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Thursday, September 29, 2016
A student voice of Saint Louis University since 1921
Vol. XCVI No. 5
Conservative speaker Allen West sparks controversy Debate ensues after censorship of ‘radical Islam’ flyer
Courtesy of Allen West
ALLEN WEST: Allen West is a conservative activist who will be speaking at SLU.
Biondi’s former abode finds new purpose Meconi, S.J., of the Department of Theological Studies was named the director of When St. Ignatius foundthe Catholic Studies proed the Society of Jesus in gram here at SLU. 1540, he instructed the earliThanks to a great deal of est Jesuits to go out and “find effort on the part of Fr. MeGod in all things.” Today, as coni, the Centre for Catholic a Catholic, Jesuit UniverStudies has now become the sity, SLU strives to continue hub for the Catholic Studto embrace this maxim of ies program and the MediIgnatian spirituality. On eval Studies campus, the program. In new Cathoaddition, the lic Studies The program is building is Centre is the office for meant to bolster the place to the College go for those that SLU does of Philosophy who wish to and Letters, well already as achieve this. the program a good, Catholic, Located for Jesuits in at the west and serious p r e p a r at i o n end of camfor priestplace. pus near hood; and Vandeventer Fr. David Meconi, SJ houses an ofAve., the fice for SLU Catholic Fertility Care, Studies Cena group of tre can be identified by the pro-life doctors who offer twin stone lions guarding its consultation services. The entry. Originally a 19th-cenCentre also hosts three alltury home named for the faday symposia a year, with the mous jewelers of the Cartier focus of “bringing together family, the Centre housed Fr. strong Catholic voices withLawrence Biondi, S.J. during in the University to integrate his time as President of SLU truth with academia.” Each from 1987-2013. The beautisymposium concentrates on ful Victorian building has remained largely unused since Fr. Biondi left, until Fr. David See “Catholic” on Page 3
On Thursday, Sept. 29, Allen West will be speaking at Saint Louis University. West, a conservative activist and retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, was invited to SLU by the College Republicans as part of a speaking program sponsored by Young America’s Foundation. His visit to campus has stirred controversy. West accused an unnamed SLU administrator of censoring the use of the term “radical Islam” on event flyers and referred to the Muslim Student Association (MSA) as a “stealth jihad radical Islamic campus organization” on his website. The flyers, designed by College Republicans to advertise the event, were rejected by the administration for using the phrase “radical Islam,” which is to be a topic West focuses on Thursday night. “Allen West’s agency expressed that they would like to brand the event with
radical Islam. Radical Islam, referencing people who use the name of Islam to kill or hate others, which is not in any way synonymous with all Muslims,” said Dylan McCloskey, a member of College Republicans.
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If this is a case of ill-conceived political correctness, we’ll recitfy that. Allen West
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By MEGAN ANTHONY Contributor
West took to his website after hearing the news during a radio interview with Curt Schilling, in order to express his thoughts on the matter. In a post entitled, “Folks, I’ve just been CENSORED,” West deems that his freedom of speech is being threatened because his topics do not agree with what he calls a “liberal agenda.” He continues by writing,
“And if this is just a case of ill-conceived political correctness, we’ll rectify that. But, if this is a case of the influence of stealth jihad radical Islamic campus organizations such as the Muslim Student Association, an affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood, then you will be exposed.” West followed with a warning to SLU’s President that a radical Islamic organization dictating speakers on campus is not the kind of PR he wants for his university. Many students have denounced West’s accusations and name-calling. Noelle Janak, a member of Free to {Be}, an intersectional feminist advocacy organization, wrote a Facebook status in regards to West’s comment about the MSA, saying, “No Allen West, they are people. They are my friends. How dare you!” Janak added that free speech and free-flowing expression of ideas are always welcome, but bigotry and hate speech are not. “We See “Allen West” on Page 2
Political science department hosts debate watch party
By ROBERT LINDSAY Contributor
“
Courtesy of SLU
DEBATE: Attendees were mesmerized by the Presidential Debate coverage in the Center for Global Citizenship. By KRISTINA DEYONG Contributor
Students came together Monday night to attend a watch party for the first presidential debate of the 2016 election. The event was put on in the Center for Global Citizenship by Saint Louis University’s political science department, who held a screening of the debate in the C. S. Huh Auditorium. About 400 students attended.
Students heard from representatives for several politically oriented groups on campus, including the College Republicans, the College Democrats and the political roundtable preceding the debate itself. Political science professor Dr. Steven Rogers spoke briefly about the psychology of debatewatching as well. A number of the organizations set up information booths surrounding the red and blue
round tables that made up the watch space. “I personally liked the setup,” said attendee Celia Hall. “I think the tables, rather than chairs in rows or something like that, made it more of a social and communal event.” Another attendee, Kenzie Dye, had a similar response. “I think the CGC is a good place for watch parties both because of the floor space and seating above, and the
big screen.,” Dye said. “I thought it was really nice how there were real-time tweets from relevant figures like Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein projected in the back of the room. I found myself looking at those fairly often.” Both Hall and Dye said they enjoyed the snacks and the debate bingo game as well. See “Watch Party” on Page 2
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INSIDE SCOOP:
ARTS
The Fabulous Fox presents ‘Once’
Women’s volleyball on winning streak
Impressions from a real-life DeMatt resident
Page 5
Page 7
Page 10
SPORTS
OPINION
2 September 29, 2016
NEWS
Watch party: Trump and Clinton face off in first debate
Courtesy of SLU
WATCH PARTY: Over 400 people attended the first presidential debate watch party. Continued from page 1
“I would definitely consider attending the next few watch parties,” Dye said. “Going to the watches, as opposed to watching the debate at home, makes the debate a more social and engaging experience.” One of the groups that spoke at the event was TurboVote, an organization that aims to encourage as many people as possible to vote on Election Day. The group focuses especially on making sure people are registered to vote. It was mentioned at the watch party that the percentage of students who voted dropped from 50% in the 2012 presi-
dential election to 18% in the 2014 midterm elections. The Department of Political Science expressed hope that the number of student voters will rise dramatically this year. The high attendance might indicate that this goal could potentially be reached. “I was extremely surprised at the turnout,” Hall said. “I imagined only the groups with tables set up and political science students would attend. I was very proud of my fellow SLUdents for coming.” Dye was less surprised. “I thought that there was a strong turnout, but that was what I expected because of the hype and controversy
around this election. I think that, as well as the personalities of the candidates, drew a crowd that was bigger than what a typical presidential debate would draw.” The TurboVote representatives also mentioned that anyone who lives on campus can now register and have the opportunity to vote at the Busch Student Center this November. “I’m doing my best to stay involved since this is my first opportunity to vote in a presidential election,” Hall said. “I definitely do plan on attending the other debate parties.” The remaining watch parties are scheduled for Oct. 4, 9, and 19.
Courtesy of SLU
ROGERS: Steven Rogers, PhD, political science professor speaks to members of the SLU community at the debate watch party held in the Center for Global Citizenship.
Allen West: Multiple student groups plan protests at event Continued from page 1
will not criticize a group’s right to have a speaker of their own ideological tradition. Our issue is the words West had for our MSA and our students, in that he called them ‘cupcakes,’ a term that would seem to be sexist and homophobic.” The Muslim Student Association released an official statement through an email. “With our ongoing commitment to the university’s ideals as well as the Oath of Inclusion, we ask the entire SLU community to help support us in our cause to help spread the true meaning of
Islam and to create a stronger and safer community at Saint Louis University. And we believe that this individual’s presence does not reflect the commitment to civility and inclusiveness that Saint Louis University espouses.” McCloskey said that the rejection of the flyers seems like censoring of free speech and that other organizations do not face the same regulations when advertising events. Dr. Pestello announced on Wednesday that West would be allowed to speak. “As an institution of higher learning, SLU must resist the urge to suppress speech and
instead expose all ideas and positions, provocative or pedestrian, to critical scrutiny,” Pestello wrote in an email sent to all students. Calling for tolerance and respect, Dr. Pestello challenged students to adhere to the University’s values, even if guests of the campus do not. Peaceful protests are to take place in the Center for Global Citizenship during West’s 7 p.m. talk. As a response to West labeling students as “cupcakes,” the Leadership for Social Change learning community will be selling cupcakes at the event, with proceeds going to assist Syrian refugees.
WEST: West is hosted by the CR and will speak in the Center for Global Citizenship.
