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PAN-ASIAN RESTAURANT REPLACES PHO 55

NOVEMBER 13, 2019 SEVENTH WEEK VOL. 132, ISSUE 7

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camelia malkami

Endowment Hits High of $8.5 Billion, Following 6.9% Return

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Friends and Family Share Memories of Stuart Buie and Matt Riccardi GREY CITY: Finding Common Ground: The Midway and the Fight Over the South Side’s Green Space

EDITORIAL: In Defense of Taking Time to Grieve

SPORTS: Men’s Soccer Wins UAA Undefeated and Unscord On

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Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/chicagomaroon and follow @chicagomaroon on Instagram and Twitter to get the latest updates on campus news.

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Endowment Reaches High Of $8.5 Billion, Reporting 6.9% Return

By MATTHEW LEE Deputy News Editor The University of Chicago’s endowment grew by $300 million to $8.5 billion from June 2018 to June 2019, following a 6.9% return in the 2019 fiscal year.

Compared to last year’s return rate of 8.0%, this year’s return represents a 1.1% drop in performance. Despite this, the value of the endowment has reached an all-time high at $8.5 billion, fueled in part by an average 9.3% yearly return in the one-decade period between today and the 2008-09 financial crisis.

The University of Chicago’s endowment outperformed or matched that of several peer schools.

Duke University’s fund grew at an equivalent 6.9%. Harvard University and Stanford University both reported

endowment returns of 6.5%. Yale University’s endowment returned 5.7%.

Columbia University reported 3.8% return.

UChicago’s Office of Investments shares basic details about its investment strategy online. According to its Long-Term Investment Policy, the endowment is divided 30% into global equities; 14.5% into private equity; 4.5% in private debt; 25% in absolute return; 8% in real estate; 7.5% in natural resources; 8.0% in fixed income; 2.0% in Total Return Investment Pool protection; and 0.5% in liquid cash and equivalents.

The University of Chicago’s endowment, at $8.5 billion, is now more than eight times larger than its $1.1 billion asset value twenty five years ago.

Endowment size of UChicago and peer institutions by fiscal year. matthew lee

SG Urges Admin to Reconsider Latin Honors, Stricter Dean’s List Cutoff

By ADYANT KANAKAMEDALA News Reporter The University should reevaluate recent changes to criteria for academic honors, Student Government (SG) said in a resolution passed last Monday.

Citing the unannounced introduction of Latin Honors – honorary designations like magna cum laude and summa cum laude – and the higher bar for inclusion on the Dean’s List, SG asked that the University “consult and notify the undergradu-

ate student body on any proposed changes in the future.”

Student Government passed a resolution calling on the University administration to reevaluate their change to the criteria to be placed on the Dean’s List.

The resolution also asks that current students of the University are not affected by the changes, much like how students are allowed to graduate under the major requirements that were in place the year that they enrolled or declared, even if the requirements have changed since then.

The resolution states that the university failed to consult and notify students, and that the lack of transparency about the GPAs necessary to earn different honors will create competitiveness and undue stress among the student body.

Fourth-year in the College Ridgley Knapp, who serves as undergraduate liaison to the Board of Trustees, brought concerns over the changes to 2020 representative Sam Joyce, who introduced the resolution.

“This decision was made without con-

sulting the students and in my opinion a percentage-based Dean’s List cutoff will likely serve to pit students against one another, while a GPA-cutoff Dean’s List can encourage folks to work together,” Knapp told The Maroon.

Second-year biochemistry major Max Cohen said that the changes make the Dean’s List “more meaningful for those who are on it” but also “makes it even more difficult for STEM majors to achieve.”

Yerkes Observatory Ownership to Be Transferred to Wisconsin Foundation

By OREN OPPENHEIM Deputy News Editor The University of Chicago and the Yerkes Future Foundation (YFF) announced on Tuesday that they will begin working out the details of a deal that will transfer ownership of the shuttered Yerkes Observatory to the YFF. The observatory, based in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, was opened by the University in 1897 to house the world’s larg-

est refracting telescope and was closed to the public last October. Since the closure of the observatory, students and community members have worked to preserve the observatory buildings and continue its educational programming.

The closure was first announced in March 2018. That May, a group of Williams Bay residents formed the YFF and submitted a bid to keep the observatory open; the University acknowledged talks with the group around the time the ob-

servatory closed last October.

A joint news release from the University and the YFF announced an “agreement in principle” to transfer ownership of the observatory, and said, “over the next several months, both organizations will be working closely on all aspects of the proposed transfer.”

YFF chair Dianna Colman told The Maroon, “We know we have a lot of work yet to do.... Quite honestly, we have to really start refining all of our plans for

the future, so that what we’re doing really brings back some of the magic to the place.”

An agreement in principle is when two groups come to an agreement about what they intend to discuss and figure out.

When asked about the negotiations between the University and the YFF, Colman said with a laugh, “They were long, I can tell you that much. It took a CONTINUED ON PG. 3

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The “transfer to YFF will mark the conclusion of the University’s Involvement with Yerkes” CONTINUED FROM PG. 2

lot of work on their part and our part.”

Colman declined to share details about the talks, citing a confidentiality agreement between YFF and the University. Few details have been shared about the negotiations since they were announced last year, although in July YFF representatives met with astronomers from other observatories to discuss possible collaborations, according to the Lake Geneva Regional News.

According to the statement, the YFF plans on restoring the observatory’s buildings and telescopes, reopening the observatory to visitors, and setting up educational programs “for students, astronomers, astrophysicists, and others.”

A group of former Yerkes educators have continued some of the educational programs once held at the observatory since it closed to the public.

Although UChicago astronomy students and faculty have continued to use the observatory, the “transfer to YFF will mark the conclusion of the Univer-

sity’s historic affiliation with Yerkes, allowing the University to make further investments in the future of the field [of astronomy].”

YFF will eventually own both the observatory “and related property,” according to the statement. No further details have been made available about what the related property will include.

The transfer of ownership had been held up, in part, by a letter written by the observatory’s original benefactor— financier Charles Yerkes—which indicated that ownership of the observatory could revert to his heirs if the University closed the observatory. Two of Yerkes’s heirs have been publicly identified but have not spoken to press.

Colman declined to offer specifics on the role of the heirs in the agreement, but said that they have been supportive and responsive.

Save Yerkes, a student group that has been advocating for the University to take action in saving the observatory, wrote in a statement to The Maroon

The Yerkes Observatory in 1899. courtesy of uchicago photographic archive over Facebook that they appreciate the news and the progress about the announcement. “However, we’re also eager

to see more concrete movement, beyond merely an agreement in principle.”

Stuart Buie Played “the Type of Music That Just Warms You Up”

By ALICE CHENG News Reporter In November 2017, fourth-year student Angela Seeger, then a second-year, was sitting in the common room of Campus North, stressed over reading she had not completed and internships she had not applied for. Seeger was in the middle of cranking out a research paper when a first-year student walked into the room wearing khakis, white shoes, and a buttoned shirt with a Penny board tucked under his arm. He approached Seeger.

“Hey, do you mind if I play the piano?” he asked.

Secretly, Seeger did mind – she was preoccupied and feeling anxious – but she politely said, “Of course.” The firstyear headed to the back of the room, where there were two fireplaces and a piano. “At this point, I’m preparing to leave the common space and head back to my room,” Seeger told The Maroon, remembering the exchange.

“But then, the most beautiful thing

happens,” she said. “He plays softly and intently; his whole body becomes part of the music, if that makes sense. He sways with the notes and sends the vibrations he feels in his fingertips throughout the room. His music is the type of music that just warms you up. Listening to him play was like the feeling you get when you take a sip of a hot drink and it slides down your throat to your stomach and you can feel it, every step of the way.”

Stuart Buie, the first-year student playing Christmas music, reminded Seeger “how much joy there is in being next to a fireplace when it’s snowing outside.”

Buie died last month, on campus. The Cook County Medical Examiner ruled his death a suicide. Friends held a vigil for Buie at Rockefeller Chapel later in October, honoring his life.

Buie was known for moving people with his music. Fourth-year Josh Press-Williams, one of Buie’s closest friends, recalled when he invited Buie to his home in Virginia and Buie played a Chopin Scherzo in front of Press-Wil-

liam’s mother, who “freaked out” at Buie’s raw skill, according to Press-Williams.

“My mom’s been playing piano her whole life and she was like, this kid is more talented than I could ever be,” Press-Williams said. “He really enchanted my mom.”

Buie started playing the piano when he was five years old, his mother Linda Buie told The Maroon. The youngest of three siblings, he watched his mother teach his older sisters piano and asked for lessons as well.

“It wasn’t work for him,” his mother said. “After school or after a baseball game, he would run upstairs and go to the piano and play… He wouldn’t change out of his uniform or practice clothes.”

“Stuart knew how to play...[His] teacher really brought out [in] him the idea of performing,” his father Gregg Buie said. “That this could be a real skill and real enjoyment for other people.”

