Feb 18 Issue

Turn to page 4 for our SGA candidate endorsements! Don’t forget to vote on Banner on Monday, Feb. 22.

The University News A Student Voice of Saint Louis University Since 1921 www.unewsonline.com

Vol. LXXXIX No. 19

Task force to tackle Haiti aftermath

Influx of crows leaves its mark on campus

By BRIAN ROEWE

SLU to respond to flocks with decoy owls

By JONATHAN ERNST News Editor

Saint Louis University is home to many night owls, but lately a new type of animal has been flocking to the academic environment.

A crow infestation is causing problems for students and maintenance workers, as Facilities Management has received complaints about the noise and bird droppings.

“It is a little creepy walking on campus at night and seeing [the crows] swarming around you,” freshman Lucas Bigford said. “I also have about 20 marks on my car because of the crow droppings.”

According to Thomas Valone, a behavioral ecologist in the Department of Biology, crows often gather in urban areas for winter roosts because of the big trees, open areas, unnatural lighting and food waste. Urban areas are also five to 10 degrees warmer than rural areas because of the heat island effect, which traps the sun’s rays into urban areas and creates a warmer environment for the crows.

“Nothing is unusual about it, this is a neat phenomena,” Valone said. “The West Nile Virus hit the crows hard and their roosts declined in the last three to four years. Ten years ago, there were thousands of crows around campus and it appears that their population has recovered.”

While this is a “neat phenomena,” maintenance workers have a different perspective, as they have had to power-wash park benches, sidewalks and cars multiple

Noah Berman / Associate News Editor

Above, freshman Lucas Bigford surveys several crows’ damage to a car in the Reinert Hall parking lot. Below, one SUV in the parking lot behind Marchetti Towers East after an unfortunate run-in with some of SLU’s winged visitors. times because of the bird droppings.

“The cars in the back of the [Marchetti parking] lot are loaded with bird feces,” maintenance worker Terry Palmisano said. “I have been here 31 years and I have never seen so many [crows]. At night there are hundreds, and it is freaky when they are flying all over the place.”

Facilities Management has received complaints primarily from the areas near Marchetti Towers and DuBourg Hall regarding dirty cars and noisy crowing at night. To deal with the problem, Custodial Services has purchased two life-sized Great Horned Owl

decoys to scare off the crows.

The Great Horned Owl is a natural predator for crows, and these decoys will have a four-and-a-half-foot wingspan.

Jeff Macko, director of Custodial Services, said that the decoys would be placed near Marchetti and DuBourg to scare away the crows from those areas. The decoys are set to arrive later this week.

“There is not a lot we can do; we have looked at several control options such as poisoning, crow distress calls and putting chemicals on the trees,” Macko said. “We will see how effective the decoys are in driving the crows away.”

Jonthan Ernst / News Editor

SGA hopefuls face off in debates

By KELLEY DUNN News Editor

After a coin toss to decide the order of the debates, Student Government Association presidential candidate Courtney Anvender of Come Together gave her introductory speech to the assembly.

After thanking the election committee and complimenting the use of “Jersey Shore” characters as mascots for the election, Anvender went into her platform points, highlighting Pius XII Memorial Library and shared governance as areas of concern.

Unite presidential candidate JP Johnson presented his introductory speech next, also thanking the election committee, as well as the current SGA administration, which he said that, in his opinion, had “done more than any other executive board.”

“I want to follow in those footsteps,” he said.

The first question for the presidential candidates came from Vice President for Student Development Kent Porterfield, who posed the following situation: How would the candidates act if they agreed with a University policy, but

the students did not?

Anvender said that she would focus on “working with the system instead of against it,” trying to understand every side of the issue, while presenting the student’s side clearly and respectfully.

Johnson took a bit of a different approach, and said that “it is imperative that [SGA], must act with the students.”

He said that he would do what was in the students’ best interests before adopting something from the administration.

Current SGA President Michael Harriss posed the next question. He asked the candidates if they thought there was a lack of apathy, or a lack of interest, on campus.

“I think there is a lack of activism, and a lack of faith in the system,” Anvender said.

She said that students needed to see SGA doing both big and little things, so they can regain faith in SGA. Johnson said that he didn’t think students should be activists, but, rather, that type of activism on campus was SGA’s job.

“Students see fees, not benefits,” he said.

The final question came

Thursday, February 18, 2010

www.twitter.com/theunews

Contributor

Support for the people of Haiti has strengthened at Saint Louis University.

In response to the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hitting Haiti on Jan. 12, the SLU Student Government Association approved the creation of an ad-hoc task force to consolidate donations and fundraising throughout the campus.

OneWorld President Lauren Hashiguchi initiated the centralized task force.

“All the students on campus have the energy to do something [for Haiti],” she said. “There was a lot of passion, but not a lot of coordination.”

SGA President Michael Harriss co-sponsored the task force, noting its ability to “get the entire SLU community involved … focusing an energy already present and giving it some direction.”

Currently, 10 student organizations comprise the SLU Haiti Task Force, but they hope others will join the effort.

The task force has set a campus goal of $50,000 in relief funds to assist the 1 million-plus Haitians injured or affected by the devastating earthquake. In addition to the injured, more than 100,000 people lost their lives in the quake.

So far, the relief effort is in its infancy. The task force, approved on Feb. 3, has examined what groups have risen to date, as well as upcoming opportunities this semester.

Black Student Alliance raised

Annual housing sign-ups loom

By SEAN WORLEY Associate News Editor

Ryan Giacomino / Photo Editor

SGA presidential candidates Courtney Anvender and JP Johnson field a question from Commuter Student Association President Brian Hackworth during the Feb. 15 debate. from Commuter Student Association President Brian Hackworth, who asked about the lack of traditional commuter senator seats on SGA. Anvender and Johnson agreed on the matter, hoping to recognize the differences between traditional commuters and those close to campus, and to meet those unique needs.

After the panel questions, Anvender and Johnson were given the opportunity to address one another. Anvender mentioned various grammatical errors in Johnson’s platform and his punctuality to Senate meetings, and asked him about his professionalism.

Johnson said errors could also be found in Anvender’s

platform, and that he had not been late to a meeting this year.

“Spell check can fix those errors, but it can’t bring a commons to Bauman-Eberhardt … it can’t make SGA more transparent,” he said.

Johnson asked Anvender about her plan for shared governance, and how she would get this for the students.

Anvender said that her first goal would be to find out what the students want from shared governance. She said she would work within the system, and said the students should have a voice at the Executive Staff level.

After introductions from the presidential candidates, See “Debates” on Page 2

$300 at its recent Soul Food and Jazz fundraiser while Campus Ministry raised more than $1,700 from student Mass collections in January.

Plans for future fundraising include a donation table in the Busch Student Center, while other ideas, such as donating portions of event ticket sales, are still developing.

The task force is currently focusing on cash donations, though it plans to adapt fundraising to specific Haitian needs as they become clearer.

“We recognize the need for this to be a long term commitment,” Harriss said.

For some, the support that SLU Haiti Task Force represents is more than a relief effort – it’s a way to help friends.

Hashiguchi felt a personal connection to Haiti and a need to help. Last year she spent her summer in Port-auPrince, Haiti, working with a community only three miles from the quake’s eventual epicenter.

“It was very real for me,” Hashiguchi said. “I still have many friends over there.”

Recognizing the struggles her friends and many others currently face, Hashiguchi relishes the chance to be an agent of change.

“Our effort is only half fundraising. [Through the task force], we are helping raise awareness about global solidarity.”

To get involved with the SLU Haiti Task Force, visit www.slu.edu/Haiti or email the task force at sluhaitirelief@gmail.com.

The sixth week of classes is upon us, and in only 16 days students will be celebrating the arrival of spring break.

However, not only does this time of year bring yearnings for warmer weather and a week off of classes, but it also carries with it the all-toofamiliar housing application process.

Although the majority of students participate in the process, few have knowledge of how the system actually works.

“I know that sophomores are allowed in Marchetti, The Village and Fusz, but other than that I feel like it’s a very difficult process and a lot of people are going to be upset with their housing situation,” Erin Carroll, a freshman in the Doisy College of Health Sciences, said.

In attempts to ease the anxieties that come along with the process, Housing and Residence Life has posted a Frequently Asked Questions document on its website. The document outlines the specifics of what students need to do in order to successfully navigate the housing assignment procedure.

The $250 housing deposit

can be made online through mySLU, along with the general housing application. Once the application and deposit are received, students will be assigned housing appointments. These will take place from March 25 to March 27.

Appointment order will be based on certain qualifications.

The website states that students will be ranked and assigned time-slots according to the “average number of semesters spent on campus, average credit hours of an individual or group as of the end of Fall 2009, including summer hours, and average cumulative grade point average at the end of Fall 2009 semester for individuals or groups.”

In years past, group size was taken into consideration when determining housing appointments; however, this has been removed from the process.

“Group size unfairly advantaged larger groups over smaller groups or individuals signing up singly,” Housing and Res. Life Director Alvin Sturdivant said. “The circumstances are now largely different and require a redrafting of the system to reflect changing See “Housing” on Page 3

Inside The University News »

News »

Student by day and DJ by night. Laury performs at clubs across the metro.

2

Opinion »

The ed-board applies its Philosophy courses to the SGA election.

5

Arts »

8

University Theatre is gearing up for its next show, on stage and behind the scenes.

Sports »

See if the Bills continued the hot streak against Rhode Island.

11

2

News

The University News

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Let Us Introduce You

Domenic Laury

Student spends spare time spinning beats, uses mysterious promotions

By KRISTEN MCGUIRE Contributor

Perhaps you have seen Domenic Laury around campus or have had a class with this Theatre and Communication double major. What you may not know is that Laury leads a double life. SLU senior by day—professional DJ, SlantE, by night.

It all started while Laury was attending Saint Louis University High School, when his grandma gave him her old stereo system. Among its components was a turntable.

Having seen countless performances by the X-Ecutioners, notably the Ninja of Rap performance by Roc Raida, he started scratching “the needle down to the bone,” as it is said, on the single turntable.

“I shelled out $200 for a second turntable and cheap mixer, and I’ve had a great eight years since, albeit with several equipment upgrades,” he said.

Laur y’s pseudonym, SlantE, comes from an old nickname of his—he played a lot of poker and put out his fair share of ‘antes.’

“In fact, I hate my DJ name,” he said. “If I could go back eight years to change it, I would probably just use my actual name. But now that I have eight years riding on this name, I am not about to start fresh.”

As for attracting people to his gigs, Laury uses a more undercover approach.

“Myster y promotional campaigns are a favorite tool of mine,” he said. “You may recall the phone number that was written all over campus a year ago: ‘Text SLANT to 68247.’ My DJ name, however, is SlantE, not SLANT, so any attempt at correlation by the wonderfully cooperative SLU administration would be futile.”

When Laury DJs, whatever genre it may be, he may spin anywhere from an hour to six hours, depending on the show. He said he spends the set setting up a point at which to drop a track that he calls the ‘keystone track.’ This involves controlling the energy level of the music being played. This is the track that defines the set, and if he is headlining, it defines the night as a whole.

For an opening set, the keystone track he chooses will have enough energy to

Senate focuses on MLK Scholarship

By KRISTEN MIANO Associate News Editor

Noah Berman/Associate Photo Editor

When night comes, SLU senior Domenic Laury goes by a different name—Laury has worked as DJ SlantE for eight years, entertaining people at clubs across the metro. start the crowd dancing, but not too much energy so as to give an appearance of showboating. For a headlining set, the keystone track must send the crowd into some kind of frenzy of dancing.

