Vol83issue21 by The Maneater Student Newspaper

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PERFECT mix

your guide to navigating the ether of True/False

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TRUE/FALSE GUIDE

How to True/False: Live your best fest True/False Film Fest isn’t just a weekend — it’s a lifestyle. Well, at least for those four days. Whether it’s your first fest or you’re a veteran of the Q, here are the tips, tricks and must-sees for 2017.

SCENES OF JUBILATION FROM THE 2009 MARCH MARCH MANEATER FILE PHOTO

STORY BY NAT KAEMMERER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

DON’T

Treat yo’self Treat True/False like a vacation in your own town and give yourself an excuse to eat at your favorite downtown restaurants (midday Sparky’s, anyone?) and buy some merch. Even if you’re experienced in downtown eats, there’s almost definitely something you haven’t tried. Also, this year’s theme is “Out of the Ether,” which has generated some cool, science-fiction-looking merch.

Forget to pick up your tickets or passes Last year, I thought going to pick up my pass would be quick and easy — a simple errand to run on the morning True/False started. I was WRONG. The box office line was out the door, and it took me about 45 minutes to get all my stuff. That being said, if you go in the middle of the day, you’ll probably have better luck. The box office, located in Sager Braudis Gallery at 1025 E. Walnut St., is open for pass pickup beginning at noon on Wednesday.

Bring your student ID Students with a valid university ID get into films for $8 instead of $12. If you were planning on spending $12 each on individual films, now you can see three movies for $24 instead of just two! This makes narrowing down your choices easier. Keep a map with you Make sure to at least have one that’s accessible on your phone. There are so many theaters around town, and it’s easy to mix them up. Bonus: Keep your Maps app open too so you can know exactly how much time you’ll need to sprint between theaters to make it to all your showings. The True/False website has a handy map that pinpoints theaters, music venues, art installations and other fest-specific sites. Look for discussions with directors Many film directors hang out at the festival and attend their own films. Sometimes they’ll give a short talk or accept questions before or after a screening. You can usually find out who will be where by reading the film’s details on the schedule. Know the lingo Q? NRT? What? True/False is a lot to take in. There are films, shorts, provocations, art installations, music, synapses, parties and a parade, so there’s a lot of lingo. In short, a film is NRT when you can no longer reserve tickets for it. But don’t worry — you can always try the Q. A Q Queen (flamboyant guide) will give you a number and fill any open seats in that number order. The online schedule has a handy breakdown of what’s what in terms of goings-on, so brush up on that before you head out.

Try to do everything True/False has a ton of events that can seem overwhelming, and you may think you can do it all. From someone who tried that last year — DON’T. Pick your favorites and craft your own perfect weekend by checking the schedule ahead of time. Neglect the music True/False has fabulous buskers. Every year, there is a list of great musicians who play before films, at various street concerts throughout the days and at concerts every night. Many are local, which adds to the fun flavor of the fest. There’s a pass dedicated to all the music — the Busker Band, the cheapest pass of the festival and how I started going to True/False. Even if you don’t buy a band, concert covers are generally pretty cheap from night to night. Wear cute shoes instead of functional ones I’m sure my fellow high-heel-wearing college students can attest to this. With all the walking and all the standing, your feet will DIE after one day of festival-ing if you don’t wear the right shoes. Think you have to stay in the Q While you want to make sure you get there in plenty of time to get your Q number from the Queen, you’re not bound to the line once you have it! Get food, check out the art installations or find a shady spot to relax. Just make sure you’re back by the time they start letting people into the theater. Edited by Katherine White · kwhite@themaneater.com

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TRUE/FALSE GUIDE

THIS YEAR’S MUST-SEES

NAT KAEMMERER

Senior Staff Writer

Rhynsburger Theatre.

THURSDAY, MARCH 2 “Brimstone and Glory” Kick off your festival experience with this film, which starts at 5:30 p.m. at Big Ragtag. Brimstone and Glory is 64 minutes long and is described as a “visually acrobatic pilgrimage to Mexico’s National Pyrotechnic Festival.” This one is already NRT (no reserve tickets), which means you’ll need to Q to get in. “Gulistan, Land of Roses” Director Zayne Akyol brings viewers into the world of female guerilla warriors in Kurdistan and explores the cost of freedom. This film starts at 7:30 p.m. at Willy Wilson @ Ragtag. This one is also NRT, so prepare to Q. Cafe Berlin Thursday Night Showcase The first of True/False’s busker concerts, this show starts at 9 p.m. at Cafe Berlin and is free for passholders. General admission is $5. Several different bands across varying genres are playing, so you’ll surely find something you like.

FRIDAY, MARCH 3 “Manifesto” This film features Cate Blanchett shape-shifting across 13 personas in the span of 90 minutes. It’s described as strange with contagious charm. Check it out at 11 a.m. at the Showtime Theatre at The Blue Note, but be early, as this is another NRT film. Shorts: The World Laughs With You Not all of the festival’s films are full-length; there are also short films that play either before various full-length films or in sessions like this. Catch seven different shorts at 3 p.m. at Big Ragtag. Two of them, “The Hollow Coin” and “Project X,” relate to each other. This shorts program is another of many NRT films. March March This parade through downtown is a True/False staple where you march in the month March. It’s free, open to the public and super wild. Q Queens show off their glamour, and you can even join the parade if you want.

SATURDAY, MARCH 4

SUNDAY, MARCH 5 Secret Screening Xenon Every year, there is a series of “Secret Screening” films, each named along the theme of that year’s festival. The other two this year are Argon and Krypton. Secret Screening films have very basic descriptions that reveal few details, hence the “secret.” Catch at least one of these this weekend. Xenon is playing Sunday at 1 p.m. at Big Ragtag and is NRT. “Whose Streets?” This film focuses on the 2014 events in Ferguson, Missouri, following the death of Michael Brown and the activism and community that arose as a result. Whose Streets? starts at 3:30 p.m. at the Showtime Theatre at The Blue Note and is NRT.

Buskers Last Stand Close out the festival “with a tear and a beer” at the Missouri Theatre starting at 9:30 p.m. This “instant wake” brings together festival-goers, buskers and film directors as everyone joins in the lobby of the theater to reminisce about everything that just happened.

OS OT S TE UR

Toasted For all you night owls, Toasted is a talk show at Cafe Berlin that starts at 12:30 a.m. and goes until about 4 a.m. Eat waffles at Cafe Berlin and chat with Nicolas Rapold, a “film scribbler” about the weekend’s events. This is free and open to the public.

YO FI B MD

“Still Tomorrow” Explore Chinese feminism in this film from director Fan Jian, who follows a feminist Chinese poet whose work goes viral. Unfortunately, this success doesn’t please her longtime husband. You can still reserve tickets for this film, which starts at 5 p.m. at

Rose Saturday Night After Party There’s no shortage of partying at True/ False. Keep your Saturday rocking at Rose Music Hall starting at 9:30 p.m. with The Big Sky, Max and the Martians, Very Be Careful and Jack Grelle. Super/Silver, Lux and Juggernaut passholders get in free, as well as Busker Bands. General admission is $5.

“LoveTrue” This film, from director Alma Har’el, follows three stories of young love in Hawaii, Alaska and New York City. It’s sure to be emotional and is described as a “poignant exploration” of love. See LoveTrue (NRT) at 12:30 p.m. at the Missouri Theatre. Har’el will be there in person as well.

“I Am Not Your Negro” This is the Oscar-nominated story of James Baldwin, a great American essayist and gay black man exiled to France. It’s framed as a letter to Baldwin’s publisher as he pitches a book about MLK, Malcolm X and Medgar Evers. This film starts at 6:45 p.m. at Jesse Auditorium, and even though it is NRT, MU students can get tickets for $6 at the MSA/GPC Box Office in the Student Center.

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TRUE/FALSE GUIDE

This year’s True/False merch shows ethereal themes NAT KAEMMERER Senior Staff Writer

“Out of the Ether,” this year’s True/False Film Fest theme, has led to some interesting and otherworldly merchandise. Designs show alchemy cabinets, periodic tables and strange-looking machines to display various aspects of the theme. The official merchandise spot in the 2017 box office, Sager Braudis Gallery, is smaller this year, but there’s still quite a bit of merchandise available there. The merch station is open when the box office is and was open for a few days before the fest as well. Starting Wednesday at noon, you can pick up your passes and favorite festival merch. There are nine different T-shirts for True/False, each for $20, as well as a baseball tee for $28 and sweatshirts and long-sleeved shirts for various prices. Most shirts have alchemic, scientific or psychic themes. There are enough styles that there’s something for every type of festival-goer. If your True/False style is a little more dapper, pick up one of the neckties or bowties printed with tiny festival logos. If you have little ones, get them a True/False onesie or bib. Some designs are great standbys you’ll find year after year. “There are some reoccurring designs for tees,” said Nickie Davis, Muse Clothing owner and True/False merchandise assistant. “The designs are always clean but intricate.” Aside from apparel, there is classic True/False merch you can pick up. There are posters, both for this year’s festival and certain past ones, and as usual, the 10-year anniversary book, “Rarely Has Reality Needed So Much to be Re-imagined: A mostly true history of the True/False Film Fest.” Other merch items include stickers, patches, drinking glasses, flasks, tea towels, notebooks and enough to make sure that every aspect of your life can somehow be related to True/False. New this year is a portable phone charger with the True/False logo, a lifesaver for all-day festival-goers. If you long for the designs of festivals past, this year you can purchase upcycled scarves made of various

JULIA HANSEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

old True/False T-shirts. In keeping with the theme of “Out of the Ether,” there are Erlenmeyer flasks with the True/False logo on them as well, which you could use for drinking or to spice up your next chemistry experiment. Designs are not all done by professional artists; rather, they are chosen through a submission process that opened in October, merchandise coordinator Christina Kelley said. Some local high school graphic design teachers assign the submission to their classes, and some submissions have come in from around the world. Each year, True/False sponsors the True Life Fund, which raises money to donate to the subject of one of the festival’s documentary subjects. This year the funds will go to the family featured in Quest, according to the True/False website. A True Life Fund T-shirt and tote bag are two ways money is raised. “For the True Life Fund, we work with a graphic

designer,” Kelley said. “$10 of the $20 [cost of the shirt] goes to the fund.” Muse Clothing serves as a pop-up shop for True/False merchandise, both before the fest and afterwards. Beforehand, you can look through merch of the fest from the year before, and afterwards, you can check out this year’s designs. It’s not a full selection, but you can get a sense of the style of the festival. “True/False loves artistically made, local things,” Davis said. “Literally everything is one of a kind to True/False.” Merch will also be sold during the fest at the Missouri Theatre and Jesse Hall during hours when films are screening in those venues, according to the True/False website. Sager Braudis will still be open after the festival on March 7 to sell any merch people wish they’d picked up. Edited by Katherine White kwhite@themaneater.com

True/False 2017 sets the stage with diverse lineup of musicians There’s more to the festival than just the films.

procedure of purchasing tickets before the festival madness hits Columbia from March 2 to 5.

