No. 16 (February 4, 2016) by University News

Editorials

Editorial board exposes conspiracies

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Arts

TEDx

Students help bring stories from campus and beyond to the independent venture

Courtesy of Liz Vestal

TEDxSLU: The worldwide speaking series came to SLU on Sunday, Jan. 31, featuring ten speakers punctuated by three performances. One of those, by League of Laughter (LOL), is pictured above. Over 300 were in attendance.

TEDxSaintLouisUniversity, 11 months in the making, took place on Sunday, Jan. 31, in the Center for Global Citizenship (CGC). The event, modeled on the popular worldwide speaker series, showcased ten speakers from SLU and the wider St. Louis area, as well as three performances. According to sophomore volunteer Han Diep, one of 65 volunteers and committee members, the event’s organizers tallied 310 preregistered, complimentary and half-day tickets. However, many attendees bought tickets that day as well. The CGC’s student atrium housed a TED-themed backdrop for photos, as well

as tables dedicated to local organizations like Parks College, Rally St. Louis and sellers of St. Louis-themed arts and crafts. A video featuring TED curator Chris Anderson served as an introduction. Anderson said that TED, in all its manifestations, was a chance for people “to hear the best ideas bubbling up in their communities,” promising the audience that “the more you enter into it, the more you take out.” Rocky Leng, a senior public health major and TEDxSLU’s lead organizer, took the stage for his own introductory speech. In his own words, he urged his listeners to “be inspired, connect, and be reminded that, despite daunting challenges, there are passionate people dedicated to

making the world a better place.” Jeremy Goss, a fourthyear medical student at SLU, took the lead with a confession that he is “that guy” during icebreakers, ready to declare, “I own a bus and I turned it into a grocery store.” The store in question is St. Louis Metro Market, a mobile farmers market serving low income communities, known as “food deserts,” which lack access to fresh fruits and vegetables. “I’m that guy,” he said, “because there are people in this city who don’t have a grocery store.” He recounted a winding path of discernment in the medical field, which culminated in a local doctor’s breakdown of St. Louis’ demographic structure and its consequent problems. This

enlightening conversation moved his focus from South America to this city. “There’s no one more underserved than those who live in North St. Louis,” he asserted. This, he said, made for “challenging, painful work.” In the spirit of TED, Goss said, “I’m not exceptional. I’m in a room of people who are exceptional. I’m the rule, not the exception.” His concluding remarks drew parallels with his audience. “Students are bold; we take risks,” he said. “We care about social justice.” TEDxSLU featured two other student speakers: seniors Hannah Vestal and Roya Massoudnia. Vestal

See “TED” on Page 3

Department hosts Iowa-caucus forum Analysis, voter registration also encouraged By MEREDITH HARGIS Online Editor

On the night of Monday, Feb. 1, more than 200 members of the SLU community gathered in the Center for Global Citizenship to watch Ted Cruz and Hillary Clinton claim victory in the highly anticipated Iowa Caucuses. Iowan voter turnout set records, and there was a point in the night at SLU’s watch party when every seat was filled. Thanks to the Political Science Department and the help of Political Round Table, College Democrats, Student Involvement Center and others, associate political science professor Steven Rogers was able to create a successful event, allowing the SLU community to become more politically informed. Erin Murphy, a member of SLU’s Political Round Table, a student organization which hosts events to encourage political discourse on an array of current event topics, commented, “As young adults, we have the responsibility of ensuring that we play an active role in securing a bright future for our country. Playing an active role in our future means

taking the time to educate ourselves on the issues in order to form intelligent opinions about them.” “I think the sheer amount of students in attendance at last night’s watch party speaks volumes to the SLU community’s interest in being politically aware.” Saint Louis University frequently encourages its students to dialogue about the issues that affect the world around them. Mur-

phy elaborated that Political Round Table and watch party events, like Monday’s, are “great space[s] to come and have an intelligent discussion about the things that matter.” Other SLU organizations that had tables set up in the auditorium of the CGC included Una, Rainbow Alliance and College Democrats. Volunteers from HeadCount, a national, nonpar-

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tisan, nonprofit organization with the motto “Music, Democracy, Action,” helped people register to vote throughout the night. By the end of the evening, HeadCount volunteers reported a total of 36 new registrations. Not everyone happens to be a buff on the confusing electoral processes of our See “Caucus” on Page 3

Ryan Quinn / The University News

CRUNCH TIME: The Department of Political Science organized a showcase of live media coverage of Monday’s critical Iowa caucus voting.

SLU struggles with By EMILY HIGGINBOTHAM Associate News Editor

In recent months, Saint Louis University has taken action to combat its struggling financial standing, which at one point had the university facing a potential budget shortfall of $8.5 million, about one percent of SLU’s overall budget. According to David Heimburger, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, the university’s revenue has not been able to keep up with its costs, resulting in a shrinking operating margin. “It’s important to note the challenges we are currently facing are being experienced throughout higher education,” Heimburger explained. “You can find a number of news reports about the impact of this on other schools, both locally and nationally. “ What Heimburger is referring to is the overall decline in graduating high school students across the nation, resulting in a decline in students enrolling in higher education. In a presentat i o n to the Student Governm e n t Association on Jan. 22, Jay Goff, V i c e President of E n ro l l m e n t and Retention Management, discussed the decline in enrollment, saying that since 2010 there had been a steady decline of 4 to 7 percent every year due to fewer college-aged students in the overall population. A decline in enrollment contributes to a cycle that affects revenue and student costs. In the latest version of the university’s strategic plan, the document acknowledges the university’s challenges, stating, “Rising tuition costs pose a growing barrier to those seeking access to the advantages of a higher education, and indebtedness is a growing burden to graduates. The primary response of higher education—lowering the tuition charged on a case-by-case basis—means less revenue to support the people and activities of the university.” However, Heimburger and the rest of the administration are implementing changes that will balance the budget by the end of the fiscal year, which goes from July 1 to June 30. The university has made three strategic alterations in order to ensure a balanced budget, including: temporarily increasing the amount the university spends from its endowment, reducing general expenses across the institution, and instituting a position review process in which only open jobs deemed critical to its mission are being filled for the remainder of the fiscal year. The Department of Student Development has worked particularly hard so that these changes have had

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a minimal impact on students. “What we have to really look at in Student Development work is what are the things that have direct and significant impact on students and what are the things that we do that are a little bit more indirect,” said Kent Porterfield, Vice President of Student Development. Porterfield emphasized meeting the students’ true needs and wants ahead of what the university might perceive as what the students might regard as important, saying, “we’ve sort have shifted our focus to be more intentional and more focused on what are the things that students want to participate in and where do they need our help—because right now we aren’t able to create a lot of other things because of our staffing so we’re really focused more on student self-authorship.” In order to do so, the department has cut costs in areas that are indirect to students, such as food and beverages at events; professional development and travel costs; spending less for directors; and re n e g o tiating c o n tracts in order to lower costs, and in some cases, gain revenue. However, one instance in which Porterfield admits that students have been affected is in the student involvement center. Since the university is implementing this position review process, the center has not been able to fill the open positions. “We do have some turn over in the student involvement center that’s been challenging for us—we just have a lot fewer people there right now. That will be something we won’t be able to sustain long-term that will be something we’ll have to back fill those positions,” said Porterfield. Despite the strain these issues have placed on his department’s operation, Porterfield said that situations like these could also force universities to look closely at what they’re doing and how they can do it better. “Sometimes you have situations when you have to tighten your belt a little bit with spending; it does require you to think a little bit more creatively about what you’re doing,” said Porterfield. “It does cause you to challenge some of the assumptions that you have and I think periodically that’s a good thing.” While the university is going through these financial issues, students can see two new residence halls going up on campus, which poses the question: where is this money coming from?

It does cause you to challenge some of the assumptions that you have and I think periodically that’s a good thing.

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February 4, 2016

Let Us Introduce You: Dorrian Gordon

February Events Calendar

By KENDRA RUETHER Contributor

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Tuesday, Feb. 9, 8:30 p.m. Billiken Grill, Busch Student Center Agape Latte, a montly talk series that hosts discussions on the intersection of faith and everyday life, will feature a presentation by Dr. Scott Ragland of the Philosophy department.

Ryan Quinn / The University News

to different charities. Gordon will not be discourHis goal for his business aged, because “it is what I is to branch out. Like most want, it is my goal.” He wants companies, he has started to have a successful business, out small. Currently, he sells and he will not give up until one style of t-shirt—a heathhe gets there. er gray short-sleeved shirt The biggest challenge with a front pocket that has Gordon has to overcome is the brand logo: a pine cone. the fear of rejection. He says, He also sells stickers with the “It’s hard to have an idea that signature you are pine cone. passionHe says, ate about “Hopefully not work, It’s hard to have an when it gets but that’s idea that you are bigger I can just a risk passionate about make differyou have ent things, to take not work, but that’s like other s o m e just a risk you have clothing times in to take sometimes brands do.” business.” in business. Any busiHe wants ness owner no regrets faces chalin life, and lenges, espehe knows cially one that is just starting that following his dreams out. One of Gordon’s chalwill help him achieve that. lenges is getting more SLU Gordon’s attitude is somestudents to buy his apparel. thing that anyone can learn Interestingly enough, he from; it encourages people has more non-SLU student to follow their dreams, to buyers. While poor college live life with no regrets and students are hard to sell to, to “stay limitless.”

