Cauldron The
Volume 107 No.1 - August 25, 2008
STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1929
Schwartz to Resign from Presidency What will be his legacy?
The Contents
Volume 107 No.1 - August 25, 2008
Feature
Cauldron The
“For the Students...By The Students”
Schwartz to Resign from Presidency As many may have heard over the summer, this year will be the last year of Dr. Schwartz’s position as President of Cleveland State University. President Michael Schwartz has changed many facets of CSU that the average student, although affecting them every day, would not know whom to credit to. As Cleveland State has undergone many changes this past year of Schwartz’s presidency, it is a fitting time to recognize the progress that CSU has made under his leadership. ………Page 10
Editor-In-Chief Managing Editor Advertising Manager. Copy Editors
Nick Camino Christopher Enoch
Jayson Gerbec Sairah Zaidi Laura Krawczyk News Editor Roman Verzub Culture Editor Faith Hampton Sports Editor Robert Ivory Layout Editor & Web Designer Steve Thomas Cartoonist Michael Quintero Business Manager Anne Werner
The Melting Pot
Open Statements………Page 3 Democrat Scandals Abound………Page 5 Offshore Drilling………Page 5
The Melting Pot The Cauldron reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. All entries must include your name, year-in-school, and daytime phone number for verification purposes. All entries must be submitted by Friday at 5 p.m.
News
CSU Website Gets Major Overhaul…………Page 6 The Verzubian Political Notebook………Page 6 Three New Faces Appointed to CSU Board of Trustees………Page 8 Remembering StephanieTubbs Jones………Page 9
To Submit Editorials, Articles , Etc.: cauldroneditors@hotmail.com
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Arts & Entertainment CSU Drama Department May Find New Home………Page 12 Concerts, Plays and Events...OH MY!………Page 12 CD Reviews………Page 13 Book Reviews………Page 13 Flashback 1983………Page 14
Sports
Viking Champions May Think Alike………Page 17 Volleyball Aims to Defend Title………Page 18 Vikings Announce 2008-2009 Hoops Schedule………Page 19
Campus Life Releases 100 words or less: Organization name and phone number must be included. Releases are for student organizations only and should include the event date, time, and location. Letters to the Editor 800 words or less: Letters must be in response to a written article or campus issue. Student Columns 600-800 words: Columns can be submitted by students regarding campus issues, positive or negative, and will be sent directly to President Schwartz in order to bring more student awareness.
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Advertising Policy For advertising inquiries e-mail cauldronadvertisements@hotmail.com or call (216) 687-2270. Contact Us: Cleveland State University 4th Floor Cole Center Cleveland, Ohio 44115 (216) 687-2270 / (216) 687-5155 www.csucauldron.com
Monday, August 25th
The Melting Pot
Opening Statements By Chris Enoch The Cauldron Managing Editor
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irst impressions are crucial. Whether your summer was spent studying on campus for six weeks at a time or just studying the beach, the pool, and the great outdoors, we students understand that the first days back in action are always the most important. First impressions at Cleveland State are what drive us to buy those textbooks in advance, to wear that brand new outfit, and to change our schedules to once again accommodate studies, work, recreation and sleep. On second thought, now that class is in session once more, go ahead and scratch sleep. The Cauldron understands the value of first impressions. Consider these opening statements. These words are a firm handshake and a pat on the back to the students and faculty who read what we write and ultimately, make what we do worthwhile. We enjoy the pressures of being scrutinized by the reader and we appreciate the challenges ahead of us. We had to maneuver around more than a few potholes to get where we are now as a publication. Now that we are over the steepest hill, we are savoring the rest of drive. 2008 is set to be a year of profound changes and the Cauldron is no exception to that rule. With a revamped image and a brand new staff, look for us to push the envelope so far that it’s practically falling off the desk. There is plenty to be said about change. It doesn’t come easy, it’s difficult to adapt to once it arrives and we aren’t always prepared for it. That being said, we cannot back down from it. So what is going to change about this publication this semester? That’s a loaded question. First of all, expect more content on what is going on in the world nearest to us: the campus and the community. Campus news and local happenings matter equally to the commuter and to the resident. We all walk, eat, sleep and breathe Cleveland State; this year you’ll be reading Cleveland State too. Expect perfection in our editing this time around: we overhauled our new staff to meet that particular expectation. Go to our website, csucauldron.com and look at the modernized layout. Charming, isn’t it? Feel free to leave us feedback — we created a new Forum section for just that purpose (play nice, folks). Speaking of the digital age, the Cauldron is making the leap into new methods of media. In the coming days, you’ll find that we will be posting weekly online netcasts to get our message out to a whole new demographic of CSU news junkies. Anticipate seeing more than just the bread and butter news on our website; we may even get the opportunity to do some impromptu live interviews with some prominent individuals. We will soon be broadcasting live from our headquarters on the 4th floor of the Cole Center. In print-related news, we’ve provided the “Culture” section with a new heading: Arts & Entertainment.
The section’s focus will remain the same. Perhaps the most significant change at the Cauldron this year will be the relationship we maintain with our readers. We had a few letters to the editor last year, this year; we plan to be even more accessible to the opinions, thoughts, perspectives and ideas of our readers. You can e-mail us or send a traditional letter to our mailbox at the Cole Center. At our headquarters we are more available for increased contact: you can meet with us there during office hours, you can call us there and most of all if you’d like to participate in our endeavors, don’t hesitate to talk
about that with us there. The focal point here is availability and accountability. We will strive for both in the weeks and months to come. It has been said that you never get second chances to make first impressions. As you flip from page to page in this August 25th edition of The Cauldron, I have faith that our staff won’t need a second chance at our debut. We’ve made changes, and in making those changes, we’ve already made a difference. Change: a beautiful thing, no?
Monday, August 25th
Democrat Scandals Abound
The Melting Pot
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What It Could Mean in November By Sairah Zaidi The Cauldron Copy Editor
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he recent bout of scandals involving high-ranking Democrats in Ohio may lead to more than a series of political headaches and official investigations. While the general national dissatisfaction with the current Republican administration undeniably favors Senator Barack Obama and his party, the winds may be blowing in a different direction in the Buckeye swing state. Cuyahoga County in particular has been swept into what can only be described as a crisis in government, prompting the Cleveland Plain Dealer to create a special ‘County in Crisis’ section on its website. On May 2, just weeks after delivering a lecture on predatory lending at Cleveland State’s Marshall College of Law, Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann resigned amidst allegations of sexual harassment directed at one of his recently fired office aides and new revelations about an affair Dann had had with an employee. In addition, Dann had been accused of nepotistic hiring practices which overlooked better qualified candidates and rewarded close friends–among those being Anthony Gutierrez, the former aide accused of sexual harassment. A chorus of newspapers had called for his resignation in the past weeks, and the reaction on the part of Democrats was no less swift. Then came the FBI raids.
