team title, five individual athletes wrestled their way to the top of the podium to become MAC champions. Sophomore 125-pounder Barlow McGhee and senior 157-pounder Le’Roy Barnes both beat their Northern Iowa opponents to win their first MAC titles and earn their first national championship trips. Redshirt freshman Daniel Lewis became Missouri’s third MAC champion, winning the 165-pound weight class against Eastern Michigan’s Dakota Juarez.

Senior Blaise Butler is now an Atlantic Coast Conference champion and a MAC champion after winning a battle against Central Michigan’s Mike Ottinger 4–3 in overtime. Butler will head to nationals in a Missouri singlet instead of a Virginia one this year after transferring to MU for his last year of eligibility.

Junior J’den Cox dominated Ohio’s Phil Wellington 9–1 to become a three-

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Missouri 149-pounder Lavion Mayes wrestles Oklahoma Sooner Davion Jeffries on Jan. 30 in Hearnes Center.

time MAC champion. Now, he looks to nationals for a chance to become a twotime national champion.

Aside from the five champions for the Tigers, three more wrestlers will get their chance to compete for a national championship in New York in two weeks. Junior Matt Manley wrestled his way to the finals in the 141-pound weight class, but he defaulted the championship match due to an injury.

After getting a chance to wrestle in the consolation round for third place, junior Lavion Mayes forfeited in the

149-pound third-place match due to injury as well. Since Mayes still placed fourth, he will travel to New York for the national championships.

Sophomore 184-pounder Willie Miklus lost in an upset match yesterday to Central Michigan’s Jordan Ellingwood 3–1, but redeemed himself in the consolation rounds this afternoon and finished his MAC run as a third-place finisher, after dominating Buffalo’s Joe Ariola 10–3. He will head to nationals as well.

Junior Zach Synon was eliminated

from the tournament in the 133-pound division after going 0–2 yesterday. He will need a wild card bid in order to be able to compete in New York. Senior Cody Johnston showed great effort in his sixth place finish in the heavyweight division. Like Synon, Johnston will also need a wild card bid to travel to the national championship tournament.

Next up, the Tigers will head to New York for the NCAA National Championships from March 17–19.

Edited by Alec Lewis | alewis@ themaneater.com

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THE MANEATER | SPORTS | MARCH 9, 2016

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Missouri Tigers senior forward Ryan Rosberg (44) heads back to the locker room with his teammates for the final time following the Senior Night game against Florida on March 5 in Mizzou Arena. Rosburg ended his final game with the Tigers racking up 11 points, one assist and four rebounds. However, this was not enough to claim victory over the Florida Gators with a final score of 82–72.

Missouri suffers through disappointing season, finishes with 10–21 record Continued from page 18 Water Under the Bridge With the departure of Ryan Rosburg, Missouri’s future roster is composed solely of players who have played Tigers basketball under coach Kim Anderson.

That means Missouri can finally put Frank Haith’s tenure as coach completely in the past. There are no more scholarships that can be lost, no more postseasons that can be missed because of violations caused by the former coach.

As a result, Anderson will be fielding his own team for the first time as Missouri’s coach. Anderson has already proven that he can turn a program around once he has his own personnel in place. In two years as coach at Central Missouri, Anderson took a team that went 12–16 in his first season to a team that finished with a 24–6 record and tied for first in its conference.

So while Anderson will be coaching under immense pressure from Missouri fans and administration following two straight losing seasons, he will be fielding a team of his choice for the first time as head coach. It will be then that Tigers fans can decide whether or not Anderson is the best choice for the future of Missouri men’s basketball.

When We Were Young

One and Only

The one bright spot of Missouri’s 10–21 season was the play of its freshman class.

Behind freshman guard Terrence Phillips and forward Kevin Puryear, Missouri’s freshman class averaged a combined 30 points per game. That is the highest points per game average by a Missouri freshman class in the past decade.

An even better sign for the Tigers is that the freshmen steadily improved throughout the course of the season. Freshman guard K.J. Walton took advantage of Wes Clark’s dismissal from the team, capitalizing on his increase in playing time by averaging seven points per game in Missouri’s final six games.

The fate of Missouri will ultimately be in the hands of Phillips, the team’s proverbial leader throughout the season. “(Phillips) plays with so much fire and emotion,” Anderson said. “I love him because he plays with so much emotion.”

Throughout the season, Phillips impressed Missouri fans and opposing teams alike with his high octane style of play. “(Phillips) plays very hard, very fast,” Florida coach Mike White said. “He’s really good at getting deep into the paint.”

Missouri will be hoping that this year’s freshmen continue to improve.

Missouri brought back only one starter from the 2014–15 season. That player, Clark, was dismissed from the team with six games left this season.