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Starting your own business is tough. Starting your own business while entering your freshman year of college – while also running cross-country and track and field – should be next to impossible. For Dorrian Gordon, an Illinois native and freshman at Saint Louis University, this is life. His motto, “stay limitless,” provides the best insight into his mentality—he lets nothing hold him back. Like many college athletes, Gordon wanted to major in something that would allow him to stay involved in the athletic world after college, so he chose Athletic Training. However, he realized that his heart is in busibut felt it was too generic. ness. He says, “business has He says, “I was sitting in my always been on my mind,” room one day, procrastinatwhich is why he decided to ing on my homework, and switch to marketing. He decided to realized draw pine that a percones.” The son should idea seemed do what he I was sitting in my perfect to loves, even room one day, him, and if he is not procrastinating thus, the sure of the company outcome. on my homework, was born. Gordon and decided to His inspichose to draw pine cones. ration comes combine from within his love for himself and fashion and his passion business to to help othcreate an apparel company, ers. He wants to “grow up which he dubbed “West Pine and be able to say [he] made Apparel.” The name is cleva name for myself, and I erly taken from West Pine created something that not Boulevard — where the maonly benefits me, but benjority of the SLU campus is efits others as well.” He emlocated. He wanted his apphasizes benefitting others, parel to have a trade mark, so because that is what good he played around with some business should be about. ideas. He knew right away His ultimate goal is to “one that he wanted to call his day be able to give back to company West Pine Apparel; the community through [his] because of this, he brainclothing,” by taking a portion stormed using the Clock of his profits and donating it Tower as a trademark logo,

Tuesday, Feb. 9, 4:00-5:00 p.m. DuBourg Hall Room 409 Sarah Shun-lien Bynum will read her Whalen Series for the Department of English. She has authored two novels, including the Ms. Hempel Chronicles (2008) and Madeleine in Sleeping (2004). In 2010, she was named one Yorker. Tuesday, Feb. 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Center for Global Citizenship The Political Science Department invites the SLU community to watch

a presentation on momentum in presidential primary elections.

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February 4, 2016

country, so thankfully, Rogers, who organized the event, began the night with a quick overview of the caucusing process. The Republican Party and Democratic Party have different rules to caucusing. Republicans have a secret ballot, while Democrats gather into visible groups according to candidate, and then cast their votes. The most unique element to the Democratic caucusing process is the “viability threshold,” or the ability for voters to switch groups when they realize their candidate is far behind, throwing their weight to back one of the more “popular” candidates. Additionally, Rogers highlighted the various reasons behind candidates’ success in the nomination process, including social desirability bias of voters and the influence of endorsements from the establishment. On Monday, the influence of Hillary Clinton’s 198 official endorsements turned out to be in her favor, while the opposite was true for Jeb Bush, the Republican nomi-

nee with the most official evangelicals’ vote would end campaign endorsements. up, which are now attributed On the Republican front, as the key to the Cruz camTed Cruz began the night paign’s win. with a slight lead in the enOn the Democratic front, trance polls over the other Bernie Sanders and Hillary candiClinton dates, were neck f o r e and neck As young adults, shadowthe ening his tire night, we have the reevenseparated tual win. by only sponsibility of enEarly on, 0.2 persuring that we play it was centage c l e a r points of an active role in that afthe votes securing a bright ter these for some f i r s t inter v als future for our months of time. of camAround 9 country. paignp.m. CDT, ing, Ted it was anCruz, nounced Donald t h a t Tr u m p Martin a n d O’Malley Marco was susRubio would be in the 2016 pending his campaign, so the race for the long haul. About question to whom his voters halfway through the night, would switch, deemed the candidate Mike Huckabee “O’Malley Factor,” hung in suspended his campaign, the air. Sanders called the rewith Rick Santorum and sults a “virtual tie” in his vicRand Paul followed suit two tory speech, but American days later. voters’ patience was tested Much of the televised when official results, deemcoverage of the night foing Clinton the formal wincused on where the Iowan ner, were not declared until

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Continued from Page 1

the afternoon of Tuesday, Feb. 2. The results of SLU’s watch party predictions of who would be the winner in Iowa were only slightly off target from the true results. Republicans Trump and Cruz tied, while attendees prediction for the Democrat’s results mirrored the true results with a win for Clinton, although by a wider margin over Sanders. During the Iowa caucuses, the suspense of finding out the results of the first votes cast of the 2016 election cycle emanated across the country. Citizens of Iowa indulged in their right to vote, while the other 49 states looked on at the enthralling process of scraps of paper being sorted into baskets on live television. Upcoming campus events on the road to the 2016 Presidential Election include watch parties for the New Hampshire primaries on Tuesday, Feb. 9 and Super Tuesday, on March 10 – the day of fifteen major primary elections and caucuses across the nation. To learn more about these events and RSVP, visit SLUElection2016.com.

TED: Talks encompass health care, science, H20 shared the genesis story of Billikens for Clean Water, a student collective devoted to educating their peers about the global water crisis, fundraising and walking in solidarity with those without access to clean water (well over half a billion, said Vestal). For Vestal, solidarity came in the form of carrying a bright-yellow Jerry can everywhere she went over the course of seven months. Inevitable questions posed by passersby often led to donations; these, coupled with fundraisers, funded $7,500 for water-related efforts in Haiti and $2,500 in Belize. “As an advocate, I was called to lead a life for something greater than myself,” said Vestal. She imparted the message that, in their smallness, students had the potential to be great “if you connect with other people.” Massoudnia elaborated on her experience as an Iranian-American citizen whose family moved back to Iran for several years. She recalled an episode of skipping school to take part in a political protest, where a friend told her, “You’re American. People will care. You are protected.” This became an affirmation of identity that proved valuable when confronted years later by a SLU classmate’s question during Massoudnia’s first political science class— Why do you hate America so much? She challenged the

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audience to fight empty and nefarious stereotypes of the Middle East. “Friends,” she said, “let’s start seeing the humanity in the other.” The remaining talks of the day fluctuated from SLU-centric to representative of the greater St. Louis area. Kenneth Parker, theology professor and founder of SLU’s prison program, gave a talk entitled “What I Learned about Learning in Prison,” in which he argued that “Prison can be the most fertile ground to cultivate a love of learning.” He brought out Christopher Riley, the first graduate of the program. “It felt like I’d won the lottery,” said

of lifting families out of poverty. Operating on the premise of “Building Lives, Rebuilding Communities,” North Campus exists to foster a community where people “value the experience of folks that have been left out for too long.” French reached out to students to volunteer and “come help rebuild these communities.” Physician Stephen Sanders, scientist Neeti Sinha and Air Force veteran Matt Whiat rounded out a roster that aimed for perspectives from both SLU and the city beyond. “The beauty of TEDx is that it’s multidisciplinary,”

and there are people that are dedicated to making this world a better place. This world is scary sometimes, but watching these talks, it helps you reconnect with the community that you’re in and also the broader, greater world around you. That feeling is really what inspired me to bring this to Saint Louis University.” He continued, “If we can provide a platform for people to share their ideas in an open space like this, to have conversations, talk, collaborate, and hopefully the idea is that something else can come from this.” Leng said that his goal was to have TEDx every semester, as well as a TEDxYouth composed entirely of students. In the face of hurdles as a firstyear organization, Leng said the TED committee “did our best to reach out to university administration,” citing Dean of Students Mona Hicks as a crucial source of help. The Wellness Fund provided the much-needed funding. “We want to work with SGA in the future,” said Leng, “but right now we don’t have as close of a relationship as we would like, because the nature of our organization doesn’t fit all of their criteria.” Dolores Byrnes, a writer for the president’s office, listened throughout the day. Remarking on her familiarity with TED talks, she said, “When this [TED in general] first started, it would be really articulate, amazing people standing on a stage, jumping around,” citing in particular a talk on developmental statistics entitled “Mind the Gap.” She also said she “knew a couple people that gave them.” Reacting to the day’s itinerary, she said, “This is a great format, and it’s actually really smart and provocative so far.” She continued, “What I read on their website was that they really take a lot of time to help people get their presentations ready, like they would train them up and stuff. I think probably everybody needs that … That would be a good thing for students. “They’re trying to shake people up a bit in short spurts. That’s the idea. To make it kind of … fun to be smart.”

This world is scary sometimes, but watching these talks, it helps you reconnect with the community that you’re in and also the broader, greater world around you.

Riley on being selected for the program. “My second chance was this college-inprison program.” Brian Boutwell, professor of criminology, and Ghazala Hayat, professor of neurology, used their SLU ties to speak on more human issues (the criminal justice system and interreligious dialogue, respectively). Antonio French, alderman of St. Louis’ 21st ward, detailed the development of North Campus, a network providing educational support to children in the goal

said Leng. “SLU’s mission and the SLU culture is very multidisciplinary in nature … educating the whole person. In that regard, I think our mission has a lot to do with what we’re doing.” Leng, like many of our generation, began as a viewer. “These TED talks had such an effect on me because they would remind me that there’s a world out there, outside of where I was at, outside of this university, outside of the St. Louis community,” he said. “There are problems that are huge,

Courtesy of Liz Vestal

TEAM EFFORT: A team of 65 volunteers and committee members, some of whom posed around the trademark TED logo Sunday, made this first endeavor possible.

