The University News A Student Voice of Saint Louis University Since 1921
unewsonline.com
Vol. XC No. 3
Thursday, September 2, 2010
LOUFEST Hotel development moves forward
Music fest brings big names, big crowds >> PAGE 7
E-mail leaks 353 IDs By JULIA CHRISTENSEN Contributor
Kati Cundari / Photographer
Hotel Ignacio, located on Olive Boulevard adjacent to Triumph Grill, is anticipated to restart the once-vibrant social atmosphere in the Midtown area. The construction of the hotel is being completed through a partnership between SLU and the Lawrence Group, a local private development company.
Ignacio construction aims to rejuvenate Midtown By KRISTEN MIANO News Editor
and JACQUELINE FUQUA Associate Op/Ed Editor
Over the last few months, Saint Louis University has been building a new hotel on Olive Boulevard. Hotel Ignacio, located next to Triumph Grill, should be finished in February and is expected to open in March of 2011. The building of Hotel Ignacio was first introduced during the commencement ceremony last year by University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J. “Hotel Ignacio not only meets an identified community need, it fits perfectly with our vision to see our campus encompassed by a neighborhood that’s both vibrant and dynamic,” said Biondi, according to a press release from the university last April. SLU is partnering with the Lawrence Group, a private development company located in St. Louis, to build the hotel. SLU also worked with the Lawrence group on the John Cook School of Business, the recreation complex and the education union at the Medical Campus. According to Steve Smith, CEO of the Lawrence Group, the building of this hotel will create a more lively area around campus and provide several benefits for SLU. “What happens off-campus is important to students. The more interesting the area, the better for the university,” said Smith. SLU is also working with the Lawrence Group to develop the area even further. So far, the group has completed 25 apartments across from the site of Hotel Ignacio, which will provide housing for both students and non-students. “Were also working on adding a new boutique retail store that will be opening in September that will go with the hotel,” said Smith. “There are also plans for a new sports-
themed restaurant, new retail space and a café in the apartment complex. The hotel, however, will be the high profile center of Locust.” Hotel Ignacio gets its name from the founder of the Jesuits, St. Ignatius of Loyola. The building will have 51 rooms and feature a business center, spa and fitness center. What makes the hotel unique, according to Smith, is that it will exhibit a collection of art from SLU. Triumph Grill, also owned by Smith, will collaborate with Hotel Ignacio to provide food service, including room service and catering. The hope for the hotel is that it will primarily provide a place to stay for visitors to the university. “The hotel will be a great amenity for visitors to the school. For parents of students, prospective students, anyone visiting the Chaifetz Arena, people visiting professors, the hotel is a great place to stay,” says Smith. Peter Pierotti, Director of Real Estate for SLU, said that in addition to providing temporary residence for SLU visitors, the hotel will benefit the area in a myriad of other ways. “[The hotel] puts what was an ugly building into a useful, active building. This will also strengthen our borders. When we have boarded up buildings, crime increases in the area,” said Pierotti. SLU has owned the building where Hotel Ignacio is being built for about six years, but the plans for the hotel have only been in production for about a year. “The reason the property was purchased was for the [Chaifetz] arena. From what I understand, the university was trying to buy the Drake [Plaza Apartments], but the property got too costly,” said Pierotti. The arena was not built on the property, but SLU still owned the building. See “Hotel” on Page 3
SGA strives to fill vacancies; 32 senatorial spots remain open By SEAN WORLEY Assistant News Editor
The stands looked a little empty again this week. In just a little more than an hour, the Student Government Association ended its second meeting of the year on Wednesday with a barely-filled chamber, as 32 senate seats are still available. Anvender expects the dynamics of the chamber to build as applicants are interviewed and selected for the available senator positions. Interviews for the open senate seats will take place this weekend. However, although senate attendance was slim, some business was successfully accomplished. Five bills were passed in Wednesday night’s meeting. Two of the bills entailed the creation of two new SGA Committees. The Committee for Safety and Security and the Committee of Student Relations are now active sub-bodies of SGA. The Safety and Security
Committee will address student concerns regarding campus safety. Now that the committee has been officially instituted, the accompanying senators will be able to meet with newly appointed Assistant Vice President and Director of Public Safety and Security Services Roland Corvington in order to start dealing with the issues brought up students. The other committee came to fruition is the Student Relations Committee. A mission of SGA this year to provide more of a connection between the general student public and the senate, the Student Relations committee aims to improve this connection. In order to facilitate a better connection between students and the senate, the committee will “oversee the maintenance of the all SGA websites, social networking sites” and “spearhead SGA relations with student media groups” stated in See “SGA” on Page 3
Andrea Royals / News Editor
Hotel Ignacio is expected to welcome guests in March 2011.
ON THE WEB>> View exclusive video content
from the inside of the future Hotel Ignacio online at unewsonline.com. Just click on “Multimedia.”
Des Peres Hall welcomes new Center for Global Citizenship By ANDREA ROYALS News Editor
International students, faculty and researchers at Saint Louis University will have a new location on campus that meets all of their needs in Des Peres Hall. The renovations for the Center for Global citizenship, expected to be completed in December, will give the SLU community a warm and inviting space where they can gather, connect and socialize, President Lawrence Biondi, S.J. said in his August message. Des Peres Hall will be home to the Office of International Services which includes a program for studying abroad, the English as a Second Language Program, the International Studies Program, the Scholars Program and an innovative space for the Center for Teaching Excellence. “Bringing together International Studies, International Services, and
ESL will create an opportunity for international students and students traveling internationally to understand that travel is an experience that touches on cultural knowledge, language and
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The space will allow us to... promote the responsibilities that are a part of our new global society.
—Paige Turner
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logistics,” said Paige Turner, the Associate Vice President of Community Engagement. “The space will allow us to host events for members of the SLU and St. Louis community that promote the responsibilities and opportunities that are part of our new global society,”
Turner said. A committee was formed among the administration during the summer of 2009 to address the needs of international students. “What lead to the proposal to have all these amenities in one spot was the notion of synergy. “We saw a real advantage. If we could bring all these groups together, we’d have a lot of knowledge and expertise. Hopefully one idea would lead to another,” said Bert Barry, Director of International Services and a member of the committee. However, Barry said that he did not expect to see a central location for the programs for another three to five years. “We did not expect [a physical center] to come so quickly, so we are obviously happy,” Barry said. “That was a pleasant surprise.” See “Flags” on Page 2
A number of Saint Louis University students will be starting the new school year off with a brand new Banner ID number. According to Cari Wickliffe, Assistant Vice President of the Division of Enrollment Management and Director of Student Financial Services, an e-mail that was sent on Aug. 17 by a SLU staff member contained the Banner ID numbers of approximately 353 students. “A staff member inadvertently sent a spreadsheet containing several students’ Banner IDs,” said Wickliffe. “My understanding is [the staff member] was sending e-mails to students from a list when it was attached.” Wickliffe said that immediately after the e-mail was sent, the accounts of the students that were involved were frozen to prevent any breeches of privacy, and e-mails were sent to affected students to explain what had happened. The student who received the e-mail containing the Banner numbers was also immediately contacted and informed about the incident. The Banner IDs of the students involved have been changed, and the students were given new student ID cards free of charge. “The student who received the e-mail responded very quickly and deleted and trashed [it] without reading it,” said Wickliffe. Ann Gioia, Director of Parking and Card Services, said that almost all of the students involved have come to pick up their new ID cards. According to Gioia, switching meal plans to new Banner ID numbers during the first week of school was difficult. “It was a fairly lengthy process to get people moved over,” said Gioia. Michael Tarkey, a sophomore biology major, was one of the affected students. Tarkey said that he received the e-mail explaining that his Banner ID number was “mistakenly sent to someone,” and he picked up his new student ID card at Parking and Card Services, where there was a list of everyone involved. “It doesn’t worry me too much. I guess mistakes are made,” said Tarkey. “Nothing has really happened from it.” Tarkey said the school apologized for the inconvenience. “I think if it were to happen again it would be a big deal,” said Tarkey. This is not the first time something like this has happened at SLU. According to Wickliffe, a similar event took place in November of 2008 when the names and Banner ID numbers of about 420 students were inadvertently sent to a staff member and 20 students. Wickliffe said that although See “IDs” on Page 3
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Let Us Introduce You
Stephanie Hart
SAB president balances executive board duties with reaching career goals By ASHLEY SELAS Contributor
Stephanie Hart is the new president of the Student Activities Board at Saint Louis University. SAB is a chartered organization that is responsible for special event programming and providing entertainment that caters to what the student body desires, as well as the Jesuit values that clearly define SLU. Hart said, “We are bringing events for the students. Our biggest goal is bringing what the students are asking for”. Hart is no stranger to SAB. Her older sister, Amanda, had also been a part of SAB while at SLU. In addition, Hart served on SAB as the Vice President of Event Planning and as the Vice President of Operations. Hart’s experience with these different roles has taught her how to effectively run meetings and how to ensure that the leadership is in sync with what needs to be done. She said that she strives to create an atmosphere of productivity as well as enjoyment. Hart emphasized that one of the core goals as the SAB president is to listen to the voice of the student body. A survey is sent out to the student body twice a year in efforts to understand how the events that were presented went, and then to be able to enhance the entertainment goals for the upcoming semester. “We look through everything. We really do,” said Hart. This year, there is a new comment box that appears on their website aside from the option of emailing SAB directly. Also, at the end of events, iPads will be accessible to the students to be used as a survey tool. SAB is hoping that students will take advantage of the new opportunity. Homecoming is always one of SAB’s first tasks of a new school year. The theme this year is
Global Brigade expands efforts to aid Honduras By MARKI BURNETT Contributor
Noah Berman/Photo Editor
Student Activities Board president Stephanie Hart poses for a picture in the hall behind the Busch Student Center’s Wool Ballroom, which the SAB sometimes uses as a staging area for events. going to focus on life at the beach. Returning students should expect traditional Homecoming events, with “a few little surprises,” in the mix, Hart said. There are posters, savethe-date cards, and Facebook events that promote these events. Hart said that one of the most interesting parts about her job is that she is able to contact famous artists that are brought here to campus. “I have never met someone that is stuck up,” Hart said. “I hope people like that I am optimistic,” Hart said. “I am really motivated and orga-
nized, and that helps as well because there are so many things I am working with.” Hart started off at SLU with an undecided major, but now has declared that she is a Pre-Med major with a minor in Community Health and she hopes to someday be a pharmacist. Hart reasoned, “I didn’t necessarily want to diagnose, I wanted to treat.” An interesting fact about Hart: she was a dancer for 15 years. Hart said “I am usually a very shy person, so most people wouldn’t usually know I could move it on the dance floor.”
