vanderbilthustler WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015
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VOL. 127, ISS. 9
NAVIGATING THE VSG
ELECTION PAGE 10
LIFE
From the daily grind to ‘The Daily Show’ Vanderbilt alum went from a job as a corporate lawyer to writing for ‘The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’
PAGE 6
Meet Rabbi Shlomo BOSLEY JARRETT / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
SEC Basketball Tournament With the tournament tipping off at Bridgestone Arena this afternoon, The Hustler looks at Vanderbilt’s chances of making a run for the SEC title
CAMPUS Vanderbilt Chabad house founder shares his story and how he uses his role to influence student life on campus
SPORTS
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WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
QUOTE OF THE DAY
One of our fundamental tenets as an organization — it’s in the mission statement — is to be advocates for the student body ... I think we’re going in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go in terms of communicating that to the student body.
campus
JACKSON VAUGHT, VSG SPEAKER OF THE SENATE
GOLD STANDARD
Students seek to unite campus efforts against sexual assault with social media campaign
Founding members of the Gold Standard initiative from left to right: Jordan Jensen, Alexandra Leddin, Monica Evans, Jasmine Taylor, Miller Morris
By ALEX MONTESANTOS News reporter --------------------
For a group of five students in Introduction to Health Promotion, what started in January as a group project on sexual and reproductive health has turned into a large-scale umbrella initiative focused on changing attitudes toward bystander intervention and sexual violence. By early February, the group members had gotten the ball rolling on the project — which seeks to “change the standard.” “As soon as we decided to do this, we contacted Cara Bell
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at Project Safe, who has been a huge help. We’ve contacted different administrators and deans, the athletics director and several other (student) organizations,” said senior Alexandra Leddin, a group member. The project, called the Gold Standard, aims to promote the efforts and events of any and all campus organizations tackling issues of power-based personal violence through a Facebook page. The page will publish links to information and support as well as updates about campus events and activities, amassing different campus resources on violence prevention and awareness into one network. “Gold Standard aims to serve as a tool for bridging com-
KELLY HALOM — CO-NEWS EDITOR ALLIE GROSS — CO-NEWS EDITOR PRIYANKA ARIBINDI — LIFE EDITOR MOLLY CORN — OPINION EDITOR ALLISON MAST — SPORTS EDITOR SAARA ASIKAINEN — MANAGING EDITOR KARA SHERRER — WEB EDITOR SOPHIE TO — CHIEF COPY EDITOR
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munities and educating the public with the fewest barriers possible through an aggregate Facebook page where we will share events pertaining to sexual violence and aspects of sexual health, as well as online resources submitted from within the community, from data reports to encouraging anecdotes,” said Jordan Jensen, a junior group member. Additionally, the Gold Standard is set to launch a photo campaign that focuses on the importance of bystander intervention via anonymous personal anecdotes from survivors, as well as nonanonymous statements by students and faculty. “We are trying to have a mix of anonymous individu-
BOSLEY JARRETT — PHOTO DIRECTOR JENNA WENGLER — ART DIRECTOR PHIL DANTA — CHIEF WEB DEVELOPER MADDIE HUGHES — FEATURES EDITOR ANGELICA LASALA — SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR BEN WEINRIB — ASST. SPORTS EDITOR KAREN CHAN — ASST. ART DIRECTOR QUEEN STEVENSON — ASST. OPINION EDITOR ZIYI LIU— ASST. PHOTO DIRECTOR KATHY YUAN — ASST. PHOTO DIRECTOR
DESIGNERS
COPY EDITORS
ZACH BERKOWITZ ZOE SHANCER KATHY ZHOU HAN DEWAN AADITI NAIK CHRISTOPH SPROUL SHARON SI BRIANNA GALGANO ASHLEY KATZENSTEIN
ALEXIS BANKS ANDREA BLATT RACHAEL GRAHAM WESLEY LIN KATHY YUAN
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als telling their own stories with others who are willing to show their face and don’t necessarily have survival stories, but can advance a positive message,” Leddin said. “Anonymous individuals can work through a Google Doc we have that protects their identity. We have shared this Google Doc with different campus organizations so it can be disbursed through Listservs and anyone can have a chance to tell their story.” “We want to send the message to survivors that they are not alone and we fully support them,” said Jasmine LaChelle Taylor, a junior group member. The Gold Standard’s initial target is 12 photos: six anonymous and six of individuals or groups willing to show their face. In tandem with their goal to change the standard of sexual violence awareness to one that is more positive, uplifting and inspiring, the group has taken great care in
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crafting the content of the anecdotes that will be shared in the photo campaign. “We have spent a lot of time being careful with the language we use, as we want to preserve the story but make it positive. We want to use inclusive language that anyone can identify with,” Leddin said. “Often, young people perceive rape as a random attack by a stranger. We are hoping to eliminate that stereotype and illuminate the hard truth that sexual violence takes numerous forms, all of which are equally important to combat. Sexual violence happens in relationships as well as in chance encounters; it affects people of all genders and all sexual preferences; it permeates the boundaries of power imbalances and inequalities,” said Miller Morris, a junior group member. Group members said collecting these anecdotes and working with those in the campus community — survivors or otherwise — have opened their eyes and fostered a personal investment in the cause. “Whether it is informing ourselves about constructive bystander intervention or giving us an avenue to share personal experiences, the Gold Standard has already served as an outlet for several people, even before the launch of the campaign,” Morris said. “By starting the dialogue on powerbased and sexual violence, we are inviting all of Vanderbilt to the table to raise the standard of behavior for our entire campus community.” The Gold Standard project officially launched their social media page and accompanying photo campaign Tuesday, March 10, releasing the first photos they have taken. The group will continue to update the page with resources from the various campus groups combating power-based personal violence. However, the Gold Standard doesn’t plan on stopping with the social media initiative. “As this initiative grows, we want to orient toward anyone on campus who has compassion to this cause and is ‘taking a stand to change the standard,’” Leddin said. “We have
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We want to send the message to survivors that they are not alone and we fully support them.
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also been talking about having a hashtag where people can take their own photos, being present at any fair the Office of Wellness has and continuing to grow our presence in the Vanderbilt community.” “We will continue to seek input and resources as the project transforms, building upon the resources and programming already in place as a foundation as we continue to promote widespread collaboration and a sustainable resource for the future,” Jensen said. Morris said the Gold Standard will look to change the standard not only at Vanderbilt, but everywhere. “This is not a women’s issue, this is not a student issue,” Morris said. “This is an everyone issue, and we hope the Gold Standard will empower everyone to take a stand against what is wrong and help us relearn what it means to be ‘right,’ to be ‘innocent,’ to be ‘guilty,’ to be a ‘victim,’ to be a ‘survivor,’ to be an ‘ally.’ It is time we take a stand to change the standard.”