Missouri was inexperienced from the start, and it showed. More often than not, Missouri would come out of the locker room timid and fall into a quick deficit.

In fact, Missouri was behind at halftime in 20 games this season. Coincidentally, Missouri lost all of those games.

Missouri’s inexperience also led to inefficiencies in its half-court offense. The team turned the ball over 12.5 times per game and were -1.4 in turnover margin.

That is the third-worst turnover margin in the SEC this season.

On the bright side, Missouri should not have the issue of inexperience come next season. Missouri will be returning four of the players who started in their final six games as well as all of its current bench players.

Edited by Alec Lewis | alewis@themaneater.com

Follow @ManeaterSports

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THE MANEATER | SPORTS | MARCH 9, 2016

Phillips uses hard work and social media to win over fans

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Missouri guard Terrence Phillips (1) gives Rhyan Loos a fist bump after handing her a team-signed game ball following the win against Tennessee for the Rally for Rhyan game Feb. 13.

ALEC LEWIS Sports Editor

The Road Traveled Alice Knox returned from a week’s stay Orlando last Sunday — a week that granted her access to watch her 26-yearold son play in the NBA. Brandon Jennings, point guard for the Orlando Magic, is Knox’s son and Phillips’ half-brother. This trip was different than past trips to games for Knox, who had become accustomed to having Phillips as a travel companion.

When Phillips was 12, Jennings accepted an offer to play for Lottomatica Virtus Roma, a professional team in Italy. So Phillips and Knox moved to Italy.

Jennings struggled with SAT scores and was going to have limited college choices coming out of Oak Hill Academy.

That, combined with the limitations by the NBA rules prohibiting an athlete to go pro straight out of high school, forced Jennings to think of the alternative option to college, which ultimately led to their move.

Andre Hutson is a former Michigan State forward and teammate of Jennings’ in Rome. An eight-year veteran in Europe when Jennings first came over, Hutson decided to take the highly touted guard under his wing.

“When you’re an American first coming over, it’s hard to come to grips with different foods and different lifestyles in other countries,” Hutson said. “I took a role in trying to help them out, but Brandon always had a great support system from his mother and from Terrence. They were at all practices and made meals, and I remember seeing

Terrence running around after practice and shooting shots. They just had a really good relationship.”

Hutson said this relationship was key to dealing with the difficult transition.

Although supremely talented, Jennings wasn’t earning the playing time he thought he deserved when he first arrived.

Jennings was signed to a lucrative Under Armour deal as a teenager and called “one of the top talents that I’ve ever seen” by Roma’s general manager, Dejan Bodiroga. He wasn’t supposed to struggle at first.

But he did. It was an adjustment.

“Brandon was only able to log five or 10 minutes per game, and it was tough for me because I knew how good he was and to see the disappointment after each game not playing,” Hutson said.

“From Terrence’s standpoint, seeing that probably hurt him too.”

Jennings averaged only 6.3 points per game whereas in high school, he averaged more than 35. That lack of success did hurt Phillips, but it drove him more. It drove Phillips to be like his brother, and although he excelled in football as a teenager, he followed in Jennings’ footsteps by playing basketball at Oak Hill.

Hutson was surprised when he heard that Phillips was Missouri’s point guard.

For him, it was a sign of the times, but he said it made him proud.

“I vaguely remember Terrence going to some school and playing basketball, but Brandon used to joke with him like, ‘he ain’t doing nothing with those kids,’” Hutson said. “This is a total surprise.

I actually want to tune in now, and I looked him up and was shocked he was a point guard somewhere.

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Missouri guard Terrence Phillips (1) leaps into the air to find a teammate to pass to during the game against Florida on March 5 in Mizzou Arena. The Florida Gators defense was all over the Tigers, ending the game with a total of 12 forced turnovers.

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Missouri Tigers Russell Woods and Terrence Phillips go through their pregame routine during the announcement of the starting lineups for the whiteout game against Mississippi State on Jan. 30 at Mizzou Arena.

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team’s success.

Nobody can explain this specific relationship, but Phillips takes it in stride. With one game to play on Saturday night against Florida, the last for senior center Ryan Rosburg, what hangs in the balance for this program is a question mark.

Rosburg, having been through it all, thinks Phillips is a big piece in answering that conundrum.

“There’s a lot of guys that could potentially be leaders and it’s not necessarily going to be a passing of the baton,” Rosburg said in his last presser Thursday. “Terrence Phillips, though, is a phenomenal leader, and knowing that he’s going to be around for four years, he’s going to bring stability to the program. His attitude and his charisma and the way he approaches this team and the game is really going to help them.”

It’s more than Phillips’ play and leadership that makes him, well, him.