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Continued from Page 1

Finances: Balancing the budget, needs Continued from Page 1

“The construction is being financed through a bond issue [similar to a loan] that will be repaid over a period of time,” said Heimburger. “We’ve built those costs into our future budget projections. From a financial standpoint, we also expect that the new residence halls will generate additional revenues w h e n t h e y open, as well as make us more attractive to top students.” Although next year’s budget and the cost of tuition have yet to be finalized, the administration will continue to have discussions

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about the state of the university’s finances. “The President’s Advisory Council has discussed our budget challenges, our strategic plan, enrollment trends here and around the country, and opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurs h i p ,” s a i d Heimburger. A s these discussions t a k e place, Po r t e rfield will continue to focus on how it will be impacting students, saying, “I know students are worried, and I don’t blame them … so I don’t want the quality of the student experience to be impacted to a significant extent.”

I know students are worried, and I don’t blame them ... so I don’t want the quality of the student experience to be impacted to extent.

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Caucus: Clinton, Cruz come out on top

THE SLU SCOOP All Information Provided by Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Sunday, Jan. 31

8:45 p.m. INFORMATIONAL DPS officers, in front of the College Church, were advised that two non-students were harassing female students on the sidewalk on the north side of the College Church. Responding, officers met with three male students who said they observed two non-students harassing females as they walked by. The non-students were detained by DPS. St Louis Police were contacted with SLMPD Officers Carroll, DSN 7468 and Strohmeyer, DSN 11291 responding. The officers did not write a report, but conveyed the two non-students to their residence at the St. Mary’s Honor Center (1621 N. 1st St.). No injuries were reported. The females reported to have been harassed did not come forward to make a complaint and could not be located.

Monday, Feb. 1

1:00 a.m. DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY Dispatch received a call regarding a male subject causing a disturbance by Diablito’s. Officers responded to the area and were given further information that the subject had also broken a window at that restaurant. The subject was found near Spring and Laclede where he was detained. The subject was then given custody to SLMPD who arrived immediately after DPS had made contact. Subject had no affiliation to SLU.

Monday, Feb. 1

7:05 p.m. POSESSION OF MARIJUANA BUSTED WITH THE BUD While two Pro Staff workers were conducting a lockout for the apartment resident, paraphilia and the odor of marijuana were noticed in the apartment. Two bongs and a pipe containing what appeared to be marijuana residue and a vial containing what appeared to be 2 buds of marijuana were seized. The student who requested the open door assignment admitted the items belonged to her. SLMPD Officer Winslow, DSN 8249, seized the vial containing the buds and issued a City Court Summons to the female student, for Possession of Under 35 Grams of Marijuana, per complaint # 16-5210. The other items were placed in evidence at the DPS office. Pro Staff Marlow advised that she seized approximately 20 bottles of alcohol from the apartment

Tuesday, Feb. 2

1:53 p.m. ROBBERY 1ST DEGREE A student who resides off campus reported that while paying for her parking at the pay box, a subject approached her and forcibly took her vehicle keys, subsequently entering her parked vehicle and attempting to drive off. The student, in an attempt to prevent the individual from stealing her car, reached inside the vehicle to turn the ignition off. As the car drove off, the student was drug for a distance, until she released her hold on the vehicle interior. A weapon was indicated but not displayed. The vehicle was last observed traveling northbound on Vandeventer from Laclede Avenue. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department responded. The reporting student did not want medical treatment, and was brought to her residence.

Be a Responsible Billiken STOP. CALL. REPORT. 314-977-3000 witness.slu.edu dps.slu.edu

February 4, 2016

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Arts Entertainment

February 4, 2016 arts@unewsonline.com Tess Brock, Arts Editor Natalie Riopelle, Assoc. Arts Editor

‘This is Acting’: Historic rescue remembered in Sia soars where ‘The Finest Hours’ others passed she wrote them for someone else. This makes for an incredibly interesting dynamAdele, Rihanna, Beyoncé ic in looking at the album. and Katy Perry. What do There is no deeper message they all have in common, beto be found, just fun pop sides being four of the largest music that is perfect to blast names in pop music? They in any setting. have also all turned down “This is Acting” is filled songs that Sia wrote and has with massive anthems, now released on her new alcharacterized by Sia’s lower bum “This is Acting.” It is an range during the verses and interesting concept that Sia soaring vocals during the has used as grounds for this choruses. Though any given album, song on recordthe aling songs bum could that she With Caribbean take off as wrote for 2016’s first infused beats, others, massive Sia sings a song and yet hit, there it works for Rihanna betare a few l i k e ter than Rihanna that find clockcould have done a way to work. it. shine even “This brighter is Actthan the ing” is rest. The 2 0 1 6 ’s immedifirst great pop record, and ate standout upon first listen will only further boost Sia was “Reaper,” which came into the spotlight – which out of a writing session for she generally likes to avoid. Rihanna. With Caribbean This album is the songstress’ infused beats, Sia sings a follow-up to her 2014 alsong for Rihanna better than bum, “1000 Forms of Fear,” Rihanna could have done it. which burst her onto houseIf I were a betting man, I’d hold name status with the put money on every pop stahits “Elastic Heart,” “Big tion in the country bumping Girls Cry,” and the anthem “Reaper” by the time sumof 2014, “Chandelier.” While mer rolls around. “1000 Forms of Fear” was Another standout on filled with inward lyrics the album is “Bird Set Free,” showing Sia’s struggle with whose long life went from drug addiction and bipolar originally being written for disorder, “Acting” does just “Pitch Perfect 2,” to being the opposite. Sia has no masBy TOM BERGAN Staff Writer

sive attachments to the lyrics, other than the fact that

By TESS BROCK Arts Editor

When I was eight years old, my parents bought my sister and me a karaoke machine. The only CD the clunky machine came with was the “Grease” soundtrack. So, what started out as annoyance for only having one CD to sing with developed into the two of us becoming absolutely obsessed with “Grease.” After falling in love with the songs, we got

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See “Sia’s” on Page 6

the movie and watched it so many times— I’m surprised we didn’t break the VCR. We knew every word to the entire “Grease” soundtrack (even “We Go Together”) and would constantly argue about who got to be Sandy and who got to be Danny. Naturally, as we got older, we stopped using the karaoke machine, but my love for “Grease” never stopped. Since “Grease” is so iconic for myself, and basically the entire country, when the

Claire Folger / Disney Enterprises, Inc.

RESCUE: Executing what is known as the most daring rescue in U.S. Coast Guard history, Bernie Webber (Chris Pine) and Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) are portrayed with courage and strength, even in the face of a destroyed ship and slim chances of survival. By CHANDANA KAMARAJ Staff Writer

Craig Gillespie’s newest film, “The Finest Hours,” revisits the inspiring story of a 1952 Coast Guard mission in a way that will make you shed tears of joy while embracing the values of bravery, leadership and companionship. Right after his film “Million Dollar Arm,” Gillespie proves again that he can tell breathtaking and inspirational stories. “The Finest Hours” stars great talent—Chris Pine as Bernie Webber, Casey Affleck as Ray Sybert, and Holliday Grainger as Miriam, Bernie’s love interest. “The Finest Hours” begins as an incredibly shy Bernie Webber, a crewman at the Coast Guard Station, goes to meet Miriam Pertinen, who has finally agreed to go on a date with him.

announcement of “Grease: Live” came out, all I could hope for was that they didn’t butcher the original film with a poorly constructed made-for-TV version. However, “Grease: Live” did not disappoint. Although not perfect, “Grease: Live” stretched the limits of what can be done on television and successfully added to the new pop fad that is live television musicals. Director Thomas Krall, recently well-known for the

Kevin Estrada / FOX

LIGHTNING: Julianne Hough and Aaron Tveit star as Sandy and Danny, everyone’s favorite singing and dancing high schoolers, in FOX’s production of “Grease: Live.”

We soon learn that Miriam is a very confident woman, slightly unconventional to the time, and is scared of the ocean. The film fast forwards to the couple at a ballroom event, where Miriam asks Bernie to marry her, to which Bernie accepts after some hesitation. As part of the Coast Guard station, Bernie feels the need to get permission from his station commander, Daniel Cluff (Eric Bana). But, before he gets the chance to, he is commanded to go on a rescue mission on the lifeboat CG 36500 to retrieve the passengers of the S.S. Pendleton, which is commanded by Ray Sybert. Although Bernie recognizes that this assignment could end tragically, he gathers a crew—Andrew Fitzgerald (Kyle Gallner), Ervin Maske (John Magaro) and Richard P. Livesey (Ben Foster)—and