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WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
Meet Rabbi Shlomo
CAMPUS
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Chabad house founder aims to inspire and mentor students of all faiths at Vanderbilt By ZOE SHANCER News reporter --------------------
Shlomo Rothstein was 15 years old when he decided he wanted to be a rabbi. “I realized that I love people, and I love Judaism,” Rothstein said. “I love the wisdom in Judaism, I love God, and put it all together, it kinds of leads me in a really simple direction.” Years later, he now serves as a rabbi for the Chabad house
ZIYI LIU/ THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
at Vanderbilt. According to Rothstein, Chabad is a worldwide movement that spreads Jewish awareness. “Chabad itself began as a philosophy in the 1700s, and it really presents Jewish mysticism and Jewish spirituality and wisdom in a way that’s meant to enhance your life through your mind and through your heart,” Rothstein said. Rothstein was raised in Baltimore, Maryland in a large
family. His home was very open, with guests frequenting for discussions and meals. During his high school years, he attended Yeshiva, an institution of Jewish higher learning that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts. During his journey to become a rabbi, Rothstein spent time in Minnesota, Illinois, Montreal, New York and Melbourne, Australia. He studied Hebrew, Aramaic and Yiddish.
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I felt that college was a great place to be, just because of the time of life. Also energy — there’s so much life here, more so than a regular community.
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“When I was in Australia (at 19), I had a rabbinical internship where I studied at a higher level, and I also taught, worked with the community, worked with students in the school,” Rothstein said. Rothstein’s work in Australia helped him decide that a college campus was where he wanted to pursue his work. “I felt that college was a great place to be, just because of the time of life,” he said. “Also energy — there’s so much life here, more so than a regular community.” In 2007, Rothstein established Vanderbilt’s first Chabad house.
CAMPUS “The Jewish population was really picking up, and Chabad was looking to put a Chabad house here,” Rothstein said. “I got really lucky. I was in the right place at the right time, spoke to the right people. I look at it as a blessing from above because everything kind of aligned.” A year earlier Rothstein met his wife Nechama Rothstein, with whom he now has four children. The Rothsteins are expecting their fifth child this March. According to Rothstein, he likes to integrate his children into the Chabad house as much as possible, particularly for holidays, Shabbat dinners and classes. The Chabad house aims to help people live a happy life by helping them understand their minds, emotions and identities, Rothstein said. He hopes to help students achieve these goals through a Jewish lens. “I would say that there’s a lot of strength in Jewish wisdom and tradition,” Rothstein said. “It’s been refined and honed and practiced over 3,000 years, so there’s a lot of depth there.” Rothstein noted that while some believe Judaism’s age makes it archaic, he feels the opposite. “To be able to bridge that gap and help people experience how the wisdom is cutting-edge wisdom right now can really be beneficial,” he said. “And the traditions and the practices are so meaningful and can really enhance a person’s life.” Chabad also aims to address events in the world that seem confusing or bad. According to Rothstein, there are two helpful things one can do in bad situations: gain perspective about what is going on and do something positive about the issue. “There’s a motto that we work with, which is that our job is to ‘make light,’” Rothstein said. “Even in cases where there’s darkness, you could fight the darkness, or you could just make light.” When the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo was the target of terrorist attacks earlier in the year, for example,
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Chabad came together with Hillel to set up a table that gave students coins. Students could then take these coins and give them to charity. “People were so hateful and took away other people’s lives (in these attacks),” Rothstein said. “So let’s add to goodness and give to peoples’ lives.” According to Rothstein, students often come to him to discuss issues of identity as well as their plans for the future. To mentor these students, he calls on the Jewish concept of “continuous creation,” or the idea that everyone is on this earth for an important reason; there is no one who is not needed. “If you can personally take a moment and say, ‘Right now, where I am, given everything going on around me, I’m being created at this moment by divine infinite wisdom,’” Rothstein said. “I think it’s one of the most powerful things a person can tell themselves. It gives you a sense of being.” Rothstein loves being able to teach, listen to and mentor students on Vanderbilt’s campus. “We have such an ability to say the right thing to the right person at the right time,” Rothstein said. “To open our eyes to see where we can be there for other people and make such a short-term and long-term positive effect. So it’s a blessing everywhere. Every human being has the ability to do that, and I get to make a life out of that, so it’s pretty cool.” While Rothstein’s teachings are based in the Jewish religion, he makes clear that students of all faiths are welcome at the Chabad house. “People should feel free to look at Chabad like a pool, where they could dive in and swim to the deep end, or just put their feet in or sit on the side and watch … All sorts of people come to the Chabad house,” Rothstein said. “You don’t have to know a certain amount or believe in certain things. It’s a joyous place. It’s a very accepting place.”
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life
GO DO
THIS
Nachde Nashville
6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 14, Langford Auditorium Nachde Nashville is an intercollegiate Bhangra competition among teams who fuse the traditional Indian dance form with contemporary music, such as dubstep and hip-hop. Tickets available at Sarratt Box Office for $12, at the door for $15
Zhubin Parang
From the daily grind to ‘The Daily Show’ After years as a corporate lawyer, Vanderbilt graduate Zhubin Parang (BA ‘03) made the jump to comedy, earning an Emmy for his work on the ‘The Daily Show.’ The Hustler caught up with him to hear about making the transition, his advice for students and the future of ‘The Daily Show’ without Jon Stewart jumping off the cliff seems more natural to you. That’s definitely what happened to me. Initially I was like, “There’s no way I’d go into comedy, being a lawyer is much more stable and just a smarter bet,” but over four years I sort of convinced myself.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ZHUBIN PARANG
By PRIYANKA ARIBINDI Life editor --------------------
The Vanderbilt Hustler: How does a day at “The Daily Show” go? Zhubin Parang: There’s a routine to it — around 9:30 we’ll have a morning meeting where all the writers and the producers and Jon get in a room together and all sort of talk about the issues that we want to talk about that day and what we want the show to look like, and we’ll watch video clips and make jokes and argue about issues. At the end of that meeting Jon will sort of decide what he wants the show to be like that day — what he wants the headlines to be and what he wants the angle on them to be. And then if you’re free that day you get assigned one of those headlines. Then you have about an hour to write the first draft of that headline and then Jon and a couple of the producers will give you notes on your first draft. You’ll go back, you’ll rewrite it and then you’ll give it back to them … There’ll be an afternoon meeting where you kinda get ahead for the next day, and then there’s rehearsal. After rehearsal you go back with Jon into the rewrite room with the other executive producers and you go over all the jokes one last time, make sure all the jokes are in his voice, and he kinda gets down to the nitty gritty of every word. And then the show! Then you go home and do it again. VH: When you graduated from Vanderbilt what did you think you were going to be doing career-wise? ZP: I was expecting that I would go into law and that I would eventually maybe be in
