No. 21 Mar 1, 2012

The University News Celebrating 90 Years as a Student Voice of Saint Louis University

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Vol. XCI No. 21

Thursday, March 1, 2012

THE BILLIKEN CLUB

HINDUISM AWARENESS WEEK HSC hosts their annual Hinduism Awareness Week >> RELIGION

PLUS:

Billiken recap versus Xavier >> SPORTS

Pevely building set to be demolished

The Road to the Tournament: Billikens march to the Atlantic 10 and NCAA >> unewsonline.com

Students back ‘Limitless,’ fee Activity fee passes; $20 increase for 2012-13

Preservation board reverses course ter will be spearheaded by The Lawrence Group, a St. Louis-based building design After three months of un- and development firm. Accertainty, Saint Louis Univer- cording to Lawrence Group sity has been approved to take President and CEO Steve advantage of their newest re- Smith, the plans for the care al-estate investment. center are incompatible with On Feb. 22, the St. Louis the current structure at the City Planning committee Pevely complex. overturned the initial Dec. 19 The successful appeal will decision of the St. Louis Pres- allow the University to move ervation Board to prohibit the forward with their plans to dedemolition of the Pevely com- velop the estimated $80 milplex. SLU’s plans to demolish lion care center on the propthe complex and develop an erty. The Pevely complex, ambulator y located on care center the corner were denied of Grand due to the B o u l e This important project vard and proper ty’s standing as will create new jobs, spur C h o u t e a u a National Avenue, development augments Register his- economic toric land- and strengthen our abil- the Univermark. sity’s inThe ini- ity to deliver top-notch creasingly tial ruling health care. prominent allowed for health care the condi- -Clayton Berry presence tional demoin the Midlition of a town area. milk plant and parking garage According to SLU Assison the property, but rejected tant Vice President for Comthe request to tear down the munications Clayton Berry, Pevely office building and the project will provide an iconic smokestack. The Feb. economic boost to the Mid22 ruling will allow SLU to town area and strengthen clear the entire property. The SLU’s ability to provide highnine-member panel voted quality health services. nearly unanimously; the only “We are pleased that dissenting vote came from St. the St. Louis Planning Louis Mayor Francis Slay’s liaison to the Board.

See “Pevely” on Page 3 The ambulatory care cenBy BRIAN BOYD News Editor

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Courtesy of The Lawrence Group

The Lawrence Group, lead developers for the SLU ambulatory care center development project, released a prototype for the state-of-the-art health care center.

University budget presented at SGA

By KRISTEN MIANO Associate News Editor

This week’s Student Government Association meeting was ripe with questions and debate, despite there being only four business points on the agenda.

The meeting began with a presentation from David Heimberger, interim assistant vice president and chief financial officer, and other administrators, addressing the future of the Saint Louis University budget. The presenters made a point that the numbers posted as projections for the fiscal year 2013 are mostly based on assumptions for the upcoming year.

“The budget is based on economic concerns, so a fairly conservative budget was built,” Heimberger said.

The presentation looked at projected tuition revenue, the decision not to have salary increases and the issue of the University’s endowment for FY13.

In the faculty senate meeting this past week, the decision to not increase salaries was a primary concern, Andrew Sova, graduate school senator, said. In the past, the average merit increase has been approximately 2.6 percent When it was announced that 71 percent of the University budget was allocated

to compensation, Sova asked if a breakdown of how that is divided among faculty, staff and administrators could be provided.

Heimberger said that data is not currently available, but a breakdown could be provided as early as next week.

On the subject of the endowment, it was explained to senate that the endowment is primarily comprised of gifts to the University that are invested so that they could grow.

The goal of the endowment is to provide an annual, predictable source of revenue; preserve the purchasing power of the original gifts; and support access to the debt markets.

Some concern was raised that the University’s endowment could be used more effectively than it is now.

“When that much money is sitting some place, I don’t believe that people donating the money want it to just sit there and grow,” Sova said. “They want it to benefit the University.”

Sova proposed that the endowment could be used to increase the merit salaries of faculty.

The next order of business in senate was a bill announcing senate’s support for using drug sniffing dogs on campus in an effort to increase the Department of Public Safety and See “SGA” on Page 3

Venue hopes to spring back >> ARTS

By KRISTEN MIANO Associate News Editor

Minghao Ghao / Senior Staff Photographer

Sophomore Keilah Johnson celebrates after being elected to the office of Student Government Association vice president of student organizations after the results were announced Feb. 27.

Ticket shows no bounds in sweep

By BRIAN BOYD News Editor

More than 1,100 members of the Saint Louis University community made their voices heard on Feb. 28, and the overwhelming conclusion was “Limitless” support of seven Student Government Association executive board candidates.

In a lopsided affair, all seven candidates from the Limitless ticket were tabbed to represent the SLU student body as the SGA executive board for the 2012-13 academic year. Each elected candidate received at least 78 percent of the votes, and five of the candidates ran unopposed.

Election Commissioner Kathleen Cadigan said that despite a drop-off from last year’s total of 3,000 votes, she is pleased with the elections.

“Today went really well. We had a great turnout for it not being a competitive election.

We had a little under 1,200 people. There were 3,000 last year, but there were three tickets, and it was a very competitive election,” Cadigan said. “I think it turned out really well, and I could not have hoped for a better election process and season.”

Leading the charge was sophomore Blake Exline, who defeated junior Alexander Salazar with an 80 percent voting margin.

“I’m ecstatic. It’s hard to get your head around it because we always knew it was a possibility, but the fact that it actually happened is really crazy,” Exline said. “I’m just really excited for next year to get the ability to serve the student body.”

Exline, whose platform focused on improving student concerns such as mail service, campus security and meal plans, said that he was nervous during election day but excited to get to work. He also said that the ticket began their planning process and formation over winter break and has been working hard to develop its platform throughout the semester.

“I was nervous. [The day] was kind of like a roller coaster. It’s like you are really excited,

Votes Received, Presidential Election 6% 13%

81%

Blake Exline Alexander Salazar Write-in but then really nauseous,” Exline said. “It feels good for it to be over, like a big blanket has been lifted off.”

Junior Elizabeth Alberty was elected vice president of internal affairs, winning 92 percent of the votes.

“I’m looking forward to this coming year.

I’m excited for SGA to branch out and have a positive relationship with every student on campus,” Alberty said.

Rounding out the executive board winners are junior Sean Worley, vice president of diversity and social justice; sophomore Vidur Sharma, vice president of finance; junior Keilah Johnson, vice president for student organizations; freshman Richard Joubert, vice See “Elections” on Page 2

In Monday night’s Student Government Association Meeting, the student body voted to increase the Student Activity Fee by $10 a semester.

Of the 1,093 students who voted on the referendum, 758 voted to pass the increase and 335 voted against.

“I definitely think that a raise on the student activity fee will be of great benefit to all students, it will allow [finance committee] to be more lenient with what we decide to recommend to senate, while still following the funding guidelines,” said John Cook School of Business Senator and Finance Committee member Piera Blandon.

The referendum was put on the ballot this year in light of an increase in Chartered Student Organizations in the past few years.

Since the activity fee was last increased in 2004, the number of CSOs on Saint Louis University’s campus has nearly doubled, with several groups still on probation waiting to be Chartered.

“I’m in support of the increase, especially when hearing the statistic that the number of CSOs has doubled since the fee last increased,” said incoming Alpha Phi Omega President Shannon Russel. “And it will especially help new CSOs trying to start up because they don’t have the capabilities to get started without the help from SGA.” Current president of SLUTV David Koeller agreed, See “Fee” on Page 3

Activity Fee Quick Facts and Figures

- $20 annual increase to each student - First increase since 2004 - Funds support student organizations

Housing placement priority system scrapped

By ANNE MARIE BECKERLE Staff Writer

When attempting to assign housing for nearly 3,500 students in only 11 residence complexes on campus, an effective system is essential to student satisfaction. Many students who live on campus have said in the past that they found the system for assigning housing to be frustrating or unfair.

Last year, SLU found more success when adopting a lottery system in assigning housing for upperclassmen.

Joshua Walehwa, director of Housing and Residence Life, said that the process for housing assignments has been slightly adjusted.

Students select housing via SelectRoom, an online interface.

Unlike last year, all students are eligible for the lottery selection process, which allocates the order in which students can access SelectRoom.

“This is the second year of the SelectRoom online process. The access times are given by lottery this year,” Walehwa said. “Last year, it was a lottery for juniors and

Sarah Smith / Staff Photographer

Students will be subject to a housing lottery system this year. [seniors], and a priority system for rising freshmen.”

This year, the priority system for underclassmen will be replaced by a lottery system.

If a student applies to be in a Learning Community or Specialty housing, his or her space is manually assigned.

The remaining students will be entered into the lottery.

Walehwa said that in the SelectRoom process, students go online and select their desired housing unit.

The lottery gives students a specific access time to logon and choose a room online.

There will no longer be mandatory housing meetings to

choose room assignments.

Despite the attempt to be fair by using the lottery system, there will still be chances for some students to receive their first housing preference.

If a student has a GPA below a 2.0, he or she is not permitted to live in an on-campus apartment. Conduct sanctions can also be a limitation.

Whether or not the old system was deemed unfair, the current protocol has been updated based on several factors, including efficiency.

Using the online system takes only a fraction of the time of arranging housing meetings. Still, setting up

specific online log-on times is necessary. This is shown when all students attempt logging in on registration day, thus slowing down the system.

Taylor Bautista, a current junior, lucked out last year being number seven in the lottery. However, she does not think the lottery is a fair process.

“I think it was better when upperclassmen had first pick, then sophomores, then freshmen,” Bautista said.

Blue the Billiken Let’s go fly a kite!

Read and Recycle The University News prints on partially recycled paper.

News

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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Let Us Introduce You

Sam Bonfig

KSLU president balances disc jockeying, doctor dreams

By MARK CAMPOS Senior Staff Writer

A self-described “principled individual of advancement and innovation in the biomedical engineering field,” Sam Bonfig holds the rare title of part-time disc jockey, parttime aspiring medical doctor and full-time SLU student. A senior Biomedical Engineering major and Engineering Mathematics minor, Bonfig has worked his way through the echelons of KSLU in the past four years, beginning as a mobile disc jockey director and eventually reaching the position of general manager.

While he concerns himself with neurological tissue engineering research in his free time, Bonfig still finds time to be a DJ. “I have been a DJ since day one,” Bonfig said.

Bonfig admits he was not exposed to many current artists in his hometown. Hailing from Dubuque, Iowa, a town with roughly 90,000 people, did not provide him many opportunities to diversify his musical tastes. But growing up, he learned piano and developed an appreciation for classical and contemporary music.

In addition to arranging some of his own pieces, Bonfig played in jazz bands and worked with synthesizers. Joining KSLU, Bonfig found himself exposed to a larger collection of artists and genres and feels that his enjoyment of a large selection of music has helped him to better manage the radio station.

In addition to work at the station and love of music, Bonfig devotes much of his time in the Regenerative Medicine Laboratory underneath the BME department building.

He said that, ideally, he would like to focus on his research in neurological tissue engineering, which involves finding ways to better repair damage to a person’s peripheral and central nervous system.

“I hope to pioneer advance-

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

Thursday, Feb. 23

4:55 p.m. - Accidental Injury DPSEP responded and upon arrival officers met with a SLU student that stated while he was playing basketball, he fell to the floor and dislocated his knee. EMS was contacted.

The student was transported to SLU-ER and Pro-Staff was notified.

Sunday, Feb. 26

7:59 p.m. - Fire Alarm A student was cooking eggs and forgot to turn the stove off. The building was evacuated. The smoke from the burning pot set off the smoke detector. The room and building was cleared of smoke and the panel was reset. Students were allowed re-entry.

Tuesday, Feb. 28

10:30 p.m. - Disturbance At the conclusion of the SLU vs. Xavier basketball game, a disturbance occurred between four SLU season ticket holders and Xavier fans.

DPSEP officers responded and an

investigation determined the season ticket holders were using profanity towards Xavier fans throughout the entire game. At the game’s conclusion a verbal argument over the profanity occurred. The season ticket holders were removed from the building by DPSEP. A follow-up investigation is underway.

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

Elections: ‘Limitless’ wins top SGA seats Continued from Page 1

Minghao Gao / Senior Staff Photographer

ments in perfecting the medical practices of today and designing the medical devices for tomorrow,” he said.

In addition, Bonfig intends to create a foundation to aid adopted children and parents planning to adopt.

“I was adopted myself from South Korea when I was only 3 months old,” Bonfig said.

Bonfig said that by spending time in the laboratory, he has learned the importance of a sense of perception and creativity. He said that his continued research in the field of tissue engineering sustains his interest in it.

“Just so long as medicalrelated research remains relevant and rational, my intentions will remain to contribute

to the field in the best capacity that I can,” Bonfig said.

Bonfig said that what he enjoys most about his major is that so many different topics go into it.

“It’s the frontier at which electrical, mechanical, biological, and mathematical applications converge,” Bonfig said.

Bonfig is currently deciding between either a graduate program in BME or employment in the medical device industry, he said. Regardless of what he chooses, Bonfig said that he intends to shape his career to impact the medical community in some way.