Love him or hate him, the Billiken wants YOU to write for the UNews! Contact eic@unewsonline.com for more details
Courtesy of Politico
NEWS
September 29, 2016
Let Us Introduce You: Bobby Stilwell By VALERIE CROOK Contributor
Whether he knows it or not, Bobby Stilwell lives out the Confucius phrase, “choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” A junior with an agenda filled almost hour by hour with class, SLUtv, leadership luncheons, KSLU, League of Laughter, SLUnatics, editing his own YouTube channel and U101 Peer Instructing, there’s never a moment for free time. Bobby is often seen zipping around campus with a high-spirited smile and blue-clad in Billiken gear and jeans. He moves with the speed and excitement of a buzzing bee. His brain is just as animated. Ask him about sports, reporters, news stations, history, SLU, St. Louis, politics, media, job markets and most anything else and he will gladly have a discussion with you. For Bobby, his activities and interests aren’t just resumé builders, they’re pas-
Joe Eckert / The University News
LUIY: Junior Bobby Stilwell is a meterology major, communication minor, with a passion for the camera. sions. He loves to be in front of a camera. He has his own YouTube channel which he produces and edits, often using just his phone camera and iMovie. He acts as a reporter, anchor and meteorologist for SLUtv. Meteorology has been an easy discussion maker for the last few years. “I wanted to be a
pilot for a very long time,” he said, “and that’s closely related to weather.” There is a small regional airport in Bobby’s hometown in Bethalto, Ill. He used to fly in little one-or-two-person airplanes with his step-dad, and though that passion continues to this day, some college major changes had to
Catholic: Fr. Meconi promotes program a different field to correspond with SLU students’ most popular fields of study: business and law, medicine and the humanities. On Monday nights, the Catholic Studies Centre sponsors the Campion Society, an interdenominational group of Christians and nonChristians that discusses issues of theological and cultural importance. Fr. Meconi said during their meetings, the group “seeks to recover the great tradition, but I like to push the conversation a bit and address some edgier issues of concern to undergraduates today.” Issues such as the Catholic approach to study, science, family, human sexuality, care for the poor and the common good and any other of the disciplines central to a university. Campion Society begins with prayer and a light dinner together, a talk or sharing of some common reading, and then concludes with the celebration of the Mass. The most notable use of the centre, however, is its role as the main office for its namesake, the Catholic Studies program. The di-
rector of the program, Fr. Meconi, describes Catholic Studies as “a way of honoring theology as queen of the humanities…theology deals with the highest object of wonder and has always been an umbrella over other disciplines.” Integrating the study of theology with the studies
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The premise is if God is Truth, God can be met in any discipline, any truth.
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Continued from page 1
Fr. David Meconi, SJ
of philosophy, English, history, and literature among a close-knit group of students has the effect of creating a “more intentional community.” “The premise is,” explained Fr. Meconi, “if God is Truth, God can be met in any discipline, any truth.” This approach speaks to the Jesuit principle of finding God in all things, as well as to the motto of cura personalis— care for the whole person— by developing well-rounded
students with a grounding in theological studies. Meconi was adamant that the Catholic Studies Program exists not to discredit other disciplines, but rather to illustrate how science, mathematics, literature, history, and all other fields can be true, while still integrating the pursuit of the truth of God with these disciplines. “Truth should not have to compete against truth,” commented Fr. Meconi, “the program is meant to bolster what SLU does well already as a good, Catholic, and serious place. Catholic even with a small ‘c’—trying to find truth wherever it is.” The Catholic Studies Centre is a place that all SLU students can go to find truth, regardless of religious background. Whether admiring the restored piano donated by the beloved Mary Bruemmer, former dean of student affairs and longtime SLU volunteer, spending some time in the garden sanctuary, or attending first Friday Mass, “Truth is beautiful, and you should allow yourself to find it in all things.” For more information, please feel free to contact Fr. Meconi, SJ at dmeconi@slu.edu.
CATHOLIC STUDIES CENTRE: Fr. David Meconi aids in move of the Catholic Studies Centre into Fr. Lawrence Biondi’s previous dwelling on West Pine Blvd.
be made. “My sophomore year, the economy started getting bad and a lot of pilots were losing their jobs. I thought I better pick something that isn’t directly related to that.” Bobby switched to meteorology and now mentions how he would like to get a commercial pilot’s license and fly on the side. But for now, instead of sitting in McDonnell Douglas Hall, he finds himself in front of green screens in the SLUtv studio saying, “Good evening Saint Louis University, I’m SLU News 22 meteorologist Bobby Stilwell here with your Monday update.” Bobby dreams of working at a small news station and being on TV. He’s thought a lot about Minneapolis because TV is doing well there and the people and community are similar to St. Louis. It’s only the latitude that would drop the seasonal temperatures more than a few degrees that make him think about returning to St. Louis in the future, but he’s willing to see where his interests will take him.
Q&A with Bobby Stilwell:
Q. You’re a huge fan of SLU Athletics. What is your favorite sport to watch? Basketball by far. It’s a game you constantly have to watch to see the good stuff happening. Q. Any preference on men or women’s basketball? No, I like them both. Last year it was easier to watch the women’s team because they did so well, but I think Coach Ford will be great. Stone and Ford are two peas in a pod. They want to get in the community, they want to grow at SLU. Q. What do you think of the new Billiken mascot? Well I made a video about it on my YouTube channel and someone trolled me. He was mad and said I didn’t know what it takes to make a mascot. But like most of SLU, I think it shouldn’t have a two-toned face and its mouth could be closed a bit more.
THE SLU SCOOP All Information Provided by Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Thursday, September 22 6:59 p.m. INFORMATIONAL Male employee for Dine SLU reported that at about 2:00 p.m. as he was standing at a bus stop in the 400 block of S. Grand (Metro Link stop) he was approached by an unknown subject who requested to use his cell phone. Subject then ran across Grand Ave. to the opposite side of the street, still carrying victim’s cell phone and entered a vehicle that drove away north on Grand. Victim contacted St. Louis Police and report # 16-47968 (stealing under 500) was filed.
Sunday, September 23 7:50 a.m. ACCIDNETAL INJURY Male student was throwing a “Frisbee” with other students and tripped over a metal bench in front of Spring Hall injuring his left arm and head after striking the pavement. Student was conveyed to SLU/ER via City EMS # 123 for treatment. Res. Life and Pro Staff notified.
Monday, September 24 2:51 a.m. ACCIDENTAL INJURY Received a call regarding a male student who had injured his head when he accidentally fell from a wall near Marguerite Hall. The student received a substantial laceration from the fall prompting EMS being dispatched, who then conveyed the student to SLU ER. Pro Staff was on scene, but because the student lived off campus, did not accompany the student to the hospital. Student stated he had been drinking that night.
Monday, September 24 12:15 p.m. SICK CASE Officers from the Saint Louis University Department of Public Safety responded to a report of an unconscious individual in the restroom. Officers discovered the individual, who was later determined to not be affiliated with the University. There was also evidence that the individual had been utilizing a controlled substance that may have led to his unconscious state. St. Louis Fire Department Emergency Services, as well as the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department were notified to respond. The subject was transported to Saint Louis University Hospital Emergency Room by ambulance. The various drug paraphernalia and suspected controlled substance was seized by officers of the St. Louis Police
Wednesday, September 26 2:55 p.m. STEALING OVER $500 CART CAPERS: At 10:30 a.m., on 9-2-16 the Midwest golf Cart and Equipment Co. dropped off golf carts on the grass area between Litteken Hall and the Olive/Compton Garage, for the Homecoming parade. At 2:30pm it was discovered that one of the golf carts was missing from this area. Alumni Relations waited until today to report the golf cart stolen, hoping that it would turn up after Homecoming. A search of the campus for the golf cart was to no avail. Officer Carroll, DSN 7468 responded from the SLMPD and advised Alumni Relations to call the police when they have the VIN for the golf cart and at that time a police report will be written. Alumni Relations was informed to notify DPS with the police report number. The golf cart company was notified.
Be a Responsible Billiken STOP. CALL. REPORT. 314-977-3000 witness.slu.edu dps.slu.edu
Megan Hammond / The University News
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Arts Entertainment
September 29, 2016 arts@unewsonline.com Tess Brock, Arts Editor Natalie Riopelle, Assoc. Arts Editor
‘ONCE’ again at the Fox Favorite emo
bands mix old with new By TOM BERGAN Senior Staff Writer
Courtesy of Joan Marcus
ENSEMBLE: “ONCE,” winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards including Best Musical and winner of the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater album, will play The Fabulous Fox Theatre from Sept. 20 - Oct 2. By TESS BROCK Arts Editor
Back in 2007, director John Carney released a tiny film called “ONCE,” a movie shot in only 17 days with nearly no budget and unestablished actors. Despite all odds, “ONCE” went on to be a huge Academy Awardwinning success. The simple yet compelling story, paired with an amazing soundtrack of original songs written by the leads, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, resulted in high praise from stars like
Steven Spielberg and Bob Dylan. When news broke that “ONCE” was being adapted for Broadway, many held their breath in fear that putting such a delicate story on a huge stage would strip away its magic. However, yet again “ONCE” soared past expectations and went on to win eight Tony Awards in 2012 including Best Musical, proving that whether on a tiny screen or a big theatre, the story and music of “ONCE” can’t be ignored. “ONCE” follows the story of Guy, an Irish musi-
cian who is stuck in life, who meets Girl, a Czech piano player dealing with a complicated family life. They decide to make music together, and their collaboration leads towards beautiful songs and a complicated relationship. Since the film version of “ONCE” isn’t your typical dance-and-sing type musical, this called for an interesting adaptation in order to take a simple film from screen to stage. To keep the authentic band vibe from the film, “ONCE” requires every cast member to play an instrument.
