Fall 2016 Week 4

Thursday, October 13, 2016

WHAT’S INSIDE Norm Macdonald

Locker Room Talk

Comedian brings the laughs to S.F.

49ers Stumbling

Trump Tapes grab our attention.

Niners in need of a major shake-up.

SCENE, PAGE 5

SPORTS, PAGE 8

OPINION, PAGE 6

Sexual Assault Procedures Probed

Celebrating OUTober

Individual case prompts full compliance review by Office of Civil Rights Jenni Sigl

The Santa Clara

blood to write on a poster inside.

Multiple anonymous sources have confirmed to The Santa Clara that the two students shown in the surveillance footage are first-years and roommates who live on the fourth floor of Casa.

In the video, one of the males is wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with camouflage print on the arms, while the other one is donning a grey Santa Clara crewneck sweatshirt. The individual in the camouflage shirt was shown extending his arms and gesturing to several cuts on his hands. The other individual appeared to have a wound on his left leg, and reaches down to touch it with his finger.

Both of the men then use the blood collected on their fingers to draw on a poster affixed to the wall of the elevator. The elevator doors open onto the fourth floor, and the individual in the camouflage shirt exits the elevator and walks into the hallway. The

After receiving a complaint from an individual who was dissatisfied with how the university handled their sexual assault case, the U.S. Department of Education opened its own independent investigation. As of August, Santa Clara is one of 209 postsecondary institutions being reviewed by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), a sub-agency of the department.

“I think the investigation is great,” said Paulina Cheves, who serves on the executive board of the Violence Prevention Program (VPP). “It shows us and all the other schools that are on the list (that they need to) take sexual assault seriously.”

The investigation, which was officially opened on Nov. 24, 2015, reaches well-beyond the single case which initiated it. According to Belinda Guthrie, the university’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Title IX coordinator, her office was required to submit thousands of documents as part of a complete compliance review of reporting and prevention methods. Due to confidentiality concerns, neither OCR nor the Office of EEO and Title IX are at liberty to disclose any specific details related to the case that initiated the investigation.

Included in the trove of documents submitted to OCR in late January 2016 was information specific to the case that initiated the investigation, documentation of the university’s sexual misconduct policy and four years of recent data.

According to Guthrie, it has been the norm since around 2011 for OCR to require institutions under investigation to turn over such an extensive amount of documentation.

“I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing,” Guthrie said. “Santa Clara is learning from this process.”

In May of this year, representatives from OCR came to campus as part of their investigation. They spent three days meeting with Campus Safety, EEO and Title IX staff, the Office of Student Life (OSL) and the Sexual Misconduct Board. They also conducted student focus groups and held open office hours, giving members of the campus community the opportunity to discuss the campus climate surrounding sexual assault.

Cheves, along with other VPP executive board member Emma Hyndman, are particularly knowledgeable about sexual assault on campus. Their student group, housed under the Wellness Center, focuses its efforts on sexual assault prevention, education and bystander intervention awareness.

Just in the last two years alone, the combination

See VANDALISM Page 3

See TITLE IX, Page 2

ETHAN AYSON — THE SANTA CLARA

Students celebrated National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11 by using stencils to spray paint fabric signs to attach to their backpacks in celebration of LGBTQ awareness. Students came out on social media in honor of OUTober, a month set aside to encourage honesty in sexuality and gender.

Swastikas, Slurs Smeared in Casa

Latest defacement to campus property spurs investigation Sophie Mattson

The Santa Clara Two new acts of hate-charged vandalism have fueled an ongoing debate about inclusivity on Santa Clara’s mission campus.

Over the weekend in Casa Italiana Residence Hall, a swastika was drawn in blood in an elevator and derogatory messages aimed at the LGBTQ community were written on a fourth floor hallway bulletin board. These acts came just two weeks after the 43 Students Memorial was defaced.

A Casa community facilitator discovered the vandalism, prompting an investigation to identify the culprits. Campus Safety reviewed the CCTV footage from the elevator

Raise Since 1922

subsequently identifying the students suspected to be responsible for the vandalism.

The incident occurred between midnight and 2 a.m. in the early morning hours of Sat, Oct. 8.

Jeanne Rosenberger, vice provost for student life and dean of students, could not confirm the identities of the students. She said that the “investigation is ongoing” and that the swastika and vandalism on the posters related to the LGBTQ community have not been “definitively” connected.

Students were notified about the incident in an email from Rosenberger on Oct. 9, and University President Fr. Michael Engh, S.J. issued a response condemning the acts the next day.

“The swastika is a powerful symbol of hate, one that cannot be ignored,” Engh said in his email.

As shockwaves reverberated around campus following news of the vandalism, leaked surveillance footage surfaced online on Oct. 11. The video depicts two males inside of a Casa elevator appearing to use their

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CAMPUS SAFETY Alcohol Related Medical Emergency Oct. 5: A campus resident was intoxicated and escorted into Dunne Residence Hall by two other students.

While being assisted by SCU EMS, he was uncooperative and verbally abusive. SCFD was contacted and responded. He was allowed to remain in his room.

Alcohol Violation Oct. 6: A campus resident was carrying a bottle of wine in Swig Residence Hall and refused to cooperate when questioned by Residence Life staff. CSS responded and was able to identify him. A search of his room revealed marijuana pipes and empty containers with marijuana residue. A wine bottle was also found in the second floor stairwell of Swig Residence Hall.

Bike Theft Oct. 6: A non-affiliate male was observed cutting a bicycle lock and taking a bicycle from the Art and Art History Building bike racks. SCPD was notified and was able to locate and apprehend the suspect off campus.

Drug Related Medical Emergency Oct. 9: A campus resident reported feeling ill after consuming a cannabis brownie. Campus Safety and SCFD responded. Paramedics transported her to O’Connor Hospital. In the resident’s room, marijuana paraphernalia was found, confiscated and disposed of.

Fire Alarm Oct. 6: A fire alarm in the Park Avenue Apartments was activated by burned food. Campus Safety responded.

Informational Report Oct. 8: An unknown person discharged a fire extinguisher on a table and chairs in the St. Ignatius lawn area.

Oct. 8: An unknown person left propaganda printouts on vehicles in the Main Parking Structure. One of the propaganda printouts was left on a Campus Safety vehicle.