Buie could switch fluently between a variety of genres, like ragtime, jazz, and

classical music. His first recital song was Pink Panther. Aside from piano, Buie also participated in the school choir during elementary and middle school, which gave Buie the opportunity to perform at professional baseball games.

During high school, Buie performed at Carnegie Hall and the Vatican. His high school music program was considered one of the best programs in the state, Gregg Buie said.

Buie also loved sports. In middle school, his favorite sport was basketball, but he also took part in flag football and baseball. He took gymnastics, karate, and taekwondo at his local community center. In high school, Buie participated in wrestling, football, and cross-country teams.

He also developed an interest in skateboarding during high school. Buie built his own Penny board using components he purchased online, and brought the board with him to college, where he could frequently be spotted gliding down CONTINUED ON PG. 4

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“We promised we would write songs together. We never did. I wish we had. I am better for having known Stuart, for his tutelage and friendship.”

CONTINUED FROM PG. 3

the street, ahead of the crowd.

Many of his friends noted his board as an iconic part of Stuart’s college routine. “There’s a lot of memories of me sitting outside of the [Epsilon] house as he’s coming,” Press-Williams said. “To get off [the Penny board] all the time, he would just let it go and then just run, so it’d be him almost falling over, running really fast as the penny board goes flying in the other direction.”

Growing up, Buie participated in Christian extracurricular activities. In high school and at church, Buie joined worship band. The son of a guidance counselor and ESL instructor, Buie would also help his dad and mom teach the youth groups during Sunday School.

This exposure to teaching enabled Buie to additionally tutor other students in piano and mathematics.

Upon entering college, Buie intended to major in mathematics and minor in music, hoping to enter the record label industry.

Reflecting on Buie, friends who knew him repeatedly came back to the way he lit up a room.

“He was just really, genuinely, the nicest guy I’ve ever met,” Press-Williams said. The first time Press-Williams met Buie was during his first-year spring quarter after attending a party post-finals. Despite having only met Buie once that night, he was surprised to receive a text from him the following day. “He was like, ‘Man, that was really fun. I hope you have a good summer...I can’t wait to see you next year.’” Press-Williams said.

The following school year, Press-Williams and Buie hung out more often, marathoning TV shows like American Vandal, Band of Brothers, and Pacific and playing pool in Buie’s apartment basement.

Fourth-year Dylan Stafford, who was in Buie’s house first year, remembered Buie as “without question, one of the nicest people in the house—he just exuded brightness.”

Delia Sosa (A.B. ‘19) instructed Buie in a course for University of Chicago Emergency Medical Services, an emergency medical service. “His smile and

laughter were contagious,” Sosa said.

“Having him in class brought a bit of sunshine to every week.”

Press-Williams also recalled how the elevators at Buie’s second-year apartment used to have a sign that stated it failed certification two years ago.

“Whenever it was me and him in them, he used to jump up and down in them and the elevator would...go down, and I would be begging him to stop.” Press-Williams said and laughed. “He would just keep going.” When Buie rushed the Epsilon Club, a co-educational social organization, Press-Williams quickly followed.

“He was always laughing. He had this really goofy laugh,” Press-Williams said.

Fourth-year Clara de Castro, another close friend of Buie’s, met him during O-week, when both of them lived at North. Castro described Buie as cheeky and someone who “looked at everything as a potential improvisation,” she said.

One of the funniest pranks Castro recalled Buie pulling on his friends was when he claimed he wrote a piece about them and proceeded to perform it on the piano. “He would just get really close and get really emotional about the fact he wrote a song for you,” Castro said.

“And then he’d start playing [A Thousand Miles]...It was like a half-hour lead up to this.”

During school breaks, Buie would send postcards to his friends and on their birthdays. “In perfect handwriting.

No mistakes,” Castro said. Buie’s gifts to Castro were typically coupons for restaurants and shops they frequently visited. “It wasn’t about actually getting me a present. It was about like getting me little moments that we could share together.”

After two years at the University, Buie decided to switch from a math major to a music major, and pick up a math minor instead. While in college, Buie played piano for the Jazz Combo events run by the music department. During his free time, Buie additionally enjoyed going to a church located on 63rd street to listen to gospel music for several hours.

Press-Williams recounted one incident in which he and Buie were on an Epsilon Club retreat, and a group of

Stuart Buie. courtesy of stuart buie’s facebook their fellow fraternity members were attempting to let a raccoon into the house they stayed at. “He got really stressed out and went downstairs and maybe like 20 minutes later I got too stressed out,” Press-Williams said. “I remember just coming downstairs and he...had his headphones on and I think he brought his keyboard...And he was just like playing piano to get himself to calm down.”

In his music classes, students noted his music prowess. Fourth-year Greer Baxter took jazz theory with Buie. Upon taking the class, Baxter soon realized that he was “the most talented piano player in the class.”

Jazz theory “was one of the most challenging classes at UChicago but Stuart made sure it would be one of my favorites,” Baxter said. “To make me feel better, he sweated the ten weeks right along with me. He made me feel like we were in this together.”

Upon learning about Buie’s death, Baxter wrote to The Maroon: “We laughed and stressed and took breaks to listen to each other’s original

songs. He made magic when he played and had a soul of a true artist. At the end of the quarter, having bonded over Theloneous Monk, we promised we would write songs together. We never did. I wish we had. I am better for having known Stuart, for his tutelage and friendship.

I can still hear him playing his brilliant compositions. And I will keep those exquisite notes close. It is so easy to take time and each other for granted. I will miss you, Stuart. Although there will forever be a silent key — the one we lost this week, your beauty and your music will always fill our hearts and will play on.”

The University’s Student Counseling Services are located at 5555 South Woodlawn Avenue. Students may schedule appointments by calling (773) 702–9800 or walking in during business hours (Mondays through Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

The University’s Dean-on-Call can be reached at (773) 834–4357.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-2738255.

THE CHICAGO MAROON — NOVEMBER 13, 2019

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“He had incredible insight into people”: Matt Riccardi, a Beloved Member of Calvert and Yuen House

Matt Riccardi’s ofrenda in Yuen House, Campus North. tony brooks

By TONY BROOKS News Editor Editor’s note: The reporter who wrote this piece, Tony Brooks, was a friend of Matt Riccardi. The article below combines interviews with Matt’s friends and family with some of Tony’s personal memories of Matt.

“One day in the House lounge, I was struggling through a lot of work, and Matt was like ‘Sidd! What are you doing here, come play frisbee,’” said Siddharth Kapoor, a fourth-year Resident Assistant of Yuen House. Eventually, Matt managed to convince his R.A. to abandon his work for a few minutes to join him for a game of frisbee.

“You could just always have such great conversations with him,” Kapoor said. “It’s a privilege to be able to say that I was Matt Riccardi’s R.A.” Matt Riccardi, a second-year in the College, died shortly after participating in an ultimate frisbee tournament in Rockford, Illinois on October 19. He was an active

member of several campus communities from Yuen House in Campus North to Calvert House, the University’s Catholic center. He could often be seen around campus with his friends and housemates.

“As a child, he couldn’t entertain himself with Legos. He had to interact with people,” his mother Gretchen Riccardi said.

“He had incredible insight into people.”

Matt and I both lived in Yuen House, and we went to Calvert House together regularly.

“In addition to being a faithful presence at our Calvert House Sunday Mass, Matt put his faith into practice in his everyday life in both large and small ways,” Father Andrew Liaugminas, Calvert House’s chaplain, said. “When recently we announced at Mass a new initiative to serve the poor living in our neighborhood, Matt was one of the first to sign up to help, and he did so with great joy.”

Before arriving at the University, Matt was already dedicated to community ser-

vice and helping others. He volunteered with the Mountain Lakes Junior Fire Department in his hometown in New Jersey along with his twin brother, Michael.

During their senior year of high school, the pair were co-chief and chief of the department, respectively, and they were responsible for training new members.

“They would train not until they got it right,” his mother said, “but until they couldn’t get it wrong.” Matt often responded to fire calls, no matter the time or conditions.

“He would wake us up with a fire alarm that would go off in the middle of the night,” his mother said.

Matt passed away due to heart failure.

His family has a history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a thickening of the muscles of the heart that can result in sudden cardiac arrest, though he had previously shown no symptoms of the disease. Matt’s family members said they want people to be aware that CPR and defibrillators can save those who go into fibrillation.

“Train to learn CPR and learn how to use a defibrillator, because you will save lives,” Mrs. Riccardi said. “Like Matt and Michael at the fire department, don’t train until you get it right. Train until you can’t get it wrong.”

In addition to playing on the ultimate frisbee team, he participated in intramurals for Yuen House. At the beginning of this academic year, he was elected House Intramural Representative. Any given evening during the school year, he would be on the court in Ratner playing dodgeball or running up and down the ice rink playing broomball.

Even when on the sidelines, he found ways to participate.

“Look at them, they’re scared of us!” he used to call out, especially when the other team was obviously not scared.