“I think the name ‘Dr. Bonfig’ has a nice ring to it, don’t you?” he said.

board will fulfill their platform promises to be the voice of their positions. The student body has definitely spoken up, and their vote has been their voice.”

president of academics; and sophomore Yiqing Huang, vice president of international affairs.

Limitless Campaign Manager Kate Essig, a sophomore, played a prominent role in marketing and managI am so excited and ing the ticket and expressed her pride at the members’ ac- proud that limitless will complishments.

“I am so excited and be representing the stuproud that limitless will be dent body. I couldn’t representing the student body. I couldn’t have more have more confidence confidence in a group of peo- in a group of people. ple,” Essig said.

Election Commission member Christopher Fidler, -Kate Essig a junior, expressed relief that Junior Dustin Paluch supthe task of overseeing the ported the Limitless ticket election is finally completed.

“It’s definitely a relief for and said there are some the election to be over. The things he hopes the new adaccomplishes election was more stressful ministration than I anticipated,” Fidler during their time in office.

“One of the things they said. “The new executive

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can do is work with administrative staff and improving the student-administrative relationship and finishing the library,” Paluch said. “Also, they should continue working on the Oath of Inclusion continuation. Not letting it die off will be hard, but I think they can handle it.”

Cadigan said that she was proud of how all the candidates handled themselves throughout the election process and is confident in the abilities of the newly-elected executive board.

“I’m just really proud.

This was a very classy election. Everyone involved kept great etiquette; there was a lot of good etiquette that can be learned from in future elections,” Cadigan said.

“I think it was a really successful election overall, and I’m excited to see what they accomplish this year.”

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Thursday, March 1, 2012

‘SLU Treasure’ celebrates 92nd birthday SGA: Dog debates Students aspire to emulate Bruemmer’s kindness and dedication

By MARTINA BOYTER Associate News Editor

In 1908, Saint Louis University embarked on the gradual expansion allowing women to earn degrees. Since then, the history of women at SLU has evolved tremendously.

Mary Bruemmer has been a prominent force in the SLU community for the majority of that time.

Mary Bruemmer, a Saint Louis University icon, celebrated her 92nd birthday this past week.

Bruemmer has been an active part of the SLU community since attending SLU herself and graduating in 1942 with an Arts & Sciences degree.

Since then, she has worked with the university in various measures, and has given back to the community in numerous ways.

Bruemmer welcomed female students to campus as the director of Marguerite Hall.

In 1956, Marguerite Hall became the first residence hall for women studying at SLU. In 1967, she was named the Dean of Women, once a standard position existing at Jesuit schools around the country.

She was the second person to hold that title at SLU. When higher education administration outgrew the post of Dean of Women, the position was eradicated, and Bruemmer took over as the Dean of Student Affairs in 1972.

Just one year later, Bruemmer founded the Women’s Commission. Mary established the Women’s Commission with the goal of making affirmative action and equal opportunity a reality. Over the years, the function of the Women’s Commission has progressed.

Today, it “represents the women at the University, sponsors programs, provides a forum for women’s concerns, and serves as a vehicle

means, and there is already a policy to allow Housing and Emergency Preparedness’ Residence Life to conduct effectiveness in preventing unannounced searches,” Law drug use on SLU’s campus. School Senator Myles McThe discussion of the bill was Cabe said. “There is no policy prefaced by a presentation by for drug dog searches, and we Ken Hornack, the assistant are disrespecting student’s director of field operations for privacy. We know they will be DPSEP. walking the halls of the dorms DPSEP brought with them at random, and I will not vote a five-year-old German Shep- to subject the students to herd named Chief to demon- that.” strate what was being proAcademic Vice President posed, making a point to add Patrick Grillot proposed an that the dog would only be amendment to the bill, which used once or twice a semes- requested that the University ter and would only be used draft a poliin hallways, cy addressnot rooms. ing the use Hornack of drug repor ted dogs on There is no policy that there campus and have been for drug dog search- that SGA be approxiincluded in mately 32 es, and we are dis- the converknown cas- respecting student’s sation sures of drug rounding use on cam- privacy. the creation pus just this of such a past year. policy.

“It’s been -Myles McCabe Grillot more in the argued that open this year,” Hornack said. having a policy would make “Mostly marijuana and not in it easier to provide solid anlarge quantities.” swers about how the dogs After a brief demonstra- would be used. tion of the dog’s abilities, SGA Though the amendment debated the merits of using a was met with some opposidrug-sniffing dog on campus. tion, the amendment passed.

A major concern among The amended bill failed, howsenators was that there was ever, with 18 senators approvno policy in place to define ing it and 28 voting against. how the dog could work on The meeting ended with campus and what it would the passing of the omnibus mean for students caught bills from last week and the with drugs on SLU’s campus. tabling of an amendment to “The ends don’t justify the the association’s bylaws.

Continued from Page 1

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Photo courtesy of SGA

Members of the Student Government Association celebrated Mary Bruemmer’s 92nd birthday with dedicated SLU alumna on Sunday, Feb. 26. for communication about issues and opportunities for women in higher education,” according to the commission’s website.

Mary continues to work with the Women’s Commission as an ex-officio member.

“I look to Ms. Bruemmer for history and perspective.

She embodies the Commission’s pillars, ‘Education, Enrichment, and Empowerment,’” Current President, Donna Bess Myers, said. “She is the one who always wears a fleur-de-lis and a smile. Undoubtedly, she is a SLU treasure.”

Myers said that Bruemmer’s love for SLU students is unrivaled. This is evidenced in Bruemmer’s close relationships with several current students.

“Mary has served as a close mentor and dear friend throughout the year,” SGA President Matt Ryan said.

“When I think how to model my life and strive to be an agent of change, I often find myself modeling Mary.”

Kripa Sreepada, SGA Vice-

President of Diversity and Social Justice, feels similarly about Bruemmer. Sreepada recalled a recent lunch outing with Mary at the History museum on day of particularly poor weather.

“I mentioned that it is too bad that it may rain because I had misplaced my umbrella,” Sreepada said. “She [Bruemmer] obviously made a mental note of it, because the next time I saw her just a few days later, she had a brown umbrella ready just for me and stuffed it in my purse without any question.”

Sreepada says this is just one of countless examples of Mary’s selflessness.

Myers cites Bruemmer’s remarkable gift of memory.

Bruemmer can speak about past SLU presidents whose names decorate our campus, and have become everyday terms, such as Father Reinert and Father Marchetti. “She brings them to life and recalls every detail about a particular discussion she had with them.”

Deservedly, Bruemmer’s

contributions to SLU have been recognized over the years. She was the recipient of the first Woman of the Year award, presented by the Women’s Resources Coordinating Council, in 1977.

Later, in 1990, Bruemmer received the Fleur de Lis Award upon her retirement as Assistant to the Vice President for Development. She also served as the adviser to Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit Honors Society.

At age 92, Bruemmer maintains her wide-ranging involvement at SLU. For the past 20 years, she has volunteered with University development.

Bruemmer’s service to SLU goes beyond what could ever be asked of her.

“She is the embodiment of the Jesuit vision, and she shares all that she has with everyone around her, and that’s without them asking,” Sreepada says. “I admire that quality of Mary’s and really hope I can be as giving, loving, and as sweet as she is one day.”

Diversity in full force at SLU Monologues

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Jennifer Wang / Photo Editor

The St. Louis Police Department’s detection dog, Chief, attended the SGA meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 29 during resolution discussions of episodic drug search rounds through residence halls.

Pevely: Plans pass Continued from Page 1

Jennifer Wang / Photo Editor

From left to right: Bryan Hartney, Caitlin Bancroft, Elizabeth Sabetta, Becky Killian, Joyce LaFontain, Finni Finocchiaro, Michelle Dewet, Tony Burton, Rosie Laughlin and Cassie Rohlik performed in the SLU Monologues on Friday, Feb. 24, and Saturday, Feb. 25 at Carlo Auditorium in Tegeler Hall. Saint Louis University’s feminist student group, Una, hosted the SLU Monologues, telling the real stories of SLU students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Commission has cleared the way for us to move forward with construction of a stateof-the-art Ambulatory Care Center in Midtown St. Louis,” Berry said. “This important project will create new jobs, spur economic development and strengthen our ability to deliver top-notch health care in the heart of the city, including to those in need.”

The decision, while conducive to local economic stimulus and improved health-care facilities, was met with opposition from members of the St. Louis community.

According to Betsy Bradley, Director of the St. Louis Cultural Resource Office, the amount of letters received by the office in opposition to the demolition was the most she had seen in her two-year tenure as Director.

According to the Landmarks Association of St. Louis, SLU President Fr. Lawrence Biondi, S.J., stressed the impact that the University’s investments have had

in the Midtown area and the need for a competitor to the nearby Barnes Jewish Hospital. Biondi encouraged the commission to “vote for the future of this great city”.

The addition of a SLUCare ambulatory care center solidifies SLU’s effort to assist Midtown development and grow as a health-care provider in the area.

Recent efforts to do so include construction of the $82 million Doisy Research Center and the addition of an Education Union on the Health Sciences Campus this past fall. Additionally, in January the University announced plans to move the SLU Law School to downtown St. Louis, beginning in the 2012-13 academic year. When completed, the Law School will become largest educational institution located in downtown St. Louis.

The University hopes to break ground on the Pevely property this year, contingent on the receipt of documentation from the St. Louis Planning and Urban Design agency.

Fee: Funds to aid students groups Continued from Page 1

sources that are available to them,” Blandon said. “Funding buddies are a great asset for this. We are well-educated on every single guideline

stating the increased fee will allow CSOs to get the funding they deserve.

“Some CSO’s were getting their budgets cut much more than they would like with the money that was I hope that this inavailable, so I think this will will create go a long way to help rem- crease edy some of those issues more opportunity and and help some new groups maybe get off the ground,” engagement for SLU Koeller said.

With annual funding bud- students. gets due on March 5 for all CSOs, student groups will begin the process of re- -Matt Ryan questing funds from the Student Activity Fee to fund not and we can help CSOs get as only general operation costs, much funds as they require.”

After Finance Committee but also speakers, performers reviews each CSO’s requestand travel costs.

“I highly encourage CSOs ed budget, they will decide to take advantage of the re- what funds should be allo-

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cated to each student group based on the SGA annual funding guidelines.

Groups are required to meet with the Committee at the end of March and funding appeals will take place after Easter Break beginning April 14.

With the passing of the referendum, the Student Activity Fee will generate approximately $900,000 in funds which can be allocated to student groups, about $180,000 more than would be available if the referendum had not passed, allowing for more flexibility during the allocation process.

“I am happy to see students voices were heard on this campus,” SGA president, Matt Ryan said. “I hope that this increase will create more opportunity and engagement for SLU students.”

Religion Lent Activities

Mondays 6:00 p.m.

Labre Homeless Outreach Wednesdays 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Centering Prayer Silent contemplation in the Interfaith Sacred Space in Des Peres Hall.

Thursdays 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Taizé Prayer Located in St. Francis Xavier College Church.

Fridays 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Stations of the Cross St. Francis Xavier College Church 12:00 p.m. - 12:20 p.m.

Praying from Ashes to Glory: The Ignatian Examen for Lent and for Life Fr. Joe Tetlow, S.J., world-renowned Ignatian Spirituality scholar, will guide participants through an Examen.

Current Events Tuesday, March 6 8:00 p.m.

Hadag Nachash The Israeli hip-hop group will perform at The Pageant for free for students with a valid St. Louis-area college ID. Sponsored by St. Louis Hillel, Chabad Student Association and many others.

Thurs., March 8 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

“The Business of Mission” The Division of Mission and Ministry is hosting a Brown Bag Lunch Series in the Knights Room in the Pius XII Memorial Library.

Wednesday, March 28 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

51st Meeting of St. Louis’ Dialogue Group of the World’s Religions and Philosophies- The Wool Ballrooms will host representatives of Buddhism, the Baha’i Faith, Sikhism, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Church of Christ, Scientist to discuss the role of women in their religions.

The University News Talk to us: Alanah Nantell 314.977.2812 religion@unewsonline.com

Thursday, March 1, 2012

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SLU tackles death penalty

Reggie Clemons’ case causes outrage among many

By ALANAH NANTELL Religion Editor

More than 20 years after the crime occurred, people across the United States are working to push Missouri Governor Jay Nixon to overturn the execution sentence of alleged criminal Reggie Clemons.

According to a statement made by Amnesty International, an organization dedicated to human rights issues including abolishment of the death penalty, Clemons is convicted of being an accomplice in the 1991 murder of Julie and Robin Kerry.

Clemons is awaiting a September trial to review evidence and if he is again sentenced to death, people nationwide will urge Nixon to grant him clemency.

If given clemency, Clemons’ execution sentence would be eliminated and he would most likely serve life in prison instead.

After working to bring Sr. Helen Prejean, activist for abolition of the death penalty, to speak on March 28, Senior Jennifer Adkins, Campus Minister Ben Smyth, Theology professor Tobias Winright began working with Amnesty International to draw up plans to gain awareness about the Clemons case, and organize to move forward by petition.

“I jumped at this just because [Clemons] is a human being and he’s part of this world just like I am and if I was in this situation I would hope that someone would care,” said Adkins.

