Thursday, January 19, 2012
A look at the Candidates
Get outdoors!
Will the 2012 Presidential election dissapoint?
Santa Clara’s Into the Wild club takes students on adventures
OPINION, PAGE 5
SCENE, PAGE 8 www.thesantaclara.com
Since 1922
RLC Energy Challenge Doesn’t Generate Spark Residents need to beat last years record for victory Jacquelyn Pearce The Santa Clara
The annual RLC energy challenge continues throughout Winter quarter. Despite the event’s past success, most students still are not aware of its existence. Santa Clara’s 3rd Annual Energy Challenge kicked off Jan. 8. The energy challenge is an attempt to unify the Residential Learning Communities on campus to stress the importance of energy conservation. Although there has been a significant amount of energy conservation throughout the dorms in the last several years, it has been noted that there is a disparity between the level of awareness of the challenge between the smaller dorms and the larger dorms. “The only reason I even know about the challenge is because of a flyer I saw in the building,” said Claire Bevan, sophomore resident of Swigs SLURP floor. “I haven’t recieved any emails, the CFs haven’t spoken to us about it, and I think that our building is so big it is hard to get everyone to callaborate.” Swig’s seventh floor is known as SLURP, Sustainable Living Undergraduate Research Project, which brings together students who are prone to environmental awareness. The residents of the floor take pride in their ability to conserve energy year-round, and serve as leaders for the rest of the Santa Clara community. “The energy challenge draws attention to something SLRUP does throught the year”, said junior Claire Overholt. “I feel as though the challenge is a bigger deal for the other floors because we always deal with these environmental issues, not just during the time specifically allotted by the challenge.” Although the seventh floor holds their ground, Swig has still fallen short compared to the other RLCs the past few years. “It isn’t really presented as the cool thing to do in Swig, said Beavon.
“There are also so many of us that it often times gets looked over and no one really knows about it. I think if it was presented in a different light or a few students made it seem like the cool thing to do it would catch on better than it has in the past.” Bevan suggested the problem is because residents in the smaller dorms, such as Sanfilippo, have a much more tight-knit community and tend to have an easier time mobilizing in order to comply with the energy saving tactics. “Last year I lived in Sanfilippo and I remember how prevelant the energy challenge was in our community,” said Amanda Anvieh, sophomore resident of Swig. “This year I live in Swig and I actually did not know it was going on at all.” In the past the challenge has led students to drastically cut their energy use during winter quarter. Last year, students saved enough energy to power Malley Fitness Center for six weeks just by people “not really changing their behavior that drastically,” said Lindsey Cromwell Kalkbrenner, director of the Office of Sustainability. The idea of the challenge was brought to the attention of the Office of Sustainability by students in 2007. Once this idea was brought to the administration, energy monitors were purchased and installed in several buildings. Certain oncampus offices tracked the energy usage on hard-to-read websites. After all the hard work and expensive equipment, however, the monitors consequently paid for themselves with the saved energy. Today, with the exception of a few dorms, most buildings have an energy monitor. The measurements are then posted on an easy-to-use website where students and staff can track how much energy they have consumed. This information is categorized by building and then by day, week, month and year. According to Kalkbrenner, director of the Office of Sustainability, the university has made a commitment to become climate neutral by 2015. The purpose of this challenge is to get students and staff excited and used to performing certain energy conserving behaviors on a daily basis.
@thesantaclara
thesantaclara.tumblr.com
One free copy
49ERS DEFEAT SAINTS
“This yearI live in Swig and I actually didn’t know it was going on at all.”
See ENERGY, Page 3
SFEXAMINER.COM
Vernon Davis of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates in the end zone after catching a 49-yeard touchdown pass from Alex Smith. The 49ers defeated the New Orleans Saints and will play the New York Giants on Sunday. See page 10 for full story.
CFs Violate Alcohol Policy Residents react strongly to loss of four Casa CFs Kurt Wagner
The Santa Clara Despite garnering the support of residents and fellow student leaders, four community facilitators were dismissed from their positions last November after university officials found that the students had participated in off-campus drinking. The decision to release the CFs – sophomore David Garcia and juniors Leslie Quintanilla, Graham Turbyne and Dimitri Woods – was reached after Residence Life learned the students had consumed alcohol at the off-campus residence of a graduate
student over Halloween weekend. All four students, who were off-duty when caught drinking, unsuccessfully appealed their punishment to Residence Life. The four CFs were members of the da Vinci Residential Learning Community and lived in Casa Italiana before being asked to leave the building and the da Vinci community midway through last quarter. Although they knew their decision to drink was against the guidelines they agreed to, all four students remain frustrated with the severity of the punishment, citing similar incidents from previous years that have resulted in weaker repercussions, according to Turbyne. The students were kicked out of the building less than a week after the decision was made, said Garcia. “We write up kids for drugs and drinking all the time,” said Quintanilla. “And what (happens)? You give
Making a Splash Womens Water Polo hopes to build on last year’s momentum SPORTS, PAGE 11
them a slap on the hand, make them write an essay, maybe some community service. You don’t kick them out like they’re nothing.” Turbyne and Quintanilla were not alone in feeling that the punishment didn’t fit the crime. Residents from the da Vinci community hung signs throughout the hallways of Casa in support of their CFs. One sign read, “Casa can’t run without a Turbyne.” Garcia, Turbyne, Quintanilla and Woods are all under 21 years of age. A fifth CF, over 21, was placed on probation but not dismissed. “I’m just really surprised because it’s Santa Clara and there’s an expectation of how they treat their students,” said Quintanilla, who felt the punishment was too strong. “One bad move and all of a sudden we’re See REPLACEMENTS, Page 4
2 / News
The Santa Clara
Thursday, January 19, 2012
CAMPUS BRIEFS
NATION/WORLD ROUNDUP Serving Santa Clara University Since 1922 ••• Volume 91, Issue 10 •••
Speaker Series Hosts Craig Newmark on Tuesday
1 3
2
4
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Matthew Rupel MANAGING EDITOR Mandy Ferreira EDITORS
News: Opinion: Scene: Sports: Photo: Design: Online: Graphics:
Mary Chamaki Feliz Moreno Sarina Caragan Nick Ostiller Michael Erkelens Alexander Molloy Jada Marsden Alexander Molloy REPORTERS
Kurt Wagner Keli Demertzis Tom Schreier
Jacquelyn Pearce Gabe Taylor Ryan Marshall
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ryan Selewicz Samantha Juda Brian Klahn COPY DESK
Mandy Ferreira Deborah Kenmore Lauren Tanimoto Durany Mohammed
Ashley Leslie
DESIGN DESK
Katherine Usavage
Keesa Robinson
Brittnie Swartchick
Amanda Turner
ADVERTISING STAFF
Mohit Kochar WEB STAFF
Navjot Grewal BUSINESS/SUPPORT STAFF
Business manager: Kurt Wagner Distribution manager: Taara Khalilnaji ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
1. Evidence of Iran supplying weapons: A recent visit by the commander of Iran’s elite Quds force to Damascus is the strongest sign yet that Iran is supplying weapons to aid Bashar Assad’s crackdown on the Syrian people, a senior Obama administration official said Tuesday. While the U.S. has long believed Iran is helping drive the deadly crackdown on dissent in Syria, the official said the visit by Quds Force Commander Ghassem Soleimani provided a concrete example of direct high-level cooperation between Iran and Syria. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because this person was not authorized to speak publicly. 2. Romney to release tax returns: After weeks of stalling, Mitt Romney did an about-face on Tuesday and said he will release his tax returns in April he said they will show he pays close to 15 percent of his income in taxes. Romney, a multimillionaire, has been under pressure from his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination and others to release the information. Romney had previously stated that he would not be releasing any of the information. However, on Tuesday, he suggested that he would make public only one year’s worth of information, for 2011. Speaking to reporters after a campaign stop in South Carolina, Romney said most of his income comes from investments, not regular wages and salary.
