Volume 90, Issue 16

temple-news.com VOL. 90 ISS.16

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

Hebrew major on the

chopping block “I think the decision on cuts without consultation with faculty and students is a deficient process.”

Hanoch Guy / hebrew professor

Some feel that the Hebrew major, to be cut this fall, may find its way back to campus, with more support.

KHOURY JOHNSON The Temple News

E

ffective Fall 2012, Hebrew will no longer be offered to students as a major. The major’s suspension could potentially be the first in a series of cuts as the university reshapes itself in response to declining state appropriations and apparent low student interest in certain areas.

The Hebrew major has been taught at Temple for six decades, but due to perpetual drops in attendance and a shrinking budget, the College of Liberal Arts has decided to suspend the major from its curriculum.

Teresa Scott Soufas, dean of CLA, said letting the program continue wouldn’t make sense, fiscally or academically.

“We cannot sustain upper-level courses with one or two students taking them,” Soufas said. “It’s not even an appropriate classroom experience for the students taking those courses…and doesn’t create appropriate dialogue between the teacher and student.”

Although introductory Hebrew courses will still be offered in a foursemester program, Hebrew professors are suspicious of the suspension, and argue that it could be detrimental to the university.

Soufas said, though, that the program “is more than many of our languages have for the College of Liberal Arts.”

“A Hebrew program is one of many things Jewish students look for in a college or university,” Corey Bass, a senior Jewish studies and Hebrew major, said.

Bass said that as an active Jewish student on campus, he pays special attention to how the suspension will affect the Jewish community on Main Campus and is disheartened by the university’s decision.

“I was very upset to hear about it,” Bass said. “As someone who is double majoring in both Jewish studies and Hebrew, it plays into a lot of what I am studying.”

Adjunct Hebrew professor Ayala Guy is wary of Temple’s promise to provide the courses necessary for enlisted students to graduate.

One of her main qualms with the university’s decision stems from the fact that “[administrators] have canceled two courses needed for graduation this May

HEBREW PAGE 3

JACOB COLON TTN

Pittsburgh medical school plans postponed Temple’s planned Pittsburgh medical school is on hold due to a financial loss.

AMELIA BRUST The Temple News

BRIAN DZENIS TTN

Pittsburgh’s West Penn Allegheny Health System is slated to house a Temple medical school.

OPINION FULL CLASS, p.5 While college seems like an option for most high school graduates, Najee Clancy argues higher education isn’t for everyone.

A&E ARTS FUNDING, p.9 The Knight Foundation recently announced 55 finalists in its 2012 Arts Challenge.

SPORTS MATCHING UP, p.20 The men’s basketball team will face Atlantic Ten Conference foe, Charlotte, on the road on Wednesday.

ing the medical school until regulators recognize the transaction.

“West Penn Allegheny made the decision to delay it and Temple School of Medicine understood that decision,” Kelly Sorice, vice president of public relations and internal communications at WPAHS, said. “We had assumed the agreements would be approved by now.

That has not happened.”

Sorice attributed declining revenue to an underperforming fiscal strategy adopted in the hopes that Highmark’s contributions would go through.

“Our losses have been ac-

WEST PENN PAGE 2

Thriving lunch truck to open brick-and-mortar store U Got Munchies will open a restaurant on Broad Street in the coming weeks.

LIVING POLL PROBLEMS, p.7 NYU’s Brennan Center for Justice released a report last fall detailing the disenfranchisement of college-aged voters.

After a $51.8 million loss during the last fiscal year, West Penn Allegheny Health System’s proposed medical school in Pittsburgh, a partnership with Temple University School of Medicine, is on hold.

WPAHS pulled out of the project due to a dramatic loss in revenue, worsened by a stalled

merger with Highmark, Inc., a Pittsburgh-based health insurance provider.

As per the affiliate agreement announced on Nov. 1, 2011, Highmark is prepared to give WPAHS up to $475 million to reopen emergency services at West Penn Hospital in Bloomfield and improve patient care at Forbes Regional Hospital inMonroeville.

The agreement was sent to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, the Pennsylvania Attorney General and the Internal Revenue Service for approval, but Highmark and WPAHS have not yet heard from the state. Subsequently, WPAHS announced it would delay open-

DOMINIQUE JOHNSON The Temple News U Got Munchies, a popular food truck that made its way to Main Campus last semester, is slated to open its first restaurant this semester next door to the Owl’s Nest.

The restaurant, to be located at 2012 N. Broad St., will also be named U Got Munchies, but will offer more food for Temple students to indulge in, such as loaded hotdogs and Italian hot and mild sausages.

“It’s always been a kind of long-term goal to open up a restaurant,” owner Donald Altman

NEWS DESK 215-204-7419

said. “We were reaching limits with the truck and saw the opportunity to open up the restaurant and decided to go with it.”

Altman started U Got Munchies with fellow fri ends and co-owners, Adam Zeserman, Alexander Kipphut and James Maropoulos.

The business originally started in March 2010 as an online late-night snack delivery service. The four friends bought food, took pictures, posted them online and waited for hungry students to begin ordering.

At the time, few places offered late-night options for students. The owners of U Got Munchies believed that Temple deserved more, they said. So they brought a truck, known affectionately as the “Munchies truck,” remodeled the inside and

MUNCHIES PAGE 2

CHRIS MONTGOMERY TTN

Former students, owners of U Got Munchies will open a traditional restaurant on Broad Street next to the Owl’s Nest. The lunch truck came to Main Campus last year.

NEWS@TEMPLE-NEWS.COM

NEWS temple-news.com

PAGE 2

Saltry lays out advocacy plans, events for semester TSG’s first General Assembly meeting was held yesterday, Jan. 23.

AMELIA BRUST The Temple News Temple Student Government will host a pep rally in the Student Center atrium today, Jan. 24, from noon to 2 p.m., in an effort to excite students for the Pennsylvania Association of State-related Students rally in Harrisburg. The rally on Jan. 31 will advocate for higher education state funding before Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget announcement in February.

Buses will take students from Main Campus at 9 a.m. to Harrisburg, and return at approximately 4 p.m. TSG will provide breakfast and lunch.

PASS is comprised of student representatives from Lincoln University, Penn State, University of Pittsburgh and

Temple to advocate for higher education funding. TSG Vice President of External Affairs Elliot Griffin is currently the PASS executive director.

TSG officers traveled to Lincoln University on Jan. 20 for their semester conference.

In addition to its efforts with PASS, TSG plans to hold a Voter Registration Week of Action to promote student voter turnout.

“We’re going to hold people accountable for the decisions they make,” TSG Student Body President Colin Saltry said. “We’re going to need to step in.”

In response to student complaints about the general education program, TSG Director of Academic Affairs Zach Groff met with the program directors and compiled a survey that will be sent to 4,000 students by the end of January, to rate the performance of the program.

“In order to make a case for students, we need some-

thing more specific than the proverbial ‘I’m generally dissatisfied with the [general education] program.’… We have the attention of the director of the gen-ed program, the general education executive committee, the Senior Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies, and the Provost himself. This is big,” Groff said in a video address at the first General Assembly meeting of the spring semester.

Every two weeks, TSG officers will hold leadership luncheons in the Johnson and Hardwick cafeteria for students to speak with various administrative officials to ask questions or voice concerns pertaining to their respective office.

“We have a lot of solid relationships with members of the administration,” Saltry said.

The leadership luncheons were inspired by last semester’s “Dinner with the Dean,” whereupon students were invited to speak with Dean of Students Stephanie Ives about

the university.

TSG’s “Give a Hoot,” event will make a comeback in either February or March, Saltry said, expanding to three days. Last year, TSG collected nearly 1,300 postcards from students writing their concerns, comments, or questions about Temple in the Student Center atrium. This year, TSG will use multimedia features and YouTube submissions in addition to postcards.

Saltry said the event worked as a “polling of where student perceptions were.”

After last semester’s flawed distribution of SEPTA tokens, TSG plans to reintroduce its Free Token Friday giveaways with a few changes.

“We would send out the 50 emails to the people who won the [tokens] lottery, they would say ‘Oh, great. Thanks, I actually can’t come by today…’ So what we’re working on is an easier process and a fair process,” Saltry said.

TSG could not confirm how the new system will be implemented, but members estimated TSG will start giving away tokens in February.

The Temple Non-Traditional Student Union, which last year partnered with TSG for National Non-Traditional Student Week, and the Temple Non-Traditional Student Advisory Board will be meeting regularly this semester, cofounder Syreeta Martin said in an email.

Saltry will meet with administrators from academics and computer services on Jan. 24, to discuss students’ issues with Self-Service Banner. Saltry plans to bring up matters of transfer credits, instructor listings and the possibility of waiting lists for filled classes.

Amelia Brust can be reached at abrust@temple.edu.

SAM OSHLAG TTN

Senior Denzel Golden, a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, makes an announcement on behalf of his organization at yesterday’s TSG General Assembly. TSG has outlined a number of events for the remainder of the semester.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

Truck owners to offer traditional venue MUNCHIES PAGE 1

ABI REIMOLD TTN

The U Got Munchies restaurant will neighbor the Owl’s Nest. began working on a menu.

“The Munchies truck will still be open until the restaurant is up and going and then after,” Altman said. “I want it to maintain a presence on [Main Campus], especially for students who commute and live off campus.”

The popular food truck had experienced some space limitations as a result of ordering options that allow customers to order on the phone and online.

These problems—along with long lines—contributed to the idea of opening a restaurant.

Altman and co-owners felt that these issues were not only making it difficult to serve their customers, but was also deterring them from providing an alternative place where students can dine.

“I think the restaurant will be successful,” junior architecture major Amanda Mazidan said. “Especially if they have good hours that work for students.”

Currently, U Got Munchies is open Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to midnight, and Thursday through

Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Altman added that the brick-and-mortar restaurant may possibly stay open past midnight.

U Got Munchies offers food for college students on-the-go, such as sandwiches, wraps and loaded french fries.

“I don’t eat much on campus,” senior film major Chris Thomas said. “But if they were to open a restaurant, I would probably stop by. Especially if they have an option [to use] Diamond Dollars.”

Describing it as “being at the right place at the right time,” Altman said that everything about preparing the restaurant has been exciting. He hopes to bring a better experience to late night eating.

“What we do is fun, everyone enjoys it,” Altman added.

“Overall, I want the other restaurants around here to have to step up their game.”

Dominique Johnson can be reached at dominique.johnson@temple.edu.

Three arrested in killing of alumnus Officials hope to push school forward Police arrested three for the beating that left Kevin Kless, a recent alumnus, dead.

WEST PENN PAGE 1 cumulating over the years… the strategy was not as successful as we had hoped,” Sorice said. “That’s why we’re very excited for this agreement with Highmark.”

In addition to funding for hospital facilities, Highmark gave $100 million to WPAHS on Nov. 1, half in a grant, and half in an unsecured loan, according to the Pittsburgh PostGazette.

“Right now, everything’s a bit in flux. There’s not really much anybody can say except that all processes are currently on go but a year delayed…we don’t expect anything to be different except the time,” Dr. Richard Kozera, TUSM executive associate dean, said in a voicemail.

Larry Kaiser, new senior executive vice president for

health sciences, dean of the School of Medicine and CEO of the TUHS, told The Temple News in July that the Pittsburgh campus will improve the shortage of physicians in Western Pennsylvania.

“It offers some alternative to the University of Pittsburgh, which takes most of its students from out of state,” Kaiser said. “Our commitment is to take a significant number of students from in state.”

The campus was planned to be completed by 2013.

Thirty students were to be admitted for the first class, and on Nov. 2, 2011, a job description for faculty at the campus was posted online.

Amelia Brust can be reached at

abrust@temple.edu.

SEAN CARLIN Assistant News Editor Nearly a week after 2010 alumnus Kevin Kless was beaten to death on the steps of the Second Bank of the United States, his three accused killers have been apprehended.

Police said in a press release that Felix Carrillo, 23, Kenneth Santiago, 19, and Steven Ferguson, 20, were arrested on Friday, Jan. 20, and charged with murder of the 23 year-old Temple graduate. Police, along with U.S. Marshalls, arrested the men after an investigation and tip led them to the suspects.

Leading up to the arrest, rewards totaling $20,000 were offered for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects. The reward climbed to $20,000 after pledges from the city, the Fraternal Order of Police and the Citizens Crime Commission of Philadelphia.

Kless was killed in the

early morning hours on Jan. 14 while trying to hail a cab. Police said Kless shouted toward a cab and, after the cab briefly stopped, three men exited from a passing car and brutally beat him. National Park Service rangers responded initially and administered first aid to Kless, who was pronounced dead later that night.

Kless graduated Temple with a degree in risk management and insurance and had recently returned to Philadelphia to start a job with the insurance broker, Marsh.

He was involved on Main Campus and was a member of Temple’s chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma, a fraternity for students in the risk management and insurance field.

Fox School of Business released a statement from Dean Dr. M. Mosche Porat last week on its website.

“Fox School of Business community was stunned and saddened to learn of the death this weekend of Kevin Kless, a May 2010 graduate of our school. Kevin, a risk management and insurance major, was an active member of our Sigma Chapter of

Steven Ferguson, 20

Kenneth Santiago, 19

Felix Carrillo, 23

Courtesy Philadelphia Police Department

Gamma Iota Sigma and went to work for the Berkley Group in Harrisburg after graduation,” Porat, who is also the dean of the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, said. “He recently accepted a position with Marsh and was excited to be back in Philadelphia. We extend our condolences to Kevin’s family and friends as we all mourn the loss of such a promising young man.”

In light of the arrests in the case, risk, insurance and healthcare management professor Michael McCloskey expressed relief that the suspects were put into custody.

“I am glad the perpetrators were apprehended and I hope it can give a sense of relief to his family in what is an obviously difficult time,” McCloskey, who is also a faculty adviser for

Gamma Iota Sigma, said in an email.

Sean Carlin can be reached at sean.carlin@temple.edu.

CORRECTIONS The Temple News strives to be a newspaper of record by printing factually correct and balanced articles. Accuracy is our business, so when a mistake is made, we’ll correct it as soon as possible.

Anyone with inquiries about content in this newspaper can contact Editor-in-Chief Brian Dzenis at editor@templenews.com or 215.204.6737.

NEWS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

PAGE 3

TempleTown building certified for sustainability The Modules received a federal certificate for sustainable and water conservation features.

AMY STANSBURY The Temple News These days, it appears as if Temple and its surrounding community is moving in one direction: up. Enrollment is up 8,057 students from 2001, and the boom of student residents near Main Campus has been met by the creation of more student-geared apartment complexes.

While this construction and development is often seen as indicative of a new future of prosperity near Temple, it can also be threatening to the environment. But one realty company was recently certified for its attempts to neutralize its environmental impact.

Last month, TempleTown Realty received a gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for one of its newest buildings, the Modules at TempleTown.

Located at 1417 N. 15th St., standing five stories and offering space for 160 residents, the Modules is now the first green building at Temple.

LEED certified structures must adhere to eight different

categories of conservation and to room, drawing warm air from sustainability including water residents adjusting their therefficiency and indoor environ- mostats to a lower temperature, mental. and then depositing it to those One of the ways that the seeking to raise it.

Modules was able to do this The building also seeks to began with its modular design, reduce energy consumption by from which the requiring resibuilding derives dents to pay for its name. The their own utilistructure is comties, in an effort posed of more to make energy than 80 boxes use “as transparthat were created ent as possible,” in an off-site facWeiss said. The tory and stacked hope is that if on top of one anstudents are other. forced to pay diJonathan Weiss / “ [ T h i s president, equinox management rectly for energy and construction usage, they will method is] inherently sustainbe more responable because sible in their off-site factory consumption. construction alNot only lows materials to be used more does the Modules seek to limit efficiently so very little waste is energy consumption and emisproduced and the waste that is sions that can lead to global created is recycled,” Jonathan warming, but it also aims to Weiss, president of Equinox alleviate the effects of another Management and Construction, more local environmental probsaid. lem – storm water runoff.

In addition to its sustainWhen it rains in Philadelable construction process, the phia, any water that is not abModules is equipped with oth- sorbed into the ground runs into er environmentally conscious the city’s sewer system after features including a green roof collecting contaminants from meadow, porous paving and an the streets. This polluted water energy efficient water-source then enters the region’s waterheat-pump system. ways. By equipping the buildThis heat-pump system ing with a green grass roof and cools and heats the entire build- porous pavement, the Modules ing without any net energy use is able to keep 90 percent of in the long term by recycling the rainfall on its property from warm and cool air from room entering the water system. The

“Off-site factory construction allows materials to be used more efficiently.”

DAVID BLOCK TTN

The roof on the Modules at TempleTown offers both a green meadow and a clear view of the city’s skyline. The building’s roof, use of porous paving and an energy efficient water-source heat-pump system are some of the features that earned it LEED certification. roof is also open to residents to enjoy the view of Center City.

Few students said they chose to live in the building because of its environmentally friendly features.

“I did not decide to live here because it’s environmentally friendly,” said junior urban planning major Joe Daguman.

“I chose the Modules because of it’s location close to campus.

If I am walking home from the TECH Center late at night I feel safer.”

Some students cited the apartment rates as a reason for choosing the Modules.

TempleTown Realty offers furnished rooms in the Modules for $690 a month, a price in-line with many other off-campus living options.

Marketing Manager and resident of the Modules Star Bocasan said creating LEED certified buildings “makes more economic sense because they last longer and are cheaper to operate.”