Global Brigades is a worldwide student organization that works to improve the living conditions of people in underprivileged countries. There are nine programs within Global Brigades, each with a specific service focus. Four years ago, the Global Medical Brigade was established at Saint Louis University. Each year the group travels to Honduras to distribute medicine and treat illness and disease among citizens. This year, students are working to expand the Brigade program at SLU by establishing the Global Water Brigade and the Public Health Brigade. Like the Global Medical Brigade, the Global Water Brigade and Public Health organizations travel to Honduras to improve the lives of impoverished people in those areas. Instead of treating citizens medicinally, the two new organizations take a more preventative approach to improvement. The Global Water Brigade’s primary task is to build water filtration systems to provide clean water to remote Honduras communities. They work alongside engineers from Honduras to draw up a plan for each system. Each blueprint is unique to a specific area because of the different challenges terrain and location pose in each area.
Water filtration systems will benefit the long-term health of the community. “Most patients you see on the Medical Brigade trip are people who have parasites and things that come from the water. As soon as you develop a water filtration system to clean up the water, you will finally see improvement in their health,” student Aaron Parr, a member of the Brigade, said. The Global Medical Brigade will also benefit from the sanitized water. “We figure if we can get clean water filtration systems, when the Medical Brigade goes down they can be more effective in treating patients for illnesses not due to parasites,” said Brigade member Matt Tellman. Monica Tao, another Brigade member, said that the Public Health Brigade works alongside the Honduras communities to empower the people to take charge of their own health. “The focus is on educational informational sessions on good hygiene practices and proper waste management,” said Tao. “One component is construction projects to improve things in their own home.” The PHB works to build concrete floors to prevent a tropical parasitic illness called Chagas disease. The PHB also plans to build latrines, clean-burning stoves, and water storage units to further improve the health of the people.
The three organizations plan to travel to Honduras in January. They will arrive at the capital city of Tegucigalpa, and attend to surrounding areas of need. “We might be in different locations, but it is the exact same mission: preventative health measures,” said Parr. “We both have the goal of getting the community involved while we are down there.” The Brigades are open to all students at SLU, regardless of major, department of study or proficiency in foreign language. “All of our brigades are open to students of any major,” said Tao. “We encourage people of all different majors to come with us. It is not just pre-meds on Medical Brigades. We have had all types of students participate.” Tellman said that he enjoys his involvement with the Brigade. “You learn so much about the communities there, and a lot about yourself. It is very eye-opening to see how people live,” said Tellman. Tao agrees. “It is very hard to go on a brigade like this and not feel differently when you come back,” she said.
Correction The illustration with the article “Mosque placement challenges us to redefine our patriotism,” was the work of Starla Salazar. The University News regrets the error.
Flags: Center to provide opportunities, resources Continued from Page 1
Barry said that the center will include a student lounge area, featuring a catering kitchen where students can prepare cultural meals for events, and access to international media through globally linked televisions. The center is welcoming campus organizations to hold regular meetings at the facility, including the International Faculty and Staff Association and members of the International Student Federation. The exteriors of Des Peres Hall and the BaumanEberhardt Center have been adorned with 101 flags from different countries, each representing nationalities of members of the SLU community and countries where SLU faculty travel to teach, research, study and complete service projects. Turner said the flag of the Vatican is also included to acknowledge SLU’s Catholic identity.
“The flags identify Des Peres Hall as a gathering place for people of different nationalities and backgrounds,” Turner said. Barry said that when students come to a new country, they often find themselves in a state of culture shock. “I think the initial struggle for anyone when they come here is adjustment to culture,” Barry said, “You can study the language and the culture, but something will come as a surprise at some point.” “At some point something is going to seem totally strange.” Peishan Liu, an international student from Shen-Zhen, China, said that she is pleased with her transition to SLU. “I like [the campus] very much. The advisors are more helpful than in China, and I can ask my teachers anything,” Liu said. “They have answers, and I have many questions.” Barry said that he hopes
the center will relieve some of struggles international students face when relocating to a new country and that it will not become a place of isolation for only international students. “What we are hoping to do, and what I think we will be successful in doing, is include just as many American students as we have international students, through things like studying abroad and international studies,” Barry said. The centralization of different programs will offer students and faculty a chance to explore global opportunities through SLU. “We don’t see [the development] as fixing a problem, but offering opportunities we didn’t have before,” Barry said. “When you bring a lot of people together with a common interest, in this case international education, you are going to see results that are perhaps beyond anybody’s expectations.”
Vincent Schneider/Photographer
The Bauman-Eberhardt Center has been adorned with 101 flags, each representing nationalities of members of the SLU community, as well as the flag from the Vatican, which acknowledges SLU’s Catholic mission.
