presents
Thursday, April 26, 2012
YEAR IN REVIEW
With the 2011-2012 academic year coming to a close, The Vanderbilt Hustler staff has combined a list of the most intriguing stories and exciting events that happened in the past year. From the nondiscrimination policy issue to the men’s basketball SEC championship, check out the year’s top stories.
Religious zealots cause stir, create viral hit during tailgating Elise Dirkes-Jacks Staff Reporter september 2011 On Sept. 10, the pre-football tailgates were visited by a small group of evangelists urging students to stop drinking and “repent.” The religious protestors drove through campus calling out of the car windows condemning students for drinking and women’s “immodesty.” They later exited the car and preached on fraternity lawns. The episode was captured on video by a member of the group and was posted on YouTube by Cheap Missions Trips, a missionary travel group. The video circulated via Facebook throughout the Vanderbilt community and was removed from the Internet by Cheap Missions Trips. Tabitha Lovell, an international travel specialist with Cheap Missions Trips, led the protest, but refrained from comment. Student reactions to the pro-
testors ranged from indifference to anger, some going so far as to respond to the evangelists by provoking arguments. One student’s response to being told “no drunkard shall enter the kingdom of Heaven” was to answer back with scripture, telling one of the protestors, “Let he without sin cast the first stone.” On a campus with a large religious, and particularly Christian, population, many were offended that they were being condemned for merely one incident. Neely says the protestors’ preaching method was hypocritical. “As a Christian, I tend to base a lot of my beliefs on what Jesus actually did and the message he tried to convey,” Neely said. “Last I checked, he didn’t spend his life running around the Sea of Galilee on a camel condemning everyone he met to Hell. Regardless of where they think their message came from, their method was fundamentally antiChristian.” ★
Flulapalooza shatters previous world record liz furlow News Editor october 2011 Flulapalooza more than doubled the Guinness world record for the number of vaccinations given in an 8-hour time span, with 12,647 faculty, staff and students vaccinated between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 12. The event was planned as a mass vaccination test drill designed to prepare for the possibility of a public health emergency. Pam Hoffner, director of Emergency Preparedness and Response for Vanderbilt said, “We made a commitment to the state that we would be able to vaccinate 60,000 people — faculty, staff, students and their families — in the case of a public health emergency situation.” In a tent erected between Light Hall and the Nashville VA Medical Center campus, 44 nurses sat at individual stations, working with over 300 volunteers
kevin barnett/ The Vanderbilt Hustler Students and staff were able to get their Flu vaccine at Flulapalooza today and lend a hand in breaking a Guiness World Record for most vaccinations in 8 hours. to vaccinate up to 2,000 participants every hour. About 14,000 prefilled syringes were on-hand for the event, and lines for the shots moved quickly, the result of long-term planning and coordination with a consultant from the
University of Louisville, where a similar event was held in 2009. In past years, about 16,500 flu shots have been given to student, faculty and staff throughout each flu season. The 2011-12 flu vaccine will protect against
three influenza viruses. “We are really proud of our results today and thank for our faculty, staff and volunteers who helped out. We’re also thankful for all the people who decided to come and get vaccinated,” Hoffner said. ★
Lisa Branding wins outstanding senior liz furlow News Editor october 2011 Lisa Branding was named the 2011 Outstanding Senior during the halftime of Vanderbilt’s Oct. 8 football game against Alabama.
“It’s an honor to be recognized for a lot of hard work, and it’s especially an honor because I know there are so many amazing students in the class of 2012,” Branding said. Branding, a Libertyville, Ill., native, is double-majoring in Sociology and
Medicine, Health and Society with a minor in Corporate Strategy. She is a director of Dance Marathon and the Philanthropy Chair for Delta Delta Delta sorority, whose philanthropy partner is the Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
Branding plans to work in hospital administration and would ideally work for a children’s hospital. “The first time I went to the Children’s Hospital, I took a tour with the head of Cranial/Facial. He showed us all of the different elements of a hospital and
how they work together. There are ducks on the ceiling so that kids on stretchers on the way to surgery can look up and see them. Children’s hospitals are such amazingly happy places, even though a lot of sad moments happen there,” Branding said.
Reflecting on her time at Vanderbilt, Branding advised students to make the most of the their time. “I think that students should make the most of their time and do what they love. There are so many opportunities at this school available to us.” ★
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the vanderbilt hustler’s year in reviw • Thursday, April 26, 2012
The Office of Honor Scholarships is pleased to announce the Vanderbilt students who have achieved recognition as candidates in 2011-2012 national scholarship competitions. For more information about the OHS and student support for national scholarship competitions, please contact Lyn Fulton-John, Director, or Todd Peterson, Faculty Director, at ohs@vanderbilt.edu. We also invite you to visit our website at ohs.vanderbilt.edu. TRUMAN
The mission of the Truman Foundation is to find and recognize college juniors with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education or elsewhere in the public service and provide them with financial support for graduate study and leadership training. Emma Steigerwald, Biology ’13, has been named a 2012 Truman Scholar. She studies molecular and cellular biology and is a Cornelius Vanderbilt Honors Scholar. Internships in wildlife rehabilitation, speciation genetics, and population ecology inspired her dedication to species conservation. As a Truman Scholar, she will receive up to $30,000 for graduate study, leadership training, and special internship opportunities within the federal government.