“The exact moment when a keystone track of a headlining set hits its peak level energy is my favorite part of DJing,” Laury said.

His best DJing moment was opening for David Guetta at Home Nightclub, when his lead track—Julien Jabre Swimming Places / Sebastian Ingrosso Re-Edit—hit its peak.

“Nothing in my eight years of spinning has ever compared to that moment,” Laury said.

“There are a myriad of talented and honest, hardworking producer/DJs out there who throw themselves headfirst into music,” Laury said.

“The best DJ out there is a DJ who can create and impose

a lasting memory upon an entire city.”

Case in point: the day after Obama’s acceptance speech, Benny Benassi recorded that speech and played it during his last track. He first did this in New York the Friday after the election. The very next day he took the same moment he had created in New York and imposed a memory upon attendees of the Saturday show at Dante’s.

“The club atmosphere in these moments can be compared to theatre,” Laury said.

“We all work toward one essential goal: Telling a story, creating a moment and imposing a memory. I get to do my favorite activity for a living.”

You can see Laury at work at Lure and Home Nightclub, the underground club “Upstairs Lounge,” Urban Lounge, and Pop’s Blue Moon. To learn more about Laury visit http://www.facebook.com/djslante.

ship package, which is $3,000 plus the $10,000 University Scholarship, who was also eligible for a merit scholarship greater than $10,000, had to choose between the two packages, as he/she could not receive both. Now, the MLK scholarship is becoming a stackable sum of $3,000, which can be tacked onto scholarships such as the Dean’s and Provost awards.

With this new plan, it is possible for a MLK scholar to receive more than $13,000 in

This week’s Student Government Association meeting began with an important clarification.

“Ever y student that receives the [Martin Luther King Jr.] Scholarship will receive a minimum of $13,000,” Vice Provost of Division of Enrollment Management Boyd Bradshaw said.

Bradshaw and Assistant Vice Provost and Director of Student Financial Services Cari Wickliffe attended the SGA meeting to discuss what has been going on with the MLK Scholarship.

We’re ver y excited “The MLK program is very important to what we about the diversity do in enrollment,” Bradshaw of the pool [for the said. “I just want to make sure we’re all on the same MLK scholarship] page.” this year.

The committee that over—Boyd Bradshaw sees the MLK scholarship met recently to review the structure of the program.

According to Wickliffe, this is being done with every scholarship funds.

“We wanted to give the stuscholarship program that dents more money,” Bradshaw SLU offers.

Due to a misunderstand- said. “And we’re very excited ing, not every committee about the diversity of the pool member left the meeting sat- this year. We have over 200 isfied with the direction the applicants coming in for the MLK weekend, which is a program was taking.

From this, a rumor started record for us.”

Wickliffe went on to that the MLK scholarship was being reduced from a $13,000 explain how the program was being reformatted for maxito a $3,000 package.

“I can understand why there mum retention rates, while was concern,” Bradshaw said. still being able to provide “So we called the committee for students who truly need back together and sat down financial aid. She also clarified that the number of students and talked about it.”

The MLK Scholarship receiving the scholarship will is becoming an award that be 50, and that current MLK can be added to any merit- scholars will not experience based scholarship. Prior to its any change.

Next, SGA President restructuring, a student who received the MLK scholar- Michael Harris and First Year

“

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Senator Chris Ackels gave a presentation on their “Fixing the Little Things” Initiative.

They explained their website and discussed how senators need to respond to requests within 48 hours, and make sure they are forwarded to their respective departments.

Harris made it clear that “Fixing the Little Things” is about more than just facilities complaints.

“This is really for any kind of concerns that students have,” Harriss said.

Vice President for Financial Af fairs Rober t Moehle brought up the issue of funding for Greek organizations.

There was little agreement about how to differentiate funding for academic versus social organizations, and whether or not the topic should be an issue.

“Social Greeks don’t want to be chartered, and academics still need funding,” John Cook School of Business Senator Samantha Morr said.

“It would make more sense to cut club sports over academic Greeks.”

Both the proposition of an Earth Hour and the chartering of SLU Jews were passed with little opposition, but the proposed amending of the bylaws faced some heated discussion.

After an amendment regarding the price tag of speakers brought in by organizations, the bills were tabled until next week.

The final bill discussed was a call for SLU to develop a more definite protocol and response to incidents of discrimination and bias on campus. The bill was met with an overwhelming amount of support and passed unopposed.

Debates: Exec board platforms spark discussion BSA hosts events to celebrate black history Continued from Page 1

Soul Food and Jazz Night, as well as keynote speaker Dr. Cornel West. Not only did It’s Black History Month, West attract many SLU stuand what better way to cel- dents, but also people from ebrate it than with the recent all parts of the St. Louis comevents being offered by Black munity.

Student Alliance?

Upcoming events include “We want Movie Night to focus on in Tegeler celebrating Auditorium and emphaFriday, We want to focus on sizing AfricanFeb. 19 at American cul- on celebrating 6 p.m. and ture, history African American BSA Goes and tradition, to Church [while] rais- culture, histor y and at Friendly ing aware- tradition.

T e m p l e ness about Missionar y the issues of —Emma-Lorraine B a p t i s t race in society Bart-Plange C h u r c h today,” BSA Sunday, Feb. Secretar y 21 at 10 a.m.

E m m a The fourth Lorraine Bart-Plange said. and final week is Harambee And with the four-week Week, which will emulate themed plan, that’s exactly a high school spirit week, what they’re doing. each day carrying a different They kicked off Week 1: theme.

Remembering Week, with an opening ceremony/black Upcoming Events struggle panel and trivia Monday night.

The Black Struggle Panel Represent your Roots was “thought provoking,” Day Bart-Plange said.

Tuesday The guest panelists did a Stereotype Day with diagood job of sharing personal logue at 7 p.m. in BSC experiences and encouragRoom 254. ing the current generation to push for equality now more Wednesday than ever, she said.

Blast from the Past Day. Trivia night was another popular event, according to Thursday Bart-Plange.

Black to the Future Day. BSA family members Friday were animated and competitive, hoping to win one of the The annual Harambee prizes from the National Civil Ball at 9 p.m. in the Allied Rights Museum in Memphis, Health Multipurpose Tenn., from BSA’s Cultural Room.

Extravaganza trip last year.

Saturday Week 2: True Life: I am Community service from a Black Professional and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and poetWeek 3: Take Care Week, feary night with Amnesty tured True Life: I Am a Black International.

Professional business panel,

By DANIELA MONDRAGON Contributor

“

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the executive board debates began.

The first debate began between International Vice Presidential candidates Adam Jin for Come Together and Heyun Fan for Unite.

Their panel question centered around methods and ideas to promote greater communication between international students and their United States peers.

Jin said that he understood the problem, and how to connect people. He wants to promote the sharing of opinions, saying that would help American students gain a greater cultural understanding, as well.

Fan said that the University should focus on admitting students who can pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language exam, so they are prepared and able to fully communicate. She also mentioned her idea for an International Awareness Week, to promote diversity and understanding.

Jin asked Fan to elaborate on her idea for redlining housing—a term he said meant to “discriminate.”

Fan said she got the idea from Dean of Students Scott Smith, and that it was more of an effort to secure spaces on campus for international students, rather than discriminate against them.

Fan asked Jin what work he had done as an SGA senator and what he would do in the future. Jin responded by saying he had worked with the International Student Federation, and mentioned that he hoped to expand the host family program.

The next two candidates to debate were Vice President for Student Organization Paul Paetow for Come Together and Katie Anderson for Unite.

Smith asked the candidates if they were in support of the

Leaders of the Pack retreat, which both candidates were.

Paetow asked Anderson how much preparation she had done, specifically when it came to talking with current VP for Student Organizations Amanda Mason.

Anderson said she hadn’t served on SGA, but said she had conversations with Mason, who had given her advice and instilled confidence in her.

Mason said that, despite Anderson’s claims, the two had only talked via email, and couldn’t find a time to meet.

Johnson said Anderson’s response was likely due to nerves.

Anderson asked Paetow what resources he planned on using to help students and CSOs. Paetow said he planned on utilizing the activity fair, as well as updating the CSO Resource Wiki so that students could have easier ways to find their niche on campus.

Financial Vice Presidential nominees Tim Janczewski for Come Together and David Armbrust for Unite were the next to take the stage.

The two were asked if they felt the current annual funding process was fair, and if any limitations needed to be made.

Janczewski said that he appreciated the system, and did not think there should be unique guidelines for certain groups, in an effort to promote fairness.

Armbrust, however, said he felt there should be a tier system in place, but to make things more transparent, as the current system is “under the ice.”

Janczewski asked Armbrust about his platform, which includes a surplus.

Janczewski asked why that money couldn’t be given to students in annual funding.

Armbrust said that money would go toward a fund for the library.

Ar mbr ust asked Janczewski what he planned to do regarding spot-funding and annual funding guidelines. Janczewski said he would encourage spot-funding guidelines to be a little stricter, but allow annual funding guidelines to be a little more lenient.

Academic Vice Presidential candidates Katie Becherer of Come Together and Maxwell Jordan of Unite were asked what students need most for academic success. Becherer mentioned updating and modernizing programs, while Jordan talked about bringing the academic services to the students.

Becherer asked Jordan how he planned on working on raising SLU’s rankings without compromising the Jesuit mission—something with which the administration struggled. Jordan said the rankings don’t measure the Jesuit mission, but that a committee would come up with cohesive ideas to bring the two together.

Jordan asked Becherer how she would back up her proposal of new degree programs, considering the current budget crunch. Becherer responded by saying her plan was financially conservative, and that more cross-listed courses would require fewer professors.

V ice Presidential Candidates for Internal Affairs Murphy Vandenberg for Come Together and Jon Roper for Unite came forward with two very different approaches. Vandenberg talked about her knowledge of SGA, while Roper defined SLU by the words “a bubble, Billikens, Humphreys,” and later went on to say that both St. Louis and SLU did not have an identity.

Current VP of Internal Affairs Andrew Miller asked the candidates how they would enforce attendance policies. Both said they would

keep the current policy, but Vandenberg said she trusted the Senators on her ticket, while Roper stressed talking and representing students as being more important than attendance.

Roper asked Vandenberg a similar question, regarding how she was going to enforce senator office hours, and she cited postings on the website as a way to keep track.

Vandenberg asked Roper how he could accomplish his goals with no senators on his ticket.

He responded by saying that senators have to work with one another, and if he can’t work with them, then he is not a leader.

The final debate was between the candidates for Vice President of Diversity and Social Justice, Oscar Vazquez for Come Together and Lorenzo Herman for Unite. When asked, both said they wanted to make the community more competent about different cultures, citing the recent racial issues as problematic.

Vazquez asked Herman to talk about his experience outside of SGA working toward diversity, and Herman spoke about time on the Diversity and Social Justice Committee, working on updating University protocol.

Herman asked Vazquez about his retention strategy for students of color. Vazquez talked of his experience as a Student Ambassador, and said he would focus on the issues of all diversity groups—not just students of color.

Correction The photograph of Justin Kwasa on Page 10 of the February 11 issue should have been credited to Billiken Media Relations.

The University News regrets the errors.

