THE
The 2017 Roseneberry Writers Conference is scheduled for this week from Feb. 27 through March 1. It will feature a diverse lineup of writers, writer, multimedia artist and poet.
Left to right- Katlin Corbin, administrative assistant at Marcus Garvey Cultural Center, Ashton Atmore, the Cultural Activities Coordinator, Talia Carroll, the Director of Marcus Garvey Cultural Center, and Neyhanna Solorzano, Freshman Cultural Activities Coordinator. Photo by Timothy Page | The Mirror
GETTING DOWN AT THE GARVEY In honor of Black History Month, the Marcus Garvey Cultural Cen-
The Mirror’s annual housing guide can be found inside. Check it out to learn everything you need to
There will be a free faculty arts recital at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23 in the Milne Auditorium. The recital will showcase some of the best that the UNCO staff has to offer. The performances are free for students and the public alike. Join the conversation: FB.com/UNCmirror @UNCmirror uncmirror.com
For the week of FEB. 20, 2017
news . Opinion: Which Chromebook to buy 2 | February 20, 2017 | TheMirror
News Editor
Jason Keller
2/20
Destination UNC
University Center 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
A Chromebook can keep up with your needs, but which one is for you? By Jason Keller
news@uncmirror.com
2/21 Black History Month Brotherhood & Sisterhood Circle
Marcus Garvey Cultural Center 6-8 p.m.
2/23 Mental Health First Aid CertiUniversity Center 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
2/24 Mental Health First Aid CertiUniversity Center 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
2/24-25 AO-Pizza-Pi raiser 1838 8th Ave, Greeley 10 p.m.-2 a.m.
Let’s say you're in the market for a new laptop, but you’ve only got a meager few dollars to spare. Because I love Chromebook’s so much I want to marry them, I recommend getting yourself a Chromebook. Imagine that you’re on your clunky, old, Windows or Mac laptop. Typically you’ve got a browser window open (Chrome, likely), and maybe you’re writing a paper on Microsoft Word. You’ve spent upwards of $600 on a device that will not only slow down as it ages, but is prone to viruses and malware. If you’re just listening to music, browsing YouTube and writing papers, you could do all of that for half the price on a Chromebook. But Google doesn’t make it easy to pick a Chromebook. There’s a slew of devices that all essentially do the same things for varying price points. So really, it depends on what you’re willing to spend. A hearty Chromebook could run from anywhere between $170 to the mighty Chromebook Pixel, sitting pretty at $1,000. Not to mention the fact that there’s the new Asus C302, the new Samsung Chromebook Pro and Plus, Acer R13 and the devices slotted for later in 2017. All these Chromebooks have their merits, and most
importantly, they have sharply differing prices. For a measly $170 you could get a piece of kit with a decent dual core processor and 2 GB of RAM. Or you could spend $360 for an Acer Chromebook 13, with a touch screen, 4 GB of RAM and USB-C. There are just too many choices. So we’re going to have to get a little more abstract in our decision making process before we narrow down which one to get. To keep things simple, I’m going to recommend you pick up a Chromebook with at least 4 GB of RAM. As much as I love Chromebooks (and will soon be marrying them,) I’ve found that they do not handle well with 2 GB of RAM. Sure, the system will run, but it won’t run like a dream. On 4 GB of RAM, a chromebook flies. On 2 GB of RAM, it limps along, with a few tabs and some demanding extensions open. If you can only afford something like the $170 Acer Chromebook 11, consider it an auxiliary piece to another powerful machine. Maybe it’s a backup to your main computer, or a gift for someone who isn’t as tech savy as you are. Either way, try and avoid 2 GB machines if you can. I’m not saying they aren’t good little machines, most of the time they’re fine. It is just that if you don't want to worry about how many pages you’ve got open, or what you’re running in the background, 4gb is the way to go. 4 GB machines start to run into the $250 and up tier, however, so that’s something to consider. If you’re looking for something cheap and capable, consider an
Acer R11. The R11, at $270, comes equipped with a quad core processor, 4 GB of RAM and a touch screen. It won’t slow down, and you generally won’t need to worry about how much is working in the background. Also present on the R11 is the Google Play Store, which grants you access to millions of Android apps. That feature will be coming to more Chromebooks as the year progresses. Google has even made the promise of adding The Play Store to all devices that come out in 2017. If that’s not incentive, I don’t know what is. When it really comes down to it, you’ve got a variety of Chromebooks to pick from. Most will cost you between $270 to $500 or so dollars, both of which are totally worth it. If you’re looking to go cheap, pick up an Acer R11. If you’re looking to splurge on your Chromebook, maybe give something like the Acer R13 a try, or the Asus C302. Both of which will give you a full, 1080p HD touch screen, 4 GB of RAM and the new USB-C. Either one you pick will likely fulfill your needs, and look good doing it, too, with their brushed aluminum bodies, glass trackpads and gorgeous screens. If you wanted something with a little more pixels, then the Samsung Chromebook Plus or Pro are for you. Not only do they have all the amenities and enough RAM to spare, they’ve also got beautiful screens with above 1080p resolutions. A Chromebook in this day and age is a worthy investment. It's just about picking the right one.