3. Greece tries to mend financial crises: Greece resumed talks with its international debt inspectors Tuesday, facing a race against the clock to avoid becoming the first country that uses the Euro to default on its debts and potentially trigger a chain reaction that could ultimately destroy the European single currency itself. The debt inspectors — whose mission chiefs are expected in Athens Friday after technical teams lay the groundwork — face a massive task. They have to once again find more ways to cut spending and raise revenue in a country that is increasingly seen as immune to fundamental reforms. 4. U.S. reaches out to Jordan officials: President Barack Obama pledged Tuesday to cooperate closely with Jordanin order to push Israel and the Palestinians to negotiate a peace accord in a “serious fashion,” even as a fresh attempt at talks shows little signs of progress. Jordan’s King Abdullah II, whose country has hosted three meetings this month between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, emphasized that the talks were in the early stages. The Jordan meetings are taking place under the auspices of the international Quartet of Mideast peace mediators — the U.S., United Nations, European Union and Russia. From AP reports.
James Hill III ADVISERS
Gordon Young Charles Barry, photo Dan McSweeney, photo
the
HUB
CONTACT US
Newsroom: Editor in chief: Advertising: Fax:
(408) 554-4852 (408) 554-4849 (408) 554-4445 (408) 554-4673
On the Web: www.thesantaclara.com Email: editor@thesantaclara.com Twitter: @thesantaclara Tumblr blog: thesantaclara.tumblr.com
! Editors and departments can also be reached via email at section@thesantaclara. com (e.g. sports@thesantaclara.com). For a complete list, visit us on the Web.
Mailing Address: Box 3190 500 El Camino Real Santa Clara, CA 95053-3190 OUR POLICIES
The Santa Clara is the official student newspaper of Santa Clara University. The Santa Clara is written, edited and produced by students once weekly, except during holidays, examination periods and academic recesses. The Santa Clara welcomes letters to the editor from readers. Letters can be delivered to the Benson Memorial Center, room 13; mailed to SCU Box 3190 or emailed to: letters@thesantaclara.com. Our letters policy: ! Submissions must include major and year of graduation and/or job title, relation to the university and a phone number for verification. ! Letters should not exceed 250 words. Those exceeding the word limit may be considered as publication as an article or in some other form. ! Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. ! The Santa Clara reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, clarity and accuracy, or to shorten letters to fit the allocated space. ! All letter submissions become property of The Santa Clara. ! The deadline for publication in Thursday’s edition is the prior Saturday. Nothing on the opinion pages necessarily represents a position of Santa Clara University. Letters, columns and graphics represent only the views of their authors. The Santa Clara has a minimum newspaper circulation of 3,000. One free copy. Additional copies are 25¢.
Need help planning, writing, or revising?
Come to The HUB for help! ! We offer help with more than just essays; writing partners can help with personal statements, cover letters, proposals, etc. ! Writing partners are available in both Benson 22 and the RLCs to work with any and all students.
Benson Room 22:
RLCs:
3:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Sunday – Thursday
7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Mondays
On Tuesday, Craigslist founder Craig Newmark will be discussing relevant topics at the Law School’s IT, Ethics and Law Speaker Series. Newmark will be in the Williman Room in Benson from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Newmark founded the popular classified advertisement website Craigslist in 1995. Since it’s founding, Craigslist has become one of the Internet’s 10 most-visited websites in the English language. Before starting the successful site, Newmark attended Case Western Reserve Unvisited, where he earned a B.S. and an M.S. in computer science. After graduating, he worked with many well-known companies including IBM, Charles Schwab, and Bank of America. Many students thought it would be very informative to hear the founder of Craigslist speak. Laura Antonelli, junior accounting major at Santa clara, plans on attending the event. “The reason I took interest in the event is because he sounds like a very motivational person with an inspirational story to tell” said Antonelli. For those interesed, registration ends on Jan. 22.
New Minor Introduced in the Leavey School of Business The Leavey School of Business has recently created a new minor to keep students up to speed in the constantly evolving business world of Silicon Valley: entrepreneurship. The minor will be open to all undergraduate students from all three schools within Santa Clara. Students will be required to complete three required courses, including a 10-week internship at a startup and culminating in a final growth plan for the company, as well as at least two elective courses offered in a wide range of entrepreneurial skills. “The skills to turn ideas into opportunities, and to turn ideas into jobs, into economic growth and prosperity — those are the skills we want our students to have,” said Business School Dean Andrew Starbird on the university website. According to a Santa Clara press release, “of the 1,600 U.S. colleges or universities offering business degrees at the undergraduate level or higher, there are at least 174 that offer some sort of major, minor or certificate in entrepreneurship — a number that’s been growing in recent years.” With over 65 companies present at Wednesday’s career fair, many of them businesses typical of the Silicon Valley, entrepreneurship may be a minor with plenty of clout in the job market. “(The minor) brings tremendous value to (Santa Clara) and students, who are now able to acknowledge the well-rounded skillset it takes to become an entrepreneur,” said senior Anthony Prieto, president of the student-run Santa Clara Entrepreneurs Organization.
Relay For Life Continues Tradition of Fighting Cancer Students from Santa Clara will participate in a 24-hour Relay for Life event this upcoming April to promote cancer awareness and raise funders to support the American Cancer Society. In the months beforehand, the teams are working to recruit more participants and gather monetary donations. ACS’s Relay for Life is an almost 30 yearold event that began in 1985 with a university professor running a marathon to raise money for the fight against cancer. As of now, the university has 8 teams with a total of 30 participants. The teams are searching for more members willing to join in order to continue the events success from the last several years. “Whether you donate money or show your support for the efforts of the American Cancer Society by walking at the event, you are making a difference,” says freshman Sara Guidotti, leader of ALPHA’s Nobili team. From staff reports. Email news@ thesantaclara.com.
!"#$%&'$()%(&*+,-.%//$$$0
01231200$$$11456$
Thursday, January 19, 2012
News / 3
The Santa Clara
Energy Challenge Leads Students to Conserve Continued from Page 1
Despite the greater need for motivation in the larger dorms, the overall challenge has been very successful in the past, with enticing prizes for the winning RLC. There are several potential prizes for the winning RLC. Five bikes will be given to the community for use by residents, according to Residence Life Sustainability Intern Amelia Evans. These bikes will be purchased from Hope Services, a company that refurbishes bikes. Gayle Catterlin, RD of Communitas and St. Clare’s, is excited for the challenge and its efforts. According to Catterlin, “the Residence
Hall Energy Challenge is a great opportunity to challenge ourselves to use less energy while having some friendly competition between the residence halls. Even if the residence hall I live in does not win I have learned a new tip on how to reduce my energy use every year.” Students who live off campus can also participate in the challenge. This program is called Living Green in the Neighborhood and was started two years ago by then AS Vice President Katherine QuinnShea.Usually, it occurs spring quarter. Contact Jacquelyn Pearce at jpearce@scu.edu or call (408) 5544849.