Broadway smash “Hamilton,” managed to give new life to “Grease” by combining elements from the 1971 musical version and the classic 1978 film adaptation, while still adding a new modern moments to the iconic and beloved show. The television broadcast started out with pop singer Jessie J strutting between the multiple sets, which were located on two soundstages and an outdoor area at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California. This unique opening, which included characters in costume backstage taking selfies, was definitely an attention grabber that added a nice contemporary twist to “Grease (Is the Word).” Even when the characters and Jessie J got outside, they all held up umbrellas in order to avoid the light rain shower. A simple reminder that the show really was live and anything could happen. The cast was a surprising mix of familiar faces. Julianne Hough of “Dancing With the Stars” and Aaron Tveit of “Les Miserables” starred as Sandy and Danny. The rest of the main cast included “High School Musical’s” Vanessa Hudgens as Rizzo, “Scream Queen’s” Keke Palmer as Marty, “Big Time Rush’s” Carlos PenaveSee “Grease” on Page 6

they head toward the Chatham coast. The highlight of this film is the screenwriting, as the parallelism between Bernie and Ray portrays the value of leadership in different ways. Although Bernie begins as merely a rule follower, he learns to think for himself, and he expresses his bravery as he navigates through the waters. Ray, on the other hand, knows nothing other than commanding a ship, but later learns to yield to someone else who takes authority. Commenting on the film, Casey Affleck stated, “[the characters show] … selflessness, heroism in the face of 50 foot waves.” The strength of the screenwriting is complimented by the performances of the actors. Pine flawlessly fits into the role of Bernie through his subtle actions

and his polished accent. Pine showcases his talent in several scenes, beginning with the shy glances Bernie gives to Miriam to the part where he breaks the rules, making the decision to take on more passengers than the boat can handle. The moment in which Bernie’s crew members understand the danger of the waters but still agree to go in and face the challenge, ultimately forcing them to put aside their moral differences, is extremely powerful. Commenting on Bernie’s character evolution, Pine stated that “[risk-taking is] part of Bernie’s evolution, it’s not that following rules are bad, it’s just that Bernie, by following rules so closely, had lost his voice and, by learning to speak up See “Finest” on Page 6

St. Louis’ own ‘Superstore’

Brandon Hickman / NBC

COMEDY: The cast of “Superstore” stars Colton Dunn, Ben Feldman, America Ferrera and Nichole Bloom. This workplace comedy offers a look into the life of retail employees. By MADDIE SIEBUM Staff Writer

Chicago has “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Chicago P.D.” and the “Oprah Winfrey Show.” Los Angeles has “New Girl,” “Modern Family” and the “O.C”. And of course, New York City famously hosts “Friends, “How I Met Your Mother” and “Sex and The City.” Growing up watching these movies and shows, I would always long to see my city, St. Louis, featured on the big screen. There’s a certain thrill with seeing

characters frequent a location that is right in your hometown. It seems that I have finally got my wish with “Superstore”, airing Monday nights at 7 p.m.on NBC. “Superstore” is a halfhour comedy about the daily lives of employees at Cloud Nine, a Walmart-type supercenter located in St. Louis. In the first episode, we meet Jonah, a 20 something who is overly enthusiastic about his new job at Cloud Nine. Throughout the epiSee “Superstore” on Page 6

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

February 4, 2016

Sia’s reign

On The

Continued from Page 5

TOWn

scrapped, and then offered to and rejected by both Rihanna and Adele. One can only imagine what might have been if Adele took the song and used it. Perhaps it would have been the smash hit to follow up “Hello” that never came about with her new album. Throughout all of “Acting,” it is incredibly fun trying to guess who the song was originally written for. Adding the intended recipient to the album notes of each “scrapped” song would have been the icing on the cake for this album, so that when a particular song inevitably flies up the charts, we can see who passed on a golden opportunity. The fact that these songs are all scrapped is not the only intriguing aspect to this album. On top of that, Sia is 40 years old, which is a whole decade older than the majority of singers usually associated with pop. She also remains semianonymous, hiding behind elaborate wigs and stage set-

ArTs ediTOrs’ Picks

Music

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Pokey Lafarge with Nick Africano Off Broadway Feb. 4, 8:00 p.m.

We have ushered in the year of Sia’s complete reign over pop...

Scotty McCreery River City Casino Feb. 14, 8:00 p.m.

Blake Shelton Scottrade Center Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m. Tinashe The Ready Room Feb. 29, 8:00

Movies The Revenant In theaters Currently The Finest Hours In theaters Currently Kung Fu Panda 3 In theaters Currently The Big Short In theaters Currently The Danish Girl Chase Park Plaza Cinemas Currently

Theater Shining City Upstream Theatre Jan. 29 - Feb. 14 Jim Jefferies The Pageant Feb. 10-11 Riverdance The Fabulous Fox Feb. 12-14 Shen Yun Performing Arts Peabody Opera House Feb. 12-14 Beautiful: The Carole King Musical The Fabulous Fox Feb. 23 - Mar. 6

Michael Becker / FOX

DANCE: “Grease: Live” included excellent choreography. The show’s choreographer is Zach Woodlee, who choreographed the popular television series “Glee.” Continued from Page 5

ga as Kenickie and “Call Me Maybe” singer Carly Rae Jepsen as Frenchy. The cast may read as a list of former Disney and Nickelodeon stars, but everyone in the group fit their role, even if it wasn’t in the traditional way. Hough fit Sandy well with her looks and impressive dance moves, and Tveit brought the sex appeal and swagger necessary for Danny Zuko. Palmer as Marty, Penavega as Kinickie, and Jordan Fisher as Doody brought diversity to the leading cast, which is an important reflection of how most high schools look these days. However, there were moments where the acting just didn’t work. Like when Marty gushes over her military pen-pals and when Kinickie asks Danny to be his second at Thunder Row, the acting felt cheesy and too over-thetop. But overall, the cast did have great chemistry and seemed like real-life friends. Maybe the acting took a bit of a hit in order to pre-

pare for the musical numbers, because they were what made “Grease: Live” rock. From “Summer Nights” to “Greased Lightnin’” to “Born To Hand Jive,” each musical number was filled with incredible choreography and impressive camerawork. Even the softer solo moments were memorable.

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Each musical number was filled with incredible choreography and impressive camerawork.

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AC/DC Scottrade Center Feb. 20, 8:00 p.m.

ups in order to not be scrutinized for every little detail by the mainstream media. Though Sia has just released an album, it is only the beginning of phenomenal releases. With the release of new music, we can anticipate some phenomenal videos to accompany them coming out in the next year. For all of her singles on “1000 Forms,” she made extravagant pieces of production, starring the likes of tween professional dancer Maddie Ziegler and peculiar actor Shia Laboeuf, among others, that added an extra element to the art she creates. It will be intriguing to see how the songs on this album are interpreted for video by Sia, considering she does not have as much of a personal connection to the songs. These videos are another way in which Sia is able to keep the spotlight away from herself and on to what matters, the art she is creating. And although it is only February, I think we have ushered in the year of Sia’s complete reign over pop music, because she has stepped the bar up in terms of creating a remarkable pop album that does not have a single flop.

Tveit’s version of “Sandy” showcased his talented Broadway voice. Palmer’s “Freddy My Love” included an impressive costume change and was a catchy tune missing from the film version. Most notably, Hudgen’s “There Are Worse Things” was nearly perfect and very inspiring due to the fact that she lost

her father to cancer the day before the show aired. The only scene that did not measure up was the Boyz II Men rendition of “Beauty School Dropout.” Maybe I am biased, because Franky Avalon’s version is perfection, but Boyz II Men singing the classic song didn’t work for me. Also, Carly Rae Jepsen’s “All I Need Is An Angel,” which was written and added for this version, was unnecessary and unimpressive. “You’re The One That I Want,” my personal “Grease” favorite, did not disappoint and transitioned smoothly into “We Go Together,” which made me desperately want to be a part of the cast as they sang along and broke into a dance party that seemed so genuinely fun. As long as you can overlook occasional bad acting, the transitions between various sets and cutting camerawork, entertaining musical numbers and the diverse cast made “Grease: Live” a worthy follow-up to the original hit and has no doubt set the bar high for future live television musicals.

Superstore: Retail fun Continued from Page 5

sode, we slowly meet his new co-workers: Cheyenne, a ditsy, pregnant high school student; Dina, an intense supervisor; Garret, a man in a wheelchair who delivers the best one-liners; and of course, Amy, the veteran employee who is totally fed-up with everything. This show depicts working in retail almost perfectly. For anyone who has ever had a customer service position, the situations presented in the show will definitely hit home. For example, shoplifters, long lines and annoying customers all make up major plot lines. The first thing I noticed about “Superstore” was that the characters have amazing chemistry, especially Jonah and Amy. Ben Feldman, famous for his roles in “Mad Men” and “Drop Dead Diva,” plays Jonah. He manages to give Jonah the perfect geeky edge—no one should want to work that hard at a store like Cloud Nine. The audience instantly feels that Jonah has something to prove. America Ferrara, who stars as Amy, is most famously known for her roles in “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and “Ugly Betty.” She plays Amy with eyerolls, long sighs and plenty of sarcastic comments. Viewers are on the edge of their seats to find out how someone so bright

and young has been working at Cloud Nine for an excruciating ten years. In the first episode, it’s easy to see that eventually there will probably be some kind of romantic relationship between Amy and Jonah. It’s easy to compare them to Jim and Pam from “The Office.” In fact, it’s easy to compare this whole show to “The Office.” The creator of “Superstore,” Justin Spitzer, was one of the man writers for “The Office.” The comparisons do not stop with the creator. Both shows revolve around employees in their place of work. They both aired on NBC. I would even venture as far to say that “Superstore” has its own Dwight in Dina, whose antics and seriousness about the job always prove for cringe-inducing moments. So far, the show has been hit or miss. Some episodes are stand-outs, such as episode six, “Secret Shopper.” The employees are worried because a secret shopper is supposed to observe the store, so they need to be on their best behavior. Dina goes crazy trying to find the secret shopper, which is hilarious, as she continually pins down the most unlikely shoppers. Meanwhile, Jonah and Amy have a major breakthrough in their relationship, so the show still provides us with character drama, so it does not seem too silly. Other episodes, such as

episode four, “Mannequin,” seem a little too ridiculous and far-fetched. In this episode, practically no one does their job and instead hides mannequins in risqué positions around the store. One of the best parts about “The Office” was that the characters were always seen doing their job and still being hilarious, which made the show seem highly realistic. Despite the sometimes too outrageous comedy, I still think the show is pretty good. Sometimes, the smallest moments are the best. Between scenes, the audience often gets a look at the going-ons of the customers at Cloud Nine. We’ve seen little kids riding around in toy cars, people sleeping on furniture and even a toddler using a toilet in the middle of an aisle. These moments are truly some of my favorite, because it makes the show more real. So far, the employees have not ventured out of Cloud Nine, so time can only tell if any scenes will take place at other locations in St. Louis. Look out for name-drops such as “Kirkwood” and “Richmond Heights.” If you look closely, there is also a large photo of the arch in the background of the store. “Superstore’s” outlandish humor sometimes gets in the way, but the zany characters and small, hidden moments within the episodes are worth giving the new comedy a try.

