vanderbilthustler WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2014
VOL. 126, ISS. 31
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Understanding the med center split Chancellor Zeppos and Provost Wente provide insight on the impact of the financial and legal separation of the medical center SEE PAGE 2
LIFE
Throw a takeout Friendsgiving The Hustler seeks out some of the best takeout options from around Nashville to piece together a ‘Friendsgiving’ feast on the fly
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SPORTS
‘Dores shine in Black and Gold Series In its annual intrasquad scrimmage series, the baseball team shows off its deep and talented roster
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JAMES TATUM / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
OPINION
Give VUcept a chance First-year columnist weighs in on her Visions experience
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campus
QUOTE OF THE DAY “It is essential that we position VUMC for continued growth and leadership in providing the highest-quality patient care.” NICHOLAS ZEPPOS, CHANCELLOR
Chancellor: split won’t affect student life Reconfiguration aimed at making Vanderbilt University Medical Center more financially nimble in changing health care landscape By KELLY HALOM News editor --------------------
The Vanderbilt University Board of Trust will be able to focus more of its energy on the education and research aspects of the university in light of its decision to financially split Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) from the university. Vanderbilt University and VUMC are currently contained within the same financial and legal structure, but the new plan will reconfigure VUMC as a not-forprofit academic medical center distinct from the university. “The Vanderbilt University Board in terms of doing this will no longer need to focus on hospital operations,” Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan Wente said. Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos said the financial separation will provide the medical center with a greater ability to adapt to health care’s rapidly changing financial environment. “In a health care marketplace that is consolidating at an unprecedented rate and pace, it is essential that we position
MURPHY BYRNE / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos said that VUMC’s split from the university will not change day-to-day student life. VUMC for continued growth and leadership in providing the highest quality patient care,” he said in an announcement released Friday afternoon. Zeppos also enumerated some factors that he said have changed and continue to change the healthcare landscape: an aging population; decreasing reimbursements from programs such as Medicaid and Medicare; inflationary costs for equipment, medication and supplies; and reduced federal funding for biomedical research. VUMC has already taken action to adapt to the rapidly consolidating health care marketplace through the creation of the Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network (VHAN), which was launched in 2011. Through the network, VUMC and partner hospitals build specialty centers together, sharing both the expenses and the revenues of these joint ventures. Vanderbilt also gives partner hospitals access to their medical specialists, which allows partner hospitals to expand their realm of care while also strengthening VUMC’s
reach, as partner hospitals refer patients who require greater medical expertise to Vanderbilt. Today the the VHAN has 50 partnership hospitals spanning across five different states, though it started with just three in 2011. According to Zeppos, the financial separation will allow VUMC to access funding to support expansion of its geographic presence through its growing regional and statewide affiliates and partnerships. “This restructuring will help VUMC expand its distinctive services to the public through VHAN and other partnerships, further its capacity to train the next generation of clinicians and propel research and patient care advances that will benefit the region as well as the world,” Zeppos said. Wente and Zeppos both noted that the new structure is similar to that of many peer academic medical centers with university ties, such as Harvard University and Northwestern University. However, Wente said that leaders involved in the
transition are committed to making sure it is handled in a way that is unique to Vanderbilt. “How we’ll do this in a uniquely Vanderbilt way is our affiliations and operations agreements will be very carefully constructed to keep ‘One Vanderbilt’ as our common mission, so that we will have one academic strategic plan,” Wente said. VUMC will now have a separate governing board, which will include representatives from the university and the medical center, according to Zeppos. Additionally, Wente and Dr. Jeffrey Balser — who will continue to lead VUMC and serve as dean of the School of Medicine — will continue to work together in the implementation of the Academic Strategic Plan. Despite the split, Wente is confident that communication will continue to be smooth at the top level, as well as lower levels between the now-distinct institutions. “Our faculty will still all be serving on strategic planning committees together, our faculty will still be serving on transin— continued on PAGE 4
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VUMC: BY THE NUMBERS
19,600 scientific and medical $616 million research funds total employees
Vanderbilt University, Psychiatric and Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospitals:
35,852 surgical procedures 1.6 mil ambulatory visits 64,639 emergency room visits Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital:
16,567 surgical procedures 224,597 ambulatory visits 54,092 emergency room visits — 2013-14 statistics from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center
CAMPUS
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— continued from PAGE 2 stitutional program initiatives together, our students will still be interacting with faculty no matter what school or college they’re in,” Wente said. According to Zeppos, undergraduate students will not experience any change to their studies or campus experience as a result of this transition. “In fact, a core commitment of this transition is that there will be no impact to our students,” Zeppos said. The announcement of the financial separation comes only months after the publication of Vanderbilt’s Academic Strategic Plan. Within the plan, Vanderbilt University prioritizes its relationship with VUMC through two different initiatives: the Cross-College Teaching Initiative, which will bring faculty from different schools and departments into classrooms together, and the Trans-Institutional Programs (TIPs) Initiative, whose aim is for schools and departments to advance discovery and learning through interdisciplinary collaboration. Wente said that the financial reorganization should have no bearing on these initiatives, emphasizing that faculty are drawn to Vanderbilt because they want to engage with students. “They (faculty) come to Vanderbilt versus going into private practice or going to work for a for-profit hospital, because they really believe in the academic mission. All those opportunities to engage with those experi-
ences with faculty for the students will continue to exist in the same way they do now,” Wente said. Chancellor Zeppos also noted that the collaboration between the university and the medical center is frequently cited by faculty who are recruited to Vanderbilt as the reason they chose to come to Vanderbilt to teach and conduct research. The collaboration is strengthened by the physical proximity of the medical center and the university, which does not exist at most peer institutions. The reconfiguration process is expected to take 12-18 months to complete and is not expected to change compensation or benefits for staff, faculty appointments or financial commitments to academic and clinical programs. Zeppos said that the university is committed to continued communication with students, faculty and staff throughout the reconfiguration. “There are a number of legal and regulatory approvals that are needed, and we are working on those,” Zeppos said. “We are evaluating how services that are currently shared between the university and medical center will be handled following the transition.”