BRAIN KLAHN — THE SANTA CLARA
Students take the stairs to reduce their energy comsumption. In bigger dorms such as Swig, it would require a greater effort bring attention to the importance of the challenge wheras in the smaller dorms such as Sanfilippo this awareness is already present.
CAMPUS SAFETY REPORT
Alcohol Violation 1/11: Several students and nonaffiliate guests were found consuming alcoholic beverages in a resident’s room. Marijuana and Adderall were found in the room during a search. All occupants were admonished and documented. The drug substances were confiscated and disposed of. 1/11: A student was found intoxicated and unable to care for himself outside of Sobrato Hall. SCU EMS, SCFD and paramedics were contacted and responded. The student was transported to O’Connor Hospital by paramedics. Notifications completed. 1/11: Students were found in possession of alcoholic beverages in their room. The alcoholic beverages were confiscated and disposed of. 1/12: A student was found unresponsive in the lounge area of Swig Hall. Campus Safety, SCU EMS, SCPD and SCFD responded.
Drunk in Public 1/12: Three non-affiliate males were observed blocking traffic on Market and Lafayette Streets next to Dunne Hall. SCPD was contacted and responded. One of the males was taken into custody for being drunk in a public place.
Found Property:
resident’s room. 1/12: A Nobili Hall fire alarm was activated by burned food in a kitchen area. Campus Safety and SCFD responded.
Medical Emergency 1/11: A student injured his knee while playing basketball in Malley Center. Campus Safety and SCU EMS responded. 1/12: A student reportedly lost consciousness and fell while working in an Adobe Lodge office. Campus Safety responded. The student refused SCU EMS assistance.
Vandalism 1/11: A concrete recycling container was found tipped over and damaged in front of the Arts and Science building. 1/12: Graffiti was found on an electrical box at Bellarmine Hall.
Theft 1/10: A computer mouse was reported missing from the Casa Italiana front desk. 1/12: A computer mouse was reported missing from the Learning Commons basement.
Trespassing
Fire Alarm Activation
1/12: Two non-affiliates were observed prowling on campus outside of Bannan Engineering in the middle of the night. SCPD was contacted and responded. One of them was taken into custody for outstanding warrants.
1/11: A Swig Hall fire alarm was activated by burned popcorn in a
From Campus Safety reports. Email news@thesantaclara.com.
1/12: A pair of reading glasses was found and turned in to the Campus Safety office.
4 / News
The Santa Clara
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Replacements for Former CFs Begin Work This Quarter
THE REDWOOD
David Garcia (from top left to bottom right), Leslie Quintanilla, Graham Turbyne and Dimitri Woods were removed from their jobs after being caught drinking off-campus. Continued from Page 1
kicked out of the building and we can’t come in. It’s just a complete 180.” All four students signed in agreement to all departmental expectations prior to accepting their positions, according to Director of Residence Life Heather Dumas-Dyer, who said in email that she could not discuss the details of student personnel matters. Outside of da Vinci, a number of fellow CFs from other communities signed a petition in support of their
four dismissed co-workers. In addition to the four replacements hired by Dumas-Dyer to begin working this quarter, Residence Life is in the process of hiring all the CFs for the 2012-13 school year. Over 60 applications were submitted within the first 72 hours, said Dumas-Dyer. “We are confident we will have a quality applicant pool of student leaders who are committed to the responsibilities of being a CF,” she said. Contact Kurt Wagner at jwagner@ scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.
C0URTESY OF KURT WAGNER
The Casa residential community which the CFs belonged to protested both to show their support and demonstrate their frustration.
Wikipedia Rebels with a 24 Hour Blackout Congressional Anti-piracy bill concerns students Mary Chamaki
The Santa Clara The 24 hour Wikipedia blackout has caused students and faculty alike to take notice of the controversy surrounding the Congressional AntiPiracy bill. Although the closing of the website may seem to be an inconvenience, students actually embraced the message Wikipedia was trying to send to Congress regarding the bill. Nowadays, we’re so intertwined socially, financially and industrially that suddenly going back to the 1980s would hit the world as hard as a natural disaster, said computer security expert Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure in Helsinki, Finland. No email, Twitter or Facebook. No online shopping. No stock trades. No just-in-time industrial shipping. It’s gotten so that not just the entire Internet but individual websites, such as Google, are considered critical infrastructure, said Hypponen. “Wikipedia is widely used by our school community, and that is why I think its absence has been so noticable,” said junior Anna Esquibel. On Wednesday, certain websites, most prominently Wikipedia, went dark to protest legislation in Congress that would crack down on pirated movies and TV shows. It was a one-day stunt, but it raises questions
about our connectedness. Wikipedia blacked out the English language version of its website to protest anti-piracy legislation under consideration in Congress, the foundation behind the popular community-based online encyclopedia said in a statement Monday night. The website went dark for 24 hours in an unprecedented move that brings added muscle to a growing base of critics of the legislation. Wikipedia is considered one of the Internet’s most popular websites, with millions of visitors daily. “The 24 hour Wikipedia blackout has definitely caused students to become more aware of the Congressional anti-piracy bill,” said junior Tani Pozirekides. “Online petitions are being created and students across campus are making an effort to raise awareness on this issue. We need freedom on the Internet without government intervention. It is our right as citizens and students should make an effort stop this bill.” The Stop Online Piracy Act in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Protect Intellectual Property Act under consideration in the Senate are designed to crack down on sales of pirated U.S. products overseas. Supporters include the film and music industry, which often sees its products sold illegally. They say the legislation is needed to protect intellectual property and jobs. Critics say the legislation could hurt the technology industry and infringe on free-speech rights. Among their concerns are provisions that would weaken cyber-security for companies and hinder domain access rights.
WIKIPEDIA.COM
The controversial anti-piracy bill, which now confronts the Congress, has stirred many protests including the 24-hour shutdown of the popular online resource Wikipedia.com. Many students have become aware of the Congressional bill due to the Wikipedia blackout.
The most controversial provision is in the House bill, which would have enabled federal authorities to “blacklist” sites that are alleged to distribute pirated content. That would essentially cut off portions of the Internet to all U.S. users. But congressional leaders appear to be backing off this provision. Tech companies such as Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Twitter, eBay, AOL
and others have spoken out against the legislation and said it threatens the industry’s livelihood. Several online communities such as Reddit, Boing Boing have announced plans to go dark in protest as well. “It’s not just about Internet piracy anymore, its becoming about Internet censorhsip,” said Pozirekides. “It is crucial that the right to free Internet knowledge isn’t suppressed
by our government, that our government doesn’t start supporting Internet firewalls like they have in China and other more conservative countries.” Contact Mary Chamaki at mchamaki@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4849. Sarah Skidmore of the Associated Press contributed to this report.