In late July, FBI agents raided the homes of Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora and County Auditor Frank Russo, suspected of trading jobs and contracts for free or discounted improvements on their homes. Also questioned was Russo’s free lance real estate gig, an obvious potential conflict of interest for an auditor. Ironically, on the same day, new allegations of extravagant vehicle purchases and financial irregularities continued swirling around the former Attorney General Dann and his aide Gutierrez. In August, in a story that received less attention, former County Administrator Dennis Madden was accused of sexual harassment by a female employee. She claimed that both Commissioners Tim Hagan and Jimmy Dimora were aware of the behavior and did not act, and that Hagan suggested to her that she might be fired if she continued to speak about it. The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office investigated the allegations and found no reason to pursue the charges, but Farina sued the commissioners and the case was privately settled in mid-August. In contrast to the swift calls for Dann’s resignation, Dimora and Russo have returned to work and have enjoyed a greater degree of support– or at least silence from fellow Democrats. This may have to do with the timing of the scandals– the resignation of top officials so close to the November elections could create
political turmoil and an opening for Republicans. While it is unlikely that the strong Democratic electorate of Cuyahoga County would make a full 360 turnaround, the scandals may tilt enough undecided voters toward John McCain to have an effect on the presidential election. The GOP continues to criticize the Democrats’ handling of the situation. The Republican Party Chairman of Cuyahoga County, Rob Frost, recently called for immediate action, saying “In the recent situation involving then-Attorney General Marc Dann, fellow Democrats waited until Dann publicly admitted certain wrongdoing before calling for his resignation. I call upon Democratic leaders, Governor Ted Strickland, Board of Commissioners President Peter Lawson Jones, and Commissioner Tim Hagan, to show some courageous leadership on behalf of our citizens and join me now in calling for Dimora and Russo to step down.” Incidentally, it was Marc Dann’s prominent investigation of the ‘Coingate’ scandal of 2005 involving a close friend of thenGovernor Bob Taft and his exposure of corruption within thenAttorney General Jim Pedro’s office that helped him win office in 2006. Whether or not these investigations and scandals could alter the outcome of the 2008 elections remains to be seen– but if history is any indication, both Republicans and Democrats will be watching the region closely in November.
Offshore Drilling: A Drop in the Bucket, If That By Sairah Zaidi The Cauldron Copy Editor
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t comes as no surprise that as the price of gas at the pump has skyrocketed, so has approval by the American public for renewed offshore drilling. Various politicians and oil barons have seized on the opportunity, touting it as a necessary means of providing relief to the hurting American consumer. Democrats, long opposed to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and off the coast of America, have altered their positions in light of the change in public opinion – Senator Barack Obama has now stated that he would be willing to consider offshore drilling as part of a larger, bi-partisan compromise.
Senator John McCain has touted offshore drilling frequently, attempting to distinguish himself from the lukewarm, newly adjusted position of his rival on the issue. Proponents are arguing for the kitchen-sink approach; we need to drill and focus on alternative energy sources such as solar and nuclear power. They dismiss the environmentalists, claiming that environmental damage would be minimal or nonexistent – an assertion not received warmly by the people of California who still remember the 1969 oil spill of Santa Barbara. “People need relief now!” they chant. While opponents bicker over environmental principles, the American people are waiting for a practical, hands-on solution, they say. Lost in the debate are a few indisputable facts: first, the argument that drilling will lower prices is dubious at best. Oil prices are based on global demand, and the amount of oil that would be drilled has been hailed by economists as proportional to a drop into a bucket of water, or perhaps even a medium-sized lake. Furthermore, conservative estimates of how long it might take to drill range from five to fifteen years – at which point,
a decrease of a few paltry cents would be expected. Relief, indeed. Real solution-making would require politicians to tell the American people what they need to hear, as opposed to what they would like to hear – a rather novel idea, of course. From an oil-supply stance, we could achieve an (insignificant) increase in supply by tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, something the President has refused to do. This suggests that the motives for offshore drilling are insidiously linked to profit-taking and do not provide a solution – short or long term – to the energy crisis. President George W. Bush’s recent lifting of the executive ban on oil drilling has not been coupled with the supposed kitchen sink method hyped up by proponents, but rather a complete disregard for the environment and any possible long term energy independence solutions. What people need is honesty and a real plan, and neither side has moved to act aggressively. Congress can start by refusing to approve the lifting of the executive drilling ban which would amount to a drop in the bucket for us and a big splash for the coffers of the oil companies.
News
Monday, August 25th Monday, August 25th
The Verzubian Political Notebook By Roman Verzub The Cauldron News Editor
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he political season is coming to a close. Both major parties are planning huge conventions – the Democrats will be in Denver at the end of August while the Republicans will be in St. Paul at the start of September. This year will set many precedents for a Presidential election. It is the first time since 1952 that neither an incumbent president, nor an incumbent vice president is on the ballot. It is also the first time in history that the two main opponents in the race are sitting senators – marking the first time since 1960 (and only the third time in history) that a sitting senator will be elected President of the United States. Lastly, this will be the first time that the President will have been born outside of the continental United States . Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona was born in Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone, a US naval base, and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois was born in Honolulu , Hawaii . Now that both Senators have secured the nominations, the campaigning for the general election is in full swing. Sen. McCain wrapped up his party’s nomination last March, with victories in key states such as Ohio , Florida , California , and Texas . Sen. Obama won his party’s nomination in June after a fierce battle with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, winning states Georgia and Alabama in the South, and Kansas and Colorado in the Midwest . Both candidates have squared off on countless issues, and have run campaigns to both assert their competency for the presidency while undermining their opponent’s. The Obama
campaign has frequently tried to paint McCain as a third George W. Bush term, hoping to capitalize on the President’s low approval ratings. The McCain campaign has tried to paint Obama as an inexperienced Senator with poor judgment. Claiming Obama is “not ready to lead,” McCain finds ground to attack Obama on account of his relatively short senatorial career that began only in 2005. The two have sparred over the War in Iraq , which McCain supports and Obama opposes, as well as other hot button issues such as offshore drilling. Another factor contributing to the unknown outcome of the election is the question of how disaffected Clinton supporters will affect the elections. Gallup statistics show 28% of Clinton supporters say they will vote for John McCain in November. Additionally, a CNN/Opinion-Research Poll shows that one-third of Clinton supporters plan on staying home and not voting at all, rather than voting for either Obama or McCain in November. The McCain campaign has been reaching out to Independents and Democrats (including former Clinton supporters) with the “Citizens for Campaign” section of their web site. The segment features an introduction from Independent Connecticut Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman, who describes it as “an organization within the McCain campaign for people who put country before political party and support the candidate for President who has a proven record of bipartisanship.” Meanwhile, the Obama camp has been a hub for disaffected Republicans virtually from the start. Groups like “Republicans
for Obama” say that “Despite... differing political views, we believe that Barack Obama has the capability to unite this country and find capable solutions to the problems America faces in the world today.” The conventions won’t be a point of finality by any means. Instead, they will be a rebirth for the campaigns. These two opponents will still inevitably be in debate. This time, however, it’s for the Presidency.