Matt always had a sharp sense of humor and the ability to make people laugh, his second-year roommate and ultimate frisbee teammate Mateo Garcia, said. He recalled that during their first year, while they studied in a lounge in Campus North, another student began playing on a nearby piano.

“He was so bad, trying to play Fur Elise

or something,” Mateo said, “so Matt took out his phone and played Fur Elise on Youtube for him.”

Matt kept to an unusually disciplined schedule for a college student, always going to bed before midnight and rising early in the morning, often arriving at the dining hall as it opened. On the rare occasion he could be spotted up and about after 10:30 p.m., he would yawn and complain, “Man, it’s way past my bedtime!”

Matt relished spontaneous debates.

“It was just fun to argue with him,” Sahar Siddiqui, a second-year in Yuen House, said. “We argued about everything. We argued about politics, we argued about how to fold socks, we argued about sleep.”

She noted that, although they argued about “personal things, [she] never felt like it was a personal attack.” He tackled his essays and problem sets with similar enthusiasm.

“He was so passionate about work and school and learning,” Sahar said. “Him passing away wasn’t just a loss for his friends or a loss for his parents. It was a loss for the world. He was probably the smartest person I knew, and if anyone was going to do something amazing with their life, it was him.”

Matt used to listen to his music while he worked, and in another example of his odd humor, he would often purposefully sing very poorly, despite being a trained choir singer. In high school, he and his brother began to sing for their local church, St. Catherine’s in Mountain Lakes, although they were not Catholic at the time.

“Matthew brought my husband and I into the Church,” Mrs. Riccardi said. “He and his brother sang in the Church choir and we used to go watch them.” After some time, the four decided to convert to Catholicism. “Maybe my favorite memory [of us] is the four of us taking our First Communion together.”

Those who knew him cited simple stories as their favorite memories of Matt. For some, it was a frisbee game that they played when they should have been working on problem sets. For others, it was training for the fire department or a car ride down Lake Shore Drive. But they all said that they remember how easily he bonded with others.

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Gone, but Not Pho-gotten: “Pan-Asian” Restuarant Replaces Pho 55

By OREN OPPENHEIM Deputy News Editor Vietnamese restaurant Pho 55 has rebranded as Southside Ken Chinese Cuisine, which describes itself as a “PanAsian” restaurant.

It had closed toward the end of last month to make the changeover.

The restaurant’s new menu features a wide range of dim sum, meat dishes, noodle dishes, and vegetarian options. Prices range from around $3 for some appetizers, including egg rolls, to between $12

and $17 for some entrées.

Restaurant manager Ken Zheng told the maroon via phone that the restaurant had finished remodeling at the end of last week. He said they chose to make the change because the place “was not busy” under its older identity.

Southside Ken is located at 1611 East 55th Street and opens daily at 11 a.m. It closes at 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Previously, Pho 55 had been open until 10 p.m. each night.

Camille Kirsch contributed reporting.

Maroons, Chicago Economists Wonder: Will New NCAA Rules Trickle Down?

By ADYANT KANAKAMEDALA News Reporter Last Monday, the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCA A) Board of Governors announced that it will begin to allow athletes to “benefit from the use of their name, image, and likeness in a manner consistent with the collegiate model.”

The Board’s decision follows California’s “Fair Play to Pay Act,” which will allow student-athletes to hire agents without running the risk of having their scholarships revoked, and benefit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) by 2023.

An identical bill is moving through Illinois’ legislature, and seven other states are exploring similar legislation as well.

The scope of the NCAA’s legislation is still narrower than California’s legislation. Although the NCAA plans to let student-athletes profit from their name, image, and likeness, it will still not allow student-athletes to hire agents for negotiations with their universities.

This discrepancy between the legislation and the announcement is “going to lead to litigation and the NCAA will probably lose,” said Allen Sanderson, an economics professor at the University of Chicago who has researched and written extensively on why universities should pay student-athletes.

In an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune, Sanderson wrote that in negotiations between students and universities “on one side of the virtual table are the athletic director, head coach, the NCAA and legal expertise, while on the other side

is a 17-year-old kid with his financially struggling mom.” Even if an agent’s aid cannot fully rectify this imbalance, it can help make for a fairer fight.

“There’s a reason we call them student-athletes,” he said. “Because exploited workers—which is what they are—doesn’t sound as nice.”

According to Sanderson, the players who will attract big-name sponsors will likely be the top players at the winningest schools—but it’s difficult to tell how the NCAA’s proposed changes “are going to play out.”

The kind of compensation a student-athlete can receive from their school is determined by the school’s NCAA division. Currently, compensation received by Division I student-athletes can come in the form of full or partial scholarships, as well as grants towards room and board, books, and meals, among other things. Division II athletic programs are more limited in how much they can provide in scholarships and grants. Division III schools, such as the University of Chicago, cannot offer any kind of scholarship or financial aid for athletics.

Each Division’s regulations and standards will be different within the new framework. The NCAA has given the groups charged with creating the new rules until January 2021.

Rosalie Resch, a senior associate athletic director at the University, said that “it is too early to comment on what the announcement from the Board of Governors will mean for Division III athletes” in an email to The Maroon.

Sahil Modi, a second-year on the men’s soccer team, doesn’t think that

The UChicago football team takes the field in 2018. alexandra nisenoff the changes announced will seriously affect student-athletes at the University. “Our jerseys, our practice shirts, our socks, even our cleats, are all from Adidas,” he said. “Maybe someone will try to sponsor a whole team or something, but I don’t think anyone will get their own deal.”

Third-year runner Ryan Cutter said that he doesn’t “anticipate any changes really occuring at the D3 level” either.

“Even with the rule change for NIL, the NCAA is still going to follow that model where they do not pay athletes for competing, based on my understanding of the situation. They are simply opening the door to athletes building personal brands through social media and potentially gaining sponsors.”

Although it’s unlikely that University of Chicago athletes—or other Division III athletes—will see big-money deals, there could still be opportunities to generate some revenue. Sanderson thinks that the effects of the announcement may still “trickle down” to student-athletes here.

Sanderson said that “because the University’s name carries a certain cachet,” students in certain sports, such as tennis and swimming, could offer private lessons and advertise themselves as University of Chicago athletes.

He emphasized the uncertainty currently surrounding the future of collegiate athletics. College sports are “in a state of flux,” he said. “No one knows how this story is going to end.”

THE CHICAGO MAROON — NOVEMBER 13, 2019

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ARTS Moshing for the Public Good: JPEGMAFIA at Bottom Lounge

By CHARLIE EWELL Arts Reporter

I joked with my friends at the JPEGMAFIA concert: I think that mosh pits are a societal good, because they provide a way for young men with lots of testosterone to let out aggression in a positive way. But I think it’s partially true. JPEGMAFIA’s music serves a political purpose but, like punk, also caters to an emotional one, allowing for a release of frustration, even if not political change. The nameless anger and formless energy that come from being a young adult male has to be let out some way, and better that it be in the mosh pit than out on the streets.

It is known that JPEGMAFIA shows are awesome. I saw him once before at Coachella this year, and his set was probably the highlight of the whole festival.

When I told my friend I was seeing JPEG live, he told me to prepare for a religious experience. Going in, I knew what to expect. He has often been compared, much to his chagrin, to the experimental and extremely aggressive rap group, Death Grips. The comparison is clear: aggressive hip-hop made more aggressive, experimental production, and the embrace of the Internet age.

Indeed, JPEGMAFIA is anger given musical form, violence put to a beat— so you can imagine how much energy gets brought into the venue when he

performs. JPEG went on stage alone, without a shirt, without any stage setup save a laptop, and made up for it with a concussive force that could knock you down with its power. Even so, JPEG’s raw power couldn’t top the crowd’s massive energy. A crowd’s enthusiasm can make or break a show; with JPEG, it always makes it. As with punk concerts, I go to JPEG for the crowd.

The mosh pit is a magical place. Inside, a group of people transforms into an abstract wall of body matter that you can push up against with all your might, then bounce off like a pinball. It’s where many young males gather to let out their nameless anger against other people’s bodies; I am one of them. It’s an (arguably) harmless affair, but not a comfortable one.

When JPEG got on stage, you could tell the crowd was not going to hold anything back. The performer came with his own energy too, admitting to taking 50mg of edibles before going on stage.

JPEG told the crowd he has to take breaks between songs, but he sang every song with the full force of the studio recording and beyond. And the crowd— primarily white, male 20-somethings— absorbed that energy and threw it back out. The roiling mass of bodies quieted down at some points, thankfully. JPEG interspersed high-octane beating-people-up type songs with slower ones, at one point launching into his own free-

style commentary on Kanye West and, at another point, taking a minute to sing “No Scrubs” along with the crowd.

JPEG played all the crowd-pleasers; I was pleasantly surprised by “Puff Daddy” and “I Cannot Fucking Wait Til Morrissey Dies.” He never leaves anything on the table, and this night was no exception. I got to briefly meet JPEG after the show, and out of that brief interaction I got a picture of me smiling goofily next to the man himself, as well as the opportunity to ask a single question: “Has your master’s in journalism ever been useful to you?”