Suspicious Circumstance Oct. 11: Two unknown males were reported to be in the area around the Nobili Residence Hall dumpsters.

Campus Safety responded but found no one in the area.

Theft Oct. 7: A student reported that there were unauthorized charges made on her missing ACCESS card. An investigation is in progress.

Oct. 8: An unidentified male and female reportedly took Grand Reunion flags from the Mission Church. One of the flags was recovered and turned in to the Campus Safety office. An investigation is in progress.

Vandalism

Title IX Office Subject of Investigation Continued from Page I

of their efforts and the hiring of VPP’s new staff coordinator Gillian Cutshaw has led to a proliferation of sexual assault awareness and prevention programming.

“I think that (sexual assault at Santa Clara) is certainly a problem,” Cutshaw said. “I think it happens more than people want to admit. Alcohol and our drinking culture has a huge role to play as does the lack of a consent culture.”

On Oct. 1, the university released its Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (ASR) which includes a comprehensive list of all reported crimes—including all incidents of sexual violence. The initial report, sent in a campuswide email, failed to include the number of rapes that occurred during the 2015 calendar year.

According to Hyndman and Cheves, the mistake was quickly recognized by students involved with Feminists for Justice and Together for Ladies of Color, who mobilized quickly and flooded the inbox of Bridget Colbert, the university’s assistant general counsel.

“It’s frustrating that we have to police the school’s General Counsel and Campus Safety and Title IX,” Hyndman said. “It’s also very offensive to survivors who actually have the courage to report.”

Colbert said in an email that the oversight was a “compiling error,” because statistics in the report are gathered from “multiple sources.” She added that new practices have been implemented to prevent any similar errors in the future.

According to the updated ASR, sent out by Colbert in a second campus-wide email, there were only four reported rapes at Santa Clara between Jan. 1, 2015 and Dec. 31, 2015—all of which occurred in on-campus residential facilities. In the same time frame, there were three reported instances of fondling, two reported instances of dating violence and two reported instances of stalking.

Compared to the widely accepted national statistics that one in five women and one in 16 men experience sexual assault while in college, the recently-released data indicates that Santa Clara’s rate of sexual assault is less than one percent.

“I don’t think those numbers reflect

EDITORS News: Jenni Sigl Opinion: Perla Luna Scene: Maura Turcotte Sports: Andrew Slap Photo: Kevin Boehnlein Head Copy: Adrie Christiansen Design: Lena Eyen

Contact Jenni Sigl at jsigl@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.

Annual Security Report (2016)

The university recently released new crime statistics, including incidents of sexual violence (above). The number of reported rapes has steadily decreased since 2013.

Clerical Person needed from Monday-Friday $250.00 weekly

-Computer skills are a must.

-Need to be detail oriented, possess good customer service skills, some cash and item handling skills.

-Must be able to do errands.

Check out the Campus Safety Report online: facebook.com/scucss @SCUCampusSafety

MANAGING EDITOR Jimmy Flynn

munity should not expect to see any results from their probe in the immediate future. In 2015, it took OCR an average of 940 days to close sexual violence investigations at postsecondary institutions. So though the investigation has been open for almost one calendar year, it could continue to stay open for another year to year and a half.

“While OCR’s goal is to resolve all complaints within 180 days, sexual violence investigations tend to be complex and may involve systemic, campus- and institution-wide issues, in addition to issue pertaining to specific students,” wrote assistant secretary for civil rights Catherine Lhamon in a 2015 letter to Sen. Barbara Boxer.

Guthrie said she hopes that OCR’s investigation will not discourage anyone from reporting a sexual assault.

In the meantime, prevention efforts by the VPP are going fullsteam ahead.

The group continues to do outreach in residence halls, hold bystander intervention training and increase their reach to more students living off campus. For the month of October, they are aligning their programming in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

“The momentum has not stopped.

If anything, it’s growing exponentially,” Cheves said. “I hope that after we leave, people higher up in the administration get more involved and more supportive of what we do.”

Help Wanted - Office/Clerical PT

From Campus Safety reports.

Email news@thesantaclara.org.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sophie Mattson

what’s actually happening here,” Hyndman said. “But if four people walked into (the Office of Student Life) all year, I would also believe that.”

Though Cheves and Hyndman expressed skepticism about the low numbers in the recently-released ASR, they cited multiple reasons for possible discrepancies. Among them were failure to recognize an incident as sexual assault, confusion surrounding mandated reporting and ease of filing an official complaint.

In regard to the problem of underreporting, Cutshaw said that it is important for students to trust the system. She added that when the official numbers go up, it is not necessarily because of a jump in assaults, but rather students’ increased confidence that their complaints will be taken seriously by administrators. “ When schools have no reports of sexual assault or maybe one this year and then two the next year, it worries me,” Cutshaw said. “You know that they’re going on, it’s just that the students don’t feel safe to come forward.”

Pages 21 through 23 of the ASR contain information about resources for victims of sexual assault as well as what preventative programs are available on-campus. With the exception of Cowell Health Center, which provides support through Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), the VPP is the only other on-campus resource for students.

“VPP can’t do it all. Even if we had funding, the people, we just can’t do it all,” Cheves said. “Everyone has to be on the same page.”

Guthrie said that developments in the last year, including a switch to a “more robust system” to track data, are one way in which the university has evolved to changing campus needs. Additionally, the Office of EEO and Title IX, which has only been in existence since fall of 2014, has already seen increases in its annual budget. Guthrie added that her office works directly with VPP, the Wellness Center and OSL on sexual assault-related issues. “(Members of the) administration are very enthusiastic and open to helping and supporting our work, which I think is great,” Hyndman said. “I think it’s more that there are a lot of bureaucratic barriers and too many moving parts that get stuck.”

The latest reported numbers on OCR’s close rate suggest that the campus com-

“There are a lot of bureaucratic barriers and too many moving parts that get stuck.”

Oct. 7: Unknown persons wrote negative comments and symbols inside a Casa Italiana Residence Hall elevator. Campus Safety is conducting an investigation.

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Thursday, October 13, 2016

Vandalism on Campus Reaches New Low Continued from Page I

second individual continues to paint on the poster with his bloody finger before eventually exiting into the hallway.