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Thursday, September 2, 2010
Hotel: Construction to feature 51 rooms, fitness center, spa Continued from Page 1
Hotel Ignacio is the University’s way of finally putting the building to use. Pierotti also stated that there was talk by SLU students that there was not a lot to do in walking distance around the university. He hopes that the development will help to rejuvenate the area and bring in more investors and developers to add new stuff to do nearby campus. Funding for the building of the hotel is coming from several different places and is a mix of private and public payments. “The whole development is being paid for with University funds, partner funds, new market tax credits, federal historic tax credits and state historic tax credits,” said Pierotti. The apartment complex across the street is also being funded by tax income and market credit. SLU also owns the Water Tower Inn, located on Lafayette Avenue near the Medical Campus. The Water Tower Inn features 62 rooms and a several facilities similar to those being built in
Ignacio, according to SLU’s website. Despite already owning a hotel, Pierotti said that no changes are planned for the Water Tower Inn. “It’s a different market. The Water Tower Inn is pretty full and we determined there was a need for [a new hotel]. There is nothing within walking distance from the university or Chaifetz. This is a totally different hotel,” said Pierotti, “The Water Tower Inn is an economy property. It’s the barest hotel essentials. Ignacio is nicer and we want to offer visitors that choice.” Junior Breahna Nelson agrees that there is a need for a closer hotel. “It’s good for undergraduate parents. We need more hotels in the area. I’m kind of excited, though I don’t know much about it. It’s a good idea.” Overall, the general consensus on Hotel Ignacio is that it will be very beneficial for the surrounding area and Midtown. Vincent Schoemehl, the president of Grand Center Inc., a center for the arts that hosts about 1,500 events annually, said that the devel-
opment would certainly be an improvement. “Adding a boutique hotel and apartments will bring lots more people into the community, which is a definite improvement,” said Schoemehl, “It’ll surely help Grand Center, SLU, and even the city as a whole.” Jeanne Spoto, a spokesperson for the new City Diner by the Fox, located on Grand Boulevard, is optimistic about the development in the Midtown area being spurred by the hotel. “There was talk of [the building of Hotel Ignacio], but no guarantee. We were hopeful from the get go,” said Spoto, “The Grand center is doing a lot already…all to make it more friendly.” The City Diner plans to offer deals to students in the future to promote this friendly atmosphere. “This is a real symbiotic relationship between the hotel, the apartments, and the Grand Center District,” said Schmoemehl, “The university has been very involved over the years. This has been a long time project, renewing both the campus and the Grand Center.”
IDs: Measures taken to resolve error Continued from Page 1
these events have been complete accidents, steps are being taken to prevent a repeat of this problem. “It’s a lesson learned. We have a protocol outlined,” said Wickliffe. “We do look at all of the processes and procedures to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.” According to Wickliffe, one mean used to prevent the mistake is a program that forces e-mail senders to individually pick out the recipient of the message. “Send This File,” available through MySLU, works to avoid accidental attachments and recip-
ient name confusion. Wickliffe said other steps include training for new employees or current employees unfamiliar with Google e-mail. Printed outlines have
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[There’s] not a whole lot you can do with just a Banner ID. - Cari Wickliffe
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also been made to explain the system in detail. Wickliffe said very few problems could occur using only the information that was
sent in the e-mail. “There were no passwords, PIN numbers, social security numbers, dates of birth, [or] addresses included in the e-mail,” said Wickliffe. “[There’s] not a whole lot you can do with just a Banner ID.” Wickliffe explained the information could be used on department specific on-paper forms, but little else. Despite minimal consequences, new Banner identification numbers and student ID cards are reissued by the school due to basic privacy issues. “It was still an identifier and it still was shared.” said Wickliffe.
Kati Cundari / Photographer
Construction continues on SLU’s Hotel Ignacio. The University and the surrounding area hopes to benefit from the visitors and business that the hotel will bring to Midtown.
SGA: Two committees formed, greater emphasis on social media Continued from Page 1
the committee’s description. As part of the committee, SGA will be launching a new website in the coming weeks. The committee will also focus more on utilization of SGA’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. SGA also passed a bill this week that will incorporate Committee Representatives in the senate population. “It’s designed to increase intellectual diversity in SGA and will be a good thing for people who can’t come Wednesday evenings but still want to be involved,” College
of Arts and Sciences Senator Jimmy Meiners said. The Committee Representatives will serve on various SGA committees and will have voting power within the committees but not in senate sessions. Though the representatives will not have the same responsibilities as senators, they are intended to increase the “organizational transparency” of SGA, and allow for continued interest in SGA. Vice President of Internal Affairs Murphy Vandenberg expressed that they are attempting to rekindle an excitement about SGA. She
said that it is not uncommon for students to lose interest in SGA after not being accepted for a senatorial position. “I’m excited that we passed this,” Murphy said. “There’s a lot of interest in SGA this year and even if they are not senators [students] deserve a voice in SGA,” Vandenberg continued. The addition of the representatives was able to be passed at this week’s meeting because it was previously presented during last year’s senate. Most bills must be tabled for a week before voting can occur.
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Hotel Ignacio makes space for guests, but leaves students with no places of their own Students who walked past the Busch Student Center to the Med Campus shuttle may have noticed a line of SLU Ride vans – in the middle of the day – ready to pounce upon command in the loading area. They served as shuttles to and from the Manresa Center, which was used as a residence hall for students bereft of on-campus housing. The vans were one of the many crutches that the administration instigated in their attempt to deal with what is now a long is drawn-out issue. All residence buildings at SLU are filled to the brim, which left some students in limbo. Tensions simmered at the end of last year with the new policy that required sophomores to live on campus, making housing a valuable commodity. Many sophomores (now juniors) found themselves in the residence halls they had when they were freshmen, and even more upperclassmen were pushed off-campus into private apartments. The Flats were not included in the housing scholarship due to which SLU earlier promised that students would never have to move there. As it stands, many SLU students now live in the Flats, rendering their housing scholarship obsolete. We cue in the big twist in our lengthy drama. SLU’s construction of a new boutique hotel on Olive Blvd. called Hotel Ignacio, hits a sensitive nerve for us. While the construction may help revitalize the Midtown area and bring possible revenue to SLU, we question the timeliness of this project. SLU is undergoing an upsurge in enrollment which, while definitely a positive thing,
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is putting stress on our housing crisis. Instead of using the energy and money that will be spent on the hotel to fix the housing problem by acquiring land/buildings for necessary new residence halls, SLU will instead budget funds towards a project that has no direct correlation to the student body. In fact, all press releases and other public information about the hotel fail to mention how SLU students will directly benefit. We have to connect those floating dots ourselves. We are creating vacancies for those who hardly need it. Potential dignitaries that the hotel will serve have Water Tower Inn, which we use currently to host SLU guests and alumni. When we understand that Hotel Ignacio is more of a pet-project than a necessity, the issue of hosting dignitaries loses its timesensitivity (especially since planning started a year ago, overlapping with the housing crisis). Hotel Ignacio can assuredly wait with an adequate alternative already built. With triples in Clemens and sophomores in Grand Forest, our housing predicament expands and coagulates into proportions that demand careful short-term and long-term planning. In a microcosm, it’s the choice between one’s social life and studying. We all know the right answer, but we refuse to acknowledge it when other shiny activities tempt us from afar. Students pined away in Manresa, suffering the shuttles that left them either stranded on campus or back in the residence hall. In the meantime, SLU barrels on with its ill-planned project that quite thoroughly leaves no room for us.
Fresh breezes billow through new flags on Des Peres Dazzling flags sweep across the rooftop of International students, especially, may feel Des Peres and Bauman-Eberhardt, bolster- welcomed when they see their home flag ing the buildings’ statures both physically from amongst the many. and metaphorically. When we say international, we really mean The French brick architecture of the build- international. We noticed over the years that ings only adds to this noble yet festive air that the phrase “international student” at SLU has the flags exude. come to mean “Asian” or “Chinese.” With this grandiose display of multiculThis subversive metonymy boxes our conturalism, SLU ushers in progressive new ceptions of race. We need to understand that changes not only to the buildings’ façades, students from other nations attend SLU. We but also to its internal offices and functions. also need to see past physical appearances Des Peres hall is to avoid using visuallyconverting to a Center charged terms such as for Global Citizenship. “Asian.” Important organizaThe words we use tions and programs We noticed over the maintain visual and (such as the Office of – we need years that the phrase stereotypes International Ser vice visual reminders to and the English as a “international student” at change these misconSecond Language SLU has come to mean ceptions. Program) will now be Countries from far “Asian” or “Chinese.” housed there. It also and wide (maybe even mentions how the more from ‘Far Far Away’) flags perched atop the are represented atop buildings serve to symDes Peres Hall; seeing bolize SLU’s global spirit. this vibrant display of nations can help us We wonder how these changes – espe- not only understand the grand importance of cially the presence of the flags – affect cam- diversity and, but also the core meaning of pus life. Flags hark to a time when kings still the term “international.” ruled the land. They symbolized power and The flags billow and wave in the morning grandeur. Today, they hold our national pride breeze towards the nations of the world, past up to the heavens for all to see. Students can a vast and translucent horizon – the horizon feel this renewed sense of awe and excite- towards which we must expand our cultural ment as they stroll past the clock tower. understanding.
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Posted below are the results from our web poll on The University News’ website. These are the current opinions on the name for our new Billiken cartoon!