Opinion: Letters from "the enemy" By Will Costello news@uncmirror.com
It’s not a secret that Donald Trump doesn’t like the media very much. Whether this is because of an actual hatred of the press or simply because media-bashing acts as catnip for his supporters, or a bit of both, we’ll probably never know. But his distaste for reporters and their apparent contempt for him in return highlights an important issue in modern media: journalists and the subjects of their coverage have been awfully chummy for an awfully long time. It might not be the worst thing in the world for reporters to find their roguish side once again. The reaction that journalists had to being called the enemy of the American people was interesting for this very reason. Insults issuing from the iPhone
of Donald Trump are nothing new, but journalists responded to his latest tweet with more shock and outrage that John McCain did when Trump disputed his war-hero status. Pictures of reporters who have been killed overseas sprouted out of newsfeeds above the hashtag #nottheenemy. To me, this smelled a little too selfrighteous. First off, the reporters covering Syria and the ones who covered the Iraq war in the previous decade are not the ones that Donald Trump is complaining about. He’s complaining about political reporters who work from desks in Washington D.C. And yeah, we’re all one big happy media family, and if you insult one, you insult them all. But the people who pissed off Trump are the ones who wrote stories that he didn’t like. And that’s a good thing. That is
what they should be doing. Trump has a group of followers who are willing to disbelieve anything critical of him. Reporters don’t write stories for people who don’t believe facts. And the news that subscriber numbers for newspapers have skyrocketed postTrump seems to be a sign that there are at least as many people looking for facts as there are people looking to dispute them. Meanwhile, at the top of the list of people Trump has complimented, we can find Vladimir Putin, the guy who killed some of those reporters whose pictures were being shared. Not great company to be in. Meanwhile, John McCain, Khizr and Ghazala Khan, Super Bowl LI and Samuel L. Jackson are all on the list of things Trump has insulted. Appearing on that list strikes me as an honor.
Getting a little more punk-rock into their personas could do journalists some good. Part of the complaint against the mainstream media is that it has become too elitist, too coastal, and too posh. If reporters can manage to react to stories with sharp-eyed skepticism rather than the sort of pearlclutching that they often approach stories about Trump, maybe they could earn back some of the trust that they have lost. There will always be a part of society that will deem coverage they don’t like “fake news,” and there will always be presidents and officials who don’t like the media. Who cares? Criminals don’t like cops, Wall Streeters don’t like regulators, and politicians don’t like reporters. When criminals start lauding the police, we’ll have a serious problem. When politicians start praising the press, we’ll have an even bigger one.
TheMirror | February 20, 2017 | 3
The power of language unleashed Writer, performer, educator and activist Dominique Christina speaks during Black History Month “To understand language is a step towards understanding the world,” Christina said. Through it she explored identity, history, and By Amy Golden the pressing issues of today’s society. Christina news@uncmirror.com said that words were often agenda laced. One example of this was the usage of derogatory words Dominique Christina is a writer, performer, and the dehumanizing effect they have educator and activist. But this does not even be- on people. “You can get ‘languaged’ into doing all kinds gin to describe her, or the scope of her words. Inside the Pike’s Peak ballroom on Thursday of stuff,” she said. The crowd grew with Christina’s energy as evening, Feb.9, Christina stepped onto stage as the keynote speaker for Black History Month, she took specific words and dug into their true meaning, relating them to our history and toput on by the Marcus Garvey Culture center. She began with a small autobiography. Chris- day’s issues. People snapped in agreement with tina comes from a family legacy built in the civil her statements, louder and louder they sounded rights movement: her aunt was one of the Little their affirmation: “Mm-hmm.” Her discussion of the definitions of freedom Rock Nine. “I borrow bone and blood from people who and liberty captured black history and what it sacrificed a whole lot,” Christina said. “They means. It drove home her point about lexicon contribute so much to my makeup, and not just and its power. “For a lot of people of color, freedom is misgenetic makeup. They gave me permission, by virtue of how they fought and how they resisted, named,” Christina said. “What you’re really talking about, the way that we have ‘languaged’ it to be able to fight and resist in my own way.” She read five poems to the crowd, which all contemporarily and historically-you’re really ended in stunned applause. One told the story talking about liberty. Liberty is the absence of of Margaret Garner, a slave who chose to kill her external constraints.” Her words left an inspiring and empowering children rather than see them return to slavery. Another described the events of the Birming- message for the people in the crowd. “Freedom is so different,” Christina said. “And ham Church Bombing, and one was about the it’s so elusive because we don’t know what it is. mourning of black sons. Black history drove the passion with which If liberty is from without, the most concise way Christina spoke. Her voice rang and her hand that I can explain this is to tell you that freedom is pounded with important words. Christina’s from within.” She stressed the need for people to “author” words shook the crowd, leaving them thunder themselves. She explained that people should be and awe struck. “We have to be more deliberate with the con- the creators of their own worlds, a responsibility versations we are having, not just about history, that lies within each of us. “The only way you can remain human is to but the conversations we are having with hisfull authorship of your life,” Christina said. tory,” Christina said. “It’s not far away. It’s notperhave week standing in the abstract. It ain’t gone. We are the “Having full authorship of your life is in fact about having authorship of your language. The inheritors of all of it.” By the end, tears trickled from heavy eyes. language you speak and the language you allow Goosebumps danced across skin, trembling at to be spoke to you. It’s the only way.” She warned the crowd against the degradathe sheer power of what Christina had to say. Her energy rocked the stage as she concluded tion of language and the normalizing of issues in with a poem about 2017 and the contemporary today’s society that she said she believes should not be normalized. Christina declared that the issues plaguing the world. Then it was time for her workshop, titled, only way to prevent this is to author yourself and write your own stories. “What does it all mean?” “No one else should be writing you,” ChrisChristina described to the crowd the power of English lexicon, how definition and meaning of tina said. “No one else should be defining you or your experiences. That should come from you.” words are often confused.