CSU Website Gets Major Overhaul By Roman Verzub The Cauldron News Editor
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requent visitors to the CSU website will notice that it has been significantly overhauled for this coming school year. The new site is designed with Cleveland State’s slogan of “Engaged Learning” at its forefront, and the site has been improved to reflect the new attitude and latest technological developments and trends on campus. Launched this past April, the university’s web site is meant to capitalize on emerging web technologies to make it esthetically pleasing and easier to navigate. A new addition to the web site is The Green Room, a social networking site for Cleveland State students and its student organizations to communicate and share information and updates. The Green Room has features for students, similar to more global social networking sites like MySpace or Facebook, and is intended to increase the hub of activity around the Cleveland State campus. Students can upload photos and videos, and create events, just as they would be able to elsewhere on the internet. In the first few months of the web site’s launch, it has already
received various mixed reactions from students. “I do not like it,” says sophomore Joe Gotschall. “I use it to ‘clock in’ to work on campus, and to do that you now have to put in your information twice, instead of once as the old site was designed; that is rather annoying.” Other students feel that the layout and accessibility of the page was enhanced in comparison to the old one. Sophomore DanielWeiss commented, “I noticed the new site recently and was impressed.” The new facade and added features to the web site are not the first major renovations in the history of CSU’s online existence. The original design for the web site remained untouched until 1998. Then, a revised layout was utilized until 2002. In 2001, the format
that we recognize today was created, and the introduction of VIKing, the feature that would eventually come to be known as“CampusNet,” was made as an all purpose web environment that students are able to use to schedule classes, check grades, pay bills, and conduct other university-related business. Also present in the updated web site is interactive content, created with more recent web technology. For instance, Adobe Flash, a popular software for creating multimedia, is utilized on the homepage to display a mini-slide show highlighting CSU. Various other less noticeable changes have been made to the web site throughout the years, such as the site’s color scheme in 2002, which was altered to green and white to reflect CSU’s school colors. With web technology and standards constantly changing, Cleveland State’s new homepage offers a new perspective, to what many called the “old and outdated” CSU site, and The Green Room will likely increase CSU’s accessibility as an online entity, augmenting communication and activity on campus for years to come.
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News
Monday, August 25th
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Three New Faces Appointed to CSU Board of Trustees Levin, McMickle, and Moore Replace Vacant Positions By Nick Camino The Cauldron Editor-In-Chief
The three new additions to the CSU Board of Trustees as well as existing members will help in carrying out the plan President Michael Schwartz has for the institution both on campus and in the classrooms.
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efore the 2008 Fall Semester started, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland assigned three new members to the Cleveland State University Board of Trustees, restoring the Board back its usual number of nine trustees. With the departure of trustees Peter Cavanagh, Carl Glickman, and Alex Machaskee, three new members were appointed by Governor Strickland to fill their positions at the beginning of August. The three newest additions include Shaker Heights attorney Morton Levin, senior Pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland Reverend Marvin McMickle, and Dan Moore III, a local business entrepreneur who has founded 15 Cleveland companies in his career. All three new members bring something valuable to the Board of Trustees, Chairman of the Board Ronald Weinberg said. “I am very pleased with the new members Governor Strickland appointed,” Weinberg explained. “Each one of them will help us carry out the goals we have for the university and the vision President Schwartz has set out for Cleveland State.” The CSU Board of Trustees has three main objectives both for the near and distant future, all of which the new trustees will be taking part in, Weinberg said.
“Our first duty is searching for the new president of the university,” he explained. “With President Schwartz retiring in July of 2009, the new members and existing members will be involved in the selection process of a new president right away.” “The next objective is staying supportive of Schwartz’ plan for the future,”Weinberg said. “Many positive things are going on right now at Cleveland State because of Schwartz, and the board wants to continue moving in that direction.” “Our final objective is enhancing the importance of higher education,” he said. “The new members will help us in trying to fulfill all the goals we have set as a committee.” Yet another important member on the CSU Board of Trustees is Dr. Paul DiCorleto, Weinberg explained. “One thing we are really pushing for is becoming more collaborative with the Cleveland Clinic,” Weinberg said. “Dr. DiCorleto is currently the Community Trustee, and does not get a vote, however he is a very big part in us working together with the Cleveland Clinic.” Levin, McMickle, and Moore will all begin their nineyear terms on the board once all of the necessary paperwork has been completed and signed by the Governor’s office, Assistant Secretary of the Board Betty Zavada said.
“It is uncommon to have three new members come in at once,” Zavada explained. “The positions needed to be filled because Mr. Cavanagh took a job in Washington, Carl Glickman’s term had expired, and Mr. Machaskee had resigned.” The first CSU Board of Trustees meeting is Sept. 12 and the three new members can attend, however if their proper paperwork has not been returned from Columbus by the time of the meeting, Chairman Weinberg will not appoint them to committees and none of them can vote or pass policies. Mr. Levin, who is set to begin his nine-year term, has served on the endowment committee of the Jewish Community Federation and is a member of the Ohio Bar Association. He received his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Michigan. Rev. McMickle has served as president of the NAACP in Cleveland and was a professor at Ashland Theological Seminary, prior to his appointment to the CSU Board of Trustees. Mr. Moore III, the third new member of the board was a former Cleveland mayoral candidate and received his bachelor’s degree from Trinity College and then earned an MBA from Harvard University in 1966. This is the first time in CSU history that three members have been appointed to the board at one time.
