LSA sends members to convention at Harvard See News, page 3
Time isn’t money: Time bank unites community See Features, page 2
WSU baseball wins home opener against SVSU See Sports, page 8
DLECTRICITY SPARKS UP AGAIN Midtown’s favorite night time art show plans its return SEE NEWS, PAGE 2
JON ADAMS/THE SOUTH END
APRIL 2 - 9, 2014 | WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1967 | THESOUTHEND.WAYNE.EDU | DETROIT, MICHIGAN | FREE
5221 GULLEN MALL - STUDENT CENTER SUITE 50 - DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48202 ADVERTISING: 313-577-3494
Dlectricity auditions close, Detroit’s anticipation grows
STAFF CONTACT LIST EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JILL LUBAS • JILLELUBAS@GMAIL.COM MANAGING EDITORS ELI HOERLER • ELIHOERLER@GMAIL.COM SYDNEE THOMPSON • THOMPSONSYDNEE@GMAIL.COM DESIGN & MULTIMEDIA EDITOR JON ADAMS • ED6239@WAYNE.EDU NEWS EDITORS WISAM DAIFI • WDAIFI@GMAIL.COM CHRIS EHRMANN • CEHRMANN.TSE@WAYNE.EDU ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR TIM CARROLL • TIMOTHY.CARROLL@WAYNE.EDU SPORTS EDITOR FUAD SHALHOUT • DW8385@GMAIL.COM FEATURES EDITOR LIZ SCUTCHFIELD • LSCUTCHFIELD@GMAIL.COM ONLINE EDITOR TIM CARROLL • TIMOTHY.CARROLL@WAYNE.EDU COPY EDITOR PATRICK ANDRZEJCZYK • PANDRZEJCZYK91@GMAIL.COM ADVERTISING MANAGER NATALIE DIXON • NDSOUTHEND@GMAIL.COM
LETTERS TO THE EDITORS
The South End welcomes letters to the editors regarding all inquiries and concerns from the Wayne State community. Please limit letters to 500 words. All submissions are subject to editing and may be published. Please email jillelubas@gmail.com.
CORRECTIONS
The South End corrects all factual errors published online or in print. Please email jillelubas@gmail.com.
ONLINE POLICY
The South End publishes articles online and in print. Visit our website at thesouthend. wayne.edu. While we support the right to free speech and expression, there are guidelines for morally and socially acceptable content. Comments and feedback deemed offensive are subject to editing or removal.
PUBLICATION
JON ADAMS/THE SOUTH END
WILLIAM LAUBSCHER IV Contributing Writer With open auditions ending March 31, the Detroit-based interactive art and light festival Dlectricity is quickly approaching. Hosted by Midtown Detroit Inc., Dlectricity is a Nuit Blanche, or a nighttime arts festival. It’s scheduled to coincide with the Detroit Design Festival in September. Its goal is to stimulate a discussion about the effects of public art on the surrounding community with various installations throughout parts of Midtown Detroit. Thirty-five local, national and international artists will participate in the event, creating installations viewers can interact with. Each installation is designed specifically for the location in which it is placed. Wayne State professor Cristobal Mendoza, whose work has been displayed at the Biennial of Video and Media Arts in Chile, created one of the most memorable installations of Dlectricity. Mendoza’s piece, called “Notional Field,” was displayed at the Welcome Center and consisted of illuminated strings that morphed and flowed, mimicking
The South End is published Wednesdays during the fall and winter semesters by Wayne State University students. Copies are available free of charge at various locations throughout campus. The Student Newspaper Publication Board, established by the Wayne State University Board of Governors, acts as the publisher of The South End. The board establishes and ensures compliance with publication, editorial and news reporting guidelines. All complaints, comments and suggestions concerning the student newspaper should be directed to doso@wayne.edu.