Sure, the social media aspect contributes to it, and so does his family history, but his attitude and his caring for people like Rhyan Loos matters.

Rhyan Loos is the daughter of assistant coach Brad Loos. She was diagnosed with cancer in October and underwent successful cancerous tumor removal surgery Wednesday in New York.

Feb. 13 was the highlight of Missouri’s season.

The school raised $50,000 that day, beat Tennessee in an afternoon game, and the game ball went to none other than little Rhyan. Want to know who gave it to her?

You guessed it: Terrence Phillips.

Edited by George Roberson | groberson@ themaneater.com

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South Carolina men’s basketball coach is about as fierce as they come.

In one of the highlights of Missouri’s season, the Tigers knocked off Martin’s Gamecocks. After the game, Martin spoke highly of Phillips.

Martin wasn’t the first opposing coach to mention him.

After the opening game of the season, a win for Mizzou, Wofford coach Mike Young said of Phillips: "I really like that kid. I really like what he brings to the table."

Then, Chris Mack, the coach of No. 5 Xavier, said of Phillips after Mizzou’s early-season loss, "If Terrence Phillips shoots the ball the way he did the other night, it makes him even more dangerous."

Even Maryland-Eastern Shore coach Bobby Collins said, "Phillips hit some big shots for Mizzou, and he was on the end of every big run they had."

What evokes these comments? Well, for Martin, it was the effort — an undeniable aspect of Phillips’ game.

That’s what drives the table-jumping.

That’s what drives him to post pictures on Twitter of an empty gym late at night.

“When you watch them, you can tell that that young man is a competitor,” Martin said. “He’s going to be real good.”

Mizzou coach Kim Anderson has talked a lot about the freshman point guard over this season — mostly speaking with constructive criticism.

Although he’s said “Phillips has gotten stronger,” and that “he is a clear leader for us” at times this year, there’s always been a “but.”

It’s this type of psychology that certain coaches use with players. Some to prove a point, some to contain their ego and some because they know the players’ contributions are critical to the

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The Road Ahead

Frank Martin doesn’t just hand out compliments. Ask anyone familiar with college basketball and they’ll tell you the

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Tori Schafer watches film after each home game with Terrence Phillips.

“He knows I’m basketball illiterate,” Schafer said.

Schafer is Phillips’ girlfriend. The sophomore is also the Missouri Students Association vice president-elect.

Schafer says coming to college, she refused to date an athlete due to the stigma that she now says is false, but that was before she met Phillips over the summer.

“We met when he was first moving into the program to start summer training,” Schafer said. “He was locked out of his room, and I helped him get in his room and the first thing I said to him (jokingly) was, ‘Wow, Mizzou basketball players really can’t do anything.’”

That led to Phillips finding her on Instagram, and then nagging her to meet him for ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery.

Schafer ultimately succumbed.

“We went out and got Cold Stone and sat on the columns for three hours and just talked about life,” Schafer said.

“He told me about how his brother played in the NBA, about his trip to Fiji, and I realized how well-rounded he was and that his only goals in life weren’t just basketball. That’s what started the friendship and the relationship and here we are now.”

In a sense, Schafer symbolizes the way Phillips has grown on the fanbase.

Is it his charisma? Is it his swagger?

Schafer mentions all of that, as well as instances like his contributions to her sorority.

“He’s very interested in things like Greek Life because that’s not something a lot of basketball players are involved in,” Schafer said. “When I had my

sorority philanthropy dinner, he came and was supporting us and had posters out.”

The Missouri fans that make up his 5,000-plus Twitter following see that as well, and they can relate to his true love for Missouri sports.

Schafer attributes it to his genuine appreciation for Mizzou sports and the response that his support generates.

“He is a die-hard Tiger fan, and he posts all those things on social media not because he wants likes for it, but because he likes doing it and that’s his way to show appreciation for the other sports on campus that he cares about,” Schafer said.

It’s hard to imagine someone reacting to Mizzou’s 10–20 season better than Phillips, who stays upbeat and focused on a daily basis.

In all avenues, Phillips supports Schafer and wants to get involved. Their relationship is an avenue for him to take his mind off of the game. And watching film accomplishes the same for Schafer.

“I think for me personally it’s nice because I get a break from student government and politics and internship and basketball is a whole different world,” Schafer said. “At first, I knew Terrence was frustrated with the fact the media kept saying, ‘Mizzou is a young team, Mizzou is a young team,’ but then it finally hit him, like, ‘yes, we are a young team and yes, we are going to have these challenges.’

“There’s a lot of determined people at the arena and it’s cool to see them progress.”

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The Current Stop

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THE MANEATER | SPORTS | MARCH 9, 2016

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