News

Thursday, February 18, 2010

The University News

3

West addresses race in the age of Obama CSO funding underway

By ALLISON REILLY

By BRIAN BOYD Staff Writer

Cornel West, prominent Princeton University professor, author of the book “Race Matters” and influential social and civil rights activist, addressed the crowded Busch Student Center Wool Ballrooms on Feb. 11, as Saint Louis University’s keynote speaker for Black History Month, sponsored by Great Issues Committee and Black Student Alliance.

West managed to keep a light-hearted and jocular tone despite the subject matter.

He acknowledged that the topic of his speech, Race and Democracy in the Age of Obama, is one of the most perplexing questions and complex issues that Americans face today.

West stressed the need for Socratic self-examination.

In addition, he attributed the success of civil rights proponents such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X to Socratic self-examination, and expressed the need for those seeking equality and justice to analyze themselves before others.

“It’s only when we have the courage to think criticallyand that is one of the greatest gifts of the African-Americans in this country—to think Socratically,” West said.

West also addressed the fact that knowledge doesn’t always come from the page of a textbook.

West went on to compare slavery and prejudice to modern day terrorism.

He contended that “black history in itself is a form of terrorism,” and stated that “what all Americans are going through now, the fear of being attacked, African-Americans went through for 244 years in America.”

He referred to black history as a powerful tool.

“Without [King, Wells], the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln… there would be no age of Obama,” he said.

After analyzing the history and impact of AfricanAmericans in the United States, West targeted more contemporary issues.

He emphasized that, despite the election of President Barack Obama, we

do not live in a post-racial era.

According to West, the election does not erase wounds that run deep in AfricanAmerican history.

“We must acknowledge the past, the present, the future.

[Politicians] want to win the election. Winning the election is not always dealing with the truth. Politicians are adroit, clever. Someone has to be free enough to tell the truth.

To keep the stories going like the professors here do,” he said.

West also asserted that the burden of accepting harsh realities of the past falls to each American, not just policy-makers.

In order to combat this, West suggested opposing the typical measurements of success, such as job title and wealth.

“In this market-driven, capitalistic society where we erase the past, we don’t want to remember the stories from the past,” West said. “We just care about the individual, the narcissism, me and my career. It’s not about that. It’s about who you are as a human being. It’s not about what you do for a living, it’s about your calling.”

West also questioned the ideals of greed and the financial inequality that run rampant throughout society and the media.

“CEO salaries are expanding exponentially, while 20 percent of our children live in poverty in the richest country in the world. It is a moral disgrace,” West said.

“This greed erodes trust.

It generates a spiritual malnutrition, an emptiness of the soul that leads people to addictions. People are focusing on hollow things such as money, and it’s emptying. It’s a moral constipation. They know what’s good, they just can’t get it out,” he said.

West was greeted with raucous applause when he said that “people are saying the recession is a catastrophe.

What they don’t mention is that this has been a catastrophe for the middle and lower class for 35 years.”

He also criticized the Obama administration for placing people who had led to the economic downturn

Senior Staff Writer

Noah Berman/Associate Photo Editor

Speaker and activist Cornel West spoke to a packed audience on Feb. 11, addressing racial issues in today’s society. His speech was titled Race and Democracy in the Age of Obama. in his cabinet, and stressed the need for resources to be allocated toward education, childcare and welfare, instead of banks and big businesses.

Perhaps the most stressed point of West’s address was the need for Americans to overcome apathy, embrace compassion and side with those who struggle.

“Don’t become obsessed with the success of one and overlook the misery of those who suffer,” West said. “In a democracy, the president is a citizen and a servant.

If he’s not tilting toward the weak, then he needs a serious correction. We need to really love poor and working people. There has to be some accountability for the well-todo, since things have been stacked on their behalf for so long.”

West’s message is not limited to any one group in particular—his ideals and courses of actions are things we can all embrace in order to create a better society.

The end of his speech was met by a standing ovation, and followed by a questionand-answer session.

When asked how to combat the apathy that has become ingrained in the fabric of society, West offered this remedy: “We need to become the change we talk about,” he said. “We need to exemplify the very commitment to love and justice. The only way that we shatter apathy is by trying to be courageous enough that it becomes contagious, so that others want to be courageous.”

The student turnout was immense, and the overall reaction to the address was very positive.

“I really enjoyed it. He posed challenging questions, and didn’t shy away from them. He remained objective,” junior Mary-Beth Ashley said.

“It was very enlightening, and it helps us students to recognize the greater context of things and where we fit in.”

It’s budget season once again for Chartered Student Organizations, though there are a few changes to the process.

The biggest change is the finance panel, an online database that went live this past Monday. From now until March 15, CSOs can put together their budget for the 2010-2011 academic year and submit the names of the new executive board. “[The budget] is a plan of what you want to do and the resources needed to do it,” Financial Vice President Robert Moehle said. He advised groups to put in as much information and detail as possible. “We’re then more likely to understand what you’re trying to do and see the reasoning behind it.”

Budgets are due by 5 p.m. on March 15, and Moehle reminded that there is “no tolerance” for late submissions.

Another one of the new aspects of the funding process is the finance buddy.

Every CSO is assigned a finance buddy to help in putting together the budget and to answer any questions. “[The finance buddy] is

a specific person to go to,” Chris Ackels, first year senator and finance buddy for the Student Life student organization cabinet, said. “We’re an advocate for the CSO on the committee … A voice for the group.”

Moehle and Ackels said this new buddy system was created to cut down on inefficiency. During the budget review meetings, time would be spent providing help with the budget.

The amount of hearing time given to each organization is also being changed from 30 minutes to 15 minutes.

Also, the meetings will take place over the duration of one weekend, the weekend of March 26, instead of two.

For those who have not been through the budget process before, Ackels suggests to “stay in constant contact with your finance buddy.”

Junior Peter Zylka, treasurer of the Math and Computer Science Club, said that the group has yet to need any help from their finance buddy, but sees this new system as “an improvement.”

“So far, it seems more organized,” Zylka said. “I like that it’s more personal and that it’s clear on what we need to do.”

Housing: Sign-ups start soon Continued from Page 1

needs and demands.”

Sturdivant expressed the changes were not made because the former system was not sufficient enough, but updates in the housing situation needed to be addressed.

According to the FAQ page, “sophomore student appointments will be held first, due to the residency requirement.

There will be a specific number of designated sophomore student spaces.”

Appointment times for individual students or groups will be posted online after 5 p.m. on March 12. With the housing scholarships not being applied to the Flats, concerns were made that there would not be enough student interest in the newest option, and that students may be forced to live there.

“Because they’re not offering the scholarship [at the

Flats] I decided to not even consider it,” College of Arts and Sciences junior Clare O’Hare said.

“No students will be forced into the Flats,” Sturdivant said. “Any students who sign up to live in The Flats will do so at their own choosing.”

Finally, Sturdivant addressed questions regarding next year’s updated housing rates. “[The rates] will be available on the Housing and Res. Life website by the end of business on Feb.19.”

As stated in his January message to the SLU community, Father Lawrence Biondi, S.J., said that the housing rates would be increased by an “average of three percent in [Fiscal Year 2011].”

Sturdivant said that this increase would be echoed in the yet-to-be posted rates.

Additional reporting by Carly Doenges.

4

Endorsements

The University News

Thursday, February 18, 2010

2010-2011 SGA Endorsements The following Student Government Association endorsements, an annual endeavor of The University News Editorial Board, are formulated following interviews with each candidate and attendance at the SGA Debates. Endorsements of the candidates are the sole opinions of the Editorial Board and are not necessarily shared by the newspaper’s staff writers.

The elections are to be held on Monday, Feb. 22. Exercise your right to vote on Banner, open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Results will be announced on SLU-TV Channel 22 at around 8:15 p.m.

PRESIDENT Vote: Courtney Anvender

Johnson

Anvender

The debate over which presidential candidate to endorse was one of the more heated in recent years. Both Courtney Anvender and JP Johnson have a presence and composure that makes each come across as infinitely confident and unshakeable, an imperative quality for Student Government Association president. But in the end, we went with Anvender, partly because we appreciate her plan to approach the renovation of Pius XII Memorial Library by spending her term gathering student feedback, thoughts and desires for how to improve the library. It’s a sensible, collaborative approach based on her very solid background with the library, while, based on his platform online, Johnson’s came across as less collaborative, instead citing himself as having the knowledge to advise on the library budget and new technology. That’s helpful, but where do students’ opinions figure

into this equation? At the same time, Johnson’s appeals for and ideas to achieve transparency in Senate were hard to resist, and we hope he’ll work with Anvender on pursuing some of them.

We appreciated Johnson’s attempts to fill in any holes in his platform, but giving us a folder of information the night of Feb. 17 was too little, too late. Although Anvender and Johnson seem on fairly even footing in some ways, the fact that Johnson was nearly impeached from SGA is hard to ignore. Although we consider his absences legitimate, it’s more difficult to overlook Johnson being on time to only six of 15 meetings last semester. Tardiness may seem like a small thing, and although he said he’s always 30 minutes early to meetings with administrators, we think being on time to SGA meetings as senator should count equally. Especially if you want to be president of that SGA.

Internal Vice President Vote: Murphy Vandenberg

Roper

Vandenberg

We’re going to have to go with Murphy Vandenberg on this one. Although we’re concerned that she couldn’t articulate how she would enforce her detailed but necessary biweekly report policy for SGA senators (we find the argument that the Come Together senators will be different from senators of years past a little too idealistic for our tastes), we very much like the idea of it. Too often it seems that senators are reacting to important legislation based off of their own personal feelings rather than what their constituents have said about it. Old habits die hard, and shaking some of the senators out of this tendency will take a lot of grit

and determination. Vandenberg seems like a very nice girl—we hope that doesn’t stop her from cracking down on those who require it.

Jon Roper’s platform point explanations during our interview with him and during the debates were convoluted at best, and some points seem to go outside the boundaries of what an internal vice president would be in charge of—for instance, removing paper from use by not just SGA, but CSOs, as well. Being able to clearly articulate ideas in a concise manner is a key part of any position, and we felt that Vandenberg did a better job of it.

Vice President for Student Organizations Vote: Paul Paetow

Anderson

Paetow

Both Paul Paetow and Katie Anderson are very involved with CSOs at SLU, which is great, but we chose Paetow in the end—his charisma and infectious confidence couldn’t help but reassure us that he knew what he was doing, even though some of his platform points are a little vague in our opinion.

Anderson seemed more unsure of herself in the debates as well as in our interview. And although debates are without a doubt nerve-wracking, her overexaggerated response to Paetow’s question made us question how she would handle high pressure situations as a VP. Giving the honest answer would’ve been difficult, to be sure, but would’ve been better than fabricating one to make the situa-

tion sound better than it was.

When pressed further about her plan to decharter some organizations, she couldn’t give us a firm example as to why dechartering organizations would make others stronger, besides the fact that other organizations might absorb their money. At our suggestion that even if only two students were interested in something, they should still be able to pursue it at SLU, she seemed to immediately back paddle, leaving us confused about the whole point.

Paetow’s platform points may not be revolutionary, but they’re doable, and we appreciate that. We suspect CSOs will, too.

Financial Vice President Vote: Tim Janczewski Although we weren’t averse to either candidate in this area, we decided that the fact that Tim Janczewski is in his second year as a member of SGA’s Finance Committee strongly tipped the scales in his favor.