FULBRIGHT GRANT RECIPIENTS
Fulbright research grants provide funding for a year abroad to enable students to pursue projects that will assist them in completing theses and dissertations. The Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship program offers opportunities in over 64 countries. In addition to teaching English part-time, grantees engage in independent academic and community projects. Matthew Baker, MFA candidate in Creative Writing ’12 Research Grant - Ireland “The Governed: a novel about Easter Rising, the Irish War of Independence, and the Troubles” William Bonfiglio, Theater/Spanish/ HOD ’12 English Teaching Assistantship - Spain
UDALL
The Udall Foundation recognizes future leaders across a wide spectrum of environmental fields, including policy, engineering, science, education, urban planning and renewal, business, health, justice, and economics. Each scholarship provides up to $5,000 for the Scholar’s junior or senior year and the opportunity to participate in a special assemblage of policymakers and community leaders in environmental fields, tribal health care, and governance in Tucson, Arizona, in the late summer. Katie Ullmann, American Studies ’13, was named a 2012 Udall Scholar, an honor she also received in 2011 as one of only seven sophomores to be selected. She has served as an environmental intern in the office of Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, 350.org and the South Alliance for Clean Energy. She participated in the building of a clean water pipeline in India and ran a climate change workshop on the Marshall Islands. She is currently teaching in a prison and studying environmental issues in Cape Town, South Africa. Katie is an Ingram Scholar, founder of the Vanderbilt Green Fund, President of SPEAR and a former organizer of the Vanderbilt Cardboard Crew, among many other activities. Udall Honorable mention recognition went to Melinda Shearer, Chemistry/ Economics ’13. Melinda plans to become an environmental chemist working on the development of innovative solar energy applications. She works in Dr. David Cliffel’s lab, is President of the Alternate Energy Club, Vice-President of the Vanderbilt Biodiesel Initiative, a Curb Center Scholar and active in VSVS. This past summer, she worked on a conservation project in Costa Rica focused on saving the endangered sea turtle.
GOLDWATER
Kate Pride Brown, PhD candidate in Sociology Research Grant - Russia “On Common Ground: Individualism and Collectivism in the Russian Environmental Movement” Robert Andrew Follett, Economics ’12 Study Grant - University of Warwick “British Biomass as a Model of Development and Sustainability”
Nathaniel Marshall, English/African American Studies ’12 English Teaching Assistantship – South Africa
Daniel O’Maley, PhD candidate in Anthropology ’15 Research Grant – Brazil “ Development Politics and IT Policy in Brazil” Pauline Roteta, Civil Engineering/Chinese ’12 English Teaching Assistantship – Brazil
Tiffany Tieu, Violin Performance/Spanish ’12 English Teaching Assistantship – Ecuador
The scholarship program, honoring the late Sen. Barry M. Goldwater, was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering. Each scholarship provides up to $7,500 for the Scholar’s junior or senior year. 2012 Goldwater Scholar Curtis Northcutt, Computer Science and Mathematics, ’13 has held undergraduate research positions at NASA, General Electric, and the Universities of Notre Dame and Kentucky. In 2011, he was selected by the School of Engineering for the James Geddes Memorial Scholarship and holds the distinction of being a Kentucky Colonel – the highest civilian honor awarded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Chelsea Stowell, Biomedical Engineering ’13, received honorable mention recognition. She is a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar who has worked in the lab of Dr. WD Merryman and has held a summer undergraduate research position at the University of Illinois/Chicago.
AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP
Harry Lopez, Political Science ’12
DAAD RESEARCH GRANT
Robert Gibson, PhD candidate in History ’14 “Moderate Militia: The Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold and Paramilitary Politics in Weimar Germany”
ROTARY
The Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships provide undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to study at universities in the 200 countries and geographical areas where Rotary clubs are active. Lindsey Elkin, HOD ’12 has been selected as a Rotary Scholar to pursue a Masters in International Relations at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
CANDIDATES, ALTERNATES AND FINALISTS • RHODES: Eppa Rixey, Mechanical Engineering/HOD ’11; Tim Xu, Neuroscience/European Studies ’12 (national finalist). • MARSHALL: Matthew Farina, Latin American Studies/Sociology/Spanish ’12; Megan Grisolano, Economics/Spanish ’11 (current Fulbright ETA in); Eppa Rixey, Mechanical Engineering/ HOD ’12; Jonathan Tomick, English/ Secondary Education ’12; Tim Xu, Neuroscience/European Studies ’12. • MITCHELL: Tim Xu, Neuroscience/European Studies ’12 (finalist). • CHURCHILL: Zachary Diggins, Electrical Engineering/Computer Science ’12; Justin Menestrina, Physics, ’12. • GATES-CAMBRIDGE: Zachary Diggins, Electrical Engineering/ Computer Science ’12; Matthew Farina, Latin American Studies/ Sociology/Spanish ’12 (national finalist); Megan Grisolano, Economics/Spanish ’11 (current Fulbright ETA in Spain); Justin Menestrina, Physics, ’12; Tim Xu, Neuroscience/European Studies ’12. • LUCE: Harrison Shapley, Computer Engineering ’12; Ravi Singh, Technology and Society ’11 (finalist). • DAAD RESEARCH GRANT: Hui-Yiing Chang, PhD candidate in