Everyone involved has been working closely with Amnesty International to draw up plans to gain awareness about the issue, and organize to move forward by petition.

Adkins and others are working on providing students with the St. Louis archdiocese’s official petition to request clemency, which should be available by the end of this week.

While Amnesty International is always against the implementation of the death penalty, the organization states that the Clemons case “illustrates many of the flaws in the U.S. death penalty system.”

According to the fact sheet on the Amnesty USA website, there is no physical evidence that directly connects Clemons “to the crime or the events leading up to it,” and there have been questions about the reliability of both of the witnesses, and the jury selection. There have also been allegations of both police brutality and coercion to obtain a false confession from Clemons.

Capital Punishment in Missouri - In 1976, the Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment was constitutional.

- Since then, 1281 executions have been carried out.

- As of April 1, 2011 there were 3,220 people on Death Row. - 47 of them are from Missouri.

- Missouri ranks number 5 in number of executions since 1976.

- Of the 270 clemencies granted since 1976, only 3 have taken place in Missouri.

Source: www.deathpenaltyinfo.org

Adkins stated that Clemons’ guilt or innocence is not the point of this issue, because it is “unjust to take someone’s life” regardless.

“The main focus right now is exemplifying Reggie’s case and what went wrong with it, the injustice involved, and asking for clemency,” said Smyth.

He said that while abolishing the death penalty is the ultimate goal, clemency for Clemons would be a step in the right direction.

Parties involved plan on “stockpiling” the signatures obtained through petitioning until Amnesty International declares that it is the optimum moment to present the signatures to Governor Nixon, the

one who has the power to grant clemency.

Adkins encourages SLU students to take action against this “human rights issue,” regardless of religious affiliation or belief system.

“This isn’t just about Catholicism or Christianity... If you want to take religion out of it, it’s just about human life and human rights and justice,” Adkins said.

Smyth agrees.

“I think it’s very important for the SLU community to be aware that this is a life issue... I think that we all really have to do a deep introspective look at why we as a See “Clemons” on Page 5

Hindu Awareness Week brings festivities to campus Students experience Hindu food, dance and discussion in the BSC

By SOPHIA ROPPOLO Staff Writer

There are more than 900 million Hindus in the world.

Roughly two million reside in the United States and 16,000 in the Saint Louis area. This Feb. 20 through 24, St. Louis University’s own Hindu Student Community held Hinduism Awareness Week to inform students and discuss how to bring Hinduism into the current times alongside Western culture.

The week included a number of events all directed at understanding Hinduism and bringing it into the modern culture. SLU hosted guest speaker Swami Nishpapananda from the Vedanta Society of St. Louis.

In his talk titled “Booting Up the Modern Hindu,” Nishpapananda explained how Hinduism could be applied in a modern world. In addition to this, throughout the week there was also a taste-testing event, “You Are What You Eat,” in which people attending learned how the foods one eats effects one’s attitude and faith, and the “Hanumaa-thon,” which included live classical dances and movie clips.

Sophomore Cody Steely attended the “Hanuma-a-thon” on Wed. “I’ve never seen anything like [the classical Hindu dances]. It was both a beautiful and educational experience.”

In “Hindus in America,” a panel discussion, several of SLU’s Hindu students and Jack Sisk, creator of the Living Insights Center in Saint

Jennifer Wang / Photo Editor

The Hindu Student Community hosted events all week including the “Hanuma-a-thon” which featured classical dances from the Hindu tradition.

Louis, discussed the challenges Hinduism faces in modern-day America.

The panel on Thursday introduced students Samyuktha Balabhadra, Yash Mehta,

and Pooja Parupalli, as well as Sisk. Balabhadra, Mehta and Parupalli have all been Hindu since birth, while Sisk experienced a semantic trance at age 14 and has been Hindu

ever since.

The panel began with a brief opening by Sisk, who explained the challenges Hinduism often faces in America.

He explained to the audience that not only does Hindu not have one central authority to answer questions about the misconceptions of the faith, the beliefs also vary among believers.

Sisk and the other members of the HSC sought to tear down many misconceptions of Hinduism throughout the week. Panelists discussed that Hinduism is not necessarily associated with any one particular race, among other things including the nature of their polytheistic beliefs.

Sisk concluded the panel’s discussion by describing God as “an infinite, clear light” that when shone through human beings is bent into different colors; each person has a different color and is not the “whole” of God but a part of him.

Sisk used this illustration to explain how Hinduism in different cultures can look so different.

His hope for America is that Americans can one day make Hinduism their own.

The week concluded with a meditation and yoga session open for all students.

Alex Gaston, a freshman, was present at Friday evening’s yoga and meditation.

Gaston said, “I have taken yoga before once or twice, but I’ve never thought of its religious background. It’s odd how the practice of yoga has gotten so twisted in the translation into western culture.”

Speaker calls for forgiveness, social justice On March 28, Sr. Helen Prejean, C.S.J., will speak at Saint Louis University. Nominated several times Commentary for the Nobel Peace Prize, she is widely known for her 1994 bestselling book, “ D e a d M a n DR. TOBIAS Wa l k i n g : WAINRIGHT An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States.” Tim Robbins’ film “Dead Man Walking” was based on it and released in 1996, starring Susan Sarandon, who played the part of Sr. Helen and won an Oscar for Best Actress, and Sean Penn, who played the part of Matt Poncelet, a death row inmate (actually a composite character based on two death row inmates in the book,) and was nominated for Best Actor.

I saw the movie when it first appeared while I was in graduate school. Since then I have used both the book and the movie in a number of my theology and ethics courses.

Each is as timely as ever.

Prejean raises the standard concerns about capital punishment (e.g., racial bias, wrongful convictions of the innocent, lack of effectiveness as a deterrent, etc.), but it is her first-hand experience of wrestling with the question of how to embody God’s love for both the perpetrator and the victim (and each of their families) that powerfully engages her audience—including me, because to some extent I can relate to it.

As a young undergraduate who needed to work my way through a state university in Florida, I joined the ranks of a 1,500-member sheriff’s department. For four years I attended classes during the day while working full time during the midnight shift.

Often assigned to the central booking area in the maximum security jail, I witnessed some of the worst in human behavior.

I remember one night when I had to interview an elderly man who had allegedly stabbed his own daughterin-law—along with her own daughter—to death. He sat stoically while I questioned him. I wondered how he could have done such an abhorrent act, and deep inside I felt tempted to shake him in disgust.

Other offenders were not so indifferent. There were occasions when I had to dive for cover from hurled excrement, or when I had to defend myself (or others) against attack. I’ve been spit at, yelled at, verbally abused, bruised and cut. When talking to some inmates, I thought to myself that some probably would not hesitate to kill me if given the chance. But I also met several murderers who were in anguish and seemed penitent about their deeds.

Although at times it was exciting, I never truly See “Prejean” on Page 5

Religion

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The art of living uncomfortably I’ve heard it before, and I’m sure I’ll hear it again: “You are not called to be comfortable in life, nor in your reCommentary lationship with God. It’s about stepping out, being uncomfor table, and embracing the uncerABBY KEEVEN tainty.”

Easier said than done.

Nonetheless, I think there are times in life when you realize the hidden truth in something someone once said to you. It’s a bit like insisting on doing something your own way but eventually realizing your mom was right all along.

As a self-diagnosed perfectionist, being a natural planner tends to be part of the package. However, if being abroad has taught me two things thus far, it’s that you can’t expect to plan for everything that’ll come your way, nor can you arrange to live within the constraints of your comfort zone.

You’re often left to the dis- have “been abroad,” but not comfort of being on the edge lived it to the fullest potential.

Likewise, Christ continuof your seat, instead of being left to your own devices. How- ously calls us to be unsatisfied ever, what results is nothing in our relationships with him.

But, instead of the uncertainshort of exhilarating.

At least over here at SLU- ty revolving around what our Madrid, we SLU-St. Louis señoras will make for dinner kids travel like there’s no to- or to where we will travel for morrow: book Friday morn- the weekend, the uncertainty ing Portugal flights on Thurs- exists in what lies ahead, acday night, try the octopus cording to God’s plan for us as individuals. tapas, and It’s not flawlessly just letnavigate ting your Paris like we’ve done However uncom- roommates plan the it a hundred times be- fortable it is for us w e e k e n d activities fore.

T h e humans, God lives for or trusting truth? We the moments when he that there will, in fact, have no idea come a what we’re can uproot us... day when doing! But, you can eat we do it with your favora deceiving ite homesmile and make everyone believe that made dish again.

However uncomfortable it Europe has nothing on us, and it works because what we’re is for us humans, God lives doing is exactly what makes for the moments when he the whole experience worth- can uproot us, keep us on our while. If we never once trav- toes, and push us to grow beeled on a flight cheaper than cause He knows that it is the a pair of new jeans, never got moment when we become lost in the beauty of a view, or content and cozy that stagnever experienced the “I have nancy creeps in and we stop no money left” feeling, we will living the radically beautiful

“

”

and world-changing lives he’s laid out.

That’s exactly where the trust comes in, and Oswald Chambers, prominent Scottish Christian minister and author of the early twentieth century, seems to know exactly what this entails.

He writes, “Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life – gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life.

To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As soon as we abandon ourselves to God, He begins to fill our lives with surprises.”

Kind of cool, right? Instead of waking up everyday and looking at Christ as a domineering, absent figure in our lives, we can look at him as a companion in the excitement, in the frustration, and in the joy. It’s like an adventure – or maybe like traversing yet another foreign city – expect there’s a hidden advantage that makes all the difference.

He knows the way.

‘America’s Best Theologian’ visits SLU

By MAGGIE NEEDHAM Staff Writer

Stanley Hauerwas was the guest speaker at Saint Louis University’s Bellarmine Lecture on Tuesday, Feb. 21. The Theology Department invites a prominent theologian to speak at the lecture each year.

Hauerwas, famous Christian theologian and ethicist, returned to give the lecture for his second time. Hauerwas has taught at University of Notre Dame and now teaches as the Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School as well as the Duke University School of Law. Time Magazine named him “America’s Best Theologian” in 2001, and he has published well over thirty books in his career. Students, faculty and staff, and members of the public alike filled the St. Louis Room in the BSC to listen to Hauerwas’s lecture, entitled “War and Peace.”

This topic resonated with Freshman Michael Baris, who said that “[Hauerwas] was so intelligent; he brought up issues I had never thought about before.”

Hauerwas’s most recent book, “War and the American Difference: Theological Reflections on Violence and National Identity,” inspired his talk at SLU. He began his talk by reflecting on the

Jennifer Wang / Photo Editor

Hauerwas speaks to SLU students on the importance of pacifism in today’s society. He encourages all Christians “to be nonviolent in [their] pursuit to follow Jesus’ example.” vague and inevitably subjective definition of the word “war” -- what, he asks, is the difference between “war” and “murder”? The fundamental characteristic of war, he says, is killing and being killed. Hauerwas addressed and evaluated several different theories on war, focusing on what he says are the three main Christian perspectives on war: pacifism, just war, and crusades.

Hauerwas challenges what he calls the “Myth of Religious Violence” as well as the idea of a just war; he is a pacifist and pushes that all Christians should be as well. “I just want Christians to rediscover

that we have a problem with war,” he says. As followers of Christ, we are “called to be nonviolent in a world of war” because we cannot imagine being anything else.

After his lecture, the floor was opened for a question and answer session. Hauerwas addressed questions from the audience about a variety of topics, including current event issues such as terrorism and the “Arab Spring,” the recent wave of revolutions and protests in the Arab world. He also came out against Christians being in the military, calling up once again our need to be nonviolent in our pursuit to follow Jesus’

example. Students enjoyed being able to hear from such a prestigious scholar. Freshman Emelia Gleber, who was in the audience that night, appreciated Hauerwas’s insights on the topic. “I thought he was extremely knowledgeable of conflict and how it has developed into what it is in our society,” she said. “I was also very impressed at how he handled the audience’s questions, especially about the Middle East, and I liked hearing his thoughts on the War on Terror.”

The Bellarmine Lecture is an annual event sponsored by the Jesuit Marchetti Endowment.

Prejean: Professor reflects on experience with death row inmates Continued from Page 4

enjoyed that job. I preferred the classroom and longed for the day when I would be able to quit wearing a badge and begin graduate studies. As a Christian, I struggled over the use of force, the perpetual hostility and the intense emotions of anger and hatred that often flared. Still, the crimes that these persons committed—as well as the family and friends of the victims—cried out for justice.

That stint in law enforcement (and another one later) now seems like a lifetime ago.

Sr. Helen’s story, though, helps me to remember. In the movie version of “Dead Man Walking,” Poncelet, is a racist and misogynist murderer who still somehow shows a human side on death row. The sheer horror of his crime, which the film depicts more than once, evokes feelings of disgust and anger.

Those who restrict their consideration solely to this will probably have no qualms about his state-sanctioned execution. Indeed, in the book, Prejean makes clear her initial hesitation to become involved with such an offender.

But as Poncelet’s spiritual advisor during his final months before his execution, Prejean comes to view him as a human person, despite his constant complaining and self-pitying. At times I saw this human side of the person behind bars. So did my mother, Patricia Juhl, who was a homicide detective.