Adviser Jason L. Young jyoung42@slu.edu The Editorial Board of The University News Recognizes Avis Meyer, Ph.D. as the newspaper’s faculty mentor.
Peony Lee/Illustrator
What should the Billiken cartoon be named? 38%
Bender (old SLU football coach)
28%
Blue
Baxter
8% 0
10
20
30
40
During the Freshman Pep Rally last Thursday at Hermann Stadium, our new Billikens were treated to an exciting evening as they had the opportunity to meet their SLU peers. An extra thank you to the wonderful and hard-working Oriflamme volunteers for the incredible spirit they demonstrated in teaching the Billiken way and the S–L–U cheer to our freshmen. Friday’s soccer games had an electric atmosphere due to the energy and enthusiasm of all students during the Spirit Competition. Special congratulations to the winning residence halls. Once again, thank you to all for demonstrating your SLU spirit. We look forward to seeing ever yone soon at Billiken athletic events throughout the 2010-11 academic year. -Chris May, Director of Athletics
New SGA committee geared towards students’ safety At times it takes unfortunate experiences to make a community realize where they are lacking, and that more must be done to ensure students feel safe at their home-away-from-home. Student Government has officially added a new committee – Safety and Security Concerns, aimed at being the central point to deal immediately with student concerns. This committee is truly a collaborative effort between many University groups, including Student Conduct, Student Life, RHA, DPS and other organizations that students rely upon daily. We are working quickly to become a preventative force so students will feel safer knowing their needs have been heard. -Caroline Rutledge, SGA Chair, Safety and Security Concerns Committee
New venues at SLU needed I find the promotion of the Fox and Grand Center at the University most distasteful. It is especially ‘heavy’ as the University tries to attract Alums back for reunions. I’ll pass on my 50th. When there are better choices offered, I’ll come back. -Ed Golterman, SLU Alum
Quotes of the week
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It’s cool to see St. Louis start up a festival where people who like music and diverse types of music can come together.
-- Alexis Cassus, Senior in the College of Arts and Sciences
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-- Vincent Schmoemehl, President of Grand Cener Incorporated
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Adding a boutique hotel and apartments will bring lots more people into the community, which is a definite improvement.
Claude (founder of the UNews)
26%
On behalf of the department of athletics, I want to say thank you to the Welcome Week Committee for allowing us to participate in greeting the class of 2014. We could not be more proud and honored to welcome and meet the new group of Saint Louis University Billikens.
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Opinion
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Gingrich gets his big wish after all EDITOR’S NOTE: None of the attributions in the following column are factual. All references are for satirical purposes only. In a stunning turn of events that has renewed the “Ground Zero Mosque” debate, a group of peachstaters has begun drawing Commentary up preliminary plans for a Catholic church, to be constructed in Jerusalem, just meters from the Dome of the Rock, the Wailing Wall, the Ben Eldredge Mount of Olives, and Gethsemane, among others. The church, which will be christened “The Cathedral of St. Richard the Lionhearted,” has already drawn fire from members of both the Muslim and Jewish communities in the region. “The construction is a direct slap in the face to Israel and the global Jewish community,” said one rabbi, who wished to remain nameless. “I don’t want to wake up and have to see that every morning, along with St. Peter’s, St. Andrew’s, and St. James’, and the countless other Christian edifices that have existed here for thousands of years without arousing my anger.” Imam al-Hussain shared the rabbi’s view: “The very name of the ‘Crusader Inquisition Hellpit,’ as we have taken to calling it. It is an affront to Islam. It calls to mind those many hundreds of years when the Christian hordes oppressed our people.” The controversy has grown so volatile that even world leaders felt compelled to weigh in: “There will be a church in the Middle East when there is a mosque in America!” proclaimed Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. “Because America should be the moral standard by which we measure ourselves, as we have been doing for the past five decades.” When told that there are, in fact, already several thousand mosques in America, Ahmadinejad muttered something about stoning adulterers. Caught in the middle of all this vitriol and sectarian hatred was the group of Georgians who simply wanted a safe place to worship. “We’re just trying to do what Newt said,” explained Rev. Jimmy Hornswoggler, Georgia native and leader of the Lionheart congregation. “But we couldn’t build a church in Saudi Arabia, since the Saudis don’t allow that kind of thing, seeing as their belief system is completely dissimilar to ours and can’t really, especially when that comparison results in dishonest political gain for the person doing the comparison.” He continued, “Newt also said something about Nazis, and we’re always on the lookout for those. Do you think they’re in Saudi Arabia? I bet they’re all Nazis. Or socialists. Of some kind. You can’t be too sure these days.” The construction of the church is slated to begin Nov. 10, which Jewish community leaders noted is the night of Kristallnacht, and Muslims complained was the 566th anniversary of the Battle of Varna, which they won. *Newt Gingrich spoke these remarks on Fox News, a subsidiary of Newscorp, whose second largest share holder is Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a Saudi Prince. Ben Eldredge is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.
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Thursday, September 2, 2010
World Cup scores a goal for southern Africa Upon stepping into the shiny new international arrivals terminal of O.R. Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, it felt as if I were in the sprawling Commentary capital city of any developed country. In reality, I had just landed in a nation which, until the 1990s, had been a place of widespread poverty Vincent Schneider and inequality. I landed in South Africa on July 18, exactly one week after the final game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The first World Cup to take place in Africa forced the eyes of the entire world to focus on a continent which has long been left behind in the international community. Just in the airport, I could see the immediate effects of the monthlong, internationally broadcast event which had taken years of preparation. As beautiful as this airport was, however, it was not the final airport on my journey. I was on my way to a country far less stable than South Africa, a country in which there have already been immediate positive effects from the World Cup, and a country that I hope will eventually experience a large and stabilizing trickle-down effect from it. I was on my way to Zimbabwe to work for two weeks at Antelope Park, a game reserve in Gweru, Zimbabwe with a particularly successful lion breeding program. The park is a popular destination for tourists, offering lion walks, elephant rides, and game drives. As a volunteer, I would be doing all of this and more. Predictably, the World Cup has caused an immediate spike in the tourism sectors of the economies of several Southern African nations. In the case of Zimbabwe (particularly Antelope Park) the increase has been substantial. In the past, Antelope Park has typically sold out its accommodations about two to three months in advance. They are now booked solid through May 2011. I was told by several staff members of the park that the amount of guests and volunteers at the park was higher than it’s ever been and that number was only predicted to grow. During my stay, we welcomed
Starla Salazar/Illustrator
several groups of ‘overlanders’, who many overland tour operators. are groups of tourists who travel In their wake, these large groups for weeks or of tourists left months at a time not only the across Africa in influence of the large all-terrain western world, vehicles that but also large hold up to 30 amounts of The region is full of people. money. beauty and Money, espeNot surpris- potential, ingly, many of cially in a nation the tourists inspired peoples ready to like Zimbabwe, began their show Africa to the world. goes much furjour ney in ther than the South Africa, countries it was where they had minted in. first been specDid the World tators of the Cup jump start World Cup games and had chosen the long-term economic stimulus to to vacation longer through one of finally push South Africa into devel-
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oped nation status? Has it started the process by which neighboring countries will also one day achieve that title? Will the picture painted by returning tourists of beautiful, untouched Zimbabwe be able to overpower its reputation of being a corrupt and dangerous place to visit? The road ahead is still long and rough. But I urge the world to keep their attention on southern Africa for a bit longer. The region is full of potential, beauty and inspired peoples ready to show Africa to the world. Vincent Schneider is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Tragedies dominate the American news media For centuries tragedy has inspired artists, driven plots, and motivated the irrational actions of seemingly infinite characters. It simply can’t be Commentary helped; humanity has an inexplicable fascination with the suffering of others. Watching as Rose lets Jack slip from her grasp or as Lady MacJacqueline Fuqua beth descends rapidly into insanity, we are an audience enraptured by situations of the extreme. This fixation, however, is hardly contained within the world of fiction. Over time, tragedy has established a foothold in the news industry, fueling our insatiable need for information and our disregard for boundaries. At some point, we lost touch with hard-nosed, investigative journal-
ism, and begun to subsist on what foremost linguist Noam Chomsky refers to as “Infotainment.” Our coverage of the international political climate and ongoing global events is diluted and synthesized into convenient, but often inadequate, sound bytes. With just a passing glance towards the news, it is obvious that the stories that sell are those that shock us: tragedies. In fact, the quickest way to grab the attention of the American public is to broadcast the dismembered bodies of bomb victims over airwaves, or plaster the emaciated faces of starving children across newspaper pages. By hastily reporting on such catastrophes – and being more concerned with the sensationalism than the facts – news reporting becomes tedious, sloppy, and exploitative of the fragile victims of disaster. This frustrating phenomenon is perfectly highlighted by our nation’s response to the passing of
the 5th anniversary of the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Katrina. For the past few weeks, our nation’s eyes have all turned to Louisiana as we have painstakingly covered the effects of one of the worst hurricanes in history. Interestingly, reporters from every pocket of the nation turned out in full to hopefully dredge ‘the’ story. Most likely if you were anywhere near a television last week, you flipped on CNN to something titled “Special Report: Hurricane Katrina – From Devastation to Restoration,” or “The Long Road to Reconstruction.” Arguably even worse is the news media’s response to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Publishers have become entirely overwhelmed by a glut of commentaries, articles, and book proposals regarding the spill’s speculated causes and potential ramifications. The sheer volume of accounts available makes it impossible to develop a canon of authority.