the viewer’s pattern of f movement. “The overall experience was fantastic,” Mendoza said. “Detroit is not really known for its pedestrian traffic, so it was almost surreal to see Woodward overrun by throngs of people on foot. Beyond the art and the activities, Dlectricity transformed the neighborhood and likely the way many nonresidents view the city.” Although several stationary art pieces were displayed, Dlectricity did not solely consist of them. “OPEN”, a performance created by WSU dance professor Biba Bell, used light to trail the movements of a dancer as they moved through a specific environment. “The effect was a world of its own — all light was manipulated by the dancers, who had multiple flashlights, as well as two dancers who worked projectors on their backs,” Bell said. “Lots of people seemed to be a bit mystified by the whole experience — being out in the neighborhood, the many installations, the questions around art and its reception.” Bell teaches at New York University and WSU. A doctoral candidate in the Department of Performance Studies at NYU, Bell has been presented at the
FOLLOW THE SOUTH END ON YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL NETWORKS. YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO. 2 I APRIL 2 - 9, 2014 I
/THESOUTHENDNEWS
Garage Center for Contemporary Culture in Moscow, as well as several other events and showplaces throughout the United States. The number of people who migrated to Midtown during Dlectricity had a great economic impact on the community and helped excel the previous work done by its host, Midtown Detroit Inc. “A Nuit Blanche-type event does a lot for the neighborhood, animating it, bringing visibility and creating a space for exploration and intrigue,” Bell said. Midtown Inc. is a nonprofit development agency that has helped raise more than $50 million for various parks, community gardens, public art plans and other beautification projects throughout the vibrant Detroit neighborhood. “Even with the rain on Friday, people still came out, and seeing them come back, with an audience of around 75,000 people … It was unbelievable,” said Annmarie Borucki, special projects manager at Midtown Inc. One piece called “I See You,” presented by Apetechnology, consisted of glowing robots that roamed the streets, interrupting random viewers and forcing them to interact. If the viewers
walked away, the bot would follow and mimic their movements, forcing them to take part in the action. “That was the artist’s point: to see how humans interacted with these glowing bots,” said Alexandra McKendrick, WSU student and Dlectricity attendee. “You could not just simply be a bystander; the robots would not allow it.” Dlectricity is more than an outdoor art exhibit — it is a portrayal of the passion that is seen in WSU students, faculty and staff. “Having a relationship (with) WSU is a natural partnership for Dlectricity, and a number of WSU spaces were included for installation/performance,” Bell said. “It is also set up like a treasure hunt, walking through neighborhoods looking for luminescence.” Mendoza also offered encouragement for students, both art and non-art oriented, to experience Dlectricity. “You don’t have to be part of the art community to enjoy art,” Mendoza said. “Appreciating the positive aspects of the urban landscape is something that the WSU population should practice, and Dlectricity is a truly unique way to do so.”
Heidelberg faces suspicion, scrutiny in wake of arson
COURTESY HEIDELBERG.ORG
LEXI TRIMPE Contributing Writer The Heidelberg Project, a well-known Detroit open-air art installation, has faced a slew of problems since May 2013. Nine arsons have destroyed a large portion of the project, leaving room for speculation and rumor about the organization. In order to rebuild and succeed, the Heidelberg Project is calling for help from the Detroit community, and is offering special opportunities for students willing to lend a hand. The ninth arson occurred in March. “To be honest, the ninth arson was very tough, very surreal. It seems as though once we began to recover from the trauma of eight fires, another Indiegogo campaign, fast and furious security planning and intensive strategy sessions, we were hit again” said Katie Hearn, the marketing and communications coordinator for the Heidelberg Project, in an emailed statement to The South End. The Heidelberg Project began in 1986 through the efforts of Detroit artist Tyree Guyton. The project was originally designed to bring attention to the ongoing
blight and decay in the neighborhood where Guyton grew up. Located on the 3600 block of Heidelberg Street on Detroit’s east side, the charred ruins of the “Party Animal House” makes a stark contrast to the colorful and lively installations that remain. “It’s clear to us that the Heidelberg Project is ready for its next chapter, and we’re open to it, we’re excited for it,” said Hearn. “We’ve been forced out of our comfort zone and I can’t help but believe that’s because we have the right people, the right intentions and the necessary resolve to, as Tyree likes to say, flip the script.” After the fifth arson, the Heidelberg Project reached out to the community on the crowd-funding website indiegogo.com asking for donations to pay for increased security around the installations. The fundraiser raised $54,280. Since the arsons have continued, however, speculation began to rise on how the money has been spent, specifically from independent journalism blog Motor City Muckraker. In a recent article, Muckraker founder Steve Neavling questioned how the non-profit used the funds and how it has been operating.
