Vol82issue29

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Vol. 82, Issue 29

April 27, 2016

race relations

Podcasts aim to address racism and diversity

Committee member Craig Roberts: “White people tend to see racism in terms of lynching, physical abuse, bullying and other products of hate. Racism is more than the overt, blatant, extreme incidents.”

COURTESY OF SHANE EPPING

Cox ended his season with a 35–1 record in front of a soldout crowd of 19,270 fans on March 19 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

ALYSSA BESSASPARIS Staff Writer The Faculty Council Committee on Race Relations will soon release a series of video podcasts addressing what they have learned about diversity and racism.

Since last May, the committee of 12 faculty members, staff and students has met weekly for two hours to identify, discuss and develop solutions to racial issues on campus. Graduate student Jonathan Butler, who went on a hunger strike last fall demanding then-UM System President Tim Wolfe’s resignation, and interim President Mike Middleton are both committee members. Last fall, the committee released a series of videos laying out their goals and discussing their progress.

The first podcast in the upcoming series may be released within the next two weeks, featuring committee member and plant sciences professor Craig Roberts addressing white faculty members.

“I wanted to discuss a few distinct points about racism from the perspective of a white professor who came to understand the magnitude, regularity and cultural nature of racism on our campus and in Columbia,” Roberts said in an email. “The journalists on the committee feel that these points could be packaged into 3-minute discussions.”

Through his own experiences and those of his white colleagues, Roberts said he will address the reasons white

VIDEO | Page 6

KATHERINE KNOTT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Cox attempts a takedown against Duke's Conner Hartmann on March 21, 2015, at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

Cox jumps up in celebration after beating Cornell’s Jeramy Sweany 24–9 on Jan. 10 in Jesse Hall. Cox had to win by a technical fall in order for No. 4 Missouri to win. He said the win was better than his national championship in 2014.

2016 olympics

J’den Cox punches ticket to Rio The two-time national champion is going to the 2016 Summer Olympics with an undefeated qualifying tournament record.

ANNE ROGERS Staff Writer A month after J’den Cox won his second national title at Madison Square Garden in New York, the junior wrestler qualified for the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

He traveled 1,713 miles to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, for the World Games Qualifying Tournament, where he competed in the 86-kilogram weight class. Cox dominated the tournament, beating wrestlers from all over the world. Five matches later, he raised his arms in victory. Only three points were scored on him throughout the day.

After two technical falls in Cox’s first matches, he headed to the quarterfinals

and defeated Poland’s Zbigniew Mateusz Baranowski 4–1 after a late takedown in the second period.

The top three finishers in each weight class secured their spot at the Olympics. Cox earned his place on the team by defeating Uzbekistan’s Umidjon Ismanov 5–2 in the semifinals.

In the finals, Cox lead Venezuela’s Pedro Francisco Ceballos Fuentes 2–0 early in the first period. Cox controlled the entire match and shut out Fuentes in the next two periods to end the championship and tournament with a 6–0 win.

As a young wrestler still in college, Cox’s complete control on the mat under extreme pressure attracted the attention of worldrenowned wrestlers on Twitter, including Jordan Burroughs, a four-time world and Olympic champion.

“Congratulations to J'den Cox on officially qualifying for Rio,” Burroughs said.

“This man is still in college and taking the world by storm!”

In a previous interview with The Maneater, Cox expressed how much making the Olympics would mean to him.

“There would be the utmost pride, and it would be the utmost honor to be able to do that,” Cox said in January. “That would be amazing. It would be mindblowing. I’d love the opportunity to do so.”

Cox, a two-time NCAA national champion and a three-time All-American at 197 pounds, decided to cut weight and entered the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the 189-pound class to start his Olympic journey. He entered the U.S. tournament as the No. 9 seed but shocked fans in Iowa City, Iowa, when he defeated four-time NCAA national champion Kyle Dake twice in a best two-out-of-three finals format to win the championship.

Ben Askren was the last Missouri wrestler to compete at the Olympics. Askren wrestled at the 2008 games in Beijing.

Edited by Peter Baugh | pbaugh@ themaneater.com

MU to update its parking system The university put the brakes on its current tag-based registration system and is switching to a paperless method of issuing tickets.

Read the highlights of the first

page 3

chapter of Unbound Book Festival this weekend.

page 10

Missouri softball players discuss their strategy for the rest of the season.

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THE MANEATER | ETC. | APRIL 27, 2016

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NEWS

MU, city and state news for students

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JENNIFER LEVIN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

MU will adopt the NuPark system, an online paperless system that will replace the use of physical passes and printed parking tickets.

tickets

MU to implement paperless parking system The online system has all of the parking registration information stored in a digital database and allows students to pay tickets electronically.

BRANDON BUSCHER Reporter The days of seeing an orange envelope in your car window are coming to an end. Under a new parking enforcement system, MU will be sending students an email when they commit parking violations.

MU will adopt the NuPark system, which is online-based and completely paperless, and used by several universities around the country, MU Parking and Transportation Director Michael Sokoff said.

The current system requires staff to go around, check the tags on vehicles in parking garages and then issue tickets accordingly. The new system will consist of vehicles with mounted cameras that will patrol garages and meter areas on campus, and cross reference the license plate data from the camera feed against all registered permit holders at MU. Students who commit parking violations will receive an email from Parking and Transportation with the specific violation and the time, date

and GPS-coordinated location of their vehicle, Sokoff said. The GPS location is taken from the parking system’s vehicle, not student vehicles. They will also be emailed two photographs: one of their vehicle’s license plate and a context photograph showing how exactly they committed a parking violation.

Campus enforcement staff will then begin the process of verifying the information and issuing a ticket if necessary.

“We support them and will work with the new process,” MU Police Department spokesman Maj. Brian Weimer said.

The NuPark system itself will cost approximately $250,000 and the office has budgeted for it for a number of years, Sokoff said. The Parking and

Transportation Office is an auxiliary of MU and receives no funds from the state or the university.

“We hope to call it Tiger Park,” Sokoff said. “Our idea is to name it something that is recognizable.”

The change is projected to add new revenue of $66,000 to $132,000 per year to the Parking and Transportation offices because of an expected 5–10 percent increase in permit sales. The new system will also allow all parking tickets to be paid electronically.

Sokoff also said that this system is much less labor intensive on his staff, and will eliminate the need for students to line up outside the parking office to

PARK | Page 8

executive cabinet

Earl and Schafer explain their MSA cabinet picks

None of the interim executive cabinet members from Gomez and Hanner’s selections re-applied for their positions.

MAX FILLION Senior Staff Writer When Missouri Students Association President Sean Earl and Vice President Tori Schafer were selecting their new executive cabinet, they didn’t prioritize good grades or “leadership culture” involvement. The main characteristic they looked for was passion.

The two had to pick a new executive cabinet after the resignations of former President-elect Haden Gomez and running mate Chris Hanner. Gomez and Hanner chose cabinet members but they

were not confirmed by the Operations Committee or Senate.

None of the interim executive cabinet members from Gomez and Hanner’s selections reapplied for their positions.

All of the members of cabinet have been confirmed in operations committee.

Sophia Dieckhaus was picked as chief of staff for her dedication to the campaign team and the vision Earl and Schafer have for MSA. She was also the one who came up with the “Empower MU” slogan for their campaign.

“She truly believes in the vision that we have for MSA,” Earl said. “To me that’s fundamental for progress because if you hire a chief of staff, she can be great at scheduling, she could be a great assistant, but if she doesn’t believe in the message that you’re pushing and the vision that you have then it’s going to be more problematic than beneficial at the end of the day.”

Jessica York was chosen as deputy chief of staff because of her philanthropic mindset. She expressed interest in working to improve mental health services on campus and will be working closely with Schafer on the national sexual assault prevention campaign It’s On Us. Taylor Harrington’s outgoing personality played a large role in her selection as chief inclusivity officer. Earl thinks that it is crucial to the part considering she will be the connection between MSA and the social justice groups on campus.

“We didn’t want someone who knew all the different social justice terms and all the different vocabulary and then go into a meeting and just sit there,” Earl said. “We wanted someone that can go in and truly interact and bring that feedback to us so we can act upon it.”

Although it was less prominent, MSA

experience also played a part in the selection of candidates. Earl said they wanted to pick a few freshmen for the cabinet. However, the freshmen only applied to positions that required more MSA experience, such as the secretary of auxiliaries.

“You need to have a little bit of MSA background to understand what the department is doing,” Schafer said.

When Earl selected the person who would replace him in his former position as secretary of auxiliaries, he emailed the auxiliary directors asking for feedback on the candidates.

Former interim Secretary of Auxiliaries Leslie Parker received a majority of the support mostly due to her experience, Earl said. She also walked into the interview with an extensive

MSA | Page 8

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THE MANEATER | NEWS | APRIL 27, 2016

Foley still opposes grad student union Interim Chancellor Hank Foley: “I am not for this union, let me say that. I think that graduate students should be graduate students first and workers second.”

CLAIRE MITZEL Staff Writer Even though he belonged to a union for 14 years, interim Chancellor Hank Foley doesn’t think graduate students should unionize.

But despite not considering graduate assistants to be workers, Foley also said he is working toward improving conditions for graduate students.

Foley came under fire last week after he was quoted in the Columbia Daily Tribune calling graduate workers “kids.”

He told the Tribune that MU would not recognize what he called a “mock election.”

During Thursday’s Faculty Council meeting, Foley reiterated his position.

He also said he made a mistake in calling the graduate workers “kids.”

“I shouldn’t have called them kids,” Foley said. “It wasn’t meant as a term of disaffection or disrespect. But on the other hand, if that’s the thing they’re most angry with me about on any given day, then I’d call that a good day.”

Foley said there was no question of whether they could unionize; they have the legal right to, he said, but it is unclear if MU has to recognize the union.

“I am not for this union, let me say that,” Foley said “I think that graduate students should be graduate students first and workers second. I don’t think they are workers.”

Foley said that he does care about graduate students’ needs and wants to

address them.

“If a student feels they’re being extended in their PhD program without making academic progress so they can continue to be low-truss labor for us, I think that’s really bad, and we should try to change that,” Foley said.