Physics ’1; James Forbes, History/European Studies ’12 • FULBRIGHT: Nicole Altamura, HOD/Cognitive Studies ‘12; Cindy Basulto, HOD/Political Science ‘12; Joshua Bilsborrow, MD candidate ‘13; Peter Blumeyer, Political Science/Spanish/ Psychology ‘12; Adam Burgos, PhD candidate in Philosophy ‘14; John Butler, Economics/HOD/Spanish ‘10, Melissa Canney, MPP in Public Health ‘12; Jeff Derbyshire, Economics/History ‘12; Allison Gordon, Biology/MHS ‘11, Nicole Hinton, MA candidate in Economic Development ‘12; Amanda Johnson, PhD candidate in British Literature ‘13; Ian King, Civil Engineering/ Math ’12 (Alternate, Study – Denmark); Lauren Kohut, PhD candidate in Anthropology ‘14; Beth Koontz, PhD candidate in Anthropology ’13 (Alternate, Research – Peru); Molly Landholt, Secondary Education/ESL ‘12; Nicole Liberio, MHS ‘12; Andrew Maguire, American Studies/Psychology ‘12; Nathaniel Marshall, English/African Studies ’12 (Finalist, ETA – South Africa); Stephen Maroda, Economics/History/Art ‘12; Miriam Martin, PhD candidate in Latin American Studies ‘13; Sarah Mills, Political Science/Art History/HOD ‘12; Mason Moseley, PhD candidate in Political Science ‘13; Patrick Nitch, MEd candidate in Counseling ‘12; Chesney Oravec, Neuroscience/German ’12 (Alternate, ETA – Germany); Jennifer Pickering, MS candidate in Environmental Science ‘12; Maria Prom, MD candidate ‘13; Ashley Rasa, Neuroscience/Spanish ‘12; Sarah Sagan, History/Political Science ‘12; Rosie Seagraves, PhD candidate in Spanish/Women’s Studies ‘13; Sloane Speakman, Political Science/Islamic Studies ‘12; Elizabeth Taylor, French/HOD ‘12; Matthew Velasco, PhD candidate in Anthropology ‘14; Brendan Weaver, PhD candidate in Anthropology ’14 (Finalist, Research – Peru); Adam Wilsman, PhD candidate in History ’13. • FULBRIGHT SUMMER INSTITUTES: Erin Aurednik, Vocal Performance ‘15; Emily Esposito, Psychology ‘14; Kelly Halom, Political Science/English ‘15; Karen Hays, Undeclared ‘15; Kimberly Koehler, Psychology ‘14; Erica Kozloff, HOD ‘14; Gilda Naka, Undeclared ’15 (finalist); Kahdijah Owens, Undeclared ‘15; Arneal Paulo, Undeclared ‘14; Lindsey Rowe, Cognitive Studies ’14 (finalist); Rebecca Simpson, Harp Performance ’15. • TRUMAN: Vanderbilt’s 2011 nominees were Nicholas Hall, Human and Organizational Development ’13, Katherine Ullmann, American Studies ‘13, Mara Truslow, Human and Organizational Development/History, ’13 (national finalist), and Emma Steigerwald, Biology ’13. • GOLDWATER: William Matloff, Biomedical Engineering/Math ’13, Curtis Northcutt, Computer Engineering/Math ’13, Emma Steigerwald, Biology ’13 and Chelsea Stowell, Biomedical Engineering ’13.
The Office of Honor Scholarships would like to acknowledge and express our gratitude to the many members of the Vanderbilt community who wrote letters of recommendation and served on interview panels in support of these scholarship candidates. Laatar Aida; Scott Aikin, Philosophy; Klint Alexander, Law and International Relations; Frances Alpren, Spanish; Kathryn Anderson, Spanish and Portuguese; Patricia Armstrong, Director, Pre-Major Advising; Jeremy Atack, Economics; Carol Atkinson, Political Science; Jo-Anne Bachorowski, Psychology; Marcio Bahia, Spanish and Portuguese; Joel Barnett, Mechanical Engineering; Susan Barone, English Language Center; Sherif Barsoum, International Students and Scholars; Gregory Barz, Musicology; Steven Baskauf, Biology; Susan Berk-Seligson, Spanish; Elizabeth Berruecos-Reed, Office of Active Citizenship and Service; Michael Bess, History; Bharat Bhuva, Electrical Engineering/Computer Science; William Booth, Political Science; Michael Burcham, Owen Graduate School of Management; Victoria Burrus, Spanish and Portuguese; Joy Calico, Blair School of Music; Katherine Carroll, Political Science; Celso Castilho, History; Lorraine Catanzaro, Spanish; Cherrie Clark, Mangerial Studies; Barbara Clinton, Center for Health Services; Cynthia Cyrus, Associate Provost; Mark Dalhouse, Office of Active Citizenship and Service; Andrew Daughety, Economics; Victoria Davis, HOD; Kevin Davis, General Counsel; Colin Dayan, English; Rossane DeLapp, Civil & Environmental Engineering; Carolyn Dever, Dean, College of Arts & Science; Nathalie Dieu-Porter, French; Katherine Donato, Medicine, Health & Society; Larry Dowdy, Computer Science; Robert Driskill, Economics; Marshall Eakin, History; David Ernst, Physics; J. Michael Fitzpatrick, Electrical Engineering/Computer Science; Donna Ford, Special Education; Gina Frieden, HOD; Edward Friedman, Spanish; Katherine Friedman, Biology; Deanna Froeber, CASTLES Program; Daniel Funk, Biology; Katherine Fusco, Writing Studio; Tracey George, Law School; Gary Gerstle, History; Malcolm Getz, Economics; Leigh Gilchrist, HOD; Lesley Gill, Anthropology; Steven Goodbred, Earth & Environmental Science; Lenn Goodman, Philosophy; Brian Griffith, HOD; Jason Grissom, Leadership, Policy & Organizations; Henning Grunwald, International Programs; Lisa Guenther, Philosophy; Richard Haglund, Physics and Astronomy; Alene Harris, Teaching and Learning; Connie Heard, Blair School of Music; Douglas Heimburger, School of Medicine; Chalene Helmuth, Spanish; Brian Heuser, International Education Policy; Steve Heyneman, International Education Policy; Jon Hiskey, Political Science; Jen Holt, Writing Studio; Carolyn Huebel, Blair School of Music; Melanie Hundley, Teaching and Learning; M. Shane Hutson, Physics; Larry Isaac, Sociology; Gary Jaeger, Writing Studio; John Janusek, Anthropology; Amy Jarman, Blair School of Music; Mark Jarman, English; Cathy Jrade, Spanish & Portuguese; Gabor Karsai, Electrical Engineering/ Computer Science; Shaul Kelner, Sociology; Konstantin Kustanovich, Russian; Jonathan Lamb, English; Jane