On Oct. 11, a group identifying itself as “SCUWatch” emailed a link containing the footage to several Santa Clara students, including staff members at The Santa Clara.

The video, which was originally posted on LiveLeak.com, was swiftly removed from the website and replaced with a message that its deletion was due to a possible violation of the website’s terms of service.

The same surveillance footage was also posted on LiveLeak’s YouTube channel. It has been widely shared amongst Santa Clara students—it had almost 200 views the night of Oct. 11.

As the video circulated more aggressively between students, the view count shot up to over 1,600 on Oct. 12.

Rosenberger could not confirm whether or not the leaked CCTV footage shows the vandalism taking place. She said that the leak is of “great concern” to the university, and Information Technology is currently investigating how the video could have gotten released.

In an ironic chain of events, the aforementioned vandalism of the 43 Students Memorial honoring missing Mexican students was kicked and defaced several days shy of the Sept. 26 anniversary of when the students were kidnapped.

Similarly, the vandalism in Casa took place just days before Yom Kippur, the holiest Jewish High Holiday, which spanned from Oct. 11 to Oct. 12. Additionally, the LGBTQ slurs were written just days before National Coming Out Day, which was Oct. 11.

Senior Alaina Boyle, director of Santa Clara Community Action Program (SCCAP), said that although it was “jarring” to hear such concrete evidence of discriminatory attitudes on campus, it was not surprising to learn about the vandalism.

“I have experienced discrimination and words of persecution from people on our campus before,” Boyle said. “I’m not surprised to hear that this is how some people really feel.”

Boyle, who came out as gay on social media during National Coming Out Day, said she was planning to do so before the news of the vandalism surfaced, but was more apprehensive because of the incidents. She added that she thinks the current political climate is fueling hateful speech and discriminatory acts.

“I think there’s this overarching atmosphere of it being okay to put down certain groups and to speak out about how you feel about minority groups,” Boyle said. “I think that’s normalizing the hatred.”

Senior Isaac Nieblas, director of the Multicultural Center (MCC), said that hearing about the swastika was a “very triggering moment”

for him because it reminded him of experiencing hate incidents at the hands of Neo-Nazi groups in his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. “(The swastika) is a hate symbol towards different marginalized groups throughout the world,” Nieblas said.

He also added that he grew up having a neighbor that was a minuteman—meaning he belongs to a vigilante neighborhood watch group that dedicates itself to protecting America’s borders through any means necessary, including violence. As a Mexican-American, Nieblas said he is fearful that his family back home will be the victim of hate crimes, and that after this incident he is also fearful for the campus community.

Senior Kaitlin Finch, co-president of Santa Clara’s Jewish Student Union, said that her organization is focusing on reaching out to its members to address their needs during this time and act as a safe space.

“By the nature of the incident it is not only a hate crime but it is inherently violent because of the blood,” Finch said. “Any time there is a swastika involved in a crime it makes me feel very unsafe.”

A community forum was hosted in Casa on Mon, Oct. 10 to inform community members about the incident and allow them to ask questions about the vandalism.

During the meeting, Lester Deanes, assistant dean for Student Life, said the students identified as the possible perpetrators are currently involved in the code of conduct process, which involves a judicial hearing. However, Deanes said that the results of code of conduct hearings are confidential.

During a question and answer session, one student asked Deanes if the alleged perpetrators will be allowed to continue living in Casa,

“I’m not surprised to hear that this is how some people really feel.”

adding their opinion that “having people in (Casa) with those values is not coherent to a good living environment.”

Deanes said that the administration is keeping these types of concerns in mind, but he did not say with certainty whether or not the students would be allowed to live in Casa at the conclusion of the judicial process.

“They are currently not in the community but they may return in the next few days,” Deanes said at the Oct. 10 meeting.

In the aftermath of the vandalism, Nieblas said that leaders in the MCC, SCAAP and the Associated Student Government have met and spoken about collaborating in response

to the incident.

The MCC is currently hosting restorative circles from noon to 1 p.m. in the Shapell Lounge, allowing students, faculty and staff who may be affected by the incidents to express their feelings and concerns.

“This type of behavior cannot be tolerated.

It makes us feel unsafe,” Deanes said. “We bring in new students each year whose understanding of inclusivity is different and we have to continue to be vigilant. We need to be talking about these issues, expecting more, expecting better.”

“Any time there is a swastika involved in a crime it makes me feel very unsafe.”

Contact Sophie Mattson at smattson@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4849.

PHOTO COURTESY OF YOUTUBE

CCTV footage from Casa Italiana Residence Hall was leaked online Oct. 11 depicting two students using their own blood to paint on a poster posted on the wall of an elevator. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.

ETHAN AYSON — THE SANTA CLARA

On Monday, Oct. 11 members of the Casa Italiana community met in the Casa Commons to discuss the vandalism. Students participated in a calming, guided meditation in which they reflected on the incident and were asked to post messages that shared fond memories that they had of their time living in the residence hall.

Keeping Up with ASG: Weekly Senate Recap Student leaders vote to endorse local ballot initiative Measure B MarkAnthony Vogel Associate Reporter

For the first time in the history of the Associated Student Government, senators passed a resolution to support a local ballot measure.

The resolution expresses ASG’s formal support for Measure B, a Santa Clara County initiative that aims to reduce traffic, increase public transportation and improve roads and funding. Two weeks ago at ASG’s first Senate meeting of the quarter, Silicon Val-

ley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino pitched Measure B to students, citing the numerous benefits it would provide to the Santa Clara community.

Student Senators were given a week to reach out to their constituents and decide on their vote.

Last Thurs. Oct. 6, the Senate reconvened and passed the resolution nearly unanimously. Guardino, who was in attendance for the vote, said that the resolution’s passage is an important moment for the Measure B campaign. “(Santa Clara’s) campus community is vitally important to the success of Measure B,” Guardino said.

With this endorsement by student leaders, Santa Clara joins Stanford University, West Valley College and Gavilan College who have already expressed their official support of Measure B.

Going forward, Guardino said he expects to receive more endorsements.

“Over the next three weeks, several other campus communities will also publicly endorse Measure B,” Guardino said. “They also recognize the crippling effect that traffic congestion, a lack of transit options and crumbling roads have on campus life.”