government … But I always really, really loved comedy. I was in Tongue ‘N’ Cheek … so I always had that in the back of my mind as something I loved doing. (After Vanderbilt) I went to law school in D.C. and kept doing improv in the D.C. improv scene, and then I came up to New York to practice law, and it turns out that I really didn’t like practicing law. As I was practicing for about four years I began doing comedy in the New York scene, and I got to a point eventually when I thought I was good enough — I’d done basically everything I could do in comedy that I could do while being a lawyer — and … I was like, “Well, I really want to commit to comedy,” so I quit being a lawyer. It was the kind of thing where I gradually came around to the idea of comedy when it became clear I really loved doing that and didn’t like anything else I was doing. VH: How was making that transition? ZP: It was definitely scary. People become lawyers because they are risk-averse, and I am definitely risk-averse, so the idea of losing my very stable, full-time job as a lawyer to jump into the completely uncharted, terrifying, really depressing world of comedy was very scary, but … over the course of four years I was like, “Well, what I’m doing is terrible, I hate every day now, so how much worse could it get?” I guess I could also not have any money, which is also a risk, but eventually over four years I kinda talked myself into taking the jump. I feel like a lot of life decisions you don’t really make at the spur of the moment. (You) kind of slowly adapt to (thinking), “Maybe I will jump off this cliff,” until, finally,
VH: When you were getting started, were you looking for writing gigs specifically? ZP: I was immediately looking for writing gigs. I worked on a small syndicated show — it was just an online thing, but from the moment I was working I was looking for writing. I actually remember thinking “The Daily Show” is obviously the dream show, but I’ll never get on “The Daily Show” so maybe I should start looking for LA. So I was actually out in LA looking for apartments to move when I got an email from “The Daily Show” asking me to submit, so that was a very nicely ironic moment. VH: “The Daily Show” has been making headlines because of Jon Stewart’s announcement that he’ll be leaving — what’s the environment there like now? ZP: It’s pretty much the same. Obviously we all love Jon and he’s the voice of the show … I feel like he’s really the Carson of our generation, so even if I wasn’t working for him it’d be a huge bummer that he’s going. But at the same time, we’re all still together, we’re all gonna have a new host and we’re all looking forward to having this new person, whoever they are. I think when we had (John) Oliver subhost for us a couple summers ago we were all very surprised and delighted how we worked together and how well the machine that Jon has built works. I’m looking forward to seeing how it runs with the new host … Whoever comes in I’m assuming is going to be eager to take this machine from Jon and rev it up, which I think will be exciting to see. VH: Vandy isn’t the first school you think of churning out media personalities and people who work in television. Do you think your
time at Vanderbilt prepared you for your career now? ZP: It wasn’t so much the classes as it was the improv team I was on. I was very lucky to be at Vanderbilt at a time when there were some really, really talented people on the improv team, so I think we all helped each other and buttressed each other and got each other working really hard. I would say the really good thing that Vanderbilt offers is that everybody there is just so smart and ambitious and naturally talented. If you find and get yourself in a group of people like that, whatever you do, you’re going to be egged on to work harder and get better, and I think that the good thing — that applies to a lot of schools, that shouldn’t be the unique thing about Vandy — but I think the good thing about Vandy is that you can find your niche, and whoever is in your niche is also gonna be really high-performing and really excited to be doing what they’re doing. You kinda get that drive that comes from being around super smart, hardworking people no matter what you’re doing. VH: Do you have any advice for students interested in writing or a career like yours? ZP: If you want to get into comedy writing, you gotta move to New York or LA after college and you gotta get into the comedy scene in one of those two places. You gotta start taking improv or sketch classes, you gotta start doing standup — in the same way that you have to surround yourself with people at Vandy, you have to surround yourself with comedians in New York or LA, because as you do that you learn your voice, you get better at comedy and also that’s where everybody who has jobs in comedy is, so as you get better and better they get to notice you and then the jobs come. (In) this whole business people just want to hire who they’re friends with, who they know is good, so you just gotta become known in the scene. I feel like this applies to every job that doesn’t involve math.
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The Hustler’s picks: juice bars
Select your new favorite smoothies from the most unique blends in town with help from The Hustler By Dana Alloy, Life reporter
PHOTO BY MARGARET MACON / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
PHOTO COURTESY OF YELP
PHOTO BY DANA ALLOY / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
FIT FOOD REVOLUTION
I LOVE JUICE BAR
THE URBAN JUICER
Fit Food Revolution offers healthy, premade meals in Green Hills and Brentwood, and the storefront is paired with a juice bar, called Juice Revolution. While Fit Food meals have their own benefits, the Juice Revolution bar holds its own by offering filling smoothies, bowls and juices. They distinguish themselves from other nearby places by offering more exotic ingredients such as dragon fruit (pitaya), tahini, bee pollen and more.
But really, who doesn’t love juice? This place offers everything you could need for a quick, healthy snack with classic freshly pressed juice and smoothies, and ready-made salads, fruit cups, hummus plates and options that are great to pick up for a meal on the go. I Love Juice Bar also provides natural goods from local companies such as Living Raw bites, Grab the Gold bars and Vanessa’s bars. There are four locations in Nashville including Berry Hill, Germantown, Franklin and Brentwood.
Located just a few miles away on Eighth Avenue, The Urban Juicer offers smoothies and juices that are all of the highest quality and freshness, along with hearty food options, such as full wraps, alongside salads and other snacks. The Urban Juicer also serves up frushies — “healthy fruit slushies” — in a variety of flavors and provides the option of adding Navitas Naturals superfoods such as spirulina or flaxseed.
The Hustler’s pick: Avocado Basil Anti-Aging Blend Don’t be deterred by the name — this smoothie is as refreshing as it is filling, with avocado, basil, honeydew, green grapes, green tea and local honey and is topped off with a sprinkling of bee pollen, which adds a crunch and keeps allergies at bay. This unique blend is a must-try.
The Hustler’s pick: Cocoa Banana Smoothie Combining greens and chocolate is pretty much the new “Strawberry Banana” of smoothies, and nobody does this classic drink better than I Love Juice Bar, with cocoa powder, peanut butter, banana, spinach and coconut milk.
The Hustler’s pick: Liquid Lunch With bananas, peanut butter, aloe vera and almond milk, this is the perfect meal replacement for a hectic day running errands in Nashville. The peanuts keep you full, the aloe soothes digestion and the bananas and almond milk contribute to vitamin D, calcium and potassium for a truly satisfying, sweet lunch.
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WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
LIFE
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Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the right way Leprechaun's Lime Ingredients Sprite or Ginger Ale Lime sherbet Tequila (optional) Thin Mint or lime garnish (optional)
Supplies Cup Straw Ice cream scoop
Instructions 1. Let the sherbet thaw for about 5 minutes prior to scooping. This is critical — no one likes an icy block of sherbet floating around in their drink. 2. Add two scoops of the sherbet to your cup, then fill three-quarters of the cup with Sprite. Add one more scoop and top off with a little bit more soda for the perfect amount of fizz. 3. Garnish with a lime or Thin Mint and enjoy. 4. For an adult addition, add a shot (or two) of tequila. It might not be Irish, but it’s not like they wouldn’t approve.