News
Monday, August 25th
Stephanie Tubbs Jones: 1950-2008
Remembering Stephanie Tubbs Jones By Chris Enoch The Cauldron Managing Editor
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Photo courtesy of Cleveland SGS
‘Stephanie Tubbs Jones’ image as Congresswoman for the 11th district will be remembered by the voters she represented-many of whom learn, teach and work at Cleveland State. In the House, she rose to the position of Chairwoman on Standards of Official Conduct and also sat on the Ways and Means Committee, including the subcommittees on Health, Oversight, and Social Security.’
hio’s 11th District mourns its favorite daughter, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, dead at age 58. After experiencing an aneurysm while driving her car, Tubbs Jones was ambulanced to Huron Hospital once Cleveland police had noted her irregular driving. Police were able to recognize the unconscious Tubbs Jones only after her vehicle finally came to a stop after her automobile maneuvered through separate lanes of traffic. The Congresswoman was placed in intensive care on life support after being classified as being in critical condition. By 6:12 p.m. on Aug. 20, Tubbs Jones had died due to complications from the brain hemorrhage she experienced after her initial brain aneurysm. Congresswoman Tubbs Jones, known for her years of service to the City of East Cleveland, Cleveland, and the 11th District, was the first black woman elected to Congress out of Ohio. Tubbs Jones received her Bachelor’s in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University, where she also earned a J.D. from Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law. She served Cleveland as a Municipal Court Judge, a Judge for the Cuyahoga Court of Common Pleas, and as Cuyahoga County Prosecutor before making the leap to the United States House of Representatives in 1998. In the House, she rose to the position of Chairwoman on Standards of Official Conduct and also sat on the Ways and Means Committee, including the subcommittees on Health, Oversight, and Social Security. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee and the Subcommittee on Social Security, Jones was well known for her criticism of the war in Iraq as well as her opposition to a number of President George W. Bushbacked economic policies. Stephanie Tubbs Jones’ image as Congresswoman for the 11th district will be remembered by the voters she represented-many of whom learn, teach and work at Cleveland State. Students who attended Senator Hillary Clinton’s rally at Cleveland State the night before the Ohio primaries will remember that the Congresswoman attended the event to cheer on a candidate she had long supported. Cleveland State will soon build wind-energy producing windmills on rooftops of Northeast Ohio due to federal appropriations offered up by Congresswoman Tubbs Jones in July. The fruit of this work is emblematic of Tubbs Jones. As an advocate and fighter for the 11th district and a distinguished public servant for the City of Cleveland, her spirit gave many in the sometimes troubled city a reason to rejoice. As a politician, a resident of Northeast Ohio, and as a human being, Stephanie Tubbs Jones will be greatly missed. A memorial service will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on August 30th at the Cleveland Convention Center. Viewing will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on August 29th at Bethany Baptist Church in Cleveland and from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on August 30th at the auditorium. Spokeswoman Nicole Williams said Tubbs Jones wished to be cremated, and there will not be a burial. The family has asked for supporters to send donations to The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Scholarship Fund instead of flowers. They should be sent in care of The Cleveland Foundation.
Schwartz to Resign from Presidency What will be his legacy? By Laura Krawczyk The Cauldron Copy Editor
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s many may have heard over the summer, this year will be the last year of Dr. Schwartz’s position as President of Cleveland State University. President Michael Schwartz has changed many facets of CSU that the average student, although affecting them every day, would not know whom to credit to. As Cleveland State has undergone many changes this past year of Schwartz’s presidency, it is a fitting time to recognize the progress that CSU has made under his leadership. By the time in his professional career that he arrived at CSU, Schwartz had already acquired an extensive resume. A native of Chicago, he attended the University of Illinois, earning his B.S. in psychology, M.A. in labor and industrial relations, and Ph.D. in sociology. Over the years he built his career, moving among universities such as Wayne State University, Indiana University at Bloomington, and Florida Atlantic University. Most recently before his position at CSU, he served as President of Kent State University for nine years, and then returned to his position as a professor of graduate courses in higher education administration and statistical methods.
different highly respected architects to replace CSU’s rigid cement “To tell you the truth, I’ll miss it structures with modern and inviting buildings more conducive to all. I think it’s a very exciting time in a collegiate atmosphere. Aside from generally revitalizing the campus, he broke the history of this university, there ground for the construction of three new dormitories on the south side of Euclid next to the bookstore, and renovated Fenn Tower are lots of changes taking place, for housing. some I think are very good and long “Commuter value is very important, but campus culture is generally built by the resident student body,” explains Schwartz. overdue.” “Because they’re here, they have a great stake in it. They develop their own traditions, their own history, their own needs and in- acquainted with the campus,” Schwartz said. “The way that the chairman of the board has constructed the search committee is terests.” really very impressive. It is a first class search committee, so I’m In addition to merely creating living space, he increased not that worried about it.” In an article Schwartz wrote for the Association of Governing residential convenience, establishing Campus 411 and the Mobile Boards Reports after he resigned from presidency at Kent State, Campus laptop loan program, and constructed the new Recreation Center and East garage. A future “Ribbon Plan” calls for re- entitled “When it’s Time to Leave the Presidency,” he says “In my landscaping the university’s entire green space along Euclid, and opinion, determining the right time to leave is the most importhe unsightly pile of rubble that used to be the University Center tant and difficult part of the job. Of course, it is always best to The Parker Hannifin Administration Center
The College of Urban Affairs Building
The Newly Renovated Main Classroom
Although only hired as an Interim President in 2001, it was soon recognized that he was the person who could bring about the positive change CSU desperately needed at the time, and was unanimously selected by the Board of Trustees. “I was not here very long as the Interim, but it was clear to me that this was a first-rate faculty, and that this could become a very, very competitive and very much a first rate university, and there’s no reason it shouldn’t be,” Schwartz said. “I was really motivated to come here as Interim, not to become President, but once I was here, I just realized that to be part of this place was terrific.” Schwartz succeeded Claire van Ummersen as the fifth president of CSU, and foreshadowed a term of innovation in his inaugural speech, saying “The culture of timidity has to go… Let us pledge now and in this place that we shall strike out in bold new ways and create a new Cleveland State University. Let us agree that the stories of lost opportunities will end for us now.” Upon his permanent appointment as President, he made a drastic departure from “Pathways to Learning,” plans originally laid in 1995 that would have increased CSU’s accessibility as a commuter school, attaching either end to the Inner Belt. Instead, with the help of John Boyle, Cleveland State’s vice president for business and finance, and Kent Sate University’s Urban Design Collaborative, he adopted “Building Blocks for the Future,” a projected $280 million concept to recreate Cleveland State’s image. The blueprint outlined eleven separate projects, each designed by
will be transformed into a $55 million student center. When asked which of his contributions he felt were most significant, Schwartz modestly replied, “I’ve made a number of changes that I think are important, but let’s let the historians decide.” Although he added, “We had to do some things here that were just fundamental... I think the admission standards make a big difference, and our classes subsequently have been better. Less than a year ago we were told ‘You guys are crazy, nobody will come there.’ But the freshman class got bigger, it got academically better, and it got more diverse.” Phased in over three years, the new policy ended open enrollment in an attempt to attract better prepared college students. The university’s Honors Program was also created to enhance Cleveland State academic credibility and appeal, giving undergraduates the opportunity of research experience. One reason, he pointed out, that he was announcing his resignation so early is because of the number of Board of Trustee members who are relatively new to the University. “Their most important responsibility is the responsibility to pick a president,” Schwartz stressed. Just in the past year, Alex Machaskee, former publisher of the Plain Dealer, was asked to forfeit his seat on account of his lack of attendance at meetings, Carl Glickman’s term expired, and Peter Cavanagh moved to Seattle. Although it will be a challenge for the Board to select a new president when many of its members are less-than-ideally
leave when you are on top of your game… But it is when you are on top of your game that you least want to leave.” He will be taking a year-long sabbatical, and then returning to Cleveland State as a professor. Schwartz confirmed that for the most part he will remain right here, and put in some long awaited study time. “I will be, believe it or not, reading,” he explained. “I have a lot of catching up to do.” “This is a university that is really developing very quickly, changing around,” he said. “After awhile you get the sense that somebody who can step back and look at look at it with new marrow, and make a fair assessment of where it is and where it needs to go, would probably be good.” As for the new president, he believes the decision should be left up to the search committee, and assures the new administration that he has full confidence, and not to worry about him putting in his two cents. “Now is the time for new vision, new energy, new ideas, and new skills,” Schwartz said. Although he’s proud of the progress he’s made, and is now able to relinquish the authority, he confesses to not being all smiles. “To tell you the truth, I’ll miss it all. I think it’s a very exciting time in the history of this university, there are lots of changes taking place, some I think are very good and long overdue.”