By next year, he said, MU’s graduate assistants will be in the top 10 percent of the Association of American Universities in terms of pay because of an increase in stipends over the course of the next two years. He also said that new plans are to be announced about graduate student housing, but he did not say when.

Faculty Council member Andre Ariew asked Foley if he had gathered the faculty’s opinion about unionization.

Foley said he had asked administrators their opinion, but not the faculty’s.

“I have asked the deans,” Foley said.

“The deans are 100 percent against it.

I have asked the provost, she’s not for it either.”

“But the faculty, we are the workers here…” Ariew said.

“Sorry, I don’t think of you as workers either, I’ve always said that. I think of you as scholars,” Foley said, cutting off Ariew.

The faculty members in attendance did not appear happy with that answer, and continued to ask if he would consider faculty input. Foley said he would, but also questioned if the Faculty Council spoke for the entire faculty.

Council member Bill Wiebold said he was concerned with Foley’s line of thinking and said that the Collected Rules and Regulations of the UM System state that Faculty Council does represent the faculty.

“We are the elected representatives of the faculty,” Wiebold said. “Now, we may fail in that in some ways, but that’s the way I read it. Why would you say you’re interested in what the faculty think and not just this group? It’s almost like calling us kids.”

JESSI DODGE | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

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

Other updates from the chancellor Foley also talked about a legislative budget deal that was reached April 20, increasing performance-based funding to the UM System by 4 percent. With that increase in funding and a decrease in legislative cuts combined with a projected 1,500 fewer students in the fall, the $32 million budget shortfall he announced in March could be closer to $26 million.

But applications, Foley said, may have declined more than previously expected.

“It looks like retention may take a hit as well,” he said.

Foley said he wants to begin looking at the possibility of implementing a new faculty recruitment program, especially for minorities. He referenced one of Concerned Student 1950’s demands for increasing the number of black faculty and staff to 10 percent.

“I know the students said they wanted 10 percent by 2017,” Foley said. “2017’s unrealistic. But a goal of 5–10 percent in the long term for this school is not unrealistic. And instead of saying, ‘We think it’s unrealistic, it’s silly,’ I’d like to try to to put in place some programs that start to get there.”

Edited by Taylor Blatchford | tblatchford@themaneater.com

Secret MU societies call out injustices on Tap Day Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs: “The people honored have a commitment to ideas and principles that MU has for higher learning. Good works merit recognition today.”

ALYCIA WASHINGTON Staff Writer As a line of hooded figures crowded into Jesse Hall on Friday, audience members craned their necks for a glimpse of who might be under the disguise.

This was the 89th Tap Day, the MU tradition in which new members of Mortar Board, Q.E.B.H., Mystical Seven, LSV, Omicron Delta Kappa and Rollins Society are unveiled and officially initiated. Some faculty and staff members are also “tapped” as honorary members.

But, the annual ceremony did not ignore campus events of the past school year. Before unveiling the inductees under the hoods, a member from the

secret societies spoke.

When LSV members Belquis Elhadi and Sequoyah Moore stood at the podium, they spoke out against racial and sexual injustice on campus. LSV is a secret society dedicated to improving the status of women. Members are tapped a full year before they are unveiled.

Elhadi and Moore called out the way university administration handled the racial climate on campus last semester.

In response, the crowd shouted words of encouragement and clapped in agreement as the two women spoke.

When describing one of the initiates, Elhadi said: “Last semester, she found herself crying in the bathroom because she did not feel safe after seeing the threats that were made towards black students at the university.”

Senior and former Maneater staffer Rivu Dasgupta delivered the opening for Mystical 7 and discussed how there are other students and faculty on campus who deserve recognition besides those honored at the ceremony. He advised the crowd to stop “denying and search for a solution” to issues such as systemic oppression that plague campus.

“As I am looking into a crowd of my mentors, peers and friends, many

of whom have pushed themselves to absolutely stubborn limits for the bettering of our campus, saving so many lives along the way,” Dasgupta said. “I can’t help but demand that more than 15 percent of those people receive this stage.”

The societies’ selection processes are kept confidential. Individuals tapped are told at different times throughout the year about their selection and are to keep it a secret until the Tap Day ceremony in April. Omicron Delta Kappa, Mortar Board and Rollins Society require applications.

Gary Pinkel, former Missouri football coach, was initiated into Q.E.B.H., and Missouri volleyball player Julia Towler was initiated into Mortar Board.

Two staff members of the Gaines/ Oldham Black Culture Center, outgoing coordinator Jonathan McElderry and administrative assistant Velma Buckner, were tapped into Omicron Delta Kappa and LSV respectively.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs spoke at the event about how much of an honor it is to be tapped.

“The people honored have a commitment to ideas and principles that MU has for higher learning,” Scroggs

said. “Good works merit recognition today.”

Kyle Holtzman, a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, said their selection process is blind and members are selected based on merit. Mortar Board requires members interested in applying to have a 3.3 cumulative GPA and junior standing at the university. Those tapped into Rollins Society are selected after a member of either Rollins Society or the MU community completes a nomination application on their behalf.

Last year, senior Christopher Trunell was tapped into Q.E.B.H., a secret society whose members are carefully selected each year by members of the current class. Trunell advises the new initiates of each society to appreciate the moment.

“Enjoy the moment that is Tap Day and cherish the bonds that you will inevitably form in this organization,” Trunell said in an email. “At first the seven taps come in as strangers, but after spending an entire year together, you will create some of your best friendships.”

Edited by Waverly Colville | wcolville@ themaneater.com

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THE MANEATER | NEWS | APRIL 27, 2016

ASUM lobbies for student rep’s confirmation Incoming ASUM Executive Director Steven Chaffin: “Students aren’t going to stand to not have their voices heard at the administrative level.”

TAYLOR BLATCHFORD AND CLAIRE MITZEL of The Maneater Staff Nearly two months after Gov. Jay Nixon appointed the new student representative to the UM System Board of Curators on March 10, the position is still vacant and the appointee still awaits Missouri Senate confirmation.

The Associated Students of the University of Missouri released a statement Tuesday expressing discontent over the delay in MU junior Patrick Graham’s confirmation.

ASUM said in the statement that it has “heard numerous concerns from students about the prospect that the current nominee for student representative … will not be confirmed this session,” which ends May 13.

In the statement, ASUM asked Gov. Jay Nixon to make a recess appointment, which would allow Graham to serve on the board until January 2017, when the Senate would have 30 days to confirm or deny his nomination. The Gubernatorial

Appointments Committee is in charge of scheduling confirmations and has yet to schedule Graham’s confirmation hearing. Ron Richard, chairman of the committee, could not be reached for comment.

Other Missouri schools have not had the same problem; Truman State University’s student representative was appointed in April and has already been confirmed.

Incoming ASUM Executive Director Steven Chaffin said ASUM wanted to emphasize that there are processes in place to ensure that a student representative can still serve in the interim even if not confirmed.

“We’re undergoing a time of great change on our campus,” Chaffin said. “We’re undergoing the process of selecting a new UM System president, and we’re seeing that students aren’t going to stand to not have their voices heard at the administrative level.”

In a statement to KOMU, UM System spokesman John Fougere said that the presidential search committee allows student voices to be heard.

“The two students on the committee are two more than were on the committee during the last presidential search," Fougere said.

Since Graham has yet to be confirmed, however, there is only one student on the search committee. If Graham is not confirmed until 2017, or the

MANEATER FILE PHOTO

Steven Chaffin and Brooke Wiggins speak after being sworn in as president and vice president of the Residence Halls Association on March 9, 2014, in the Benton Bingham Ballroom at Memorial Union. Chaffin now works for the Associated Stuents of the University of Missouri.

recess appointment is not made, then there will continue to be one student serving on the committee throughout the presidential search.

Chaffin said ASUM had spent time gathering information and discussing the situation with Graham to make sure their statement represented the situation accurately. Graham could not be reached for comment.

“This is a situation unlike any we’ve had in recent years, and it’s just extra scrutiny on the university,” Chaffin said.

“Pretty much every process that

normally would just slide by has been a little more contentious and watched a little more closely.”

ASUM has historically advocated for a voting role for the student representative, but Chaffin said this year it “hasn’t gotten very far” because of the “volatile environment” on campus. He said he is currently developing a mental health legislative platform and is beginning one addressing sexual assault.

“I certainly support the idea of having a student voting curator, and the majority of

ASUM feels the same way, but I want to make sure it’s something that is viable,” he said. “I do think there might be a benefit to setting it aside temporarily to let some of the current lawmakers get out of office, to allow us to establish our credibility through other means.”

Edited by Nancy Coleman | ncoleman@themaneater.com

Hillel partners with local developer on student housing The Jewish campus center will occupy the first floor of a new six-story student housing complex.

THE MANEATER STAFF A plan to tear down the current Mizzou Hillel building and rebuild a six-story student housing complex in its place will have its first rezoning hearing next week.

The new building will house the Jewish campus center on the first floor, Hillel Executive Director Jeanne Snodgrass said. The other five floors will have apartments with three or four bedrooms and a total of 275 beds in the building.

Hillel is planning for construction to begin this summer and be completed by fall 2017, according to the Columbia Missourian.

The plan is a partnership between Hillel and local builder Trittenbach

Development. Trittenbach developed the Brookside apartment complexes in Columbia.

While Trittenbach will manage the apartments, Snodgrass said Hillel will retain ownership of the property at 1107 University Ave., according to the Missourian. She told The Maneater the Hillel Board of Directors approached several local developers about a potential partnership over three years ago.

The rezoning request, made on behalf of Hillel Council Inc., asks to reclassify the 0.72-acre property from R-3, a medium density multiple-family dwelling district, to C-P, a planned business district, according to the proposal.

The plan also requests no setback requirements or parking requirements.

According to a ground plan submitted

by Hillel, there will be six parking spots and a bike rack with eight spaces. The building is also located near two parking structures, University Avenue and Hitt Street garages.

Snodgrass said Hillel’s current

hello word humans

building, which was built in 1969, lacks adequate space, fails to meet the most current Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines and is not “particularly energy efficient.”

“We had a desire to have a facility that was more than just adequate to serve students better,” Snodgrass said.