From acoustic guitar to harmonica to banjo to mandolin, the musical features almost 20 different types of instruments on stage. Swing and music captain Barry DeBois says: “It’s not like other musicals where there’s an orchestra that plays the exact same thing every night. Our show is very much more like a band. That makes my job much more interesting.” As music captain, DeBois is in charge of “keeping the integrity of the music while See “ONCE” on Page 6
Nostalgia. It’s a powerful thing. We often like to think of things the way they used to be, as opposed to what is currently occurring. It happens with politics, world news and yes, music. This past month, two nostalgiadriven bands played in St. Louis, many years after their peak popularity, to packed venues. These two bands were The Used, who played The Pageant over Labor Day Weekend, and Taking Back Sunday, who played the Ready Room on Friday, Sept. 23. And yet despite their similarities in both spearheading the early 2000’s emo scene, their shows were vastly different displays of past and present. First, The Used. Their current tour is billed as a “15th anniversary tour,” in which they play two consecutive nights in each city they visit. The band plays their selftitled debut album on night one, and then their second album, “In Love and Death” on night two. Between their two shows in St. Louis, they played approximately one song that had been released after 2004 (“Pretty Handsome Awkward,” which was played as the encore). The nostalgic aspect was definitely embraced, with the band acknowledging that these albums were what brought them a lot of success and fans. I attended the concert on night two,
and it unfolded like an episode of “VH1 Storytellers.” Lead singer Bert McCracken would tell the story of how the song came to be, whether it was his addiction to drugs at the time or the death of his dog, they would play the song, and the process would repeat. It was cool, for sure, but also dragged a 50-minute album out by an extra 30 minutes. The fans certainly didn’t mind that, and hung on his every word, hoping to get some new insight into their 12-year old sophomore effort. The band sounded great, but McCracken’s voice has not withstood the test of time flawlessly. It wasn’t that he was completely offrhythm, but he was also no perfectionist when it came to hitting notes. I have to cut him some slack, though — I can’t image ones’ vocal cords would be the same after 15 years of screaming and singing. At the end of the album, Bert thanked the crowd and announced that new music was coming soon. While this was a night of nostalgia, they would be moving into the future soon. Secondly, Taking Back Sunday. Their show was similar to The Used, in the case that they took the time to play an album front-toback. The only difference was this was an album released two weeks ago, not 12 years. They walked out to a sold-out Ready Room, that See “Throwback” on Page 6
Of Montreal pulls out the stops By MARGAUX WHITE Contributor
The second Kevin Barnes tore off the black hoodie lined with green LED lights to reveal the first of his seven elaborate outfits, the crowd had no doubt this show was going to be special. The Ready Room, located in the heart of The Grove, an area of town known for being LGBTQ-friendly, was the perfect backdrop for of Montreal’s new album, “Innocence Reaches.” The inviting venue helped to house a crowd that was clearly anticipating the show that of Montreal ended up giving. The crowd was extremely diverse, from middle-aged married couples drinking PBR at the high-top bar tables in the back to girls in their twenties with face glitter making their way to the spacious-enoughto-dance front row, and even a singular “Make America Great Again” hat. Maybe it was the autumn equinox in effect on that September night, or maybe it was just an uber-positive crowd, but this specific group of people had come to this show hopeful to experience something new — a kind of hopeful anticipation to see just how out-there of an experience of Montreal would no doubt deliver. An of Montreal performance is a SHOW, not just a concert. Visuals behind the stage on three screens, the constant flow from one outfit to the next by lead singer Barnes, the interruption of various characters dancing flamboyantly around the
stage, the sounds of “Innocence Reaches” sprinkled through a setlist complied by a band with thirteen other albums to choose from, and the lyrics of such songs being guided into wondering ears. All these components provide the layers that paint this band’s performance as a clearly thought-out work of art. The stage production was the first clue as to how this show was going to grab the audience members’ concept of gender and overall normality and turn it completely upside down. With one large screen behind the
...[T]his show was going to grab the audience members’ concept of gender and overall normality and turn it...upside down. band, and two circle screens, one on each side of the main screen, the band told a story that aligned with the songs they performed. Animated faces of 1960s housewives rotated on the circle screens — the same screens that had blinking eyes and bizarre renditions of planet earth — while the main screen focused on nothing particular, from dolls to gender signs, to mouths and 1970s style wrapping paper. There was no doubt in this intimate crowd that this band was not going to hold back. With this backdrop that gave psychedelic feelings
mixed with a mockery of gender and their roles, those onstage only perpetuated this awesome environmental invitation to think outside of the box. Barnes remained in the front and center of the stage, jumping back and forth after grabbing his guitar and amping up the crowd with a casual-yet-standout phrase “I need my freedom!” The stage theatrics included two figures dancing around in typical 1960s garb with electric colored afros and female masks, samurai figures fake fighting, tall ghost looking figures with candy skull heads to top them, forms with huge wings that caught the stage projections meant for the screens, someone wearing a Donald Trump mask while dressed in a phallic costume, a pride flag and an American flag embracing, and police with wrestling masks on. These inclusions in the performance not only kept the crowd entertained but also wondering what could possibly come next (a giant faux opossum operated by two people inside of it walked across the stage at one point). While a review on Barnes would write itself, he has never been more eccentric. After taking off his hoodie he entered the stage in, he revealed a burnt orange Mumu with a gold ornate feminine hat and began the show with “it’s different for girls,” making quite the opening statement that he was going to do whatever he so pleased as long as he was on stage. This song struck a major cord while Barnes buzzed
Margaux White / The University News
SURPRISE: Of Montreal exceeds at surprising the audience with extremes. Those who attend their concerts should be prepared to expect the unexpected. the lyric “it’s diff-er-ent” into the crowd’s ears, who were beginning to understand just how different this band’s show would be from any other concert one may have attended prior. Of Montreal performed exactly half of their twelvesong album “Innocence Reaches,” starting with “it’s different for girls” to “let’s relate,” eventually standing out with “my fair lady,” a crowd favorite by hitting “a sport and a past time”, “trashed exes”, “ambassador bridge” and ending where they began with “it’s different for girls” a second time. They played older hits such as “Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games,” as well as “A Sentence of Sorts In Kongsvinger” and played an encore to an enthusias-
tic crowd with little need for convincing via applause. The four songs following the main set included a mashup rendition of “The Man Who Sold the World” and “1999”. This not only gave a special tribute to two of of Montreal’s accredited musical influencers, David Bowie and Prince, but also subtly brought up the idea of two other performers who often toyed around with the idea of gender identity. During the performance of “my fair lady”, Barnes switched up the lyrics. The original lyric recorded for the album was “I have to give all the love that was meant for you to some other girl” but during the show was performed live as “I have to give all the love that was meant for you to somebody else.” This persis-
tence of openness gives the audience the ability to insert themselves into the song and think in more loose terms, a sense of freedom to listen and embrace oneself during the show, and even after. Of Montreal’s new song, “a sport and a pastime,” contains the powerful line “I want to lose my identity, I want to become one with you” and gives the listener the feeling of confusion and ever-changing self identification. These words, paired with the theatrics of Barnes’ outfits, the random character appearances and the overall sound of the band itself created a whole other universe in which this show was the norm, and the norm was refreshingly inclusive and special to anyone who wanted to be a part.
6 September 29, 2016 What’s up in STL this week?
ARTS
‘Gentleman’ and murder
Throwback concerts
Young the Giant The Pageant Sept. 23, 8:00 p.m. Young the Giant returns to St. Louis with their new album, “Home of the Strange.”
Tom Bergan / The University News
ROCKING: The Used (above) play two consecutive nights at the Pageant. They played
“GOAT”
their debut album on night one, and their second album, “In Love and Death” on night two. Continued from page 5
Discussing the brutality traditionally associated with pledging a fraternity, “GOAT” is an intensely gripping movie. National Touring Company
INTRIGUE: Monty (Kevin Massey) and his lover Sibella (Kristen Beth Williams) are full of secrets. not be gained, these eight people must go. Quirky songs structure the story, with each tune Murderers fascinate us— serving to move the plot they are doing, perhaps, the along. In fact, the musical most taboo thing in civilized opens with a song titled “A society: taking away another Warning to the Audience”— person’s life. They exist outclearly, this show is not for side of the standard human those easily frightened by moral code; they have decidcomically bizarre deaths. Afed that those rules that bind ter leaving the show, I heard the rest of us do not apply one of its catchiest refrains, to them. We’d never want to “Why Are All the D’Ysquiths be alone in a room with one, Dying?” (honestly, they are but I bet you’ve watched all pretty catchy, but this “Making a Murderer,” or one was the easiest for my seen “Silence of the Lambs.” feeble brain to remember), They are scary and evil, but reverberating in my skull dammit if they aren’t interfor maybe a solid three days. esting. Tony Award-winning The entire cast sang these “A Gentleman’s Guide to monstrously catchy songs Love and Murder,” which with the utmost control and closed at the Fox this past energy—I had to stop myself weekend, capitalizes on this from trying to imitate them captivation with murderers in the bathroom at intermisby making our “protagonist” sion. (used loosely here) quite a In an impressive display successful one. of talent, actor John Rapson Montague (Monty) Naplayed eight characters—all varro (Kevin Massey) reof them various members of cently lost his mother, a the D’Ysquith family, with poor washerwoman who their own could just s t r a n g e, barely afand often ford to care The entire cast sang unsettling , for Monty these monstrously catchy personaligrowing songs with the utmost ties. These up. He is D ’ Ys q u i t h s just comcontrol and energy--I ranged from ing to the had to stop myself from a muscly maend of jor to a rathtrying to imitate them...at her fuer repulsive intermission. neral when reverend, an older with a couple w o m a n of frivolous appears, females also in the mix. The stating that she knew his number of costume changes late mother. Ms. Shingle Rapson had to go through (played by understudy Jenmust have been ridiculous nifer Smith the evening I and, heck, all of the characattended) is her name, and ters’ voices were distinguishshaking things up is her ably different—how is that game for she comes bearing even possible to do? I can news: Monty’s mom, Isabarely impersonate Christobella, was once an heiress, a pher Walken, and even then member of the wealthy and I can only do it on Wednespowerful D’Ysquith famdays if the wind is coming ily, disowned by her father from the east and I also have for marrying a man from a a cold. lower class. With this inforThough “A Gentleman’s mation, and the revelation of Guide to Love and Murder” his birth certificate, suddenhas since left the Fox, please ly Monty is ninth in line for try to see it somewhere along the Earldom of Highhurst. its tour. It’s a show so morAfter reaching out to two bidly entertaining, you fordifferent members of the get that Monty really should D’Ysquith family, and being be the bad guy. Instead, his firmly denied in his wish to charm and the charm of the reconnect with the family show convince you that it’s by each, Monty’s course of really all for the best. Isn’t action changes drastically. it? I’m sure that they had it Eight people stand between coming and, after all, is murMonty and the Earldom, and der really so very bad? now, since their help could By NATALIE RIOPELLE Associate Arts Editor
SLAM Underground St. Louis Art Museum Sept. 30, 7:00 p.m. Explore the galleries with sick beats and tasty cocktails.