12 Arts & Entertainment
Monday, August 25th Monday, August 25th
CSU Drama Department May Find New Home By Chris Enoch The Cauldron Managing Editor
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n the not-too distant future, the CSU Dramatic Arts program may have a new stage to call its home: the Allen Theater at Playhouse Square. A long, storied history precedes the Allen’s reputation, and a new chapter in this stage’s history is on the cusp of unfoldingat least, that is, if the Office of the President and the CSU Drama Department have anything to say about it. The Allen was founded in 1921 after initially being designed by C. Howard Crane, an architect mostly known for his theater projects in another Midwestern steel city: Detroit. With the Allen having been blueprinted in the Roaring 1920s, the theater itself was outfitted to seat about 3,000 guests. Frequent pauses for management change and renovation followed in the decades to come: the theater changed management on three different occasions and went through a massive $500,000 renovation in 1961. Since the last renovation in 1998 and the restoration of Playhouse Square’s other stages (namely the Ohio, the State and the Palace Theaters) the Allen hasn’t necessarily regained its original prominence in the Cleveland Theater community. In fact, only in 1993 did Playhouse Square officially decide to sign a new lease which would allow the Allen to endure for years to come. Despite being eclipsed in fortune and Broadway eminence by Cleveland’s more reputed stages in the Theater District, today the Allen Theater stands much as it did in 1921, albeit with plans for its future still under consideration. In recent months however, a plan involving the CSU Dramatic Arts Program and the Allen has been whispered among officials from both the academic and theater communities. Cleveland State President Michael Schwartz was quoted in
the July 3rd edition of The Plain Dealer as saying, “When I got here in 2001, we were at the very edge of Playhouse Square but had virtually no contact, and that made absolutely no sense whatsoever given our location and the voracious appetite for theater in Northeast Ohio,” Schwartz said. “I am going to do something about that.” Although Schwartz himself wasn’t available for comment on this prospective renovation, he certainly highlighted one truth: Cleveland does have an appetite for theater. At present, the Playhouse Square Center lags behind only New York’s Lincoln Center as America’s most sizeable performing arts development. Dr. Michael Mauldin, CSU’s Director of Dramatic Arts, shared Schwartz’s enthusiasm on the still developing plan. “It (the Allen) really would be a national theater center. We [the CSU Dramatic Arts Program] would be part of the Playhouse Square machine as far as publicity and box office go…as exciting as all of that is we would then be in partnership with the Great Lakes Theater festival. It would really be a win-win for both the festival and the department.” The advent of a deal between the Playhouse Square Center and the CSU Dramatic Arts program carries obvious benefits for future Drama majors. Professor Donald McBride of the Dramatic Arts program, who teaches such courses as Production Practicum and Intro to Technical Theatre, elaborated on the possibilities. “People are going to want to come to see the new spaces and see what is happening…as we grow as a program which we have done over the last few years, people will be excited to come there. The Allen will help bring people. Just the fact that we will be a part
of a dynamic theater area…for the student there is going to be this synergy, students will be exposed to the theater district and perhaps become a part of some other projects going on. The public will then start seeing more of our students in various capacities.” Currently, Drama majors regularly perform in the Factory Theater, a more modest venue than that of the Allen. In the wake of this potential agreement, Professor McBride illuminated on the condition of the Factory Theater. “To be quite honest, the Factory Theater…is not an exciting place. It is kind of off the beaten path. The lobby isn’t particularly inviting. The space is nice and we’ve done a lot with it but the space is not as nice as some of the other venues people go to,” McBride explained. While specifics of the deal have yet to be released, the thought of a chummy CSU-Playhouse Square relationship is cause enough for celebration. “The Allen is a nationally - if not internationally - recognized theatrical compound. It has incredible visibility. It really links both CSU and the CSU Theater Arts program with the renovation of downtown Cleveland,” exclaimed Dr. Mauldin. The city of Cleveland, Cleveland State University and Playhouse Square would be the clear beneficiaries of a potential agreement, but with such a deal still in the balance, anticipation is only building. “This deal would make us a viable partner in the money and the attention that has been going on as far as reinvigorating and re-imagining what Cleveland is for the future. Of course Cleveland has this extraordinary theater history which dates back around 150 years and so the area is already known for its theatrical industry,” declared Dr. Mauldin, “Now, we are going to be physically located as part of that re-imagined downtown Cleveland.”