“We’re hopeful that we’ll be able to offer even more.”

While the building is under construction, Snodgrass said Hillel will have a small temporary office at the United Methodist Church and will hold additional programs on campus.

Gabe Raskin, a campus engagement intern and student at Hillel, said that an updated building will be an opportunity to increase Jewish students’ engagement.

According to the center’s website, about 800 Jewish undergraduate students attend MU. “Hillel offers a very inclusive community where we give each other respect and give each other opportunities of leadership and opportunities to experience Judaism,” Raskin said.

“Although the residents may not be Jewish, as far as any personal issues go, I hope and don’t believe there will be any. I think there will definitely be a line of respect built as we are sharing our space and as Hillel owns the property.”

Hillel currently shares its building with the International Community Church. Snodgrass said the church has not yet determined whether they will rent space in the new building.

“I just hope that people look at the project for what it is — the chance for a small nonprofit that works with students and that provides a lot of resources for the university to be updated,” Snodgrass said. “We’ve been here for over 70 years.

We’re committed to this town and to this university.”

The public rezoning hearing is at 6 p.m. May 5 at the Daniel Boone City Building.

Annabel Ames, Nancy Coleman and Anna Sutterer contributed to this report.

WE ARE MANEATERS

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THE MANEATER | NEWS | APRIL 27, 2016

VIDEO Continued from page 1

professors tend to have a poor understanding of racism.

Roberts said the committee is aware that racism extends beyond issues of black and white, but he is focusing on it because it has been the most prominent issue at MU. His message will specifically address white faculty, but he intends for it to apply to the general white population, Roberts said.

Roberts said that as a result of not suffering from constant, subtle racism due to their skin color, white people, including himself, have a hard time

detecting racism. He said white faculty members have a hard time believing racism to be as bad as their black colleagues say.

“White people tend to see racism in terms of lynching, physical abuse, bullying and other products of hate,” Roberts said. “Racism is more than the overt, blatant, extreme incidents.”

Roberts said the purpose of his message is to persuade the white population to invest time into exploring racism in depth.

Members of the committee have also begun meeting with small groups of faculty in different MU colleges and departments to share what they have learned and to encourage the creation of small race

relations groups throughout campus, committee Chairman Berkley Hudson said.

Meanwhile, the committee is looking to replace senior Corie Wilkins and Butler, who are both graduating next month, Hudson said.

Committee member Stephanie Hernandez Rivera will be stepping down from the committee to enter a doctoral program.

“The committee will only work if it has a diverse group of people,” Hudson said. “It’s a matter of making the choice to be uncomfortable because there is a certain discomfort that occurs when you have to think about your point of view against someone else’s point of view.”

The committee consists of

faculty with varying political, religious, ideological and ethnic backgrounds and identities, Hudson said.

“We have members that consider themselves Christian and members that consider themselves atheist,” Hudson said. “We’ve been trying to listen to each other’s stories and points of view — that was critical when we started and it became more critical considering what happened last last fall.”

The committee was formed following a December 2014 student-led call for action, holding administrators responsible for MU’s progress in conquering its “hostile racial environment.”

“As with many other places

TheManeater.com

in America and the world, there is an ongoing murder of our collective spirit when we fail to take the time to listen to one another’s soul-breaking stories about race, ethnicity and culture,” Hudson wrote in a November commentary for Time magazine.

The Faculty Council Committee on Race Relations feels optimistic about the future, Hudson said.

“Why could there not be a Mizzou miracle: a miracle that asked a question,” Hudson said.

“What would it take for Mizzou to become a local, national and global leader in race relations, teaching, research, service and economic development?”

Edited by Taylor Blatchford | tblatchford@themaneater.com

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THE MANEATER | NEWS | APRIL 27, 2016

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at his rally at Affton High School in Affton, Missouri, on March 13.

How Sanders’ free tuition plan would work We analyze the components and implications of Bernie Sanders’ College for All Act. RAYMOND RHATICAN Reporter A year ago this month, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders announced to just a few reporters on Capitol Hill that he would run for president and outlined the issues he sought to address. In addition to issues such as climate change and income inequality, Sanders introduced his belief that tuition and cost of living at public colleges and universities should be free.

Free college has become one of the most talked–about policy proposals on the campaign trail. Questions surround the policy, such as how it would work, how much it would cost and how it would affect students.

This notion of free tuition at public colleges and universities has excited and enraged voters across the country, given both rising tuition rates and national debt. The major point of contention has been how it would be funded.

On his campaign website, Sanders includes a plan to eliminate student debt: — Ending the federal government’s practice of profiting on student loans — Reducing the current student loan rate by about 2 percent, to its 2006 rate of 2.32 percent — Allowing borrowers to refinance their debt to today’s lower rates — Requiring federal, state and school aid programs to cover the entirety of housing, books and living expenses that low-income students cannot afford

How it would be funded

How it would affect MU

Sanders would “more than triple” the federal work-study program, impose a new tax on Wall Street speculation and ask states to pay a share of the cost.

This is where the controversy comes in. The Sanders campaign estimates this program would cost $75 billion, with the federal government covering twothirds of the cost, and states covering the other third.

State proposals, such as those by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, have explored proposals more in line with Democratic primary opponent Hillary Clinton’s plan to create a system of free community college, but many economic forecasters see prospects of nationwide adoption of dramatically expanded college funding by states as cloudy at best.

State higher education budgets are already tight, and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that all but three states have cut spending in this area since the recession. It might be tricky to convince state governments, many of which have recently fought legislation to cover 10 percent of future Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, to cover the $25 billion difference.

The federal money used in this legislation would be derived from a new tax proposed by Sanders, one referred to as a “Robin Hood” tax overseas.

According to his proposal, the tax would be imposed on Wall Street speculation, transactions such as stock trades and hedge fund operations, at varying rates under 1 percent. While they came to a number vastly lower than the Sanders campaign, the Tax Policy Center upholds that the tax would generate $50 billion to $60 billion in new revenue, enough to satisfy Sanders’ federal funding goal.

If Sanders won and implemented this policy, it would affect both current and former Missouri students, but perhaps not as quickly as some would like. Free tuition would likely face pushback in a Republican Congress after January’s inauguration. A subsequent battle in individual states would also likely ensue, meaning implementation would take time, likely long enough that upperclassmen in January 2017 would graduate before public college would become free.

Sophomore Sam Willoh, president of Mizzou for Bernie Sanders and a recently selected Sanders delegate to the Missouri Democratic State Convention, believes Missouri students should be excited about the potential of a Sanders presidency.

“Here’s the scary part about debt: It becomes cyclical,” Willoh said. “My dad went to Mizzou for law school. He’s still paying his college debt. That is why I don’t have money from my parents to help pay for college. And then I get debt, and let’s say I can’t settle that debt by the time I have kids, it continues.”

A measure that could further reduce debt is the policy’s intention to “eliminate the requirement that students reapply for financial aid each year, simplifying the application process and removing significant barriers faced by low-income students,” according to the proposed legislation. Students at MU and across the country would more easily access financial aid, and avoid the annual difficulties and stress that accompany the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Additionally, in order for states to receive the federal 2-to-1 match of tuition funding, they would have to reduce their dependence on part-time,

cheaper adjunct instructors. According to the act, this would increase the education quality of every student, as full-time professors would be making higher average salaries and would be able to more fully devote themselves to their teaching careers. But this would also mean that the federal funds would be worth less than a 2-to-1 matching ratio, as it would increase the cost of running public institutions in the process.

Student debt and interest rates Finally, should the College for All Act take effect, current Missouri undergraduates would see their student loan interest rates drop to the aforementioned level of 2.32 percent, almost half of what these students pay now, about 4.29 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Former students would also have the opportunity to refinance the remainder of their debt to this rate. The policy ensures that the rate would never rise above 8.25 percent.

In 2014, 55 percent of MU graduates left with student loan debt, the average loan-bearing student owing an average of over $25,000, according to The Institute of College Access and Success.

According to NPR, the college tuition rate rises two to three times the rate of inflation each year.

“So, long story short, the reason why I believe that free undergrad is necessary is because we have reached a point that an undergraduate degree is necessary to compete in the job market, and the cyclical nature of debt leads to a stratified society which is unhealthy for any form of democracy or any form of freedom within a society,” Willoh said.

Edited by Hailey Stolze | hstolze@ themaneater.com

8

THE MANEATER | NEWS | APRIL 27, 2016

PARK Continued from page 3

pay their fees.

“It’s not so much about cracking down,” Sokoff said.

“We are simply managing the parking scheme of the university.”

MSA

Continued from page 3

plan outlining her vision for MSA for the next four years.

As the new director of the Department of Student Activities, Sarah Frey had more experience in DSA than any of the other candidates.

She has served as a regular member, junior chair, senior

The NuPark system was brought to the attention of MU Parking and Transportation when communicating with other universities. Baylor University, University of Kansas, Stanford University and Texas Tech University all use the system.

“This particular system that we are going to be using was

developed at Texas Tech around 2010,” Sokoff said. “We had heard about this, and then started to think about updating our technology.”

Before this new system, MU’s Parking and Transportation office was behind the curve by about 10–15 years, but the new technology is “cutting-edge,” Sokoff said.

This system also helps with Parking and Transportation’s data collection.

“Right now we do manual lot counts, so I’ll have two of my enforcement staff physically count how many open spaces there are at 10 on a Wednesday morning,” Sokoff said.

With the NuPark system, Parking and Transportation

will be able to acquire real-time data on parking availability from structure to structure.

Accurate, real-time data will help their offices manage the placement of their enforcement staff and will allow them to operate more efficiently.

Edited by Taylor Blatchford | tblatchford@themaneater.com

chair, assistant director and now director. Earl believes this experience can allow her to determine what will move the department forward at every level.

Earl looked at Sammie A r n o l d ’s i nv o l v e m e n t throughout campus when selecting him as his director of the Department of Student Communications. He wanted someone who would advocate for those whose voices couldn’t

be heard.

“We were really looking for someone who’s not only social media savvy but also someone who can go out into the student body and engage their voice for MSA,” Earl said.