TempleTown Realty hopes that the Modules will inspire others to start building environmentally friendly buildings throughout the area.

Weiss said that, for the time being, TempleTown is “excited to be leading the way at Temple.”

Amy Stansbury can be reached at amystansbury@temple.edu.

Some hold out hope for axed Hebrew major HEBREW PAGE 1 and next December for several majors.”

“Luckily, it doesn’t affect me, I am graduating in May,” Rachel Pogolowitz, a senior Jewish studies and Hebrew minor, said. “But I feel sorry for any future students who won’t have the option of working with Ayala [Guy], Ilana [Margolis], and Hanoch [Guy]. With those [courses] being cut, any future Jewish studies students are going to have some problems.”

The courses on the chopping block are on the Holocaust and upper-level Hebrew courses.

“Basing the decision on the number of majors is narrow minded,” Hebrew professor Hanoch Guy said. “I think the decision on cuts without consultations with faculty and students is a deficient process that lacks transparency.”

Soufas said the decision to suspend the major was made between CLA and the university before the latest round of cuts to Temple’s budget, but did not shed any light on consulting with faculty prior to making the decision.

Soufas also said the Hebrew major’s suspension is by no means “set in stone,” and, with enough demand by students, could be reinstated since the size of the budget is not the only factor involved.

“I understand that money is tight,” Pogolowitz said, “but [the administration] saying that there isn’t a big enough draw to the Hebrew language classes seems ridiculous.”

“Obviously, as the classes go up in course number, they are also getting more difficult, and less and less students take those classes – but isn’t that true with any topic of study?” Pogolowitz said.

“We still believe in miracles,” Ayala Guy said. “And it will take a miracle, or a good amount of dollars, to revive the Hebrew program.”

Some find the decision a step backwards for the university, after the $8 million Edward H. Rosen Hillel Center for Jewish Life opened in 2009. The center is the namesake of Trustee Edward H. Rosen.

“It does affect those students who want to be Jewish studies majors, or those students who want a religion degree and need Hebrew certification,” Hillel Center Director Phil Nordlinger said. “To the outside world it doesn’t look good.”

“When high school students start looking for universities, especially Jewish students, they’re looking for these things — a strong Hillel, Jewish Studies deptartment, Hebrew major, Kosher food on campus,” Nordliner said. “And as a result of these items being cut, it affects the perception of Temple in the eyes of the Jewish community.”

Nordlinger said Temple maintains a strong Jewish community, but cuts like the one to the Hebrew program may make it appear differently.

“We hope that in the future that Hebrew as a major can come back, that Jewish studies can be a stand-alone major and that in the coming years the university can work with the Jewish community to understand the significance of these programs and find ways to find funding for them,” Nordlinger said.

Nate Rosen, a junior marketing major, said he was shocked by the decision to cut the Hebrew major.

“When I first heard about it, I wanted to go crazy…I think having students be exposed to Jewish and Hebrew experiences on campus is enlightening,” Rosen said. “Speaking from a business sense, they talk a lot about globalization, businesses operate in different locations, and it’s good to be able to communicate with people.”

Ayala Guy also contributed the supposed cuts to a lack in state funding, but generally concluded that there will not be any change in the university’s decision.

For the Guys, the specter of losing the major, and creating an environment that may not be attractive to potential Jewish students, is not only a threat to their careers own in academia, but is disheartening due to the prospect of decreasing the Jewish presence on Main Campus.

Hanoch Guy said Temple’s

decision to suspend the Hebrew major, in addition with other Jewish studies courses, would be a major turnoff to many prospective Jewish students who will simply “choose not to come here.”

Currently, Penn and Temple are the only schools in the Philadelphia area that offer Hebrew as a major, and, with Temple’s Middle Eastern program, Ayala Guy thinks Temple will be missing out on a timely opportunity.

“With what’s happening now in the Middle East and North Africa, a program like this can be an important magnet for students to come to Temple and, of course, I can’t imagine a program like this without Hebrew and courses about Israel,” Ayala Guy said.

“Well, the Hebrew language has obviously not been a mainstay for Jewish studies students,” Soufas said, emphasizing the Hebrew major’s dwindling population during the years. “Otherwise, we would

have more of them majoring in Jewish studies.”

“I don’t think it’ll have much of an effect on our currently enrolled students or new Jewish students in the near future,” Soufas added.

Currently, there are approximately 10 Hebrew majors and minors in the university, but Ayala Guy said those numbers aren’t just a result of lack of interest.

“Even now, I had to discourage students who wanted to become majors and minors since I knew they won’t have the courses to fulfill their requirements,” Ayala Guy said.

And without a new generation of Hebrew students, Guy argues, then the accomplishments of Temple’s former Hebrew graduates have been known to achieve after graduation, including careers as lawyers, physicians, rabbis, writers and teachers, will be a thing of the past.

Pogolowitz said she would like to work for a Jewish non-

profit, and earn her master’s degree in an Israeli university in the future. Bass’ plans include earning his master’s degree, then focusing on a career that helps Jewish youths however he can – possibly as a teacher or rabbi.

“I hope that the major comes back,” Pogolowitz said.

“It’s a beautiful language and culture, which Temple gave the students an opportunity to learn about, and now they are taking that away.”

Adjunct Hebrew professor Ilana Margolis said the university was in the wrong for suspending the Hebrew program because “this decision may undermine precisely the goal that it is intended to advance,” such as the study and development of “technology-related fields that hold promise of lucrative inventions, patents and services.”

Margolis, who is the only other Hebrew professor apart from Hanoch and Ayala Guy, claims that the future is in the hands of those “who have the

vision to infuse technology with value,” referring to Israel’s role as a “gateway” to American technology.

Margolis suggested that, in a globalized world, where even the minor languages have significant importance, the impetus for Temple to keep its Hebrew major should be in its “capacity to be a center of excellence.”

Yet, despite the budgetary and administrative blockages, some students are more aligned with Soufas’ notion that just because the major is gone now, doesn’t mean that a surge in student demand will be unable to revive the program in the future.

“As long as the Jewish studies program does not come to an end, I feel there will still be hope with Hebrew at Temple,” Bass said.

Khoury Johnson can be reached at khoury.johnson@temple.edu.

JAZMYNE ANDERSON TTN file photo

The Edward H. Rosen Hillel Center for Jewish Life opened in 2009. An $8 million project, the center offers a Kosher café and services to Jewish students and others interested in Judaism. Some feel the center’s appeal to prospective students may be offset by the university’s decision to cut its Hebrew major, effective Fall 2012.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

DRAWING CONCLUSIONS

The Temple News is an editorially independent weekly publication serving the Temple University community. Unsigned editorial content represents the opinion of The Temple News. Adjacent commentary is reflective of their authors, not The Temple News.

Visit us online at temple-news.com. Send submissions to letters@temple-news.com.

The Temple News is located at: Student Center, Room 243 1755 N. 13th St. Philadelphia, PA 19122

EDITORIALS

Major Setback

W

hen students return to school next semester, a humbly sized group of students will be unable to participate in the university’s Hebrew program as it currently stands. Majoring in the language will no longer be an option to students.

As Khoury Johnson reports on Page 1, the university decided to cut the major because of low participation in upper-level courses and a shrinking budget.

The Temple News understands making tough decisions that will, hopefully, have the least impact on the student body’s ability to learn in areas of their choice. But the Hebrew program, six decades running, is one of Temple’s small gems of the diversity that officials tout when marketing the university.

With the recent opening of the $8 million Edward H. Rosen Hillel Center for Jewish Life, named in the generosity of Trustee Edward Rosen, offering a hub for Jewish students and those interested in studying Judaism, the program’s suspen-

Ceasing Violence

T

he violence on the streets of Philadelphia is reprehensible. Already into the New Year, 25 murders have been committed. One of Temple’s own, 2010 alumnus Kevin Kless, was killed Jan. 14 after he was attacked in Old City. There are many explanations for rampant violence like limited access to educational resources, poverty and unemployment. However, this isn’t an excuse for the continued, excessive violence.

Most are aware of this vicious cycle and want to make any effort possible to alleviate the violence that Philadelphia experiences, particularly, those that it directly affects.

As Dominique Johnson reports in “CeaseFire program introduces modified initiatives,” on page 7, Philadelphia CeaseFire, based at Temple’s medical school’s Center for Bioethics, Urban Health and Policy, has been in operation for six months and seeks to reduce the number of shootings in the 22nd district

Temple’s decision to cut the Hebrew studies major is contradictory to its dedication to diversity. sion is a step back in the university’s appeal to these prospective students.

But the most baffling part of the decision, to The Temple News, is in the university’s apparent one-sided conversation.

Professors in the program contend they weren’t consulted before the decision, and the suspension was news to students in the program, too.

Faculty and students should be the first to know when the suspending, collapsing – or anything of the like – of a program is being put on the table.

Some, like Corey Bass, a Jewish studies and Hebrew major, who plans on working with Jewish youth, use the program is a stepping stone for career goals.

Sure, future students will undoubtedly learn to live without the major – or study elsewhere – but that’s not to say the education offered in the courses wouldn’t have bolstered their career ambitions and Temple’s dedication to diversification.

The Temple News supports programs like CeaseFire to alleviate violence. of North Philadelphia. The initiatives of CeaseFire are important because they are an attempt to reduce violence, through means other than increased police presence. While policing is helpful, it is essential to get to the core of the problem and find real solutions to reduce longterm gun violence.

The Temple News applauds Temple’s efforts to aid in reducing gun violence across the city. In 2006, Temple trauma surgeon Amy Goldberg and trauma outreach coordinator Scott Charles founded the Cradle to Grave program, showing young adults the reality and consequences of gun violence.

The police on Main Campus do everything in their power to make the confines of campus safer for students. Students must understand that Temple isn’t in a bubble and that violence plaguing the surrounding communities affects the quality of life for everyone. For this reason, the efforts of CeaseFire are beneficial to all who are a part of North Philadelphia’s community.

JOEY PASKO TTN

PHOTO COMMENT

JACOB COLON/ SAM OSHLAG TTN

(Left) The Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation kicked off the 2012 Chinese New Year with the Chinatown Flower Market at 10th Street Plaza this weekend. (Right) The Hunter Roberts Construction Group continues the Pearson and McGonigle hall renovations..

POLLING PEOPLE Last week on temple-news.com, we asked: Are new voter ID laws necessary to prevent voter fraud?

41% 16%

Yes. IDs are generally required in daily activities.

Everyone should have an ID anyway.

No. New voter ID laws are unnecessary because voter fraud is rare.

34% 9%

No. The push for new voter ID laws is politically motivated.

NEXT WEEK’S POLL Do you think that college coaches have too much influence in the universities they serve?

GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? I don’t vote.

*Out of 61 votes

Visit temple-news.com to take our online poll, or send your comments to letters@ temple-news.com. Letters may regard any current issue but must include your full name, position and location. Students can give year and major. Submissions should be 350 words or fewer.

CITY VIEW

NOTABLE QUOTEABLE “Where would we be as a continually developing human species without the phrase ‘me and my boo in my boo coupe ridin’?”

KEVIN STAIRIKER Fear of Music Page 10

Illustration Joey Pasko

COMMENTARY

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

PAGE 5

College is not meant for everyone

I

NAJEE CLANCY

While the push for most students after high school is to attend a fouryear university, Clancy argues that other options should be presented to young adults.

n a recent speech, President Barack Obama declared that “every student should go to college,” but according to a recent blog post by the Wall Street Journal, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum was outraged by Obama’s remarks accusing the president of “elitism” and “snobbery.”

“Who are you to say that every child in America goes to college,” Santorum said in a speech while campaigning at New Hampshire’s Saint Anselm College. “I have seven kids. Maybe they’ll all go to college. But if one of my kids wants to go and be an auto mechanic, good for him. That’s a good-paying job.”

Albeit good intentioned, the president’s broad announcement of every student going to college proved to be both unrealistic and naïve. Much like Santorum said, not all students are prepared to go to college, not all students want to go to college and not all students need to go to college.

But one major factor comes into the play at the mere utterance

of the word “college” – finances.

Higher education is a multibillion dollar industry that is losing government funding each year. In addition to weakening funds for education, the rate of unemployment in the United States is at roughly 9 percent – approximately 5 percent higher than 10 years ago.

If Obama wishes for every student to go to college, he will need to do a lot more to ensure that everyone is given that opportunity. Similarly, if Santorum doesn’t feel that every student should pursue higher education, he will need to provide more jobs for those entering the work force.

Students considering higher education need to do so with some type of vision, for not every career path requires a college degree. Freshman architecture major Jen Mount has seen firsthand how college can affect ill-prepared students.

“I have a friend that dropped out after the first month because it was not for her and she didn’t need it,” Mount said. “I want to study ar-

chitecture. I definitely need to go to college for that.”

Most students are pressured to go to college right after high school. With the teetering economy and rising standards for future generations, parents and teachers alike tend to make the extra effort toward putting the idea of higher education in the minds of today’s students. Trade and vocational schools are usually absent from those conversations.

An air traffic controller boasts a six-figure salary while baring the responsibility of monitoring planes entering and departing an airport to prevent collision while keeping track of weather conditions to avoid delays and issues. This $130,000-plus salary is one example where specialized training and a high-risk situation can rank higher than a degree.

With their minds focused on college due to the influence of peers, teachers and parents many students blindly enroll in an institution only to ultimately regret their decision because they were

unaware of the other options available after high school. You’d be surprised how many students are drudging through college for the sake of their parents.

Many different factors go into the success of higher education for any particular person. Those factors can range from the college one attends, mindset of the student or parental influence. Higher education is not only a tool to gain advanced knowledge, but it’s also a place where many are able to open their minds and hearts to discover their passions, laying the foundation for the rest of their lives. If a student isn’t mature enough to begin that process, college can wait.

If one has the opportunity to not attend college and still be very successful, then by all means follow the dream. Ultimately, college is meant to be an aid, not a deterrent.

Najee Clancy can be reached at najee.clancy@temple.edu.

Not snitching reflects survival, not character

A

ALEXANDRA OLIVIER

The unwritten code of not being a snitch allows criminals to go free. Olivier explains why this rule is often followed in some communities.

fter moving from my cozy, predominantly white neighborhood to a predominantly black neighborhood in Brooklyn, N.Y. when I was nine years old, I quickly had to learn a whole new set of rules. Rule No. 1: Snitches get stitches, and then end up in ditches.

Troi Torain, also known as DJ Star, wants to encourage people to do the complete opposite with his campaign “Start Snitching.” Torain feels that snitching is used to protect “animals,” but he neglects to discuss the distrust between the community and the police force, the vulnerability placed onto the snitch and the violence created after a “snitch” comes forward.

“It’s a culture of ignorance that protects these little animals for no good reason except for some ‘keepin’ it real’ bull**** that prevents people from doing the right thing,” Torain said while announcing his campaign at City Hall in June 2011.

Although this culture does protect criminals and can withhold

a family’s right to justice, I agree with a community’s – especially Philadelphia’s – apprehension and resistance to start snitching.

There are a slew of media depictions of snitches and negative consequences to being one. In a popular episode of “Law and Order,” a witness’ family is made vulnerable despite his courage to step up and speak out against a murderer. After his family is placed in danger, he lies on the stand to save his family from any more harm.

In much of rap music, lyrics excite and inspire communities to never snitch and respect “the code of the streets.” Contrary to “the code of the streets,” it is courageous when a community comes together and chooses to speak up to make their streets safer. For many communities, the streets are infested with gang members, violence

and drugs, but the installment of more police isn’t always the answer – in many ways a community center and its members are what bring change to a community.

Regardless if the alleged criminal is behind bars, there is no guarantee that a snitch and their family or friends are safe.

The lack of funding to protect every witness often leaves a witness’ family vulnerable to possible attacks.

There are no positive aspects to snitching and its lack of incentive doesn’t incite community members to “do the right thing.” It is easy to tell someone who witnessed a crime to report exactly what they saw, but after the police have left who is left to protect them?

It is not the police force’s fault that they are unable to protect these individuals and it is also not the fault of a community member who opts not to snitch because they

“After snitching, the prospect of violence doesn’t decrease.”

don’t want to walk around paranoid in their own neighborhood.

Opting not to snitch is a mentality, not of fear, but of survival. In many stories where an individual is murdered in a group and no one comes forward to reveal the shooter, whether they saw him or not, is heartbreaking, but the mentality is to keep living and not end up dead.

Torain wishes to inspire people to come forward and speak against these murderers in situations like these particularly, but after snitching the prospect of violence doesn’t decrease.

While I would want someone to come forward and help the police arrest the person who killed my friend or family member, I can understand why they would choose not to.

In neighborhoods where opportunities may be limited, merely living is the main priority.

Alexandra Olivier can be reached at

alexandra.olivier@temple.edu.

Web users should be aware of future legislation

A

t some point, most of us have been guilty of downloading content hosted on a server with pirated content. In other words, we’ve all downloaded music and movies that violate copyright infringement laws. The 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act made copyright infringement on the Internet illegal. However, DMCA KIERRA doesn’t apply to websites outside BUSSEY of American jurisdiction. And most of the websites we access to get our While daily dose of downloads have servthe proposed ers located overseas, thus the law SOPA bill has isn’t being broken.

However, to get around the lebeen tabled, it gality of where DMCA can be apis important plied, the “Stop Online Piracy Act” to maintain was introduced. SOPA is a proindependence posed bill with the goal of restrictof government ing access to sites that host or facilcontrol via the itate the trading of pirated content Internet. or copyrighted material. So it’s just not the downloading of music of movies they are after. Think about it like this: SOPA would require U.S. search engines – and other networks – to block such websites and hold them responsible for any

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

association.