Courtesy of siamusic.net

SCRAPPED: Filled with songs orginally written for other artists, Sia’s new album, “This is Acting,” is likely to be this year’s latest hit. Her lead single off the album, “Alive,” was orginally written for singer Adele.

‘Finest Hours’ Continued from Page 5

Bernie and Miriam is what makes this film magical. for himself and to trust Miriam, a strong woman, his instincts, trust his leads the relationship, which gut, trust his knowledge is somewhat unconventional of those waters, I think for the time, but also balances … that’s really good.” her traditional values. When Affleck has equally she is seen in Cluff ’s office, strong moments, as he porforcefully pleading Cluff to trays the stoic Ray Sybert, tell Bernie to come back, she who valiantly instructs the shows the strength of her passengers love to her of the ship man. Mirito what am’s strong The film glorineeds to character fies the aspect of be done in ultimately order to allows Bertrust, as each of keep the nie to make the characters go boat afloat. his own out of their way There is decisions, for their fellow also a crueven if that cial momeans he man. ment in must somewhich he times break faces his the rules. own flaws and understands With stunning visuals, that it might be beneficial “The Finest Hours” is able to be submissive at the end. to focus on the humanitarThe film glorifies the asian values of heroes of the pect of trust, as each of the 1952 Coast Guard Mission. characters go out of their Although not as adventurous way for their fellow men. as a typical disaster drama, As Affleck mentioned, the the film does not fail to make film as a strong focus on the the audience delighted by the inner direction, mentionrescue. “The Finest Hours” ing a moral compass, withis increasingly inspiring in each of the characters. and magical as it progresses The romance between and will leave you satisfied.

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OUT

‘Grease’ is the word

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UNews

Sports

For continued multimedia coverage of Billiken sporting events, visit unewsonline.com or follow us on Twitter @TheUNewsSports

February 4, 2016 sports@unewsonline.com Lexie Vasos, Sports Editor Lauren Tondl, Assoc. Sports Editor

Catch Super Bowl 50 (and the commercials) Sunday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 on CBS. Here are some head-to-head comparisons of the competing teams.

By CASEY WAUGHN Managing Editor

Eighth Super Bowl Organizations appearance, tied with the Patriots, Steelers and Cowboys for most ever.

One appearance and one of 13 current franchises that have never won a Super Bowl. The Panthers could become the The Broncos have lost five fourth team in history to win 18 Super Bowls, the most in games in a year. history. This is the third straight season the top seeds from the AFC and NFC are squaring up in the Super Bowl.

Fourth Super Bowl appearance

Quarterbacks

First Super Bowl appearance. Cam Newton can become the third quarterback to win a collegiate national championship and a Super Bowl as a primary quarterback.

Peyton Manning will be the oldest quarterback to start a a Super Bowl (39 years and 320 days)

Cam Newton will be the third quarterback who won the Heisman Trophy in college to start a Super Bowl.

Manning is the first quarterback in NFL history to take multiple teams to multiple Super Bowls.

This is the first Super Bowl matchup between quarterbacks who were drafted No. 1 overall. Seventh Super Bowl appearance (three as a player, fourth as a coach).

Coaches Third Super Bowl appearance (one as a player, second as a coach).

According to Elias research, Gary Kubiak is the first person in NFL history to appear in a Super Bowl for the same team as a player and a coach.

Ron Rivera won the Super Bowl as a linebacker for the Bears in 1985.

Information from ESPN

Women’s basketball team ties program record with 18 total wins and 8 A-10 victories By LAUREN TONDL Associate Sports Editor

The women’s basketball team extended their winning streak to seven after a 61-50 victory on the road against George Mason on Jan. 28 in Fairfax, Virginia. SLU took the lead early on with a three-pointer from senior center Denisha Womack. They held the Patriots to one basket for the first half of the quarter. Womack and junior center Sadie Stipanovich dominated offensively for the Billikens for the entire first quarter. SLU jumped ahead to a 10-2 lead, but George Mason kept themselves in the game, trailing by three at the conclusion of the first quarter, 14-11. The Patriots pulled ahead at the start of the second quarter, 15-14, but SLU quickly crushed their chances with an 11-2 offensive frenzy in the next three minutes. Sophomore guard Jenny Vliet gave the Bills five of those 11 points, with fellow sophomore guards Jackie Kemph and Aaliyah Covington pitching in for the rest. Two three-pointers put the Patriots within a basket, 25-23. However, Stipanovich and Kemph had a jumper each to seal the lead at half-

CHEER

time, 29-26. George Mason took a brief lead again in the beginning of the second half, 3029, but Vliet sunk two threepointers to give the Billikens a five-point lead, 35-30. Both teams exchanged buckets for the last five minutes of the third quarter, and SLU kept their lead going into the last quarter of play, 44-38. SLU took their first double-digit lead early in the fourth quarter with a three pointer from Kemph to make it 48-38. A pair of free throws from Vliet gave SLU their biggest lead of the game, 54-42. The women kept consistent and finished the night 61-50, never giving George Mason a chance to get back in the game. Vliet put together an outstanding performance, tallying a game-high and career-high 17 points to lead her team. Kemph was close behind with 16 points, and Stipanovich racked up 12 points and a game-high of seven rebounds. This win kept the Billikens on their path to greatness: They are 18-5 overall for the second time in program history, and their 8-2 conference start gave them their best start in team history. They’re also tied for second in the conference

JEER

with St. Bonaventure. Unfortunately, the Billikens’ record-breaking streak and possibility of holding the top spot in the conference came to an end when George Washington handed them their second A-10 loss, 89-80, in Washington D.C. on Sunday, Jan. 31. The game was even for the first six minutes of the first quarter. Then, George Washington came to life by going on an astounding 15-6 run, putting the Bills at a large deficit early on, 24-15. Despite the women’s efforts, they still trailed by ten with four minutes to go in the second quarter, 35-25. SLU finally got in a groove and went on a 11-4 spurt in the last four minutes. The Billikens found a way back in the game, only trailing by three points going into halftime, 39-36. SLU saw their first lead two minutes into the third quarter with a layup by senior guard Jamesia Price. The Colonials answered over the next two minutes by putting down 10 points to take the lead back, 51-44, halfway through the quarter. Two layups and two free throws by Stipanovich put the Bills within five, 55-50. They stayed tight on George Washington’s heels for the

Saint Louis Athletics

GRIT: Senior center Sadie Stipanovich had ten points and seven rebounds against Richmond. She has been a vital component to the Billiken’s success on both ends of the court. remainder of the quarter, but fell to 61-56 with a last minute basket from the Colonials to trail again going into the fourth. Covington nailed a threepointer in the first thirty seconds of the fourth quarter, showing that the Billikens weren’t ready to give up without a fight. Kemph put down a jumper as well, but George Washington hit two three-pointers and two

FEAR

WHO TO CHEER: DEPAUL The DePaul Blue Demons defeated No. 11 Providence on Feb. 2 by a score of 77-70. This was the highest ranked team DePaul has beaten since 2006. This is just one of many upsets so far this college basketball season. The Blue Demons improve to 8-14 and will play Creighton on Feb. 6.

layups to lead by 10 once again, 71-61. SLU re-found their edge with five minutes to play when they strung together three three-pointers to close in on the Colonials, 73-70. George Washington, however, kept their cool and consistency and went on a key 7-0 run to secure a 10-point lead with three minutes left in the fourth quarter. SLU reached within

eight points a few times, but could never recover from George Washington’s lead, and lost the game, 89-80. Stipanovich had a gamehigh 20 points and seven rebounds. Covington recorded 15 points, and Kemph followed with 14 points and eight assists. Price gathered a season-high and team-high eight rebounds and seven See “Women” on Page 8

BY LEXIE VASOS, SPORTS EDITOR WHO TO JEER: JOHNNY MANZIEL Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel will be removed from the roster in March, a good riddance. Manziel has been a train wreck in the league, especially off the field, where he has been spotted partying in multiple clubs during the season. He started eight games, threw seven interceptions and has a 57 percent completion percentage.

WHO TO FEAR: SUPER BOWL 50 This year marks the 50th Super Bowl, and it looks as if it is going to live up to expectation. Lady GaGa will be singing the national anthem, Coldplay and Beyoncé will be headlining the halftime show and two very talented teams will be taking the field. Although the betting in Vegas says the Panthers will win, one never knows.