The answer? “Not once. Not fucking once. People just like to remind me about it on Twitter.”

JPEGMAFIA truly is the industry standard of audience participation. I could not imagine my disappointment if I had gone to the show and the crowd had been mild or timid. The concussive force of a show needs to be matched by the concussive force of its audience. But a JPEGMAFIA show would never have a lackluster crowd, because most who see him live have the same aim in mind: to let out a aggression in a way that no one will judge—or arrest—you for.

JPEGMAFIA played at Bottom Lounge on October 29th. charlie ewell

The Chicago Architecture Biennial Pushes Past Cook County

By ANNELIESE MERRY Arts Reporter

On display in the Chicago Cultural Center since September 19, the third edition of the Chicago Architectural Biennial is a profound array of exhibits seeking to redefine viewers’ understanding of architecture and privilege on local and global levels. Titled “...and other such stories,” the exhibition was curated by Sepake Angiama, Paulo Tavares, and Yesomi Umolu, who is also the director and curator of exhibitions at the

Logan Center.

This year, the Biennial purposefully highlights the narrative of the “other”—the stories of communities on the periphery of discussions regarding urban development and architectural innovation. The Biennial presents “architecture and the built environment as prisms through which to reflect upon social, geopolitical, and ecological processes that affect our collective past, present, and future.” So, do not go to the Biennial to learn about the latest chic architectural advances. Instead, experi-

ence architecture as a medium to challenge views and redefine how the city of Chicago is understood.

This year’s Biennial boasts more than 80 contributors and designers from 22 different countries. The expansive collection addresses multiple global communities, with several exhibits focusing directly on the city of Chicago. For example, Maria Gaspar’s piece Unblinking Eyes, Watching reflects upon the impact the presence of the largest single-site jail in the United States has on nearby La Villita. Using vinyl to de-

pict a large stone wall of the Cook County Jail, Gaspar’s work is an almost overwhelming portrayal of division within Chicago communities, exposing the impacts of incarceration on those within and outside the prison walls.

Another especially powerful Chicago-based exhibit is the Sweet Water Foundation’s, a growing community-based land trust that focuses on the revitalization of vacant spaces in the South Side into productive community areas. Titled Re-RootCONTINUED ON PG. 8

THE CHICAGO MAROON — NOVEMBER 13, 2019

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“This year’s Biennial boasts more than 80 contributors and designers from 22 different countries.”

CONTINUED FROM PG. 7

ing + Redux, the exhibit is a large structure made of Douglas fir, reclaimed lumber, and polycarbonate that converts a workers’ cottage (one of the city’s first forms of standardized affordable housing) into a gallery space. Representing the possible positive impacts of urban renewal in long-standing South Side communities, Re-Rooting + Redux exemplifies the goal of the Biennial to tie architecture to social change.

Not all exhibits, however, are as large in scale. Akinbode Akinbiyi’s contribution, Easy Like Sunday Morning—North Lawndale, is a photographic project that highlights the subtle differences between North Lawndale and other Chicago neighborhoods. Akinbiyi’s work forces the viewer to draw comparisons that reveal inequali-

ties between Chicago neighborhoods.

Complementing the various exhibits tied to Chicago communities are projects from around the globe. Do Ho Suh presents video footage of a public housing development in East London with forgotten utopian aspirations—the buildings were torn down within 50 years of their construction. FICA, a crowdfunded real estate fund managed by a nonprofit made up of activists, designers, and architects, displays a 500-square-foot representation of an affordable housing project that could be used to address the housing crisis in São Paulo, Brazil.

The Biennial also navigates the relationship between architecture and ecological progress. RMA Architects from Mumbai presents Sanitation and Equity, an interac-

tive exhibit made of large hanging prints that viewers can walk through to visualize what sanitation, or the lack thereof, looks like for the city’s inhabitants. The exhibit posits that architecture and urban design have some responsibility in addressing the intrinsic link between sanitation and equity. Although the idea of tying architecture to environmentalism is present in RMA Architects’ exhibit, the Biennial could have benefited from more exhibits focused on this theme.

It is essential to spend an adequate amount of time considering the message of each exhibit in the Biennial—they are often subtle and raise complex questions about who has access to the benefits of progress in these fields. The official tour is limited as it rushes viewers through each exhibit in

a matter of minutes and ironically focuses more attention on the architecture of the Cultural Center itself rather than the work of the contributing designers. To truly enjoy the exhibition, go on your own time and at your own pace. Aspects of text blocks explaining the exhibits are dense and overly lengthy, but the diction is accessible to most audiences and does not rely on heavily technical architectural jargon.

The exhibition is extremely informative and forces a reconsideration of what you know about architecture and its role in our lives. It prompts you to confront issues that often cause discomfort, making it a mustsee exhibition.

The Chicago Architecture Biennial closes on January 5, 2020.

UChicago Students Make Acquisition for Smart Museum

By SAUMYA JAIN Arts Reporter

The Smart Museum recently expanded its collection to include an assortment of pieces from viennacontemporary, Austria’s largest international art fair. Dmitry Aksenov, the founder of the fair, invited the Smart Museum to bring 10 students from the University of Chicago to viennacontemporary to select works for the museum’s contemporary art collection. Viennacontemporary showcases modern pieces from about 110 galleries and 26 countries, and Aksenov’s generous donation allowed these students to truly immerse themselves in this art fair.

Led by Jenny Carty, associate curator of modern and contemporary art, and Issa Lampe, deputy director for academic and curatorial affairs and director of the Feitler Center, students explored the fair over the span of a few days, searching for pieces that could possibly fit in the Smart’s collection. Carty shared that prior to the trip, “readings by UChicago professors Christine Mehring and Canice Prendergast, as well as articles by Thomas Crow, Hito Steyerl, and Pamela Lee, among others, were assigned and recommended to the students to reflect on the contemporary art market, globalization, and art fairs.”

Throughout the trip, the students also

visited different museums around Vienna, such as the Mumok, the Leopold, and Secession, embracing the city’s culture and environment. Art history graduate student Maggie Hire shared her experience: “I really enjoyed visiting the Mumok and seeing the exhibition Vertigo: Op Art and a History of Deception 1520 – 1970. It’s always great to have a better sense of what sort of artwork institutions other countries are promoting, and how they are presenting material (both artworks and didactics). MUMOK created some really interesting installations as part of Vertigo.” Along with these popular locations, the students had the opportunity to see public art around the city with UChicago alumna Caroline Schopp, who teaches art history at the University of Vienna. Some of the work they observed was by Department of Visual Arts faculty member Jessica Stockholder. They also met with the fair’s artistic director, Johanna Chromik, as well as three of the fair’s curators, Harald Krecji, Fiona Liewehr, and Tevž Logar.

After researching and reading about pieces that could potentially add to the Smart Museum’s aesthetic themes, the students and faculty settled on buying three pieces by Austrian artist Sophie Thun, whose work asserts her body and sexuality through a combination of photography and photogram-making techniques. Hire

Ten graduate and undergraduate students were recently sent to an art fair in Vienna to make an acquisition for the Smart Museum. charlie ewell said that while choosing an artist, they were “especially interested in considering the ways in which a work of art would dialogue with other artworks from the collection and how that dialogue might promote learning moments.” Thun’s pieces exemplified topics and themes relevant in the classroom setting, with potential to further provoke discussion and conversation for those visiting the museum.

The trip not only gave students a unique chance to explore the contemporary art scene in Central Europe, but it also related to their classroom experiences here at

UChicago. With regard to Thun’s pieces, M.F.A. student Crystal Beiersdorfer said, “There is also potential in other departments besides the visual arts, such as discussing the use of the female nude in art history or gender studies.” viennacontemporary offered the students insight into the international art world and how it connects to ours. Carty hopes that “students have gained a richer understanding of the art market and the curator’s role in this network.”

THE CHICAGO MAROON — NOVEMBER 13, 2019

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AND THEY’RE OFF!

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By JULIA BRYNE and JESSICA SWEENEY 1

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14. First episode 15. Publisher of an early thesaurus 16. Moronic intro?

17. Off the rack 19. Pretzel brand 20. Body spray brand 21. Sketches 23. The start...

26. Mornings 29. Globe 32. Wetland 35. Info available at LAX 37. “For goodness’ ___!”

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68. Not young 69. What might inspire college students to take a stand?

70. Before, poetically

the chicago maroon — NOVEMBER 13, 2019

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Finding Common Ground The Midway and the Fight Over the South Side’s Green Spaces

By Laura Gersony

the parking garage underground. In September 2019, MPAC sent a second letter to the City and federal agencies involved in the OPC’s oversight expressing its opposi“New trees can’t replace old trees.”

The elderly woman spoke quietly but tion to any changes that might threaten the with conviction, eyebrows furrowed and Midway’s status on the National Register of voice brimming with anger as she struggled Historic Places. Debate is also simmering to be heard over the din of the meeting. The regarding whether a playground should room was packed wall-to-wall with over 60 be built on the Midway to compensate South Side community members, about for recreational space lost under the OPC half of whom stood around the perimeter of plans. Consequently, attendance at MPAC’s the space, unable to find an empty seat. The monthly meetings has ballooned, reaching woman’s voice was one of a crescendoing just over sixty people in October.