According to the Motion Picture Associate of America, “online piracy leads to U.S. job losses because it deprives content creators of income.” In fact, MPAA estimates that $58 billion is lost annually due to piracy.

I’m not convinced that number is accurate, but is rather an exaggeration. Furthermore, is it really a good measure of loss considering MPAA didn’t need to be “bailed out?” While I don’t doubt that they lose money to piracy, is it significant enough to enact SOPA, which would ultimately censor the Internet?

To explain the implications of why this proposed bill is detrimental to Internet users can become complicated. For one, the Internet is extremely hard to regulate. For example, YouTube videos are great and users are able to post comments. Users have free reign to say what they want and post for that matter. This also means that a user could link a website that violates SOPA to YouTube and YouTube would be responsible (for its un-

TURNER KIM

FRESHMAN

KINESIOLOGY

What prompted you to seek higher education?

CHRIS MONTGOMERY TTN

“I always wanted to make a better life for myself. My parents always worked really hard and they didn’t get much money growing up. They never finished college or even went to high school so I wanted to make a better life for myself and make them proud.”

OPINION DESK 215-204-9540

willing association) and subjected to legal action (shut down). Furthermore, sites like Flickr could also be subjected to shut down according to the wording of SOPA, if a user uploads a picture, for example, and doesn’t have a copyright to it.

To me it sounds as if we’d have to live in a paranoid state where user-generated content would always be subjected to scrutiny under the false pretenses of gaining back money lost through piracy. Our favorite websites would be under pressure 24/7 to monitor activity to ensure that they don’t unknowingly host copyrighted material.

Companies like Google and eBay wrote in a letter to Congress that they support the bills’ stated goals, but “Unfortunately, the bills as drafted would expose law-abiding U.S. Internet and technology companies to new uncertain liabilities, private rights of action and technology mandates that would require monitoring of websites.”

Many critics of the bill have also noted that it completely goes against our First Amendment.

Companies have raised aware-

JAMIE OLKOWSKI “I guess it’s mandated.

I take out some loans so I can pay them back afterwards so I can have a better career.

To benefit myself [is] to have a great education.”

ness by staging “blackouts” on their sites. On Jan. 18, Wikipedia blacked their site out and Google put a black banner across its name.

Reddit also followed suit. People have responded to the opposition of this proposal. Google obtained more than 7 million signatures for a petition against SOPA. As a result, the bill lost some Congressional backing and was tabled as of Jan. 20.

But, be wary of becoming comfortable. It is scary enough to think that this type of legislation was even proposed in the first place. If and when the bill is brought back up for discussion, it needs to be made clear that the Internet is not a place for censorship.

Our right to freely share and discuss user-generated content can’t be compromised.

Kierra Bussey can be reached at kierrajb@temple.edu.

SOMEONE ELSE’S OPINION

“Those willing to make excuses for Gingrich’s cheating on his second wife, Marianne, with his current wife, Callista (he also cheated on wife No. 1 with Marianne, who later became wife No. 2) are quick to say that the Christian faith requires forgiveness.

And that is absolutely right. But when has Gingrich apologized to President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore for his routine missives declaring both of them morally corrupt?”

Roland S. Martin,

a CNN contributor on “So long to the party of family values”

“But red; it’s a color.

An interlocking LV on a Louis Vuitton handbag or a Nike swoosh on a sneaker is one thing, some say. But monopolizing a color ... just doesn’t seem right.”

Jeannie Suk,

in The New York Times on “Little Red (Litigious) Shoes”

“While trying to choke off the supply of illegal guns, the city must also work to cut the demand for them, as Nutter noted in his inaugural speech. The city must help steer potential offenders away from resorting to violence and try to heal the dysfunction afflicting families and neighborhoods. No question, that’s a tougher job, and those efforts won’t show immediate results, but no antiviolence campaign can succeed without them.”

Inquirer Editorial staff, in philly.com on “Take

aim at illegal guns in antiviolence agenda”

“I was struck by President Obama’s 40-second Lunar New Year greeting, which he put in the context of his own fond memories: ‘Growing up in Hawaii I remember all the excitement surrounding the Lunar New Year, from the parades and the fireworks to the smaller gatherings with family and friends.’”

Homa Sabet Tavangar, a blogger for huffingtonpost.com, on “You Don’t Have to Be Chinese to Celebrate the Year of the Dragon Lunar New Year”

JUNIOR

DANIEL RYAN

KINESIOLOGY

SOPHOMORE

BUSINESS

“Mainly to get a job.

More on that to get a job so I can travel everywhere, that’s my goal right now, just to see the world.

After I’m done with college I want to get some job in another country, see where I can go from there.”

LETTERS@TEMPLE-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITY

PAGE 6

WORD WEB...

COMMUNITY VOICE

on the

temple-news.com

Unedited for content.

Kiruna says on “Provost outlines potential restructurings in White Paper” on Jan. 17, 2012 at 3:55 p.m.

Restructuring the system of colleges/schools is necessary, not solely for financial purposes, but to improve the undergraduate experience. Temple has worked hard to overcome the public’s perceptions of the university as a bureaucratic, impersonal institution by creating initiatives to emulate the “small college feel.” While seemingly, establishing closer-knit communities of like-minded students (e.g. Fox, CLA, Tyler) makes for smoother advising, I have found that the current structure poses hurdles for students, in particular those who seek majors or minors in a different college.

As a SCT student, I wanted to investigate a CLA major. I was ineligible to add a CLA major to my SCT course of study (because CLA stipulates that students outside of CLA must accumulate credits in the discipline before a CLA major can be declared). To sort through this issue, I decided to meet with a CLA advisor, only to be told that I couldn’t do so unless I switched to CLA. How was I supposed to make an informed decision about joining CLA if I didn’t have access to CLA advising? After completing the transfer paperwork, I finally met with an advisor, and I decided that I wanted to keep my SCT course of study. The entire paperwork and advising process would have to be repeated, even though I was familiar with SCT policies, having been a former member of the school. When I later realized I wanted to add coursework in the College of Education, I had several questions about preparing for education certification. Since I wasn’t in The College of Education, again, I wasn’t authorized to meet with the advisors. I tried to plan my coursework independently to prepare for an education certification, but chances are quite high I made some missteps without the assistance of the appropriate advising staff.

If Temple is invested in improving the four-year graduation rate, it is imperative that the colleges be restructured. An advisor in each school should be designated as a point person for prospective transfers, so that students can make an informed decision about declaring a new major. Transferring from SCT to CLA shouldn’t be as complicated as transferring from Temple to PSU! Luke Byrnes says on “MTR mining” on Jan. 17, 2011 at 1:27 p.m.

Thanks for all the wonderful coverage on our group so far TU News!

My comment is concerned with the simple phrase that it is not “realistic or practical to expect the Board to take a political stance on the issue.” Whether stated explicitly, as in the various vision and mission statements of the colleges at Temple and the commission of the Office of Sustainability, or implicitly, as in tuition hikes and business relationships, institutions are designed to wield power and thus are inherently political in all of their activities. So it is not a question of whether they wish to take a political stance at all. Rather, we recognize the Board already has a political stance on this issue – whether or not they are aware of it – and we wish to alter that stance. This is the essence of direct action activism: confronting and impacting concentrations of power.

Just sum alum says on “Alumnus left for dead after beating in Old City” on Jan. 17, 2012 at 10:19 a.m.

I am so sorry you left this earth in such a way and so early in life. RIP Kevin.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, During the winter break, Owls’ women’s basketball was victorious in four of their seven contests, including two out of three Atlantic Ten Conference victories. However, entering the Atlantic Ten showdown against visiting Duquense on Wednesday Jan. 18, the Owls entered tip-off with 120 consecutive minutes – three entire home games – without leading an opponent at home. The Owls have not held a lead against a visitor since they defeated UCLA at McGonigle Hall, 59-53 on Tuesday Dec. 20, 2011. In those three consecutive home defeats, the Owls could not buy a timely basket when their opponents opened the doors for comebacks. Also, starting center Joelle Connolly Dear Editor, Last year, in the face of unprecedented budget cuts, thousands of Temple students answered the call to prevent a devastating cut in our funding. Thanks to their efforts – as well as thousands of alumni, parents, faculty and administration – we managed to save some $50 million dollars from the chopping block. Your letters, phone calls, rallies and face-to-face contact with legislators truly made a difference.

Now the trumpet summons us again. Pennsylvania is once again facing a serious budget deficit for the coming year and once again, Governor Tom Corbett pledged not to raise taxes. This means Corbett will likely target students and higher education to make up the difference. Corbett will deliver his budget address in the first week of February and we already know that Temple’s funding will be significantly affected.

Since September, Temple Student Government and the student governments of Penn State, Pitt and Lincoln universities have worked hard to ensure we would be ready for every budget possibility. No matter what,

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

did not see action in two of those three home defeats, which Connolly dressed, but sat on the bench without any known reason in Temple’s 56-47 Big-Five home defeat against Villanova on Dec. 22, 2011. Connolly was seen sporting a different Temple jacket than her teammates while wearing protective glasses and watched her teammates fall short, 74-65, against visiting St. Bonaventure on Wednesday Jan. 11. Tonya Cardoza must discover techniques to overcome the Broad Street woes in order to make a 10th consecutive trip to the big dance.

High violence rate accompanies New Year Shelli Pennick offeres her views on Philadelphia’s high murder rate and how to combat it.

DOMINIQUE JOHNSON The Temple News In the New Year, the city of Philadelphia experienced 25 murders. Including the death of 2010 alumnus, Kevin Kless, who was beaten to death on the steps of the Second Bank of the United States in the Old City section of Philadelphia on Jan. 14.

The perpetrators responsible for the act are in custody as of Friday, Jan. 20.

Shelli Pennick, a 1994 alumna, has lived in Philadelphia all her life. Pennick is a licensed funeral director at Pennick Funeral Homes.

“I am often saddened when I have to provide services for young people,” Pennick said. “As long as I have been doing this there is never a time when I feel comfortable because parents should not be burying their children, children should be burying their parents. That’s just the natural order of life.”

Pennick believes that the stop snitching culture plaguing Philadelphia is dangerous, adding how such a thing did not exist when she was growing up in the city. Primarily because drug use, drug dealing and violent crime were not as rampant as they are today.

“We live in a culture where it is OK to commit violent crimes,” Pennick said. “It

is very scary when you live in a city where violent crime is common place and nonchalant in some conversations.”

People are definitely afraid to tell because they are afraid of repercussions and retaliation,” Pennick added. “But I think as parents and society as a whole, we have to create a new culture where people feel safe to report crime.”

The first 15 days of killing for the city have been the highest since 2007. Prior to the death of Kless, a 30-year old stepfather gunned down three young teenagers in the Juniata section of the city.

“I think that the reality of people is jaded,” Pennick said. “Violence is entertainment. I think it translates over to real life, unfortunately. To address this issue I think we need to put emphasis on education and job training.”

“Many of the young people that are committing and are involved in crimes are kids that dropped out of school,” Pennick added. “We need to find out why they are dropping out and put resources together to get them to stay in school, along with job training.”

Dominique Johnson can be reached at dominique.johnson@temple.edu.

Scott Samuel David Weiss Temple Class of 2015 Journalism though, we will need your voices and your help to keep our tuition affordable, our education on track and our university’s future in sight.

The first opportunity for you to make a difference will be the Rally for Higher Education on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at the state capitol building in Harrisburg. Buses will leave the student center at 9 a.m. and return at 4 p.m. TSG and Temple, will provide buses, breakfast, lunch and permission slips for you to attend free of charge. You can register to attend the rally – and help keep Temple affordable - at temple.edu/government/ rally.

Last year’s budget wasn’t pretty, but because of your hard work, we helped restore millions of dollars to Temple’s funding and showed our government what Pennsylvania’s students are made of. We need your help to do so again.

See you in Harrisburg.

Yours, Temple Student Government DOMINIQUE JOHNSON TTN

Shelli Pennick expresses her views on Philadelphia’s high murder rate.

COMMUNITY COVERAGE

Philadelphia upholds Chinese New Year traditions The Chinese New Year comes to Chinatown. The Khoo family explains their traditions.

SARAH ELIZABETH GUY The Temple News Grandma Leung, the elder of the Khoo family, emigrated from China to the United States with her husband and daughter.

Leung actively participates in the Philadelphia Chinese New Year celebrations and has passed down Chinese New Year traditions to her daughter, Jackie Khoo and granddaughter, Jennifer Khoo.

“It’s a new beginning,” Leung said.

“Everything comes alive and is beautiful again, just like springtime.”

Like the Khoo’s, Chinese-American families across the city are preparing to ring in the New Year in Philadelphia’s Chinatown, located at 10th and Arch streets.

For these families, the celebrations, which began this past Saturday, Jan. 21, honor both the beginning of a new year and the traditions of home.

“Traditionally, [the Chinese New Year] is the most important day of the year,” Jackie Khoo said. “Families gather together and the younger generations pay respect to their seniors.”

According to the family, much of the celebratory traditions of China have been carried to Philadelphia by families and ancestors who have come before. The Chinese calendar begins this weekend marking the celebration of the Year of the Dragon.

The Year of the Dragon is the mightiest of the Chinese signs, symbolizing ambition, enthusiasm and passion. The celebratory festivities kicked-off Saturday, Jan. 21 with the Abakus Chinese New Year Party, complete with a live DJ, discounted clothes and free drinks.

Also true to tradition, Philadelphia hosted a Hong Kong-style flower show for the first time. As Leung said, the Chinese New Year is about new beginnings. The flower show, which was held Jan. 21-22 at the 10th Street Plaza, symbolizes “growth and rebirth.”

On Sunday, Jan. 22, Philadelphia suburban high school Great Malvern High, hosted a Chinese New Year Community Gala, complete with traditional songs, dances, crafts, games, stories and food.

Later that night, the first of two Midnight New Year celebrations was held in China-

town. The grand-finale featured the Midnight Lion dance, expressive of joy and happiness in the New Year.

In this traditional dance young men carry the Chinese dragon with poles and parade down the street. It is held on the fourth and 15th day of the Chinese New Year celebration, which, this year, is on Jan. 22 and Jan. 29.

The celebrations will culminate on Feb. 4 at the Penn Museum. This final celebration will include arts and crafts, martial arts demonstrations, music and dance, and a lion dance to end the day. “[The Chinese New Year means] lots of good food, money, loud fire crackers and lion dances,” said Jacki Khoo’s daughter Jennifer Khoo, 19.

As a Philadelphia native, she will participate in the Midnight New Year celebration in Chinatown and said she is confident that this year’s Chinese New Year celebrations will be better than ever.

Sarah Elizabeth Guy can be reached at sarah.elizabeth.guy@temple.edu.

JACOB COLON TTN

Children play in the snow at Philly’s Chinese New Year celebration at the Chinatown Flower Market at 10th Street Plaza.

LIVING ID bills target college-aged voters temple-news.com

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

PAGE 7

New voting laws requiring identification and eliminating absentee ballots disenfranchise young and low-income voters in various states.

Illustration by Joey Pasko

S

SEAN CARLIN Assistant News Editor

tudents who move out-of-state to attend college normally shrug a slew of stresses on their shoulders. From a potentially higher tuition to possible travel expenses, most college students think they have enough to worry about. A new wave of laws, however, could be adding to that list.

Throughout the country, voting laws are being pursued that will affect a wide range of voting issues including voter IDs, proof of citizenship, strict registration, reduction in absentee balloting and disenfranchisement of voters with a felony conviction.

In October 2011, the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law released a report outlining the potential effects of these voting law changes. Based on the laws

being affected, the report estimates that more a right to participate in the electhan 5 million voters could be affected by the tion process and to disenfranchise any individnew laws. ual – to me – is certainly an atrocity because Not all of these laws have been hailed as everyone has that right,” Beach said. “Colimprovements in the voting process. lege students are a perfect example of people “Any efforts to restrict who may be disenfranchised people’s right to elect their by some of these crazy ideas public officials is un-Amerthat people come up with and I ican as can possibly be,” think that we need to go the opPhiladelphia Councilman Jim posite way and do everything Kenney said. “These laws or we can to make the voting prorestrictions are directed at cess as open and as accessible young people, poor people, as we can.” less educated people and it is One of the major effects a bald faced way of disenfranthese changes have is on colchising folks.” lege students who move out James Beach / state senator of state. The Brennan Center’s James Beach, a state senator in New Jersey, offered report outlined five states – similar insight into voter restriction laws.

Ohio, West Virginia, Florida, Georgia and Ten“I think it’s absurd because everyone has nessee – that have enacted laws that reduced

“College students are a perfect example of people who may be disenfranchised.”

early voting periods that would make it harder for students who live at college to come back and vote. In addition, the report said four states tried to reduce absentee voting opportunities, which would also affect college students.

“Let’s say you lived in Pennsylvania and then you went to school in Texas, you would want to be able to vote in the swing state in the presidential election,” political science professor Kevin Arceneaux said. “If Pennsylvania didn’t allow you to vote by absentee, well then you’d be out of luck unless you actually got on a plane, came back to Pennsylvania on Election Day and went to the polls. This would be a detriment and an obstacle for many college students.”

Although legislation like this is being combated with anger by some, the motives behind these laws are to combat voter fraud said

VOTE PAGE 16

CeaseFire program introduces modified initiatives In the first month of the New Year, Philadelphia experienced 25 murders, including that of alumnus Kevin Kless on Jan. 14 in Old City.

and are interested in turning their lives around.