OPINION
5
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Joseph Varney
Free Speech Values
O
ne of the most important aspects of American society is the ability to speak one’s opinion without retribution. In March, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that the Westboro Baptist Church has a Constitutional right to protest at military funerals. The vulgar and reprehensible statements, such as “God hates fags” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” (to name a few) are certainly offensive. Even more so, given the fact that our brave men and women have died serving our country. Not surprisingly, the church has been attacked by politicians of both political parties and by the families of military personnel. They contend that the church does not have the right to protest because they inflict “emotional distress.” Nobody doubts that this is the case, but “emotional distress” is simply not enough of a reason to rescind someone’s right to speak freely, no matter how vulgar that person may be. Chief Justice Roberts, in an eloquent and forceful opinion stated, “Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and — as it did here — inflict great pain.” The Chief Justice went on to state, “we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker.” In addition, the Supreme Court found that the church was following local ordinances including sound levels, keeping an appropriate distance and being non-violent. The Supreme Court has a long and dignified history of protecting free speech, including vile organizations such as neo-Nazis and the KKK. I think those organizations and their members are some of the most sick, despicable and awful individuals one can encounter. Yet, just because I am offended by what they say does not give me the right to sue them for “emotional distress” and five million dollars. I cannot stifle
another person’s right to speech, no matter how offended I may be. Let us contrast that with some occurences in Canada. In 2008, a Canadian magazine published an editorial stating that Islam is a threat to western values. This violates Canadian law and the magazine should be required to compensate Muslims for “injuring their dignity, feelings and self-respect.” In another instance, the actress Brigitte Bardot was fined the equivalent of $23,000 for “provoking racial hatred” by merely “criticizing a Muslim ceremony.” Nobody is arguing that their dignity and feelings were not hurt, but simply offending a certain group is not a basis, morally, for suppressing that very speech. Professor Frederick Schauer, a dignified expert on free speech at Harvard, stated to the New York Times that “in the United States, all such speech remains constitutionally protected.” He was referring to the fact that in the “developed world, one uses racial epithets at one’s legal peril.” He went on to state that displaying “Nazi regalia and other trappings of ethnic hatred” can bring about significant legal risk. One would expect freedom of speech to be stifled in dictatorships in the Middle East or China, but not in first-world nations, which have an otherwise long history of supporting individual rights. As Americans, we should be proud that we hold free speech in a much higher regard than some of our allies. Muslims, Jews, homosexuals, military personnel and this author are all allowed to be offended under American law. As Americans, we must never forget that our respect for freedom of speech is what makes this country truly one of a kind.
I cannot stifle another person’s right to speech.
Joseph Varney is a senior political science major.
VALLEY TIMES
AUSTIN ALLEMAN — THE SANTA CLARA
Feliz Moreno
New Orleans Seven Years Later
LEISUREGROUPTRAVEL.COM
Thanks to a dedicated volunteer core the city of New Orleans is steadily being rebuilt and has regained much of its lively spirit.
T
hink back to the morning of Aug. 29, 2005. For many Americans this date stands out as the day Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on a good portion of the American southeast, particularly the city of New Orleans. Most of us remember its impact in some way, but it’s been seven years since. Katrina happened a long time ago, but unfortunately there are still a lot of houses and a lot of people that bare the scars of Katrina. Fortunately though, there people who remember the atrocities of Katrina and are willing to help to continue rebuilding the city. I arrived in New Orleans the weekend after fall quarter with a mission to do just that. The 19 of us weren’t really sure what would be waiting for us when we stepped off the plane. What struck me was hearing about all the regular people who did everything they could to
rebuild the city and the community. Church groups and nurses come to help gut houses. People took their own boats out to get medicine for sick people who were stranded. I was impressed with the actions of these individuals in the wake of such a huge disaster. I think we all get caught up sometimes in our own problems and all the things we can’t do. It is easy to feel like there are so many things outside of your control, and like you are just one person with only 24 hours to spend in a day. That’s how I felt when Katrina hit, horrified that I was safe in my California home with no means to help. I especially felt like that standing in front of that hollowed out New Orleans house, wondering how the hell a normal college student like me could possibly be of any use. But somehow we rebuilt that house, one slab of drywall at a time. Just as
the people who had volunteered in 2005 had cleaned and gutted one house at a time. Just as helicopter pilots had lifted one helpless person off the roof at a time. As big or as small as my contribution may have been, I know that at least it made a difference. I hope that next time you feel discouraged in the face of a situation that seems too big for someone like you to grapple with, you realize that we have all felt like that. Big impact issues are hard to tackle; they take years and large amounts of people, but are extremely rewarding and give ordinary people the chance to do some really extraordinary things. It’s those extraordinary things that make a difference. Feliz Moreno is a sophomore English major and editor of the Opinion section.
Julie Herman
Candidates Less than Promising
A
s early as November, I knew I wanted none of the U.S. presidential candidates to become the leader of the country. Even if I had supported all of Barack Obama’s campaign promises, I still wouldn’t be thrilled with his anemic implementation. Then, during the debt crisis, he completely lost my faith with his ineffectual leadership. I hoped the Republican Party would field someone I wouldn’t feel dirty about voting for — a smart moderate who might have a chance to pull both parties together. Unfortunately, it seems that either no such individual wants to risk their political capital against an incumbent, or the mood of the country isn’t right for the rise of a peacemaker. Instead, we got the dregs of the GOP. First there was Michele Bachmann, with her praying-the-gayaway husband. Maybe she is a smarter version of Sarah Palin, but sadly still in the same category..But I couldn’t vote for her even if I wanted to, since she dropped out of the race. So did Herman Cain, the neophyte who thought we should base
our tax system on the default economic setting for a virtual reality game and thought that quoting a Pokémon movie was a suitable farewell statement. He would probably run the United States of America like he ran his pizza chain (although I wouldn’t mind if the U.S. had a $7 buffet option every Tuesday). Rick Perry will also fall soon — the U.S. electorate may like downto-earth, devout folks as leaders, but it remains uncomfortable with the idea of the head of state looking like an elementary school child giving a book report for the first time. The media has declared a “Santorum Surge” after Rick Santorum took second place in the Iowa caucus. I like politicians who stick to their guns as much as the next voter, but when those guns are shooting at the LGBT community, implying their value to be next to that of pedophiles, I turn and run. I wanted something good to happen to Jon Huntsman, since he seemed like the best of the notRomney lot. Unfortunately, he has about zero charisma — something necessary to winning political capital and mending ties abroad. Even if that weren’t an issue, he still came
in a distant third in New Hampshire, and dropped from the race. Then there’s Newt Gingrich, frontrunner Romney’s only legitimate challenger. He’s an arrogant, nasty, entitled man — my father suggested voting for him on the grounds that he would terrify half the nation into getting work done and blackmail the other half. Finally, the tide of opinion seems to be turning slowly to Mitt Romney, the man who ran before and lost, the rich boy who could take John Kerry in a flip-flopping contest. I may be persuaded to pick Romney, but only as the lesser of the evils. Julie Herman is a sophomore biology 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.
6 / Opinion
The Santa Clara
Thursday, January 19, 2012
SCENE
7
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Bringing Home a Piece from Overseas
RYAN SELEWICZ — THE SANTA CLARA
Students who have just returned from spending fall quarter abroad showcase different items that they brought home that remind them of their time overseas. Junior Laura Snowden (left) holds a photo of the participants in the Casa de la Solidaridad program in El Salvador. Seniors Kathryn Curotto (above right) and Karen Salas (below right), who both studied in Paris, pose with a scarf and an issue of French "Vogue," respectively.