But the underlying question remains— chorus of protests; it took several minutes for the meeting organizers to restore order. why do threats to a mere stretch of grass The evening was filled with impas- galvanize the community this way? sioned argument, allegations of voter fraud, and accusations of bad faith among The Midway: A Historic Landmark Answers may be found in the Midway’s the leadership board. The cause of all this long history as a locus of urban developcontroversy? ment. Paul Cornell, a lawyer and real estate The Midway. speculator, began the story of the Midway Yes, that Midway.

Welcome to the October meeting of in the 1850s when he purchased the land the Midway Plaisance Advisory Council that is now Hyde Park. Its then-rural loca(MPAC), an organization dedicated exclu- tion several miles south of downtown Chisively to the park, as the council prepares cago enjoyed a climate that was cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter due for leadership elections in November.

When MPAC was founded in 2015, it to its proximity to the lake. Cornell enviconsisted of a handful of community mem- sioned the infertile, undeveloped area as a bers mostly concerned with the physical resort community of parks and hotels for maintenance of the park, including field middle- and upper-class families wanting cleanup and tree maintenance. Recently, to escape the noise and congestion of the the organization has found itself at the cen- rapidly growing city. Hyde Park quickly beter of controversy relating to the Obama came a suburban retreat for affluent ChiPresidential Center (OPC), which is slated cagoans, but the Midway itself remained to be built in neighboring Jackson Park de- a marshy stretch of parkland for nearly spite fierce opposition from local activist twenty years.

In 1869, Cornell received rights to proand preservation groups.

In 2018, MPAC sent a letter to Mayor ceed with an urban project establishing a Rahm Emanuel, the Obama Foundation, complex of parks and boulevards to interthe Chicago Department of Transporta- connect the city. This included Jackson tion, and the Chicago Park District ex- Park, situated along Lake Michigan to the pressing its opposition to a parking garage east of the Midway, and Washington Park, being built on the Midway. This letter con- to its west.

Cornell hired landscape architect Fredtributed to a successful community effort urging the Obama Foundation to relocate erick Law Olmsted—the mastermind beGrey City Reporter

hind Central Park, the US Capitol Grounds, and the network of public parks around the South Side—to design and execute the plan along with his longtime partner, Calvert Vaux. Under Olmsted and Vaux’s plan, the Midway was to function as “a magnificent chain of lakes,” allowing boaters to go from the ponds in Washington Park to the lagoons in Jackson Park. However, after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, funds had to be reallocated toward city reconstruction, preventing these plans from being realized.

Around the same time, the land became known as the Midway Plaisance. The park’s name left a legacy of its own when it served as the primary entertainment grounds of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World’s Fair; to this day, the word ‘midway’ refers to the area at a fair where sideshows and amusements are located.

Over the course of the Fair, which ran from May through October 1893, 27 million people—when the US population was just over 65 million—visited its exhibition halls, which included inventions from fields as diverse as the liberal arts, mining, and agriculture. Many now-famous products were first unveiled at the Fair, including Juicy Fruit gum, Quaker oats, Hershey’s chocolate, and the Ferris wheel. The Midway also saw the debut of the electric light, whose illumination garnered its buildings the title “The White City.”

But not all of the exhibits at the Fair were as innocuous as its charming veneer would suggest. At the heart of the Columbian World’s Exposition’s shining splendor was a message of American exceptionalism.

The majority of the Midway was dedicated to exhibits on the newly emergent discipline of anthropology, and the centerpiece of the display was a living, outdoor museum of “primitive human beings.” These exhibits, portrayed as serious, informative displays of ethnography, were showcases of the ex-

otic and novel Other; they afforded visitors the chance to measure the progress of humankind toward the ideal of civilization displayed in the White City. Ethnohistorian and anthropologist Raymond Fogelson described these exhibits as a “self-congratulatory orgy of ethnocentrism.”

Nevertheless, the Midway was a hit; money-making entertainment and concessions on the Midway alone made over $4 million, equivalent to $108 million today.

Shortly after the fair’s close, a fire swept through the fairgrounds, destroying many of the buildings. A headline from January 9, 1894 read: “THE WHITE CITY IN FLAMES; FIRE DESTROYS THE FAIREST OF THE BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS.” Once again, the Midway was a clean slate; and once again, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted was commissioned to redesign it. The present-day Midway still resembles Olmsted’s plans: a long stretch of green grass lined with trees, plus the Masaryk monument and Lorado Taft’s iconic “Fountain of Time,” the two statues located on the east and west ends of the park.

The Midway was left largely unchanged until the University of Chicago began to expand southward in 1926. Since then, the University has overseen numerous projects in the Midway such as several botanic gardens, a monument to the Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus, the construction of a skating rink in 2001, and decorative street lighting.

Nowadays, the Midway hosts club sport practices and other recreational activities for University students. Every week, Najee Ahmad, a third-year at UChicago, participates in Midnight Soccer, an informal tournament organized by RAs. Ahmad appreciates that, despite its unpolished terrain, the park is open and accessible to all. In fact, he suggested, its imperfections complement the activity’s fun, informal atmosphere.

“It’s not the best place to actually play soccontinued ON pg. 11

the chicago maroon — NOVEMBER 13, 2019

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“There are some people who would prefer to see this park preserved as a mausoleum.” continued from pg. 10

cer, as far as the ground goes... but I think that just contributes to the overall feel of midnight soccer. It’s nice that the Midway is there for us to just use.”

Ahmad also noted that despite being located on campus, the Midway is owned by the Chicago Parks District. This establishes a connection between the University and the surrounding neighborhoods, Ahmad said, which “makes you feel a little more integrated with [the community].”

Due to its rich history, the Midway is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places; however, this status is conditioned upon its adherence to Olmsted’s architectural vision. So when the City published a report in July of 2019 stating that the arrival of the Obama Presidential Center would have an “adverse effect” on the area’s historic integrity, interest in Olmsted’s legacy surged.

The Architect’s Vision Urban parks may now seem commonplace, but in Frederick Law Olmsted’s day, the very idea of a large park in a city was innovative. Olmsted considered himself first and foremost a social reformer. In his essay “Public Parks and the Enlargement of Towns,” he expounds the value of parks as spaces for “social mixing” as a measure to increase social cohesion. In public parks, he writes, “you will find all classes largely represented, with a common purpose… each individual adding by his mere presence to the pleasure of all others.... You may thus often see vast numbers of persons brought closely together, poor and rich, young and old.”

Another central tenet of Olmsted’s artistic vision was public health. He believed that while parks did hold aesthetic value, their primary and overlooked importance was to be found in their soothing and stress-relieving qualities. “Is it doubtful,” he wrote in his essay, “that it does men good to come together in this way, in pure air and under the light of heaven?…The enjoyment of scenery gives the effect of refreshing rest and reinvigoration of the whole system.” In response to an outbreak of cholera infantum, Olmsted and Vaux designed a dairy building on the premises of Central Park where any child could get a glass of milk from a cow tethered outside. This dairy building remains, to this day, one of the few buildings situated on Central Park itself.

OPC Protest and Counter-Protest Olmsted’s legacy is being re-litigated as discourse surrounding the Obama Presidential Center intensifies. Just last month, the environmental activist group Protect Our Parks filed its brief with the federal appeals court in its suit to block the Obama Foundation, a private entity, from constructing the OPC on public parkland. One plaintiff describes the OPC as “completely and 100 percent contradictory to Olmsted’s vision for our beloved Jackson Park.”

However, Olmsted’s vision is invoked to defend both pro- and anti-OPC viewpoints. Mary Anton, a supporter of the OPC and member of the Jackson Park Advisory Council, believes that it could help to restore Olmsted’s vision. “Olmsted considered parks a democratic space,” she told me. “I understand that [opponents of the OPC] are trying to preserve the Olmsted legacy. But if they actually look at the park, and how it’s used, and who uses it, parts of the legacy are dying,” she said, stressing the poor quality of soil and the number of diseased trees in Jackson Park.

Anton said that anti-OPC activists underestimate the positive effects the Center could bring, mentioning the Obama Foundation’s efforts to restore biodiversity to the park and replace removed trees with new trees. “Some people focus on ‘400 trees gone,’” she said. “They’re not focused on this whole area being re-landscaped.”

Anton added that adhering to Olmsted’s vision does not necessarily mean keeping the park identical to its original construction. “There are some people who would prefer to see this park preserved as a mausoleum,” she said. “This park is not well-maintained.... At the end of the day, that’s part of what the Obama Center [will do]; they will maintain this parkland.”

But not all community members are open to the loss of the park’s current trees.

During October, anti-OPC protestors tied red ribbons around the nearly four hundred trees threatened by OPC—those “old trees” the woman at the MPAC meeting alluded to. The group called themselves a revival of the Burnham Brigade, a reference to the 1965 protest group that used the same strategy to confront the widening of Cornell Drive.