Grovefest The Grove Oct. 1, 2:00-11:00 p.m. Head to the 11th annual Grove Fest to experience entertainment, art and food.
Authentic German Oktoberfest Anheuser-Busch Biergarten Through Oct. 3 Celebrate German heritage with excellent beer.
could’ve doubled as a sauna it was so hot, and jumped right in to “Death Wolf,” the first song off of the newly released “Tidal Wave.” The band acknowledged the crowd’s kindness, allowing them to play an album that they so wholeheartedly believed in, and promised to play the oldies later. And while when bands play new music it generally signals a bathroom or bar break, the strange thing was, the album was phenomenal. It paraded the maturity of Taking Back Sunday’s sound. No longer were they trying to scream and wail about teenage angst. Instead, it was a melodic record that moved, as the record title maybe intended, as a wave, with hard-hitting songs and acoustic slow pieces switch-
ing places. Their singer, Adam Lazarra, seemed to have suffered some of the same plagues as McCracken, in which his voice didn’t seem as strong as it once
...[T]he strange thing was, the album was phenomenal. It paraded the maturity of Taking Back Sunday’s sound. been, but that was a more forgivable offense for him, because he wasn’t even attempting his old ways for the first half of the show. After they ended the new album, a short break was taken, followed by the opening chords of “Cute Without the E,” which might be
the quintessential emo song from the genre’s heyday. Mosh pits and crowd-surfers immediately became present and the seemingly tame crowd came to life. After 45 minutes of hit after hit, the band left the stage, giving fans a 90-minute-long timeline of their career, from the present and then to the past. Both crowds were in their late 20’s and early 30’s, and it was quite the sight to see them instantly transport from having a 9-5 job to wearing all black and resenting high school with the simple striking of a chord. While these bands could have once filled small arenas with their emotional lyrics and intense screams, they have moved well past that point in their careers. And even if their heyday is past them, screaming at the top of your lungs to the songs you grew up with will never get old.
‘ONCE’ returns Continued from page 5 on tour.” One of his most important tasks is leading the pre-show jam session that occurs on stage. Yes, that is right, a pre-show jam. In order to really bring home the gritty pub-playing band feeling that fuels the film, the “ONCE” company plays a variety of traditional Irish and Czech songs onstage before the start of the show. The audience is invited up to the stage to get a drink at the bar — which is in fact a full-working bar and not just a prop — and hang around while the cast jams out to a variety of different songs chosen each night by DeBois. Although you think these pre-show jams would be the music captain’s favorite part,
DeBois looks forward to the more intimate moments: “I thought going into the show that my favorite part would be rocking out to the music, but to be honest the moments that I love the most are the really real intimate
“
Relationship are complicated...This just leans into the reality of life — The show does in its storytelling and in its music.
“
In theaters
Barry DeBois, Music Captain
moments that we get to do, whether its Guy and Da or Guy and Girl. The way this show is written is very natural, the conversations people
have, it can pivot from silly to heartfelt, even if its in a couple of lines, and it works. That’s what I really look forward to.” DeBois and the rest of the cast have worked hard to make sure the show gets its simple and compelling message across: “It’s a very real human story that I feel like most people can relate to. It’s about complicated relationships. Relationships are complicated and not always Cinderella stories. The show leans into the reality of life in its storytelling and in its music. So, I’ve never known anyone to come to this show and leave unmoved.” “ONCE” will play this weekend for a limited engagement from Sept. 30-Oct 2 at The Fabulous Fox Theatre.
Courtesy of Joan Marcus
MUSIC: The 2016 tour of “Once” stars Sam Cieri as “Guy” and Mackenzie Lesser-Roy as “Girl.” Together, the two solve problems in their lives with the help of music.
Sports
September 29, 2016 sports@unewsonline.com Lauren Tondl, Sports Editor Vivek Gorijala, Assoc. Sports Editor
A perfect start: Volleyball sweeps George Mason, George Washington By VIVEK GORIJALA Associate Sports Editor
Saint Louis University Women’s Volleyball pulled out two 3-0 sweeps against conference opponents George Mason University and George Washington University on Sept. 23 and Sept. 25, respectively. The wins brought SLU to a perfect 2-0 Atlantic 10 record. SLU’s play was dominated by senior outside hitter Danielle Rygelski, who is turning in a dominant stretch of performances as SLU’s strongest option in the attack. The first match came at Chaifetz Pavilion against George Mason, an opponent SLU may have expected to defeat handily. However, George Mason came out prepared and kept the match close. SLU’s largest set victory came in the first set, which they won 25-19 after jumping out to an early lead that they never relinquished. The first set victory came due to an efficient team attacking performance, as evidenced by a .344 hitting percentage. Rygelski posted a .500 attack percentage, with 6 kills and only 1 error. Rygelski then found her groove in the second set, posting a .389 percentage with 10 kills and only 3 errors on 18 attempts. George Mason kept it close the en-
tire way, even going ahead 23-22 towards the end of the set, before SLU closed the gap and the set, 25-23. Rygelski’s dominant performance against George Mason then kicked into full gear in a rollercoaster of a third set, which SLU ultimately won by a thrilling scoreline of 3129. She managed 15 kills and 3 errors on 26 attacks for a .462 attack percentage in the set and a .444 attack percentage overall. Rygelski also led SLU with a team-high 10 digs and tied freshman middle blocker Lauren Mershon for the team lead in blocks with 6. Senior setter Ashley Gagen and sophomore setter Camila Rivas continued to rotate at the setter position against George Mason, with Rivas leading SLU with 20 assists in the match. The second match of the weekend came against George Washington, visiting Chaifetz Pavilion from Washington, D.C. Rygelski was once again the standout performer, tacking on 24 kills with a .327 attacking percentage. Meanwhile, the setting duo of Gagen and Rivas notched 17 and 18 assists, respectively, as they continued to rotate in and out at the position. Junior libero Mackenzie Long led the team with 14 digs. The first set proved to be a close one once again,
Saint Louis Athletics
STUFFED: Senior middle blocker Taylor Paulson and freshman outside hitter Morgan Goodman try to block a player’s attempt in Chaifetz Arena. The women started 2-0 in the Atlantic 10 Conference with wins this weekend. as SLU squeaked out a 2523 victory. The second set was another back-and-forth affair, as the Billikens and Colonials battled until SLU finally came out on top, 2927. The third set was the set in which the Billikens
finally broke open the Colonials, with SLU managing a healthy 25-17 victory over George Washington. Gagen commented on SLU’s 2-0 start to the A-10 season. “We are very excited to start the conference 2-0.
By LAUREN TONDL Sports Editor
By LAUREN TONDL Sports Editor
The men’s soccer team added another tie to their record on Sept. 24 against VCU at Hermann Stadium in front of 5,439 fans at their annual homecoming game. SLU earned the early goal in the match, but VCU answered in the last 20 minutes of regulation to force the game into extra time. Despite a few quality chances, neither team could find the back of the net in the final 20 minutes of play. SLU appeared to have the upper hand in the beginning of the game. Freshman forward Saadiq Mohammed took the first shot on goal for the Billikens in the fifth minute, only to be denied by the Rams’ goalkeeper to keep the game tied. The Bills continued to press on offensively. SLU earned a corner, and freshman midfielder Constatin Heider curled the ball straight into the net, giving him his first goal of his SLU career. The two teams played each other quite closely in the first half, with VCU outshooting SLU, 5-4, and SLU edging out VCU on corner kicks, 5-4. In the second half, SLU saw a transformed VCU team, firing an astounding
The field hockey squad dropped to 1-8 on the year and 0-2 in Atlantic 10 Conference play after two weekend matches against Saint Joseph’s and Pacific. The Billikens hosted Saint Joseph’s on Sept. 23, a match that turned out to be a 7-0 loss for the home squad. SLU held the Hawks to a 2-0 lead in the first half and fired three shots to generate some quality chances, but ultimately succumbed to an especially strong performance in the second half. The Hawks found their groove in the second half by putting 5 of their 15 shots in the back of the net to take the victory. Senior back Maya Bentley, junior midfielder Morgan Crowe, sophomore midfielder Molly Feid and junior midfielder Katie Moss all recorded shots for the Billikens. Sophomore goalie Jessie Bryan had a career night with a high of 12 saves. The Billikens traveled to Springfield, Mo. on Sept. 25 for a game against Pacific at a neutral site. SLU dropped the decision, 11-3, against the Powercats. SLU put eight shots on the board, five of which were on frame. Pacific found the back of the net first with a shot from the left side. However, Feid
CHEER
Saint Louis Athletics
HEAD UP: Sophomore forward Noah Murphy looks to play upfield while two VCU defenders trail behind.