Earl and Schafer looked for a desire in the candidates to expand the role they were applying for. They especially found this in director of the Department of Student Services Casey Frost. Frost’s main

aspiration for DSS is working on developing programs that improve student retention.

One critique he’s received on his cabinet is the lack of gender diversity, Earl said. There are four women and one man, Sammie Arnold, on the cabinet.

“I understand that it’s not as diverse as it could be,” Earl said. “We also have to consider the applications that are there.

Regardless of gender I’m going to pick the best person for the job.”

A common thread among the cabinet is the amount of business and journalism majors. The only exceptions are Jessica York, a nursing major, and Taylor Harrington, a psychology major. This is also a reflection of the application pool, Earl said.

Edited by Waverly Colville | wcolville@themaneater.com

M TheManeater.com

9 The key to your entertainment

KAITLIN WASHBURN | STAFFPHOTOGRAPHER

Kaldi’s Coffee sits at the corner of Ninth and Cherry streets on April 25.

CoMo coffee shops

If at first you don’t succeed, chai chai again Whether you prefer your chai sweet or spicy, we know the perfect cup of chai for you.

KATHERINE WHITE Columnist While coffee is the beloved beverage of America, some people (like me) love the drink I like to refer to as “fall in a cup,” commonly known as the chai tea latte. For those who also prefer to caffeinate with the delicious, sweet and spicy chai, you might get incredibly bored getting your fix at Emporium Cafe throughout finals season.

I tried four cups of chai

MOVE MOVE Editor: Beat Writers Amanda Battmer, Anna Maples, Bianca Rodriquez, Grant Sharples

downtown to find out which coffee shop is the best for you.

Kaldi’s Coffee, located at 29 S. Ninth St., has a lot of pluses on its side. The shop is quite spacious, especially considering the small coziness of Starbucks.

It has a good atmosphere with a very modern cafe feel. The chai itself was very foamy — if you love foam, Kaldi’s has you covered. It started out mostly sweet, then gave way to a spicy homemade-tea flavor. It was spicy not in the “hot and spicy” way, but in that it definitely tastes like a tea made with a variety of spices. This is the best cup of chai for someone who loves that sweet-spicy balance.

Lakota, on the other hand, is located across the street from

STAFF

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

Let’s be friends:

Twitter: @MOVEManeater MOVE.themaneater.com

Kaldi’s at 24 S. Ninth St. and has a Northeastern log cabin theme. While waiting for my chai, I appreciated the cute touch of their bookshelf; you can browse through any of the books while at the shop or buy one if you’d like to take it with you. The tea starts out with some frothy foam, but doesn’t give way to a very strong flavor at any point. If I were to pick a side, it leans more toward sweet than spicy, but didn’t present a strong sensation of either.

I’d say this chai is the best for someone who wants something mild.

Coffee Zone is a restaurant and coffee shop combo at 11 N. Ninth St. with a Middle Eastern theme, which is reflected in both its decor and food menu.

When I ordered my chai, the cashier brewed it in front of me.

It was a nice touch because I got my drink quickly and because there’s something special about watching your drink being made. While more spicy than the average cup of chai, it still wasn’t overwhelming. Coffee Zone also offered some great bang for your buck, as its ‘small’ size was a similar price to the other locations but significantly larger. This is the best chai for someone who loves the spicy side of the drink.

And of course, you’re likely familiar with Starbucks’ cozy coffee shop feel. Unfortunately, the one on Ninth Street is especially cozy in the way that it is also incredibly tiny. As far as the actual chai goes, it can be

wonderful. However, Starbucks tends to be a little inconsistent.

Some days, it’s sweet and yummy; other days, it’s throatburningly spicy. And every now and then it lacks flavor. If you hit Starbucks on a good day, you can get a great cup of chai.

It’s the best for someone who wants to stay close to campus and has some gift cards to kill.

If you don’t want to go downtown, there are plenty of on-campus locations to grab some chai: Bookmark Cafe, Catalyst Cafe, Emporium Cafe, Infusion, J Cafe, Starbucks in Memorial Union and Vida Coffee Co. Edited by Katie Rosso | krosso@themaneater.com

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THE MANEATER | MOVE | APRIL 27, 2016

Unbound Book Festival covers a variety of genres, topics in literature and life Festival-goers interacted closely with authors and poets ANNA SUTTERER Staff Writer

Q&A

ANNA SUTTERER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Festival volunteer Casi Aslin mans the book sale table at Macklanburg Playhouse, where the kids’ events were held. The works of the visiting authors were sold through the festival’s partnership with Barnes & Noble.

First Unbound Book Festival produces literature, writing process discussion Festival founder Alex George: Promoting literacy and a personal relationship between authors and readers was the goal.

ANNA SUTTERER Staff Writer The Unbound Book Festival debuted Saturday on the Stephens College campus. The free event gathered authors from across the nation to participate in personal works discussions and big ideas panels for attendees to absorb and contribute to. MOVE asked Unbound’s founder, volunteers and participating authors their thoughts about Columbia’s reading community and the value of book festivals.

The founder Alex George, Local author and founder of Unbound Book Festival George, a father of four, has written five books and has a love for books and the community. MOVE spoke with George about his process and desired impact of the first Unbound Book Festival here in

Columbia.

Q: Was this festival in any way inspired by True/False, Roots ‘n Blues, or other festivals we have here in Columbia?

A: I know David Wilson and Paul Sturtz of True/False, and I’ve had various meetings with Paul. He’s given a lot of advice on what to do and what not to do and what to be aware of and what to beware of. That’s been extremely helpful. And also very early on, I got in touch with various organizers of book festivals around the country and talked to them as well, from places as far as Maryland and Minneapolis. I’ve had a lot of support from people who know far more than I do.

Q: How will the festival impact Columbia as a literary and artsy college town?

A: We have a statistically improbable number of authors who live here. And it’s oddly a relatively small number related to the universities. They came here for whatever reason, and it’s a good and conducive place to write and be supported. The hope with this festival will be that it will put Columbia more in the public eye in those terms and be a snowballing effect, for example to persuade other authors to do readings and things like that. I think we’ve made a good start in the last

few years, and the community of writers here in town is very strong, but we can certainly work on that and improve on that.

Q: Why do you think writers have flocked here?

A: I think the community of writers has built up here is incredibly strong and very supportive. It’s great to have a network of people to reach out to and commiserate with or celebrate with over a cup of coffee. It can be a very lonely business; there’s no water cooler. So the fact that there are so many in town that understand what you’re going through can be a tremendous help.

Q: What are the most salient pieces you want festival-goers and those who missed the event to know?

A: This is a festival for readers, that’s super important.

We’re trying to make it as interactive as possible. There’s lots of opportunities to meet the authors, talk with them and pick their brains or just get them to sign your book.

The relationship between a reader and a writer is a very odd one, and usually it’s from a distance mostly, even though it can be very intense and quite passionate. What we’re trying to do is break that down. Most

of these people (the authors) don’t come to Columbia, but will go to St. Louis or Kansas City. And so we’re trying to bring these folks in as a way of introducing them to this very smart, reading public we have here.

Volunteer Peggy O’Connor, retired English teacher from Rock Bridge High School O’Connor dabbles mostly in essay writing and is part of a writing group called F.R.A.M.E. (none of the members remember what the acronym stands for anymore).

They meet once a month at the six members’ houses and share ideas and encouragement for their work.

Q: Why did you decide to volunteer?

A: I volunteer a lot for True/False. It’s such a great experience to be part of it. You get to be behind the scenes, doing what you can, and then you can also participate. Books are my number one love, so I thought I had to get in at the ground floor of this festival and support it. We want this to be the True/False of book festivals.

Q: What does supporting a book festival mean to you?

A: I know people who are serious writers who want to be published, but it’s so hard.

So if coming here and getting the word out helps more good writers get published or have people buy their books... anything that we can do to make it a viable profession and support good writing.

Q: Are there any tips or highlights you would give someone who missed the festival to encourage them to come next year?

A: I think it’s been fantastic.

One of the surprises for me is that the people who are interviewing the authors have been fabulous and almost equally great. Many of them are published authors too, so you kind of get a two-for-one. You get these two wonderful minds going, and the whole process of questioning and knowing what to ask is an art itself.

Q: What have you learned or most enjoyed about your experience with Unbound?

A: This is about more than books. This is a day-long conversation with people who are keen observers of humanity and emotion and identity, and they’re great at articulating what they’ve observed. It’s very refreshing.

Edited by Nat Kaemmerer | nkaemmerer@themaneater.com

The quintessential book festival-goer drinks lattes on a hot day and carries a notepad and pen with them wherever they go. Their conversations quickly rise to a vocabulary level that shows off their love of language, and neither party minds.

They fuss over a packed program, unable to decide which panels and discussions they most want to attend. One moment, they’re sighing with a friend about the writing process and editing woes, and the next they’re fluttering around with a break of inspiration after hearing an author speak.

As I observed the crowds at Columbia’s first Unbound Book Festival on Saturday afternoon, I felt a great level of connection among all the readers. The atmosphere was both relaxed and thoughtful. Talking to volunteers and authors about what they’d gleaned from the festival reminded me the powerful presence literature has in many lives.

The festival featured a wide variety of genres including kids’ lit, poetry, fiction, non-fiction and panels. Authors and audiences discussed politics, food, identity and writing processes. Hopping from one auditorium to another on the Stephens College campus took dedication and careful planning. I made it to six events, filled a good portion of my notepad and still wanted more.

If you missed the magic and want to know more about what Unbound covered

in its panels and discussions, MOVE has some highlights for you: Claire McCaskill, memoir: Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., author of “Pretty Ladylike,” spoke about her experience as a woman in office and how that shaped the message of her memoir.

She said a typical politician’s book is about their family life, how much they love America, their education, how much they love America, maybe some hardship anecdotes – and by the way, they love America. McCaskill didn’t want her memoir to be a box to check on the list of tasks to complete in her political career. She wanted young women to read her book and know they could be bossy and have a big mouth, that they could own their ambition and not worry about threatening men. She hoped to be honest, candid and real while still not harming anyone.