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Changes to biochemistry offerings postponed until spring 2017 By KELLY HALOM News editor --------------------
The Department of Biological Sciences has decided to no longer offer biochemistry (BSCI 220) in the spring semesters, beginning in spring 2017, according to Department Chair Dr. Douglas McMahon. The changes are being made in order to now offer a second semester of biochemistry to students who want even more in-depth education of the subject. “In order to do that, we needed to condense the Biochem 1 into the fall,” McMahon said. Though several students were notified in late October that the course would no longer be offered in spring 2016, McMahon said the changes were postponed when the department realized that the changes would disadvantage current pre-med sophomores in the medical school application process. Biochemistry is one of the new subjects being tested on the new version of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which will begin to be administered in spring 2015. While many medical schools already required this course for admission, it will now be advantageous for all pre-med students to take the course before
their MCAT test date. Because the first semester of Introduction to Biological Sciences (BSCI 110a), which is a prerequisite for biochemistry, is only offered in fall semesters, pre-med students who want to be poised to apply to medical school during their senior year must take BSCI 110a in either the fall of their first year or the fall of their sophomore year, so that they are able to take BSCI 220 by the fall of their junior year — before taking the MCAT. Sophomore and pre-med Caroline Smith said that when she first saw the email in October, she thought that she would have to take biochemistry over the summer in order to avoid being disadvantaged in the application process. But with the changes being postponed, current pre-med sophomores will still be able to take biochemistry in the spring of their junior years. Incoming students and this year’s first-year students will not be able to take biochemistry in the spring of their junior years, and the department is advising them to plan accordingly. Though first-year student Deepa Rajan was already planning on taking biology in the fall of her sophomore year, she anticipates that the new changes might make the sections fill up faster. “The only disadvantage I would have is maybe if I get a later registration period, some of the sections I would want would be filled
Biochem course offering changes Spring 2015: 1 section of the first semester of biochemistry offered
up because there’s such high competition, since so many people want to take it next year with this new regulation,” Rajan said. With the new MCAT requiring college-level biochemistry, introductory psychology and introductory sociology, the test now requires 11 college-level courses, including two semesters of physics, two semesters of general chemistry, two semesters of organic chemistry and two semesters of biology. These new additions to MCAT requirements mean that more than one-third of classes for Vanderbilt pre-med students are now predetermined before their test date if they choose to take the test after their junior year. With extensive MCAT requirements, AXLE requirements and major requirements, first-year student Katie Horneffer said that scheduling can be extremely stressful. As someone who is intending on double-majoring in neuroscience and music, Rajan added that it can be difficult to work around all of the requirements. However, she said that making all the courses work together is “definitely doable.” The newest changes to biochemistry offerings will continue to make pre-med students’ schedules more restricted. “The administration could do a lot more to foster flexibility,” Rajan said.
Spring 2016: 1 section of the first semester of biochemistry offered, 1 section of the second semester of biochemistry offered
Fall 2015: 1 section of the first semester of biochemistry offered
Spring 2017: only second semester of biochemistry offered
Fall 2016: 2 sections of the first semester of biochemistry offered
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opinion Clouding our Visions
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“By establishing net neutrality, we are essentially limiting the scope for innovation and creativity on the behalf of service providers to expand into unexplored areas.”
NAEHA HARIDASA
Why we ought to give our VUcept groups a chance
F
AADITI NAIK is a first-year in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached at aaditi.g.naik@ vanderbilt.edu.