Since the article, the Heidelberg Project has released a detailed infographic on how funds have been spent and says they’re open from questions from the community. “We’ve been aware that Detroiters are often the least familiar with the mission and history of the Heidelberg Project as an organization, and the initial response to this article definitely confirmed that,” said Hearn. “We’ve been making strides to address that disparity, though, so seeing the number of people that did speak up in our defense was like winning the lottery. Overall though, I’d say the Motor City Muckraker article has given us an opportunity to share our mission with new groups of followers, including a new generation of Detroiters.” Since the last arson, the non-profit is now focused on moving forward and continuing the vision of the Heidelberg Project. “We’re working on some great plans, from summer workshops and edible sculpture gardens to community conversations and home improvements. We’re very excited to get back to our roots,” said Hearn. In order to succeed in the next chapter, the Heidelberg Project says it still needs community support. “We do need sup-
port from our larger community at large, though. We can’t help but succeed once our Detroit community understands our work, “ said Hearn, “We need platforms from which to educate, learn, and converse. We need advocates and allies to ask questions and share stories. We need Detroiters to get involved and meet us halfway-- we’re all in this together, after all!” Opportunities to help the Heidelberg Project are available to sympathetic students. “We are currently looking for interns to help us develop content for social media, blogs, and podcasts, an intern for web maintenance, and even an intern dedicated to Tyree!” said Hearn. Information on internships can be found under the “Get Involved” section of Heidlebergproject.org Other volunteer opportunities are always available at the Heidelberg Project and can be found in the same section of the website. Other volunteer opportunities can be found on the Heidelberg Project’s Facebook page. Student organizations can find out about larger scale volunteer activities or alternative spring break programs by contacting the Heidelberg Project at information@ heidleberg.org.
Student org heads to Harvard for annual convention ZEINAB NAJM Contributing Writer Spreading awareness about their cultural heritage is a top priority for the Lebanese Student Association. They do that annually through the Lebanese Collegiate Network convention. The LCN was created as a non-profit organization to help serve Lebanese student organizations on campuses across the country. This year, the convention will be taking place at Harvard University in Boston. Over 25 universities, including WSU students, will attend this two day event from April 4 to 6. During those couple of days, students will attend workshops and a have a chance to network during social events. The workshops will include resume building, public speaking, project devel-
opment and management, and building a financial portfolio and saving for retirement. For President Abe Farhat, he is looking forward to the possibilities that are available for himself and his group at the convention. I’m looking forward to a couple things at the Harvard convention” Farhat said. “Every year university Lebanese Clubs have the opportunity to sign up to receive ‘The Most Outstanding ULC Award’. Having applied for that opportunity this year, I feel as though the Lebanese Student Association of Wayne State University has a great chance to win this year,” he said. “I’m also looking forward to meeting more Lebanese students from all across the nation and building friendships, while also learning more about how to academically and professionally develop our organization.”
Each year the LCN strives to put on a bigger and better event for the colleges and students. It is an important event especially for WSU’s LSA. Chapter Vice President Fawzeih Daher said the organization gains a great deal from participating in the conventions. “The LCN convention is important to LSA because it’s one of the only opportunities we have to connect with the larger Lebanese community across the nation,” Daher said. “In meeting other University Lebanese Clubs we are not only able to network with our peers, but learn about what other organizations have been doing and come up with new ideas for our LSA.” The last day of the convention ends with a banquet dinner and guest speakers, who honor the hosts of the event, students who attend, and the rest of the supporters.
Cultural technology chairperson Fatima El-Haf said she is hopeful about what she can gain from the convention this year. “The LCN convention has set forth a great program to aim knowledge about our Lebanese culture, “ she said. “LSA as a board hopes to gain knowledge through the workshops provided to improve our organization and learn from current leaders who will be speaking at the convention. We hope to learn how to make our organization stronger as a whole. We also hope to gain information on how to make our meetings more effective and knowledgeable to our body and how to better our Lebanese community.” The LCN convention provides a great opportunity for the LSA WSU chapter. LSA members hope to earn the highest honor at the convention, which is called ”The Nation’s Best University Lebanese Club” award.