Shann Ray, fiction: Ray, author of “American Copper,” professed he was almost too in love with language. He chuckled, remembering his editor scolding him several times for not communicating clearly. Even so, Ray said he loves the editing process. He enjoys focusing on the rhythm of his writing and communicating a feeling to his readers. Questions posed by readers in the audience brought forth discussions about altruism, family dynamics and healing. Ray’s background in psychology and forgiveness studies is evident in the way he speaks about his supportive family and the relational themes he weaves into his novels. In regards to systemic and generational healing, he said that “When you change yourself, others around you

have to change.”

Mary Jo Bang, poetry: A line in one of Bang’s poems she read aloud went as follows: “The chaos inspires me, I say, ‘I’m part of this.’” The poet said many times her inspiration process involves looking at surrealist paintings and constructing a story from what she sees. On one occasion she visited an art exhibit featuring sculptures made from dollar-store items and wrote from that experience. Bang reminded writers a poem’s direction can take turns on its own, and whether it shows a basic pessimism or basic optimism is not always up to them.

Writing Identity, panel: Shann Ray and poets Camille Rankine and Patrick Rosal discussed how their identities influence their work and their hopes for better human understanding in general. The moderator asked what the relationship between geography and identity is in the world of writing. Ray, a Montana native, said landscape plays a large role in his writing and views landscape as “a living body.” The panel addressed the catch-22 of “handles,” for example Rosal’s being known as a Filipino poet. He said they can both be an undesired, limiting force but also a point of connection between writers and readers with similar backgrounds.

Rankine dislikes being often described as one thing: a black poet. She said she is not trying to transcend who she is, but desires people to resist the instinct to read her work through one lens. Almost all the seats in the room for this event were filled. Audience members answered

the panel’s reflections with their similar views on the complexities of identities.

Bobby Norfolk, kids’ lit: Norfolk, who is known for his stage presence and storytelling ability, delivered on his promise to take the audience on a ride in the theater of their minds. He personified a donkey, cow and rooster among other characters while performing a tale about old farm animals forming a band. From the laps of their parents, kids giggled and shrieked, resounding in response to Norfolk’s expressions and voices. Norfolk has created more than ten CDs, co-authored eight children’s books and won three Emmy awards for his storytelling.

Candice Millard, historical nonfiction: Millard, an author of several presidential biographies, explained to readers in her audience the intense depth of research she undertakes when she begins a project.

One expedition took her to the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil where she walked the dark lands that pushed Theodore Roosevelt nearly to suicide. While at the Library of Congress for her book about President James A. Garfield, she stumbled upon an envelope filled with hair clipped from his head on his deathbed. Millard said she tries not to get attached to a subject before finding a ton of primary resources including letters, newspaper coverage and journals that would help her make their historical narratives come alive. Once she finishes a book, however, she misses their constant presence in her life.

Edited by Katherine Rosso | krosso@ themaneater.com

ANNA SUTTERER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Moderator Gabe Fried, novelist Shann Ray and poets Camille Rankin and Patrick Rosal, from left to right, listen to an audience question during the Writing Identity panel at the Unbound Book Festival.

12

THE MANEATER | MOVE | APRIL 27, 2016

Listen to this

Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ is a poignant musical journey Queen Bey’s sixth studio album is just as good a piece of social commentary as it is an album.

KATHERINE WHITE The last time Beyoncé dropped an album, it appeared on iTunes with no prior notice. In its first three days, the record sold 828,773 copies worldwide, the fastest-selling album ever on iTunes.

She discussed themes of feminism, sex, marriage, fame and motherhood through well-crafted R&B music.

It’s three years later. What did Beyoncé do?

She outdid herself.

Her visual album “Lemonade” was released on iTunes early Monday.

Previously, it was only available on Tidal and HBO. If you strip down commercial success and look at the music alone, “Lemonade” shows that Queen Bey can make the best R&B album — or the best album, period — of 2013 and turn around to make an even better one in 2016.

Multiple genres come together in “Lemonade” as Beyoncé says everything she’s wanted to say for years, from personal marital strife to commentary on the biggest social issues of our time.

Despite the variety on the album, it still feels cohesive. The common link is its concept: “Lemonade” is “based on every woman’s journey of self-knowledge and healing,” according to an announcement from Tidal.

This journey begins with “Pray You Catch Me,” a piano- and vocal-focused piece that introduces the theme of infidelity Beyoncé follows throughout “Lemonade.”

“Hold Up” continues to elevate the conflict. It’s one of the most fun tracks on the album, with bouncy strings and a catchy chorus. The moment you know it’s going to be perfect is when you hear the blare of airhorns. Beyoncé criticizes an assumed unfaithful partner with laidback reprimands of “Hold up, they don’t love you like I love you,” which comes from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Maps.”

The music’s tone is no longer fun and bouncy once “Don’t Hurt Yourself ” hits with garage rock vibes at its start.

This song is a highlight, from the collaboration with Jack White to the

experimental use of sounds to establish a backdrop. It also has some of the best (and most hostile) lyrics on the album.

After breakup anthem “Sorry,” “6 Inch” uses heels as a symbol of feminine strength donned by the woman in the song, who could be a stripper who “walk(s) in the club like nobody’s business” or a CEO “stacking money everywhere she goes.” By using descriptors that could apply to both sex workers or successful businesswomen, Beyoncé argues that women can do any job and be worthy of respect.

“Daddy Lessons” starts strong with traditional New Orleans music for its introduction. It brings in a certain genre that you can’t find elsewhere on “Lemonade” — country— making it one of the more interesting tracks.

“Sandcastles” is definitely one of the best tracks. A reverb-heavy piano provides the accompaniment for Beyoncé’s beautiful vocals, confirming she’s one of the best vocalists alive.

Beyoncé beats Adele at her own game of tear-inducing piano ballads with universal lyrics like “Show me your scars and I won’t walk away.”

After the interlude “Forward (feat.

James Blake)” comes one of the best

songs on the record. “Freedom (feat.

Kendrick Lamar)” is a blues rock anthem that is amazing both lyrically and musically. Beyoncé and Kendrick reference a long history of black oppression and the Black Rights Matter movement to craft an empowering anthem. From the funky keys and bass line to lyrics like “I break my chains all by myself, won’t let my freedom rot in hell,” this song is exceptional.

After “Love Drought” and “All Night,” which acts as the final conclusion to the saga of romantic strife, all that’s left is the song we know and love, “Formation.”

An inspiration for the album’s title is found in a sound bite at the end of “Freedom”: “I was served lemons, so I made lemonade,” Hattie White, Jay-Z’s grandmother, says in a speech at her 90th birthday. This saying reflects both the song “Freedom” and the album as a whole. Beyoncé takes the horrible reality of oppression, racism, sexism and infidelity and turns them into fuel for an empowering, poignant visual album that unites its listeners.

MOVE gives “Lemonade” 5 out of 5 stars.

Epoch Escapes to open in Columbia this week

This shop entertains players through a series of brain teasers and mysteries.

AMANDA BATTMER Staff Writer

Nothing says team bonding like solving a crime or stopping a virus from decimating humanity.

Epoch Escapes plans to open its doors to Columbia on Friday. This real-life escape gaming center will feature three different themed scenarios, allowing players to find hidden treasure, solve crimes or stop a deadly virus from wiping out humanity.

Co-owners Cassie and Ryan Wiemholt decided to open Epoch Escapes after hearing positive reviews about similar gaming experiences and trying one out for themselves.

“We have always had a passion of starting our own business, we just could never figure out what it was going to be,” Cassie says. “As soon as we experienced the game, we knew that we both loved games and this type of environment, so we thought that it would be perfect for the Columbia area.”

The overall goal of Epoch Escapes is to create an entertaining and thrilling

experience for participants. The Wiemholts’ focus is to create an environment perfect for team building, meeting new people or just having fun with friends and trying something different.

The rooms fit anywhere from 2–10 people, and bookings can be set online. Rooms aren’t closed just for people who know each other, though. The Wiemholts agree that allowing parties to mix is great for development, team networking and meeting new people.

“Meet other people, or come with a group you already know,” Cassie says. “Find out how well you can communicate with one another and work together, and just have the time of your life.”

Although the Wiemholts’ full-time jobs mean minimal hours at the gaming center’s star t, Epoch Escapes encourages other businesses to get in on the fun, too. As of now the center will be open on Thursday and Friday evenings, as well as all day Saturday and Sunday, but will accommodate the schedules of businesses for private events.

Epoch Escapes will open at 2529 Bernadette Drive by Columbia Mall. Each game is $25 per person and gives teams 60 minutes to escape.

Edited by Katherine Rosso | krosso@themaneater.com

TheManeater.com

OPINION

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A PLACE FOR FREE EXPRESSION We want to hear your voice.

Submit letters to the editor at: www.themaneater.com/letter-to-the-editor FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION EDITORIALS REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OPINION OF THE MANEATER EDITORIAL BOARD

A eulogy for Columbia’s historic downtown (1820-2016) We are here today to mourn the loss of Columbia’s historic downtown, the city’s cultural center since its founding, and all of its charm. From its restaurants and bars to its quaint little shops, downtown Columbia is being torn down one building at a time to make room for luxury student living.

It began with poor Shakespeare’s Pizza. A popular attraction in Columbia since it opened in 1973, the original location was demolished last year to make way for Brookside’s newest housing complex. The iconic pizza joint has taken refuge in a location next door, but it will relocate to the first floor of the new Brookside building in a retail space without its classic storefront.

Then came Bengals. Bengals was a popular bar for “upperclassmen” to go to watch football games and hang out on the large patio. Partiers at Bengals could be heard from blocks away on any given Friday night. Patrons said their goodbyes to the hangout when it closed in November. The empty building now waits demolition.

Casablanca, a Mediterranean restaurant on Fifth and Elm streets, followed soon after. Losing Casablanca meant losing the bit of culinary diversity it lent to Columbia’s restaurant scene. The building is now being torn down to create a new student housing complex in combination with the land where Bengals was housed.

Quinton’s and Britches were the next victims. Quinton’s gave bargoers a slightly classier experience than most bars with its bottomless weekend mimosas and multi-level outdoor patio. Its relaxed atmosphere and scenic view of downtown Columbia and campus are now being replaced by an apartment building, despite the original building having been part of the Department of Interior’s National Register of Historic Sites.