We cannot limit our global knowledge to news that is tragic or inconsequential. While understanding the damage exacted by Katrina is significant, or the latest updates about the new technologies of the iPhone enthralling, those are not the stories our nation needs. We need to reinvigorate our nation’s curiosity, and not just by showcasing the human condition under strain. It’s by no fault of our own that we are intrigued and captivated by the experiences of others. In reality, the tragedy is not that we consume - and enjoy - information sanctioned for publication by print and visual medias. Rather, the real tragedy is that by indulging in repetitive, sensationalized stories, we gradually separate from the true objective of news reporting: to expose us to the realities of our world and motivate us towards action. Jaqueline Fuqua is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Modern civilization has ruined natural eating habits
Somewhere in New York City there is a group of scenesters trotting around, acting like they live in the Pleistocene. They all have Commentary normal jobs, of course, they all make money and live in Manhattan apartments and poop indoors, but they try to make the rest of their lives as similar to our early human Roberta Singer ancestors as possible. They say it’s more natural, this way. They eat a diet of unprocessessed food, mostly raw grains, beans and vegetables but occasionally raw fish and meat. They run every day and stay active as much as possible, avoiding long periods of sedentism and denying themselves televisions and addictive electronic activities. They are the neo-cave people, those who are taking the concept of being “au natural” to the max. (Although I hear they still get to eat sushi.) This might seem extreme, but in it lies something a lot of Americans— as well as the world—are grappling with in this age of strange technologies and new patterns of living. What is natural for humans? Based on how we evolved, what is the best way to live?
A little explanation: Most of our physical evolution took place before the advent of agriculture. Then, humans lived in small tribes and mainly subsisted on hunting and gathering. We spent roughly six hours a day searching for food; the rest of the time was spent interacting, talking, goofing off, creating culture, sleeping, etc. Even after the advent of agriculture, we were still very active and ate fairly wholesome diets. But the last hundred or so years has turned that completely on its head; with the rise of technology and the necessity of its use in most employments, humans are spending much more time absorbed in screens and much less time roaming around. In order to feed an ever-expanding population (which, of course, hasn’t been an issue until recently), we have begun to process the wazoo out of our foods. Where lunch used to be a handful of nuts and some native tubers, now it is not uncommon to eat fried flavored cornmeal (chips, crackers) and some kind of corn-sugar beverage (Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Cherry Coke, Diet Coke with Lime, Cherry Coke Zero, rum and Coke). Sitting around, eating junk food— it is clear that this not “natural” for humans. And we’ve begun to realize this, started building computer desks that allow you to stand upright and started marketing lines of food that are vegan and unprocessed.
The New York Times has been running articles about the perils of technology overuse on our brains, citing that studies have shown that being constantly occupied with Facebooks and You Tubes is depriving our brains of much-needed downtime. Those who simply take moments to breathe during the day, away from the pressures of being constantly online, are more able to commit new experiences to memory and report being less stressed than their plugged-in counterparts. But really, what is natural? Is it any less natural for humans to want to expand their providence by use of technology? To sacrifice some memory for the chance to be constantly interacting and learning on our Blackberry internets? Is it less natural to want to feed a population on a cheap diet of corn and dietary supplements? Or is it better to be neo-cave people, jogging the streets of New York in search of fresh wild salmon and a head of broccoli? I’m not sure. Maybe we are asking the wrong questions. Maybe, instead of trying to look back into our ancient histories and discover what worked back then, we need to figure out what is healthy for us now. Certainly that isn’t industrial agriculture, and certainly not 36-hour videogame sprints. But modern life is with us. Instead of harkening back to find some kind of “naturalness,” I believe we should focus on discovering what
Peony Lee/Illustrator
is best for us now. We should take a moment to figure out what our bodies want (some exercise, good food, rest from stimulus) and also what is necessary for our new, 21st century societies—namely, involvement in new, engrossing technologies. It’s a question we will constantly grapple with as our lifestyles continue to change. What is natural and
healthy? What is normal for human beings? Is anything normal and natural for us, or are we infinitely adaptable? Or we could surrender and all become sexy neo-cave people. Unagi roll, anyone? Roberta Singer is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
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LouFest fills Forest Park More than eight thousand in attendance
9 p.m. Sarah Jaffe The Billiken Club
Friday, September 3 Going the Distance opens in Theaters
Saturday, September 4 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Greek Festival St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Japanese Festival Missouri Botanical Gardens 1 - 9:30 p.m. Big Muddy Blues Festival Laclede’s Landing 6:30 p.m. Billiken Music Festival The Busch Student Center Amphitheatre
Sunday, September 5 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Greek Festival St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Japanese Festival Missouri Botanical Gardens 1 - 9:30 p.m. Big Muddy Blues Festival Laclede’s Landing
Monday, September 6
Thursday, September 9 9 p.m. Anais Mitchell with Jared Bartman The Billiken Club
Arts Editor
Carolina Chocolate Drops worth braving sun
7:30 p.m. Girl In A Coma The Firebird at 2706 Olive Sreet
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Japanese Festival Missouri Botanical Gardens
By ASHLEY JONES
With only three weeks left until Homecoming, it is still unclear who will be performing at this year’s concert, which is set to take place on Friday, Sept. 24. Student Activities Board was planning to book rap artist B.o.B.; however, these plans fell through. He was the first act that they had tried to book. “It was just that he didn’t accept our bid,” SAB president Stephanie Hart said. For past homecoming concerts, the group has hosted bands such as Guster, Jack’s Mannequin and Eric Hutchinson. The group usually picks out multiple acts that they would like to see perform and go from there, but they can only put in one bid at a time. They started planning for the event back in May and did a lot of work over the summer. “We have a bid in for another act which looks promising,” Hart said. While SAB possibly has another act in the works, she could not comment on who it might be. As for what will happen if this act falls through, Hart explained that they have backups. She has no doubts that they will be able to get a wellknown act. In the event that they cannot, however, she said that they would book local bands and that she is not worried. “We will make it as fun as possible,” Hart said.