Concerts, Plays, and Events…OH MY! By Faith Larraine The Cauldron A&E Editor Sundown Jazz Concert Series 2008-09: The Sundown Jazz Series, created in 1977, is the longest running series of jazz concerts in Northeast Ohio. Once a month, during the school year, Cleveland State University presents a concert featuring local jazz musicians and established jazz groups. Artists are encouraged to perform music they haven’t had the opportunity to perform elsewhere, or to present their music in a way that audiences haven’t had a chance to hear when they have performed at other venues. The series for this fall will feature four outstanding bassists: Performances run as follows: Sun., Sept. 14: Kip Reed Sun., Oct. 5: David Morgan Sun., Nov. 16: Glenn Holmes Sun., Dec. 14: Peter Dominquea
All of the shows begin at 4:00 p.m. and take place in Drinko Recital Hall, in Cleveland State University’s Music & Communication Building, located at 2001 Euclid Ave. As they have been for the past 31 years, all concerts are free and open to the public. Love’s Fire: The Cleveland State University Dramatic Arts department will present Love’s Fire, a collection of short plays written by a multitude of contemporary American playwrights. The stories are all based on interpretations of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Love’s Fire is meant to portray modern American drama, touching on the topics of stylistic and cultural diversity embraced by the CSU Dramatic Arts Program. The General of Hot Desire by John Guare examines the history of human civilization with a play within a play. Ntozake Shange’s Hydraulics Phat Like Mean is a “dance-poem” of Continued on Page 14
Arts & Entertainment
Monday, August 25th
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CD Reviews
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By Faith Larraine The Cauldron A&E Editor
Disturbed Disturbed has always been mainstream, but their latest really tops the cake. Their fourth album, Indestructible was released on June 3, 2008. This was the first self-produced album by the band, and it amazingly started off at number one on the Billboard charts. It stayed at number one for five consecutive weeks and was rated gold by July 2008. It is kind of catchy. There are a few songs that can be played over and over again simply because it will probably stick in your head for hours. Even with the pull of having to play songs again, it’s almost like you have to play them again because you don’t quite understand all of what the artists are talking about. Some of them do seem to have the same beat. Song after song, it was a little confusing figuring out if they had switched to a different song or not. Maybe it was just a long pause? In the song Perfect Insanity, which was actually one of Disturbed’s first singles for the album, we again hear that eerie laugh from their previous hit Down with the Sickness. Could we be a little more original? Just because Down was a hit, doesn’t mean Perfect will be. It only made it on the Hot Canadian Digital Singles list. Even then, it only made it to number 70. All in all, the album seems somewhat boring. And as the charts show, it is no instant hit. I don’t know how it stayed at number one so long…maybe it was because fans were simply excited for its re-
lease. Some of the songs are really lame and only the song Enough could be deemed as amazing. In essence, there was always a good intro to the songs, but the endings fell flat. 3.5 out of 5 stars (only for being on top so long)
N.E.R.D Talk about the weirdest album ever. Nothing goes together. It all seems to be a big jumble of hoopla and girls in bathrooms and…it is just odd.
Seeing Sounds was released June 10, 2008 by N.E.R.D, a group led by producer Pharrell Williams. It is N.E.R.D’s third studio album and made it to number seven on the Billboard 200. Yes, Pharrell does have a sexy voice, but it doesn’t always work for him. The first song on the album, Time for Some Action, was very strange. It started off with Pharrell talking about how children used to play outside and then all you could do was go inside and take a shower. What? Track two, Everyone Nose (ALL THE GIRLS STANDING IN THE LINE FOR THE BATHROOM), was drastically annoying. It makes no sense at first, but then you realize that they are talking about coke heads and groupies. And it is still very annoying. Here’s a suggestion for Pharrell as well. He should never think of, or try to be in, a metal band. He tries to scream in one of his songs during the chorus and it is just horrible. It had to be changed immediately. Happy was an interesting song. It was kind of rock, kind of jazz, kind of 50’s sounding. But then you get to the songs like the one that makes fun of people with ADHD and “spazes”. And Love Bomb sounds like Michael Jackson could’ve sang it. Overall, it was a very “out there” kind of album. There is no way to categorize it within any particular genre because no two songs sound the same. Interesting, but odd. 3 out of 5 stars
Book Reviews By Sairah Zaidi The Cauldron copy Editor
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. MT Books/Little Brown. 756 pp. $22.99
(Warning: contains spoilers!) I was venturing into unfamiliar territory when I was assigned to read this fourth and final novel of the bestselling vampire/romance “Twilight” series by Stephenie Meyer. The story is replete with werewolf/vampire rivalry, fancy cars and parties and honeymoons, shape-shifting and mind-reading, oddly disturbing sexual tension, and a rather appalling description of the pregnancy of the protagonist Bella. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then full steam ahead – but I’m guessing that Breaking Dawn falls short of the first three novels which drew in millions of readers. The novel is divided into three books, with the first and last told from the perspective of the young, clumsy and danger-prone Bella Swan and the middle book narrated by her werewolf friend, Jacob Black. Bella Swan and her vampire lover Edward Cullen finally marry, and a rather interesting honeymoon ensues – this is where the odd sexual dynamic surfaces. She becomes pregnant and the vampire-hybrid child drains her to almost the point
of death, cracking her ribs and prompting the realization that it requires blood. Bella obliges and feels better. The proxy conflict between the jealous Jacob and husband Edward is reminiscent of junior high, and meanwhile another vampire tribe is in uproar because they have mistakenly heard that Bella’s child is an immortal child (If you want to find out more about these creatures and ‘vegetarian-vampires,’ buy the book). I’m all for fantasy and magical creatures, being an avid Harry Potter fan myself, but I fail to see why these novels have become so popular. The quality of writing is mediocre (as indicated by the final line of the book, “And then we continued blissfully into this small but perfect piece of our forever”) and the characters seem to play into stereotypically (yet somehow also oddly bizarre) sexist roles. Loyal fans have already bought over a million copies, so perhaps this author is just an unappreciative outsider – read it for yourself and see. The Way of the World: A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism by Ron Suskind. Harper Collins. 415 pp. $27.95.
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Price of Loyalty and The One Percent Doctrine comes another sweeping indictment of the Bush Administration’s national security policies and the false
pretenses under which it led the nation to war. The most explosive accusation is, as covered by the media frequently, that the White House ordered the CIA to forge a document linking Saddam Hussein to Al Qaeda before going to war in 2003. He also describes how information from a top Iraqi intelligence official, which refuted the existence of any weapons of mass destruction, was ignored. A deliberate attempt to maximize executive power and reduce accountability was made in particular by Dick Cheney, and Suskind traces this evolution. The White House has been quick to dismiss the claims, saying that Suskind “has chosen to dwell in the netherworld of bizarre conspiracy theories,” a response that is interesting considering that the notion that the Administration deliberately misled the American public into going to war is quite uncontroversial, and certainly not bizarre. Beyond the insights into the actions and policies of the administration, Suskind describes various people around the world, such as a UN refugee commissioner in Darfur, attempting to restore human values and moral sensibility in an age where the United States has failed to do so. He waxes a tad idealistic at times, and the connection between these people and the central claim of his book is arguably quite a stretch – but for anyone hoping to gain insight into the inner-workings of a highly secretive and unaccountable administration, Suskind delivers the goods.