I VU
our months ago, we were in the process of receiving our Visions assignments. Sitting in our individual homes in towns across the country, we waited for this next piece in the puzzle of information Vanderbilt had been sending us, hoping that it might be the piece that finally made us feel less overwhelmed by it all. Yet even before we met our VUceptors or knew what Visions was, some of us had already convinced ourselves we weren’t going to like it. On the class of 2018 Facebook page, people proclaimed they weren’t going to attend Visions or that skipping it would have no noticeable impact. Others tried to explain what Visions was and focused on the free food as the only reason to attend. Then people moaned about how Visions was ruining their schedule and taking away from their free time on Mondays and Tuesdays. Reading these comments, I decided then and there that I was not going to like Visions. Before ever talking to her, I came to the conclusion that my VUceptor was probably just doing this for her resume. I speculated that the other kids in my group, just like the first-years posting on Facebook, were not going to care, so why should I? Thankfully, although I went in with a negative mindset about Visions, I somehow changed my mind. My negative attitude did not get in the way of what is now one of my favorite parts of freshman year. Last week as we had our last session, I felt genuine sadness as I anticipated the absence of these weekly meetings. Unfortunately, other first-years still retain their negative attitudes about Visions and never realized how much Visions
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Although Visions did not hand us friendships, it did offer a starting point from which we could build lasting relationships.
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had to offer them, from relationships to a voice. Although Visions did not hand us friendships, it did offer a starting point from which we could build lasting relationships. Visions was yet another avenue through which first-years got to know students we might otherwise have never met; yes, 50 minutes a week was not enough to really get to know everyone in the group, but it was up to us to take the initiative to turn these brief interactions into deeper friendships. Additionally, in a small-group setting with a faculty member, we were able to interact with a professor on an unusually comfortable level. These interactions with a professor were probably more personal than the ones in our classes, allowing us to familiarize ourselves with another side of our faculty. One of the biggest benefits I gained from Visions was the student VUceptor. She was not, contrary to my prior assumptions, just in it for
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
the resume-building. Heavily involved on campus and full of enthusiasm and understanding, many VUceptors are really invested in Visions. They provide practical advice gleaned from years of class registration and campus dining, along with comfort during all those freshman firsts. My VUceptor became a friend, someone I could text at odd hours with embarrassing questions. Her sincerity and concern for us was always apparent. Without Visions, I would probably never have met her, and even if I had, I would have been too intimidated to become friends with an upperclassman who seemed like such a big deal on campus. As first-years, most of us spend all day in introductory classes with hundreds of other students; for many, Visions might have been the smallest group they were able to be a part of all semester. As such, it offered us a chance to both speak and be heard. As we voiced our opinions in such diverse groups, we also had the chance to recognize perspectives that were very different from ours. Some of the discussions were intense and, at times, slightly uncomfortable, but they gave us something our classes and extracurriculars could not. If you made one friend, had one meaningful discussion or thought about one thing differently, then Visions was worth it. We are lucky to be at a university where so many people work so hard to help us adjust; by approaching resources like Visions with a negative attitude and not utilizing them to the fullest, we do ourselves a disservice.
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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Can I touch your hair?
The exoticization of diverse students is inherently dehumanizing ERIN LOGAN is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached at erin. logan@vanderbilt. edu.
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he first time I became a minority in a small setting was in high school. I think most people are aware that there are some cultural differences among races, but those who have not experienced being a minority in a small setting for an extended period of time cannot fully understand the impact cultural differences have on minorities. On a daily basis, I am reminded of how underappreciated my own culture is. During my time at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), I have discovered that many people assign inaccurate stereotypes to minorities they encounter in their everyday lives. During my junior year of high school, a white male in my class accused me of being an “angry black woman” because I was in a spirited debate with him about the ethical implications surrounding the death penalty. I had to explain to him that being a black female and having an opinion does not make me an “angry black woman.” It makes me a person with an opinion — just like him. Experiencing microaggressions and outright onslaughts on a daily basis has caused me to re-evaluate the world and how I am perceived by those who have little appreciation for my culture. Since attending PWIs, I have come into contact with an overwhelming number of people who hold prejudice in their hearts. Being a black female at a PWI has taught me
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I had to explain to him that being a black female and having an opinion does not make me an ‘angry black woman.’
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that many people see other human beings as so different from themselves that these other people are “exotic.” For instance, when I was 13, I stopped putting chemicals in my hair. This rejection of a societal standard of beauty has become known as the “natural hair movement,” a movement that many on campus are taking part in. Like others, I had to come to terms with the fact that, in the words of sophomore Akaninyene Ruffin, “I will never match the Western standard of beauty because I will never be a white girl with straight blond hair.” Like many others, I have been subjected to the age-old question
“Can I touch your hair?” While many view this as a fun question to ask black women; it’s not. Half the time, people don’t even ask; they just do. My natural curls are not “a petting zoo or a freak show.” When you ask me this, it makes me feel as if I am exotic and commodified. During my time at Vanderbilt, I have felt eschewed by the general population because of how I wear my hair. Many view natural-hair-wearers as rebellious and disobedient. But wearing your hair natural does not equate to being unruly. Wearing your hair natural equates to embracing your hair in its natural state. One of the most incredible things about our campus is the fact that it is not insipid. We are a conglomeration of heterogeneous students. We have been given the opportunity to study at a top-20 university with students of many races and ethnicities. With greater celebration and appreciation of this diversity by all students, the campus can become a more welcoming place for everyone. By spreading awareness of the realities of living as a minority on our campus, we have an opportunity to be the generation that throws off the lingering racist stereotypes associated with Vanderbilt and brings our university to a sincerely inclusive place.