Nationally ranked programs facilitate personal growth Keli Demertzis
The Santa Clara Barcelona or Madrid? England or Australia? Should I participate in a Santa Clara program, or become an exchange student? For Santa Clara students hoping to go abroad this upcoming fall, these questions had been on their minds as they put the finishing touches on their petitions last week. And with over 100 programs in 50 countries offered through their Office of International Programs, Santa Clara — which has the 35th highest percentage of total students studying abroad, out of 3,000 colleges and universities surveyed in the U.S., according to a survey conducted by the Institute of International Education — has a lot of options for those students hoping to get outside of the Santa Clara bubble and study in an entirely new educational setting. "The study abroad program at Santa Clara offers us the opportu-
nity to frame study abroad as part of a life-long process of moving between and among different cultures and as part of developing a life-long curiosity about those different from oneself," said Susan Popko, associate provost for the Office of International Programs, in an emailed statement. For numerous students who have just returned from a fall quarter abroad, their overseas experiences served as a way to learn about a new culture — and to learn a bit about themselves. Karen Salas, a senior French and Francophone studies major, spent her fall quarter in Paris through the American-based program Institute for the International Education of Students, in an attempt to improve her French-speaking skills. However, she also gained a deeper understanding of the Parisian culture. "I made it a point to open myself up to the cultural differences in order to enjoy my abroad experience," said Salas. Senior Kathryn Curotto, who also spent her fall quarter in Paris, said that her time overseas helped her personal growth. “During this trip, I realized that I was capable of not only being more
independent, but also living in a big city and navigating my way around it," said Curotto. "I was capable of finding a place where I fit in and making new friends, even though I was so far away from everyone and everything that I was familiar with back in the U.S.” Junior Laura Snowden, who studied in El Salvador for four months as part of the Casa de la Solidaridad program, said that she was "humbled" by
"Be open to whatever experience unfolds before you." her experiences. "Many of the people and communities we met experienced terrible hardships during the civil war and continue to live in poverty and struggle," she said. "Yet so many people loved us unconditionally, invited us into their homes and made us a part of their family. Their strength and beautiful sense of love is something I hope to always take with me."
Students who recently have submitted their petitions to study abroad hope to get into touch with new cultures and with themselves. Sophomore Jacqueline Fahey petitioned to study in Ireland for this upcoming fall — an appropriate destination for a student of Irish descent with family members living in the country. "I'm expecting life (in Ireland) to be really different than life here (in the U.S.)," said Fahey. Sophomore Kiely Kreitzberg, who plans to spend fall quarter in Australia, is looking forward to experiencing the outdoors on an entirely new continent. “I have the amazing opportunity to learn how to surf, scuba dive, visit the Great Barrier Reef, travel to numerous national parks and immerse myself in the local culture and lifestyles of the people of Australia," said Kreitzberg. From Baja, Mexico to Burkina Faso, from Germany to El Salvador, there is a destination for most interests and a program for most majors. For those students considering an international program, or have already submitted a petition, students who have just returned from their time abroad have offered words of
advice. "I would advise students to find as many opportunities as they can to interact (and) make friends with native people in the country they are studying in," said Curotto. "Sometimes, it feels so easy and comfortable just staying with the American group of students in the program, but you have to remember that you're there to live out a new experience, improve your language skills (and) meet new people." For the multitude of Santa Clara students who have taken the opportunity to study overseas, their time abroad can be "life-changing," said Salas. Snowden offered advice to students who have submitted their petitions and are preparing to study abroad this fall. "Be open to whatever experience unfolds before you and to say yes to the opportunities that are presented to you," said Snowden. "You never know what you may learn and discover by taking a risk and being open to the experience." Contact Keli Demertzis at kdemertzis@scu.edu or (408) 5544852.
8 / Scene
The Santa Clara
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Scene Spotlight
Outdoors Club Helps Students Go "Wild"
Into the Wild provides students with an escape Kathryn Karasek
Contributing Writer With school starting up again after a long winter break, the confines of dorms and academic buildings can seem especially daunting. Students may want to put aside schoolwork and escape from the Santa Clara campus in order to relieve stress, clear their heads and reconnect with nature — even just for a short amount of time. This is where Into the Wild, Santa Clara's outdoors and wilderness club, comes in. "(Into the Wild) promotes healthy, sober fun through outdoor adventure for students at (Santa Clara)," said freshman Charlotte Hohorst, the club’s marketing director. The club organizes both weekend excursions and day trips to surrounding natural sites. For students studying in the midst of Silicon Valley, the organization can serve as a valuable key to the California wildlife that is only a short drive away from campus. "The aim of Into the Wild is to get students away from the textbooks, Macbooks and nightly party scene and out into the beautiful and peaceful settings that natural environments have to offer,” said senior Sachit Egan, who founded the club in 2009.
In the past, the club's members have traveled to the Santa Cruz beaches and surrounding mountains to hike, backpack, rock climb and camp, in an attempt to showcase the diverse environments of California. "My favorite thing about Into the Wild is being able to get off campus and explore," said executive board member, sophomore Carson Lindsay. Last weekend, a group of about 20 Into the Wild members trekked up to Pinnacles National Monument in Paicines, Calif. The park is known for its Talus caves and its wildlife, especially the endangered California condor. The club also offers smaller opportunities during the week to get off-campus — opportunities that are ideal for busier students who still crave an outdoor adventure to relieve stress. For example, on Jan. 11, Into the Wild facilitated a two-hour trip to Planet Granite, a Sunnyvalebased indoor rock climbing gym designed and managed by professor Tonya Nilsson, one of Santa Clara's civil engineering professors. According to Lindsay, while Into the Wild provides the opportunity to explore off-campus locations, the bonds established between the club's members are what make the organization particularly ideal. "The best part about going on these adventures is getting the chance to do so with people from (Santa Clara)," said Lindsay. Into the Wild's membership grew rapidly throughout its first two years and continues to grow as more and more students realize that it can offer an indispensable means of relief
XANDER WROBLEWSKI
Into the Wild, Santa Clara's outdoors and wilderness club that was founded by students in 2009, organizes excursions to nearby national parks and other natural sites. Santa Clara students have the opportunity to hike, camp and go river rafting with the club.
from academic pressures. A club with a conscience, Into the Wild is not only about fun and adventure, but also aims to tie in sustainability and raise environmental awareness. According to club president, sophomore Andrew Noonan, Into the Wild's past sustainability efforts included bringing a guest speaker from statewide river conservation organization, Friends of the River, to talk about the environmental impact of dams, pollution and unsustain-
Question of the Week by Sarina
Caragan
Gayle Catterlin, RD
"I like to eat ice cream."