February 4, 2015

SPORTS

This week in sports Tweet of the week @ CoachStone_SLU A huge Thank You to our SLU administration and staff for a great environment today! #GoBillikens

Scores from the week Women’s Basketball Thursday, Jan. 28 George Mason Billikens

50 61

Sunday, Jan. 31 George Washington Billikens

89 80

Wednesday, Feb. 3 Richmond Billikens

48 73

Men’s Basketball Saturday, Jan. 30 Duquesne Billikens

78 67

Women’s Tennis Friday, Jan. 29 SIUE Billikens

2 5

Sunday, Jan. 31 Arkansas Billikens

5 2

Men’s basketball in free fall once again after home loss to Duquesne By LEXIE VASOS Sports Editor

The Saint Louis University men’s basketball hosted the Duquesne Dukes on Jan. 30. Senior guard Ash Yacoubou was on fire from behind arc, hitting three back-toback treys to give the Billikens a 9-0 lead. The Dukes responded with a 7-0 run, which Yacoubou put an end to with another three. The Billikens gained a twelve point advantage with 10:42 left in the half as a result of baskets by freshman guard Jermaine Bishop, sophomore guard Miles Reynolds and junior forward Reggie Agbeko. The Billiken offense hit a detrimental drought in the final six minutes, which allowed Duquesne to gain a 30-27 lead at halftime on account of a late 12-0 spurt. Junior guard Aaron Hines brought the Billikens within one by drilling a three early in the second half. The Dukes

continued to dominate the court, extending their lead to 15 with just under five minutes left in the game, until the Billikens put together a 10-0 streak. Junior guard Mike Crawford hit a layup to cut the Billiken deficit to four with less than a minute to go, but the Dukes kept their lead by hitting their free throws. SLU fell to Duquesne 78-67 and drop to 3-6 in the A-10 conference and 8-13 overall. Yacoubou led the SLU offense with 18 points and eight rebounds. Crawford scored all 14 of his points in the second half, hitting 5-of-10 field goal attempts. As a team, the Billikens only shot 37.5 percent from the floor. SLU’s largest lead was 12 with 10:42 left in the first half, and Duquesne had their largest lead of 15 points with 4:41 left in the game. The Billikens will have a short break before traveling to New York to play St. Bonaventure on Feb. 7.

Saint Louis Athletics

CHARITY STRIP: Junior forward Reggie Agbeko steps up to the free throw line against Duquesne on Jan. 30. Agbeko had nine points and four rebounds in 31 minutes of play.

Tennis world shaken

Men’s Tennis Saturday, Jan. 29 SIUE Billikens

2 5

Player of the week Jackie Kemph Women’s Basketball

Billiken Media Relations

Sophomore guard Jackie Kemph tied for the Billikens’ leading scorer on Feb. 3 when they hosted Richmond at home. Kemph recorded 14 points and 8 assists in the victory that helped the Billikens tie the program record for total win (18) and conference wins (8). She had back-toback three-point plays late in the fourth quarter to give the Billikens a 59-37 cushion. Kemph has also recently had clutch performances on the road at George Mason and George Washington. She scored 16 points in the victory over George Mason on Jan. 28 and 14 points in the close loss to George Washington on Jan. 31. The Billikens will be back in action Feb. 10 against St. Bonaventure.

Games this week , February 5

, February 6

, February 7

, February 3

By LAUREN TONDL Associate Sports Editor

The sport that was once the ultimate “gentleman’s game” is now being hit hard with intimations of lack of integrity, due to recent match fixing. BBC and Buzzfeed dropped a bomb on another match fixing investigation the day before the Australian Open, just weeks ago, and the world of tennis is holding its breath, to see what will happen next. This issue first came across major international attention in 2007, when Nikolay Davydenko, then the fourth-best men’s tennis player in the world, lost to 87th-ranked Argentinean Martin Vassallo Arguello on a forfeit — because of medical reasons. Betting analysts immediately popped the red flag, when they noticed how much the odds had changed in Arguello’s favor, despite Davydenko winning the first set handily and taking control of the second set as well. Arguello’s odds of winning soared in a matter of minutes, as if everyone placing bets within the gambling syndicate knew something everyone else didn’t. The worried tennis community cheered when the four main governing bodies of tennis came together, to investigate the situation for match fixing. They were not about to have their beloved sport ruined by corrupt hands, just as many other major sports have been: think baseball, basketball and even figure skating. As a response, the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) was established in 2008. The team of investigators and tennis experts was formed to lay down the law against all those who were looking to make a little extra or maybe a few hundred thousand dollars on match fixing, as well as to generally keep the integrity of the sport in check. But, the formation of the TIU is currently the peak of their existence. After “extensive” investigation into the Davydenko and Arguello match, the two got off scotfree, as the consequences for match fixing were active only after the match took place, and the rules could not be enacted retroactively. The TIU turned the other cheek and said there was not enough hard evidence, only information and speculation. And clearly that is not

enough to go on for the TIU, when one of their main purposes is to look into possible leads on match fixing. What’s shocking is that the TIU made this ruling despite knowing that Arguello had exchanged 82 texts with the head of a known Italian gambling syndicate. Davydenko’s conversation with the medical trainer on staff at his match that day is also a known piece of information. He clearly asked the trainer if his injury was reason enough to retire from the match, as if he already had plans afoot to throw it. Just a few years later, a group of betting analysts and investigators put together an impressive track record on some 26,000 matches for match fixing, known as the Fixing Files, complete with a “blacklist” of about 16 core players who repeatedly received the red flag for match fixing. The team handed over their findings to tennis authorities, and the files seemed to disappear into thin air. No action was taken. Fast-forward to today, and eight of them have competed in the Australian Open in 2016. Further, 70 players have been flagged in the last decade. And not a single one has been sanctioned. Just a few weeks ago, a low-level, mixed doubles match was flagged for match fixing in the Australian Open. If this is happening, even in a first-round, basically insignificant, mixeddoubles match, then there is clearly a widespread problem with match fixing. Those who have been active members of the professional tennis world for a long time have known that match fixing has been going on before 2008. It’s as if the community is too shy, or loathe, to own up to corruption within the pristine halls of the sport. What the tennis community needs to realize is that, in this day and age, no sport is completely clean. A lot of people are in it for the money, whether as a player, a spectator or an official. Tennis is a sport that, unfortunately, does not pay very well, over the entire spectrum of the rankings. Current number-one Novak Djokovic received millions of dollars, while the average professional ranked below the top 100 gets paid maybe six figures, at best.

Current players are even speaking up about the scandal. Andy Murray had the courage to step up and say that match fixing is unacceptable; and the reaction to his words was hardly that of a gentleman’s game. Officials, fans and even other players turned the other cheek and even turned on him, saying, “That’s rubbish”. But admitting that match fixing is an issue is exactly the proper move to make. The longer tennis sits around and wonders if it’s really true or if it’s really a big enough problem to confront, the bigger the monster gets; and more fuel gets added to the fire. And if they don’t listen to those who come forward, how does the problem even get addressed and resolved? It all starts with the TIU. They currently have a sad turnout of five members showing up to their probably very depressing office parties. And to add to a series of unfortunate events, there is not even a betting analyst on staff. Who better to track match fixing than individuals who can tell you about suspicious betting patterns — in their sleep? There are about 20 different gambling industries that specialize in this stuff. Why not utilize them? The two parties must begin to work together to solve this issue, once and for all. Another suggestion is simply to up the ante. Lowerdivision professionals simply aren’t being paid enough, and getting a $100,000 bonus in their bank account, just to lose a few key games, can be extremely tempting. Professionals have to pay for their own hotels, tournament expenses, coaches and travel. It’s difficult for them to break even, even with a year of fairly good results. Roger Federer says that he does everything in his power to make himself a better tennis player, and the TIU should do the same, to become better enforcers of the law. Essentially, the TIU needs to bring out the big guns and stop worrying about how this will taint the tennis world. The fact of the matter is, it’s already tainted. The sport is already under speculation; it is time to do the right thing, make no excuses, and trust that the good members of the tennis community will fall back on the integrity of the game in order to rebuild.

Women: Team can’t be stopped Continued from Page 7

assists, and she moved up to third place on SLU’s career assists list with 381. Overall, SLU shot 47.8 percent from the field. The Billikens hosted Richmond on Feb. 3 for the annual Billiken Books and Basketball field trip, which allowed local students to join the players on the court during the pregame introductions. The teams were evenly matched in the first quarter, with neither being able to pull ahead by more than four. The Billikens ended the quarter with a 14-12 lead that was quickly ended in the second quarter when Richmond scored the first five points to take a 17-14 lead. SLU responded with a 7-0 run that included a three-pointer from Frantz, followed by a jumper from Gits, and topped off by another Frantz bucket. Richmond tied the score at 21 after scoring on their next two possessions, but quickly lost their momentum and fell into an offensive drought that lasted the rest of the quarter. The Billiken defense smothered the Spiders and prevented them from scoring for the rest of the quarter. SLU’s offense took advantage of the opportunity to go on a 15-2 run. Price con-

tributed six points, and four more came from Jakubicek, which gave the Billlikens a 36-23 lead at the half. The Billikens continued to dominate on both sides of the court in the third quarter, easily gaining 16 point leads on two seperate occassions before heading into the fourth with a 50-37 edge over Richmond. The Billikens did not back down in the fourth. Vliet launched another scoring frenzy that was followed by back-to-back three point plays by Kemph. Womack sank four free throws and Price wove through the lane for a layup that capped a 15-0 run. Richmond could not recover and fell to the Billikens by a score of 73-48. Price and Kemph led SLU’s offense with 14 points a piece, followed by Stipanovich, who added ten points and dominated the boards with seven rebounds. The Billikens shot a seasonhigh of 53.8 percent from the field. The victory over Richmond was the 18th win for the Billikens and eighth in the conference, which ties records for the most wins in program history and most wins in the Atlantic 10 conference. The Billikens hope to break both records when they play St. Bonaventure on Feb. 10 in New York.