4 | February 20, 2017 | TheMirror
art.
2/20: Greeley Tribune Photographer Gallery Mari Michener Gallery - All Day
2/21: Black History Month Brotherhood/ Sisterhood Circle MGCC & Women’s Resource Center, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
2/22: Feminist ConsciousnessRaisng Luncheon Women’s Resource Center, 12 p.m. 1:30 p.m.
Arts Erika Editor Siebring
MGCC shares a southern delicacy By Kaila Ward
arts@uncmirro.com
The Marcus Garvey Cultural Center hosted a chicken and waffles brunch on Wednesday as one of their many events for Black History Month. The entire event was well received and attended; lines filed out the front door and packed with faculty and students, ready to devour delicious chicken and waffles and commune with great company. At every turn, a new group of people, some regulars to Marcus Garvey and many who had never set foot on the Garvey porch. Throughout the month, the Marcus Garvey Cultural Center has put on several events spanning from read-ins to film screenings. UNC finance major Makida Tesfaselassie, remarked how “it is important to be involved in these events so you are aware of the history and can understand African Americans.” Not only are the events hosted by Marcus Garvey a great opportunity to connect with people, but also the perfect environment to learn about other cultures. In participating in these events, students and faculty members are helping to create an interconnected environment MGCC hosted Food for the Soul -- Chicken and Waffles on Wednesday afternoon for Black History Month. Students, where open communication is always welcome. and faculty were welcome for some free food celebrating black culture. Photo by Timothy Page | The Mirror According to Talaya Brinks, an employee at the Marcus Garvey Cultural Center, the purpose of the cultural center is to “help create safe No matter how you identify, the events put on by Marcus Garvey and the other spaces for people who identify within the African American diaspora.” By putting cultural centers are essential to creating a well-rounded and culturally diverse exon events such as the chicken and waffles brunch, Marcus Garvey is bringing large perience at UNC. Serving as a sort of home away from home, the MGCC does a phenomenal job blending entertainment and education for the purpose of uniting communities together for a time of inquiry, involvement, and inclusion. While the food was a hit, the true purpose of the event lies within creating an the campus. Several other events are planned to celebrate Black History Month, awareness of Black History Month. Brinks explained why she thinks Black History including a family feud game night, trap yoga, and a black talent showcase. Month is important. “It gives insight for people who don’t identify as African American,” Brinks said.
2/23: International Film Series: Oscar Shorts Lindou Auditorium, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
2/25: Big Band Boogie Bash Denver Mercury Cafe, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
By Erika Siebring arts@uncmirror.com
When a film depicts the experiences of a discriminated party, that particular party is typically portrayed as sympathetic, and the audience is supposed to feel the same hardships the main characters endure. While this in itself is helpful to explore injustices, it’s critical for the audience to realize everyone involved are, in fact, still human. Nate Parker’s 2016 film“The Birth of a Nation” is a difficult film, as it doesn’t definitively point out who the villains and heros are; carefully placed religious symbolism makes the viewer believe the main character, Nat Turner, is the hero, but that’s called into question during the last fourth of the film.
“Birth of a Nation” is based on Nat Turner’s Rebellion, a point during the civil war in which Turner, an African American slave, led a short-lived rebellion against slave owners. In the film, a young Nat is taught how to read the Bible, and grows up to be a preacher for his fellow slaves. His owner, in need of money, leases him out to other plantations to use the word of the Bible to convince slaves to obey their owners; this in turn leads Nat to the realization that the slave owners are using scripture to justify owning and punishing African Americans. At first, this is an excellent point that the film brings up--how the word of a holy book can be wrongfully twisted and used to hurt other people, as opposed to spreading the values it is supposed to teach. At this point, painting Nat as a Christ-like figure makes sense and is artistically reasonable. However, during the last fourth of the film or so,
Nat and the slaves he gathers embark on their rebellion, a rampage resulting in the murders of at least 50 white men and women. This is a major turning point in the film, where the hero is seen as less sympathetic and honorable; the character is well-meaning, but the action he takes is misguided, as he takes his newfound realizations and uses them to hurt other people. An ambiguous, hypocritical veil is drawn over the end of the film as both members and nonmembers of the rebellion are blatantly hanged. The victims of the murders are seen as more human because of how they are recklessly slaughtered, even though they are slave owners, and the viewer is left wondering if the action Turner took was for better or worse. The anticipated theme of the film seems in order until it takes a hard left, and once everything is settled, suggestions as to what the film means fall are nowhere to be found.