Landers, History; Eugene LeBoeuf, Civil & Environmental Engineering; David Lewis, Political Science; Xianmin Liu, East Asian Studies; Richard Lloyd, Sociology; Lorraine Lopez, English; Melanie Lowe, Musicology; Heather Luea, Economics; Jimmy Maiello, Blair School of Music; Marie Martin, Global Health Office; Lloyd Massengill, Electrical Engineering/Computer Science; Holly McCammon, Sociology; Richard McCarty, Provost; James McFarland, ; Richard McGregor, Islamic Studies; Rusty McIntire, Associate Dean, Arts & Science; Jose Medina, Philosophy; W. David Merryman, Biomedical Engineering; Andrea Moro, Economics; Courtney Muse, Medicine, Health & Society; Maury Nation, HOD; Dana Nelson, English; Laura Novick, Psychology & Human Development; Emanuelle Oliveira, Spanish; Kelly Oliver, Philosophy; Lou Outlaw, Philosophy; Art Overholser, School of Engineering; Cynthia Paschal, Biomedical Engineering; Daniel Patte, Religious Studies; Juleigh Petty, Medicine, Health & Society; Marianne Ploger ; Alexander Powell, Math; Lisa Pray, Teaching and Learning; Traci Ray, Residential Life; Robert Reed, Electrical Engineering/Computer Science; Nancy Reisman, English; Christina Rennhoff, Economics; Scott Rodgers, Med School; Sergio Romero, Anthropology; Florence Sanchez, Civil & Environmental Engineering; Howard Sandler, Psychology & Human Development; Dayle Savage, Leadership, Policy & Organizations; Megan Saylor, Psychology & Human Development; Robert Scherrer, Physicss; Tom Schwartz, History; Kevin Seale, Biomedical Engineering; Elena Olazagasti-Segovia, Spanish; Mitchell Seligson, Sociology; Peggy Setje-Eilers, German; Miriam Shakow, Anthropology; Sheri Shaneyfelt, Art History; Samira Sheikh, History; N. Michelle Shepherd, Spanish; Kristin Shorter, Greek Life; Michael Slayton, Blair School of Music; Leslie Smith, Psychology; Ted Smith, Divinity School; Helmut Smith, History; Zeynep Somer-Topcu, Political Science; Robbie Spivey; Sandy Stahl, Associate Dean of Students; Robert Stammer, Engineering Science; Greg Swanson, Office of the Dean of Students; Daniel Swinton, Office of Student Conduct & Academic Integrity; Steven Tepper, Sociology; Stan Thangaraj, Sociology; Cecilia Tichi, English; Holly Tucker, French; Tiffany Tung, Anthropology; Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, & Pharmacology; Alfredo Vergara, Preventative Medicine; Nina Warnke, Associate Dean of the Commons; Frank Wcislo, Dean of the Commons/History; Robert Webster III, Mechanical Engineering; Joseph Wehby, Special Education; Stephen Wernke, Anthropology; John Wikswo, Biomedical Engineering/Physics; Gaynor Wild, Neuroscience/Biological; Laurie Woods, Sociology; Edward Wright-Rios, History; Andrés Zamora, Spanish and European Studies; Liz Zechmeister, Political Science; Christoph Zeller, German; Isleide Zissimos, Economics.
Thursday, April 26, 2012 • the vanderbilt hustler’s year in reviw
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Under Fire: Religious identity comes head to head with university’s desire to prevent discrimination kyle blaine Senior Reporter october 2011 Second-year law student Justin Gunter stands with his eyes closed and head bowed before a handful of his peers in a lecture hall at Vanderbilt University’s law school. “Lord God, I thank you for bringing us here together on this day,” Gunter says, opening the weekly prayer group meeting for the Christian Legal Society. Gunter is president of CLS, and as a leader in the organization, required to lead prayer groups like these, as well as Bible studies. That requirement came under scrutiny from the university earlier this year. The administration contends the group’s leadership requirements might violate the university’s nondiscrimination policy, which does not allow discrimination based on religious beliefs. In an article published in
the Hustler on Nov. 5, 2010, a former member of Beta Upsilon Chi, a christian fraternity on campus, alleged that fraternity leaders encouraged him to leave the group after he came out as gay in the summer of 2010. The former member, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed he was given the option by then fraternity president Greg Wigger to leave the fraternity or face expulsion after having a discussion with Wigger about his sexual orientation. The former member filed a complaint with the Office of the Dean of Students after the story was published, and Beta Upsilon Chi underwent an investigation by the Office of Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action and Disability Services. The findings of that investigation have not yet been made public. The university began reviewing the constitutions of all student organizations at
the beginning of the year, following the allegations made against Beta Upsilon Chi. The university also removed a clause protecting religious associations from its nondiscrimination policy in December of last year. The change, made on Dec. 8, 2010, removed a sentence that guaranteed freedom of religious association for external organizations that associate with the university. What began as a standoff between administrators and a handful of student groups, however, has turned national. According to the Sept. 27 statement by Vanderbilt University, no decisions have been made regarding the religious groups on provisional status. “Student groups that wish to practice their faith are welcome at Vanderbilt; however, it is incumbent upon them to decide whether they wish to become registered student organizations at the university,” the statement reads. ★
Zac Hardy/ The Vanderbilt Hustler In October, the university began reviewing the constitutions of student groups that required their leaders to hold the same religious beliefs as the organization.