Net in-neutrality
Government regulation inhibits competition and innovation NAEHA HARIDASA is a first-year in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached at naeha. haridasa@vanderbilt. edu.
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nternet net neutrality doesn’t seem like an issue remotely relevant to college students. Yet, in an age of a digital revolution, net neutrality could possibly be among the hottest contested topics in the public arena. The reason? The laws of net neutrality dictate the power of certain Internet providers over others. Net neutrality is often looked at from the perspective of the Depression-era rules for governmental control over the digital media. It was established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2010 in order to prevent capitalistic telecommunications providers such as Comcast and Verizon from controlling Internet content. The goal of Internet net neutrality was to preserve the “consumer’s choice” in determining what content they wanted to access via the Internet. The basis of the law was a protection of the freedom of expression on behalf of the consumer. Moreover, the rules of net neutrality allow all broadband companies to compete equally for consumer business. Major companies such as Google and Yahoo cannot block or slow Internet traffic to slower or competing sites. From this perspective, the net neutrality debate becomes more interesting as we enter an age where it’s crucial to determine how much control the government really can have over mass media
and digital telecommunications — something our Founding Fathers could not have possibly forseen. However, when we look at the issue more closely, it’s possible to see that net neutrality, despite its protection of consumer rights, actually would be moving us in a negative direction. By establishing net neutrality, we are essentially limiting the scope for innovation and creativity on the behalf of service providers to expand into unexplored areas. Companies such as Netflix and other innovative businesses would lose revenue that is generated by virtue of their status as a unique service as a result of removing the element of competition from the picture. While President Obama does have the best interests of consumers and smaller businesses in mind, his urge for stricter net neutrality guidelines inhibits the (rightfully) capitalistic aspect of the telecommunications business, a sphere of the market that relies on innovation and creativity for success. The establishment of net neutrality would mean an age where Internet content is more strictly regulated and filtered under legal authority. Under its laws, net neutrality would mean that only “legal content” would be available for consumer access. This in itself is a topic too hazy to be defined and worth avoiding completely. Moreover, several studies have shown that the establishment of net
neutrality would result in the decline of the job market. A recent study at NYU claimed that a result of net neutrality would be the loss of half a million jobs and $62 billion over the next five years. For students wanting to enter the digital world, this would be more competition for fewer jobs and essentially the decline of the software age as a whole. Even for those who aren’t interested in the digital world, it is estimated that the average added cost would be $55 per person under the new rules. These rules could seriously inhibit the future growth of the digital market rather than inspire creativity, innovation and competition. Policies such as net neutrality work toward a world like one during Depression-era America, a world in which strict governmental control is necessary to induce the kind of economic change that the country needed for recovery. Telecommunications, like every other market, should be allowed to expand in the way that appeals to consumers most, not the way the government believes it should. Companies ought to be challenged to compete for consumer attention to deem which ones truly have the best products and marketing techniques.Think about it: Would you want to live in a country where one of its more promising sectors were limited and regulated?
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life
GO DO
THIS
Fixing a Friendsgiving
‘It’s on Us’ pledge signing As a part of the One Vanderbilt initiative and the “It’s on Us” National Week of Action, VSG, Project Safe and the Dean of Students are hosting a signing of a pledge against sexual assault and other forms of powerbased personal violence on Thursday. Students interested in learning more about the initiative, future campus events and discussions on the topics, and signing the pledge are invited to join. Rand Lounge; Thursday, Nov. 20, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
If one feast isn’t enough to hold you over this Thanksgiving season, throwing a ‘Friendsgiving’ while you’re still on campus is a great way get into the spirit before the holiday. For those without kitchens or lots of free time, Nashville offers plenty of takeout options to piece together a full spread By Adrienne Alderman, Life reporter Meat For fans of tryptophan, a tasty and affordable choice is the rotisserie turkey from Calypso Cafe. Handrubbed and roasted, this turkey may be even better than the one your family cooks. This 11 to 13-pound bird will serve 10-12 people for under $50. Arnold’s Country Kitchen is a Nashville classic known for its ability to cater to carnivores, and it offers tasty alternatives to turkey in bulk. While their roast beef and sugarcured ham offerings are pricier than Calypso’s turkey (at $99 and $69.50, respectively), the 11-pound increments they offer make for 20-30 servings — perfect for those looking for leftovers.
Pies What would a Thanksgiving feast be without pie? Nashville’s The Loving Pie Company offers a wide selection to choose from, and with classic favorites as well as newfangled flavor creations, there’s something to satisfy every palate. At $22-$23 for a 9-inch pie, these sweets don’t come cheap, but with decadent flavors like chocolate pecan and pumpkin chess, the options are worth the splurge.
Sides
Bread
Casseroles are a big part of any Thanksgiving meal, and McCabe Pub offers bulk orders of their squash and sweet potato casseroles at $19.20 each. These serve 8-10 people, and you can even use your own casserole dish if you brought one to school. For those looking for a classic green bean casserole or something sold in smaller increments, Puckett’s Grocery is the best bet, with quarts serving 6-8 available for $10.