Over a period of six years, she met with Anthony Joseph LeRette on death row here in Missouri, while he described for her his multiple murders,

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Thursday, March 1, 2012

rapes and robberies in several states, including Florida, and told her where the bodies of his victims could be found.

In a letter to my mother, the barely literate LeRette wrote, “I seen in your eyes and speech that I could trust you somewhat. You’re still the law and I know that you will do your job. But there’s a heart in Pat that does care.” His crimes were horrific, but my mother slowly developed a rapport with him, even to the point where she said, “I got to know him as Tony LeRette on death row. I got to know him as a human being” (St. Petersburg Times, Dec. 3, 1995, pp.

1B, 5B). LeRette was executed in Missouri by lethal injection in November 1995.

In “Dead Man Walking,” director Robbins vividly depicts this human dimension of Poncelet, especially during the final moments leading up to his execution.

Those who restrict their consideration solely to this will probably have serious qualms about his statesanctioned execution. Yet, Robbins, according to Sister Helen, did not want the film labeled as anti-death penalty, even though her book indeed takes such a stance, which is why the horror of what Poncelet did is repeatedly shown in the movie—to generate as much sympathy for the victims (and their families) and aversion for the crime as cinematically possible.

Importantly, in both the movie and the book, Prejean visits with the murder victims’ families. She is confused and torn, feeling their pain. They often seek “eye for an eye” justice to help them to cope with

their tragic loss, and Prejean tries her best to empathize with them, while still serving as the murderer’s spiritual advisor. For this reason she has helped found “Survive,” a victims’ advocacy group in New Orleans. Her experience of being pulled in two directions also brings to my mind a similar experience I had while serving as a youth pastor at a church in North Carolina.

I tried to comfort a family who had lost two sons in unrelated murders. The father, who was the church’s head usher, appeared on ABC’s “Nightline” advocating the death penalty. In addition, another boy in the youth group, a senior nearing graduation, was shot to death at a party one night, a murder that left a lasting imprint on his family.

At the same time, however, I found myself visiting another young church member who was in jail awaiting trial for allegedly murdering his stepmother. How does one convey the love of God to both the victims and the offenders?

Prejean refuses to take sides with only the offender or only the victims; she’s on both of their sides.

Highlighting this tightrope walk is one of the strengths of the book and, especially, the movie. Sarandon’s portrayal of Sr. Helen is so moving that it facilitates a process of Verstehen, whereby the audience identifies empathetically with all those persons involved— Prejean, the victims, the victims’ families, Poncelet, Poncelet’s family—in order that we might interpret capital punishment from each of their perspectives. We come away with what one reviewer,

Marc Bruno, described as “a palpable sense of having been asked by both murderer and murdered to give them pity and prayers” (“America,” Feb. 17, 1996, p. 33).

Yet, Sister Helen is not neutral on the subject of capital punishment—she’s against it.

She completely rejects it as incongruent with Jesus’ emphasis on and example of love for one’s enemies as well as one’s neighbors. Christians must seriously consider both the victims and the offender as human beings created in the image of God. As Pope John Paul II wrote in “Evangelium Vitae,” “[W]hoever attacks human life, in some way attacks God himself.” Murder is the intentional killing of an innocent human being, whose life is sacred. Murder is the desecration of a creature of God. At the same time, though, the Pope added, “Not even a murderer loses his personal dignity,” which is one of the reasons why the Roman Catholic Church now calls for the abolition of capital punishment “except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society,” circumstances which John Paul II wrote are “very rare, if not practically non-existent.”

Missouri, like 33 other states in the U.S. today, has the death penalty. In addition to learning more about this issue in classes and through the resources available in the library, I encourage those seeking to inform themselves to attend Sr. Helen’s lecture.

Dr. Winright is a Theology professor at SLU and has written several books on the death penalty.

Finding Christ in prison In the fall of 2010, the St. “righteous” asked the King Louis Post Dispatch published (Christ): When had they a short article on Saint Louis welcomed him as a stranger, U n i v e r - given him food and drink, sity’s plan clothed him, cared for him Commentary to bring in illness, and visited him in u n d e r - prison? The King responded, g r a d u a t e “Truly I tell you, just as you education did it to one of the least of to prison- these who are members of ers and my family, you did it to me.” c u s t o d y As each professor went to the officers at prison to teach, he came back the state knowing that he had encounprison in tered Christ … and Christ B o n n e came to him through persons DR. KENNETH PARKER T e r r e , who had committed murder, Mo. This violence, sexual crimes, and pilot asso- more. We call the Saint Louis ciate of arts degree grew out University Prison Program a of a three-year pilot certificate Matthew 25 project, not beprogram started by the De- cause of what we “do for prispartment of Theological Stud- oners,” but because we long ies. A generous grant from to find Christ in our world.

It is also a vital way that we the Randolph Hearst Foundacan care for prison staff, who tion made this possible.

While the article balanced have one of the most thankits coverage of the unique less jobs in our society—but structure of the program— one which we need to keep that it serves custody officers our communities safe. My and men who are incarcerat- colleague and fellow theoloed—the blog reactions to the gian, Professor Tobias Winreport focused on education right, clarified for me the for criminals and exuded an- importance of addressing the educational needs of prison ger and resentment.

The first comment, from staff. Because his mother Jeepmom (whose blog sym- was a homicide detective, bol is the Christian cross), and Professor Winright put summarized the reaction himself through college while of others: “Parker, they are working as a custody officer worse behind the prison walls and policeman, he knows the because they are felons who struggles faced by his former have committed crimes that comrades. He empathizes required that they be re- with their need to better unmoved from society. Please derstand the difficulties and keep that in mind while you challenges they face.

Our stated mission at Saint are all holding hands and singing cumbaya …” There Louis University is “the puris irony in her comments, for suit of truth for the greater they sound strangely judg- glory of God and for the sermental coming from one who vice of humanity.” We are venerates a person who was dedicated to “the discovery, nailed to the Roman death dissemination and integration of the values, knowledge and penalty device of choice.

Like Jeepmom, I embrace skills required to transform the cross of Christ. I teach society in the spirit of the theology at a Catholic univer- Gospels.” This Catholic Jesuit sity. However, while she ac- grounding is dedicated to decused me of “scoring liberal veloping programs “that link points by the pant load,” my University resources to local, only defense is the gospel. national and international This is best explained in the communities in collaborative words of Raymond Scott, the efforts to alleviate ignorance, valedictory speaker at the poverty, injustice and hunger; Bonne Terre prison gradua- extend compassionate care to tion ceremony in May 2010, the ill and needy; and maincelebrating the accomplish- tain and improve the quality ment of 15 students receiving of life for all persons.”

Many at SLU now see our their certificates in theologiBonne Terre prison campus cal studies: In the Gospel of Matthew, as the realization of these valchapter 25, verse 35, there is ues that, in the past, had been a passage that highlights my abstract ideals that sounded experience [of the program]. good but did not touch their ‘For I was hungry and you work. Like me, they have disgave me food, I was thirsty covered that our engagement w i t h and you prisongave me ers and somecustody thing to drink As each professor went to of ficers is a way …’ Perto see sonally, the prison to teach, he came in conI was back knowing that he had crete h u n terms gry for encountered Christ... the full achievemeanment, ing of a n d thirsty for knowledge. Mat- the gospel imperative of our thew 25 goes on to say, ‘I was mission statement.

To say that the Saint Louis a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you University Prison Program is gave me clothing, I was sick a Matthew 25 project is shortand you took care of me.’ Be- hand for stating the complex fore [this program] … I was reality of being a Christian a stranger to myself, to my university in the 21st century. spiritual self—but not any- We must be engaged in issues more. The professors helped of critical importance to socime find my dignity again. I ety (the incarceration crisis); am no longer naked. Indeed we must share our skills and they helped clothe me—not knowledge with those at socionly with dignity, but with ety’s margins (prisoners and the sense of self-worth that prison staff); and in so doing we all hunger and thirst for transform society (discover… the last passage from Mat- ing the image of God, even in thew 25 reads, ‘I was in prison the worst of offenders). While and you came to visit me.’ I have not yet held hands and What you have done here for sung “cumbaya” with our us—we who have long con- students, I have discovered sidered ourselves ‘the least of through them Christ’s presthese’—has had an incredible ence in the world, and that experience has transformed me. impact on us.

While Ray beautifully sum- It is transforming our univermarized his experience of the sity. Perhaps it can transform program through scripture, our nation.

Dr. Parker is the director my colleagues and I have discovered an even deeper and founder of the SLU Prison truth in that passage. The Initiative.

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Clemons: SLU students and faculty work to free inmate Continued from Page 4

society... support the death penalty,” said Smyth.

Smyth continued by saying that it is not effective as a deterrent for criminal behavior, it is much more expensive than keeping someone imprisoned for life, and is generally just used as a tool for revenge, as opposed to benefiting “the common good.”

“It’s a racist, unjust punishment that is unnecessary, ineffective at curbing violence, and for me as a Christian, one of the things [I use to] look at how we’re doing is not only how we treat the most vulnerable, but also our own enemies,” Smyth said.

Adkins stated that we have a duty to work to fulfill SLU’s mission statement by protecting and advocating for life at all stages.

We can’t be sedimentary items or people hoping that someone else will make the change,” she said.

Both Adkins and Smyth have encouraged potential signers to not be put off by Amnesty International’s viewpoints on other areas, because the organization’s views on the death penalty is very much in harmony with the Catholic Church’s.

To stay updated with the case and to access the petition, contact Campus Ministry or Jennifer Adkins.

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Buying back SLU Hospital will enhance mission of social justice There have been rumblings of the possible repurchase of Saint Louis University Hospital from Tenet Healthcare Corporation. The latest mention of this ongoing rumor was found in an article by the St. Louis Business Journal.

At this time, SLU could benefit from buying back its former hospital. There is no reason why a university which values the social justice aspects of health care should not also own a hospital that bears its name.

Even though students, administrators and faculty may not admit to it, SLU will always be compared to -- and therefore compete with -- Washington University. But it is not for the sake of competition that SLU should always tr y to improve upon itself.

As a prestigious health care institution, a hospital belonging to the University will not only raise the profile of SLU and attract more students. It will further add to the SLU’s place in the Midtown area as a premiere health care provider.

Most importantly, however, the Hospital will be an excellent opportunity to enhance core aspects of SLU’s mission. This purchase will be an invaluable investment in social justice and ser vice of the community.

Although the Hospital has continued to operate under the Jesuit Mission and Catholic beliefs under Tenet, the “mission” of the Hospital clearly will differ under its

current for-profit owner, as opposed to a charitable, non-profit institution dedicated to the pursuit of health care and ser vice to humanity.

The new development of the ambulator y care center proves that SLU is willing to spend to increase their health care prowess and influence in the city. This development proves the University will go above and beyond for top quality health care.

When the hospital was sold in 1998, the community roundly criticized the University’s decision to sell the hospital, regarding it as a business decision, rather than one in line with the University’s mission and community ser vice commitment. In a decision to buy back the hospital, SLU will not only win back the grace of the community in demonstrating its renewed commitment to its mission of ser vice, but also it will step in the right direction by being a university for and with others. This choice would show how they value input from the community in its decision making process and would prove its dedication to the ser vice of thousands more through its top health care facility.

If the University finds it within its budget to purchase and demolish the Pevely building, we hope it finds SLU Hospital important enough to its mission to make ever y effort to buy it back.

UNews wishlist for student government As a disclaimer, this is not a list of items that past Student Government Association administrations have necessarily failed at. It is a list of suggestions that will make SGA work for students.

There really should not be any limits to what SGA can do.

• Transparency SGA’s goal is to work for the students and thus it should not hide from them. A closed budget and inner workings are more likely to lead to corruption or bad practices.

• Put budget online The activity fee is sometimes seen as a black box where students put their money in, but they do not see how it is spent. With the referendum on the increase in the fee passed, this kind of transparency will be desperately needed.

• Summarize meetings ever y week In a similar manner, senate meetings are completely unknown to those who do not attend. The imposing nature of senate keeps many from attending. To solve this, SGA should put a short write-up from the past week’s meeting so that students can see what is going on inside and outside SGA. • Open up executive board meetings, or publish the decisions Executive board meetings, or at least the final decisions, should be open to the public.

We see that there are many decisions made at these meetings of which students are unaware.

• Tell us what happens when the president meets administrators The last point for transparency is that the students need to know what happens when the president meets with administrators.

The president must be the student voice. If

he is not sharing the information with students, likely he is doing what he personally wants to do instead of what is in the students’ best interest.

• Empower senate In past years, senators have been just as powerful as the executive board. However, in the past two years, there has been little senator independence. To create the best SGA, senate needs to be a check on the executive board. The students need a strong, independent legislature.

• SGA preview & review ever y week The SGA mailer should list what SGA is doing more explicitly. Although there is a link to the SGA website which supposedly has this information, having the information written in the email would give students more of the story and ensure that more students are informed and visit the website if they are interested in the material addressed.

• More efficient meetings Lastly, meetings are often inefficient uses of senators’ time. The bills need typographical changes, and time is wasted in finding the best wording. These issues should be addressed before senate meetings. This could be done over email or in a Monday or Tuesday meeting. Senators should read the legislation fully before the meetings so time is not spent on questions of clarification. The bills are not official until they reach senate anyway, so this should not be a problem.