The financial vice president is, for the most part, as Armbrust has said, a fairly straightforward gig: keep the budget in check, abide by ethical finance standards and don’t scare away the CSOs. We suspect both candidates are capable of this, but we are going to rely on Janczewski’s past experience on the Finance Committee that, with

Armbrust

guidance from current Financial Vice President Robert Moehle, has been able to (so far) safely steer its way through a rather turbulent year in terms of finance for SGA. David Armbrust, as president of the Finance Society, could without a doubt pass a finance test. But it seems to us that finance will be different wherever you go depending on that specific organization’s goals, values and wealth (or lack thereof). So what does that really mean when it comes to SGA’s finances? We’re sticking with what we know, and we know that Janczewski knows his stuff.

Janczewski

Academic Vice President Vote: Katie Becherer

Jordan

Becherer

We’ll be frank. Parts of the platforms of both candidates seem unrealistic, overly ambitious and under-researched. Even so, Katie Becherer is our ultimate choice for the position, though this was a heavily debated endorsement. Although we admired Max Jordan’s can-do attitude and imagine that his sheer tenacity alone might make him a viable candidate, his assumption that his 10 platform points (which included huge ticket items like creating locked-in tuition and scholarships that increase with tuition) would be doable in his year-long term is misguided and naïve. Though Becherer’s platform point about specific advising for those changing their major already exists (which suggests a

lack of research), on the whole, her platform seems more realistic. Although we love the idea of an internship database and strengthening the Chinese and Arabic programs, she didn’t seem to have a clear idea of where the necessary money for the language programs would come from. (Believe us—if the language departments had extra money “tucked away,” we would have certificate-level proficiency already.) Instead, we encourage her to take a more moderate approach by advocating to increase the amount of money set aside for language in next fiscal year’s budget, rather than hoping it will appear out of mid-air.

Diversity/Social Justice Vice President Vote: Lorenzo Herman

Herman

Vazquez

Oscar Vazquez had his work cut out for him in running against Lorenzo Herman.

We couldn’t help but be lulled into a sense of trust whenever Herman talked. His calm demeanor and more than a decade’s worth of experience in dealing with issues of social justice, along with his experiences as a Jesuit that he brings to the table, make him ideal for a position of this nature. In addition, the fact that Herman already has a position on the Committee for Diversity and Social Justice provides him with a solid foundation off which to build next year, with both knowledge of the innerworkings of SGA as well as a firm grasp of the con-

text of diversity relations currently at SLU. That’s not to say that Vazquez is the polar opposite of all this—Vazquez is very involved with Campus Ministry and Micah House, and so he has a certain amount of experience to work off of, as well. He seems to have an earnest interest in promoting diversity and social justice.

However, Vazquez’s experience is simply not on the same level as Herman’s, which is why we ultimately chose him to take the reigns in the midst of what is turning into a somewhat tumultuous time for diversity at SLU.

Vice President for International Affairs Vote: Heyun Fan

Fan

Jin

In some ways, Heyun Fan and Adam Jin seem like similar candidates. With overlapping platforms, both seem to be well-meaning, passionate international students who are ready to improve the experience for future generations of international students.

However, a choice must be made, and we leaned in favor of Fan. Although Jin has prior experience on SGA, Fan’s strength at the debates solidified our endorsement. Her question to Jin about what specific accomplishments he had achieved as an international senator left him somewhat tongue-

tied, which could’ve been partly due to nerves, but if there were ever a question to answer fully, that was it.

Her ease and (what appeared to be) comfort at the podium in front of a crowd make us confident that she will be able to hold her own in front of administrators or anyone else whom she may come up against in such a position.

At the same time, we really liked Jin’s idea for a utility dictionary, and encourage Fan to collaborate with him to make such a document come to fruition.

Opinion

Talk to us: call Roberta Singer 314.977.2812, or e-mail oped.unews@gmail.com UNEWSONLINE.COM

5 Thursday February 18, 2010

The University News

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Letters to the editor

SLU community must do as Cornel West and columnist said, and examine privilege Last night I had the opportunity to hear Cornel West speak. As I listened to his words, I kept thinking about Roberta Singer’s commentary “Facing our white privilege” in The University News, which I read earlier in the day. I was struck by the fact that both Dr. West and Singerchallenged each of us to do some serious soul searching.

Rather than defensively identifying the blatant forms of racism that we carefully avoid, perhaps we should own the more subtle ways in which our white privilege influences our thinking and behavior. West stressed the importance of “doing the right thing” rather than opting for the easier or more politically correct thing.

As our University community struggles with emerging “racial issues,” doing the “right thing” challenges us individually and collectively to examine the ways in which our white privilege contributes to those issues. Working for justice in attempting to deal with those issues cannot occur until we understand, own and address our personal contribution.

--James Allen, professor, School of Social Work

Students seem apathetic As our time at [Saint Louis University] draws near its end, we have a lingering question. What is the purpose of this University?

SLU’s Mission Statement aims to promote the “discovery, dissemination and integration of the values, knowledge and skills required to transform society in the spirit of the Gospels.” Sometimes we wonder if, instead of preparing us to fight against such racial injustices as a student recently experienced on campus, a SLU education’s function is to prepare students to get a job, make a buck and donate to SLU after paying off student loans.

One of the most important functions of a university is the public exchange of ideas, not merely job training. As a whole, SLU provides that opportunity.

Forums of exchange include the [Great Issues Committee], the annual disputed question (this year’s question: Is health care a human right?), Atlas Week, academic conferences, events sponsored by [Chartered Student Organizations] and most importantly, the classroom. Despite these opportunities we sense a lurking apathy from students toward intellectual involvement and its role in preparing students to engage the world in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. That is to say an apathy toward engaging “the joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the [women and] men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted,” noting that “these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ.” (Gaudium et Spes) We are thankful for our Jesuit education and we call on the faculty, staff and administration, but most especially students, to engage the intellectual life of the University more fully. Let us realize our privilege at having the opportunity to excel spiritually, intellectually and socially not for our own benefit but for the transformation of the world. The world needs nothing less than our excellence.

----Dan Finucane and Drew Hillier, seniors in the College of Arts & Sciences

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

From The University News’ Charter The University News is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, the Student Press Law Center, the College Media Advisers and the Missouri College Media Association, a division of the Missouri Press Association.

from the website University must do more to encourage campus diversity

Editorials

Diversity has always been an issue at Saint Louis University. When I was a student, there were very few black professors or staff members in positions of power or influence. The problems you see today just confirm what is in the heart of the University. If SLU wants students to value diversity, then it has to do the same.

Faculty and staff should represent the diversity that SLU wants to represent in its student body. If there is an imbalance in hiring practices, it speaks to the soul of the University. SLU needs to act as a role model for what it wants to see in its student body.

It seems to me that Father Biondi and others are sending a clear message that they are not concerned about diversity. Their actions, or lack theirof, speak much louder than their words.

Not much has changed at SLU since I left, this is simply terrible and Biondi has to bear the blame and shame. It all starts at the top.

Rachel Mezinis/Illustrator

Editorials are opinion pieces written by the Editorial Board of The University News.

The unsigned 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.

SGA candidates need lesson in Platonism Dear Future Candidates:

SGA

Executive

Board

Several thousand millennia ago during the time the Greeks were having their own Senate meetings, Plato famously requested that each and every person “know thyself.”

We recommend the same. Know thyself and know what you are talking about, and know what is possible to get accomplished in your tenure as members of the executive board.

Although some platform points of some candidates in this year’s election certainly did show forethought and research, others were lacking, to say the least.

Too many times when running for office, candidates propose grandiose agendas that sound good but are impractical. Their hearts are in the right place; these students are clearly looking for areas of the University that fall short in their minds, and campaigning on how they want it to be fixed. But it’s not that simple.

Research is your friend. Sometimes, it would take a mere phone call to the right person to discover if there would even be enough money set aside in a budget for something you want, or whether there were be zoning issues with any developments, or whether a similar project was already underway. In other cases, with more involved, big-picture ideas, discussions with multiple people may be necessary.

Know thyself. Know what you are doing, and what can’t be done. Student government should aim at change. Agency should be given to students, and we should absolutely be able to have a serious impact on the University. But these things take time. The larger, more idealistic goals like increased shared governance between the administration and the student body, or locked-in tuition rates, should be part of a larger mission statement, something for

which to lay groundwork for future generations, not distinct platform points for a one-year tenure.

Are we cynical? Perhaps, but we prefer realistic; as such, we believe the practical goals of officers should be less out-of-this-world ambitious. We like the idea of creating an internship database and publishing a handbook for international students. Things like this could, with hard work and dedication, actually transpire during the course of a year.

We would be delighted to see a list of accomplishable ideas, ones for which ample research has already been done, and for which there is a clear path laid out for reaching that goal with thought-out responses to variables that may present themselves. Can every single detail be planned out this far in advance? Of course not.

But if we ask you a question about how you’re planning to enforce your new policies, you should be able to tell us. If we ask you whether Housing and Residence Life has said it would legitimately be able to implement your plans to switch up housing policies, you should be able to say yes. If you can’t say yes, you shouldn’t be running on that platform point.

The problem is, a candidate’s platform is a promise to students. Students aren’t voting for a candidate because they hope he or she will eventually get around to looking into something. They vote because they’re expecting that that candidate can actually make that platform point happen. Don’t make promises you don’t know you can keep.

You want to put countless hours into representing us as a student body to administrators?

Great. But you have to think beyond the simplicity of “Wouldn’t it be great if…”

Know thyself. Know thy university. Know thy limits. It would make executive board careers much more focused, and more productive, too.

--Chuck

Bipartisanship to be sought after in U.S. politics In the previous commentary “Partisan Politics are Painful,” the author’s pleas for bipartisanship are as well-intentioned as they are misguided. The Republicans didn’t look for bipartisanship when they passed the massive tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 or when they passed Medicare Part D. They just forced it through.

Democrats should be doing the same thing right now. True bipartisanship only exists in the naming of post offices or in recognizing last year’s Division II women’s hockey championship team.

Democrats won the last two election cycles, and as such they should be passing what they promised us they would pass.

The major Congressional successes of the past few decades have all come about because one party controlled things and passed what they promised us they would pass.

Bipartisanship is just a nice way of saying “can’t we all just get along?”

--J.C.

Web Poll: Posted below are the results from the last issue’s web poll on The University News’ website. Be sure to check our website this week for our next exciting poll: What exotic restaurant should take Iggy’s place? www.unewsonline.com

Who would you like to see replace Cupid as the official sponsor of Valentine’s Day?

Students must take responsibility for own college careers and stop blaming advisers It’s unfortunate that our college advisers Sure, they’re human, and the departments aren’t provided with sorting hats that will put themselves are stressed. We complain that our us neatly into our various colleges and tell us advisors don’t know our particular needs, that the majors and classes for which we are best they overlooked some classes we needed, that suited. That would make registering for classes all they did in our meeting was scroll through a lot easier. It would cut to the chase, avoid the Banner and hand us a slip of paper with a sighassle of running around to the offices of our nature on it. faculty mentors and having them sign off on However, it is impossible to expect them to sheets so we could finally obtain the holy grail, know everything when many advisers have our pin numbers. only been in their current positions for a year It’s unfortunate that or more. The turnover we are not at Hogwarts, is incredibly high; pay but that’s life. We have is low, and they haven’t to make decisions about raises for one If we miss our deadlines received classes and majors for year, going on two, ourselves, and have to according to advising or if we wait until the last take responsibility for staff. This isn’t the stuminute to register, the our own careers; it is dents’ fault, but it is a necessary to keep this factor, and another reafault is our own. in mind, because the son why students need vociferousness with to be proactive themwhich students comselves in planning out plain about the advising necessary classes. department is unwarranted.