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL ERKELENS — THE SANTA CLARA
Julian Castillo, ’15
"I like to cuddle in my bed with a body pillow and watch Netflix."
able farm and commercial salmon fishing. The club also invited a park ranger to talk to participants on a recent day hike about the closure of over 70 state parks and the closures' impact on surrounding wild areas. Currently, Into the Wild is one of the clubs that participates in the Office of Sustainability's effort, Students Collaborating and Organizing Opportunities and Projects for Sustainability (SCOOPS). According to the Office of Sustainability website,
SCOOPS gathers representatives from various student organizations, such as Into the Wild, to plan and promote events that will contribute to the university's sustainability efforts. “Part of being outdoors, whether hiking or camping or rafting, has a lot to do with appreciating nature and wildlife and working to preserve that,” explained Hohorst. Contact Kathryn Karasek at mkarasek@scu.edu.
What do you like to do when it's cold outside?
Briana Mitchell, ’13
"Go star-gazing and cuddle with my soulmate, Misa Mascovich, in the Mission Gardens."
Nadia Yassin, ’12
"Put on my sweatpants, make some tea and watch as many 'Harry Potter' movies as I can."
Christy LaSalvia, ARD
"I like to sleep... sleep and do nothing."
Scene / 9
The Santa Clara
Thursday, January 19, 2012
TOP REASONS TO LEAVE YOUR COUCH THIS WEEK 1/22 | SUNDAY
SEE 1/19, THURSDAY JULIA CLAIRE LANDRY
1/21 | SATURDAY
1/24 | TUESDAY
U.S. Figure Skating Championships Time: 10 a.m. Location: HP Pavilion Why Go? The best figure skaters in the country will be here! Offsite practices at Sharks Ice are available to the public.
A Conversation with Craig Newmark Time: 6:30 p.m. Location: Williman Room Why Go? Hear the founder of Craigslist speak about his technology experience and his community work.
San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Giants Time: 3:30 p.m. Location: Candlestick Park or a viewing party near you Why Go? The winner goes to the Super Bowl; it would be the first for the 49ers since 1995. Show some support!
Bible Study Time: 5:30 p.m. Location: Campus Ministry Why Go? Come for a religious experience that is both informal and diverse.
1/19 | THURSDAY
1/20 | FRIDAY
Labyrinth Time: 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Location: Campus Ministry Why Go? Take a moment to escape from your academic responsibilities for walking meditation, either alone or in a group.
San Jose Bike Party Time: 8 p.m. Location: San Jose City Hall Why Go? Meet other excited bikers and explore downtown San Jose, while promoting transportation advocacy.
Andy Warhol: Polaroids and Portraits Time: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Location: de Saisset Museum Why Go? A chance to see some lesser-known photographs from the famous artist.
This Kind of Bird Flies Backwards Time: 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Location: San Jose Museum of Art Why Go? See work by feminist painter Joan Brown. $8 entry to this vivid art exhibit.
SCOOPS Fair Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Location: Santa Clara Mall Why Go? Learn how to get involved in different on-campus organizations' sustainability initatives — or learn how to start your own sustainability club!
"West Side Story" Time: 8 p.m. Location: San Jose Center for the Performing Arts Why Go? This legendary musical runs until Jan. 27. And with $20 admission, why not bring a friend and enjoy this Broadway classic?
Charisma! Time: 8:00 p.m. Location: Fess Parker Studio Theater Why Go? See this student showcase that celebrates creativity and spirituality through music, dance and theater.
GEAR UP for Summer Internships Time: 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Location: Benson Parlors Why Go? Get some advice on how to find a summer internship and get ahead in this tough job market. Bring a friend and your questions!
1/23 | MONDAY
1/25 | WEDNESDAY Engineering Career Fair Time: 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Location: Locatelli Center Why Go? Come to connect with employers and potentially find your next great job opportunity!
To suggest events for the calendar please contact James Hill III at: calendar@thesantaclara.com.
Ingenious Innovations Islamic Science Rediscovered
Did you know…
Kurt the giraffe wants you to recycle this copy of TSC!
Persian scholars developed the foundations for modern algebra and algorithms?
The Tech ® !"#$%"&'()*+,
Museum
Spirit of Silicon Valley
10 / Sports
The Santa Clara
49ers Strike Gold Against Saints
WCC STANDINGS Men's Basketball Team Saint Mary's (No. 24) Brigham Young Gonzaga Loyola Marymount Portland San Francisco San Diego Pepperdine Santa Clara
Thursday, January 19, 2012
WCC 6-0 5-1 4-1 3-2 2-3 2-4 1-4 1-5 0-4
Overall 17-2 16-4 14-3 10-8 5-13 12-8 6-11 7-10 8-9
WCC 5-1 5-1 4-1 3-1 4-2 1-3 1-5 1-5 0-5
Overall 16-3 14-5 15-3 12-4 9-8 8-9 8-12 3-16 4-13
Women's Basketball Team Brigham Young Saint Mary's Gonzaga San Diego Pepperdine Santa Clara Portland San Francisco Loyola Marymount
UPCOMING GAMES Men's Basketball Saint Mary's @ Santa Clara Loyola Marymount @ Santa Clara San Francisco @ Santa Clara Santa Clara @ Pepperdine Portland @ Santa Clara Santa Clara @ San Diego
Sat. 1/21 Mon. 1/23 Thu. 1/26 Sat. 1/28 Thu. 2/2 Sat. 2/4
8:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.
Thu. 1/19 Sat. 1/21 Thu. 1/26 Sat. 1/28 Thu. 2/2 Sat. 2/4
7:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m.
Women's Basketball Gonzaga @ Santa Clara Santa Clara @ Loyola Marymount Santa Clara @ Saint Mary's Brigham Young @ Santa Clara Santa Clara @ San Diego Santa Clara @ San Francisco
BRONCO BRIEFS Men's Basketball The Broncos lost their fifth game in a row on Saturday night at Brigham Young University by a final socre of 95-78. It was the first ever West Coast Conference matchup between the two teams, as the Cougars joined the conference following last season. Kevin Foster scored 22 points to pass John Bryant at No. 6 on the Broncos all-time scoring list. Niyi Harrison scored 18, Raymond Cowels III scored 14 and Evan Roquemore added 11. Yannick Atanga led the Broncos (8-9: 0-4) with five rebounds and Robert Garrett added four. BYU (15-4; 4-1) shot 56 percent from the field, including 41 percent from beyond the arc. Brandon Davies led the Cougars with 23 points and five rebounds. Noah Hartsock and Matt Carlino each had 21 points. Up next for the Broncos is a big matchup with conference frontrunner Saint Mary's on Jan. 21 at the Leavey Center.
Women's Basketball The Broncos were unable to pick up a road win at Pepperdine, losing 67-57 to the Waves on Saturday. Freshman Nici Gilday, matched her career-high with 15 points off the bench to lead Santa Clara (8-9; 1-3). Alyssa Shoji, the nation's top 3-point shooter, could not find a rhythm and shot only 1 for 8 from long range. The Broncos return home to face Gonzaga at the Leavey Center tonight at 7 p.m.
Men's Ice Hockey
DALJE.COM
San Francisco running back Frank Gore scampers away from New Orleans defenders during the 49ers' 36-32 victory over the Saints in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Saturday afternoon at Candlestick Park. Gore ran for 89 yards on 13 carries. The 49ers host the New York Giants on Sunday.