CAROLINE WATKINS

Must-see artists Harpist Mary Lattimore: Lattimore is a harpist based out of Philadelphia who has played harp for over 20 years. Her graceful and delicate sound has been featured on a plethora of soundtrack projects and scores, such as the score to Philippe Garrel’s 1968 experimental silent film “La Révélateur.” Her musicianship even landed her a Pew Fellowship in the Arts, an arts-based grant, in 2014. US Girls: Think psychedelic-meetsindie-meets-electronic music with a hint of funk. US Girls’ DJ sets will provide the perfect ambient music for the artsy vibes and ecstatic energy of downtown Columbia during the festival. Very Be Careful: According to True/False’s website, the Los Angeles band Very Be Careful specializes in folk music from the “streets of Colombia” ( the country, not Columbia, Missouri). The band performs the traditional Colombian genres of Cumbia and Vallenato music, and it’s sure to get any spectator’s toe tapping in a matter of seconds. Open Mike Eagle: Michael W. Eagle II, otherwise known as Open

Staff Writer

The film and concert lineups for the True/False Film Fest have been released — it’s officially time to start freaking out. When one thinks of True/False, documentaries most certainly come to mind. But some people ― especially T/F newbies ― may not know a lot about the musical side of the March festival. This year, the festival’s 14th, is expected to have the most diverse lineup of musicians yet, according to True/False’s website. In addition to the live music prior to every film screening, concerts will be hosted every night of the festival. With 50 acts scheduled to perform, there’s something to satisfy everyone’s taste in tunes. Festival coordinator Donna Kozloskie told Vox Magazine in an interview that artists and films with similar characteristics will be paired up, so the music before each film will complement it. So for the music junkies out there, here is a concert guide for all things True/False. Brush up on the artists and

at The Blue Note on Friday. MNDR became popular after being featured on Mark Ronson & The Business Intl’s single “Bang Bang Bang” in 2010 and has been creating ever since. Doors open at 10:30 p.m.

OPEN MIKE EAGLE COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Mike Eagle, calls his music “art rap.” The American alternative hip-hop artist was born in Chicago but is now based out of Los Angeles. In addition to his solo career, he is also a member of Project Blowed, Thirsty Fish and Swim Team. His music exudes good vibes and eclectic beats, and he is surely not to be missed during T/F. MNDR: Did someone say rager? This electro-indie singer, songwriter and record producer will be performing

Purchasing tickets To see the musicians at the concerts or before a film showing, you’ll need to get tickets or a pass. True/False has established a wristband system, with different prices for different bands, ranging from the Simple Band to the Super Circle Band. You can purchase a pass or band on True/False’s website. The $30 Busker Band is specifically tailored to music fans. This pass includes admission to all of the different busker concerts and showcases, admission to the Busker’s Last Stand showcase on Sunday night and one movie voucher that can later be exchanged for a particular screening ticket at a local box office or for admission to the Q line. For more information To read the entire music lineup for the festival, head to True/False’s website. Edited by Katherine White kwhite@themaneater.com

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TRUE/FALSE GUIDE

A categorical guide to the top 10 True/False films Here’s a look at the top 10 True/False films to keep an eye out for.

youth face, but it is also a lovable portrait of young women who discuss the Freddie Gray verdict one moment and the Kardashian sisters the next.

NICK CORDER

Missouri-Based The unrest in Ferguson is a subject of contentious debate. Whose Streets? takes the audience to ground zero. It lets the locals set the scene. By allowing entrance into the lives of those directly affected by the death of Michael Brown, the filmmakers seek to draw attention to political injustice within the city and around the nation. The protests in Ferguson and the emergence of Black Lives Matter represent a landmark event in civil rights history, and no matter your political orientation, Whose Streets? uniquely documents a personal perspective.

Columnist

The True/False Film Fest is in its 14th year, and as in prior years, the film festival has attracted work from some of the most celebrated documentary filmmakers in the world. More than 30 films are going to be showing downtown during one magnificent weekend, March 2-5. How to choose between so many amazing films with so little time? Take a look below, and you will see some of the docs that caught my eye, categorically compartmentalized to help you in your search for the right choice. Art House Documentaries typically mean talking heads and handheld camerawork, but Sompot Chidgasornpongse is averse to conventions. Railway Sleepers, his debut film, was shot over eight years on Thai railways, but it is collapsed into a twoday journey. This train ride transcends the standard rules of time and space. As patrons look out of their train windows, we look through the windows at them. Soft-spoken and socially aware, Railway Sleepers fits right in with the other masterpieces of 21st-century Thai film. Awards Buzz Sundance doesn’t give the Grand Jury Award to just any film. Dina, this year’s recipient, follows recently engaged Dina Buno and Scott Levin as they work toward marriage. According to her mother, Dina has a “smorgasbord of issues,” with Asperger’s syndrome at the center of it all. Scott also deals with his fair share of mental disabilities. The tale of their complicated relationship emerges as an uproarious romantic comedy that ingeniously dissects modern romance and proves that mental disabilities don’t detract from libido. Big-Name Director Few documentarians have the name recognition of Steve James. Abacus: Small Enough to Jail marks the continuation of his career as an empathetic fly on the wall, according to Variety. It is a look into the lives of the Sung family in New York City’s Chinatown. They own the only bank to have faced criminal repercussions after the Great Recession. Their fight for equal treatment turns the lens on a corrupt government that bails out companies that are “too big to fail”but incriminates family businesses that are “small enough to jail.” Inspirational Nearly every review of Amanda Lipitz's Step included some variation on the word “inspire,” so it was no surprise when the film was awarded the Sundance award for “inspirational filmmaking.” The film documents a group of innercity seniors on a step team. These girls prepare doggedly for the upcoming regional competition while also working on college applications. Step is a comingof-age documentary that highlights the challenges that underprivileged black

these “roses” are quite thorny. World Premiere Sometimes it’s easiest to see problems from the outside. Lindy Lou, Juror Number 2 is French director Florent Vassault's second film concerning death sentencing in America. More than a decade ago, Lindy Lou Isonhood became close friends with a man on death row — the very man that she had sentenced to death. The film follows Isonhood on a statewide search to find the other jurors involved in the conviction. What she discovers are complicated human emotions, including regret and forgiveness, that are best expressed on the silver screen.

Music There’s nothing better than the Grateful Dead, the band that became a counterculture rock phenomenon and the subject of the longest documentary on the True/False program. Rolling the credits nearly four hours after the lights turn off, Long Strange Trip is Amir Bar-Lev’s bucket list project that took nearly 15 years to complete. The epic documentary features a 20-minute intermission that breaks the film into two disparate halves, which coalesce in a documentary that is a verifiable heaven for deadheads and music lovers everywhere. Creative ‘Non-Fiction’ The True/False organizers make a daring statement about the very essence of documentary with their inclusion of Julian Rosefeldt’s Manifesto. Originally released as a multiscreen art exhibition in Australia, the film dramatizes 13 different artistic manifestos in an anthology piece starring Cate Blanchett in each of the the 13 roles. Blanchett performs as everything from a homeless man babbling about situationism to a conservative mother praying for pop art. Manifesto doesn’t just blur the line between documentary and fiction; it ignores it altogether. Social Issues We live in a world full of problems, and documentaries have become one of the most accessible forms of activism. In Strong Island, Yance Ford steps up as an activist with a secret weapon: empathy. This touching exploration of the murder of Ford’s brother is a testament to all those lost in acts of senseless violence. It exposes the audience to racism on the most personal level possible. Tears are to be expected. Women in Film Filmmaker Zayne Akyol was sneered at when she announced her intentions to infiltrate an all-female regiment in the Kurdish Workers Party, or PKK, but infiltrate she did. The results are awe-inspiring. Gulîstan, Land of Roses is a beautiful film named after Akyol’s childhood friend who was killed in service for the PKK, and the material reflects the intimacy of their relationship. She captures these women in close-ups as they load ammunition and clean their guns. Suffice to say, the intentions of

TOP: COURTESY OF 15TH WORLD FILM FESTIVAL OF BANGKOK BOTTOM: COURTESY OF BLUICEDOCS.COM

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TRUE/FALSE GUIDE

True/False Film Fest gets a new box office for 2017 Sager Braudis Gallery is the new spot for the festival’s headquarters. NAT KAEMMERER Senior Staff Writer The True/False Box Office is where the magic starts. It’s where passholders pick up their packets and tickets, where a lot of merch is sold and where you go if you have any questions about the fest. In past years, it’s been on Broadway, but the previous location now holds Lizzi and Rocco’s. The box office is farther north this year at Sager Braudis Gallery, which is located at 1025 E. Walnut St. Sager Braudis has been a sponsor of True/False Film Fest in the past. “[True/False] sought us out,” Sager Braudis director Hannah Reeves said. “The gallery space seemed to work for them. For us, it’s a bigger way to sponsor and be involved.” While it serves as the box office for True/False, Sager Braudis will remain open and continue being open and selling art. “We started communications in about December about the Sager Braudis space,” box office manager Sam Roth said. “[We talked about] how to organize traffic flow and how to get the thousands of people who come to True/False moving through the space.” Starting Wednesday, the box office is officially in business for True/False. Holders of Passes, Gateway Packets or Busker Bands can start picking up all their materials at noon, but they should be mindful of the massive crowds of people. After Wednesday, the box office is open for ticket sales and further passholder pickup Thursday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. “On Wednesday, March 1, people can come from any time between 12–8 to pick up their pass and reserved tickets — and during these eight hours, there isn't a rush since fest activities begin on Thursday,” Roth said in an email. “On Thursday morning, the box office will have a Q system where we will be able to let in around 50 people in half-hour time slots.” There were almost 50,000 individual tickets last year, and though there’s no way to tell exactly how many until the fest is over, they expect the same or more this year, Roth said. With such a high volume of attendees flooding the gallery, there needs to be an efficient way to direct True/False traffic while also keeping the gallery its own functional space. The gallery has two separate doors, and the goal is to keep people coming in through one door and out through the other. “We designed this exhibit around the box office, knowing traffic will need to flow,” Reeves said. “We have all two-dimensional art for this exhibit so it keeps the path clear. We haven’t done this before, so we may have to adjust if traffic slows down.” For festival-goers who don’t have passes or want more tickets, individual film tickets can be purchased at the box office for $10, cheaper than the Q price

JULIA HANSEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

of $12. “It’s always good to mention that even if people are discouraged by what they see with things being taken or things being NRT [No Reserve Tickets], there are a huge number of ways to access the fest,” Roth said. “There are always ways to see films at the fest.” There are tons of people behind the scenes working to put the box office together and keep it running throughout the festival. Roth has two assistant box office managers, as well as 31 volunteers who will just work at the box office during the festival, he said. “We’re sharing shifts with all our coworkers so we can all go see films,” Reeves said. The box office also serves as the official merch station for the festival. The merch store opens on Wednesday when the box office does and has the same hours, but it will stay open a day longer to give people a chance to get any last-minute merch they’d kept their eye on all weekend. Inside Sager Braudis, the merch will be towards the front. Sager Braudis worked with True/ False on its current exhibit in order to give both parties the best situation in the space. Two festival-sponsored artists, sisters Mollie and Zoe HosmerDillard, are featured towards the front of the gallery. “They did the site-specific art in the box office last year,” Reeves said. “They’re the same artists with different pieces.” The Hosmer-Dillard sisters have several small paintings for sale. Their collection, Through the Trees, consists of small paintings that together comprise a larger picture. Another True/False sponsored artist, Brittany Nelson, is featured in this exhibit as well. Nelson has multiple large vinyl images that are part of her Monuments to the Conquerors of Space series. “It was cool to bring in people True/ False was working with,” Reeves said. “[The Hosmer-Dillard sisters] have their affordable little paintings here. It’s like a piece of the box office to take home.” In addition to box office happenings, Sager Braudis will also be participating

in First Friday in the North Village Arts District on March 3, the second day of True/False. “Those three artists will be present at the First Friday reception,” Reeves said. “We’re hoping to get people connected with the gallery, meet the artists and understand the crossover.”