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Arts & Entertainment
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Flashback 1983: Nintendo Entertainment System
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By Faith Larraine The Cauldron A&E Editor
ostalgia. It’s almost addicting. Once you get going, you can’t stop for hours. You start with the cartoons you watched as a child, then the snack foods you took with you to lunch at school, and then the toys you played with. Well, I am here to bring it back. I’m serving up some much needed nostalgia this semester. Every week, the readers will be able to read about their favorite pastime toy, food, cartoon, and much more. And I believe that we should start this flashback off with a big bang. Even if you weren’t born when it first came out, who hasn’t played with an original Nintendo?
the arcade game Donkey Kong and the game Joust. In Donkey Kong, a large ape was portrayed as a carpenter. Mario was changed into a plumber who exterminated different creatures that lived in pipes. Donkey Kong was not made for the NES system until 1986. Even though this was not Mario’s first debut, it was the first game named after him and the first game to include his brother Luigi. Mario is still being put in games today, the latest being Super Mario Galaxy released in 2007. Another game that debuted with the system was Popeye. The point of the game was to be Popeye and collect as many items while avoiding random evil characters. One of the evil obstacles was Brutus, a character from the original Popeye television cartoon series. Popeye is very similar to the original Donkey Kong, except there is no jump button; there is only a punch button. And of course, if Popeye can punch a can of spinach, he becomes temporarily invincible. The very last game to be created for the NES was called Sunday Funday. Sunday Funday was not licensed by Nintendo, but by another video console company known as Color Dreams. This 1995 game had the plot of helping a young skateboarder make his way to Sunday school, dodging bullies and clowns in his path. The game is identical to the other Color Dreams game Menace Beach. In Menace Beach, a young man is trying to save his girlfriend, who seems to lose more and more clothing with each subsequent level. This is obviously not the case for the Christian video game, Sunday Funday.
History The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is a video game console that was introduced for the first time in Japan in 1983. In 1985, it finally made it to the continents of North America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and South America. The NES helped to correct the video game crash of 1983 by becoming the best selling game console of its time. The crash was caused by such phenomenon as the creation of too many different consoles, and increasing competition from personal computers. The crash of 1983, which actually took full effect in 1984, lasted two years and caused many North American computer and video game making companies to go bankrupt. The NES had become astoundingly popular by 1987, saving the video game console industry. Over 62 million Nintendo game systems would be sold to families and children. On November 21, 1990 it was overrun by its successor, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, also known as SNES. Appliances Here are a couple of the great appliances that came with Games the NES, such as the NES Zapper and R.O.B. Mario Brothers was the first game to come out on the The NES Zapper was my first and favorite gun. This elecNES in 1983. It included an Italian character by the name of tronic gun could be used to play games such as Wild Gunman Mario, who actually got his start as Jumpman in a previous and Duck Hunt. Pointed at the screen and with a very loud game known as Donkey Kong. Mario Bros. was influenced by click from the trigger, you could shoot the cowboy from Wild
Gunman or you could shoot ducks out of the sky from Duck Hunt. If you take a close look, the character from Wild Gunman resembles the character of Wario, a later known character from the Mario Bros. game series. R.O.B, short for ‘robotic operating buddy’, only supported two games. You could use him to play Gyromite and the game Stack-Up. Ultimately, however, R.O.B was actually an unnecessary accessory. Sure, he could push the buttons on the controller for you…but it took all the fun out of playing yourself. Yes, R.O.B was created to replace the human, in a sense. This accessory is actually going to make a comeback on the Wii and be part of Active Life. It’s the Power Pad! It was a controller made into a flat plastic sheet that lay on the floor, used to play games like World Class Track Meet. This idea was recreated into the infamous Dance Dance Revolution game, which has seen much success. Of course, our Nintendo cartridges always annoyed us when we had to blow into them, something which was actually deemed dangerous for the players. Nintendo did come out with a system cleaner, but it was not very popular. The Nintendo series has lived long and prosperous. It still continues today. The NES transformed to the SNES, to the N64, to GameCube, to Wii. There were also three portable devices created as well: Virtual Boy, the Game Boy line, and the Nintendo DS. What will Nintendo think of next?
Concerts, Plays, and Events…OH MY!
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desire and control. 140 by Marsha Norman is a reflection on love and betrayal. Bitter Sauce is a sexy comedy written by Eric Bogosian, and the irrationally neurotic Terminating is by Tony Kushner. CSU students participated in acting, designing, and directing these short plays. This will be the showcase that ends the CSU Summer Stages season and begins our fall with a bang. Performances run as follows: August 28 – September 7 Thursday – Sunday: 8PM Sunday: 2PM Tickets are $5 for students, seniors, and CSU faculty/staff. It is $10 for general admission. Parking is free in lot S1 on East 24th street between Chester Avenue and Payne Avenue. Call 216-
Digital Safari: Digital Safari assembles a diverse array of artistic visions to create art work using digital media. The exhibit was created by Qian Li, a professor of art. The works are by eight contemporary artists from around the world, and display their innovative ideas about representation through the free use of materials and technology. The exhibit tries to portray an urban environment with moving images and interactive installations. The digital art work is used to help the viewer to discover and reveal their inner self. The CSU gallery for Digital Safari will be open from Aug. 29 – Oct. 4. There will be a gallery talk on Aug. 29 at 4 p.m., followed by a reception from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. There will also be live music and visuals.
Jayson Gerbec Advertising MAnAger for the CAuldron
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Phone: 216.687.2270 Email: cauldronavertisements@hotmail.com More information online: www.csucauldron.com
GET EXPERIENCE & $ FOR COLLEGE!
Help children by providing hands-on nutrition education and physical activity in afterschool programs in Cleveland. The Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities AmeriCorps program at Children’s Hunger Alliance seeks part-time members (15-20 hrs/wk) for a one-year term starting September 8th. Members receive $503/month & and education award of $2,363 for college/student loans. Some travel to Columbus, Ohio required. e-mail: SAmos@ChildrensHungerAlliance.org
Health & Wellness Services Welcomes You!
We’re on campus to help you stay healthy during your academic career and beyond Our low cost to no cost services include:
•illness/injury evaluation/treatment •screening tests •immunizations/allergy injections •health and wellness education •physical exams & pap tests •& much more… Call us to schedule an appointment 216-687-3649 http://www.csuohio.edu/health visit our website for details of services, and more! C.S.U. Health & Wellness Services Science & Research 153 Keeping CSU Healthy
17 Sports
Viking Champions May Think Alike Peterson Abiad adds Hood to Coaching Roster By Robert Ivory The Cauldron Sports Editor
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magine it’s 1986. Michael Jordan rules the basketball court. Mike Ditka leads the Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl XX title over the Patriots. Sega Genesis is the latest video game craze. Rock group Metallica releases their third album, Master of Puppets. The spaceship Challenger met its unfortunate end. But real Viking basketball fans know why this year is significant - it was the year that the Viking men made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. And current women’s head coach Kate Peterson-Abiad is about to get a history lesson as she and her players look to go further than any women’s team in CSU history has gone before. With the void that Annie Thomas left behind after she departed from the program, Peterson looked to aid her ‘winning mentality’ with a coach who was no stranger to success on the hardwood - Shawn Hood. “Honestly, it feels like I never left,” Hood replied after being asked how it felt coming back to the Viking Village. “It feels like I’ve been here for the past 20 years. There are so many familiar faces.” Hood’s playing career lead him to a coaching job with the Vikings, but he also found great success coaching with the Wisconsin Badgers. He was an assistant for seven years under a great defensive coach, Dick Bennett, before taking over the basketball program locally at Admiral King. But these programs were coaching the men’s side. “What will be my adjustment from men to women, everyone has their theories, but in my opinion I think it will be the same,” Hood remarked. Now that the women have established themselves in the Horizon League, Peterson’s addition of Hood will bring a more defensive oriented coach to the program. This bodes well, since the Vikings have had difficulty in games when they let the outside shooters have a three point parade. “I hope to help in every aspect of the basketball program,” Hood said of his new role. There are many great reasons for a coach to move to a program like Cleveland State’s. “Well, you can say Kate is an excellent recruiter,” Hood chuckled. “She really convinced me that this is something I really wanted to be apart of.” And what a perfect time to become part of a program that not only knocked down the doors in the Horizon League, but also has teams like Arizona State on its schedule. “I am just thankful that it is Kate. Someone that I respect as a person and as a basketball coach,” Hood said of his new employer. Coaches Peterson Abiad and Hood go back to their days in Wisconsin, as both were assistant coaches and worked together. But for Hood, Christmas may come early for him since he did not see a Viking women’s game last year. Nor, because of NCAA rules, has he seen any of his new players in action, especially shooting guard Kailey Klein. “I haven’t seen any losing expectations in any of our girls, from the seniors down to the freshmen,” he said. As if next year wasn’t already a great year to watch basketball at Cleveland State, this will be a great match; a little bit of the old mixed in with the new.
