The Mercury 02/10

VALENTINE'S DAY February 10, 2014

AROUND THE WORLD

Life&Arts

Page 9

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THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

Athletic staff shake-ups continue

A Special Arrangement College students faced with rising costs, financial challenges increasingly turn to website to establish mutually beneficial relationships with wealthy, older benefactors

Director retires unexpectedly, admits connection between departure and recent release of women's head soccer coach

Story by ANWESHA BHATTACHARJEE Web Editor Illustration by LINA MOON Graphics Editor

PARTH SAMPAT Sports Editor

Ari’s life was sliding out of control — after two DWIs her attorney bills had added on to her debt, her mom had no money to put food on the table and she’d had to put school on hold, despite working five jobs.

Athletic Director Chris Gage retired suddenly in the middle of the academic year, leaving his position on Jan. 22, after more than 10 years at UTD. Several coaches said that Gage resigned from his post without warning and retired the same day he issued his resignation.

In an interview with The Mercury on Jan. 30, Gage said it was time for him to separate himself from the job at UTD. “You are in intercollegiate athletics for almost 40 years, and at some point in time you have to walk away CHRIS GAGE from something you really enjoy,” Gage said.

Gage’s retirement comes just two months after the athletic department released successful longtime women’s soccer coach John Antonisse. In his 17 years at UTD, Antonisse led his team to two ASC titles and won 80 percent of his ASC games.

Neither Gage nor university administration gave any information as to why Antonisse and his assistant coach, Katie Challenger, were released from their duties.

Gage acknowledged that his retirement was related in part to Antonisse’s release.

“I’m sure that some of it did (relate),” said Gage.

“My concern is always for the care and wellbeing of the student athletes, and (Antonisse’s release) in a way probably did (relate).”

Antonisse said he felt he was wrongly terminated and had sought legal counsel and made a petition to UTD President David Daniel for his reinstatement.

“There was no reason for me to get fired because I did a great job,” said Antonisse. “I didn’t do anything illegal, I didn’t do anything unethical and I didn’t break any rules.”

The university chose not to reinstate Antonisse and instead hired Kanute Drugan as the women’s soccer coach on Feb. 7. Antonisse has been hired as the head women’s soccer coach at Brookhaven College, a Dallas County community college. Challenger was recently hired as an administrative assistant at the Nanotech Institute at UTD. Gage, meanwhile, said that despite his retirement from UTD, he would not rule out working in college sports again.

“I would love to be able to find another position in intercollegiate athletics,” Gage said.

In the past 10 years under Gage’s direction, the UTD athletics department has grown from 187 student athletes in fall 2003 to almost 300 students at the start of this year.

Bill Petitt, the associate athletic director for external affairs, has been named the interim athletic director following Gage’s retirement. He joined the athletic department in January 2007.

She needed a lot of money, and fast. Her friend suggested she go online and find sugar daddies, men who provide a monthly allowance to a young woman for a mutually beneficial arrangement, to help her out. It didn’t necessarily have to be about sex, her friend said, but Ari kept thinking she couldn’t be a sugar baby or a playgirl.

Finally, she decided to do it. She created a free profile on SeekingArrangment.com to see if she could find a sugar daddy who’d be willing to have her in a non-sexual arrangement like a tour guide or a friend in exchange for the money, Ari said.

“I was thinking, I really needed the money and it’s a lot better than prostitution,” she said. “Honestly, I was scared; I was nervous about if there would be any guys that would be interested in just having a friend. I remember thinking, ‘You know what?

It’s for my family and it’s for school, and I just need to suck it up.’”

Arrangement: An Internet phenomenon Ari isn’t the only student who has used SeekingArrangment.com to make money for school.

The website, founded by Brandon Wade in 2006, has one million students with registered profiles as of Jan. 1, said Leroy Vasquez, public relations manager at SeekingArrangment.com.

While there are a total of only 60 UTD students registered on the website, five Texas universities feature among the top 75 growing sugar baby schools in the country — schools ranked by the number of sign-ups in the year 2013.

Texas State University ranked 10th nationally with 189 sign-ups in 2013, while the University of North Texas ranked 24th with 96 registrations in the same time. UT Austin was a close third in Texas, ranking 30th in the nation with 88 students.

The website conducted a membership study in 2011 after they noticed an increase in the number of users registering with a ‘.edu’ email address, in-

dicating that these were students attending college, although the website hadn’t directly marketed to students.

The website’s increasing popularity among students led the management to offer a free premium membership upgrade to all students that register with a ‘.edu’ email address, Vasquez said.

Unlike other online dating sites like OkCupid or eHarmony, SeekingArrangment requires a sugar daddy-sugar baby arrangement where the sugar baby (or sugar boy) receives a monthly allowance in exchange for the arrangement they make with their sugar daddy or sugar momma, Vasquez said.

Most of the allowances range from $1,000 $3,000, some going up to as much as $20,000, he said. The average monthly allowance for a sugar baby in Dallas is $4,721, which is higher than Austin’s average of $3,324 and Houston’s of $4,383.

However, the website itself has no control over the kind of arrangement the two parties decide upon. Sugar baby arrangements can be anything

from a sexual relationship to a mentor-mentee relationship, Vasquez said, and are with a successful man or woman who is established professionally, so that it has much more benefits than just money.

Life as a sugar baby Ari, who preferred to keep her last name undisclosed, said she and her siblings were used to a lot of money, and after graduating early from high school in December 2010, she even took extra credits at Austin Community College to fill in a semester.

Then her parents split. Her father stopped supporting the family, and Ari had to stop going to school to earn money to help her family, which ultimately drove her to step up and create a SeekingArrangement.com profile.

For Ari, the experience didn’t start out very well.

Interested in a non-sexual relationship, all the initial men she met on the website were graphically

→ SEE ARRANGEMENT, PAGE 14

REDBOX

PET PROBLEM MONUMENTS HARVEY

→

→

With the advent of Netflix, Apple TV, what's the point of one here?

OPINION, PAGE 3

Some animals on campus a bit of Author Edsel visits campus in a nuisance, others go unnoticed advance of new feature film NEWS, PAGE 4

→

LIFE&ARTS, PAGE 6

Basketball star an integral part of team's chemistry and success →

SPORTS, PAGE 10

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THE MERCURY | FEB. 10, 2014

News

Just the facts

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Thought-provoking statistics from Christopher Wang ZAINAH ASFOOR Mercury Staff

Student Government is endorsing the Vedic Organization For Inspiration Culture and Education’s initiative to provide vegetarian and vegan meal options to students on campus.

VOICE, a student organization on campus that promotes healthy living and conscious eating, brought to the senate’s attention the concerns of students who feel that there aren’t enough vegetarian and vegan meal options on campus, and the options that are available at UTD are expensive.

The organization also pointed out that the vegetarian and vegan meals are cooked in an environment in where meat is also cooked, which goes against their conscious lifestyle.

VOICE is looking to bring catering from BO PĂŞ DBNQVT SFTUBVSBOU UIBU NFFUT UIFJS conscious-lifestyle standards, but because Chartwells is the official catering service for UTD, VOICE must meet with Chartwells to get their permission. “Student Government will write a letter of support for VOICE,â€? said SG President Liza Liberman at the Feb. 4 SG meeting.

SG has also written a petition to get a Redbox installed on campus, which is currently circulating online.

SG has faced opposition from Redbox representatives who claim that college students are more likely to download movies on their laptops than rent them. SG is urging all students to sign this petition at: www.change.org/petitions/redbox-bring-aredbox-to-ut-dallas. t 3FTJEFOUJBM "ĂŞ BJST DIBJS ,BUJF 5SVFT

dale said SG will provide a map of amenities to students with information regarding the EJĂŞ FSFOU GFBUVSFT TVDI BT TQPSU DPVSUT BOE fields, swimming pools, clubhouses and fire pits, available for use for students living on campus. t 4UVEFOU "ĂŞ BJST $PNNJUUFF DIBJS $BTFZ Sublett announced that the University Bookstore now has new apparel and tumCMFST VOEFS XIJDI JT NPSF BĂŞ PSEBCMF than most UTD merchandise. She also reported that Auxiliary Services will be providing more seating in the Visitor Center in the near future. The seating will be similar to that in the Student Services Building lobby. t "DBEFNJD "ĂŞ BJST DIBJS +PTFQI -JN TBJE there will be two Meet the Dean events this month: one for the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences from 1-2 p.m. on Feb. 11, and one for the School of Arts and Humanities from 4:15-5 p.m. on Feb. 13.

The School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the School of Interdisciplinary Studies will not hold Meet the Deans events due to their deans’ busy schedules, Lim said. t 5FDIOPMPHZ $PNNJUUFF DIBJS #SPPLF Knudtson updated the senate on the meeting with Dean of Students Gene Fitch regarding the UTD app and said the dean was impressed with the presentation, however, he still wants SG to do more research and look into the apps that other UT campuses have. t 4FOBUF BMMPDBUFE GPS HSBEVBUJPO chords and medals for SG senators and $300 for Meet the Dean events. t ɨ F OFYU 4( NFFUJOH XJMM CF BU p.m. on Feb. 18 in one of the Galaxy Rooms.

Staff Photographer Parth Parikh Contributors Rahat Ahmed Pablo Arauz Zainah Asfoor Viviana Cruz Emily Grams Manar Haseeb James Lopez Tanvi Mehta

Correction: In the Jan. 27 edition of The Mercury, in the article titled “Materials science org focuses on outreach education,� Monica Jung de Andrade’s degree was misstated. She is a Nanotech Institute postdoctoral.

In the same article, only membership for the MRS chapter at UTD is free, not for the national organization.

The Mercury regrets these errors.

Most expensive Olympic Games to date Sources: Forbes, Times of London, Business Insider

Kayla Pele Ellen Shih Jeff Thekkekara Justin Thompson John Thottungal Shyam Vedantam Chelsea Wolfe Marcelo Yates Mailing Address 800 West Campbell Road Mailstop SU 24 Richardson, TX 75080-0688 Newsroom Student Union, Student Media Suite SU 1.601 FIRST COPY FREE NEXT COPY 25 CENTS The Mercury is published on Mondays, at two-week intervals during the long term of The University of Texas at Dallas, except holidays and exam periods, and once every four weeks during the summer term.

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UTDPD Blotter Jan. 24 t " GBDVMUZ NFNCFS SFQPSUFE IJT WFIJDMF XBT struck while parked in Lot J, sometime between noon and 8 p.m.

Jan. 26 t 'PVS TUVEFOUT XFSF BSSFTUFE GPS CVSHMBSJ[JOH UIF Visual Arts building at around 3 a.m. Three of the students were also charged with consumption of alcohol by a minor.

Jan. 27 t "O VOBĂŻ MJBUFE QFSTPO XBT BSSFTUFE GPS ESJWJOH with an invalid license and possession of marijuana on Campbell Road at around 1 a.m.