/THESOUTHENDWSU I APRIL 2 - 9, 2014 I 3
‘Gone with the Wind’ hasn’t gone yet CORY ROCCA Contributing Writer Often called one of the greatest films of all time, “Gone with the Wind” is a timeless depiction of love and life in the Old South. The film serves as a historical representation of the Civil War-era, and in time it has transformed into a historical landmark itself, being re-released in US theaters eight times since its premiere 75 years ago. “Gone with the Wind” is the sordid love story of spoiled Southern debutante Scarlett O’Hara (Vivian Leigh), and shows the world of mid-19th century Georgia changing around her. Set at her beautiful plantation, Tara, Scarlett vies for the affection of the already-taken Ashley Wilkes. She takes up with various suitors, most notably the rakish leading man Rhett Butler (Clark Gable). 1939 is often claimed by film institutes and critics like Leslie Halliwell as the “Golden Year of the Golden Age,” and Gone with the Wind is representative film of that era. The film won nine Academy Awards the following year, including Hattie McDaniel, who won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role –the first time an AfricanAmerican was nominated and won. The
movie was one of the first to successfully use Technicolor, which cinematographically saturates films so they turn from monochrome or sepia to vivid colors. The use of Technicolor is not the only cinematographic magic in the film. Camera shots and special effects make “Gone with the Wind” iconic as well. Dr. Karen McDevitt, professor of new media arts and film studies at Wayne State, notes how an artful camera angle makes for a great scene. “Supreme camera shots, especially the striking pull-back view of hundreds of dead and dying soldiers, and spectacular special effects — specifically the burning of Atlanta — make “Gone with the Wind” visually captivating to its audience from beginning to end,” she said. The movie comes from the novel of the same name by Margaret Mitchell. Although the story takes place more than 150 years ago, the theme is timeless. Scarlett O’Hara is yearning for a forbidden love and refuses to give up on it. She does everything in her power to get what she wants in every situation, like using convicts as workers for her lumber business after the war to ensure she will make a large profit. Strong, bold and sassy, Scarlett is a woman ahead of her time. She may want a man, but is well
aware — as are those around her — that she does not need one. Her independence shines through in scenes like when she kills a stray cow to feed her family. This is an abnormal task for a typical 19th century Southern belle, which makes Scarlett an unforgettable character. Vivian Leigh portrays O’Hara perfectly, most notably with her wickedenticing eyes. Scarlett was a woman of the Civil War, but Leigh was a woman of the then-impending Second World War. In 1998, legendary film critic Roger Ebert described Leigh’s role as being “the symbol the nation needed as it headed into World War II; the spiritual sister of Rosie the Riveter.” While it may be a love story, action and war are just as prevalent. The anticipation of Yankee troops, the burning of Atlanta, a horse and buggy hijacking and frequent gun fire and shelling by Union troops keeps the movie thrilling for viewers. The dainty and dangerous Scarlett shoots, kills and steals from an intruding Yankee soldier eager to plunder her devastated Tara. Although the film had three directors, Victor Fleming received the accolades and the Oscar. Fleming directed another monumental film, “The Wizard of Oz”. which was also released in 1939. Both films show how
his directorial style leans toward lengthier films; “Gone with the Wind” is 238 minutes long and includes an intermission. The length is appropriate; the tale takes place before, during and after the Civil War. Compressing it to 238 minutes is quite an accomplishment. The cultural impact of the film has been enormous. It contains some of the most recognizable quotes of all time, like Gable’s immortal one-liner “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn,” which comes from the movie’s final scene between Rhett and Scarlett. The quote was immediately famous because “damn” was generally considered language too foul for film in 1939. Noted by countless critics and moviebuffs as an iconic American film, no one should go without seeing “Gone With the Wind. Because of its multiple releases and screenings, it is said to have been seen by more people than any other film. The recreation of the old South and the aristocratic, slaveholding economy is fascinating. Plantations like Tara and Twelve Oaks in the film serve as a symbol of how the movie stands apart as a pioneer in cinematography and setting. Combined with the acting style, “Gone with the Wind” holds a place in cultural history.
High school students exhibit works at WSU art gallery KIRAN SAINI Contributing Writer The 2014 Tri-County High School Exhibition is showing at the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History, and features works by high school students from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. The show includes works in various mediums, including paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, ceramics, sculpture and jewelry. More than 400 works were submitted, and 70 pieces are professionally presented in the gallery. “This exhibition is important in many ways for high school students seeking higher education in the field of arts,” said gallery director Thomas Pyrzewski. “Our intention with this exhibition is to expose students to a professional exhibition experience, which includes process.” According to Pyrzewski, process means the preparation of art for display, like jurying and displaying works in a professional manner. WSU art professors Jim Nawara and Dennis Robare selected two WSU art scholarship recipients, three Utrecht art materials awards and four honorable mention workshop awards at the exhibit’s opening reception.
Francesca Ortisi, of L’Anse Creause High School, won first place for “Chicago Night.” The second place award went to Jacob Delekta, a Waterford Kettering High School student, for “Hose Hair Vase.” Murphy Allen, also of Waterford Kettering, won third place for “Self Portrait.” The four honorable mentions were given to Jaimie Lacourciere of L’anse Creause for “Chicago River”; Collin Beresford of Bloomfield Hills High School, for “Trapezodial Tower”; Jacob Marshall of Lakeview High School, for “Light to Dark,” and Hedy Yang, a Detroit Country Day School student, for “Ruby.” The teacher award was awarded to Waterford Kettering instructor Frank M. Puddy. “The overall quality of the exhibited work is very high, and it represents the excellence of the work being done by art teachers and students in the tri-county high schools,” Nawara said. Nawara said students benefit greatly from such exposure. “This exhibition and the awards provide very important recognition for hardworking young artists. Our gallery staff is to be congratulated for providing this meaningful opportunity,” he said. Students featured in the show were selected from more than a dozen high schools from around the region. The exhibition opened March 21 and will run until April 4.