Posted below are the results from our web poll on The University News’ website.

(62 votes total) Who do you predict will win the Atlantic 10 regular season title?

THE EDITORIAL BOARD OF THE UNIVERSITY NEWS RECOGNIZES AVIS MEYER, PH.D. AS THE NEWSPAPER’S FACULTY MENTOR.

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.

-First copy, free. Each additional copy, $1.00.

Erika Klotz / Chief Illustrator and Matt Shelly / Contributor

63%

SLU

24%

Temple

10%

Xavier

3% 0

Massachusetts

10

20

30

40

50

60

Editor’s note: Chelsea Kozikowski, senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, was given this letter to publish in The University News by Kenny Witte while volunteering at Lutheran Senior Services this year.

Kenny Witte was born in 1924. She graduated from Soldan High in 1942 and would have loved to go on to college to study education and English, but could not afford it. Kenny began working out of high school as a United Service Organizations hostess.

Kenny offers keen insight into world events from the point of view of a woman who has lived through war and loss, and learned that love is built on a give-andtake attitude.

Oh God, why is the world in such chaotic turmoil?!

I know you’re angry because there is too much violence and illegal sex in the world, but remember God, not all of us are guilty of this. It takes terrorists like Saddam Hussein, Bin Laden, Hitler, and Mussolini to create all the horrific crimes that have been perpetrated on us. The economic crisis adds to the problem. Now many parents can no longer afford proper education for their children. While there are jobs available, they remain vacant because young adults lack the knowledge to fulfill these positions.

Countries have to forget their differences, trying to be the first on the moon, fighting for more land, or trying to be the richest in the world, in every sense of the word. Instead we should concentrate on helping one another, and be grateful that we are living in the U.S.A. Being soft-hearted Americans, we cannot sit or stand without helping people who are in danger of being killed by guns and warfare. When President Bush was in office he deployed military servicemen, not only to protect the people overseas, but to protect our beloved country. So God, instill in the hearts and minds of the terrorists, that they were put on this earth to help one another, not to destroy.

Yours truly, Kenny Witte - Kenny Witte is a senior resident of Lutheran Senior Services.

Quotes of the week

“

This important project will create new jobs, spur economic development and strengthen our ability to deliver top-notch health care in the heart of the city, including to those in need.

- Clayton Berry, assistant vice president of marketing and communications

“

”

See Page 3.

We don’t really have any kind of jokes that we keep around.

- Jason Swierk, sophomore in the Parks College of Aviation, Engineering and Technology and LOL president

”

See Page 9.

“

Both of these guys graduated with honors, and I have one Academic All-American.

- Rick Majerus, men’s basketball head coach

”

See Page 11.

Opinion

unewsonline.com

7

Thursday, March 1, 2012

You can love it or hate it, but The Cage is here to stay Weight loss: Those who are no strangers to a healthy dose of viral YouTube videos as an antidote to boredom or a tool of procrastination are likely to Commentary be familiar with the “Top 10 Cagiest Moments” or various altercations. A personal favorite, clocking in at more than four million views, is “Nicolas Cage Losing His T.J. Keeley S**t.”

Indeed, the phenomenon known as “The Cage” has become a vexing topic in popular culture.

Among college students of this generation, the name Nicolas Cage draws scornful chuckles. And yet, for Generation Y, The Cage should be revered as a treasure of our popular culture.

First, The Cage’s filmography must be placed in context and looked at as a whole. Spanning three decades, Cage’s cinematic resume boasts two Oscar nominations and one win for his leading role in “Leaving Las Vegas.” Among other honors, Cage has worked with his uncle Francis Ford Coppola, the Coen Brothers and David Lynch.

These credentials are likely surprising given Cage’s recent silver screen endeavors. And while it is difficult to apologize for “National Treasure,” a schematic look at Cage’s performances can help parse this enigmatic thespian. Cage’s performances fall into three categories: 1. Serious Cage; 2. Campy Cage; and 3. Kitsch Cage. The first category does not merely refer to Mr. Cage’s dramatic performances, but encompasses any film where he seems to actually take a shot at acting professionally. Here, I would include Cage’s Oscar-nominated turn in “Adaptation” and his Oscar-winning turn in “Leaving Las Vegas.”

Campy Cage is characterized by the intentional ridiculousness the actor brings to intense roles, resulting in memorable comedy. Among these, we might find David Lynch’s surrealist nightmare “Wild at Heart” and Werner Herzog’s “Bad Lieu-

Do not take it lightly

Jennifer Wang / Photo Editor

tenant: Port of Call, New Orleans.”

Here, Cage’s characteristic vocal inflections, awkward, clown-like posture and facial tics help to realize characters that are abnormal. Consider how Cage’s approach added comedic warmth to “Raising Arizona.” His hysterics match the directors’ vision.

Here is where most audiences take issue with Mr. Cage: in the third category, admittedly much larger than the first two, Cage’s high theatricality marks an acting style so foreign to contemporary audiences that he seems like a one-man freak show from a different era. These performances offend our sensibilities about what good acting should be and what pieces of art we should pay to consume. Most of the films in the Kitsch Cage category comprise the YouTube mash-ups: “The Rock,” “Con Air,” “Matchstick Men” and the infamous “The Wicker Man” among others.

While these performances are so strikingly antithetical to Cage’s Oscar-winning tag, they help define his uniqueness as a performer. Audiences seem to have a double standard about what types of trash they are

willing to consume. Critics are criticized for holding films like “Transformers” to too high of a standard.

“It was only trying to be an action film,” one might argue. And since Michael Bay’s movies boast fire, guns and metal, they achieve what they set out to do and should not be held to the same standard as a Martin Scorsese film or an art-house indie. That seems to be the argument.

However, I wonder if Mr. Cage’s high theatricality is not intentionally its own form of performance art. A closer glance at some of Cage’s films allow for this possibility.

Take, for instance, “The Wicker Man.” A remake of the 1973 British horror film, the 2006 reincarnation was never meant to scare. Even though it could be understood as bound by a studio’s economic matrix, “The Wicker Man” was written and directed by Neil LaBute, an artist notorious for his bold, unflinching approach of uncomfortable and offensive material. So, his exclusion of the cultish sex practices in the original film and his insertion of blatant misogyny are likely not the mistakes of tyro director. It was constructed, it seems, to boast clips like

YouTube’s “Best Scenes From ‘The Wicker Man.’” Or, I might be committing a grave Intentional Fallacy.

Are you not entertained? Why must Cage adhere to a “serious” list of roles steeped in and dripping with dramatic realism, but action heroes and the so-called “Brat Pack” collect fans by phoning the same performance in slightly different films? I think it is because we have no other actors like Nicolas Cage; someone who dangles his potential for greatness in front of us while vexing us with his strange career choices.

He may not be the best actor, and if we do not see more “Adaptations” before we see more sequels to “Ghost Rider,” then Cage might prematurely end his own career. But, in the mean time, enjoy. After all, good acting is subject to our time and how we perceive people to act. So, why should we expect a “realistic” performance in a film like “Drive Angry” about a man who escapes hell and does battle with the devil’s right hand man? Oh, and I forgot to mention, it is in 3D. T.J. Keeley is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Religion: A matter of self-discovery, not an enforced lesson to memorize

I’d like you to take a moment and ask yourself what religion means to you.

This request is something of Commentary a trick. I doubt any meaningful answer could come to you in a moment. Taking a moment to describe what religion means to you is similar to taking a moment Wolf Howard to reflect on your life; by this point, you’ve been living far too long for brief reflection to be sufficient to cover the points in your life that have truly impacted you.

However, our generation is cursed with the insistence of instant gratification. This applies to action and mentality. We have the issue of not being able to read classic English texts such as Shakespeare or literature from the American Revolution without a struggle.

We can’t read sentences that go on for a page because we only know sentences that go on for a line. “The Federalist Papers,” written in English between 1787 and 1788, were recently translated into modern English so that people today could understand them properly.

I must wonder, then, how our generation expects to read the Bible. I speak here specifically of the Bible and Christianity because this is a Jesuit institution and the majority of you reading this are part of some sect of Christianity; but also because the Bible is the religious text most connected today with the English language: these sentiments apply to all religions. So how, when the majority of society stumbles on The Federalist Papers in part due to the language barrier of their native tongue, do we expect we can read and achieve meaningful understanding from the Bible?

Religion is not a social club; it is plain faith. And faith requires much more than a weekly visit to your place of worship and a “please God, if you get me out of this,” every few weeks. Moreover, it is a code of morality. It’s a set of principles to believe in and live by. And it’s a culture, which is more than just a social group. Culture is your heritage and in many ways a large part of who you are.

Many are beginning Lent, the 40-

“

day period of giving up something you are connected to that you feel you could be a better person without, or perhaps adding something that you feel you could be a better person with. This is done so that you might make progress toward becoming that better person, and also so that you think of God when you restrict yourself and remind yourself what it means to be good to and love yourself and others.

Still, it would seem many who practice Lent don’t find importance in the tradition. They do it without resolve or meaning. “There’s no way I’m going to let Lent ruin my favorite meals.” “I’ll just sneak back on Facebook this once.” But Lent is the practice of sacrifice in the name of the God of the religion to which you subscribe. Your faith isn’t worth sacrificing a meal? Your belief in the Lord who sacrificed his life for your sins isn’t worth 40 days of abstinence from something with the intention of finding greater happiness?

I write this because I’m worried that we as a generation are losing sight of what’s important. I fear that we’ve come to a point where the now is far more important to us than the good. I’m not saying that religion is the only impor tant thing; it is merely one of the stronger examples of what I’m talking about.

I’m not Christian, and in fact I don’t really share my faith with any church. It is my own, crafted by myself by means of the various ideas I have found, the experiences I’ve had, and the things I feel are important.

I don’t think this manner of crafting my own faith is unique, nor should it be. Everyone ought to challenge the things they’ve been told; your faith ought to be personal to you, church or not. If it’s not, then how can you have true faith? Is it not just an institution then, something you were raised in to? Religion – be it Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, or any other honest, good religion – is about finding fulfillment and living your life in accord with what is good for you and the people around you. Being content, gratified, happy in the moment, is quite different form being fulfilled.

Take a while to think about what your religion means to you.

I’m not a Christian, and in fact I don’t really share my faith with any church. It is my own, crafted by myself.

”

Wolf Howard is a shophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Parisa Rouie / Opinion Editor

Syria under attack by... Syria?

Syria is immersed in a violent conflict that has made brothers face each other in what some are already calling a civil war. AlCommentary most a year ago, some protests arose trying to change the way the government runs things. Unlike here, where “Occupy” found some harshness and rough edgFederico Garcia es, the Syrians Lorca found violence and retaliation not only from the policy, but even the Syrian army.

The military, following orders from the government, has bombed areas full of civilians with very few military targets, if any at all. It hasn’t taken long for the international community to take notice.

Navi Pillay, top human rights official for the United Nations, wants to bring the Syrian government to the International Criminal Court for its actions against its own country.

However, the Human Rights Council in Geneva might be missing the bigger picture here. Hunting down Syria’s government officials might prove harder that it seems in a moment when Syrian institutions are trembling and even Western journalists can’t move freely around.

International pressure is a double-edged sword: While it can help push a foreign government to stop whatever it is doing, it is also true that those international forces do not have any legitimate power, only a moral effect. The population could be persuaded to believe that their financial problems come from a foreign source and therefore turn them against the “outsiders.” In the words of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, “[International pressure] limits options, perhaps, to persuade leaders to step down from power.”

International criticism fell on Syria like raindrops this Monday when the government announced the re-

sults of their referendum to approve a new constitution. According to the Syrian government, approximately 90 percent of the voters considered this a positive thing and voted yes.

As almost every time regarding an international issue, there are two versions of the story. While Western leaders considered this result a farce -- a blatant manipulation of the referendum’s results -- China, Russia and (of course) the Syrian government see this has a positive step towards stability.

It hasn’t been too long since the unfortunate veto from China and Russia that paralyzed an otherwise unanimous decision from the United Nation’s Security Council to intervene in Syria. Those wounds are still to be healed, as it was seen in Pillay’s intervention in the Security Council when the Syrian delegation abandoned the room.

In the meantime, Saudi Arabia has come in and starting arming Syria’s government opposition, the Free Syrian Army. Composed of defected Syrian soldiers, the Free Syrian Army has no other political goal but the liberation of Syria from the current government.

Whichever position you wish to support, it is worth pointing out Mr. William Hague’s statement in Brussels: “The referendum vote has fooled nobody.” Maybe you are inclined to believe that Western countries are after Syria’s natural resources, as it has been claimed during the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I propose a different approach.

Instead, remember the hundreds that have died already. Don’t judge Syria just yet and build a conspiracy theory around international intentions and secret agendas. Without any external intervention, simply because of the urge to reach new possibilities and a different status quo, Syrians are dying almost in a daily basis because they believe their country is up for a better future.

Federico Garcia Lorca is a senior in Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology.

Weight loss. It’s a term we are used to hearing, but not quite used to experiencing. It seems weight loss methods bombard and Commentary overwhelm us continually– television commercials for “healthy” foods, gym membership advertisements and infomercials for diet pills. But Britta Norwick it doesn’t stop there – an awareness of the desire to be thin comes from other places too – comparing yourself to your tiny friend with the 25-inch waist, nagging comments from your mother, and the inescapable feeling of guilt just by looking at an ABP cupcake all shape our attitude towards being thin. With all of these pressures, how is weight loss even possible?