With those they are able to recruit, CeaseFire’s outreach team assists in finding possible job and Philadelphia CeaseFire, based at the medical employment opportunities for these individuals.

Outreach workers are challenged to build school’s Center for Bioethics, Urban Health and strong and reliable trust with those that they enPolicy, seeks to reduce the number of shootings counter. and killings in the 22nd district of North PhilaBellamy said that workers receive 40 hours delphia. of training, with additional training throughout Ceasefire, which has been in operation for six the year at the program’s other sites in Chicago months, is a structured and disciplined violence and Brooklyn, N.Y. intervention program, developed in Chicago and Often block captains of commubased on the premise that violence nities will report to outreach workers is a public health issue and can be about issues building up between riprevented. The program at the unival gangs or neighboring youth. versity is a duplicate of the evidence “One of the things that we are based CeaseFire Chicago public working towards is getting our facedhealth model. based leaders engaged and involved,” Director of Philadelphia CeaseBellamy said.

“People are afraid, but Fire and the Center for Bioethics, we’re asking leaders from churches Urban Health and Policy Marla Beland other places within communities lamy said. “Our approach is comto become more actively involved munity driven.” with us.”

“We want to let communities Philadelphia CeaseFire is also and residents know that these acts attempting to strengthen relationof violence are not acceptable,” Belships with youth. lamy added.

Bellamy said that there is a point To achieve this goal, CeaseFire where the city has “to embrace the Marla Bellamy / believes in five core components director of the philadelphia fact that we have a problem,” and that echo the Chicago-based modceasefire and the center that police cannot solve the issue of el: community outreach, commufor bioethics, urban health violence by themselves. and policy nity mobilization, public education, Philadelphia has already experifaith-based involvement and crimienced 21 days of violence and murnal justice participation. ders in the New Year. Kevin Kless, a “Our outreach team is com2010 alumnus, was killed Jan. 14 afposed of four workers, who are acter being beaten on the steps of the Second Bank tually ex-offenders,” Bellamy said. “Once a part of the United States on Chestnut Street in Old of the problem, they are now engaged with us to City. be part of the solution.”

“I think as a whole, Philadelphia has a high Philadelphia CeaseFire’s outreach team paLISA WILK TTN crime rate everywhere,” said Tim Waltman, a trols the streets of the 22nd District, identifying The Health Sciences Campus houses the Philadelphia CeaseFire program, which seeks to individuals between the ages of 14- to 25-years- sophomore criminal justice major. “But as far as reduce gun-related violence and killings in the 22nd district of North Philadelphia. old who are involved in high-risk street activity CEASEFIRE PAGE 16

DOMINIQUE JOHNSON The Temple News

PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW

This week, we catch up Eran Preis, an FMA professor who recently released a film detailing his son’s mental illness.

LIVING 215-204-7418

BEER BUDDIES TTN reporter Yotam Dror met Bill Covaleski, a Tyler alumnus and co-founder of Victory Brewing Company.

NEXT WEEK

“We want to let communities and residents know that these acts of violence are not acceptable.”

BOOTY DROP

Next week, The Temple News learns about BootyDrop. com, a website developed to tell sexual experiences.

LIVING@TEMPLE-NEWS.COM

LIVING

PAGE 8

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

Alumnus masters art of ale Bill Covaleski, a 1985 Tyler School of Art alumnus, co-founded Victory Brewing Company in 1996 with friend Ron Barchet.

Hopped Up

After thorough sampling, TTN reporter Yotam Dror offers his two cents on four of Victory’s most popular brews.

opened Victory in 1996.

When the duo first opened their microbrewery there were 1,087 American brew“Running a business, like art, is about eries, and Covaleski said the two thought problem-solving,” Bill Covaleski said. they were late in the game. He noted that now there are currently at least 1,759 brew“And brewing, like art, is eries, with another 725 planned about expression.” for the near future.

Covaleski is the coAlthough believing they founder of Downingtownhad a late start, Victory was based Victory Brewing Comsuccessful due to the company. Although his passion radely and support that exists for brewing began after colamong the brewing community lege, he said his graphic de– “95 percent free of jerks,” sign studies at Tyler School Covaleski said. of Art greatly influenced his The brewery has expanded work. its sales to 29 states.

“I first started homeBill Covaleski / “Although we may be a brewing with my dad, who 1985 Tyler alumnus and little over extended, we still sell had a basic 5-gallon kit,” said co-founder of victory 36 percent of our beer in PennCovaleski, who graduated brewing company sylvania,” Covaleski said. from Tyler in 1985. “I quickly One of several microlearned that brewing was not brewers in the Philadelphia area, Covaleski only art, but also a science.” explained that there is a huge marketplace After his first batches failed due to a and therefore low competition.

Each brewlack of technique and sanitation, Covaleski ery develops its own niche and supportive cracked open the books and began studying customer base. the rich history of brewing and its fundaHowever, a commonality between mental science. many of them is their dedication to the enCovaleski said he soon gave his childvironment.

Breweries like Yards have inhood friend Ron Barchet a brewing kit vested heavily in renewable energy for their for Christmas, and a decade later the two company. Victory recently won The Good

YOTAM DROR The Temple News

“I quickly learned that brewing was not only art, but also a science.”

Foods Award for its HopDevil and Helios ales.

According to The Good Foods Awards, this decoration is given to companies for “leading the way towards a tasty, authentic and responsible food system.” Victory has pushed for responsible energy, donations towards community support, as well as watershed stewardship. Their Headwaters Pale Ale was created in honoring the importance of pure water and a portion of its sales go directly to environmental advocacy groups.

Covaleski continues his work at Victory as the creative director. He said his experience studying at Tyler enables his design of beer labels and graphics for the brewery.

His favorite Victory brew?

“I’ve probably consumed more Prima Pils than any other beer we’ve made,” Covaleski said. “But picking a favorite beer would be like picking a favorite child.”

PRIMA PILS Although co-founder Bill Covaleski claims to pick no favorites, he admits that Prima Pils is the one he consumes the most. Pilsners are among the most common beer styles, and are known for being refreshing and simplistic in flavor. Many brands exist, however Prima Pils is impressively rated the best German Pilsner by the online rating system BeerAdvocate.

Yotam Dror can be reached at yotam.dror@temple.edu.

HOPDEVIL HopDevil’s name and design existed before the beers actual creation. As an American IPA should be, HopDevil is a bitter and hoppy beer. The namesake is understandable due to the extreme flavor of the hops.

ERAN PREIS Courtesy Eran Preis

ALEXIS SACHDEV Living Editor According to The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, approximately one in five Americans suffered from any form of mental illness in 2010 – a figure totaling approximately 11.4 million. Such illnesses and disorders range in severity and type, and include conditions such as depression, ADHD, schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Film and media arts professor Eran Preis, who has been teaching on Main Campus since 1993, recently released a film detailing his son’s struggle with schizophrenia after going AWOL in the Israeli Defense Force, how their family coped and, on a larger scale, the correlation between mental illnesses and drug and alcohol abuse.

In the wake of the impending release of his newest film, professor Preis sat down with The Temple News to discuss “Jonathan’s Return,” his other cinematographic venture and his son’s road to recovery.

The Temple News: What inspired you to start making films of this nature?

Eran Preis: [“Jonathan’s Return”] actually is the second of a trilogy of documentary films that will focus on what happens when they close state mental institutions. Most of the people went to the streets, some were left to family, and for some, there were small communities built. So I did one [film] on the street called “Patricia Baltimore,” about four years ago. [Patricia] was a homeless woman trying to help other people on the street, though she was suffering from mental illness.

And “Jonathan’s Return” is about our son and how he and the family are coping with the mental illness.

TTN: Can you tell us about Jonathan’s struggle throughout the film?

EP: The film is following Jonathan’s story in Israel when he got sick in the army in 2001. Basically, six years later we visit these places and tell the story, in like a retelling. So we follow in detail the first two years [after returning to the U.S.], one hospital to the next, seven hospitals total with constantly changing diagno-

ses. Then he got a little better, he went to a program in Baltimore and now he’s back.

When the film was finished, he was not doing that well. He basically stopped medication and started using [drugs.] Which is also very typical, [using] drugs and alcohol because it’s kind of like a self-medication. So then he went to a rehab and now he lives in a halfway house with people who are also in a rehab situation, and now he’s doing really well.

TTN: How would you say making this film affected your family?

EP: One [of Jonathan’s] sibling[s] took a year-and-a-half of not talking to us, really feeling betrayed, et cetera. The second son, who is an artist, really took responsibility and stayed with Jonathan. Me and my wife talk about how it strengthened our relationship, but also how each one of us copes. I talk a lot about coping by making the film. So I cope through making a film about it, and with Jonathan participating, it’s brought us closer.

And you’ll see scenes in the film how the family’s against it, and I’m criticized for exploitation and stuff like that. But I honestly just say that this is my way to cope, to have other people know about it and understand and then we take it out of the closet.

TTN: What do you hope to achieve with this trilogy?

EP: I think the first thing is to bring it to the foreground, to have people talk about it. Then there’s the issue of the stereotype.

I want people, who, when they see homeless on the street, they’ll see faces. They need to understand that for homeless people, every little hill is a mountain, and the same thing for mental illness.

Just knowing my son isn’t portrayed in a film just as ‘schizophrenic Jonathan,’ but Jonathan who also is a musician, a son and a soldier. So stereotypes are broken when you start seeing three dimensions.

I also want to help families to look what we’re going through and find a way to identify with that. To understand that they’re not alone and to be able to talk about it.

Alexis Sachdev can be reached at asachdev@temple.edu.

GOLDEN MONKEY While delicious, Golden Monkey can be a bit deceptive. The Belgian-style ale has a 9.5 percent alcohol content, however the sweet flavor conceals the alcohol’s bite.

STORM KING STOUT Similar to Golden Monkey, Storm King Stout is a more alcoholic beer with 9.1 percent alcohol content.

Stouts are a dark and creamy beer, and Storm King is fairly thick. With its low carbonation, Storm King stands out as a heavier beer.

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT temple-news.com

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

PAGE 9

Artists duel for Knight grants The Art Sanctuary and the Clay Studio are two finalists in the Knight Arts challenge.

The Knight Foundation offers grants to improve arts in the city.

KHOURY JOHNSON The Temple News

T

he Knight Arts Foundation has selected its 55 finalists for this year’s Knight Arts Challenge, which reviewed more than 1,200 ideas from art producers across the city.

The challenge, which originated in Miami two years ago, is in its second year in Philadelphia.

FUNDING THE ARTS

Last year, the Foundation awarded 36 grants, totaling approximately $2.7 million, to local artists who had come up with the most artistic ideas. Most ideas focused on expanding a certain artistic genre throughout the city, like music or visual art.

One of the recipients was Temple Baptist Church, who was awarded $20,000 in grant money from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

“Grants are not easy to come by, especially for the

smaller art groups,” Knight Foundation program director Donna FrisbyGreenwood said.

Frisby-Greenwood said that usually the larger, more exposed art groups have the available resources and time to approach the foundation in search of grant money, leaving thousands of new, innovative ideas unexplored.

“It would take forever for a single person to come across 1,200 ideas just by themselves. That’s why we want to get people to share ideas with us,” Frisby-Greenwood said. “We want to see who’s out there with great ideas so we can fund them.”

Since October 2011, more than 1,000 local artists and art groups submitted their ideas, in the form of a 150 word essay, to the Foundation with hopes of receiving both grant money and the all important exposure that

comes with being selected in the contest.

Out of these applicants, 55 finalists remain as they wait for their full proposals to be reviewed and judged for the April 23 final announcement.

“We make it easy,” Frisby-Greenwood said. “Usually [artists] have to go through a much longer process – a letter of intent, hope that someone actually reads their letter, write a full proposal and go through a three to six month reviewing process, with no guarantee of even getting the grant.”

Frisby-Greenwood said the advantage of this contest is that smaller groups don’t have to spend nearly as much time and money with

NICOLE WELK The Temple News What do operas adapting hip-hop and guerilla-mug exchanges have in common with one another? They are both ideas that have been granted finalist positions in this year’s Knight Arts Challenge of Philadelphia.

The 2012 competition released the ideas of the 55 finalists earlier this month, and included on the roster were projects from the Art Sanctuary of South Philadelphia and the Clay Studio from Old City.

Both organizations place a great emphasis on education and community outreach through the arts, reflected within each of their project proposals.

The Art Sanctuary, founded in North Philadelphia, works from their mission statement in using “black art to transform individuals, unite groups of people and enrich and draw inspiration from the inner city.”

Projects from the Sanctuary have in-

KNIGHT PAGE 10

FINALISTS PAGE 11

Sushi takes new form without chopsticks

CAITLIN WEIGEL TTN

Traditional sushi ingredients comprise a serving of ‘sushi in a bowl.’ A trip to Big Eyes Sushi at Seventh and Bainbridge streets inspired Columnist Caitlin Weigel’s creation.

Eats & Cheats

Columnist Caitlin Weigel gets creative with her sushi recreation after a trip to Big Eyes Sushi.

CAITLIN WEIGEL

MIXING MUSIC

Meet Sincerely, the Alchemists – two of whom met at Temple, and are now mixing up pop-electronica sounds.

A&E DESK 215-204-7418

totally sure of my solo-dining, food-gorging ways.

The appetizer was glorious – I imagine it’s what McDonald’s would come up with if challenged to make sushi. The tangy sauce on top was literally the icing on the deepfried cake.

The sushi is brought to your table as it’s made, which creates a unique dining experience. I would recommend eating family style if you decide to go, so you can take advantage of each roll as it’s delivered instead of

“The strip tease roll was good enough to make me want to take my clothes off in exchange for more.” waiting. While I would take a pass on the pink lagoon in the future – despite its Barbie appearance, the warm tuna interior was a little too “Chicken-of-the-Sea” for me – the crunchy California was on point and the strip tease roll was good enough to make me want to take my clothes off in exchange for more.

I’m so sorry, mom and dad.

Despite the physically chilly conditions, Big Eyes atmosphere was otherwise very warm. The service was smiley and the wall full of pictures showcasing happy previous customers was reminiscent of some old summer camp tradition.

Back at the lab, my appetite for recreating the dish was not so large.

I can barely roll a sleeping bag, let alone some flimsy rice and fish. And the odds of me trucking it down to some specialty food market for supplies in the phalanges-numbing weather were about as good as Temple giving us a snow day when hell freezes over

STARR’S CITY

Stephen Starr opened five restaurants in Philadelphia last year. We’ll tell you what each of them is serving up.

NEXT WEEK

T

he first thing I noticed about Big Eyes Sushi was the temperature.

In the middle of January, the place was operating with its doors wide open. Not in a metaphorical way – the two front doors were literally open, allowing the freezing winter winds to fill the small space on the corner of Seventh and Bainbridge streets.

I found a seat as far away as possible from the doors and zipped my coat up as the waiter approached with the menu.

Big Eyes had crossed my path several times before my venture there a few frigid weeks ago – several mentions in local publications and the literal crossing of it while in South Philly finally piqued my interest enough to stop for lunch.

Most of the special rolls are not only below the $12 mark, but also have fun names.

Who doesn’t want to order a strip tease special roll from a strange man?

I’ll be honest and say that my eyes typically glaze over after reading a sushi menu for a while, and I typically stop reading the descriptions and start ordering based on silliness of the names.

So in the end, my order consisted of the aforementioned strip tease roll and the pink lagoon, as well as a simple crunchy California roll in case my less-than-perfect ordering system backfired. I threw in a shrimp tempura appetizer just in case the waiter wasn’t

(read: not so hot).

Plus, the idea of messing with raw fish just spelled disaster. Even looking at them in their crushed iced home behind the glass at the grocery store, their limp lips seemed to mouth, “Don’t do it, Caitlin.” Who am I to deny a fish his final wish? Shout out to Seuss, Ph.D. At some point in my musings of the recreation of the meal, a cartoon lightning bolt struck my head: sushi in a bowl. As aesthetically pleasing as the simple sushi rounds can be, my favorite part has always been found in the actual act of eating it. So who cares what it looked like? It’s not like some reality food show judge is waiting in my kitchen to judge me on presentation.

With that, I heated up some leftover rice, sliced half a cucumber and an avocado and topped it off with a crumbled crab cake prepared by the able hands of the good people behind the grocery store seafood counter. A little soy sauce and a blind fold and it’s just like you’re eating a California roll – only your self-esteem is still totally intact because you got to skip the awful act of actually rolling it.

Final verdict: Big Eyes is a great spot for special rolls on the cheaper end of the spectrum – just wear a coat. And if the odds of you actually battling the frost to get to South Philly are as good as Student Financial Services offering helpful advice, call on Uncle Ben for a little help making the lazy-man’s equivalent at home.

Caitlin Weigel can be reached at c.weigel@temple.edu.

CERAMICS CENTRAL

Last year, the Philadelphia Sculpture Gym received a Knight Arts grant in the 2011 challenge.

See where they’re at now.

ARTSandENTERTAINMENT@TEMPLE-NEWS.COM

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 10

Beyonce’s “Countdown” becomes party anthem Fear of Music

Knight Foundation announces finalists

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

KNIGHT PAGE 9

D

Columnist Kevin Stairiker argues that while “Countdown” may not have topped Billboard charts, it possesess a universal appeal.

KEVIN STAIRIKER

JACOB COLON TTN

Bill Gatti sits in the office of Orchestra 2001.