Britches, the clothing boutique formerly attached to Quinton’s, sold female clothing in an atmosphere far different from an ordinary department store. While they said they will be returning in the future at a different location, no new stores

have been announced. The businesses on the corner of Ninth and Locust streets were driven out to build Rise Apartments, a 10-story building of parking and apartments.

Mizzou Hillel, on University Avenue, is going voluntarily. When its building is demolished for student housing, the Jewish campus center will relocate for a year before moving into the new building. As Columbia’s historic downtown dies, affordable student housing dies with it. As cost-efficient options like James Condominiums and houses for rent on Fourth and Fifth streets are torn down to be replaced with luxury options, students are being pushed farther from downtown and from campus unless they are able to pay a higher rent.

Columbia’s historic and affordable downtown is survived only by a memory of what it felt like to live in a town with beautiful, vintage buildings that reflected its history. It lives on in our minds as we look at tall, modern student housing complexes and as we daydream of Columbia’s yesteryear.

University of Utah.

“It’s far more common to be someone who is a little bit attracted to the same sex than someone who is exclusively attracted to the same sex,” Diamond told The Advocate n reality, it is very common to be attracted to more than one sex at once, which is the definition of bisexuality.

Therefore, I do think that most people are bisexual, but that is none of my business. You may identify your sexuality as whatever you wish.

Consequently, bisexuality is erased.

It is dismissed as experimentation and dabbling. This is called bisexual erasure. For instance, Lady Gaga has publicly identified herself as bisexual but has continued to be asked whether she is straight or gay out of confusion from seeing her with both men and women. It’s a shame when the question is already answered, but no one seems to listen.

Mainstream media seems to believe that people have a hard time understanding the possibility of being attracted to more than one sex. It may be correct, unfortunately, but not without the media’s wrongdoing.

For instance, bisexual activist Robyn

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Ochs, who was one of the first women to marry another woman in America, was publicly misidentified as a lesbian despite disclosing her bisexuality. If the media began to recognize bisexuality publicly, maybe the exposure would allow better education and clarification on what bisexuality truly is.

People who identify as bisexual are also fetishized. Since they’re attracted to both men and women, it is common to see them as threesome props. It is disgusting to assume that since a person is attracted to more than one sex, they are only good for fulfilling a sexual fantasy. Bisexual individuals still experience intimacy and love for everyone they are attracted to; their sexuality is not merely attraction.

Bisexuality does not mean you’re both straight and gay. It means you’re bisexual. Bisexuality is not synonymous with being confused.

It means you’re attracted to two or more sexes, maybe you like one more than the others, and that is okay.

Being bisexual does not mean being sex-hungry. Bisexuality does not make people liars or experimenters.

Bisexuality deserves to be validated.

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Bisexuality is one of the most misunderstood and mocked sexualities. Sadly enough, this has led to many bisexual individuals to believe they must decide between heterosexuality, homosexuality or living in a state of perpetual criticism.

I have found that many people, straight and gay, often look at my bisexuality and think of me as just a straight girl that is going through a phase. This couldn’t be more wrong.

Bisexuality is real. Sexuality is fluid and stretches along a spectrum.

In fact, most of the population falls somewhere between the two opposite ends of the spectrum, making it uncommon for a person to be completely and totally straight or gay for his or her entire lifetime.

Recent studies have found that 10 to 14 percent of American women identify as mostly, but not completely, heterosexual, and 6 to 9 percent of American men self-identify the same way, said Lisa Diamond, a professor of psychology and gender studies at the

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ELANE EDWARDS

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Bisexuality is not ‘just a phase’

14

THE MANEATER | OPINION | APRIL 27, 2016

the big-eyed believer

Why Pagans stand up for the environment HUNTER BASSLER While I was browsing the internet last Saturday during Earth Day, there were many pictures depicting our planet as beaten, sick or dying with an enthusiastic “Happy Earth Day” stamped on it. While these depictions are sad and relatively depressing, they aren’t very far from the truth.

Human beings have lost touch with nature. Apart from abandoned overgrown buildings and state and national parks, the environment is no longer allowed to grow free and is, instead, controlled by people. The only reason we seem to have landscaping in front of buildings and on campus is because it looks nice. There is no longer

any true appreciation for nature in our ever-growing concrete jungles. One religion not only appreciates nature, but worships it: Paganism.

Paganism, as a term, was created by the Christian community to describe religions other than the three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Islam and Christianity). The Pagan community is a diverse one. Paganism is an umbrella term that encompasses groups such as Wiccans, Druids, Shamans, Sacred Ecologists, Odinists and Heathens.

Basically, it started out being used as a derogatory term, but was then later adopted by the community and used as a self-descriptor for members of groups such as contemporary or Neopaganism.

The Paganism we most commonly know of today is actually called Neopaganism, or Modern Paganism.

While some see it as a movement of many different religions, most see it as a single religion with different faiths being denominations.

Neopaganism is known to be a nature religion. A nature religion characterizes any religion or religious movement that believes the natural world to be an embodiment of spirit and divinity. They see nature as the most sacred thing on earth and will relentlessly fight for ecofriendly measures and speak out against environmental issues.

Paganism and Christianity have had a poor relationship, historically speaking.

Due to Christianity basically ostracizing Paganism because Christians believed they were idolizing Earth, Paganism has become one of those words people see as “bad” for vague reasons. People today view the word “pagan” similar to how

they view the word “cult.”

The rituals Pagans conduct are definitely outside the norm and they may, very well, always be considered strange. The only reason Paganism exists is because it was outside the norm.

Maybe being outside the mainstream religions is what Paganism is all about.

However, as I’ve basically been saying in all of my columns, just because something is weird doesn’t mean all of the good qualities the thing has goes away. Not taking anything for granted and being mindful of your surroundings are among the most respected qualities among Pagans. We could learn a lot by viewing how Pagans care for nature and the world around them.

THE POLITICAL PUPIL

Why Kasich shouldn’t back down from agreement with Cruz TESS VRBIN It seems there’s no limit to the amount of plot twists this election season can have. The anti-Donald Trump movement in the Republican Party has spread from party leaders to Trump’s last two competitors for the Republican presidential nomination.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Gov. John Kasich of Ohio announced Sunday that they would join forces to stop Trump from winning delegates in some of the upcoming primaries, hoping this will prevent him from attaining 1,237 delegates and clinching the nomination.

Kasich planned to stop campaigning in Indiana and let Cruz win it May 3, and Cruz planned to allow Kasich to take Oregon later in May and New Mexico in June.

It seemed like a good plan at first. If he and Cruz split the anti-Trump vote,

they will each win fewer delegates per state, but by turning some states into a one-on-one contest, they can make a Trump victory in those states much less likely. This way, Trump’s opponents could each defeat him in states that favor them individually, allowing them to keep more delegates away from him than one could if the other dropped out of the race. Even if either Cruz or Kasich takes few or no delegates in a state that the other wins, that still means fewer delegates for Trump, and possibly more for both Cruz and Kasich than they would have had otherwise.

But on Monday, just hours after the announcement, the Cruz-Kasich collaboration seemed in danger of collapse when Kasich said he still wanted his supporters to vote for him in Indiana.

Kasich, whose only primary victory so far has been his home state, is stuck between a rock and a hard place. The odds of him winning the nomination

are so slim that his reluctance to give up potential delegates is sensible. He’s also probably worried that his supporters might not come back to him if they support someone else even temporarily, which is completely understandable in light of Kasich’s lackluster performance this primary season. There’s a chance he could become the nominee at a contested convention, and the fact that he’s stayed in the race this long shows just how much he wants to win. In order for that to happen, though, he’ll have to comply with his alliance with Cruz.

Trump currently leads in the Indiana polls with 40 percent, but Cruz isn’t far behind him with 35 percent. Even just some of Kasich’s 20 percent could hand Cruz the victory by voting for him in this winner-take-most state. If Kasich keeps trying to garner support in Indiana, he’ll only ensure a Trump win. Losing Oregon and New Mexico won’t matter to Trump if he takes Indiana, since he won all five of Tuesday’s primaries.

That’s not the only reason Kasich should uphold the agreement. Cruz could win Indiana even if Kasich doesn’t completely stop campaigning there, but Kasich’s unwillingness to hold up his end of the bargain could drive Cruz to go back on his own word. Both candidates are ultimately self-interested, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Cruz decided not to let Kasich have Oregon and New Mexico because Kasich didn’t want to let Indiana go.

If Kasich and Cruz really do share the anti-Trump mindset, if nothing else, Kasich will have to be willing to lose delegates in one state in order to gain them in two others. The two candidates’ plan isn’t perfect, and it might be too late for it to work, but it’s not hopeless. If they follow through with it, the possibility of a contested Republican national convention and a nominee other than Trump stays alive.

SPORTS

THE BEST SOURCE FOR MU SPORTS

15

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Freshman pitcher Tanner Houck looks toward left field from the dugout during the game against LSU on April 17.

Baseball

Developing a pro: Houck ready for long career Brian DeLunas: “If you’re a hitter and you want to be hitting off of Tanner, I think now’s the time to do it. Because I think he’s just going to continue to get better as he goes.”

PETER BAUGH Features Projects Editor Darrin Houck remembers his son Tanner hobbling around the pitcher's mound.

Tanner was pitching in a tournament in Branson for his middle school select team, the Troy Thunder. The first batter he faced hit a rocket up the middle, and the line drive struck Houck’s knee.

Despite the pain, Tanner stayed in the game. In fact, the future Missouri Tiger pitched into the seventh inning and only allowed two hits.

“I think this is where I learned that he was going to be a type of kid that he’s not going to back down,” Darrin Houck said.

Now a 6-foot-5, 217-pound sophomore at Missouri, Tanner has received national recognition. After earning Freshman All-America honors in 2015, Houck posted a 2.16 earned run average pitching for the USA Collegiate National

Team in the summer. Perfect Game, a baseball scouting website, ranked the Missouri sophomore as the No. 1 prospect for the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Combined with his physical build and athleticism, Houck’s competitive spirit and mental toughness have helped him develop into one of college baseball’s top pitchers. If he can stay healthy and continue improving, the 19-year-old could have a long, professional career ahead of him.