Jan. 30 t " TUVEFOU SFQPSUFE QSPQFSUZ TUPMFO GSPN IJT truck bed while parked in Lot T at around 4 p.m. t " TUVEFOU SFQPSUFE B CVSHMBSZ BU UIF "DUJWJUZ Center at around 7 p.m.

Feb. 1 t "O VOBĂŻ MJBUFE NBO XBT BSSFTUFE GPS QPTTFTTJPO of marijuana and DUI on Floyd Road at around 3 a.m.

Feb. 3 t 'PVS TUVEFOUT BOE POF VOBĂŻ MJBUFE NBMF XFSF JT sued citations for minor in consumption at Res Hall Southwest at around 10 p.m. t " TUVEFOU SFQPSUFE B UIFGU PG IFS VOEFSHBSNFOUT from the laundry facility in Phase I at around 6 p.m.

Feb. 4 t 0ĂŻ DFST SFTQPOEFE UP BO BQBSUNFOU CVSHMBSZ JO Phase I, building four at around 6 p.m.

Feb. 5 t " $IBSUXFMMT TUBĂŞ NFNCFS SFQPSUFE UIFJS QIPOF taken without consent while working in the Comet CafĂŠ at around 1 p.m.

Feb. 6 t " TUVEFOU XBT BSSFTUFE GPS QPTTFTTJPO PG NBSJ juana, drug paraphernalia, alcohol and a controlled substance during a traffic stop on Campbell Road at around 3 a.m.

Jan. 25: A student reported someone was harassing her via email regarding her nude photos.

Jan. 28: A visitor was arrested at the ATEC building at noon for an outstanding warrant for theft between $500-1,500.

LEGEND VEHICULAR INCIDENT THEFT DRUGS & ALCOHOL OTHER MAP: UTD COMMUNICATIONS | COURTESY

Jan. 27: An unaffiliated person was arrested on Campbell Road at around midnight for violating an occupational license.

OPINION

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FEB. 10, 2014 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

With DVDs dying, why a Redbox now?

CHRISTOPHER WANG COMMENTARY

Redbox representatives are right to claim that college students are not likely to rent DVDs from their kiosks, should one be placed on campus. With a multiplicity of legal and illegal means of obtaining media, and a young population cognizant of the various avenues to stream and torrent, patronizing an actual physical box seems quaint.

Student Government’s change.org petition in response to Redbox’s refusal to service our campus is a quixotic endeavor. With the existence of streaming on-demand services such as Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, HBO Go and Hulu dominating American bandwidth, the quest for a machine that vends a limited amount of entertainment options seems a bit misguided. The entire inventory of any given Redbox machine can be repli-

cated with some online searching.

In a November 2013 IBISWorld article titled, “Closing credits: Demand will continue falling as consumers increasingly opt for web media,” Jesse Chiang wrote that the trend is not in favor of physical rentals.

“49.0% of Americans watched online video within the last month in 2013. As more consumers invest in streamingcompatible devices, such as tablets or newer gaming consoles, they will opt to stream media. Streaming media is more convenient because it is instantly available at all times and it is often cheaper for frequent movie watchers.”

Chiang also notes in his report that streaming, subscription-based services don’t charge late fees or impose time limits like rental services do.

The same market forces that drove other mass media purveyors of movies will eventually cause the downfall of the kiosk economy. With the bankruptcies of Hollywood Video and Blockbuster, the last stand of the DVD is in these

machines, and they are doomed to lose.

These chains failed due to an inability to adapt to the way we consume media, and, tellingly, Redbox offers its own streaming product in partnership with Verizon.

Chiang’s report continues, backing up the major shift from DVDs to online streaming and video-on-demand services provided by cable and satellite providers. “(S)ales and rentals of discs dipped in 2012, while digital revenue grew.

Similarly, although sales from streaming grew 45.8% and VoD grew 10.8%, total home entertainment spending only increased 0.2%, indicating a more drastic decrease in physical media sales (...)

Overall rentals, not including VoD, decreased 12.1% in 2012, while total digital distribution grew 28.5%.”

Americans as a whole have sacrificed DVD rental spending at the expense of digital streaming, and the pattern of their expenditure reflects that.

Many freshmen are deployed to col-

lege with a laptop in tow, and increasingly, these laptops don’t come with DVD drives any longer. With the ubiquity of streaming devices from computers to smartphones, entertainment and distraction constantly lives at our fingertips. A monolith that vends disks is a step backwards.

Finally, a Redbox has no soul. The kiosk is just the brick-and-mortar store, devoid of any personality. It’s not lovingly curated or maintained. It simply contains ostensibly popular items. It’s not a place where one can find classic films or genre gems. The only thing that lives within is just the algorithmically derived common denominator of popular culture.

The kiosk replaced the video store of old, except for those who were savvy enough to change, and Chiang provides some examples. Odd Obsession in Chicago, for one, rents rare and out-of-print movies that aren’t available on Netflix or Hulu.

In Santa Monica, Calif., the local com-

munity rallied to save their video store in 2010. Vidiots, according to Chiang, has been able to survive and thrive thanks to an innovative yearly membership plan where patrons get unlimited rentals for a flat annual fee. As an important part of their community, Vidiots holds educational seminars about the history of film and aesthetics.

Unfortunately stores like the ones above, local and responsive to their neighborhoods and surrounding communities, don’t exist here. There are plenty of Redboxes though. But in time, the streaming services will supplant them. So it goes.

If SG is attempting to enrich and entertain the campus community with its endeavor to bring more films to campus, it is failing. With cheaper, superior, readily available alternatives known to us, this exercise is counterproductive in attempting to colonize this campus with another third-party, purely profit-seeking undertaking. A Redbox might not be worth its weight in gold.

Enhance core curriculum by expanding options UTD should allow performance, immersion art courses to fulfill fine arts requirement to promote deeper understanding JAMES LOPEZ COMMENTARY

Part of the core curriculum for any major at UTD involves three hours of fine arts and three hours of humanities. UTD wants students of all majors to experience the liberal arts and more fully appreciate the world around.

There’s a plethora of courses in music, literature and theater available for all levels, so fulfilling the fine arts and humanities requirements should not only be easy but also fun and tailored for any interest.

Sadly, there’s not much freedom.

For non-arts and humanities majors, there isn’t much of a choice. Only certain introductory courses such as Understanding Art or Exploration of the Humanities can fulfill those core requirements. The rest are left to free electives.

Upon reading many of the core classes’ syllabi, these courses follow the basic regimen of any introductory class: lecture, quizzes, exams, papers

and projects. The material of these classes covers generalities that barely scratch the surface of any topic, a practice typical of introductory courses.

Much of what is learned comes from either a textbook or an artistic work done by somebody else.

Is this how art should be experienced – from the outside looking in?

A musician doesn’t become a virtuoso just by reading about music theory and watching many orchestras. Art is a skill, and no amount of reading or watching will suffice to catch any glimpse of the full picture.

There are many other courses out there that delve right into the world of art, yet do not count as requirements: Vocal Instruction, Theater Ensemble, Drawing and Painting Foundations.

All of these classes engage and push students to create art for themselves instead of simply watching it happen.

These gems of classes allow students to see art from the inside looking out and to ultimately show them new, deeper ways of appreciation.

Singing allows people to experience songs on a much more intimate level.

As a choir singer in high school, I understand how it feels to engage in mu-

sic. I understand the warm, sensuous breath from the diaphragm leaving my mouth as rhythmic pitches of sound to form a lyric; I remember the exhausting labor of coordinating my mouth, shoulders, chest, stomach and legs to make one simple note sound perfect; and I understand letting those meticulously made notes trigger feelings of awe and joy and sorrow within, traveling in the form of sound for others to hear. Then, I remember looking around me to see a hundred others doing the same thing, creating a symphony of voices, all in ringing harmony.

Just knowing that I helped bring grand songs to life in concordance with other voices and instruments left feelings of pride and accomplishment. I bore my heart and soul into each song, and for a moment, I heard, felt and saw the finished product.

Experiences like these are why I love engaging classes so much. Being in choir wasn’t merely a hobby; it taught me how to sight read and hear chords in almost every song I listen to. I learned resolution, dissonance, keys and the ability to recognize them.

These classes don’t just teach you skills; they educate you in novel ways

using at least three of the five senses.

Besides, isn’t one of the purposes of the core curriculum “synthesis of information” under “critical thinking skills,” according to the school website? How can anyone synthesize the arts without the fullness of experience that the engaging classes provide?

By barring such courses from the core curriculum, UTD places more value on standard lecture classes than engaging ones. It’s understandable why the school chose these introductory courses; not everybody likes the arts, some might not have any experience and others would rather sit back and learn through the anonymity of the lecture classes. Some students prefer not to be judged or penalized because of their lack of experience in the field. In any case, the student will learn something about the arts. But many of these immersion classes don’t require years or even days of prior experience.

They make sure novices succeed and are mostly concerned with improvement over time.

What about the many non-arts and humanities majors who played the piano or sang like I did and want to continue their engagement of the arts or

broaden their horizons? UTD should allow the option of fulfilling the core requirement through these immersion classes so they may showcase their mastery of the arts. Free electives are great, but by making performance courses count towards the arts requirement students can have one more semester of any crazy class they desire. Students can have options that are simply more fun than the current lecture fulfillers.

The engagers bring novelty and deviate from the humdrum of lectures, keeping students active and on their toes. Psychologically, this type of novelty and engagement in the senses are key in maintaining an acute mind. I’d much rather spend an art class actually painting, feeling the wood of the brush while smelling the pasty colors and hearing the brush scratch and slide smoothly down a canvas instead of taking notes about acrylics. The former has a stronger presence of art, allowing students to feel and smell art rather than just thinking about it through a textbook.

If UTD truly wants to accomplish a liberal arts education through its core, it needs to open the gates to much more options.

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“Do you think unregistered pets are a problem on campus? Why or why not?”

“No. Unless it’s specifically causing some problems to people like hurting somebody or causing them allergies, pets shouldn’t be a problem.”

Faizaan Amir

“I’d say not really, unless they start causing specific problems like injury or if it gets out of control, if they bring some sort of disease.”

David Snowden Arts and humanities freshman

“Yeah, it probably would.

If it’s a danger to people, I think it’d be wiser to have pets registered.”

“If it affects others, yes, whether it is a noise or litter complaint.

If you register your pets, your neighbors would know and can expect it.”

“I’ve never come across this kind of problem. I live (on the first floor) so unless it comes downstairs and enters my apartment, maybe then.”

Ebenezer Daniel Information management system graduate student

“I think no. I like pets, and I don’t think there should be any problem with unregistered pets. They’re just pets so it’s OK.”

Computer science freshman

Adolfo Arciniega Business administration junior

Lauren Sheldon Speech pathology freshman

Redeate Lakeo Neuroscience senior

4

THE MERCURY | FEB. 10, 2014

News

UTDMERCURY.COM

Students defy pet regulations Some students risk receiving violations to keep their prohibited pets, while others voice concerns about irresponsible owners TANVI MEHTA Mercury Staff

Despite several rules and regulations put in place by University Village housing department, pet policy violations continue to take place.

Unregistered pets and pet litter have caused concerns among some residents on campus.