The ensemble is one of 55 Knight Arts finalists.

the application process, making their stab at the contest practically risk free.

And when it comes to what exactly the foundation is looking for when it wants to fund a particular idea or project, Frisby-Greenwood said the criteria is quite simple.

“The first question we ask is: Is it art? And then: Is it good art?” FrisbyGreenwood said.

“We get a lot of applicants who submit ideas and say they’re going to institute an art program, but it’s not really ‘art.’ They’re just trying to get some extra money, and we only have so many projects we can fund.”

Although the number of applications dropped from 1,700 to around 1,200 last year, which mimics a similar trend in the Miami contest after its first year, Frisby-Greenwood said that the quality of the ideas have not fallen off, and the contest has attracted many submissions by more individual artists and art collectives.

MEET THE FINALISTS

One finalist comes from the Hacktory, which aims to expand the usage of electronic and digital art throughout the city.

“It’s an artist residency program,” said Georgia Guthrie, the director of the Hacktory. “We select a few artists who want to work in digital and electronic medium. They come to the Hacktory and do workshops in programming, software and circuits, and we let them use our workspace. In the end, we let them do projects and we have them teach classes for after school

programs.”

Guthrie’s reserved optimism for the project speaks to the difficulties of not being one of the larger art attractions in the city.

“It’s just an idea,” Guthrie said.

“We came up for a concept for the proposal. We really like it, and we’ve continued to fundraise, but we’re not really going all out for fundraising until we find out whether we get the grant or not.”

Guthrie also explained that although the Hacktory is not yet a household name in Philadelphia, the company has ties in the city that make its proposed project all the more viable.

“We’ve worked with Fleisher Art memorial, and from that experience we’ve seen that there’s a demand for people to not only learn about electronic and digital arts, but also to see and experience for themselves what this technology can offer,” Guthrie said.

And what the Hacktory can offer to the city, too.

Guthrie believes that her project can be a real attribute for the city, pressing for education in the math and sciences while providing opportunities for local artists looking for a way to get their foot in the door.

MAKING MOVES AND MUSIC

Bill Gatti, administrative director of Center City’s Orchestra 2001, believes his company can be just as influential, but with music rather than technology.

Orchestra 2001, which has been in Philadelphia since the early 1980s, is

joining forces with local and world-renowned musicians to produce new music celebrating the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. The project will incorporate efforts from “Play On, Philly,” a West Philadelphia student vocal ensemble, the Gospel Choir of the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, composers Richard Danielpour and Jay Fluellen and clarinetist Anthony McGill, principal clarinet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

“It’s really a celebration of cultural diversity, bringing concerts to as many people and venues, as we can, to promote music to people who maybe have never even heard or listened to this genre before,” Gatti said.

Throughout the project’s two-year lifespan, all of these musicians will perform their own tribute to the life of King, including Richard Danielpour’s world premiere of a new concerto for clarinet and orchestra at the Kimmel Center in 2014, and Pulitzer Prizewinning composer Joseph Schwantner’s “New Morning for the World: Daybreak of Freedom” for narrator and chamber orchestra, which is planned to be one of the project’s opening acts.

“We want to expose art to people who aren’t engaged in the local art scene,” Frisby-Greenwood said. “But also, we want to create new art, something Philadelphia has never seen before.”

Khoury Johnson can be reached at khoury.johnson@temple.edu.

uring winter break I found myself driving a lot.

Driving to Wawa, to friends’ houses, to nowhere at all – it didn’t really matter where.

The thrill of driving after a semester of relying on my feet and SEPTA was a fleeting freedom I enjoyed wholeheartedly. But this is a music column, so where does this information fit in?

Let’s talk about driving music. Actually, let’s get really specific: Let’s talk about a driving song. I wouldn’t even limit it to just a driving song. It eventually became a walking song, a playing video games song and a general feeling-alive song. Screw it, let’s talk about “Countdown” by Beyonce.

If I was forced to review the song itself, it would consist of one single word: Woah. If I was graciously given two words, it would read: Seriously, woah.

“Countdown” is a song delivered in a golden chariot by a greater being.

If anything, “Countdown” confirms the existence of a greater being, possibly one that loves getting down to marching band percussion and Boyz II Men samples.

This might all sound like really excessive hyperbole, but listen to the song and try to deny the gravitational pull that it creates. I don’t care if you’re a hardcore kid covered in tattoos or a middle-aged man with a mortgage, there’s something for everyone here.

Lyrically, the song somehow teeters the line between a genuinely sweet love song and a totally badass declaration of feminine independence – a.k.a.

95 percent of all Beyonce/Destiny’s Child jamz. Taken as a whole, there is no verse, bridge or even a chorus in a traditional sense.

Upon my first listen, I struggled to pinpoint just which set of lines could be considered the hook. Once the song ended, I realized that, dear God, the whole song is the hook. Every line is meant to be quoted and sung at the top of your lungs on a dance floor or at a house party.

It’s a true anomaly on the album that it came from.

Although “4” is a very good album, there aren’t really any songs that compete with “Countdown,” with the exception of “Love On Top” – and that song could have its own separate column. It’s as if the songwriters and producers on the album focused all of their time and energy into crafting this perfect pop single and got way too tired for the rest of the album. Her loss, our gain as listeners, I suppose.

What makes the song so worthy of note is the fact that the constant driving percussion never overwhelms the listener.

You’ll find yourself thinking “well shoot, I can’t take this. There’s no way

that I’ll be able to make it to the end of the song without having to wring my shirt out from the sweat and possibly taking a nap afterwards.” Well dear friends, if you have the will to persevere, making it to the end of “Countdown” is a truly enlightening experience.

Even though “Countdown” was not only heralded as one of the best singles of the year, and maybe even of Beyonce’s career thus far, the Billboard Hot 100 charts, a long decaying relic itself, showed otherwise. According to “Countdown’s” exhaustive Wikipedia page – seriously, check that out – “Countdown” reached a measly #71 spot.

Normally this wouldn’t annoy me since music charts have been immeasurably skewed since the invention of the World Wide Web, but let’s get real: What is up with Beyonce fans and general pop music listeners? Honestly, I feel like Maximus from “Gladiator” shouting “are you not entertained?” to the huddled masses. “Countdown” is the type of song that should’ve been like “Hey Ya”– leaping all genre boundaries to reach the ears of everyone at all times and achieving ubiquity.

Instead we live in a world where only those in the loop know that when Beyonce is in the kitchen for dinnertime, she’s got her heels on. Only a small percentage of the population knows what Beyonce thinks ladies should do to prove to their men that they are indeed “the flyest.”

And most importantly, where would we, as a continually developing human species, be without the phrase “me and my boo in my boo coupe ridin’?” Nowhere, that’s where. So go find “Countdown” and listen to it. Then listen to it a couple more times.

After that, run out and find a stranger and grab their face and sing it to them. Soon, you’ll find that a dance party will have formed all around you, inspired by “Countdown” and its’ mystic, transcendent capabilities.

Kevin Stairiker can be reached at kevin.stairiker@temple.edu.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 11

Art Sanctuary and Clay Studio named Arts Challenge finalists rector of development and finance for the organization. cluded “Can You Hear God Crying?”

While “Hip H’Opera” targets a a music outreach project that targets in- young population with education and carcerated individuals in the Philadel- the opportunity to be part of the crephia prison system. The organization ation of an opera production, the Clay also partners with Temple in the Cel- Studio’s “Guerilla Mug Assault” hopes ebration of Black Writing conference, to use a Knight Arts grant toward rean event that has been celebrated each search. year since 1984.

Jeff Guido, the artistic director of In 2007, the Art Sanctuary began the studio, hopes to use his project to to work in tandem with the Philadel- explore the question, “what is the relphia Opera Company to introduce evance of handmade objects in the 21st youth of the city to crossing the genres century?” of hip-hop and opera. Students would The “Guerilla Mug Assault” is initially write poetry that would then proposed to be a timed event involving be set to operatic music. By 2009, the 10 coffee shops around the city. Durgroups were creating curriculums for ing the event, random people from the partner schools to teach students the general public would be encouraged to art of storytelling through both music trade in the use of a disposable paper genres. It was from this pilot that the cup from their coffee spot for a handidea for the Knight Arts grant formed. made mug. Participants would then be “We want to expand upon this asked to blog about their experiences in concept of ‘Hip H’Opera,’” said Ta- using the handmade object. rana Burke, the managing director of “There is a significant role objects Art Sanctuary. “The finished product play in people’s everyday lives. Obwill be a full production in the Opera jects can be charged with a spirit and Company’s 2014 line up.” meaning for people,” Guido said. “I With the grant, the Art Sanctuary want to explore these experiences.” with the Philadelphia Opera Company Anyone from the general public plan to organize an artistic team to write can be involved with “Guerilla Mug a full opera using the informing themes Assault.” Guido decided not to disand ideas from students between six close when or where these “paper cup different schools in Philadelphia. The for mug” pop-ups would happen, to project allows for these students to encourage this idea that anyone and voice their experiences for a larger pro- everyone could become involved with duction, educating them about artistic the project. outlets while in turn educating the genThe Clay Studio continues to be eral public about life as an urban youth. involved in outreach programs like the The students involved in helping Art Sanctuary, but with an emphasis on inspire the opera would be given the ceramic art. chance to explore other opportuniThe Claymobile, for example, proties within theater careers, including vides a mobile ceramics studio for a costume design, set design, backstage diverse group of students and adults in work and directing. the Philadelphia area – including deaf “With this opportunity, we also students, children in the juvenile juswant to provide tangible ideas to the tice system and the homeless. students about different kinds of work Familiar organizations from the in the arts,” said Danielle Ayers, the di- city also in the running for a grant in-

FINALISTS PAGE 9

clude the Arden Theater in Old City, the Crane Arts Center of Northern Liberties and the University of the Arts. The Knight Arts Challenge will announce the grant winners from the finalist list this coming spring.

Nicole Welk can be reached at nicole.welk@temple.edu.

Use the QR code to the left on your Web-enabled mobile device to find out what programs the Clay Studio offers.

If you don’t have a smartphone, visit: www.theclaystudio.org

temple-news.com/QR

CHRIS MONTGOMERY TTN

Tyler School of Art graduate Adam Ledford instructs students in the Clay Studio on how to use a pottery wheel. The Clay Studio is one of 55 finalists in the 2012 Knight Arts Challenge.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Starr Power

PAGE 12

Restauranteer Stephen Starr said he doesn’t plan to open any more restaurants in Philadelphia.

Last year, Starr opened six restaurants, and now operates a total of 19 in the city.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

Granite Hill September 2011

Stephen Starr’s upscale Granite Hill eatery sits on the ground floor of the Philadelphia Art Museum, providing a French dining option after a long day of walking and gawking.

26th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway Menu: French Bistro – lots of salads and fresh fish, as well as burgers and sub sandwiches.

Price: $30 and below

TheJanuary Dandelion 2011

While it may be a little more upscale than its counterparts across the pond, Starr’s version of a British pub emanates cozy in the dining rooms and bar complete with fireplaces and bookcases.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are offered, but for those in the mood for something a little lighter, stop by between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. for afternoon tea and the special drink menu.

18th and Sansom streets Menu: Soups, salads, beef and seafood comprise the majority with traditional English dishes such as shepherd’s pie and fish and chips.

Price: $10-$25

II Pittore October 2011

Located in the outskirts of Rittenhouse Square, Il Pittore mimics old-time Italy with its incorporation of villa-esque furnishings, including hand-crafted murals, vintage grayscales of Italian culture, and hanging herb gardens for an extra kick of authenticity.

2025 Sansom St. Menu: Italian – pasta, antipasti, salads and a wide array of meats. Wines, cocktails and French press available.

Price: $30-$40

Talula’s Garden April 2011

Accolades poured from local food critics about this joint creation of Stephen Starr and local restaurateur, Aimee Olexy, where chefs use nothing but fruits, veggies, cheeses and desserts to “wow” customers.

210 W. Washington Square Menu: A seemingly endless concoction of fruits, vegetables and herbs for main dishes – a selection of goat, cow and sheep cheese-based items serve as appetizers. Ice cream, doughnuts, cakes, cupcakes and sorbets are offered for desert.

Price: approximately $40

Frankford Hall May 2011

It probably wouldn’t be a bad thing to say “Guten tag” when walking into this joint because at Frankford Hall it’s all German, all the time.

1210 Frankford Ave. Menu: Any and everything with “wurst” in it, sausages, burgers, German desserts and a full supply of drafts, lagers, wines and schnapps.

Price: $20-$30

DISHCRAWL JAN. 24 6:30 P.M.-9:30 P.M. NORTHERN LIBERTIES $39 DISHCRAWL.COM What happens when you combine the anti-commitment aspect of a lunch truck, the gastronomic perfection of locally-owned restaurants, a couple pinches of surprise and a dash of adventure? Something yummy, as the founders of Dishcrawl will probably tell you. Dishcrawl, the social media of food, takes participants on a food crawl to four various restaurants or trucks – which are kept a secret until patrons arrive – in a particular neighborhood, where the chef of each establishment then presents the crawlers with several small-tasting portions. After some mixing and mingling, the group then crawls to the next joint.

Tuesday is the inaugural Dishcrawl of Philadelphia that will be hosted in Northern Liberties, as the city joins more than 20 other cities in the U.S. and abroad. So after a long weekend of party-and-bar-hopping after the first weekend of the semester, treat your tummy and sense of adventure – and maybe even that hottie in history class– to some neighborly nom-noms.

Route 6 November 2011

Named for the pan-American highway that begins its journey near Cape Cod, Route 6 showcases northeastern and New England coastal cuisine, churning out its food in an old fashioned wood-burning oven and grill.

600 N. Broad St Menu: American seafood, with an emphasis on classic coastal cuisine such as oyster, lobster and clam chowder.

Price: $30-$50 - Khoury Johnson

CHRIS MONTOGMERY TTN

(Top Left) The Continental Midtown sits on Market Street in Old City and was Starr’s first restaurant in Philadelphia. Jones serves up traditional American dishes. Morimoto opened in Oct. 2001.

SALSA SHARK JAN. 24 8 P.M. NORTH STAR BAR $5 ADVANCE/$7 DOOR 21+ NORTHSTARBAR.COM Quick, what movie is this quote from: “Duh duh, duh duh, duh duh duh duh duh duh. Salsa shark! We’re gonna need a bigger boat! Man goes into cage, cage goes into salsa. Shark’s in the salsa. Our shark.”

If you answered “Clerks,” give yourself a pat on the back and a salsadipped tortilla chip. Unfortunately, the reference is completely unrelated, but there’s no doubt “Clerks” inspired the name for this groovy prog-rock quartet straight out of Philly. Among its influences, Salsa Shark includes Phish, Disco Biscuits and the Grateful Dead, and consists of two guitarists, a drummer and a bassist, three of whom also belt out some sultry melodies.

UNDER THE RADAR PAGE 13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

SINCERELY, THE ALCHEMISTS SHANELL SIMMONS The Temple News Three devoted men with a set vision have stirred up the recipe for success with their band Sincerely, the Alchemists.

Members Marc Koza, Justin Muldoon and Dave Lilly have classified their music as pop electronica – a genre that takes strong influences from contemporary pop and metal cultures.

“It is such an eclectic genre that encompasses some influence from varied other musical forms,” Koza said.

Their welcoming, honest and comical personalities resonate through their short commentary and striking lyrics throughout their songs. As a new band, they are using social networking heavily to gain a fan base and promote their music. Two of their songs “Such Life” and “Let Her Go,” are the latest songs dropped on Facebook. The Temple News sat down with Koza and Muldoon, both Temple alumni, to discuss the bands’ recent creation, their inspiration and their method to promote themselves and stand out among other established bands.

The Temple News: Describe the sound/ make-up of the genre “pop electronica?”

What are your roles?

Justin Muldoon: It is a combination of theatrical, classical, pop, metal and rockmusic all in one. I do the background vocals when necessary and make up my own raps for the songs. [Koza] is the vocalist of the group. He makes all the vocal melodies and writes the lyrics. [Lilly] is the pianist and comes up with some creative structure for the song as well.

TTN: How did the group originate?

Mark Koza: Freshman year of college I met [Muldoon] and we both came in wanting to start a band. The idea actually originated because after every party we would be on our way home, singing out loud, walking down the blocks of North Philly. Plans fell

through because we kept meeting people who didn’t quite fit what was necessary to uphold a good band. I actually floated through a few unsteady bands and senior year when I met [Lilly], we decided to create a band together ourselves. [Muldoon] and I remained friends and had always wanted to be in a band together so I asked him to join, and now it’s us three.

TTN: Where did the name “Sincerely, the Alchemist” originate?

MK: It comes from an author I read who divided up the great pianists and one of the categories was “alchemists.” We felt our music could bring you to a different place. Plus we have a great pianist.

TTN: How have your skills in your majors translated to either helping or hindering your success of the group?

MK: I was a [broadcast, telecommunications and mass media] major, which wasn’t necessarily musically focused, but it actually helped me greatly. As an independent team, producing and editing all of your own music is something you have to know. You must be critical of yourself. Learning how to do all of those logistical tasks with broadcast was able to translate over to working with the band’s music.

TTN: Where do you see the band in five years?

MK: We just want to be able to get a nice fan base and be able to play live for people.

Personally, I just want people to say that we did a good job. I’ve worked on my voice for years to get it where I want it to be and it would be great to have others recognize my talents.