Smith, Davis connect for game-winning touchdown pass Ryan Marshall
The Santa Clara After enduring five years in the National Football League without a winning season since he was drafted sixth overall in 2006, Vernon Davis couldn't hold back tears of joy after scoring the game-winning touchdown on Saturday against the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. The thrilling game also demonstrated that the annoyingly popular jingle: “offense wins games; defense wins championships,” is still intact. With offensive help from Davis and quarterback Alex Smith, the 49ers' stout defense was able to stay true to form and limited the explosive offense of the Saints for the majority of the game. The final score was 36-32. However, the final four minutes of the game were a frenzy that included 28 total points, 44-yard and 66-yard touchdown passes by Saints' quarterback Drew Brees, and an unexpected 28-yard touchdown run by Smith. All of this was capped off by perhaps already one of the most wellknown plays in modern 49ers history when Davis caught the game-winning touchdown pass in traffic with nine emotional seconds remaining. The roller coaster of an ending had many
Santa Clara students on the edge of their seats, some screaming loudly, while others cool and collected. Sophomore and Bay Area native Robbie Cotton displayed his excitement as he watched the game from his perspective of a long-time 49er fan. “I was yelling at the TV the whole last two offensive series for the Niners,” said Cotton. “I was sad when Alex Smith ran that bootleg into the end-zone because it left so much time on the clock for the Saints. Luckily (the Saints also) scored too quickly and Vernon Davis put the team on his back.” Davis certainly did lead the charge, scoring the game’s first and last touchdowns while compiling 180 receiving yards on seven catches. Smith completed 24 of 42 passes for 299 yards to go along with his touchdown run in the final minutes. “This win means a lot to the 49er faithful,” said junior Andrea Martinez. “For years I have been hammering Alex Smith and hoping for a trade, but now I take it all back because he has really proven to be a team leader this season. A lot of people have been waiting years for a team with this kind of ability.” Niners fans have been waiting 14 years to be exact, as the team has not played in a conference championship game since 1997. A win against the New York Giants this weekend would put them in the Super Bowl for the first time since 1995, when they defeated the San Diego Chargers 4926 in Miami. The win against the Saints wasn’t only exciting for 49ers fans. You didn’t even have to be rooting for a specific team to enjoy this game.
Contact Ryan Marshall at rmarshall@ scu.edu or (408) 554-4852.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Bianca Henninger
The Broncos returned from a month-long break to lose to Cal State Northridge by a score of 19-5 on Saturday night at Sharks Ice in Fremont, Calif. The team ended the first period down 2-5, but allowed the Matadors to score nine goals in the second period. The Broncos looked better in the final period, moving their feet and hustling for the puck, but it was not enough. The team will next face Sacramento State on Jan. 20.
The All-American was drafted 13th overall by the Philadelphia Independence in the 2012 Women's Professional Soccer Draft.
Follow TSC on Twitter!
What does playing professional soccer mean to you? I'm being allowed to continue doing something that I know I love doing, and I can't tell you how excited I am for that opportunity.
@TheSantaClara
Zack Morris, a junior from Plano, Texas and an ashamed Cowboys fan, simply wanted to see a good game like the many other people whose favorite teams have already been eliminated. “I just wanted it to be a close game more than anything, although it was nice to see San Francisco win,” said Morris. “It was an exciting game, and it was great football to watch. That’s how the playoffs are supposed to be.” Warren Sadler, a sophomore from Seattle, Wash., was also glad to see the 49ers win. Sadler’s home team, the Seattle Seahawks, had knocked the Saints out of the playoffs last season. “The game was definitely a fun one to watch. There was a lot of jumping up and down and yelling at the TV towards the end,” said Sadler. “The win must be really exciting and uplifting for 49ers fans.” While there may not be a Steve Young or Jerry Rice like there was in ‘94, Smith, Davis and the league’s leading rush defense have 49er fans believing they can make it back to the Super Bowl. Sophomore Robbie Inch acknowledged both the confidence that the 49ers carry forward into the conference championship game, as well as the tough competition ahead. “(49er head coach) Jim Harbaugh has really instilled new faith into the team,” said Inch. “It’s great to see a team that has struggled in the recent past do so well now. I think either team can win this (weekend), but it will take a lot of preparation on both sides.”
Soccer What are your thoughts about playing in Philadelphia? I'm really excited to be playing in Philadelphia. The team lost in the finals last year, so I know everyone there is hungry to finish on top this year. I'm excited to do what I can to help contribute to the team's goals in anyway possible.
Sports / 11
The Santa Clara
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Women's Water Polo Prepares for Season
Broncos hope to improve upon last season's success Gabe Taylor
The Santa Clara With little time to prepare following the holidays, the Santa Clara women's water polo team is revving up for the 2012 season. The Broncos, who will kick off their campaign this Friday against UC Santa Barbara at 3:30 p.m., will feature nine new faces — three transfers and six freshmen. If the start of this season mimics the end of last season, then the Santa Clara women’s water polo team is in for a good ride. After closing out conference play on a 5-2 run, and an overall Western Water Polo Association record of 10-6, the Broncos secured a third place conference finish. “As a team, we improved a lot over the course of the season last year, so having a strong finish definitely brings us momentum going into this season,” said Head Coach Keith Wilbur, acknowledging that the team lost leading goal-scorer Taylor Harkins among other key players. Conditioning has been the primary focus for the Broncos, who have taken to scrimmages in practice to prepare for in-game situations. “I still think the beginning of the season’s going to be a little bit of learning and growing,” said Wilbur, explaining that “growing pains”
may occur early in the season. According to senior Marina Allen, who recorded 34 goals and 35 assists last season, the quick pace of the team is enabling the Broncos to engage in swift counter-attacks. As the weeks have progressed, the players are meshing to a greater extent. And being on the same page is a plus. “We communicate really well,” said Allen. “Outside the pool we’re really close to each other, which really helps inside the pool.” Despite the high number of newcomers, Wilbur is confident that the recruiting class will deliver. According to Wilbur, it is likely that some of the younger players will receive substantial playing time and opportunities to contribute. Among the top prospects is former San Jose Mercury News Women’s Water Polo Player of the Year, Julia Peters. Peters, however, has been plagued with a sprained ankle that is keeping her out of the water indefinitely. “When she’s healthy and able to play, I think she’s going to definitely be able to help us win some games this year,” commented Wilbur. According to Wilbur, a timeline for her return has not been set, but he is hopeful that the injury only keeps her sidelined for the “first couple of weeks.” “I do know that she will be back during the season, as long as nothing else happens,” said Wilbur, adding later that his “preference is to be more careful and make sure there is full recovery.” Spanning from Friday until Sunday afternoon, Santa Clara will
SAMANTHA JUDA — THE SANTA CLARA
Junior goalkeeper Stephanie Clements attempts to block a shot during practice last week. The Santa Clara women's water polo team is looking to improve upon last season's success. The Broncos open up their season on Friday against UC Santa Barbara.
face off against five opponents. The Broncos open the season tomorrow against UC Santa Barbara, before embarking on a brief ride to San Jose where they will compete at the San Jose State University Spartan Invitational. After finishing third in the WWPA last season, the expecta-
tions have been officially upgraded. Landing at the top of their conference stands as the overarching goal heading into the season. But that remains in the distant future. For now, it’s about starting off on the right foot. “There’s a lot of things that go on before our (WWPA) tourna-
ment,” said Allen. “We just want to be able to win the games we need to win, get some upsets, and get some experience before we go into our conference tournament so that we’re more confident.” Contact Gabe Taylor at gtaylor@ scu.edu or (408) 554-4852.