LIFE
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WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
Spruce up your St. Patty’s pregame with spirited snacks and lucky libations By Adrienne Alderman, Life reporter Sweet and Salty Shamrocks Ingredients M&M’s (green) Mini pretzels Rolo candies
Supplies Oven (recommended) or microwave Baking sheet (if using oven)
Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While you’re waiting, get started sorting your green M&M’s away from the rest. 2. Arrange your mini pretzels in sets of three in a triangular shamrock shape on the baking sheet and place a Rolo in the center of each shamrock. 3. If you’re using an oven, place the baking sheet inside for 3 minutes, checking periodically to make sure the Rolos don’t melt to quickly. If you’re using a microwave, place the shamrocks on a plate and heat for 10 seconds. These can overcook quickly and the caramel may ooze out, so keep an eye on them if you need to add more time. 5. As soon as you remove the shamrocks from the heat, immediately place an M&M in the center of each Rolo and press down gently. 6. Let the shamrocks cool and the chocolate harden before transferring them (carefully!) to a plate or whatever you choose to serve them on.
Leadership in Media: Apply Now !"#$%&'()*+,*-$%#*+.%$("+/00%&1+1*-$%#*1+-#(2-%+/33/&*-#(*(%1+*/+$%4%)/3+)%"$%&15(3+16())1+75()%+ 8"(#(#8+4")-"')%+%93%&(%#:%+7/&6(#8+(#+;%$("+3&/$-:*(/#<+=/1(*(/#1+"&%+"4"()"')%+)%"$(#8+/#%+/0+ /-&+>?+;%$("+$(4(1(/#1+/&+@/(#(#8+/-&+A/"&$+/0+B(&%:*/&1< Division Head Positions: Apply by noon on March 22
Board of Directors Positions: Apply by March 29
The Vanderbilt Hustler+1*-$%#*+#%713"3%& C5%+0(4%+1*-$%#*+;%;'%&1+/0+!"#$%&'()*+,*-$%#*+ Vanderbilt Television+1*-$%#*+C!+1*"*(/# G/;;-#(:"*(/#1H+A/"&$+/0+B(&%:*/&1+5%)3+8-($%+*5%+ WRVU+1*-$%#*+&"$(/+1*&%";(#8+1*"*(/# /&8"#(E"*(/#+"#$+(*1+/3%&"*(/#1<+I/(#(#8+*5%+'/"&$+ VandyRadio+:";3-1+:/;;-#(*D+1*&%";(#8+1*"*(/# 8(4%1+1*-$%#*1+*5%+/33/&*-#(*D+*/+8"(#+%93%&(%#:%+ RVU Records+&%:/&$(#8+1*-$(/+"#$+$(1*&('-*(/# (#+;"#"8%;%#*J+'-$8%*"&D+/4%&1(85*J+1*-$%#*+ VUFinder+1*-$%#*+0();;"6(#8 )%"$%&+1%)%:*(/#J+;%$("+/3%&"*(/#1+"#$+;/&%< Vanderbilt Review+)(*%&"&D+"#$+"&*1+@/-&#") The Slant+5-;/&+"#$+1"*(&%+3-')(:"*(/# KL/&+;/&%+(#0/&;"*(/#+"#$+*/+"33)DJ+ The Torch+)('%&*"&("#+"#$+:/#1%&4"*(4%+3-')(:"*(/# %;"()+3"(8%<:)"#:DM4"#$%&'()*<%$-< Orbis+%#4(&/#;%#*")+(11-%1+3-')(:"*(/# HerCampus+/#)(#%+:/;;-#(*D+0/&+:/))%8%+7/;%# Liberator+;"8"E(#%+1%&4(#8+*5%+F0&(:"#+F;%&(:"#+:/;;-#(*D+ Vanderbilt Political Review+#/#3"&*(1"#+3/)(*(:")+@/-&#") Spoon University+%4%&D$"D+0//$+&%1/-&:% Vandy Interactive+$(8(*")+"#$+(#*%&":*(4%+;%$(" GlobalVU+(#*%&#"*(/#")+3/)(*(:")+&%4(%7+3-')(:"*(/#
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WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
special
VSG PRESIDEN
STUDENT PERSPECTIVES What do you look for in a candidate? “I feel like in the past, a lot of VSG candidates have run on platforms promising great things, but during their term, I don’t feel like we see any tangible outcomes of their work. I think the role of the future VSG president should be to make tangible lasting changes and actually implement measures to get feedback from students, whether to hold town hall meetings or surveys where they can take an active role.”
Presidential candidates: KATHERINE NASH
Current year: Sophomore Hometown: Memphis, Tenn. Major: Neuroscience VSG Arts and Science senator Resident adviser in Gillette House Hidden Dores secretary and committee chair
—Gresa Shala, junior CO U
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“Someone that is experienced enough to understand what would be important and then somebody who is willing to actively communicate with the student body through more than just that weekly email. Instead of reaching student leaders who are the people that are involved in the most popular organizations on campus, they should try to communicate with all student leaders.”
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LAWRENCE WALLER
Current year: Junior Hometown: Asheville, N.C. Majors: History, Computer Science Vanderbilt University Kung Fu Club president Resident adviser in Hank Ingram House Beta Upsilon Chi fraternity
—Almaz Mesghina, junior CO U
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“Just someone that is very connected to campus and different spheres of campus and someone who is willing to be open to new ideas and look to alternate platforms or things in accordance with the needs of the student body.”
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SHELBY
LIZZY SHAHNASARIAN
Current year: Junior Hometown: Tampa, Fla. Majors: Economics, Psychology, Spanish minor VSG Arts and Science senator Sexual Violence Task Force founder Warren College Council Executive Board
—Selene van der Walt, senior “The president should be communicative, personable, and have an understanding of the events and organizations and stuff happening on campus.” TE
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CURRENT SENATOR PERSPECTIVES
CO
—Lauren Stoner, first-year
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What are the most important qualities in a VSG president?
“The number one thing is that you have to be a student advocate ... You need to be somebody who’s willing to go meet with people and go out of your way to advocate for all students — not just certain sectors of campus, not just certain groups of people, not just the people who are the loudest. Everybody. You have to be an active listener. That’s what makes an effective president.” BOSLEY JARRETT / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
—Jackson Vaught, speaker of the senate, junior
“The administration tends to be difficult to persuade in certain aspects, so just someone who has a clear tie with the administration who isn’t too overbearing, but who is going to be forceful enough to get the job done.” KATHY YUAN / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
—Courtnay Buaas, Branscomb senator, sophomore
THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER X WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM
WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
11
lfeature
NTIAL ELECTION
THE DEBATE
Vice presidential candidates: SAFIAH HASSAN
CO U
Current year: Junior Hometown: Murray, Ky. Majors: Medicine, Health and Society; Spanish Chair of VSG Community Building, Outreach and Diversity Committee Multicultural Leadership Council delegate Muslim Students Association vice president
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SHELBY BROWN
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Current year: Sophomore Hometown: Nashville, Tenn. Major: Human and Organizational Development, Corporate Strategy minor Tri Delta sorority EVOLVE Leadership Program
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The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Rand Lounge and will air live on VTV and VandyRadio.