We want our advisers to know everything, to Our advisers are not our parents. They send have years of experience dealing with students out more than enough emails to remind us to and to be able to offer up seamless advice, but see them in order to register on time; they have this is impossible when the University treats clear guidelines on the types of classes each col- the advising position so poorly. lege requires. If we miss our deadlines, if we are We have an imperfect advising system. too busy watching “Lost” to fill out some forms, It is unfortunate, but it is what it is. There if we wait until the last minute to register, the is no magical sorting hat. Until we get our fault is our own.

Hogwarts letters, we’re just going to have to Do advisers make mistakes sometimes? be adults and deal with it.

“

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12 percent: The Hallmark CEO, to provide us with endless greeting cards.

23 percent: Father Biondi

33 percent: A puppy, because pup30 percent: Father Biondi strollpies are more fun than love. ing around campus (oh, my!)

”

editor-in-chief KAT PATKE eic.unews@gmail.com News Editors KELLEY DUNN Jonathan Ernst Assoc. News Editors Sean Worley Kristen Miano slunews@gmail.com op/ed editor ROBERTA SINGER oped.unews@gmail.com

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3333percent: Roman percent:Bacchus, Six morethe weeks of god ofarguing wine, because we allcare know what about health we’ll be doing.

0

5

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15

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25

percent of the vote

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The Editorial Board of The University News recognizes Avis Meyer, Ph.D., as the newspaper’s faculty mentor.

6

Opinion

The University News

France has a tradition of civic protests Revolution gripped France more than 200 years ago, when ordinary citizens overthrew the monarchy to instate a society in which a Commentary person’s status was determined by work ethic instead of birth.

Since then, this philosophy of protesting inequality and unfairness has become an integral part Sara Brouillette of French society. Whether in the form of a strike (“grève”) or a protest (“manifestation”), political action is encouraged here in a way that we don’t experience often in the United States.

The last strike that really affected Americans was the Writer’s Guild of America strike in late 2007 and early 2008. Remember, when we all had to watch reruns for a few months? In fact, most major workplaces in the United States place bans on striking; employees could lose their jobs if they attempt to strike. In France, however, the constitution has guaranteed any worker with a salary the right to strike since 1946.

“

[In schools], students blocked the university so that classes could not be held and tagged buildings with graffiti.

”

President Nicolas Sarkozy has made an effort to place certain restrictions and minimum work requirements for strikers, but these have mostly been ignored. The industry that is notorious for going on strike often in France is transportation. Since I arrived in Lyon, France, there have been two major transportation strikes: one that lasted nearly a month, and another that was much shorter, but which occurred during the “Fête des Lumières,” Lyon’s busiest time for tourism.

In general, the strikes are inconvenient, but not totally crippling to the city. Public transportation may stop completely for a day or two, but the buses, metro and tramway usually start working again quickly, even if their service is slightly limited.

Schools, especially universities, in France are also often affected by strikes. This time last year, at least two major universities in Lyon were on strike, a movement led by both professors and students protesting new government reforms of the university system. Students blocked the university so that classes could not be held and tagged buildings with revolutionary graffiti.

When I arrived in the fall, a lot of the graffiti was still there. Some hallways were spray painted with anarchy signs, “The insurrection is coming!” was scrawled in permanent marker on a bathroom stall door, and “death at the capitol” was painted in big bold letters outside the cafeteria.

Last week, similar messages were spray painted again all over campus.

The graffiti was not the result of a strike, but, according to one of my professors, in response to the expulsion of a student. It is clear that when a group of students sees injustice in the system, they make their grievances known.

When I saw the new graffiti, I thought to myself that this is something that I would never see at any of the American colleges I knew. When students at Saint Louis University are unhappy with the University, they work within the system to try to make it better. But in France, strikes and protests are often viewed as the most effective way to make change happen quickly.

Sara Brouillette is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences studying in Lyon, France.

Rachel Mezinis/Illustrator

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Country meets city in backyards of urban farmers The book about the countr y mouse and the city mouse pretty much solidified in our undeveloped first-grade minds the idea Commentary that the two spheres were separate. The city mouse eats gourmet food bought from corner markets while the country mouse lives on a farm and Roberta Singer enjoys raw milk cheese and fresh turnips. The city mouse spends his city time in art museums and theaters and discothèques (maybe not), while the countr y mouse watches the sun set over his raspberry patches.

I think it’s an illusion that the two are so exclusive. Concrete doesn’t stop the farmers. They aren’t deterred by zoning laws.

They will erect chicken coups in their garages and stock raise beds full of tomatoes and chard. No matter the parcel of land, people seem to figure out ways to grow food the way they have been doing for 10,000 years.

In “Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer,” Novella Carpenter describes the setup she and her husband made in the lawless streets of downtown Oakland.

With a view of the Bay Bridge from their back porch, the two created a veritable Eden in the middle of all the urbania. They had bees on their balcony. They housed goslings in their living room, which they would grow to adult size and slaughter for Thanksgiving. They kept an epic garden, which people from around the neighborhood could poke into if they wanted a carrot or some basil.

As pessimistic as we can be about city life, as much as we might see it as uncompromisingly industrial, in reality, cities seem to teem with life and plant growth. It’s like we could never escape them, really, those rural roots we all possess. I remember growing tomatoes in our kitchen in South St. Louis when I was a child. Things will always find a way to grow, and the line between country life and city life is blurring more and more as we become environmental- and culinary-conscious people.

This does go against our Western definition of a city as a place that is free from the burden of growing food, the place that people go when they have broken from that sorry life of being a slave to the seasons.

The place that is the epicenter of

Rachel Mezinis/Illustrator

leisure, the epitome of the creative human once they have been liberated from pure sustenance. A place of culture and politics. A place away from the savagery of farm animals.

I suppose it is justifiable: Farming is hard. But we’ve traveled so far in the opposite direction that it is almost impossible for some people to imagine grass and soil outside of a stroll through the Botanical Gardens. It might have been okay in ancient Sumer, when people first started living in colonies of commerce but where the rural aspect was still near enough that people didn’t become disconnected from it. Now, however, children grow up not knowing where their carrots come from, and have to be reeducated in basic earthly concepts with school gardens and textbooks.

Ancient agriculturists are cringing in their graves.

That’s why I’m so excited that farm life is invading the city once

again (if it ever really left). The Scientific American recently featured articles on giant skyscraper greenhouses in the center of Manhattan. Instead of spreading fields horizontally, they build up: Each floor holds gardens that produce for markets and grocery stores around the city.

And community gardens have long been a staple of city life. From the early 1900s to now, American society has promoted food growth as a part of patriotism and as a way to increase food security. Potato patches were popular during a minor depression in the beginning of the 20th century and later during the Great Depression; Liberty and Victory gardens prevailed during the world wars as a way to supplement resources, when so much was going to the troops abroad. During any kind of strife (such as our own economic fallout), people have fallen back on gardening because

they realize the inherent worth of being able to be self-sufficient and provide for themselves when the industrial infrastructure fails. It seems like that’s something intrinsic to being human, or any kind of a creature, for that matter.

I want to see great urban oases of foodstuffs. I want to see gardens growing next to skyscrapers, and trees planted on street corners, and office buildings with “green floors” dedicated solely to vegetables. I want to see apple trees on Morganford and a chicken coup in Tower Grove. I want the farm to meet the city completely, to merge until it is some industrial/rural hybrid.

For now, though, I’ll settle for backyard gardens and windowsill tomatoes. So long as we’re going in the right direction.

Roberta Singer is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Columnist surveys coming year

Kathleen Lochhead/Illustrator

Yoga and Hail Marys help bring balance to college life In our ever yday lives we forget to stop, to look around, to listen.

We get caught up in routine and out of touch with ourselves, with our bodies and with our minds.

I was thinking about all of Commentary this today in a yoga class.

Yoga is like life.

You have to be strong, you have to be focused and you have to balance. You must fix your eyes on a point Dorotea Lechkova in the room, clear your mind and balance. If you get distracted, if you forget what you are doing, if a random thought crosses your mind just for a second, you lose stability.

In life you have to have a purpose, a purpose that will drive you to be a better person, that will challenge you, that will help you keep your balance.

I believe in hope. I do. I believe in miracles, and in crazy coincidences. Maybe I even believe in fate. Our job is to keep a balance; whatever needs to happen, will.

I spent last Easter in Spain watching the magnificent processions.

It was then that I bought a little image of Mar y with a prayer on the back. The prayer read: “Dios te salve Maria, llena de gracia…” It is

the Spanish version of our English prayer, “Hail Mar y, full of grace.”

Maybe it was the Easter atmosphere, but there was something about that Mar y. I felt close to her. I put her in my planner, in my purse and, busy with the errands and tasks of the next week, I forgot about her.

A few weeks later, I was stressed, frustrated, tired and I accidentally dropped my planner on the floor of my room while I was tr ying to get my countless looseleaf assignments together. Ever ything scattered. And then I saw her, Mar y, among all the papers.

I looked at her a bit perplexed, tr ying to remember where she came from. Then I read the prayer on the back and said, “Please, Mar y, help me get all of my work done.” It sounds almost silly now, such a miniscule problem. After that, I began asking her for help for little things ever y once in a while.

Of course, when they worked out I would say, “Thank you! Thank you, Mar y, for helping.”

What I’m tr ying to say is that she helped me find my balance, at least with all the little things. It is important to find a purpose in life and it is also important to find something that will help you keep your balance for the times when things become difficult.

Dorotea Lechkova is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Today is my 22nd birthday, and most people reading this don’t care all that much. Whether because someone more important is also Commentary celebrating their birthday today (such as Justin Timberlake or actress Minnie Driver), or because in the great Saint Louis University scheme of Allison Reilly things I’m relatively unknown, there’s still much more in these 24 hours that merit celebration over the birth of Justin, Minnie and myself.

With birth comes baby steps, and I start by celebrating the baby steps that have happened right here on campus: the Wellness Fee and the Flats at 374.

As quoted in The University News, First Year Senator Chris Ackels made an excellent point about the priorities of the University in terms of student health and wellness.

If these programs weren’t funded adequately in the first place, what does that say as to how much SLU cares about them?

Despite the skepticism of SLU’s prioritization, not supporting this fee would have proven much more disastrous. The result would have been cutbacks to these very necessary programs. Though in these tough economic times no one likes the idea of paying more money, this money is needed to keep Simon Recreation Center and the Student Health and Counseling Center operating.

In the long term, it is much better to have a solution and a plan to keep what’s currently in place and to improve upon rather than to cut or to eliminate altogether. Though

“

it’s easy for me to say that I approve of this fee because I’m graduating in May and won’t have to pay, the money does go to a cause.

As for the Flats at 374, I don’t see these additional 290 beds as a long-term solution to the housing situation at SLU. First of all, the Flats are reserved for juniors and seniors, when in the past few years most of those stuck on the waiting list for housing have been upcoming sophomores. These students cannot take advantage of this new housing. Second, the inability to apply the housing scholarship, I think, is going to be a big turnoff for students.