4 I APRIL 2 - 9, 2014 I WWW.THESOUTHEND.WAYNE.EDU
COURTESY MATTI ORTISI
‘August: Osage County’ to close Hilberry Theatre season
ALANA WALKER Contributing Writer The Hilberry Theatre will conclude their 51st season with a production of Tracy Letts’ “August: Osage County.” The show will open April 18 and will run through May 10. The story is set in a three-story home in modern-day Oklahoma as the Weston family reunites after learning the family patriarch has gone missing. When his body is found and his death is deemed a suicide, family secrets are revealed as they try to
support each other through the funeral. The play uses strong language and touches on sensitive topics like incest and sexual abuse; however the show is praised for its dark, witty humor and how it gracefully tackles such tough subject matter. The play received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, as well as multiple Tony Awards, including an award for best play in 2008. In his New York Times review of the original Broadway production, Charles Isherwood calls August “flat-out, no asterisks and without qualifications, the most exciting new American play Broadway has seen
in years. Fiercely funny and bitingly sad.” He goes on to call it “theater that continually keeps you hooked with shocks, surprises and delights, although it has a moving, heart-sore core.” For this production, associate professor of theatre and head of the MFA acting program, Lavinia Hart, will take over the role of the drug-addicted matriarch Violet. Other cast members include Alec Barbour (Beverly Weston), Danielle Cochrane (Barbara Fordham), Annie Keris (Ivy Weston), Megan Barbour (Karen Weston), Miles Boucher (Bill Fordham), Egla Kishta (Jean
Fordham), Brandon Grantz (Steve Heidebrecht), Bevin Bell-Hall (Mattie Fae Aiken), Brandy Joe Plambeck (Charlie Aiken), David Sterritt (Little Charles Aiken), Sarah Hawkins Moan (Johnna Monevata) and Topher Alan Payne (Sheriff Deon Gilbeau). WSU alumnus James R. Kuhl is the director. Tickets range from $10-$30 and can be purchased by calling the Hilberry Theatre Box Office at 313-577-2972, visiting the theatre’s websiteat Hilberry.com, or by visiting the box office at 4743 Cass Ave. on the corner of Hancock Street.
WSU students step up to the Fillmore for annual dance show KAYARA RIVERS Contributing Writer Hundreds of students, family and friends gathered the evening of March 28 at the Fillmore Theatre on Woodward to watch the 15th Annual Blacka Da Berry Step Show, presented by the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Blacka Da Berry is a performance competition that shows off the stepping talents of some of the finest dancers in Wayne Stateaffiliated fraternity and sorority chapters. The growing popularity of the performances moved the show to a larger venue this year. Jennifer McNeil, vice president of the Theta Delta chapter, said, “This show unites the campus and sheds light on the fun aspect of Greek life.” The event was hosted by WSU alumnus and comedian MC Foolish, best known for his role on the COCO and Foolish Morning Show.
“Turn Down for What” is the best phrase to describe the nature of the Blacka Da Berry Step Show this year. Foolish’s energetic commentary, along with the musical interludes of DJ Twist, kept the crowd moving as nine performances took the stage. The Golden Warrior Dance Team opened the show with an energetic hip hop-themed routine that set a lively mood for the audience – one that included a large number of supportive Greek frat-brothers, line sisters, neos, sorors and WSU alumni. Following the Golden Warrior Dance Team was a performance by Zeta Archonettes’ True Blue Step Team, who were the first group of the night to “Hit that Nae-Nae,” a popular urban dance sweeping the nation. Also a part of the ensemble was a contribution of soulful step from the Young Men of Excellence, a collaboration of African-American high school students who stepped to the beat in full suits and black ties.
After a special preview of the upcoming comedy movie ”Pawn Shop,” starring Detroit’s own Foolish and London “Deelishis” Charles, the competition began. Chapters of Omega Psi Phi, Iota Phi Theta, Phi Beta Sigma and the ladies of Delta Sigma Theta all gave enthusiastic and entertaining step performances. With the help of props and video clips, the audience was drawn into each set. There was a brief interruption in the crowd during the beginning of the Iota performance that was allegedly initiated by a chapter of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. “I was able to step with what I consider an elite team tonight. We had our disruption, but that is how (they) do the Iotas. It doesn’t bother us, it doesn’t hurt us. It makes us go even harder,” said Terrance Crowell, one of the members that chartered the Eta Eta Iota chapter at WSU. This was his last step. Despite the disruption, the crowd was able to get back to the focus of the show
after the Iotas restarted their routine from the top. The brothers of Omega Psi Phi won the fraternity division of the competition, and although Delta Sigma Theta took the win for the sorority division by default, their sassy, sexy- yet-classy performance was noteworthy. “It was fun and very rewarding to perform here tonight, and a relief. We worked very hard and have been preparing for a while,” said LaTonya Berry, a sister of the mighty Tau chapter. The Da Blacka Da Berry Step Show was brought to a close by a crowd-pleasing performance from the talented ladies of Zeta Phi Beta. “This show is always a huge success,” said Tiny Sebastian-Griffin, coordinator of Greek Affairs at WSU. With the continued dedication and hard work of members from the Theta Delta chapter, next year’s show is guaranteed to be a success.