“My peer advisor‘s dog would poop all over the place, and she would not clean it up.

This kept on happening for months,” said global business senior Chelsea Wolfe.

The problem continued until the peer advisor moved

away, Wolfe said.

UV general manager Corey Dargan said that the best thing to do is to communicate with UV about any concerns.

UV’s housing policy requires that pets kept on campus are registered with the office, which includes a $100 application fee and $100 deposit, Dargan said. There are currently about 100 pets registered with the housing department.

Despite these regulations, there are some pets that have gone unnoticed by UV. One student who keeps his snake in his apartment said he is unwilling to part with his pet.

“I have had her for eight

years now. She is nice and harmless,” said the student who wished to be anonymous.

“My roommates don’t have a problem with it, and they are pretty okay.”

The student said that his snake is kept in a cage, and he puts a towel on the cage to hide the snake whenever maintenance comes into his apartment.

Dargan said students reported for housing an unregistered pet receive a violation notice.

If the issue persists, the student may be required to meet with the dean of student affairs.

UV has a preventative maintenance program at the start of

JEFF THEKKEKARA| STAFF

One student said he places a towel over his pet snake’s cage when UV maintenence is in the apartment.

Despite the fact that snakes are not allowed, the student said he’s unwilling to give away the pet.

each semester to ensure that these rules and regulations are being followed. If there is a violation, a notice will be sent

out to the resident. In the case of a pet attack or bite, the best source to contact is the UTD Police. However, Dargan said

there have been no reported instances of pet bites since he began working with UV two years ago.

Forming a club: Tips from student leaders Funding policies, organizing events and recruiting among important topics to be considered when creating a student organization PARTH PARIKH Mercury Staff

Students interested in starting a new student organization should familiarize themselves with the Student Organization Forum’s policies for allocating funds, which impact the way new organizations are formed and how current organizations function.

The SOF is the representative body for registered student organizations within the Student Organization Center. Under its umbrella, the SOF provides for funding, assistance and advice to 296 student organizations on campus.

Dan Nguyen, Student Organization Funding Advisory Board committee member and business administration senior, said

SOC provides operating funds and programming funds. Established organizations receive $200 per academic year in operating funds, while re-established and new organizations receive $100 per academic year. Organizations are able to additional program funding as needed.

“Since some organizations need more funds than others, the SOF now allocates a fixed operat-

ing fund to each club and allows organizations to request for program funding,” Nguyen said.

The organizations must present a proposal to the SOFAB to request funds for events. Nguyen said irrespective of the amount, SOFAB might wholly or partially fund an event, if the committee feels that the event will reach out to a greater student population.

“Fund raising and membership

ENACTUS One established student organization is ENACTUS: Entrepreneurship Action Us, headed by information technology and management graduate student Satish Kikani. ENACTUS is an international non-profit organization that brings together students, professionals and organizations to help the community and small businesses in the DFW area.

While every club tries in its own ways to entice students to join them, Kikani points out that ENACTUS stands strong with a membership of 90 students who have come together with a common gesture: Their willingness to help. And as an encouragement, the students are eligible to be awarded scholarships and obtain course credits for their contribution.

However, running an organization requires more than just enrolling club members.

“I make sure I am approachable to current and prospective members. I also

keep up.

Students from the following three clubs offer their insights to successfully jumpstarting a new organization. Anil Maddala, a computer science graduate student and photographer aiming to create a photography club, said the key is having a plan of action and sticking to it.

“Plan your work and work your plan,” he said.

Squash Club

PARTH PARIKH | STAFF ENACTUS | COURTESY

The ENACTUS club members hold an event to celebrate Diwali, an Indian holiday celebrated around Halloween.

put in my best efforts to the projects,” Kikani said. “The president needs to be active in order to keep up the morale of the whole team. Also, the members at ENACTUS play a very important role.

They are the ones who bring in majority of the ideas for projects.”

Kikani said active participation is important to the

fees are optional and are up to a club’s discretion,” he said. “They can charge a membership fee as long as they have mentioned it in their constitution. But if there’s an event that’s been funded by SOFAB, it has to be free for all participants.”

Organizations at UTD range from hobby or passion clubs to professional organizations, and each club has its own tools to

club’s success.

“Regular meetings are very crucial. We start right from the beginning of the academic year,” he said. “Now that the annual national ENACTUS competition comes near, the meetings increase to up to several times a day.

It keeps the members in a closely knit group providing a sense of comfort.”

The Squash Club organizes games in the Activity Center.

The Squash Club is one example of a young and growing student organization.

“I have been a squash player for a couple of years now,” said software engineering junior and president of the 40-member Squash club, Siddharth Sharma.

“When I joined UTD in 2011 I would wait outside the courts and meet others who played the game. I gathered up a bunch of people who were interested and we submitted a petition to Club Sports to start the Squash Club” To retain members and attract new ones, Sharma said the club

organizes regular games at the Activity Center where amateur players are encouraged to play with the more advanced ones giving them an opportunity to learn. The Squash Club also organizes exhibition matches where veteran players are invited to display the game to new members.

Ritvik Matta, Squash Club vice president and global business senior said the club’s greatest accomplishment has been assembling a full-fledged team with few players entering the Dallas Squash Circuit.

Photography Club Computer science graduate Anil Kumar, and information technology management graduate students Nitin Yadav and Shantanu Mendhekar, are working to set up a photography club.

“The biggest hindrance in my view would be getting people who are committed and are in-

terested in being involved,” Kumar said. “There can be many people who are interested, but building a club from scratch needs time and effort from everyone.”

The team plans to approach attracting members through the club’s Facebook page and by set-

ting up a booth in the Student Union where students can take a look at their work and be inspired.

Once the club is established, the photographers plan to have photography technique tutorials and hands-on photography lessons for members.

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Dean’s List The Dean’s List contains the names of students who completed at least 12 credit hours during fall 2013 with a grade-point average among the top 10 percent of all students within their respective schools. The students are listed below in accordance with student privacy requests under FERPA. School of Arts & Humanities Areeba Ahmed Kathleen Alva Macaire Ament Joseph Anthony Victoria Aranda Audon Archibald Zachary Armstrong Zainah Asfoor Benjamin Baker Ivey Barr Michael Bazar Alexander Bean Trey Blankenship Michael Bradley Allison Burch Sarah Buxkamper Andrew Carnesi Nicole Cochran Michael Cohen Ari Cohn Samuel Collins Natalie Cook Caroline Curley Ashley Dang Peter Dang Elizabeth Del Rosario Adrian Diaz Caryn Dimarco Robert Dube Laurita Duncan Nicole Easter Zachary Freeman Yifan Gan Evelyn Garza Briana Garza Thomas George Melissa Gilbreath Paul Gutierrez Macy Harrison Martyn Hawley Phuong Ho Jesus Jimenez Ibarra Emily Joyce Samiha Khan Jin Kim Brandon Kinard Zack Lambert Sarah Larson Shannon Lee Manushka Lewkebandara Madeline Lindell Matthew Lindsay Carol Liu Rachel Lutz Austin Mackintosh Luan Mai Victoria Mayfield Katelyn McWilliams Molly Meyer Belinda Mok Sarah Montgomery Kathleen Mooney Nehal Mubarak Stephanie Myers Samia Nasir Ashley Norfleet Lindsay Nussbaum Kelly Padgett Enrique Paniagua Jenna Payette Jonathan Peoples The-Phong Pham Adam Pickrell Cathryn Ploehn Mitchell Pricer Nathaniel Propp Jennifer Quiros Marcela Reyes Katherine Risor Nicole Sandoval Spencer Schaefer Michael Schmeck Anthony Schuler Jeffrey Seebachan Filip Sego Nicholas Sergent Anjuli Sethi Morgan Shafer Colin Sloan Matthew Smith Allison Sparks Todd Stansbury Melissa Stephens Megan Stevenson Debora Terry Colin Thames Bentley Threat Christopher Timmons Gabriella Trisna Laurena Tsudama Rebecca Tull Richard Tyndall Zachary Van Duyne Mollie Walker Katy Wallace Stephen West

School of Behavior & Brain Sciences Tahera Abdulali Caroline Abe Muhammad Ahmad Pranati Ahuja Bhargavi Akkineni Reem Ali Jynelle Mari Arches Amber Archibeque Oveyunce Armour Meagan Axle Neeraja Balachandar Benjamin Belfort Corey Bindner Margaret Boland Alisa Bovda Catherine Boynton Elizabeth Bradford Sally Briseno Roger Bui Nicole Caunt Sheridan Cavalier Davelle Cheng Rachel Choi Tina Dam Tanya Danaphongse Karyna Dang Bethany Dempsey Kristen Deupree Nicolette Doan Aaron Dotson Alyssa Elizondo Julia Evans Iman Fallahi Firouzi Kate Flanagan

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Bontavy Vorng Star Walker Jiayang Wang Zeming Wang Kyle Webster Walter Wedgeworth Zackary Weger Andrew Wei Andrew Wells Joshua Wyllie Junjie Xu

School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences Imaan Adil Basel Alhasan Myra Ali Sabrina Arnold Vivian Asonye Wiam Ayachi Arman Baqui Kathleen Bierschenk Franco Bria-Massaro Korey Brooks Yuying Chen Blake Cohorst John Cruz Eileen Daly Allyn Daly Duc Dam Christopher Dubois Rajiv Dwivedi Blake Eaton Ali Elhorr Prathyusha Gaddam Hena Hafizullah Waqas Haque Nina Haug Jennee Jackson Kyle Johnson Katherine Jones Lauren Jones Sean Jordan Rachel Kail Minchol Kim Curtlyn Kramer Mohammad Kureishy Apostolos Kyprios Tanner Landry Addison Larson Dana Litovsky Jacob Loehr Richard Marler Alexie McCauley Chelsea McHenry Yehia Mokhtar Monica Moleres Irene Morse Dalton Mott Thao Ngo Alexandra Noll Jeffrey Padgett Bradley Panske Rohit Prasad Raul Ramirez Michael Reynolds Kayleigh Rice Joshua Riddell Guadalupe Rodriguez Chelsea Rolland David Romo Martinez Josette Rophael Cory Sagduyu Megan Simons Neeraj Sirdeshmukh Mahtab Sobhani Jakeb Spears Hope Steffensen Christian Sweeney Jamison Tolbert Theodore Torres Diep Truong Cynthia Tusko Peter Ueng Christine Varghese Ryan Wanner Lewis Warne Britt Woods Yu Xiao

Naveen Jindal School of Management Assima Abdrakhmanova Bashir Abdulbaqi Alvin Abraham Jacqueline Abuda Abdullah Adlouni Jay Agrawal Derek Aguirre Robin Ahmadi Alexander Alperovich Victoria Alperovich Neaz Arefin Muhammad Asad Leena Asmar Joel Asmussen Matthew Aurich Gabriella Ayestas Baseet Azam Tal Barazani Hardeek Barot Jamie Bendure Sharon Benedicto Jason Benham Zachary Benson Melissa Berasaluce Cari Berenbrock Arindam Bhattacharya Vishavjyot Bhullar Karan Bindra Erin Boley Alexander Bowen Ted Buerkle Jonathan Bui Van Bui Nemorio Carbajal Abheer Chandorkar John Chang Christopher Chen Ali-John Cherri Catherine Cheung Sun Young Choi Linh Chu David Cohen Alissa Courson Hannah Creech Faith Crockett Naomi Damato Mariam Daneliav Nga Dang Omar Daouk Graham Davis Olivia Deffner Meghan Del Castillo