Located just up the road from Vanderbilt in Hillsboro Village, Provence Breads & Cafe offers up an abundance of bread options including white, wheat, sesame, sourdough, brioche and herb rolls as well as a seasonal sweet potato loaf. The quality is consistent, and priced at $3.50 per dozen rolls and $6 for a loaf, everything can be easily purchased with Meal Money or Commodore Cash.
The whole feast For those not interested in shopping around, the following restaurants have enough options for you to order an entire Thanksgiving spread: The Turnip Truck, Provence Breads & Cafe, Loveless Cafe, Arnold’s Country Kitchen, Puckett’s Grocery, The Mad Platter and the Corner Market Catering Company.
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LIFE
The Hustler’s picks: Brussels sprouts Brussels sprouts always seem to get a bad rap, but in the last few years they have re-emerged as a foodie favorite. For everyone who wrote them off as a child, The Hustler has rounded up three top-notch versions around Nashville that are guaranteed to make even the most staunchly opposed reconsider By Abbey Fernandez, Life reporter
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Virago
The Hustler’s pick: Sake-steamed Brussels Come to Virago for the sushi, but stay for the Sake-steamed Brussels. Think of the steamed broccoli you know and love, but way more exciting. The crisp and flavorful Brussels sprouts are steamed in Japanese rice wine and topped off with sharp parmesan cheese, and the side serving offers enough of the veggies for the whole table to sample.
Moto
Etch Hidden on a side street off Broadway, Etch is an understated addition to a restaurant-laden area, but it’s a can’t-miss spot for foodies. Though the place is definitely pricey, their gourmet creations are one-of-a-kind, and Chef Deb Paquette has made a name for herself in Nashville by continually serving up unique dishes with bold flavors. The Hustler’s pick: Brussels sprouts Ever heard of Schmaltz butter? It makes for a delicious marinade in Etch’s version of the veggies. Factor in the melt-in-your-mouth caramelized onions served on top, and the plate will be gone before you can even remember you’re eating vegetables.
This restaurant is one of the most widely recognized out of M-Street’s diverse lineup of swanky eateries in the Gulch — and with good reason. They’re known for bringing sophistication and originality to their dishes — their popular Crispy Rice/Spicy Tuna appetizer is adorned with watermelon Pop Rocks — and their ambience elevates the experience of a night out on the town.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRITTANY ROSENTHAL
In the mood for Italian food so good you’ll second-guess whether you’re still in Nashville? Moto provides just that and more, with traditional favorites like Margherita pizza, as well as fun spins on classic Italian dishes, like their popular Blueberry Lasagna. The modern atmosphere of the restaurant provides an interesting complement to the rich dishes, and the large booths are cozy enough to make a large gathering feel intimate. The Hustler’s pick: Brussels sprouts Well, here’s a shocker: Another M-Street restaurant kills it in the Brussels department. Moto’s version is doused in Agrodolce (a sweet-and-sour Italian sauce) and served with diced apples and flavorful pancetta. The combination of the sauce and apple cubes undercuts the vegetable’s natural bitter taste, rendering it surprisingly sweet and easy on even the pickiest palates.
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VUT first-years showcase a ‘Piece of Work’ First-year students give life to Vanderbilt University Theatre’s annual showcase By SAARA ASIKAINEN Managing editor --------------------
At noon on Sunday, a few sleepy first-years were sitting around the Neely Auditorium stage, chatting and doing homework as they waited for the stage lights to settle. They had come from Commons for a tech rehearsal, waiting to try out real props for the first time during the semester-long rehearsal process for Vanderbilt University Theatre’s annual firstyear showcase. The group makes up the small but committed cast of “Piece of Work” — a production comprised of three one-act plays by David Ives. It functions as a showcase for the cast and crew, which are composed almost exclusively of first-years. At the beginning of the semester the cast auditioned for their parts, and the rehearsal process that ensued was designed to make sure that the first-years wouldn’t feel too strained by it. “It’s a lot more leisurely of a rehearsal process than the regular theater department shows,” said senior Annie Bloemer, who is directing the
production. “It’s really a tool to get first-years more involved in the theater and understand what the commitment is like, and we mostly just have a lot of fun.” According to Bloemer, the eight first-year actors have varying degrees of experience, with some who were committed to theater during their high school years, and others with no acting experience. Chosen for the directorial position by faculty, Bloemer decided to stage the plays to create lighthearted entertainment to be performed in the middle of the day. “Because it’s in the middle of the school day, we wanted something quick and funny and light that people would just be able to enjoy and then go about their lives,” Bloemer said. First-year cast member Xander Posner said that he decided to audition after coming to a VUT ice cream social and attending an open house put on by the department. Though he had previously taken an introductory drama class in high school, he got too busy with classes to continue; however, with an hour of rehearsals a week for this production, he doesn’t find being in it too taxing of a commit-
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VUT first-years rehearse the one-act plays that comprise “Piece of Work.” ment. However, as a prospective double major in biology as well as Medicine, Health and Society, Posner is not sure he’ll be able to continue. “I can only imagine that (the time commitment) is much bigger for the main stage plays, so I can’t say for sure I’ll continue, especially just because this is my only acting role ever, so doing more and longer and intimidating plays might just be too much to handle.” Ann Claire Carnahan, another first-year, had participated in theater productions in high school — for example, playing Mrs. Bennett in
a staging of “Pride and Prejudice.” She doesn’t know to what extent she’ll be involved in the future, but being in the play has served a social function for her so far. “It’s helped me meet awesome people and get involved on campus,” Carnahan said. “... It’s a great way to … do something really, really fun and cool and artsy.” “Piece of Work” will be performed in Neely Auditorium on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at noon and 8 p.m., and Thursday, Nov. 20 at noon. Admission is free.