JEER WHO TO CHEER DAVID ORTIZ In the stifling maelstrom that is the Yankees and Red Sox rivalry, it is refreshing to see David Ortiz acknowledge the role that the Yankees have had in his development as a player. As he completes his final season this year, he mentioned how much he enjoys and appreciates the opportunity to play against the Yankees.
allow us to play more cohesively as a team,” she said. Another interesting factor at play against both George Mason and George See “Volleyball” on Page 8
Field hockey falters against A-10 foes
Men’s soccer winless in last seven games
12 shots on goal and earning 5 corners. The Bills were able to ward off the Rams for a solid portion of the second half, but VCU found the back of the net on a set piece of their own by burying a free kick at the top of the box in the 73rd minute. Regulation ended in a 1-1 draw, and both teams headed into overtime, VCU having the momentum in their favor. The Rams dominated overtime, much like the second half of the game, with 6 shots to SLU’s 2. However, junior goalie Sascha Otte stayed solid throughout extra time, coming up with a big save at the end of the first overtime period. The Billikens moved to 1-3-3 on the year and 0-0-1 in Atlantic-10 Conference
The nonconference portion of the season was pretty tough from a win/loss perspective, but it prepared us for the first weekend of conference. We are starting to put together some great individual performances that
play. The men journeyed to Madison, Wisconsin to take on the Badgers on Sept. 27. SLU led the all-time series between the two teams, 3-11. Last season, the Badgers defeated the Billikens in double overtime, 2-1. Contrary to the VCU game, the men gave up an early goal and were unable to recover from the deficit, dropping the match, 2-0. Free kicks were working against SLU once again, as Wisconsin buried a drive from just beyond the box to take a 1-0 lead. The Bills pressed hard offensively, earning three See “Men’s soccer” on Page 8
Saint Louis Athletics
CONTROL: Senior back Maya Bentley takes care of the ball against a Saint Joseph’s defender at Sportport. answered within twenty seconds with a shot from the left side as well. The goal brought SLU level, but the lead would only last a few minutes as Saint Joseph’s continued to turn up the torque. The Powercats drew ahead yet again in the 8th minute with a 10-yard finish. Feid found a way to the net once again by collecting a rebound from sophomore forward Amanda Clark’s shot. The Billikens went through a bit of a lapse in the remainder of the first half, allowing the Powercats to take the lead, 6-2. In the second half, the Bills could not find the goal until the 59th minute of
play, when sophomore midfielder Carly Kissinger put in a rebound from a teammate’s shot on goal. However, Pacific still came away with the victory, 11-3. Feid earned her first multi-goal performance of the year as she put both of her shots on goal in the back of the net. Bryan collected 16 saves, the second-highest single-match total in SLU history and third best singlematch total in the NCAA this season. SLU faces conference foe Lock Haven on Oct. 2 in Lock Haven, Pa. Start time is scheduled for 10 a.m. The Billikens will attempt to arrest their losing streak with a positive conference result.
FEAR WHO TO JEER SAM ALLARDYCE Allardyce was caught by reporters in a sting operation talking about how to circumvent soccer transfer rules in order for third parties to make money off of players. He was promptly booted from his job as England manager. At least he leaves with a perfect record after beating Slovakia 1-0 in his only match in charge.
WHO TO FEAR DENVER BRONCOS They said that with Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler gone, the quarterback situation in Denver would cause the team to struggle. However, quarterback Trevor Siemian has excelled, leading the Broncos to a 3-0 start.The Broncos haven’t missed a beat in trying to repeat last year’s Super Bowl victory.
8 September 29, 2016 @Marlins
This week in sports Thursday, Sept. 29
Friday, Sept. 30
Women’s Soccer 6:30 p.m. @ Dayton
Swim/Dive 5 p.m. @ Wash U
Forever in our hearts. #JDF16
Scores from the week Men’s Soccer Billikens 1 VCU 1 SLU earned their third tie of the season in their first Atlantic 10 Conference game this season. Freshman midefielder Constantin Heider scored his first career goal for the Billikens. The matchup against VCU was this year’s homecoming game, punctuated with a celebratory fireworks show at halftime. Billikens 0 Wisconsin 2 Wisconsin scored a goal in each half to knock off the Billikens. SLU fell to 1-4-3 overall, despite strong scoring chances from junior defender Jair Hernandez and freshman midfielder Saadiq Mohammed. Redshirt sophomore Grant Owens hit the crossbar late in the second half. Volleyball Billikens 3 George Mason 0 Senior outside hitter Danielle Rygelski recorded 31 kills, the highest-recorded number of kills in the NCAA in a three-set match this season. She is one of only two players, alongside Emma Longley of Appalachian State, to have multiple three-set matches with over 30 kills. Billikens 3 George Washington 0 Rygelski recorded 24 kills and a .327 hitting percentage against the Colonials. Meanwhile, junior libero Mackenzie Long registered a team-leading 14 digs for SLU’s defense. Field Hockey Billikens 0 Saint Joseph’s 7 SLU fired four shots in the loss to the Hawks. Sophomore goalie Jessie Bryan had 12 saves. While SLU held Saint Joseph’s to only two goals in the first half, Saint Joseph’s pulled away in the second half with five goals. Billikens 3 Pacific 11 Two of SLU’s three goals came from rebounds. Bryan had a career-high 16 saves in the match. Sophomore midfielder Molly Feid was SLU’s highest scorer against Pacific, with two goals.
Saturday, Oct. 1
Sunday, Oct. 2
Mackenzie Long draws life lessons from volleyball By LAUREN TONDL Sports Editor
Three years ago, junior defensive specialist Mackenzie Long was surrounded by a plethora of cornfields and farmland in the small town of Walworth, Wisconsin, home to approximately 1,000 people. Now, she is one of SLU volleyball’s top players playing under the lights in Chaifetz Pavilion in the fall. Long grew up with volleyball in every aspect of her life. “I started playing volleyball when I was four years old,” she said. “My dad played and was a coach at my high school.” She committed to the sport on a more competitive level at the age of nine, and has not looked back since. She was drawn to SLU right away because of the atmosphere that she experienced upon visiting. “I loved the coaches and how close all the student-athletes were to one another,” Long said. “As a school, SLU allowed so many opportunities for my education and was able to work with me and my schedule.” Currently, Long is pursuing a degree in sports business and dreams of working with the Chicago Blackhawks. “If that doesn’t work out, I want to coach college volleyball at the Division I level,” she said. On the court, Long is nothing short of impactful. She made waves in her first year, quickly settling into the role of the Billikens’ starting libero. She led the team in aces with 34 and had a total of 238 digs on the 2014 season. In 2015, she showed her dedication to improving
Volleyball: 2-0 in A-10
Monday, Oct. 3
Cross Country Field Hockey St. Louis Blues 10 a.m. John Flamer Invite 10 a.m. @ Lock Haven 6 p.m. @ Washington @ SIUE Swim/Dive Capitals Softball 11 a.m. Butler Duals @ 4 p.m. @ SIU-Carbondale Fishers, Ind. Volleyball Women’s Soccer 1 p.m. @ Dayton 1 p.m. v. Rhode Island Men’s Soccer 6 p.m. @ La Salle
and different things that can help us be successful,” Long said. “I am very excited to start conference, and I have confidence in my team that we will have a great season.” While she has a very passionate drive for volleyball, another love of hers is her family. “I am an only child, so my parents are my everything,” she said. “I have a very close relationship with my parents, and having them support me with everything I do is amazing.” Being so far from home, Saint Louis Athletics she thinks of her team as her game with 39 aces and a second family. “SLU vol394 digs. Long was a major leyball is my home away reason for the team’s sucfrom home. I have met some cess last year, as the squad amazing people that make finished second in the Atbeing away from home not lantic-10 Conference regular so bad,” she said. “I take pride season with a 10-4 record. in wearing SLU volleyball T h i s across my shirt season, she or on the back of already has my jersey.” 241 digs, Long knows Being on the SLU along with that SLU volleyvolleyball team...I 11 service ball will touch learn so many aces. She her life in more different things in e a r n e d ways than one, a day that will only A-10 Conespecially when ference she graduates help me when I Player of in two years. “I have a job, family, the Week love meeting so and many other for Sept. many different things in life. 19-25 with people and crean impresating life-long Machenzie Long, junior sive perfriendships with formance everyone,” she against said. “It’s cool Western Illinois, tallying 32 being around people who digs, the season high for the have the same interests as A-10. you and who work their Now that the squad is butts off to play the sport we heading into conference love. Being on the SLU volplay, they are looking to turn leyball team, I learn things around their shaky non-conthat will help me when I am ference season, which may no longer an athlete. I learn have been one of their toughso many different things in est yet. “We did have a tough a day that will only help me non-conference season, but when I have a job, a family, it has prepared us well. We and many other things in learned a lot about our team life.”