Ross Peterson, the main organizer of the Burnham Brigade, was president of the Jackson Park Advisory Council from 1993-2010, and he came out of retirement

The Midway first gained recognition as the site of the World’s Fair, where the first Ferris Wheel debuted in 1893. Courtesy of the University of Chicago Library Special Collections Research Center

when he heard that the OPC was slated to be built in Jackson Park. Peterson resents the fact that the OPC will be situated in a public park despite numerous alternative sites, a decision that he believes is informed by a broader deprioritization of the South Side. “For [the Obama Foundation] to come along and just say, ‘We’re gonna plop this here in this open park, because it’s an open space,’ smacks of the second-class, South Side relegation of assets which we’ve seen real frequently,” he said.

When contacted for comment, an Obama Foundation spokesperson referred to a federal judge’s ruling that the city of Chicago was within its authority to approve the OPC’s construction in Jackson Park. The decision to build in the park, they stated, “is in line with Chicago’s rich history of placing museums in parks along the lakefront,” viewing the Center as “a way to celebrate [the South Side] community.”

But Peterson views these developments as part of a broader history of capitalizing on public land, referencing recent attempts by the city to privatize the shore of Lake Michigan. “You’re commodifying, you’re privatizing, you’re trying to squeeze some more money out of these things,” he says.

Trailing along behind the Burnham Brigade, however, were pro-OPC counter-protestors, who cut down the ribbons the Brigade had just put up.

Louise McCarthy, President of the Jackson Park Advisory Council (JPAC), was one of the pro-OPC counter-protestors. She views the OPC as a privilege to the community and a positive economic stim-

ulus. “To get funders to bring money, to do anything in the parks in the South Side, is like pulling teeth,” she said.

McCarthy also believes the OPC will have a net positive environmental impact, citing the Obama Foundation’s commitment to restoring biodiversity in Jackson Park. “The idea that you’re going to preserve a tree from the World’s Fair just makes no sense. New trees grow faster and use up more carbon dioxide... the old trees don’t do us any favors,” she said.

Still, other activist groups, such as the Obama Community Benefits Agreement Coalition, are concerned less about the ecological results of the Center as they are about the potential displacement that could result from increased tourism and business to the area. “[The OPC] can help build the kind of communities that Obama fought for, or it could displace longtime residents.

Let’s push back on being pushed out by outlining a Community Benefits Agreement around the Obama library,” their website reads.

Many believe that the OPC has had a fracturing and polarizing effect on the South Side community in general. Aaron Gettinger, a reporter for the Hyde Park Herald who covers local parks, observed a lack of communication even between groups with similar goals. “It strikes me that there’s not ever been any degree of dialogue, as far as I’ve seen, between the Protect our Parks lawsuit backers and the people on the South Side who don’t want the Obama Presidential Center there.” continued ON pg. 12

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“I just really love being able to go out and see a lot of sky...” continued from pg. 11

Radiah Smith-Donald, the secretary and treasurer of MPAC since its founding in 2015, believes that the OPC’s perceived opaqueness is the primary cause of tension and distrust in the community. “Feeling that things are happening secretly is the most damaging piece of this....

Sometimes, it feels like there’s a

show of ‘yes, community input is being sought,’ but then there’s no evidence that it’s actually being listened to,” she said.

While the Midway is physically on the margins of the Obama Presidential Center affair, it has taken center stage in some facets of the debate, giving MPAC newfound political sway. According to Smith-Donald, the politically

charged nature of their recent endeavors, such as the letter which succeeded in relocating the OPC’s parking garage and the ongoing debate over whether to construct new recreational space on the Midway, has fostered unprecedented division and skepticism within the ranks of MPAC. “All three of the current officers have been surprised by people’s mis-

trust… I really think [this feeling of polarization] is a contagion.”

But MPAC’s recent polarization has not detracted from Smith-Donald’s admiration of the Midway. She expressed that the park is beautiful precisely because of what it lacks; it’s a big, green space, untarnished by city clamor and smog. “Having amazing cultural institutions is

important, and having cool skyscrapers is important, but protecting those pockets of green space is also really important,” she said.

“I just really love being able to go out and see a lot of sky without buildings in the way, and have space to run.... It took me a while to realize how brilliant that is.”

VIEWPOINTS Student Counseling Services: For a Limited Time Only Counseling appointment times prove to be incompatible with the typical UChicago student’s schedule

By JAY GIBBS By and large, the average student at the University of Chicago has three things in common with their peers. One, they have an inordinate amount of work. Classes tend to occur sometime between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. for most people, and homework continues until it’s due during class. Two, they tend to fill evenings with fungible activities, or things that are a bit easier to skip than a class, but are still important. Three, they suffer from high amounts of stress, stemming from the pressure to prioritize these academic and extracurricular demands. Student Counseling Service (SCS) is meant to relieve the stress of college and make its completion more attainable. Right now, however, the availability of counseling appointments solely during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) prompts students to forgo essential mental health care in favor of their immediate academic responsibilities.

The problem with relieving stress is this: It often means abandoning the normal flow of

one’s day-to-day activities. Taking time for self-care entails meaningful trade-offs with time spent working or studying. Going to grab dinner with friends is one such trade-off. At certain levels of commitment, there is enough time to get most things done in a given day. But, eventually, the stress caused by trading working time for leisure time begins to exceed the stress the leisure time helps to mitigate. In other words, students are constantly forced to negotiate the value of their time for work and play. Students won’t take steps toward helping themselves if they believe getting help hurts them too much in their classes, or via grades specifically.

Most students have had nights where they must literally engage in mental calculation to figure out whether it’s worth it to sleep before an exam. In your UChicago career, you’ll likely find yourself pondering, at some point: Can I afford to sleep for eight hours before this exam? What if that four extra hours of studying means I’ll cover something I otherwise wouldn’t?

But what if four hours of sleep make me too tired to meaning-

fully retain what I study?

This is the core of the issue with SCS’s hours. Appointments are only offered during daytime hours, and these hours are exactly when students are the busiest.

Skipping class will always seem like more of a harm—materially— than a therapy appointment will seem to be a benefit. And when you put yourself in the shoes of a typical, overachieving UChicago student, it starts to seem rational to skip out on therapy in lieu of missing class. Students don’t know, for certain, that therapy will help them. But, conversely, most students know what missing a lecture, deadline, or problem session does to their academic progress. For many who have yet to try therapy, the horror stories of SCS leading to forcible institutionalization or general social stigma makes scheduling that first appointment an anxious step.

SCS even requires that initial appointments be made with a phone call, forcing people to truly put themselves out there and admit that they need help in order to get therapy.

There currently exists a fun-

damental mismatch between student free time in the afternoons and evenings and SCS’s primarily daytime hours. If SCS wants to lower the barriers between students seeking help and actually getting the help, it should mechanically shift the times when help is generally available.

Student Government’s recent resolution asks SCS to provide excuse notes so students can miss class to attend emergency counseling sessions or intake appointments.

It’s an incredible step, and an incredible piece of legislation from our student representatives. But it merely addresses a symptom of what is, quite frankly, a rather simple disease. So what is a possible cure?

SCS needs to hire therapists and specialists capable of meeting with students in the evening, when they are most available to meet with a counselor. When an appointment is at 7 p.m., students are either free or can miss an RSO meeting. And, while I’m sure some people do truly treasure their Model United Nations practices, the burden of missing RSO meetings is considerably lower than

the burden of missing class. This is especially true for classes that attach explicit grade penalties to absences, perpetuating the nasty cycle of cost-benefit evaluation from students who feel that the stigma of telling a professor they have a therapy appointment is too much to bear on a weekly basis, or that missing class is too much of an academic risk.

Though it is somewhat of a stretch to think of SCS offering midnight therapy (although, that’s not a terrible idea), students’ access to mental healthcare is something the University should prioritize. When providing care, it does not make sense to overlook the barriers a majority of students face in receiving this care. Who knows how many more students would take those crucial first steps if they had improved access to appointments? If it means one less student has to suffer through their time at the University, or one more person is saved from a dark, depressive spiral, then a simple shift in available hours seems far more than worth it.

Jay Gibbs is a fourth-year in the College.

the chicago maroon — November 13, 2019

13

In Defense of Taking Time to Grieve In light of recent difficult events, students’ need for easily accessible mental health services remains pressing.

By MAROON EDITORIAL BOARD In light of multiple recent student deaths this year, students’ need for easily accessible mental health resources remains pressing. Although high stress levels are often normalized at UChicago, the failure to treat mental health on campus as a serious concern harms students, especially in the wake of traumatic events.

Students across campus have agitated for improvements to SCS and undertaken initiatives to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. The current executive slate of Student Government ran last spring on a platform focused on increasing access to therapy for minority and LGBTQ+ students in

particular. Meanwhile, Fair Budget UChicago continues to push for more funding for counselors, and for the past couple years, several student groups have co-hosted Break the Silence, a multi-day annual conference that aims to spotlight mental health issues among Asian and Asian American students.