During open deliberation, some senators expressed concern regarding the precedent that the resolution would set. Ahmer Israr, the only senator to vote against the resolution, was one of them. He said that ASG should avoid engaging in local politics.

“It is not what we were elected or appointed to do,” Israr said. “It sets a dangerous precedent for extensive future involvement by (ASG) in the electoral process, perhaps in ways that many of my fellow senators did not envision when supporting this endorsement last Thursday.”

Senator Jack Herstam, who authored the resolution, said he understands these concerns, but finds the setting of new precedents inevitable. He expressed his excitement about the passage of the resolution and the positive impact it could have on the Santa Clara community.

“It’s the nature of progress,” Herstam said. “It’s a win for everyone in my mind.”

Following the passage of the Measure B Resolution, the Senate approved a rebrand proposed by the public relations branch, which includes a new ASG logo. The Senate also debated and voted on clubs seeking approval, including Ignite and Theta Tau, an engineering fraternity.

ASG Senate will meet again on Thurs.

Oct. 13 at 7 p.m.

Contact MarkAnthony Vogel at mvogel@ scu.edu.

SCENE

4

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Santa Clara Honors Celebrated Latino Author University holds fundraiser for Jimenez award Madeline White

Associate Reporter Francisco Jiménez’s continued efforts to break down barriers for first-generation Latinx students have culminated in another triumphant success.

In a Grand Reunion reception honoring the celebrated author and recently retired Santa Clara professor on Oct. 7, the Francisco and Laura Jiménez Scholarship became fully endowed.

The journey to this achievement began in 2014, when Jiménez announced his retirement from teaching. Santa Clara consequently decided to form a scholarship in his name, inspired by the life of the author.

Born in Western Mexico, Jiménez emigrated to the United States as a young child.

His family, migrant farm workers who frequently had to move with the agricultural seasons in order to find work, often lived in extreme poverty.

And on top of that, Jiménez, who

knew very little English, struggled to keep up in school.

Eventually, with hard work and good fortune, Jiménez ended up at Santa Clara, where he earned his degree in Spanish and History and met his wife Laura. After receiving his doctorate from Columbia University, he returned in 1973 back to the Bay Area and to Santa Clara to be a Spanish professor.

Then, in 1997, Jiménez published his first autobiographical book, “The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child.” He has since published three additional books tracing his life from migrant child to university professor and won numerous literary awards, including the Américas Award for Children and Young Adult Literature and the Boston GlobeHorn Book Award.

As a result of his success story, Jiménez has become a source for inspiration for much of the Latinx community. His stories reach people of all ages, as evidenced by the gathering at the Grand Reunion reception. A long line of young children, college students and older adults wrapped around the event—all eagerly waiting to meet the author.

Held on the lawn across the Mission Church, the lively reception, with colorful papel picado and a brassy mariachi band, celebrated

Latinx culture, in addition to honoring Jiménez.

And later on in the night, several students and classmates of Jiménez spoke on the author and his legacy.

For instance, one of Jiménez’s former classmates, Patrick Hall, joked that although he tried to “corrupt Jiménez,” he ultimately failed because of Jimenez’s incredible work ethic. As Hall said, “The world steps aside for a man who knows where he’s going.”

The most poignant speech of the night came from the director of the Multicultural Center, senior Isaac Nieblas. He credited Jiménez for empowering both him and his mother.

“That night when (my mother) read your story to me, that one night, we cried, we laughed, we partook in your life, Professor. You engulfed mine,” Nieblas said.

He also talked about being a student in Jiménez’s final class, in which the professor taught his own books. As Jiménez unraveled his own stories for the class, the students witnessed first-hand the power of the author.

“One moment that I will always hold in my heart—that is seared in my memory—was when emotions overcame you as you taught your book,” Nieblas said. “A hush covered

the room as your eyes watered… And in a moment of pure emotion you kicked the table. We sat in silence because you gave it your all. You put yourself in the most vulnerable state in order to lead us on the right path.”

Much of the reception was ultimately devoted to fundraising for the scholarship. Before the Grand Reunion event, the Francisco and Laura Jiménez Scholarship only had $53,000 to draw from for students— and while that seems like a lot of money, it’s not enough to provide for a substantial amount of students.

Yet, by the end of the night, with proceeds from sales of Jiménez’s books, as well as a public and silent auction, the scholarship was fully endowed, making it a permanent fixture of the university. The award will be granted to first-generation

Latinx students in need of further financial assistance—which hit close to home for Jiménez. As the author explained, it was the financial assistance that he received when he applied to Santa Clara over 50 years ago that allowed for his education to even happen.

Laura Jiménez, the author’s wife, perhaps best explained the importance of the scholarship and of educating young Latinx students, stating, “This is a time where the past, present and future intersect.”

In a time of strife for the Latinx community, this scholarship will prove to be a source of inspiration for many years to come.

Contact Madeline White at mwhite@scu.edu or call (408) 5544852.

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Thursday, October 13, 2016

The Santa Clara

Scene / 5

Norm Macdonald Kills at Cobb’s Comedy Club Legendary comedian performs at sold-out show in San Francisco

Jimmy Flynn

The Santa Clara

David Letterman said it best: “There may be people as funny as Norm Macdonald, but I don’t know anybody who is funnier.”

The 56 year-old comedian, best known for his five-year stint on “Saturday Night Live,” absolutely destroyed during his 70-minute set Saturday night at Cobb’s Comedy Club in San Francisco.

The audience’s laughs were steady and heartfelt as the comedian poked fun at everything from gambling to autoerotic asphyxiation to living life as a “deeply-closeted gay man.”

Macdonald’s opening act was long-time San Francisco comic Larry “Bubbles” Brown, best known for his two appearances on “Letterman.” Brown generated modest laughs from the audience, relying mainly on selfdeprecating one-liners (“I told my doctor I wanted to die with dignity—he gave me a tie”) and jabs at the city of Hayward (“They have a sign that says ‘At least we’re not Fremont’”).

Brown’s other jokes about suicide and sexual frustration were sharp and self-effacing, and his deflated delivery hilariously exaggerated the depressiveness of the material.

After Brown’s 20-minute set, Macdonald came onstage to raucous applause from the sold-out crowd. Taller and wider than one would imagine, Macdonald nervously towered over the audience, keeping the microphone in the stand and his feet firmly planted the entire show.