“
Tuesday, Oct. 4 Group Dance Lesson 7 p.m. @ Dance Pizazz
Wednesday, Oct. 5 7
St. Louis Blues p.m. v. Washington Capitals
Men’s soccer: Tie in homecoming game followed by loss Continued from page 7
corner kicks, but were unable to convert any chances in front of the net. While SLU took five shots on goal, none made it on frame or tested the Badgers’ keeper. Otte kept Wisconsin at 1 goal with 3 big saves, hoping to give his team a chance to score in the second half. The men saw an optimistic second half. They delivered a strong corner, and junior defender Jair Hernandez just missed a quality chance at an equalizer. However, the Badgers took the wind out of the Billikens’ sails when a Wisconsin midfielder smashed a volley into the back of the net from a 73rd minute cross. SLU had a good 15 minutes to regroup and fight through the game. Junior forward Grant Owens finally gave the men their first shot on goal with a crack from the top of the box that ricocheted off the cross bar. The men dropped to 1-43 on the season. However,
the Billikens have played the third toughest schedule in the NCAA so far this season. Their first seven opponents have appeared in a national poll this season. Owens and sophomore forward Anthony Brown carry the team offensively with 3 points each. Otte is dominating between the posts, currently ranking 29th in the NCAA with 4.86 saves per game. Over his career, he has earned 20 shutouts, posting up at the fifth spot in the nation. The Billikens now look on to consistent conference play, save one game against Indiana in late October. SLU was picked to finish first in the Atlantic-10 Conference coaches’ preseason poll for the fourth time in a row. SLU will travel to Philadelphia to play La Salle on Oct. 1. The squad’s goal is the A-10 Conference Championship in Davidson, N.C. on Nov. 10-13, where they want to successfully conclude their conference season.
“
Tweet of the week
SPORTS
Saint Louis Athletics
CLEAR: Junior goalie Sascha Otte blasts the ball out of the 18-yard box in their homecoming against VCU.
Tennis teams build steam for ITA Regionals
Continued from page 7
By VIVEK GORIJALA Associate Sports Editor
Washington was SLU’s proclivity for pulling out close two-point wins in sets. Gagen believed that the secret for winning those sets, which propelled SLU to 3-0 sweeps, was to simply play in the moment. “You can’t get too caught up with what the scoreboard says. You just have to play your hardest and stay focused throughout every rally. Win or lose, you will carry that momentum into the next game,” she said. Rygelski’s outstanding performances earned her A-10 Player of the Week honors, while libero Mackenzie Long won the A-10 Defensive Player of the Week award. Rygelski has the highest (31 vs. George Mason), third-highest (26 vs. Illinois State) and sixthhighest (24 vs. George Washington) three-set kill totals in the NCAA this season. Meanwhile, Long was SLU’s best defender this past week, with 55 digs over the three matches — including 32 against Western Illinois, a season-high for the A-10. Next up for the SLU Billikens will be the Dayton Flyers at Chaifetz Pavilion on Oct. 1 at 1 p.m. The Flyers defeated the Billikens in last year’s A-10 Championship match, and the Billikens will be hungry for revenge as Oct. 1 approaches.
The Saint Louis University men’s and women’s tennis teams turned in strong performances in their respective tournaments over the past few weeks, including River Forest f rom Sept. 16-18, the men’s tennis team was competing in the River Forest Clay Court Invitational. Alongside the Billikens, the other invited collegiate tennis teams came from the University of Detroit, South Dakota State, Youngstown State, the University of Illinois-Chicago, Northern Illinois and DePaul. Then, from Sept. 23-25, the women’s tennis team competed in the Bradley Invitational. The other collegiate athletes present at the Bradley Invitational hailed from Chicago State, Northern Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Western Illinois, Illinois State, DePaul and Bradley. The men’s team turned in a series of strong performances at the River Forest Clay Court Invitational. Junior Justin Nogalski tied for first in Flight 7 singles, while sophomore Oscar Pachon placed second in Flight 6 singles. Both Nogalski and Pachon proved to be some of Saint Louis University’s strongest performers at the River Forest Clay Court Invitational.
Meanwhile, other strong performances in the tournament came in the doubles competitions. The pair of junior David Ferragut and junior Juan Calero placed third in Flight 1 doubles. The women’s team managed to provide a dominating performance at the Bradley Invitational. The Billikens were led by senior Eleonore Tchakarova, who won the Flight 1 singles championship. She lost only one set on the way to her strong showing at the Bradley Invitational. Eleonore Tchakarova was
joined by her twin sister, Verginie Tchakarova, on the court for the doubles championship. The duo pulled out a win in the doubles championship, defeating the pairs from Chicago State, DePaul and Western Illinois. The other doubles pairing, of Ally McKenzie and Cassie McKenzie, won two out of their three matches in the doubles tournament. Finally, on Sept. 25, the men’s and women’s tennis teams competed against Missouri Baptist University at Dwight Davis Tennis Center. SLU provided an
outstanding performance against Missouri Baptist. Both the men’s and women’s teams posted perfect 7-0 records to defeat Missouri Baptist. The competition was the only dual meet of the season for the Billikens. Next up for both tennis teams will be the ITA Central Region Championships, which will take place in Stillwater, Okla. The women’s team will compete in the championships from Oct. 13 through Oct. 17, while the men’s team will compete from Oct. 20 through Oct. 24.
Saint Louis Athletics
DETERMINED: Senior Paarth Dodhiawala focuses in on a forehand. Dodhiawala’s men’s team, along with the women’s team, posted 7-0 records versus Missouri Baptist.
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Opinions Editorials
September 29, 2016 opinion@unewsonline.com Trevor Rogan, 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.
Examining our relationship with science For the past five decades, the sugar industry has guided the conversation about heart disease away from sugar and toward saturated fat. On Sept. 12, JAMA Internal Medicine, a peer-reviewed medical journal, released historical documents that revealed three Harvard University scientists were paid what would amount to a present-day sum of $49,000 by the Sugar Research Foundation in 1967 to assess the credibility of research on sugar, fat and heart disease. The trade group, known now as the Sugar Association, communicated with the scientists during their review in order to craft the results. One of the scientists, Dr. Hegsted, told top sugar industry executive John Kickson that he was “well aware of [the group’s] particular interest.” Hickson looked over early drafts of the scientists’ review, which characterized sugar as weakly correlated with heart disease, and was pleased. He wrote that the drafts were “quite what [the group] had in mind.” Research like this Harvard review have a lasting impact on society. Other scientists conformed to this review after its publication, and until recently, millions of Americans believed sugar would not adversely affect their heart health. Although the American Heart Association now warns that consuming too much added sugars increases the risk of heart disease, the studies plugged by the sugar industry have cost the scientific community credibility. Because scientists are supposed to base their claims on evidence, when they warp results or simply make errors it makes it harder for the public to trust them. Many studies conflict, and many people do not understand
the scientific method, creating broader frustration. How can one study argue that coffee extends life while another study claims it causes cancer? These claims could create massive changes in behavior if people took them to heart, and yet they send opposite messages. One study that people did take to heart and that continues to have a lasting impact is the 1988 study that connected vaccination to autism. Despite the scientific community immediately swinging toward a consensus that this study was “bad science” and that vaccines are safe, the public remains
reluctant to believe vaccinations are safe. In 2015, a Pew Research study found that 68 percent of Americans believe vaccines should be required, while 86 percent of scientists from the American Association for the Advancement of Science do. In the same way that Americans might think the sugar industry promoted studies that established public trust in sugar consumption, people believe scientists have sold out to pharmaceutical companies. Websites like Organic Lifestyle Magazine describe how “our medical system abandoned its own scientific and medical ethics decades ago.” When scientific studies jump from one conclusion to the next, trusting the process becomes difficult. Because
scientists have manipulated the public before, such as when the sugar industry came calling, it becomes less of a stretch to believe scientists could be serving the interests of the pharmaceutical industry. Still, much of the distrust of scientists is not directed at the scientific method but at industry, government and scientific groups. People who distrust the majority of scientists choose to instead listen to the minority that claims vaccines are dangerous; in other words, people pick and choose their sources. When it comes to scien-
people dismiss certain arguments. In the same way that highly educated people may doubt evolution, they may also doubt human-caused climate change in spite of scientific consensus. Beliefs connected to individualism may, in this case, intercept rational thought. Humans, as a whole, are not very rational. Appeals to emotion and to authority are, at times, much more effective at convincing people. Most of us do not have the time to sift through every detail of a scientific journal article, so we trust eminent figures to do so for us. We find ourselves in a tough position when even the scientific authorities—Harvard scientists—can be bought. It can be easier to dismiss scientists and adopt a fatalistic view of the world; perhaps trying to make sense of things is all folly. Listening to the views of your friends, family or town leadSophie Lappe / Illustrator ers is much easier and takes no facttific beliefs, those with the checking. greatest scientific literacy College, fortunately, proalso tend to have the stronvides an experience where gest views. Dan Kahan of a reliance on friends, famYale University found this ily and town leaders is chalassociation when he asked lenged by strangers from 1,540 Americans how great faraway places with strange, of a threat climate change unfamiliar views of the is to society on a zero-to-10 world. Instead of getting anscale. In this case, those with gry, we should listen to our answers closer to zero or peers whose views differ closer to 10 had a greater unfrom ours. derstanding of science. What is lost in the underKahan’s study explains standing of science is that why people with years of science is not a perfect aneducation in the sciences, swer to our problems—it is such as Ben Carson, refuse the opposite. Science is not to believe people evolved perfect. Almost nothing can from less-complex organbe taken without a grain of isms despite the scientific salt. Science is meant to be community’s consensus that doubted, to be contested. we did. Because of the psyInstead of losing faith in scichological phenomenon of ence, we should trust the biased assimilation, in which method while forever queswe incorporate information tioning the validity of scienbased on our set of beliefs, tific claims.