For four days, Sager Braudis will not only be an art gallery, but also the most efficient stop for all True/False questions and concerns. “We will host both kinds of guests,” Reeves said. “We’ll go with the flow.” Edited by Katherine White kwhite@themaneater.com

are

THE MANEATER

Your guide to the MSA election (page 4)

MARCH 1, 2017 • THEMANEATER.COM

ADMINISTRATION

EDITORIAL

Choi begins term as system president The Maneater endorses Schafer/ de Leon for MSA

UM System President Mun Y. Choi speaks at his welcome reception on Dec. 1, 2016. EMIL LIPPE | SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Mun Choi is the first Asian-American president in UM System history. KYLE LAHUCIK News Editor

Mun Y. Choi officially stepped into his role as UM System president Wednesday, March 1.

When selected for the UM System presidency post, Choi was the University of Connecticut’s provost, a role he served in from 2012 until Feb. 1. Choi is serving in a position that Mike Middleton had filled as an interim since former UM System President Tim Wolfe resigned on Nov. 9, 2015. Pam Henrickson, the former UM System Board of Curators chairwoman, announced

the selection of Choi on Nov. 2, 2016. One of Choi’s first decisions regarding MU leadership will come when he makes the final say on who becomes MU’s next chancellor. Middleton launched a nationwide search for a permanent chancellor in December. The position has been filled by interim Hank Foley for over a year, since

CHOI | Page 3

After much deliberation, The Maneater Editorial Board is endorsing Tori Schafer and Riley de Leon for Missouri Students Association president and vice president. However, we expected more from the MSA presidential and vice presidential slates this year. The three slates — Schafer and de Leon, Josh Stockton and Shruti Gulati, and Nathan Willett and Payton Englert — all had major shortcomings in their platforms. During Schafer’s and de Leon’s political careers at MU, they have formed relationships with other student leaders and administrators that would assist them in their executive roles. The pair has the most combined experience in MSA of any slate. Schafer has also worked with the Associated Students of the University of Missouri, a group that lobbies the state legislature on behalf of students. Their time in student government means they’ve already laid the foundations and can begin building upon them more quickly and efficiently. When their platform was first released, Schafer and de Leon’s plans were vague and presented in short bullet points that gave little indication of concrete plans. Since then, they have elaborated through interviews and in debates on their platform, proving that a lot of thought was put into those points.

for the rest of the editorial, see page 6

TUITION

STEM, business majors could pay higher rates with tuition system option ZIA KELLY Staff Writer

After five years of working in the field, the median salary for an electrical engineering major was about $65,000 in 2014. For an elementary education major working for the same amount of time, the median salary was $34,000. At MU, those students would have paid the same tuition rate to get those degrees. But if the UM System adopts a recommendation made by the UM System Review Commission, a group appointed by the state legislature, the engineering student may be paying more for their education. Differential tuition is a system that has been implemented by

universities around the nation as a way to raise revenue in the face of funding cuts from state legislatures. Instead of setting the tuition price for all students, schools with differential tuition systems have different rates

The system allows schools to increase revenue without imposing a significant school-wide tuition increase, but the increases could disproportionately affect women and racial minorities and exclude them from those majors.

for different majors — which are usually determined by the price of providing that degree. In a differential tuition system, STEM majors that require several lab courses, as well as majors where graduates generally have higher starting salaries, such as business and accounting, are on a higher price scale than other majors. “Certain programs are simply more expensive than others to deliver,” said John Gahl, an engineering professor and Faculty Council member. Proponents of differential tuition say that the system allows schools to increase revenue without imposing a significant school-wide tuition increase, and that those with pricier

majors are typically in fields with higher starting salaries — making more loans easier to pay off. On the other hand, some are apprehensive about pricing out some students from these highersalary majors to begin with, which can specifically affect lower-income students and may therefore lead to decreased racial and gender diversity in those majors. According to some research, this trade-off could compromise how effective differential tuition may be at bringing in revenue. What we have now Currently, all students pay the same

RATES | Page 3

WEATHER WEDNESDAY 53/30

THURSDAY 55/28

FRIDAY 54/39

SATURDAY 69/49

SUNDAY 72/56

THE MANEATER | NEWS | MARCH 1, 2017

Four takeaways from the RHA presidential debate ANDREW WITHERS

mental health resources.

Candidates for the Residence Halls Association presidential election participated in the only debate of the election Sunday, Feb. 26. Voting opened at 10 a.m. March 1 and closes at 10 a.m. March 3. Maggie Recca and Mitchell Davis are running as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Move Mizzouâ&#x20AC;? slate. Recca is the programming coordinator on the executive board, and Davis is the Residential Life Committee chairman. Solomon Davis and Jeremy Richmond, who have named their campaign â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unify Mizzou,â&#x20AC;? are presidents of their respective halls, Hatch and Wolpers. The debate turned contentious at times, as the two slates butted heads over the issues. Here are four takeaways:

2. Davis/Richmond emphasize diversity via â&#x20AC;&#x153;trickle-downâ&#x20AC;? Diversity within RHA was a hot topic at the debate. Solomon Davis said working with social justice centers is key in promoting diversity within RHA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we want RHA to represent all people, we want to be advertising in those centers for RHA positions, because we want a more diverse group of people,â&#x20AC;? Solomon Davis said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That will be something that we will be committed to and focused on.â&#x20AC;? Richmond said diversity within RHA leadership would ultimately lead to diversity within the body. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe that diversity in leadership will build a trickle-down effect and enhance that diversity and inclusion within the community,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Reporter

1. Recca/Davis emphasize safety A core tenet of the Recca/Davis platform is campus safety, which the pair hopes to address with new policies on the blue light safety alert system on campus, Green Dot training and mental health resources for residents. Recca said increasing the number of campus blue lights is her campaignâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top priority. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is quite honestly terrifying as a female living on campus to walk home at night, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not OK,â&#x20AC;? Recca said. Another prominent safety item on the Recca/Davis platform is the proposed addition of an RHA support hotline that would provide residents a confidential outlet to express concerns. The hotline would take the form of residents emailing the executive board members, whom Recca said would be trained through the Counseling Center. The platform also advocates for increased visibility for existing

3. Slates disagree on separate housing for upperclassmen The slates clashed over the idea of separate residence halls or living communities for upperclassmen. Recca/Davis advocated separate programming as a way to encourage upperclassmen to continue living in the halls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It would allow upperclassmen to live and learn in a community together with students that are not first-year students,â&#x20AC;? Mitchell Davis said. Solomon Davis said that separation would impede the sense of community found in the halls and that encouraging a better relationship between residents and RHA was the best way to keep residents coming back. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we talk about Unify Mizzou, we talk about a culture change, because I think a lot of decisions are made with a freshman perspective,â&#x20AC;? Solomon Davis said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re talking about diversity,

$40

that also means different year levels â&#x20AC;Ś Rather than separating and dividing, we should be unifying.â&#x20AC;? 4. Both slates struggled to identify a time they have been racist, sexist or homophobic Neither Richmond nor Solomon Davis provided a specific example, but Solomon Davis cited a dispute between some residents in his hall over a Trump sign as an example of his ability to encourage diverse viewpoints. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Each one of us has biases, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something that everyone should work on,â&#x20AC;? Solomon Davis said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all college students, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all from different backgrounds, and so we need to be respectful of those differences.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to build a campus that cares about what people feel, and respects that,â&#x20AC;? Richmond added. Recca brought up an encounter she had with a student who used ne/nem/nir pronouns as a time in which she had to re-evaluate her own conceptions. However, she misgendered the student again while recounting the incident by using incorrect pronouns. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I realized that there will be times that you have to ask people things like what are your pronouns, what do you prefer,â&#x20AC;? Recca said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have to be respectful of all people, be empathetic, and truly whenever you do make those mistakes, not have the pride and say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I am sorryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and not do it again.â&#x20AC;? Mitchell Davis couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recall a specific instance but said that â&#x20AC;&#x153;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to recognize that diversity is very important to campus, and if we can encourage it, it makes living on campus so much better.â&#x20AC;? Both slates acknowledged the influence of cultural backgrounds on conceptions about topics like race. Edited by Emily Gallion egallion@themaneater.com

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THE MANEATER | NEWS | MARCH 1, 2017

CHOI

Continued from page 1

former Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin resigned on the same day as Wolfe. Foley may permanently fill the position, as he has mentioned he’d

RATES

Continued from page 1

base tuition rate, regardless of major. But each major also has supplemental fees for each credit hour — which are not regulated by the state, nor are they typically included in students’ initial tuition estimates. Instead, these supplemental fees are levied by individual schools and colleges and are adjusted to cover the fees associated with the major. “I already pay extra engineering fees for my college to provide for the research-heavy nature of my degree,” engineering student Kelsey Ollis said. “So it is not fair to increase my tuition even more.” Much is still unknown about how the system would look at UM campuses, or if supplemental fees would be reduced if differential tuition were implemented. Missouri businessman and former Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Spence worked on the Workforce Readiness, Program Analytics, and Articulation section of the report. Spence said that they focused primarily on workforce readiness and made the recommendation with the expectation that the Board of Curators would do further research about it. Spence said it will be the curators’ job to take a closer look at the differential tuition option. UM System spokesman John Fougere said the curators were unable to comment. Other differential programs As of 2012, 143 public colleges across the nation had some kind of differential tuition system in place. While most schools typically tailor tuition rates to different academic programs, some differentiate based on level of courses being taken (tuition rate increases for higher-level classes, regardless of major), and some schools only impose different rates for master's, doctoral or other professional degree programs. The question of equity Though there are many factors that could affect how tuition is altered to meet the demands created by the budget deficit, Gahl said fairness should be taken into consideration.