Vanderbilt bookstore moves from Sarratt to West End grace aviles Staff Reporter
Zac Hardy/ The Vanderbilt Hustler
october 2011 Vanderbilt’s new bookstore on West End will open at 10 a.m. on Oct. 31 with more books, apparel and merchandise than ever before. The grand opening will include Walking into the bookstore, on the first floor students and patrons will be met with the typical selection of Barnes
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& Noble books, a cafe and a technology center for the Nook with Nook merchandise. On the second floor students can find more books, a children’s literature and games center, a textbook center, apparel and other Vandy-branded merchandise. According to Vice Chancellor for Business Services Frank Gladu, while Vanderbilt had originally requested alternate cafe options be explored given
the close proximity to an existing Starbucks, Barnes & Noble and Starbucks ultimately decided that a Starbucks cafe would be the most attractive option for students. According to Store Manager Cory St. John, the new bookstore intends to become more competitive in textbook pricing by offering more options. “Students will be able to buy both used and new books, as well as given more options for
renting books. For those classes you only need to take once and won’t need the book for again, renting can be a much more financially attractive option.” Cory St. John has been working with Barnes & Noble for 12 years, but is most excited about being a part of the opening at Vanderbilt. “Students bring so much new energy and enthusiasm. It’s what will be the lifeblood of this new store.” ★
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the vanderbilt hustler’s year in reviw • Thursday, April 26, 2012
University accused of participating in African Land Grabs kyle blaine Senior Reporter october 2011 Mounting evidence suggests Vanderbilt University’s investment in emerging African markets may be creating a commodity crisis in the region, even as university officials and a hedge fund manager directly involved in the fund tout their potential for high returns and local benefits. The Oakland Institute, a
California-based policy think tank, released a report in June entitled “Understanding Land Investment Deals in Africa” implicating Vanderbilt in an African “land grabbing” investment scheme. The report is based on investigations of investors, purchase contracts, business plans and maps of the region. According to the report, Vanderbilt, along with Harvard and other U.S. colleges, is invested in African land
development through London-based hedge fund Emergent Asset Management Ltd., which runs on of Africa’s largest land acquisition funds. The report claims Emergent’s investments in African land are forcing small farmers off their lands and creating insecurity in the global food system while not fulfilling promises of increased native employment and development. The investments, according to the report, are aimed at developing the
land for agricultural exports. In response to the report, Vice Chancellor for Investments Matthew Wright called into question the truth of the report and said university investments undergo a thorough process of investigation and due diligence. However, Wright said his primary role is to serve the financial interests of the university. Wright said the growing middle class in emerging markets presents new investment
opportunities and provides benefits for those countries. The university reported its investments in Southern Africa to GreenReportCard.com, the organization responsible for the annual College Sustainability Report Card. According to its report, the fund provides job training, housing, transportation and medical treatment for local workers. In an email statement to Reuters News Agency, Emergent said the Oakland institute re-
port “misrepresented” its investments in Africa. “Our focus concerns increasing food production involving commercial farms and smallholders alike, uplifting communities through, for example, the provision of employment, access to agricultural support for improved crop production, access to markets for small scale farmers, access to clean water and various facilities and health care,” the statement read. ★
Vanderbilt falls to Cincinnati in Liberty Bowl meghan rose Sports Editor december 2011 With four minutes left in the Commodores’ season and three points separating them from the Cincinnati Bearcats, Vanderbilt desperately needed a spark. Clinging to a 24-21 advantage in the closing minutes of the 53rd AutoZone Liberty Bowl on New Year’s Eve, the Bearcats sent out kicker Tony Miliano for a 39-yard field goal attempt to stretch the Cincinnati lead to six. A block from Archibald Barnes and a recovery from Trey Wilson followed, and momentum promptly swung in the Commodores’ favor. But just two offensive plays and 43 seconds later, an interception from redshirt senior Larry Smith on a pass intended for sophomore wide receiver Jordan Matthews gave Cincinnati another chance to add to their lead. “That is a great football team that we played today,” said Vanderbilt head coach James