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School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics Nazanin Abolhasani Nigel Abraham Phebe Abraham Justin Adler Alisha Aggarwal Vedika Agrawal Jamshid Akhavan Sara Al Dogom Ranna Al-Dossari Khaled Al-Hreish Obada Alfarawati Swathi Ariyapadi Raheel Ata Patricia Balconi-Lamica Jacey Beasley Allison Beltrone Genette Bergman Sonya Berriche Neha Betrabet Rajvi Bhagat Sreenand Boddu Anita Boulom Laura Bret Amy Bronikowski Benjamin Brookshire Duy Bui Amanda Bull Suna Burghul Joseph Burnett Alexander Burns Kenneth Byrum Marisa Campain Aaron Chan Judy Chan Angela Chandy Lillian Chen Sishan Chen Neil Chevli Kenneth Chow Seung-Ho Chung Jonathan Cohn Niraja Dalal Oscar Dao Ananya Das Pooja Dasari Christina Davis Gnanashree Dharmarpandi Jankikeerthika Dharmarpandi Jennifer Dinh Anne Duong Minh Duong Marcell Eldin Naveen Emmanuel Fei Gao Sanjeeth George Matthew Gillings Jaden Gorham Jean-Jean Gwo John Hamati Amrita Hans Eduardo Hernandez Sean Hickey Hayden Higgins Andrew Ho Shezaan Ibrahim Zobia Iftikhar Farid Ighanihosseinabad Aarzu Isa Meera Iyengar Prisca Javidnia Andrew Johannesen Andrew John Alysha Joseph Mahdi Kaheri Rohan Kanade Pradyotha Kanchustambham Vivek Kantamani Amanda Karasic Jillian Kelley Parisa Khosravi Yesul Kim Atef Kokash Rohan Kulangara Jenny Lam Linh Le Michael Lee Roxanne Lee Chuxi Li Tszkin Li James Lopez Stephanie Luu Morrigan Mahady Joshua Makkappallil William Mandt Kolby Mangino Sonakshi Manjunath Khadijah Mazhar Parker McDill Stephen McMahon Hunter McWinn Vidya Menon Andrew Merrill Bradley Meyer Lizaveta Miadzvedskaya Justin Miller Sumeen Mirza Husain Mogri Rishika Navlani

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School of Interdisciplinary Studies Dana Aborahma Vanessa Andrade Sean Carpentier Rebecca Chrasta Casi Clapsaddle Robin Cook Preet Dalal Cristina Diaz Estela Dodt Gonzalez Aseel Dweik Dustin Flynn Matthew Hall Julie Hardeman Brittaney Harris Mary Hawley Becky Hernandez Jessie Hernandez Jeffrey Herpers Heather Hoang John Houck Catherine Johnston Amy Jowers Sara Khalid Jasper Kuhn Jasmin Mansoori Megan Meloon Marcela Mendez Carlye Mings Davis Mosmeyer Olivia Novak Edgar Nunez Guerrero Preston Ooi Briana Owen Kalyn Peters Hannah Ramsey Kevin Varughese Hafsa Wahid Shelley Weidenbruch Alicia Woodfin Mark Woodyard Stella Yan

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FEB. 10, 2014 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

Summer fest comes to suburbs

LIFE&ARTS

Author Robert Edsel advocates protecting culture during war MIGUEL PEREZ Life&Arts Editor

CC BY NC VICTOR DEPAULO | FLICKR

Tegan and Sara will be headlining the Suburbia Music Festival coming to Plano May 3-4.

Mixed genre lineup planned for Plano’s new music festival PABLO ARAUZ Mercury Staff

Boasting a varied lineup, music industry giant Live Nation and the city of Plano are gearing up for Suburbia Music Festival on May 3 and 4 at Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve in Plano.

A first of its kind for the city, the music festival features Grammy-nominated J. Cole, soul rock troupe Alabama Shakes and indie rock pioneers Violent Femmes along with at least 37 other performances on three stages. The festival is expected to bring around 20,000 people per day.

Anthony Nicolaidis, talent buyer for Live Nation, discovered the festival’s location and came up with the name while one day jogging at the park.

“It’s a nature oasis surrounded by suburbia and that name just kind of stuck in my head,” he said.

Steve Soler, director of Media Relations at the City of Plano, said that planning for the festival has been two years in the making.

“It’s the first of its kind,” he said. “We’re just stoked that it’s coming to Plano.”

Soler said that if the first one goes well, the city hopes that it will continue and grow in the coming years.

Danny Eaton, senior vice president for North American concerts at Live Nation, said it is going to be similar to other major events organized by the company, most notably Sasquatch Festival in Quincy, Wash. and Voodoo Fest in New Orleans.

And as with any event with a large crowd, there will likely be some partying and rowdiness. Soler said that the city is prepared to deal with that in experience from other major city events such as the Plano Balloon Festival.

“The crowd will be similar to what we have at the balloon festival so I think that experience will help us manage the crowd,” he said.

Eric Martinez, emerging media and communications junior and music director at Radio UTD, said that while the lineup features everything from Top 40 radio performances to 90s alt. rock wonders, the festival lacks identity.

“It comes off very forced,” he said. “Even though it’s in a suburban location, I don’t think it really adds anything to the lineup.”

Martinez said that despite the name giving off a roots-driven feel, it lacks an organic element of other local suburban music festivals such as 35 Denton. Yet at $100 for a two-day festival, he said it is reasonably priced.

Nicolaidis said in an email that there will be something for everyone.

“I think it’s a festival for today’s music fan,” he said. “A little bit of everything. Today’s music fan lives their life on shuffle.”

In 1938, Nazi Germany had stolen Harry Ettlinger’s home and forced his family to flee to the U.S. Six years later, he returned as an American private ready to take back his home country and became part of an unexpected mission in the process.

Ettlinger’s one of the last surviving members of the Monuments Men, a group of historians, artists, scholars and soldiers who catalogued and salvaged European art during the war.

Inspired by their dedication to preserving European culture, Robert Edsel is working to have their story told.

He’s written three non-fiction books relating their accomplishments, which include saving works by Rembrandt and Michelangelo.

Edsel kicked off the ATEC Distinguished Lecture Series on Jan. 22 to a full house and emphasized the importance of their story.

He went into detail about the war heroes he highlights in his book, “The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History.”

“It’s an uplifting story about WWII, and that’s rare. It’s a hopeful period of trying to save rather than destroy,” Edsel said. “It’s taken the passage of time to put all this into context and understand why it’s so important.”

walk away from that to save works of art in some foreign land?” Edsel said.

“That question fascinated me.

That’s the nobility I’m speaking of that drives me every day and makes me feel proud to be involved in this to the extent that I am.”

Lt. Commander George Stout was one of the first Monuments Men to go to Western Europe to salvage art-

SUBURBIA MUSIC FESTIVAL May 3-4 Oak Point Park & Nature Preserve, Plano $100 two-day pass David Guetta Alabama Shakes J. Cole Tegan & Sara Big Gigantic Violent Femmes Third Eye Blind The Dandy Warhols and others

Edsel’s inspiration Raised in Dallas, Edsel had a career as a nationally ranked tennis player and then headed a successful oil exploration company before he ever considered art in the context of WWII. Edsel, who es-

In the shadow of war The story Edsel has to share is 70 years in the making.

The year was 1945 and Adolf Hitler had issued the Nero Decree. It stated that, should Germany lose the war, all German infrastructure was to be set ablaze, including the thousands of artworks Nazis had been systematically stealing from Europe since before the onset of war.

Two years prior, art professionals in the U.S. were working to organize groups that could identify and protect artwork from this Nazi plunder, leading to the formation of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program, also known as the Monuments Men. Edsel said the Monuments Men established a kind of gold standard for protecting cultural treasures during times of conflict.

“What in the world would make middle-aged men and women with careers made and families at home

reading about the plunder of art in Europe during WWII. His revelation happened as he was walking across the Ponte Vecchio, one of the oldest bridges in Florence that wasn’t destroyed by the Nazis. Edsel said he wondered how so many works of art survived the most destructive war in history and who saved them.

“I had no ambition to do any of this at the time,” Edsel said. “I was just curious, and it seemed very hard to imagine that there could be anything about the most documented event of modern time that wasn’t easy for me to find an answer to.”

By 2004, Edsel was dedicating himself full-time to researching the Monuments Men in his Dallas office.

Moving forward

MONUMENTS MEN FOUNDATION | COURTESY

ABOVE: Michelangelo’s Madonna of Bruges is one of the artworks salvaged by the Monuments Men. ABOVE TEXT: The Ghent Altarpiece in Belgium

work and his likeness is portrayed in the new film adaptation of Edsel’s book.

“Stout was a pioneer in the preservation of great works of art,” Edsel said. “He was a leader and he was a steady hand that had the vision to see what was hanging in the balance.”

The men ultimately returned more than five million stolen works by 1951, many of which were being stored underground in large caches in German salt mines.

Despite the magnitude of their feats, the story of the Monuments Men was not well documented and their success largely ignored in subsequent years, Edsel said.

tablished the Monuments Men Foundation in 2007, came about the story of the Monuments Men during his stay in Italy in 1997.

He befriended an art history professor and had her show him Italy through her eyes, Edsel said.

“We took up residency in Florence, and I had the luxury of time to start studying art and architecture, which I did in a very tactile way,” Edsel said.

“I didn’t want to come to art reading about it in a book; I was there in the cradle of the Renaissance. I told her, ‘Take me and show me these works.’”

Edsel dived into books on several different subjects while in Florence, but he was especially interested in

Although the Monuments Men made large strides in recovering works of cultural importance, there is still work to be done, Edsel said.

The film, directed by and starring George Clooney, that was released Feb. 7 is one effort Edsel has contributed to help spread the word.

“We’re in the process of changing that with the film,” Edsel said. “The book has been published in 34 or 35 different languages, but there’s no way a book can reach the audience that a feature film can and that was always the important step — to get a film made.”

The handling of cultural treasures in the years following WWII has been a low point showing how the group’s legacy has been ignored, Edsel said.

He cited the looting of the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad in April 2003. The building was significantly damaged and many works, including ancient Mesopotamian relics, were taken in the looting that followed.

“That’s not how these things survive and we’re thumbing our nose at everybody that came before us,” Edsel said.

He mentioned events in Syria, Mali and Cairo with similar outcomes and said well-intentioned organizations like UNESCO, who work to promote and protect culture, are not doing enough.