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sports SEC POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 12 Each week, I rank the teams in the SEC 1-14. This week, Mississippi State falls to Alabama, (Help!) Todd Gurley has fallen and he can’t get up and Will Muschamp falls into a pile of cash.
By ANTHONY TRIPODORO Sports reporter --------------------
1. No. 2 Alabama Was that win the closest thing the Crimson Tide have ever had to an upset victory? No other program could take on the undefeated No. 1 team in the nation in November and still be favored to win except Alabama. Fans have never stormed the field after a win at Alabama, and that remained true on Saturday. Even though they just beat the best team in the nation, they didn’t leave their seats. That’s just not how the Tide rolls.
THE BIG STAT Number of consecutive batters retired by Tyler Ferguson en route to a 11-3 Gold Team victory in Game 2 of the Black and Gold Series on Saturday
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Checking in on the champs
2. No. 4 Mississippi State The dream of a shot at the College Football Playoff may have just ended for the Bulldogs. Not only did they lose, but so did all three of the teams they beat in their signature victories — LSU, Texas A&M and Auburn. This will certainly hurt Mississippi State’s status with the selection committee moving forward.
3. No. 8 Ole Miss Ole Miss had a bye this week to get ready for its regular season finale in the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. Except first it has to go on the road to Arkansas to play in the very definition of a trap game.
4. No. 9 Georgia Todd Gurley was finally set free this weekend, but it was Nick Chubb who led the rushing attack in Georgia’s upset over Auburn. But because the football gods are cruel, Gurley tore his ACL during a meaningless fourth quarter, likely ending his season and college career. The win boosts Georgia’s chances with the selection committee, but the Bulldogs still need Missouri to drop one of its last two games in order to win the SEC East.
5. No. 16 Auburn Auburn on Saturday looked like the NBA players in Space Jam after the Monstarz stole their talent. Wasn’t this team amazing just a short while ago? Perhaps just very lucky for a very long stretch of time going back to last season. After dropping two straight, it’s official — Auburn’s magic is gone.
6. No. 19 Mizzou Maybe I was being facetious, but I DID write last week that Maty Mauk and company would find a way to beat Texas A&M before losing to Tennessee. I was right about the former, and I still think the latter is going to happen. It’s a trap game.
7. LSU It would appear that LSU’s home-field advantage is crucial for the 2014 Tigers. LSU has four losses. The two that came at home were close even though they were against Mississippi State and Alabama. The two on the road — at Auburn and, this week, at Arkansas — were blowouts. It also doesn’t help when your star running back, Leonard Fournette, finishes with five carries for nine yards.
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The Hustler sports staff highlights the top performers from the first two games of the annual Black and Gold Series. Due to inclement weather, Game 3 is set to be played on Wednesday in preparation for their exhibition in the Dominican Republic starting this weekend 8 Rhett Wiseman (OF) By MAX HERZ Sports reporter --------------------
As the most experienced hitter on the Black team, junior outfielder Rhett Wiseman found himself in an unfamiliar spot in the batting order: leadoff. Selected and captained by slugger Zander Wiel, the Gold squad boasted Vandy’s potential one through four hitters. On the other side, Wiseman took charge of the younger Black lineup. With game one tied in the top of the seventh, Wiseman dropped a two-out RBI single into right center field, giving his team the lead for good in a 3-1 win. On Saturday, Wiseman started the bottom of the first with a leadoff double, took third on a shallow fly ball and scored on a wild pitch. That hard-earned run provided a quick response after the Gold team seized an early 1-0 lead. He also scored the team’s second run in the loss after his hardliner bounced through Aubrey McCarty and down the first base line. In both contests, Wiseman reached base in three of five plate appearances as the Black team’s big bat. That effort, coupled with 206 outfield pushups, kept Rhett’s blood flowing and his bat hot all weekend long.
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45 Tyler Ferguson (RHP)
SEC POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 12 CONTINUED 8. Texas A&M
By MAX HERZ
Despite the loss, Kyle Allen had another good game for the Aggies. Even after beating Auburn, Texas A&M’s losing 34-27 to Mizzou shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. A&M’s offense is very good, and A&M’s defense is very bad, and that is not a formula for winning football games consistently, especially when Johnny Manziel is no longer the team’s quarterback. This has been the case for Kevin Sumlin’s entire tenure in College Station.