JM: If we have people who constantly are encouraging us to do more and write more, that would be great. Being able to get to a point where even our songs play on the radio would be nice. It’s a good feeling to make music that people enjoy and appreciate the work you put in to produce it.

MK: We’re humble in the way we don’t

expect ourselves to explode but we just want to be respected in the community and hope things pan out great.

TTN: What inspires you to keep performing and writing?

MK: My band. I remember the days where I used to have good ideas and when melodies would just come to my head, but I didn’t have anyone to share it with. Now that I have a group of people to share it with – they keep me inspired.

JM: The fun and joy that comes along

PAGE 13 with it inspires me. With a song like “Such Life,” it was all jokes and I appreciate that aspect.

Shanell Simmons can be reached at shanell.simmons@temple.edu.

Courtesy Marc Koza

Sincerely, the Alchemists call their sound pop electronica, and recently released their first tunes on Facebook. Members Marc Koza (middle) and Justin Muldoon (right) are alumni.

UNDER THE RADAR PAGE 12

CRAFTER’S NIGHT OUT: “MY SWEET VALENTINE” JAN. 26 6 P.M. – 8 P.M. PAPER SOURCE 1628 WALNUT ST. $28 21+ PAPER-SOURCE.COM Whoever said, “love is blind,” was, well, wrong. The roughest holiday for the stags and the spoken-for alike is fast-approaching, and while the thought always counts, maybe the artistically challenged should think a little harder and head down to Paper Source. Thursday night, the Rittenhouse retailer of fine calendars, cards and crafting supplies will be hosting an evening of libations, hot glue guns and cardstock cut-outs. Experts of Paper Source will be welcoming you to the world of grownup homemade cards, sans macaroni noodles, finger paints or sticky messes. Well, what you save for the bedroom is your business.

IRON CHEF: PHILADELPHIA EDITION JOSE GARCES VS. MICHAEL SOLOMONOV JAN. 30 10 P.M. THE FOOD NETWORK FREE FOODNETWORK.COM If you end up catching yourself with the Monday blues, skip the emotional eating – and subsequently unavoidable calories – and opt for the single gal’s favorite therapy: watching the Food Network. But don’t expect to find Paula Deen’s weekly butter binge this week, folks. Instead, the Food Network is hosting a Philadelphia throwdown on “Iron Chef” between Jose Garces and Michael Solomonov.

Garces, reigning Iron Chef and genius behind Distrito and Chifa, will bet his title against up-and-coming chef and mastermind Solomonov, whose name is attached to restaurants such as Zahav and Percy Street Barbecue. And if you find your lonely La-Z-Boy a depressing option for Monday night, head down to Percy Street at 900 South St. for Solomonov’s viewing party.

- Alexis Sachdev

LIVING

PAGE 14

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

KNOW YOUR COlUMNIST Marisa Steinberg 2013 “Green Space”

A childhood of mandatory family camping trips and an endless subscription to “Vogue” has left me with a seemingly irreconcilable love of nature and fashion. So, in spite of every other love triangle that has ended in absolute heartbreak, I’m determined to use this column to show that leading an eco-friendly life does not have to mean sacrificing the comforts, such as classy style, we as college students have become accustomed to. I hope my sustainability suggestions make going green seem more feasible for students and add some optimism to the discussion of the future of the environment.

Favorite Thing About Temple: The progressive work of the Office of Sustainability and the possibility of meeting Bill Cosby.

Least Favorite Thing About Temple: The concrete-tograss ratio. I’d put up with my heels sinking in the dirt for more patches of greenery.

Victoria Marchiony 2014 “Seen and Heard”

The objective of my column is to be for the Temple community what Jon Stewart is for politics and what Jenna Marbles is for offensiveness. My commentaries will be simultaneously snotty, funny and poignant.

Favorite Thing About Temple: The diversity of majors that we have, because it gives me the opportunity to meet people with a huge variety of interests.

Least Favorite Thing About Temple: How ugly and depressing (many of) our buildings are. Oh, and that damn East Coast winter thing. I could do without that.

Caitlin Weigel 2012 “Council of Advice”

The Council seeks to solve your social, academic and personal problems through a mixture of science, magic and historical fiction.

Favorite Thing About Temple: Cops on Segways Least Favorite Thing About Temple: It doesn’t rhyme with very much. Except for lentil.

Joe Hoey 2013 “Green Space”

Brandon Baker 2014 “QChat”

I’m a new columnist for a joint on the world of green.

I want to inspire people to take a non-politicized look at “green” topics and see how exciting and enriching simple acts of environmentalism can be. Hopefully I won’t sound preachy. If I do, maybe I’ll still sell you on some selfdeprecating humor.

Favorite thing about Temple: The variety. So many majors, so many totally different classes, so many organizations, so many people and so many things to do.

Least favorite thing about Temple: Budget cuts and tuition hikes.

I’m back in action for my fourth-consecutive semester of writing about all things gay, gay, gay (and transgender – we wouldn’t want to exclude anyone) on Main Campus and beyond. QChat throws a “chat” into its title for a reason: I want to hear from you. Main Campus is fortunate to have a thriving GLBT scene, but not everyone is aware of its presence. Shoot me an email with some of the ramblings you’ve heard around the community and help me give Temple GLBT the voice it deserves.

Favorite thing about Temple: Spring Fling. There’s nothing funnier than stumbling into class and watching a fellow inebriated classmate try to analyze the meaning behind Descartes’ “I think, therefore I am” adage.

Least favorite thing about Temple: The “Magical Flash Drive Thief” who continues to lurk at Club Tech. Seriously though, I’d love my flash drive[s] back – and my Lady Gaga headphones.

Editor suffers ups and downs of life in 1940

L

ALEXIS SACHDEV

Living Editor Alexis Sachdev recounts getting stuck in a 1940 residence hall elevator.

ast Thursday, I was saved.

One minute, I was lying on my back, accepting my impending fate. The next moment, bright lights shone onto me as if the Heavens themselves were parting for my arrival. Ethereal “hallelujahs” drowned out my hysterical tears.

Glowing white creatures appeared at my weakest moment and lifted me to a better place.

Mandy Moore was there, too. And maybe even Kirk Cameron. Probably Kirk Cameron.

Wait a minute.

I was saved Thursday, but not

by Mandy or Kirk. My saviors were shrouded in highlighter yellow windbreakers, and the imagined celestial sounds were actually the cacophonous and frantic screams emitted by the residents of 1940 residence hall. I’m not writing to you from the newsroom in the sky, nor is this a tear-jerking story of one girl’s change of course off of the amoral proverbial road to hell.

But let’s rewind.

After a long day in the office – in 4-inch heels, no less – I begrudgingly limped back to my oatmeal-colored dorm room in 1940. I thought to myself upon entering the building, “your butt needs it, bubala, take the damn stairs,” but couldn’t begin to fathom the fourflight adventure. I imagined a valiant effort, but ultimate defeat. I imagined

cursing my shoes, cursing my butt, cursing 1940, cursing all that was good and pure in this world. Elevator it was.

Another girl joined me in the 7-by5-foot steel box just before the doors slowly closed. Little did we know they would never re-open for us again.

Just below the fourth floor, the elevator groaned and came to a screeching halt. My elevator-mate and I peered at each other, both faces painted with mixed expressions of disbelief, fear and curiosity regarding our shared need to use the ladies’ room.

Instead of panicking, I did what any East Coast girl would do: pulled out my phone and whined to anyone who would listen. And texted whoever wouldn’t. A more responsible travel buddy, she called an RA, who just so happened to be one working on-duty, and help was finally on its way.

We spent the following two hours how any 20-something would spend an evening in an elevator: reading and doing homework, Tweeting, Facebooking and listening to Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me.” Dialogue on the other side proved to be more interesting, though.

My floormates – bless their kind

souls – worriedly called out my name, assured me I’d be getting out soon and formed a giant welcoming group awaiting my arrival.

Social media friends followed suite after my brief stint of live tweeting and “1940 Elevator” check-ins.

They held candlelight vigils in my honor and even made me into a meme. But despite everyone’s valiant efforts and constant support, the vague and unnamed engineers took twice as long to release us from imprisonment than we had planned.

Exhausted – and really needing some food and a bathroom at this point – I collapsed onto the floor, a pathetic representation of a good struggle gone bad.

Watching “Speed” one too many times taught me the escape hatch was all I needed, but they were wrong. Movies lie, kids.

Just as I was curling into the fetal position, the silver doors parted, letting new light shine in and down on us. One of the nice, unnamed engineers grinned at me before my roommate shoved him aside to cradle me in her motherly embrace. We were free at last.

Just as I was curling into the fetal position, the silver doors parted, letting new light shine in and down on us.

My floormates surrounded me with blankets and water, assuring me that Occupy Elevator 2012 was done and I would make it through to the end.

Since the incident, I’ve returned to the scene of the crime. The whole ordeal has actually changed my life.

That damn elevator still looks at me the wrong way, but I hold my head high.

In the wake of tragedy, I’ve formed a new relationship with the stairs and my 4-inch heels.

Alexis Sachdev can be reached at asachdev@temple.edu.

LIVING

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

PAGE 15

Untangle wires for streamlined functioning GREEN SPACE MARISA STEINBERG

Columnist Marisa Steinberg points out the sneaky ways that electrical devices are sabotaging the average student and their wallets.

COUNCIL OF ADVICE

CAITLIN WEIGEL

Caitlin Weigel encourages all readers to write in submissions to “Council of Advice.”

T

here was a moment during finals week last semester, sometime after 4:30 a.m. and before the delightful cacophony of construction work commenced outside my apartment, when the wires from all my electrical devices appeared to be surrounding me, poised for attack. Perhaps I was entering some waking dream state, an expected side effect of my allnighter cramming sessions, but the vision was all too perfectly metaphorical to be brushed off.

In 2007, Temple’s greenhouse gas emissions totaled at 216,102 metric tons of CO2e, according to greenreportcard.org. Sure, we’re greener than our neighbor to the west – University of Pennsylvania, which emitted 362,143 MTCO2e in 2007 – but we can still work to lessen our impact through more conscientious use of electrical devices.

I’m not suggesting you turn your back on electricity. I would not have been able to submit a vaguely coherent term paper had my electrical outlets not been snuggly occupied by a coffee maker and blinking white Christmas lights.

However, cutting back on your wattage can reduced your environmental impact, improve your room’s feng shui, extend the life of your rechargeable devices and alleviate that feeling of confusion and rage that accompanies every electricity bill.

If you are reading this at your desk, your kitchen table or even your friend’s kitchen table, take a critical look around at all the electrical outlets. The feeling of imminent death by wires may strike you as well, but press on and ask yourself how many devices are you actually using at the moment. If any that are plugged in are not currently in use, yank the cords.

According to the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory, your microwave may use up to 5 watts while plugged in, your DVD player about 10 watts, and your laptop eats up approximately 50 watts.

As you probably realized after the first month of paying for your own electricity, leaving your laptop, phone, iPod and camera perpetually plugged in the wall causes watt usage to accumulate quickly to wage a war on your wallet. For example, assuming PECO’s electricity rates, leaving your computer

plugged in while you’re at class or work for eight hours will run you about $100 extra annually – all that for electricity you weren’t even around to use.

Get into the habit of pulling the plug when you’re done using your electrical appliances.

What’s more, you may be sucking the life out of your rechargeable devices by constantly charging them. If you do not allow your rechargeable device to run out of power before you plug it in, you may be slowly decreasing its capacity for holding a charge. As annoying as it is to have your Words with Friends game interrupted by a black screen, giving your iPhone a chance to die will do you some good in the long run.

Although the legitimacy of this theory, sometimes known as the “lazy battery effect,” has long been debated in the tech world, charging devices only when necessary will save you enough money that your piggy bank’s validation is all you’ll need.

When you live in a dorm or apartment a mere fraction of the size of Kanye West’s closet, the thought of trying to achieve a feng shui-appropriate living arrangement may be laughable. After all, this Chinese system of arranging objects in your home in a favorable way requires actual space to move. However, modern interpretations of the system claim that a simple way to win some feng shui points is to limit the visibility of electrical wires.

Coil up that phone charger and you could be increasing your ability to concentrate and reach your fullest academic potential. When living amidst the constant construction site that is Temple, a little extra focus is always a good thing.

Electrical wires may not be out to literally ambush you – no matter how likely it may seem when you’re entrenched in an all-nighter at the TECH Center. However, they can figuratively beat you up and steal your money and capacity for true feng shui-induced happiness. Most importantly, excessive usage of electrical devices puts a strain on the environment – and that’s a fight no one should be looking to pick.

Illustration Joey Pasko

Marisa Steinberg can be reached at marisa.steinberg@temple.edu.

Columnist speaks on behalf of the Council

D

ear Esteemed-yet-Troubled Reader: It is with great pleasure that I announce the beginning of a new era in the form of a bi-weekly advice column, featuring the fabled Council of Advice.

The Council of Advice, as I’m sure most of you know from your primary education, was formed in a plane of existence unable to be spelled with the feeble letters of our modern alphabet. Comprised of peoples from all walks of life, both living and dead, some even fictional, the Council gained fame mostly for their clever and compassionate means of delivering advice, but also briefly for a solo project as an all-saxophone Captain and Tennille cover band.

The Council has sworn themselves to you now, my aforementioned esteemed yet troubled reader, and to helping you with whatever major or minor crises seem to be

playing out in your own lives. When your inner Jiminy Cricket has lost his mind and is too busy free-styling incoherent babble to actually advise you, call upon the wisdom of the Council. If you need them, call them – no matter where you are, no matter how far. Don’t worry, baby.

Is it OK if we call you baby?

The benefit of submitting your problems to the Council is the several-fold response you’ll receive in return. Since the members of the Council come from a wide variety of backgrounds and areas of expertise, the advice given will allow you to see all perspectives on your issue.

For example, if you’re having problems with a roommate who eats all your soy sauce, you may receive responses from Becky the 1980’s sitcom bully, or Pokey Oaks the resident folk-singing Granny. Expect your favorite anti-social author Henry David Thoreau to weigh in on your friendship issues, or the neighbor-

hood kid who always left his shoes at your house to give you his two cents on how to handle an overly chatty classmate.

The Council is made up of individuals from all walks of life and they all have something to say about your problems.

Think of them as the more cultured peanut gallery – the cashew crowd, if you will.

This is not your grandmother’s advice column, beautiful readers, but a far more sophisticated beast. Like a two-headed elephant who teaches math through physic powers.

Should you find yourself reading this and nodding fervently while your inner monologue screams “Yes! Finally! I have so many unanswered questions and the Council is exactly what I was looking for,” then please, by all means, drop us a line at councilofadvice@gmail.com.

Tell us what your problem is and we’ll let you know what we think would be the best possible course of action.

Feel free to use a pseudonym, as well. If it’s good enough for Dr. Seuss, it’s good enough for you.

And who am I you ask, fair, sweet, precious reader with your heart of gold?

Just a humble soul who’s name was pulled from the deli line’s ticket machine of fate.

Though I lack the insight and skill of the Council in giving advice, I will act as their intermediate, connecting the problemhaving population of Temple with the vast vault of knowledge residing in the collective minds of the Council.

For if there is a problem, yo, they’ll solve it. Check out the hooks while my DJ revolves it.

Caitlin Weigel can be reached at councilofadvice@gmail.com.

LIVING

PAGE 16

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

City violence triggers CeaseFire efforts CEASEFIRE PAGE 7 the university goes I feel that the police are doing a good job in making it a safe place.”

Mayor Michael Nutter spoke at a Kensington anti-violence rally at Bethel Temple Community Jan. 15, where he assured those gathered that the trend of ongoing violence could be reversed.

“I’m not really sure how one would go about fixing crime in this city,” freshman advertising major Matt Kozar said. “I’m kind of against gun control because you’re going to be able to get [guns] no matter what.”

One of the methods used to increase awareness of Philadelphia CeaseFire among community members is hosting a Shooting Response Event. A vigil conducted at the site of a shooting within 72 hours of the incident.

On Jan. 15, Philadelphia CeaseFire participated in one of their shooting response events in reply to the shooting and killing of a 19-year-old.

“We had spent time with his father, who had said he was unfortunately with the wrong people,” Bellamy said. “People from area churches and residents attended and we marched and prayed.”

Dominique Johnson can be reached at dominique.johnson@temple.edu.

LISA WILK TTN

The School of Medicine houses the Philadelphia CeaseFire program, which seeks to reduce gun violence in the 22nd district of North Philadelphia.

ID requirements may affect student voters VOTE PAGE 7 Luke McKinstry, a policy assistant with Committee of Seventy, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit government watchdog group.

Some of the laws are also welcomed by some at Temple who believe that they play a crucial role in the voting process.

“Everyone who votes should have [to provide] a voter ID before they vote,” Erik Jacobs, junior political science major and president of the Temple University College Republicans said. “I think that’s pretty mainstream. You should be who you say you are when you vote.”

Although the laws are welcomed by some, Kenney said the legislation is unwarranted.

“You can’t even make an argument that there’s some positive benefit to this, it’s ridiculous,” Kenney said. “Same thing with photo ID. Some people don’t have photo ID, some people don’t drive. If you don’t drive you’re probably poor, if you’re poor you’re probably not voting for republicans and that’s who’s passing this stuff.”

Kenney also said that he thinks the motives behind these laws are, “voter suppression and the inability to get the majority of the people in this country to agree with them.”

Locally, there is one voter ID bill in Pa. that passed the state house of representatives and is sitting in the state senate.