“It takes obsessive people to come in and say, ‘You’re not listening to what I’m saying; this isn’t acceptable!’ and then go out there and do something about it,” Edsel said. “That is the opportunity and the door is getting ready to be propped wide open.”

“Monuments” fails to capture drama of real WWII hunt MIGUEL PEREZ COMMENTARY

AT A GLANCE

“The thing is (the art)’s been hidden there right in front of us,” Edsel said.

“So much of it was put back after the war, we don’t think about it.”

Robert Edsel’s book, “Monuments Men,” chronicles the intrepid and unlikely story of a group of WWII heroes. It carries certain expectations for the film adaptation, but George Clooney’s latest venture ultimately underwhelms in comparison to the truth.

“The Monuments Men,” released Feb. 7, is very much Clooney’s project as he’s not only the male lead but also co-producer, director and screenwriter for the film.

He stars alongside a deceivingly superb ensemble cast: Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman and Jean Dujardin. Unfortunately, their acting chops never seem to fully materialize. Some may call it a subtler, more nuanced type of performance, but at times, it felt like watching paint dry.

The film opens during the second half of WWII. Hitler is making preparations to house a gigantic art museum in his hometown of Linz, Austria and plans to fill it’s walls with Europe’s finest art, stolen from public and private collectors alike.

Back in the states, art historian Frank Stokes (Clooney) is trying to convince Roosevelt’s administration to send a group of art experts to Western Europe to catalogue and salvage important works of art.

Among those is the Ghent altarpiece, a Belgian panel painting, and the Bruges Madonna, one of Michelangelo’s great sculptures.

If the next couple of scenes feel familiar, its because it’s the same team formation montage we’ve all seen in superhero and heist films alike.

Nevertheless, a team of six, including James Granger (Damon), Richard Campbell (Murray) and Walter Garfield (Goodman), are called to form the titular group of pseudo-soldiers and keepers of culture.

Moving forward, the film teeters somewhere between the sitcom styling of “MASH” and the tone of a much more serious war film, but it never seems to settle on either type.

All throughout, the men find themselves in comedic situations complete with witty banter, like when Damon’s character accidentally steps on an active landmine, which, in hindsight, shouldn’t have been as lighthearted as it was portrayed.

With all these semi-amusing moments, it’s difficult

→ SEE MONUMENTS, PAGE

8

CTMG | COURTESY

George Clooney plays Lt. Stokes in the adaptation of Edsel’s book on the saviors of art during WWII.

UTDMERCURY.COM

LIFE&ARTS

7

THE MERCURY | FEB. 10, 2014

Five hassle-free date ideas for the holiday KAYLA PELE Mercury Staff

Valentine’s Day is filled with love, chocolate and flowers, but it can also stressful. So this year, give your mind a break and check out one of these local venues for a memorable weekend.

1. For a nice dinner, Mi Cocina, off of Coit and Campbell, is a great Tex-Mex restaurant to try. There’s entertainment and a variety of dishes including vegetarian options. The average price for a dish is about $13, but the pricier seafood dishes are great for sharing with a date.

2. For the more musically inclined, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will be performing “Love is in the Air” on Feb. 14. Tickets range from $29 to $136 and the performance is located at the Meyerson Symphony Center. Listen to music by Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky and take a stroll through the Arts District afterward.

3. If the best part of your Valentine’s Day is the chocolate, you’re not alone. Dallas is seeking to satisfy your sweet tooth with the Valentine’s Day Chocolate Cravings Tour. For $37, a tour guide will take you on a private bus to fine shops with chocolate, drinks and food samples.

4. Feeling adventurous? If so, this idea is bound to knock your date’s socks off and create remarkable memories. Delta Charlie’s Bar and Grill offers a dinner and scenic tour over Dallas for $175 per couple. After chatting over a three course meal, a pilot will take diners over Dallas on a private flight tour.

5. If you’re not a gushing romantic, you can still celebrate in a unique way. The Dinner Detective Dallas Show will certainly serve for an interesting evening as you try to discover who the killer may be. Tickets cost $60 but include a four course meal and an interactive dining experience complete with improv and comedy.

MIGUEL PEREZ | STAFF

Faculty couples thrive as co-workers

PARTH PARIKH | STAFF

Chemistry professor Michaela Stefan first met her husband, fellow faculty member Michael Biewer, at her faculty interview in 2007.

Spouses balance demands of life, work JOHN THOTTUNGAL Mercury Staff

As Valentine’s Day fast approaches, two married couples at UTD have found themselves in a unique position to work together.

One couple who found each other at UTD are chemistry professors Michael Biewer and

Mihaela Stefan. To say that these two love chemistry would be an understatement. Both associate professors can be found in their labs while they are not teaching their graduate and undergraduate classes.

Biewer has been at UTD since 1997 and first met Stefan at the faculty interview when she applied in 2007. After she

had joined the department, they got to know each other and started dating soon after and were married by 2008.

Their first date was at the opera as Stefan is an avid opera fan and it was Biewer’s first.

Biewer is a baseball aficionado and follows the Cincinnati Reds, and Stefan joked about how she has tried to follow baseball but still has not been able to. She is a cat lover and recounted how impressed she was that her husband fully supported her whenever she wanted to adopt a cat, as he had never had a cat before.

While Biewer is a ‘meat and potatoes’ type of guy, Stefan has more European tastes such as home cooked Romanian meals and French food.

Biewer and Stefan both talked about their differences, which strongly complement each other’s personality and work ethic, and this translates into their research on the projects they collaborate on together.

“If he has a strength, it complements my weakness.

We complement each other in all aspects, and that’s why we work so well together,” Stefan said.

They work together, collaborate on projects and even joke about who the better organic chemist is between the two of them. On most days, they can be found working with their students together.

“We work together in the lab

especially in the summer, and the students really enjoy it,” Stefan said.

Stefan, an engineer with a polymer science and chemistry background, and Biewer who has extensive background in organic chemistry, said they both enjoy the unique academic setting they work in with a professional environment that is conducive to both.

Clint Peinhardt and Anne Dutia are another married couple whose romance brought them to UTD. Their story took them through different career paths, countries, states and religions and did not stop them from marrying after meeting more than 17 years ago.

Peinhardt, an assistant political science professor, and Dutia, undergraduate pre-law advisor and Moot Court coach, are married with two daughters ages eight and 11.

They met as undergraduate students at BirminghamSouthern College, a liberal arts school in Alabama where they were friends, and kept in touch with each other as they both went on to different graduate schools.

Peinhardt moved to the Netherlands for his master’s degree and Dutia went off to law school. They reconnected again when he moved back to Birmingham to work at his alma mater. A work -related email lead to a cup of coffee and the couple started dating.

He continued working at the college for another year as the relationship blossomed. Dutia moved to Michigan where Peinhardt started and completed his Ph.D. in political science.

When Peinhardt received a job offer at UTD, both said they wondered how it would work as Dutia had found a very good job in Michigan in the education field.

“The Provost’s office at UTD was good to us and soon after I joined, they made an offer for Anne to come on aboard as the prelaw advisor,” Peinhardt said.

The couple had very different upbringings. Dutia was brought up as a Zoroastrian from the Parsi community in eastern India, while Peinhardt was brought up as a Methodist in Birmingham.

Peinhardt recollected fondly about the time Dutia made a lasagna, which he did not expect to be spicy, and how he is now able to handle spices well. Despite coming from different cultures though, the couple focuses on their similarities rather than their differences.

“We have the same values, whether it is religion that gets you to your values or be it reason, having the same values is the most important thing,” Dutia said.

— Advice —

Online dating: OkMaybe CHRIS WANG COMMENTARY

If you are reading a column about online dating mere days before Valentine’s Day, chances are that you need a bit of assistance getting a date. If you don’t need or want a date, perhaps I can show you how fun and rewarding the world of online dating can be.

Perhaps I can illuminate a muchmaligned area of the web for you, and prepare you for the day, heaven forbid, you are single with an Internet connection.

Time is short though, so, I’ll outline two of the more popular services out there: OkCupid and Tinder. One will require a bit of dedication and craft, while the other simply requires a smartphone, a Facebook profile and a pulse. Under no circumstances should you, in a fit of desperation and pique, begin browsing Craigslist casual encounters. You must promise me before we continue.

Now that you’ve sworn off finding love on Craigslist, we can begin your OkCupid profile. Do you

→ SEE ONLINE, PAGE 8

“Endless Love” typical Valentine’s schmaltz Romantic film remake full of clichés, unremarkable performances SHYAM VEDANTAM COMMENTARY

“Endless Love” shows an unrealistic kind of optimism, but good on-screen chemistry and a decent performance by Alex Pettyfer elevate this film to average, if typical, Valentine’s Day schmaltz.

Directed by Shana Feste (“Country Strong”), the film stars Pettyfer (“Magic Mike”) and Gabriella Wilde (“Carrie”) as two teenagers experiencing their first love. Jade Butterfield, played by Wilde, is a recent high school graduate who passed through high school unnoticed as she’s become a shell of herself after her older broth-

er died from cancer. David Elliot, played by Pettyfer, is Jade’s classmate who has had a crush on her since the moment he saw her in the school hallways.

David hasn’t worked up to talking to Jade throughout high school, but upon graduation day, makes a promise to get her to notice him. Jade’s family stops by a restaurant where David is a valet, where he spontaneously decides to take a joy ride with Jade in an arrogant patron’s Bentley. She then invites him to her first hosted party, which no one shows up to until David fixes the situation. The two begin to fall in love as they get to know each other.

David gets Jade to open up, release her inhibitions and actually live life without

watching it pass by. Things get turned awry when Jade’s father, played by Bruce Greenwood (“Star Trek”), intervenes, worrying that Jade is throwing away her future for a teenage crush.

The trailer is misleading, giving the impression that it will be scandalous and full of sex appeal. Rather, “Endless Love” plays out like an airplane novel with unnecessarily forced twists and turns derailing the powerful and intimate love David and Jade have for each other. The audience roots for this couple to prevail against the wishes of the father who simply doesn’t understand their innocent love.

The film is shot following

→ SEE ROMANCE, PAGE 8

UNIVERSAL | COURTESY

Alex Pettyfer’s performance in “Endless Love” is the only highlight of the upcoming romantic drama.

He stars as David Elliot, a teen who falls in love with his reclusive classmate Jade Butterfield (Gabriella Wilde). The film is the second adaptation of Scott Spencer’s 1979 novel by the same name.

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THE MERCURY | FEB. 10, 2014

LIFE&ARTS

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Malcom Gladwell visits Dallas Best-selling author and New Yorker columnist discussed latest work, women’s suffrage ZAINAH ASFOOR Mercury Staff

The New Yorker staff writer turned best-selling author, Malcolm Gladwell, came to Dallas to give a lecture to more than 1,600 people on Feb. 3 as part of his tour for his new book, “David and Goliath.”

The event, hosted by the Dallas Museum of Art Arts and Letters group, was held at Southern Methodist University’s McFarlin Auditorium. People young and old endured the traffic and the hard-to-find parking to listen to the talk.