Macdonald began the show by commenting on his rotund gut (“I ate 50 eggs for din-

ner”) and continued with an absurd strain of jokes regarding his repressed homosexuality and sham marriage. Macdonald is the king of “are-they-serious-or-are-they-joking” comedy, so the crowd took a while to adjust to his enigmatic jokes. But once they did, the laughs were non-stop.

Macdonald discussed his erectile dysfunction (“There’s a lot of cramming involved”) and reflected on the fall of Bill Cosby (“My friend said the worst part about him was that he was a hypocrite … I don’t think that was the worst part”). The lighter, broader material focused on growing older and the Founding Fathers—specifically Abraham Lincoln’s futile attempt to popularize the term “score” (as in “four score and seven years”).

In addition to being wildly funny, Norm Macdonald is perhaps the most original standup comedian working today. He avoids the heavily-rehearsed, beaten-out delivery of most comics in favor of a wandering, tangential style of comedy.

Though he plans out his punchlines, Macdonald improvises his set-ups, allowing him to take his act to surreal places. Macdonald’s digressions—full of colorful language and countless metaphors—allow the tension to build to the point of uncomfortability. When he finally drops the punchline, the audience is both relieved and delirious from laughter.

Macdonald has honed this unique style throughout his career, nearly perfecting it during his time as a “Weekend Update” anchor on “SNL.” His stripped-down approach and smug delivery perfectly captured the sarcastic wit of the bit, and his personal stamp is the main reason he is considered by many to be the greatest anchor to ever deliver the fake news.

Nowadays, Macdonald can be seen hosting “Norm Macdonald Live” on YouTube, currently in its third season. Though the platform is smaller than “SNL,” the laughs are bigger than ever, as Macdonald has hilariously riffed

with comedy legends like Carl Reiner, Adam Sandler and Roseanne Barr, among many, many others.

Also on YouTube are many of Macdonald’s past talk show appearances, where he can be seen joking about Hitler with David Letterman and telling long-winded jokes to Conan O’Brien.

Additionally, Macdonald just released a new book, “Based on a True Story: A Memoir,” an autobiography that is peppered with intentional inaccuracies and outlandish observations.

Whatever the platform may be, Norm Macdonald has continuously and consistently

Maura Turcotte

The Santa Clara With the fall season setting in, the old rickety Hollywood machine begins to slowly churn out movies worthy of Oscar consideration. “The Girl on the Train” is not one of those films.

Directed by Tate Taylor (“The Help”), “The Girl on the Train” is based on the 2015 New York Times bestseller novel of the same name. The story revolves around Rachel, an alcoholic divorcee who rides the train everyday into the city (the novel places the story in the United Kingdom; the film moves it to New York).

Passing by her favorite suburban house each day, Rachel obsessively imagines the cozy life of the beautiful couple inside. Each day is the same, until suddenly, she spies

something from the train that doesn’t fit into her perfect narrative.

Upset from this event, Rachel blacks out that night from drinking. She wakes up the next morning covered in blood and bruises.

And then she learns that the woman of the couple she had idealized is missing. Could Rachel be to blame?

Immediately after the book’s and now the film’s release, parallels have been drawn between “The Girl on the Train” and the novel and film “Gone Girl.”

Both stories involve psychological themes and unreliable narrators. And—spoiler alert— they each have big plot twists. Both even have the word “Girl” in their titles.

But the comparison ends there for the film adaptation of “The Girl on the Train.”

While “Gone Girl” threw all of its weight in the first half of the film to paint Nick Dunne as the bad guy, in “The Girl on the Train,” viewers don’t fear or even hate Rachel. They feel bad for her. She looks helpless and sad. Yeah, she has some issues, but gruesome killer?

Nah. As a result, by the time the plot twists, viewers, while they may not predict the exact reveal, certainly aren’t that shocked.

Contact Jimmy Flynn at jflynn@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.

ERIC MYRE

Norm Macdonald originally rose to fame in the 90s as a member of “Saturday Night Live.” Currently, he hosts “Norm Macdonald Live” on YouTube and is out promoting his new book, “Based on a True Story: A Memoir.”

“The Girl on the Train” Derails Highly anticipated film adaptation proves to be disappointing

made audiences laugh for decades. But it all comes back to stand-up.

Ranked by Comedy Central as one of the 100 greatest stand-ups of all time, Macdonald has long stated that his sole goal in life is to be hailed as the greatest stand-up comedian to ever live. Though it sounds like a pipe dream, it was an undeniable reality for the 400-plus people at Cobb’s Comedy Club on Saturday night.

True, there may be stand-ups as great as he is, but no one is greater than Norm Macdonald.

To make matters worse, confusing time jumps muddle the plot. With the film hopping from one month ago to six months ago to 14 days ago to two years ago back to six months ago, I felt I needed a notebook to help keep track of what exactly was happening.

Somehow, in spite of the odds, namely the stilted dialogue, the cast delivers relatively convincing portrayals.

Without a doubt, the most praise should go to lead actress Emily Blunt, who is nearly unrecognizable as the obsessive drunkard Rachel. But as so many movies have proven before, a stellar cast can’t save a lackluster plot.

While “The Girl on the Train” isn’t a completely terrible film—scenes toward the end still manage to reel viewers in with suspense and creepiness—it isn’t anything more than a future Netflix snoozer.

Choosing to skim over the surface rather than delve into its psychological depths, “The Girl on the Train” fails to bring any real sparks to its source material.

Contact Maura Turcotte at mturcotte@scu. edu or call (408) 554-4852.

OPINION

6

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Veronica Marquez

Elect Leaders Who Won’t Move Us Backward

“

Grab them by the (expletive). You can do anything.” I would have never fathomed that these would be the words of our next potential President of the United States. Yet, here we are, less than a month away from election day with Donald Trump as the Republican nominee.

The Washington Post’s leaked video of Trump speaking to Billy Bush in 2005 has garnered mass attention, appalling many with its lewd content.

Trump’s words are not only sexist, but seem to describe incidents of sexual assault with him as the perpetrator. He describes instances in which he touched women’s genitalia, kissed them without consent and pursued married women.