Letters
to the editor Unsolicited Letter to Aspiring POTUS’: Sometimes, if you understand only ‘weak’ and ‘strong,’ you are blind to ‘right’ and ‘wrong.’ This year’s U.S. presidential election isn’t binary. It’s not red or blue, Coke or Pepsi, Clinton or Trump. On paper, it’s a choice between two options, but in reality it’s something bigger. If recent news is to be believed, Clinton (both, as a collective proper noun) is linked, among other questionable acts, to cash donations disguised as speaking fees from international, wealthy power-peddlers. Trump … Trump is an aspiring chimp-pack leader (no offense to chimps), seemingly bereft of integrity, who appeals in part to a collective primal penchant for power-pyramids; and to so-called ‘realist’ opportunists who want a loud, irrational, stone- and other-organic-matter-flinging attentionseeker out front, behind whom they can rally; but who will inevitably exacerbate their fears for profit. In my estimation, this election isn’t the proverbial choice between two evils. It’s a choice between what is and what could be. Democrats, Republicans, ye of any political persuasion: If your scale of right-to-wrong is weak or strong—if you think, believe and act as if life is a jungle, only the strong survive, you eat what you kill, might makes right, the strong do what they want and the weak do what they must—you are sitting on the problem. We have a joint responsibility to make the world better, fairer, safer, more mature, more evolved, more caring, more respectful … one day, one decision, one critical thought, one feeling at a time; with compassion, vulnerability, forgiveness, intimacy, dedication and a deep reserve of inner strength rooted at the core to something bigger. There’s a more beautiful way of living, one with depth; but if you’ve only got one metaphorical eye, you aren’t going to see the depth. You’ll look at the world through your one eye and call anything different crazy, delusional, impractical, woo-woo, stupid, or—the biggest insult of all from that paradigm--‘weak.’ For some, it’s hard to move beyond the one-eyed viewpoint, because interests influencing modern socialisation want you kept in an immature state. They want you to keep buying things to sop up inner brokenness. They want to keep your mind easier to shape … easier to ‘win,’ if you will. And to cap it all off, they—the one-eyed people—that’s us, America. That mythical out-group is us. In life, we must struggle with something to lose juvenile arrogance: Struggle with culpability, accountability, responsibility; with losing, hurting or destroying something or someone we care about, whom we love; for causing pain when we only wanted to help or bring good. As a certain bit of wisdom goes (paraphrased), when you are a child, you act, think and reason as a child; but when you grow up, you put away the childish things. Let’s grow up. Whatever the outcome, let’s learn from this, take greater responsibility for ourselves and our fellow humans, and dig deeper than we hope to ascend. There’s something more beautiful around the corner… it might just take four more laps around the sun to build the foundations. Sarah Hale UNews Opinion Editor 2005-09
Ed-Board: tired of September heat, ready for fall After NASA announced that July was the hottest month in 136 years of modern record-keeping, the agency found that August was just as hot. So far, September in St. Louis has been hotter than an average September for the riverfront city, though no records have been broken for individual days. This, however, does not mean we have failed to notice the lingering summer heat. According to the National Weather Service, the temperature for Sept. 2016 has ranged between a low of 58 degrees and a high of 96 degrees. Last week, the average high hovered just a degree below 90 degrees.
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Along with the oppressive humidity, these temperatures are too hot! Last Thursday was the first day of fall, and the UNews Ed. Board is ready to embrace the season. Copy editor Mack Korris mentioned that he is anxious to “bust out all [his] jackets.” Editor-in-Chief and native Texan Kyle Smith, on the other hand, noted how he “didn’t own a winter jacket until college.” Autumn weather in St. Louis is something to look forward to. After the heat has receded and before the cold sets in, there is a period where you can walk briskly from class to class without breaking a sweat. No longer
will you see professors in three-piece suits with shirts sticking to their sweaty bodies. Instead, you will see leaves beginning to turn red and gold and everyone wearing their cool-weather garb. Although we think of September as fall, the weather does not typically cool off until a ways into October. Still, with school several weeks in, we like to think of September as the beginning of a crisp autumn. A few weeks into school brings about a longing for seasonal change. We have experienced summer for all too long, and we look forward to changing our wardrobe and experiencing seasonal activities. With fall
approaching, we think about the holiday season, but the persistent summer weather makes those thoughts feel out of place. Added to the heat, humidity makes just walking around in St. Louis uncomfortable. Humidity in St. Louis ruins sunny days and provides an environment for mosquitoes to thrive. With the humidity gone, insects leave with it, and being outside is much more bearable. The mid-60-degree weather feels great in the sun and in the shade, and you can’t go wrong with short or long sleeves. The cooler weather is also great for activities outside. While upper 80s with high
humidity restricts the best of us to the air-conditioned indoors, the cool fall weather makes the thought of going outside inviting. When you run outside, you break a sweat, but you do not look like someone threw a bucket of water on you. Lounging in one of the hammocks in the quad is much more enjoyable as well. Sitting outside while doing homework, eating or chatting with friends is much more appealing. Unfortunately, St. Louis weather is capricious, and the National Weather Service predicts the heat will return to the 80s next week. Although the humidity will likely not come with it, it is hard to say what will
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confront us in the coming weeks. The hot weather is not wanted, but neither is cold weather. People do not respond well to drastic change, and unfortunately St. Louis does not cater to our preferences. Last year, despite the widespread flooding, we had a relatively temperate winter, but in the past it has not been so. St. Louis’ winters will dip far below freezing and the windchill will bring it under zero. So when we pray for the heat to go away, we must remember the possibility of a frigid winter looming. For now, we have a mild fall to look forward to, a seasonal respite from unappealing St. Louis weather.
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10 September 29, 2016
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
DeMattias Hall: The antithesis of a convent
Kevin Schulte
For those yet to be granted the lovely opportunity to visit or reside in the illustrious DeMattias Hall, one of the most peripheral and well-known residence halls on SLU’s campus, proceed to gain a glimpse behind the stone-white facade of the building I call my home. So strap in, tie your Heelys and ride the gradual slope down West Pine towards Vandeventer. But how far down West Pine is DeMatt exactly? Basically keep going until you hear the soft sounds of “suh dude” in the distance, pass every building that you have ever had a class in and have seen enough people wearing letters to be fluent in Greek. But do not even think about turning around, because the trek back up West Pine will be a mildly annoying incline spanning all the way from DeFrat to Pius—which might get your heart rate up enough to want to stop by the gym and get in better shape, but not quite enough to make you actually go. Who needs cardio when you can elevate your heart rate next door with a double shot caramel macchiato at Starbucks, right? Right. Caffeine seems to be near and dear to the hearts of most DeFrattians, especially those on the second floor on Thursday, Friday or Saturday nights. Walk down the halls of DeMatt on these evenings
and prepare to hear the unthest possible switch from it, mistakable crack of carbonat the entrance to the room. ated beverages, as these frat The engineer must’ve been a stars indulge in one more real douchebag to wire the caffeinated soda before entire facility with the most buckling down to get ahead illogical and vaguely irritaton homework for the next ing electrical connections week of classes. The walls they could possibly think of. perpetually vibrate sweet But regardless of their incantations of Chief Keef intentions, DeFrat remains and EDM, lulling residents a surprisingly nice place to to gradually address all othlive. Sure, you have to deal ers as “bro,” even in the most with the fact that at any given unfitting of situations. moment you could catch the Behind the unnecesnext exotic super virus from sarily extensive collection the bathroom floor, but hey, of basketball jerseys and those Target shower shoes snapbacks, monograms and are probably at the forefront pastel-colof diseaseored accespreventing sories, it apparel. is difficult But how far down West Among to imagine Pine is DeMatt exactly? o t h e r that this things, livBasically keep going building ing in Deused to be until you hear the soft Matt allows a convent opporsounds of “suh dude” in the back in the tunity to day. Some the distance, pass every be closer r o o m s building that you have to the other even still stuever had a class in and Greek have remidents on n i s c e n t have seen enough people campus, in confession wearing letters to be flu- spite of the ro oms , stereotypient in Greek. each ideally cal intersized for fraternal and interthe storage sororital of your farivalries that exist between vorite beverages. us. It almost makes you less Besides being pretty mad at the guys that set off much the antithesis of a conthe fire alarm a couple weeks vent nowadays, many of the ago while trying to microarchitectural quirks of Dewave a frozen pizza at 4 a.m. Matt reflect its age as a buildAt the end of the day, Deing. For example, the person Matt may not be the cleanresponsible for overseeing est, prettiest or even the the electrical wiring of Demost ideal living situation, Matt must have had a real but its quirks give it perbeef with those nuns back sonality. DeFrat’s observed in the day. In nearly every balance between function single-resident room within and utter dysfunction seems the entire complex, the light to represent us Greeks as directly above the sink is not residents, and that is worth controlled by the switch next much more than the mildly to the sink but controlled annoying walk to get there. instead by literally the fur-
Explaining the disdain for SLU’s new mascot
Samantha Wilson
As students of Saint Louis University, I think we can all agree that the new mascot, frankly, sucks. It has been described as “a demonic being coming to take our souls,” “made of lost souls and the screams of children” and a “demented frog” by some of our peers. However, despite the fear that I will awake to find it standing over my bed at night, demanding my first born child, there are far better reasons why redesigning our mascot was probably the worst idea ever. Let me begin by saying I understand why the mascot was redesigned. The old Billiken was outdated and no longer followed the trends of college mascots. Do a quick Google search of M i z z o u ’s “ Tr u m a n the Tiger” or UMKC’s “Kacey the Kangaroo,” and you will understand what I mean. Other universities’ mascots are generally more intimidating compared to our old mascot. I certainly
Personally, I am embarrassed. It is upsetting that the nation’s new view of us is based on our new, ugly mascot.