I understand that since SLU doesn’t own the building, the scholarship cannot apply, but this inability rubs salt on the wound that tuition is increasing and that SLU is getting harder to afford with each tuition increase. Nonetheless, the Flats are better than nothing at all and do buy time for SLU to come up with a longterm solution.

Since I’ve stepped into a loop of looking into the future, I do celebrate the release of OneWorld, the social justice magazine on campus.

After funding troubles last semester, delaying the release of the fall issue, the magazine finally released its newest issue on Feb. 15. And because of this delay, the magazine will have two releases this semester: the February release and an April 22 Earth Day release. I wish I could say more about the contents, but like a birthday surprise, I don’t want to spoil the fun.

Nor do I wish to spoil the rest of my birthday going on and on about various wonderful things in this world. That’s what homework and the prospect of Mondays are for.

As for the Flats at 374, I don’t see these additional 290 beds as a long term solution to the housing situation.

”

Allison Reilly is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Talk to us: call Michael Breheny 314.977.2813, or e-mail ads.unews@gmail.com UNEWSONLINE.COM

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The University News

U Theatre plans newest production

By CARLY DOENGES Staff Writer

Noah Berman/Associate Photo Editor

The cast of Anything Goes performs warm up exercises during a rehearsal for the musical opening this weekend. Putting on a production takes a lot of work behind the scenes, including weeks of rehearsal for the cast in preparation for the show.

This Friday, Feb. 19, Saint Louis University Theatre will be bringing the magic of an era long past to the stage in Xavier Hall. For its third production of the 2009-2010 season, the theatre will be putting on Cole Porter’s most well known musical, Anything Goes. Audiences will be treated to a finely tuned and polished performance of music, dancing and the over-the-top antics of the passengers traveling on a ship from New York to London.

While those in attendance at any of the five performances of Anything Goes will be able to appreciate the finished product of the play and the talent of the actors, most will likely be unaware of just how much work has been put into the production. From the first concept meeting to the

final performance, no detail is overlooked when putting on a play at The University Theatre.

Before anything else, The University Theatre must first obtain the rights to any play it wishes to put on during the year. This in itself is not always an easy task.

“There are two or three companies who handle the rights … They control who does the show and how it gets to be done,” John Lamb, publicity and box office coordinator, said.

Generally, the theatre has no trouble getting the rights to its desired play, as long as it performs the play as written. Otherwise, the company can choose to deny the rights or make the theatre change the performance even after rehearsals have begun.

See “Drama” on Page 9

Energetic spirit redeems a sometimes uneven musical Oh … ‘Honey, Honey.’

Mamma Mia!, the jukebox musical featuring the music of 1970s Swedish pop group ABBA that Arts Editor went on to become a worldwide s e n s a tion after opening in the fall of 2001— where it remains to WILL HOLSTON this day— and even spawned a 2008 movie adaptation starring Meryl Streep, is playing at The Fabulous Fox Theatre until Feb. 21. Featuring a cast of spirited if vocally mixed performers and maybe a bit too workman-like, an energy perhaps stemming from frequent repetition of the road in parts, the show is nevertheless a cotton candy-like confection. It may not be that filling and you might not want to admit how much you enjoyed it, but it sure tastes good in the moment.

The story, for those still unfamiliar with the plot of what has essentially become a phenomenon, follows 20-year-old Sophie Sheridan and the events unfolding around her wedding on the Greek island where she lives with her mother, Donna. She has never met her father and, after going through her mother’s diar y, discovers three men who might possibly fit the bill. After the men

Ryan Giacomino/Photo Editor

The SLU Monologues, held in Tegeler Auditorium, drew a large number of students and faculty interested in hearing about many topics including sexual assault and sex education.

SLU can handle the truth

By ALLISON REILLY Staff Writer Carol Rosegg

Michelle Dawson is starring as Donna Sheridan in the current touring production of the hit musical, Mamma Mia! arrive on the island for the wedding, thinking Donna has sent them all invitations, the musical unfolds.

Secrets will be revealed!

Love will be professed! Neon jumpsuits will be donned!

See “Mamma” on Page 9

Real students. Real stories.

Real good show.

On Feb. 10 and 12, Una sponsored The SLU Monologues, a collection of stories from students, faculty, staff and alumni. The topics of the monologues included abuse, abortion, homosexuality, female oppression and

relationships of all sorts.

“Not ever y perspective was one I agreed with,” sophomore Anne Crabtree said.

“But I thought everyone did a stellar job.”

The SLU Monologues, performed by a collection of students and faculty, covered topics that gave some students a new perspective on certain issues.

“Such topics should be

talked about,” freshman Adam Noel said. “I liked the feminist pieces, even though I’m not much of a feminist.”

Both Noel and Crabtree said that “Apples” was one of their favorite monologues.

Written by senior Emily Bland and performed by freshman Carrie Scherr, “Apples” See “Monologues” on Page 9

New horror throwback film’s bark is a whole lot worse than its bite Based on the 1944 classic monster movie of the same name, director Joe Johnston (Jumanji) delivers a new take on Chief Film Writer the lycant h r o p e legend with The Wo l f m a n (Universal Pictures).

Featuring an impressive cast of LANDON BURRIS Bencio Del Toro (Sin City), Emily Blunt (The Young Victoria), Hugo Weaving (V for Vendetta) and the living legend Sir Anthony Hopkins (Hannibal), along with a score

by Danny Elfman and a budget of around $150 million, the film initially had great expectations.

After multiple delays left the film on the shelf for more than a year and a half (during which it was re-cut and

rescored several times), The Wolfman was finally dumped into the President’s Day weekend frame. Some, this reviewer included, held on to some semblance of a hope that the finished product would be halfway decent, and, perhaps, result in the production of more quality horror films featuring movie monsters instead of the supernatural and slasher horror that currently dominates the market.

This hope, unfortunately, was in vain.

The Wolfman takes place in Victorian-era England in a small town where many mysterious deaths have occurred over the past few years. The deaths always have two things in common: they are exceedingly brutal and always occur during a full moon. When Ben Talbot is the victim of one of these killings, his fiancée Gwen Conliffe (Blunt) sends a letter to his brother Lawrence (Del Toro), urging

him to come back for the funeral.

Lawrence Talbot is a notable Shakespearean actor who has long since moved from rural England to America to escape his family roots, but his brother’s death causes him to reluctantly return to his place of birth. When he returns to the Talbot estate, he is reunited with his estranged father, Sir John Talbot (Hopkins).

Though the local villagers have their superstitions and theories, no one is certain who, or what, has caused the string of deaths. Gwen urges Lawrence to find out who killed Ben for her sake, and when Lawrence visits a gypsy camp outside of town he runs into the guilty party, a werewolf who subsequently attacks Lawrence, putting him under its curse.

Under the werewolf’s curse, Lawrence strives to find out who the original werewolf responsible for the killings is.

Universal

Emily Blunt stars as Benicio Del Toro’s sister-in-law who urges him to return home after the murder of his brother under suspicious circumstances in the new movie, The Wolfman.

He also tries to control himself while avoiding the watchful eye of Abberline (Weaving), an inspector from Scotland Yard who is suspicious of Lawrence. Meanwhile, Gwen

grows closer to Lawrence and searches for a cure to Lawrence’s “condition.”

The Wolfman is uneven, poorly paced, full of plot holes and rarely makes sense. The

film seems like it was intended to be epic in scale, but comes in at a running time See “Wolf” on Page 10

Arts

Thursday, February 18, 2010

The University News

9

Drama: University Theatre puts it together Continued from Page 8

One of the main issues in obtaining the rights is making sure that the time the theatre plans on doing the production doesn’t interfere with any other theaters putting on the same play.

“Plays go to the biggest theaters first … so you have to make sure productions don’t overlap,” Lamb said.

Once it has been determined that scheduling for the production doesn’t conflict, The University Theatre is able to begin moving forward with the rest of the preparation for the play’s opening.

Once the theatre has the rights to the play, concept meetings start taking place.

These meetings are comprised of all the people who will be involved with the play’s production. The director discusses his or her vision for the play with the stage manager and those who will be in charge of lighting, set design and costumes, in order to nail down every detail of the production process. These meetings take place “three to six months in advance of the show, but for our final production of the year that concept meeting could even be a year

before the show,” Lamb said.

After the meeting, each of those involved must then come up with proposals to fit what the director is looking for. Then, it’s time to get the students in on the process.

While the word ‘students’ may evoke images of those performing in the play, students behind the scenes also play an involved role in aspects of the production.

“The model we use for having a university theater is that everyone … should work on everything,” Lamb said. “Some are in the cast, some in the shop, some in costume design, some in publicity. When the next show rolls around, students rotate positions.”

Although having varying duties in the performance, all those involved are committed to a strict rehearsal schedule that starts four to five weeks prior to opening night.

The cast rehearses six days a week, for four hours a day, with the stage manager writing down every detail of how the performance is put on—where the actors stand, when they move, lighting cues, everything. Those students helping with lighting, set building and costume design expend just as much

energy on their own jobs. The lighting design is adjusted up until the first performance, so those involved with that aspect are in the theater for every rehearsal, as are those building the set. Meanwhile, back in the costume shop, the costume designer and his assistants, students that “either have work-study positions or are taking set design classes that include costume building,” Lamb said, are at work measuring, cutting and sewing the outfits that will be worn during the performance.

This past weekend, the production process entered tech weekend. Tech weekend occurs the weekend before the performance’s opening, and is essentially crunch time for the cast and crew.

Saturday generally consists of ‘Ten of Twelves,’ where all are called in for a 12-hour rehearsal.

“They’ll act for 10 of those hours … and act from cueto-cue,” Lamb said. “It’s very technically oriented.”

The next day, the cast and crew is called in for ‘Six of Eights,’ at which time they’ll “fix any problems found during the run the night before, add in costumes and have the first formal run of the show,”

Noah Berman/Associate Photo Editor

The microphones in Anything Goes are placed on the cast member’s heads and hidden from the view of the audience. Here, a microphone is situated during a rehearsal of the show.

Lamb said.

Rehearsals continue through the week, finally culminating in the long-awaited opening night.

With Anything Goes, things have run according to plan, despite dealing with a few extra aspects.

“Doing a musical is a little different,” Lamb said. “Aside from the stage director, you also have to have a musical director … and hire an

orchestra.”

This particular production also has a larger cast than many of The University Theatre’s other productions, and consists of both theater and non-theater majors.

When an audience goes to see Anything Goes, Lamb expects audiences to be blown away by the performances of those onstage. But when the curtain call rolls around, don’t forget about all the work that

went into the play offstage to make the performance possible.

Anything Goes opens at The University Theatre on Friday, Feb. 19, with performances on Feb. 20, 26, 27 and 28.

Tickets can be purchased at the box office in Xavier Hall.

For more information about Saint Louis University Theatre, visit the department’s official website at www.slu.edu/theatre.

Monologues: Event draws crowds of students, faculty

Mamma: ABBA arrives Continued from Page 8

Continued from Page 8

In the role of Donna, Michelle Dawson is full of energy, but at least at Tuesday’s performance, was frequently overpowered by the orchestration. It’s clear that she has a good voice, but one has to wonder if it’s a voice perfectly suited for this kind of musical. Though she has more success with the more emotional songs, Dawson’s voice tends to get lost in most of the musical numbers, overshadowed by the orchestra and other performers. Nevertheless, she looks to be having a good time and, in this particular show, that makes all the difference.