2 | Housing Guide
UNC’s Residential Learning Communities By Wilhelmina Jackson editor@uncmirror.com
Residence halls are meant to show students what it’s like to be independent and what it’s like to live with other people. Residential learning communities are smaller communities that exist within larger ones; students with common goals, interests or academics live together in a smaller community. Residential learning communities help acclimatize students to the large campus--they can help students find friends and combat homesickness. Both academic- and interest-based communities are located in different halls across the campus. Interest-based communities are for students with common interests. Academic-based communities are similar to interest based, but they are more for students that have the same major as others. RLC’s are typically open to first year students and operates on a first come first serve basis; most of these communities are very popular and fill up fast. The signup process is typically the same for most communities, which is as easy as selecting an option under the special housing tab. For others, such as the pet-friendly and genderinclusive communities, the signup process is longer. To get into the pet-friendly community, students have to select it under theme housing, sign paperwork and attend orientation for owning pets. This community is famously located in Lawrenson Hall. The gender-inclusive communities require students to have a roommate preference and for all parties to sign a contract. Other interest-based communities include first generation, global village, leadership, outdoor pursuits, spectrum, transfer community and women’s community. Academic communities include biology, Cumbres (K-12 education with an emphasis in teaching English as a Second Language), elementary education, Honors, Monfort College of Business, performing and
visual arts, pre-nursing and sustainability. In fall 2017, criminal justice and criminology will be added to the RLC’s. Not only do RLC’s help students get used to the big campus, it creates a sense of community for students. Students in these communities are often registered in the same classes, so people are able to create study groups. In these communities there are live-in tutors readily available to help people with homework. In the academic communities, RA’s are the same major, so students have more resources when it comes to their academics. According to Michael Klitzke, Assistant Director of Academic Programs with housing and residential education, RLC’s have been well-received and can really enhance a student’s experience at UNC. “Some students really love the communities. Others wish there was even more happening to support the theme of the community in regards to programming,” Klitzke said.
Photo coutesy of www.unco.edu
By Erika Siebring editor@uncmirror.com
One of the first steps of transitioning into adulthood is finding a starter place to live, and whether it be an apartment or house, living off UNC’s campus is essentially the same as taking that step. With leases starting as early as May and early summer, the options for renting housing are overflowing; what’s important, though, is to look at several factors at once, including cost, location, and size. RentUNC is a viable starter option for students who want to move off-campus. With the majority of the process being online--from the $25 application fee to paying rent and submitting maintenance requests-it’s convenient and easy for students. RentUNC’s properties range from 2 bed/1 bath to 8 bed/3 bath, perfect for both small and large groups of students, and are located along either 11th, 10th, or 8th Ave; rent starts at $605, with an extra $104 for utilities. Phone: (970) 392-1658 Woody Investments also provides students with a printable application on their website and the option to pay rent online. Their living arrangements start at studio apartments and go in increasing order to 10-bedroom houses; rent starts at $495-$575 for studios and utility payments are exclusive to each property, the majority of which are within walking distance of campus. Phone: (970) 330-7427 Thompson Properties offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom units for the 2017-2018 school
year, in either The Regent building or The Gables building. An excellent choice for students who want to live with a small group of people, the buildings listed are located on 9th Ave and 13th St, very close to Central Campus. Rent starts at $700-$750 a month. Phone: (970)-302-8368 SC Rentals is opening a new branch in Greeley, and offers online, automatic rent payments to tenants and $45 online applications. Current Greeley properties include two units in two separate townhouses, offering either 3 bed/1.5 bath or 2 bed/1.5 bath; located on either 28th St or 30th St, rent starts at $895 and goes to $1,195. SC also offers two apartment units on 13th Ave with either 1 bed/1 bath or 2 bed/2 bath, starting at $795$995. Larger properties also available. Phone: (970) 237-6838 HUG Housing offers units for students looking to live in medium-sized groups, threeto five- or six-bedrooms. Samples of the application, lease, and parking map are available on their website. All available units are located along 8th Ave, and rent is $425 per person for each, utilities included. Laundry amenities and off-street parking are available for each as well. Phone: (970) 405-4847, (303)809-8264 PB Roche is another option best for medium to large groups of students, offering houses with five to seven bedrooms and two to three bathrooms. Houses are located on 8th and 7th Ave and rent varies depending on the number of tenants, from $320 to $380 per
bedroom per month. Utilities payment varies. Phone: (970) 590-6532 Coedhause Apartments rents two-bedroom, onebathroom apartments ranging from $785 to $1,000, utilities included except for phone and cable. Application and maintenance requests available online. Houses also available. Phone: (970) 356-2789 Dependable Property Management LLC has studio, one- , two- and three-bedroom housing available for the 2017-2018 school year. Located close to UNC on 9th, 11th, and 13th St, rent ranges from $475 for the studio to $880 for the threebedroom. Washer and dryer included for almost all properties. Renter application and updated listings available online. Phone: (970) 330-3507 Peakview at T-Bone Ranch, while a little farther from campus, offers a large number of living arrangements. Peakview offers five one-bed, one-bath rooms, three two-bed, twobath rooms, and four threebed, two-bath rooms; rent ranges from $1,044 to $1,589. In-house amenities include kitchen with a refrigerator and microwave, washer and dryer, walk-in closets and air-conditioning/heating. Community amenities include swimming pool, hot tub, fitness center, and private parking garages. Phone: (970) 330-1475 More apartment and house listings can be found at UNC Off-Campus Life.