Franklin. “If you look at the last third of the season and what we were able to do, we just didn’t look like ourselves tonight.” Running back Isaiah Pead and the Cincinnati offense capitalized on the Vanderbilt miscue, as Pead scored his lone touchdown of the game on his 28th and final carry. The Bearcat senior closed out his collegiate career in style, garnering bowl game MVP honors for his 149-yard rushing performance against the Commodores. “(Pead) showed great durability in the course of the season and today was nothing more than that,” said Cincinnati head coach Butch Jones. “He got stronger as the game went on.” Cincinnati would go on to win the game, 31-24, after Vanderbilt narrowed the gap with a 35-yard field goal from Ryan Fowler. The Vanderbilt offense couldn’t find much rhythm in the first half, and both teams combined for 10 punts in the first 30 minutes of play. The
Commodores jumped out to a 7-0 advantage midway through the first quarter with a 7-yard touchdown run from junior Zac Stacy. The tailback’s score was set up by an interception from senior cornerback Casey Hayward. Stacy ran for 57 yards to finish the 2011 season with 1,193 rushing yards - a Vanderbilt singleseason rushing record. Hayward hauled in two interceptions on the afternoon, tying the Vanderbilt record for most career interceptions with 15. He leads all active Southeastern Conference players. “I feel for the (seniors), because they aren’t going to be part of the future, but what they have done is laid a great foundation for our future,” Franklin said. Cincinnati responded with 14 unanswered points, scoring touchdowns in both the first and final minute of the second quarter to take a 14-7 halftime lead into the locker room. Running back George Winn ran his first carry of the game
chris honiball/ The Vanderbilt Hustler The Cincinnati Bearcats defeated the Commodores 31-24 in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, TN on Dec. 31, 2011. It was only the fifth bowl game in 122 years of Vanderbilt football. back 69 yards for the Bearcats’ first score, and quarterback Zach Collaros threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Anthony McClung to close out the half. Freshman running back Jerron Seymour tied the score
at 14-14 with a 5-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter. It was Seymour’s fifth rushing touchdown of the season. Vanderbilt’s next score came on a 68-yard touchdown pass from Smith to wide re-
ceiver Chris Boyd early in the fourth quarter to give the Commodores a 21-17 lead. “This game does not define us,” Franklin said. “We will be back - this is just the first step of many that we are taking.” ★
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Thursday, April 26, 2012 • the vanderbilt hustler’s year in reviw
Congratulations
CLASS OF 2012! We have enjoyed being your voice here at Vandy.
Have a wonderful future!
THE VOICE OF VANDERBILT SINCE 1888
On-Line Registration for Summer 2012 At Vanderbilt on YES Every Summer, Vanderbilt offers a wide array of courses taught by eminent professors and accomplished lectures. You can enroll in Maymester, 1st and 2nd summer session courses to: • Fulfill a • requirement • Focus on a • particular subject • Try something entirely new Registration is now open!
For more information: www.vanderbilt.edu/summersessions
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the vanderbilt hustler’s year in reviw • Thursday, April 26, 2012
We are so proud of the Vanderbilt Class of 2012! Best of luck for a happy and successful future.
Thursday, April 26, 2012 • the vanderbilt hustler’s year in reviw
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Former law school employee faces punishment for embezzlement kyle blaine Senior Reporter january 2012 A former employee of the Vanderbilt Law School faces prison time and heavy fines after he was arrested Friday on a charge of theft of university funds. Federal marshals took Jason Hunt into custody Friday in Montgomery County, Ark., after a university internal investigation revealed a misuse of law school funds. Hunt, 34, worked as an administrative services manager at the law school, where he regularly handled university money. The university was tipped off in October 2011 of his alleged illicit activities. He is charged with one count of Class B felony theft, which in the state of Tennessee indicates the theft value is more than $60,000. The sentence with the charge is eight to 30 years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines. Hunt was terminated from his position at the law school in mid-November, around the same time the university turned over its internal investigation findings to the Davidson Country District Attorney’s office. The university did not disclose the exact amount, but Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Beth Fortune told The Hustler
chris honiball/ The Vanderbilt Hustler
Nondiscrimination policy meets campus opposition Photo provided Former law school employee Jason Hunt was arrested in January after an investigation revealed he had embezzled funds from the Vanderbilt Law School. the number is substantially higher than $60,000. Out&About Newspaper reported in December 2011 that Hunt and his partner Cole Wakefield had moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and opened Crema, a gay nightclub billed as a “gay party zone.” Before leaving Nashville, Hunt was elected president of Nashville Pride. He resigned from that position after leaving the United States.