like to drop the “interim” from his title. Choi and Foley have crossed paths in higher education before; Choi beat out Foley for the provost post at UConn. According to previous Maneater reporting, faculty wanted a university president with an education background, which Choi has

in his more than 24 years of higher education experience. Choi has also dealt with budget cuts, something MU and the UM System are familiar with as of late. Gov. Eric Greitens cut $20 million from the MU budget in January. Weeks later, Greitens cut up to $40.4 million from the UM System’s

fiscal year 2018 budget. At UConn, Choi oversaw a $40 million budget deficit. Middleton sent an email note, with the subject “Thank you,” to the UM System on Monday. He reflected on his 15 months with positivity and optimism for the future. “I am grateful for the opportunity to witness our

university

“If there is a degree program that costs ‘x,’ and there is a degree program that costs ‘3x,’ do we charge both students ‘2x’? Is that fair to the student whose degree program only costs ‘x’ to deliver?” Gahl said. “I think that’s a perfectly appropriate question to ask, and I think a committee should look at.” Typically, students who have majors in STEM will be more expensive to educate than students in other areas because of the costs associated with lab and research facilities. Additionally, Spence said that since some majors yield higher starting salaries after graduation than others, charging more for those majors makes sense because, theoretically, those students will have an easier time paying off their education after graduation. But that leaves the risk of reducing accessibility for students on the front end. Ollis is a senior industrial engineering student who will be continuing her education at MU next semester for graduate school. She said that setting a higher tuition rate for students in her program would make it less accessible to people with lower incomes. “It’s going to be it making it more difficult for underprivileged students to get a STEM major when STEM majors are already pretty inaccessible,” she said. “I think it is going to decrease the number of STEM majors, as well.” According to a 2013 study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, public universities that have a differential tuition system have seen a change in the number of students in different majors, specifically away from those with higher tuition rates. The study analyzed 161 public research universities; 74 of them had differential tuition systems. With the exception of nursing, which actually showed an increased number of students after differential tuition was implemented, the study found that a smaller fraction of students at these universities were getting their degrees in programs affected by differential tuition. The researchers found that the number of engineering degrees are the most elastic — meaning those universities saw a greater decrease in the number of degrees than other

majors given the same price hike. The number of business degrees, though slightly less elastic, were still shown to be affected by differential tuition systems. The study also noted that both female and minority students are disproportionately affected by the differential tuition systems, despite the fact that those two groups typically get more institutional aid than white males. Steven Chaffin is an MU senior and the executive director of the Associated Students of the University of Missouri, which advocates for the interests of UM students at the state legislature. Though ASUM has not yet formed an official opinion about differential tuition, Chaffin said he was concerned that raising tuition in certain degrees — ones that often result in higher starting salaries — may price out students from lower socioeconomic statuses. “This is worrisome, because it reduces the ability of lower income students from using their college career as a means of upward mobility,” he said.

System for the semester. The cuts are not likely to stop any time soon. In Gov. Eric Greitens’ proposed 2018 fiscal year budget, about $40.4 million will be cut from the UM System. Among other factors, the review commission cited shrinking government support as a reason to consider differential tuition. MU’s dwindling enrollment exacerbates the issue. Gahl has been a professor in the engineering school for 17 years and serves as the chair of the Faculty Council Fiscal Affairs Committee. He said that MU, like many other universities strapped for state funding, has relied heavily on growth in the student population to maintain adequate income. “When we were depending on growth so much just to maintain steady state … if anything were to happen — whether it was controversial or not — in regard to enrollment, it was going to have a dramatic impact on our ability to fund the enterprise,” Gahl said. Freshman enrollment for 2016-17 fell by 21.1 percent from the year before, which resulted in a $36.3 million loss in tuition dollars for this academic year. Spence said action will need to be taken, given the current financial state of the UM System. “You can’t sit back and say, ‘Woe is us,’ and play the victim,” Spence said. “You’ve got to go out and figure out

how to right the ship.”

‘Righting the ship’ According to reporting from the Columbia Missourian, state support for UM System schools, when factoring in inflation, has decreased by 15 percent since 1990. In the past month alone, $38 million was cut from the UM

6 Session runs March 8th - May 6th (Spring Break week off)

Friday

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Proud Philanthropy of Kappa Kappa Gamma

come

together

and I know the future is bright

with

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Choi

our next president. I hope

you will welcome him and work together to take this university to new heights.” Edited by Madi McVan

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Looking forward Though the suggestion to examine differential tuition was made at the end of 2016, a potential switch would not be enacted for at least another year. Since there are only four more months of this fiscal year, which does not leave enough time to create a new tuition scale, Gahl said the earliest a new system would be put in place would be fall 2018. Earlier this semester, interim Chancellor Hank Foley announced the creation of three campus-wide committees that will examine infrastructure, monetary allocation and revenue issues. The committee that looks at revenue will likely discuss the possibility of implementing differential tuition. Vice Provost of Finance Rhonda Gibler said the chancellor’s office will announce how the committees will be selected soon, but did not give a specific timeline. Gahl said the committee’s focus will be broader than increasing university income. “It is not just a tactical issue of how to raise more money,” he said. “There also needs to be a very sober evaluation of what we think the university should be.” Edited by Emily Gallion egallion@themaneater.com

THE MANEATER | NEWS | MARCH 1, 2017

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SECOND DEBATE

The Missouri Students Association presidential slates at Monday’s debate, from left to right: Riley de Leon and Tori Schafer, Shruti Gulati and Josh Stockton, and Payton Englert and Nathan Willett. JEREMIAH WOOTEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Each slate said it is on students to get more involved in student government. FIONA MURPHY Staff Writer

Candidates for Missouri Students Association president and vice president participated in the second presidential debate of the election season Monday night. This was the last official debate between the slates: Tori Schafer and Riley de Leon, Josh Stockton and Shruti Gulati, and Nathan Willett and Payton Englert. Voting for the election opens March 6 at vote.missouri.edu and ends March 8, with the announcement of the winner to follow full Senate. The debate, which lasted two hours, covered topics including gun laws on campus, the organizations of joint session and the slates’ analysis of the current MSA Senate. Here are five notable moments from the debate: 1. All three slates said MSA was too “political.” Each slate mentioned ending “politics” in MSA Senate and instead focusing on students, specifically with retention and recruitment. Last year, MSA President-elect Haden Gomez and running mate Chris Hanner resigned the night of their scheduled inauguration. Former Board of Elections Commissioners Chairwoman Emma Henderson, current BEC Chairwoman Brooke Wiggins and Chief Justice Whitney

Barr have all been threatened with impeachment. Last year, junior Alex Higginbotham announced through a Facebook post the day after Gomez’s resignation that he was resigning from his position as chairman of the MSA Campus and Community Relations Committee. In the Facebook post, Higginbotham said he could not be a part of an association willing to stoop to “cruelty and bullying” to reach an end. He called the open-meeting portion of Senate a “public execution.” During the open forum, senators were very critical of Gomez and Hanner’s character. Willett/Englert and Stockton/ Gulati both criticized MSA Senate for not doing more to recruit students to the organization. In response, Schafer said she didn’t think people who “barely show up to meetings” should critique its retention and recruitment efforts. Each slate emphasized social media as a way to enhance recruitment. 2. Stockton called for joint session to require full-time members to be in MSA Senate. Stockton said the organizations of joint session should have a full-time member to attend Senate each week. The organizations that are a part of joint session are fullfunctioning governments. “I do think all of these governments should have a full-time representative in the Senate,” Stockton said. “I don’t get the whole point of having just academic colleges and then a few at-large seats.”

Senate would have to create a referendum for students to vote on to amend the constitution for this to happen. MSA has been criticized in the past for being the focal point of joint session. During last year’s joint session, Residence Halls Association President Matt Bourke criticized MSA’s attitude to the rest of the body and said he did not think MSA should be the permanent chair of any meetings. In response, Schafer had said it was “childish” to characterize MSA President Sean Earl’s suggestion as a “power grab.” Schafer/de Leon said more communication and sharing of information between the organization before the joint session meetings would be beneficial and proactive. 3. Willett/Englert and Schafer/ de Leon have clashed over It’s On Us. During the last debate, the Tigers Together staff of Willett/ Englert’s campaign tweeted, “Tori has done a great job working for It’s On Us, but we think it takes more than writing 3 words on your hand and taking a photo.” When Willett/Englert were asked to give alternatives they would promote during their campaign instead of It’s On Us, the slate said they would continue the efforts of It’s On Us. Englert suggested hosting a sexual assault rally modeled after that of another university. Schafer leads MU’s chapter of It’s On Us. The campaign is partnered with Green Dot and has a committee that meets biweekly.

Schafer started the It’s On Us committee last year as a part of the Earl/Schafer Empower MU slate. 4. None of the three slates could name all 12 joint session student governments. Toward the end of the debate, each slate was given a whiteboard to test their knowledge on the auxiliaries within MSA and the organizations that are a part of joint session. Willett/Englert was the only slate to successfully name all 11 auxiliaries. Schafer/ de Leon named 10, and Stockton/ Gulati named seven. None of the slates were able to name the 12 governments of joint session. Each was only able to name 10. 5. All three slates said students should be able to make time to be involved in organizations such as MSA. Because of the cost of attending the university, some students must work to pay for their education instead of being involved in student organizations such as MSA. When asked how to ensure that these students’ needs are met, each slate cited their own involvement and said students should be able to make time. Many candidates said they themselves have held jobs while working with MSA. “I have made time with my course load to be more involved,” Gulati said. Edited by Emily Gallion egallion@themaneater.com

THE MANEATER | NEWS | MARCH 1, 2017

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MSA ELECTION

by EMILY GALLION · edited by SAM NELSON

ne day, tents go up in Speakers Circle and fliers appear around campus. Then, there are two people who want you to sit on a yellow couch with them, and two other people who are trying to drive you to class in a golf cart. Some Twitter user named “It Starts With Us” just followed you. Maybe you’re suddenly wondering: What even is MSA election season? The onset of campaign season may seem daunting. Don’t be overwhelmed. Here are our answers to frequently asked questions about the MSA presidential election:

The presidential slates from left to right: Shruti Gulati and Josh Stockton of “It Starts With Us,” Tori Schafer and Riley de Leon of “Make it Matter, Mizzou,” and Nathan Willett and Payton Englert of “Tigers Together.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CAMPAIGNS

Why should I care about the MSA election? MSA has an annual budget of $1.6 million, composed entirely of student fees. The vice president is responsible for drafting the budget, which is ultimately passed through the MSA Senate. The budget funds MSA’s 11 auxiliaries, which include

STRIPES, Truman’s Closet and Tiger Pantry, as well as the Department of Student Activities, which brings many speakers and concerts to campus. The president and vice president receive a salary that is also paid by students. Under the 2016 fiscal year

budget, the MSA president receives $6,883.50 total for a year’s work. The vice president receives $4,588. Aside from the cost to students, the association is often the first place administrators turn when they want to hear students’ thoughts on major

decisions. Campus Dining Services briefed the president on the Tiger Plan before implementing it last fall. More significantly, President Sean Earl was appointed as a full member of the MU chancellor search committee to represent student interests.