ELECTION TIMELINE AND VOTING INFORMATION Primary voting: March 12, 8 a.m. – March 13, noon Announcement: March 13, 12:30 p.m. at Sarratt Promenade
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Vanderbilt Student Communications (The Hustler, VTV and VandyRadio) are co-hosting the 2015 VSG Debate, which is intended to allow presidential and vice presidential candidates to publicly address the student body and answer questions about what they hope to accomplish in the 2015-16 school year. The questions will come from the student body at large, The Hustler staff and the campaign teams of each candidate. The debate will be moderated by a Hustler editor.
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General election: Voting: March 17, 8 a.m. - March 18, noon Announcement: March 18, 12:30 p.m. at Sarratt Promenade
SHELBY
JAY KING
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Current year: Sophomore Hometown: Birmingham, Ala. Majors: Economics, Human and Organizational Development VSG deputy director of first-year relations Resident adviser in Murray House Speakers Committee member OF
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To submit your vote, log on to Anchor Link, where the form will located on your homepage.
—Contributing reporters: Allie Gross, Kelly Halom, Gabrielle Timm, Brent Huang
What are the most important issues facing the next administration? “No administration goes in with the intention of being complacent. But going through the organization with a fine-toothed comb and really holding each department and each section accountable to make sure every dollar is spent and every dollar is spent well is something that a new administration should seek to do and should really put structures in place to make sure that it continues to do that for the eight months that it is in power.”
“We don’t need the programming budget we have. We don’t need senate catered dinners. We don’t need to have our retreat at the Patron Lounge at Bridgestone Arena. These things are all really unnecessary and they’re all very large parts of the budget that can totally be cut out or reallocated. “ KATHY YUAN / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
—Jude Cohen, A&S senator, sophomore
KATHY YUAN / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
—Michael McMillan II, Alumni Lawn senator, sophomore
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THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER X WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM
WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
opinion
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Let’s elect students who are passionate about fixing the system, not hiding the flaws.”
DAMONTA MORGAN
CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON VSG
Reclaim your student government MATT HARPER is a senior in the College of Arts and Science. He can be reached at matthew.e.harper@ vanderbilt.edu.
GUEST COLUMN
T
he constitution of the Vanderbilt Student Government states among its purposes, “to form a cohesive and responsible student government.” In this aim, it has failed utterly. Today, VSG exists as nothing more than our campus’ most pervasive clique. It is an insider’s club, complete with T-shirts, catered dinners, expense-paid trips to Washington, D.C. and more — all financed by the outsiders. Members of VSG should be ashamed. Vanderbilt students should be appalled. To even begin to approach its initial purpose, VSG must be radically reformed to include greater administrative oversight and student accountability. Last month, I filed four lawsuits in the new VSG Judicial Court, the supposed arbiter of accountability in a student government that is shamefully mismanaged at every level. In every case, the court found that this government had, indeed, violated its responsibilities to students. In no instance, however, was anyone held accountable. VSG claims annual revenues of $107,000, generated entirely by undergraduate student fees. As a means of providing transparency for the students who fund it, VSG statutes (§7.6.3) require that it publish its budget and an expense report annually. This year it decided not to. No budget was made publicly available until my lawsuit forced the issue. The expense report for the previous academic year is still unavailable, as it does not exist. No one ever bothered to make one. This administration blames the previous, citing its “negligence and disarray,” but has done nothing itself to provide an answer to the very basic question, “How are you spending our money?” You deserve an answer. Now posted, the budget itself does little to address this question. The executive is given $8,000 — nearly 7.5 percent of the entire budget — as a contingency, for example. No one knows exactly what that money is contingent upon. Further, one might never guess that “turnover,” given $2,000 worth of student fees, is
vanderbilthustler EDITORIAL BOARD TYLER BISHOP, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF editor@vanderbilthustler.com
KELLY HALOM
PRIYANKA ARIBINDI
NEWS EDITOR news@vanderbilthustler.com
LIFE EDITOR life@vanderbilthustler.com
MOLLY CORN
ALLISON MAST
OPINION EDITOR opinion@vanderbilthustler. com
SPORTS EDITOR sports@vanderbilthustler.com
actually one large party meant to celebrate the succession of one administration to the next. You paid for it, but you will not be invited. VSG statutes also call for other means of transparency, which were entirely disregarded by this administration. Committees, budgeted to receive $9,000 this year, failed to provide a single statutorily required (§4.10.1) monthly report during the whole of the fall semester. To this day, no one has been held accountable, and no one has offered any explanation as to what those committees have done or how they have spent a single dollar of your money. To ensure proper representation, VSG statutes (§2.6.3) also require that the senate provide 48-hour notice of all pending resolutions before their discussion begins. Until my lawsuits, however, the ranking member of the senate was completely unaware of this requirement, and had thus never met it. Our representatives passed virtually every resolution this term without providing us the courtesy of first viewing them or voicing our opinions. More insidiously, after the senate became aware of its duty to disclose, they flouted it purposefully in procedural votes on Feb. 11 and 25 to move ahead with unseen resolutions and deny their constituency any transparency whatsoever. No one has been held accountable for this failure either, and worse, the court has even conjured for the senate an unchallenged right to suspend and selectively apply its laws in whatever way it deems most convenient in the moment. Our student government has devised all-new ways to obfuscate its actions and exempt itself from its own regulation. Our student government no longer works for us students. In pursuing answers for these displays of ineptitude, I was called names behind closed doors and defamed in front of my friends. I became “Public Enemy Number One” simply for pointing out a critical lack of integrity with respect to the rules they had created for their own operation. But I am not the first. Two years ago, then-junior Michael Greshko published “VSG: Vanderbilt’s sloppy government” in The Hustler, pointing out many of these same failings.
The Vanderbilt Hustler Opinion page aims to stimulate discussion in the Vanderbilt community. In that spirit, columnists, guest columnists and authors of letters to the editor are expected to provide logical argument to back their views. Unreasonable arguments, arguments in bad faith or arguments in vain between columnists have no place in The Hustler and will not be published. The Hustler welcomes reader viewpoints and offers three methods of expression: letters to the editor, guest columns and feedback on vanderbilthustler.com. The views expressed in lead editorials reflect the majority of opinion among The Hustler’s editorial board and may be supposed to represent the opinion of The Vanderbilt Hustler at the time of publication. They are not necessarily representative of any individual member. Letters must be submitted either in person by the author to The Hustler office or via email to opinion@vanderbilthustler.com. Letters via email should come from a Vanderbilt email address where the identity of the sender is clear. With rare exception, all letters must be received by 2 p.m. on the Sunday prior to publication. The editor
They are ongoing nonetheless. The legal responses provided by sitting VSG officials in my lawsuits were wrought with confused language, insisting that no one had been interested before, so my concern seemed “sudden,” “abrupt,” unwelcome. In no way, they argued, could their complete failure to carry out the duties they themselves requested in seeking their offices truly be “injurious to the relationship of trust between Vanderbilt students and their elected officials,” as I had alleged. They are wrong. For VSG, I have no trust remaining. For the reasons I have presented, neither should you. If, like me, you have become disillusioned with an organization that has made itself luxurious in its own excess and derelict entirely in its accountability, I invite you to join me and write to Dean Bandas. Urge him to force the type of critical reform in VSG that our elected student representatives have proven unwilling to do — or incapable of doing — themselves. Student government should be yours. Reclaim it.