Weight-loss goals are hard to reach due to two main factors: knowledge and motivation. Firstly, how are you expected to lose weight if you have no idea how to go about doing it? Unsurprisingly, many students do not know the answer to simple questions regarding a healthy diet. I haven’t seen anything close to a healthy on-campus food option, nor have I seen any groups or clubs associated with diet and nutrition. This being said, students need to be well-informed of what constitutes a healthy diet. Once students have the knowledge they need to succeed, it’s time to put it to the test. Learning how to motivate yourself in the right way is essential.

If you’re trying hard to lose weight, my guess is you’ve tried almost every diet and exercise imaginable. The fact is, it’s hard to find and stick to one diet when there are so many options. Obviously certain diets impact people in different ways, but there is one diet that stands out as a model for those seeking to lose those extra inches and be healthy.

To ease into the basics of the Paleo diet, grab a copy of “The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy

by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat” by Loren Cordain.

This book promotes healthy dieting as a lifestyle, not just a means to lose extra pounds. The idea for this diet is centered on the Paleolithic Era in pre-history. Before the industrialization and commercialization of processed foods, early man ate only meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and water. This book outlines the beginner’s guide to eating and living the high-protein Paleo way. We weren’t meant to eat foods that are heavily processed and filled with artificial ingredients. Instead, we should go back to basics. Another excellent read for those truly committed to weight loss is Michael Pollan’s “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual.” This guide falls in line with the Paleo diet, and is a quick, easy, and informative read. Each page has a different diet tip to live by. One tip, “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants.” This book is useful because it acts as a continuation of Paleo in the simplest format. Pollan argues that eating doesn’t have to be complicated. This guide seeks to clarify concisely how to eat – with an added touch of humor.

Read and educate yourself with these two books, adhere to their principles (which don’t allow a cheat day or a cupcake on your friends’ birthday!) and I guarantee you will be on the right track towards weight loss. These diet plans are definitely tasty and you will never feel dissatisfied. However, prepare to say goodbye to soda, dairy, bread (wheats, grain, and oats), processed foods, and refined sugar.

Now, how do you truly commit yourself to healthy dieting? When people say, “My diet starts tomorrow,” and they continue to binge eat, it indicates the person is not truly committed to weight loss. In order to be successful, you must ask yourself, “Do I really want to put in the effort to lose weight, or do I just wish I was thin and am not willing to do the work?” Commit yourself. How, you ask? One of the most effective ways is tracking your diet and weight loss, and seeing if it compares to your goals. An excellent program, MyFitnessPal, available online at myfitnesspal.com and as a phone app, keeps diet and exercise tracking simple. First, you choose your tailored weight loss goals, and the program allots you a certain plan of calories for the day.

On this application, you can look up any food, add it to your food diary for the day, and view how many calories you have left to consume.

In the end, the choice is yours.

Dieting for weight loss is a conscious choice, and in order to be successful, you have to learn and motivate yourself to eat right. Weight loss isn’t a secret, but it is a challenge.

Britta Norwick is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Games

The University News Thursday, March 1, 2012

unewsonline.com

Advertise with us: 314.977.2813 advertising@unewsonline.com

Comics/Student Art

By Tyler Sondag

Last Week’s Solutions:

Sudoku

Crossword

Word Search

Arts OUT on the

TOWN Arts Editors’ Picks

MUSIC Thursday, March 1 Doors open at 8:30 p.m.

Show begins at 9 p.m.

The Giving Tree Band with Clusterpluck and Trigger 5 The Firebird This event is 18 and over Saturday, March 3 Doors open at 7 p.m.

Show begins at 8 p.m.

Big Gigantic with Minnesota The Pageant There will be a $2 minor surcharge at the door Tuesday, March 6 Doors open at 8 p.m.

Show begins at 8:30 p.m.

Reverend Horton Heat with Larry and His Flask The Firebird This event is 21 and over Saturday, March 10 Doors open at 7 p.m.

Show begins at 8 p.m.

Needtobreathe with Ben Rector The Pageant Tickets available through thepageant.com

THEATER March 2-4, 2012

The University News Thursday, March 1, 2012

unewsonline.com

The Billiken Club goes underground Turnover leads to an empty calendar for the ‘always free’ venue

By ANDREA ROYALS Senior Staff Writer

The Billiken Club hosted six shows during the fall 2011 semester, each featuring a variety of underground artists, including The War on Drugs, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and, St. Louis natives, So Many Dynamos. Saint Louis University students and members of the community flocked to each performance, all free of charge.

This semester, however, the intimate, edgy venue, located in the Busch Student Center, has seen a crowd only once, during a successful gathering of more than 100 students at an open-mic night in January. Student Amy Wall, booking manager of the Billiken Club, said that due to a transitional phase within the organization, no definitive acts have yet been announced for the spring semester.

“We’re in transition and just trying to solidify details, so something should be coming down the pipe soon,” Donna Bess Myers, interim staff manager of the Billiken Club, said. “There is no doubt about that, but it’s just that we’re not exactly able to say what that is yet.”

Myers said that when the former staff manager of the Billiken Club, Chris Grabau, left his position as manager of the BSC to secure a different position within the University, several student groups within the building were left to find new advisors and support for their organizations. As manager of the BSC, Grabau worked with various student media groups in addition to the Billiken Club, including The University News, KSLU and SLU-TV. Grabau said that one of his principle goals as manager of the BSC was to create an attraction to the building for students, alumni and the public through the Billiken Club, and that working with the student organization was one of his favorite things to do.

Courtesy of Moses

Bon Iver, a folk band who won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album in 2012, played their first show in St. Louis at The Billiken Club back in 2008.

“St. Louis has a lot of choices in terms of entertainment, so we wanted to put together a series that was of a high enough quality that people looked for the next show and planned to attend,” Grabau said. “The concert series strived to bring artists to the campus before they gained a larger audience on a setting where the music was center stage. We wanted each concert to be an event where a person could find their favorite new band, song, musician.”

When Grabau went on to

pursue a position as an instructional designer for the Reinert Center for Teaching Excellence last September, Myers said she stepped in to oversee the Billiken Club.

“I could appreciate [Grabau’s] passion for the Billiken Club,” Myers said. “I just had a soft spot in my heart to support them.”

Myers, who was a music major in college, said she loves music and discovering new artists but that her time tends to be focused on her position as the director of Student Support and Parent

Friday, March 2

Min Zhuang / Staff Photographer

L to R: Jason McCoy, Kunaal Bajwa and Jason Swierk prepare for an upcoming performance.

By WOLF HOWARD

Show times are 1:00, 4:15, 7:00 and 9:30 p.m.

Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie The Tivoli Running time 1 hr. 31 min.

OTHER Thursday, March 1 9:15 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The Billiken Series of Pop Culture The Billiken Club Saturday, March 3 9 p.m. to midnight Hakuna Matata: Spa Night BSC Saint Louis Room Free massages, yoga, facials and a viewing of “The Lion King”

See “Music” on Page 10

Captured as a home movie, film depicts a wild high school party

MOVIES

Friday, March 2

Services.

“We are discussing who would be able to give [the Billiken Club] the time and attention they deserve,” Myers said. “I would so love to do it, but my attention gets to be difficult when I am dealing with emergent issues.”

Wall, however, said that Myers has been very helpful. “[Myers] really stepped in and helped us,” Wall said.

“We’ve been really lucky to have her help us out a bit and work with me and listen to what I have to say.”

Wall said that she is eager

to announce a few shows before the end of the spring, but that the BillIken Club is also focusing on the fall semester.

The student organization typically books underground acts, bands which Wall said she sometimes refers to as “up-and-coming” artists, because they are generally less expensive to book than the artists featured on mainstream radio stations.

“They are not something that are on the Top 40 or getting a lot of radio play or huge attention on a major label, but they are something that we consider equally as good or perhaps even more so,” Wall said.

Some artists that previously appeared at the Billiken Club have grown to become very popular, including this year’s Grammy winner for Best New Artist, Bon Iver, who played his first show in St. Louis at the venue in 2008.

Myers said she encourages students to take advantage of the opportunities for entertainment that the Billiken Club offers on campus.

“The Busch Student Center is the students’ backyard,” Myers said. “Where else can you go to find quality music, a free opportunity to hang out with your friends or meet people within the community?”

Wall said that one concern within the organization has been the amount of outside community support it receives compared to student support, and that the administration is concerned that the Billiken Club is “more for the community than for students.”

“We are really interested in getting more students involved and excited because it’s a really great opportunity and a cool resource,” Wall said.

Student and concert-fan R.J. Hartbeck said he enjoys listening to performances at the Billiken Club. However,

LOL: Student improv comedy group The antics of ‘Project X’

8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. on Sunday Bat Boy:The Musical Main stage theater, Xavier Hall SLU Theatre Department

Show times are 1:20, 4:20, 7:20 and 9:40 p.m.

Thin Ice Plaza Frontenac Cinema Running time 1 hr. 34 min.

Talk to us: Erin Everett 314.977.2812 arts@unewsonline.com

Staff Writer

“LOL” is more than a text message acronym at Saint Louis University.

The League of Laughter, or LOL, is SLU’s first student comedy group. LOL was founded in 2007 by alumnus Kevin Dwyer and medical school student Astha Mor, with the help of alumni Chris Lyons and Matt Albers. The league started out as a small group— most of whom did not have any real theater or comedy experience.

“Mostly, they just wanted to have some fun and act like the goofballs you see on ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’”

Jason Swierk, senior and LOL president, said.

The group has since grown to a membership of about 30 people, with 15 to 20 members showing up to every meeting. Raphael Knaub, one of the regular actors, found out about the group through his floor during his freshman year.

“I always enjoyed putting a smile on people’s faces and was always curious about improv, so I showed up one day,” Knaub said. “They told me to pick a superhero to join the league. As a Frenchman, it was only natural to pick ‘Napoleon.’”

Originally, every member of the league had a superhero name, but this trend has since died out.

The names ranged from comic book heroes to selfcreated characters. Swierk’s superhero name is “MorMan,” which Swierk said that he chose simply because he found it funny.

The comedy troupe became a Chartered Student Organization (CSO) at the end of the 2010 school year. The group meets up every Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Xavier Hall’s Black Box Theater, and puts on an hour-long show on either the first or last Friday of the month.

“We’re always open to having new people join, and our shows are always free,” Swierk said.

Both participants and spectators are encouraged to show up to any of the meetings, and anyone is welcome to join in at any time. This openness is Knaub’s favorite aspect of the LOL. “Everyone is given an opportunity to perform, but there’s never any pressure from the crowd of peers,” Knaub said.

The club maintains an atmosphere that encourages learning through participation, and hopes that everyone that shows up will try acting

at least once. They even offer their time for fledgling comedians to try out jokes and get feedback from their peers.

Knaub warns that LOL might not be for everyone, because “a significant part of the comedy is rated ‘R.’” However, Knaub argues that the content of LOL’s comedy shouldn’t be an issue, given that the group is a college organization for college students.

He also praised the league’s diversity, saying, “All performers in LOL are funny in their own way.”

True to improvisational form, the vast majority of LOL’s act is unrehearsed and generated on the spot. And, very much like their inspiration, “Whose Line is it Anyway?” their shows generally consist of a medley of games, for which most scenes are directly initiated by the audience.

When asked for his favorite joke, Swierk said, “We don’t really have any kind of jokes that we keep around.”

Similarly, Knaub had only one joke he deemed clean and strong enough to present: “Two guys walk into a bar, a third one ducks.”

LOL’s next performance is on Friday, March 2, at 6 p.m. in Xavier Hall’s Black Box Theater.

Get ready— “Project X” is said this was an issue in simicoming. This film has been larly filmed movies such as promoted with ads featuring “Cloverfield.” He also has an J i m m y incredible touch for recreatK i m m e l , ing common high school steMovie Review but has reotypes, which can be all too not gath- true, and he brings the viewer ered the back to high school and into buzz of a the movie. box office This becomes increasingly s m a s h . important as the film goes on, “ P r o j e c t and the “cool” factor of the X” is the party goes literally through latest com- the roof. When the film endedy to hit ed, there was a tangible buzz Richard pugh the big of students comparing other s c r e e n , high school parties to this and it is being released on one, or fantasizing about what Friday, March 2, in a theater this party would be like. near you. It has mostly flown This film is raw— not only under the radar, but like the in the style that it is filmed, party in the film, don’t be sur- but in its content. The ratings prised if it blows up into some- advisory from the Motion Picthing huge. ture Association of America Filmed in (MPAA) home-movie is “R” for style, “Projcrude and ect X” docusexual ments the When the film end- c o n t e n t 17th birththroughday party of ed, there was a tan- out, nudia Pasadena gible buzz of students ty, drugs, teen, Thomdrinking, as, and his comparing other high per vasive two friends. school parties to this language, They throw reckless the party in one . . . behavan effort to ior and be “cool” but mayhem. have no idea “Project just how crazy their night is X” got its money’s worth of about to get. the “R” rating, as there is To sweeten the deal, the hardly a scene in the entire whole debacle is caught on- film without cursing, teenage camera by their shadowy drinking and/or smoking, or cameraman friend, Dax. nudity.