Responding to the incident, the university has strengthened its controls to prevent future incidents from occurring. Law School Dean Chris Guthrie said in a statement, “We have a trusting community, and our trust has been betrayed. Though we are extremely disappointed, we have a strong school and we will move forward. The examination of how this occurred and what steps are needed so that it doesn’t happen again will make us even stronger.” ★
Re{cycle} brings bike rental to campus camille parker Staff Reporter january 2012 Biking as a means of transportation on campus and around Nashville will now be more accessible to students through a new on-campus bicycle rental business. Starting in mid-March, re{cycle} will offer all undergraduates daily bicycle rental for $10 a day, payable on the Commodore Card. Re{cycle}, a student-led company, was recently announced the winner of the
Vanderbilt Ventures Competition. The program, founded in 2010, is designed for students who wish to start their own businesses on campus. As the winning team, re{cycle} will receive start up money, compensation, support and resources from the Dean of Students office. “The idea came from seeing a need for affordable and accessible transportation, especially for students who come to Vanderbilt from far away,” said Juliette Cilia, co-founder and co-CEO of the business, “Our daily rentals give stu-
dents the opportunity to occasionally ride a bike without any commitment.” Next fall, semester-long bicycle rentals will also be made available to Vanderbilt students, giving students the ease of bicycle transportation without the hassle of overnight storage and maintenance. Over time the founders of re{cycle} hope to expand the accessibility of rentals to faculty and graduate students, as well as establishing a second outpost in the Medical Center, all with the support and advice of the Vanderbilt Ventures program. ★
kyle blaine Senior Reporter february 2012 Tensions are heightening between the university and religious organizations over the enforcement of the nondiscrimination policy, as groups opposing the policy increase public attacks on Vanderbilt’s administration ahead of Tuesday’s town hall. A group calling themselves Restore Religious Freedom at Vanderbilt has launched a full-scale attack campaign against Vanderbilt’s administration, with a radio ad taking the university to task for what it deems as a policy specifically targeting religious student organizations. The ad, which is on multiple radio stations in Nashville, accuses the university’s “top brass” of “bullying” established religious groups into “accepting members who do not fit with their beliefs.” The group also accuses the university of “wasting” alumni donations “espousing political correctness.” Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Beth Fortune told
The Hustler the university is aware of the ad campaign, adding that the university’s policies allow all students to be eligible for membership and leadership in registered student organizations. “We have great trust in our students’ ability to choose their own leaders and are not trying to dictate otherwise,” Fortune said. The group behind the ad is backed by Americans United for Freedom, a pending 501(c) (4) social welfare organization that aligns itself with Tea Party organizations to support conservative causes. Animosity towards the university from opposition groups only grew last week, when Vanderbilt Divinity School Dean James HudnutBeumler denied a request from the Christian Legal Society to be allotted five to 10 minutes at the town hall to present the position of several religious groups on campus. In response to CLS, HudnutBeumler, the moderator of the town hall, said he welcomed any member of the community to ask questions from the floor. ★
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the vanderbilt hustler’s year in reviw • Thursday, April 26, 2012
Zeta Tau Alpha sorority comes to Vanderbilt emily torres Staff Reporter february 2012 Zeta Tau Alpha, a national Panhellenic sorority, will complete its introduction into Greek life Thursday, Feb. 2, after a semester of planning and executing publicity and recruitment events. Zeta Tau Alpha will host open house information sessions Jan. 30 and 31 at which undergraduate women will undergo 20-minute interviews with national representatives. A preference par-
ty will be held for selected girls on Feb. 1. A bid day celebration will be held for the new founding members the following day. “It is truly a once-in-alifetime opportunity to be a founding member of the Vanderbilt chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha. It provides a great opportunity for students of all classes to get involved, make a mark on your campus, set traditions for many years to come, be a leader from the very beginning, find friendships that will last a lifetime, and be a part of a strong national
organization. We couldn’t be more excited to start our new chapter and be involved in this outstanding Greek community,” said Liz Austin, traveling leadership consultant for Zeta Tau Alpha. “Our chapters have been welcoming so far. The Zeta Tau Alpha consultants have visited many chapters to talk about their extension. Facebook and Twitter show support for what’s going on. We want to include them into our community in every way. Once we have women, they will be included as all
of our other chapters. I’m thrilled about the addition,” said Kristin Shorter, director of Greek Life. Zeta Tau Alpha traveling consultants arrived on campus in the fall of 2011 and became involved in the Greek community. Official recruitment began after normal spring rush as per national Panhellenic rules. Consultants provided interested students with information at Rand and The Commons Center beginning Jan. 17. The chapter will be composed of freshmen, sopho-
mores, juniors and seniors. Chapter size will be comparable to other sororities currently established on campus. Panhellenic decides the number of girls that are chosen for the founding class. Traveling consultants will be stationed with the established chapter to oversee the development and success of the Vanderbilt’s chapter. Zeta Tau Alpha will occupy Pi Beta Phi’s previous house after a renovation over the summer. Zeta Tau Alpha is the third largest national sorority and supports awareness and ed-
ucation of breast cancer. The sorority has notable relationships with both the NFL and Yoplait in joint support of the philanthropy. The Greek community as a whole has been welcoming and eager for the addition of Zeta Tau Alpha. “Every chapter has its own character and I know that the character built by the new Zeta Tau Alpha chapter will provide an opportunity for more Vanderbilt women, across all classes, to find a Panhellenic home,” said Allie Trant, president of Panhellenic.★
Commodores win SEC Championship Manard and Cherry win VSG with 71-64 victory over Kentucky presidential bid
jackson martin Asst. Sports Editor
march 2012 The third seeded Vanderbilt Commodores (24-10, 10-6 SEC) won the second SEC tournament title in school history with a 71-64 victory over the top seeded Kentucky Wildcats (32-2, 16-0). The Commodores “Big Three” of Jeffery Taylor, John Jenkins and Festus Ezeli played huge roles in the victory, as Taylor finished with 18 points while Jenkins and Ezeli had 17 apiece. Suffocating defense by the Commodores prevented the Wildcats from scoring a field goal in the final eight minutes of the game. Kentucky shot just
36% from the field an uncharacteristically took 28 three-point shots. A large part of Vanderbilt’s success came by neutralizing the Wildcat’s dominating inside game. Ezeli and Lance Goulbourne attacked the paint early and often, putting Michael-Kidd Gilchrist (who would later foul out of the game), Terrence Jones and Davis in fould trouble in the second half. The tournament title was the Commodores first since 1951, which was also the only other time the school had appeared in the championship game. That year the Commodores also defeated a No.1 Kentucky team, by a 61-57 score. ★
kion sawney Staff Reporter
chris honiball/ The Vanderbilt Hustler Fans welcomed back the men’s basketball team March 11, 2012 after they defeated the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats for the SEC Championship.