VOTE HERE
reserves the right to edit and condense submissions for length as well as clarity. Lengthy letters that focus on an issue affecting students may be considered for a guest column at the editor’s discretion. All submissions become the property of The Hustler and must conform to the legal standards of Vanderbilt Student Communications, of which The Hustler is a division. The Vanderbilt Hustler (ISSN 0042-2517), the official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University, is published every Wednesday during the academic year except during exam periods and vacations. The paper is not printed during summer break. The Vanderbilt Hustler allocates one issue of the newspaper to each student and is available at various points on campus for free. Additional copies are $.50 each. The Vanderbilt Hustler is a division of Vanderbilt Student Communications, Inc. Copyright © 2014 Vanderbilt Student Communications.
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VSG: Frat or foe? PAUL SNIDER is a junior in the College of Arts and Science. He can be reached at paul.w.snider@vanderbilt.edu.
GUEST COLUMN
I
can’t seem to shake the impression I’ve had of VSG since I was a first-year. I see an organization that is a law unto itself, closed off to anyone who isn’t an insider. Their secrets of brotherhood are not available to the uninitiated. If you want to join, you’d better rush hard and hope your political chill-to-pull ratio is good enough to get you a bid. And good luck running for executive office if you’re not in the inner circle; dark horse candidates aren’t accepted by the VSG faithful. The problem is, this is more than just an impression. Through VSG’s lack of transparency, I have seen a disregard for the interests of the student body. The only information found online for any VSG budget is a “proposed” budget for 2013-14. Not even an actual budget, just the theoretical one. For 2014-15, a budget has yet to be posted, as far as I have found. This might seem like not a big deal, but we’re talking about more than $105,000 of our money received from ResEd. Where has this year’s money been going? Who’s responsible for the oversight? The treasurer deals with the budget, obviously, but I don’t think one treasurer can take all the blame. Yet there is no training and no real transfer of knowledge from one administration to the next. The incoming and outgoing treasurers usually meet once and the meeting isn’t taken very seriously. What this communicates to me is that the way money is spent is not important. Administration only cares that it all gets used. And if that means there’s room for almost $10,000 spent on VSG conferences and retreats this year alone, they can do it, right? Don’t get me wrong — VSG supports or oversees a lot of great services for our campus:
WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
13
Could this election be different? tailgates, Commons Ball, free movies, Passport to Nashville and a ton of other programs. And I’m thankful for that. But they also serve more than a hundred students with prime resume material. Which means they need to be held accountable by the administration and by the student body to look after the external interests first and the internal rewards second. Elections shouldn’t be about who deserves to have a better title to throw around at job interviews. They should be about who will represent the interests of the entire undergraduate student body the best. This is not a problem of specific people. It’s a problem of the culture. There isn’t any one individual I can point a finger at and blame for the financial shadiness and the exclusivity. Maybe somebody just forgot to upload the budget seven months ago. Whoops. But I think the flaws are in the culture and that places the responsibility on all of us. As a student, I must keep my representatives accountable in representing me well and informing me of their actions on my behalf. As the administration, more oversight needs to be carried out with VSG — they are all students too, with lives to live and grades to get. And as elected and appointed officers, VSG must think of its constituents and communicate not just what they will do, while campaigning, but also what they have done and are doing, year-round. For the six candidates on three tickets who will be debating tonight and vying for the highest student office on campus, show us all what kind of VSG you are going to lead. Will it be a tight-knit, top-secret group of movers and shakers or an open and honest team that always thinks first of representing the student body? VSG is not a fraternity. Now prove it to me.
DAMONTA MORGAN
GUEST COLUMN
S
is a sophomore in the everal weeks ago, I discovered College of Arts and the role that VSG plays in Science and serves as defining the collegiate exa VSG senator. He can be reached at damonta. perience for students on campus. morgan@vanderbilt. In an effort to be as transparent edu. as possible, I asked numerous
students the question, “What does VSG do?”I then reported some of those answers publicly to the VSG Senate, of which I am a member. As evident by the continued lack of responsiveness by the student government, those concerns were not directly addressed. Though the answer to that question varied from student to student, I found that there was a common sentiment among them: VSG has little to no effect on student life. When considering the persons with whom we will entrust the duty of leading our student body for the next year, it is imperative that we identify the role that we want student government to play in our experience here at Vanderbilt. Currently, VSG serves merely as a programming organization. Ever so often, we have the opportunity to give you Chick-fil-A sandwiches or bring you food trucks. Now, make no mistake, I’m not proposing that we stop doing those things — I enjoy Chick-fil-A myself. However, I am proposing that, as a student government, VSG should have as much, if not more, advocacy initiatives as there are programming initiatives. When we look around our campus, the things that affect people most are done by our organizations, groups with budgets that are mere fractions of the one that VSG has. As a government, we should be debating and taking a stand on subjects that our fellow students think are important. Why not take a closer look at diversity on our campus? How does our campus contribute to the historical marginalization of students of color, students of low socio-economic status and students who are disabled? What are we doing to increase
campus sensitivity for students who identify as LGBT? Let’s look at mental health. What can we do to better equip students with the mental health resources that we have on campus, and how can we expand those resources? What can we do to help destigmatize the PCC so that students would more readily take advantage of those services? All of these are questions that we could be answering. The next VSG president should be someone who can acknowledge and address those issues, and bring advocacy back to the student government. As students, we need to make sure that our concerns are being heard and relayed to the administration. We need to expect more of our leaders, and when they don’t act, we have to drive that change ourselves. Let’s elect students who are passionate about fixing the system, not hiding its flaws. We should call on students who bring new perspectives and ideas to the table. We can and should do better. VSG is only in its eighth year. Because it is so young, this is the perfect opportunity to try out new things that could be more effective than the things we’re already doing. The success and sustainability of VSG is heavily contingent upon what we do in the next few years. This government demands bold, persistent experimentation. In the words of the great President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “It is common sense to take a method and try it, and if it fails, admit it frankly and try another; but above all, try something.” Unfortunately, we’ve fallen into a pattern in VSG: We have come to accept that we do things because that’s what our predecessors did for the last four or five years. It is time to try something different, to try something new. Let’s elect leaders who are willing to experiment and improve upon what we have, rather than blindly accepting the status quo.