3 | Housing Guide
By Andrew Stiegler editor@uncmirror.com
Photo by Logan Garcia
Renting safety tips By Erika Siebring editor@uncmirror.com
The checklist for living offcampus isn’t limited to things like how much the rent is and the close the apartment or house is to the university. In order to ensure a safe and comfortable living arrangement, all other aspects have to be considered before signing a lease. No matter where one decides to live, it’s best to consider what’s close to the property and what transportation is available. If there are restaurants or shopping centers within walking distance, or relatively close by, it’ll be easier for a student to buy what he or she needs. However, if a household has a limited number of cars or bikes, it’s important to also consider forms of public transportation or pick-
ing a different place to live altogether. As far as the actual property goes, it’s immensely critical to pay attention to the actual building and the lease. One must always visit a prospective unit in person as opposed to simply viewing pictures and reading descriptions; this allows the tenant to see if the place is in good enough condition to live in, and make sure he or she feels safe. It’s dangerous to decide on a place without knowing if one is fully comfortable with the unit, landlord, and neighborhood. As far as the lease, tenants have to read through it thoroughly and carefully. If a student has any questions at all, or doesn’t understand something, it’s critical to ask questions to avoid being locked into a bad situation. As a safety net, it’s also a good
idea to get everything in writing, from a hard-copy of the lease to paper copies of any repair requests, in order to avoid possible disputes. In terms of roommates, it goes without saying an individual must choose roommates that will be able to pay their fair share of rent; if not, and if there is conflict between roommates, that won’t make the off-campus experience any better. Something that should also be thought about is the possibility of getting renter’s insurance, if it isn’t already required; this also functions as a safety net in order to make sure the individual is covered in case of fire, theft, or any sort of damage. More advice and housing listings can be found at UNC Off-Campus Life and UNC Student Legal Services.
The Verge is an apartment complex located off 11th Ave in Evans, Colorado. It’s only a few miles away from the University of Northern Colorado, which makes these apartments extremely convenient for college students. Similar to UNC’s Arlington apartment complex but located a bit farther away from campus, The Verge features fully furnished twoand three-bedroom apartments, with separate, private bathrooms and walk-in closets. The apartments also include a full kitchen with a dishwasher, washer and dryer, water and trash service, and high speed internet that includes a premium cable package. All utilities are included as well. The Verge also offers a 24-hour fitness room that includes dumbbells, free weights, a smith machine with a barbell and bench for lifting. The cardio equipment it offers includes treadmills, ellipticals, and a stair climber; there are also free benches and a universal work out machine that can support a fully functional work out. The resort-style pool is offered to all resi-
Photo by Logan Garcia
dents and is a great place to host parties, picnics, or just to hang out with friends. They have grills, a basketball court, picnic benches, and an outdoor volleyball court with beach sand available to be used all year round. The complex includes a tavern-style game room which is also available to all residents. The features include a pool table, air hockey table, foosball table, a poker table, and flat screen TV’s. There is a bar with an attached kitchen for cooking and hosting parties. They have a clubhouse with sofas, a fireplace, and another bar that has a kitchen. The clubhouse features state-of-the-art computers and free printing, which can be very useful for a college student. The Verge is dog-friendly and offers plenty of yard space to go on walks around the complex. Pets do require a one-time pet fee, however, and additional monthly rent that can be set up through contacting the general manager of the facility. There is free parking for all Verge residents. The Verge offers individual leasing so you don’t have to worry about collecting money from roommates; their leasing and rates vary depending on the floor plans and time of year.
5 | Housing Guide
10 pieces of bad advice on hiding a pet in your dorm
By Alton Bear editor@uncmirror.com
#1
#6
#2
#7
#3
#8
#4
#9
#5
Give your pet an adorable nickname that nobody will get sick of hearing.
Post numerous pictures of your pet on social media, and be sure to be followed by your Resident Assistant. Also, be sure the pictures have a wide angle, so your dorm will be easily visible.
Leave your door open all the time, that way your pet can get some fresh air and meet some new faces. But, when you do leave the door open, be sure it is open wide.
If you have a cat, don’t worry about getting a litter box. Just designate a corner of the room for your cat to do its business in with some newspapers.
Train your animal to howl/meow/make oinking noises loudly when you leave the room, or when it hears anyone approaching. It should be loud enough to hear through the door. This will insure that you can hear people coming, for security purposes.
When RAs are doing room checks, leave all the things your animal may need under the bed. RA’s cannot search underneath the bed.
Tell everyone you know in the dorm about your new pet, but make sure they keep quiet. If there’s anything college-aged students are known for, it’s keeping a secret.
Take your pet on a tour of the dorm, that way they will know their way around. You never know when they will need it.
In the event of a fire drill, leave your pet in your room. You don’t wanna blow your cover. If there is an actual fire, your pet will heroically drag others to safety.
If your RA suspects something by way of smell/sound, blame it on your significant other, just like everything else in your life. If you have no SO, don’t be down! At least you have a pet.
#10
6 | Housing Guide
Dorms just for NCAA athletes? Housing just for athletes is illegal by NCAA standards, but some schools have found loopholes Chris Bolin sports@uncmirror.com
A lot of things go through a prospective student’s mind while picking a college. While academics should always be the main factor, a number of others play into that decision. The city the school is in, how far from home it is and even the weather play a role. As an athlete, on top of those things, the program, its coaches and other players are also piled on the list of reasons. One factor has often been overlooked is student housing. In most cases, residence halls are rarely mentioned in any advertising material for Universities and are only briefly described on websites. In a time where coaches and athletic programs are always looking for any way to get ahead in the recruiting battle, why aren’t athlete dorms more widespread? Well, it is because athletic dorms were outlawed by the NCAA in 1996. But, as is the case with any rule, there is a loophole. If over half the residents are non-athletes, a residence hall is not considered an athlete dorm. At the University of Kentucky, men’s basketball coach John Calipari has always been a great recruiter. The addition of a $7 million dollar residence hall that the basketball team lives in that includes recliners, flat-screen TVs and a chef in 2012 didn’t make his job any harder. Bill Self, the University of Kansas men’s basketball coach, also didn’t mind when a $17.5 million apartment complex was built to house the Jayhawk’s men’s and women’s basketball players. Keep in mind that this complex features an indoor basketball court down the hall from their bedrooms, a theatre that the atheltes can use as a film room and a barbershop, 32 scholarship athletes and 34 on-athletes can live in the building, which still complies with the NCAA rules. Kansas has been and will continue to be a powerhouse in college basketball because they continue to bring in the nations top talent. How much does this housing come into factor for the athletes? Kansas and Kentucky are not the only schools who have found a way around the NCAA rules. Auburn, Ohio State and Oklahoma have all spent over $35 million on housing complexes built with athletes in mind. The University of Northern Colorado does not have any athlete dorms and according to the Department of Housing and Residential Education at UNC, the process for applying for housing as an athlete is almost identical to that of a regular student. However, the coaches have the ultimate decision of where, and with whom, the athletes live. There are also no specific rooms re-
served for athletes, but most live on West Campus. Currently, a group of basketball players live in South Hall, UNC’s premier residence halls located on west campus. These dorms feature four-person suites with a bathroom and living room located within the suite. These have become a focal point during athelete recruting tours and currently are home to several UNC athletes. Where a student is going to live for the next nine months is a big decision. And in a time where every little advantage in recruiting is huge, lavish residence halls are just another selling point.