The directorial debut of In one of the trailers, the Nima Nourizadeh, “Project film even advertises that 35 X” picks up where films like tops were lost, and I think “The Hangover” and “Super- they mean during the film. bad” left off, featuring new- The bottom line is that this comers Thomas Mann, Oliver film is targeted for a narrow Cooper and Jonathan Daniel audience: College and high Brown. school kids who have been to Nourizadeh uses style ex- parties, and can relate to the ceptionally well. The film has shenanigans that go on there. the raw feel of a homemade movie, but isn’t distracting See “Reckless” on Page 10 or frustrating— viewers have

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Arts

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The University News

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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Iranian film nabs the country’s first Oscar ‘A Separation’ earns award for Best Foreign Language Film

SAB unveils plans for upcoming Spring Fest

By ZENITA THOMAS Staff Writer

The film first aired on Feb. 1 in Iran’s 30th annual Fajr Film Festival. Although it received no awards in Movie Review that festival, it went on to win the Golden Bear in Cannes and, most r e c e n t l y, the Oscar for best Parisa Rouie foreign language film at the 84th annual Academy Awards. “A Separation” became the first Iranian film to win an Oscar, and the second to be nominated for an Academy Award, after Majid Majidi’s “Children of Heaven.”

The film begins with Simin and Nader, a couple married for 14 years, who have been planning on leaving Iran since they were married. They have a daughter, Termeh, who is almost 11 years old, and they have only 40 days to leave Iran before their visa expires. The couple sits in front of a judge as the movie opens, where Simin is asking for a divorce, because her husband will not leave the country with her.

Nader tells the judge that he will not leave his father at a time when he suffers from severe Alzheimer’s and is in need of home care. This becomes a choice between caring for his father and keeping his wife and the mother of his child.

The film is made at a time when Iran’s divorce rates are soaring. According to The New York Times, the Iranian government reported a divorce for every 3.76 marriages in 2010, and the numbers have risen since. In a familycentered culture where divorce is highly undesired, “A Separation” uncovers a dividing world.

As Simin packs and leaves for her mother’s house, Nader is hiring a nurse to care for his father during the day. He hires Razieh, a religious and hardworking woman, who takes the job in an attempt to raise money to pay off her husband’s debts. She is four months pregnant and finds the housework exhausting.

Conflict arises when Nader

Courtesy of aseparationmovie.com

Leila Hatami (left) and Peyman Moadi co-star in the 2011 Iranian drama film “A Separation.” comes home one day with his daughter to find that his father had been tied down while sleeping and left alone.

The film does a great job of transferring the distress to the viewer. The subtle and unobtrusive nature of the filming places the viewer inside the film: the distress, deception, worry and frustration— the very things Simin tries to escape by going abroad.

But the film is not about deception or social corruption in Iran. In the end, Termeh’s innocence and Razieh’s honest refusal of blood money strike a balance with the conflict and deception that drives the story.

Nor is the film a documentary of a day in an Iranian family’s life. The film is about separation and the ripple effect of divorce. It shows the devastation of a world when the smallest unit of society— a family— separates. This is perfectly demonstrated through Simin and Nader’s daughter. She is fittingly

named “Termeh,” after a painstakingly-woven cloth, a luxurious Persian handicraft.

Termeh serves as a synecdoche of the society’s youth at large, and the agony youth undergo when the society is divided.

Time after time, Termeh is forced to make difficult decisions. She is forced to choose one parent to stay with, knowing she may never see the other, and she constantly carries memories of yelling, conflict and betrayal.

As is typical of director Asghar Farhadi, the torment and anxiety ends in a sudden cliffhanger. The viewer is left to settle for small resolutions as justice is finally put to rest, leaving two families in ruins.

But Farhadi’s cliffhangers allow the viewer to substitute hopeful and happy endings, as opposed to the film dictating it.

Thus, the film becomes a flowing part of the viewer’s life, instead of a couple of hours spent at the cinema.

A Separation

A THE GOOD There is a balance of honesty and goodwill against deception and misfortune.

THE BAD The fist fights and yelling make you shiver in your seat.

THE VERDICT Asghar Farhadi knows how to deliver a universal message and surpass language barriers.

‘Celebration Day’: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin

Colorful posters allude to “4.13,” the date of an event that is quickly approaching.

On April 13, the Student Activities Board (SAB) will host “Spring Fest,” which will be a revamped version of the traditional Spring Fever concert.

In addition to festivalstyle music performances, the event will include raffle prizes, carnival games, a scavenger hunt, life-sized Angry Birds and gift cards, among the many activities and giveaways that students can partake in.

“This event is not just a festival— it is so much more than that, because we are going in a new, fresh direction,” Christi Thieben, SAB president, said. “The new SLU tradition is the first thing that I want students to think of whenever they hear the name of this event.”

For the most part, Thieben said that the planning process for Spring Fest has been smooth sailing, but mentioned that SAB has experienced some difficulties with the artist booking process.

Despite this setback, SAB plans to put on a spectacular music concert.

“Even though our first choices didn’t work out, we tried to reach out to more artists because we want what’s best for our school,” Thieben said.

During the past several weeks, SAB has made plans to partner with LouFest Music Festival, local businesses, restaurants and other chartered student organizations (CSOs) for games, activities, food, free items and giveaways. Thieben mentioned that Vito’s Pizza and Hamburger Mary’s are ideal partners for this event.

SAB is currently contemplating having on-campus dance groups and the male and female a cappella groups perform. Other CSOs will also have an opportunity to contribute to the festivities.

Chartwells Dining Services will provide food, but there will also be food trucks available for students who have a sweet tooth, or a craving for tacos and other affordable treats. Entertainment will include a cover band, a hip-hop DJ and indie alternative rock and pop music.

“I would love for students to come out, enjoy the music and have a good time,” Thieben said. “We want Spring Fest to be an extension of how well the past Quad Days have gone.”

SAB plans to utilize social media as a way to provide more information about this event, in order to pique interest and keep students guessing about which bands will be performing.

“We do not want to announce the names of the bands just yet, because we want students to be eager about Spring Fest [and] come find out for themselves,” Thieben said.

SLU prides itself on being a close-knit community, so this event is an opportunity for CSOs to get involved and help make Spring Fest a success. SAB wants to do just that, by providing the perfect place for students to interact with new people, enjoy a fun atmosphere and experience what it is like to be a part of a new tradition.

“I am really excited to be a part of a new SLU tradition that is completely ours,” Thieben said.

SLU Spring Fest will take place on April 13 from 4:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. This event will stretch from the Quad to the Georgetown parking lot.

Music: Venue hopes for greater student participation Continued from Page 9

he said that if more people promote local creative colwere invested in the venue, it laborations between artists, would garner more support musicians and journalists. from students.

“The skill set I learned [at “If [the Billiken Club] was the Billiken Club] has been invested in and improved, it invaluable and the most imcould to continue to be a real- portant part of my college exly unique part of our campus,” perience, even more than my Hartbeck said. “But until that art history degree,” Deichhappens, it will lack student mann said. “It has lead to job support.” opportunities and cultivated Wall said a lifelong she encourinterest I ages stucur rently dents to pursue.”

If [the Billiken Club] become inW a l l volved with was invested in and said she the Billiken improved, encouragit could es students Club and take advan- continue to be a really to take part tage of the unique part of our in all lev“endless” els of the l e a d e r s h i p campus. organizaoppor tunition. Those ties that the -R.J. Hartbeck interested organization can find offers. more inforSLU alumna Liz Deich- mation for involvement on the mann credits her involvement Billiken Club website, thebilwith the Billiken Club in 2007 likenclub.wordpress.com. and 2008 for the opportunity “Students are what makes she encountered after gradu- it happen,” Wall said. ation to work in the indepenAlthough future perfordent music industry in New mances at the Billiken Club York City. In 2010, Deich- have not yet been announced, mann helped to establish the students will have to wait paSt. Louis Secret Sound Soci- tiently for their arrival. ety and, in 2011, created the “Keep your eyes open,” St. Louis Arts Project, two Myers said. “And your ears nonprofit organizations that open, too.”

“

”

Minghao Gao / Senior Staff Photographer

“Celebration Day,” a tribute to rock band Led Zeppelin, made a stop at The Pageant last weekend. The English group disbanded in 1980 when drummer John Bonham died of asphyxiation at the age of 32.

Reckless: Film produced by Todd Phillips, director of ‘The Hangover’ Continued from Page 9

As anyone who has been out late on a Saturday night can attest, parties with alcohol do not always end well. “Project X” bares all and shows the good as well as the bad, from the disc jockeys and the zip line into the pool, to kids throwing up and passing out.

One memorable scene features a 50-person beer bong.

Produced by Todd Phillips, director of “The Hangover” and “Old School,” this film definitely takes a few notes from the comedy giant.

One of the more brilliant features of the film is the use of unknown actors.

Many dramas have had great success using non-actors or amateur actors in the past, and “Project X” successfully applies this to a comedy.

The difference is palpable from the get-go. Having unrecognizable actors makes

Thomas and his friends seem even more believable as outcasts in their high school.

That’s about where the reality ends.

Certain trailers advertise the film as “a parent’s nightmare.” “Project X” takes the more conservative high school movies of the past and cranks up the heat. But this immersive dive into the high school teenage party culture can, at times, overstay its welcome. Like an over-served guest, some of the nuditybased humor cannot take a hint that it is time to go home.

This film uses every gag imaginable. Whether it’s jumping off the roof onto a moon bounce, driving a car into the pool, a gnome filled with ecstasy or a man running around Pasadena with a flamethrower, this film has it all.

Project X

A THE GOOD The home-movie style of the film is spot-on, and a great change of pace from recent comedies.

THE BAD There is a point where even the most imaginative people will say “C’mon, really?”

THE VERDICT

The word “immature” comes to mind but, for the average college student, this film is fun.

Sports

The University News Talk to us: Joseph Cacchione 314.977.2812 sports@unewsonline.com

Thursday, March 1, 2012

unewsonline.com

>>Men’s Basketball

Billiken Briefs Conklin Academics

Bills close out home schedule with rivalry rout

The College Sports Information Directors of America selected senior forward Brian Conklin to the Capital One Academic All- American Division I men’s basketball second team.

Conklin has been named to the Atlantic 10 Conference All-Academic team and graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in May 2011. He is SLU’s first Academic All-American since Kevin Lisch was named to the third team in 2008-2009.

Orf

for

Team USA

SLU’s senior cross country star Hilary Orf has earned a spot on Team USA for the 2012 NACAC Cross Country Championships on March 17 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Orf qualified for the meet after running an eighth-place 8K time of 28:01.3 in the USA Cross Country Championship earlier this month in Forest Park. She will run in the Women’s Senior 6K race.

For more coverage, check out the sports page on unewsonline. com.

BILLIKEN SCOREBOARD

Men’s Basketball

L 62-64

@ Rhode Island

W 70-59 vs. Xavier Women’s Basketball

L 61-64

@ Fordham Men’s Baseball

W 13-11 @ Mt. St. Mary’s

W

2-1

@ Mt. St. Mary’s

W 10-5

@ Mt. St. Mary’s

W 12-1

@ Mt. St. Mary’s

Photos by: Ryan Doan / Staff Photographer

Top Left: Students cheer on the men’s basketball team during the Billiken Blizzard. All fans received a white SLU t-shirt before the game. Bottom left: Kwamain Mitchell shows mastery of Majerus’ defensive style against Xavier. Right: Brian Conklin splits three Xavier defenders on his way to the basket.

Team plays for sold-out Chaifetz Arena, rallies in second half for victory

By CHARLES BOWLES Associate Editor

“Let’s Go Dancing” was the chant from the student section with a minute left in the game after the Billikens rallied from 10 down in the first half to win the game by double-digits, 70-59.

This game was extremely important for multiple reasons: The Billikens are now seeded in the Atlantic 10 tournament next week, they gained a key win for their NCAA Tournament resume and most importantly, it was the final game at Chaifetz Arena for seniors Brian Conklin and Kyle Cassity.

“The night was really all about them, I know it was hard for them, but I am very proud of both them,” Head Coach Rick Majerus said.

The Bills (23-6, 11-4 A-10) were lead by senior Brian Conklin who scored 23 points and collected six rebounds in his final game at Chaifetz. Kwamain Mitchell scored 14 points, and Mike McCall Jr., scored 10 points and collected 7 rebounds.

The first half did not start off well, as Xavier jumped out to the early 11-4 lead thanks to two early 3-pointers by Dezmine Wells and Mark Lyons. However, the Billikens responded after the first official time out going on a 9-2 run. The run was capped by a Jordair Jett layup after he stole the ball away from Xavier’s Brad Redford.

However, after that point, the Bills went cold as Xavier began to extend a lead into double-digits with 7:01 remaining in the first half. The Xavier lead would remain at about 10 throughout the remainder of the half. Xavier took a 39-29 lead into halftime.

In the first half, SLU shot 33.3 percent from the field and only made two of their 3-point attempts.