The Fastball There are pitchers in the Southeastern Conference who throw harder than Houck. But the movement on his premier pitch, the fastball, makes it deadly for hitters.

Kyle Gibson, a Minnesota Twins starting pitcher and 2009 first-round pick out of Missouri, got a chance to watch Houck pitch during the Tigers’ spring trip to Florida.

“If you’re looking at a breaking ball or a changeup, you have dual planes of movement,” Gibson said. “You can have it go down or you can have it go side to side. When a fastball has both of those on it, it becomes a pretty tough pitch to hit, especially when it’s moving late … 96 (mph) is already tough enough to hit in its own way, so when you add that in with the movement, it’s hard to square up, and it’s pretty hard to take a couple good hacks at it.”

Coaches, teammates and experts have all commented on Houck’s fastball movement.

SEC Network analyst and former major league player Gabe Gross ranked Houck’s fastball as the best in the conference this month.

“He not only can throw hard, but he can locate the ball to both sides of the plate,” Gross said in an SEC Network segment. “And above everything else, he’s just got great movement on his pitches.”

In the offseason, the Collinsville, Illinois, native takes private pitching lessons from Brian DeLunas, the founder of Premier Pitching and Performance in St. Louis.

DeLunas was a volunteer assistant at Missouri from 2006 to 2009.

DeLunas said that the effectiveness of Houck’s fastball makes his secondary pitches even harder to hit.

“You’re going to be facing mid-90s sink, and I think he’s going to be pretty aggressive in the zone,” DeLunas said. “But then you’re going to have to defend the slider, too.”

Brett Bond might know Houck’s fastball better than anyone else. The sophomore catcher has been behind the plate for all of Houck’s starts this season.

“Every weekend, it feels like his ball can do something different every time,” Bond said. “It can dive more, it can run more, it can maybe stay a little flatter.”

One of Houck’s strongest starts this season came April 8 against Auburn. The sophomore threw a completegame shutout, striking out 10 en route to a 2–0 Missouri win.

After the game, Houck said he worked on commanding all three of his pitches (fastball, changeup, slider) over the offseason. Against Auburn, he could control them all and mix up the types of pitches he threw.

“Fastball was huge,” he said. “(I) showed really early that I could command it for strikes with a lot of movement. So that was my go-to (pitch) tonight, and then backing it up with my slider whenever I needed it, knowing that I could get them to chase out of the zone occasionally, and then coming back in with the fastball.”

The scary thing for the rest of college baseball is that Houck is still improving. As he’s only 19 years old, his slider and changeup will continue to get better.

“He knows how to control a baseball game, and he’s only a sophomore,” Gibson said.

“The ceiling is the limit. It’s incredible. He’s got really good late life on his sinker. His offspeed is only going to develop more and more.”

The Hype With pre-draft speculation, there has already been plenty of hype around Houck. This will only grow as the 2017 draft

gets closer.

Gibson knows what it’s like to deal with pressure. As a former first-round pick, people had high expectations for him as he worked his way into the major leagues.

“The next year he’s going to have some lofty expectations … there’s a lot of pressure that comes with that,” Gibson said.

“For him, it seems like he’s got a really good head on his shoulders.”

Gibson said that it is easy to get wrapped up in talk about the draft. However, he thinks that the process can be fun and exciting “if you have the right view on it.”

Darrin Houck said he takes the draft projections lightly.

Although he acknowledges the high expectations for his son, he feels that it is an exciting time.

Darrin does not think Tanner is affected by the added hype of the draft.

“I still think that he is unaware of a lot of this outside pressure,” he said. “He keeps to himself a lot, doesn’t listen to all the media hype and such.

So I think that he doesn’t hear about it as much as a lot of people outside do.”

Tanner said that being named the top draft prospect was an honor. With that said, he recognizes there’s a long time before the summer of 2017.

“I’ve got to continue to

Houck | Page 17

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THE MANEATER | SPORTS | APRIL 27, 2016

Takeaways

Baseball swept for fourth time in 2016

The Tigers dropped below .500 for the first time this season.

JASON LOWENTHAL Senior Staff Writer Missouri baseball suffered its fourth Southeastern Conference sweep of the season this past weekend at the hands of No. 8 South Carolina. The Tigers jumped out to an early 3–0 lead in the series opener before South Carolina scored eight of the next nine runs to pull away. The Gamecocks overtook Mizzou in the final two games of the series, outscoring the Tigers 14–3. Here’s what we learned: Mizzou cannot beat a top team this year Either due to a mental obstacle or a gap in talent, Mizzou has had trouble beating top teams this season. In 2015, the Tigers fell just short of the NCAA Tournament, but it was mainly because of their performances against mid-major nonconference and lower-tier SEC teams that kept them out. They had been able to win games against quality opponents such as Florida, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Ole Miss.

This season has been a different story.

The Tigers have yet to beat a meaningful

opponent. According to the Rating Percentage Index, Mizzou has just one win this season against current top 100 teams (No. 57 Southeast Missouri State). Mizzou has played a gauntlet of a schedule to this point, and perhaps the Tigers will turn things around in their final 12 conference games, but if they can’t beat a top team and compete in a difficult conference like the SEC, they’re going to be left behind.

The Zach Lavy show continues It’s been a major struggle at the plate for the Mizzou offense this season, but senior Zach Lavy has certainly done his part. The Tigers’ first baseman collected four more hits and two more RBIs against South Carolina, raising his season batting average to a team-leading .340. He also ranks first on the team in runs (34), hits (53), RBIs (36), total bases (95) and slugging percentage (.609). He leads the entire SEC in extra-base hits with 27, two of which came against the Gamecocks.

Mizzou’s postseason hopes are all but extinct Heading into the season, Mizzou had high hopes. In last week’s takeaways, we mentioned that Mizzou couldn’t afford to go another weekend without a win, but that’s exactly what happened. This series against South Carolina gave the Tigers a shot to make a move and climb closer to

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Senior first baseman Zach Lavy takes a pick-off throw from the pitcher in an attempt to keep the LSU runner closer at first base on April 17.

.500 in conference play, but they could not take advantage and dropped to last place in the SEC Eastern Division.

The Tigers have yet to beat a ranked team this season and already have some poor losses, according to the RPI. Most notable in the poor loss column are a pair of defeats against Youngstown State (No. 242) and a split against Seton Hall (No. 118).

Mizzou would have to go on some sort of miraculous stretch to end conference play and win a few games in the SEC Tournament if it wants to have any hope of ending its NCAA Tournament drought.

Next up The Tigers will return home to start a four-game home stand with an in-state contest against No. 19 Missouri State at 6 p.m. Tuesday. They’ll continue their SEC grind with a weekend series against Tennessee (23–17, 6–12 SEC). The Volunteers will be coming into Columbia with some momentum after taking two of three from No. 5 Vanderbilt this past weekend. All three games in the series will be broadcast across the ESPN networks and KTGR. Edited by Nancy Coleman | ncoleman@ themaneater.com

17

THE MANEATER | SPORTS | APRIL 27, 2016

HOUCK

Continued from page 15

improve myself, whether that’s in the weight room, on the field, pitches, whatever it is,” he said in a preseason interview. “I’ve just got to stay hungry.”

Through 10 starts in 2016, Houck is still eating. He has a 3.20 earned run average with 75 strikeouts. He has been named SEC Pitcher of the Week twice and was one of 60 players nationally named to USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list. The award honors the top college player in the nation.

DeLunas feels that the hype around the sophomore is deserved.

“I’m going to be honest with you, pitching in the SEC at that level and being able to do what he does, I think that’s some of what warrants some of that attention and some of that hype as a potential topof-the-first-round type of guy,” he said.

With the accolades and scouting reports rolling in, opposing players get excited to face Houck. This makes the right-handed pitcher’s job even tougher.

David Cornin, an Illinois– Chicago infielder, played against Houck. He said Houck has a target on his back. “And the fact that he does have that target on his back, every team is trying to give their best mentality right back at him.”

The Flaws When Cronin and his UIC teammates came to Columbia for Missouri’s first home series of 2016, they planned to be aggressive against Houck. The Flames wanted to control the at-bats.

“We weren’t going to let him get ahead of us,” the sophomore second baseman said. “We knew if we were going to get down quickly, we were kind of in trouble just because he changes up his speeds and his angles.”

The Flames forced Houck to throw 103 pitches in seven innings. They tagged Houck for four runs (three earned), handing the sophomore his first loss of the season.

Cronin said that Houck did not have his best stuff in the game. The Flames were able to capitalize.

“I think as we got his pitch

count up, because we kept getting a bunch of quality at bats early, we were sticking with him, as he got his pitch count up … his fastball was more straight,” Cronin said.

“I don’t know if it was from exhaustion or what it was, but we were able to really fight with him.”

In college, starting pitchers generally throw once a week. In professional baseball, starters move to a five-day rotation.

DeLunas feels that there are adjustments Houck could make to help his durability.

“I think he could still, honestly, use his lower half a little bit more efficiently,” DeLunas said. “I think he can take a little bit of stress off the arm by doing that.”

Although there are elements of Houck’s game that he needs to work on, the sophomore has come a long way since coming to Missouri. Houck’s velocity has jumped from the high 80s into the mid-90s. DeLunas said that the sophomore has put on about 50 pounds since his senior year of high school.

Pete Trapp coached Houck at Collinsville High School. He has been pleased with Houck’s progression.

“A lot of the stuff that I thought he needed to improve on, he actually has,” Trapp said. “It’s hard not to notice his velocity and how much that’s increased.”

Even with Tanner’s physical gains, Darrin Houck feels that his son can still try to add more muscle to his frame.

“He can always work at getting stronger, getting bigger,” Darrin said.

Gibson says that it’s always important for pitchers to work on consistency. He said that even major league pitchers are always striving to refine their craft.

The Twins’ pitcher is excited to see how Houck improves going forward.

“He’s going to have the rest of this year and next year to get better,” Gibson said. “That’s going to be the scary thing.

He’s going to go out there and work hard over the next … 14 months, and it’s going to be pretty cool to see how good he gets a year and two months from now.”