/THESOUTHENDNEWS I APRIL 2 - 9, 2014 I 5
Spend time, not money PATRICK ANDRZEJCZYK The South End As an idea, it sounds like the most natural thing in the world: people without enough cash to hire a gardener or a computer skills tutor can just trade skills to get what they need. This is especially true in a deprived city like Detroit, where there are plenty of people with a fresh batch of bread or a sack of organic tomatoes on hand who lack the cash to hire a plumber, or a tutor to help them learn a new, useful skill. This is what a time bank does, broadly speaking. They connect people with a need for a service with someone able to fulfill it. A young, tech-savvy student can find their skills in high demand, and can learn how to grow vegetables, knit socks, mend torn clothing or cook healthy meals in exchange for a few minutes spent teaching Mrs. Jones how to use Word. It’s a trend seen in cities from Spain and Greece to Cleveland and Detroit. There’s a movement in places around the world towards solving the problems of poverty and sinking fortunes without a loan from the IMF or the government. It’s a trend towards simpler economics, self-reliance and deeper community connections – more face-time and less overtime. In some places like Mondragon in Spain,
it takes the form of a massive, billion-dollar co-op that serves hundreds of thousands of ethnic Basques, a historically marginalized group in that country. In other places, like Detroit, the movement manifests itself in time banks. These institutions connect neighbors to make use of existing resources in their neighborhoods. One such institution is the aptly-named Unity in Our Community Time Bank. Jennie Weakley, a coordinator at the bank, said the idea isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. Apparently some people think of what her time bank does as bartering or some kind of goods exchange. Not so, she said. “We try to stay away from the word barter,” she said. Weakley explained that when bartering was all the rage a few decades ago, people ended up finding their transactions were taxable, and the trend slowed and eventually stopped. “Time banks are based on equality, which is to say nothing has a monetary value. So nothing is taxable.” Weakley said the central principle of equality extends to members’ time as well. “If you are eight years old and (are) raking my leaves, or you are a lawyer giving me legal advice…your hour is your hour,” she said. “No one’s time is more valuable than anybody else’s.”
According to Weakley, another popular misconception people tend to have about time banking is that they’re co-ops, or some other kind of cooperative enterprise. That’s not exactly the case, Weakley said. She understands why that is, though, and would like to clear the air. “People who are interested in time banks are (usually) also interested in cooperatives, but they’re two very different entities.” She said she doesn’t have much knowledge about co-ops herself, and said many are poorly managed and tend to fail. Luckily, it seems the Southwest Detroit time bank doesn’t suffer from lack of involvement or mismanagement. Weakley said her bank has over 100 members, and is coordinating a membership drive with their umbrella group Bridging Communities to help organize the bank’s activities. “Right now we have about 235 applicants … but over the course of the next few months, we’ll be adding about 700 members,” Weakley said. What are her time bank members like? Weakley said a lot of them are lifelong Detroiters. “Our members range from six years old to 75,” she said. “A lot of them have challenges with technology or access to it … and we have a lot of youths and young adults.”
She said her younger members put on a lot of community events and even help their older, less technologically-capable fellows get the hang of basic tasks like email, online banking and shopping. Even so, Weakley said that while many of the bank’s members are students, only a handful attend Wayne State. “We’re … outside of Midtown, and many of the people who go (to WSU) don’t live in the area,” she said. “But we do have some members who intern at non profits who hear about us from there and join up.” The fact that organizations like Weakley’s lay a few miles off Warren shouldn’t deter WSU students from getting involved in the wider Detroit area, or even in their own neighborhoods in the ‘burbs. Organizations like Unity in Our Community are part of a wider effort in Detroit and elsewhere to help reconnect Americans with their neighbors, so instead of just hoping for better things, they can make them happen. Weakley said part of the bank’s mission is entirely up to its members. She said like anything else, her members will only see benefits if they invest the proper time and effort. “You get out of (the bank) exactly what you put in,” she said. “If you want something out of (this), you have to put the time into it to make it happen.”