Rugby Looks to Move Scrum
SAMANTHA JUDA — THE SANTA CLARA
A Santa Clara player is tackled to the turf by a Santa Cruz defender during SCUTS' first game of the season on Saturday afternoon.
continued from page 12
ALL SPORTS EVERY THURSDAY
Rugby is a test of speed, strength and skill, but paramount to the sport is will. It’s like goal line football: a test of brute strength and teamwork. In this game of raw force, SCUTS is determined to be the last team standing this year. “Our personal goals are really to win the league,” said senior Daniel Iritani. The league consists of Stanford, Sacramento State and Chico State. The surviving team will move on to nationals. “We will have to work on a few things like tackling, kickoffs and conversions,” said Assistant Coach Jone Naquica, part of the new staff that has been ushered in by first-year head coach Paul Keeler. Organization will also be emphasized. “We just need to be organized, be vocal,” continued Naquica. “We
have some good team leaders (and) we need those guys to be talking the whole time on the field.” Senior Ryan Falvey, who was recently named team president, has seen great commitment from his team so far. “Last night we had players come out for an optional practice for an hour, run by the players, just to get in shape for (an exhibition game),” said Falvey. “When you don’t win games, you know it’s because you’re not putting the extra work in and ultimately that’s what the guys want to do: they want to be successful and win.” The cohesiveness carries over off the playing surface as well. “I’m planning on living with some upperclassmen next year,” said freshman Tyson Dethlefsen. “(Rugby) is a lot of respect, a lot of work and it really brings us together.” This sense of camaraderie is heightened through experiences in games and practices. “When you play rugby you become
best friends with these guys,” offered Falvey. “For most of us, this is our outof-classroom activity. This is what we do.” SCUTS opens league play Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. on Buck Shaw Stadium against the defending league champion Stanford Cardinal. “Last year two teams finished 5-1 and one team won and one team didn’t,” said Falvey, “so every game is important and, in essence, you have to go undefeated.” The team feels they are capable of doing that this season. Said Murphy: “We have a brandnew head coach in... from Golden Gate Rugby in San Francisco, and then we have two phenomenal assistant coaches, new uniforms, brand new turf, new posts, all the support from the athletic department and the team has just bought in this year from A side to B side.” Contact Tom Schreier at tschreier@ scu.edu or (408) 554-4852.
SPORTS
12
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Warriors: Exciting Mediocrity
Club Rugby Ready To Rumble
Ryan Reed
Contributing Writer California is represented by four teams in the National Basketball Association, but the Golden State Warriors seem to receive less attention than the other three teams. This is odd considering the Warriors, who have averaged over 100 points per game the past few seasons, are arguably one of the more exciting teams to watch. But perhaps the lack of widespread support is more understandable considering the Warriors have only made one playoff appearance in the last 18 years. Highscoring offense is fun to watch, but it does not necessarily translate to wins. While not the best team in the league by any means, the Warriors have one of the most enthralling backcourts in Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry, as well as their former player turned broadcaster turned head coach Mark Jackson. Furthermore, the Warriors play at Oracle Arena in Oakland, which is only a 40 minute drive from Santa Clara and 55 minutes on the Amtrak. Since tickets are relatively cheap and can pay for a full night of basketball entertainment, I decided to attend a game. The Warriors came into the contest with a measly 2-5 record and were hosting the Utah Jazz. The Jazz entered with a slightly better, yet still mediocre, record at 5-4. I was most eager to watch Monta Ellis of the Warriors, one of the quickest and most electrifying players in the league. The game was up-tempo, as expected from the Warriors. Golden State was up by just three points going into the fourth quarter. They had gotten a boost from newly acquired Nate Robinson, who, at only 5-foot-9, is surprisingly a three-time slam dunk champion. But it was Ellis who carried the team, making 16 of 17 free throws and hitting back-toback shots down the stretch to give his team an 85-81 lead. Raja Bell, the Jazz’s most tenacious defender, came back onto the court in an attempt to reign in Ellis. This substitution led to a 7-2 run by the Jazz, who took a one-point lead with 20 seconds remaining. The Warriors had a chance for a highlight finish, but Ellis’ shot at the buzzer rimmed out, and the Jazz escaped with the victory. Although the home team lost, the intensity of the game made the trip to Oracle Arena well worth it. A few nights later, the Warriors had perhaps their biggest challenge of the year when LeBron James and the 8-1 Miami Heat brought their talents to the Bay Area. The Warriors were able to claw back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime, where the often publicized struggles of the Miami Heat in clutch were on full display. The Heat was outscored 15-10 and the Warriors pulled off the upset. These two games perhaps illustrated the reason why very few of the California basketball fans that I have encountered are loyal to the Warriors. One night, they lose to an average team like the Jazz, but then they come back and knock off a stellar team like Miami. Inconsistency is frustrating. Ryan Reed is a freshman history major.
Team wins first game against UC Santa Cruz Tom Schreier
The Santa Clara Watching rugby is like observing the cast of "The Expendables" on a field together playing football — without pads. “It’s football without the pass,” said senior Joey Murphy, who broke his cheek and orbital bones during his freshman season as a member of Santa Clara’s club rugby team. The team is called Santa Clara University Touring Side, or SCUTS, and has been a strong fixture on campus since the 1960s. With no football team at Santa Clara, rugby is the next best alternative for those who are drawn to physical, contact sports. SCUTS started off the 2012 campaign on Saturday with a 5815 victory over UC Santa Cruz on Bellomy Field. Junior Nick Johnson along with others in the backline had runs that led to multiple scoring opportunities and 10 tries from the team on the afternoon. Senior Daniel Iritani and junior Nate May each scored multiple tries in the match. The B-side match was an impressive showing for many first year players as the team defeated Santa Cruz. One of the signature plays in
rugby is called the scrum, in which the two sets of forwards mass together around the ball and struggle to gain possession of it. “The scrum is the most violent movement in all of sports,” said Murphy, of the game’s notorious formation. A scrum consists of eight players, lined up in three rows. Three players are lined in front and four are in back. The eighth man stands alone, ready to pitch the ball to a teammate. “Everyone needs to be cohesive,” said sophomore Tim O’Hara, an AllAmerican who last year played for the Junior World Rugby Trophy in Tbilisi, Ga. “If one guy is not going hard or supporting his own weight, then you’re going to lose the whole eight-man scrum.” Murphy plays the position of scrum-half. He quarterbacks the team and determines which direction the players must go to advance the ball. In the scrum formation, he stands outside of the two eight-man scrum unions created by both teams and must strategically toss the ball in a place where his teammates are most likely to get it. The front three players then try to move the ball back to the four players behind them, who will place the ball behind them for the lone man in the back — who will then pass the ball backwards to a teammate. SAMANTHA JUDA — THE SANTA CLARA
SEE RUGBY page 11
Players on the Santa Clara rugby team use strength and teamwork to move the ball up and down Bellomy Field during their 58-15 win over UC Santa Cruz on Saturday.
Must See: Bronco Men's Basketball
SCU
vs.
SMC
8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 21 at Leavey Center For a complete schedule of games, see page 10.