Most recently, UChicago Mind Over Matter led a forum last week on the University’s response toward student suicide. Also last week, Student Government passed a resolution calling on Student Counseling Services (SCS) to issue a pass excusing class absences for therapy intake appointments and emergency sessions. This initiative would mark a key first step in combating backlog at the perenni-

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ally overbooked counseling office.

We hope that the administration will take its cues from the student body on this issue, and expand its response to traumatic on-campus events.

Recent months have been marked by student deaths, as well as a case of alleged drugging and a reported sexual assault at a fraternity house. When tragedy affects the campus community, it can be difficult to break from academic demands for long enough to grieve.

It’s vital to offer yourself and others the chance to process tough events, and for professors and administrators to recognize that a tragedy can affect members of the campus community beyond those immediately impacted—in particular, those with past traumas.

Whatever “taking time” looks like to you—whether it’s getting coffee with friends, speaking with a University counselor, or attending a mental health–focused event— we encourage students to grant themselves that time and space if you feel you need it. We also urge undergraduate instructors to be understanding as we close out a difficult fall quarter.

Below are some mental health resources available to students.

Student Counseling Service (SCS): All services at this on-campus office are included in the Student Life fee. Whether you think you might be experiencing mental illness or you’d simply like to talk through a problem with a licensed counselor, you can schedule an appointment by calling (773) 7029800 or walking in during business hours, which are Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Students’ first SCS appointment is typically an intake assessment, during which a counselor recommends a treatment plan based on the student’s concerns.

For longer-term therapy, students

are often referred to a Hyde Park or Chicago-area provider.

SCS offers a variety of programming in addition to one-onone therapy, including topic-specific therapy groups, couples’ counseling, and weekly workshops focused on stress management and coping with anxiety. The office also maintains a roster of psychiatrists who can prescribe medications and work more intensively with students, as well as specialists who perform consultations for substance abuse and disordered eating.

Students experiencing an immediate mental health crisis are encouraged to call SCS or walk in to meet with an urgent care counselor. If you need immediate help after hours, call (773) 702-3625.

SCS is located at 5555 South Woodlawn Avenue.

Let’s Talk: A confidential and free program, Let’s Talk is a dropin service that allows any student to sit down and chat with an SCS counselor.

If unsure about therapy or simply wanting to talk, walk in during business hours: Mondays from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Law School, Thursdays from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Center for Identity + Inclusion, and Fridays from 3-4:30 pm at the Biological Sciences Learning Center.

Lean On Me: Lean On Me is a student-run, anonymous peer counseling network. To get started, text their hotline: (773) 2952306. Within a few minutes, a supporter—an anonymously matched UChicago student—will respond via text. A conversation can be as long or short as you’d like, and focus on simple or serious issues. If you ever feel uncomfortable, message “/flag” to be matched with another supporter.

Mental Health First Aid: At this free training sponsored by the University’s Health Promotion

and Wellness office, an instructor will walk you through how to help someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis or developing an illness. Register for the eighthour course online.

Wellness Czars: Wellness Czars (Wellczars) are liaisons, elected by their house, who update students living on campus about available resources. Topics include mental health, stress management, and safe drinking habits.

Dean-on-Call and Sexual Assault Dean-on-Call: The Dean-on-Call provides referrals and support for students during times of emergency. The Deanon-Call might offer a student legal resources, connect you to counseling, or help you report a crime.

The Sexual Assault Dean on Call (SADoC) is available 24/7 to answer questions regarding sexual assault, related legal procedures, and campus and community organizations that provide emotional support to sexual violence victims.

Contact the Deans-on-Call via the direct paging system number: (773) 834-HELP (4357). They can also be reached by dialing 123 on any campus phone, or calling UCPD Dispatch at (773) 702.8181.

Suicide Hotline: The suicide prevention lifeline is available 24/7, confidential, and free. If you’re worried about your own or a friend’s health, or in need of help finding suicide prevention resources, call 1-800-273-8255.

Lifeline Crisis Chat: The Lifeline Chat anonymously connects individuals with trained counselors, who listen to specific problems and offer support and advice. An extension of the suicide hotline, it is free and available 24/7.

Crisis Textline: Also free and available around the clock, this nationwide service offers crisis intervention via text message. Message 741741 to ask for help.

THE CHICAGO MAROON — NOVEMBER 13, 2019

14

Volleyball Seeking Revenge in NCAAs after UAA Tournament

By ALI SHEEHY Sports Reporter The stomping of feet and cheers from the stands echoed throughout the gym at Ratner Athletic Center Saturday afternoon for the UAA women’s volleyball championship game between the host UChicago Maroons and the visiting Emory Eagles.

The Maroons were able to advance to the finals after two solid performances this past Friday. In their opening game of the tournament, UChicago, ranked No. 2 nationally, defeated Rochester easily in three sets (25–17, 25–14, 25–12). UChicago was led by standout performances from firstyear Ellie Alden and third-years Emma Griffith and Katherine Wilson. Alden posted nine kills on 10 attempts, in addition to a block assist. Griffith aided the offense with 33 assists and five aces off of the service while Wilson contributed to a fantastic start to the tournament with 15 digs.

With their win, UChicago advanced to

the next round later that day where they were able to cruise to another quick victory, this time against No. 19 Carnegie Mellon. The Maroons made quick work of the Tartans, defeating them in three sets (25–8, 25–17, 25–12). Alden and Griffith were once again key contributors along with fourthyears and captains Madison Pearson and Anne Marie Stifter. Pearson posted a .647 kill percentage along with having two block assists. Stifter added an impressive eight kills and six digs.

As a result, the hosts advanced to the championship where they faced the No. 1– ranked team in the country, Emory. These two teams played each other during the regular season on October 20, where UChicago defeated the Eagles in four sets (3–1).

The most recent meeting for the UAA title, however, did not go the way of the Maroons. In a fiercely fought battle, UChicago took the first set (25–19), only to have Emory respond by winning the second (25–17). This back and forth continued for

the third (UChicago won 25–18) and fourth sets (Emory won 27–25), ultimately forcing a fifth and final set where the Eagles would be crowned champions for a second consecutive year.

Although this past weekend did not end as the team had wanted, the players are hopeful as the NCAA tournament is about to begin. Griffith explained that the outcome does not change how dedicated the team is. “We can’t wait to get back on the court to practice again this week and get better with the few days we have before we play again.”

Similarly, Stifter thought that this weekend, especially the team’s game against Emory, acted as a learning opportunity going forward. “I think that playing in a five-set match really taught us that winning is grueling and difficult; we have to play hard for every point.” Looking ahead to the national tournament, Stifter says they are going to prepare for it like any other match and play their type of game. “Our brand of vol-

leyball is playing hard and gritty, so that’s how we’re approaching [it] going into the tournament.”

With fantastic veteran leadership and young talent, the team is hoping to have an extended run in the postseason. According to Griffth, “Anne Marie and Madison have been great captains this whole season and it’s so exciting to have a combination of their experience as well as younger players.”

She continued on to say that “Our biggest strength is that we are so well-rounded.”

Overall, due to their versatility and talented personnel, the UChicago women’s volleyball team has been on fire this whole season. That fire was not extinguished by the loss this weekend. If anything, the fire is even stronger now as they look to exact revenge in NCAAs. The Maroons, still ranked No. 2, will begin their journey for a national title next weekend, November 15–17, at home in an eight-team regional tournament.

Women’s Basketball Wins Season Opener Against UT Dallas

By THOMAS GORDON Sports Editor After a quick knockout in the NCAA tournament last year, UChicago women’s basketball was looking for a statement win to begin the season. The team that stood in the path of the Maroons was the UT Dallas Comets. The Comets came into Ratner as the 12th-ranked team in the country, but were coming off a close defeat to Wheaton on the previous day.

This fatigue on the back end of a backto-back came into play for the Comets in the inability to stay out of foul trouble. The Maroons took advantage of this tiredness from UT Dallas by constantly cutting into the paint and putting the Comets under pressure. This resulted in the difference in the game as UChicago had 42 free throw attempts and made 31 of them. The Maroons had a plus-33 advantage in free throw attempts, which shows the aggressiveness from the home team throughout the game. In fact, this stark difference was the main decider in the close contest between two preseason ranked teams. Field goal per-

centage, rebounds, and turnovers were all within two of each other between the two teams. Furthermore, the ability to get the Comets into foul trouble helped UChicago as Raenett Hughes, a thirdyear preseason All-American, was in foul trouble the entire game. Ultimately, fourth-year Miranda Burt’s team-high 16 points were enough to put the Maroons over the top as they left Ratner with a 74–69 win.