‘Wayne Cares’ looks for student participation in cancer awareness race JESSICA SADER Contributing Writer For years, Wayne State students have been lacing up their running shoes and putting on their pink athletic gear to support a worthy cause. Some choose mesh shorts, others choose tutus, but all choose to run united, showing just how much WSU cares. Every year, Wayne Cares, a university outreach initiative that unites the WSU community for charitable giving, assembles a team of people to participate in the Komen Detroit Race for the Cure. With a purpose to educate and build awareness of breast cancer, the Komen Detroit Race for the Cure is the largest race in Michigan.
In the past three years, Wayne Cares has raised more than $25,000 through the 5k run/walk and was the largest university race in the years 2004-2007, and again from 2009 until 2012. Wayne Cares co-chair Krystal Tosch encourages students to be a part of the Wayne Cares team during their June 7 event. “I think it’s important for people to support Race for the Cure, whether they run, walk, or donate, because 75 percent of the money raised comes back to the tri-county area to support local programs and research to hopefully end breast cancer forever,” Tosch said. “Not many other races that you can register for promise that.” The remaining 25 percent of money raised assists breast cancer research fund-
ing and project grants awarded through Komen for the Cure. Komen Detroit Race for the Cure made $1.01 million in local grants benefiting Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, and contributed more than $291,700 to breast cancer research in 2013 alone. Avid runner Jessica Feghali ran her first Detroit-5k as a part of the Wayne Cares team. “There was a lot of great energy,” Feghali said. “I was running with people of all ages and seeing the city along the way.” Wayne Cares has had top five finishers in both the male and female divisions and hopes to continue to win titles, while celebrating those who have survived breast cancer and remembering those who have
not. This year’s race starts at 7 a.m. at Chene Park Amphitheater, which is located at 2600 Atwater in Detroit. The last day for team registration is May 20. Current teams include Wayne Cares AAB, C&IT, Cancer Biology Grad Program, Club Sports, College of Nursing, FP&M and the School of Medicine. To form a team, go to the homepage for the Komen Detroit Race for the Cure (http://bit.ly/1hm0rxN), click “team captains, create your team” and enter the name of your team. But make sure your team starts with Wayne Cares. For questions regarding Wayne Cares involvement with Komen Detroit Race for the Cure, contact Krystal Tosch at krystal.tosch@wayne.edu.
CONTACT DESIGN/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR, JON ADAMS, FOR MORE INFORMATION! 6 I APRIL 2 - 9, 2014 I WWW.THESOUTHEND.WAYNE.EDU
SPORTS
Women’s tennis jumps five spots in national rankings FUAD SHALHOUT The South End The Wayne State women’s tennis team received good news in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division II National Team Rankings, moving up five spots to No. 45, which were released on March 26. The Warriors had been in a
tie for 50th in the ITA rankings. The Warriors (21-4 overall) have been ranked in the top 50 in all three national polls so far this season. WSU has suffered four losses this season to teams ranked higher than them St. Leo (No. 7), Tampa (No. 23) and twice to Northwood (No. 34). Three GLIAC schools are also ranked in
the national rankings, including Wayne State, Northwood (No. 34) and Grand Valley (No. 46). The Warriors are also currently ranked No. 3 in the Midwest regional rankings, just behind Northwood (No. 2) and ahead of Grand Valley (No. 4). Drury University is ranked No. 1 in the Midwest rankings. Juniors Anne Li Briand and Yahsha
Moore also received a No. 23 national ranking as a doubles pair as they were the only GLIAC individuals — in singles or doubles — to receive a national ranking in the poll. WSU has two more regular season games left, at Indiana (Penn.) on April 12 and against West Liberty on April 13 in Indiana, Penn.
Men’s tennis triumphs in second consecutive home match
ADAM BOUTON/WSU ATHLETICS
FUAD SHALHOUT The South End The Wayne State men’s tennis team won its second consecutive home match and improved to 4-1 in the GLIAC on March 30. The Warriors (5-6 overall) defeated Lake Superior State, 9-0, at the Multipurpose Indoor Facility. WSU dominated the entire weekend, dropping just one match and beating
Michigan Tech and the Lakers by a combined score of 17-1. The Warriors swept all three doubles matches thanks to senior Michael FitzGerald and freshman Clement Charriere winning their fourth straight match at No. 2 doubles, prevailing 8-3 over the Lakers. In fact, FitzGerald moved into the top five in WSU program history in both singles and doubles victories with 46. Senior Melvin Joseph and sophomore Mohamed Fazyl Kechai won 9-7 at the
third flight in doubles. Joseph moved to fifth place all-time in WSU history with 44 singles wins. WSU pulled out its third victory in doubles after junior Trey Keating and freshman Stephane Robineau won four of the final five games to earn a 9-7 win in comeback fashion. Leading 3-0, WSU rolled to the win with victories in all six singles matches. Senior Gopinath Menta lost just one game on his way to a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 6 doubles.