Budget Committee as well. Stockton, Willett and Englert have all been senators in the past: Stockton in the Budget Committee and Willett and Englert in the Academic Affairs Committee.

Schafer, Willett and Englert are members of social sororities or fraternities. Stockton and Gulati are both members of a business fraternity. De Leon is the only candidate not involved in Greek Life.

Who is running for president? There are three slates: Josh Stockton and Shruti Gulati, Tori Schafer and Riley de Leon, and Nathan Willett and Payton Englert. Each slate has a platform available on the campaigns’ websites.

All slates have varying degrees of past involvement with MSA. Schafer is the current vice president, and de Leon is the executive cabinet’s social media and technologies coordinator, with past experience in the Senate

How much do these people spend to run their campaigns? Every current MSA slate plans to spend upwards of $1,000 campaigning for your vote. The Willett/Englert slate has the largest budget, clocking in at almost $5,000 raised through a GoFundMe. The slate has stated that they do not anticipate spending all of the money, and they plan to donate leftovers to a nonprofit to be determined. The initial goal on their GoFundMe was $10,000. Schafer/de Leon and Stockton/Gulati have smaller budgets, the former planning to spend about $1,800 and the latter about $1,500.

Stockton/Gulati also created a GoFundMe to raise money but have only raised about $500 through that avenue. Instead of a campaign fundraiser, Schafer/de Leon created a GoFundMe for It’s On Us, a national campus sexual-assault-prevention initiative and a cornerstone of their platform. The slate has raised almost $300 dollars, with a goal of $500. In the first presidential debate, all three slates agreed that the cost of running a campaign can be a barrier for some students.

What else is on the ballot? The Student Services Enhancement fee, a $35 fee that will restore 24/5 library access, add three counselors to the Counseling Center and enhance TigerWiFi, among other items, will go up for a vote on the same ballot. Academic college senators

will also be elected at the same time. Voting will take place March 6-8 at vote.missouri. edu, and the results of the election will be announced following March 8’s full Senate meeting.

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The Maneater endorses Tori Schafer and Riley de Leon for MSA continued from page 1 While their platform could have been more detailed, Schafer/de Leon have the only platform that includes concrete programs supporting LGBTQ students. Their transgender student endowment and STRIPES inclusivity plans seem like tangible ideas that can help to welcome students on campus. Still, Schafer/de Leon and the two other slates let students down in some major areas. For example, race was not specifically mentioned on any of the three platforms. While inclusivity is a frequently found theme, no slate took an explicit stance on racism on this campus. All six candidates were students here during the protests of fall 2015, and they should know that racism didn’t end with the resignation of former UM System President Tim Wolfe. MSA is supposed to be the voice of the students. If the MSA president and vice president cannot make a clear statement to support students of color, they are not representing the voice of all students. All slates also inappropriately handled a question at the second debate about how to include the voices of students who are too busy working to support themselves to take part in MSA. All slates, instead of giving a concrete answer about reaching out to those students,

claimed that because the candidates themselves also had other jobs, students should also be able to make time to be involved. Just because these candidates take on multiple responsibilities does not mean other students should be expected to do the same. All three slates, whether in the debates or their platforms, said they would use KCOU and MUTV to disseminate information about MSA. While KCOU and MUTV are MSA auxiliaries, the idea that those outlets are merely MSA mouthpieces is detrimental to the journalistic integrity of student media. KCOU and MUTV both work hard to do good journalism, and it is wrong for slates to assume they have the power to use them at will. This also speaks to a greater problem of MSA’s possessive attitude toward its auxiliaries, which are fully functional organizations in their own right. There are several factors as to why Stockton/Gulati and Willett/Englert are not the right fit for MSA president and vice president. Stockton/ Gulati’s platform was promising, but their debate performance, were unimpressive. Stockton showed a fundamental lack of understanding of MSA and its auxiliaries. For instance, he misunderstood how safe-ride program STRIPES works, saying that students who want to get involved can pick up a three- or

four-hour STRIPES shift at the end of the day. In reality, STRIPES has a specific interviewing and hiring process for drivers who volunteer for the semester. The Stockton/Gulati campaign also misidentified existing sexual assault

RACE WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED ON ANY OF THE THREE PLATFORMS. WHILE INCLUSIVITY IS A FREQUENTLY FOUND THEME, NO SLATE TOOK AN EXPLICIT STANCE ON RACISM ON THIS CAMPUS. prevention programming twice, referring to the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center as the “Rape and Sexual Violence Prevention Center” and Green Dot as “Green Light.” While they said the mistakes were made by campaign staffers, this shows a failure on their part to ensure their campaign workers are educated. This stands at odds with their platform claim that they will help educate student

leaders in MSA. Willett/Englert were also disappointing in debates, with Willett struggling to communicate effectively at the podium. Clear communication is essential for an MSA president. If someone cannot speak to a room of people, it is hard to imagine them speaking to the entire student body, or, more importantly, speaking on their behalf. Willett’s stance supporting prison labor is also concerning, given the questionable ethics of the issue. Willett/Englert also attacked the It’s On Us campaign’s approach to preventing sexual assault but was unable to provide any other plan of action to fight sexual assault on campus. While The Maneater is endorsing Schafer/de Leon, we want to be clear that we expected more from this experienced slate. Schafer, as the current vice president, should have been able to provide a more detailed platform reflective of her institutional knowledge. However, these high expectations do not end with the election: If the slate is elected, we will continue to expect more. Stand up for your student body, stick to your promises, and work to be the elected representatives that every student at MU deserves.

ACCORDING TO EMMETT

Sleep is essential to college success, and Red Bull can’t replace it Your body needs rest, so an all-nighter is just out of the question. EMMETT FERGUSON Opinion Columnist

Emmett Ferguson is a freshman journalism major at MU. He writes about student life for The Maneater. Curfews were a big deal for me in high school. I was once grounded for three days for being three minutes late. All of this because my parents said I “needed sleep.” What do they know? They obviously must have been wrong, like they are about everything else. I was a special exception to sleep. I could function without it, regardless of what my parents or my tardiness to first period said. However, like with most other

things my parents turned out to be right about, everybody needs sleep. Some people can manage a little better than others without it, but overall it’s best for everyone to hit the hay at a reasonable hour. I didn’t fully realize this until I left home, when staying up late no longer signified some sort of solemn attempt at defying parental control and being independent. I’ve had nights of great sleep here at college, nights where I wake up looking like someone from a ZzzQuil commercial. Sadly, though, I much more often have nights of terrible sleep. When I jump back in fear at the sight of myself in the mirror in the morning. When I wake up tired, I can only think of two things — going back to bed or getting coffee. Thanks to whomever thought 8 a.m. was a good time to start classes, only one of those is an option. So I’ll make my way to the nearest caffeine oasis, get the most amount of coffee for the least amount of money (an Americano is a good choice for that) and be on my not-so-merry way. The biggest mistake you can make

with sleep in college is the famed “all-nighter.” We’ve all been there: You might not have gone to class as much as you should have, maybe didn’t really pay attention while you were there, and your notebook paper is still looking whiter than the Oscars. You figure that if you just cram in information nonstop for the next 12 hours, you’ll be fine. The material will be fresh, and you’ll

GET YOUR WORK DONE EARLY, GO TO BED EARLY, AND KNOW THAT RED BULL ONLY GIVES YOU WINGS, NOT AN A. scrape at least a B on the test. This is where you are wrong. Our bodies are on something called a circadian rhythm. This means that we naturally operate in 24-hour

cycles, with sleep needing to take up about a third of that cycle. The longer you go without sleep, the more your body suffers, especially your brain. When you stay up all night to study for a test the next day, your brain won’t be able to operate at its full capacity regardless of how many energy drinks you consume. One of the things that goes first is your brain’s ability to turn short-term memory into long-term memory. You may be able to remember all the material for about an hour or so, but that’s really the extent of it. That’s why when you’re pulling that allnighter you feel confident, but then when you actually open up the test, dread washes over you. We all know we need sleep, but not everyone knows just how badly we need it. If you’re going to operate at full capacity, you better believe you need your eight hours. The moral of the story is get your work done early, go to bed early, and know that Red Bull only gives you wings, not an A.

SPORTS

Online this week: Coverage of the SEC basketball tournaments, a busy week in wrestling, and baseball takes on IllinoisChicago.

‘ALPHA DOG’ story by NICK KELLY • photo by EMIL LIPPE

Jordan Barnett sat out a year after transferring from Texas, but his emergence this season has inspired the previously dull Missouri men’s basketball team.

issouri basketball forward Jordan Barnett epitomizes the saying that good things come to those who wait. The Tigers had Barnett, one of the top 100 high school class of 2014 players, sitting on their bench for two semesters. Barnett, a transfer from Texas, could not play during this period becuase of NCAA transfer rules. Missouri waited to see Barnett play any basketball until after the fall 2016 semester, in December. But the wait for Barnett to play a substantial role took even longer. Finally, good things came from Barnett in early February. The junior

forward scored 17 points on Feb. 4 in a victory over Arkansas, followed by two 23-point efforts against Texas A&M and Vanderbilt. Barnett’s late-season surge has Missouri competing with — and defeating — Southeastern Conference opponents after the Tigers failed to beat nonconference opponents, such as Lipscomb and North Carolina Central, earlier in the season. Missouri coach Kim Anderson hoped Barnett would play at a high level sooner, but he’s not surprised now. “I told you all it would take him some time,” Anderson said after the victory over Vanderbilt.

Not only did Barnett have to overcome rustiness from time away from basketball, but he also had to overcome outside pressure. His teammate sophomore Kevin Puryear said the expectation for Barnett to perform right away might have weighed on him. That expectation stems from Missouri’s previous exposure to Barnett, a St. Louis native. Barnett led Christian Brothers College High School to a Class 5 state title in 2014. Anderson also knew what Barnett was capable of, which is why he was hard on him. “He responded, and I think that is good,” Anderson said. “That is

special.” Aside from becoming more comfortable over time, Barnett’s mindset has shifted. “I just think he is shooting with a little more confidence right now, which is really good,” sophomore guard Terrence Phillips said. “He has been locked in [recently].” It’s not only his confidence that has changed, but also his assertiveness and aggression, Puryear, Anderson and Phillips said. They added that Barnett is often too nice on the basketball court.