Sports reporter --------------------
Despite posting a 2.69 ERA and an 8-4 record as the third starting pitcher on a national championship club, Tyler Ferguson lands in the talented pool of hurlers whose role in 2015 is up for speculation. The junior righty could be in a battle with Phillip Pfeifer, Jordan Sheffield and John Kilichowski for the Sunday and midweek rotation spots moving forward. This battle will likely see two professional-grade arms land in the Commodore bullpen. Ferguson toed the rubber for the Gold team in Saturday’s game two, leaving his mark on the ballgame and series. He threw five innings of one-run ball, allowing just two hits while striking out four Black batters. Ferguson let up a leadoff double in the first, then retired the next 14 hitters he faced, allowing the ball to be hit out of the infield just twice (for two flyouts) following the double. Ferguson’s mound opponent Walker Buehler, all but a lock for the weekend rotation, surrendered three runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings, starting an 11-3 Gold team romp. Ferguson earned the win and has certainly made the case to keep his Sunday spot moving forward.
9. Arkansas Just when everybody gave up saying Arkansas was due to upset an SEC opponent this season, the Razorbacks went and did it, catching LSU in a trap game following its narrow loss to Alabama. Arkansas now sits at 5-5 with Ole Miss and Missouri still to play. None of its victories have come against good teams except for its win at home against LSU this weekend, but its losses to Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi State were all close, especially Alabama and Mississippi State. Should the Razorbacks win a sixth and perhaps a seventh game, it will be fascinating to see what bowl they play in.
22 Philip Pfeifer (LHP)
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By BEN WEINRIB Asst. sports editor --------------------
10. Tennessee The following story is not fabricated: A UT professor told her students she wouldn’t assign any more homework this year if she got to meet Lil Jon, and somehow that actually happened this week, as the rapper paid a visit to Knoxville to meet said professor. While he was on campus, Coach Butch Jones asked him if we wanted to spend A Moment in the Life of Lil Jon at football practice, to which I imagine Lil Jon replied “YEEEEEEEEEAAAH” because he was then photographed with Jones on the practice field. And, with that, Jones won the state battle for recruits this season over Derek Mason. Come on, Coach. You couldn’t have seen if Ludacris or Iggy Azalea wanted to meet the team when they were here for Quake? Iggy especially would have helped us land recruits (and you all know EXACTLY why without my having to write it; also, a photo of an expressionless Mason standing next to Iggy would be the funniest thing ever). I haven’t once piled on Mason in this column by comparing him to James Franklin, but credit Franklin for seeing the merit of bringing Wale to practice last year. (End of rant.) In actual football news, Tennessee’s offense looked amazing in the two games where Josh Dobbs has been the quarterback. The Volunteers will look to ruin Mizzou’s chance at an SEC East title next week and then ruin our day when they visit Vanderbilt the following week (just kidding — no amount of losing can ever ruin the day of a football game at Vanderbilt).
On Friday’s opening game of the Black and Gold Series, there were plenty of new faces with an incoming freshman class of 10. There was also a new face with the return of Phil Pfeifer. The redshirt junior was away from the team all of last season and last appeared for the Commodores in the clinching game of the 2013 Regionals, where he threw five shutout innings against Georgia Tech. Eighteen months later, he got the exact same result. Although he didn’t earn the win for the Black team’s 3-1 victory, Pfeifer tossed five scoreless innings, allowing only Zander Wiel’s second inning single, while striking out three and walking none. “It’s fun being out there and not having the amount of nervousness or the personality issues I was having the first two years here,” Pfeifer said. “It’s been a lot calmer. The off-the-field stuff is what really helps on the field. It builds confidence that carries over. It’s a nice change.” Pfeifer’s fastball was sitting 87-89 mph for most of the game — although he was up to 92 mph toward the end of this out — which was generally where he pitched before. His second-best pitch was a low-80s changeup, and he also featured a mid70s curveball.
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7 Dansby Swanson (SS) By ALLISON MAST Sports editor --------------------
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Shortstop Dansby Swanson led the Gold team to a blowout victory on Saturday, evening the series 1-1. Swanson took advantage of the new, more aerodynamic NCAA baseballs, crushing two home runs. The junior, who hit only three home runs last season, hit one to left-center in the seventh inning and one to left field in the eighth inning. He finished the game 3-for-5 with a walk, collecting three runs and four RBIs. Swanson, along with Carson Fulmer, Bryan Reynolds and Walker Buehler, played for the USA Collegiate National Team this summer. During games in the South, the Netherlands and Cuba, the College World Series Most Outstanding Player posted a .288 batting average, good for second on the team. Swanson looks to build off of this success but at a different position. With the departure of Vince Conde, Swanson has made a smooth transition from second base to shortstop, the position he played in high school. He will be a key part of the infield in the upcoming season, as uncertainty surrounds both the second base and third base positions.
11. Florida Will Muschamp announced that he will resign at the end of the season following the Gators’ loss to South Carolina. He’s getting paid $6.3 million in the buyout to stop showing up though, so I doubt he’s crying over no longer receiving hate mail from 6.3 million angry Floridians.
12. South Carolina The irony of Steve Spurrier coaching the team whose victory over Florida served as the nail in the coffin for a Florida coach to essentially be fired is almost too much to handle.