Charriere improved to 11-5 this season in singles, earning his second win in as many days at the top flight by defeating LSSU’s Pedro Nunes, 6-1, 6-1. Robineau (No. 2 singles), FitzGerald (No. 3 singles) and Joseph (No. 5 singles) also posted straight-set wins for the Warriors. Fazyl Kechai lost the first set of his No. 4 singles match in a tiebreaker, but lost just four games the rest of the way on his way to a 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, 6-2 victory, his fourth straight win in singles.
Fencing finishes 17th at NCAA championships FUAD SHALHOUT The South End The Wayne State fencing team finished 17th out of 25 teams overall at the NCAA Fencing National Championships, earning 25 victories over the four-day competition, which was held at French Field House on the campus of Ohio State University. Penn State won the team title, finishing ahead of runner-up Princeton University. WSU men’s fencer Quentin Schneider
finished 14th out of 24 foilists at the national finals. Schneider, who was also 14th after the first three rounds of competition Saturday, earned three more bout wins during Sunday’s final two rounds. Schneider posted a 4-3 win over Ohio State’s Zain Shaito and 5-2 wins over Sacred Heart’s Andrew Holmes and St. John’s Max Blitzer. His finish was the best WSU men’s individual finish at the national finals since Slava Zingerman placed seventh in 2010
in the epee. He also finished his Warrior career with a record of 26-42 during his three NCAA Championship appearances and qualified for the national finals in all three years at WSU. Schneider finished the season with a record of 53-22 and posted a mark of 228-96 over his three-year WSU fencing career. Freshman foilist Zuzanna Sobczak finished 14th during the women’s competition for WSU, while senior Kaja Klodaws-
ka also placed 22nd in the sabre for the Warriors in her second-straight NCAA Championship appearance. Sobczak’s finish was just two spots out of earning All-American honors and is WSU’s highest women’s finish since Olivia Dobbs placed eighth in the foil in 2010. Klodawska finished her Warrior career as the all-time leader in sabre victories with 281. She also completed her fouryear career with the fourth-most bout wins of any women’s fencer, regardless of weapon, in WSU history.
/THESOUTHENDNEWS I APRIL 2 - 9, 2014 I 7
SPORTS
WSU baseball stomps Saginaw Valley in home opener MICHAEL LEWIS Sports Corresondent The Wayne State baseball team (15-7, 4-3 GLIAC) swept its two-game home opener against Saginaw Valley (4-12, 1-5 GLIAC) this weekend. The Warriors crushed the Cardinals 15-0 in game one, snapping a three-game losing skid, then rallied to take a 3-1 victory in game two. Pitcher Kyle Zimmerman gave up only one hit in six innings in the opener and also struck out four hitters. Alex Kinch solidified the sweep, pitching a full game and striking out four runners. Kinch only allowed one unearned run in game two. The Warriors opened game one with dominance, scoring four runs on three hits in the first inning. Eric Cunningham, Zach Johnson and Chris Gebara all collected RBIs in the process. After a Cardinal error in the second inning, WSU jumped out to a 5-0 lead. SVSU showed signs of life by keeping the Warriors quiet in the bottom of the third, but that was the only time WSU slowed down. In the fifth inning, SVSU walked 4 batters and hit 2, then allowed a 2-run hit. When the dust settled, 5 runs were scored off one hit, pushing the lead to 10-0. SVSU walked three of the batters and plunked two in the frame. Johnson obtained his third and fourth RBI of the game doubling to right center. WSU used three hits to score three runs in the sixth inning to draw the game to a close. Brock Bates tallied the last three outs in the seventh inning to put the game away. The Cardinals came out in game two with a different attitude. SVSU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to a Warrior error in the second inning. Both teams traded zeros until Wayne State turned up the heat at the bottom of the sixth. Cunningham started the frame with a single up the middle and followed up by stealing second base. Zimmerman pushed Cunningham to third base off a groundout to shortstop and Walker tied the game with a centerfield RBI. Walker kept the same pace stealing second and third base and scoring off a throwing error called on SVSU’s catcher. The Warriors traveled to Malone for a three game series on April 1 and 2.
COURTESY ADAM BOUTON
COURTESY WSU ATHLETICS
/THESOUTHENDNEWS I APRIL 2 - 9, 2014 I 8