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Pingeton wins SEC women’s basketball Coach of the Year award Sophie Cunningham and Amber Smith also pick up top SEC awards. ELI LEDERMAN Sports Editor

Missouri women’s basketball had a big morning Tuesday as head coach Robin Pingeton, sophomore guard Sophie Cunningham and freshman guard Amber Smith all received conference honors for their performances this season. Pingeton was named the Southeastern Conference Coach of

the Year for leading the Tigers to a 21-9 record en route to a No. 3 seed in the SEC Tournament. She became the second coach in program history to receive Coach of the Year honors. Joann Rutherford, who coached the Tigers from from 1975 to 1998, was given the award three separate times, in 1984, 1985 and 1990. This is Pingeton’s third time receiving Coach of the Year honors. She won the award in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2004 and 2010 while coaching at Illinois State. Cunningham was named to the AllConference first team Tuesday. After

being named to the All-SEC freshman team last year, Cunningham came out even stronger this season and led the Tigers with 17.8 points per game, second in the SEC. She becomes the first Tiger to receive an AllConference pick since Bri Kulas in 2014. The Rock Bridge High School graduate also received a pair of National Player of the Week honors in February, averaging 22.8 points per game in seven games during the month. Smith was tabbed for this year’s All-SEC freshman team. The guard

has had an impressive first year with the Tigers and is on pace to break the program’s single-season 3-point percentage record. She shot 48.5 percent from behind the arc in the regular season and finished second among freshmen in the SEC. The start of the season for Pingeton’s Tigers was tumultuous, as the team lost two key players before a single minute was played. AllSEC senior forward Jordan Frericks and junior forward Bri Porter each suffered ACL tears in preseason

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THE MANEATER | SPORTS | MARCH 1, 2017

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Continued from page 7

workouts. The injuries left the Tigers without two key players from last year’s team that made an NCAA Tournament appearance. Despite the loss of Frericks and Porter, the Tigers pushed forward. proven starters continued to perform at a high level, and previously unsung players became key contributors on one of the nation’s deepest teams, with nine players who play at least 8.5 minutes per game. The Tigers won 11 conference games to finish in

third place in the SEC, and the team had a 15-1 record on their home floor. They now head to Greenville, South Carolina, for the SEC Tournament this weekend after being moved up to No. 23 in the nation Monday. After receiving a double bye as the No. 3 seed in the tournament, the Tigers will face either No. 14-seeded Arkansas, No. 11-seeded Florida or No. 6-seeded Texas A&M on Friday. Missouri has had wins over all three teams this season. Edited by Nancy Coleman ncoleman@themaneater.com

Coach Robin Pingeton with senior Lindsey Cunningham. EMIL LIPPE | SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Junior Jordan Barnett shoots against a Kentucky defender. SOPHIE NEDELCO | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

“My coach and my teammates always get on me about that,” Barnett said. “It has been nice to be able to tap into [a mean streak] the last couple of games.” Puryear and senior Russell Woods are the most vocal when Barnett does not assert himself on the court. “He is a really nice guy sometimes, but it is slowly working its way out,” Puryear said.

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And that has made Barnett more than just a scoring threat. He also now asserts himself near the basket. In a threepoint loss to Alabama, he grabbed 12 rebounds. Barnett scored only five points in the game, but that is in part because of the Crimson Tide’s defensive strategy. “He was a major focus … huge focus,” Alabama coach Avery Johnson said after the game. “We thought if he continued to play like he was playing recently, we weren’t going to be in great shape.” It’s because of Barnett’s recent play that Missouri has been competitive in six of its

past seven SEC games. Anderson does not see that quality stopping anytime soon. He thinks Barnett will continue to improve into next year. “I think his potential is unlimited,” Anderson said. Whether he reaches that potential remains to be seen. But if time has shown Missouri anything, it is that Barnett produces a strong return on investment. “I think he is just coming along right now, being the alpha dog we need him to be,” Phillips said. Edited by Eli Lederman elederman@themaneater.com

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TRUE/FALSE GUIDE

True/False and KBIA release new podcast before festival The podcast will capture the literal sounds of the festival and directors’ thoughts on their work. BROOKE COLLIER Staff Writer

True/False Film Fest is always packed with inspiring and awe-worthy documentaries, but this year, True/ False has teamed up with KBIA to interview the directors of these films. The new True/False Podcast lets listeners go behind the scenes of their favorite True/False documentaries and hear directors talk about their work. True/False and KBIA joined forces to create this podcast that highlights the “art and craft of nonfiction storytelling,” according to a news release. Each installment of the podcast will feature a different director or film critic and focus on a particular characteristic

of nonfiction storytelling that the director produces. The first episode was released Feb. 23 and featured directors Keith Fulton and Lou Pepe of The Bad Kids, a film about students from Black Rock High School, from last year’s festival. This podcast focuses on the directors’ abilities to follow all of the characters of their documentary and show their development effectively throughout. “We’re focusing on one specific topic per episode so they have a long shelf life,” KBIA news director Ryan Famuliner said. “So a listener can go back and listen to one of these podcasts a year from now.” The podcast series will release installments this weekend and next weekend, but from there it will be a biweekly installment, with around 10-12 episodes per season. Each episode will have sounds from the festival as interludes woven throughout the piece to draw the listeners into the True/False Film Fest setting as they

hear their favorite documentary being discussed. Famuliner said the partnership works well because KBIA and True/False have similar audiences. True/False education director & True Life Fund coordinator Allison Coffelt hosts these podcasts, and KBIA and True/False both work in producing and editing them along with a few School of Journalism students. Coffelt, not having worked with radio prior to this past summer at a week-long immersive radio workshop, interviews subjects in the KBIA studio if they can make it to Columbia. If not, the interviews are conducted via Skype or are done remotely. “I am looking forward to talking with the director of Quest, Jonathan Olshefski, and the family it’s based on, the Rainey family,” Coffelt said. She plans on interviewing them during their time at True/False Film Fest. According to a press release, some other directors that True/False and KBIA have lined up are Craig Atkinson

and Laura Hartrick, the directors of Do Not Resist, who will talk about how they were granted access to highsecurity locations. Bill and Turner Ross, the directors of Contemporary Color, Western and Tchoupitoulas, will discuss creating documentaries as reallife experiences. The True/False Podcast will also feature Eric Hynes, a film critic for the New York Times and curator at the Museum of the Moving Image, who will discuss the future of documentary cinema. “I hope the audience enjoys it and learns some things and are challenged to think differently about media or topics,” Famuliner said of the podcast. The first episode of the True/ False podcast can be found online or downloaded through iTunes or Stitcher. Edited by Victoria Cheyne vcheyne@themaneater.com

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TRUE/FALSE GUIDE A country artist with an unconventional message St. Louis native Jack Grelle will perform at Rose Music Hall on Saturday. CAROLINE WATKINS Reporter

If you want to hear music that is as comforting and finger-licking good as your mama’s homemade chicken pot pie, then honky-tonk singer Jack Grelle is the man for you. The up-and-coming country singer will play at Rose Music Hall for the Rose Saturday Night After Party during the True/False Film Fest at 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Grelle’s music is like a fusion between Johnny Cash and Father John Misty. With a traditional, twangy sound combined with messages that bypass standard pop-country stereotypes like misogyny and classism, Grelle seems like a perfect fit for True/False; his sound reflects a perfect balance between the expected and unexpected. According to True/False’s website, the St. Louis native’s music “blossoms like a desert cactus with unexpected lyricism and heartfelt twang.” “I write and perform my own take on the honky-tonk and country-folk tradition,” Grelle said in an email. “I try my best to constantly expand my sound while staying in the traditional realm; there is a lot of room for exploration in country music. Rock & roll, honky-tonk, folk, old-time, Cajun, Tex-Mex, western and western swing ... There are a lot of authentic traditions that can blend with other sounds.” Grelle said he first realized he wanted to make a name for himself in the music industry when he began to immerse himself in the do-it-yourself “underground punk scene,” a community in which artists are independent and often influenced by politics. Once Grelle did just that, he realized he could soon expand to other nearby towns and go on tour. “That idea seemed impossible until I started going to house shows where traveling bands were performing,” Grelle said. “Since then, it has been an endless game of, ‘Where else can we play?’ So it has been less about a career and more about playing that next show and writing another song.” Although Grelle currently only has 752 monthly listeners on Spotify as of Tuesday, he is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. In addition to performing at True/False for several years, the Independent Music Awards awarded his album Steering Me Away Country Album of the Year. Rolling Stone also featured Grelle as one of the top 10

country artists you need to know for January 2017. According to Rolling Stone, Grelle is “a progressive honky-tonk hero arriving at just the right time in Trump’s America.” Grelle has made his voice heard through the progressive political messages that back his current album. “Got Dressed Up to Be Let Down,” the title track of his 2016 studio album, is told from the perspective of an empowered woman. Grelle also toured as part of the most recent incarnation of Seattle-based gay-country band Lavender Country, which released the first known gay-themed country album in 1972. “Performing and traveling with Lavender Country has been incredible,” Grelle said. “As a songwriter, I strive to connect with the listener or audience on an emotional level. [The lead singer and guitarist’s] songs and performance takes that to the highest level. It is revolutionary music. It is protest music. It is so powerful and loving at the same time.” The country artist said he

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACK GRELLE

mentions several other figures that have inspired his music, such as Doug Sahm, Chuck Berry, Terry Allen, Johnnie Allan and, according to Grelle, “[his] friends are always a huge influence as well.”

“IT MAKES THE PROCESS MORE ACCESSIBLE OR REALISTIC WHEN SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS CREATING SOMETHING GREAT.” — JACK GRELLE looks up to Patrick Haggerty, lead singer and guitarist of Lavender County. “People leave empowered, validated and heard,” Grelle said. “Patrick has told me that he knows that the timing of the rebirth of Lavender Country is political and no coincidence. The world, especially the LGBTQIA community, needs bands/artists like Lavender Country at the moment.” In addition to drawing inspiration from Haggerty and Lavender Country, Grelle

“Song inspiration can come from anything,” Grelle said. “Most of the time it comes from an impactful experience or an overwhelming emotion. Hearing my friends and peers’ music is always a driving inspiration. It makes the process more accessible or realistic when someone you know is creating something great.” Although Grelle mentioned that he is always trying to find a more consistent songwriting approach, “it seems like it is different every other time.”