Saint Louis Athletics

RECORD: The women’s basketball team officially tied the program record of total wins (18) after beating Richmond.

UNews

Opinions Editorials

February 4, 2016 opinion@unewsonline.com Kyle Smith, Opinion Editor

Editorials are opinion pieces written by the Editorial Board of The University News. The editorials printed in this space represent the opinion of The University News. Commentaries and Letters to the Editor represent the opinions of the signed authors, but do not necessarily represent the opinions of The University News.

Letters

Trump’s gamble too large in Iowa

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even. His remarks about women were both public and controversial, and therefore, fair game. Moreover, Kelly didn’t seem to be “targeting” the frontrunner specifically; she asked equally pointed questions of all the candidates on the stage, not just Trump. In a statement, Fox News president Roger Ailes reiterated his support for Kelly and mocked the accusations, sarcastically claiming, “We learned from a secret back channel that the Ayatollah and Putin both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president.” This isn’t the first time that Trump has tried to bully the press for its unflattering coverage of him. In other cases, though, he was more successful. The Republican National Committee disinvited the National Review from the Feb. 25, debate in Houston for publishing a harsh editorial criticizing Trump; likewise, Trump took credit for getting the Union Leader, a New Hampshire newspaper that endorsed Chris Christie, removed from an upcoming ABC debate. Trump’s relationship with

the media poses a baffling conundrum: Though he frequently attacks reporters, journalists and media outlets, often on a personal level, he relies on them for the unprecedented media coverage that fuels his campaign. Republican politicians have a long history of blaming the “mainstream media” for its alleged liberal bias. But Trump seems to be taking this rhetoric to a whole new level by taking on a colossal network widely known for its conservative slant. It shouldn’t be surprising; Trump has been rewriting the rules of politics since he first entered the race. Still, abstaining from the final debate before Iowa voters cast their ballots is a risky move. Did it pay off? Not quite. Trump boldly predicted that his rival event, a fundraiser for veterans, would garner national publicity and even surpass the debate in terms of viewership. Though he did receive substantial coverage for his antics, Fox News tallied 12.5 million viewers for the debate—the second lowest of the season for the GOP—the estimated 2.7 million that tuned in to Trump’s event is still far below those

who viewed the debate. To add to his troubles, the “elephant not in the room” was only briefly mentioned in Thursday’s debate, which was for the most part a levelheaded, issue-oriented discussion. His absence allowed rivals like Cruz and Rubio to show their worth to undecided voters. But most damning of all came the results from Iowa. Trump lost badly to rival Cruz, and only barely managed to slip by Rubio for a disappointing second-place finish. Even Trump has admitted that his decision might have cost him the state. It seems that Trump’s gamble was a tremendous flop. Still, it remains too early to tell if this one bad hand will cost him the game. Primary season has only just begun, and Trump maintains a strong lead in upcoming New Hampshire. Besides, if this past year has taught us anything, logic and expectations seem to have no effect on Donald Trump. One final caveat: In 1980, another entertainer-turnedGOP presidential candidate skipped the final debate before Iowa—and subsequently lost the state—before going on to claim the nomination.

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Quotes of the Week

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Although not perfect, “Grease: Live” stretched the limits of what can be done on television and successfully added to the new fad that is live television musicals. Tess Brock, Arts Editor, Page 6

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Here’s something you won’t hear too often: the Editorial Board of the University News would like to applaud the Fox News network for its journalistic integrity. Yes, you read that right. The conservative, 24-hour cable news network, frequently lampooned for its heavily biased, sensationalized reporting, actually took a pretty noble stand for the freedom of the press. When viewers tuned in to Fox News for the latest GOP debate last Thursday, Jan. 28, they may have noticed a Trump-sized hole in the room. The Republican frontrunner threatened not to appear in the debate unless news anchor Megyn Kelly was replaced as its moderator. Fox News refused to bow to Trump’s demands and, accordingly, Trump followed through, opting instead to hold a fundraiser for veterans at the same time. This confrontation was the latest escalation of an ongoing feud between Trump and Kelly, stemming from what Trump believed to be “unfair” treatment from Kelly in the first GOP debate in August. In the August debate, Kelly asked Trump about several derogatory remarks he had made towards women and questioned whether he had the right “temperament” to be president. In the months following the debate, Trump ridiculed Kelly in a series of Twitter rants and even temporarily boycotted the entire Fox News network. Though not out of line with his character, Trump’s grievances are petty and simply ridiculous. A journalist’s job is to ask tough, probing questions—to be “pushy,”

This world is scary sometimes, but watching these talks, it helps you reconnect with the community that you’re in and also the broader, greater world around you. Rocky Leng, Organizer for TEDxSLU, page 3

They were not about to have their beloved sport ruined by corrupt hands, just as many other major sports have been. Lauren Tondl, Associate Sports Editor, page 8

UNews challenges conventions in the spirit of B.o.B. Rapper B.o.B. recently made headlines with a Twitter rant, questioning the conventional belief that the world is round; not even a rap battle with astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson could change this “Flat-Earther’s” mind. Though it may seem ridiculous, as journalists we admire his skeptical spirit. Here are our own “unpopular beliefs”: Paul: “I believe that it is time for the government to own up to the fact that it has been hiding the identity of the famous wizarding school Hogwarts and let those attend who are able. It is too late for me, of course—at this age I should be five years out

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of Hogwarts—but I will not stand for this type of academic blackmailing any longer. Don’t get me wrong, I am very grateful for the SLU education that I will complete in May, but I am sick and tired of egomaniacal bureaucrats trying to tell me that student loans do not apply to ‘fictitious’ schools of magic.” Emily: “I do not believe in math. Like, they’re just numbers. And sometimes even letters (which is so f@!*ed up!). But it’s like, just because we have more than one thing doesn’t mean we’re doing math. Let’s say my fellow caller-outer of made up bologna, B.o.B., is making some

chocolate chip cookies. I have one on my plate. But then he puts another on my plate. That doesn’t mean “math” is happening—it just means I have one more dank cookie to enjoy with my friend and rap sensation.” Lexie: “Science tells us is that you will need Organic Chemistry in your life when in reality, nobody needs that in their life. Not only is it not a necessity, but it is also a torture device used to try to scare those who are looking to go into the medical field or get a PhD. In fact, if you ask any medical professional how often they utilize their Organic Chemistry knowledge

they will respond with a slight laugh and say ‘never.’ Organic Chemistry is the lie they tell college students to make sure we still have other occupations in this world.” Lauren: “Psychologists and neuroscientists everywhere are lying to us about the sources of our emotions. While they have fooled us into thinking the limbic system and hippocampus or whatever are the reasons we feel sadness, joy, anger and the like, I know for fact that we all have the five characters from ‘Inside Out’ inside each and every one of us that live along with us and turn our lives into really cute plots that could

one day turn into animated tear-jerkers. They are the actual sources of emotion, not big words I can’t pronounce or keep straight.” Tess: “The existence of aliens is being kept under wraps by the government. If there are billions of galaxies out there, then there is no way that aliens do not exist. They are definitely out there, and the government knows. But maybe it’s for the best. If the population discovered that aliens are real there would be mass chaos. Doomsday preppers would go into overdrive, and we would be preparing for invasions like those seen in ‘Signs,’ ‘Cloverfield,’ and

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‘War of the Worlds.’” Alex: “Gravity. Lets think about it: hundreds of years ago, some idiot underneath a tree had something fall on his head, and we call that the most groundbreaking scientific discovery of all time? Well how do we explain airplanes? Space shuttles? I have a dog who loves to jump on me, what does gravity have to say about that? Clearly someone high up in the government, be it the Clinton campaign, EPA, or NRA lobby, is trying to keep us in the dark about what’s really going on.” Tim: “Where, exactly, did Punxsutawney Phil get his degree in meteorology?”