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Volleyball Aims to Defend Title Team Looks to Continue Last Year’s Success By Robert Ivory The Cauldron Sports Editor
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ast year, nothing came easy for women’s volleyball head coach Chuck Voss. Last season, his Vikings were picked to finish behind the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin in the preseason and only received one first place vote. When the Vikings entered the post-season, not only did they have to travel to Wisconsin to play the five-time Horizon League Champion Panthers, but after they did win their first Horizon League Championship, they were pared with the University of Albany – who had won their second consecutive American East Conference title. This season is different. As the Vikings get ready to open their season with three Invitationals at Northern Illinois (Aug 29 and 30), Dayton (Sept 5 and 6), and Wyoming (Sept 12 and 13), the squad has been picked to win the Horizon League outright. “I think that if we work hard and stay healthy, we’ve got a
chance to do great things this year,”Voss said. Voss’ confidence has not only made the rest of the Horizon League feel uneasy, but he has the poise of his leaders improving as well. Once again, the team motto has been ‘one match at a time.’ “You can’t look down the road and look at the Championship” senior Jordan Bateman exclaimed.“You can’t think it’s in the bag, we have to take it one game at a time again this year.” The hard work from last year is evident, and the recruited class and freshmen will bring a lot more to the table then first years typically do at other programs, she said. “The young girls are going to give us a bit of depth and the five freshmen have created a great deal of depth for our team,”Voss continued. “This is this the first time in awhile we are an experienced team.” The team is going to need that experience if it wants to continue its success from last year. Now that the team has made its mark in
collegiate volleyball, Voss admits that scheduling is a bit difficult since teams know that the program has gotten much better over the past four years. Included on their schedule are teams that were in the top 105 in the country at the end of last year. These teams include Connecticut (79), Northwestern (61), Dayton (14), UAB (71), Kent State (96) and Kansas (102). But the Vikings don’t find a break when it comes the Horizon League scheduling. The Vikings open their conference schedule at home on Sept. 19 when they face off against the University of Loyola-Chicago Ramblers. As the season wears down, the team’s toughest task is a three-game road trip to end their regular season. In that span, they will take the dreaded trip to Wisconsin and then to Youngstown State. The schedule may be less than perfect, but the Vikings will be looking at home court advantage when the Horizon League Tournament takes place at Woodling Gym on the campus of Cleveland State in November.
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Vikings Announce 2008-2009 Hoops Schedule Tough Non-Conference Slate Highlights Upcoming Season By Nick Camino The Cauldron Editor-In-Chief
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he 2008-2009 Cleveland State men’s basketball season will not get underway until Nov. 14 at the Wolstein Center; however, the opponents that await the Vikings have already been set for the upcoming campaign. Coming off last season’s memorable 21-13 record, an impressive Horizon League runner-up finish, and a postseason bid to the National Invitation Tournament, head coach Gary Waters’ squad has even higher aspirations for the new season. But they face a tougher road to success, similar to the 31-game regular season that awaits the Vikings. After an opening “tune-up game” at home against Division III cross-town rival John Carroll University, the Vikings schedule immediately takes off on the toughest stretch of the season. The forest green and white travel to Seattle, Washington on Nov. 18 to take on the Washington Huskies of the PAC 10 Conference partaking in the CBE Classic only to return home to the Wolstein Center just four days later to take on Big 12 Conference foe Kansas State in the annual John McClendon Scholarship Classic. “We didn’t do ourselves any favors with this schedule,” Waters said. “This is a difficult schedule that is designed to get us ready for the league schedule in January and put us into a posi-
tion to have an RPI that will be deserving of a postseason bid.” Following their first two games against the giant conference opponents, the Vikings head to Fort Myers, Florida to continue play in the CBE Classic with three games scheduled to be played at Florida Gulf Coast University. Finally CSU will return home for two games on Dec. 2 and 4 for a huge match up against Valparaiso and Butler, two teams sure to finish in the top tier of the Horizon League. Waters’ squad will then hit the road again for two nonconference games. On Dec. 6 they travel to Morgantown, West Virginia to play against Elite Eight participant West Virginia, and then on Dec. 13 to Poughkeepsie, New York for a showdown with the Marist Red Foxes. The Vikings will return to the Wolstein Center three days later to round out the non-conference schedule for a game against Oakland University and finally on Dec. 23 for a date with NCAA qualifier Kent State. “We’re going to get a real challenge, especially right at the beginning,” Waters explained. “Playing teams like Washington, Kansas State, Richmond, and West Virginia will help us become a better team.” On Dec. 30 the Vikings kick off the remainder of their con-
ference schedule heading down to Fairborn, Ohio for a Horizon League showdown with Wright State. Following that single game road trip CSU will play 15 conference games, seven of which will be played at the Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland. “We’re ready to go,” senior forward J’Nathan Bullock said. “Everyone on this team is taking a veteran approach, and that in itself is a plus.” The 2008 Horizon League Tournament begins on Mar. 3 at campus sites and continues at the site of the first seed’s home court Mar. 6-10. Success from last season will definitely play a significant role in the struggles the team may confront this campaign, Waters said. “We won’t be able to sneak up on anybody this year,” he explained. “Everybody will be prepared for us, so that will make every game just a little more difficult.” The CSU men’s and women’s basketball teams will once again play five doubleheaders throughout the season, all of them centered around conference play. The Lady Vikes will play first, with the men’s games beginning 20 minutes after the final horn.