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THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER X WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM
WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
sports
THE BIG STAT Commodores’ three point shooting percentage through their five-game winning streak from Feb. 21 to March 7
50.9
Dancing in Music City Opportunities abound for Vandy as Dores prepare for SEC Tournament
KEVIN BARNETT / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
By ROBBIE WEINSTEIN Sports reporter --------------------
“We wanna keep playing.” This was Vanderbilt men’s basketball Head Coach Kevin Stallings’ response after a 66-56 win over Mississippi State last week when asked about his team’s postseason chances. The Commodores’ moribund hopes of playing ball past the SEC tournament following a seven game losing streak in January have been resurrected with eight wins in their last 10 games. The Commodores’ recent upswing left
them at 18-12 overall and eighth place in the SEC with an 8-9 conference record heading into a pivotal road game against Ole Miss last Saturday. Vanderbilt responded under pressure, dominating the Rebels 86-77 while bombing away from three-point territory. The victory represented Vanderbilt’s first win over a top-50 RPI team, even after losses by Florida and Tennessee coupled with an Alabama win had already assured the Commodores of the No. 7 seed in the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. All of a sudden, Vandy is a .500 SEC team on the cusp of the program’s first 20-win season since the 2011-12 campaign. The sequence of events on the SEC’s last
day of regular season play provided Vanderbilt with two big boosts in their quest for postseason basketball: a resume-building win in Oxford and the realistic opportunity to pick up more quality wins by landing on the opposite side of the conference tournament bracket from 31-0 conference champion Kentucky. First, however, the Commodores face in-state rival Tennessee Thursday night for a third round of pleasantries, as newly minted nemeses Wade Baldwin IV and Josh Richardson face off for the first time since the controversial ending in Knoxville two weeks back. With the series tied at one win apiece this season, Thursday’s matchup presents
Vanderbilt not only with the chance to add a neutral court win, but also to win the season series with the Volunteers for the first time since 2009-10. With the Commodores’ NIT chances looking up, one or two more wins might be necessary to secure a bid before Vandy starts playing for seeding — or for an NCAA Tournament bid via a conference tournament title. No. 2 seed Arkansas awaits the winner between the Commodores and Vols for a Friday night date in the tournament quarterfinals. Nearly every ranking system, qualitative or quantitative, views the Razorbacks as a top-30 team nationally, but the Hogs’ 7-5 record away from
THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER X WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM home suggests that Arkansas would provide a difficult, yet winnable matchup for the streaking Commodores. Georgia and Ole Miss hold the conference’s No. 3 and No. 6 seeds, respectively, and thus represent the most likely semifinal opponents for Vanderbilt if the Commodores are able to win their first two games. Of course, a third win would propel Vanderbilt into the SEC title game on Sunday, where many have already penciled in Kentucky. The road may be tough, but Vanderbilt’s recent run of play has many outsiders optimistic about the Commodores’ chances at Bridgestone. Notable basketball analyst and statistician Ken Pomeroy projects Vanderbilt as the second-most likely team to win the tournament at five percent, while Bovada gives Vanderbilt the fourth-best odds to do so, behind Kentucky, Arkansas and Georgia. Regardless of whether Vanderbilt is the team standing in the winner’s circle on Sunday afternoon or not, the Commodores can still make their time downtown a success by parlaying a couple of wins into a home game in the NIT. Vanderbilt’s current RPI of 91 sits right on the upper limits of the historical NIT cut line, but a strong advanced metrics profile as well as a solid 7-8 record against RPI top-100 teams already gives the Commodores a solid shot at a postseason invite. Two more victories, including a signature win over Arkansas, would certainly seal the deal, and the team’s confidence in their ability to do damage in this weekend may be at an all-time high as Vanderbilt heads to Bridgestone playing its best ball of the season.
WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
Commodores earn end-of-season SEC honors Jones named to All-SEC first team, All-Defensive team By ALLISON MAST Sports editor --------------------
Sophomore center Damian Jones fulfilled prophecies on Tuesday when he was named to the All-SEC first team. Prior to the start of the season, coaches named Jones to the preseason All-SEC first team. As a freshman, the 6-10 center led the team
with 5.7 rebounds per game and added an average of 11.3 points to earn a spot on the All-SEC freshman team. He followed this performance with an even stronger season, averaging 14.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Although the conference is filled with elite big men, Jones finished the season second in field goal percentage (54.8 percent), third in blocks (three) and 10th in scoring.
He is the first Commodore to make the first team since John Jenkins and Jeffery Taylor received the honor in 2012. Taylor and Jones also share the distinction of being on the SEC AllDefensive team. The two are the only players in Vanderbilt history to make the team. The current Charlotte Hornet was a three-time selection.
LaChance, Baldwin IV make SEC All-Freshman team By ALLISON MAST Sports editor --------------------
Wade Baldwin IV has made an immediate impact on the basketball program and has already made the record books. He collected 137 assists this season, easily surpassing the previous all-time freshman singleseason record holder Abita Parker, who had 103 in 1997. Needless to say, he leads all SEC freshmen in assists and is fifth among all players. He has also excelled in ball control with with an impressive 2.3 assist to turnover ratio. He has successfully caused turnovers, totalling 45 steals this
season. As of late, Baldwin IV has improved his shooting and become a more well-rounded offensive weapon. Vanderbilt’s record is 11-2 when Baldwin IV scores in double figures. While Baldwin IV has recently improved his shooting, guard Riley LaChance has set himself apart from other SEC freshmen with his elite ability to score. His 12.5 points per game, which is a conference high for freshmen, helped earn him a place on the SEC All-Freshman team. He finished in double figures in 22 games and scored 26 points in consecutive games during the nonconference portion of the
!
schedule (against Purdue and Western Carolina). On top of these strong early performances, LaChance has put on a show in recent games. He averaged 17 points, 4.5 assists and three rebounds last week against Mississippi State and Ole Miss, contributing to the Commodores’ hot streak. To close out the regular season, LaChance had two careerhighs; he made five three-pointers and eight assists at Ole Miss. He was awarded SEC Freshman of the Week following these games — his fourth Freshman of the Week honor of the season. The four awards is a Vanderbilt record.
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ALL-SEC FIRST TEAM Bobby Portis, Arkansas - F, 6-11, 242, So., Little Rock, Ark. Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky - F, 7-0, 240, Jr., Olathe, Kan. Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky - F, 6-11, 250, Fr., Piscataway, N.J. Jarell Martin, LSU - F, 6-10, 236, So., Baton Rouge, La. Jordan Mickey, LSU - F, 6-8, 235, So., Dallas, Texas Stefan Moody, Ole Miss - G, 5-10, 179, Jr., Kissimmee, Fla. Josh Richardson, Tennessee - G, 6-6, 200, Sr., Edmond, Okla. Danuel House, Texas A&M - G, 6-7, 207, Jr., Fresno, Texas Damian Jones, Vanderbilt -C, 6-10, 240, So., Baton Rouge, La.
ALL-SEC DEFENSIVE TEAM Marcus Thornton, Georgia - F, 6-8, 235, Sr., Atlanta, Ga. Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky - F, 7-0, 240, Jr., Olathe, Kan. Jordan Mickey, LSU - F, 6-8, 235, So., Dallas, Texas Josh Richardson, Tennessee - G, 6-6, 200, Sr., Edmond, Okla. Damian Jones, Vanderbilt -C, 6-10, 240, So., Baton Rouge, La.