Liana Hunt is bubbly and sweet in the role of Sophie and the secondary cast— including Matthew Ashford, John Sanders and Vincent Corazza—are all infectiously energetic, but the best in show honors probably belong to actresses Kittra Wynn Coomer and Rachel Tyler as Donna’s friends and former singing partners, Tanya and Rosie. Both have a distinct comic flair that they bring to their roles, and they play extremely well off of one another. Tyler’s show-stopping number “Does Your Mother Know” is probably the highlight of the show.

In short, the story may not be Shakespeare and the voices might not all be at their peak, but Mamma Mia! is the type of show in which most of this barely matters.

Audiences, by and large, will have a good time as long as they leave their inner-Grinch at home and give themselves over to the flashing lights, infectious charm and musical fluffiness that make the musical the crowd pleaser that it is.

Oh … and if I may, just a quick note to any parents out there: I know you’re always on the lookout for some semi-

challenged abstinence-only education and Scherr’s use of props made her performance one of the most memorable of the night.

Like any great speech from a great speaker, the mistakes didn’t detract from the overall message and impact. The use of the cue cards was a distraction in some performances.

Some performers could have been louder. The transitions between monologues could have been smoother, as some started during the rustle of programs, making them hard to hear at the onset.

Nonetheless, the show went on for three and a half hours to an almost full house,

Carol Rosegg

The show ends with a large dance number/curtain call. cultural experience to bring your kids to. I get it. After hours of “Dora the Explorer” or whatever it is kids watch these days, it must be refreshing to get out of the house and sit in a theater full of grownups. You’ve seen the commercials, and you think all the flashing neon lights and day glow outfits should keep your kid interested for at least a couple of hours.

But unless you want your five year old to see a 20-something actress mime fellatio on a middle aged man during the middle of a song implic-

itly about a group of women’s active libido, I recommend leaving the little tykes at home with a babysitter. I’m sure the kid sitting behind me with his father might have been a little confused.

For more information about Mamma Mia! in all its current incarnations, including the national tour, visit www.mamma-mia.com.

For more information about The Fox Theatre and its current season, visit www. fabulousfox.com. The Fox is located at 527 N. Grand in The Grand Center Arts District.

with few walkouts. Despite the fact that the audience was told that this was a two and a half hour show, people stayed to listen, and people stayed to discuss the issues presented afterward.

TC Parsons, a SLU alumnus, performed the monologue “Holding Hands,” and said that he was “honored to perform,” and that some of the cast was “hassled at their dorms.”

“But that’s what happens when you speak the truth,” he said.

These monologues were real and made real by each and every performer. The performers spoke the truth, and they, along with Una, should be commended for presenting the truth in this public,

Ryan Giacomino/Photo Editor

Claire Malloy performs as part of a monologue during the show last Friday night. civilized and artistic forum.

At the performance, it was announced that the planners intend to do this again next year. Here’s hoping. It would be a shame if they didn’t.

At long last, after years of false starts, frustrations, tears and hissy fits ...

It’s stil coming.

Will you be ready?

Want to know what “it” is?

We’re still not telling.

Find out more in next week’s issue of The University News.

10

Arts

The University News

Thursday, February 18, 2010

TOMS Shoes brings SLU style for a good cause

By ASHLEY JONES Associate Arts Editor

Want to style your sole?

Saint Louis University’s TOMS shoes club will give students an opportunity to do just that in the upcoming months.

On Feb. 24, students will be able to stop by the Bush Student Center to order their

own pair of TOMS. The club will be there from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Then, during the week of March 22-26, students will be able to have their shoes painted by tattoo or student artists in the quad. The actual day of the event will be announced later.

The club will also be bringing the TOMS One Day

Without Shoes event to campus on April 8. This national TOMS event encourages people to go barefoot for a day, or even for part of a day, in order to experience what a life without shoes is like.

“If the SLU community can try to go for even one hour without shoes, that would be great,” club member Ellen Hutchins said. “It is celebrat-

Universal

Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt and Anthony Hopkins star in the horror film, The Wolfman.

The film has been plagued by numerous production problems since it began shooting.

Wolf: New horror movie is a furry wreck Continued from Page 8

of a mere 102 minutes. There are several points in the film where it seems obvious that scenes were cut or heavily edited, and the story jumps around, trying to fit as much action and story as it can with its runtime.

Even if the film were not cut to pieces, one cannot help but wonder if it would’ve been any better. The film’s dialogue is often cheesy and awkward.

The score, which has remnants of Danny Elfman’s original score (Elfman’s score was thrown out for a score

by Paul Haslinger, which was also scrapped), feels out of place on multiple occasions and fails to create suspense.

Many of the films effects are impressive, including some gory wolfman kills and transformation sequences, but, at other times, the CGI is obvious and takes away from the scene (especially keep an eye out for a CGI bear!).

As for the acting performances, it seems that most of the cast is going through the motions.

Del Toro, who often delivers fantastic performances, seems to be doing what he can with the material, but he does not elevate it by any means. Blunt’s turn is wooden and feels inauthentic; she seems to be in the film merely as eye candy.

Only Weaving brings any conviction to his role. His efforts to make the movie

something more than what it is are apparent, and he should be applauded for this.

Special mention should be made of Hopkins, once one of Hollywood’s premier actors.

Hopkins has given truly wonderful performances in films such as The Silence of the Lambs, Titus and Amistad; here, however, Hopkins gives what may be the worst effort of his career. He is hammy and over-the-top, and sleepwalks through his role.

One must wonder how much he was paid to throw out his integrity.

The Wolfman, like the Twilight and Underworld films before it, does nothing to make the prospects of more werewolf films even remotely attractive.

The University News

Are you a student moonlighting as a musician in the area?

We want to hear from you.

The Arts Section is currently looking for Saint Louis University students performing in the area for an upcoming article. Free publicity!

arts.unews@gmail.com

ing spreading the ‘One for One’ movement.”

At the end of the day, there will be a one-mile barefoot walk and music at Salsarita’s.

Hutchins said that the professors would be informed of the event so students don’t have to worry about getting in trouble for being barefoot.

“It is another opportunity for people who can’t com-

mit to Micah [House] to get involved,” Hutchins said.

The club, which began last semester, previously teamed up with pop band Hanson to host the one-mile walk on campus.

TOMS shoes was started in 2006 by American traveler Blake Mycoskie. While in Argentina, he found that children had no shoes to pro-

tect their feet. This experience spurred the creation of the company, which matches every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of shoes to be given to a child in need. This is the “One for One” movement of the company.

For more information about TOMS shoes or to get involved with the club, go to www.tomsshoes.com.

Sports

Talk to us: call Bobby Schindler 314.977.2812, or e-mail sports.unews@gmail.com UNEWSONLINE.COM

11 Thursday February 18, 2010

The University News

Billikens earn fifth straight in A-10 Majerus

Ryan Giacomino/Photo Editor

Sophomore Kwamain Mitchell (left) celebrates with freshman Cody Ellis after the Billikens victory over Dayton University on Feb. 13. The win was the fourth of five straight Atlantic 10 Conference victories for the team.

SLU defeats Rhode Island 62-57 at Chaifetz Arena

By DERRICK NEUNER Senior Staff Writer

Rick Majerus and his Saint Louis University Billikens are sending a loud message to the Atlantic 10 Conference and the world of NCAA Men’s Basketball: hear us roar. The squad has won five straight confer-

ence matches to advance to 17-8, 8-3 in A-10 play, bolstering their hopes for a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

On Wed. Feb. 17, SLU took down a struggling Rhode Island 62-57 in front of 7,257 raucous fans. The victory comes on the heels of a dramatic and emotional 68-65 doubleovertime downing of the Dayton Flyers on Sat., Feb. 13, at Chaifetz

Arena, where they are 14-1 this season. The Billikens are on their longest winning streak since 2002-03, when SLU took eight in a row.

“I don’t think we want to cultivate [coming from behind] as an ability ... it was a nice win,” Majerus said.

“The guys showed the heart of a race horse tonight. I want them to celebrate the moment. I want them

The double-overtime thriller against Dayton University has given the Billikens a lot of exposure lately.

Add that to the big win over Rhode Island last night and you have a pretty hyped-up team. Three sepCommentary arate St. Louis Post-Dispatch writers have all written about the upstart Bills this week. Basketball analysts across countr y, from ESPN’s Andy Katz, the Bobby Schindler Sporting News’ Ryan Fagan and even the outspoken Dick Vitale have all brought up Saint Louis University’s outside chance of dancing in the NCAA tournament this March.

For this simple feat alone, SLU deserves to be commended. The Billikens record now sits at 17-8 (8-3). This is the youngest team in Division I basketball, a team that won’t suit up a single junior or senior this season, a team that had to play its first 14 games without its best offensive threat; and yet, here we are in mid-February talking about the Billikens being on the bubble.

A lot is being said about RPI, the tough remaining schedule, the strength of the Atlantic 10 and a handful of other résumé-building factors for SLU; but I feel a very important factor is being overlooked when it comes to building a case for SLU. Rick Majerus is this factor.

I’m not talking about Majerus’ great basketball mind or his uncanny ability to teach the game, although those certainly have helped this team. I am talking about Majerus himself. SLU’s head coach could be a huge contributing factor on selection Sunday.

Majerus’ reputation and record speak for themselves. The man is a proven winner. Every program he has been at has won. If SLU can stay relevant in the NCAA bubble conversation, and that is a big if, Majerus could swing the votes SLU’s way. If the selection committee is choosing between the Bills and another mid-major team like Wichita State or Tulsa University, having Majerus is certainly not going to hurt their chances.

While I’m sure the members of the selection committee are all objective, fair and honest people; they are still people. Majerus is a proven commodity, and if he has a

See “Basketball” on Page 12

See “Majerus” on Page 12

McCloud trades jump serves for jump shots

Ryan Giacomino/Photo Editor

Sammi McCloud, Atlantic 10 Volleyball Player of the Year, will suit up for women’s basketball coach Shimmy Gray-Miller.

By DERRICK NEUNER Senior Staff Writer

Head coach Shimmy Gray-Miller has a familiar face in an unfamiliar position on her basketball team.

All-American and Atlantic 10

Volleyball Player of the Year Sammi McCloud has joined her squad as a walk-on.

McCloud’s path to Division I basketball stems from GrayMiller’s need for bodies and spirit on a struggling Billikens squad. After McCloud’s vol-

leyball season finished in early December, Gray-Miller worked to recruit the star to walk onto her squad.

McCloud resisted at first, but slowly began to entertain the idea.

“We chased her down,” Gray-Miller said. “We went back and forth through some players, but she kept saying no. But then, a few days ago, Sammi texted [assistant volleyball coach Kyle Walton] and said, ‘I had 18 points on my intramural basketball team!’ So I asked him to text her back and invite her to practice with us.

“So he did, and she showed up for practice. We were just going to put her on the practice squad, but we were really trying her out. She thought we were just letting her get her basketball fix. She was great. I knew we needed her.

I told her, ‘We only have four games left and you can help us win.’ And I’m happy she’s with us; she’s definitely worth [the chance].”

McCloud recalls thinking that the coach was playing a practical joke on her.

“I had always thought that she was joking, but then after she kept asking, I realized she wasn’t,” McCloud said.

“It has always been a dream of mine to play D-I basketball.

All my volleyball was out of the way and I have nothing coming up that would get in the way of being fully invested in the team, so I went for it.”