In “David and Goliath,” Gladwell re-examines the definition of advantages and disadvantages and discusses the dynamic and relationship between the weak and the mighty, portraying how a disadvantage or weakness can be used to one’s advantage. In Gladwell’s words, “ordinary people can do extraordinary things.”

Author Ben Fountain introduced Gladwell as “the most valuable kind of writer.” What makes Gladwell so unique is his use of storytelling as a means to showcase and analyze successful stories but with a different perspective.

Gladwell is also author of the bestselling books “The Outliers,” “Blink, What the Dog Saw” and “The Tipping Point.”

For someone who considers himself an introvert, Gladwell seemed to come out of his shell as he told joke after joke throughout his lecture, leaving the crowd laughing hysterically. Gladwell managed to poke fun at the Kardashians and quote Kanye’s song “Gold Digger.”

At the end of the event, one woman in the audience exclaimed, “I did not expect him to be that funny!”

Aside from the laughs, Gladwell delivered an insightful and elevating speech. He ad-

→ ROMANCE

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David’s perspective, so that it rests on Pettyfer’s performance.

Pettyfer manages to hold the film together through its unnecessary events, uninspired dialogue and dearth of original thought. David is charming, heartfelt, sincere and imperfect, which Pettyfer conveys well. His on screen chemistry with Wilde is believable, even palpable.

Wilde is given less to do.

She is the film’s vessel. In one sense, so that viewers may feel

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to swallow the brief reminders of the very real war they’re steering their way through, and it doesn’t feel natural.

It felt wrong to be laughing at their antics one moment and then be faced with a scared child soldier or the death of a private the next moment.

Back in Paris, the curator of the Jeu de Paume museum, Claire Simone (Blanchett), wit-

dressed the topic of weak and oppressed rising against the mighty and began his speech with the question, “What makes people fight?”

He brought up the principle of legitimacy — whether the authority is trustworthy, predictable and fair in their handlings and dealings with those that must obey them — and how if those in authority and the law are not legitimate, the people will eventually rise to fight them.

It wouldn’t be a Malcolm Gladwell speech without a story to illustrate his point: He spoke about Alva Smith, later to be known as Alva Vanderbilt and Alva Belmont. Born to a merchant family in Alabama in 1853, Smith, a strong and opinioned woman, carves her path into the elite society of Manhattan, eventually becoming, as Gladwell described her, a “radical and advocate for social justice.”

This story tied in with the theme of “David and Goliath,” which is that of the underdog battling and defying all odds and rising to power. Smith defied societal, class and gender norms and expectations.

In the late 1890s, at a time when women were confined to the domestic sphere and divorce was unheard of, she shocked everyone when she divorced her husband because she felt she could not live with a man who humiliated her by having affairs with other women. She forbade her daughter Consuelo from marrying the man she loved and forced her to marry a Duke from England, merely for his title. Her daughter eventually broke free from her husband as well and used the power and respect she gained from being a duchess to become an advocate for women’s rights and the protection of the weak in England. Smith became inspired by her daughter and rose to empower women who

have played and accepted a subordinate role in society. She became a great force in the women’s suffrage movement in the early 1900s. She turned one of her mansions into the headquarters for the National American Women Suffrage Association and donated large sums of money toward this cause. Being the strong woman that she was, she invited African-American women, who were at the time still fighting for the rights as blacks, to join her movement.

After the lecture, Gladwell answered questions from the audience. Many of the questions revolved around the issue of faith, and whether it has any impact on empowering the weak. Gladwell ended the Q&A session by addressing his young audience, which included high school and

college students.

He told them that it is better to go to a smaller, “underdog” school and excel there than go to a big, competitive “goliath” school and feel like a failure and an inferior to their classmates. Society has become so obsessed with the advantage of a prestigious school and ignores its disadvantage, Gladwell argued.

However, in the end, Gladwell stressed, people must find an environment in which they can shine, regardless of where that environment might be.

He also encouraged them to travel and discover the world while they still have the chance.

“Go explore. The world welcomes you,” he said.

loved by David, and in another sense as a plot device so that there can be tension between her father and David. She is good in the role but isn’t able to elevate it to match Pettyfer’s performance.

Ultimately, the film is held back by a screenplay, written by director Feste and Joshua Safran (“Gossip Girl”), that relies on cliché. A couple of clichés in a romantic film are expected, but toward the end, events seem to happen just to create synthetic drama and to extend the screen time. While they do serve a point to the

film, a more unique execution would have improved this film greatly.

Other supporting characters fill out the cast of clichés: Emma Rigby as the jealous exgirlfriend, Joely Richardson as the mother who wants young love to succeed and Dayo Okeniyi as David’s black, comedic friend. These are largely unremarkable performances but to Dayo’s credit though, his scenes are incredibly hilarious. He has had smaller roles and his performance in this film shows that he deserves more work.

Those looking for a smart and realistic romantic film should look elsewhere. “Endless Love” isn’t a film that pushes through the glass ceiling and reveals truths about relationships and love. It is a date movie for an upcoming romantic holiday. Those looking for good on screen chemistry, good looking actors, and a schmaltzy story for Valentine’s Day will find what they are looking for in this film.

nesses firsthand the Nazi pilfering of her museum, used as a storehouse for artwork.

She’s a devoted and passionate adversary against Hitler’s art-heist agenda, going so far as braving a barrage of bullets in defiance of their thefts.

It’s somewhat disappointing then to see her role in the film quickly put on the sidelines and reduced to a mere resource for the Monuments Men and an awkward romantic interest for Damon’s character.

Simone’s role in the film felt very diluted considering Edsel believes her real-life counterpart, Rose Valland, to be one of the great heroines of the war.

The filmmakers made an annoying and unnecessary choice in changing the names of the real monuments men, effectively denying the actual heroes their much-deserved moment in the spotlight.

In its defense, the film’s cinematography is top-notch. The scenes are shot beautifully, and

the color palette feels muted and classic. It’s all very reminiscent of a war film from 50 years ago.

In the end, the film posits a thought-provoking question that’ll stick around after the credits close: Is the price of a precious work of art worth a life? And any movie that leaves you with an challenging thought is at least worth your time.

ZAINAH ASFOOR | STAFF

Hosted by the Dallas Museum of Art, Gladwell’s lecture on Feb. 3 ended with a Q&A session with students and a book signing.

5/10

5/10

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like answering questions? Do you like pondering scenarios like, “If world poverty could be solved by cutting off your hand, would you do it?” Or: “If the technology existed, would you consent to a surgical brain implant that would allow direct mental communication with other adopters of the technology?” Or: “Do you like cats or dogs?”

OkCupid takes your responses to its endless questions to construct a personality profile to compare against other users.

Compatibility, or lack thereof, with any given user is calculated from how similarly you answered the questionnaire. If you and a potential mate answer the same way and feel as strongly about your responses, you will have a higher match percentage with them. This calculation is one way those searching for dates can sort their search results.

However, while answering ridiculous questions about sex, life and love can be a fun distraction when you are alone in bed drinking a whole bottle of white wine in the late afternoon, the real place to shine is on your profile.

This is the real meat and potatoes of the site where people trade in clichés, such as the one that goes, “Dance like nobody’s watching, laugh like nobody’s listening, etc.” It’s where you can name the six things you couldn’t do without, and list your favorite books, movies and video games. It’s a place for you to talk about you.

This is why you should not write it when you have had a whole bottle of wine.

Instead, be yourself! But also think carefully about your grammar, style and the things you like, seeing as a variety of strangers will be silently judging your life’s choices and favorite things.

Therefore, standing out is key.

There are probably hundreds and

the “too long, didn’t read” summary.

Oh, and a note about messages: people like it if your message reflects the fact you’ve read their profile because it shows you’re actually interested in them as a person. The goal is to facilitate a conversation, not necessarily a hook-up. Messages are easy to fire off, but hedge towards quality, not quantity. Remember, the advantage comes from being comprehensive, unique and interesting. But not so interesting or interested that it gets weird.

That’s a lot of work though, answering all those questions and writing all that stuff. What if your plan is to simply skate by on your looks until the ravages of age inevitably claim your youthful visage? What if there was an app that indulged both the superficiality and anonymity of the Information Age? Well, let me ask you: have you heard of Tinder?

It’s simple: six pictures, your likes from Facebook and a few hundred characters about yourself. In the main screen of the app, Tinder users see your first name, your picture, how many Facebook friends you have in common and how many interests (Facebook page likes) you share.

Swipe left if you don’t like their face, right if you do. If there’s a mutual liking going on, you’ll get a notification to your phone, and the ability to start chatting with that person.

No one will ever see your preferences and you can’t see anyone else’s either. Unlike OkCupid, where a user can message any other user, Tinder requires that both parties like each other’s faces before any communication can commence. Remember though, it is very possible to be both attractive and boring. So once you’ve got that, go in and seal the deal with your charming personality and well-timed emojis.

CC BY SEBASTIAAN TER BURG | FLICKR

Both OkCupid and Tinder have smartphone apps, though Tinder is phone-only. OkCupid, however, allows for more specific searching and may be more useful for those who might not live such normative lives.

hundreds of profiles that say a person likes running, or lifting or cycling; thousands and thousands of profiles that say a user enjoys Chinese food, or listening to music or going to the park.

You don’t want to sound like everyone else. You’re special, and you deserve a date.

So be authentic and write a profile that actually profiles your best attributes. Every person on OkCupid is asked the same questions, and your date is looking for something that isn’t posturing, fake or superficial. There’s no character or word limit, and the last prompt, “You should message me if…” is where you put

If you’re looking to play the averages in terms of getting a date for the big day, Tinder might be your best bet. You can run through all the singles in your area in just a few minutes, swiping left and right quickly, and you’ll be instantly notified if there’s a mutual interest. But if you’re not so preoccupied with the arbitrary notions of romance tacked-on to the feast day of a Roman Catholic saint, OkCupid or old-fashioned real-life dating might be better for you. Just remember to do the opposite of every romantic comedy ever made in the history of film and you should be fine.

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Valentine’s Day Dinner Need plans for Valentine’s Day? Enjoy the Dining Hall’s Valentine’s Premium night!

Live music and outstanding food will be provided! This special event runs from 5:00PM to 8:00PM; price is only a double meal swipe or $12 at the door.

Private ESL Tutor Will help you improve English language skills such as speaking, listening comprehension, writing, reading & grammar. Oncampus sessions. Use www.wyzant.com/ tutors/guru to contact me. Dr. Sam

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FEB. 10, 2014 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

Softball starts season

MERCURY FILE PHOTO

The softball team begins their season on Valentine’s Day this year with a road series against Louisiana College.

Team focuses on improving overall program, ASC title PARTH SAMPAT

SPORTS

An indefatigable Defender Point guard Nolan Harvey takes his childhood passion to new heights on the basketball court PARTH SAMPAT Sports Editor

Nolan Harvey steps up to the foul line.

The referee passes him the ball. He sets himself up to take the free throw as he suddenly hears a voice say, “You’ll miss it.” It would be the norm if an opponent player said it, but the voice belongs to his teammate, Carter Nash.