Billikens’ NCAA Tournament Resume Saint Louis Billikens (23-6, 11-4 Atlantic 10) RPI (Ratings Percentage Index): 30 SOS (Strength of Schedule): 99 Key Wins: Xavier (2), Saint Joseph’s, Washington Key Losses: Loyola Marymount, Rhode Island

Xavier on the other hand shot 51.9 percent from the field and made four out of seven of their 3-point attempts. Xavier rebounded the Bills 22-14 in the first half.

The second half was a completely different story.

The Bills began to shoot the ball very well, while Xavier began missing most of their shots.

SLU quickly closed the Xavier lead to a 4-point advantage. Xavier called a timeout, but then Mitchell hit a 3-pointer, which cut the Xavier lead down to one with 15:51 left in the second half.

The play that shifted momentum into the Billik-

ens’ favor was when they were down 1, and Dezmine Wells wiffed on a dunk that would have put the Bills down 3, but the Bills responded with a Brian Conklin basket at the other end that put the Bills in the lead for good, 41-40.

The Bills went on a 24-3 run to open the second half, which gave the Billikens a double-digit lead.

Xavier could not respond and drew a technical foul with about seven minutes left in the game.

After the game, Conklin and Cassity spoke to the crowd and thanked the fans, the Saintsations, the pep band, faculty and staff, the students and their teammates. After Conklin and Cassity spoke, the team went into the student section to embrace the students for their support.

“This was the best crowd I’ve ever seen in my four years here,” Conklin said.

The game had the second-largest crowd in Chaifetz Arena, with 10,441 in attendance. The student section was very loud and the normally quiet and reversed crowd was very energetic most of the game.

This was special moment. Majerus at the press conference had tears in his eyes when speaking about Conklin and Cassity and their achievements both on and off the court.

“Both of these guys graduated with honors, and I have one Academic All-American,” Majerus said.

SLU more than likely knocked Xavier out of the NCAA tournament with the win. The Bills’ win secures a first round bye in the A-10 tournament and a likely No. 2 seed in the tournament.

The Bills will conclude their A-10 regular season this Saturday in Pittsburgh against Duquesne at 11 a.m.

>>Softball

SLU takes three out of five in Georgia tournament

By RHOBB HUNTER Staff Writer

This past weekend, SLU’s woman’s softball team played in Kennesaw State’s Phyllis Rafter Memorial tournament in Woodstock, GA. With a brutal schedule of five games in three days, the Billikens’ efforts resulted in a winning record of 3-2, boosting their overall record to 10-6.

On Friday, the Bills faced Campbell University. SLU came out strong, scoring the game’s first run in the bottom of the first.

After Campbell (5-6) scored a run in the fourth on a leadoff double and a two-out

double, the Billikens put the game away by scoring five runs in the final two innings.

Later that afternoon, SLU edged Robert Morris 2-1.

Kelcie Matesa played an outstanding game, firing a three hitter and winning her third consecutive decision. She lowered her ERA to a teambest 1.60, too.

On Saturday, the Bills split the day by with a loss to Indiana and a win over tournament host, Kennesaw State.

In the Indiana game, the Hoosiers (6-6) tallied three first-inning runs off SLU starter Julian Austin, but the Billikens pulled even with two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth.

Later that day, SLU scored four runs in the fourth inning and held on to defeat Kennesaw State 4-3.

The win over Kennesaw State boosted SLU’s record to 10-5 overall and 7-2 in one-run games. Jessica Buschjost (3for-4) and Rachel Faletto (2for-3) combined for five of the Billikens’ six hits.

In the circle,Hannah Huebbe (5-1) collected the victory, while Kelcie Matesa recorded the final out for her second save of the year.

The Billikens compete at the Missouri Breast Cancer Awareness Tournament, hosted by UMKC, next weekend.

They will play four games in Kansas City, Missouri.

Courtesy of Billiken Media Relations

SLU’s softball team played five games in just three days last weekend, winning three and losing two.

Sports

12

The University News

unewsonline.com

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Who to

CHEER

>>Swimming and Diving

SLU shatters records at Atlantic 10 tournament Men finish seventh, women tenth in overall conference competition

By JOSEPH CACCHIONE Sports Editor

Courtesy of buzzbox.com

Kyle Cassity and Brian Conklin The two Billiken seniors finished off their last game at SLU by beating Xavier, possibly ruining the Musketeers’ chances of making the NCAA tournament. Xavier is still waiting to hear if they will be invited to the UFC finals.

Who to

JEER

The men and women’s swimming and diving teams broke 29 school records in the four-day conference tournament last week, but neither team could keep pace with the rest of the schools as they both finished in last place overall in points.

Richmond took home the title for the women while Massachusetts won it on the men’s side.

The all freshmen 400-yard freestyle relay team of Zack Billingsley, Patrick May, Justin Pasquesi and Patrick MacArt won the only gold medal for the Billikens, the first time SLU has ever won a relay race at the A-10 Championship.

Their time of 3:00.83 also broke a SLU record and was the first time a relay team also met the NCAA “B” cut-line national standard.

Billingsley didn’t stop there though, he also placed third in the 100-yard freestyle with his record-setting time of 45.24.

“I am extremely happy with my individual performance at the conference meet. Although, I would have like to drop a little more time in my 50 free, I was very excited to see how much time I dropped in my other two events,” said

Courtesy of Billiken Media Relations

The Billikens ended their season in outstanding fashion, breaking 29 school records in four days. They also took gold in the men’s 400-yard freestyle relay.

Billingsley.

Senior diver Chad Carmichael ended his career on a high note, finishing second on the one-meter diving board with a score of 294.85 on day one.

Freshman Patrick MacArt and the rest of his team finished seventh in the 200-yard freestyle split with a time of 6:52.33. MacArt’s split of

>>Commentary

1:40.08 broke a SLU record.

On day two, SLU broke six more records, beginning with Pasquesi’s 12th place finish in the 500-yard freestyle.

He finished with a time of 4:36.83, breaking his own record, which he had already broken earlier in the tournament by two more seconds.

Junior Taylor Streid continued her successful season fin-

ishing fourth in the 200-yard individual medley at 2:04.00, also breaking her own school record.

Christiana Eltiste followed Streid by finishing eighth on the one-meter board with her 195.00 point dive.

The men’s 200-yard freestyle relay consisting of Billingsley, May, Macart and junior Will Butzke ended day

two with their second place finish.

Their record setting time of 1:21.95 was the highest finish SLU has had in the event at the A-10 Championship.

Streid kicked off day three by finishing second in the 100-yard butterfly with her record-breaking time of 55.52.

Stephen Hansen also finished a runner up in his event, the 100-yard breaststroke, by besting his teammate Brian Brasser with another SLU record time of 56.39.

Billy Hrabovsky and Carmichael finished neck-andneck on the three-meter board, placing fourth and fifth respectively with scores of 295.10 and 294.50.

On day four, Streid ended her solid tournament by finishing with a school record time of 2:03.47 in the 200-yard backstroke, good enough for sixth overall in the event.

Whitney Gould finished 11th in the 1650-yard freestyle..

“I feel like the team did very well at conference this year. We didn’t place as high as we would have liked, but one of our goals from the beginning of the season was to get a few relays in the top three. It was very exciting to be a part of the fastest relays in SLU history and being able to share this experience with the rest of the team,” said Billingsley.

>>Women’s Basketball

The NBA’s top five Billikens lose overtime thriller first-half superstars Courtesy of aolnews.com

Dwyane Wade The Miami Heat committed a hard foul on Kobe Bryant in the All-Star game that broke Bryant’s nose and gave him a concussion. This finally gives fans a reason to hate the Heat.

Before now, the team had handled itself so professionally.

Who to

FEAR

Courtesy of sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Robert Griffin III The Rams have chosen to trade the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft and will pass up the Baylor QB. This sounds like a safe plan considering former Heisman-winning devout Christians never go on to prove people wrong.

By: Jonathan Auping Staff Writer

After Game 4 of the 2011 NBA Finals, Dallas Mavericks shooting guard DeShawn Stevenson said that LeBron J a m e s “checked out” of the game.

LeBron James’ p o o r four th Patrick quarter McNamara performances in the Heat-Mavs series last year were beyond comprehension, and they raised a number of questions about his poise, determination and toughness.

James was ripped apart all summer for shrinking on the big stage, but this year is a new year. So where does he stand so far this year? Let’s take a look at how King James measures up with the rest of the NBA’s top five players through the midway point of the season.

No. 5 – Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers – I actually had Derrick Rose here instead of Kobe Bryant originally.

I had it typed in and was ready to keep it that way. I was on the brink of leaving the great Kobe Bryant out of the top five. It seemed an insult to Kobe, the Lakers and the NBA to do so, but I still was tempted.

Kobe is having his worst overall shooting season since the 2004-05 season and his worst three-point shooting season since 2001-02.

His age is finally catching up with him, but there is one thing that Kobe still does better than anyone in the NBA, even if only for another year or so: he continues to amaze with his ability to hit shots that it looks like no one in the world has any business taking.

He certainly has a few more years of basketball in him, but this could very well be his last as a top-five player.

No. 4 – Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers – What? Paul ahead of Kobe and Rose?

Paul is undersized and does not put up as many points as anyone else on this list, but he makes as big of an impact on a team as anyone in the NBA. Paul is one of the best passers in recent history and sees things on the court that almost no one else does. He made an atrocious New Orleans Hornets team respectable, and just before this season he left and took over the reins in Los Angeles for a Clippers team that went 32-50 last year, nowhere remotely close to sufficient for a playoff appearance.

Paul wasted no time in refusing to take a backseat in Los Angeles to Kobe and the Lakers. The Clippers have

the fifth best record in the NBA and sit just ahead of the Lakers in the Pacific division of the Western Conference.

Paul can take over a game with his passing as well as some of the best players do with their scoring.

No. 3 – Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat – Praise Wade, blame LeBron has been the theme ever since LeBron James joined the Heat.

Wade has scored fewer points than James so far this year, but he has showed up when it matters in the fourth quarter.

He has hit two game-winning shots this year.

Wade is virtually unstoppable at anything not involving the 3-point line, and his shotblocking ability is incredible for a shooting guard.

The Heat are still Wade’s— and not LeBron’s—team as long as he continues to be one of the most clutch players in the NBA. No. 2 – Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder – “Durantula” is a quicker, more aggressive and more athletic version of Dirk Nowitzki. That’s scary. Durant might be the best scorer since Michael Jordan.

Before that sounds too outrageous, look at the fact that he shoots the ball far better than James, and he drives to the basket better than Bryant.

I would go as far as to say he is pretty darn close to a hybrid of the two.

And most important, he is the guy you want on your team if you are down a basket with one possession left.

Durant always takes the shot in those situations, and he makes it, too.

No. 1 – LeBron James, Miami Heat – If it’s the fourth quarter—particularly the fourth quarter in the NBA Finals—LeBron James is about as irrelevant to the game as the camera man.

James dominates in every facet of the game for three quarters, then King James mysteriously becomes Prince James, and everything he did for the first 36 minutes goes right out the window as he begs sidekick Dwyane Wade to bail him out. All that said, I still have James as the best player in the NBA. He is on pact to have the most efficient season an NBA player has ever had, according to the John Hollinger Player Efficiency Rating, which measures a player’s overall impact.

No disrespect to Durant, but there is a bigger difference between James’ and Durant’s defense in favor of James than there is between their offense in favor of Durant.

Come May and June, James current standing will likely change if he continues to embarrass himself on the big stage, but as for now, he is still King of the NBA.

Courtesy of Billiken Media Relations

Junior Courtney Webb stares down the defense against Fordham.

Last regular season game ends in heartbreak

By Adnan Haque Staff Writer

The Saint Louis Billikens lost 64-61 in overtime to the Fordham University Rams on Sunday afternoon at Rose Hill Gym. The loss drops the Billikens to 10-19 overall and 4-10 in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

The win improves the Rams to 12-19 overall and 3-11 in the conference standings.

Fordham’s win coupled with a UMass loss clinches the final spot in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament.

The Rams began the game on a 14-6 run. The Billikens fought back to cut the deficit to 5 points with just over 5 minutes left in the half.

A 3 pointer by Rams junior Arielle Collins ignited an 8-3 run to finish the first 20 minutes of play. The Billikens trailed 31-21 going into halftime.

The Rams began the second half on a 10-2 run as the Rams controlled both the offensive and defensive glass.

The Billikens trailed by as many as 18 points until the Billikens mounted a comeback from the 13:38 mark.

Desirae Ball’s lay-up started a 11-2 run for the Billikens that brought the score to 43-34 with 10:47 left to play.

A few seconds later, Rams Arielle Collins responded with yet another well-timed 3 to push the lead back up to double digits.

Over the final 10 minutes

of regulation, the Billikens outscored the Rams 19-7 capped by a Janisha Geralds lay-up with just five seconds left in the second half. She tied a Collins attempted a desperation shot to win it at the buzzer but to no avail.

In overtime, the Billiken led 61-57 with 1:41 to play but the Rams tallied the final 7 points of the game as the Billikens failed to convert on its finals three offensive possessions. Janisha Geralds tied her career high of 19 points in a losing effort.

This was the last regular season game and SLU will be the number 11 seed in next weekend’s tournament championship and will take on number 6 seeded Charlotte at 6:30 PM Central Time.

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