The Future The summer of 2017 will not be the first time Houck is drafted. After his senior year

To get Follow

COURTESY OF MU ATHLETICS

Tanner Houck pitches against Illinois-Chicago on March 5 at Taylor Stadium.

at Collinsville, he was taken in the 12th round of the 2014 draft, but he elected to attend Missouri instead of going pro.

Houck could earn a big payday in next year’s draft. In 2015, No. 1 overall pick Dansby Swanson earned a signing bonus of $6.5 million; no firstround selection earned less than $1.25 million.

Houck’s projectable frame makes him appealing to clubs.

His long arms and lanky stature help add torque — and thus velocity — to his pitches.

“He certainly has some physical attributes that … allows him to do some things that maybe look a little bit less orthodox than the average pitcher,” DeLunas said.

Houck’s prowess as a pitcher

extends beyond his physical attributes. Trapp described him as a supportive teammate, and Missouri coach Tim Jamieson praised his demeanor on the mound.

“It’s a tool that’s not talked about enough, and it’s really the difference-maker,” Jamieson said in a preseason interview.

“At such a young age and such a big environment … we haven’t had anybody that did what he did as a freshman.”

One key for the sophomore’s draft future will be avoiding injury.

“I’m praying to God that he stays healthy … As long as he stays healthy, I think things will work out for him,” Darrin said.

Houck will play for the USA

Collegiate National Team again this summer and then will head into what likely will be his final season at Missouri.

DeLunas compared Houck to an artist with a blank canvas.

When the sophomore combines all of his dominant elements — competitiveness, size and pitch movement — the coach sees an athlete who has a chance to be something special.

“If you’re a hitter and you want to be hitting off of Tanner, I think now’s the time to do it,” DeLunas said. “Because I think he’s just going to continue to get better as he goes.”

Edited by Alec Lewis | alewis@ themaneater.com

sports news & life advice Maneater sports editor

@alec_lewis on Twitter

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THE MANEATER | SPORTS | APRIL 27, 2016

Softball races into second half of season

ANNE ROGERS Staff Writer

Missouri softball’s Regan Nash was an all-state track performer in her four years of high school.

She rounded out her career with two consecutive state titles in the 100-meter dash her junior and senior years.

Yet the freshman from Camden Point, Missouri, chose to use her speed on the softball field instead of the track, and it seems to be working out quite well. The young outfielder secured her a starting spot immediately and has started all 46 games for the Tigers.

“Track was always just a hobby for me, but softball stole my heart,” Nash said. “I love it.”

The Missouri softball team uses speed not just through Nash, but through almost every player in the lineup. It has become a staple of the Mizzou offense, and when there are Tigers on base, it’s hard to catch them stealing.

Mizzou ranks third in NCAA for stolen bases with 132 total.

The team averages 2.93 stolen bases per game.

The No. 19 Tigers swept their April 23–25 series with No. 16 Texas A&M, winning all three games 7–6, 2–1 and 7–1, respectively. The power of their speed helped Missouri win in walk-off fashion during the second game.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, junior designated hitter Chloe Rathburn hit a quick grounder to the shortstop, who threw it to the catcher. She

reached out to tag senior Emily Crane for the out, but Crane beat the tag and won the game for Mizzou.

“My first reaction was ‘oh no,’ but then I saw Emily had a chance on it, so I was like ‘let’s go,’” said senior shortstop Sami Fagan, who was on base at the time. “I mean, with Emily on the bases, with anyone on the bases really, we just have so much speed in our lineup, little hits like that are fine because we can score on them.”

The lineup is made with that speed in mind. Senior centerfielder Taylor Gadbois is the leadoff hitter for the Tigers, a role that she has developed throughout her five years on the team. Currently, she ranks ninth nationally in stolen bases with 46 stolen bases.

The strategy is for Gadbois to reach base, usually with a single, then steal second base on the first two pitches for the next batter and get in scoring position. Crane is usually that next batter and the plan has worked well throughout the season. The second-hole hitter is among the Southeastern Conference’s top hitters this season with an .869 slugging percentage, 15 home runs, 51 runs scored and 53 hits.

“I know my role on this team and that’s stealing bases and get in scoring position for the people behind me,” Gadbois said. “It’s honestly just fun to run, and I love that role. I don’t care where they hit it, I’m trying to score for whoever is behind me. Not just for them to get an RBI, but for us to be up on the scoreboard.”

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Redshirt senior shortstop Sami Fagan hits a ball into left field during the second game against Wichita State on April 13. Fagan ended the game hitting 3-for-4 and scoring three times.

Having speed in their offensive lineup is helpful for Missouri as they take on some of the toughest teams in the nation. However, they also can use it defensively.

Throughout the three game series with Texas A&M, the Tigers had no errors and hardly let runners score, unless the hits were home runs.

“A lot of people interpret speed as an offensive weapon,” coach Ehren Earleywine said. “But when you have kids that can run, you can track down a lot of balls too.

It’s a difference maker.”

Earleywine has looked to speed in recruitment for certain players in recent years. It was one of the reasons he wanted Nash in his lineup. Looking forward, the Tigers are bringing in an impressive recruiting class with speed as a top priority.

Lexi Rampetsreiter, currently a senior at Lee’s Summit North High School, holds the school record for single-season stolen bases and has a 100 percent stolen base success rate in her career. She also possesses the single-season school record for runs scored. She currently plays outfield on her high school and club team and will no doubt help Missouri next year offensively and defensively.

In two years, current junior and Columbia native Delaney McDannold will join the Tiger squad. She plays outfield for Rock Bridge High School, and also runs sprints on the track team.

McDannold led her team in steals last season and was one of Rock Bridge’s top hitters.

Having speed on base and in the outfield is what makes

Missouri such a tough team to play. When the team is allowed to run their offense once they start hitting off tough SEC pitchers, it tends to rack up runs. And when the defense can read the ball and get to it quickly, it can shut down the opposing team early on in the game.

That’s what the team hopes to continue as it approaches postseason. Missouri currently ranks ninth in the SEC and 19th in the country, but has hopes of moving up in rankings.

“If we can keep this energy up we have really high hopes going into postseason,” Crane said. “I think we’re in a really good spot with our emotions and where we stand with each other, so that’s going to be really good for us.”

Edited by Theo DeRosa | tderosa@themaneater.com

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THE MANEATER | SPORTS | APRIL 27, 2016

Nonrevenue sports redeem Mizzou in disappointing year for athletics Kansas City radio host Carrington Harrison: “As much pain and grief they’ve given you, your hope is that one time they get to the final four or that one time they make the college football championship.”

ALEC LEWIS Sports Editor It’s difficult to understate how bad Missouri has been in football, basketball and baseball in the 2015–16 academic year. In full, they won only eight of their 44 games played in the Southeastern Conference.

"I really want to be optimistic about Mizzou sports,” said Connor Lagore, a freshman from Wisconsin, “but it's almost impossible."

But it’s not “almost impossible” when you’re looking at the softball, swim and dive, women’s basketball and wrestling teams — not one has a conference record below .500.

With athletes like junior wrestler J’den Cox winning national titles, teams like the Missouri’s women’s basketball team making NCAA tournaments and Mizzou athletes qualifying for the Olympic Games in Rio, there’s some redemption.

Lagore said Cox’s success forced him to care. Nick Wojciechowski, the ZouCrew director, doesn’t have a choice.

The sophomore from Kirkwood grew up a Missouri fan, and his fandom isn’t dependent on the success of the football and men’s basketball teams. The recent success of nonrevenue sports has grabbed Wojciechowski’s attention.

“I really feel like, especially with women’s basketball’s success and Cox’s, that definitely grabbed the attention of many, many people,” Wojciechowski said.

“I’m 100 percent going to encourage the group to go to games and such for these sports next year because I know we’ll be as good, if not better next year and I feel like if we can get people to those games,

it’ll give those teams huge advantages.”

ZouCrew’s involvement around campus ranges, and it’s part Wojciechowski’s job to ignite that. With the revenue sports’ most recent struggles and thoughts like those of Lagore more prevalent on campus, Wojciechowski’s job has become almost certainly tougher.

“I firmly believe that if you show positivity and are energetic and show that to your members, they’ll do the same thing,” Wojciechowski said. “Being successful has its effects and obviously we haven’t had the most successful teams over the years.”

And even with the successes of Cox, women’s basketball and many of the nonrevenue sports, it has affected Lagore’s college experience.

“I wanted to go to basketball games and be in a huge student section going crazy, but generally, I don’t think I’ll get to do that in my four years,” Lagore said.

Carrington Harrison didn’t attend Mizzou and never got the chance to sit in the student section, but the co-host of The Drive on 610 AM in Kansas City has been a die-hard Mizzou fan his whole life.

“Missouri fans are always pessimistic,” Harrison said. At cocktail parties, he can pick who is a Mizzou, KU or Kansas State fan. “Missouri fans are just naturally skeptical because so many crazy things have happened to them.”

The list is long of moments Missouri fans would like to forget: Losing to South Carolina in the third overtime in 2013; losing to No. 15 seed Norfolk State in 2012; losing on the “flea kicker” to Nebraska in 1997; falling to Colorado in the “fifth down” game in 1990.

Where does the pessimism stem from this year? Missouri football went 1–7 in conference play, tied for the worst record in the SEC. Missouri’s men’s basketball team went 3–15 in conference play, the worst in the SEC. On Sunday, the Missouri baseball team lost and fell below .500 and to the depth of the Southeastern Conference with a 4–14 conference record.

But Harrison knows it only takes one — one week, one series or one play — to

JORDAN KODNER | PHOTO EDITOR

Missouri guard Namon Wright (12) joins his team for a pregame huddle moments before tipoff against Tennessee on Feb. 13 in Mizzou Arena.

get back on track.

“As much pain and grief (your team has) given you, your hope is that one time they get to the final four or that one time they make the college football championship,” Harrison said. “For most of the time it sucks, but when they

actually break through and when Henry Josey scores against Texas A&M and dives in the endzone it’s worth it, you know?

“It’s absolutely worth it.”

Edited by Katherine Knott | kknott@ themaneater.com

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