“This bill would be on the severe end in terms of the restrictions it places on voters,” McKinstry said. “It would require Pennsylvania voters to show a government issued photo ID.” McKinstry added that valid IDs would include a driver’s license, non-license photo ID, U.S. passport, a student ID and a senior care ID. He said that if the law were to pass, it would apply to everyone except those with disabilities, or veterans.

“So, at this point the bill has not passed, but there is a very real chance that it may pass,” McKinstry said.

McKinstry also said that the Committee of Seventy does not support the bill, H.B. 934, and said if out-of-state students do not have a valid ID, they would have to go through the process of getting an ID for voting purposes through the PA

Department of Transportation.

Local lawmakers have exhibited extreme frustration to this kind of legislation that has been sweeping throughout the country and are offering ideas to allow more people to participate in the electoral process.

“I think there’s a way to protect the integrity of the election and make voting more convenient for the average person,” Beach said.

Beach added that a major way to increase voter participation could be to streamline elections and decrease the amount of elections that are held throughout the year. He also said that voting electronically and voting by mail are major ways to make voting convenient.

“In any one year, you may have in excess of 20 or 30 elections. When you throw in fire districts, when you throw in special school elections, you have your school elections on one date, your fire elections on another date, your primary, your general election,” Beach said. “If we streamline and have fewer elections, maybe the participation would go up.”

Kenny added to this and said elections should be more open and more accessible to everyone.

“We should be making it as easy as possible for people to cast their vote, not harder,” Kenney said. “[We could make it easier] by not passing stupid laws.”

Although laws restricting voters are being passed throughout the country, local lawmakers agreed they should be going in the opposite direction – to make elections accessible and not restrictive.

“To disenfranchise any voter is unacceptable and to disenfranchise young voters is even more egregious because once people aren’t voting or participating in the process, it becomes easier to be cynical and to continue to not participate,” Beach said. “I really think that we need to go the opposite way.”

Sean Carlin can be reached at sean.carlin@temple.edu.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

LIVING

PAGE 17

Boutique opens doors on North Broad On Saturday, Jan. 21, Greek and Life Boutique, located at 2152 N. Broad St., opened its doors for lettered ladies and Greek guys.

Jackson collaborated with the Greek organizations on Main Campus to stock shelves with relevant apparel, but they also offer clothing customization service for any organization.

Before the grand opening of the Greek and While its selection of Greek apparel and cusLife Boutique, senior psychology major Courtney tomization services are an important part of the Mick said she had to drive more than an hour to boutique, White and Jackson also carry an array Delaware to pick up any clothing representing her of high-end apparel and accessories. Featured sorority, Delta Sigma Theta. brands include Life After Denim, Funktional and Located on the corner of North Broad and jewelry by Melanie Marie.

West Susquehanna streets, the Greek and Life “It started up as a Greek thing and then Boutique opened its doors on Sat[White] suggested we make it a urday, Jan. 21, with a launch party boutique as well because a lot hosted by Hot 107.9’s Emez and of times, the Greeks are just the music from alumnus DJ Omega. spring and fall,” Jackson said.

Shoppers were able to browse Unlike corporate stores like the newly-opened boutique, sip J.Crew on Chestnut Street, Jackson a Neuro water and mingle with and White decide what hangs on friends and the store’s owners the shelves.

Melanie White and Jordan Jack“We [looked at] what we liked, son. and we have friends who are stylJackson, a former student ists. They sent us a list of things,” and Kappa Alpha Si brother, said White said. “It’s pretty much what he came up with the idea for the we liked, and what [is] popular.” store out of necessity.

Men and women browsed the “We used to have to go to the store’s apparel despite the highUniversity of Delaware to get all end price tags. For example, a gray our Greek merchandise,” Jackson knitted sweater from Funktional said. “I thought [the boutique] rang up as $100, and a pair of men’s Courtney Mick / would be beneficial for [Main] senior psychology major shorts cost $53. The boutique is Campus.” one of the first places selling highEven though the store is new, end apparel on Main Campus. members of Temple’s Greek com“For a long time, [developers munity are already taking advantage of its convehave] been saying they want to build North Broad nient location.

Street like they did with the Avenue of the Arts,” “I’m the president of Delta Sigma Theta, and Jackson said, standing next to the Greek and Life it [is] really good for a store to open on Temple’s mural painted by Asswad Jaleel. “If we can be one campus because we had to go all the way to Delaof the stores that did that move a little more, that’d ware to get our paraphernalia,” Mick said holding be [great].” a Greek and Life Boutique bag. “[The University Fashion-forward individuals like Jackson and of Pennsylvania] had their own store, but it wasn’t White, much like the organizers of Philly Fashion enough.”

Week are constantly making strides to put PhilaThe store’s location is important, but prices delphia on the style map. Philadelphia’s couture are also an important consideration for most colindustry is evolving, and students have the opporlege students when purchasing apparel. tunity to help foster Philadelphia’s fashion image “I purchased a hat and a T-shirt,” Mick said. by shopping local at boutiques such as Greek and “The prices are really good compared to the stores Life.

I’ve been to. The lanyards are $7.50. A lot of places try to rip you off and make you pay $10 for a lanyard. A regular [customized] T-shirt would run Mark Longacre can be reached at around $40, but the shirt [from Greek and Life] mark.longacre@temple.edu. was around $25. It wasn’t bad.”

MARK LONGACRE The Temple News

“It [is] really good for a store to open on Temple’s campus because we had to go all the way to Delaware to get our paraphernalia.”

JACOB COLON TTN

(Top) Greek and Life Boutique hosted a launch party on Saturday, Jan. 21, hosted by Emez with music by DJ Omega. (Bottom) Shoppers browse the boutique’s Greek life apparel and accessories and high-end clothing at the launch party.

PAGE 18

Centers provide scoring CENTERS PAGE 20 know that they had an advantage in the physical department and they exploited Penn with it. At the end of the first half Temple unleashed a full court press defense headed by Macaulay, who used her length advantage to cause problems for the Penn guards in the back court. The press and Macaulay’s athleticism gave Temple the eight-point advantage that they eventually built off of going into halftime.

“Our pressure and defensive intensity was great, we all just really wanted to go out and get the ball and they struggled handling our pressure,” Macaulay said.

This game against Penn was the Cherry and White’s last nonconference game and with the Atlantic Ten Conference wide open this season, the Owls will need to build off of the newfound success they had in the post game against Penn.

“Every week is a big week, we have Xavier on Tuesday so we have to be ready to play against their bigs who are playing very well right now,” Cardoza said.

Anthony Bellino can be reached at anthony.bellino@temple.edu.

SPORTS

Owls remain patient with Eric

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

CHARLOTTE PAGE 20

man forward Anthony Lee to defend Braswell.

“Braswell is a terrific player and one of the better big guys in our league,” Dunphy said. “He does a lot of different things, he’s not one dimensional. But he’s going to be a tough matchup for us.”

“Obviously [Lee] is going to have to deal with [the matchup], but he’s been dealing with it for the last number of games,” Dunphy added.

“He’s been trying to fight like crazy and I’m proud of his efforts.”

The 49ers are a young team with two underclassmen in the starting lineup, including freshman guard Pierria Henry, who leads the team and is second in the A-10 in steals per game (2.7) and is also the 49ers’ leader in assists with 3.3 per outing.

One of the Owls’ weaknesses this season has been their ability to rebound, as they are on average out-rebounded by their opponents. The team is No. 183 nationally in the category with 34.7 per game.

However, the return of graduate center Micheal Eric could help the Owls in that department. Prior to Eric’s injury, which kept him on the bench for 13 games this season, he led the A-10 in rebounds with 11.3.

Eric said after the Maryland game during a media in-

terview that his abilities on the court should come back quickly for him.

“I think I just have to build that confidence that every shot I take is going to be a good shot,” Eric said.

In seven minutes of action against Maryland, Eric didn’t record any rebounds and went 0-1 from the field after taking a jumper from outside the paint.

Dunphy said during a conference teleconference call that he will evaluate the number of minutes that Eric will play against the 49ers.

“I think we’ll continue to do what we did on Saturday and give [Eric] selected minutes in the first and second half and see how he feels and see how his efficiency is,” Dunphy said. “I thought he did as good as you could do after being off for as long as he was.”

While the team would like to have its starting center in top shape immediately, the Owls also realize that they need to be patient with Eric’s return to the court.

“I’m not sure and I don’t want [Eric] to rush it and put too much pressure on himself,” Moore said in the Maryland postgame press conference.

“We want to just work him back into the system. Once he gets going, I think come tournament time, he’ll probably be back to himself.”

Eric said on Saturday that

Men’s indoor track and field aims to sustain momentum.

DREW PARENT The Temple News

LESLIE FRAZIER TTN

Graduate center Micheal Eric returns to the court.

Dunphy expects him to play “a couple minutes” against Charlotte and then again versus St. Joseph’s on Saturday, when the Hawks visit the Liacouras Center at 4 p.m.

“I’m just going to have to show that I can progress from now until maybe March

or until maybe next week or two weeks from now, I have to progress so I can be in position to play more minutes to help the team out,” Eric said.

Connor Showalter can be reached at connor.showalter@temple.edu.

Hurdler sets season goal of beating record Josh McFrazier looks to clear the program record in hurdling.

AVERY MAEHRER The Temple News Sophomore Josh McFrazier may have missed out on indoor track last season, but in his first four meets this year, he has looked anything but rusty.

McFrazier, a hurdler for the track and field team, is gaining recognition as he continues to finish among the top performers in his competitions.

The Owls opened their season at the Jack Pyrah Invitational at Haverford College, where McFrazier placed sec-

ond in the 55-meter hurdles.

Franklin and Marshall junior Nils Michaelis beat out McFrazier by .01 seconds.

At the Father Diamond Invite, which featured a larger field of hurdlers, he finished third with a time of 8.16 in the 60-meter event. McFrazier earned Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America qualifying marks at the meet hosted by George Mason University.

At the New York City Gotham Cup, McFrazier placed third with his best finish ever, 8.12 seconds. Not only was it a personal best for him, but his finish also ranks among the best in the program’s history. The New Brighton, Pa. native came

within .01 seconds of tying the school record, a record McFrazier hopes to hold by season’s end.

“I feel good,” McFrazier said. “I’m glad everything’s going the way it’s going. I’ve been working hard. I’ve been trying to break the school record. That’s what I’m really going for right now. Hopefully, I’ll get there.”

This is not the first time McFrazier has experienced success at the college level, however.

He missed the indoor season last year due to “surgery, personal losses, among other reasons,” but last spring in outdoor competition, McFrazier had a notably successful

freshman season, qualifying for IC4As along the way.

McFrazier also earned success at a national level last year.

At the USA Track and Field Championships, McFrazier placed ninth in the junior outdoor competition in a pack of more than two dozen hurdlers.

As for how the team is doing, McFrazier is more than satisfied with the way the group is competing and preparing.

“The team is working hard,” he said. “Everybody is doing what they’re supposed to be doing. Going to practice, giving it their all. Leaving it all on the track at the meets. I think everybody’s doing great.”

This past weekend, McFrazier placed second at a US

Naval Academy hosted event, with a time of 8.24, finishing .03 seconds behind Rhode Island sophomore Wayne Seaton and still short of the school record. But with several meets left this year, McFrazier will have plenty of opportunities to break it at some point. But, even now, he has something bigger on his mind: qualifying for Olympic trials.

“I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me to get there,” he said. “But that’s what I’m here for.”

Avery Maehrer can be reached at avery.maehrer@temple.edu.

Men’s gymnastics team prepare for run at ECAC title The Owls look for leadership from their eight seniors on the squad this season.

COLIN TANSITS The Temple News The men’s gymnastics team is looking to follow up on last year, and have a successful season this year following the leadership of graduate all-around competitor Blake Collins and senior all-around performer Chris Mooney. Both captains are trying to lead this veteran team to a positive 2012 season.

Collins, a graduate student, is trying to bring together the squad, consisting of one true freshman in Michael Bittner.

Collins said that practice is the key to success for his team.

“You have to lead by example, there’s no surprises in a meet, you practice how you compete and you compete how practice,” Collins said.

“If you do your job in the gym, it translates to the competition. If the younger guys see all of us seniors working hard, hopefully it can lead to good things,” Collins added. “There are very few fairytales in this sport, what you do in the gym leads to what you do in competitions.”

This style of leadership, through example and hard work is bringing together a team that had five first place finishes in 2011. With gymnastics being an individual sport, team success evolves from positive leadership.

Mooney said that even the underclassmen are buying into the team atmosphere being spread by the seniors.

“They’re big team guys,” Mooney said. “Gymnastics is usually an individual sport, but everyone is fulfilling their responsibilities.”

Coach Fred Turoff, 2009 U.S.A. Gymnastics Hall of Fame Inductee, is in his 36th year at the helm of the Owls.

With his strong senior class, Turoff said that injuries will be the largest hurdle for this season.

“Right now we’re looking pretty good,” Turoff said. “We have a few nagging injuries keeping some guys off events, but nothing major. Overall we’re looking very good for this time of the year.”

Mooney followed suit with his coach saying that injury prevention was a major goal in offseason training.

“First and foremost is injuries, we need to stay healthy the whole season,” Mooney said.

“We did a lot of strength and conditioning, and flexibility in

the offseason to prevent that nagging injuries that could set us back at the beginning of the season.”

With injury prevention and training being a focus of both team captains, one gymnast that could benefit greatly from an injury-free season would be senior all-around performer Adam Al-Rokh.

After having two first place finishes last year and being invited the 2012 Winter Cup this year, the Bensalem native is likely to have another positive year.

“Al-Rokh has had some injury problems throughout his career, but right now he’s in pretty good shape,” Turoff said.

“But hopefully Al-Rokh has a good season. He does hard stuff everywhere.”

With meets and events right around the corner for the Owls, they will be looking toward the leadership of Collins and Mooney to guide the team.

Senior floor event, rings and vault competitor Evan Burke said he wants to see the team live up to their capabilities.

“The main thing I’d like to see is everyone performing the way that they have been in the gym,” Burke said.

“We’re in a better place right now than we have been in the past, this is the most con-

Men’s track eyes up playoffs

PAUL KLEIN TTN

Senior all-around performer Chris Mooney trains on rings.

Mooney is one of eight seniors on this season’s squad. sistent team that I have been a part of in my four years,” Burke added.

Colin Tansits can be reached at colin.tansits@temple.edu.

The common perception that the indoor season of track is merely a preparation period for the spring doesn’t sit well with coach Eric Mobley.

In his fourth year of coaching the men’s side of the Owls’ track program, Mobley was very clear when discussing the importance of all three seasons of track.

“Each season is a different season and we want to maximize everything we can do, every time out,” Mobley said. “No season should be downplayed because each one is important.

We want to win in indoor just as much as we do in outdoor or cross country.”

Due to Mobley’s positive attitude and emphasis on success, it’s only fitting that this season’s team could be one of Temple’s best in years.

Senior leadership, as well as a strong influx of youth has Temple setting its sights on the Atlantic Ten Conference championship this season.

Sophomores Alex McGee and Lionel Wilson have led the charge for Temple’s young runners this season. Wilson already has a victory in the 300-meter dash under his belt and McGee has contributed on several key relays thus far.

“We have a really young team this year, but at the same time we have a great chance to compete with the higher-end teams in the conference,” senior hurdler Tim Malloy said. “We also have some guys coming back who redshirted last season, as well as our seniors so this should be a really good year.”

Malloy is just one in a strong senior core that also includes distance runners Travis Mahoney and Ben Thomas, sprinter Alan Harding and thrower Brian Littlepage.

Mahoney redshirted this past cross country season to continue his pursuits in the Olympic trials. After his extended hiatus from Temple track, Mahoney said he is looking forward to wearing the Temple logo on his chest once again.

“I’m really focused this year and I have a lot of ambition, especially because these are my last two seasons of track at Temple,” Mahoney said.

Mahoney has started off strong this season as shown by his second place finish of four minutes and 14 seconds in the mile run at the Father Diamond Invitational.

“I’ve learned a great deal here, and I’ve become a better runner with a lot more confidence in these last few years,” Mahoney said. “Although I want to remain focused, I want to enjoy this year also because it’s my last.”

Mobley said the Owls will take a level-headed approach to each contest.

“Our approach to a meet depends on each meet, Mobley said. “In non-scoring meets, we are looking for individual performances and to get our runners qualified for the postseason. In scoring meets, our focus is to do what we need to do in order to win the meet.”

Drew Parent can be reached at andrew.parent@temple.edu.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

PAGE 19

Brown sparks offense and defense off bench Trio of rookie guards step up CRANNEY PAGE 20

“[Brown] is as important as anybody who starts,” coach Fran Dunphy said. “We need [him] to be the best that he can be. He’s a very important part of what we do.”

“My role is to make shots, make defensive plays and make stuff happen while I’m on the court,” Brown added.

Senior guard Juan Fernandez, redshirt-senior guard Ramone Moore and junior guard Khalif Wyatt all start for Temple and average more than 30 minutes and 10 points per game. The trio has been praised for their scoring ability and high basketball IQ’s. Dunphy said after the Maryland game that the three are as good as any guards that he’s ever coached.

But Dunphy was also quick not to understate what Brown does for his team. “[Brown’s] best attribute on offense is getting shots and making shots,” Dunphy said. “On defense, it’s about being in the right spots at the right time, and he’s getting better at that.”