True/False veterans might recognize the familiar face at Rose Music Hall. “This will be my fourth or fifth time performing at True/False,” Grelle said. “It gets better each time.” Grelle said that in addition to the musical performances, he finds the films become increasingly more powerful year after year. Although Grelle said the festival can be overwhelming, it is worth the hard work. “I am very excited for our showcase at Rose Music Hall Saturday night,” Grelle said. “Our friends Max and the Martians are opening the night, and one of the bands I am most excited to see, Very Be Careful, [will perform] as

well.” Grelle’s schedule will not dwindle after True/False. “This year is shaping up to be a busy one for us,” Grelle said. “[My contributors and I] released a new record this past October, so we are planning on hitting the road quite a bit.” In the next month, Grelle plans on taking his western sound to Europe, where he will be performing in Norway, Sweden, Germany and Spain. “Other than touring, I am focusing on writing the next album,” Grelle said. “My goal is always to write that next song and expand from the last.” Edited by Katherine White kwhite@themaneater.com

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TRUE/FALSE GUIDE

True Life Fund breaks the fourth wall to change lives The fund gives True/False audiences a way to respond to what they see on screen. KAELYN STURGELL Associate Editor

The entrance to the True/False Film Fest office is easy to miss. The property’s only identification is a single piece of paper taped to a lonely door nestled between Bluestem Missouri Crafts and the awning for Tellers. It’s an old property. The stairs creak with each step, and there’s a musty smell similar to that of a grandparent’s house. Sitting in the hallway, you can hear everything that’s going on. There are people making calls in almost every room, doors being closed and keyboards being tapped on. It’s a modest building considering the work that’s being done inside. After waiting a few minutes, I’m greeted by a woman with a short bob and a warm smile. She’s wearing a blue jacket that’s embellished with a familiar logo: a circle featuring a T and an F. I follow her into her office, and we sit down in her two floral-print “conversation chairs.” She formally introduces herself as Allison Coffelt and hands me a brochure that reads: “Storytelling. Inspiration. Action.” Coffelt is True/False’s education director and coordinator for the festival's True Life Fund. “Film festivals often recognize filmmakers,” Coffelt said. “That’s wonderful and obviously deserved. However, one thing film festivals often don’t do, especially in the documentary world, is recognize the people who give their lives to the filmmaker.” Since 2007, the True Life Fund has been a token of gratitude to the subjects of the films we see. It serves as a way to close the gap between the audience and the screen by answering the question, “What can I do?” A lot of what the True Life Fund does couldn’t be accomplished without its decade-long partner, The Crossing. Dave Cover, a senior teaching pastor at the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, was the first to suggest the partnership. After attending the festival in 2007, Cover saw the weekend as a great opportunity for the church to partner with the community and with the arts. Cover and David Wilson, the festival’s co-founder, have worked together ever since. “We feel like the Bible calls Christians to pray for, work toward and sacrifice for the prosperity of the community we are in,” Cover said. “I think that artistic prosperity is a vital part of any community's prosperity.” However, it’s not all about what the church can do for the festival. In an interview with Christianity Today, Cover discussed how the festival has grown the church. “Nobody wants to engage with a church that thinks they're always right, that doesn't have anything to learn,” Cover said. “We become a more effective church when we can listen and have more intelligent conversations with people who believe very different things. I think the festival helps us do that.” In the same interview, Wilson, a selfdescribed “secular atheist,” discussed his atypical interaction with the church. “I know we're different from other festivals, but it’s also very clear that The Crossing is different from other churches,” Wilson said. “I hope that there are churches

like The Crossing in other cities, and that festivals that are a little bit like us can find them and connect. That openness to new ideas, that lack of fear — I think that confidence in your own beliefs gives you a willingness to listen to the beliefs of others. To know that it doesn't weaken your own beliefs to hear those things expressed.” Over the years, The Crossing’s support of the festival has trickled down into smaller ministries. Maggie Brothers, a sophomore at MU, has been a small group leader in the church’s middle school ministry for two years and is a huge fan of the festival. “Last year was my first year at True/False,” Brothers said. “I didn’t buy a pass or anything because I didn’t know much about it or if I wanted to do it until it rolled around. I went to my first film with [ministry co-director] Laura [Hagen], who had sent in the leader GroupMe that she had an extra ticket for a film at noon, so I skipped my Latin class to go. It was so fun, and I’m now addicted.” On top of offering extra tickets to its leaders, the ministry attends a showing of the True Life film as a group. The group sits together and has a discussion afterwards. “We’ve had events and discussions over a lot of hot-button topics,” Brothers said. “None of these have been the church telling us what to think. It’s always been more of a forum or a conversation.” This year’s True Life selection is Quest. The film follows Christopher “Quest” Rainey and the rest of his North Philadelphia family over the course of 10 years. “What I like about Quest is that it gives most of us a look into a particular family that is very different than ours, and yet much of their family life is surprisingly the same,” Cover said. “I hope people have conversations about the similarities they see in this family, but also about the struggles that are significantly different from ours and why.” Coffelt feels the same. “In some ways, it’s easier to give money to a film like Sonita, where there’s a really clear heroic, narrative arc,” Coffelt said. “[Quest] has a really deep heroism that’s quieter. We so often see dysfunctional families on screen and this is just a miraculously functional family that can handle anything that’s thrown at them, and we see a lot of things thrown at them during in the film. It’s a really beautiful portrait of this family, but it’s certainly different than other True Life films in the past.” The fund hopes to raise $25,000 for the Rainey family to accompany a grant of $15,000 that has been donated each year since 2012 through The Bertha Foundation. Donations can be made online at truelifefund.org, after each screening of the film during the festival, or by texting any amount to 573-818-2151. Before the festival, Rainey and the director of the film, Jonathan Olshefski, will be doing a small speaking tour to the four public high schools in Columbia where students will watch clips of the film and discuss relevant topics. The rest of the Rainey family will accompany them for each showing of the film during the festival. Quest is being shown three times during the festival: Friday at 1:30 p.m. at the Missouri Theatre, Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Jesse Auditorium and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at Jesse Auditorium. Edited by Victoria Cheyne vcheyne@themaneater.com

THE RAINEY FAMILY FROM “QUEST” | COURTESY OF IMDB

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TRUE/FALSE GUIDE

Meet the ‘Provocateurs’ who make you think Experts are paired with films to lead a discussion. HANNAH SIMON Staff Writer

A Provocateur, in the case of the True/False Film Festival, is someone who provokes the audience into thinking deeper into the subject of the film they are about to view. The Provocateur gives a five-minute spiel on a topic of their choice, one they are passionate about and have spent much of their lives and careers exploring. The 2017 Provocateurs have been gathered from far and wide, each with a specific expertise and accomplishments under their belt. “[The Provocateurs] were selected on the basis of two things, really,” said Abby Sun, programmer for True/False Film Festival and curator of the Provocateurs. “One is that they had to have unusual and challenging ideas. The other criteria was that the presentation style also had to be inventive. So as long as those two things meshed, then they were good candidates.” This year’s Provocateurs include: Destiny Waterford, a student at Towson University in Maryland and the winner of last year’s Goldman Environmental Prize; Linda Tirado, author of Hand To Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America; Sarah Jeong, contributing editor at Vice Motherboard and author of The Internet of Garbage; Sarah Kendzior, a Twitter star and journalist based out of St. Louis

who mostly focuses on politics and the economy; and, lastly, Stacy Kranitz, a photographer working to discredit stereotypes. Each Provocateur is paired with a film that best suits the subject that they have chosen to speak about. Kranitz is set to talk prior to the film The Road Movie, a film that takes viewers through the Russian countryside from the perspective of dashboard cameras placed on cars for insurance purposes. “I’m talking about poverty and images of poverty, and how the photographs often fail to illustrate what is actually going on,” Kranitz said. “And how stereotypes can often get in the way, as well as our preconceived notions of poverty, or our place, our class. Our understanding of class gets in the way of us understanding poverty and images of poverty.” Tirado’s topic contrasts with the film to which she was assigned: The Challenge. This film explores the rich splendors of the Arabian Peninsula and the art of falconry, which is known as the “sport of kings,” according to the Ohio Falconry Association. “I’m talking about, specifically, the world freaking out about free speech since [President Donald] Trump’s gone into office and journalists are being arrested for covering things,” Tirado said. “But, I’ve worked for minimum wage for most of my life, and I never felt like I had any speech then, either. So, I’m kind of talking about, well, what does free speech mean if you’re not allowed to talk; is it really a right you have even?”

JULIA HANSEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Tirado describes her book, Hand To Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America as an honest, comedic voice for the working poor living in the United States. “They don’t often have people who have lived in a situation come and talk about the situation,” Tirado said. “Normally they ask somebody else to talk about them watching people live in the situation. I always find that authentic knowledge is a little bit more

interesting. I would rather hear from someone who knows what they’re talking about. And also, people who know what they’re talking about make better jokes because they can. A rich person can’t make poor people jokes; I can.” Kendzior’s assigned film, Stranger In Paradise, looks at the relationship between Europeans and refugees. “I’m going to talk about political repression,

authoritarianism and violence in world affairs,” Kendzior said. “From what I understand, [Stranger In Paradise] focuses on refugees, on people that are in perilous political situations. I’ve done a lot of work on that, a lot of writing on that. I’ve also done work in refugee cases, you know, I was an expert witness in court. I’m well-known for covering through the darker side of political life, and this is a film that reflects that as well, which is a natural fit, I think.” Similarly, Waterford will talk before the film Communion, and Jeong will speak prior to Rat Film. “The pairings were based on connections that hopefully were not completely obvious,” Sun said. “We wanted there to be some sort of, maybe sideways connection between the provocations and the feature film that they come before. So, for instance, Sarah Jeong and Rat Film; There might be some aesthetic, or kind of more of a similarity, between her provocation and the way the film is structured. She wasn’t paired before that film because her provocation was about rats or anything like that. The connection is not that obvious. It’s not a one-to-one correlation between subject and film.” If you cannot make any of these films, but would like to hear the provocations, the five provocateurs with gather on the Sunday morning of the festival at the Chautauqua to share their thought-provoking topics that will have the audience thinking from new perspectives. Edited by Katherine White kwhite@themaneater.com