SEC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM Anton Beard, Arkansas - G, 6-0, 190, Fr., North Little Rock, Ark. Devin Robinson, Florida - F, 6-8, 178, Fr., Chesterfield, Va. Devin Booker, Kentucky - G, 6-6, 206, Fr., Grand Rapids, Mich. Trey Lyles, Kentucky - F, 6-10, 235, Fr., Indianapolis, Ind. Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky - F, 6-11, 250, Fr., Piscataway, N.J. Tyler Ulis, Kentucky - G, 5-9, 155, Fr., Lima, Ohio Wade Baldwin IV, Vanderbilt - G, 6-3, 195, Fr., Belle Mead, N.J. Riley LaChance, Vanderbilt - G, 6-2, 194, Fr., Brookfield, Wisc.
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SPORTS
WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
FIRST ROUND MARCH 11
SECOND ROUND MARCH 12
THIRD ROUND MARCH 13
11 12 8 FLORIDA 13 14 9 ALABAMA
12 11 7
Noon, SEC NETWORK
12 11 7 TEXAS A&M 5 13 14
12 MISS. ST. 13 AUBURN
THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER X WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM
25 min. after first game, SEC NETWORK
6 p.m., SEC NETWORK
14 13 1 KENTUCKY
Noon, SEC NETWORK
12 11 7 14 13 1 LSU 4 25 min. after first game, SEC NETWORK
12 11 7 VANDERBILT 13 TENNESSEE 14 10
11 2 5 ARKANSAS 7 14 6 p.m., SEC NETWORK
6 p.m., SEC NETWORK
12 SOUTH CAROLINA 11 13 MISSOURI 14
6 OLE MISS 14 13 25 min. after first game, SEC NETWORK
12 11 5 7 3 2 6 GEORGIA 13 14 25 min. after first game, SEC NETWORK
25 min. after first game, SEC NETWORK
33 down up
Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic Commodores finish 1-2 in a stacked round robin tournament in Los Angeles, with a win over UCLA and losses in games against USC and TCU By Allison Mast, Sports editor
3 up
3 down
Fulmer, Pfeifer combine for shutout
Bowden fives up walk-off homer
Junior Carson Fulmer and redshirt junior Philip Pfeifer dominated on the mound Friday against UCLA, allowing only three hits through all nine innings. Fulmer (3-0) was credited with the win after pitching 6.1 innings. Although he was far from perfect, walking five batters and relinquishing three hits, Fulmer found the strike zone when he needed to. He struck out nine batters and received support from the Vanderbilt fielders. Pfeifer continued to baffle batters with his left-handed delivery. He completed the shutout with 2.1 of perfect baseball.
During Saturday’s game against USC, pitchers John Kilichowski and Kyle Wright combined for eight strong innings. The game was tied 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning when lefty Ben Bowden came in to help send the game into extra innings. He looked sharp when he took the mound. He struck out the Trojan second baseman to start the inning and then forced the third baseman to ground out to shortstop. USC brought in pinch hitter Adalberto Carrillo to face Bowden. On a 3-1 count, Bowden watched his fastball fly over the left field fence for a walk-off home run.
Ellison’s hot streak
Errors at USC
Karl Ellison’s solid play behind the plate earned him starts on Friday and Sunday, but in addition to contributing to Vanderbilt’s batteries, he had a strong weekend at the plate. On Friday, Ellison singled twice, advanced to second on a balk and doubled at Jackie Robinson Stadium. He doubled again on Sunday against TCU. He is batting .323, a nice complement to fellow sophomore catcher Jason Delay, who is batting .421 in his 19 plate appearances.
Although Carrillo’s home run sealed the fate of the Commodores against USC, several errors set them up for failure. In the first inning, a leadoff double was stretched into the triple when Jeren Kendall picked up an error. That mistake proved costly when a run scored on a sacrifice fly. Two innings later, the last batter in the Trojan lineup reached on an error by Zander Wiel, advancing another runner to third. An error and a wild pitch right after scored a run and left a runner on third, who would score later in the inning.
Buehler’s back After missing the beginning of the season with an injury, right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler made his season debut against Evansville. He pitched two innings, giving up no hits and no runs while walking two and striking out two. He made his weekend debut on Sunday against TCU at Dodger Stadium. In four innings, he allowed three hits and one run. He also racked up five strikeouts. While his pitch count increases, he should become a permanent weekend starter.
Reynolds goes cold Left fielder Bryan Reynolds, whose discipline at the plate usually pays off, struggled during the Dodger Stadium Classic. He went 0-4 on Friday, only reaching first base once on a walk. Saturday proved equally disappointing, as he went 1-5 with a single. He grounded into a double play in the sixth inning. In the Commodores’ final game of the Classic, he went 0-4 again.
KEVIN BARNETT / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
SPORTS
THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER X WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM
SEMIFINALS MARCH 14
WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
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SEC TOURNAMENT BRIDGESTONE ARENA NASHVILLE, TENN.
11 12 5 7 2 6 14 13 Noon, ABC
12 11 5 7 2 6
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME MARCH 15 2:15 P.M., ESPN
13 14 25 min. after first semifinal, ABC
*all times CST
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SPORTS
WEDNESDAY,MARCH 11, 2015
The Dores you know
going pro
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Looking back at some of the more prominent professional athletes who started their careers in a Vanderbilt uniform
David Price: in title contention after joining Tigers By MATT CITAK Sports reporter --------------------
For the first seven years of his career, David Price was a part of the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Price found great success in Tampa, making four All-Star teams and winning the American League Cy Young Award in 2012. However, on July 31, 2014, the Rays traded Price to the Detroit Tigers. Price finished the 2014 season with a 15-12 record, 3.26 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. He led all of major league baseball in innings pitched (248 1/3), batters faced (1,009) and strikeouts (271). The former Commodore ace enters the 2015 season on a one-year deal with the Detroit Tigers, meaning that he will be playing for a new contract. Price has found himself in the middle of trade rumors for the last few years,
with the Rays flirting with trading the stud pitcher each of the last three seasons. However, with the Tigers aiming for the World Series this season, it is hard to imagine a scenario where Price gets traded. He will most likely play out his one-year, $19.75 million contract before hitting the free agent market in November. This will be the first time the 29-year-old has ever been a free agent, and barring some sort of disaster season or injury, he is sure to receive a contract worth more than $200 million. Before becoming a free agent, Price will have to play through the 2015 season. Helping the Tigers win a World Series Championship would cause a big increase in the pitcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free agent value. Luckily for Price, the Tigers have built a championship roster around him. Joining him in the starting rotation are Justin Verlander,
Anibal Sanchez, Alfredo Simon and Shane Green. Of those five pitchers, only Verlander had an ERA more than 3.80 last season (and we have all seen the amazing type of season Verlander is capable of having). Moving to the starting lineup, this offseason the Tigers obtained both Ian Kinsler and Yoenis Cespedes to join an already stacked offense consisting of Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez. If manager Brad Ausmus can keep all of these big personalities in check, do not be surprised to see this Tigers team playing postseason ball deep into October. As for Price, he seems to have found a good home in the Tigers organization. If he is able to repeat the success he found after being traded last year, then a fifth All-Star appearance is certainly on the horizon for the former Commodore.
NEIL BRAKE / VUCOMMODORES
David Price (14) pitches in a May 2007 matchup against LSU.
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