The University of Kansas built a $17.5 millon dollar facilty that houses 66 students, 32 athletes and 34 non-athletes. It comes complete with a half-court basketball court, a theatre that seconds as a Photos courtesy of University of Kansas Housing
7 | Housing Guide
Why-Fi. Did you try unplugging the router? By Amy Golden editor@uncmirror.com
Many students struggle with the wireless provided by UNC, finding the connection poor and slow. “I think that the Wi-Fi is really frustrating, especially because it’s a requirement to have internet access for our school work,” said UNC sophomore Brooke Pavlus. “I was surprised by how bad it is because most schools have decent WiFi, and we don’t.” Freshman Anna Hutchinson shared Pavlus’s frustrations, especially when it came to school work. “It doesn’t really work,” Hutchinson said. “I can’t do my
homework most of the time.” While the current infrastructure for the wireless is outdated, creating these issues for students, Wi-Fi improvement is underway for the school. According to Brad Sharp, director of infrastructure and support services, UNC has received $2.4 million from the state to upgrade the obsolete system. The project to upgrade will be implemented in two phases. First, all existing switches and wireless access points will be replaced, starting in central campus and then moving to west campus. A total of 440 switches and 675 wireless access points will be installed, and this should be completed by June 30. In the second phase, the wireless network will be tuned and
supplemented as necessary to ensure all campus buildings have enough coverage. “The legacy wireless network in most residence halls was originally designed to provide full wireless coverage in common areas only,” Sharp said. “During the second phase of the project, we will expand the wireless to provide full coverage in all residence halls.” The original design is a huge reason why students like Hutchinson and Pavlus have issues with the school Wi-Fi, especially in their dorms. “I have to move out of my room to do anything like homework or even to just watch Netflix,” Hutchinson said. This upgrade also plans to
improve Wifi coverage at the campus Recreation Center, where students have complained of connection issues. The second phase of this project should be completed by the start of the fall semester. The only areas not included in this project are the Arlington Park Student Apartments and outdoor areas such as Nottingham field. “Wireless improvements for Arlington and the outdoor areas will be requested through UNC’s capital request process,” Sharp said. There has already been huge improvement in Wi-Fi over the past couple of years, according to Sharp. It was not until August of 2015 that the campus band-
width was upgraded from 1 GB per second to 5 GB per second. This was also when the registration for personal devices allowed students to stay connected for the whole year and allowed gaming and other such devices to connect to the Wi-Fi. At the beginning of this school year, student wireless was upgraded from 6 MB per second to 20 MB per second. The Bank of Colorado Arena now has full coverage for high density wireless use. “I think the Wi-Fi has improved, but very little,” Pavlus said. “I still have to use Ethernet on my computer to ensure that I can do my work.” While the effects of the newest Wi-Fi changes might
not be noticeable until next school year, students can help improve the current Wi-Fi by not using personal wireless devices or mobile hotspots on campus. Doing so reduces the overall strength of the signal for others. As the Wi-Fi undergoes these improvements, Sharp encourages students to give feedback. “If you are having performance issues please report them to the technical support center,” Sharp said. “Your reports will help us make your experience better.” Student can report issues to the Technical Support Center by calling (970)-351-4357, emailing help@unco.edu, or submitting an online ticket at help. unco.edu.
One of the routers in a Turner Hall floor lounge. Turner is one of the buildings set to receive new wi-fi infrastructure over the next year. Photo by Will Costello | The Mirror.