True/False art ‘sparks an interaction’ with alchemy theme GRACIE SANDS Reporter

True/False Film Fest originally started as a showcase for documentaries, but it has evolved to include other aspects of the arts, such as music and art installations. This weekend, the streets of Columbia will be transformed into a giant art gallery, exhibiting the work of artists from across the world. Displaying approximately 40 visual artists’ work annually, True/False will host a wide array of artwork at various locations. The community can expect to see a diverse artist lineup this weekend. Some are veterans who have worked with the festival from the start, such as interactive artist Emily Hemeyer, while others, like Brittany Nelson, create artifacts that speak about the future and are new to the festival. Some artists are from halfway

across the world, such as Nabil El Jaouhari, a mixed-media artist from Lebanon specializing in the practice of olive oil staining, while others are from MU’s own backyard. Duncan Bindbeutel is a Columbia native who has displayed various works of art over the years. This year, his piece will be part crossword and part scavenger hunt. Participants will be guided through downtown by a map to complete a poetic verse. Hemeyer moved to Columbia while in high school, before the fest existed, and has watched it grow since the very start. She was 16 at the time and has contributed to the festival in some capacity each year since it was created. “It’s a really beautiful festival that not only highlights international filmmakers, but also the local community of Columbia,” Hemeyer said. “I think that’s pretty rare with a festival this size to have that

kind of connection.” Every project is unique and based around the theme of the festival for this year, “Out of the Ether,” which references alchemy and the elements. Artists incorporate the theme in different ways. Hemeyer said alchemy is present throughout her interactive exhibit because it experiments with the different elements of nature. “It’s essentially a natural history museum, so there is very much an elemental aspect,” Hemeyer said. “Things that come from the air, from fire, from water.” Artist Alicia Eggert said her work mainly consists of neon signs, already aligning with the theme because neon is a natural element. “All that is real is possible,” her sign reads, stemming from the logical branch of philosophy. Having attended the festival for the first time last year, Eggert

is back to reveal a new sign closely tied with the theme of the festival. “True/False is a documentary film festival, so it is all about what is supposedly real,” Eggert said. “These films are made about real life and real stories as opposed to fictional ones, so for me, the sign is always applicable to the festival every year because it is dealing with that thin line between when something is real and something is not real, or when something is impossible and something is possible.” Every artist has different inspirations and stories behind their artwork, and Hemeyer said she is interested in interactionbased art because it creates connections. “There is sometimes a lack of human-to-human connection,” Hemeyer said. “I think anything that sparks an interaction in this day and age is a beautiful thing. I am interested in whatever

that interaction is, just pure moments of humanness.” Eggert believes True/False is a place that sparks human connections because artists and participants get the chance to learn from one another. “It was amazing. I didn’t know very much about it, and I didn’t know what a film festival was like at all,” Eggert said. “I was really blown away by how magical the whole thing is. Even just the simple thing of waiting in line for a movie is a very social activity, so everyone in line talks to one another, and it almost feels like you’re at a party all weekend. I highly recommend that students attend the festival because it’s a pretty special and unique event that happens right in your town that people from all around the world travel to come to. Students should definitely take advantage of that if they can.” Edited by Victoria Cheyne vcheyne@themaneater.com

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TRUE/FALSE GUIDE

Sponsors at every level support True/False Columbia’s community comes together to support True/False. NAT KAEMMERER Senior Staff Writer

The True/False Film Fest is a huge event to pull off, and both local and out-of-town sponsors are invested in the fest being a success. Staples in the downtown area and beyond come together and become True/False sponsors every year, supporting the fest as it grows larger. In total, the fest has 117 sponsors. Here’s a look at what it’s like to be a sponsor at every level, from Super to Simple. Super Columbia’s Broadway Hotel has sponsored True/ False since the hotel’s opening about three years ago. “Over the last two years, we’ve really been able to become one of the host hotels, if not the host hotel,” revenue sales manager Shelby Vermilye said. The Broadway Hotel, located at 1111 E. Broadway, is very involved in True/False. It is a pick-up center where you can get your passes and swag bags, it sponsors and provides a “bite” for the downtown event “Reality Bites,” and this year, it does a Q&A with film directors. “If you’re not at the box office, you can come here and get all your questions answered,” Vermilye said. Many directors with films in the fest stay here, and part of Vermilye’s job is making sure they have a place to stay when they get to town. There will also be a breakfast for the directors during the festival, as well as interview sessions and Q&As. The hotel also will serve as a last-minute space for Q&As or press events if the fest needs it, Vermilye said. “It’s kind of nice to put our name out there and tie in to the community because we are so new,” Vermilye said. “We want to let people know we support the local arts and that they’re important to us. All the art in our lobby and rooms is local.” The hotel has been planning for the 2017 True/False for months, as it hosted a SWAMI mentorship event on their roof. It was a festival brainstorming session for directors and the people who create True/False, Vermilye said. “We’re starting to branch out more,” Vermilye said. “True/False has really grown over the years, and we’re making sure as the fest keeps growing we are the first place people turn to.”

JULIA HANSEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Silver Logboat Brewing Co., located at 504 Fay St., is a Columbia brewery is in its first year of True/False sponsorship. “We are one of three brewery sponsors this year,” brewery co-founder Judson Ball said in an email. “T/F came to us and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to participate.” As a Silver-level sponsor, the brewery will be involved with various True/False events around town. It will also have tasting events and do tap takeovers at some events, Ball said. “We sponsor T/F because it is an incredible event ran by some truly amazing people,” Ball said. “What they have done for Columbia the last 13 years has been really spectacular.” Logboat also aims to support other small businesses in town and show the community its support. “There are a lot of great festivals and businesses in this town,” Ball said. “It’s not easy to open [your] own business, so supporting each other is important.” Lux Diggit Graphics, the company that produces True/ False’s T-shirts, has been a sponsor since the beginning of the festival in 2003. “I met David [Wilson, True/False co-conspirator] the year I opened the store, and he had me do one little run of T-shirts,” owner Kelly Sly said. “It was for a different film thing, not True/False.” Diggit gives the festival a deal on merchandise embroidery and screen printing, which the company has done for True/False pretty much every year of the festival, Sly said. Sometimes it tweaks the shirt

design to make it work for the festival, and it’s a collaborative relationship overall. Diggit and True/False work together year-round. “David [Wilson]’s a longtime client,” Sly said. “We just kind of developed a professional relationship over the years.” The company also benefits from the advertising of True/ False, whether it’s in the form of a sign by the shirts the festival sells or just word of mouth. “I’m really proud of them for creating [True/False],” Sly said. “I see their stuff all over the world now. There was a TV commercial I saw, and someone was wearing a True/False shirt.”

part of Makes Scents’ involvement with True/False includes putting items in the gift bags for Super and Silver passholders. “We like to do something based on the theme,” Kelley said. “This year, there is lots of chemistry and science, so we’re doing bubbling bath salts in test tubes.” The test tubes will be in the gift bags. There are six different scents, and each one comes with a card explaining the science behind the scent. For example, if it’s a champagnescented one, the card will have the science behind champagne, Kelley said. “[True/False is] such a great event for our community and

“WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO THE PEOPLE THAT GIVE TO US. WE WANTED TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING BESIDES BEING OPEN.” — JOHN GILBRETH You can see Diggit’s work in action at one of the many merch stations, or send in a design for your own T-shirt to 1000 W. Broadway. Simple Makes Scents has been sponsoring True/False ever since it moved into its current location at 19 S. Ninth St. in 2006, and owner Christina Kelley has been working with Ragtag Cinema and the founders of True/False for 18 years. The store has a strong relationship with the festival. As a Simple-level sponsor,

downtown,” Kelley said. “It shows off a lot of great things about our town.” Customers brought to town by True/False come back year after year. Since Makes Scents keeps files of custom scents it has created, customers can come back and get their favorite custom scent from the store. “True/False folks are our people,” Kelley said. Calhoun’s is another Simple sponsor of True/False. Located at 911 E. Broadway, it isin the heart of True/False. It has been a sponsor for about five years and has been in business for

27 years. “I wanted to be a sponsor because I think [True/False] is such a great event for our community,” owner Lisa Klenke said. Like Makes Scents, Calhoun’s also puts items in the big ticket swag bags, Klenke said. This year, it is including a candle, coaster and store coupon. There will also be a store coupon in the True/ False guidebook. “I go to the fest; I don’t volunteer — but it looks fun,” Klenke said. “When I retire, I’m gonna be one of the people in the Q all dressed up, if they’ll have me.” Calhoun’s will also be open longer than its usual winter hours. On Friday it will be open until 8 p.m., and on Sunday it will be open from 12-4 p.m. “We don’t have a mass onslaught of sales; in fact, I would say that a lot of our local business stays home during True/False,” Klenke said. “They’re usually replaced by True/False people, though. There’s always parking, but people have this thought that it’s busy so they stay home.” Local Hero Pizza Tree, one of downtown’s many pizza spots, is among the festival’s Local Hero sponsors and has been for five years, since the restaurant opened. “Because the festival is really near and dear to my heart, we just want to make sure we’re a part of it,” owner John Gilbreth said. The local pizza place works with True/False in providing pizza via donations to the festival, Gilbreth said. It makes over 100 pizzas over the course of the weekend to get picked up and taken to different True/ False locations. Some pizzas may go to fest volunteers. “We want to be able to give back to the people that give to us,” Gilbreth said. “We wanted to contribute something besides being open.” Sponsoring True/False puts Pizza Tree into the festival program, but it’s not the only thing it sponsors throughout the year. The restaurant also donates gift cards based on a budget to organizations that request them online, Gilbreth said. “[Sponsoring] is part of the goal, part of the mission of the store,” Gilbreth said. “The goal or mission is to be our community’s go-to spot for good pizza.” You can grab some pizza during True/False every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 909 Cherry St. Edited by Katherine White kwhite@themaneater.com

A walk through the

weekend

1. Forrest Theatre

WALNUT 8TH

2. The Blue Note

ORR

10TH

9TH

0. Box Office

7TH

6TH

FILM VENUES 2

3. Ragtag Cinema 4. The Globe 5. Missouri Theatre 6. The Picture House

BROADWAY

7. Jesse Auditorium 8. Rhynsburger Theatre

UNIVERSITY MAP

4 CHERRY

LOCUST

ROLLINS

1 FORREST THEATRE Where to eat: Catch a bite at Addison's or Harold's Doughnuts. Where to shop: Get some snacks at the Candy Factory or sports gear at Rally House.

5&6 MISSOURI THEATRE &

THE PICTURE HOUSE

Where to eat: Try Yogoluv or Cafe Poland for some quick snacks. For a full meal, Shakespeare's Pizza and Pizza Tree are both nearby. Where to shop: The Missouri Theatre will also have some True/False merch on sale.

HITT

UNIVERSITY

CONLEY

ELM

2 THE BLUE NOTE Where to eat: Coffee Zone is right next door. Across the street is Szechuan House if you prefer sit-down Chinese food. Where to shop: The Blue Note isn't far from Broadway, so hit up your favorite shops on or near the street, like Yellow Dog Bookshop.

JESSE AUDITORIUM

Where to eat: Head to Ninth Street for some Noodles and Co. or Chipotle. Starbucks also makes a good coffee break. Where to shop: Jesse will have some True/False merch on sale inside, so check that out.

3&4

RAGTAG CINEMA & THE GLOBE

Where to eat: Just a short walk away is Strange Donuts and Seoul Taco. Where to shop: This venue is right next to Hitt Street Records.

8 RHYNSBURGER THEATRE

Where to eat: The theater is right by Starbucks in Memorial Union. It's also not far from the Heidelberg. Where to shop: While you're near Hitt Street, head down to Hitt Street Records. TORI AERNI // GRAPHICS MANAGER