It’s a rarity in NCAA Division I athletics for scholarship players to walk on to other sports, but neither McCloud nor Gray-Miller held any reservations about the experiment. And so far,

is vital to NCAA berth

to enjoy this win.”

It’s been an impressive winning streak for the young Billikens. In the last four contests, SLU has had to resurge from double-digit deficits to claim a win. But with the wins, the Bills are entrenched in a struggle for A-10 Conference dominance; five teams are vying for the top spot with only 1.5 points separating #1 seed, and ranked, Richmond from #5 SLU. Against the Rhode Island Rams, Kwamain Mitchell led SLU with 13 points, while Kyle Cassity popped in 11 points, and Christian Salecich and Willie Reed each collected 10 points. Mitchell scored 11 of his 13 in the second half; he also took a team high 11 free throws.

The game started well for SLU before Akeem Richmond knocked in three straight three pointers to put the Rams up by as much as 12 in the first half. With just over four minutes left in the half, Rhode Island led 19-30. SLU, led by Justin Jordan, hit six free throws and shut down URI to cut the Rams lead to six at the half. Surprisingly, the Billikens outshot Rhode Island 45 percent to 34.3 percent; but the Rams hit five threes to keep the lead.

The Rams put up five to start the second half before the Billikens came to life. Cody Ellis hit a three with 11:13 to go, to put SLU up by one 42-41. Both teams would tussle for the lead with neither gaining a solid advantage. The squads tied three times over a four minute period.

“I feel like our defense is especially what helped us win the game,” Cassity said. “A big play I remember is when Ellis hit the three from the corner to put us up one. That put everyone back into it, the team, and the fans. That’s probably the biggest play of the game.”

The game was briefly interrupted when a fan tossed an empty cup onto the court. The Billikens were warned that, should an object find its way onto the court again, they would receive a technical foul. The incident led to an announcement over the public address system by Majerus, who threatened to forfeit the game in the case of another interruption. After the game, the head coach said he was simply concerned with fan safety.

Down 51-49 with 6:12 to play, SLU used an 11-0 run to seal the victory.

The Billiken defense held the Rams to just six points over six minutes in the back half of the second half.

Richmond hit a three with 16 seconds left to play to bring the Rams within five, but URI lacked the time to make a run on the Bills. SLU shot 52.4 percent from the floor (22 for 42), with Cassity going five for six from the field.

The Billikens continue to show

things seem to be working out; McCloud has logged six minutes over two games for the Billikens since joining the squad two weeks ago. She has yet to take a shot, but does have a steal.

What makes a coach reach across athletic boundaries?

According to Gray-Miller, the drive and passion to win factored into her decision to recruit McCloud.

“To have that winning attitude, the competitive fire, in our locker room, that’s crucial for us on our last stretch.

She was a heck of a basketball player in high school, and I’ve watched her play volleyball for four years; she’s a competitor and a winner. If her spirit will rub off on our players, heck yes, it’s worth it,” Gray-Miller said.

McCloud says she understands that her playing time will probably be limited, but she hopes to be involved on the court, provide enthusiasm and help in “any way shape or form that I can, to be a spark on the team.”

So how does McCloud’s former head coach, Anne Kordes, feel about her former all-star’s new role at SLU? “I am so excited for her.

She’s just a phenomenal athlete that can be thrown into anything and she’ll be good at it,” Kordes said.

McCloud hopes to play volleyball in Europe next summer, but for now can revel in her new-found glory on the basketball court.

While it may not be your average, every day combination, as Gray-Miller said, “How often can you say you’ve had an All-American walk-on?”

School record falls

Billiken Media Relations

The Saint Louis University swimming and diving team is currently competing in the Atltantic 10 Conference Championships from Feb. 17-20. The women’s 800-free relay school record was beaten the first day of competition.

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Sports

The University News

Men’s soccer still playing waiting game Saint Louis University has made it clear that basketball is the sport it wants to be known for. In my time at SLU, I have seen the Commentary opening of a stateof-the-ar t arena, the hiring of a big-time c o a c h and an increased fer vor Bobby Schindler from student fans.

All of this is fine and dandy, and it really is starting to pay off (see the last two home games), but I am worried that SLU athletics may be forgetting the sport that put SLU’s name in the NCAA record books: men’s soccer.

It has been almost four weeks since head men’s soccer coach Dan Donigan left SLU to take the vacant job at Rutgers University on Jan. 22.

Since that time, the national signing day for soccer has come and gone. Last year under Donigan, SLU boasted a top-10 recruiting class.

As of right now, SLU still does not have a head soccer coach. This makes recruiting difficult, to say the least.

The team only has one assistant coach because two of Donigan’s assistants left with him.

SLU’s failure to replace Donigan in almost a month’s time is shameful. The school seems to be forgetting the sport in which it holds more national titles than any other school.

It is speculated that Donigan left because of concerns over job security. For reasons that remain unclear, the University has only given long-term contracts to three of its athletics coaches.

SLU has remained mum on the issue, even forbidding members of the team to speak to the media during the process.

The University needs to step up and take care of this problem and ensure the continuation of the proud tradition that is Billiken soccer. If that requires giving another coach a long-term contract, then so be it.

Sports Shorts Women’s basketball The Billikens finished off a two-game east coast swing with a victory at Fordham University on Feb. 16. The 71-60 win saw the Billikens post their highest point total for an Atlantic 10 game this season.

A large chunk of this scoring outburst came from junior Lauren Woods, who scored a career- and SLU- season-high 27 points. She shot 9-of-11 from the field and nailed 7-of-10 free throw attempts. Those seven free throws moved Woods into 10th place on SLU’s career list for free throws made.

The Billikens benefited from a 40-28 advantage on the boards.

Junior Kathryn Hester chipped in with 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting. The Billikens as a team shot a season-high 58.3 percent (28-of-48) from the field.

The game was a nice bounce-back for the Billikens after they dropped a tough loss at Saint Joseph’s University. The Bills erased a nine-point halftime deficit and even built a lead, but the Hawks would pull ahead late with clutch free-throw shooting.

The Billikens will return to Chaifetz Arena on Feb. 18 to take on Charlotte University. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.

Swimming and Diving The Atlantic 10 Conference Championships began Feb. 17 at the Burt Flickinger Center in Buffalo, N.Y. The Billikens got off to a good start as the foursome of Taylor Streid, Jessica Schwarz, Jordan Hagar and Maggie Brabbins broke the school record in the 800-free relay during the first day of competition. The relay team knocked more than 30 seconds off its regular-season and beat the previous record by more than two seconds. The previous record was set at the 2005 Conference USA Championships and was the oldest SLU relay record in the book.

Sophomore Billy Hrabovsky finished fourth in the finals of the men’s one-meter diving event with a score of 253.60.

The competition continues through Feb. 20.

Baseball The baseball team will begin its quest for its second straight 30-win season on Feb. 19 when it travels to the campus of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for the UALR Tournament. The Billikens take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff the first day before battling against Saint Peter’s College and the host school on Feb. 20.

Last year, the Billikens finished 30-25 overall and 12-13 in Atlantic 10 play. It was only the fourth time since 1972 that the Bills had a record of .500 or better. The team was picked to finish sixth in the A-10 by a preseason coaches’ poll.

SLU finished in seventh in the conference last season, one spot away from an A-10 playoff berth.

Three of SLU’s top four hitters return from the 2009 squad.

A pair of seniors, first baseman Danny Brock and catcher Ben Braaten, hit .336 with 15 doubles and 38 RBIs and .335 with eight homeruns and 41 RBIs, respectively. Sophomore infielder Zach Miller claimed Louisville Slugger Freshman AllAmerica plaudits a season ago, after hitting .324 with a teamleading 10 home runs and 61 RBIs. Softball The Billikens are eager to begin the 2010 campaign after inclement weather led to the cancellation of last weekend’s First Pitch Classic in Atlanta, Ga. The season will now begin Feb. 19 as the Bills travel to Hammond, La. for the Lion Classic. Jackson State University will serve as the Billikens’ first opponent with the first pitch set for 3 p.m.

The Billikens boast a deep and experienced squad, something that has not been the norm under head coach John Conway’s short tenure at SLU. Six position starters, two pitchers and Saint Louis’ top three hitters from a year ago return to the 2010 squad.

—Bobby Schindler

Ryan Giacomino / Photo Editor

Sophomore guard Kwamain Mitchell hits a lay-up during the Billikens double-overtime win against Dayton University on Feb. 13. Mitchell led all scorers with 21 points in the victory.

Kwamain would add 13 more points to lead the Bills over Rhode Island, 62-57, on Feb. 17.

Basketball: SLU is on NCAA bubble Continued from Page 11

tremendous growth on the court. The team, which is now 8-3 since Ellis joined the team, has exceeded expectations of every standard. Majerus has been emphatic in his praise for Mitchell’s offense and, in particular, the rebirth of Cassity. No. 23 has increasingly found success off the

dribble against his defender and leads SLU in minutes on the court. “[Cassity] is playing like the player I thought he could be when I recruited him,” Majerus said. “He’s really cerebral. He sees the game; he’d be a phenomenal coach.

He is very astute. He understands time, score and spatial relationships, and he under-

stands the other players.”

The Billikens hope to continue the growing and winning on Saturday when they travel to Massachusetts. They return home next Wednesday, Feb. 24, for the “Billiken White Out” against Xavier University. Both games will help determine whether SLU will be in contention for a NCAA or NIT bid.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Majerus: Coachs’ reputation is key Continued from Page 11

team with 20+ wins, it will get respect.

Majerus has taken 11 different teams to the big dance.

And his teams aren’t satisfied with just being there; they make deep runs into the tournament.

Only one out of Majerus’ 11 tournament teams bowed out in the first round. He even took his ’97-98 Utah squad, a team from a mid-major conference like SLU, to the national title game. His teams have seen the Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen several times as well.

For now, none of this matters to SLU. The Billikens need to concentrate on finishing the season strongly and building their resume on the court. The current streak they are on—now at five wins—is a great start.

The remaining Billikens schedule will present them several opportunities for the marquee wins that the selection committee will be looking for.

But, the team needs to avoid any slip-ups against the two remaining “easy” teams— Duquesne and UMass, and pull off at least one more upset of the other three teams.

Xavier, Temple and Dayton all have RPIs in the top 35 as of

right now (Rhode Island’s RPI was 22 before the loss to SLU last night).

Being home for two of those games (Xavier and Temple) will certainly help, as the Bills are currently 14-1 at Chaifetz Arena following last night’s victory.

This Billiken team needs a lot of help down the stretch if they even want to be considered for a NCAA berth—beating Xavier on Feb. 24 would be nice.

But if the team can do its part, the presence of its bigtime coach just may do the rest.

Bobby Schindler is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Sports

Thursday, February 18, 2010

The University News

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Billiken Blue Out invades Chaifetz Arena

Ryan Giacomino / Photo Editor

Ryan Giacomino / Photo Editor

Andrea Webber / Photographer

Senior and Blue Crew member Alyson Hau reacts during the thrilling, double-overtime victory over the Dayton Flyers on Feb. 13. The Bills won the Blue Out game 68-65.

Above: Sophomore Kyle Cassity drives to the basket during the 68-65 double-overtime victory over Dayton University on Feb. 13. Cassity was second on the Bills with 14 points behind Kwamain Mitchell’s game-high 21 points. More than 9,400 fans came out to the Billiken Blue Out game which took place the same day as the Soulard Mardi Gras parade.

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Thursday, February 18, 2010