the utah
Thursday, September 17, 2015 • www.usustatesman.com • (435)-797-1742 • Free single copy
FACE OFF Photo illustration by Matthew Halton | PHOTOGRAPHER MODEL- SPENCER SMITH
By Hannah McDonald WRITER
Two Utah State University seniors are training fellow students detective skills through face reading. Danielle Christensen is good at reading faces, so good in fact that she is a certified in detecting micro-expressions. It’s a talent which Christensen said has ruined her. “I love to play deception games,” the psychology major said . “But I’m not allowed to anymore because I just always win. Or I’ll be forced to wear a blindfold so I can’t see people speak. I just can’t help but see those expressions now.”
Christensen and Mikelle Rosqvist are the founders and presiding officers of Utah State University’s Reading Faces Club. Rosqvist is also certified in micro-expressions and the two of them are well on their way to training a new generation of students in the skills of fictional detective Cal Lightman. Micro expressions are brief, involuntary facial expressions that last for only a fraction of a second, but expose a person’s concealed or repressed emotions, the two explained. “We’ve joked a little about being dating consultants,” Christensen said. “Having people buy us dinner when they’re on a
date while we just sit and watch for micro expressions so we can tell them how it goes.” Christensen and Rosqvist began developing the idea for the club last fall, when they spent more than 50 hours completing a certification course for an honors contract. The two spent weeks learning and memorizing all 47 facial muscles and their movements. Christensen and Rosqvist then practiced these expressions in front of a mirror so they knew how they looked and felt. After months of practice and study, the two took an online test that compared their proficiency to that of experts. “If our scores matched up 80 percent
with the professionals, then we got certified,” said Rosqvist, a social work major. Both intend to use face reading as an asset in their future careers. Rosqvist, said that reading faces will facilitate communication between her and her clients. “A lot of social workers deal with clients who don’t want to be there, who don’t want to talk about their problems,” she said. “But they need to be there to fill a judge’s mandate. So if I’m talking to them and I see one of those micro expressions, say of fear or anger, they don’t need to tell me that they’re afraid or angry, but I can guide discussion that way without them having to be vulnerable.” see FACES page 3
Pike, Sigma Chi receive Rush Week regulations By Amy Reid SENIOR WRITER
Within the past year, two members of fraternities have been charged with sexual assault. The members have since been expelled from their fraternities. Because of this, as well as the past instances of underage drinking that have occurred in the two houses, Sigma Chi and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternities are banned from university-sponsored recruitment activities, said Eric R. Olsen, the associate vice president for student services. “Our stance is these two houses have some things to get in order,” Olsen said, “and we could not condone them bringing new members into their houses until they change their culture, the culture that supports underage drinking and allows sexual assault to happen.”
Pi Kappa Alpha, or Pike, and Sigma Chi are not allowed to participate in university-sponsored recruitment, meaning they cannot hand out flyers on campus and they cannot participate in the Inner Fraternal Council, (or IFC), House Tours, among other Greek recruitment activities occurring this week. The fraternities are still allowed to hold events of their own and promote themselves on social media. Generally the IFC is a leadership council made up of members fraternities and sororities at USU to act as a liaison between the Greek community and the university. According to Alexander Souvall, the president of Pike, this restriction has already significantly decreased numbers. “Not being able to advertise has hurt,” Souvall said. “Normally we have around 100 guys show up to the house tours. This year we only had about 60.”
The decision to restrict Sigma Chi and Pike came from the IFC. But, according to Olsen, the group didn’t have a choice. The university banned Greek Counci as an organization shortly after charges were brought against Jason Relopez, an ex-member of Sigma Chi. The only way the group could be acknowledged again was if it agreed to place these restrictions on the two fraternities. According to Souvall, the national boards of every fraternity and sorority on campus, with the exclusion of Pike, require an IFC in order to grant a charter. Without an IFC, the charters at all houses on campus, aside from Pike, would be pulled. If IFC didn’t vote to restrict Sigma Chi and Pike, almost every house would not be recognized by their national organization. “We needed to be clear and strong in the
message we were communicating to the Greek Council and to the entire Greek community and to these two chapter houses,” Olsen said. “We’re taking it very serious.” Souvall said he understands that the university has to do what they have to do, but he wishes the university saw the Greek community as more of an asset. “Help us be better rather than just say we don’t want anything to do with you unless you’re good,” he said. “I know we’re not perfect, but I’m working every day to make this better.” IFC could not be reached for comment on this story. Sigma Chi declined to comment. guide discussion that way without them having to be vulnerable.” —reid.al73@gmail.com @alreid000