In Trump’s apology, he avoided responsibility by calling it “locker room talk” and argued that compared to Bill Clinton’s sexual assault allegations, what Trump described in the leaked video were “just words.”

Trump has a long standing history of misogyny, sexism and harassment and as a female college student, I cannot stand for this.

His attempts to trivialize the incident prove why this man is unfit to be our next president.

Trump’s sexist actions along with his positive polling reveals that these sexist sentiments are shared by many. This is not simply an issue of one man’s prejudice, but a systemic issue that perpetuates the oppression of women.

Earlier this year, Brock Turner served only three months in jail for raping a woman. College students, particularly women, were reminded of the dangers that we face in our daily lives as well as the flawed judicial and political system that allowed this to happen.

Despite the great strides that have been made toward gender equality, we are nowhere near done. I should not be worried

about making less money than my co-worker because he is a man. I should not have to fear a man in power using his position of authority to sexually harass or assault me. I should not fear reporting such crimes and receiving no justice for speaking out like Brock Turner’s victim.

In times such as these, we should be able to look to our president and have confidence that they are leading us in the right direction. This would be impossible if our president, himself, is a large part of the problem.

Throughout his campaign. Trump has engaged in inflammatory rhetoric that is not only aimed against women, but Mexicans, Muslims, African Americans, people with disabilities and many other marginalized groups.

He is the epitome of what is wrong with America.

In lieu of Trump’s hate speech, many have argued that the result is “The Trump Effect.” Teachers have reported more bullying in schools, drawing conclusions that Trump’s hate speech is the cause.

With the recent acts of vandalism that have occurred on our campus, it is clear that this university is not exempt from this effect. In the past two weeks, the 43 students memorial was vandalized, anti-gay slurs were written on fourth floor of Casa Italiana and a swastika was drawn in blood in the elevator of the RLC. This is not to say that hate crimes and acts of discrimination did not occur prior to this election. Rather, “The Trump Effect” has given individuals the license to act hatefully even on our campus.

These acts of hate should not be taken lightly and they should not be ignored by those individuals that do not identify with the communities that were directly attacked. Any act of hate on a Santa Clara student should be seen as an attack on

“This is not simply an issue of one man’s prejudice.”

the entire student body.

We must work together to address the issues within the Santa Clara University institution. Apart from this, however, we must vote to elect politicians that will work towards ending the institutional barriers that oppress marginalized communities.

If there is a time to abandon loyalty to a particular political party it is now. Republicans and Democrats alike should be able to agree that we need to elect someone who will lead us towards equality, not the other way around. Many prominent members of the Republican party, such as John McCain, Paul Ryan and George W. Bush have publicly announced that they will not be supporting Trump.

While Trump has alienated and belittled women and communities of color, Hillary Clinton has been an advocate for these same communities. Specifically, given the current discussion surrounding certain women’s rights, such as reproductive rights and the funding of Planned Parenthood, we need a president that will ensure we do not move backwards.

For many of us, November will be the first time that we can vote in a presidential election. With Trump and Clinton as the frontrunners, it is not simply choosing the lesser of two evils, as I have heard many people say.

It is choosing between a man who will continue to pose a threat to the most vulnerable and a woman that will work on behalf of those same people.

Veronica Marquez is a sophmore communication and ethnic studies major.

Articles in the Opinion section represent the views of the individual authors only and not the views of The Santa Clara or Santa Clara University.

Together, we’ll write the next chapter.

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STANDINGS Men's Soccer Team Portland Saint Mary’s San Diego San Francisco Pacific Gonzaga Loyola Marymount Santa Clara

Women’s Soccer Team Pepperdine Loyola Marymount Brigham Young Santa Clara San Diego San Francisco Portland Pacific Saint Mary’s Gonzaga

Volleyball Team San Diego Brigham Young Gonzaga Pacific Loyola Marymount Portland Saint Mary’s Santa Clara Pepperdine San Francisco

7 / Sports

The Santa Clara

Thursday, October 13, 2016

WCC Overall 1-0-0 7-3-1 1-0-0 5-5-3 1-0-0 4-4-3 1-0-0 5-5-0 0-1-0 8-3-0 0-1-0 6-4-1 0-1-0 6-6-0 0-1-0 5-5-0

Broncos Back To Winning Ways Santa Clara defends their turf with two vital conference wins Bo Kendall

The Santa Clara

After a dominating 3-0 victory on Friday, Oct. 7 against the University of Pacific, Alumni Weekend was almost spoiled in the closing seconds of the first half for the women’s soccer team.

Saint Mary’s forward Jordyn Cunningham gave the road team a 1-0 lead with only one second remaining on the clock before halftime.

The Broncos responded midway through the second half, after a deflected pass in the box landed at the feet of senior midfielder Julie Vass in the 77th minute, who made the most of the fortunate bounce.

WCC Overall Just two minutes later, team captain 6-0 15-2 Kellie Peay capped off the Bronco come5-1 16-2 back on an assist from senior Jordan Je4-2 11-5 solva.

Starting goalkeeper Melissa Lowder 4-3 10-9 held the Gaels scoreless the rest of the way 3-3 12-6 3-3 10-8 to finish the 2-1 home win for Santa Clara.

The victory pushed the Broncos to 2-13-4 8-10 2-4 11-7 1 conference record and 5-5-4 overall. A 1-5 7-11 loss to a Saint Mary’s squad that fell to 0-3 in conference and 2-10-2 overall would 0-6 4-15 have proved devastating, but looked very possible after Santa Clara fell behind in the 45th minute.

“It was just a lack of concentration,” Peay said. “You have to realize that a team can score in the last seconds,” It was clear that Santa Clara did not Fri. 10/14 7:00 p.m. play their best soccer in the first half, but Sun. 10/16 7:00 p.m. seeing them fall behind on a defensive breakdown was not expected.

WCC Overall 3-0-1 8-3-3 3-1-0 8-3-3 2-1-1 11-2-1 2-1-1 5-5-4 2-2-0 7-6-1 2-2-0 6-8-0 1-1-1 7-3-3 1-2-0 1-9-1 0-3-0 2-10-2 0-3-0 4-6-2

That left Head Coach Jerry Smith with a difficult scene in the locker room at halftime.