march 2012 Maryclaire Manard, along with running mate Mark Cherry, won the VSG presidential election on Wednesday, March 21, defeating McArthur Gill and his running mate William Schreiber in their bid to lead the student body. The election ended with the closest margin in the history of the organization, with only 94 votes separating the two candidates when polls closed on Wednesday afternoon. Even 10 minutes after the results were read, Manard stated that she was shaking a little bit from the excitement of the news. “Obviously, I knew over the past two days how close this race was,”
Manard said. She ultimately captured 1,842 votes, or 50.3 percent of the total 3,661 votes to win the election. “I’m really glad that Mark and I pulled out ahead and I really have to say that I really do respect the message the other team was sending, in terms how they want to change parts of VSG and the message VSG is sending outwards,“ Manard said. Gill made up considerable ground to close the gap between himself and Manard from the primary, in which he trailed Manard with 1,044 votes, or 41.4 percent of the vote. Manard led the primary with 1,254 votes, or 49.8 percent. Following the election results Gill expressed gratitude to his campaign team and supporters for their help in the elections. ★
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Thursday, April 26, 2012 • the vanderbilt hustler’s year in reviw
Students look to utilize Occupy ideals to address Vanderbilt issues chris honiball Editor-in-chief march 2012 Occupy Vanderbilt began on Monday, March 21, with a rally in front of Kirkland Hall, attended by approximately 100 students, faculty and staff. The group voiced three primary concerns at the rally, which included unethical university investments, unfair wages for some university workers and administrative ability to ignore student voices. A number of students plan to remain camped in front of Kirkland Hall for an indefinite period of time. As of Wednesday afternoon, 16 tents were set up on the lawn, and between 12 and 20 students had
camped out each night since Monday. Zach Blume, a student involved in the Occupy Vanderbilt group, said that in addition to these three goals, Occupy Vanderbilt is trying to further the projects of the Occupy movement itself. “We’re looking to make this space somewhere people can come to talk about these structural problems with the world,” Blume said. Several Vanderbilt Dining employees spoke during the rally. According to statistics presented by Vanderbilt Dining employee Anne Alukonis during the rally, a significant percentage of dining workers make less than $14,000 per year. The federal poverty threshold for 2011 for a fam-
ily of four was set at $23,201 per year according to the U.S. Census Bureau website. According to a fact sheet released by Vanderbilt News and Communications, Vanderbilt Dining currently attempts to find employment for dining workers in the Nashville community during the summer months. “In closing, I urgently encourage Vanderbilt to implement the concept of employees being their greatest asset,” Alukonis said, speaking to the crowd gathered at the rally. Tristan Call, a graduate student who studies land reform, also spoke at the rally. He traveled to Guatemala last year, where he met farmers who had their land taken by com-
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luis munoz/ The Vanderbilt Hustler Occupy Vanderbilt began March 21 with about 16 tents set up in front of Kirkland Hall. The protestors are concerned with unethical university investments, unfair wages for some university employees and the role that students and community members have in university policy. panies similar to EmVest. “When I talked to those farmers about what my university was doing, they said, ‘Go home, fix it!’” Call said. Protestors also raised a final concern that the administration is able to ignore stu-
dents and others affected by university policy. “(We’re concerned about) how students, but also the rest of the community that’s affected out there, and in Nashville, is affected by all the wealth here, that we are
trying to share, to build an educational structure. You know, sometimes Vanderbilt doesn’t have the best impact on the rest of Nashville. We’re concerned about that,” said sophomore Zach Blume at the start of the rally. ★
Religious organizations refuse to comply with all-comers policy kyle blaine Senior Reporter april 2012 Eleven student organizations are likely to be denied university recognition after applying for registered status with the university. The group of organizations, calling itself Vanderbilt Solidarity in a statement released April 9, 2012, said it could not in good faith comply with the university’s requirement that all registered student groups must have open membership and leadership
policies, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation and religion. The coalition submitted applications for registered status with constitutions containing faith-based requirements for leadership in an act of protest against Vanderbilt’s all-comers policy. “Each of our 11 organizations is a faith-based group dedicated to sharing the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ on campus. As such, we simply cannot allow those who do not share our faith to lead our ministries, as Vanderbilt now
demands,” the release said. The 11 groups associated with Vanderbilt Solidarity are Asian American Christian Fellowship, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Cru, Medical Christian Fellowship, Navigators, Graduate Christian Fellowship, Bridges International, Lutheran Student Fellowship, Every Nation Ministries, Beta Upsilon Chi and Christian Legal Society. Beta Upsilon Chi, Graduate Christian Fellowship, Christian Legal Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes have been on provisional sta-
tus since fall 2011, when the university reviewed all student organizations to check for compliance with its allcomers policy. The statement comes two weeks after Vanderbilt Catholic decided to not reapply for registered student organization status, saying its ability to choose leaders who share the Catholic faith is necessary for its existence. Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Beth Fortune reiterated the all-comers policy in an email statement to The Hustler.
“All registered student groups at Vanderbilt must be open to all students, and members in good standing must have the opportunity to seek leadership positions, and we stand behind this policy,” Fortune said. “Vanderbilt trusts our students to decide who among those seeking office are chosen for those positions. The university does not dictate who can and cannot be chosen.” The Tennessee state legislature has responded to the controversy with House Bill 3576, which, if passed, will prohibit
public universities in the state from enforcing nondiscrimination policies on religious student groups. The Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor John Morgan told Nashville Public Radio that he did not see how the bill would affect public institutions. “Far as I know, that has not been an issue at any of the public institutions in Tennessee, yet we’re going to pass a law that only applies to public institutions? It’s hard for me to understand that,” Morgan said. ★
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the vanderbilt hustler’s year in reviw • Thursday, April 26, 2012