As Temple’s sixth man, Brown has played in every game and can come off the bench and play multiple positions. Brown has filled in at guard and forward, but has been even more critical when Dunphy has been forced to run four-guard sets in the absence of injured graduate center Micheal Eric.

It would be an understatement to say that the Owls were an undersized group during the 13 games that Eric missed. Temple ran with 6-foot-9-inch redshirt-freshman Anthony Lee and 6-foot-6-inch junior Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson at forward, and the pair were often over-

matched with bigger competition.

As Dunphy mixed and matched with lineups during that time span, it wasn’t uncommon to see four or even five guards on the court at a time, and Brown was always a critical part of playing small ball, especially on defense when he was matched up against forwards.

“I have to do some stuff I’m not used to, play the big man,” Brown said. “It’s going against guys who are bigger than me and having the will to get rebounds and make hustle plays.”

“We’ve been asking him to be the best defensive player that he can be, and he’s working towards that,” Dunphy added.

Brown’s averages 17.9 minutes and 7.8 points per game while maintaining a field goal percentage of .450, second to Wyatt among guards. Brown’s three-point percentage of .397 is third best on the team among those who have had at least 10 attempts.

Brown said he worked specifically on improving his three-point shot this summer, shooting the ball more than a thousand times a day.

“It was just repetition, shooting and shooting and shooting,” Brown said. “[Now the ball] is just falling down.”

“We need [Brown] to shoot threes, there’s no question about that,” Dunphy added. “He spaces the floor for us.”

While his scoring numbers aren’t off the charts, Brown makes the most of the playing time he’s given. Only Moore and Wyatt average more points per minutes played.

Brown praised the trio of starting guards for making him a better

shooter.

“Playing with guys like that, you get open shots because the attention is focused on them,” Brown said.

“They have the ball and they kick it to you wide open, and you just have to knock down shots.”

But we’ve also seen flashes of what Brown can do when he’s given more time on the floor.

Brown started the final nine games of last season, including contests in the Atlantic Ten Conference and NCAA tournaments. This year against Central SAM OSHLAG TTN Michigan, Brown Sophomore guard Aaron Brown presents a dual scored a careerthreat to opponents off the bench. high 21 points in 22 minutes. He in their sophomore seasons before followed that performance up four having breakout years in their judays later with a 19-point game in nior campaigns, and I think we’re 22 minutes against Toledo. seeing the pattern repeating with “You always want to be out Brown. there [more], but you can’t put your As the sixth man this year, head down,” Brown said. “You just Brown is one of the team’s greatest have to keep playing and think posicontributors. But with what he has tive.” shown in the limited time he’s been “[Brown] knows his role,” given, the future looks bright for the Dunphy added. “When he’s making sophomore. shots, he’s going to stay out there longer. When he’s making plays Joey Cranney can be reached at defensively, he’s going to stay out joseph.cranney@temple.edu. there longer.”

Both Moore and Wyatt won the A-10 Sixth Man of the Year award

ADAMS PAGE 20 each game. The lone Philadelphian on the team, she’s played in 12 games and averaged 1.8 points and 12.1 minutes per game, including a career-high six points in the Owls’ win against Dayton last week. “[Merritt is] a perfectionist,” BJ Williams said.

“Once you get [her] to get out of her head and just play basketball [she’s] excellent and you saw that in the Dayton game.”

Brown has been left behind a bit compared to her classmates. She’s played in 10 games, averaging two points and 6.3 minutes per game. The Owls’ signed a fourth freshman guard, Shaniqua Reese, but she was injured in the preseason and is currently not on the roster.

Life hasn’t been easy for the freshmen trio. Every day in practice is a battle with the upperclassmen, but it’s all meant to prepare them for next year.

“I feel like just how much we pressure them and get on them in practice, next year when the freshmen come in they’re able to take that and apply it to them,” Peddy said. “I feel like next year they’ll be ready and be able to handle that.”

“I think that right now they’ve jumped over the hurdle where they know what’s expected of them,” Cardoza said. “And when they don’t do it I think it bothers them.”

Despite the “lead” that Merritt and Williams have on Brown and Reese, it’s anybody’s ballgame next year to fight for the starting spots.

“I don’t know,” Cardoza said of who she thinks will be starting where next season. “I mean I don’t.

They have the opportunity. Obviously they’re going to have the experience over the [ones] that come in as freshmen and hopefully they take advantage of that.”

Jake Adams can be reached at jacob.adams@temple.edu.

Ice hockey goalie has success on ACHA Select Team The ice hockey club covets its ACHA Select Team goalie.

SAMANTHA GRINNAN The Temple News Senior goalie Will Neifeld of the ice hockey club was one of 21 players selected to the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II Select Team to compete in a series of games that took place in Europe during winter break from Dec. 27 to Jan. 5.

The team was composed of 13 forwards, six defensemen, and two goalies from colleges and universities around the country. Players were selected by appointed coaches, who were Florida Gulf Coast University coach Bob Brinkworth, Grand Rapids University coach Mike Forbes and University of Maryland-Baltimore County coach Aaron Voegtli.

“It was defiantly an unique experience that I was happy to be a part of,” Neifeld said. “It was overall a good time.”

The Select Team participated in six games against professional teams from Austria, Germany, Slovenia, and Croatia and left Europe with a 6-0 overall record. Neifeld split playing time with Montclair State University graduate goalie Kevin Fox in the first game and started the remaining five.

“We had a really great showing over there,” Neifeld said. “We had a really good team.”

Since the ACHA has started, Select Teams to compete internationally, the league has been 18-0 overall.

“It is really saying something special,” Neifeld said about the statement the team has made for hockey in the U.S. “From a hockey standpoint, what more can you do than go 18-0 in three years? It’s the best

you can do.” ld’s recent résumé builders have Since transferring to Tem- given the team a confidence ple from CW Post Campus of boost.

Long Island University last “He makes you want to go year, Neifeld has been No. 1 on out there and put some pucks the list to be put between the in the net just so that his work pipes for the Owls. Last season, load isn’t as heavy,” Nealis said. which was his first year at Tem- “Even in practice he makes ple, Neifeld you want to score earned League a goal because of MVP, Goalie how difficult he of the Year in makes it to score the Mid-Aton him.” lantic Colle“It’s always giate Hockey a good thing and Association you always want and helped to play on the team propel his that has people in team to its first front of you that appearance at believe in you,” nationals.

Neifeld added.

Will Neifeld / senior goalie “For me person“[Neifeld] is a great ally, a lot of it is goalie,” junior forward Sean mental. If you play on a team Nealis said. “Every time he where your teammates and steps between the pipes, you coaches don’t have confidence know you’re getting his best out in you, you’re not going to beof him.” come successful.”

It is no surprise that NeifeWhile Neifeld’s teammates

“You always want to play on the team that has people in front of you that believe in you.”

and coaches agree that he has been a huge reason as to why the Owls have won games, Neifeld credits wins to his teammates.

“I’m confident in the guys in front of me,” Neifeld said.

“They make my job easier with the effort they put defensively in front of me, so it’s definitely not an individual thing.”

Not only does the team have confidence in Neifeld, but he is also seen as someone who can take lead on the ice and in the locker room.

“He’s one of our leaders and a winner at heart,” former Temple player and now assistant coach, Konstantin Sakherzon said. “You can feel it when he speaks in the locker room and I’m sure that kind of drive filters through to the guys.”

“He is a leader by nature,” Nealis added. “He notices everything, and he is extremely vocal out on the ice. If he sees something we don’t, he will let us know.”

Despite a rough start to the season for the Owls, Neifeld has tallied eight wins in 20 games, seven of those wins have come in the last 10 games.

“He’s been a workhorse this season playing the majority of games and keeping them close for us,” Sakherzon said.

“As a team, we have to find the consistency and momentum that will give up the chance to make it to nationals,” Neifeld added.

Neifeld and the Owls continue their quest to reach nationals this Saturday at St. Joseph’s and home on Sunday against Montclair State.

Samantha Grinnan can be reached at samantha.grinnan@temple.edu.

Fencing pulls off early season upset against No. 4 team The No. 8 fencing team goes 5-0 at meet.

COLIN TANSITS The Temple News After cruising through the first rounds of the Philadelphia Invitational on Saturday, the No. 8 fencing team faced its toughest challenge. In the Owls’ fourth competition of the day, the team faced the No. 4 Northwestern Wildcats.

After falling 5-4 in both the sabre and foil competitions, the Owls found themselves trailing by two with their epee squad due to compete.

In the final epee bout, junior Jill Bratton defeated Northwestern junior Kate Cavanaugh in a high-tension competition.

“The bout was intense,” said sophomore epee squad leader Chantal Montrose. “It was one of the most intense bouts that I have ever been around.”

The Owls took the momentum into the final matchup with Johns Hopkins. Temple’s contest with the Blue Jays went smoothly, with the Owls winning 20-7.

Coach Nikki Franke said she was impressed with her team’s effort at the tournament.

“We did well today,” Franke said. “Everyone worked hard in their bouts and we saw results.”

When the national rankings were released on Thursday, the Owls were not thrilled with their No. 8 spot.

Senior foil squad leader Alyssa Lomuscio said that the Owls’ victory against a higher ranked Northwestern is a statement win for the team.

“It was just incredible, because Northwestern was ranked fourth above us this year and we are all much better fencers than them,” Lomuscio said. “We really needed to prove it today, and we did.”

The perfect 5-0 record at

the tournament this past weekend came in the wake of the U.S. Fencing Association’s North American Cup. This event, held on Jan. 1316 in Portland, Ore. compiles the nation’s top fencers, both male and female to compete.

The Owls competed in the national tournament and had two Top 20 finishers among a field that included fencers gearing up for the Summer Olympics.

Sophomore foil squad member Epiphany Georges placed 16th in the Senior Women’s Foil division out of 104 total competitors and Montrose placed 11th in the Under 20 Women’s Epee division out of 109 total competitors.

Montrose said that along with stronger competition, the individual aspect of the event separates the team and doesn’t allow for strong camaraderie between teammates.

“Everyone is really dispersed and it’s hard to feel that

LESLIE FRAZIER TTN

Senior Krystal Jones (right) lunges toward her opponent at the Philadelphia Invitational. team support,” Montrose said.

With the North American Cup in the past, the Owls can only savor the gratifying win against Northwestern for a few

more days.

Temple’s next competition will be Saturday at Penn State for the Penn State Multi-Meet event.

Colin Tansits can be reached at colin.tansits@temple.edu.

SPORTS temple-news.com

PAGE 20

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

Prospecting Brown deserves the 49ers praise as The men’s basketball team will return to A-10 play on Wednesday against the Charlotte 49ers.

Monday that he expects a hard fought league game.

“To me this league is a fantastic league, one that you en’s basketball have to be on your game, each claimed its secand every night,” Dunphy said. ond win of the “If you don’t play your best season against basketball then pretty much asan Atlantic Coast sure yourself that Conference squad you’re going to be when it defeated very lucky to win the Maryland Tera game or you’re rapins (12-6, 2-2 going to be coming ACC), 73-60, on out on the losing Saturday in front side.” of a sold-out Pacing Temple crowd at The Paloffensively against estra.

Maryland were In the Atlanguards redshirttic Ten Confersenior Ramone ence, the Owls Moore and junior (13-5, 2-2 A-10) Khalif Wyatt who sit a game and a each scored 20 Fran Dunphy / coach half behind firstpoints in the win. place Dayton (145, 4-1 A-10) in the standings. The win marked the Owls’ secHowever, there are also seven ond straight, coming off a 76teams separating the Flyers and 70 victory against city-rival La Salle last Wednesday. the Owls.

The Owls will be looking Temple hits the road on to defend Charlotte’s 6-footWednesday to face the Char9-inch junior forward Chris lotte 49ers (10-8, 2-3 A-10), Braswell who leads the team in who are ranked 288th out of 344 scoring (14.5 points per game) nationally in field goal percentas well as rebounding (7.5 reage at .408 and have lost their bounds per game).

Dunphy said past three conference games. it will be up to redshirt-freshBut coach Fran Dunphy said

sixth man

M

PAUL KLEIN TTN

Junior guard Khalif Wyatt leads the Atlantic Ten Conference in scoring during inconference play with 21 points per game. He scored a career-high 28 points against Dayton.

“If you don’t play your best basketball... you’re going to be coming out on the losing side.”

during a teleconference call on

CHARLOTTE PAGE 18

Insane in the Joe Crane

CONNOR SHOWALTER Sports Editor

Joey Cranney

Aaron Brown plays an important role for men’s basketball.

A

s the men’s basketball team’s three starting guards received praise after their performance in Temple’s 73-60 win against Maryland on Saturday, I couldn’t help but think that a fourth guard deserves recognition for being of the more important players on the team.

When I think of sophomore guard Aaron Brown, I think “versatility.” Brown can score in multiple ways on offense and is one of the team’s most consistent contributors on defense.

CRANNEY PAGE 19

Freshmen guards and veteran centers lead Owls Double Dribble

Centers have career games in wins for the Owls.

ANTHONY BELLINO The Temple News

Jake Adams

Women’s basketball has a trio of freshmen guards ready to start.

The women’s basketball team’s defeat of Big-5 rival Penn saw a mix of the old and the new.

Senior guards Shey Peddy, Kristen McCarthy and BJ Williams gave way to the future – freshmen guards Monaye Merritt, Tyonna Williams and Rateska Brown – in garbage time of a 72-47 blowout.

“It was good to have all three of them out there, and playing together, and trying to figure things out on their own and not being able to look over to [BJ Williams and Peddy] for the answers,” coach Tonya Cardoza said.

It’s a critical time for the fledgling Owls, who have to learn quickly. Peddy, McCarthy and BJ Williams are the only guards on the roster with starting experience and all three will play their last games in March.

Next year there’s no more being weaned into the system.

Next year Cardoza will push

JAZMYNE ANDERSON TTN

Freshman guard Monaye Merritt is one of three freshmen guards to see playing time for the women’s basketball team this season. Merritt averages 11.6 minutes per game.

Merritt, Tyonna Williams and Brown into starting roles. And the process has already begun as Tyonna Williams and Merritt are consistently coming off the bench to spell the seniors.

“They know that we’re counting on them and that they’re not freshmen, they’re not regular freshmen,” Cardoza said. “We need them to play for us.”

“I think from the beginning to now they definitely have matured,” Peddy added. “I think they feel the pressure. They can no longer see themselves as just being freshmen because they have to step up. We need them down the stretch.”

The pressure they feel is the pressure of replacing two

of the best guards to walk into Temple in McCarthy (1,433 career points) and Peddy (1,605 career points at Wright State and Temple). “[Tyonna Williams] tries to be the leader out there, which is good because that’s her personality,” Cardoza said. “Obviously I want [Merritt] to be that leader because she’s the [one] with the ball in her hands. But I thought they did a really good job, especially down the stretch being able to still defend them and not turning the ball over, making good decisions on offense.”

“Whoever’s out on the floor they’re playing with confidence and that’s half the battle right there,” Cardoza added.

ICE HOCKEY p.19 Senior goalie Will Neifeld was named to the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II Select Team.

SPORTS DESK 215-204-9537

Tyonna Williams has seen the most action this season, playing in 17 games and starting two. The Maryland native has averaged 3.5 points in 15.7 minutes per game, including a career-high 11 points in a loss to Rutgers in November.

“I think [Tyonna Williams] plays with an amazing amount of energy and emotion, and I love that about her,” BJ Williams said. “I know that she’s going to come in and she’s going to try as hard as she can, and she’s going to give me that energy and that spark off the bench.”

Merritt hasn’t been as flashy, but has shown a better ability to run the offense with

ADAMS PAGE 19 MEN’S GYMNASTICS p.18 The success of the men’s gymnastics team this season could rely on the leadership of its seniors.

Senior center Joelle Connelly and junior center Victoria Macaulay are role players who rarely start together in the Owls’ lineup.

On Saturday afternoon, they played like they had been starting together all season.

Connelly and Macaulay had career days in the Owls’ 72-47 win against Big-5 rival Penn on Saturday, while the scoring load usually is carried by senior guards Shey Peddy and Kristen McCarthy.

Coach Tonya Cardoza was adamant in crediting the two post players for their key play in the team’s victory.

“I thought our [post players] came up huge for us, I definitely thought our post presence set the tempo for us it really took the pressure off of our guards and allowed us to take advantage of our size advantage,” Cardoza said. “This is how we would like to play, you don’t want to have to rely on jump shots, you want to be able to take higher percentage shots by throwing it into the post and having them shoot layups.”

Connelly and Macaulay each had doubled their season scoring average with 16 and 20 points in the contest, respectively, while combining for 13 rebounds, three blocks and three steals.

Macaulay and Connelly complemented each other all afternoon, as Macaulay knew from the morning shoot-around that Connelly and herself needed to play a big role in the game.

“After shoot-around we talked about how [Connelly] and I had to dominate the game and from here on we have to dominate every game,” Macaulay said.

Peddy and Mccarthy joined the two post players in double figures with 15 and 10 points, respectively.

Senior point guard BJ Williams did not have her best day shooting the ball, but was active in the victory, as she led the team in assists with four. “[Williams] tries to get in it and push the tempo for us she leads us and sometimes being a point guard it gets difficult with the expectations we put on her,” Cardoza said. “I thought so far she has played good basketball for us the last few games, she might not score a lot, but she gets the ball to the people who need to get it.”

The Owls seemed to

CENTERS PAGE 18

MEN’S BASKETBALL NEXT WEEK The men’s basketball team will play St. Joseph’s on Saturday afternoon at the Liacouras Center.

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