Thursday, September 2
11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Greek Festival St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
SAB without concert act
Noah Berman / Photo Editor
The first annual LouFest featured two days of 18 diverse acts. The Carolina Chocolate Drops (top left) entertianed the crowd with a Blu Cantrell cover. She & Him (top right) drew the biggest crowd of the festival. Broken Social Scene (bottom left) drew the second largest crowd of the festival. Airborne Toxic Event (bottom right) put on a high-energy show. By ASHLEY JONES Arts Editor
For a music festival in its first year, creator Brian Cohen felt that LouFest was an unqualified success. After spending the weekend at the festival, which spanned 20 hours packed with 18 bands and an estimated eight thousand to 10 thousand attendees, I have to agree with him. On day one of the festival, I arrived early equipped with a bottle of sunscreen, a camera and a notebook. The first half of the day started off rather slow. The crowd seemed to grow as the day went on, with attendance reaching its peak during the last three shows. These shows consisted of Airborne Toxic Event, Built to Spill and Broken Social Scene. While Cohen said that Broken Social Scene drew one of the biggest crowds of the festival, I felt that the Airborne Toxic event was the best act of the night. As Cohen said, they were killer live. The quintet, named for a phrase in Don DeLillo’s book White Noise, put on a high-energy show full of catchy tunes. Their use of the electric violin
and cello added an interesting The band released their most dynamic. This was the band’s recent album, Genuine Negro 381st show in support of their Jig, back in February. According to Cohen, the debut self-titled album. The band recently finished record- biggest drawing acts of the ing their second album. They night were Jeff Tweedy and debuted several of their new She & Him. Festivalgoers claimed their songs at the festival. I had never heard this band before, spots in advance for the She & but after watching them per- Him show, and the audience was by far the largest of the form, I am definitely a fan. The second day I arrived festival. This was with good better prepared to brave the reason. They played lighthear ted, sun and the catchy crowd. I had songs anticipated from both the attenof their dance to be For the first year, a l b u m s : greater, and Vo l u m e it was. the execution was One and Going in, remarkable Vo l u m e I didn’t know Two. much about Overthe Carolina —Brian Cohen all, I enChocolate joyed the Drops and choice was surprised to see such a large of artists. There was a dicrowd at their show. After verse lineup and, therefore, their wonderful show, I un- something for everyone. This derstood the crowd. They en- eclectic set list was also posigaged the crowd with a sing-a- tive because it exposed me to long and did awesome covers many new bands and styles of Johnny Cash’s Jackson, that I may not have heard othand Blu Cantrell’s Hit ‘Em Up erwise. “It’s cool to see St. Louis Style. Their music is a mix of folk and bluegrass music that start up a festival where peoincorporates instruments like ple who like diverse types of the banjo, milk jug and kazoo. music can come together,” Se-
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nior Alexis Lassus said. She was one of the several Saint Louis University students who volunteered at the festival. The festival’s green initiative was part of the reason she decided to volunteer. “It was the festivals motivation to offset energy consumption….They asked volunteers to bike to the festival or car pool,” Lassus said. In attempt to be green the festival also had a water station at which attendees could refill water bottles. However, it quickly became evident that one station just wasn’t going to cut it. Between the increasing heat and increasing crowd the water line became quite long. As Cohen said, “For the first year, the execution was remarkable…By midday Sunday, it seemed to be on autopilot.” Before the festival, I was expecting the sometimes rather long downtime that seems to occur between the transitions of acts. I was pleasantly surprised when I found this was not the case. The Loufest team remedied this by having two stages on which the See “Loufest” on Page 8
It was hot out, Aug. 29, the second day of LouFest. Commentary Not yet unbearably so, but for the beetred masses, just the slightest glint of sunlight made one Noah Berman wonder if it was all worth it. Could good music be worth never again being able to feel one’s face? For the fans - myself among them - who turned out for the Carolina Chocolate Drops’ hour long set, skin cancer would mean nothing so long as we still had our ears. It wasn’t that the three musicians Dom Flemons, Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson - were particularly flashly or outlandish. They might never play to a screaming crowd of many thousands at Madison Square Garden or let loose an arsenal of destruction during a guitar solo. But what they accomplish with aplomb is an hour of damn good music, music to bob the head, tap the toe and move the soul. The Chocolate Drops play mostly ‘old time’ acoustic music, but they do so with a passion that the other various indie-darling acts at the festival don’t dare to show. Instead of seeming embarrassed about their tunes, the Chocolate Drops could probably talk passionately for hours about each and every chord, discuss the histories of their beats and divulge the secrets of their lyrics. And that’s before they start playing. If you’ve not yet listened to their musical stylings, I highly recommend you pick up their latest album - Genuine Negro Jig - and try to get to a live show as quickly as possible. If you’re lucky, maybe Rhiannon will sing minus instrumental accompaniment, her voice alone enough to raise goosebumps. Perhaps Dom Flemons will talk for a little while about the legacy behind their music, taking you into the roots of modern music. And while Justin Robinson might be a man of few words, he joins his fellow musicians in being almost unfairly talented with every instrument he picks up. I don’t care if the Carolina Chocolate Drops aren’t “your kind of music;” if you know what’s good for you, do yourself a favor and bring their artistry into your life today.
Arts
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Thursday, September 2, 2010
Festivals provide culture during holiday weekend Japanese Festival in the Botanical Gardens By Sarah Fentem Staff Writer
Labor Day Weekend: Cookouts, baseball, beer and Sumo wrestling? On Sept. 4-6, the Missouri Botanical Garden will host its 33rd Annual Japanese Festival, which celebrates the history, culture and people of Japan. An abundance of Japancentric activities are scheduled throughout the weekend at the Garden, including music and art demonstrations, karaoke, sumo wrestling, an ice-sculpting demonstration and Taiko drumming. There will also be a kimono fashion show, a Japanese festival tradition which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. On Saturday night, there will be a screening of animation auteur Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film, Ponyo. Walking tours of the Japanese Garden will be conducted throughout the day, with candlelight walks on Saturday and Sunday nights. Food and drink vendors will also be selling traditional Japanese food and drinks, such as sake and mushrooms. “Regardless of what your interests are, we have something for you,” says Peggy Lents, Senior Vice President of Communication at the Botanical Garden. Karen Hill, the Public Information Officer agreed, “The guys love the martial arts, the [kids] love anime… there’s something for all ages and all types.” The festival ties in with the Japanese Garden at the MBG, which was designed by renowned landscape architect
Koichi Kawana. The Garden, named Seiwa-en, meaning “garden of pure, clear, harmony and peace,” opened in 1977. After the garden was unveiled, the fledgling Japanese Festival moved to its current location. “The Japanese Garden is the inspiration behind this event,” Hill explained. “It’s a fitting venue for us to provide something of this caliber.” The event is one of the most popular at the Botanical Garden, drawing thousands of people each year. “It’s a real quality event,” Lents said of the festival’s appeal. Over the years, several Japanese ambassadors and consulates have attended the festival and are surprised at how “professional and stellar” of an event it is. “I think St. Louisians recognize not just quality but value,” she said. The weekend is packed with festival events happening all over the Botanical Garden, so Hill recommended that visitors view a schedule and map out what they would like to see. She said that some indoor events, like movie screenings and the fashion show, have limited seating, so festivalgoers should plan accordingly. The festival opens each day at 10 a.m. Admission is $15 and includes all festival events except tea ceremonies, which cost $25. The Missouri Botanical Garden is located at 4344 Shaw Boulevard, just north of Tower Grove Park. For more information and a detailed schedule of the weekend’s events, visit mobot.org.
Photo Illustration by Kelcey Towell
Blues Festival at Laclede’s Landing By MATT BOMMARITO Staff Writer
Before the music of St. Louis became entangled with hip-hop, this city was known for jazz and blues, particularly the latter. This year’s 15th annual Big Muddy Blues Festival at Laclede’s Landing will commemorate the rich blues heritage of St. Louis by featuring local, regional and national acts on Saturday, Sept. 4 and Sunday, Sept. 5. Emily Kochan, Executive Producer of the Big Muddy Blues Festival for the past three years, said, “It was developed as a common event to celebrate blues heritage in St. Louis.” The real crux behind the festival is an undying love of the blues shared across multiple generations. The blues, as a genre, is often thought to have died out of the public eye after the 50s and 60s when rock and roll became popular. However, this is not totally the case, as there are still many blues musicians and plenty of
fans, young and old, who enjoy playing and listening to them. The Festival will include over 30 different acts on three stages throughout the weekend. “We really cover the full spectrum of blues genres, from delta blues to rhythm and blues and everything in between,” Kochan said. She estimated that there would be 60,000 people from all over who will attend the festival throughout the weekend. The Big Muddy festival is the only blues festival in St. Louis and, therefore, attracts a diverse audience from all over the country. Acts such as Booker T and MGs will play alongside regional and local acts, as well as other national bands. Laclede’s Landing has been the chosen spot for this festival due to its history and its proximity to the Mississippi River. Many blues musicians, such as Muddy Waters, lived in the Mississippi
Delta, and the river is to blues, what the Nile was to the Ancient Egyptians. “The blues may not exist without the pre-interstate highway communication channel of the Mississippi,” Kochan said. “The area creates a good feel for the festival with the arch and Mississippi river. It just gives that real blues feeling.” Also this weekend is a football game at the Edward Jones Dome between the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois. Festival organizers expect that many people will attend the festival before or after the game. For those wishing to attend, there are a variety of options. The Metrolink is available and stops right at Laclede’s Landing. For those driving, there is a multitude of parking lots. In addition, Casino Queen is allowing festival-goers to park in their lot for free. For more information on the Big Muddy Blues festival visit http://lacledeslanding.com/events/big-muddy-bluesfestival/.