This game ritual between Harvey and Nash shows their competitiveness toward their opponents and toward each other.

Such tactics to keep the leading players on top of their game seem to be paying off for Harvey, who has seen noticeable improvement over the years.

He started all 27 games last year as a point guard but had a shooting average of 8.4 points per game. He had a slow start this year but really picked up in the second half of the season, scoring 20-plus points in five out of the last 11 games.

Harvey is averaging 13.8 points per game, leading the team with 41 treys and shooting 77-of-93 (82.8 percent) from the charity strip.

His substantial development is a result of his dedication and approach to practice and workouts.

“He has such a positive attitude at practice,” said senior forward Nash. “Everyone has days when you don’t want to practice because you are sore or tired, but you just get there. And Nolan’s acting just ridiculous sometimes, and you just get that feeling that you want to be there.”

Harvey’s dedication to practice stems

MARCELO YATES | STAFF

Nolan Harvey has been unstoppable in this season, leading the team with 41 three-pointers, shooting 82.8 percent from the foul line, averaging 13.8 points per game and scoring double digits in 16 games. from the idea that greatness and success demands hard work, which was ingrained in him by his father, a former high school football coach.

“From first or second grade when everyone goes home to watch cartoons, we would go to run miles,” said his brother Nathan Harvey, a science education graduate student at UTD. “It’s kind of ridiculous, but looking back I think we are

both thankful at how we did it.”

Harvey is also a motivational leader on the court. He understands his teammates’ psychology and extracts the best from the players, said junior guard Matthew Medell.

“One of the big things about him is he knows how to motivate different people,” said Medell. “What he’ll say to one person isn’t what he’ll say to everyone. He is

really good at picking and choosing what he’ll say to different people.”

In a way, Nathan was a leader to Harvey, as he tried to emulate his brother.

“I pretty much did what my brother did,” Harvey said. “(My father) and brother just led me into basketball. There was a time when I could have played

→ SEE HARVEY, PAGE 11

Sports Editor

The softball program has made great strides in its two years under head coach Brad Posner, with two consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time since 2006.

The team will look to improve on its past performances as they hope to win the ASC tournament this year.

The Comets will start the season against Louisiana College on Feb. 14 and 15 at Pineville, La. Posner stressed that continual improvement is the key target of the year, as it has been for the past two years.

“We believe that if we work hard every day, both in practices and in games, at doing the little things right and we continually get better at every aspect of the game, then the wins or results will take care of themselves,” Posner said.

The Comets’ ultimate goal is to win the conference and the national championship, and Posner said he believes his team is capable of achieving them, due to the steady improvements the team has made over the past few years.

The Comets have been selected to finish fifth this season in the ASC preseason poll. The loss of five starters hurts the team, but Posner said he hopes that with 12 returning players from last season, the team could finish higher than previous seasons and help the program grow more.

“Returning 12 players always helps the continuity of the program,” Posner said. “Having older players that can teach younger players rather than all learning for the first time breeds that kind of program — not just a team for a season, but helps establish the program and the growth of the program.”

→ SEE SOFTBALL, PAGE 11

Comets one win away from clinching regular-season title Basketball team faces tough competition toward end of season with final two games on the road PARTH SAMPAT Sports Editor

MERCURY FILE PHOTO

Junior guard Matthew Medell passes the ball to a teammate (not pictured) in a game against Sul Ross State on the home court, Jan. 30.

The Comets are just one win away from clinching the conference title.

The men’s basketball team’s prolific season will come to a conclusion with only four games left in regular season.

UTD will face East Texas Baptist on Feb. 13 and LeTourneau on Feb. 15 at home, and the final games against Concordia on Feb. 20 and Mary Hardin-Baylor on Feb. 22 on the road.

UTD beat East Texas Baptist 84-72 when they met earlier in the season. The Tigers are 5-10 in ASC play and will be looking to qualify for the playoffs.

“It’s always tough playing them despite their record,” said senior forward Dmitriy Chernikov. “We kind of have a rivalry going on with them and have had it going on before I even came to UTD.” In the Comets’ last game against East Texas Baptist, the Tigers shot 45.5 percent from the floor and caused problems for the Comet defense.

“We’re going to try and play better sound defense,” Chernikov said. “They have a lot of talented players who can score in different ways. It is always tough

playing a team twice in aspects of them knowing what we all are capable of doing.”

The Comets defeated LeTourneau 8057 in the first half of regular season. The Yellowjackets did not pose a tough opponent as UTD shot 58.8 percent from the floor, its second best shooting percent of the season. The Comets will look to capitalize on their past performance and wrap up a season sweep of the Yellowjackets.

“East Texas and LeTourneau are battling for a playoff spot so their backs are to the walls, so to speak,” head coach Terry Butterfield said.

UTD made light of defending champions Concordia when the Comets trounced the Tornados 95-49. Concordia is currently second in the league standings and share the spot with Hardin-Simmons, both 12-4 in the ASC. The Tornados will need the win to solidify their hold on the position.

“On that day, we were pretty good and they weren’t playing at their usual (excellence),” Butterfield said. “I would absolutely say that that is an aberration, and I expect them to be very excited to play us down there at the end of the year.

→ SEE MBBALL, PAGE 11

Men’s rugby faces, beats D-I school in preparation for playoffs LAUREN FEATHERSTONE Editor-in-Chief

The men’s rugby club defeated the University of North Texas’ D-I team 30-24 in a nonleague match on Feb. 1, verifying their ability to take on major players at the fast-approaching state playoff and championships games.

Bearing the cold afternoon, UTD’s ruggers, undefeated in their Texas league, took to the Denton field and played head-to-head with UNT from the start of the 2 p.m. kick off.

UTD quickly gained ground and secured a 3-point penalty kick from fullback senior Brian Martinez when a UNT player was called for having his hands in the ruck.

Both teams were aggressive, and despite UNT’s bigger size, UTD maintained solid scrums and rucks, inching toward the try-line.

Wing sophomore Justin Thompson missed a close score out of a scrum, but was able to redeem himself when scrum-half junior Cameron Broussard sent him a quick pass out of

the following scrum that allowed Thompson to claim a try on the wing.

UNT’s frustration showed as they went for high tackles and anything they could to bring the smaller, D-III team down. But not even four minutes later, flanker senior AJ Paradowski threw out his signature stiff-arm and pushed through the pack to gain his own try, followed by a conversion from Martinez, bringing the score to 15-0.

Each team proceeded back-and-forth across the fields, as Broussard gained space again for UTD with a smart kick that marked the first of many for the team, even against the unforgiving wind.

UNT made their way to the red zone with a series of successful rucks in what looked like a sure first try for the opponents, when Thompson hit the ball carrier hard, forcing a knockon from UNT at the try-line.

UTD regained possession, and a couple of kicks quickly moved the play back to the other

side of the field, giving wing senior Alejandro Chinchilla the chance to break to the left and land a try.

Quick play brought the teams to a heated scrum down the field, and a missed pass out enabled a UNT player to pick the ball and give his team their first try and conversion 30 minutes into the game.

Several replacements were sent in after the break to ensure that every UTD rugger got field time, but the second half proved tougher than the first.

For 20 minutes the two teams fought for possession, though neither could keep it for very long. Broussard finally broke the pattern with another try for UTD. UNT’s determination to reclaim their field was clear as they amped up their game and nearly sealed a try before Broussard pushed the ball carrier out.

→ SEE RUGBY, PAGE 11

JOHN BRADSHAW | COURTESY

UNT players are unsuccessful in tackling UTD rugby player Jonathan Holmes at their friendly game in Denton on Feb. 1. UTD, a D-III team, beat UNT, a D-I team, 30-24 and looks to continue their winning streak as the season comes to a close.

THE MERCURY | FEB. 10, 2014

SPORTS

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→ SOFTBALL

→ MBBALL

Posner said junior outfielder Jordan Bratcher, junior catcher Avery McHugh and sophomore infielder Robin Thomas are the players to look out for this year.

“Being selected as a player to watch for this season is obviously a great feeling and definitely something to be proud of,” Thomas said. “It’s cool to see that my hard work from last year is now carrying over and paying off into this next season already.”

Bratcher has undergone tremendous development over the past two years. She went from a non-starter in her first year to the bottom of the line up in the beginning of her sophomore year to the top by the end of the year. She will play at the center field position this season.

McHugh, a two-time AllConference player, mainly plays as a catcher, but has made a huge difference to the defense and has grown as an offensive player.

Thomas played the majority of last season at second base and will be starting this season

Especially, after what happened at our place.”

The Comets have played well against a full-court press in recent games and the key will be to make good plays, good decisions and maintaining their composure, as the full-court press is designed to make a team play at a speed they don’t want to play at.

“It is kind of a test of two wills,” Butterfield said. “Their will is to try and beat us up and make us play helter-skelter. Our will is to make them play a more deliberate game with fewer possessions.”

UTD beat national runner-up Mary Hardin-Baylor 70-58 earlier this season. The Crusaders are fifth in the league and will be trying to lock their play-off position. The Comets had restricted UMHB to shooting just 35 percent from the floor and out rebounded them 39-28.

“Mary Hardin-Baylor are starting to play their best basketball right now,” Butterfield said. “They have a very good resume and a proven track record of excellence and finishing on the road will be tough, so we are going to have a tough game to finish on.”

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soccer or could have ran track in high school, but basketball was more fun to me.”

Harvey may have tried to be like his brother, but it wasn’t long until he took basketball to another level and became his own person.

“He loves basketball and we both played a lot of basketball,” Nathan said. “But he played so much better and worked so much harder than anyone, myself included, and he did not copy that from me.”

Harvey’s father and mother, an AP English teacher at Friendswood High School, try to make it for every one of his home games, driving all the way from Houston.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

MERCURY FILE PHOTO

The Comets are returning 12 players from last year and will look to improve their team dynamic and their result from last season. The ASC projects a fifth-place finish in the conference this year for UTD. at the shortstop position.

“The biggest challenge I feel that I’ve faced so far since moving to shortstop this year is just embracing the true role as

a sophomore now and getting used to the fact that when you’re at shortstop you’re in control of a lot more things that go on in the infield,” Thomas said.

Incidentally, Harvey attended the same high school his mother teaches at and found it quite awkward that all the teachers knew him.

“It’s kind of weird,” Harvey said. “If you do bad in a class or if you are not doing well, you have someone you know personally who’s grading your papers and I felt judged all the time, but I still had a good time.”

Harvey took the expectations he felt growing up seriously, even on the court in high school, earning all-district, all-region and allcounty honors.

The majority of his college life may revolve around basketball, but Harvey also participates in intramural sports, including intramural flag football, co-ed football, as well as men’s and co-ed

soccer.

A very sociable person, Harvey is always looking to gather his friends for huge sporting events.

“Like the Super Bowl or the national college championship game, like any big event or big game, everyone’s out and Nolan is one of those guys trying to organize everything so everyone will hang out,” Nash said.

As a geosciences junior, Harvey said he is looking to work in the oil industry after graduation, but is currently content with his college and basketball life.