“It was initially very somber, everyone was asking ‘what just happened?’ and ‘why did we play so poorly?’” Coach Smith said.

“As a coach and as players, there’s no sense looking back in that moment when you still have 45 minutes to play.”

With many scoring chances going just wide in the second half, it was only a matter of time until Vass netted the equalizer.

Moments later Peay gave the Broncos the lead with a goal of her own.

“Jordan chipped the ball in, she’s awesome at that,” Peay said. “I got myself open, looked around, had no one on me with time to collect, and put it to the outside of the keeper.”

The game-winning goal sealed a solid weekend for a Santa Clara team trying to get back on track heading into the thick of their WCC schedule.

“Today was a good comeback win and on Friday we scored three goals,” Coach

Smith said. “Our team hasn’t shown a great ability to score more than one goal a game, so to get five goals in two games, we’ll take that for sure.”

The strong performance came over Santa Clara’s Alumni Weekend, with one special women’s soccer alum in attendance for the critical homestand. World Cup Champion Brandi Chastain was there to support the Broncos from the sideline, as she does several times a year. “(Chastain) understands how you feel as a student athlete because she went through the process and she knows Santa Clara,” Voss said. “She’s an amazing asset for our team.”

The Broncos have the weekend off before they travel to Los Angeles next weekend for a pair of tough matches. The Broncos will face Pepperdine University on Friday, Oct. 21 and Loyola Marymount University on Sunday, Oct. 23.

Contact Bo Kendall at bkendall@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.

UPCOMING GAMES Men's Soccer Gonzaga @ Santa Clara Portland @ Santa Clara

Volleyball Loyola Marymount @ Santa Clara Pepperdine @ Santa Clara

Thu. 10/13 7:00 p.m.

Sat. 10/15 1:00 p.m.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK Who will win NBA MVP?

Russell Westbrook - Bo Kendall Russell Westbroook has already established himself as a superstar, and he’s about to be even better without Kevin Durant. Over the past eight seasons, in games when Durant has not played, Westbrook averaged over seven more points, almost two more rebounds and one more assist. He had by far his most efficient season last year, and is finally ready to be the sole superstar in OKC. With the addition of Victor Oladipo, the Thunder will have the most fearsome defensive backcourt in the league. Domantas Sabonis will contribute right away to bolster a young, powerful frontcourt. But OKC would be nothing without Westbrook. Take a step back and think about the true meaning of the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award. In today’s era of super-teams, as long as Westbrook and the Thunder make the playoffs, he should easily take home the award.

ETHAN AYSON — THE SANTA CLARA

Santa Clara’s offense shredded their opponents this weekend, netting five goals over two games.

The Broncos now need this same sort of explosive scoring attack when they take on stronger teams.

Santa Clara Drops WCC Opener Offense continues to struggle as Broncos shut-out on the road Claire McLoughlin The Santa Clara

Men’s soccer fell to the University of San Francisco Dons 2-0 on Sunday night.

The Broncos had a rough week on the road since losing 1-0 to the University of Alabama at Birmingham on Oct. 4.

The match marked the beginning of conference play for Santa Clara, who traveled to USF to play under the lights at Negoesco Stadium.

“I think that conference play always

amps things up a little bit because it is the sure way into the tournament,” said senior forward Ryan Masch.

There was no doubt among the team that West Coast Conference play has a different feel than preseason.

“I think that there’s inevitably a mentality change when we start playing conference games,” said senior captain and defender Brennan Castro. “There’s more pressure to win. The USF game was one of the more physical games we have had this season but it wasn’t something we’re unaccustomed to.”

Santa Clara entered the match with one of the strongest defenses in the WCC, letting in .65 goals per match. Santa Clara ranks 33rd in the nation in scoring defense.

And though their back line has proven they hold up well under pressure, the

Kawhi Leonard - Andrew Slap With Tim Duncan enjoying retirement, Kawhi Leonard has officially become the face of the most respected franchise in the NBA. Leonard’s the best defender in the game and his offense continues to improve. Last season Kawhi brought his field-goal percentage above 50 percent and averaged nearly five more points per game. Leonard has to be respected from beyond the arc and can drive to the hoop at will.

And at 25, he’s just entering the prime of his career.

The Spurs will remain near the top of the West (they won’t beat out Golden State) and Leonard will deservingly receive most of the credit. Kawhi was the runner up for MVP last year and at this point voters are sick of giving the award to Steph Curry.

Next Week’s Question What’s the greatest sports team of all time?

Send your responses to aslap@scu.edu for a chance to get published in next week’s paper!

ARCHIVE PHOTO — DANIELLE VELASCO

Goals have been tough to come by all year for Santa Clara, as the Broncos average just .70 goals per game. The offense should respond this Thursday night as they face a struggling Gonzaga defense.

Broncos’ offense leaves something to be desired. In nine games, the Broncos have netted only seven goals. But on Sunday, both the defense and offense struggled.

“We need to be a lot sharper on defensive set pieces,” Castro said. “We played really well and I think we were really on top of USF the entire second half. If we can continue to dominate games like that, then I’m confident that wins will follow.”

The Broncos kept up with the Dons when it came to shots. Santa Clara tallied 11 to USF’s 12 but came up short each time, while USF was able to convert on two occasions.

“We did a good job for most of the game,” said head coach Cameron Rast.

“But there were two set pieces where guys just lost their marks. We haven’t had that this year. But, credit to them, they were good. They were good on set pieces tonight and that was the difference in the game.”

Perhaps USF was able to outperform the Broncos due to their fresh legs. The Dons took a two-week break from competition before taking the field against Santa Clara.

This had to help in a physical match.

Five yellows were handed out, three to the Broncos and two to the Dons. 21 fouls were called in total.

The Broncos return home on Friday, Oct. 14 for another league match against our neighbors to the North: Gonzaga University.

When it comes to Friday’s game some adjustments need to be made in order to secure the victory.

“I think that it is important for us to really focus on our composure in front of goal and continue to work together in solidifying our defense,” Masch said.

Kickoff against the Zags is at 7 p.m. at Stevens Stadium.

Contact Claire McLoughlin at camcloughlin@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.

8

SPORTS Thursday, October 13, 2016

Ben Epstein

Silent But Deadly “A lot of people say (Klay’s) the best two-way shooting guard in the league,” said Warriors forward Draymond Green. “I say he’s the best shooting guard in the league, period.”