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TheMirror | February 20 , 2017 | 5
Read-in depicts ethnic struggles By Wilhelmina Jackson arts@uncmirror.com
The Michener Library partnered with the Marcus Garvey Cultural Center to host many of the events happening around campus during Black History Month. Thursday afternoon, in a cozy corner of the Michener Gallery, a read-in was hosted courtesy of MGCC. In the corner of the gallery, there was a set of 13 chairs, a small podium and a poster going over guidelines for open discussion. A read-in is an open space where people pick passages from their favorite book, poem or speech and read it to others. In keeping with the theme, participants picked a passage from any black author. Readers read passages from Toni Morrison, Muhammad Ali, Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou and several other authors. The first reader, read “The Big Box” by Toni Morrison, a children’s book about three children who were put into a box by their parents; the story talked about how the children just wanted the freedom to be themselves. Nicole Webber, the business and communication librarian, read this book. She picked it because she liked how it posed some interesting concepts about freedom and what it meant to certain groups. The next reader was Lin Allen, a professor in the UNC School of Communication. She read “A Well-Paid Slave” by Brad Snyder, which is about baseball player Curt Flood who was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. Moved by the civil rights movement, Flood took his case to court. Allen eloquently spoke about the case and how it changed history, by influencing free agency in sports. One reader read Langston Hughes poem “Let America Be America Again,” a poem about letting America be the place that people used to dream of. Tammy Ortiz read Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise.” Ortiz, a non-traditional junior sociology major related personally to the poem. Even though she doesn’t identify as African-American herself, she related to the struggles of going through life in general. Wendy Highby, a social sciences librarian, read a speech from Muhammad Ali and performed an original poem called “When to Float and When to Sting.” High-
by is personally inspired by Ali which is why she choose to read one of his speeches from 1966; she relates to Ali personally because, like him, she has Parkinson’s disease. Highby’s personal poem, “When to Float and When to Sting” is a personal monologue to Ali himself. In the poem, she asks him how he picks his battles. Reading both his speech and her poem, she was hoping to make the audience think, engage in conversation and influence healing. One of the stanzas from her poem shows that. “Brother Ali, may we follow your example, Brother Muhammad, may we borrow your pride? You have given us your greatest gift-Discernment- knowing when to float and when to sting because We can’t move forward until We all move forward and Everyone does better.” The library plans on hosting another read-in sometime later this semester. More Black History Month events can be found on the Marcus Garvey Cultural Center’s website.
Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra and University of Northern Colorado Present
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sports. 6 | February 20, 2017 | TheMirror
At Home 2/20: Men’s Tennis vs Southern Utah TBA 9 a.m.
2/25: Men’s Basketball vs University of North Dakota Bank of Colorado 7 p.m.
2/26: Women’s Tennis vs Colorado College TBA 12 p.m.
On the Road 2/22: Women’s Swim and Dive at WAC Championships Houston, Texas All Day
2/23: Baseball vs BYU San Jose, California 3 p.m.
@UNCMIRRORSPORTS
Sports Editor
Dylan Sanchez
Bears outmuscled at home UNCBears.com
sports@uncmirror.com
Northern Colorado closed out its home slate in tough fashion Saturday afternoon, falling to Idaho State 68-58. The loss drops the Bears one game behind North Dakota in the Big Sky standings. Idaho State came out strong, attacking the rim and converting to build a 20-6 lead. In that time, ISU went 8-of-9 from field, and had runs of 6-0 and 7-0. “The Achilles heel from keeping this team being where I believe we can be has been the big, physical teams,” Head coach Kamie Ethridge said. “They were determined to take away the Savannahs and made our cuts really hard taking us off rhythm. That was a team that was just more physical than us in every capacity of the game. Despite the early deficit, Northern Colorado never backed down. The Bears closed the first quarter on a 6-0 run, and extended it all the way to 14-0 in the second quarter to even the game at 20. Every made basket during that stretch included an assist by UNC as the ball movement improved. Idaho State responded to the Bears by turning up the defensive pressure and closing out the half with an 11-4 run, putting them up 31-24 at the break. Both teams struggled to score in the third quarter, Northern Colorado scored on its first offensive possession of the half, but then went a little over six minutes without a point. “We just let them have so much momentum early on and put us down and lowered our edge on the defensive end.” Ethridge said. While the Bengals were holding UNC scoreless, they had their own struggles offensively, only able to build their lead to nine points. By the time the horn sounded to signal the end of the third, the Bears scored just eight points in it and trailed by 10. Idaho State gained the early momentum in the fourth with a 10-2 run building its lead to 16 points. Similar to the first quarter, Northern Colorado wouldn’t back down. Kirsten Kramer came off the bench for the team and provided instant offense, scoring five points in back-to-back possessions, and followed up with Kianna Williams three to get within seven of ISU. That was as close as the team would get, unable to get the defensive stops needed late and Idaho State hitting their free throws. It wasn’t one person’s individual performance that changed the game, but a line on the box score that was huge. That stat was rebounds, Idaho State out rebounded Northern Colorado by a 41-21 mark. With UNC’s offense struggling, defensive rebounds were key in slowing down one of the top offenses in
the Big Sky. With it being the final home game of the year that meant it was Senior Day. The Bears had one senior on the team in Katie Longwell. She came off the bench and made the constant hustle plays and open shots that fans had become accustom to. Her final stat line read six points on 2-of-4, 3-point shooting with four assists, three steals, two blocks and fourth career block. Kianna Williams had her second straight double figures scoring game finishing tied for a team-high 13 points. She was joined by Savannah Smith with 13, while Courtney Smith was the only other Bear in double digits at 10 points. “We should have played with the energy and passion we had in the fourth quarter the whole game,” said redshirt sophomore guard Savannah Smith. “That was a big part in why we trailed most of the time and ended up losing.” The Bears offense was off all day shooting just 38.2 percent for the game and 29.2 percent from 3-point land. Going into the fourth Katie Longwell (right), Senior Guard, scores against Idaho State last Saturday at the Bank of quarter Northern Colo- Colorado Arena during her last home game. Alex Nunley | The Mirror rado had just one made three, they ended the game with seven. UNC is on the road for the remaining three reguIdaho State shot well, finishing the game with a 52.4 lar season games of the season. percent mark from the field. The road trip begins next Saturday at North Da“The goal this week will be to keep it simple and play in more space that will help us out. North Da- kota at 1pm as UNC tries to get revenge over the kota is going to play us very similar as Idaho State Fighting Hawks. did today.” Ethridge said.