With the regular season reaching its conclusion and the postseason conference competition just around the corner, he will be ready to continue his torrid form and cement himself as the go-to player for points next season.

Posner hopes to make the Comets a stronger force with his unique view on leadership.

“In an ideal world and an ideal team I coach, there will

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

The final 20 minutes gave the game a nail-biter ending as UNT consecutively blew through UTD’s defense and gained try after try, separated only by one point at 25-24.

With just a few minutes left on the clock, Broussard suddenly powered through with an unbreakable 40-meter stride, securing the win with a try and bringing the final score to 30-24.

Challenging a bigger school was necessary to prepare for UTD’s hardest league opponent looking ahead, St. Edward’s, who finished second in the D-I conference last season.

“It was a very good test for the bigger players coming out to

be 19 leaders,” Posner said.

“Every person should think they have an equal say and understand that the team is not run by a single player.”

see how we do,” said head coach Tony Wagner. “While I’m confident in the guys that we have, I want to put us in the best position to be able to go to the next step.”

The team is on their usual winning streak, despite losing eight of their starting 15 players from last fall.

Going against larger players can be intimidating, but the UTD ruggers keep their focus on the strengths that have made them successful. “(We just have to keep up) endurance and cardio,” said wing senior Justin Mutinta, “because one thing that does work for us is that we’re always in better shape than the other team.”

As the season comes to a close, however, the teams UTD’s up against only get better and bet-

ter. The ruggers will take on Midwestern State at 2 p.m. on Feb. 15 for their final game before the leading Lone Star Conference teams come together to battle for the chance to move on to national competition.

“I think we can play with anybody, anywhere, at any time, but it’s still scary because once we get out of Texas … the top two teams that are going to come down here are going to be bigger, they’re going to be stronger and they’re going to be faster,” said Wagner. “If we can play similar to the way we played (against UNT), we should be able to compete with anybody out on the pitch.”

UTD continued their winning streak with a 20-19 victory against Southern Methodist University on Feb. 8.

12 7

FEB. 10, 2014 | THE MERCURY

COMICS&GAMES

Hats - Under the Hat

by Emily Grams Hot Local Singles

by Rahat Ahmed Crossword Across: 1. Aladdin’s sidekick 4. Lens holder, for short 7. Google service 11. Eve’s partner 12. “Tall” story 13. Separated 15. The Wolf of Wall Street supporting actor (2 wds.)

17. Sorority letter 18. Biblical vessel 19. Take into custody 21. Corn serving 22. Notes that follow “Do’s” 23. Scooby-Doo, e.g.

24. Prima donnas’ problems 27. Lavatory sign 28. Valentine’s Day symbols 30. Meat approvers (abbr.)

33. Alleviate 36. Shoot with great precision 38. Quarrel

by Chelsea Wolfe

39. Christmas tree, often 40. Santa ______ (hot winds) 41. Great lake 43. At the apex 45. Circus structure 46. Super Bowl XLVIII participant 48. Caustic solution 50. Letter opener 51. Between ports 53. Start a garden 56. Gray 58. __________ Flatts 60. Tango requirement 61. Poe bird 64. Nickname for Harry Potter and Anakin Skywalker (2 wds.)

66. Light on one’s feet 67. Classroom roll-call reply 68. Change for a five 69. Skirt feature 70. WNW’s opposite 71. Get hitched

Down: 1. Revere 2. “Top Model” Tyra 3. Thurman of Kill Bill 4. African capital 5. Directory Woody 6. Gibson and Brooks 7. Enraged 8. King Kong, notably 9. Holy Land 10. Not quite Sra. 11. Slightly open 12. Fit for a king 14. Road goo 16. Kind of mail 20. Golf peg 25. Oxygen, for one 26. Elaborately adorned 27. Jarhead 28. Damsel’s savior 29. Stretch across 30. Consume 31. Exceeded the limit 32. Blind Marvel Comics superhero 34. Over yonder 35. Obedience school demand

37. NYC time zone 42. 2 Fast 2 Furious Mendes 44. Tot’s “magic word” 47. “To _____ is human” 49. Harvard rival 51. Volcanic residue 52. Make a touchdown 53. Easy A Emma 54. Dominated 55. Sob story makeup 56. Constellation near Scorpius 57. Stand-up’s arsenal 59. Flu symptom 62. Peyton’s brother 63. After expenses 65. This instant

UTDMERCURY.COM

COMICS&GAMES

THE MERCURY | FEB. 10, 2014

13

Superlove 3

by Justin Thompson

14

THE MERCURY | FEB. 10, 2014

News

UT System launches affordability website seekUT provides data on debt burdens, salaries for alumni VIVIANA CRUZ Mercury Staff

A website delivering transparent financial information on recent UT System graduates, seekUT, went live on Jan. 16. A UT System press release explained the reasons behind launching the site, mainly to provide a resource for college access and affordability.

On this site, “seek” stands for “se arch+earnings+employment=knowl edge.” seekUT, developed by the Office of Strategic Initiatives at the UT System, presents financial data such as salary and student loan debt from the first and fifth year after graduation from all nine academic and five health institutions in the UT System.

The earnings data is specific to graduates working within the state of Texas full time during a full calen-

dar year. First year data was gathered from 2006-2011 graduates and fifth year data earning data was gathered during 2012 from graduates in the 2006-2007 academic year.

There are eight major sections in the seekUT website, most of them having to do with the monetary aspects of life after graduation, however one section is fully dedicated to information on degree hour requirements at the nine UT academic institutions and what percentage of students continue their education beyond a bachelor’s degree. Side-by-side institution comparisons are available within specific program areas.

Several organizations partnered with the UT System to provide the data, including the Texas Higher Education Coordination Board, the Texas Workforce Commission, the National Student Clearinghouse and

the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. seekUT is accessible through various outlets that include the website (utsystem.edu/seekut) and tablet apps (SAS Mobile BI) for both Apple and Android. Reports are available for download to ensure offline access and the ease of navigating the mobile app after the initial set-up facilitates repeat visits.

The Austin-based news radio website KUT.org quoted the vice-chancellor of the Office of Strategic Initiatives, Stephanie Bond Huie, that she had not seen anyone do what seekUT does ”comprehensively.” The official UT System press release also lauded the seekUT tool as the “first in nation to provide salary and student debt data.”

COMMENTARY

Viviana’s take on the seekUT site

This is a refreshingly straightforward resource. Many college campus statistics include convoluted mixes of percentages that are hard to place within any familiar context. Major-specific information is more relevant to prospective students and families when deciding where to invest for an education. Having recent data available also illustrates the value of a degree in a postrecession economy. If time spent in school is a concern, seekUT addresses that with comparisons of hour requirements alongside

degree median earning data.

Parents and educators will have an easier time finding out financial information that would have been harder to collect on their own. This accessibility is a striking feature that sets seekUT apart from other student data sites.

However, seekUT is not alone in the accessible data field. The National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) offers its newsletter and research reports in PDF format that can be downloaded to mobile devices. The NSC also of-

fers infographics on topics such as the college gender gap and spring term enrollment rates.

Unlike seekUT, the NSC’s data is a look at post-secondary education nationwide, and the infographics, newsletter and reports are all mixed in with the NSC’s main purpose of providing enrollment verification data, transcripts and compliance reporting services.

The seekUT tool is much more focused; its only function is to provide pertinent data in a useful context to Texas residents.

→ ARRANGEMENT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

sexual in their advances or wanted a long-term girl.

Just as she was ready to give up on finding the right arrangement, she met a 35-year-old first-time sugar daddy who was interested in a friendship and wanted to help her out. The arrangement lasted for about a year, she said, starting in January 2013.

“I didn’t really believe him,” Ari said. “But he said, ‘Really, I want to show you that I’m not interested in (sex).’”

Ari’s sugar daddy had companies in California, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Sweden, so he traveled a lot.

Whenever she needed money, she would call him and he would come and meet her, she said. They would end up doing whatever she wanted to do — flying a chopper or eating out — and he would compensate her for taking him around the city.

The first time they went out, he hid $250 in her car at the end to avoid awkwardness. Eventually, they became more comfortable, and he gave her money to help her out for daily chores like getting her car brakes repaired or gas money, amounting to almost $3,000 a month, some of which Ari also gave her mom.

When Ari’s friends first found out about her arrangement, their initial reaction was to call her a whore, though that changed when they heard the details, she said. She received similar reactions when she went public about her arrangement in a show on KVUE news, an Austin TV station, and nobody wanted to believe that such an arrangement could be platonic, she said.

“We had sleepovers in hotels, but we didn’t even kiss,” Ari said. “I tried once, to see if that’s what he wanted,

UTDMERCURY.COM but he said no, I just want you as a friend.”

While most people react to relationships involving money by relating it to prostitution, much of it is also because sugar daddies are typically considered to be older men paying for companionship from young, smart and pretty women, said Michelle Ofiwe, a member of UTD’s Pro-choice Feminist Alliance and a political science senior.

“It doesn’t bother me about the women, because I feel like if this is something (they) are comfortable with

and if (they) don’t feel devalued by it, then by all means (they should) take part in it,” Ofiwe said.

Parents might have a harder time to wrap their heads around the idea of their child as a sugar baby, no matter how platonic the relationship might be, Ari said.

When Ari’s mother found out about her arrangement with her sugar daddy, she disapproved at first, but then just asked Ari to exercise caution each time she went out with her sugar daddy.

Is this easy money?

For 20-year-old Ari, now a sophomore in dance and film acting at Austin Community College, the arrangement worked out well. She is planning to transfer to Texas State University in the future and is looking forward to acting in a horror movie in April that will be filmed in Oklahoma.

Ari currently works two high-paying jobs, and is bartending at celeb-

rity events on the side, a gig she got through her sugar daddy when she attended some of the celebrity parties with him.

But not all arrangements work out well, and there’s definitely room for dangerous situations and unsavory things that could happen, Ofiwe said.

As a precaution against fake profiles, the website ensures that each registered profile goes through a complete criminal background check and sometimes profiles are suspended or banned, even after the first offense, Vasquez said.

Wo m e n should also be cautious while meeting a sugar daddy the first time, using a buddy system, letting their friends know where they’re going, just like going out on a normal date, Ofiwe ELLEN SHIH | STAFF said, even if the man has cleared the background check.

There are 24,842 sugar daddies in Texas and 155,859 sugar babies in Texas registered with SeekingArrangement.com, and the number is growing.

Ofiwe attributes the increase to the fact that for the current generation, the stereotypical lines between sex and love, sex and money have blurred.

“I think our generation is becoming more comfortable with sex and the internet or relationships and money — things that we devalued in the past like such relationships or prostitution — our standards on that have changed and we don’t look on them as unfavorably as we did in the past,” she said.

However, just because anyone can register on the site, doesn’t mean every sugar baby is making a lot of money, or that there are no older men on the lookout for sex from young women.

“It’s definitely not an easy practice to get into, and I’m saying that because it’s a practice that’s based on looks and aesthetics,” Ofiwe said.