Yet, I would surprise even Green when I say that Thompson is the most valuable player on the Golden State Warriors. A player that is the best at his position in the entire league should undoubtedly be considered the best on his team, right?

Thompson shares a backcourt with fellow “Splash Brother” and reigning 2-time MVP Stephen Curry in the most prolific offense in the NBA. After a shocking summer acquisition, the same Warriors offense will now include 2014 NBA MVP Kevin Durant. Despite the star power, I stand firm that nobody is more valuable to the 2016-2017 championship favorites than Klay Thompson.

While people look at Curry’s backto-back, record-breaking three-point seasons, they seem to miss that Thompson’s 276 three-pointer last year are the third most in an NBA season all-time.

Durant and Curry both have the propensity to go on incredible individual runs at any given time, but so does Thompson.

In 2015, Thompson set an NBA record for points in a single quarter with 37 against the Kings. All these recordbreaking performances come from a guy whose field goal percentage and points per game have increased every year he’s been in the league.

His offense brings balance to an otherwise three-point happy offense.

He is one of the best at his position in getting to the rim and can work in a superb mid-range game in front of the three-point line.

At the end of the day, Thompson can be just as dominant on the offensive end as Durant and Curry, but he distinguishes himself with his ability to play both ways and come in the clutch.

Thompson is able to be one of the best scorers in the league while also guarding the best offensive threat on the opposition for the entirety of the game. He is an elite two-way player, and his value to the team could not be replicated.

Further proof of Thompson’s value— when Curry missed the majority of the first two Western Conference playoff series last year, the Thompson-led Warriors had no trouble defeating the Rockets or the Trail Blazers.

And it was Thompson who saved the Warriors from elimination against Durant’s Thunder in last year’s Western Conference Finals. With the Warriors trailing late in the fourth quarter, Thompson sunk four three-pointers to lead the comeback. The fourth quarter barrage was en route to another NBA postseason record—11 three-pointers in a single game, and the Warriors went on to win the series.

It is not a matter of his ability to light up scoreboards night after night or win accolades—Thompson is simply overshadowed by the rest of his team.

He continues to thrive in the shadows while others garner the attention. It is very likely that in 2016-2017 the Warriors capture their second title in the last three years, but nobody will be more responsible for the feat than Klay Thompson.

Ben Epstein is a senior finance major.

Fool’s Gold

Andrew Slap

The Santa Clara

Three short years ago, the San Francisco 49ers were 12-4 and one play away from another Super Bowl. Led by a brilliant coach in Jim Harbaugh, an emerging superstar in Colin Kaepernick and an elite defense, the 49ers were on the brink of becoming the next dynasty of the NFL.

Oh how times have changed. At 1-4, the 49ers are miles away from relevancy. Their schedule eases up a bit, starting this Sunday in Buffalo, and the 49ers may eek out a few more wins. But lets not pretend this team is any good. There’s no shortage of weak spots throughout the roster. It won’t be pretty, but let’s take a closer look at the problems plaguing this underwhelming franchise.

AP

Anemic Offense

Chip Kelly finally realized that Blaine Gabbert has no business being a quarterback in this league. Gabbert posted a QB rating of just 69.6 and has more interceptions than touchdowns. It doesn't help that he practically has nobody to throw to, but we're not wrong in expecting more from Gabbert.

Colin Kaepernick will certainly be better, but he hasn't shown much recently to suggest he's the long-term answer at quarterback.

The 49ers must turn to the draft to find their franchise QB. There's no other way to do it.

The lone bright spot on the 49ers offense is running back Carlos Hyde. Hyde currently ranks eighth in the league in rushing and has established himself as an every-down back. He’s looking like the next Frank Gore.

The 49ers have a below average scoring attack, posting the 18th most points per game. And even that stat is a bit inflated considering much of these points come in garbage time.

Uninspiring Defense

It's hard to find good things to say about this defense. San Francisco has no pass rush to speak of and their secondary is nothing to write home about. The 49ers rank 25th in the NFL in scoring defense, allowing 28 points per game. NaVorro Bowman is the best player on this unit, but right now he isn't looking like the elite linebacker he's proven himself to be in the past.

The 49ers need young talent to boost this defense, and recent high round draft-picks like Jimmie Ward, Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner have yet to prove they can carry the unit.

And while a quarterback can instantly turn around an offense, there’s no such savior on the defensive side of the ball. The harsh reality is that it will take at least a couple solid drafts to replenish the well of talent and bring back a fearsome defense for San Francisco.

It was the defense that consistently propelled Harbaugh’s teams deep into the playoffs. The 49ers would be wise to follow the same formula as they reconstruct this team.

How to Fix the 49ers I realize I've been grim so far, but there is a path back to prominence for this historic franchise.

Step 1: Fire Trent Balke

It’s unforgivable to fire Jim Harbaugh. That move alone should have sent Balke out the door. But instead Balke whiffed on several draft picks, leaving this franchise with a deficiency in talent. His free agency acquisitions have been marginal at best and he’s given us no reason to trust that he can turn this franchise around.

Step 2: Get real with Jed York

Jed York would be wise to learn from Patriot's owner Robert Kraft. For the longest time Kraft insisted he'd be involved with football operations and as a result budded heads with Bill Parcells and Pete Carroll. But when he let his new coach Bill Belichick do his job, the Patriots established themselves as the NFL’s premier franchise. York needs to understand he's not qualified to makes critical football decisions and trust those around him. Until he does that, the 49ers will continue to be a mess.

Step 3: Be patient with Chip Kelly

There's no getting Harbaugh back. Chip Kelly has proven that he can be a successful coach in this league and he deserves the benefit of time. No coach can succeed today with the deficiency of talent on this roster and firing Kelly would make this franchise even more dysfunctional.

Step 4: Get a quarterback

As mentioned above, this comes through the draft. But the 49ers don't need to wait for a top-5 pick to save their franchise. What's more important is building the infrastructure for a QB to succeed. Russell Wilson was drafted in the third round, Tom Brady selected 199th overall. It takes just one pick to turn around a franchise. Why can't the 49ers find that player next year?

GRAPHIC — LENA EYEN