“Freedom of the press—print, online and broadcast—is a basic right in a democratic society and is valuable in promoting the development of students as socially responsible persons ... The University News is a student voice, not the student voice. The views of The University News are the expressions of the students involved ... If [The University News] can represent a point of view around which discussion may develop, it serves a legitimate and needed purpose.” - From The University News’ Charter

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February 4, 2015

OPINION & EDITORIALS

Sanders suffers without Iowa recount

Though more notable for its cornfields than its beaches, anyone who found themselves in the middle of Iowa last Monday might be forgiven for thinking it was Florida. That’s because for many, the too-close-to-call contest between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton called to mind Florida’s infamous role in determining the winner of the 2000 presidential election. To be fair, Florida in 2000 was a much more valuable prize, contested under much higher stakes. But don’t underestimate the value of the Hawkeye state. As the first electoral event of the primary season, Iowa is an important springboard for any candidate—especially an underdog like Bernie Sanders—trying to build momentum en route to the nomination. The Iowa caucus is one of the stranger quirks of American politics, seemingly left over from a bygone era. But history has shown that Iowa is an important indicator of who will go on to nab the nomination. Since 1972, its caucuses have correctly predicted the nominee 42 percent of the time for Democrats and 50 percent of the time for Republicans. This year’s contest could

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The Iowa caucus is one of the stranger quirks of American politics, seemingly left over from a bygone era

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Kyle Smith

not have been closer. As the results poured in throughout the night, Clinton’s expected lead steadily diminished, eventually dropping to just 0.2 percent over Sanders. The race was so evenly divided that several precincts awarded their delegates based on a literal coin toss—a curious tiebreaker that remains part of caucus rules. The problems associated with such a razor-thin election were compounded by the fact that many precincts were severely understaffed and unprepared for such a large turnout. Long registration

lines and crowded facilities may have turned away some first-time caucus goers, unfamiliar with the process, the majority of which would have likely supported Sanders. In a race like this, every vote matters. Furthermore, the methods used for recording votes in a caucus system—paper ballots and literal headcounts—are inaccurate and inappropriate for an election of this level. Despite these concerns, caucus officials have refused to issue a recount. They declared Clinton the winner in Iowa, with 49.86 percent of the delegates. Sanders,

who left with 49.57 percent, claimed a “moral victory” for his virtual tie with the Democratic frontrunner. So far, the Sanders campaign has come short of officially contesting the results. Such a move is reportedly being considered, and Sanders has already asked that a statewide vote tally be released to the public. (Unlike Republicans, the Democratic Party uses a complicated mathematical formula, not the raw vote count, to award delegates). The early primary states— Iowa and New Hampshire— are crucial to Sanders’ campaign. Though both states are generally favorable to him, his popularity wanes as the primaries move south to states with large minority populations, like South Carolina. A double win in these early states could have potentially opened up a path to the nomination. But for the most part, Sanders is optimistic. “We are in this for the long haul,” Sanders said. “We are going to win states all over the country. We have confronted one of the very difficult issues that we face. What has always bothered me is people who say, ‘I like you, Bernie. I want to vote for you, but I just don’t think you can win.’ Today we took a giant step to overcome that kind of doubt in many voters.” Regardless of the results, Sanders’ performance in Iowa has made one thing clear. He is no “fringe” candidate. He’s in it to win. It’s going to be a long election year.

Reading the signs on climate change

Fiona Clair

If you haven’t yet heard, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow this year, so there will be an early spring! Okay, I can’t even feign surprise seeing as I wore shorts and a t-shirt to lay out in the sun this past weekend and it was January. I can remember Groundhog’s Day last year quite vividly. You see, I’m from Chicago, and by Feb. 2, 2015, we’d already had about four days of negative-30-degree weather, and winter just didn’t seem to want to give up. Last year, I awaited the silly tradition of Groundhog’s Day with perhaps a tad too much apprehension, because I was willing to believe in anything for the frigid temperatures to end. Suffice to say, this year was a little different. Not wearing a coat is January is something I haven’t done since my pre/early teen years when I was way too cool to be caught dead in a parka, but this year, we’ve been experiencing a season I can only compare to Phineas and Ferb’s notion of “S’winter.” While I knew that St. Louis weather was notoriously about 10-degrees warmer than Chicago on average, no where in my mind did I picture picnicking in Forest Park on the 31st of January. Furthermore, I

Making racial awareness a graduation requirement

Saint Louis University intends to expose its students to a variety of ideas and perspectives. From the philosophy professor focused on getting you to question everything your teachers have taught you, to the foreign language professor hoping to teach you, at the least, how to ask for help when you study abroad, SLU combines a variety of course requirements within the core curriculum in an attempt to build a wellrounded graduate. But, SLU lacks a course requirement that would help students better understand the world around them: Introduction to African American Studies. All students at SLU should have to take Introduction to African American Studies, or AAM 2000, in order to graduate. Of course, in order to receive a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree, students have to complete six credit hours of “Cultural Diversity,” three of which come from the “Diversity in the US” category, but these classes do not suffice. Ranging from Native American Literature to Ethics and Politics, a student might go through four years of education without considering the basis of racism in the United

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Trevor Rogan

States, or why blackface is so out of work and then forced to offensive, or why for-profit do unpaid labor, they underprisons have such nefarious stand why for-profit prisons implications. look a lot like past evils. And, Before taking AAM 2000, when they learn that white I thought I knew a considersoutherners invented “Lost able amount of black history. Cause” ideals, which purports But, the course revealed the that the South fought to progaps in my knowledge. In tect their natural rights from high school, I learned about an encroaching Union army, the Transatlantic Slave Trade, students know how to distinthe Emancipation Proclamaguish truth from fiction. tion, and the Civil Rights Act Besides the actual facts of 1964. s t u d e nt s Between learn in the key A A M terms, 2000, the As a white student in though, class fos[Intro to African AmeriI did ters polite not read discuscan Studies], I learned about sion about about the personal exthe oriracism. periences of my black gin of The conpeers, and by comparblack vergence f a c e , of whites ing their anecdotes to or debt and blacks past history, I gathered serviabout topa greater understandtude, or ics of racing of the issues that arguism can ments lead to our society and, spet h a t feelings of claimed discomthe Civil fort that War was stymie fought debate o v e r and leave states’ rights. voices unheard. But in AAM In AAM 2000, students 2000, the context of the class build a foundation of knowlallows students to speak edge on which to base their openly. As a white student in present day experiences. the class, I learned about the When students learn that personal experiences of my white actors once spread coal black peers, and by comparing across their faces in order to their anecdotes to past histoimitate blacks in the most racry, I gathered a greater underist way possible, they better standing of the issues that our understand why a white girl society and, specifically, our dressing up as Nicki Minaj St. Louis community faces. offends people. When they As college students we learn that blacks were arrestmay not come from the St. ed for owing money or being Louis area, but we do live

in the community. As SLU students, the mission statement declares our “pursuit of truth for the greater glory of God and for the service of humanity.” We are to do “service to the community.” In a city where blacks, according to the United States Census Bureau, made up 47.5 percent of the population in 2014, it would make sense if students understood the struggles that nearly half of the community endures. A small, yet practical means toward this end would be to educate every student in a classroom setting. Although AAM 2000 teaches primarily about African American history, the class also supports other victimized groups. Dr. Katrina Thompson, Associate Professor of the African American Studies Program at SLU, claims an AAM 2000 course requirement would draw more attention to social justice as a whole at SLU. “African American Studies opens the door to other social justice issues,” Thompson said. “Sexual inequality, along with other ‘isms’ are included in the course material.” Having taken AAM 2000, I better understand the issues our country faces. I better understand the issue our SLU community faces. SLU stands for social justice. If the University wants to live up to its mission, its students need to know the issues and their origins. Through making Introduction to African American Studies a course requirement, this school will move closer to achieving its goals.

thought the temperature flux was bad in Chicago, but I was proven wrong a few weeks ago when I spent one-day shivering to class in single digit temperatures and the next week contemplating whether I even had to wear a light jacket. My wardrobe, skin and allergies are in total disarray trying to keep up with the rampant mood swings of the weather. So, obviously it has been a mild—one could even argue warm—winter here and all around the Midwest, but does this say about the dreaded, tabooed climate change? My dad is the epitome of the green initiative—if you don’t believe me, consult the laundry detergent he gave me; it’s reusable and made of mineral pellets that recharge in the sun—so keep in mind that most things I say on the topic of climate change lean rather biasedly either by being based of the things he has talked about or taught me, or because I find some of the things he says and does extremely dorky. With this polar attitude in mind I am going to try to shed some light on some seemingly-obvious bad arguments concerning climate change. If someone comes up to you today pointing to the warm temperatures, and scoffs at your complete ignorance to evidence of climate change, please feel free to scoff right on back. One, or even half a month’s worth of uncommonly warm days in no way can act as evidence that the world is getting warmer, or all the polar bears are dy-

ing, or we’re all going to die of chemical emissions. While these things—in their nonexaggerated forms—may be true, it is absolutely ridiculous to try and base the climate of a 4-billion year-old planet on a few warm days. On the flip side, and I have to use this example because it is just so ridiculous, I hope everyone scoffed at the incident of Senator Jim Inhofe bringing a snowball to the Senate floor as proof that climate change is a “hoax”. I hope I don’t have to explain the flaws in this argument, so I’m just going to put my faith your intelligence. Here are some real, honest facts about climate change; do with them what you will. The average global temperatures have been steadily increasing for the past 30 years. Arctic ice cycles have displayed decreasing coverage over the past 20 years. The energy content of the oceans has experienced a sharp increase over the past 10 years. These factors have caused sea levels to rise, threatening coastal communities around the globe—the U.S. Navy is planning on moving several bases because of this. The cause of these changes is carbon dioxide, which, upon testing the levels in the air, has been proven to be prehistoric (aka the majority of this carbon increase comes from fossil fuels). If you don’t believe me, look it up. And if you still don’t believe me, please at least come to me with a better argument than a fresh snowball, unless you are looking to get smacked by your own argument.

February 4, 2015

When losing streak reigns, look to spectators Photos by Ryan Quinn

relatively poor season in Billsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; basketball history, the 8-13 record is leaving fans feeling

blue. Following a particularly disappointing shot, this photographer notes he can sometimes capture more emotion looking at the

bench, or in the eyes of the fans, even moreso than the players themselves. Michelle Peltier / The University News

KSLU: On Wednesday, Jan. 27, members of KSLU, SLUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s student-run radio station, held an open house for those interested in getting involved and hearing some of the music the organization plays over the airwaves. Pictured, from left, are Maddie Booker, Mya Novelle, Summer Worthington, Micki Leonard and Liza DiStefano.

January 28, 2016