Taylor Lake, a fourth-year forward, was delighted with the start to the season, especially against a high-quality opponent. She lauded the mentality of her teammates: “I was blown away by the composure and confidence this team displayed against UT Dallas, a very high-pressuring team.” The ability to keep the turnover margin close against a “very high-pressuring team” such as UT Dallas is vital to ultimately winning the game. The Maroons in fact won the turnover battle as they forced one more turnover than the Comets. Additionally, Lake was proud in the mental toughness to overcome any runs that UT Dallas went on: “When they’d start to go

Fourth-year Miranda Burt battles opponents for ball. uchicago athletics on a run, we always had an answer and continued to push [by] playing our game, which is something so important to have experienced from the very first game of the season.” Overall, this first win has Lake optimistic about the upcoming season: “Everyone who came in stepped up and played hard, and I can’t wait to see all of the hard work we’ve put in during

the preseason translate to success for us this season.” The Maroons follow this game with another home game against out-of-conference rivals, Illinois Wesleyan University. UChicago won last year’s meeting and is hoping to make it two straight home wins to start off the new season this Tuesday night.

THE CHICAGO MAROON — NOVEMBER 13, 2019

15

Women’s Soccer Tie to Advance to NCAA Selection

By SHANYU HOU Sports Reporter On both the Maroons’ senior day and the UAA conference final, the women’s soccer team, ranked No. 16 nationally, tied with No. 3 Washington University in St. Louis 1–1. The game was tight the whole way through, with several players including fourth-year Hanna Watkins going for several shots on goal that were saved.

Fourth-year Sydney Jones also made a big save early on in the game, keeping the score at 0–0. The initial tie was broken at the 29-minute mark by a big play by third-year Bri Fadden, who slid the ball to second-year Nicole Kaspi, who went oneon-one with the goalie and fired off a goal.

The Maroons maintained their lead until the 58th minute, when the Bears capitalized on a loose ball in the box to even out the score.

From there, the game remained tied up through the rest of regular time and through two overtimes. Neither team could seem to find an opportunity, and the Maroon goalkeeping saved the day, with third-year keeper Miranda Malone making an important save with less than a minute to go at the end of the second overtime. With this tie, the Maroons are waiting for the NCAA Selection Show to determine whether or not they will be participating in the national championships.

Women’s soccer fourth-years pose with families on their senior day and UAA conference final. uchicago athletics Before the game, the seven Maroon fourth-years were honored for their contributions to the program. Rachel Dias, Sydney Jones, Andrea Omehe, Katie Sadera, Clare Suter, Adrianna Vera, and Hanna Watkins have combined to produce a stellar record of 65–13–5 in their four years, with three NCAA appearances, finishing in the semifinals twice and once as the national runner-up.

Reflecting on her final season, Watkins said that “being a senior this year has only raised the stakes that much more. I am really excited to have the opportunity to compete in the tournament with my team—we have a great group this year.

Hopefully we will be able to make the finals of the NCAA tournament the last game of all the seniors’ soccer careers!”

Looking back at her class’s impact on

the program, Watkins said she hoped they have created “a team environment that’s competitive, yet enjoyable and empowering.” Heading into NCAAs, the team is “super excited for the opportunity to compete and show all the work we have put in these past couple of months. As seniors, we hope to come away with a national championship in our final year.” The team now awaits NCAA selection.

Men’s Basketball Opens Season with Victory at Millikin

By MIRANDA BURT Sports Reporter The University of Chicago men’s basketball team opened up their season this past week with two away contests versus the Division I DePaul Blue Demons and the Division III Millikin Big Blue.

In their exhibition game against the Blue Demons, the Maroons dropped the contest 84—55, but kept the game close in the first half. The South Siders pulled to within two at 28—26 with five minutes left in the first half. Second-year Zach Munson hit a trifecta of threes to keep UChicago close early. However, DePaul used turnovers to get out and run, turning the margin into 15 at half-

time. The Maroons also received significant contributions from first-year Bryce Hopkins (eight points, six rebounds, three assists), fourth-year Jordan Baum (two points, four rebounds, four assists), and fourth-year Mattia Colangelo (seven points, four rebounds). 13 threes, shot at a clip of 39.4 percent, kept the South Siders in the contest.

UChicago officially opened up their season Sunday afternoon, snagging an 85–75 victory at Millikin. Fourth-year Cole Schmitz scored 25 points in 26 minutes, hitting six of eight from three.

Third-year Dominic Laravie (16 points, two rebounds, three assists), fourthyear Jordan Baum (10 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists), and first-

year Bryce Hopkins (12 points, five rebounds) were all in double figures. The Maroons gained the edge in 3pt percentage (43.4 percent versus the Big Blue’s 23.8 percent) and fast break points (16 versus seven).

Baum said of the game, “Team defense and rebounding was huge today against a team like Millikin that is very tall across the board. We also had 21 assists on 31 field goals which really shows the team’s unselfishness and ability to find the open man.”

The Maroons will play nine more nonconference games before they start a difficult UAA schedule. Baum is looking forward to the rest of nonconference as they prepare for conference

play. He stated, “We play a really difficult non-conference schedule this year which is going to prepare us very well for the start of UAA games. The team has a lot of confidence in what we can do, and as long as we can stick to our strengths and focus on improving this will be a very fun season. I think a lot of guys got some good experience last year and are really looking to take a step forward this season. That experience is really going to help us at the end of close games in closing out our opponents.”

The Maroons play at home this Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. against the Lake Forest Bears.

THE CHICAGO MAROON — NOVEMBER 13, 2019

16

SPORTS

Men’s Soccer Wins UAA Undefeated and Unscored On

By ADYANT KANAKAMEDALA Sports Reporter Men’s soccer won its last UAA conference game of the season against the WashU Bears this weekend.

The Maroons came into the game ranked sixth in the nation and having already secured their place in the NCAA postseason tournament. Before kickoff, there was a brief ceremony to honor the seniors on the team. Seniors Sam Barovick, Renato Corghi, and Nate Johnson stood for a photo

with their families.

The Maroons lined up for the first half in a 3–4–3 formation, while the Bears were organized in a 4–3–3.

After just eleven minutes, midfielder Vincente Mateus picked up the ball right outside the 18-yard box and split the Bears’ defense with a through pass. Scott Lich was put one-on-one with the keeper and placed the ball in the bottom left corner to give the Maroons the lead.

The Bears tried to break out of their half, but they struggled to defend the Maroons’

The University of Chicago Law School presents the 2019 Ulysses and Marguerite Schwartz Memorial Lecture

Chief Justice John Roberts: Defining the Supreme Court as its Leader and at the Center Joan Biskupic, CNN Legal Analyst

play on the wings. Junior Bryce Millington posed a constant threat on the left side of the field, swinging in crosses and creating space for his teammates with delayed runs while still tracking back to help defend when the opponents were attacking.

In the 24th minute, the Maroons won a free kick on the top corner of the box.

Freshman Kameron Bloye curled a cross over the defenders’ heads, finding Bryce at the back post, who made the score 2–0 with his fifth goal of the season. Ten minutes later, Kameron almost found the back of the net himself when he volleyed a cross off the woodwork.

Bears’ midfielder Makio Yamamato caused problems for the Maroons’ defense, intercepting loose passes and almost creating goals. The first time he set up a teammate who put the ball wide of the goal; the second time goalkeeper Aaron Katsimpalis was quick off his line to grab the ball from Makio’s feet.

The third and final goal of the game came with six minutes left in the first half.

Freshman Michael Johnson dribbled through three players before passing the ball to the center of the box, where forward Peyton Lane was waiting to smash the ball into the roof of the net.

The Maroons spent more time defending after the Bears began playing more aggressively in the second half. After halftime, the Maroons switched to a 5–3–2 formation and could absorb more offensive pressure,

finding most of their chances on the counter. The Bears’ play sharpened as the half progressed, but they were ultimately unable to convert any opportunities despite having ten shots to the Maroons’ eight at the end of the game.

With this win under their belt, the Maroons’ record stands at 11–1–5 overall and 7–0–0 in league. They are only the second school to win the league without conceding a single goal. The team is looking ahead to their postseason now; they will find out who their first opponent will be in the NCAA tournament on Monday.

Reflecting on the season, head coach Pat Flinn said that the team’s approach to training so far is well-suited for tournament play, and that “every game for us has been totally different; we’ve played different systems, different players have stepped up, and that is similar to what’s needed in the NCAA tournament.”

But he also recognized that the tournament can exhaust the players more quickly than the regular season does. “The biggest difference for the tournament is that we have to play slightly differently, because you play Saturday and Sunday, so there’s some consideration for the second game while you’re playing the first game, which is different to the regular season.”

He said the team has big ambitions for the tournament. “Our goal is to make it to the end of the tournament, not just survive one round.”

Tuesday, November 19 12:15 p.m.

Lunch will be provided The University of Chicago Law School Classroom V 1111 East 60th Street Chicago, IL 60637 This event is free and open to the Law School community. Please rsvp at www.law.uchicago.edu/schwartz-biskupic if you plan to attend.

For special assistance or needs, please contact the Office of Events at lawevents@law.uchicago.edu.

Fourth-years Nate Johnson, Renato Corghi, and Sam Barovick. uchicago athletics