Greek Festival in Central West End By SHELBY ROZIER Contributor
Photograph courtesy of the Missouri Botanical Gardens / Jamie Ford
Taiko drummer puts on a high energy show at the annual Japanese Festival at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church will host its ninety-third annual Greek Festival over Labor Day weekend. “We like to keep the Greek Festival traditional,” Katherine Ellis, the church’s receptionist explained. “The only thing that really changes from year to year is the food and performers.” This year, there will have import booths where festivalgoers can buy goods such as jewelry, vases, t-shirts and dolls. Attendees will also be able to try some Greek dishes such as lambshanks, Kota Riganta, Spanakopites and Tiropites. “We also have an Agora, which is a small Greek market place, where you can buy
Going the Distance falls short Long and Barrymore lack chemistry A few days ago, I read an article about the mixed reviews that Godard’s Breathl e s s (1960) Brent Lang r eceived upon its initial release in France. The article criticized the popular approach of asking viewers for their opinion of a film as they exit the theatre after a screening. After viewing Going the Distance, I too heard vastly diverse responses from audience members and became slightly self-conscious about my own opinion of the film. However, as I dug deeper, I realized the mediocrity of this film and that I had not, in fact, misunderstood a classic. Nanette Burnstein, whose previous work has consisted mainly of documentaries, directs Going the Distance. It stars Justin Long (He’s Just Not That Into You) as Garrett, a music industry Film Critique
agent in New York City and Drew Barrymore (Whip It) as Erin, a 31-year-old intern who is an aspiring journalist. The movie also features cameos by Ron Livingston (Office Space), Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Rob Riggle (The Daily Show). The story begins when Garrett meets Erin at his favorite bar and is impressed when he discovers that she, too, is a fan of the arcade game Centipede. After sharing drinks together and annoying a bartender during bar trivia, they spend the night together. Later, Erin reveals that she is not looking for a committed relationship, since she will be returning to California in six weeks. Despite their initial agreement to not become too attached to each other, they decide to maintain a long distance relationship, hence the title. Even though Long and Barrymore have been in a relationship off-screen (including a recent split), their onscreen chemistry was generally lack-
ing. In fact, the obligatory montage scene, which had the purpose to establish their blossoming relationship, did little to enhance their chemistry. In terms of the comedy, many of the jokes and comic scenes were models from past romcoms (such as the miserable, old couple versus the loving, young one). However, there were some very interesting uses of slapstick comedy, mainly by Charlie Day and Jim Gaffigan. One aspect of the comedy that became overused was the amount of profanity. Don’t get me wrong, profanity can be an effective tool in comedy, so long as it is not gratuitous or out of place, as it is all too often in this movie. Finally, Going the Distance does little to redefine or stand out within its own genre, as it follows the traditional archetype for the most part. Thus, I am comfortable in stating that this film is simply okay, but not a must-see at the theatre. Don’t expect When Harry Met Sally, although it’s not 50 First Dates either.
the items you will need if you want to cook the festival food yourself.” At the Agora, you will be able to purchase the food in bulk. Church parishioners make all the food that will be sold at the festival. “Everyday [during the festival] the food crew comes to the church at four in the morning and starts to prepare the food,” Ellis said. “A group of teenage parishioners makes the appetizers!” St. Louis natives Christo Sarantakis and Pete Dellas will provide Greek Dancing. In addition, Bouzouki Pete’s Orchestra will perform Greek music. When the adult groups are not performing, you can find the children’s groups performing the different Greek ethnic dances. There are four
different age groups, with children ranging from five to 18-year-olds. “The children are absolutely wonderful! They are so hardworking. They’ve been practicing for three months,” Ellis said. The dancing troupes from St. Nicholas perform at different St. Louis area festivals. Most recently, they performed at Tower Groves Festival of Nations on Aug. 29. Tours of the church will be available at 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. During the tour, attendees will learn the history of the church and its surroundings, while also learning more about the Greek Orthodox religion. “Considering last year’s turnout, we’re expecting somewhere around 60,000
people to visit within the three days the festival runs,” Ellis said. Because the church is located in the Central West End, it is fairly close to Highway 40. “We get a lot of people from Illinois, smaller cities around St. Louis and even some people all the way from Kansas City,” Ellis explained. Admission to the festival is free, and there will be indoor and outdoor seating at the church. St. Nicholas Church is located on the corner of Forest Park Blvd. and Kingshighway. Free parking will be provided in the BJC parking garage located on Laclede Ave. For more information on the festival visit http://www. sngoc.org/GreekFest/ default.htm
LouFest: Enterains with diverse acts Continued from Page 7
shows alternated, so while one was playing, another was setting up. This resulted in a very short five - to ten-minute breaks in between shows. This is just one of the many examples of the festival’s successful execution. Another positive aspect of the festival was the restaurants present, such as Drunken Fish, Local Harvest Café and Catering and Buck’s Good Eats. The presence of vegan and vegetarian options were especially nice. My one major complaint with the festival is the timeof-year in which it took place. It is no secret that August in Missouri is a miserably hot and humid time of year. I feel that I would have been able to further enjoy the festival had the weather been cooler. In the future perhaps it could take place in late September instead. Cohen said this is a conversation the team will be having over the next few months. They are working on ideas to improve the festival, such as having a third stage and adding a another day to the festival. “The goal is to grow,” Cohen said.
Noah Berman/Photo Editor
Seniors Sally Worth, Lyle Wilson, and Leah Ducey help program manager for St. Louis Earth Day Jeanette Reynolds manage waste diversion for the festival.
The University News
Sports Men’s Soccer Saint Louis 2 New Mexico 3 SLU dropped their season opener against the New Mexico Lobos Wednesday in Albuquerque, 3-2. The Billikens started out on the right foot Wednesday night with an early goal from freshman Christian Briggs, assisted by sophomore Alex Sweetin. But New Mexico equalized the game late in the first half and took over in the second frame. Three different goal scorers lifted the Lobos past the Billikens in the 3-2 game. After tying all three exhibition games, Wednesday’s season opener tested the young squad against one of the nation’s top programs. SLU returns home on Saturday, Sept. 4, to take on South Florida. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. at Robert Hermann Stadium.
unewsonline.com
>>2010 VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW
New faces take center court
Reloaded team begins march to NCAA tournament this weekend at Chaifetz By DERRICK NEUNER Associate Sports Editor
Billiken Briefs Blue Crew
Kati Cundari/Photographer
The Athletic Department is asking students to help rename and rebrand The Blue Crew, the basketball student cheering section. Visit www.slubillikens.com to submit an idea.
Women’s Soccer
At last weekend’s Duquesne Tourney, SLU tied Towson in double overtime and beat Marist 1-0. Maggie Baumann scored the game’s only goal and gave SLU its first win of the season.
Next week in The University News Thursday, Sept. 9 • SLU’s intramurals program gets up and running • Recap of the first home volleyball tournament at Chaifetz Arena • Meet women’s soccer coach Tim Champion • Take a look at SLU’s cross country team
Men’s Soccer SLU
SIUE
0 0 SLU
New Mexico
2 3 Women’s Soccer SLU
Towson
0 0 SLU
Marist
1 0
Talk to us: call Chris Ackels 314.977.2812, or e-mail sports.unews@gmail.com
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Carly Schumacher, Andrea Beaty and Hannah Kvitle (from left) hope to lead the Billikens to victory this weekend at Chaifetz Arena in the Active Ankle Challenge.
Marcia E. Hamilton Active Ankle Challenge SATURDAY September 4, 2010
FRIDAY September 3, 2010
SLU vs. Creighton 7:00 p.m.
SLU vs. Wake Forest 9:30 a.m. SLU vs. Iowa 7:00 p.m.