TheMirror | February 20, 2017 | 7
Frustrations loom as Norton releases statement Opinion by Tim Hernandez sports@uncmirror.com
Last week, President Kay Norton addressed the UNC community to relay her reaction to the NCAA Men’s Basketball allegations and repercussions for the team. According to Norton, the Men’s team will undergo self-imposed penalties this season including an inability to compete in playoff play. As another result of the nine NCAA violations that the Men’s team transgressed, the team must cough up $5,000 in addition to two percent it’s budget for the 2016-2017 season. What is ironic, though, is that the amount of money that the Men’s team will pay for their self-imposed consequences is less than half of amount that the team illegally spent on recruitment of players during their spree of NCAA violations. Further, members of the UNC community feel that President Norton’s address of this issue is, “undeniably artificial.” In her response, Norton states that, “the allegations do not charge that we
lacked institutional control or failed to monitor our men’s basketball program.” So, if Norton did not “lack institutional control” how does something like this happen? By saying that there was no fault in the management of the team under the university administration is, according to a UNC Business student, “poor management and a denial of responsibility.” Yet, the question remains: How does an NCAA Division 1 competing program such as the Men’s Basketball team slip through the cracks? Her husband is only front row at every game, even getting thrown out for his passion in the instance of a potential injustice towards the team. Further, why is it that President Kay Norton is so quick to act, and have so much to say once the university faces potential scrutiny from a higher authority? In the instance of the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center requesting a fully functioning building to provide a safe space for many members of the UNC community, Norton has dragged her feet for months. Ergo, it is this contrast that is the linchpin within Norton’s reaction. According to Norton, “How we as a university respond in the
face of challenges like this sets an example for our students and speaks to our values as a university community.” Norton said. So, where do we hold our values? Are we only proactive in mending our mistakes when an authority figure is watching? In Norton’s response, it is clear that if her actions towards the UNC Men’s Basketball team’s violations are an example of the UNC community, we are fraught with a lack of integrity, management, and leadership. More so, members of the UNC campus community feel that the ability for the Men’s Basketball team to get away with so much right under the supervision of Norton is, “flat out ridiculous… there are other people who need the [fiscal] assistance, and the fact that we let this go is deplorable.” In sum, the UNC Men’s Basketball team will not be eligible for playoffs this year, will face less financial punishment than what they spent on their nine violations, and President Kay Norton believes that UNC’s campus community may only be held accountable for transgressions if an authority figure is watching. It’s a good day to be a Bear.
Head coach Linder focused on the future Brittany Riley
sports@uncmirror.com
University of Northern Colorado president Kay Norton sent out an email to the entire campus Monday afternoon detailing the NCAA allegations against former men’s basketball coaches. Last spring the university received information that the men’s basketball program under B.J. Hill had violated several NCAA rules and regulations. Not much information could be released to the public until the investigation completed on February 10. Norton’s email explained the process of the investigation and a 21-page document describing the allegations against the university was attached. The investigation revealed nine allegations against former coaches of the men’s basketball team. One violation was a level one, the most serious type, and the other a level two. There were three categories that the violations fell under were academic misconduct, improper financial inducements and ethical violations involving dishonesty during the investigation. Immediately after learning of the violations, the university selfimposed several punishments on the program. The punishments include a postseason ban for the current basketball season, a financial penalty of $5000 plus two percent of the program’s budget, a reduction of three financial aid awards provided to the athletes until the 2018-2019 academic year and recruiting restrictions until the 2018-2019 academic year. Despite the investigation and the self-imposed punishment, new coach Jeff Linder has a positive outlook on the current season. “All things considered, we have focused on building habits to compete next year,” said Linder. “We are laying a foundation.” The men’s basketball team is 9-17 on the season with only three games left. In those three games, Linder plans to continue to build winning habits and working on taking open shots. Seeing as the team can’t play postseason basketball, Linder wants the team to watch how the last few opponents prepare for a game and how those teams act to become the best team.
An NCAA investigation is a long process, but the men’s basketball team has not let it have an effect on the season. Linder said the guys had an understanding that the investigation would be going on, but that they could not control it, so they wouldn’t let it change anything. Linder wanted to coach the best he could and have his guys play the best they could. Now that the allegations have been released and the swirling rumors around the program can calm down, the With no seniors set to graduate, UNC and head coach Jeff Linder are beginning to look past the NCAA violations that have plagued the 2016-17 season and prep for a competitive 2017 season. Photo by Dean Popejoy, courtesy of UNCBears.com. program can heal. The investigation UNC has fully cooperated with the NCAA throughout the prohas completed, but the NCAA Committee on Infractions that operates separately from cess and self-imposed penalties almost immediately after learning the NCAA, will meet to determine the final penalties against the of the violations. For those reasons, the NCAA complimented the university stating that the university should serve as a model for program. “It is our hope that the Committee on Infractions will endorse others. The men’s basketball team has three games left this season and the penalties we self-imposed last October in order to allow our men’s basketball program to begin focusing on healing and recov- each one is a home game. The next game is Saturday February 25 at 7 p.m. against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. ery,” said Norton in her campus-wide email.
8 | February 20, 2017 | TheMirror