Police violence against blacks will continue as long as capitalism-imperalism exists
Christopher Winston
On Sept. 20, 2016, Keith Lamont Scott was executed by a police officer while waiting for his son’s bus to arrive from a local elementary school. Scott committed no crime. He died only because he was a black person in a country whose economic foundations were laid by people like him—people who were kidnapped from their homeland, dragged to this country and forced to work at whip and gunpoint, with the full backing and support of the United States Constitution. Scott had a traumatic brain injury and was under a heavy regimen of medication and treatment. He was known throughout his community and used a cane. The Charlotte Police Department claimed that Scott had a weapon and pointed it at them, a statement that, as in most other cases when the police open their mouths, turned out to be a lie. Scott had no weapon and was a disabled black man murdered in the street by the
police. His wife, Rakeyia Scott, was heard on video released by his family begging the officers not to shoot and informing them of his condition and that he did not have a gun. Three days earlier, Officer Betty Shelby summarily and maliciously executed another unarmed black person in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Terence Crutcher was an unarmed man, once again, shot to death with his hands up, a fact proven by video evidence. In response to these incidents and decades of depredation, abuse and torment at the hands of the United States, the black masses of Charlotte rose up. Once again the police showed how little they are capable of learning from Ferguson and uprisings long before, and immediately resorted to brute force, shooting tear gas grenades and using batons, riot shields and other weapons freely and liberally with intent to suppress the masses in their outrage. May people believe the police are responsible for the shooting death of protester Justin Carr on the night of Wednesday, Sept. 21. Over the weekend, another pro-
tester was run over by a police ATV and arrested. Once again, the police murder, and once again, they suppress the righteous rebellion. This should show to all who are capable of comprehending the function of the police in a country like the United States that they are not public servants. They are not peace officers. They are an occupying force that serves to enforce white supremacy and the capitalist order. No amount of “coffee with a cop,” stories about cops getting cats and dogs out of trees, or feel-good news articles about individual “good cops” can change this structural role and behavior. The masses of working and oppressed people and the police are in a state of antagonism. What can be done about this? If there is a situation when two forces are in antagonism to each other, and the differences are not able to be reconciled in a peaceful manner, and the oppressive force is well organized, the path is quite well laid out. We also learn from practice. Decades of peaceful protest movements and asking for reforms have yielded
Once again, the police murder, and once again, they suppress the righteous rebellion.
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wouldn’t mess with Truman or Kacey, even though they are probably loved by all the kids who attend sporting events. This is what makes a mascot great—it looks tough enough to represent a sports team but cute enough for kids to want to take pictures with it. Our old mascot was rather goofy looking, even though it was cute and family-friendly. That being said, the new Billiken is downright scary. I am one of those people who does not really like to be around mascots anyway. Fredbird gives me the creeps. When I go to Disney World, I avoid Minnie and Mickey and Donald like they have the plague. This new Billiken has definitely rationalized my fears. It is not something that kids are going to want to take pictures with. It will probably make them cry like sitting on Santa’s lap at the mall does. Also, in case you have not noticed, the new Billiken has garnered some media attention. Aside from becoming a Twitter meme, sources like K M O V, The Riverfront Times (blog) and CBS Local, have referred to it as things like the Muppets , “Nightmare Fuel,” “unsettling” and “scary and disturbing.” Even worse, perhaps, is the Sports Illustrated
nothing but watered down and weak laws and a few politicians who started as protesters but were bought up and turned into pigs. These tactics have bankrupted and exhausted themselves as far as the masses are concerned. At this stage in history, a third party presidential campaign will not solve our problems. The presidency is chained to fascist sentiments and right wing populism represented by Donald Trump and the same old cynical Democratic Party neoliberalism and two-facedness represented by Hillary Clinton. Progressive-minded people who desire actual social change are committing a major mistake by betting on a third party. Even if a Jill Stein or Bernie Sanders were to be elected, there would be no hope for deconstruction of the system that kills working class people every day in this country. We make change, we make history, as the masses, not as individuals. As long as capitalism-imperialism exists, these murders will continue, because white supremacy and exploitation will continue to exist. To stop the police killings, it is essential that we destroy this backwards and indefensible system at the root. To do so, it is essential that we organize into groups comprised of revolutionary and progressive minded students and youth, student workers, teachers, professionals, renters, the unemployed and the homeless, without delay. A step has been made towards this here in Saint Louis with the formation of a Progressive Youth Organization branch, and I would ask all who read this article to unite with this group to help wage against capitalism here. The struggle for a better order is not an individual endeavor; it requires all of us.
report. This is national news now, people! To quote some gems in this article: “Saint Louis University has created one of the most unnerving mascots ever...The new Billiken is not ‘things as they ought to be.’ It’s a monster.” And, my personal favorite, “I don’t trust that wink one bit. It looks like it’s plotting something nefarious.” So, what is the point of all of this? Why is it such a horrible thing that our new mascot has become a meme among athletics blogs? For the simple reason that this is now the kind of press our University is getting. Personally, I am embarrassed. It is upsetting that the nation’s new view of us is based on our new, ugly mascot. I would rather be known for being the only school in St. Louis with D-1 athletics. I would rather be known for our academically rigorous education. I wish the Jesuit mission of service to our fellow man was being splashed across the internet. But no, we are now known for this monstrosity. When people search SLU Billikens on the search engine of their choosing, the first result under “news” is an article with the headline “The St. Louis Billikens unveiled a new mascot and it’s not going over well.” And, aside from our representation and image, I want to point out the meaning of the Billiken. It is supposed to represent good fortune and “things as they ought to be.” This new mascot does not represent these things, through the simple fact that the majority of the student body here hates it. This new mascot is not how things ought to be.
Lester Holt sets precedent for moderators
Vincent Nolette
When considering a presidential debate, it is no longer sufficient to hold only the candidates to a certain standard. Moderators, too, have a duty to be an engaging presence on the stage, equivalent to that of the debaters. With a candidate like Donald Trump who consistently fabricates his own reality, denies the truth, and behaves contemptibly, moderating cannot not mean to be modest. Active moderating is a necessary function in promoting an efficient, substantive debate. Matt Lauer was criticized, and rightly so, for his stoic and, at times, pushover presence as the moderator for the TrumpClinton Forum in early September. He spent a third of Clinton’s time continually pressing her on the use of a private email server. When the topic of foreign policy finally poked through, Clinton’s time was cut short. Questions of her personality, instead of policy, were the dominating dictum of the night. Moreover, Donald Trump blatantly declined to answer several of Lauer’s questions, while also contorting them to align with his loose-lipped rambling. Fact-checking was nearly nonexistent. Trump was able to get away with assuring the viewers that he did not
support the war in Iraq. To the knowledge of many, in an interview with Howard Stern, Trump had supported the war. Lauer, knowing this, and also having the means to call Trump out on it, met it with no opposition. It was obvious that Lauer didn’t do his homework. Such an inconsistent performance sheds light on the necessity for moderators to prepare just as much as the candidates. For Lester Holt, Lauer’s embarrassment should have been a template, and a warning, for how not to moderate. And, for the most part, he followed that template. His fact-checking came at opportune times. He kept the candidates on topic, letting them duke it out, while also curtailing irrelevant tangents. Trump still interrupted, but it only served to make himself look petty, as opposed to Holt appearing weak. On top of that, Holt’s on-air questions exposed vulnerability in the candidates, showing the extent of their resilience. Overall, he was the far more forceful presence that was needed to spearhead these debates. While blame has been placed on the media, the public’s attitude, and perhaps the lack of policy substance to begin with, the moderators have also been a key source of the lackluster entertainment hours that debates have become. However, Lester Holt set a precedent for subsequent moderators—for debates to continue to be characterized by meaningful discussion, an active, commanding, and even relentless moderator must take the reins.
It was obvious that Lauer didn’t do his homework.
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September 29, 2016
UNEWS THROWBACK The official “topping out” of SLU’s newest residence hall, Grand Hall, took place yesterday at 3:30. Attendees of the ceremony were allowed to sign a steel beam, which was then lifted to its final location at the north end of the building. SLU has a long history of ceremoniously marking major milestones in the construction of new residence halls. Below are pics of a few such events, past and present.
Griesedieck Hall - 1962
Marguerite - 1956
Spring Hall - 2016
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12 September 29, 2016
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