>>ALL GAMES IN CHAIFETZ ARENA<<
While the 2010-2011 Saint Louis University volleyball team may have a new look, the goal remains the same: dominate the Atlantic 10 and take a trip to the NCAA tournament. After putting the same lineup on the floor for the past three seasons, head coach Anne Kordes finds herself in a new phase of her program. Five seniors, including four regular starters, graduated in May, leaving the Billikens (1-2) with untested talent and unanswered questions about this year’s campaign. With Wake Forest, Creighton and Iowa all visiting Chaifetz Arena this weekend for the Marcia E. Hamilton Active Ankle Challenge, Kordes will soon find out how her squad, featuring seven freshmen, will perform under pressure from NCAA-caliber clubs. “We can win every match we play because we are nasty competitors,” Kordes said. “Is there pressure? Absolutely. We do not want to have any excuses for not winning, year in and year out. “I believe we have an incredible class of young players coupled with some incredible leadership, so I see no reason we can’t win it all.” Among the new faces that Kordes hopes will help the Billikens win are Andrea Beaty, Hannah Kvitle and redshirt freshman Carly Schumacher. Last weekend in the IPFW Invitational in Indiana, all three started, marking the first time since the 2006 season opener that a freshman had been in the starting lineup on opening day.
They did well for them- have already shown that they selves. Schumacher’s seven can bounce back against good blocks against Milwaukee are teams.” one more than any Billiken The head coach was effurecorded last season. Kvitle sive in her praise for Beaty, recorded 14 digs during the Kvitle and Schumacher. tournament and in the Bills’ “Hannah [Kvitle] is a solid victory against Tulsa, Beaty athlete. She has the ability to notched six kills, six digs and be one of the exciting freshtwo blocks. men in our conference. “Playing was totally differ“Andrea [Beaty] can play ent, being on the court and any position … she was put being part of the intensity,” in a position she has never Shumacher played, and said. “I she’s done loved it. It incredible. I love the competitivewas ver y “ C a r l y cool how ness, the worth ethic, the [Schumacher] we came is a kid that is together as spunk and fight of the consistent, she a younger team ... that’s important knows what’s team and for a young team. happening on backed each the court, what —Anne Kordes other after her priorities every play. are. She gives There’s a whole new team us a nice opportunity to relax dynamic.” because she understands the The pressure is on for flow of the game.” the freshmen to outperform With high hopes and high expectations. The revamped goals, the Billikens will begin team will have to fill the shoes charting through untested of a class that took three A-10 waters this weekend, startregular season titles, went ing Friday, Sept. 3, against undefeated in league play in Creighton. The headline 2007 and visited the NCAA match against Iowa will be tournament three times in held Saturday, Sept. 4 at 7:00 four years. p.m. The daunting task, while All matches will be played not lost on Kvitle, pushes the at the Chaifetz Arena where, freshmen to perform better. last year, SLU played before “We are young; we have more than 6,000 against No. 1 nothing to lose,” she said. ranked Penn State. “We have to go harder than While the stakes this weekthe other club. It’s all about end are not that high, Beaty attitude. says regardless of outcome, “We are going to make this team will continue to freshmen mistakes, but it’s mature and grow closer. about pulling through that “The upperclassmen and getting better.” understand that we are going Kordes says she is not to make mistakes. I feel like worried. we’ll be fine this weekend. We “I love the competitiveness, are more comfortable with the work ethic, the spunk the people we are around. and fight of the team. That’s “And as long as we give going to be really important 100 percent effort, they will for such a young team. They be there, cheering us on.”
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>>VIEW FROM THE GRANDSTAND
Boise State: Little guys poised for national title Even after their dramatic 2007 Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma, the Boise State Broncos continue Commentary to be overlooked by the BCS. T h i s year, however, the Broncos are finally getting s o m e Adam Corrado respect, and it’s about time media outlets understood what this team is all about. And let me be the first to say, this is the year for the Broncos’ first ever national championship game appearance. To the casual college football fan, it may sound like I’m hallucinating. You’re kidding, right? Boise State? How big is that school? What conference are they even in? But let’s take a look at what the boys from potato land have to offer. The Broncos were 14-0 last season, including an impressive win over No. 14 Oregon to open the season. They also ended the season with a grinding victory over No. 3 Texas Christian University in the Fiesta Bowl. Last year’s 14 wins set a school record and matched the national record for most wins in a season, a feat only previously accomplished by the 2002 national champion, Ohio State. And this year’s Boise State team is only going to improve on last year’s successes. The squad returns all 11 starters on the offensive side of the ball, and 10 starters on defense. They are ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and No. 5 in the Coaches’ Poll. In past years, the Broncos have been hurt in the rankings by a weak conference schedule. But this year, they found a solution to that problem. The Broncos will open the season on the road against No. 10
Virginia Tech and play No. 24 Oregon State just two weeks later. Many analysts view the opening game as a test to see how Boise State can match up against a top-tier program. Will Virginia Tech’s running back duo Ryan Williams and Darren Evans be too much for the Broncos’ D to handle? It’s the same question critics asked last year about Oregon’s LeGarrette Blount and LaMichael James. In that game, Boise’s defense only allowed 31 rushing yards on the night and just 152 yards overall. And remember, 10 of those 11 starters are back this year. Expect a similar shut down against the Hokies this weekend. The Broncos offense revolves around Heisman Trophy candidate, quarterback Kellen Moore. Moore threw for over 3,500 yards and 39 touchdowns with only three interceptions last season in his sophomore campaign. His top receivers, Austin Pettis and Titus Young, are both returning. Last season, they combined for over 1,800 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns. Moore also has the comfort of playing behind the same offensive line as last year. That line only allowed five sacks for all of the 2009 season and opened holes for Jeremy Avery and Doug Martin. This running back tandem combined for 1,916 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground last season. And guess what… they’re both coming back. This Bronco team is poised for a breakout season. They’ve got one of the greatest home field advantages in the nation. Boise State is 68-1 since 1999 in regular season home games on their famous blue field (“The Smurf Turf”). So once they pass the week one test that is Virginia Tech, the Broncos are poised for the title game. It should be smooth sailing until they get there.
Ryan Giacomino/Photographer
Senior Megan Boken (right) and junior Alyssa Deno (left) led the Billikens to the NCAA tournament last year. This year, with a young squad, they hope to repeat that success.
Billiken veterans ‘ready to dominate’ with young team By PAUL ESKER Contributor
Megan Boken and Alyssa Deno have played a combined 153 matches in a Billiken uniform. The other four starters, in addition to the libero, boast a combined match experience of 43. As the de facto leaders of one of the youngest squads in the Atlantic 10, if not the entire country, Boken and Deno have a lot on their shoulders. Thankfully, they take it all in stride. “It’s humbling to be the leaders of such a good group of girls,” Boken said. However, their goals for the season are anything but humble. “We, of course, hope to win the conference and get to the NCAA tournament,” Deno said. “We both know how good it feels to win (the conference championship) and, after last year, how bad it is to lose,” added Boken. They also have some personal goals that they hope can help the team.
“I’m at a new position this year, so I’d like to work to get better at that,” Deno said. Boken also added that she “wants to work on helping the younger ones improve.” In fact some of the seven freshmen came to SLU over the summer and worked with the team to start the improvement early. This early start “helped a lot because, instead of seven new girls all at once, we got to just do a few at a time,” Deno said. Strong per formances by multiple freshmen in last weekend’s tournament showed that their leadership is beginning to pay off. “[I am] just trying to be the best leader I can be,” Boken said modestly. A lot of her leadership comes from those that led the team in past years. The class that graduated last year had some leaders that Boken and Deno hope to emulate this year. “They (last year’s seniors) gave their all every day; practice, match, anything, no matter what it was, and I think
that’s important,” Boken said. The hope is that the new talent this year hope to pick up this work ethic from Boken and Deno, just as they picked it up from those that came before them. The season continues this weekend with their first home games as a part of the Marcia E. Hamilton Active Ankle Challenge at Chaifetz. Although big matches against solid programs from Creighton, Wake Forest and the University of Iowa will undoubtably put the Billiken squad to the test, they hope to have plenty of success, and plenty of support, in this season’s home debut. “Last year everyone came out and supported us, and we hope it will be the same this year,” Boken said. “It will be good to be playing back at home,” Deno said, before adding, “We’re ready to dominate.” It is tenacity like this that will help these two forces of nature on the court take the Billiken volleyball team to new heights.
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