13. KenSucky After a 5-1 start, the Wildcats have now lost five straight just in time for their fans to stop caring because basketball season is starting. Kentucky is bad at football again and order is restored in the universe.
14. Vanderbilt Mississippi State plays Vanderbilt at home next week after its battle with Alabama before taking on rival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl to finish the regular season. Vanderbilt is coming off a bye. So is next week’s game against the Commodores a trap game for the Bulldogs? Is a groundbreaking upset in the making? Is Derek Mason set to lead his team to the greatest victory in school history? Don’t count on it.
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Shelton Mitchell crosses over from Oak Hill to Vanderbilt’s starting lineup Vanderbilt point guard Shelton Mitchell’s circuitous route to Nashville leaves him running the Commodore offense By ROBBIE WEINSTEIN Sports reporter --------------------
When Vanderbilt freshman point guard Shelton Mitchell takes the floor at Memorial Gym, the creativity he plays with immediately stands out. Mitchell’s nifty head fakes and breathtaking ball-handling add flair to a Vanderbilt team that often lacked firepower last season. While Mitchell is a self-described goofball in his everyday life, one look at Mitchell’s focused expression during a game suggests that it’s all business when he’s on the court. This same intensity is what has brought the Waxhaw, North Carolina native to where he is today. As a rising star at Cuthbertson High School in Waxhaw, Mitchell had plenty
of experience under the spotlight. One of the best athletes to come out of Waxhaw in recent memory, Mitchell felt that he may have been getting a bit too much attention. “Once someone’s a big-time athlete, people kind of treat them differently and they’re always in the limelight,” Mitchell said. “I wasn’t getting into it that much.” So Mitchell and his family decided it would be best for him to get away from Waxhaw and transfer to prep basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy, secluded in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. “At Oak Hill, being in a small system with basically just basketball and education and being able to compete every day with other high-level players, I knew that was gonna help me a lot,” Mitchell said. “I always tell everyone the best part about Oak Hill wasn’t the games, it was going against each other every day, going against guys that are freshmen all over the ACC, not only in practice but in workouts and playing one-on-one.” Oak Hill Coach Steve Smith’s experience working with the likes of Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Rajon Rondo was supposed to help Mitchell grow on the court. But
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Sheldon Mitchell (0) drives against a Trevecca Nazarene defender in Vanderbilt’s 83-56 victory. following Oak Hill’s third game of the season, disaster struck as Mitchell went down with a torn meniscus in his knee. Instead of pouting, however, Mitchell used the injury as a positive experience, learning as much from the situation as he could. “When you’re not playing, you kind of look at everything through a different lens,”
Mitchell said. “I learned how much I really loved basketball. I learned you always have to compete hard … and also just to stay on top of my books, and to not be depressed just because I can’t play basketball. I still have a life, I still have to study.” Through a difficult season, Mitchell continued to display personal growth. But
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the shifty lead guard took yet another jolt in stride when Wake Forest Head Coach Jeff Bzdelik resigned in March. Mitchell, who had originally committed to Wake in January of 2013, had a big decision to make. “Vanderbilt never really called me,” Mitchell said. “But when I opened it up, Coach Stallings was one of the first coaches that called.” Stallings felt that Mitchell’s skill set fit in perfectly with Vanderbilt’s system, and the head coach has already lauded Mitchell’s ability to push the tempo and find the open man. “It’s amazing how fun offense looks when you’ve got good point guard play,” Stallings
said following Mitchell’s Commodore debut against Illinois-Springfield on Nov. 6. “And that’s the best point guard play we’ve seen around here in a while.” Ranked as the No. 76 best player in the class of 2014 by Rivals.com, Mitchell’s reputation coming out of high school was that of a pure point guard whose ability to run a team was far beyond what most would expect from a player his age. Mitchell’s play has matched his scouting report so far, and the freshman wowed those in attendance at Vanderbilt’s two exhibition games with his impressive display of ball-handling and his wide arsenal of finishing moves. “I’ve always played with teams that
wanted to play fast,” Mitchell said. “When I was younger, I was never the biggest one, I was never the strongest, so I had to be crafty and learn how to make awkward-looking layups and floaters.” Mitchell, however, is well aware that he can still round out his game much more. A tweak in shooting mechanics has yielded nice results through three games, while Mitchell believes his improved help-side rotations on defense contributed to Vanderbilt’s stifling first-half performance against Sewanee. “In high school, I was so gifted offensively that I could relax on defense and gamble,” Mitchell said. “I think people overlook how
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well I can shoot it. Coming to Vandy, I had a funky shot, but Coach Richardson and all the coaching staff helped me get my shot back intact.” With Mitchell running the show, the slow pace of last year’s Vanderbilt squad is but a distant memory. Vanderbilt’s point guard, however, has goals bigger than simply helping to improve upon what was a woeful Commodore offense last season. “I want to get better every day,” Mitchell said with a wry smile. “It would be cool to make some All-SEC teams and get some All-Freshman recognition, but I want to get better every day, not only individually, but as a team.”
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Happy Thanksgiving from The Hustler.